Sandrah Tubobereni wasn’t always in the fashion business; before launching her brand, TUBỌ, she started her career in business development in corporate Nigeria. Her time in the corporate industry taught her that creativity is only sustainable when it is backed by structure and strategy. She learnt to approach design with the same discipline she applied to business. In designing, Tubobereni doesn’t just think about how the dress will look but how it will move through the world, who it will speak to and how it will live up to the brand’s promise.
With sustainability being a key conversation in fashion, TUBỌ is integrating ecoconscious practices without compromising on quality and luxury by designing with longevity in mind. Her pieces can be worn and passed down instead of being discarded after one season.
With fashion season just around the corner, Tubobereni is poised to debut a new collection at Lagos Fashion Week this year. As for what to expect from her designs, I’ll let you read that on pages 8 to 10 of this issue.
For the night owls, we have something for you on page 13: cities that don’t sleep. If you’re planning a trip soon, we have listed some cities with a vibrant nightlife. Scroll on to read and take your pick.
When our movie reviewer asked if I am a fan of horror movies, my immediate answer was, “Certainly not,” to which he excitedly went on to disclose that this week’s main movie review is a horror story and that it was his highest score, so far. So, for all those who like horror movies, Weapons is a must-watch.
Until next week, enjoy your read.
Photo: Kola Oshalusi
@insignamedia Makeup: Zaron
OnahNwachukwu
SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2025
THEWILLNIGERIA
SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2025
THEWILLNIGERIA
THEWILLNIGERIA
COVER
Wike Frets as Makinde Takes Over PDP Ahead of 2027 Election
BY FELIX IFIJEH
In the battle of wits among leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over the prolonged crisis in the party, two camps have since emerged and lined up behind either Governor of Oyo State Seyi Makinde or the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.
In their attempt to outdo each other, Makinde appears to be winning, while Wike frets.
After the noisy Southern stakeholders meeting held on Thursday in Lagos to deliberate on zoning arrangements ahead of the party’s national convention, a Makinde ally and Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal on Saturday hosted his fellow governors of the PDP in Gusau, “for a strategic meeting aimed at shaping the party’s direction ahead of its national convention.”
The Zamfara State Government said that the meeting would provide an opportunity for “leaders of the party to address pressing political issues, strengthen internal cohesion, and collaborate on developmental initiatives across their respective states. Additionally, the governors will discuss preparations for the upcoming national convention, organised by the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC), scheduled to take place in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025.”
country’s governing elite, Damagun drew applause when he remarked that, “The party is above any interest, no matter who he is.” It is believed that jibe was thrown at Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who party sources say is trying to make the party in his own image.
In what a party source described as “battle for the soul of the party,” Makinde and the Wike, are said to be strengthening their respective camps as the build-up to the proposed national convention gathers momentum.
“Initially people believed that the governor and the minister were insincere in their fight, that they were playing games,” the reliable party source told THEWILL on Thursday, “but the dimension the fight has taken is polarising the party. Makinde wants to run for the presidency and he needs the party's platform. Even if he eventually loses, he will emerge a leader of the party. Wike is opposed to it. And as serving minister, many believe he is also serving his master, President Tinubu’s interest.”
contest against somebody I am working for.?”, while submitting that, “Nobody in the opposition can defeat President Tinubu in 2027.”
POLARISED NATIONAL WORKING COMMITTEE
At present, members of the National Working Committee, NWC, are said to be polarised along the Makinde-Wike divide.
Among the 12-member NWC, Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagun, National Publicity Secretary, Debo Olgunagba, Deputy National Chairman, Toafeek Arapaja, South and National Woman Leader, Amina Darasimi Arong are said to be in Makinde’s camp. National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, are in Wike’s camp.
Though the governors attending the meeting - Makinde, host Lawal, Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, Kefas Agba of Taraba, Usman Fintiri of Adamawa State, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State alongside BoT Chairman, Senator Adlophus Wabara and National Chairman, Umar Damagun - were still meeting as at the time of writing this report, an insight into the some of the considerations for the gathering was disclosed in Damagun’s brief address at a gala on Friday night.
After praising the governors as the best among the
Makinde and Wike were strong allies in the G-5 Governors alongside Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who all worked against their party during the 2023 general election, having accused the former National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu of failing to relinquish the position to the South after Atiku Abubakar emerged presidential candidate of the party.
Although he is intensely canvassing for the zoning of the party’s presidential ticket to the South in 2027, “in fairness and inclusion and federal character principle, … after an unbroken eight years of Northern President under Muhammadu Buhari…” Wike has persistently rejected any suggestion that he intends to contest the presidency, saying that, “I will not contest. How will I
This division is said to be at the heart of the renewed crisis in the party. It is said to have caused lack of cohesion and infighting among members of the NWC such that the protection of the interest of their principals overrides the protection of the general interests of the party and its membership.
This hidden conflict has continued to dog the party, hardened members of each camp and has made fractionalisation a possibility, party sources say. After the warring parties differed strongly over the position of the national scribe and subjectively interpreted the Supreme Court ruling that recognised the supremacy of the party over the conduct of its affairs, the preceding reconciliation committee led by former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, was able to broker peace
Wike Frets as Makinde Takes Over PDP Ahead...
which restored embattled National Secretary, Anyanwu, to office. It was a decision that strengthened the hands of Wike’s camp.
The decision, it turned out, had been a result of adept information manipulation within the warring membership of the NWC, who pushed the narrative that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, will not respect communication from the party’s Acting National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo NWC, who was directed to act as National Secretary in accordance with the party’s constitution under Section 36 (2) of the party’s Constitution, prior to Anyanwu’s reinstatement.
But by the time the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu reportedly said that the issue of party leadership offices, including that of the National Secretary of the party, falls within the purview of internal affairs of the party to which INEC has no role or determining power, the damage had been done. With that significant victory, embattled Anyanwu was said to have sworn to swim and sink with Wike henceforth.
The party source recalled when Anyanwu first “disobeyed Wike and vowed never to make that mistake again.” That was in 2022 shortly after the party held its National Convention where Atiku Abubakar emerged Presidential candidate of the party. Anyanwu was said to have ignored pressure not to sign the nomination form of Atiku as presidential candidate. Having emerged victorious from the crisis over his reinstatement with Wike’s staunch support, Anyanwu is said to be beholden to minister first and the party second, thus fuelling further division in the party.
GOVERNORS, NEC MEMBERS
Still Makinde, being a serving governor, is said to enjoy having almost all the nine PDP governors on his side, a majority of the state party chairmen, members of the Board of Trustee, BoT and former governors of the party.
The numbers showed up at the Thursday’s zonal consultative meeting held at the Legend Hotel, Ikeja, Stakeholders. In attendance were the party’s Zoning Committee and Bayelsa State governor, Douye Diri, Makinde, former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Bode George, and Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Deputy Governor of Enugu, Barrister Ifeanyi Ossai who represented Governor Peter Mba. Others were former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; ex-Governor of Ebonyi Sam Egwu; ex- Governor of Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel; former Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Jumoke Akinjide, Dr Ali Odefa, Chief Emma Ogidi; Hon. Nnena Ukeje, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, Senators and Representatives.
In addition, the Southeast executive zonal committee of the party led by Enugu State Governor Peter Ubah, which had threatened to leave the party if their nominee for the position of National Secretary, Sunday Ude-Okoye, was rejected, is also said to be with the Makinde camp, hoping that the proposed Ibadan national convention will affirm their choice.
in Calabar, where Chief Dan Orbih was re-elected. The NWC has ignored that request and instead continued to recognise the Emmanuel Ogidi led Caretaker Committee of the PDP in the Southsouth geo-political zone.
Even so, the Minister has continued to maintain his opposition unapologetically. Recently, he disclosed in a TV interview that he was not invited to the July 24, 2025 NEC meeting where the decision was taken to hold the National Convention in Ibadan.
“I am not aware that they are going to a convention in Ibadan. As a NEC member, I have not been informed, nor have I been invited to the NEC meeting,” the FCT minister said in an interview, adding that, “If the team members say they are holding NEC, so be it. If no notice of meeting has been served on me as a member of the NEC, I have every right to challenge that, and no one can deny me my rights.”
Party sources, however, confirmed otherwise. National Secretary, Anyanwu, was said to have conveyed the notice of the meeting to the FCT Minister and got a stamped and signed acknowledgement from the minister’s office dated the 18 of July, six days to the NEC meeting.
THE ZONING CHALLENGE
Though Makinde disclosed at a press briefing after the South zonal summit that the summit did not decide on the zone that should produce the 2027 presidential candidate, pointing out that there was “a need to have a party first before you start talking about a presidential candidate,” the mere fact of the party’s NEC agreeing to hold the proposed National Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State capital has further strengthened his hand in making crucial inputs into reshaping the party’s fortune.
According to him, in the absence of a party, anything being done will fall flat, saying that all efforts are now being directed towards having a viral and united PDP that Nigerians will be proud of and again will believe in.
For the Wike group, the refusal of the NWC to recognise the Dan-Orbih leadership of Southsouth zone of the party, is unacceptable as it completely weakens its hand in the event that its allies in the NWC are replaced at the proposed National Convention in November. Mobilising the members to make the desired impact is part of measures in achieving the camp’s desired goal for inclusion.
The members of the Wike camp that boycotted the South Stakeholders summit held in Lagos last week, describing it as “Illegal and exclusionary,” has further made its voice heard in the scheme of things.
Party sources described the Wike camp’s public opposition to the summit as part of the strategy to keep
“
RENEWED HOSTILITIES
Hostility between both camps was ignited immediately after the NWC on August 15, 2025 inaugurated a 44-member zoning committee ahead of the elective national convention. Headed by Governor Diri, the committee is expected to allocate the various NWC positions to the geopolitical zones, which the NEC will review and approve.
The Wike camp immediately kicked against it, warning that the party should recognise the elective congress of the South south zone it conducted on February 22, 2025
WAY TO CONVENTION
With Anyanwu’s reinstatement as National Secretary, the party is still mired in challenges. For instance, as required by law, he is the one who will issue notices of meetings of the National Convention, National Executive Committee, National Caucus and the NWC. Party sources say he is yet to notify INEC of the party’s proposed convention, roughly three months away.
In his reaction, Makinde, who dismissed the Wike’s camp description of the South summit as illegal, said the Lagos gathering was just a consultative meeting convened to unite all stakeholders and tendencies within the party ahead of future contests, arguing that the meeting was to strengthen internal democracy and preparing the PDP to reclaim its rightful place in national politics.
He said democracy is about the minority having its say and the majority having its way. The ongoing talks among leaders of the party, he insisted, is to try to get all stakeholders, all tendencies in the PDP together so that it can become a credible alternative to Nigerians in the years ahead.
In a race against opposition to the proposed convention and zoning arrangement, the party leadership has lined up high-calibre meetings to resolve the ongoing challenges head on
“So, we’re democrats, the South has taken far-reaching decisions, and in the days ahead leading to our next meeting, wider consultations will also take place. So, in the days ahead, some of the things discussed here, you’ll see of course,” he said.
In a race against opposition to the proposed convention and zoning arrangement, the party leadership has lined up high-calibre meetings to resolve the ongoing challenges head on. After the governors meeting in Zamfara on Saturday, a National Caucus meeting will take place at the Bauchi Governor’s Lodge on Sunday ahead of the NEC meeting scheduled to be held tomorrow, Monday. A meeting by the BoT will precede the 102 NEC meeting.
NNPC Declares N4.4trn Revenue in July as Profit Slumps to N185bn
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has reported revenue of N4.4 trillion for July 2025, a decline from N4.57 trillion recorded in May.
According to its Monthly Report Summary released on Thursday night, the company’s Profit After Tax (PAT) dropped sharply to N185 billion in July, down from N905 billion posted in June.
Nigeria’s crude oil and condensate output stood at 1.70 million barrels per day (bpd) in July, a slight increase from 1.68 mbpd in June.
Crude oil accounted for 1.40 mbpd, while condensates contributed 0.29 mbpd.
Natural gas production rose to 7.72 billion standard
BY FELIX IFIJEH
Tcubic feet per day (scf/d), compared to 7.58 billion scf/d in June and 6.62 billion scf/d in February. Gas sales also improved, reaching 4.98 bscf/d in July, up from 4.74 bscf/d in June.
On downstream operations, NNPC said petrol availability at its retail stations nationwide stood at 70 per cent in July, marginally lower than 71 per cent in June.
The report noted that the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline project advanced to 83 per cent completion from 81 per cent in May, while the Obiafu–Obrikom–Oben (OB3) Gas Pipeline remained at 96 percent completion.
NNPC said a revised execution strategy has been adopted to fast-track the OB3 River Niger Crossing, with
a 113km section already commissioned and delivering about 300 million scf/d of gas from producers including AHL, Platform, Chorus and Xenergi.
It added that additional subcontractors have been deployed on the AKK project to accelerate mainline works.
As part of its corporate social responsibility drive, the company said its foundation coordinated the donation of 35 CNG buses to the Presidential Initiative on CNG (Pi-CNG).
It also announced the commencement of a treeplanting exercise in Katsina State, with 200,000 trees set for planting in a climate change mitigation effort scheduled to be officially flagged off in August.
FAAC Shares N2.001tn July 2025 Revenue to FG, States, LGs
he Federation Account Allocation Committee has shared a total of N2.001tn among the Federal Government, states, and local government councils as revenue for July 2025.
The figure was drawn from a gross total of N3.836tn, according to a statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Manga.
The allocation was made at the August 2025 FAAC meeting chaired in Abuja by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun.
A communiqué issued after the meeting showed that the N2.001tn distributable revenue comprised N1.282tn from statutory sources, N640.610bn from Value Added Tax, N37.601bn from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy, and N39.745bn from exchange difference.
The gross statutory revenue for July stood at N3.070tn, lower by N415.108bn than the N3.485tn recorded in June. Deductions for the cost of collection amounted to N152.681bn, while transfers, interventions, refunds, and savings stood at N1.683tn.
Gross VAT revenue in July was N687.940bn, slightly higher than the N678.165bn recorded in June.
From the total distributable revenue of N2.001tn, the Federal Government received N735.081bn, state governments N660.349bn, and local governments N485.039bn.
A further N120.359bn (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared as derivation revenue to oilproducing states.
Breakdown of the allocations showed that from the N1.282tn statutory revenue, the Federal Government received N613.805bn, states N311.330bn, and local governments N240.023bn,
with N117.714bn allocated as derivation revenue.
From the N640.610bn VAT pool, the Federal Government got N96.092bn, states N320.305bn, and local governments N224.214bn.
Of the N37.601bn Electronic Money Transfer Levy, the Federal Government received N5.640bn, states N18.801bn, and local governments N13.160bn.
From the N39.745bn exchange difference, the Federal Government received N19.544bn, states N9.913bn, and local governments N7.643bn, while N2.643bn went to oil-producing states as derivation.
The communiqué noted that Petroleum Profit Tax, oil and gas royalties, EMTL, and excise duty recorded significant increases in July, while VAT and import duty rose marginally.
Companies Income Tax and CET levies, however, recorded declines.
Niger Assembly Raises Lecturers' Retirement Age to 70
The Niger State House of Assembly has passed a bill extending the retirement age of academic staff in the state-owned institutions from 65 to 70 and professors to 75 years.
The Chairman of the Standing Committee on Education, Mohammed Sani Idris, said the move aligns with national standards, helps retain experienced lecturers, and enhances the quality of education in the
state. The Assembly also resolved to summon officials of the Ministry of Works over failure to enforce road safety measures, stressing its commitment to protecting citizens and improving infrastructure.
Rector of Kogi State Polytechnic, Prof. Salisu Ogbo Usman and the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University Lokoja, Prof. Olayemi Akinwunmi after the signing of MoU for the commencement of the degree programmes at the Polytechnic main campus in Lokoja, Kogi State on Friday, August 22, 2025.
L-R: Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr. Tolani Sule; Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Vice Chancellor of LASU, Prof. Ibiyemi Tunji-Bello, during the commissioning of the newly built multi-purpose auditorium, donated by Mr. Bello at Lagos State University (LASU), Epe Campus, on August 20, 2025.
The Kano State Government has inaugurated a Voter Registration and Civic Awareness Committee to mobilise residents for the ongoing nationwide voter registration exercise conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Umar Faruk Ibrahim, inaugurated the committee in Kano on Friday.
He directed it to ensure that at least 10 million eligible voters in the state are registered during the exercise. Yusuf said the initiative reflected his administration’s commitment to guaranteeing that every eligible resident had
the opportunity to register and participate in future elections. The committee, he noted, comprises technocrats, Islamic scholars, broadcasters, business leaders, journalists, and a representative of opposition parties.
It is expected to secure an additional five million registered voters before the close of the registration and voter card revalidation exercise.
“Kano today stands as the most populous state in the country. With the level of political awareness and the number of voters previously disenfranchised due to lack of voter cards, you have the duty to ensure that these groups collect their cards,” the governor said.
He added that the government would provide all the necessary support while urging the committee to intensify sensitisation campaigns across the 44 local government areas of the state.
The chairman of the committee and Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, assured the government of the committee’s readiness to deliver on its mandate.
“We assure the government and the people of the state that we will not betray the trust reposed in us. We will work tirelessly to mobilise residents and achieve the target,” Waiya said.
AGF Explains Withdrawal of Charges Against Otudeko, Kuru
BY UDEME UTIP, UYO
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has clarified the withdrawal of criminal charges against some prominent Nigerians, insisting the decisions were based strictly on merit and the rule of law.
Fagbemi addressed journalists on Thursday at the 2025 Ministry of Justice Top Management Retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, where he dismissed claims of political interference. The cases involved Honeywell Group Chairman, Dr. Oba Otudeko, and former Managing Director of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, Ahmed Kuru.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had earlier filed a 13-count charge against Otudeko, ex-First Bank Managing Director, Olabisi Onasanya, former Honeywell
board member, Soji Akintayo, and Anchorage Leisure Limited over an alleged fraudulent N12.3bn loan transaction.
In Kuru's case, Fagbemi explained that the allegations did not establish any personal wrongdoing.
“In the case of Ahmed Kuru, he was not personally connected.
The matter involved an AMCON investment of about N20m.
“Both principal and interest were recovered by the EFCC. It wasn’t in his name, so what offence has been committed?” he said.
He added that other cases involving Kuru, including one linked to Arik Air, were ongoing because “a prima facie case” had been established. For Otudeko, the AGF said charges were dropped after the complainants withdrew their petition.
“The complainants said they had recovered all they thought was lost. Both parties agreed. So why waste government resources again?” he explained. Fagbemi rejected suggestions that the Presidency influenced the decision in favour of political allies.
“What has the President got to do with this? It’s a criminal case. “The Attorney-General is in place to do what is appropriate. The Tinubu administration does not weaponise prosecution,” he said. The minister stressed that prosecutions must rest on facts and not be turned into public spectacles.
“When you talk of the rule of law, it does not admit of weaponising prosecution. If a case is not made out, it is not made out. You don’t waste government resources and the time of the courts,” he stated.
Kogi Polytechnic Signs MOU with FUL to Commence Degree Programmes
FROM JOSEPH AMEDU, LOKOJA
Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal University Lokoja (FUL), to commence degree programmes in the institution.
In the landmark agreement signed on Friday, August 22, 2025, at the Senate Building of the University, a Study Centre will be established at the Polytechnic Main Campus, Lokoja, for the running of regular undergraduate degree and Top-Up programmes.
The regular degree programmes provide opportunities for interested applicants to apply for available courses through UTME and Direct Entry modes. The Top-Up mode of the agreement will facilitate the conversion of Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates into corresponding and available undergraduate degrees programmes.
The Top-Up programmes will be offered on both Part Time and Full Time basis. The MoU also covers staff and student exchange
programmes, equipment sharing for practicals to strengthen joint research and collaborative learning initiatives.
The elated Rector of Kogi State Polytechnic, Professor Salisu Ogbo Usman, described the MoU as historic in all ramifications, stressing that it will be remembered as one of the legacy achievements of his administration, and one of the legacies bequeathed to the state by the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja, Professor Olayemi Akinwunmi.
L-R: Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi Ojaja II, President CINI Holdings; High Chief Habeeb Olalekan Okunola, the 15th Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero and Alara of Ilara-Epe, Oba Olufolarin Ogunsanwo in celebration of Oba Ogunsanwo’s 5th coronation anniversary in Ilara-Epe, Lagos State on Friday, August 22, 2025.
BY FELIX IFIJEH
The National Agency for Food and Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted the public to the circulation of counterfeit Cowbell “Our Milk” 12g sachet milk in Nigeria.
The agency, in a statement published on its official Facebook page on Friday, said Promasidor Nigeria Ltd, the Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer of Cowbell, stopped producing Cowbell “Our Milk” in September 2023 and replaced it with Cowbell “Our Creamy Goodness”.
It warned that "the counterfeit products currently in
NAFDAC Warns Public Against Counterfeit Cowbell Milk
circulation are imitations of the discontinued “Our Milk” packaging and are not manufactured or distributed by Promasidor. They bear unauthorised use of the brand name, NAFDAC Registration Number, and packaging design."
Highlighting the risks in the circulated product, NAFDAC warned that consumption of counterfeit milk poses serious health hazards, including exposure to toxic chemicals, unapproved additives, or diluted ingredients.
The risks, according to the agency, include foodborne illnesses, allergic reactions, organ damage, and in severe
cases, death. Infants, children, pregnant women, and the elderly are particularly vulnerable.
The agency also highlighted details of the Counterfeit Product as: "Product Name - Cowbell “Our Milk” 12g sachet; Purported Manufacturer - Promasidor Nigeria Ltd; Production Date: 04/2025 and Expiry Date: 12/2028."
It advised healthcare professionals and consumers to report "any suspicion of the sale of substandard and counterfeit food products to the nearest NAFDAC office, call 0800-162-3322 or send an email to sf.alert@nafdac. gov.ng."
Benue Assembly Suspends Four Members, Confirms Four Commissioner Nominees
BY KAJO MARTINS, MAKURDI
The Benue State House of Assembly on Friday suspended four members for alleged misconduct and conspiracy to cause chaos in the chamber. The suspension was announced during plenary presided over by Speaker Aondona Dajoh.
The affected lawmakers are Alfred Aondoaver Emberga (Makurdi North), Shimawua Emmanuel (Vandeikya 2), Cyril Ikong (Oju 2) and Abu Umoru (Apa). They are to remain suspended for three months.
Their suspension followed a motion by the Majority
Leader, Saater Tiseer, titled Motion to suspend Hon. Alfred Aondoaver Emberga (Makurdi North State Constituency) and three others from legislative duties for attempt to cause chaos in the house. Tiseer told the assembly that on August 20, members had passed a vote of confidence in the Speaker and Governor of Benue State.
He alleged that Emberga and three others later mobilised colleagues to destabilise the house, describing the act as dishonourable and capable of breeding acrimony.
Supporting the motion, Elias Audu (Gwer East) and
Chief Whip Peter Bemdoo Ipusu (Katsina-Ala West) also condemned the lawmakers’ actions. In his ruling, Speaker Dajoh approved the suspension for three months.
He also dissolved the standing committees of the house, naming Elias Audu as spokesman, Douglas Ackya as Chief Whip and Kennedy Angbo as Deputy Minority Leader.
Tourism Key to Nigeria’s Economic Diversification, Says NTDA
BY JANEFRANCES CHIBUZOR
The Nigerian Tourism Development Authority has reiterated that tourism remains central to the nation’s economic diversification agenda, stressing that the sector offers Nigeria a sustainable path to growth beyond oil.
Speaking at the 2025 Ministerial and Sectoral Retreat of the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, held at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja, the Director overseeing the Office of the Director-General, NTDA, Mr. Ovie Richard Esewhaye, said tourism is one of the most dynamic sectors of the
global economy.
Presenting a paper titled “A Bird’s-Eye View of Nigeria’s Tourism Sector and its Contribution to Economic Diversification,” Esewhaye noted that tourism contributes nearly 10 percent of global GDP and is projected to hit 1.8 billion international arrivals by 2030, a development Nigeria must strategically leverage.
He argued that the nation’s overdependence on oil has left its economy vulnerable, adding that deliberate investments in tourism could unlock jobs, foreign
Meanwhile, the assembly screened and confirmed four commissioner-nominees: Dr. Ortese Yanmar, Dr. Fredrick Ikyaan, Orpin Manasseh Alumo and Michael Oglegbe. exchange earnings, and rural development.
“Nigeria’s vast but untapped resources provide us with an opportunity to reposition the nation for inclusive growth, poverty reduction, and international competitiveness,” he said.
Esewhaye highlighted Nigeria’s tourism assets, including its 850-kilometre coastline, diverse wildlife, cultural festivals, and natural landmarks such as Zuma Rock, Aso Rock, and Gurara Falls, lamenting that they remain largely underutilised despite their capacity to attract millions of visitors annually.
POLITICS
Stakeholders Drum Support for Osun Over Withheld LGA Funds
BY FELIX IFIJEH
The battle between the Federal Government and Osun State government over withheld funds meant for local government councils in the state as a result of arguments by both camps over the constitutionality of the 2024 polls in the state took a new dimension during the past week when the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Civil Society groups, traditional rulers and indigenous religion worshipers added in for the state government.
For the NBA, which has threatened to sue the government in the centre over lack of jurisdiction, the state government’s exclusive right to control of local government councils must be respected in view of an extant judgement by the Appeal Court.
According to the NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe and General Secretary, Mobolaji Ojibara, NBA had, in a stern letter to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, the Federal Government must immediately release Osun’s local government funds, because the continued withholding of the funds was “unconstitutional, unlawful and a dangerous affront to the rule of law.”
The duo maintained that under the governing laws of the country, the President lacked the powers to suspend or withhold local government funds. “The withholding of allocations meant for local governments in Osun State amounts to a violation of the Constitution, a disregard for the rule of law and an affront to clear pronouncements of the courts,” the NBA stated, citing the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in Attorney-General of Lagos State vs. Attorney-General of the Federation (2004).
They stressed that the Federal Government was setting a “dangerous precedent, weakening public confidence in democratic institutions, and emboldening lawlessness at all levels.” Two other Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, Oba Maduabuji and Musbao Adetunji have supported the NBA’s position and called on the Federal Government to obey the rule of law and release the withheld funds.
According to Maduabuji, “The NBA's position is the proper position. As long as there are properly elected officials of the LGA in the state, the Federal Government has no right to withhold funds meant for them. The funds are constitutionally guaranteed.” Maduabuji who slammed a suit at the Federal High Court and won it against the new government of Imo State under Governor Hope Uzodinma in 2020 over the dissolution of LGA, said what the Federal Government has done is an aberration.
He explained that it was not Governor Ademola Adeleke but the courts that removed the former LGA chairman elected under an election conducted by the defeated and departing Governor Adegoyega Oyetola in 2022. “If you continue to starve LGA of funds to run governments at the grassroots then governance will continue to suffer where it matters most,” he said.
in operation. By doing that, the Federal Government is failing to allow the rule of law to supersede the rule of politics. This is unfortunate. Mr President has an advantage to act otherwise. This is about the country and not the opposition.”
In his reaction, the President of National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Nathaniel Ogungbangbe, accused the Federal Government of planning to secure a vacation order and hearing in Abuja, despite court rulings already affirming the removal of the APC Council officials.
He said evidence before him showed that the Osun State Government had on May 12, 2025, approached the Federal High Court to restrain the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant General of the Federation from releasing Council funds to the APC officials. The Court, he noted, ordered parties to maintain the status quo, but attempts were later made to open accounts for the APC chairmen until the Court of Appeal intervened on June 13, 2025.
Speaking further on the alleged manipulation, Ogungbangbe described the latest move as “a plot to achieve through the backdoor what the Appeal Court had already denied,”, insisting that the allocations belong to the grassroots and must be preserved for the people of Osun State. This stalemate over the LGA crisis in Osun dates back to October 2022 when former Governor Oyetola conducted controversial elections that were later nullified by the Federal High Court.
Development Law may head to court if dialogue fails. On the strength of stakeholders’ growing support, Governor Ademola Adeleke has called on the Federal Government to release statutory allocations due to local governments in the state.
“We are vindicated on all fronts on our rightful claim on the local government crisis,” the governor said in a statement on Wednesday. “I must particularly commend the NBA leadership for setting up a committee to investigate the Osun local government question and for demonstrating the rare courage to release the report which declared that there is no legal basis for the continuous withholding of Osun local government allocations,” the governor stated, adding that, “After their sack in 2022, the APC chairmen filed for stay of execution which the court denied. I was not in any way responsible for their sack. The NBA’s finding has authenticated this reality.”
Adeleke stressed that the fresh elections held on February 22, 2025, were conducted strictly in line with judicial pronouncements and produced 30 Peoples Democratic Party council chairmen and their councillors, who have since been recognised by the Court of Appeal.
“The action of the NBA on the Osun local government matters has cleared all doubts. By law, today, PDP elected chairmen and councillors are the rightful occupants of the Osun local government leadership,” Adeleke said. “There is, therefore, no legal or constitutional basis for the withholding of Osun LG allocations.”
“I again call on the Federal Government to release Osun seized allocations in line with the law and demands of the constitution. We will continue to deploy due process and rule of law in our struggle for justice on this matter,” he added. In a reaction, the Osun APC has called on the NBA to rethink its position, stating that it should not turn itself into a court of law. State Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, described the NBA’s intervention as disappointing.
“It is disheartening, worrisome and shameful that the NBA, a professional body that has a burden of integrity hanging on its neck … could have the shameless audacity to poke its nose in a matter that doesn’t concern it in Osun State,” he said, adding that, “In the first instance, the NBA is not a party to the suit. They have no locus to review it.
The NBA is not the Supreme Court of Nigeria. They have no jurisdiction to review or even interpret the judgement of the Court of Appeal … There is nothing in law called ‘tacit recognition’ which the NBA has, disingenuously, invented to justify its pecuniary consideration.”
According to him, the Federal Government was upholding double standards with regards to issues concerning LGA when it released LGA funds to an appointed administrator in Rivers State. “Releasing funds for an administrator in Rivers State to disburse to LGA is unlawful, allowing him to organise LGA polls is illegal. This is nothing but double standards.”
For Adetunji, SAN, the Federal Government has no legal grounds to withhold the OSUN LGA funds. “It is impunity
The following legal battle which dragged on for some time ended with the Court of Appeal’s June 13, 2025 judgment, which upheld the February 2025 polls won by the PDP. Despite these developments, the NBA revealed that federal authorities, acting on a March 26, 2025 advisory, continued to recognize the sacked APC officials and allegedly instructed the Ministry of Finance to withhold allocations until October 2025.
The NBA has threatened that if the Federal Government continues to stall over the funds, its National Litigation Committee and Section on Public Interest and
The NBA's position is the proper position. As long as there are properly elected officials of the LGA in the state, the Federal Government has no right to withhold funds meant for them. The funds are constitutionally guaranteed “
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Kudos to Edo, Imo Govts over Education Policy
TStarting from the 2025/2026 academic session, every JSS 3 graduate will be issued two certificates: The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), and A Skills Acquisition Certificate in their chosen trade subject. The Ministry reaffirms its unwavering commitment to producing students who are not only academically sound but also equipped with practical entrepreneurial skills to thrive in today’s world
he recent ban on graduation parties for kindergarten, nursery and primary school pupils in Imo and Edo states deserve commendation. Coming after the recent outcry over the embarrassment in the education sector caused by the 2025 West Africa Examinations Council, WAEC, “glitched results” that would have ruined the future of many students and defamed many colleges until public outcry forced the regional exams body to correct its malfunctioned system and release the authentic results, both states have showed the kind of response needed to begin the general overhaul of the decaying educational sector in the country.
As we said in a previous editorial, the commercialisation of education, lack of enforcement of standards, streamlining operations and adaptation of curricular to modern trends in the sector and the demands of society has been some of the challenges crying for attention.
According to the Imo and Edo state governments, whose response came within hours of each other and contain a little variation, the move is to “strengthen stability, consistency, and quality learning across all schools,” in their respective states
While the Imo State Government banned graduation parties for kindergarten, nursery and Junior Secondary School pupils with “only Primary 6 pupils and Senior Secondary School students are permitted to hold graduation
ceremonies,” Edo State stated that “graduation ceremonies are strictly reserved for pupils who have completed Basic Education (Primary 1–JSS 3) and Senior Secondary 3 (SSS 3).
Both of them took the “measure to reduce financial burdens on parents and redirect attention to the academic development of children.”
In addition, both states also directed school proprietors to stop the annual change of textbooks, which they described as financially draining and destabilising for families.
In a well -articulated policy on textbook reuse and graduation ceremonies, the states granted the permission to schools to use approved textbooks previously purchased by their older siblings for a minimum of four years before review by the Ministry.
Edo State, however, added a far-reaching decision to its policy. It demanded a Mandatory Entrepreneurship Skills Training for JSS 3 Students.
The measure, it stated, is in line with ongoing reforms and the inclusion of new trade subjects in the basic education curriculum, whereby JSS 3 students will undergo compulsory entrepreneurship skills training before graduation.
“Starting from the 2025/2026 academic session, every JSS 3 graduate will be issued two certificates: The Basic Education Certificate Examination
Emilokan, Propaganda Economics and the Gathering Storm
BY IFEANYI IZEZE
It is easier to talk if you don’t think, but if you think, you will think thoroughly before talking, and when you talk, you will work. By now, if they have been thinking, it should be clear to President Bola Tinubu and operators of his government that ‘Emilokan’ (it’s my turn) is not an economic policy. They claimed to understand the problem at hand and the President himself told us not to sympathise with him: “Don’t sympathise with me, don’t pity me. I know what I am getting into.”
It is tragic that government officials and their media surrogates have amplified only one soundbite from remarks, where Dr Okonjo-Iweala credited the administration for “stabilising the economy”, while deliberately ignoring her more serious call for urgent measures to grow the economy and establish social safety nets for millions of Nigerian families suffering the negative impacts of the government’s reforms. Okonjo-Iweala’s recent comments on President Tinubu and the Nigerian economy “have been seized upon by government officials and their media allies as if their scandalous implementation of hard reforms, which have condemned the majority of Nigerians to absolute poverty and destroyed millions of jobs, had received endorsement by the oracle herself. This is not correct.”
How do you reconcile a government flaunting wholesale outdated economic theories based on dogmatic declarations, whilst procuring endorsements of foreign experts to re-echo and applaud the same, regardless of the naked, extremely contradictory worsening economic situation on the ground staring everyone in the face?
Headline inflation remains unyielding, sitting at 22.22 percent as of June, with food inflation at 21.97 percent, meaning that millions of Nigerians are paying more, not less. Petrol prices now average N1,037.66 per litre, still a significant burden on households and small businesses.
The naira trades at around N1,530 to the dollar at the official window — drastically weaker than President Tinubu’s pre-reform levels of N460 — eroding purchasing power across the board.
It should be clear to the government that it is the Tinubu administration’s policy choices — irrational fuel-subsidy removal, naira devaluation, tariff hikes on electricity and transport and almost every other goods and services — that have triggered this distress and made social safety nets not optional but essential. Yet these social programmes have either been administered haphazardly or rather, dishonestly, suspended, or had negligible impact.
Yakubu’s 10 Years at
INEC:
ASo when the African Democratic Congress (ADC) recently called on President Tinubu to fully confront the economic challenges facing Nigerians instead of “cherry-picking” comments made by World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to score political points, those who are naïve took it as another opposition criticism. No, it is not at all; it was a clarion call for all it means. That the Federal Government chose to ignore the real message in the comments by Okonjo-Iweala on the state of the Nigerian economy, instead preferring to celebrate the headlines, is nothing but dodging to take responsibility for its actions or, more aptly, inactions.
It is very unfortunate that the Tinubu administration is more interested in “external validation” rather than taking responsibility for policies that have worsened living conditions.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala knows that a stable economy is one that is growing in real terms, led by jobs and productivity. She knows that a stable economy is one that is able to guarantee minimum standards of living for the people.
How come the government chose to ignore what she is really saying, that the economy is not growing, jobs are not being created, and too many people are suffering as a direct consequence of President Tinubu’s ill-conceived and badly implemented reforms?
The government seems to be deliberately ignoring that part of her message and celebrating only the superficial aspects that at best sound like “propaganda economics” or more aptly another ‘Emilokan economic policy.’ Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.13 percent in the first quarter of 2025 and just above 3 percent in the second quarter, figures that could best be described as unimpressive compared to the administration’s promises of a very strong recovery.
Are these numbers abstract? No. They translate directly into hunger, joblessness, and despair for millions of Nigerians. The Tinubu administration’s policy choices, fuel subsidy removal, naira devaluation, tariff hikes on electricity and transport have unleashed untold hardship on Nigerians.
Every well-meaning Nigerian knows that celebrating the mere
Progress or Peril for Democracy?
BY KALU OKORONKWO
s the curtain falls on Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s decade-long reign as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the question resonates across the nation: Did he save our democracy or slowly strangle it under the weight of unfulfilled promises?
Prof. Yakubu, the chief electoral umpire, will step down in October 2025 after serving the maximum two terms of 10 years. He has overseen two general elections (2019 and 2023), making him the longest-serving INEC chairman since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
The recently held by-elections across the country this August 2025 marked the end of an era as Yakubu presided over his final off-season election, a subdued political skirmish that barely made headlines compared to the seismic shocks of February 2023.
It was his last act, a quiet bow after years of thunderous applause and deafening taunts. For 10 long years, he was the man in the middle, the referee in Nigeria’s high-stakes political game. Two presidential elections, countless governorship battles and oceans of controversy stirred.
Yakubu’s INEC tenure began in late 2015 under the Buhari administration, promising a digital revolution in Nigeria’s electoral process.
BVAS, the electronic accreditation device, was introduced, and so was the IReV, which enabled transmission of already counted votes and recorded at the polling units to be transmitted and viewed in real time, at a central portal by members of the public.
These were not just buzzwords; they were sold as game changers, a firewall against ballot box banditry. For a while, Nigerians believed. The 2019 general election was brutal, but in the end, people accepted the result as the sitting president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, congratulated General Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of the APC.
Then came 2023, hailed as the year technology would cleanse the demons in our polls. Nigerians trooped out in hope, only to watch their dream shatter on collation night like cheap glasses. The failure of real-time results upload became the scar that refused to heal. “Glitches,” INEC called it. “Fraud,” cried the streets. Trust, the lifeblood of any democracy, was drained away in hours.
When Professor Mahmood Yakubu walked into the glass towers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in November 2015, Nigeria sighed with cautious optimism. He was stepping into shoes once worn by Professor Attahiru Jega, the man celebrated as a reformer, an activist-scholar who earned global respect for introducing the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) and the Smart Card Reader.
Yakubu came with an intimidating résumé: historian, technocrat, former executive secretary of TETFund, a scholar with degrees from Oxford and Cambridge.
THE TINUBU ADMINISTRATION’S POLICY CHOICES, FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL, NAIRA DEVALUATION, TARIFF HIKES ON ELECTRICITY AND TRANSPORT HAVE UNLEASHED UNTOLD HARDSHIP ON NIGERIANS *Continues online at www.
On paper, he was the perfect choice, a man of letters and learning, tested in policy and administration.
He inherited an INEC that was basking in the relative success of the 2015 elections, which saw a historic transfer of power from an incumbent president to the opposition. Jega left behind a reputation for courage and innovation. He fought political pressure and introduced technology that, despite hiccups, restored a measure of faith in Nigeria’s elections. Yakubu promised to build on that foundation, modernising the system further with technology like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. Nigerians believed the 2023 general election would be a turning point, a digital firewall against rigging and vote manipulation.
After raising the hope of many Nigerians for a better electoral process, the nation got a bitter pill. BVAS worked in many areas but collapsed in others. Real-time result transmission, touted as the game changer, failed spectacularly during the presidential election. INEC blamed “technical glitches.” Critics screamed sabotage. That single moment when results stopped uploading erased years of trust-building in a flash.
If the general election was messy, off-season polls under Yakubu were a carnival of corruption. From Anambra to Kogi, Bayelsa to Imo, a dark pattern emerged: logistics nightmares haunted every cycle like a bad spirit. Vote buying became the currency of power. Collusion between politicians and compromised INEC officials turned the electoral process into a bazaar. Security agencies often looked the other way as democracy was auctioned in broad daylight. For millions of Nigerians, INEC under Yakubu now stands for “Inconclusive Elections Commission”.
Even the last off-season election, supposedly, his sent forth gift was marred by confusion and violence in about 16 constituencies across 12 states in the country with security officers arresting officials of INEC and 288 thugs in Ogun, Kano and Kaduna states, as well as widespread allegations of vote buying.
Though Yakubu promised zero tolerance for malpractices, these irregularities thrived. Observers noted that even when perpetrators were caught, prosecutions were rare and convictions almost nonexistent as impunity reigned supreme.
Under Jega, the 2011 and 2015 elections were far from perfect, but they carried a sense of integrity. Jega was visible, firm, and willing to defy political overlords when necessary. He delayed the 2015 polls to address security concerns, an unpopular but principled decision that preserved the election’s credibility.
On the contrary, Yakubu was accused of bending under pressure. His insistence on sticking to timelines in 2023, even when logistics and technical readiness were in doubt, backfired.
THE NEW UMPIRE MUST NOT JUST BE A TECHNOCRAT; HE MUST BE A REFORMER, AN ACTIVIST FOR TRANSPARENCY, A RELENTLESS ENEMY OF ELECTORAL FRAUD *Continues online at www. thewillnews.com
Fintechs on Rampage BUSINESS WEEKLY
Continues from page 34
However, notwithstanding the boom, the fintech firms are not relenting in their push for aggressive penetration into the countryside resulting in what observers now refer to as angry fintechs on rampage.
FINTECHS ON RAMPAGE
The fintechs are not relenting. For instance, Palmpay Limited has launched massive deployment of PoS through agents as an integral aspect of the company’s strategic plans to drive financial inclusion aggressively across Nigeria.
the banks to expand their footprint through the adoption of digital payments in diverse channels. It was a welcome relief from the trauma of ‘sleeping’ in the banking halls for simple transactions that should not take much time.
Continues from page 34
Equity Market Drops...
“This mission has fueled our efforts in deploying more PoS terminals across the 774 local government areas in the country,” Palmpay said, explaining that it had onboarded over 700,000 agents and keeps making investments in deploying more PoS terminals into all regions in the country.
company, Moniepoint Microfinance Bank Limited, also disclosed that it had deployed over 800,000 PoS across the country and planned to introduce a new innovation with an all-in-one PoS machine that combines payment processing, inventory management, and transaction
The latest data released by Opay Digital Services Limited
The company has over 500,000 PoS agents spread across the country and is pushing to spread its presence in all nooks and crannies of the countryside. Generally, the fintechs are exploiting the opportunity that exists in a bad situation: the difficulty in accessing cash through the
This came amid doubts over the ability of the banks to offer their customers efficient and professional service that would eliminate the long queues and wait times, in addition to intermittent unavailability of cash in the ATM machines.
Industry analysts believe that the expansion in digital financial services is not just a channel for payments and withdrawals but an avenue of bringing the banking services closer to the rural areas as well as accelerate Nigeria’s financial inclusion strategy
ENCUMBERED FINANCIAL INCLUSION
Nigerians in the last couple of years witnessed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) champion financial inclusion, digital banking, cashless transactions and alternative payment systems. The exasperated public responded to the move by
However, despite Nigeria’s robust financial inclusion strategy, the financial inclusion journey has been trapped in lethargy of circumstance. A recent report by the FT Partners’ Fintech Industry Research revealed that Nigeria and nine others lead African countries with the most unbanked population in 2024.
According to the report, in Nigeria over 117 million people remain unbanked, followed by Egypt with 79 million people, Ethiopia with 66 million, Tanzania 31, and Morocco 21 million people.
Others include Uganda, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa reporting 16 million, 14 million, 11 million and 9 million people respectively.
The report cited lack of trust in the banking system, a deeprooted preference for cash, and lack of infrastructure in rural communities as hampering past efforts to bring consumers into the formal banking system.
“It is a major concern that despite Nigeria’s fast-growing financial sector, and digital banking revolution, a significant portion of the population remains unbanked,” said Tony Kaonyeagwam, an Asaba-based finance expert.
The report noted that the expanding mistrust against the banks was also due to inefficient operations often attributed to “network challenge” which frustrate the operations of the new fintech firms to expand their operations into the rural areas.
In response to the challenge, the Federal Government has approved the construction of 7,000 new telecom towers in rural areas to expand access to telecommunications services and improve digital connectivity across the country.
The government said the investment would complement its ongoing deployment of 90,000 kilometers of fiber-optic cables across the country. This has raised hopes for the fintech firms to deploy their facilities and cover more territories
UNSEEN HANDS OF NIBSS
Unknown to many people, the reinforced commitment by NIBSS towards advancing the country’s financial inclusion
activity chart with 3.734 billion shares valued at N60.627 billion traded in 72,977 deals; thus contributing 78.24% and 56.44% to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.
The Consumer Goods Industry followed with 370.404 million shares worth N14.025 billion in 17,997 deals. Third place was the Services Industry, with a turnover of 176.285 million shares worth N1.279 billion in 8,790 deals.
Trading in the top three equities, namely Universal Insurance Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and FCMB Group Plc (measured by volume), accounted for 1.201 billion shares worth N29.433
billion in 10,537 deals, contributing 25.16% and 27.40% to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.
The NGX All-Share Index and Market Capitalization depreciated by 2.51% to close the week at 141,004.14 and N89.209 trillion respectively.
Similarly, all other indices finished lower with the exception of NGX Consumer Goods and NGX Growth which appreciated by 0.83% and 4.14% respectively, while the NGX AseM and NGX Commodity indices closed flat.
The week’s performance resulted in an overall year-todate gain of 37%.
Stay Away From Banks’ AT-1 Capital, PenCom Warns PFAs
In March 2024, the CBN directed commercial banks with international authorisation to increase their capital base to N500bn and national banks to N200bn, while those with regional authorisation are expected to achieve a N50bn capital floor.
Similarly, non-interest banks with national and regional authorisations will need to increase their capital to N20bn and N10 bn, respectively. CBN gave the banks a deadline of March 2026.
invest pension fund assets in Additional
Nigerian banks have been raising funds
With less than a year to go before the expiration of the CBN deadline, other banks have started the second leg of their capital raise. During the first phase, a majority of them indicated that private placement, the debt market, and the international capital market were all avenues through which they could raise the required funds.
“AT1 as approved by Central Bank of Nigeria regulations ‘is perpetual, i.e., there is no maturity date and there are no incentives to redeem.’ This provision is contrary to Section 2.4 of the Regulations on Investment of
Pension Fund Assets, which states that ‘PFAs shall not invest Pension Fund Assets in instruments that are subject to any type of prohibitions or limitations on the sale or purchase of such instrument, except open/close-end/ hybrid funds and specialist investment funds allowed by these Regulations.’
“Arising from the foregoing, PFAs cannot invest pension fund assets in
Additional Tier 1 Capital instruments issued by Deposit Money Banks.”
According to the PenCom’s regulation on investment of pension fund assets, PFAs have guidelines as to where they can invest the contributors’ assets in line with the guidelines under the Contributory Pensions Act.
According to the guidelines, they are allowed to invest in bonds issued by the Federal Government of Nigeria or state governments or the Central Bank of Nigeria; Nigerian Treasury Bills and certificates issued by the CBN; ordinary shares of public limited companies; bank deposits and bank financial instruments (bankers’ acceptances and certificates of deposit); asset-backed securities; and investment certificates of close-end investment funds or hybrid investment funds. However, all investment instruments in which Pension Fund Assets shall be invested must have a minimum investment grade level rating of ‘BBB’ by at least one recognised Risk Rating Company.
Why Deals Fail: It's Not the Numbers
Because spreadsheets don't shake hands; people do.
On paper, it looked perfect. The numbers checked out. The forecasts were optimistic. Everyone smiled in the boardroom of the high-rise tower tucked away in Victoria Island, Lagos. And yet, somehow, the deal quietly unraveled. No drama, no headlines, just a slow fade into "maybe later" or "not the right fit."
This happens more often than we admit across Africa’s business landscape. Because despite all our metrics and models, deals don't collapse because of numbers. They fail because the human part didn't hold.
Trust was thin, communication was patchy, assumptions were made but never said out loud. And beneath all the polish, there was an unspoken misalignment of values, pace, and how each party defined success.
THE AFRICAN CONTEXT: WHERE RELATIONSHIPS RULE
Across our continent, business is not just transactional, it is relational. From the Ubuntu philosophy of Southern Africa, to the communal values of West Africa, we are a people who understand that connection, respect, and mutual understanding form the bedrock of sustainable partnerships. Yet in our rush to embrace global business practices and impress international partners, we sometimes forget what makes African business truly work: the human connection.
Walk through any major business district, from Sandton in Johannesburg, to Airport Residential in Accra or Nairobi's Westlands and you will notice something. The deals that stick are rarely concluded in formal boardrooms alone. They are sealed over shared meals, during conversations that stretch long into the evening, in the car park after church on a Sunday afternoon or at a CEO’s relative’s celebration at the weekend, where real talk finally happens.
This is not primitive business practice, it is sophisticated relationship building. Because across Africa, we inherently understand something that many international business schools are just beginning to teach: sustainable business is built on sustainable relationships.
WHEN CULTURE MEETS COMMERCE
Consider the story of Ivy, a Climate Tech entrepreneur from Kenya who spent months courting an international investor. The numbers were compelling, her startup, using drone technology to monitor waste, had shown 90% growth, her team was solid, and market research thorough. The investors flew in from The Netherlands and attended presentation after presentation. Everything looked perfect on paper. But something wasn't clicking.
The investor kept pushing for aggressive timelines that felt unrealistic to Ivy and her team. He spoke about "disrupting waste monitoring" without understanding that in Kenya, trust in local communities is hard-earned and easily lost. Most importantly, he never took the time to understand the cultural nuances of their target market - rural communities like Mukuru, where relationships and reputation matter more than slick apps.
The deal collapsed not because the business model was flawed, but because the investor never invested in understanding the people behind the numbers. He saw spreadsheets where he should have seen stories. He saw market segments where he should have seen communities with deep-rooted values and behaviors.
THE UNSPOKEN RULES OF AFRICAN BUSINESS
Across Africa, we operate on multiple levels simultaneously. There's the formal business conversation: professional, structured, and documented. But there's also the relationship layer, where trust is built through small gestures, consistent communication, and mutual respect.
When Chief Aneke, a successful manufacturing executive in Aba, partners with new distributors, he doesn't just look at their financials. He wants to know: Do they treat their staff well? How do they resolve conflicts? Are they respected in their communities? Because he knows that a distributor who cuts corners in relationships will eventually cut corners in business.
This wisdom is not unique to Nigeria, it spans the continent. From the spice traders in Zanzibar, who build loyalty through generations of fair dealing, to the mining executives in Johannesburg who understand that community relationships can make or break a project, the principle remains the same: relationships are not separate from business, they ARE the business.
THE COST OF RUSHING
In our fast-paced world, influenced by Silicon Valley's ‘move fast and break things’ mentality, many African entrepreneurs and business leaders feel pressure to close deals quickly. But this often backfires spectacularly across the continent.
Take the case of a promising partnership between an Ivorien logistics company and a foreign e-commerce giant eager to expand across Francophone Africa. The international company was excited about the potential and pushed for a quick partnership agreement. They offered generous terms, spoke about immediate scaling across Cote D’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal, and presented impressive projections. The company, flattered by the attention and excited about the regional opportunity, signed quickly. Within eight months, the partnership had collapsed. The foreign company didn't understand African logistics challenges - from varying customs procedures across borders to complex relationships with local transporters, traders, and local bureaucracy. More critically, they didn't grasp the importance of building relationships with different communities, understanding diverse cultural expectations, and navigating the unique regulatory environments.
The logistics company had the local knowledge and relationships that could have made the partnership successful across the region. But because both parties rushed to formalise the deal without taking time to truly understand each other's operating environments and the complexity of doing business across multiple African markets, they missed the opportunity to build something lasting.
BEYOND THE HANDSHAKE: BUILDING REAL TRUST
In African business culture, we understand that trust is built in layers. The initial meeting establishes respect. The follow-up conversations build understanding. The small gestures - remembering someone's family situation, showing up to important milestone events, following through on minor commitments, create the foundation for major partnerships.
Smart African dealmakers know this instinctively, whether they are in Dakar, Kigali or Lagos. They take time to understand not just what their potential partners want, but why they want it. They ask questions about long-term vision, not just short-term gains. They create space for authentic conversation, often away from formal settings.
This is why some of Africa's most successful business relationships are forged over weekend trips, during industry conferences where the real conversations happen in hotel lobbies, or even during chance encounters at airports where guard comes down and real communication begins. From the African Development Bank meetings to local chieftaincy coronations, the pattern is consistent: relationships matter.
THE QUESTIONS THAT MATTER
Instead of starting with "What is your profit margin?”, successful African dealmakers ask deeper questions: "What does success look like for your community?", because across Africa, business success is often measured by its impact on communities, and social development.
"What are you trying to build beyond this deal?", since understanding someone's bigger vision helps predict how they will behave when faced with difficult decisions.
"Who are your trusted advisors?" Because understanding someone's counsel circle - whether it includes traditional leaders, religious figures, or business mentors - reveals their values and decision-making process. These questions will not be answered in a standard pitch presentation. They require time, trust, and genuine curiosity about the person and culture behind the business plan.
In African business culture, we understand that trust is built in layers. The initial meeting establishes respect. The follow-up conversations build understanding
WHEN NUMBERS BECOME TOOLS, NOT WEAPONS
Here's what successful African business relationships understand: when the human foundation is strong, numbers become collaborative tools for building something together. When the foundation is weak, those same numbers become weapons for protecting individual interests. In strong partnerships, when projections don’t meet reality (and they rarely do exactly as planned in Africa's dynamic markets), partners work together to understand why and adjust accordingly. They give each other the benefit of the doubt. They communicate challenges early instead of hiding them. They view setbacks as problems to solve together, not reasons to assign blame.
But when relationships are purely transactional, every missed target becomes evidence of incompetence or bad faith. Every challenge, whether it is currency fluctuation, regulatory changes, or infrastructure issues, becomes an opportunity to renegotiate terms in one's favour. The partnership then becomes a zero-sum game.
THE AFRICAN ADVANTAGE
This relationship-first approach to business is not a weakness. It is our competitive advantage in an increasingly digital and impersonal global economy. While other markets prioritise speed and efficiency above all else, Africa's emphasis on relationship building creates partnerships that are more resilient, adaptable, and ultimately more profitable in the long term.
African businesses that understand this are building partnerships that last decades. They are creating networks of trust that span borders, languages, and cultures. These networks help them navigate uncertainty, access new opportunities across multiple markets, and build sustainable competitive advantages that cannot be easily replicated by competitors with weaker relationships.
BUILDING SOMETHING HUMAN
The smartest dealmakers across Africa - from the fintech entrepreneurs in Cape Town to the agribusiness pioneers in Ethiopia, from innovators in Egypt to the renewable energy champions in Uganda - are not necessarily the ones with the most impressive spreadsheets. They are the ones who take time to build something deeper than a deal. Something human.
They understand that in markets where trust is currency and reputation travels faster than any marketing campaign, investing in relationships is not soft business, it is smart business.
Because long after the contracts are signed and the initial excitement fades, it is the relationship that makes the numbers work, not the other way around.
In Africa's dynamic and relationship-driven business environment, this isn't just philosophy, it is the practical path to sustainable success. The deals that thrive are built on foundations of mutual respect, cultural understanding, and genuine human connection.
After all, spreadsheets don't shake hands. People do; and across Africa, that handshake, backed by trust, respect, and shared understanding, is worth more than any number on any balance sheet.
Aramide Abe is a networking expert and a professional in international development. She is the convener of an African business leader network - Naija Startups. Follow arams on Twitter, Websitewww.aramide.ng
FINANCE
Eliciting Economic Growth via Financial Discipline
BY KINGSLEY NDUBUEZE
Acritical review of activities within our diverse homes, social clubs, religious circles, corporate organisations, professional affiliations, and, more importantly, government quarters depicts that a lot needs to be done in inculcating the virtues of financial discipline in the way and manner we handle resources entrusted to our care.
No sane economy can experience meaningful growth, and by extension development, without strict financial discipline observed by all and sundry.
UNDERSTANDING ECONOMIC GROWTH
Economic growth refers to an upward movement in the capital component of an economy to produce goods and services from one period to another for a minimum of two consecutive quarters. A corollary to this is economic development, which focuses on improving the fiscal, monetary, economic, and social well-being of the masses.
FINANCIAL DISCIPLINE
EXPLAINED
manage public resources for the overall good or interest of the citizenry.
Professionally, financial discipline encompasses all habits and practices that assist individuals or corporate entities to manage their finances judiciously, toward achieving financial stability and reaching long-term financial objectives
Financial discipline is rooted in Scripture, as evidenced in Proverbs 13:18, which states that “whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honoured.”
Professionally, financial discipline encompasses all habits and practices that assist individuals or corporate entities to manage their finances judiciously, toward achieving financial stability and reaching long-term financial objectives.
Eliciting economic growth via financial discipline entails the full implementation of policies and practices that promote financial stability, fiscal responsibility, and sustainability.
The main strategies to be put in place include, but are not limited to: strong adherence to budget and budgetary procedures; investment in critical areas; an aggressive saving culture; maintenance of key macroeconomic stability; promotion of financial inclusion; debt management procedures; financial planning mechanisms; strict expenditure control; risk management procedures; and good governance, which will form the bedrock of this write-up.
GOOD GOVERNANCE EXPLAINED
Good governance is defined in international development literature as the way public institutions conduct public affairs and
Interestingly, good governance, as popularised by several renowned management scholars and political scientists across the world, was clearly explained by the UK’s Nolan Committee in its 1995 documentary report. The report highlighted seven distinctive principles of behaviour expected of government or public officials within the United Kingdom and, by extension, other democracies across the globe.
These principles, selflessness, honesty, integrity, leadership by example, accountability, objectivity, and openness, are relevant to politicians, civil servants, public sector bodies, corporations, and not-for-profit organisations alike.
From my personal understanding, no country can develop economically without a corresponding good governance structure put in place by its leaders.
GOOD GOVERNANCE: AN EXIT WAY OUT OF ECONOMIC DOWNTURN
Undoubtedly, the demonstration of good governance by leaders at all levels, local, state, and federal, will yield positive outcomes for economic development.
Such outcomes include rural electrification projects, universal housing provision, consistent electricity supply in both urban and rural areas, ample food availability, access to clean drinking water, well-
maintained roads, universal education, free healthcare services, inclusive governance structures, fair and transparent electoral processes, robust citizen security, promotion of financial discipline, adherence to accountability, zero tolerance for corruption, effective resource management, enhancement of public trust, reduction of wasteful expenditure, promotion of the rule of law, rigorous value-for-money audits, cost minimisation, and fostering a culture of savings for future needs.
As we gear up to commemorate the 2025 Independence anniversary under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our request to leaders at all levels, local, state, and federal, as well as across the executive, legislative, and judicial arms, is simple: deliver good governance.
Good governance is a critical driver for the attainment of financial discipline. An effective governance system promotes accountability, transparency, and responsible management of finances. Furthermore, good governance translates into a high level of financial discipline, which in the long run will boost economic growth.
Economic growth and financial discipline can be viewed as inseparable Siamese twins. This is a clarion call to all to imbibe the virtues of good governance and promote democratic values wherever we find ourselves, as this will foster both financial discipline and economic development.
The onus lies on all of us to vigorously pursue good governance, which in turn will promote financial discipline, thus facilitating economic growth over time.
•Dr Kingsley Ndubueze Ayozie is a chartered account and public affairs analyst.
AYOZIE
General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar and Minister of State for Works, Alhaji
the visit of the Minister to NEMA Headquarters in Abuja
L-R: Programme Manager, FCT Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr. Doris John; Country Programme Director, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria, Dr Echey Ijezie; representative of the Gomo of Kuje, Alhaji Huseini Bako and Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Kuje Police Division, Mr Usman Ibrahim-Obochi, during the inauguration of FCT Wellness Centre for Free Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Testing and Treatment by AHF Nigeria, in Abuja on August 21, 2025.
L-R: Chairman of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr Muhammed Shehu presenting an award to the Director of Media and Strategic Communications, Governor's Forum's, Yunusa Abdullahi, during a news conference on the 2025 Review of the Revenue Allocation Formula in Abuja on August 18, 2025.
of
Engineer in-charge of Section 2, Lagos-Calabar Coastal
Mr
Photo Editor: Peace Udugba [08033050729]
Director
Bello Muhammad Goronyo, during
on August 20, 2025.
Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ali Mohammed Ali presenting a souvenir to the FCT Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Felix Theman, during the latter’s visit to NAN MD for partnership aimed at public enlightenment concerning road safety in Abuja on August 21, 2025.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede receiving a souvenir from Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, during a courtesy visit by the Army Chief to Government House in Uyo on August 20,2025.
L-R:
Super Highway,
Seyi Martins; Controller, Federal Ministry
Works, Lagos, Mrs Olukorede Kesha and Minister of Works, David Umahi during the inspection of the on-going construction of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Super Highway in Lagos on August 18, 2025.
SPORTSLIVE
From Group Stage Highs to Senegal Exit: Lessons for Nigerian Basketball
BY JUDE OBAFEMI
Nigeria’s men's campaign at AfroBasket 2025 initially felt like a clear statement that the men’s team is again relevant at the top end of the continent. The group phase brought three wins from three, including a comprehensive result over the titleholders, before the run ended in the quarter-finals against a sharp and physical Senegal side in Luanda. The exit hurts, but the work on court over the past week has been strong enough to hold up next to the standards set by the women’s team and it should travel well into the next cycle.
The opening day against Madagascar offered control after half-time and a calm lead guard performance from Caleb Agada. Nigeria won 77–59, with Agada on 22 points and solid support from Stan Okoye, captain Ike Nwamu, and Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu. It was not perfect early on, but Nigeria tightened defensive coverage after the break and
There are clean fixes to take from the loss to Senegal “ Josh Okogie
pulled away in the third quarter. That balance set a tone for how this team wanted to play: reliable half-court defence, direct rim pressure, and simple shots for the wings.
Two days later came the result that turned heads. Nigeria beat Tunisia 87–66, ending any aura around the holders and moving to 2–0. Josh Okogie drove the game with 33 points on efficient shooting, and Nigeria led from the jump. That the win came against the two-time defending champions mattered for more than the table. It put Nigeria back in the middle of the tournament conversation and confirmed that this group had the speed and aggression to trouble elite sides.
Cameroon arrived next and pushed the pace, but Nigeria had enough to manage the key minutes and close out a 99–90 win. That locked in first place in Group B and a quarter-final berth, the immediate proof that this team could stack results on short rest in a high-pressure event. The broader stage also mattered. The competition is split between Moçâmedes and Luanda, with the final phase in Luanda’s Kilamba Arena, and the size of the crowds and the rhythm of the schedule tested every roster in ways that go beyond tactics. Nigeria handled that part of the week well.
The quarter-final was a different fight. Senegal won 91–75, pulled clear on the glass, and found repeat scoring from Brancou Badio and Jean-Jacques Boissy. Nigeria’s wings were made to work off the ball, second-chance points piled up, and the threepoint contest went against them. The numbers tell the story: Badio finished with 32 points, Boissy added 21, and Senegal won the rebound count 53–35. Nwamu spoke afterward of a difficult night and promised a better version of the team; coach Mohammed Abdulrahman pointed to details that slipped in both directions. There is no shame in losing to a team with that much shotmaking and
size, but it is a clear marker for where Nigeria must level up. Set against the recent past, this run is not an outlier. Nigeria knows what it takes to win the tournament. The 2015 title in Tunis remains a landmark, built on defence and execution under pressure, while the 2017 final run showed staying power in back-to-back cycles. The current group sits in that lineage. The standards were set a decade ago; the job now is to sustain them.
One source of optimism is the range of backgrounds in the squad. Okogie brings top-tier athleticism and shot creation. Nwamu and Okoye add experience and decision-making in late-clock sets. Agada arrived from a league title with Al Ahly Ly and has shown he can drive pace without losing control. The federation named Nwamu and Okoye as captains before the tournament with a core that also included Agada and Okogie, under Abdulrahman, who stepped up from a long track record in the domestic game. That blend of NBA-level speed, BAL-hardened guards, and veterans who have banked years in national colours is usually what wins tight games in Africa.
Form carried in from club basketball helped. Boissy, who cut Nigeria in the quarter-final, is the reigning BAL Most Valuable Player, and Agada’s club were champions in 2025. Nigeria is also benefitting from a lift in the domestic and regional ecosystem, seen in Rivers Hoopers reaching the BAL podium last year. Momentum in those competitions builds habits that matter at AfroBasket. Players arrive sharper, used to travel and noise, and better at adjusting when the whistle or the pace turns.
The draw and the venues added context to how the week unfolded. Group B played in Luanda, with the knockout rounds also in the capital. The Kilamba Arena and the
ogannah@thewillnews.com
Kudos to DSS, NSA for Capturing Key Ansaru Leaders, But...
Therecent capture of two senior leaders of the Ansaru terrorist group by Nigerian security forces marks a significant victory in the nation’s long-standing battle against terrorism. Announced on August 16 by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the operation resulted in the arrest of Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Baraa, the self-styled emir of Ansaru, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, known as Mallam Mamuda. Conducted between May and July 2025 through a high-risk, intelligence-led operation, the arrests dealt a major blow to the Al-Qaeda-affiliated group responsible for numerous attacks and kidnappings across Nigeria. The involvement of the Department of State Services, the military and other agencies demonstrated the value of coordinated operations, yet the persistence of kidnapping, banditry and insecurity underscores the need for broader strategies to ensure Nigerians can live without fear. The operation relied on months of surveillance, human intelligenceand technical tracking. Ribadu described the arrests as among Nigeria’s most significant counterterrorism successes. Abu Baraa, the coordinator of Ansaru’s sleeper cells nationwide, was behind several kidnappings and robberies to fund operations. His deputy, Mamuda, led the Mahmudawa cell around Kainji National Park, spanning Niger and Kwara states into Benin Republic. Trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under jihadist instructors from North Africa, Mamuda specialised in weapons and bomb-making. Both men were on Nigeria’s most-wanted list and sought internationally for roles in attacks such as the 2022 Kuje prison break, the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp, the 2019 kidnapping of Alhaji Musa Umar Uba, and the abduction of the Emir of Wawa. Materials and digital evidence recovered are undergoing forensic analysis, with investigators expecting insights into Ansaru’s networks and foreign collaborators in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. Ansaru, formally Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, emerged in 2012 as a Boko Haram splinter group. It initially presented itself as less brutal before aligning with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. The group established sleeper cells in cities and forest enclaves, especially around Kainji National Park, enabling attacks on civilians, security forces, and infrastructure. Its ties to global jihadist movements magnified its reach, making the capture of its leadership a significant setback. Ribadu said the operation dismantled Ansaru’s central command, while Minister of Information Mohammed Idris urged citizens to support security forces and avoid amplifying terrorist propaganda. The achievement invites comparison to global counterterrorism milestones. The 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden by US forces weakened Al-Qaeda but did not
erase the threat. Similarly, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau’s death in 2021 fragmented his group without ending insurgency in the region. These parallels highlight that removing leaders disrupts organisations but rarely addresses deeper conditions fuelling extremism. Ansaru’s ability to persist for over a decade, despite repeated offensives, reflects systemic issues that require more than military solutions.
Nigeria’s insecurity extends well beyond Ansaru. The country faces Boko Haram’s insurgency in the Northeast, banditry in the Northwest, and widespread kidnappings nationwide.
The Council on Foreign Relations’ Nigeria Security Tracker reported over 3,000 kidnappings in 2024, targeting civilians, students, and traditional rulers. Rural communities in Zamfara, Katsina, and Kaduna live under constant threat, with highways dangerous after dark. Even urban centres are vulnerable, with sleeper cells enabling unpredictable strikes. Despite years of counterinsurgency, the military has been criticised for failing to end these threats, hindered by corruption, weak funding, and inter-agency rivalries. Recent reforms under President Bola Tinubu, including new security chiefs, have shown some promise.
The Ansaru arrests demonstrate what is possible when agencies cooperate. The Department of State Services, under Director General Tosin Ajayi, was praised for its
quiet, intelligence-driven approach. The Northern Ethnic Youth Group Assembly commended Ajayi, recalling his 2009 success in rescuing Canadian hostage Julie Ann Mulligan without bloodshed. Like that earlier case, the Ansaru operation used surveillance and human intelligence without firing a shot, underscoring the value of precision over force. Yet Nigeria’s wider security crisis cannot be solved by selective operations alone. For every captured commander, new recruits often emerge, drawn from poverty-stricken communities where unemployment and hardship drive radicalisation.
Addressing these root causes is essential. Poverty, lack of education, and limited opportunities fuel recruitment by extremists. Government programmes that expand jobs, skills training, and rural infrastructure could weaken terrorist appeal. Strengthening border security is also critical, given Ansaru’s ties to jihadist groups in the Sahel. The group’s links to Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso show the regional dimension of the threat, requiring cooperation with neighbours. Community policing could help bridge gaps between citizens and security forces, building trust and improving intelligence gathering. Authorities must also ensure that recovered evidence from operations leads to prosecutions, breaking cycles of impunity.
Public support will remain vital. Ribadu’s call for vigilance and information sharing reflects the shared responsibility for national security. Trust in security agencies, however, depends on transparency and visible results. The media, as Idris stressed, must report responsibly, focusing on verified facts rather than sensationalism that inadvertently amplifies extremist propaganda. Civil society organisations, including the Muslim Rights Concern, welcomed the Ansaru arrests and called for increased funding for security agencies. Their emphasis on dialogue and reforms highlights the need for a comprehensive approach that blends military action with socio-economic initiatives.
The capture of Ansaru’s leaders offers hope but does not mark the end of Nigeria’s struggle. It illustrates the effectiveness of coordinated, intelligence-led operations but also exposes the persistence of banditry, kidnapping, and night-time insecurity across the country. Nigerians yearn for a time when highways are safe and homes can be slept in without fear. Achieving that goal requires sustained investment in security, governance, and development. The government must treat this success as a foundation for further action, not a conclusion. Security operatives who risk their lives deserve recognition, but their sacrifices will only bring lasting peace if Nigeria tackles the deeper problems that allow terrorism to survive. With determination, reform, and citizen cooperation, the vision of a safer Nigeria, day and night, can become realistic.
Nigeria’s insecurity extends well beyond Ansaru. The country faces Boko Haram’s insurgency in the Northeast, banditry in the Northwest and widespread kidnappings nationwide
