FRIDAY 2ND MAY 2025

Nigeria Risks Perpetual Economic Stagnation Without Reliable Power, Adesina Warns

Ekeghe President of

Labour Unions Must Mobilise

Says ‘Okay’ with Trump’s Tariff on Urea

In May Day Speech, Tinubu

Pledges to

Address High Living Cost, Fight Corruption

Recommits to workers’ welfare, says they’re engine of nation’s economy, secret to her growth First Lady declares workers nation’s backbone Govs, Barau, Abbas, others hail workers, as labour seeks fresh salary adjustment

Nume

Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu (third right), salutes workers alongside the state’s Head of Service, Mr. Olabode Agoro (right); Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Agnes Sessi (second right); Chairman, State Chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Gbenga Ekundayo (second left); and Chairman, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Lagos Branch, Comrade Olusegun Balogun (left), during the May Day celebration at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos, yesterday

GUARANTY TRUST HOLDING COMPANY PLC

The Board of Directors of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc is pleased to announce

NIM DELEGATION VISITS NEMA HEADQUARTERS...

L-R: Assistant Manager, Abuja Office of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Mr. Tony Iloabachie; Director, Planning, Research and Forecasting, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Dr. Onimode Abdullahi Bandele; Director, Field Operations, NIM, Mr. Emeka Iwelunmor; Council Member, NIM, Engr. Ibrahim Anas; Director General, NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar; Registrar, NIM, Mrs. Taiwo Ganiyat Olusesi; Chairman, NIM, Federal Capital Territory Chapter, Engr. Abdul Zubair; Assistant Director, Human Resources Management, NIM, Mrs. Olamide Olabiran; Council Member, NIM, Dr. Ihenacho Raymond; and Director, Human Resources Management, NEMA, Dr. Umesi Emenike, during the visit of the NIM delegation to NEMA Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday

Falana: Labour Unions Must Mobilise

Now to Enforce Nigeria’s Welfare Laws

Raises alarm over N10 trillion pension loan, N100 billion NHF scandal

Wale Igbintade

Renowned human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to mobilise workers and civil society groups to compel the federal government to enforce Nigeria’s welfare laws and ratified international labour standards.

In a statement issued yesterday, Falana argued that the full implementation of existing legislation and international treaties would significantly improve Nigerians’ living conditions.

Citing Section 16 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), he said the state is obligated to ensure balanced economic development, equitable resource distribution, and social welfare, including access to shelter, food, healthcare, living wages, and care for the vulnerable.

He also referenced Section 17, which mandates humane work conditions, equal pay for equal work, and access to health, leisure, and cultural life without discrimination.

However, Falana lamented the consistent breach of these constitutional directives.

He accused the political elite of enriching themselves by selling off public enterprises and allocating oil blocks and solid mineral licenses to themselves, thereby undermining constitutional provisions on economic equity.

He noted that although successive

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN) has promised to adopt and revamp facilities in two hundred and twenty-two (222) Primary Healthcare Centres across the country. It said that six Primary Healthcare Centres in each of the states will benefit from the facility upgrade.

The association said that it will in addition provide solar power facility in the affected healthcare centres to boost electricity supply for better service delivery.

Speaking to journalists shortly after his inauguration as the President, Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, Dr. Terfa Kene, said the association hopes to

governments have tried to render these obligations non-justiciable, public pressure has led to the enactment of key social welfare laws, such as the Labour Act 2004, Trade Union Act 2004, Child Rights Act 2003, and the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act 2004.

Nigeria has also ratified the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantees the right to work, health, and education.

Falana stressed that Section 254(C) (1) of the Constitution grants the National Industrial Court exclusive jurisdiction over labour and welfarerelated matters, including the enforcement of ratified international conventions.

Despite this legal framework, he said the Nigerian state routinely violates these laws.

As an example, he pointed to the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act, which mandates free education from primary to junior secondary levels.

Yet, according to former UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, over N135.5 billion in matching grants remains unclaimed by state governments due to their refusal to provide counterpart funding - exacerbating Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis.

In response, the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) filed a suit at the Federal High Court to compel compliance with education laws.

The governments involved have

not disputed the facts but are challenging ASCAB’s legal standing.

“This objection clearly shows that state governments are not prepared to educate the children of the poor,” Falana said.

He also condemned top public officials for inflating their earnings through security votes and estacodes, even as many states have failed to implement the new N70,000 minimum wage, particularly for local government workers and primary school teachers.

He added that several private

employers continue to flout the National Minimum Wage Act without consequences, due to lax federal enforcement.

On pensions, Falana expressed concern over the federal government’s borrowing of N10 trillion from pension assets, which stood at N22.5 trillion as of December 2024.

He noted this has left many retirees unable to access their entitlements.

The House of Representatives has since begun efforts to recover the loan and avert a collapse of the pension system.

In the housing sector, he criticised the mismanagement of the National Housing Fund (NHF), to which workers are required to contribute 2.5% of their salaries via the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN).

He cited the November 2024 arraignment of former FMBN CEO, Mr. Gimba Ya’u Kumo, by the ICPC for allegedly diverting $65 million earmarked for 962 housing units in Abuja.

Falana urged the NLC and TUC to follow the case closely and push the ICPC to also investigate Kumo’s

earlier claims that unscrupulous employers had looted N100 billion from the housing fund.

“The labour movement owes it to Nigerian workers to ensure that the stolen $65 million and N100 billion are recovered and used to build homes for workers,” he said. Falana stressed that the full enforcement of Nigeria’s welfare laws and international obligations is essential to improving citizens’ lives. He reiterated his call for nationwide mobilisation by labour unions to hold the government accountable.

ensure that there is a paradigm shift in the way public health strategies are implemented in the country.

Kene who said that public health of primary concern to members of the association, however lamented the neglect and lack of investment in operations of the health centres.

He said: “As I said earlier, the Primary Healthcare system is our constituency. Sadly, we have noticed over the years the decline in investment by individuals, communities and the government in this level of the health care.

“We have advocated, lamented, and criticized but little has changed. Government has made efforts but considering the large population there still so much to do. We have decided to adopt at least 222 Primary Healthcare Centres

Workers Day: Union Laments Continued Deduction of 50%

Total

On the occasion of the 2025 global celebration of Workers Day, National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) lamented the federal government’s continued deduction of 50 per cent of total Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of aviation agencies at source, despite agreed review of same.

NUATE lamented that the deductions were made even from agencies that struggled to survive on whole generated incomes.

The union added that vital aspects of safety and security were being flouted, and apprehension continued to surround the airports concession programme of the federal government

IGR of Aviation Agencies at Source

on the part of workers of the airports’ authority, and on account of lack of clarity around the resolution of labour issues.

National President of NUATEA, Comrade Ben Nnabue, in his May Day speech, stated, “All the government agencies in aviation remain without governing boards of directors, depriving the agencies of magnifying ideas and stultifying long term planning.

“Even as aviation unions have successfully concluded the reviews of conditions of service of most of the public agencies, fears remain about their timely approvals by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (OHSF).

“It is, therefore, of vital importance that the NSIWC and the OHSF recognise their important roles in positively shaping the industrial atmosphere in our industry through

(6 per state) and invest time and resources to improve their functionality.

“We will do crowd funding and philanthropic approach to raise funds from people of good will. We will also seek grants for this purpose.

“We will crowd fund and seek grants and the support of philanthropic individuals and organisations to support our work and public health activities. (Especially in the wake international healthcare policy summersaults).”

Kene also said that the association has registered the APHPN Consultancy Services Limited (ACOSEL) to help provide national and international expert services to institutions that require such services through virtual platforms.

speedy and conscientious processing of our conditions of service.”

Nnabue added, “I am gravely worried that the problem of extremely poor remunerations of workers of private aviation services providers remain unattended in spite of the huge security and safety risks involved.

“Let me use this medium to urge the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on whose table the matter presently resides to quicken his steps towards ameliorating this issue and avoid a major crisis in the sector as the connected agitations caused by prolonged suffering of affected workers has reached boiling point.

“The men and women by who’s risk-taking and business acumen aviation businesses keep afloat, and by that means all the workers (our members) are able to remain at work.

“Taking into account the considerable efforts and strains that go into

the irking meagre returns for most aviation businesses, the sacrifices by these investors fully deserve our highest commendation, which we so offer without reservation.”

The NUATEA president stated, “On a day such as this, I am mightily moved to speak glowingly of the Hon. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Barrister Festus Keyamo (SAN), who has distinguished himself as a true father of aviation workers, ever ready and well-disposed to workers’ welfare issues. To him we pour our gratitude without measure.” He saluted the “resilience, resourcefulness and proficiency” of aviation workers, who work conscientiously to ensure “our skies are kept open and safe, our customers and their goods are safely moved across destinations, our facilitation ports are continually growing into safe, secure and comfortable environments, and all supporting services are clinically delivered”.

Youth Commissioners Salute Tinubu Over Community ICT Centre Digital Innovation

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

The Nigeria Youth Commissioners Forum, has showered encomiums on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Nigerian First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for putting political will in full throttle for the inauguration of a state-of-the-art Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre to benefit the youth.

The Community ICT Centre built at Oladipo Alayande School of Science, in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, was inaugurated

by Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday, being a project berthed in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

The centre facilitated by the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), a programme under the Office of the First Lady, was handed over to the Oyo State Government as a socio-investment intervention programme to enhance digital learning in the state.

The forum, which commended the lofty initiative through its Chairman and the Ekiti State

Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Adesola Gold Adedayo, said the visionary initiative is a clear demonstration of the federal government’s commitment to youth empowerment and digital inclusion.

The commissioners, via a statement signed by Adedayo, on Wednesday, posited that the newly inaugurated ICT Centre, is not only a strategic investment in the future of Nigerian youths, but also a catalyst for innovation, skills acquisition, and job creation in an increasingly digital world.

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

FUNERAL CHURCH SERVICE IN HONOUR OF LATE PA AYODELE SENBANJO...

SEC Raises the Alarm About Another Suspected Illegal Investment Platform

Says CAC, EFCC certification don’t confer legitimacy on investment scheme

Francis

Abuja Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) yesterday raised the alarm, when it uncovered another suspected illegal investment platform identified as TOFRO.COM (Tofro).

SEC warned Nigerians against falling for the group’s fraudulent antics through promises of usually high returns on investment.

SEC Director-General, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, also warned Nigerians to beware of firms that claimed

their registration with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) certification by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) empowered them to operate investment schemes in the country.

Intimating the public about the new scheme, TOFRO.COM (Tofro), via a notice issued on Thursday, SEC warned that the suspected investment platform held itself out as a cryptocurrency trading platform, adding that

such an investment scheme is not registered by the commission.

SEC stated that based on its investigation, Tofro’s operations exhibited the typical indicators of a fraudulent Ponzi scheme, including the promise of unusually high returns, heavy reliance on a referral system to sustain pay-outs, and failure to honour withdrawal requests from subscribers.

SEC advised Nigerians to be wary of investment with Tofro, stating that anyone who places investment with

the entity does so at their own risk.

The notice read, “The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission has been drawn to the activities of an online platform known as TOFRO.COM (Tofro), which holds itself out as a cryptocurrency trading platform.

“The commission hereby informs the public that the Tofro is not registered by the commission either to solicit investments from the public or operate in any other capacity within the Nigerian capital market.

CreditRegistry Announces Official Opening for Africa Credit Expo in Lagos

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

CreditRegistry has announced the official opening of registration for the Africa Credit Expo (ACE) 2025, scheduled for November 14, 2025, at the Landmark Event Centre, Lagos.

It said the ACE 2025 is poised to be the continent’s premier credit industry gathering, bringing together banks, fintech innovators, regulators, MSMEs, policymakers, investors, and creditworthy consumers to collectively shape Africa’s financial landscape and foster a positive credit culture.

At the anticipated exhibitions, attendees are expected to participate and showcase the latest credit offerings and financial products; Masterclasses: where expert-led sessions would provide actionable tools, data-driven insights, and effective business strategies for

wealth creation.

In a statement in Benin City, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of CreditRegistry, Dr. Jameelah Sharrieff-Ayedun, said the event will highlight the transformative power of collaboration and innovation in forging a stronger financial future for Nigeria.

He said for 22 years, “our partners have been the guiding stars of our journey, and we remain dedicated to driving even greater impact together looking forward.

Sharrieff-Ayedun while recalling the dazzling “EPIC Story 2025: “A Night with the Stars” at The Civic Centre in Victoria Island marked CreditRegistry’s 20th anniversary on April 11, 2025, said the event marked the organisation’s two decades of innovation, leadership, and the partnerships that have reshaped Nigeria’s credit ecosystem.”

He said since its inception in 2003, CreditRegistry has revolutionized Nigeria’s approach to credit, providing real-time, reliable data that empowers lenders to make informed decisions with speed and precision, while simultaneously unlocking financial opportunities for millions of borrowers. Over the past twenty-two years.

According to the statement, The exclusive event drew a veritable who’s who of Nigeria’s economic leaders, including Dr. Fatumata Soukouna Coker (Chairman, CreditRegistry), Taiwo Ayedun (Founder, CreditRegistry), Dr. Tunde Coker (CEO, OADC Group), Andrew Uaboi (CEO, Visa Nigeria), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe (Chairman, MTN Nigeria), Yemisi Ransome-Kuti (Founder, Lagos Island Connect), Rotimi Oyekanmi (Partner, APIS), Adrian Wood (CEO, Baylis Digital

Barau: Politicians Need Formal Training in Democracy to Provide Good Governance

Aborisade

Deputy President of the Senate

him a courtesy visit. He pledged that the Senate would

support TPI, which was established by the current leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in its task of providing training to emerging young Nigerians on democracy. Barau said being a beneficiary of a similar American institute established by the National Democratic Party, alongside many federal lawmakers, he would ensure that the Red Chamber provides necessary support to make the progressive institute succeed.

He said: “I was one of those that witnessed the unveiling of the Institute. And I’m one of the admirers and supporters of this institute and what it stands for. I am doing this wholeheartedly for several reasons.

“One of the reasons, of course, is that I’m a beneficiary of a similar institute from a foreign land. And since I went for a training programme at that institute, I’ve been praying that we have a similar body in Nigeria.

Africa), and Otunba Remi Abdul (Chairman, CREDICORP).

Still others included Kyari Bukar (former Director, CreditRegistry), Hajara Adeola (former Director, CreditRegistry), Captain “Kiddie” Dare (former Chairman, CreditRegistry), Pierre Edde (Marketing Director, Eko Atlantic City), the reigning Miss World Nigeria 2025, Joy Raimi, and other notable attendees.

CreditRegistry’s influence has become deeply embedded in Nigeria’s economic fabric, fueling the growth of MSMEs, the expansion of the fintech industry, the surge in digital retail lending, and the broader transition toward a more transparent, data-driven financial system.

“Investigations have revealed that Tofro’s operations exhibit the typical indicators of a fraudulent Ponzi scheme, including the promise of unusually high returns, heavy reliance on a referral system to sustain payouts and failure to honour withdrawal requests from subscribers.”

SEC added, “Accordingly, the public is strongly advised to be wary about investing with Tofro, as any person who places such investment with the entity, does so at his/her own risk.

“The commission similarly reminds potential investors of the need to verify the registration status of investment platforms via the commission’s dedicated portal before transacting with them.”

Agama had said it was crucial for Nigerians to understand the dangers of putting their hard-earned money in ventures that were not registered or regulated by SEC.

He also warned during a sensitisation tour against Ponzi schemes at the Garki Market in Abuja, that CAC registration or EFCC certification did not confer legitimacy on any investment scheme.

The SEC director-general said it was disheartening that some Nigerians and foreign companies had specialised in defrauding citizens through Ponzi schemes, adding that the government will no longer sit by and watch billions of naira taken away from the people through such schemes.

Agama said it was crucial for Nigerians to understand the dangers of

putting their hard-earned money into ventures not registered or regulated by SEC.

He stated, “It is disheartening that some Nigerians and foreign accompanies have specialised in duping Nigerians and government won’t sit and watch Nigerians being duped and this is what SEC is coming out to the people to educate them that if it is too good to be true, then watch out.

“We have seen many Ponzi schemes in the past, and the Investments and Securities Act had been signed into law by the President and the law recommends N20 million fine and 10 years’ imprisonment for offenders of Ponzi Schemes.

“So, that has empowered us to be in a better position to flush out all these fraudulent investment schemes that are damaging our economy

“We are using this sensitisation outreach to bring information to our people and that is why we are here and telling them that we are here to assist them to confirm legitimate investment schemes and we are letting them know we feel their pain.

“As we are doing this, we have helped to educate them against being duped. CAC registration and EFCC certificate is not enough to show that the company is registered with SEC and these are red flags.”

Agama said, “Training programmes being organised by these people to lure people into their schemes are also illegal. Verify before you invest in any scheme, and that is our message to Nigerians.”

The Nigerian Army has lauded the federal government and De-Haryor Global Services for the significant progress in the ongoing nationwide mass metering initiative across military barracks.

Aimed at enhancing power supply and optimising energy consumption management, the project initiated by the federal government to improve electricity accountability in barracks, was inaugurated by the Power Minister, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, in March 2024 at the Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos.

In a letter to the contractor handling the project, De-Haryor

Global Services, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede praised the progress of work in phase one, highlighting the improved hours of power supply and positive impacts on energy management in beneficiary barracks.

Signed on behalf of the Army Chief by Maj. Gen. A.A. Fadayiro, the letter noted the nearcompletion of phase one, which covers installations in Lagos (Ikeja), Enugu (Abakpa), Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, and select barracks in Abuja. Authorities also urged the contractor to expedite work on subsequent phases. De-Haryor Chief Executive Officer, Ashade Olatunbosun,

acknowledged initial financial hurdles, citing delayed fund disbursements that slowed early mobilisation. However, he reported ‘considerable momentum,’ with thousands of smart meters now installed to boost transparency, billing accuracy, and energy efficiency. Despite challenges, the project, it was learnt, has generated N769.1 million in revenue between August 2024 and April 2025, underscoring its operational success. Olatunbosun attributed this to the Army’s ‘strong satisfaction’ with execution quality, which has sparked discussions to expand metering to additional military facilities.

L-R: Provost, Cathedral Church of Christ, Very Revd. Adebola Ojofeitimi; Mrs. Senbanjo; Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun; and Son of the deceased, Mr. Segun Senbanjo, at the funeral church service in honour of Late Pa Ayodele Oluwole Senbanjo, held at the Cathedral Church of Christ in Lagos, yesterday

Sunday

in Abuja

Jibrin Barau has stressed the need for political office holders to undergo formal training in democratic studies in order to provide good governance. Barau stated this when he hosted in his office, the Director General of The Progressives Institute, Dr. Lanre Adebayo, and his management team who paid

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Ndubuisi

in

DAPO ABIODUN CELEBRATES OGUN WORKERS...

L-R: State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hameed Benco; Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; His Deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele; Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Tokunbo Talabi; and Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, during the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, on Thursday

RMAFC to Establish National Dashboard

to Monitor Revenue Generating Agencies

Calls for five-yearly review of revenue allocation formula

David-Chyddy Eleke in Uyo

Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has proposed the establishment of a National Revenue Dashboard that will interface with all the revenue generating agencies in the country, to track revenues.

RMAFC said the dashboard would enhance digital real-time monitoring of revenue inflows from revenue

generating agencies of government. It also called for a framework that will enable a review of revenue allocation formula statutorily every five years.

The proposals were part of decisions in a communique after a three-day retreat for members and management staff of RMAFC, held at Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The retreat had the theme, “Un-

Insecurity: Tinubu Begins Two-Day Official Visit to Katsina Today

To hold court with stakeholders over security situation in state

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu will on Friday depart the nation’s capital, Abuja for Katsina State on a two-day official visit.

derstanding the Role of Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and other Stakeholders/ Agencies in nation building.”

The communique signed by Chairman and Secretary of the commission, Muhammed Shehu and Joseph Okechukwu, respectively, was read by Chairman, Public Affairs and Communication Committee of the commission, Hon. Ismail Agaka.

Part of the communique read, “The commission should establish a National Revenue Dashboard that will interface with all the revenue

generating agencies for digital realtime monitoring of revenue inflows from them.

“The RMAFC should put in place mechanisms to enhance its function in the area of fiscal management as it relates to advisories on revenue, expenditures and debt management.”

The commission, in the communique, also called for a review of the revenue allocation formula every five years in line with the constitutional provision.

It added that Section 162 (2) of the constitution should be amended

to specify the timeframe for the president to present RMAFC’s proposal on review of revenue allocation formula to the National Assembly upon receipt from the commission.

The commission called for constitution amendment to allow the inclusion of the local government chairmen and councillors among the beneficiaries of the remuneration package listed in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

RMAFC stated, in the communique, “Section 162(6) of the constitution

should be amended to ensure that the allocations of the local governments are paid directly to them from the Federation Account in line with the Supreme Court ruling delivered on July 11th, 2024 on local government financial autonomy. “The commission should advocate for the amendment of relevant section of PIA to enable the expansion of the present Board of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited to include the representatives of some major stakeholders, such as the state, local government, CBN, etc..”

Senator Sani Musa: Tax Reform Bills to Be Presented Before NASS Next Week for Passage

Workers may no longer pay tax

Laleye Dipo in Minna

He is billed to inaugurate the Katsina Agricultural Mechanized Centre and a 24KM dual carriageway completed by Governor Dikko Radda.

President Tinubu will also honour an invitation to attend the wedding of the governor’s daughter before returning to Abuja.

During the visit, the President, according to a release issued yesterday by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, will meet with key stakeholders to assess the security situation in the state.

The Tax Reform Bills are to be presented before the National Assembly next week for passage, the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District of Niger

State Alhaji Mohammed Sani Musa has disclosed.

Sani Musa said in Minna Niger State in a solidarity message to

Isaac Balami Aeronautical University Targets First Made-in-Nigeria Aircraft

Kuni Tyessi

Renowned aviator and former National President of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, Isaac Balami, has vowed that the Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management will transform Nigeria into an aircraft manufacturing hub.

The pioneering institution licensed on Wednesday along with ten others, was described by Balami as a critical step in reviving the nation’s once-thriving aviation legacy.

Balami who spoke to the press on the sidelines of the official licensing ceremony, in Abuja, expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for approving the university’s license.

“In the days of Nigerian Airways, we were the first African airline to land in America with crew. Today, that legacy is lost. This university is our way of restoring it,” Balami

said. He noted that more than just a degree-granting institution, the university is designed to produce world-class aeronautical professionals.

Balami revealed that students will graduate with dual certification, not just from the Nigerian Universities Commission, NUC, but also from global aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus, Gulfstream, and Embraer.

“Our students won’t just learn theory - they’ll clock 7,000 to 10,000 hours on live aircraft in our Lagosbased hangar, and graduate with both European and Nigerian civil aviation licenses.

“By the grace of God, Nigeria will soon witness its first indigenously built aircraft, constructed by our youth,” he said. Balami noted that the institution which is backed by a team that includes a Cranfield-trained

aerospace design professor and a retired Air Vice Marshal as acting vice chancellor, the institution is built on proven expertise.

“We’ve already assembled aircraft, built drones, and conducted C-checks and D-checks. We’re not starting, we’re scaling,” Balami emphasized.

Responding to concerns about the proliferation of private universities, Balami dismissed the notion that Nigeria has too many.

“Six million Nigerians sit for WAEC and NECO yearly, but only about 400,000 gain university admission. We clearly need more institutions to meet demand,” he argued, citing India’s example of opening new universities weekly.

He added that the Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management is not just an academic venture, it’s a national renaissance.

“We’re not waiting for the future. We’re building it now,” he declared.

Niger State Workers that work on the bill had been completed and is ready for passage.

Giving an insight to some of the provisions of the bills Senator Musa disclosed that it has been proposed that any worker earning below N1m will no longer pay tax when the bill is passed. He declared: “All civil servants will stop paying tax once the bill is passed”.

Musa who is Chairman of the

Senate Committee on Finance also disclosed that proposals by the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC and the Trade Union Congress TUC have been favourably considered and included in the tax bill to be passed.

The senator therefore urged workers to continue to appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and give him the needed support for the administration to succeed.

He assured Nigerian workers that the economic policies being implemented by the administration are designed to put smiles on the faces of ordinary Nigerians though there may be some pains in the short term.

Senator Sani Musa accompanied Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago to the International Workers Day celebration held on Thursday at the 123 football fields in Minna, the Niger State capital.

NIMC Announces Price Review for Services

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced a price review for its products and services.

Some of the services offered by the Commission include: modification like date of birth, name, address, phone number, Diaspora Enrolment, and verification service, among others.

A statement on Thursday by the Commission’s Head, Corporate Communications Unit, Dr. Kayode Adegoke read: “The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) wishes to inform the general public of a price review for its products and services.

“After a decade of maintaining the same pricing structure, NIMC has conducted a comprehensive

review to ensure alignment with current operational costs and industry standards.

“The revised pricing structure aims to maintain the quality and integrity of NIMC’s services while ensuring affordability and accessibility for Nigerians. The new prices will take effect immediately.

“NIMC warns all Front-End Partners (FEPs) to adhere strictly to the new pricing structure. Any FEP found charging more than the approved rates will face sanctions, including license revocation.”

Adegoke assured that: “NIMC is committed to protecting the interests of Nigerians and ensuring that our services are delivered at fair and transparent prices.”

He disclosed that: “The new pricing structure will be published on NIMC’s website -www.nimc.gov.

ng (where it will be accessible to all Nigerians and relevant stakeholders. NIMC reaffirmed its commitment to providing secure and reliable identity services to Nigerians, encouraging the public to report any FEP charging above the approved rates to its inspectorate and enforcement unit via ieu@nimc.gov. ng or call 08155015388. Meanwhile, the NIMC DG/CEO, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, has thanked Nigerians, sister agencies and all the Commission partners for their steadfast support, while expressing her deep appreciation to President Tinubu, the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Harmonization partners, Management and staff of NIMC for their immeasurable support towards building a strong and lasting National Identity System.

in Abuja

JAN 07 1977

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

EREFAA OGBUAKU JNR

NÉE KIO ABEL-BRIGGS

APRIL 20 2025

With profound sadness, we share the passing of Erefaa Ogbuaku Jnr (née Kio Abel-Briggs), who left us peacefully on April 20, 2025, in Ottawa, Canada. Erefaa was a beacon of love, strength, and compassion, touching countless lives with her quiet courage and boundless generosity.

Erefaa leaves behind a legacy of love and grace that will be profoundly missed by her husband, Ochi ; her beloved children, Khanyisa , Chief , and Tamunomiete ; her dear sisters, Ann Kio AbelBriggs and Kilaliba Oruamabo (née Kio Abel-Briggs); her loving mother, Vidah ; her brother, Awoibim ; her niece, Tamunosaki ; the Abel-Briggs family ; the Godwin Ogbuaku family ; and her many friends, clients, and loved ones.

Funeral Arrangements

SERVICE OF SONGS

Date Saturday, May 10, 2025 | Time 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM ET | 12:00 AM – 2:00 AM Venue Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex – Orléans, Convent Glen Hall A, 1490 Youville Dr, Orléans, Canada.

FUNERAL SERVICE

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Fight Against Polio: Immunisation can Save Your Children, Anambra LG Boss Tells Mothers

David-Chyddy Eleke in awka

The Chairman of Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Mr Shedrack Azubuike, has appealed to mothers to bring their children for immunisation against polio virus.

Azubuike told mothers in the area that a simple and harmless immunization can save their children from deformity and

the menace of polio. The council boss made the call at the flag-off of the National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs) in Orumba South LGA, yesterday. He appealed to residents to actively participate in the upcoming Polio vaccination campaign scheduled to start from May 3.

He said: “According to health experts, immunisation is a vital

Sterling Bank to Empower 2,500 Women in Business

Sterling Bank’s OneWoman initiative is empowering 2,500 female entrepreneurs by giving them free access to the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women online programme. In partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the initiative is equipping female entrepreneurs with the skills and resources to scale their businesses and drive growth.

The comprehensive curriculum which is delivered through the University of Leeds, equips business owners with practical tools for their business growth, covering essential areas including financial management, marketing, leadership, and expansion strategies. The program stands out for its emphasis on real-time application, allowing entrepreneurs to immediately implement their learning for tangible business improvements.

Speaking on the initiative, Group Head, Consumer Finance at Sterling Bank, John Obichie,

emphasised on the impact “Female entrepreneurs have been at the heart of shaping the Nigerian economy of the future, and Sterling Bank is committed to accelerating their success. Through this initiative, we are going to equip 2,500 women with world-class business education, strategies, and networks they would need to scale. So, we are not just supporting businesses but creating a pathway for growth and global scale to compete.”

Obichie added that the OneWoman initiative highlighted Sterling Bank’s steadfast commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in Nigeria’s business sector.

“By removing traditional barriers to financial education and capital access, we’re enabling female entrepreneurs to transform their communities while building sustainable enterprises that can compete on both local and international stages,” he emphasised.

step in boosting the health and immunity of our children in the community.

“I appeal to parents, especially mothers to allow their children to be vaccinated during this

period and protect them from Polio virus.

“We need to come together as a community and embrace this opportunity.

“Governor Chukwuma

Soludo’s administration is doing everything possible to protect our children, and it is our responsibility as parents and caregivers to support this cause,” he said.

Also

executive secretary, Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency, said the vaccination is for children between zero to 59 months.

I will not Quit PDP, Governor Adeleke Tells Osun Stakeholders’ Forum

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Leaders, elders and top federal and state officials of Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last night held a strategic closed doors meeting with the state Governor, Ademola Adeleke, declaring unequivocally that he has no plan to quit the PDP, either now or in the future.

The meeting held at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Osogbo was attended by all critical top leaders of the party with former Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, addressing the meeting virtually while Prof Wale Oladipo, the Chairman of Imole Movement declared PDP as a home for all genuine lovers of Osun people.

The 1999 governorship candidate of PDP and life member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Oluwole Alabi and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Lasun Yusuf, described PDP as an agent of development and human empowerment.

A PDP member of the House of Representatives, representing PDP members of the Federal House, Akanni Olohunwa, applauded the extensive positive transformation Osun State is witnessing and affirmed that PDP is sure of victory in any future electoral contest.

Kaduna Procures Farming Implements to Boost Food Production

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Kaduna State Government has procured 500 power tillers, 10,000 solar-powered water pumps, and a fleet of tractors to boost mechanisation.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Murtala Dabo,

disclosed this at the quarterly ministerial press briefing at the Government House in Kaduna.

Dabo said the tractors would be deployed through a public-private partnership to revitalised mechanisation hubs across the state.

He said the irrigation

infrastructure is being revived with ₦200 million earmarked for key rehabilitation projects.

Dabo said further that over 500 trucks of fertiliser were distributed to verified smallholder farmers in what he described as the most extensive input support programme in the state’s history.

“Additionally, 69,000 farmers received improved maize seeds and agrochemicals under the Tallafin Noma (A Koma Gona) initiative, while more than 100,000 bags of fertilizer were distributed free for dry season farming,” he said.

NGX Boss Highlights Path to Improved Capital Market Exits

Group Managing Director and CEO of Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group), Temi Popoola, has called for a strategic rethink of Africa’s exit challenges, arguing that the continent’s $500 billion pool of informal capital, coupled with technology could transform liquidity and private equity exits.

Speaking on a panel themed “The Exit is This Way” at the 21st Annual AVCA Conference,

Popoola dismissed the notion that weak initial public offerings (IPO) markets are the primary barrier, attributing struggles instead to broader economic and structural gaps

Popoola underscored the need to distinguish between systemic market challenges and specific exit issues, which is vital for recalibrating expectations and strategies, noting that African

exchanges’ struggles over the past five to six years stemmed from market-wide underperformance, not exit mechanisms.

He said: “Whether you’re a private equity fund seeking to exit or a family-run business looking for growth, the ecosystem simply didn’t work.” Highlighting opportunities amid these challenges, Popoola pointed to the vast pool of untapped local capital in Africa, where over

$500 billion circulates daily but remains largely inaccessible to capital markets. “The real question is, how do we channel this local capital into the formal market? The answer lies in technology. NGX succeeded in leveraging technology during Nigeria’s banking sector recapitalisation exercise in 2024, which streamlined processes and enhanced market participation, mobilising over N2trillion.”

speaking, Mrs. Chisom Uchem,

Transition to Glory

Mr Pascal Gabriel Dozie

Politics

2027: What’s in the Offing for Saraki?

Yomi Owope writes about the pedigree of former President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki and the need for him to activate his political structure ahead of the 2027 presidential poll.

Dr Bukola Saraki evokes the figure of the idle king in Tennyson’s Ulysses—a man who has known both triumph and adversity, surrounded at times by loyal allies and, at others, by no one at all. His political career is a study in momentum: within three decades, he rose from a senior executive role at a major bank to serve two terms as governor of Kwara State, entered the Senate in 2011, and, by 2015, had engineered his way to the presidency of the Nigerian Senate. Few Nigerian politicians have climbed faster or maneuvered more deftly. Yet by 2019, the machinery seemed to grind to a halt, leaving Saraki unmoored, a veteran leader without an obvious battlefield.

“How dull it is to pause, to rust unburnished, not to shine in use,” the poem says. The line could easily serve as a reflection on Saraki’s current predicament. Since 2011, he has harbored presidential ambitions and remained a key player on the national stage. Even after his tenure as governor ended, he maintained an iron grip on Kwara’s politics, quietly orchestrating events behind the scenes for another eight years. But ambition, once deferred, demands a new urgency, and in the shifting tides of Nigerian politics, staying quiet is the quickest way to be forgotten.

For all the talk about it being the turn of the South to rule for eight years, the only geopolitical zone to never actually produce a Nigerian president is the Middle-Belt; and for all the compelling talk about an Igbo presidency, at least history acknowledges Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who was president of Nigeria until the coup of 1966. Saraki’s path, and the Middle-belt region’s exclusion, demand a more serious reckoning in the national conversation. Whether that conversation should be taking place towards 2027 is debatable; but even more uncertain is whether the answer lies within the PDP, the party where Saraki now holds fort.

Saying it plainly, Saraki has an Atiku problem, and it’s been years in the making. He has had that problem since 2019 when he agreed to be the director general of the former vice president’s campaign, instead of focussing his energies on returning to the senate and consolidating his hard-fought power there. This distraction proved very costly, blindsiding him from the changing landscape back home and the blitzkrieg campaign of the otoge movement that established the APC – to which Saraki himself switched his state political machinery in 2015 – as the dominant power in the state for the tenth year. And with Atiku’s daily posturing on X, along with his body language and loud trumpeting about a coalition ahead of 2027, it seems the old man, who will be 80 next year, may be gearing up for yet another presidential run, his sixth since 2007. Saraki is also grappling with what political observers might call a Hillary Clinton-problem, not a matter of personality, but of public perception, and the baggage that comes with long years in the arena. Here is a man who was one of Nigeria’s most successful governors, who led arguably Nigeria’s most independent Senate, who comes from a political dynasty that has endured for over half a century, and who, by Nigerian standards, is still young. On paper, it should be a no-brainer for the party to rally around him and put him forth to Nigerians as a strong choice. This has yet to happen. And while a presidential candidate historically has only one shot as the party’s flagbearer, PDP has stuck with one man twice and failed, monumentally damaging its own prospects with its internal crises since 2022. After eight years of Buhari, it was clear Nigerians were eager for a new direction. But instead of uniting, the party effectively fielded three presidential candidates across three different parties, handing the APC a clear path to victory. Ironically, all three later claimed they had won, when in reality, they had simply cancelled one other out, and been outmaneuvered by Mr. Tinubu, who became president, fair and square. Which brings us to our next point about Saraki. This is probably the only politician who has actually played the kind of high stakes politics we witnessed ahead of the 2023 elections and won. In 2015, with the odds stacked against him,

Saraki pulled off a political masterstroke live on television. He outmaneuvered his own party, the APC, a sitting president, and the party’s national leader - all of whom were backing their preferred candidate, Ahmad Lawan - and emerged as Senate President. If there was ever a day on which Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was truly outfoxed, it was this. Resilience is the main currency of Nigerian politics and Bukola Saraki is among its shrewdest practitioners. After seizing the Senate presidency against the wishes of his own party, he spent the next four years under siege from corruption charges at the Code of Conduct Tribunal to investigations by the EFCC

and repeated threats of arrest. Few would dispute that Saraki emerged with his political capital largely intact; battle-scarred, perhaps, but wiser for the experience and still very much a player. This resilience, however, is a double-edged sword. In Nigeria, political longevity often breeds suspicion and Saraki’s survival has added to the perception that he is a man too skilled at the dark arts of power for a nation that increasingly demands transparency. He may well position himself for another shot at national leadership, but his challenge is no longer just to win his party’s nomination, but to redirect attention to what he has accomplished in the decades since he was

Barau and APC

only a 37-year-old adviser to former President Obasanjo.

Dr. Saraki has mostly stayed on the sidelines of the PDP’s internal crisis, only recently breaking his silence after the shocking defection of the Delta State political structure to the APC, an event that ended over two decades of PDP dominance in the oil-rich state. With confusion mounting and the party’s foundation steadily eroding, he has begun to demonstrate the kind of leadership the PDP urgently needs by calling for calm and rallying the troops. Saraki wants the presidency, but a vicepresidential slot would still represent a step up from his previous role as Senate President. It would place him within striking distance of the highest office, while allowing him to consolidate alliances for the future. His ambitions are not unique. By 2027, it will be twenty years since Alhaji Atiku Abubakar first began his now endless quest for the presidency, an odyssey marked more by defeat and frustration. The space Atiku occupies is increasingly seen as fully exhausted, a fact that younger politicians like Saraki should be keen to exploit. Meanwhile, figures like Peter Obi present a different kind of challenge. A paradigm of clawing self-interest, Obi has demonstrated a willingness to shift loyalties in pursuit of advantage and will likely move again to whichever platform best secures his footing ahead of 2027.

At the end of the day, it is hard-nosed pragmatism, not sentiment, that may decide the next contest. Today’s purveyors of the great coalition are simply too angry and too bitter to make any sound judgements against a ruling party unlikely to give up power easily in two years.

Saraki should step up and lead, but he must do so with caution. The trap of the idle king looms large: a former governor and former Senate president, still too young to be an elder statesman, yet at risk of becoming a relic of the past. Our political culture punishes hesitation; therefore Bukola Saraki must choose whether to seize the day or be remembered merely as one who almost did.

-Owope writes from Lagos.

membership Drive in Kano

Musa Hidi writes about steps being taken by deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau to improve the membership drive of the all Progressives Congress in Kano state.

After the 2023 general election, Senate Deputy President, Senator Jibrin Barau, was locked in sober reflection about the fate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, a state reputed for its high population and formidable voting strength.

He discovered that for another electoral defeat to be averted, the party needed to put it’s house in order and embark on membership drive on a grand scale.

Barau swung into action. He started wooing many notable New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) chieftains at the grassroots.

He expanded the scope of his empowerment programmes. He also sensitised the people on the need to suport the Tinubu administration so that more dividends of democracy would be attracted to the state.

Barau, described as the People’s General by APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has galvanised the chapter and offered hope.

His efforts paid off. Many opposition members started defecting to the party, holding on to the promise to guarantee effective harmonisation and sense of belonging. In a short time, the growing influence of the Deputy Senate President put the NNPP and the Kwankwsiyya Movement on edge ahead of 2027 politics.

Despite the influence of the NNPP as the ruling party in the commercial centre, Barau has refused to be intimidated. Although

NNPP won the governorship and presidential elections, Barau fought a good fight in Kano North, winning his senatorial seat and delivering the district to the president. Due to its defeat, APC was boxed into the opposition. Undettered by the blow of fate, Barau decided to fill in the gap. Since then, he has been the leading figure in maintaining the APC machineries.

Apart from keeping the party’s soul together with the support of the National Chairman, the state chairman, and other leaders, Barau has succeeded in wooing thousands of NNPP and Kwankwsiyya Movement’s top figures to the APC, to the surprise of their

leader, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso. To observers, the foundation laid by the Deputy Senate President paved the way for the defection of Senator Kawu Sumaila, Representatives Kabiru Rurum (Rano/ Kibiya/Bunkure) and Abdullahi Sani Rogo (Karaye/Rogo), and former Secretary to Kano State Government, Dr Baffa Bichi Others defectors are former House of Representatives members, Badamasi Ayuba (Danbatta/Makoda) and Sha’aban Sharada (Kano Municipal); former state lawmaker Zubairu Hamza Masu; and two former commissioners in the NNPP government, Muhammad Diggol and Abbas Sani Abbas. According to analysts, if Barau has not made his strategic interventions, Kano APC’s chance of survival would have remaiined slim in the state it governed for eight years.

Since he became the number five citizen, the Deputy Senate President has expanded his intervention programmes to the 44 local government areas. The 70 beneficiaries of his foreign scholarship scheme are from the three senatorial districts. Another 300 graduates were recently selected from the three senatorial zones for domestic postgraduate scholarships.

-Hidi writes from Kano

NOTE:

100 Days of Trump in Office

Chido Nwangwu reflects on the first 100 days of United states president, donald trump and submits that it’s been a period of polarizing world view especially through aggressive actions in tariffs and immigration ahead of what awaits those who trade and do business with america.

Adediran: Nigerian Youth Have Hope Under Tinubu Govt

Folalumi Alaran writes that Ex-lagos state Governorship candidate of the people’s democratic party in the 2023 poll, Jide abdulazees adediran, has said Nigerian youth have a brighter future under the president Bola tinubu’s administration.

This week, opening into the initial days of May 2025, marked the 100th day milestone of the non-consecutive second term of President Donald Trump.

The past 100 days have been indicative and reminiscent of the boisterous, militaristic disruptions of a “shock and awe” campaign rather than reflecting the routine, calm and deliberate mannerisms of a self-described “stable genius”.

The truth and facts of Mr. Trump’s aggressive and insensitive approach to certain issues and unique situations which require the engine oil of diplomacy will likely do more harm than good to goodwill that the United States has earned.

Some of the major twists of political history are those conscientiously chiseled chapters when the good fellas, the real patriots and outstanding ladies of honor turn their backs to the toadying apologists and to The Boss to tell them they have had enough!

Mr. Trump, the master of doublespeak and bodacious untruths and quarter truths has been called and berated for a catalogue of deceptions and lies in the past 100 days!

The giddy politician and real estate mogul has elevated his contentious image and foisted his skills on a messianic mission to save and retrieve the United States from the sinful rot and sexual exploitation allegedly imposed from Hollywood and other groups of liberal democrats inspired by his nemesis, former Presidents Bill Clinton, Joe Biden and Barack Obama!

One of the biggest follies and failures of the Trump presidencies within and beyond the 100 days shall remain his fixation on the toxic gods of tariffs. It’s retrogressive.

Trump’s Trade adviser Peter Navarro who Elon Musk called “a moron” for pushing his unreasonable and destructive tariffs to the American economy.

Significantly, President Trump cel -

ebrated this first 100 days in office with a Tuesday, April 29, 2025 rally near Detroit. The predictable routine of bombast and exaggerated rhetoric were all over him as he proclaimed: “We’re here tonight in the heartland of our nation to celebrate the most successful first 100 days of any administration in the history of our country, and that’s according to many, many people.”

For his usual stylistic repetitions for emphasis, the man reiterated “This is the best, they say, 100-day start of any president in history, and everyone is saying it. We’ve just gotten started. You haven’t even seen anything yet.”

Among the key features of the 100 days is the fact that the Republican Trump has signed 142 executive orders since he assumed office on January 20, 2025.

His major area of aggressive action has been immigration and tariffs.

He wanted, this time at the presidency, a team of loyalists who would agree with his preferences, predilections and polarizing worldview.

Or, at least, if and whenever they disagreed with him on issues and “matters arising”, they can be sorted out and settled over a very decent dinner of freshwater Puffer fish (fugu) or filet mignon within the charming confines of his Mar-a-Lago private residence, located on a barrier island in Palm Beach, Florida.

The first 100 days offered some previews and rehearsal of Trumpian disruptions and difficult things to come….

I do believe it’s certainly the unfolding of a different existential reality awaiting millions of American citizens, African immigrants, international students and all who trade and do business with America!

-Dr Nwangwu is the Founder & Publisher of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com Follow him @Chido247

The gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party during the 2023 election in Lagos State, Jide Abdulazees Adediran, has declared that younger Nigerians have hope with the leadership being provided by President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking in Abuja while on a courtesy visit to the Director General of the The Progressive Institute (TPI) Lanre Adebayo, Adediran affirmed Tinubu’s commitment Tinubu’s commitment to passing the nation’s leadership baton to the next generation.

“I’m in APC to support President Tinubu achieve this”, the astute politician who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress said.

Accompanied by his business partner, Malam Ahmed Buhari, Adu Oyinlade and Media Adviser, Pastor Gbenga Ogunleye, Adediran popularly known as Jandor, noted that his meeting with Mr. President gives him more hope about Nigeria.

His words: “Reflecting on my meeting with President Tinubu prior to my defection, where the President explicitly expressed his readiness to ensure a smooth transition of leadership to the next generation”. I’m proud to be part of this transitional moment”.

Adediran urged the APC leadership and its members to support the President’s vision stressing that Tinubu’s leadership recruitment strategy is crucial for the successful generational transition.

He said: “There is nothing all of us that are coming behind him have to do now than to see how we can support him, to ensure a very smooth transition of him passing

the baton to the next generation.”

Expressing delight in returning to the governing party, Adediran said APC remains the only stable party in the country.

According to him,”Our decision to come back to the family is really not far-fetched, because if you look at all the political parties in Nigeria today, the only one with a semblance of stability, is the APC.” He commended the initiative of the Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje-led National Working Committee (NWC) for establishing the Progressive Institute describing it as a “citadel for leadership recruitment,”

Adediran noted that the establishment of the Institute is speaking to the passing on of the baton and leadership recruitment.

He argued that the major problem we have in Nigeria today is not the structure of the economy but that of leadership.

“If we see somebody getting it right, it’s the President today. You just don’t want to be a President. You want to see how we can have structure that will speak to recruiting leadership.”

Earlier, Director-General of the institute, Dr. Adebayo hinted of plans by the Institute to evolve a political ideology for the ruling party and to assist the party in leadership recruitment.

He said the Institute will also undertake research on public policies, political party management and governance.

Adebayo, who described his visitor as a brilliant brand, hailed his decision to join the ruling party, noting that APC means well for Nigeria.

www.thisdaylive.com

opinion@thisdaylive.com

UBA SANI AND A NATIONAL TEMPLATE FOR PEACE

Despite the challenges, the Kaduna State government is committed to peaceful coexistence, argues JOSHUA J. OMOJUWA

See page 21

PASCAL G. DOZIE: A REFLECTION

BART NNAJI pays tribute to Pascal Dozie, an entrepreneur and businessman

See page 21

EDITORIAL OF DISCOS AND AVOIDABLE DEATHS

SALVATION

ALIBOR

explores the most practical ways to enshrine true federalism in line with ethnic nationalities

EMBRACING FEDERALISM ROOTED IN OUR ETHNIC NATIONALITIES

The proposed bill circulating on social media that advocates for reverting Nigeria to a federating structure of regional governments resonates deeply with my own vision for our nation’s future. Though I cannot independently verify its authenticity, its provisions reflect the pathway I believe Nigeria must tread to rediscover her economic, political, and social greatness. Fundamentally, the existing local government system is a colonial relic. It was designed to perpetuate a system of extraction and control, not to empower the indigenous peoples. In truth, local governance in Nigeria should be structured around the ethnic nationalities — the authentic, organic units of identity and governance that predate colonial conquest. Our ethnic nations, not artificial administrative creations, should form the bedrock of local governance.

The failure of the state government system to achieve this reality has been evident for decades. Our endless agitation for new states is a testament to the rejection of the unnatural amalgamation of dissimilar peoples. Nigerians instinctively seek selfdetermination and homogeneity within their ethnic identities. It is high time we allowed ethnic nationalities to decide, freely and voluntarily, their regional affiliations. Each ethnic nation, and by extension, the regions they form, should thrive based on their own resources and initiatives. They should pay taxes to the central federation solely for the maintenance of shared institutions, such as the military and other federal services. This approach would eliminate the parasitic dependency on oil rents and Abuja handouts, empowering every Nigerian community to leverage its unique strengths.

The truth is, our strongest loyalties are deeply rooted in our parental ethnic identities. Whenever someone hears my name, Alibor, the natural instinct is to inquire whether I am Edo or Igbo. This reflex is not borne of prejudice, but of a profound cultural truth: our primary relationships flow from our nuclear families to extended families, then to our clans, towns, ethnic nations, and only thereafter to Nigeria and the broader black race. Artificial boundaries — the local and state government demarcations — mean little to the average Nigerian if their kinsmen live across them. My kinsmen hail from Igbanke in Edo State, and it seldom occurs to us that we belong to different states when we are united by kinship. Any random person from Ozanogogo in Edo State feels more like a compatriot to me than Ejiro, my dear friend from Agbarho, who, though from Delta State like myself, belongs to a different ethnic nation. The sense of true belonging stems from shared ethnicity, not from artificial state boundaries.

Our present structure forces patriotism to flow first towards one’s ethnic nation, then

towards the state and federal institutions. This unhealthy layering has seeded the culture where public officials prioritize ethnic loyalty over national service, resulting in corruption, electoral malpractice, and systemic injustice. The expectation is simple yet devastating: “Wait for your ethnic nation’s turn to 'eat' at the national table.” As a result, no Nigerian can truly feel a deep, organic ownership of Nigeria in her current structure. Why should my community, rich in human capital but perhaps not in natural resources, wait 16 to 24 years for a chance at receiving the dividends of good governance? We have the intellectual prowess and entrepreneurial spirit to create value, innovate, and contribute to the global economy. Why can't we develop our local endowments independently, generate prosperity for our people, and contribute taxes to a central federal authority for collective national needs?

Why must we continue to exist on handouts? The colonial system was never built to empower Nigerians — it was engineered to extract from us. It was a system that took, never one that gave. And heartbreakingly, more than sixty years after independence, we continue to operate within that colonial framework, maintaining structures that were designed to weaken and divide us. It is an injustice — and indeed a profound shame — that revered traditional institutions like the

Oba of Benin, the Sultan of Sokoto, and the Ooni of Ife are rendered subordinate to local government chairmen, mere products of colonial governance. These ancient, respected systems of leadership, governance, and order, which had evolved sophisticated civilizations before colonialism, have been marginalized. This mistake must be corrected.

We must boldly restructure Nigeria — not superficially, but fundamentally — in a way that acknowledges our true identities. The ethnic nations must be empowered to govern themselves at the local level, using systems rooted in their history, culture, and values, while federating upwards into a national structure based on free will, mutual respect, and shared purpose. It is time to cast off the old colonial shackles. Time to break free from the political structures that have stifled our potential. Time to rebuild Nigeria in our own image — a federation of proud, autonomous ethnic nations united under a single, sovereign umbrella: Nigeria, the true Giant of Africa. The future beckons. Let us rise to meet it — with courage, wisdom, and a renewed commitment to a federation that truly reflects who we are.

Alibor is the Under-Secretary, The Patriots (Eminent Leaders of Thought)and Director at The Big-Tent

Despite the challenges, the Kaduna State government is committed to peaceful coexistence, argues JOSHUA J. OMOJUWA

UBA SANI AND A NATIONAL TEMPLATE FOR PEACE

There are 812 governments in Nigeria, but only one of them isn’t permitted to hide. One of the country’s complexities is such that, the consequences of actions or actions of local or state governments often become the burden of the federal government. State formation was inorganic, having been forced by the British over one hundred years ago. This has left us in a storming state for decades, most of them local ones that end up coming to the fore once they reach a head, whilst some are ethnic tensions that play out on the national front.

The path to peace is hardly straightforward, but going by what the Kaduna State Government, led by Senator Uba Sani, has been showing over the last 18 months or so, peace does not always have to be out of reach. Uba Sani, deft and unassuming in his style, has gained the support and praise of local and national leaders, winning awards along the way for leading Kaduna more toward peaceful co-existence, progress and prosperity, even amidst the challenges that remain to be tackled.

I spent time with the governor, asking him questions about his vision for Kaduna State and especially around what he was up to. He made it clear that he prefers to see his constituents as one and same, not to be engaged or discriminated against based on ethnicity, religion or political inclination. In his design, who voted whom does not matter. This explains why his development interventions have been as present in parts of the state that voted his party, the APC, as they are in places where APC barely got votes, a point made by Vice President Shettima during the Special Agro Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) groundbreaking event recently. Uba Sani was unequivocal when he said, “Governance is about everyone. It doesn’t matter whether you are a politician, a businessman, a farmer, or someone who doesn’t have any interest in politics. As long as you live in Kaduna, you must be treated equally”.

This is at the root of peaceful coexistence. When people feel seen and acknowledged by their leader, when they don’t feel like they are being ordered or treated like second-class citizens, when their leader executes his vision with a heart for the people and consideration for their welfare, absolute peace may not immediately follow, but it will be a start towards peaceful co-existence.

I read a news report recently where The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, also in his capacity as the Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia on paying a courtesy visit to the governor commended him for his efforts in stabilising the state. Governor Uba Sani reiterated his vision for the state by saying, “I have been working closely with Bishop Kukah on not just the university, but on a number of issues. My doors are always open, and I reiterate my commitment to deepen consultation amongst the diverse people of Kaduna State, irrespective of their ethno-religious or party affiliations”.

Kaduna is not yet completely rid of its security challenges. That will take a while. However, it is making progress. Road travel through the state that was once deemed a suicide mission has become a regular trip, so much so that people have since forgotten what it meant to navigate certain parts of the state. And in fixing these challenges, Senator Uba Sani has made sure to work with former office holders in the state, irrespective of their political affiliation. People like former Vice President Namadi Sambo, former Governor Ramalan Yero, Senator Shehu Sani, Senator Danjuma Laah, Senator

Hunkuyi and the likes felt encouraged enough to not only support the governor, as all but one of them are returning to the APC fold in a major turn of the tide for APC in the state. This could not be more seismic, obvious enough to every onlooker, if your politics doesn’t require you to be blind to it.

When people come together, peace is possible. Whilst the federal government will always be on hand to deploy the military when there is a breakdown of law and order, the path to sustainable peace is in the hands of subnational governments. Individual states and their leaders across various platforms, starting with the governors, must lead the peace process. It must start with the acceptance and understanding that every citizen matters. No citizen or group of people should have to scream to be heard. Justice must prevail and the goods of governance must be seen to be distributed across the state, not just to the urban areas or based on ethno-religious or political leanings of the groups or residents.

The smoothest thing I think Uba Sani did was to not let himself be dragged into the pull of politics, often an escape for leaders whose priorities, whose egos are bigger than their avowed commitment to serve the people. Politics can also offer an escape for leaders who have little to nothing to show for spent time, they offer distractions instead. For Governor Sani, it reflects his high emotional intelligence that, amidst everything that’s been thrown at him, his actions and words reflect a man simply committed to the mandate he has been trusted with by the people.

Competence and emotional intelligence don’t go together by default. The world is replete with competent people with zero EQ.

The national template for peace must evolve from our federalism and its essence. The understanding that local governments will deliver governance to the doorsteps of citizens, whilst state governments provide the necessary infrastructure to facilitate commerce and development. The federal government will provide the vision for national development. In this design, the state governments are essential because they are the fulcrum that intersects the federal and the local governments. You cannot have development or peace without the commitment and competence of state governments and their institutions. Here, the Uba Sani administration in Kaduna has led the way with plenty of progress to show for it.

Omojuwa is chief strategist, Alpha Reach/BGX Publishing

BART NNAJI pays tribute to Pascal Dozie, an entrepreneur and businessman

PASCAL G. DOZIE: A REFLECTION

It was for a divine purpose that I met Pascal Gabriel Dozie over 30 years ago. Our first meeting was in the early 1990s when we were members of the Vision 2010 Committee, a team set up to provide a strategic direction for Nigeria to become a higher-medium income nation by 2010. Some credible sources attribute to him the idea of Vision 2010, but PGD, as he was popularly known, never took the credit. He was self-effacing. What is well known is that it was engineered by PGD and his cohorts of leaders in the Nigerian economy, including Chief Ernest Shonekan, and they convinced the then Head of State, General Sani Abacha, to set up the Vision 2010 Committee.

There are many institutions PGD was instrumental in founding without noise, including Diamond Bank, MTN Nigeria, Lagos Business School, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, etc. But the one that significantly touched my family’s life and the lives of many Nigerians is Geometric Power’s Aba Integrated Power Project.

In 2005, after the concession of the Aba Ringfenced Area for the Aba Integrated Power Project (Aba IPP) was granted by President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government and development was completed, PGD was the first person to buy into the vision of the Aba Integrated Power Project, which has turned out to be one of the largest indigenous investments in the Southeast region of our dear country, Nigeria. Even when there were no private power companies operating in the country at that time, and the banks had never invested in any power ventures, he understood and supported the vision that through the Aba IPP concession, the power sector would blossom. Under his leadership, Diamond Bank provided the critically needed facility to commence construction of the project. Diamond Bank, before its merger with Access Bank, became the arranger of finance for the completion of the project. PGD

invested financially and emotionally in the project because of his utter commitment to improving the welfare of the people. Because of the trust other bankers and the business community in general had in his vision, the Aba IPP project was able to attract funds from other banks and investors despite the global recession and subsequent economic challenges in our dear country.

Despite his preeminent role in both the Aba Integrated Power Project and Geometric Power Ltd, Ndaa Pascal, as his Owerri kinsmen and women refer to him, was never obstructive in the affairs of either the project or the company. He was steadfast and practicalized his Christian faith in the power of the Almighty to see us through the multiple, (and mind-boggling) challenges that the Aba Integrated Project has gone through over the last 15 years, since we both firmly believed that it would be for the overall benefit of the masses.

He saw me as his son, and I, in turn, related to him as my father. My wife Agatha and I see ourselves as part of the PGD family. In PGD, I witnessed the Christian virtues of solidarity, love, humility, altruism, and genuine spirituality. I have never met in flesh and blood anyone who compares to him on the same scale.

My family and I, as well as the Geometric Power team, will always have great and fond memories of Ndaa Pascal G. Dozie, a rare and unassuming being who the Almighty God has used to touch multiple lives across the globe, and change the development history of our nation positively.

We will miss his physical presence and his calm, wise counsel very much.

Professor Nnaji, CON, NNOM, FAS, Chairman,Geometric Power Group

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA

Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

OF DISCOS AND AVOIDABLE DEATHS

The issue of safety must be taken seriously

By urging the judiciary to hold electricity distribution companies (DisCos) accountable for the growing number of Nigerians that die from electrocution, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has intervened on a serious issue. According to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), no fewer than 112 Nigerians died in 2024 from electricity-related accidents. This is just three less than the 115 fatalities in the preceding year 2023. That such tragedies continue to recur raise serious questions about how the authorities in the power sector take the issue of safety.

Indeed, the statistics of death by electrocution is long, especially among consumers and innocent citizens. Based on the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) report, eight key factors have been identified for the mounting tragedies in the sector: Failure of system protection equipment, absence of protection devices in certain areas, poor network maintenance, improper cable termination, and violations of right-of-way regulations. Other causes include slow response times, the use of substandard materials, lack of safety knowledge, and vandalism of power infrastructure. From available records, the time lag between when a fault is reported and fixed can take weeks. There are also times when there would be no response, thus leaving residents with no other choice than a resort to self-help with all the attendant risks.

thorities in the power sector to develop a habit of quick response to complaints about fallen electricity poles and exposed live wires. “The judiciary must adopt a proactive stance,” Kekere Ekun said on Tuesday. “Those who flout safety standards must be held responsible, while victims and their families deserve full justice.”

Those who flout safety standards must be held responsible, while victims and their families deserve full justice

T H I S D AY

EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU

DEPUTY EDITOR WALE OLALEYE

MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU

CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI

EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA

Despite the privatisation of the power sector, the transmission lines remain the same. In several places across the country today, there are many old and broken down wooden and concrete electricity poles, some with naked wires dangling overhead. It only takes a serious rainfall or heavy wind to blow off some of the poles. In such a situation, inhabitants of the affected areas live in constant fear of instant death. That is why we reiterate our call on the au-

GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU

DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE

DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI

SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI

CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI

DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

Letters

The intervention by Kekere-Ekun should also compel the regulatory authorities to be more alive to their responsibilities. In one incident a few years ago, a high-tension wire snapped off a pole, electrocuting a staff of a power DisCo, and a security guard who had lived and worked in the area for about 30 years. In yet another shocking incident, a middle-aged woman and her son were electrocuted in Osogbo, Osun State by a cable felled by rain. Mother and son reportedly stepped on the live electric cable as they attempted to escape from the electric shocks that reportedly affected their homes when the cable fell.

In 2019, six inmates serving various prison terms at Ikoyi Correctional Centre, Lagos, died of electrocution, following electricity surge that led to an explosion of cables. Several inmates were also injured. Although the then Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola visited the centre in the aftermath and made some feeble promises, no action has been taken since then. While NERC has issued several statements on the number of fatalities from electrocution, we are not aware of any sanction from the regulator.

What the foregoing suggests clearly is that we place little or no premium on human lives. Beyond the risk of electrocution, people living around power lines are prone to possible negative health effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by the transmission lines. We therefore urge authorities in the power sector to come up with stringent policies and implement proper educational programmes regarding the issue of safety as most of the causes of death in the sector are preventable.

Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-300 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (750- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive. com along with photograph, email address and phone numbers of the writer.

ARE TELCOS RIPPING NIGERIANS OFF ON DATA?

In Nigeria, agreement is a rare commodity. From politics to football, fuel prices to fashion trends, consensus is hard to come by. But there’s one issue where Nigerians seem to have found uncommon unity: 'telcos are ripping us off'. The cry is loud, familiar and constant "My data just disappeared!" Today, it’s no longer an isolated complaint but a national lament. And while telcos offer explanations, the collective frustration suggests, "there is no evidence."

In a country where over 150 million people rely on mobile internet, one has to agree with Airtel that "data is life." It's how we connect, work, study, entertain ourselves, and even pray. Yet, many users report that data bought today disappears by tomorrow, often without heavy use.

"I bought 5GB yesterday evening, and it’s gone this morning. I didn't stream anything!" This statement is now almost as common as the obnoxious, "How was your night"

Such complaints aren’t isolated. They're widespread and recurring. And while telecom operators consistently deny any wrongdoing, the perception persists. And perception, as we know, is powerful.

Many users believe they’re not properly informed about how data is consumed. Unlike electricity where a meter shows what

you use, data usage is more abstract. Most smartphones, especially Android devices, have apps that run silently in the background, syncing updates, auto-downloading media, and consuming data without explicit user action or consent. While Nigeria boasts one of the lowest data rates in Africa in absolute terms, the cost is still high relative to average income. In effect, what should be “cheap” data feels expensive because wages are low. Users often rely on network messages or third-party apps to track usage, which may not align with telco records. The mismatch further fuels distrust.

Lack of Consumer Protection: Complaints to the service providers or even the regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), often go unanswered or unresolved, leaving users feeling powerless.

To be fair, telcos invest billions in infrastructure, regulatory compliance, taxes, and technology upgrades. They operate in a challenging environment marked by erratic power supply, vandalism of facilities, and currency volatility. But that doesn’t excuse poor service or unexplained data loss.

Even if there’s no “deliberate rip-off,” the feeling of exploitation remains, and that’s bad for business.

What Needs to Change? Increased Transparency: Telcos must

provide clearer, real-time data usage breakdowns. Just as banks now send SMS alerts for every transaction, users should be able to see what each MB or GB was used for—live and in simple language. Data Rollover Policies: Although some telcos allow rollover, many users still lose unused data at month’s end. Rollover should be automatic and last longer than seven days. Better yet, data should last until it's used. Stronger Regulation: The NCC must become more consumer-centric. Proactive monitoring, spot checks on telcos’ data systems, and enforceable penalties for infractions will go a long way. Consumer Education: Many users are unaware of how smartphones consume data. Regular consumer education on app management, automatic updates, and best practices will empower users to control usage. Affordable, Uncapped Data Plans: A shift towards affordable, unlimited or truly “fair use” capped plans— especially for night or weekend usage—can ease the pressure on users and reduce complaints. Independent Audits: Regulators or consumer watchdogs should conduct independent audits of data billing systems. Findings should be made public to build trust.

Elvis Eromosele, elviseroms@gmail.com

OECD: Development Assistance to Africa Stood

Oluchi Chibuzor

Preliminary estimates from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation Development (OECD) has shown that net bilateral official development assistance (ODA) flows from Development Assistance Committee (DAC) members to Africa stood at $42 billion (N67.2 trillion) in 2024, representing a fall of 1 per cent in real terms compared to 2023.

According to OECD data, within this total, net ODA to sub-Saharan Africa was $36 billion, a decrease of two per cent in real terms, while net bilateral aid flows from DAC members to the group of least developed countries (LDCs) were $35 billion, a fall of 3 per cent in real terms compared to 2023. OECD in the report said

international aid from official donors fell in 2024 by 7.1 per cent in real terms compared to 2023, “signifying the first drop after five years of consecutive growth, according to preliminary data collected by the OECD.”

OECD said the fall in official development assistance was due to a reduction in contributions to international organisations, as well as a decrease in aid for Ukraine, lower levels of humanitarian aid and reduced spending on hosting refugees in donor countries.

The statement revealed that ODA by member countries of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) amounted to $212.1 billion in 2024, representing 0.33 percent of DAC members’ combined GNI.

Commenting, the OECD

Stakeholders:

airports, the stakeholders said.

Secretary-General Mathias Cormann said pressures on development finance and developing countries’ growth are increasing.

According to Cormann, “Optimising the effectiveness of available official development assistance will help developing countries manage these fiscal pressures, make essential investments in growth, and protect the most vulnerable.”

However, the preliminary estimates show that net bilateral ODA flows from DAC members to Africa stood at $42 billion in 2024, representing a fall of one percent in real terms compared to 2023.

“Within this total, net ODA to sub-Saharan Africa was $36 billion, a decrease of two percent in real terms. Net bilateral aid flows from DAC members to the group of least

developed countries (LDCs) were $35 billion, a fall of three percent in real terms compared to 2023.

“Net ODA to Ukraine fell by 16.7 percent in real terms compared to 2023 and amounted to $15.5 billion, representing 7.4 percent of total net ODA. Humanitarian aid dropped by an estimated 9.6 percent in 2024, amounting to $24.2 billion.

“ODA used to cover refugee costs within donor countries fell by 17.3 percent in 2024 compared to 2023 and amounted to $27.8 billion, representing 13.1 percent of DAC member countries’ total ODA, down from 14.6 percent in 2023. For five countries, in-donor refugee costs still represented more than a quarter of their ODA in 2024.

“The United States continued to be the largest DAC member country

provider of ODA ($63.3 billion), accounting for 30 percent of total DAC ODA in 2024, followed by Germany ($32.4 billion), the United Kingdom ($18.0 billion), Japan ($16.8 billion), and France ($15.4 billion),” the report said.

Commenting also, DAC Chair Carsten Staur said it is regrettable that ODA decreased in 2024 after five years of continuous growth.

Staur noted that it’s even more concerning that some of the major donors have signalled further, and quite significant, decreases over the coming years.

“In this situation, it is paramount that ODA is invested where it is most needed, especially in the poorest and most fragile countries. Going forward, poverty eradication, the just green transition and governance should remain at the core, and we

must also make ODA work harder in mobilising other sources of finance. Doubling down on aid effectiveness, together with partner countries, will be the key to achieve this,” Staur said. ODA rose in 10 DAC member countries and fell in 22 countries as only four countries exceeded the United Nations’ target of 0.7 per cent ODA to GNI. Only Denmark, 0.71 per cent; Luxembourg, 1.00 per cent; Norway, 1.02 per cent; and Sweden, 0.79 percent exceeded the United Nations’ target as Net debt relief grants remained low at $241 million. Net bilateral ODA for programmes and projects and technical assistance, excluding in-donor refugees and humanitarian aid, fell slightly by 1.2 per cent in real terms, due in part to the reduction in ODA for Ukraine.

Stakeholders in the aviation industry have called for review of policies guiding the operations of security agencies at the airports, insisting on collaboration and intelligence sharing by security operatives at the nation’s airports, in order to overcome the growing security challenges in air travel.

Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the State Security Service (SSS) and the Aviation Security (AVSEC), have statutory roles in maintaining security at the

The stakeholders brainstormed in a two-day conference organised by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in Lagos, while canvassing for the collaboration of agencies in sharing information that will further fortify security at the airports.

The Director General, NCAA, Captain Chris Najomo, in his address, said the aviation industry was the lifeline of global connectivity by acting as a key enabler for commerce, cultural exchange and economic development.

Najomo stated that with these

opportunities come increasinglyevolving threats of cyberattacks, terrorism, insider-threats, unmanned aerial systems and the intricate dilemmas of cargo, passenger and airport security.

He noted that the threat towards the industry was constantly changing, warning that any attack on civil aviation through any one of these means could be countered by the implementation of effective aviation security countermeasures.

He explained that to tackle safety threat in the sector, aviation security personnel must be competent, stressing that this could only be achieved through training,

re-training and more training of the personnel.

He urged individuals and organisations in the sector to imbibe vigilance, be proactive in identifying and mitigating potential threats to civil aviation.

Najomo also canvassed for collaboration, information sharing among agencies and organisations and adoption of technology to counter terrorism and potential threat in the sector.

He said: “Information sharing and coordination among all stakeholders is essential in preventing and responding to security threats. No one can do

it alone. Leveraging advanced technologies like biometrics, Artificial Intelligence, and cybersecurity measures to enhance security and efficiency.

“Adhering to international standards and national regulations to ensure consistency and effectiveness of implemented security measures is very key. These attacks against civil aviation can be countered by the implementation of effective aviation security measures and procedures, and of course, by competent personnel.”

In a presentation, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA),

Farouk Umar Ahmed, reiterated that many airport and airspace facilities in Nigeria are yet to benefit from modern security technologies, noting that obsolete screening systems, inadequate perimeter fencing, poor surveillance coverage and limited access control systems expose key installations to avoidable threats, adding that the integration of physical and cyber-security systems remains suboptimal, limiting the ability to detect, deter, and respond to security breaches in real time.

Chinedu Eze

Onyema Rallies Stakeholders on Aviation Security

Stories by Chinedu Eze

Air Peace Chairman, Dr. Allen Onyema has called for the concerted efforts to improve security at airports, as records show increasing security threats on air travel worldwide.

Onyema, made the call during a high-level symposium with the theme: ‘Fundamentality of Aviation Security in Achieving the Safe-Skies Goal’, which held in Lagos.

He described the symposium’s theme as both timely and pressing, saying aviation security is not just protocol, it’s the industry’s “lifeblood.”

With global threats evolving at breakneck speed, from cyberattacks to insider threats

and terrorism, he stressed that Nigeria’s aviation architecture must be continuously reimagined and strengthened.

Central to his message was the importance of synergy, warning that no one agency or operator can do it alone, noting that airlines, airport authorities, security agencies, regulators, and private sector partners must work in concert.

He highlighted how Air Peace has modelled this collaborative approach by investing heavily in cutting-edge security technology, continuous training, and institutional partnerships and cautioned against an overreliance on hardware and checklists.

“Security is also about mind-

set,” he said, emphasising that vigilance, intelligence-sharing, and uncompromising compliance must be cultural norms across the aviation ecosystem.

Onyema urged the symposium not to become “another talkshop,” but a launchpad for concrete, collective action

While acknowledging the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority for organising the symposium and for its persistent efforts in oversight and regulation, he said: ‘”It is a privilege to be here this morning, let us share best practices, raise hard questions, and commit to actionable outcomes.”

He also reaffirmed Air Peace’s commitment to collaboration and aviation excellence.

Emirates, Nigerian Ministry of

Art Sign MoU on Inbound Tourism

Emirates and Nigerian Ministry of Art Culture Tourism and the Creative Economy, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the 2025 Arabian Travel Market, to boost international visitors to Nigeria.

The partnership underscores the airline’s commitment to the market through attracting visitors from across its global network of more than 140 passenger destinations, as Nigeria’s tourism roadmap aims to make the country a major holiday destination in Africa.

Under the MoU, Emirates will help to promote inbound tourism to Nigeria from key markets on its network, encouraging travellers to experience the country’s rich cultural heritage and diverse natural beauty, from sunlit coastlines to vibrant

wetlands.

Both partners will also develop programmes for trade partners, hoteliers and tour operators, to showcase the Heartbeat of Africa as well as exploring incentives, familiarisation trips and other marketing initiatives.

The MoU was signed by Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Centre, Adil Al Ghaith, and Special Assistant to the Minister on Sub-National Development and tourism, Mr. Abiola Abdulkareem, in the presence of the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, among other dignitaries.

Some of the dignitaries said: “Since resuming operations to Lagos in October 2024, we have focused on deepening our strategic partnerships

with key stakeholders in Nigeria’s aviation, tourism and trade sectors. This partnership with the Nigerian Tourism Ministry solidifies our commitment to driving international travellers to experience the country’s fascinating history, its urban cities, the untapped, stunning natural world and, of course, the warm hospitality that characterizes Nigerian culture.”

Others expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, saying, “This partnership with Emirates marks a pivotal moment for Nigeria’s tourism sector. It serves as a critical springboard for driving inbound tourism as we work towards delivering on our Destination 2030 Soft Power Initiative, endorsed by Mr. President to position Nigeria as a global leader in culture, heritage, and creativity.”

NANTA Set to Train Executives in Gambia

Barely a few weeks after its successful 49th non-elective Annual General Meeting in Lagos, the leadership of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) and its members across Nigeria, will head out to Banjul, Gambia for critical training on travel trade and refresher courses on other related concerns from May 25, 2025.

President of NANTA, Mr. YinkaFolami, who is leading the team, stated during the Lagos confab that the members of the association must take advantage of training opportunities and exposure to help them navigate through the ever demanding and dynamic nature of travel trade business and related concerns not just as expected of serious trade professionals but also to generate other streams of income

to keep ahead of competition.

“Our Banjul training expedition is not a jamboree but our strategic growth plan for our members, which began two years ago and given breath by our immediate past president, Mrs. Susan Akporiaye who inaugurated the first training exposure with university of Johannesburg in collaboration with South Africa Tourism and Ghana Tour Operators Association. So, the Banjul training exposure is to deepen that process, open doors of many untapped opportunities for our members, particularly on the various value chain of intra Africa travel and tourism

which again, NANTA headlined in recent times,” he said.

Folami whose leadership took NANTA back to the protective umbrella of United Federation of Travel Agencies Association (UTTARA), the global industry trade body, stressed that NANTA members must engage in continuous training and retraining expectations as key pillar of their survival and growth, adding that the association has never considered acts of frivolities and wasteful lifestyle as part of its strategic growth development plan and would always take steps that would benefit the rank and file of the association.

Air WAtCh

Last week Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) went on strike in protest against poor welfare of the workers and the reneging of earlier agreement by the management.

NIMET statutorily provides weather forecast for airlines and it is internationally recognized as the sole provider of weather report for the aviation industry in Nigeria.

NIMET is a federal government agency charged with the responsibility to advise the federal government on all aspects of meteorology project. It prepares and interprets government policy in the field of meteorology and issues weather forecasts for the safe operations of aircraft, ocean going vessels and oil rigs.

During the period of the strike, which lasted for two days, the workers withdrew their services at all the airports except at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, but despite the withdrawal of their services, some of Nigerian airlines operated, relying on other sources for accessing weather reports.

Some of the airlines that operated during the period, told THISDAY that they had alternative sources of obtaining weather reports; that they could obtain weather report from google and from Jeppesen, which is an American company that offers navigational information, operations planning tools, flight planning products and other related services.

But THISDAY learnt from some pilots, who refused to operate flights during the period for safety reasons, said it was only Lagos airspace that Jeppesen uploaded weather reports and that was the only airspace covered by NIMET during the strike, which means that the airlines that operated scheduled commercial service depended on Google weather forecast for their operations to destinations outside Lagos.

On the first day of the strike, Nigeria’s major carrier, Air Peace, operated few flights from Lagos to Abuja and Owerri but cancelled all others, including the flight to Port Harcourt, which could not land due to weather issues. So, the airline took precautionary measures and cancelled all subsequent flights.

Many industry observers who spoke to THISDAY said that the airlines that operated couldn’t have done so because despite the fact they could source weather report from other sources, insurers, lessors and suppliers, who, THISDAY learnt monitored the event, recognised NIMET as the official source of weather information for schedule commercial airlines in Nigeria.

Aghast that some airlines operated despite the strike, a body known as Association of Professional Meteorologist of Nigeria (APMN), in a statement signed by its Abuja branch chairman, Comrade AwotuAuptre and also the President of Nigeria Meteorology Society, Professor ZachariaAdeyewa, indicated that APMN wrote a letter to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and World Meteorology Organisation (WMO) over the stance of some airlines flying without proper Meteorological briefing and reports.

The statement said: “Using quack form to get meteorological information is risky and dangerous to Nigeria aviation users due to safety reasons.”

The statement noted that a particular airline that operated during the time was not trained to issue meteorological reports or receive ISO certification to embark on “this fruitless journey for Nigerian aviation sector”, adding that the airlines that operated jeopardised the safety of passengers and the equipment.

Some pilots who spoke to THISDAY, noted that using Google weather report may not be able to give the pilots areas in Nigeria’s airspace with possible low-level winds shear, which is a sudden change of wind velocity and/or direction.

Reports indicate that low level wind shear was one of the major factors that led to the tragic crash of Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145, a passenger flight that operated from Abuja to Port Harcourt and which crash landed at Port Harcourt Airport and went into flames on December 10, 2005, killing about 108 persons on board.

Group Business Editor

Eromosele Abiodun

Deputy Business Editor

chinedu Eze

Comms/e-Business Editor Emma Okonji

Asst. Editor, Energy

Emmanuel Addeh

Asst. Editor, Money Market

Nume Ekeghe

Correspondents

Kayodetokede(CapitalMarkets)

James Emejo (Finance)

Ebere Nwoji (Insurance)

reporter Peter Uzoho (Energy)

Phenom Communications, a leading Strategic Communications and Public Relations Firm emerged as a finalist in the prestigious International 2025 SABRE EMEA Awards.

Out of over 2,000 entries from across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Phenom Communications was shortlisted as 1 of 5 finalists in the MultiCountry Programme category, an internationally acclaimed recognition celebrating excellence in public relations campaigns that successfully span multiple countries or regions.

The category honours campaigns that craft culturally resonant and impactful narratives, connecting diverse markets and delivering measurable results across borders. The award also celebrates impactful public relations campaigns executed across multiple regions that expand

economic and social impact.

The PR Campaign Phenom Communications was nominated for was FrieslandCampina WAMCO’s Peak 456 Breakfast Plus Influencer Campaign, a campaign that cut across all 4 regions of the country and reached over one million Nigerians.

“This recognition is a celebration of our mission and commitment to creating the most exceptional brand experiences globally in partnership with our clients. For us at Phenom Communications, we believe in the importance of strategic communications in creating and expanding economic and social impact, and connecting markets and cultures. This is what we will continue to focus our efforts on doing in Nigeria, Africa and beyond,” CEO of Phenom Communications, Teresa Aligbe, said.

But United Nigeria Airlines issued a statement and assured passengers that it would operate. It said despite the strike by NIMET, it would still operate safely.

The statement, signed by the Public Relations Officer, Chibuike Uloka, stated: “While NIMET provides essential meteorological support to the aviation sector, our operations continue seamlessly through the deployment of alternative and internationally recognised weather data sources. These include real-time satellite monitoring, global aviation meteorological systems, pilot weather reports, and coordination with air traffic control services.

“United Nigeria Airlines wishes to reassure our valued passengers and the general flying public that our flight operations remain safe, reliable, and fully compliant with regulatory standards, despite the ongoing industrial action by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet). Our flight planning and dispatch teams are fully equipped and working round-the-clock to ensure that all safety protocols are strictly observed, and passenger comfort remains uninterrupted.

Also, ValueJet notified its passengers that it would operate, but while it operated the travellers could bear in mind there could be delays and other disruptions.

“Please be advised that due to the on-going NIMET strike, there may be disruptions. However, we will keep you informed when or if the strike action starts to affect our flight operations.”

Seasoned aviator and pilot, the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Captain Fola Akinkuotu, said it was expected that a pilot should have weather briefing before operating a flight, remarking that if a pilot said he got his weather report from Jeppesen, where is Jeppeson getting its weather report? According to him, Jeppeson gets its weather report from NIMET (as earlier stated that the agency only had weather report on Lagos during the NIMET strike because it was the only airspace NIMET provided its weather reports).

“The question is, where is Jeppeson getting its weather report. I remember when we were at Virgin (Nigeria Airways), we were getting our weather reports from Jeppeson and NIMET. Foreign airlines depend on what is approved for them. So, Jeppeson must be getting its weather report from somewhere and it is from NIMET.

“We have to be careful about the statement justifying flying without getting your report from approved source. If your operational manual says that you will get your weather report from Jeppeson, you have to get it from Jeppeson. The non-availability of weather information from approved source may infringe on safety and approved source today is NIMET,” Akinkuotu who was also former Director General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and former Managing Director of Aero Contractors, said.

Chinedu Eze

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola (middle); representative of the Governor and Speaker, Niger State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdul Malik Sarkin-Daji (2nd from left); Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Olufemi Oloruntola (2nd from right) and other officials when Oyetola officially flagged off the distribution of 42,000 life jackets to waterway users across 12 riverine states, in Minna, Niger State… yesterday

Nigeria Endorses Amendment to Eight Codes of Maritime Labour Convention

Oluchi Chibuzor

Nigeria has endorsed the amendments to 8 Codes of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006. The amendments include the codes related to the protection of seafarers against discrimination, identification of seafarers as key workers,

enhanced access to shore based welfare for seafarers, and the code on shipboard violence, harassment and bullying, accommodation and recreational facilities onboard.

of Marine and Blue Economy,

Committee meeting in

Experts Identify Role of Intellectual Property in Business Success

Expert speakers at ImpactHER’s 2025 World Intellectual Property Webinar have identified the role that intellectual property plays in helping entrepreneurs achieve business success.

The webinar which was organised by ImpactHER, was held in partnership with the African Union and had in attendance over 260 female entrepreneurs from 29 African countries and 3 non-African countries.

According to the Keynote Speaker and Senior Partner, Jackson, Etti & Edu, Uwa Ohiku, intellectual property plays a very

vital role in business success some of which includes - helping businesses gain competitive advantage, creating new revenue opportunities, improving access to funding, attracting strategic partners, minimizing legal risks, footprint expansion and earning customers trust.

She said: “Intellectual Property can help set businesses apart by giving them a distinct brand identity and value. It can also make the business more appealing to investors, acquirers and collaborator with its protected brand value. To access funding, investors and

lenders often see registered IP as a sign of value and credibility and can also serve as a market entry strategy when a business is seeking expansion. Protecting IP puts a business under pressure to deliver on its promises and to continuously improve on its goods and services and through such quality, businesses earn their customers’ trust and continued patronage.”

Panelists who spoke at the webinar on the topic- “Common IP pitfalls for female entrepreneurs,” noted that female entrepreneurs can protect themselves from falling prey of their IPs through

Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA), early registration before commencement of the business and having a commensurate budget that matches business strength. Jenner Akwale, an intellectual property specialist urged female entrepreneurs to do regular audit of their IP, create a policy that guides their IP, desist from using copyrighted work as their own and must always read all contracts carefully.” “There are some investors who would want to hide IP clauses in their contracts, female entrepreneurs need to be very careful about this,” he expressed.

Business Leaders, Policymakers Set to Convene in Kano for Economic Conference

Funmi Ogundare

As Nigeria continues to grapple with inflation, unemployment, and infrastructure challenges, the Hindsight Development organisation is set to converge an economic summit titled ‘ For the Love of the Country’, scheduled to hold on June 5, in Kano.

The fifth edition of the program is expected to draw top business executives, policymakers, traditional rulers, and industry stakeholders from across Nigeria to discuss the nation’s economic future under the theme: ‘Reimagining Nigeria’s Economy

for a Prosperous Future: Where we were, Where we are and Where We should Be in the Next Decade’.

According to the convener, this year’s choice of Kano is both symbolic and strategic, recognising the city’s historic role as a hub for trade, agriculture, manufacturing, and enterprise.

“Kano represents resilience, enterprise, and economic potential,” Atinuke Odjenima stated. “Bringing the conference here allows us to tap into those strengths and use them as a catalyst for broader national transformation.”

She emphasised that this year’s

gathering aims to move beyond dialogue, driving policy shifts and concrete initiatives that can have a lasting impact across the country.

In particular, the conference will spotlight the roles of youth and women in economic development.

“Nigeria’s future depends on how well we empower our youth and women to take leadership roles in business, governance, and industry,” Odjenima said.

“By coming to Kano, we hope to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs and policymakers.”

The conference will feature keynote addresses and panel discussions with high-profile

speakers, including the Governor of Kano State, the Emir of Kano, economist and former CBN Deputy Governor Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, and business leader, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika. Topics on the agenda include; industrialisation, agriculture, entrepreneurship, technology, security, and economic inclusion.

The conference, she added, aims to serve as a platform for proposing actionable solutions. Odjenima expressed hope that the event will spark new policy ideas, foster investment, and build collaborations that promote longterm growth and competitiveness.

PAL Pensions Leads Industry with Highest Returns in Q1 2025

Funmi Ogundare

Pensions Alliance Limited (PAL Pensions) has emerged as Nigeria’s top-performing Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) for the first quarter of 2025, delivering the highest returns across the Retirement Savings Account (RSA) multifund structure.

A data published by the organisation, posted an average Return on Investment (ROI) of 5.25 per cent between January and March, surpassing the industry average of 4.18 per cent.

According to the organisation , this performance cements the firm’s position as a leader in the pension industry and highlights its consistent ability to generate value for its clients.

Fund-specific performance for Q1 2025 showed PAL Pensions leading or ranking among the top PFAs in all fund categories: fund I: 7.21 per cent ROI, fund II: 5.4 per cent ROI, find III; 4.62 per cent ROI and fund IV with 3.77 per cent ROI.

These figures, it noted, underscore PAL’s strategic investment approach and its

capacity to thrive in a fluctuating economic climate.

The organisation attributes its strong showing to a combination of research-driven decisionmaking, robust risk management, and a commitment to optimising returns for contributors.

“PAL Pensions has also been at the forefront of digital innovation and customer engagement, offering real-time performance updates, personalised advisory support, and educational resources to help clients make informed retirement decisions.

“With over N960 billion in

Assets under management and more than 700,000 clients nationwide, PAL Pensions is not just a fund manager but a trusted financial partner,” the company noted. “Our goal is to deliver sustainable returns and redefine what retirement planning looks like in Nigeria.”

As the industry continues to evolve, PAL Pensions says it will maintain its focus on capital preservation, competitive growth, and financial inclusion, ensuring contributors are well-positioned for a secure and prosperous retirement.

Geneva Switzerland, emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to the welfare, rights, and protection of seafarers.

The Minister, who was represented by the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, commended the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for fostering dialogue on maritime labour standards.

The NIMASA DG reiterated Nigeria’s dedication to ensuring decent working and living conditions for seafarers, noting the recently approved minimum wage in line with ILO standards. Mobereola also used the platform to reinforce Nigeria’s bid for election to Category C of the International Maritime

Organization (IMO) Council during the upcoming elections scheduled for November/ December this year. He stated that Nigeria’s inclusion in the Council would strengthen Africa’s representation and voice in shaping international maritime policies that promote fair labour practices, environmental sustainability, and technical cooperation.

The Special Tripartite Committee comprises representatives from countries that have ratified the MLC 2006, and mostly from Maritime Administrations who also attend IMO meetings. This is the very first time Nigeria is widening the scope of its campaign to engage strategically with relevant international agencies.

In commemoration of its 125th anniversary, Renowned German manufacturer of premium domestic appliances, Miele, recently inaugurated its newly renovated Experience Centre in Lagos, marking a significant step in its global expansion and sustainability strategy, tailored to the needs of Nigeria’s discerning design and lifestyle community.

The centre, located in the heart of Victoria Island, Lagos, showcases the brand’s latest innovations, including state-of-the-art cooking, refrigeration, and laundry systems.

The centre offers immersive experiences, live cooking demonstrations, and expert guidance, allowing customers to explore Miele’s pioneering technologies and make informed choices for their homes and lifestyles.

The ceremony brought together key stakeholders, including business partners, designers, architects, industry thought leaders, and valued clients. The event featured live cooking sessions, product demonstrations, and exclusive showcases of Miele’s 125thanniversary products.

According to a statement from the company, “The centre will showcase Miele’s latest innovations, including the state-of-the-art Generation 7000 cooking line, MasterCool refrigeration, and W1 and T1 laundry systems. Customers can also experience live cooking with Miele appliances, events, Miele’s renowned Triflex vacuum series and exclusive 125th-anniversary products, such as the Matte Black Countertop Coffee Machine.

“The event commenced with an exclusive press parley, unveiling Miele’s rich heritage and its impact in Nigeria for the first time. This session offered the media a deeper understanding of the brand’s pioneering technology and sustainability initiatives. This was followed by a live baking session by Chef Dera Anazodo, Executive Chef and partner at Jaya Cravings, specialising in world fusion food from the International Culinary Centre, New York.

“The first day concluded with an intimate and immersive culinary showcase by celebrity and valued Miele Chef partners; Chef Tilewa Odedina, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained Chef, nutritionfocused culinary entrepreneur, and the head of Culinary and Restaurants at FoodCourt Nigeria and Chef Soliat, a seasoned nutritionist and the founder of Nulas Kitchen.

“The event was graced by notable personalities such as Sisi Yemmie, Chef Cupid, Anjola Awosika, Ify Mogekwu, Fasanmi Afolabi, Evelyn Edumoh and Gbemi Giwa. The evening, marked by elegance, sophistication, and a seamless fusion of luxury and culinary artistry, perfectly embodied Miele’s commitment to excellence and innovation.

“The second day welcomed trade partners, designers, architects, and clients for an exclusive reception featuring a live cooking session by Chef Rahila Lawore, a chef, entrepreneur, restaurateur, Founder of Rahila & Co and Co-Founder of Canvas Concept Space,” it stated.

Minister

Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, who led Nigeria’s delegation to the 5th ILO special Tripartite

Ogun to Boost IGR With ARISE IPR $400m Initial Investment

Oluchi Chibuzor

As Nigeria pushes for economic diversification, modern manufacturing and increased value-added production, the Ogun State Government and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP) operators of the Industrial Platform Remo Free Zone (IPRFZ) has said when completed will boost the internal generated revenue (IGR) of the state.

The project with its first phase worth $400million is a collaboration between Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms and Ogun.

The 45 years tenor project according to both parties represents a powerful leap forward in the transformation of raw materials into worldclass processed products while enabling job creation, sustainable development, and global competitiveness.

Speaking at an interactive session with Journalists in Abeokuta, Ogun State, recently, Director-General Public-Private Partnerships Agency, Ogun State, Mr. Dapo Oduwole, said the detailed PPP strategy aimed at improving ease of business.

Oduwole explained that the 45-year PPP arrangement between the state government and IPRFZ is to ensure long-term industrial growth and easy recouping of investment for investors.

According to him, “The PPP law, established in 2019, aims to foster a more conducive climate for both local and foreign investment in Ogun. Ogun leads in fostering partnerships among government, public entities, and private investors like IPRFZ and so establishing the PPP office reassures investors that their investments are safe and supported in Ogun.”

However, the Chief Business Officer of IPRFZ, Prasad Sane,

said the ARISE IIP Group aims to generate over one million jobs across its various projects in Africa, including Nigeria.

He said the IPRFZ is a worldclass, sustainable industrial ecosystem in Sagamu, created to boost exports, enhance trade, and serve as a manufacturing and innovation hub.

“The project is designed to be a unique hub to accelerate Nigeria’s industrialisation drive to attract both local and foreign

direct investments and generate jobs and develop skilled manpower,” he said. Sane noted that Nigeria’s large population provides an advantage for driving industrialisation and expanding manufacturing capacity, adding that the country’s population remains a force to change Africa. He revealed the first phase of construction will conclude in 2026, with six customers already securing plots to begin operations by June.

Sterling Bank to Give Nigerians N1m Extra Every Month

Leading commercial bank and Africa’s most agile company, Sterling Bank has announced the introduction of AlwaysOn by Sterling, a bold new feature on its OneBank platform that will give eligible customers up to N1 million extra every month -even when their account balances are running low.

Launched on Workers’ Day 2025, the initiative is part of an ongoing movement to remove structural barriers to financial

freedom and empower everyday Nigerians to move boldly, even in uncertain times.

AlwaysOn is a specialised, invitation-only feature for customers who maintain an active OneBank account for a while. It provides an advance to settle bills or make payments without delays, or any of the friction associated with traditional credit systems.

“This is not just about funds,” said Chief

Executive Officer of Sterling Bank,Abubakar Suleiman. “It’s about freedom and dignity. It’s about backing our customers with the trust and tools to act boldly when life demands it.”

Suleiman emphasised that the new feature is not a product, it’s a logical shift in how the bank supports its customers.

“We’re building a financial ecosystem designed for momentum -for people with

grit, urgency, and dreams too big to wait. If you’ve banked with us, you’ve earned our confidence. Now you’ll have our backing to match,” added Suleiman.

The introduction of AlwaysOn marks the next chapter in Sterling’s growing movement to create a fairer and more responsive financial system. It follows the Zero Transfer Fees initiative in April, which returned an estimated

N13 billion to Nigerians by eliminating transfer charges across the OneBank platform. It also builds on Sterling’s Free Bus Ride initiative, which helped commuters get home from work for free during a time of intense economic pressure.

Together, these efforts reflect the bank’s bold, people-first approach to customer impact, now made possible by its adoption of SeaBaas, Nigeria’s

first indigenous core banking platform.

“We’re not the kind of bank that stands on the sidelines while Nigerians hustle,” said Obinna Ukachukwu, Growth Executive for Retail and Consumer Banking. “We removed the fees that slowed them down. Now we’re giving Nigerians the financial freedom to seize opportunity when it shows up. We’re on the pitch with them.”

Katsina Govt to Alllocate 30% of Budget to Climate Resilience

Arthur Eriye

As part of efforts to establish a Green Investment Fund in Katsina State, Gov. Dikko Radda, disclosed that his administration will to allocate 30 per cent of the state’s annual budget to climate resilience.

Radda made the pledge at the Katsina State Climate Action and Green Investment

Summit in Abuja with the theme, “Turning Climate Challenges into Development Opportunities in Katsina State.We will allocate 30 per cent of our annual budget to climate-resilient infrastructure and establish a Green Investment Fund to de-risk projects.”

He added that the state government would also accelerate implementation, with an initial capitalisation of five billion naira

and mechanisms to leverage additional private capital.

“Today marks another milestone in the history of the state’s future. I am proud to unveil our blueprint for a sustainable future, which is tagged ‘Katsina State Green Growth Agenda (KAGGA)’.

“KAGGA is a roadmap to harmonise economic progress with ecological preservation.

It commits to scaling up drip irrigation, drought-resistant crop varieties, and agroforestry to protect our farmers from climate shocks.My administration will enact the Katsina Climate-Related Laws within 12 months to institutionalise accountability and create a stable policy environment for green investments,” Radda said.

The governor also added that,

to combat water scarcity and promote irrigation, the state had constructed 120 solar-powered boreholes across the state, worth N2.4 billion, with an additional 60 currently under construction.

“This means more water for farmers, more food on our tables, and more income for families.

‘We’ve already planted over 100,000 economic trees and are

nurturing three million more, spread across schools, institutions, and shelterbelts.

‘We also invested N5.9 billion in rainwater harvesting structures, turning seasonal floods into a year-round blessing for irrigation,” he said.

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal noted that the climate crisis is no longer a distant threat.

CBN Emphasizes Financial Inclusion

The Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN) has emphasised its commitment to financial inclusion for the greater benefit of the economy.

CBN is the Custodian and Project Manager of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy which was launched in 2012 after a report by Strategy Consultants, Roland Berger which noted that Nigeria lagged behind some of its peers in Africa in financial inclusion.

In the report, Roland Berger noted that 36 percent of an adult population of 85 million were served by financial services compared with 68 percent in South Africa and 41 percent in Kenya.

But going forward, statistics showed that in 2020, 67 percent of Nigerians became financially included and it 2023 it increased to 74 percent with 24 percent being financially excluded.

Financial inclusion is a massesoriented and a mainstream topic which commands international attention and concern.

It is a crucial aspect of economic development which aims. to stimulate growth, reduce poverty and improve overall well-being of citizens.

Financial inclusion is about bringing more people into the financial system and delivery of a broad range of formal financial services at affordable costs to sections of disadvantaged and low income segments of society.

The components of financial inclusion are, a wide range of innovative financial products and

services including payments, savings, credits, designing financial products according to the needs of target clients, insurance and pension products and services within the reach of all groups. It aims to create a more vibrant and successful economy and improving living standards.

At the 2nd International Financial Inclusion Conference( IFIC) which held in Lagos in November 2024, CBN expressed the commitment to deepen financial inclusion through various creative policy options which includes the introduction of regulatory frameworks that supports digital platforms that enhance access to financial services.

Others include encouraging entrepreneurs, financial literacy initiatives to educate individuals on financial concepts and tools necessary to help them make informed decisions.

CBN initiative on financial literacy aligns with a report by the Organisation For Economic Cooperation and Development( OECD),which urged governments to seek to boost young people’s financial literacy to enable them to better understand key financial concepts and the risks and rewards of financial products.

Other initiatives by CBN to boost financial inclusion include Women Entrepreneurs Finance Code ( WeFicode) and Women’s Financial Inclusion Dashboard( WFID).

The role of women in driving economic growth and development

cannot be overemphasised. Women empowerment leads to greater GDP, reduction in income inequality, poverty reduction, attainment of social justice and improved family health.

CBN also emphasised the role of financial inclusion in driving the growth of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises( SMEs) which are said to contribute 80 percent of employment in Nigeria.

SMEs are businesses which personnel and revenue fall below a certain benchmark but which differ in different countries.

Generally, SMEs are noted as the backbone of any healthy economy because they play a crucial role in economic development, opening new markets, job creation and innovations especially in developing countries.

SMEs possess a huge but untapped potentials.

Some countries with successful SMEs include USA, Japan, China, South Korea, Switzerland.

SMEs in Nigeria need greater support to reduce their rate of business failure.In China the government implemented tax cuts and other essential measures to ease the burden of SMEs.

A World Bank report noted that SMEs represents 90 percent of businesses and more than 50 percent of employment worldwide.

The OECD reported that SMEs represents about 99 percent of all firms and generate 50 percent to 60 percent of value added on average.

CBN recently introduced new

minimum capital requirements for banks to ensure that they are better capitalised and for greater loans exposures and risks to SMEs, undeserved markets, rural communities and other vulnerable segments.

CBN also noted the need for strong, resilient and stable banks towards achieving the target USD1trillion economy envisioned by President Bola Tinubu in 2030.

In a recent press briefing, the Director, Corporate Services, CBN, Ms Emem Usoro, who was represented by the Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Mrs Hakama SidiAli, noted among other things, that “building a USD1trillion economy is not an easy task and we should particularly pay significant attention to banks recapitalisation ensure that our banks are strong, resilient and stable enough to carry out financial intermediation and the much needed financing of development projects and programmes.”

According to Ms Usoro, the Nigerian economy was valued currently at approximately USD250billion and noted that achieving USD1trillion economy by 2030 would require concerted efforts by all stakeholders.

CBN has always demonstrated strong commitment to support SMEs through various creative financing options and experts believe that the Banks commitment to deepen financial inclusion will increase access to finance for SMEs.

•Nwobu, a Chartered Stockbroker and Business Journalist wrote via arizenwobu@yahoo.com

Arize Nwobu

Dr. Muhammad Dogo-Muhammad: Championing Unique Perspective on

Healthcare Leadership, Innovation, Policy

Dr. Muhammad Dogo-Muhammad is a highly respected medical doctor and healthcare leader with a distinguished career spanning multiple continents. Currently serving as the Chief Medical Director of Baze University Hospital, Dr. Dogo-Muhammad brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role. a UK-trained Consultant General Surgeon and Urologist, he also holds a Master’s degree in International Health and Hospital Management from Germany. His extensive experience in healthcare leadership includes serving as commisioner for Health in Bauchi State, where he understood the importance of creating a strong health network and its impact on communities. He has led numerous public hospitals in Nigeria, leveraging his global expertise to drive positive change. Notably, he spearheaded the development and implementation of crucial policies and reforms as Executive Secretary and CEO of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), now known as the National Health Insurance authority (NHIa). In this interview with MArY NNAH, Dogo-Muhammad shares his insights and experiences, offering a unique perspective on healthcare leadership, innovation, and policy

What motivated you to transition from clinical practice to health leadership roles, such as your time as a commissioner for health and CEO of the NHIS?

Ifound myself literally plunged into political space - public appointment - as an honourable commissioner of health in my state - Bauchi State - during the military era (1997-1999). I never applied or even indicated any desire to get involved with such an assignment. In fact, I resisted it, but I had to do it because it was a national assignment. I had wanted to remain in my clinical practice.

As for the post of the Executive Secretary and CEO of the NHIS, I transferred my service from the Bauchi State government to the Federal Government in 2002 to have a national platform at policy-making position.

I served as a Consultant Special Grade I in the Inspectorate Division of the Department of Clinical Services of the Ministry of Health. I was sponsored by Vamed Engineering Company to go for an MBA course in International Health and Hospital Management (IHM Option) in Frankfurt, Germany (2015-2016).

I went around the world to see different health systems in locations like Germany, Austria, Finland, the UK, the USA, Dubai, and Japan; these exposures broadened my horizons in health and hospital management.

The intention then, was to get me to handle the maintenance of equipment of all the Federal Government’s tertiary hospitals that were fully refurbished and equipped to the highest global standards. Well, that was not to be the case, as I was posted to Federal Medical Centre Gusau as an Interim Administrator in 2016 because there was a crisis in the hospital’s administration.

Barely two months later, there was another problem at the NHIS, and I was posted as a National Coordinator for NHIS, a post I served for six months. I was appointed as the substantive Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the organisation (2006-2012). I did not plan to transition from clinical practice to health administration, but rather, it was by the providence of the Almighty.

How do you approach leadership and team management in a healthcare setting?

Leadership in any situation is about aligning followership and giving a sense of direction; it’s not any different in the healthcare setting than in a hospital. However, the unique nature of the healthcare environment is such that all cadres have specific training and there must be an optimum mix of required manpower in the medical team for it to function well. Almost all cadres have regulating bodies that routinely ensure that, at least annually, all personnel get valid practicing licenses.

The corporate culture of the healthcare environment is further enhanced by human nature, which has been engraved in a person’s psyche, but it must be further developed. Delegation of responsibilities and knowing the limits of everyone in the team must be well entrenched so that efficient use of resources and confining one to his/her competence is complied with. This allows for an easy flow of referrals from the lowest level of care up to the top. The use of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) further minimises errors of omission or commission.

What is your vision for Baze University Hospital, both in the short term and long term?

Baze University Hospital (BUH) was established to serve as the teaching hospital for the training of medical students at Baze University as a precondition to retaining the accreditation of the university for medical college. It’s instructive to note that right at the onset, the vision of BUH was to be “the trusted leader in quality medical care.” Thus, the entire staff was aligned to this vision, and all that followed was geared towards achieving it.

In the short term, my vision must comply with the conditionality of retaining the accreditation of the medical college. Of course, all teaching hospitals are centres for training, tertiary healthcare provision, and research. BUH is not any different from these functions.

In the long term, BUH will be a training ground for all categories of clinical and allied medical professionals, such as pharmacists, nurses, postgraduate training consultants, etc. Medical

laboratory scientists and technicians are already being trained, as are medical radiographers.

Another area of concern for which BUH is seriously working to achieve is to reverse the current case of medical tourism with Nigerians going out of the country; they should look inwards. Also, the COVID-19 saga taught us that facilities of world-class standards must be established in the country, and I believe BUH has endeavoured to provide just that.

In spinal and nerve surgeries, a lot of advances in minimally invasive procedures are in use, and the frontiers are limitless. When one talks about innovation in the healthcare space, the horizon is almost limitless.

How do you envision technology transforming healthcare delivery in the coming years?

Information technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and cyber-knife technology in the treatment of cancers are among the cutting-edge technologies for the future. The deployment of technology into the healthcare space is imperative and inelastic. It will transform healthcare as we know it today.

What advice would you give to young health professionals aspiring to leadership roles in healthcare?

Young health professionals aspiring to leadership roles in healthcare should in addition to going for further studies to improve on their professional callings, must have administrative exposure either in public or private settings. I will advise them to undergo a training that exposes them to managing human resources, administration, and business i.e. an MBA of some sort. More courses on strategy and policy formulation and execution will be very handy.

How do you measure patient satisfaction, and what steps do you take based on feedback from patients?

At Baze University Hospital, we take a dual approach to handling customer feedback manually and electronically to ensure comprehensive insights into patient satisfaction. Manually, we utilize inperson feedback forms, suggestion boxes, and face-to-face interactions with patients during

consultations or at discharge. For example, patients can provide feedback on their experience through forms we collect and analyze weekly, which allows us to capture real-time concerns and address them quickly. Electronically, we leverage our hospital’s website and patient portal for online surveys and feedback forms. After discharge or following specific treatments, we invite our patients to rate our performance and tell us their experiences. Additionally, we have integrated wall-easy display screens in every corner of the hospital where patients can leave feedback instantly on their experiences. For instance, after a procedure, patients may rate their care and provide comments, which our teams reviewed electronically to track common trends and prioritize improvements.

Both methods work hand-in-hand to ensure that feedback is effectively captured, evaluated, and acted upon, helping us refine services, enhance patient care, and improve the overall hospital experience.

What methods do you use to foster effective communication and collaboration among different healthcare professionals in the hospital?

Effective communication among hospital staff ensures patient safety, improves teamwork, and enhances overall care quality. At BUH, we promote effective communication through regular team meetings to discuss updates, share concerns, and collaborate on problem-solving.

Also, we encourage interdisciplinary ward rounds where different healthcare professionals (nurses, doctors, pharmacists, etc.) discuss patient care collaboratively to promote understanding and respect among team members. We develop and disseminate clear communication protocols for different scenarios (e.g., emergencies, handoffs), ensure staff training on these protocols, and ensure role clarifications to prevent overlapping duties and responsibilities.

Furthermore, we ensure attendance at training sessions on effective communication, conflict resolution, and teamwork to enhance staff skills and encourage using technology, like secure messaging apps, electronic health records (EHRs),

and collaborative platforms to facilitate quick and efficient information sharing.

As an organisation that promotes a Just culture, BUH encourages open dialogue where staff feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns without fear of criticism. Also, we involve patients in discussions about their care, enabling staff to communicate openly with them and improving staff communication skills. We have channels for staff to provide feedback on communication practices, and we recognize and appreciate effective communication practices and teamwork among staff to reinforce positive behaviors.

How do you approach training and professional development for hospital staff to ensure they are equipped with the latest knowledge and skills? Training and professional development are essential for hospital workers to remain competent in the latest technologies and skills. At BUH, we prioritize training and development through regular continuing education courses focusing on new technologies, medical procedures, and best practices. These trainings can be in-person, online, or hybrid formats. Also, we organise workshops and seminars led by experts in various fields covering new technologies, software, and treatment protocols and providing hands-on experience when possible. We also use simulation-based training to allow staff to practice new skills in a safe environment. Simulation is particularly effective for high-stakes procedures where proficiency is critical, like Basic Life support (BLS) and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) training.

Similarly, BUH encourages mentoring because medical science is an apprentice-like training requiring pairing experienced staff with newer employees. Mentoring fosters knowledge transfer and helps develop skills in a supportive environment. With free accessible internet, BUH provides access to online learning resources, including webinars, courses, and medical journals. Online learning allows staff to learn at their own pace and stay current with industry developments. BUH promotes cross-training among different departments to enhance staff versatility and understanding of various roles within the hospital. It also conducts performance evaluations that identify areas for improvement and create personalised development plans for staff, aligning training with individual career goals.

Moreover, as a training ground for medical students, BUH encourages staff to participate in research projects or committees focused on new technologies and practices, fostering a culture of innovation. Also, we partner with universities and professional organizations to provide advanced training and certification programs that keep staff updated on industry standards. Indeed, we foster a culture of lifelong learning by recognising and rewarding staff who pursue additional training, certifications, or education. Additionally, we have a feedback loop where staff can express their training needs and assess the effectiveness of train ing programs. Utilize this feedback to improve offerings continually.

How does BUH approach the reporting and management of medical errors, and what steps are taken to prevent future occurrences?

BUH approaches reporting medical errors through several strategies aiming to prevent future occurrences, including incident reporting systems, where staff can report errors or near misses anonymously. This step encourages openness and helps identify patterns or systemic issues. After that, we conduct a root cause analysis (RCA) to determine the underlying causes of the error. The hospital provides feedback to staff about reported incidents, and the actions taken can reinforce the importance of reporting and promote continuous improvement. This process helps to understand what happened and why it happened. Also, at BUH, we want to foster a safety culture; therefore, staff members are encouraged to report errors without fear of punishment. This process creates an environment where learning from mistakes is prioritised over assigning blame. Insights from reported errors help the hospital revise its policies and procedures to enhance safety protocols and prevent similar errors in the future.

Dr. Muhammad Dogo-Muhammad

A Tribute to a Transformational Leader: Major General Aniedi Effiong Edet’s Remarkable Legacy at DICON

Emmanuel Garba

“The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.”

In reflecting on this, the I am compelled to express my profound appreciation for a leader whose integrity, commitment, and dedication to duty have left an indelible mark. This tribute is born out of my deep admiration for Major General Aniedi Effiong Edet’s sterling leadership, which has led to the palpable transformation of DICON, earning him the respect of both staff and industry watchers. His tenure as the 24th Director General, though spanning a remarkable 21 months, has been characterised by giant strides.

Beyond the impressive revitalisation of the Corporation, General Edet has fostered improved civil-military relations and enhanced productivity, laying a robust foundation for Nigeria’s long-awaited Military Industrial Complex. Deservedly, he was recently awarded and decorated with the Defence Administration Medal by the Chief of Defence Staff. As he steps down, I celebrate his extraordinary legacy defined by innovation, commitment, and transformational leadership, more so than merely maintaining the status quo; he reimagined and revitalised DICON, setting it on a new course toward achieving Nigeria’s long-cherished goal of defence self-sufficiency within such short time. DICON community will truly miss him, but believe that he is transiting to greater responsibilities in career and service of our nation.

Since assuming office in July 2023, it has been keenly observed that General Edet has been a catalyst for innovation and growth within DICON, breathing new life into the organisation’s strategic mission to support Nigeria’s armed forces and security architecture. On assumption, he quickly repositioned the Corporation by crafting a new vision, which is ‘to contribute significantly to National Security while Excelling in global defence markets, by delivering sustainable cutting-edge defence solutions through Research, Adaptation of Emerging Technologies, Innovative Culture and Building Strategic Partnerships.’ Under his stewardship, DICON witnessed a resurgence in local defence production capabilities, increased operational efficiency, and unprecedented drive towards self-reliance in military hardware and technology. His unprecedented feats can be gleaned from the following areas:

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

Among his numerous accomplishments, Major General Edet, a consummate engineer and dynamic administrator, championed revamping obsolete production equipment for optimal output. He also expanded research and development initiatives and forged crucial partnerships with both local and international stakeholders. One of the hallmarks of his tenure was the facilitation of critical partnerships with defence-related industries such as D7G, Proforce Limited, Imperium Industries, Nigerian Machine Tools, and others.

These collaborations laid the foundation for the take-off of Nigeria’s Military Industrial Complex, an enduring contribution to national security and industrialisation. In his regime, the number of collaborators increased from 19 to over 66, giving an unprecedented prospect in the global market of defence-related products. General Edet’s leadership style rested upon 5 strategic management pillars which were ‘Adopting a Business Oriented Mindset; Professionalism; Good Communication; Improved and Sustained Staff Welfare; and Building Robust Partnership within and outside Nigeria’.

These objectives galvanised his team of serving and retired DICON staff towards achieving many ambitious goals. His open-door policy and commitment to mentorship fostered a culture of innovation and professionalism within DICON, empowering young engineers, technologists, and defence specialists to contribute actively to national development through self-sufficiency.

Beyond his strategic achievements, General Edet was a leader who cared deeply about the welfare of his staff, instituting programmes aimed at improving working conditions and professional development. His tenure was not just about systems and structures, but about people, whom he considered the heartbeat of the Corporation. General Edet prioritised the welfare of DICON’s workforce through initiatives such as sustaining daily free lunch for all staff, providing improved healthcare services, and significantly upgrading the staff canteen and ICT centre.

He complemented these efforts by evolving an all-inclusive and transparent leadership through frequent engagement with management staff, durbar with junior staff and also initiated Quarterly Bulletin that bridges the communication gap between the management and the Corporation’s internal publics.

This strategy fosters camaraderie and facilitates improved productivity.

Celebrating DICON @60

Under his stewardship, the Corporation celebrated DICON’s Diamond Jubilee in August 2024. During the Anniversary, DICON launched an evolution strategy and new identity based on the DICON Act 2023. This was aimed at bridging gaps in the Military Industrial Complex and repositioned the Corporation as a global player. The event led to a rebranding effort in terms of a new DICON Logo, Book Launch titled ‘Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria: Forging a Pathway to Indigenous Defence Production’. The auspicious event also witnessed the Maiden African Defence Industries Conference with the theme, ‘Future Frontiers in Africa’s Defence Technology’ as well as an international exhibition. This showcased Nigeria’s defence capabilities to the world.

General Edet led DICON’s participation in major indigenous and international exhibitions across Italy, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, South Africa, and Egypt, projecting DICON’s evolving excellence and strengthening strategic partnerships. DICON@60 Anniversary was graciously attended by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Distinguished Senator George Akume, who represented the President and Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. Other dignitaries include past and current Service Chiefs, past DICON Board Chairmen and Director Generals, among other distinguished guests.

Transforming Administration and Infrastructure

Under General Edet’s leadership, DICON saw an unprecedented wave of administrative and infrastructural reforms. He championed the renovation and modernisation of key facilities, including the DICON Headquarters Complex, DICON Clinic, Board Room, and residential quarters. He oversaw the construction of new

structures such as a quality control administrative block at the Research and Development Centre, a library, an auditorium, and a hostel at the DICON Institute of Technology, thus fostering a robust environment for learning and innovation.

General Edet also reintroduced the staff tag, which gives all DICON staff a sense of belonging in line with international best practices. It is on record that during his watch, a record number of 270 staff were promoted in 2024, out of 320 presented to Office of the Head of Service. A culmination of DICON production activities in 2024 was celebrated in a grandeur Productivity Awards events, attended by the Honourable Minister of State for Defence on 31 January 2025, where he celebrated retiring staff and those that displayed excellent service in DICON.

Securing DICON’s Assets and Personnel

Security was paramount for General Edet. The 24th DG fortified DICON’s operations through the procurement of new vehicles, installation of advanced CCTV systems, reactivation of DICON’s electricity substation, and enhancement of perimeter security at the Ordnance Factory (ORDFAC). He also employed the services of security experts in the Corporation. These measures greatly improved the security architecture and operational readiness of the Corporation.

Boosting Logistics and Technical Capacity

General Edet initiated the installation of an independent electricity power supply and a stateof-the-art effluent treatment plant at ORDFAC. Recognising the need for modern tools, he oversaw the procurement and installation of cutting-edge machinery like a combined Turn-Mill and Laser Cutting Machine, a Wood factory training/CNC machine, which are critical for modern arms production.

Human Capacity Development: Building a New Generation of Experts A true believer in human capital development,

General Edet empowered DICON’s personnel through partnerships with professional bodies, organisation of high-level retreats, study leave opportunities, skill-building workshops and defence of innovative challenges, which was witnessed during DICON@60 Anniversary. His tenure also featured vibrant teambuilding events such as football competitions, promoting camaraderie and physical fitness among staff.

Innovation in Research and Development

Under General Edet’s strategic and innovative leadership, DICON made significant strides in technical innovation. Key milestones included collaborations with the Nigerian Air Force and NASENI, production of kamikaze drones with NA CED and Qhalhata, and the pursuit of partnerships with defence industries in Turkey, Jordan, and Egypt. His efforts paved the way for DICON’s entry into the global arena of advanced military technologies.

Strengthening Production Capacity

General Edet transformed DICON’s production capabilities by overseeing the manufacture of critical defence equipment. The philosophy he shared with his team was always ‘Let’s repair, clean and maximize the equipment we have, while waiting for the new ones’. This led to his launching ‘Operation All Factories Must Produce’, which ensured that the Tools Shop, Industrial Furnaces were all revamped back into operations. Consequently, thousands of rounds of ammunition for the Nigerian Army, Police, and other security agencies, production of over 1,100 AK-47 rifles, ballistic vests, helmets, and Mine Resistance Anti-Ambush Protective equipment in partnership with Imperium Industries Nigeria Limited. His leadership directly contributed to enhancing Nigeria’s defence readiness and reducing dependence on foreign arms imports.

Sustainability Through Maintenance and Innovation

Recognising that a strong foundation requires constant upkeep, General Edet ensured the regular maintenance and refurbishment of production infrastructure, transformers, logistics vehicles, and firefighting equipment, testing of Kamikaze drone and sustaining DICON’s operational efficiency for future generations.

A Lasting Legacy

General Aniedi Effiong Edet’s tenure as DG DICON will be remembered as a golden era marked by strategic foresight, courageous innovation, and an unwavering commitment to national service. He combined visionary leadership with meticulous execution, leaving behind an organisation that is stronger, smarter, and better equipped for the future. His contributions to DICON have not only strengthened Nigeria’s security architecture but have also inspired a new generation of defence industry leaders.

General Edet possesses exceptional leadership qualities, and while the community understands the exigencies of military service and the necessity of his departure, he will certainly be deeply missed. He is leaving behind big shoes that could only be filled by a similarly dedicated and hardworking DG DICON.

I, salute you, Major General Aniedi Effiong Edet, a patriot, a builder, and a true visionary leader. May your future be as illustrious as your tenure at DICON.

•Garba writes from Kaduna.

polity

From Headwinds To Tailwinds - Under President Tinubu, Nigeria Propels Forward

By sunday Dare

AAbuja, Nigeria

Two years into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, Nigeria is undergoing a bold recalibration. A country once caught in the inertia of subsidy politics and policy hesitancy is now charting a new course, marked by structural reforms, fiscal reengineering, and renewed international engagement.

From the outset, President Tinubu signalled an intent to stabilize Nigeria’s economy and fundamentally reset it. As Nigeria arrives at the halfway mark of this administration’s tenure, early evidence suggests that this pivot is not only well underway - it is beginning to deliver.

The conversation is shifting: from managing crisis to managing opportunities; from firefighting to future-proofing; from legacy burdens to long-term strategy.

With a deliberate macroeconomic overhaul unfolding, Nigeria is positioning itself— not only as one of Africa’s largest economies by GDP—but also as one of its most reform-minded jurisdictions, willing to tackle its most entrenched distortions head-on.

Macroeconomic Reset: A Realignment with Market Reality

When the Tinubu administration took office in 2023, it inherited an economy under siege—one heavily reliant on fuel subsidies, riddled with dual exchange rate inefficiencies, weighed down by debt service pressures, and struggling with dwindling investor confidence.

In response, two politically risky but economically necessary reforms were immediately enacted: the removal of fuel subsidy, which had consumed up to $10 billion annually, and the liberalization of the naira, ending a system that long distorted trade flows and incentivized arbitrage.

The results are starting to crystalize:

* GDP growth currently stands at 3.46% year-on-year, a significant rebound from contractionary trends and a sign that reform headwinds are giving way to recovery momentum.

* Net foreign reserves have increased to $40.1 billion, bolstering Nigeria’s external buffers and increasing its ability to defend currency stability in the near term.

* The debt service-to-revenue ratio has fallen sharply, from 97% in 2023 to 65%, easing fiscal pressure and allowing for more capital investment

in growth sectors.

* As of December 31, 2023, the total public debt was $108.23 billion. However, as of December 31, 2024, the total public debt was reported as $94.23 billion. This indicates a decrease of approximately $14 billion over the one year—a signal that prudent debt management amidst a strong dollar environment is now in place.

* Domestic debt of Nigeria’s 36 states decreased by 32%, while their external debt grew by only 4%, reflecting improved subnational fiscal discipline and better debt structuring.

Currency markets are beginning to respond positively. After months of volatility, the naira has shown signs of stabilization, aided by robust monetary interventions from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The apex bank has adopted tighter monetary policies, improved liquidity controls, and recalibrated its intervention posture—moves that have enhanced credibility in the eyes of market participants.

Investor Confidence: Measurable Signals, Not Rhetoric

What distinguishes this phase of Nigeria’s economic reform is the data-backed credibility it brings. For years, international investors and multilaterals were told reform was coming.

Under Tinubu, it has arrived - and it is quantifiable.

* The Nigerian Stock Exchange has posted strong returns over the last year, with market capitalization

expanding and foreign participation gradually recovering.

* Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), long stymied by policy inconsistencies, is showing encouraging signs of a turnaround. Nigeria is streamlining business registration, simplifying tax codes, and reducing bureaucratic friction – factors that directly influence capital allocation.

* Oil production has risen to 1.7 million barrels per day, with operational improvements in the Niger Delta, and upstream investments resuming in marginal fields.

* Non-oil exports are growing through enhanced trade facilitation, duty incentives, and export financing schemes, driven in part by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) opportunity. Nigeria posted a $6.83 billion Balance of Payments Surplus in 2024, signalling economic Resurgence. According to the CBN, a Balance of Payments surplus of $6.83bn is expected for 2024, marking a sharp turnaround from deficits in 2023 and 2022. Corporate profits and revenues for giant companies operating in Nigeria are on the increase. Examples: MTN Nigeria’s Revenue hits N1 Trillion, Nestle posts N295 billion in Record Revenues, Zenith Bank’s quarterly income of N837.6 billion. Seplat’s threefold surge in pre-tax profit by 203.97 per cent (314.646 billion). There are many more similar stories of profitability.

Inflation remains high at 24.43% as of February 2025, yet forward indicators suggest a decline as food supply chains improve and monetary tools

take effect. Investors are monitoring not only the headline inflation figure but also the central bank’s policy coherence and ability to guide disinflation. New institutions like CreditCorp and NELFUND are laying the groundwork for expanded access to finance - particularly for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and students. These are longterm bets on inclusive growth, digital literacy, and workforce productivity—essentials for a modern, innovation-ready economy.

Security, Stability, and Institutional Credibility

Security reform—often underestimated in economic forecasts—has also gained traction. According to official data, Nigeria has recorded a 30% reduction in violent crimes nationwide over the past year, thanks to improved intelligence coordination, better equipment for security agencies, and community-based peacebuilding initiatives.

Infrastructure upgrades are reinforcing this progress: road and rail networks are being expanded, energy access is improving, and digital infrastructure is enabling fintech and e-commerce growth, particularly in underserved regions.

Regulatory reform is also part of the story. The Tinubu administration has prioritized commercial court efficiency, contract enforcement, and investor protections. Nigeria’s arbitration environment is being strengthened in line with international best practices, enhancing the country’s attractiveness to institutional and sovereign capital. Nigeria remains a market of extraordinary scale—over 200 million people, a median age of 18, and one of the most vibrant tech and fintech ecosystems on the continent. But scale alone is not strategy. What’s new and globally relevant is execution. President Tinubu’s administration demonstrates that difficult reforms can be implemented with discipline and followed up with measurable outcomes. This is not reform as a slogan; this is reform as operational clarity. There is a clear direction of travel - toward market openness, fiscal consolidation, and private-sector partnership. To global investors, sovereign wealth funds, multilateral lenders, and institutional capital allocators: this is a market where the risks are better understood—and the rewards are increasingly aligned with reform outcomes. Nigeria is not asking the world to take a chance. It is showing that it has taken one on itself, and it is beginning to pay off. •Sunday Dare. SA. Media and Public Comms.

To Mr. President

Nigeria Must Prioritise Local Defence Contractors For National Security and Economic Growth perspective

By Bem ibrahim Garba

Despite growing capacity among indigenous defence firms, Nigeria continues to favour foreign contractors. This pattern threatens long-term national security, economic independence, and local innovation.

While Nigeria strives for self-reliance and national security, its defence procurement landscape remains heavily tilted in favour of foreign contractors. Despite significant strides in capacity development, manufacturing, design, and operational capability, Nigerian-owned defence companies face systemic bias and limited access to government contracts.

This preference for foreign contractors and solutions incurs costs: economically, strategically, and technologically. If Nigeria is committed to developing a robust, sovereign, and exportable defence industry, it must start by prioritising local contractors.

Foreign Firms Still Get The First Call

Today, many Nigerian defence companies have developed capacity. They offer reliable, innovative, and scalable solutions, including the production of sensitive equipment/ systems, tactical vehicles, protective gear, and training facilities. Yet, when the time comes for procurement, tenders and negotiations disproportionately favour foreign companies and suppliers.

These foreign firms are not only awarded high-value contracts but are often given easier access to key decision-makers. Local companies,

by contrast, face endless social and political hurdles: excessive scrutiny, limited engagement from end-users, and a lack of pilot opportunities to prove their systems in the field.

The Cost Of Marginalising Our Local Industry

The consequences of this procurement imbalance are far-reaching:

• Capital Flight: Nigeria loses billions annually by supporting foreign companies instead of helping Nigerian-owned businesses. This practice enriches foreigners economically and denies local firms the opportunity to collaborate with international partners, which could enhance technology transfer, experience, and knowledge-sharing.

• Job Loss: Neglecting local defence companies negatively impacts the Nigerian economy and leads to job losses. Manufacturing opportunities that could employ thousands of Nigerian youth are instead given to foreign factories, resulting in the creation and maintenance of valuable jobs overseas that could have been retained in Nigeria.

• Technology Dependence: Relying on foreign suppliers undermines Nigeria’s ability to develop, control, or modify critical defence platforms. When Nigerian companies receive support, they are encouraged to strengthen partnerships with foreign technology partners, who can provide training and opportunities for technology transfer. This strategy is essential for helping Nigerian companies develop the necessary technology more quickly.

• Export Inhibition: Without domestic validation, Nigerian-made defence products face challenges in entering foreign markets. Nigeria aims to promote exports across all sectors. For exportation to be successful, our products and solutions must meet international standards. The export of Nigerian defence products will struggle unless these items are first given a chance to succeed in Nigeria. We need to develop our local industry, validate our products, and then actively launch them into regional and continental markets.

Brazil And India: Case Studies In Strategic Patronage

Countries such as Brazil and India have demonstrated how intentional local patronage can foster globally competitive defence industries.

In Brazil, companies like Embraer and IMBEL grew under government-backed contracts and patronage. The Brazilian Armed Forces committed to buying local, even when products were still under development and maturing. Today, Brazil exports military aircraft and arms globally and has become a respected defence manufacturer. India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative transformed its defence sector by mandating local sourcing. Companies like Bharat Forge, TATA Advanced Systems, and Larsen & Toubro received long-term government backing, which allowed them to scale and improve. India now produces high-quality drones, tanks, and artillery systems with export potential.

The lesson is clear: Nations that support local firms boost their economies, strengthen national defence, and enhance global influence.

A Call For Reorientation In Nigeria

Nigerian companies require more than just praise; they need patronage. Securing contracts, creating opportunities, and engaging in long-term planning are essential for our local defence firms to thrive. We call on the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defence, the Police, and all relevant government agencies to:

1. Adopt a Local-First Procurement Policy: Allocate a specific percentage of all defence procurement contracts to Nigerian companies.

2. Award Contracts for Capability and Growth: Support local businesses by placing genuine orders instead of merely making promises or running pilot tests. Various procurement models can be utilized to encourage the growth of local companies while minimizing risks for buyers. We urge the Armed Forces and relevant purchasers to explore these models in the interest of our collective growth.

3. Foster Strategic Partnerships with Local Leadership: The federal government, the armed forces, the police, and all other buyers should require foreign companies to partner with Nigerian companies in order to secure contracts. Similar to the laws in places like Dubai, foreign companies should not be eligible to secure defence contracts in Nigeria directly. They must partner with Nigerian defence companies to facilitate knowledge

transfer and equity sharing with Nigerian firms.

4. Create End-User Incentives: Encourage military and police leaders to implement solutions made in Nigeria and provide rewards for successful adoption.

5. Establish a Nigerian Defence Development Fund: The government should create a Nigerian Defence Development Fund to provide long-term capital to local firms for research and development, infrastructure, and certifications.

The Time Is Now Nigeria’s future security needs to be developed within the country. This requires us to trust our own companies and local initiatives to provide the solutions we need. Like Brazil and India, we must be willing to support homegrown solutions and products through their early challenges, understanding that true mastery comes with experience.. Local companies cannot thrive on encouragement alone—they require contracts, partnerships, and a long-term belief from their own country. We possess the talent, ambition, and drive. What we need now is opportunity.

If Nigeria aims to become a true continental power in defence and technology, the change must begin with a simple decision: Buy Nigerian, trust Nigerian, and defend Nigerian. •This article was written by Bem Ibragim Garba, a defence industry professional and advocate for indigenous industrial growth in Nigeria.

President BolaTinubu

Finally, Ukraine, US Sign Minerals Deal in Deference to Trump

US president approves first weapons shipment

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Ukraine and the US have signed a deal heavily promoted by President Donald Trump, meant to give the country preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and fund investment in the reconstruction of the war-torn European nation.

The two countries signed the accord in Washington after months of sometimes fraught negotiations, with uncertainty persisting until the last moment with word of an eleventh-hour snag.

The accord establishes a joint investment fund for Ukraine’s reconstruction as Trump tries to

Our Correspondents

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday, assured Nigerians of his administration’s determination to continue to effect positive changes in the lives of citizens and elevate the downtrodden by addressing the current high cost of living in the country.

Tinubu gave the assurance in his May Day address at Eagles Square, Abuja. He said his government was determined to fight corruption, which had enriched a few to the detriment of the majority of citizens.

On her part, First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, while celebrating with Nigerian workers on the 2025 Workers’ Day, said the workers were the backbone of the country’s development and driving force behind herHeadprogress. of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack; governors; Deputy Senate President, Jibril Barau; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, among others, also hailed Nigerian workers for their efforts and contributions to national development.

But organised labour again sought fresh salary adjustment for workers to help cushion the effect of the cost of living in the country.

Tinubu, whose speech was read by Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, said he recognised the peculiarities of the economic hardship facing Nigerians, which was occasioned by the struggles and challenges the workers and many Nigerians faced, and was ready to

earlier this year when prices were hovering closer to the $75.00 mark. The dramatic shift has caught many traders off-guard, particularly those who had positioned themselves for potential supply disruptions due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia pushed for a larger-than-planned OPEC+ output hike in May.

Several OPEC+ members will suggest a ramp-up of output increases for a second straight month in June, sources told Reuters last week. The group will meet on May 5 to discuss output plans.

Nigeria’s 2025 budget has been under pressure due to a significant drop in both global oil prices and domestic crude oil production. The government set a benchmark oil price of $75 per barrel with an expected daily output of 2.06 million barrels, but Brent crude prices have since declined.

Simultaneously, Nigeria’s crude oil production declined steadily from 1.495 million barrels per day in January to 1.465 million in February, with further drops reported in March. These twin setbacks threaten Nigeria’s fiscal stability, as oil accounts for the bulk of its export earnings and over half of government revenues.

However, in response, the federal government has acknowledged the need to reassess its budget framework and revenue strategies

secure a peace settlement in Russia’s three-year-old war in Ukraine, a Reuters report said.

The agreement is central to Kyiv’s efforts to mend ties with Trump and the White House, which frayed after he took office in January. Ukrainian officials have hoped that the deal would ensure continued U.S. support for Ukraine’s defence against Russia.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko were shown signing the agreement in a photo posted on X by the Treasury, which said the deal “clearly signals the Trump Administration’s commitment to a free, sovereign, prosperous Ukraine.”

address them.

The president stated, “My dear Comrades, the theme for this year’s May Day celebrations, ‘Reclaiming the Civic Space in the Midst of Economic Hardship,’ speaks to the challenges we face as a nation and the opportunities that lie ahead of us as a people.

“The theme is one that demands our collective attention and serves as a stark reminder of the need to create an environment where every worker feels safe, valued, and empowered to contribute productively to the growth and prosperity of our nation.

“As your President, I assure you that this administration is committed to creating such a utopic climate for the common good.

“Economic hardship, which today is a global phenomenon, cuts across all regions, testing the resolve of world leaders, but has not broken our spirit.

“I am well aware of the peculiarities of this economic hardship for Nigerians, which is occasioned by the struggles and challenges you workers and, indeed, many Nigerians face, ranging from rising costs of living, hunger, insecurity, unemployment, loss of livelihoods and the pressure to provide necessities for your families, amongst others.”

The president said the challenges were real, critical and demanded definite solutions, which, as president, he was ready to address.

He stated, “It is in this regard that my administration is not only committed but intentional in formulating and implementing policies that promote job creation, decent jobs, poverty alleviation, economic growth and

to address the shortfall.

Meanwhile, Nigerian billionaire, Aliko Dangote, said yesterday that he was “comfortable” with the impact President Donald Trump’s tariffs would have on his urea exports to the US because major competitor Algeria had been slapped with a higher levy.

Trump imposed a 14 per cent tariff on imports from Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil exporter, as part of widespread trade measures introduced last month, later paused for 90 days, a Reuters report said.

Dangote was quoted by Reuters as having told an investment conference in Lagos that Dangote Fertiliser, which began commercial operations in 2022, shipped 37 per cent of its 3 million metric tonnes of urea production to the United States.

He said he was initially worried by Trump’s tariff on Nigeria, which also exports crude to the US.

“But when I checked who we are really competing with, we are competing with Algeria. So luckily for us Algeria were slapped with 30 per cent,” said Dangote. “So it actually makes us a bit comfortable,” he added.

Dangote, who built Africa’s largest petroleum refinery, said he expected revenues from Dangote Group, also a major cement producer, to grow to more than $30 billion next year from about $25 billion projected in 2025.

Svyrydenko wrote on X that the accord provides for Washington to contribute to the fund.

“In addition to direct financial contributions, it may also provide new assistance - for example air defense systems for Ukraine,” she said. Washington did not directly address that suggestion.

The US has been Ukraine’s single largest military donor since Russia’s 2022 invasion with aid of more than 64 billion euros ($72 billion), according to the Kiel Institute in Germany.

Before the signing, Trump repeated on Wednesday that the US should

stability, as well as supporting the most vulnerable among us.

“It is, however, worth noting that economic progress alone is not enough. We must also reclaim the civic space, the space where ideas are exchanged, voices are heard, and change is born.

“A vibrant civic space is the cornerstone of democracy, and it is essential for holding leaders accountable, fostering innovation, and ensuring that every Nigerian has a seat at the table.”

Tinubu emphasised the need to prioritise transparency, inclusivity, equity and dialogue.

He added, “We must protect the rights of workers to organise, advocate, and participate in decision-making processes and we must ensure that the voices of the marginalised are amplified, not silenced.”

The president assured the people that his government would continue to strengthen labour protections, improve job security, and ensure fair treatment of all workers in line with international best practices, and at the same time address issues of underemployment, which remained a significant concern.

Dingyadi, who in turn was represented by Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, said government acknowledged the genuine concern of the unions over the hardship faced by Nigerians.

Onyejeocha said something was being done to alleviate the situation.

The minister stated, “Dear Nigerian Workers, as a government, we do not deny the weight of the economic hardship many citizens are currently facing. Inflation, unemployment, and social inequality are not just statistics – they are realities that affect families, homes, and futures.

“We acknowledge these challenges, and we recognise that they require urgent, inclusive, and transparent responses. But we must also acknowl-

He urged Nigerian policymakers and investors to move boldly in reforming key sectors if the country was to reclaim its economic future.

The AfDB president stated, “Without reliable power Nigeria’s economy will be locked in a never-ending slow growth trajectory, without transformation. You cannot industrialise, you cannot compete, and you certainly cannot create jobs at scale if you don’t have electricity.

“Access to power is not just about lights, it’s about productivity, competitiveness, and prosperity.”

He stressed that electricity access will be pivotal in unlocking Nigeria’s digital economy, attracting data centres, enabling artificial intelligence applications, and lowering costs for small and large businesses.

Adesina said, “The digital economy cannot thrive on diesel generators. We must create a 21st-century grid, powered by clean, reliable, and scalable energy solutions. And for that, the private sector must be at the heart of the energy transition.”

Adesina called for structural reforms to encourage greater private investment in Nigeria’s energy sector. He identified areas needing improvement to include cost-reflective tariffs, enforceable power purchase agreements, and access to

get something for its aid to Kyiv, thus the effort to secure a deal for Ukraine’s plentiful deposits of rare earth minerals.

In announcing the deal, the US Treasury said the partnership recognised “the significant financial and material support that the people of the United States have provided to the defense of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion.”

Svyrydenko said the accord allowed Ukraine to “determine what and where to extract” and that its subsoil remains owned by Ukraine.

Ukraine is rich in natural resources including rare earth metals which are used in consumer electronics, electric

edge that progress is being made with dialogue, engagement, and a civic space that is open, protected, and respected. This is our commitment towards moving Nigeria forward.”

Reiterating his resolve to prioritise workers’ welfare, Tinubu, on his official X handle, @officialABAT, pledged sustained partnership with labour to build a stronger nation.

Describing Nigerian workers as the engine of the economy and the secret to the country’s growth, the president, in his tweet, stated, “To every Nigerian worker, Happy Worker’s Day. You are the engine of our economy and the secret to our nation’s growth.

“Our administration has and will continue to prioritise workers’ welfare. Together, we will make Nigeria great again.

“Here’s to everyone, young and old, entrepreneur or employee, private or government employed, whose meaningful contributions help in no small way to the development of our homes, communities, and our dear nation. Happy Worker’s Day, Nigeria!”

The first lady, on her part, stated that Nigerian workers remained the backbone of the country’s development and driving force of progress.

Mrs Tinubu’s four-paragraph message read:, “On this special Workers’ Day, I extend my heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to all Nigerian workers for your commitment to nation-building. May your efforts continue to yield fruit, and may we, as a nation, always uphold the value of your labour.

“This year’s celebration is a reminder of the dignity of labour and the importance of creating opportunities that are fair to all. I salute the men and women who rise each day to go to work and support our“Acrosseconomy. all sectors, whether public or private, formal or informal, Nigerian

blended finance from multilateral institutions, like AfDB and World Bank.

He stated, “The market must work, investors need clarity, certainty, and contracts that are bankable. With the right regulatory environment, Nigeria can become a hub for green energy, not just for itself, but for West Africa.”

Adesina revealed that AfDB, in partnership with World Bank, had launched “Mission 300”, an ambitious initiative to connect 300 million people in Africa to electricity by 2030.

“Nigeria should position itself to be a major beneficiary of this, it is time to accelerate electrification with urgency and scale,” he said.

Beyond the power sector, Adesina warned that Nigeria’s broader infrastructure shortfall was impeding industrial growth and regional competitiveness.

He called for renewed efforts to mobilise long-term capital, especially pension and sovereign wealth funds, into infrastructure as an asset class.

According to him, “Nigeria must build world-class infrastructure, from highways to railways, speed trains, airports, seaports, telecoms, and broadband connectivity.

“If we do not fix our logistics bottlenecks, we will continue to lose in the African Continental Free

vehicles and military applications, among others. Global rare-earth mining is currently dominated by China, which is locked in a trade war with the US after Trump’s sharp tariff increases.

Ukraine also has large reserves of iron, uranium and natural gas.

Svyrydenko said Ukraine has no debt obligations to the United States under the agreement, a key point in the lengthy negotiations between the two countries.

The deal also, she said, complied with Ukraine’s constitution and Ukraine’s campaign to join the European Union, key elements in Ukraine’s negotiating position.

workers remain the backbone of our development and the driving force behind our nation’s progress.

“I wish you all a happy Workers’ Day celebration and I pray that our beloved nation continues to prosper and grow in leaps and bounds.”

But organised labour lamented the worsening economic hardship Nigerian workers currently faced.

The labour movement used the occasion to demand immediate salary adjustment that would take into consideration the current economic realities in the country.

In a joint speech by President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Festus Osifo, both labour centres called for salary adjustment to be in sync with the economic realities

Some of the demands made by organised labour included an urgent reversal of the unconstitutional suspension of the elected government of Rivers State via a state of emergency, which was alien to the country’s laws; cessation of actions that eroded the civic space by the federal and state governments; and an explanation on taxes being charged on workers’ emoluments.

The labour movement also demanded the withdrawal of the Tax Bills before the National Assembly to allow Nigerian workers sit at table, where it was being decided; an immediate implementation of the reduction of telco tariff from 50 per cent to 35 per cent, as agreed; economic justice and implementation of a living wage; fair taxation; and an end to policies that prioritised corporate profits over workers’ survival.

NLC and TUC further demanded transparent governance, electoral reforms, and an end to the suppression of voices of dissent.

They also lamented the challenges in the energy sector, infrastructure, and essential services, saying the

Trade Area.”

He added, “Let us be clear, no investor will stay in a market where they cannot move goods efficiently or communicate seamlessly. Infrastructure is not a luxury. It is the foundation of every competitive economy.”

Adesina urged Nigeria to adopt modern financing models, such as “originate-to-distribute”, and de-risk infrastructure projects to make them more bankable. He also called for deeper local capital markets and the expansion of local currency financing for large-scale projects.

Turning to manufacturing, the AfDB president lamented Nigeria’s declining industrial capacity, stating that the country’s manufacturing export value per capita is just $160, a far cry from Vietnam’s $3,600 or Malaysia’s $7,100.

He said, “In the 1980s, Nigeria showed signs of becoming a manufacturing giant. We assembled cars, produced textiles, and processed agricultural goods. Today, much of that has vanished. We lost ground, and others took our place.”

Adesina said Nigeria missed the opportunity to become an auto-manufacturing powerhouse, a role South Africa now played on the continent.

He stressed that Nigeria must

The minerals deal and US peace efforts have been negotiated separately but reflect Washington’s approach to Ukraine and Russia. Trump has upended US policy by softening the US stance toward Russia and sometimes falsely blaming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for the war.

“Importantly, the Agreement sends a signal to global partners that longterm cooperation with Ukraine - over decades - is not only possible but reliable,” Svyrydenko said on X.

objective must be to serve the people, not private interests.

Furthermore, on the state of the nation, the labour movement said the 2025 May Day celebration held at a time the country was beset by daunting challenges that threatened not only her democracy, but also the very fabric of her collective existence. They said the country faced worsening ethnic tensions, alarming state of insecurity, unchecked impunity in governance, and blatant disregard for constitutional and democratic principles, which had cast a dark shadow over our nation.

“It is evident that when governments and their institutions implement policies that uphold the dignity, unity, and aspirations of the people, they strengthen democracy and reinforce governance structures,” NLC and TUC stated.

The labour centres said Nigerian workers and, indeed, the masses had continued to suffer miserably because of the harsh economic realities.

“Nigeria is still ranked 161 out of 193 nations sampled in Human Development Index (HDI) by UNDP classified amongst countries with low human development,” they argued. In addition, they said the number of persons living in absolute poverty in 2025 was about 115 million, while those in multi-dimensional poverty had grown to nearly 175 million; and pre-rebased unemployment figure stood at 35 per cent, though, the rebased figure was around 5.3 per cent.

Walson-Jack: Workers’ Commitment Bedrock of National Progress Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, extended gratitude to all Nigerian workers, saying their resilience, hard work and commitment remain the

urgently industrialise by linking its raw materials to finished products, developing industrial zones, and improving the ease of doing business.

“Every barrel of oil, every ton of cassava or cocoa, should not just be exported raw,” he said. “We must add value at home. That is how you create jobs, grow GDP, and build economic resilience.”

In addition, Adesina stressed the need for a knowledge-driven economy built on science, technology, and innovation.

He said, “Nigeria must invest in its universities and research institutions, and reverse the brain drain by creating an environment where talent can thrive at home.”

He also pointed to agriculture as a transformational opportunity. Through initiatives like the Special AgroIndustrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), a $1.3 billion programme co-financed by the AfDB, Islamic Development Bank, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Adesina said Nigeria could become a major player in global food markets.

“These zones will turn rural areas into economic zones of prosperity, they will create millions of jobs for youth and women, and reduce rural-to-urban migration,” he added.

Trump

Insurgency: North-east Governors

Call for Reappraisal of Strategies

Insist addressing security challenges in zone requires multidimensional approach, not just kinetic strategy

michael Olugbode in Damaturu

Governors of the six North-east states of Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Taraba have called for a reappraisal of strategies in the ongoing war against insurgency in the region.

Rising from the 11th Meeting of the North-East Governors’ Forum (NEGF) held in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, on Thursday, the governors, in a communique, stated with dismay the rising activities of the insurgents in the zone and called for the armed forces, other security agencies, and community leaders to reappraise their strategies in the counter insurgency onslaught in the region.

Alleged

It commended the federal government for its effort at improving the security of the country and resolve to collaborate and support in all matters to address

Discrepancies

emerging security issues in the country.

The forum, however, stated that addressing the security challenge in the North-east required a multidimensional approach, not only the kinetic strategy.

It stated that the counterinsurgency strategy should also include addressing the root causes of the problem through approaches such as youth employment through vocational and technical education, improved road

networks, improving education, and reducing poverty.

The forum promised its commitment to addressing the issues of security by tackling the current situation while addressing some of the root causes.

It also stated that the poor road network in the North-east was contributing to the insecurity in the area.

The governors called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently address the issue

of abandoned project, which was critical to addressing poverty, insecurity and general underdevelopment of the zone. The forum recommitted itself to the opening up of the sub-region to investment opportunities, agriculture for food security, combating climate change, skills acquisition, and the industrialisation of the zone to provide employment to the youth, who are vulnerable to recruitment into the army of the insurgents.

in Student Loan Disbursement: ICPC Extends Investigation to Institutions, Students

As Adeyanju calls for arrest, prosecution of culprits

alex enumah in Abuja

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has said its investigation into alleged discrepancies surrounding the disbursement of the student loans scheme under the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), would be extended to beneficiary institutions and individual student recipients.

This is following the commencement of a comprehensive investigation into recent media report alleging that no fewer than 51 tertiary institutions were implicated in illegal deductions and exploitation related to the NELFUND scheme.

In a statement issued on Thursday, ICPC said the affected institutions were alleged to have made unauthorized deductions ranging from N3,500

to N30,000 from each student’s institutional fees received through the loan fund.

Director, Public Enlightenment and Education/Spokesperson for the Commission, Mr. Demola Bakare, who issued the statement noted that preliminary findings revealed a significant gap in the financial records of the disbursement process.

“While the federal government reportedly released N100 billion for the scheme, only N28.8 billion was disbursed to students, leaving an unaccounted sum of N71.2 billion”, the Commission said, before adding that its Chairman’s Special Task Force immediately swung into action upon receiving the report.

According to the statement, letters of investigation and invitations were dispatched to key stakeholders,

including the Director General of the Budget Office, the Accountant General of the Federation, and senior officials from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The statement added that the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of NELFUND were invited to provide documentation and explanations relevant to the case and the responses received were critically analyzed, while interviews were conducted with the concerned individuals.

According to the ICPC, its strength of investigation revealed that the total money received by NELFUND as of March 19, 2024, was N203.8 billion.

“The breakdown showed that N10 billion was an allocation from the Federation Allocation Account Committee, N50 billion was from

the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, N71.9B was from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, while another N71.9 billion was also from the same Tertiary Education Trust Fund.”

ICPC, however, found that the total amount disbursed to institutions from inception to date is about N44,200,933,649.00, while a total of 299 institutions have benefited from the funds released.

The Commission further disclosed that as at today, the total amount disbursed to 299 beneficiary institutions stands at approximately N44.2 billion, with 293,178 students having benefited

from the fund.

“The ICPC confirmed that a clear case of discrepancies has not been established in the administration of the student loan scheme and announced that its investigation will now extend to beneficiary institutions and individual student recipients.

“Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses”, the statement added.

Meanwhile, rights activist, Deji Adeyanju has called on the ICPC to arrest and prosecute anyone culpable in the alleged N71.2 billion student loan fraud.

The communique emphasised the role of the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) in the development of the zone and called on the commission to be more engaging with the various state governments on development needs. It counselled state governments in the North-east to prioritise transportation infrastructure, education, and health.

The forum equally called on NEDC to rededicate itself to its core mandate of rebuilding the zone after the devastation of insurgency. It said the commission should be more proactive in the delivery of existing projects in the zone by keeping track with project delivery timelines.

The forum stated the significance of the Nigerian Law school, Yola Campus, within the region and resolved to support its expansion by providing additional hostel accommodation, water supply, and other facilities to improve the admission capacity of the campus and make it more conducive for training.

The forum resolved to work closely with the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE) by providing office space in each state, supporting the enrolment of Almajiri and out-of-school children into formal school, provision of vocational and technical education, as well as developing a unified approach to addressing the menace in the zone. The next date for the meeting was fixed for July 27 – 29, 2025 in Jalingo, Taraba State.

Wike’s Refusal to Resign from PDP Cowardly, Says Anambra Chapter Ex-Chairman NiMet, ACReSAL Partner On

David-Chyddy eleke in Awka

Former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, Chief (Dr.) Ndubuisi Nwobu, has described the reluctance of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike, to leave the party as cowardly.

Nwobu in an interview with journalists in Awka on Thursday said it does not make any sense for Wike to say that he remains a member of PDP, but supports the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He said Wike lacks the courage to formalize his defection by officially

joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), despite his open support for Tinubu government.

“If Wike were man enough, he would go and obtain an APC membership card. I am convinced he is a coward for insisting he is still a PDP member while backing President Tinubu.

“What kind of contradiction is that? You can’t claim loyalty to one party while promoting the interest of another. That is not how political integrity works,” Nwobu queried.

He further noted that during Wike’s tenure as governor, he wielded outsized influence over the PDP, behaving like an alter ego

of the party and determining who emerged in key positions.

“Back then, Wike did everything as if he was helping the party, but it’s now clear he had ulterior motives. He planted loyalists across the party structure, particularly in the National Working Committee (NWC). He acted as though he was defending the party’s interests, but he was laying the groundwork for his personal political ambition,” Nwobu stated.

He added that Wike’s lingering influence has made it difficult for the party to take disciplinary action against him, as many of his loyalists still hold strategic positions and act as a shield.

Climate Data Delivery to Farmers

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project, have partnered in developing a customised Digital Precision Agricultural Extension (DPAE) platform for smallholder farmers in northern Nigeria.

While briefing the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet, Professor Charles Anosike, at a meeting held at NiMet’s headquarters in Abuja, Mukhtar Y. Tanko, National Project Coordinator of ACReSAL said that the project recognises NiMet as an important stakeholder in the development, deployment, and sustainability of the DPAE.

He highlighted that the objectives of Sub-Component B2 of the Project are to support farmers at

the household level to optimise climate-smart rain fed agriculture practices. “Achieving this requires utilising weather data to optimise farm management, leading to improved agricultural productivity.”

Additionally, he said the federal government through ACReSAL intends to develop a customised Digital Precision Agricultural Extension (DPAE) platform for smallholder farmers in northern Nigeria.

His words: “This digital agricultural extension service will provide an opportunity whereby farmers can receive both real-time information and advice on agriculture information and customised and predictive content, such as input recommendations, market information, and weather-related information.”

Responding, Professor Anosike welcomed the idea of strengthening

the partnership between the agency and ACReSAL. He noted: “You can’t practice precision-smart agriculture without weather and climate information. We have an existing relationship with ACReSAL which has been productive, so we welcome this idea to strengthen our partnership.

“It is also important that NiMet is a part of co-developing the weather and climate dashboard and platform which should be interactive and easy for the farmers to access and use.”

The objective of the Digital Precision Agricultural Extension (DPAE) platform for smallholder farmers in northern Nigeria, he asserted is to develop, pilot, and implement a precision digital agriculture extension system within Northern Nigeria as part of the strategy for improving farmers’ access to extension and advisory services.

Kasim sumaina in Abuja

MAY DAY: WORST TIMES FOR IMO WORKERS ALMOST OVER...

Hope Uzodimma of Imo State (left), with the

Kanu Square, Owerri, yesterday

Warri Wards Delineation Crisis: Ijaw/Urhobo Leaders Urge INEC to Complete Process

Demand probe of alleged illegal arms procurement by Itsekiri indigenes

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

Leaders of Ijaws and Urhobos ethnics nationalities of Warri, Delta State, have called on the National Security Adviser, NSA, to investigate alleged arrest of persons, including a dismissed British Army officer linked to illegal smuggling of arms to instigate unrest in Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.

They also urged the Director of State Security Services (DSS) to ensure transparent investigation into the act leading to the arrests of the persons.

The leaders at a joint press conference held in Warri yesterday alleged that the plot to smuggle arms into Warri was a move to truncate the Supreme Court-ordered fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units.

A text of the press conference read by Olorogun Victor Okumagba, and corroborated by Hon. Denbo-Denbofa Oweikpodor, was jointly signed by the ethnic nationalities leaders including Comrade Sheriff Mulade, Hon. (Chief) Arthur Akpodubakaye, Joel Bisina, Comrade Emmanuel Igetei Urhobo, Chief John Eranvor, Hon. Mark Ikpuri and Chief Westham Adehor.

They alleged that a traditional ruler from Warri Federal Constituency and his close aides were involved in the arms conspiracy and that the individuals were yet to deny their involvement despite several days passing.

The leaders maintained that the

Ijaw and Urhobo communities in Warri were primary targets of those behind the arms stockpiling which they viewed as an attempt to destabilize Warri.

According to them: “We therefore commend the proactive efforts of the Directorate of State Security Services (DSS) and sister security forces that carried out the covert operations leading to the arrest of the perpetrators.

“The Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri call for detailed investigation and prosecution of those behind this act of terrorism, irrespective of the position and class of the persons involved.

“We demand that, under no circumstances should this matter be swept under the carpet considering its grave implications on regional and national security.

“The office of the National Security Adviser is called upon to be transparent in the investigation and prosecution of the culprits.

“We demand that the Nigerian people, especially the people and residents of Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State deserve to have an official reaction from the government of Nigeria on the issue of illegal stockpiling of arms to instigate crisis in Warri.”

The leaders, who were drawn from Warri North, Warri South and Warri South West Local Government Areas of the state, maintained that the press conference was in reaction to the report of the fieldwork on the

fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units as ordered by the Supreme Court and recent report of threat to peace and security arising from the fresh delineation.

They commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the steps taken so far towards complying with the Supreme Court order on fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units.

They frowned at alleged attempts by Itsekiri ethnic nationality to

frustrate the implementation of the Supreme Court order, maintaining that INEC has demonstrated its commitment and respect for the rule of law by taking necessary steps to comply with the Supreme Court order.

“We further note that, the report of the fieldwork by INEC confirms the obvious fact on ground, which is that, the Ijaws constitute the majority population in Warri North and Warri South-West Local Government

Areas, while the Urhobos constitute the majority population in Warri South Local Government Area. We commend INEC for standing by the truth and justice”, the leaders said.

They called on INEC to complete the process of the fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units in the Warri Federal Constituency and release its final decision without further delay.

They added: “It is the position of the Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri that,

there should not be any electoral activity including registration of voters in the Warri Federal Constituency without completion of the fresh delineation as ordered by the Supreme Court. “Our position is predicated on the ground that, without completion of the fresh delineation exercise, there are no existing electoral wards and polling units upon which any electoral activity can be predicated upon, including registration of voters.”

Fagbemi, Ex-AGF Olujimi, Akinseye-George, SANs, Others Bid Farewell to Late Husband of Justice Reforms Director, Ayoola-Daniels

RCCG: Death not end of mankind

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Solicitor-General of the Federation, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, a former AGF, Chief Akin Olujimi, SAN, Professor of Law, Yemi AkinseyeGeorge, SAN, High Court judges, senior lawyers and top government functionaries were among Nigerians who bid farewell to the late legal practitioner, Mr. Niyi Ayoola-Daniels, wife of the Director of Administration of Criminal Justice Reforms in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs.

FG Launches Environmental Standards Certification Scheme

The federal government has launched the Environmental Standards Certification Scheme, a national certification framework that equips professionals with verified environmental standards, knowledge and practice.

The aim is to help address weak regulatory compliance and fragmented environmental practices, capacity gaps across sectors.

The Environmental Standards Certification Scheme is a pioneering initiative under the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement project supported by the World Bank.

Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Minister of Environment,

Balarabe Lawal, said the initiative underscores the government’s unwavering commitment to strengthening environmental sustainability and ensuring compliance with global best practices. He noted the essence of the project is to equip professionals across the sector with the necessary skills to meet international deadlines. Lawal, represented at the launch by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mahmud Kambari, said despite the numerous challenges, the team was able to push through.

The minister said: “It is with great honour and profound gratitude that I stand before you today to mark a historic milestone in Nigeria’s environmental governance with the official launch of the Environmental

Standards Certification Scheme.

“The initiative underscores our unwavering commitment to strengthening environmental sustainability and ensuring compliance with global best practices.

“As you may all be aware, this journey to this moment was long and challenging. Yet, it was rewarding. This project was conceived to enhance capacity building in procurement, environmental and social standards towards equipping professionals across the sector with the necessary skills to meet international deadlines.

“Although the road to this launch has not been without obstacles, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the timeline, causing a disruption in project readiness and delay in funding disbursement.

Leticia Ayoola-Daniels.

The late Niyi, an author, businessman, foremost advocate of development law and founder of the Buni Yadi Foundation, died on April 3, at the age of 60 years.

The dignitaries besides attending a wake on Wednesday and a funeral church service on Thursday morning, accompanied family members and friends to lay the deceased to rest at the Gudu Cemetery, Abuja.

Meanwhile, Pastor of the Throne Room Power (TRP) of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Abuja, Pastor Tunde BenjaminsLaniyi, in a sermon at the funeral service, admonished Nigerians not to see death as a necessary end, but a transition to a new eternal life, especially for those who loved God.

The pastor pleaded that Nigerians while alive must examine themselves

and make amends where necessary so as to prepare a place for themselves at the end of life, since no one knows when death would come.

“We should ask ourselves, are we ready? If the answers are in the negative, we must amend our way of life with a hope in Christ.

“We must get ready by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and our Saviour and run away from sins that can take eternal life away from us”.

Pastor Benjamins-Laniyi pleaded with Nigerians, especially family, friends and relatives of the late legal practitioner and pastor, to honour his memory by living a worthy life and make impact in the lives of others.

According to the clergy man the late Ayoola-Daniels was ready when death came because he had surrendered itself and accepted Jesus as his Saviour.

Earlier, at a wake, family, friends, representatives from Buni-Yadi Foundation, professional colleagues, legal community, church of God and associates described the deceased as a good man with good heart, who served God and humanity till he breathed his last.

In a tribute laced with emotion, the wife of the deceased, Mrs. AyoolaDaniels, recalled with nostalgia their amazing marriage. She narrated how her husband became her mentor, teacher, who inspired her and the children with his way of life devoted to God, family, and humanity.

Leticia, who described his passing as the most traumatic period of her life, added: “He was the best husband and cutest sweet heart, who together, we had mapped out a brighter future.

Niger Governor Dispels Rumour of Feud with Deputy

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has dispelled rumours of any feud between him and his deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba.

Answering questions from newsmen in Minna after attending the International Workers Day celebration held at the 123 Football Field on Thursday, Governor Bago dismissed the rumours, saying nobody can put a wedge between him and his deputy “We are in perfect harmony; we are working as a team nobody can

break us,” he declared.

The governor had also during the observance of protocol defended the absence of his deputy from the event, saying his non-attendance of the event was because he (Comrade Yakubu Garba) is attending another function.”

While Governor Bago was outside the country on official assignment the social media had been filled with reports of disagreement with his deputy reports which also claimed the deputy governor had moved his personal property from his official quarters.

Addressing the gathering earlier, Governor Bago promised that he will lead members of his cabinet in a match past during next year’s event. He also promised to construct 10,000 housing units part of which will be allocated to workers to alleviate the accommodation problems some of them are presently encountering. In addition, the governor disclosed that vehicle loans will be reintroduced for workers to solve the transportation problems workers encounter as a result of the restriction in the movement of tricycles.

Governor

Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Imo State Chapter, Comrade Chigaemezu Nwigwe, during the Workers’ Day celebration at Rear Admiral Ndubuisi

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

NSITF APAPA BRANCH 2025 HEALTH AND SAFETY DAY...

L-R: Head, HSE, Mr. Ogosi Chukwuma; Senior Manager, Mrs. Eyoro Anthonia; Assistant General Manager, Apapa Branch, Mrs. Chinwe Ezeonyekedi; Principal Manager, Head of Compliance; and Mr. Esek Julius, Manager, HSE, during the 2025 Health and Safety Day at NSITF Apapa Branch

In M AY D AY Speec H , T I nubu

bedrock of the country’s progress.

Walson-Jack stated this yesterday in a Workers’ Day message she personally signed.

She also applauded the workers, ascribing the substance of the country to their commitment.

Walson-Jack stated, “Today reminds us that we can overcome any obstacle through unity, innovation, excellence and build a stronger, more prosperous Nigeria.”

She saluted the invaluable services of Nigerian workers and urged them to remain resolute in upholding the highest standards of efficiency, productivity, integrity, and commitment to the Nigerian people.

“May your efforts be richly rewarded, and may our nation flourish through your dedication,” the head of service said, in the statement.

Barau Eulogises Nigerian Workers

Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau, has hailed Nigerian workers, describing them as “the engine and catalyst of national development.”

In a statement by his media aide, Ismail Mudashir, Barau said the resilience and dedication of the Nigerian workforce underscored the critical role of labour across sectors in sustaining Nigeria’s development.

He assured the workers that the National Assembly would continue to champion legislation that protected workers’ rights, improved their welfare, and created a more enabling working environment.

Barau stated, “As we celebrate Workers’ Day, we recognise the tireless efforts and dedication of Nigerian workers, who are the engine and catalyst of our economy and national development.

“We remain committed to our partnership with His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, in promoting policies and programmes that benefit Nigerian workers.

“As we celebrate Workers’ Day, we reiterate our commitment to a stronger, more inclusive Nigeria, where every worker is respected, empowered, and rewarded.”

APC: FG’ll Continue to Promote Economic Inclusion

All Progressives Congress (APC) said the current administration would continue to enact and implement interventions that promoted social and economic inclusion of Nigerians.

APC said the innervations included improved minimum wage, student loans, NHIS health care subsidies, improved food prices, and nationwide uptake in infrastructural investments and development. National Publicity Secretary of APC, Felix Morka, said this in a statement to commemorate 2025 International Workers’ Day.

The party commended Nigerian workers for their immeasurable contribution to the country’s economic growth, stability and development, particularly as frontline drivers of innovation and reforms of the Tinubu administration.

Morka added, “Workers are

indispensable partners in the design and delivery of policies, programmes, goods and services that are central to the improvement of the social and material conditions of life for our people.”

Abbas: Workers Are Nation’s Engine Room

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Krishi, said the contributions of Nigerian workers to the development of the country could not be quantified.

Abbas hailed workers, especially organised labour, saying workers deserve better welfare.

He also commended the labour unions for the understanding they demonstrated with the President Bola Tinubu administration regarding workers’ welfare, in view of the current difficult economic realities.

While urging workers to continue to offer their services with zeal and patriotism, the speaker called for more productivity, stating that only the citizens can sustain their fatherland.

AbdulRazaq:

Dedication, Growth, Skills of Our Workers Remain Pillars of Our Devt

Kwara State Governor and Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said the dedication, resilience, and skills of the workforce were the pillars of the state’s growth and development.

AbdulRazaq made the assertion in Ilorin on the occasion of the 2025 International Workers’ Day.

He stated, “I extend warm greetings to men and women of both the public and private sectors, whose efforts power our economy and shape the future of our society.

“For us in Kwara State, we appreciate the immense contributions of our workers — whether as civil servants, farmers, factory workers, teachers, healthcare personnel, engineers, artisans, and professionals across all sectors.

“I reaffirm our administration’s commitment to building a Kwara where workers thrive, where decent jobs are created, where careers are continually nurtured, and where every sector is empowered to contribute meaningfully to the state’s prosperity.

“We are determined to implement policies that strengthen our civil service, grow the economy, attract investments, and expand job opportunities.”

PDP Govs Celebrate Nigerian Workers

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF), while celebrating with Nigerian workers, said the governors understood the challenges the workers endured every day.

A statement by Director General of the forum, Dr. Emmanur Agbo, described workers as the backbone of the country’s progress and prosperity.

PDP governors told workers, in the statement, “Your unwavering

dedication, resilience, and sacrifices in the face of challenges remain the driving force behind Nigeria’s development.

“We recognise the immense struggles you endure daily, navigating an increasingly harsh socio-economic environment.

“Despite these obstacles, your commitment to building a better Nigeria is nothing short of heroic. Your strength is a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Nigerian worker.

“Your welfare remains sacrosanct to us as demonstrated in the implementation of the agreed minimum wage, among other incentives, across all PDP-controlled states.

“As we celebrate your achievements and contributions, let us also reflect on the need for continued resilience and unity. Together, we can overcome adversity and forge a path toward a brighter future for ourselves, our families, and generations to come.”

Sanwo-Olu: We’ve Kept Our Pledges

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, joined the workers’ May Day parade held at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, saying his government has kept faith with the workers.

Sanwo-Olu reassured the workers that his administration would continue to prioritise their welfare and dignity, stating that Lagos remains a subnational with best remuneration packages for workers.

The governor said improving on workers’ welfare had continued to be the cornerstone of his government’s development agenda, pointing out that his administration has remained faithful in ensuring the regular and timely payment of salaries and pensions, despite global economic challenges.

Sanwo-Olu stated, “Lagos State will continue to take the lead in the public service sector in the country. I’m delighted to come back and report that, all through the negotiations that led to the new minimum wage, Lagos kept and fulfilled the promises made to workers. This state is the highest paying entity in the federation.

“We have ensured that workers are not left behind in our economic planning and that they feel the impact of governance not only in policies but in their everyday realities.

“Aside promotion, we have also expanded training and capacity development through dedicated institutions to equip our workforce with new skills and digital Sanwo-Olucompetencies.” called on workers to be patient with the reforms being implemented by the federal government, saying the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu has been yielding results that would further improve workers’ lives.

Soludo: I have Cleared Gratuity, Pension Arrears Inherited from Wilie Obiano’s Govt

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, announced that his administration had fully paid seven

years of accumulated gratuity and pension arrears inherited from his predecessor, Chief Willie Obiano.

The revelation was made during the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at Ekwueme Square in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

Soludo reiterated his government’s commitment to workers’ welfare, despite the current economic challenges.

He stated, “With regard to the gratuities owed to our retired workforce, we have settled all arrears inherited upon assuming office.

“I am pleased to report that, barring cases where retirees have yet to complete documentation, we have successfully cleared four years’ backlog of pension arrears.

“In the civil service, retirees were owed four years of pensions totalling N14 billion. I am happy to announce that we have paid for the years 2018, 2019, and 2020. Only the year 2021 remains, and we are making arrangements to ensure it is paid shortly.”

Fubara Eulogises Nigerian Workers

The suspended governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, called for continuous protection of workers’ rights across the country.

Fubara, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, extended warm greetings and heartfelt commendation to the hardworking men and women who drove the state’s progress.

He praised the resilience, dedication, and professionalism of the Rivers workforce, particularly in light of ongoing challenges to democratic governance in the state, describing their commitment as the backbone of the state’s development and beacon of hope for a better future.

The governor said this year’s theme, “Ensuring Safety and Health at Work in a Changing Climate,” underscored the urgent need to protect workers amid escalating environmental threats and socio-political uncertainties.

Fubara also acknowledged the efforts of the President Bola Tinubu government in advancing labour reforms and promoting climateconscious policies that supported a healthier, safer working environment nationwide.

Alia Expresses Gratitude to Benue Workers

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, expressed gratitude to Benue workers, acknowledging their vital role in driving the state’s progress.Highlighting the significant strides of his administration in the last two years, the governor said the workers deserved special acknowledgement for the success made so far.

He disclosed the implementation of a N75,000 monthly minimum wage, exceeding the federal benchmark by N5,000 as a way of elevating the living standards of civil servants and reflecting a commitment to enhancing workers’ motivation and productivity.

The governor also detailed reforms in pension processes aimed at ensuring that retirees from the state’s civil service

received their entitlements without undue delay.

He listed the part payment of five months’ salary arrears for workers, including political appointees from previous administrations, promising regular payments moving forward.

Abiodun: We’ve

Paid N179bn in Pensions, Gratuities

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, stated that his administration had so far spent N179.7 billion in settling pensions and gratuities for state and local government retirees since its inception in 2019. Abiodun disclosed this at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta.

He said the backlog of pensions from 2012 to 2017, had been cleared, just as the backlog of National Housing Scheme remittances had also been cleared to ensure easy access to mortgage loans.

According to the governor, about 12,500 workers have benefited from car and motorcycle loans, which his administration has increased to N1.6 billion.

Abiodun stated, “As a workerfriendly administration, we have made deliberate efforts to deepen our partnership with labour to improve working conditions and enhance the welfare of our workers across the state.

“This administration, since its inception in 2019, has cleared the pension backlog, and pensions are now paid alongside salaries. We have paid for the period from 2012 to 2017.

“A total of N179.7 billion has been disbursed as pensions and gratuities to both state and local government pensioners. The backlog of National Housing Scheme remittances has been cleared, easing access to mortgage loans.

“We have increased car and motorcycle loans to the tune of N1.6 billion, disbursed to about 12,500 beneficiaries.”

Workers, NLC, TUC Laud Bayelsa Gov as Diri Presents Vehicles to Organised Labour

The organised labour in Bayelsa State, yesterday, gave thumbs-up to the Governor Douye Diri administration for its worker-friendly policies.

In a joint address by the state leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) during the 2025 Workers Day celebration at Peace Park in Yenagoa, the labour unions praised the administration for being responsive to the demands of workers.

In the address by the state NLC chairman, Comrade Barnabas Simon, and his TUC counterpart, Comrade Laye Julius, the unions expressed appreciation to the government for its commitment to their welfare and the overall well-being of workers. They stated, “Before going ahead to make fresh demands, we feel obligated to appreciate you for all the good work and commitment your administration has shown in providing solutions to the needs of workers in the state.

“It is visible to the blind and audible

to the deaf that your administration has been kind to Bayelsa workers.”

In his remarks, Diri expressed solidarity with the workers as a former teacher, even as he presented two new buses to NLC and TUC.

Kano Governor, Yusuf, Celebrates May Day with New Wage, Pension Reforms, Others Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State commended workers in the state and nationwide, acknowledging the labour force’s pivotal role in driving democratic governance, national development, and societal advancement.

Addressing workers in Kano, Yusuf reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare, unveiling initiatives aimed at enhancing working conditions and boosting their morale.

“Today is not merely a public holiday,” the governor said, adding, “It is a day rooted in history—for sacrifice and the struggle for justice, equity, and the dignity of labour.

“Through deliberate and determined efforts, we have successfully ensured that the new minimum wage for civil servants in Kano State stands at N71,000. This is a bold and commendable step toward enhancing workers’ welfare.”

He stressed that the new salary structure was designed to cushion the effects of economic hardship, raise morale, and improve productivity across the public service.

We’ve Recruited over 3,000 Workers, Paid 3 Years Gratuity Arrears, Says Aiyedatiwa

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, declared that his administration had recruited over 3,000 workers and paid three years backlog of gratuities to retired public servants and local government workers in the state. Aiyedatiwa stated this at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Arcade in Akure.

The governor hailed workers as the force behind the state’s development, saying their resilience, commitment, and integrity have been central to the successes recorded under his administration.

He described civil servants as “the hands that build, the minds that innovate, and the hearts that care”, and emphasised that no government achievement was possible without their sacrifice.

“Our modest gains in office have only been possible because of your hard work across all sectors. From schools and hospitals to ministries and agencies, you are the true engine of governance,” Aiyedatiwa said.

Aliyu: Workers Are Pillar of Our Govt

Sokoto State Governor, Dr. Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, commended workers in the state for their dedication and contributions to societal development.

Speaking at the 2025 May Day celebration, Aliyu praised the hard

FLAG-OFF AND POLIO/ZERO DOSE IMMUNISATION WALK...

L-R: Member of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), Mrs. Omolara Eniayewun; Social and Behaviour Change Specialist, UNICEF, Mrs. Aderonke Akinola-Akinwole; First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; Health Specialist, UNICEF, Dr. Ijeoma Agbo; State Coordinator, WHO, Dr. Chinenye Okafor; and others, during the flag-off and Polio/Zero Dose Immunisation Walk in commemoration of World Immunisation Week 2025, held in Alausa, Lagos… recently

In M AY D AY Speec H , T I nubu p le D

TI on work and commitment of civil servants, local government workers, and private sector employees.

He described the day as a special occasion to celebrate the invaluable contributions of workers to the development of the state and country.

The governor assured workers that his administration remained committed to improving their welfare, stressing that various initiatives have been implemented to support the workforce.

He said his administration had implemented several initiatives to boost workers’ morale and productivity.

According to him, the state government has ensured prompt payment of salaries, with workers now receiving their salaries between the 19th and 20th of every month.

Okpebholo

Raises Workers’ Wage to

N75,000

In order to improve the living standard of workers in the state, Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, increased the monthly minimum wage for Edo State workers from N70, 000 to N75,000.

Okpebholo made the announcement while delivering his May Day speech at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City on Thursday.

The governor, while appreciating the contributions of workers to the growth and development of the state, said his administration would always seek ways to improve the welfare of Edo workers.

Okpebholo stated that the workers’ day celebration was a special day set aside to honour the hardworking men and women, who kept the state moving forward as they supported their families with dignity and strength.

He stated, “Today, I am proud to announce that our administration has approved a new minimum wage of N75,000 per month for Edo workers.

“It’s our way of saying thank you, Edo workers. We believe this will make a real difference, and in return, we count on your renewed dedication as we build a better Edo together.”

Yahaya Salutes Gombe Workers, Reaffirms Commitment to Welfare, Social Justice

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, felicitated the workforce of Gombe State on the occasion of the 2025 International Workers’ Day, commending their resilience and contributions to the progress and development of the state.

In a goodwill message, Yahaya described workers as the engine room of governance and indispensable partners in the administration’s quest to build a better Gombe.

The message was contained in a press release issued by DirectorGeneral, Press Affairs, Ismaila Misilli.

“Today, I salute the courage, commitment, and industry of our workers. Your efforts continue to drive the transformation of our dear state, and for that, we are truly grateful,”

the governor said. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of workers in the state, stating that Gombe was among the first to implement the national minimum wage, a clear demonstration of its belief in the right of every worker to earn a fair and decent wage.

Bauchi Speaker Seeks Synergy Among Workers

Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, Hon. Abubakar Suleiman, called for synergy and collaborative efforts between labour and other relevant stakeholders to achieve their desired goals.

Suleiman said, “The importance of labour to the workforce can never be ignored as they serve like engine to the device, they practicalise what experts have written and build infrastructure that stand for generations to come.

“The Bauchi State government under the leadership of Senator Bala Mohammed has carved monumental impacts to the labour through the approval of minimum wage, consistent payment of salaries.

“Also, the renovation of secretariat in the state capital and 20 LGAs aimed to help workers discharge their duties effectively in conducive atmospheres.”

TUC Boycotts Workers’ Day Celebration over Emergency Rule in Rivers

Rivers State chapter of Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria, yesterday, boycotted the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration in protest against the emergency rule declaration in the state.

TUC stated that the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu was hasty and unconstitutional.

In a statement read by its State Secretary, June Danagogo, the union condemned Tinubu’s decision on the political crisis in Rivers.

Danagogo described the declaration as “a blatant violation” of the Nigerian constitution and “a direct assault on democracy”.

According to TUC, the suspension of the governor, deputy governor, and the state House of Assembly under the guise of a state of emergency undermined constitutional governance and threatened the autonomy of subnational governments.

Ekiti Workers Shun Celebrations as NLC Task Govt on Security, Hunger

Workers in Ekiti State, yesterday, spurned the May Day celebrations, citing the biting economic hardship across the country.

The venue of the event was deserted, as many seats at the pavilion were empty, with the few people available milling around as the event progressed.

Despite the governor’s attendance with other dignitaries and top govern-

ment officials in the state, only two of the four stands at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion was occupied, unlike past celebrations where the pavilion was always filled to capacity.

Organised labour in the state bemoaned the prevailing incidents of kidnapping and killings of farmers by armed herders across the country.

Leaders of organised labour raised the concern during their speeches at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration.

In Bauchi, Labour Tasks Govt on Security

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Bauchi State chapter, called on governments at all levels to stand up to their responsibilities and protect the lives and property of the innocent citizens.

Chairman of NLC in the state, Comrade Dauda Shuaibu, said President Bola Tinubu had on assumption of office promised to sustain and improve on security and welfare, but recent developments pointed to a dangerous trend in terms of security for the citizens and the country.

Shuaibu said the recent brutal attacks and killing of poor Nigerians in some communities in the states of North-east, North-central, and North-west were a clear sign that all was not well with the security architecture.

NLC said this year’s May Day was celebrated at a difficult period when the country’s economy was very unfavourable to the working class and entire citizens as well.

It added that the introduction of harsh economic policies and removal of subsidies on fuel, fertiliser and farm inputs, increase in electricity tariff, as well as floating of the naira had continued to be unfavourable to the people.

Police, PSC, Ezea Celebrate Workers

Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the entire officers and men of the Nigeria Police joined the country in celebrating Nigerian workers.

A statement by the force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, said the dedication of workers across all sectors contributed to national safety, unity, and sustainable growth and, therefore, deserved celebration.

The statement said, “The Force extends its deepest appreciation to its officers and all working individuals who contribute to the progress and prosperity of Nigeria.

“On this Workers’ Day, the IGP recognises the extraordinary service and sacrifice of our police officers, who work tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of our citizens.

“Their resolve and dedication to duty are the bedrock of our nation’s stability, and the Force is dedicated to creating a workplace where our officers feel valued, respected, and empowered to serve the nation with integrity and pride.”

Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), DIG Hashimu Argungu (Rtd), also praised Nigerian workers for their commitment to national development.

Argungu particularly praised the staff of the commission, as well as officers and men of the Nigeria Police for their sacrifice and devotion to the unity and protection of the Nigerian nation.

A statement by Head of Press and Public Relations, PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, called on the staff of the commission and the Nigeria Police to remain committed to their duties, stressing that the commission would ensure that they enjoy the fruits of their labour.

Senator for Enugu North Senatorial District, Okey Ezea, called on all federal, state, and local governments that had yet to implement the national minimum wage do so without further delay.

Ezea stated, “Once again, we come together to celebrate our day - Workers’ Day. It is a key reminder of the dignity of labour and the effort we must put in to earn an honest living. Only those who reject decency shun the value of hard work.

“On this occasion, I call on all federal, state, and local governments that have yet to implement the national minimum wage to correct this injustice. It is not only illegal; it is inhumane. As the cost of goods and services continues to rise, so too must the salary of the Nigerian worker.”

Plateau Mourns Killings in Terror Attacks

Plateau State civil servants, yesterday, joined other Nigerian workers to mark 2025 Workers Day, saying they marked the day with a sober reflection on the recent terror attacks that claimed hundreds of lives in the state.

Addressing the workers in Jos, Governor Caleb Mutfwang, said, “We must begin on a sober note to reflect on the unfolding events that have confronted our collective journey to peace in the last few weeks.”

Mutfwang said although workers’ day was set aside to honour workers’ strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions to the progress and development of the state and country, Plateau was doing so with a heavy heart and grief over recent attacks by terrorists.

He stated, “As we celebrate this milestone, Plateau State is in a period of mourning. Our hearts are heavy with grief over the recent unprovoked and inhumane attacks on our innocent citizens in Bokkos and Bassa local government areas by agents of terror.

“The loss of lives and the displacement of families have cast a dark shadow over our celebrations but we refuse to be grounded by this heartless act of terror.

“Let me, on behalf of the government and the good people of Plateau State, express our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and all those affected by these mindless acts of

violence. We stand with you in sorrow, and we will stand with you in rebuilding our broken walls.

“Let me also express my profound sorrow on the fire outbreak that occurred on Tuesday 29th April, 2025, destroying parts of the Terminus Market in Jos North, with goods worth millions of naira lost.”

HYPREP Recommits to Workers’ Welfare

Project Coordinator of Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, lauded Nigerian workers, especially those in the Project Coordination Office of HYPREP and community workers on the project sites in Ogoni.

Zabbey acknowledged the immense commitment, resilience and dedication workers had demonstrated on the Ogoni Clean-up programme, which he said had contributed significantly to the milestones achieved across critical projects.

The project coordinator stressed, “We are mindful of the benefit of creating a safe and productive work environment that engenders job satisfaction and self-attainment in the public interest.

“We place a premium on workers’ welfare and continuous human capacity development in the Project Coordination office and at our project sites.”

PETROAN Calls for Increased Welfare

PETROAN National President, Dr Billy Harry, called for increased welfare and health insurance for oil workers.

Harry, in a statement by Dr Joseph Obele, National PRO, PETROAN, called on relevant stakeholders to prioritise the welfare and well-being of oil and gas workers.

He specifically urged the government and industry players to consider increasing welfare packages and health insurance coverage for oil workers, given the hazardous nature of their job and the impact of continued gas flaring on their health and environment.

“Studies have shown that workers in areas where gas flaring is prevalent are at high risk of several health challenges which can affect them physically, mentally and even cancer risks” Harry stated.

Osun Workers Endorse Adeleke for Second Term, Gov Approves N4b for Pensioners

The 2025 May Day rally in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, turned into a massive second term endorsement for Governor Ademola Adeleke, as workers in their hundreds in a carnival-like manner chanted “No vacancy till 2030” at the arena.

Led by Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Arapaja, and Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Bimbo Fasasi, the labour unions announced

their endorsement of the governor, citing due consultations with labour rank and file and overwhelming positive performance of the governor.

The labour leaders, in their separate speeches, listed several landmark achievements of Adeleke in support of workers’ welfare.

Adeleke, in his speech, announced his approval of new bond payment for pensioners, which again drew wild applause from the dancing and singing workers and leaders.

He said, “I have just approved, through the Office of the Head of Service, the payment of bonds for retirees under the contributory pension scheme worth over N4 billion. This is across the state and local governments.”

Adeleke said his government was repositioning the state economy to service the people, adding: “We are managing state resources in ways and manners that no sector is left behind. While we are not borrowing to fund governance, we have reduced the inherited state debt by over 40 per cent. The Debt Management Office confirmed as much in its recent reports.”

Wike Recommits to Workers’ Welfare

Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed unwavering commitment to improving the welfare of FCT workers.

He made this assurance yesterday during the 2025 International Labour Day celebration held in Abuja. He commended all workers for their sacrifices and resilience, noting that their dedication was key to building a better future for both the FCT and Nigeria at large.

The minister, who was represented by the FCT Head of Service, Grace Adayilo, said motivated and wellsupported workforce was essential to effective public service delivery and national development.

He also charged the Area Councils to immediately pay the new minimum wage and arrears to their staff, noting his administration had made staff welfare a top priority since assuming office.

Kogi Labour Tasks Govt on Water Scarcity, Promotion, Cash Backing, Others

Kogi State civil servants joined the rest of workers in Nigeria to celebrate the 2025 workers day. The State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Gabriel Amari, has urged the state government to as matter of urgency, pay attention to issue of shortage supply of portable water in the State.

Amari noted that water scarcity adversely affected the productivity of workers, stressing that the daily search for water has pushed residents to rely on untreated sources, thereby exposing them to waterborne diseases

DIRI CELEBRATES BAYELSA WORKERS...

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, flanked by the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Barnabas Simon; and his Trade Union Congress counterpart,

the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration at the Peace Park in Yenagoa on Thursday

Not Quitting PDP, Adeleke Tells Osun

Leaders, elders and top federal and state officials of the

chapter

(PDP), last night ,held a strategic closed doors meeting with Governor Ademola Adeleke, who told them in clear terms he had no plan to quit the party, either now or in the future.

Army Clarifies Explosion at Giwa Barracks, Insists Not Terrorist Attack

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Nigerian Army has said the explosion that rocked Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri was not a terrorist attack, as insinuated in certain social media platforms, clarifying that the explosion was due to the current high temperatures in Maiduguri, which led to the explosion of some munitions.

The Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Headquarters Theatre Command, Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Reuben Kovangiya, made the clarification in a statement yesterday.

“The Headquarters Joint Task Force North East Operation Hadin Kai Maiduguri wishes to inform the general public of an incident involving the explosion of ordnance in one of our ammunition storage facilities located in Giwa Barracks.

“The explosion was due to the current high temperatures in Maiduguri, which led to the explosion of some munitions. The situation has, however, been brought under control with the combined efforts of the Borno State Fire Service Department and other fire trucks from security agencies,” Captain Kovangiya said.

In M AY DAY Speec H , T I nubu p le D ge S To A DD re SS H

and other health-related risks.

“Moreover, in their quest for water, the indiscriminate drilling of boreholes has depleted the basement aquifer to an alarming level, which poses a serious threat to future generations.

“To solve the perennial water scarcity in Lokoja, there is an urgent need to repair and restore the Lokoja Greater Water Works to meet the ever-increasing demand.”

Katsina NLC Demands

Replacement of 4,000 Retired Health Workers

The Katsina State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has demanded the replacement of 4,000 retired health workers in the state.

The State Chairman of the NLC, Dr. Hussaini Hamisu Yanduna, demanded the replacement of the retirees.

He explained that from the last administration to date, 4,000 health workers had retired but that there was no replacement by the state government.

The NLC chairman reiterated that the retirement of the 4,000 health workers in the state has grossly affected the healthcare services delivery.

He therefore appealed to Governor Dikko Umaru Radda to direct the state’s Primary Healthcare Agency to commence the recruitment of health personnel to bridge the vacuum.

on

In his remarks, Radda said his administration was working towards the implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme and improving health insurance for active and retired civil servants.

He called on all the civil servants to embrace accountability, discipline and remain proactive in identifying and addressing challenges within their jurisdictions.

CHRICED Seeks Payment of Living Wage

The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has called for payment of living wage to Nigerian workers.

In a signed statement, the Executive Director, Dr. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, said, “On this Workers’ Day, we call on the federal and state governments to recognise workers as essential partners in national development.

“It is not enough to simply pay the minimum wage. Governments must ensure that workers receive a living wage—a wage aligned with the real cost of living and adjusted regularly to reflect inflation and other macroeconomic conditions.

“Doing so will not only uplift the lives of workers but also boost national productivity and stability. We further urge the implementation of comprehensive social programmes that address workers’ needs in housing, healthcare, and agriculture.”

The meeting held at the Banquet Hall of the Government was attended by all critical top leaders of the party with former governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, addressing the meeting virtually while Prof Wale Oladipo, the Chairman of Imole Movement, declared PDP as a home for all genuine lovers of Osun people.

The 1999 governorship candidate of PDP and life member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Oluwole Alabi and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Lasun Yusuf, described PDP as an agent of development and human empowerment.

A PDP member of the House of Representatives, Akanni Olohunwa, applauded the extensive positive transformation Osun was witnessing and affirmed that PDP was sure of victory in any future electoral contest.

At the meeting coordinated by PDP State Chairman, Hon Sunday Bisi, and attended by the Speaker, Hon Adewale Egbedun as well as other members of the State assembly, Adeleke described rumours about his imminent defection as “fake news emanating from those intimidated by our extraordinary performance in state leadership.

“My people, party elders and chiefs, I declare before you today that I am not defecting to APC or any other political party. I remain in PDP. Ignore any fake news,” the governor declared. The stakeholders’ forum later issued a communique signed by Hon Sunday Bisi.

Olawepo-Hashim: Multi-party Democracy, Bedrock of Nigeria’s Political Stability

Hosts PDP north-Central zonal chairmen

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

Renowned politician and former presidential candidate during the 2019 general election, Mr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has renewed the call for the defense and preservation of Nigeria’s multiparty democratic system, describing it as the bedrock of national unity and political stability.

He made the call Thursday in Abuja while playing host to Chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the North-Central zone led by Chairman of PDP in Niger State and current Coordinator of PDP State Chairmen in the region,

Barrister Tanko Beji

During the discussion, OlawepoHashim, according to a release issued by his Media Office averred that “our democracy is strongest when it accommodates diversity of thought and representation.” He added that “the strength of Nigeria lies in its plurality, and we must jealously guard the legacy of multiparty democracy bequeathed to us by our founding leaders.”

He lauded the visit as a positive indication of the growing need for cross party engagement in consolidating democratic ideals, especially in an era marked by

political polarization.

Olawepo-Hashim, a former presidential candidate widely regarded for his centrist philosophy and advocacy for peace, reiterated his belief in an inclusive democratic Nigeria, one in which governance reflects the aspirations of all citizens, regardless of their political background.

Discussions at the meeting focused on Nigeria’s democratic trajectory, with particular emphasis on the importance of safeguarding the country’s multiparty character as a defense against authoritarianism and political exclusion.

Speaking on behalf of the delega-

tion, Tanko Beji praised Hashim’s unwavering commitment to national unity and democratic values, noting that the visit transcended party politics.

He added that “we are here to encourage conversations that go beyond political divides.” His words: what unites us as Nigerians is far greater than our political affiliations.”

The meeting ended with a shared call for political leaders across the spectrum to rise above partisanship and protect Nigeria’s democratic space from being narrowed or dominated by any single interest.

Ex- Delta Gov, Okowa, Denies Report He Regretted Running With Atiku

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has denied report that he regretted being a running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections.

In a statement, the Executive Assistant to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Public Enlightenment, Projects and Policies, Mr Olisa Ifeajika gave the clarification.

Ifeajika, who reacted to a report credited to Okowa following an interview with the Arise Television on Tuesday, said the reaction was to put the records straight.

He said it was wrong for whoever put out the report to misrepresent facts, adding that those who took time out to listen to the interview would

testify that Okowa never said so.

Ifeajika, who was Chief Press Secretary to Okowa, said, “The immediate past governor, Okowa never said he regretted being on that ticket with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. He also did not say that he regretted being the Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP.

“When Okowa was asked the question of what happened to the PDP, particularly in Delta, as a Vice Presidential candidate where it was expected that he would win.

“What he (Okowa) said was that it was discovered that the southern Nigerians appeared to have resolved on having a president from the Southern extraction.

“And that was what happened, during our campaigns. We realised that, that was what the people wanted and they got it. It was not as if PDP

had bad candidates.

“That was why Senator Bola Tinubu won the election and the other person from the South that did well in the Presidential election was Mr Peter Obi. It was a justification of that resolve of the people of the south to have a president from the south,” he said.

Ifeajika said the PDP not winning much votes then from the south was due to a whirlwind which was then known as “Obident Movement” through the Labour Party as the vehicle that came and took everybody by surprise.

He said the people got what they wanted, adding that the lessons leant from that movement was the need to do some NEEDS assessment on what the people wanted.

Meanwhile, the PDP professionals have said President Bola Ahmed

Poll

Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and all its apologists would face a disgraceful wholesale defeat in the 2027 presidential election. This was the position by the Conference of Professionals in the Peoples Democratic Party (CP-PDP) in response to comment credited to Okowa that it was best to have President Tinubu complete his eightyear tenure despite the hardship being faced by Nigerians under his rule. The PDP professionals in a statement by by its national coordinator, Obinna Nwachukwu, said ‘’Such unpatriotic statement, which is mostly associated with compromised leaders and deserters is out of sync with the feelings and yearnings of millions of Nigerians, who cannot wait to vote out President Tinubu in 2027 and end the hardship, killings and uncertainty in the country.”

Dr Laye Julius, during

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Osun

of the Peoples Democratic Party

COURTESY VISIT TO MARINE AND BLUE ECONOMY MINISTRY…

L-R: Director, Maritime Service, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Mercy Ilori; Director, Maritime Safety and Security, Mr. Babatunde Bombata; Director- General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marinwe and Blue Economy, Mr. Olufemi Oloruntola; Chief Executive Officer, Caverton Offshore Support Group(COSG), Mr. Olabode Makanjuola; Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola; Chief Executive Officer, Stena Bulk, Mr. Erik Hanell; Managing Director, NNPC Shipping Limited, Panos Gliatis, and Chief Operating Officer, COSG, Mr. Rotimi Makanjuola, during courtesy visit to the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy with shareholders of newly formed NNPC shipping Joint Venture Unity Shipping Worldwide in Abuja...recently=

Eradiri Condemns Resurgence of Cult Related Killings, Violence in Bayelsa

Olusegun Samuelinyenagoa

Former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and former Bayelsa State Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, Udengs Eradiri, has condemned resurgence in cult-related killings in the state, describing the development as unacceptable.

Eradiri noted that cultists were hacking down promising youths and leaders in the state with impunity and without adequate response from security agencies.

The resurgent of cult related killings and violence had left over 16 people killed in the last one month in the state capital, Yenagoa, leaving many residents to live in fears while many businesses are closing shops for fear of attacks.

Eradiri lamented that the government seemed helpless as the hoodlums overran the state, especially Yenagoa, the state capital, hunting down their perceived enemies, including some appointees of the governor.

Eradiri called on security agencies

NDDC Seeks UN’s Partnership in Devt of N’Delta

Blessing Ibunge in Port

Harcourt

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has sought to partner the United Nation (UN), and its affiliate agencies in the area of technical support and provision of expert services in the development of the Niger Delta region.

The NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, asserted this when he led a delegation of the executive management of the commission to the regional office of the UN in Abuja.

In a statement issued by the Director, Public Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Ogbuku expressed NDDC’s willingness to work with UN for the development of Niger Delta, stressing that the state governments within the region and the Commission could not achieve it alone.

Ogbuku explained that the NDDC needed to partner the UN because of its international reach as a world body with several affiliations.

I, former MR. ADEbOYE SULE MUnI, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Sule Miniru Adeboye. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I formerly known as AkInADE OLASUnkAnADE AjUWOn now wish to be known and addressed as AkInADE O LASU nk A n ADE Aj U n WOn . All former documents remains valid. General public please take note

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS AZUbUIkE CHInWEnDU VIVIAn, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UWAGA CHI n WE n DU VIVIAn All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note

The NDDC boss sought collaboration to provide portable and affordable drinking water powered by a high-tech solar generator as an energy source.

Having suffered environmental degradation due to oil exploration activities in the region, Ogbuku called for support from the UN to reforest the mangrove swamp in the area, which would protect the environment.

Re-emphasising the advantages of renewable energy, the NDDC boss highlighted the successes recorded in providing solar street lights across the region’s communities and appealed for support to bring solar-powered energy sources into individuals’ homes.

He said: “Apart from the solar street lights, we can also explore the possibility of providing Solar Mini grid as energy source in the various homes in the Niger Delta communities as this would also encourage commerce and trade in the localities.”

This is to confirm that the name; LAYODE DAMILOLA PETER and LAYODE PETER OLUWADAMILOLA, refers to me.I now wish to be known as LAYODE DAMILOLA PETER. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as WInIfRED nELSOn UTIP, now wish to be known and addressed as WInIfRED ESSAnGUbOnG OkOn All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note

I, formerly known and addressed as MR AGWALOGU ROMAnUS nDULAkA, now wish to be known and addressed as MR AGWALOGU nnAMDI nDULAkA All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note

to rise up to their responsibilities and quell the bloodletting, which he said was giving the state a bad image.

The former Commissioner for Youths and later Environment

in Bayelsa State said security agencies, especially the police and Department of State Service (DSS), should identify the killers and bring them to justice.

Eradiri also called on Governor

Diri to rise up to the challenge and embrace genuine youth empowerment beyond his usual appointments as assistants.

He said: “I am saddened by the resurgence of cult-related killings

FCCPC: Electricity Industry Bogged by Insufficient Metering, Billing Inaccuracies

Dike Onwuamaeze

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Mr. Tunji Bello, has declared that the Nigeria’s electricity industry is grappling “with persistent issues such as insufficient metering, billing inaccuracies

and infrastructure challenges, all of which require urgent and collaborative resolutions.”

Bello made this declaration at the opening of the “FCCPC Electricity Consumer Forum” in Ota, Ogun State, which urged consumers to “come and be heard or get on-the-spot response to your complaint concerning billings, metering,

transformer, disconnection, customer service and other electricity issues.”

Bello, whose speech at the forum was read by the Principal Consumer and Business Education Officer, FCCPC, Ms. Bridget Etim, said that the event “presents nonadversarial forum for dialogue” that would enable “consumers

to gain clarity on their rights and responsibilities while Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company’s (IBEDC) case workers will be available to address grievances on-the-spot.

“This aligns with our core mandate to ensure that consumer protection is practical, accessible and responsive.”

Renee5Star Autos CEO Victorious after 3-Year Fight against False Accusations

Mary Nnah

A Nigerian businesswoman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Renee5Star Autos, Adesuwa Renee Ogiozee, has been cleared of all charges after a three-year investigation into a $560,000 romance scam allegedly masterminded by one of her customers, Joseph Olawuyi Olaosebikan.

The development has brought relief to the business community and vindication of Ogiozee, who had maintained her innocence throughout the ordeal.

For now, Ogiozee is basking in the euphoria of her vindication, knowing that her innocence has been recognised by the authorities.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos via zoom recently,

Ogiozee said troubles began when Olaosebikan, who had purchased a vehicle from her company, was accused of scamming a victim out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Despite her protests of innocence, Ogiozee faced federal investigations, had her passports and properties seized, and suffered significant damage to her reputation. The investigation, which spanned several years, was a grueling experience for Ogiozee, who had to endure the uncertainty and stigma of being accused of a crime she did not commit. However, she remained steadfast, cooperating fully with the authorities and providing evidence to prove her innocence.

NIJ Advocates Inclusiveness of Private Institutions in the Students’ Loan Scheme

Ayodeji Ake

The Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) has advocated the inclusiveness of the private institutions on the Students’ Loan Scheme to enable students wrestling with tuition fees to benefit from the initiative.

During a recent press briefing to unveil the forthcoming

seventh convocation lecture and ceremonies, the Provost, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, lamented that funding is a major challenge, and maintained that the inclusiveness will encourage the youths and reduce the burden of funding.

Speaking on the convocation events, he affirmed that the Comptroller-General of the

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adeniyi, will deliver the seveth convocation lecture of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) on May 5, 2025, in Lagos.

Adeniyi, who was a former vice president and council member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), will deliver the convocation lecture themed: ‘AI and Public Governance’. The convocation lecture will precede the convocation ceremonies on May 6, 2025, where 707 graduands will convoke at the seventh academic ceremonies to be led by the Chairman Governing Council of NIJ, Arepo Olusefin Osoba.

Tourba Extends Carbon Farming to Bauchi State, Drives Regenerative Agric

Agri-tech firm Tourba has expanded its innovative carbon farming initiative to Bauchi State in a significant move to deepen climate-smart agriculture in Nigeria. The expansion is part of the company’s broader mission to promote regenerative agricultural practices while enabling local farmers to benefit financially from global carbon markets. At a stakeholders’ engagement held in Bauchi, Tourba convened smallholder farmers, community leaders, and agricultural experts to explore the opportunities of carbon farming. The one-day sensitisation forum highlighted how regenerative techniques not only boost food production but also support climate resilience and unlock new income streams through the sale of carbon credits.

Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) has announced the launch of the second season of its ‘Women Who Empower’ initiative, in partnership with Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR), a non-profit organisation based in Lagos, focused on empowering and

developing professional women in Nigeria and beyond.

Now in its second year, the initiative aims to support women in the imaging and print sectors by providing targeted training, mentorship, and hands-on opportunities that

Speaking at the event, Tourba’s Country Manager, Mr. Opeoluwa Filani, underscored the initiative’s potential to transform agriculture across Nigeria. “This programme is not just about environmental benefits,” he said. “It directly improves crop yields, enhances soil health, and allows farmers to earn from sustainable practices through carbon credit revenue.”

“We support the entire agricultural value chain to ensure that farmers benefit both ecologically and economically,” he added.

Canon Central and North Africa Unveils Women Who Empower Season 2

encourage career advancement and inclusion. The programme is aligned with the 2025 International Women’s Day theme, “Accelerate Action,” reflecting a shared commitment to creating equitable access for women in traditionally maledominated industries.

The launch ceremony was held at Hive by Zen, a newly opened studio by Canon ambassador, Emmanuel Oyeleke, and was attended by 20 ladies who will be part of the programme in Season 2, alongside representatives from both organisations.

in.my dear Bayelsa State, especially Yenagoa, the state capital. Cultists are running amok hacking down their perceived enemies while security agencies and the government stand in akimbo helpless.

Afen I fere: Ye ST er DAY, To DAY A n D Tomorrow (In m emor Y of C HI ef AY o A D eb A njo)

Nigerian Citizens, NCNC to form the United Progressives Grand Alliance, UPGA.

The typical tendency for victims of political persecution to rebound in the martyrdom of the victim played out in favour of Awolowo among the Yoruba.

The harbinger of the grand return of Awolowo to the pinnacle of Nigerian politics were the military coups of January and July 1966 respectively. Had the coup succeeded, the January Coupists said they were going to release Awolowo and make him the Prime Minister of Nigeria.

In the attestation of Awolowo himself “In fact Akintola would not have been killed if he had behaved like fanikayode. When the soldiers came for him, if he had surrendered quickly they would have arrested him and he would have been safe, because the policy of the coup makers wasn’t to round up all politicians and bring them to dodan barracks. Then they were going to release me and we would have been brought to state house in Lagos to form an administration. If I had refused, they would have tried to govern in my name”

In the event it was the counter coup and the return of another Northerner (Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon) as the head of the federal military government that resulted in his immediate release from prison. As we all know, this courtship was not altogether altruistic. It was calculated to secure the support of the Yoruba in the run up to the civil war. Hence Awolowo was given his freedom and enlisted to serve in the Federal military government of General Yakubu Gowon in the capacity of Federal Commissioner of finance and Vice Chairman of the Federal Executive Council.

Given his ultimate ambition to contest for the office

f or TH e Abol ITI on of Pover TY

In a saner clime, political leaders, regardless of political party differences, would have united in addressing the grim picture of poverty and political instability painted by the World Bank, a vigorous supporter of the Tinubu administration. Instead of confronting the crisis of poverty headlong, the ruling party, (the All-Progressive Congress) is busy promoting political prostitution by receiving spineless defectors from other political parties to its fold.

As the nation prepares for the 2027 general election, the ruling party has almost concluded arrangement to convert Nigeria to a one party state. But have the leaders of the APC forgotten that General Sani Abacha’s dream of metamorphosing into a civilian president did not materialise even though he had been adopted by the five registered political parties? Did the leaders of the Peoples’ Democratic Party not boast of ruling the country for 60 years?

Even though section 14 of the Nigerian Constitution stipulates that the State shall provide for the security and welfare of the people, poverty and insecurity are on the ascendancy in the country. Section 16 thereof outlines the economic objectives of the state. It directs the state to harness the nation’s resources, promote national prosperity, and establish an efficient, dynamic, and self-reliant economy. Additionally, it emphasizes the state’s responsibility to ensure that citizens have adequate shelter, food security, a reasonable minimum living wage, and social welfare benefits like old age care, unemployment benefits, and support for the disabled.

In utter violation of the economic objective of the State, the members of the ruling class have sold public enterprises and awarded oil blocks and licences for solid minerals to themselves. Thus, the State has engaged in concentrating the commonwealth in the hands of a few people contrary to the letter and spirit of the Constitution. However, some of those who lost out in the criminal diversion of the commonwealth through privatisation and award of oil blocks have engaged in the smuggling of solid minerals.

Even though the members of the ruling class have conspired to make the fundamental objectives and direct principles of state policy non justiciable in any court, the struggle of the Nigerian people for dividends of democracy has compelled the State to adopt policies and enact a numbers of laws that are designed to promote the welfare of the Nigerian people.

The welfare laws include Pension Reforms Act, National Minimum Wage Act (yet to be implemented by 20 states), Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act, Employees Compensation Act, Factories Act, National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non- Formal Education Act, Child Rights Act in FCT and Child Rights Law in every state, Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) (Repeal and Re-enactment) Act, National Senior Citizens Act, Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, Federal Mortgage Bank Act, National Housing Act, etc.

It is regrettable to note that the welfare laws are observed in breach by the Nigerian State to the detriment of the working people. For instance, the Child Rights Act and Child Rights Laws Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act have imposed a legal duty on the federal and state governments to ensure that every child is given free and compulsory education from primary school to junior secondary school.

The immediate past Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, during his presentation of the 2020 and 2023 budget implementation report to the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education in Abuja, disclosed that N135,540,905,308.92 in matching grants have not been accessed by states in the last few years.

Owing to the refusal of state governments to contribute counterpart fund to access the matching grant of about N135 billion in the UBEC Account as stipulated by the law, Nigeria has 20 million out of school children. The Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) dragged the Federal Government and the 36 state governments to the Federal High Court seeking to compel them to comply with the education laws. Since there is no defence to the case, the defendants have challenged the locus standi of the plaintiffs to institute the action.

Furthermore, the recent data released by the National Pension Commission show that total assets in the Nigerian Pension industry rose by 23% year-on-year to N22.5trn in December 2024. Instead of ensuring that pensioners

of Prime Minister he found himself in the albatross of the role that equates him and his leadership with the Yoruba. It is a role definition that exalts him but makes it difficult for him to secure political mileage outside the boundaries of Yoruba land.

I’m on record as criticising him for quitting as Premier of the Western region in pursuit of the mirage of seeking the office of the Prime Minister of Nigeria.The momentum of the socioeconomic development of the Western region that had been generated by his leadership was on the upswing and needed to be consolidated.That purpose was best served by him remaining the Premier especially within the context of a dysfunctional Nigerian status quo that was constitutionally and structurally rigged against reformist minded politicians like him.

Today

Predictably, after the announcement of the earthly passage of the Afenifere leader Chief Ayo Adebanjo, there ensued a resurgence of efforts by well meaning Yoruba to broker reconciliation between the ‘Ayo Adebanjo’ and ‘Reuben Fasoranti’ factions. The typical entreaty from them was that the two factions should cease the moment as an opportunity to effect a reconciliation.

I balked at the suggestion because it carries the implication that Adebanjo was the personification of the conflict, that it was a personality clash between him and the other group. It also betrays the subconscious inability of the Yoruba to accept the role definition of Afenifere as an ideological pressure group rather than a 21st century reincarnation of egbe omo Oduduwa.

In an audacious revisionist version of history, Chief

Bisi Akande rhetorically assorted that Bola Ige was the founder of Afenifere. According to Akande “The death of Bola Ige was the death of Afenifere. He found it and he took it away,” When the interviewer said “but Afenifere is not dead.” Akande said, “I don’t know but it is not the Afenifere we formed.” As far appellation goes, I can only recall Ige talking of egbe Ilosiwaju (or Itesiwaju) Yoruba not Afenifere.

An indication that Afenifere is also not in a hurry to adhere to its definition as a political pressure group is it’s membership of the illustrious South and Middle-Belt Forum, SMBLF. The group comprises nationalist representatives of the Igbo (Ohaneze) , the Niger Delta (Pandef) and the Middle Belt (Middle-Belt Forum). These three organizations have consistently self-defined as sociocultural and nationalist umbrella of their respective regions. They understand and frame Afenifere as a peer group. Alongside Afenifere they are commonly opposed to the Nigerian status quo and express equal commitment to the restoration of federalism. In this regard, they have fulfilled the criteria precedent to be cited as Progressives.

Tomorrow

One important task that desperately requires a deliberate intervention by Afenifere is the cultivation of a successor generation. I had, many years ago, identified this problem (in my column at the Guardian newspaper) in a saucy article titled the ‘Young Shall Grow’. This was in response to what appears to be the drift of the Afenifere leadership towards gerontocracy.

Subsequently, groups like Idile and alajobi rose to the challenge. The members of those groups are on their way to becoming the geriatrics of today leaving a vacuum that

are promptly paid their pension the federal government has borrowed N10 trillion from the fund. Worried over the concern of pensioners the house of representatives has resolved to recover the loan on the ground that most pensioners are unable to access their retirement funds despite complying with the requirements of the contributory pension scheme.

The House Committee was mandated to investigate the status of the pension fund assets of over N15.5 trillion with a view to ensuring that the N10 trillion loaned to the federal government from the pension fund is duly recovered and modalities are put in place to hinder the collapse of the pension schemes.

Under the Federal Mortgage Bank Act, workers are required to contribute to housing primarily through the National Housing Fund (NHF), where a mandatory 2.5% of their monthly salary is deducted and remitted to provide affordable housing loans to eligible workers. The contribution, together with other contributions from other lowly placed citizens, helps to fund the NHF.

The National Housing Fund (NHF), like other interventionist administering programmes, has become a subject of abuse and fraudulent practice. In November 2024, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) arraigned Mr. Gimba Ya’u Kumo, former chief executive officer, of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), for allegedly diverting $65 million housing fund. The money was for the construction of 962 units of residential houses at the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy City in Kubwa, a satellite town in Abuja.

The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress should closely monitor the trial and request the ICPC to investigate the allegation made in 2012 by Mr. Gimba Ya’u Kumo, that some “unscrupulous employers” had milked the fund dry to the tune of N100 billion. The NLC and the TUC owe workers a duty to ensure that the stolen sums of $65 million and N100 billion are recovered and utilised for building houses for workers.

In spite of shortcomings and lack of independence, the anti-graft agencies have continued to record success in the recovery of looted wealth and other assets. In its 2024 report, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detailed a breakdown of the sums recovered to include N364.5bn, $214.5m, £54,318.64, €31,265. Other recovered assets included the forfeiture to the Federal Government of over 753 duplexes and other apartments, the largest recovery by the Commission since its inception. In 2023, the EFCC recovered nearly N250 billion, along with millions in foreign currencies, including dollars and pounds sterling. On its part, the independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) recovered assets/cash worth N105.82 billion between 2023 and 2024. The Nigeria Customs Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control etc.

The EFCC also stated in the report that some of the monetary recoveries have been reinvested by the Federal Government in initiatives that provide significant benefits to the Nigerian people. It cited the example

has not been meaningfully filled by another successor generation. The success of any society is dependent on how adequately it can fulfil renewal in leadership recruitment and reproduction of successor generations. In a reflection of the adoption of ‘Democratic socialism’ as the ideology of the AG, Awolowo clarified this ideology in an interview with Peter Enahoro of the Daily times in 1982 as follows. “It has been said that because I bought a land of million Naira, I’m no longer a socialist. I don’t know where socialism advocated poverty and wretchedness. The whole purpose is to raise the status of all the people. It may be necessary by the process of taxation to take part of the wealth of the so-called wealthy people and give it to the government for use in the development of the masses of the people”. What can be extrapolated from this clarification is that Awolowo is not a doctrinare socialist. As a matter of fact, his clarification is theoretically interchangeable with the concept of ‘State Capitalism’. Following this trajectory and origin, Afenifere is a left of center ideological pressure group which will, at all times, logically find companionship with organisations or political parties that are ideologically opposed to the Nigerian status quo of a pseudo unitarist state. If Afenifere can be validly branded as of social welfarist ideological persuasion, it is equally important to note that more than any other value, what Awolowo bequeathed to the Yoruba and Nigeria is the legacy of competence, credibility and integrity not socialism or capitalism. For instance, were Awolowo to wake up suddenly, he is not likely to recognise the bread and butter mockery of many who parade themselves as Afenifere. As the holy book says, by their deeds ye shall know them.

PEF across the country to begin the implementation of the new business solution, termed ‘Project Aquila’ which aims to revolutionise products movement in the downstream subsector. It turned out that the officials were demobilised and prevented from monitoring the movement petroleum products distribution.

On 8th August 2018, the Federal Executive Council approved the installation of technology monitoring schemes and structures under the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) for N17 billion. Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, the then Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, disclosed that the deployment of the automated fuel system management and censor network would ensure 100 per cent tracking and monitoring of petroleum products. But the technology monitoring device was not installed while the N17 billion earmarked for it was criminally diverted.

On July 13, 2024, the federal government awarded contracts of $21 million to ensure the full metering of Nigeria’s 187 oil flow stations as well as a software to track the movement of Nigeria’s oil in the high seas. The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, stated that the move was to remove all doubts as to the quantity of oil that Nigeria produces on a daily basis as well as to be able to track crude oil to their expected destinations.

of the N50bn granted by the Federal Government to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), a programme launched in 2024 to provide interest-free loans to students in tertiary institutions.

The EFCC reported that other recovered funds were being invested in development projects—such as improved roads, hospitals, and power supply—to elevate standards and support Nigeria’s long-term growth. The remaining funds that have been recovered are paid into the account of the Federal Government.

In view of the fact that the recovered loot had been criminally diverted or re-looted in the past, it is suggested that a special account be opened for warehousing recovered loot. The proceed of such recovered loot should be earmarked to fix dilapidated educational institutions and medical facilities in the country. The 753 housing units recovered from a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria should be handed over to the Federal Mortgage Bank for completion and onward distribution to workers.

It is not in dispute that the country has been beset with soaring inflation after the scrapping of fuel subsidy and liberalisation of the exchange rate for the naira. Instead of reverting the dangerous economic policies the federal has continued to blame the unpatriotic elements that have engaged in crude oil theft and smuggling of fuel from Nigeria to neighbouring countries. It is our submission that the Federal Government is not prepared to end the economic sabotage due to the involvement of multinational oil companies and their local lackeys.

A few months ago, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited announced that the Port Harcourt and Warri publicly owned refineries had resumed production while the Dangote Refinery said that it has the facilities to refine the entire fuel consumed in the country. But the Federal Government has continued to waste trillions of Naira on the importation of fuel from foreign countries. For instance, the media reported that between October 2024 and January 2025 (4 months), the nation spent a whopping sum of N5.5 trillion importing fuel, diesel and kerosene.

Despite the removal of fuel subsidy, it has been confirmed by the Nigeria Customs Service that the smuggling of fuel from Nigeria to neighbouring countries has continued because it is sold at N2,000 whereas it is sold cheaper in Nigeria. Since the government is not prepared to stop the nefarious trade of fuel smuggling, another increase in the price of fuel may be in the offing. However, i wish to point out that the Federal Government’s efforts to end oil theft and smuggling of fuel have been frustrated by well-known public officers and multinational oil companies without any sanction. Permit me to provide some irrefutable evidence of such economic sabotage.

In 2010, the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (Management) Board, said it would commence the electronic monitoring of petroleum products distribution from the first week in January 2011. The management of the Board said that officials of the Fund had been extensively trained and deployed to the over 50 depots operated by the

In December 2019, the Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) turned to French data firm Kpler, just six years old and staffed by a hundred mostly young employees, to help it ferret out the smugglers from the thousands of ships plying Nigerian waters. The head of Kpler partnership with Nigeria, Antoine Pillet said, “In some ways, we’re the CCTV of what’s going on in Nigerian waters. We provide the data, but don’t really give opinions on what may be going on.”

DPR’s Head of Public Affairs, Paul Osu, said: “This technology is a way of improving the way we do things. Of course there are problems here and there, but we don’t have inherent problems. Technology is the way to boost transparency of operations and improve investor confidence.”

Apart from the above measures, the Federal Government awarded a contract of $144 per annum for pipeline surveillance, coastal protection, and safeguarding of critical infrastructure in the Niger Delta region. Meanwhile, the armed forces have deployed a task force to end oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta region within the shortest possible time. Despite the above measures put in place, the country still loses 400 000 barrels of crude oil valued at N2.39 trillion per day. A 2022 report by the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) confirmed that about 619.7 million barrels of crude oil, valued at $46.16billion have been stolen in the last 12 years.

From to time, the involvement of the multinational oil and shipping companies has been exposed. But due to lack of political will on the part of the State to end oil theft, smuggling of fuel and solid minerals, poverty has increased in the land. At this juncture, it is pertinent to refer to specific cases of oil theft by the powerful oil cartel. Between 2011 and 2014, the federal government conducted investigation into the incessant oil theft. The House of Representatives too carried out an investigation into the heinous economic crime.

Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonyinma, who was the chair of the House Committee which investigated the incidence of crude oil theft and made discoveries that are yet to be addressed, said: “The crude oil that landed in the United States port of Houston and port of Lake Charles, these are information produced by the US Customs – 391,141,049 million barrels, that is from Nigeria to the United States alone. We have the vessel numbers, we have the IMO number, we have the loading date, we have the loading order, we have the off-take date, off-take owner, off-take country and the number of barrels involved”.

Another investigation conducted by a team of Nigerian lawyers commissioned by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), revealed that crude oil stolen from Nigeria and discharged in a port in Philadelphia was 60.2 million barrels of crude oil. The value was $12.7 billion. The well-known oil and shipping companies involved in the criminal enterprise have been treated like sacred cows by the federal government.

President Bola Tinubu

NSC to Pay Super Eagles Coach Wages Upfront Till October

Duro Ikhazuagbe

In a clear departure from how national team coaches are owed several months of wages and allowances, the National Sports Commission (NSC) has pledged to take the burden off the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), to enable Franco-Mali-born Super Eagles gaffer, Eric Chelle, concentrate on the job of leading the senior national team to the World Cup.

Speaking yesterday on Segun

WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

Odegbami’s Eagle 7 FM Sports Radio FM, Chairman of the NSC, Mal Shehu Dikko, revealed that a “Presidential Support Group” is to pay the coach henceforth.

“It’s not the commission (NSC), paying directly but the support group is providing relief so that the NFF can focus on other critical needs,” Dikko said in the broadcast on Eagle 7 FM Sports Radio.

Dikko confirmed that Chelle’s wages up till October when Super Eagles would have concluded their 2026 World Cup qualifiers, is been processed for payment upfront.

“We are processing his payment upfront. The idea is to settle him completely, so he can concentrate on getting the team to the World Cup,” he said

“We’re not part of the contract.

But we’re committed to ensuring the coach has all the support he needs. After all, this is about Nigeria. If we can help, we will. And we are doing just that.”

Eric Chelle was appointed Super Eagles coach in January 2025.

Dikko also cited the immediate payment of bonuses to the Super Eagles after their last two 2026 World Cup qualifiers in March against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.

“The bonuses were paid immediately. While the players

were still at dinner, before they had even showered, the money was already on the table. That level of organisation shows respect and commitment,” the NSC chairman concluded.

Super Eagles are sitting precariously fourth place in 2026 World Cup Group C, with seven points — six adrift of table-toppers South Africa on 13 points and one behind Rwanda and Benin Republic on eight points each. Although the Bafana Bafana

Flying Eagles Open U20 AFCON Campaign with Win Against Tunisia

A first-half strike by Auwal Ibrahim off an inch-perfect pass from Odinaka Okoro was the difference as Nigeria maintained their

dominance over Tunisia in youth football at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo yesterday. The Flying Eagles played with

confidence against the aggressive North Africans, and Ibrahim’s goal was well-deserved after Nigeria dominated in the first period.

The seven-time champions thought they had secured a penalty kick in the 72nd minute to increase their lead, after Mendos Richson was

Europa: Man Utd, Spurs, Chelsea Win Big

Manchester United took a huge step towards reaching the Europa League final as a stunning spell in the first half against 10-man Athletic Bilbao ensured they take a big advantage into the semi-final second leg at Old Trafford.

Elsewhere, Tottenham took a big step towards the Europa League final with a deserved 3-1 first-leg win over Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt - but a late goal just leaves a little window of doubt.

Chelsea also have one foot in the Europa Conference League final after coming away from Stockholm with a comfortable 4-1 win against Djurgarden in the first leg of their semi-final. Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke struck in the first half to settle the nerves for the Blues against their Swedish opponents.

Playing at a vociferous San Mames Stadium, the Manchester United could have been 2-0 down after Inaki Williams sent a header from a good position over, before Victor

good skill on the right

for Casemiro to head in. It got even better for the visitors seven minutes later when, after a review by the video assistant referee,

they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Rasmus Hojlund by Dani Vivian,

boos from the home fans

to coolly place the spot kick into the back of the net.

And a rampant United went 3-0 up just before the break when Manuel Ugarte played a clever flick to send Fernandes through and the captain made no mistake.

Ruben Amorim’s side could have had more in the second half with Casemiro - impressive throughoutclipping the outside of the post with a header from a corner.

shoved to the floor, but the Video Assistant Referee ruled otherwise.

Goalkeeper Ifeanyi Harcourt came up with a big save three minutes to the end, denying Tunisian forward Ben Ali from close range, and the game ended with the Nigerians on the high and looking forward to their clash with Morocco’s Lion Cubs at the same venue on Sunday evening.

Victory meant a fourth victory for Nigeria in six clashes with the Tunisians at U20 level, going back to 1981 when the Flying Eagles defeated their visitors 4-0 in a qualifying

fixture for the FIFA World Youth Championship in Australia. They lost the return leg 1-4 in Tunis but qualified for the final round. In 1985, both teams played a 1-1 draw in Tunis in the title fixture of the African U20 competition, but the Flying Eagles won the return 2-1 in Lagos to collect their second continental title.

Two years ago, in the third-place match of the Africa U20 Cup of Nations also held in Egypt, Nigeria mauled Tunisia 4-0 to pick up the bronze medals.

Ogun Upgrades Facilities, Ready to Host National Sports Festival

Duro Ikhazuagbe

With the 22nd National Sports Festival barely two weeks to kick off, Ogun State government has restated its readiness to host the best ever Games.

The state’s Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka, gave this assurance yesterday shortly after conducting some senior sports journalists round the upgraded MKO Abiola International Stadium, hub of the upcoming festival and the Alake Sports Centre, where some indoor games as well as handball will take place.

Hon. Isiaka gave the credit for the massive upgrading of the sports facilities to the state’s Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who is desirous to see Ogun sets new standards in the hosting of the National Sports Festival in the country.

“At the moment, we are close to 90 per cent ready with our facilities to host the National Sports Festival for the second time. From what you have seen of our facilities, you can testify to the fact that Ogun State will set another benchmark, perhaps, the best in the history of the festival.”

The commissioner who disclosed that both the opening and closing ceremonies will hold inside the MKO Abiola Stadium, was excited with the quality of work done on the facilities.

“The swimming pool is the only facility not ready for now and as you can see the contractor and his men are working round the clock to ensure that they deliver before the festival kicks off,” stressed Hon. Isiaka.

Despite expecting between 10,000 and 12,000 athletes for the festival, the commissioner hinted that all of them will be housed inside the Babcock University facilities with maximum

security provided.

“We are waiting for the Main Organising Committee (MOC) to give us the definite number of athletes to expect here Immediately registration for all the events ends.”

During the tour, most of the facilities at the Alake Sports Centre were wearing new looks with fresh paints. The facilities for the indoor games as well as the handball and volleyball courts were also wearing new looks with covered stands added.

The MKO Stadium facilities have similarly undergone tremendous upgrade as the facade of the stadium wears a new cladding look, while a brand new track recently laid looks inviting and refreshing. The football pitch has been given a new touch with the laying of a hybrid astroturf. Also, the enclosed VVIP pavilion at the stadium has been expanded to accommodate nearly 150 guests, up from the previous capacity of fewer than 50 guests amongst other facilities ready for the festival.

CBN Junior Tennis: Yahaya, Atilola, Others Qualify for S’finals

With gladiators gradually being separated from pretenders, Boys 14s top seed, Isa Yahaya who was given a wild card to play in the Boys 16 category, has justified his inclusion in that cadre by qualifying for the semi final as well as in the Boys 14. Both semifinals are today, May 2, 2025.

With the draws yet to be made as at the time of going to press, tournament chart reveals that Isa Yahaya may likely be drawn to face Boys 16 top seed and defending champion, Gbolahan Olawale from Ondo State who survived an early exit scare from Abdulrasheed Yusuf from Kano State or Number 2 seed,

Seyi Ogunsakin who is another strong title contender from Ekiti State. Other semi-finalists in the Boys 14s category include, Garuba Taiwo (Ogun State), Goodluck Tersoo (Abuja) and Joel Michael from Lagos. In the Girls 14s semi-finals match up, tournament top seed

and defending champion, Mofi Atilola who already has her eyes glued to the trophy, said nothing will stop her from advancing from the semi-finals to final and eventually lifting the trophy on Saturday. Accordto the organisers, aside the boys and girls 16s and boys and girls 14s, Friday’s semifinals will also include the boys 12s and girls 12s categories. Meanwhile, Coach Akinwunmi Ogunsakin from Ekiti State who registered 10 players in this year’s CBN Junior Tennis championship, said the effort is worthwhile as the children have been richly blessed with new skills in the game.

stand to be deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho, any slip up from the Bafana Bafana will gift Nigeria and Rwanda the chance to catch up at the top. Nigeria’s remaining matches include; September 1 date with Rwanda in Uyo; away trip to play South Africa on September 8; Super Eagles away trip to play Lesotho on October 6 and the final home game in Nigeria versus Benin Republic on October 13, 2025.

Auwal Ibrahim (right) leaves the Tunisian goalkeeper frustrated after scoring the lone winner... yesterday

Bruno Fernandes scored a brace as Manchester United defeated Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in the first leg of the Europa League semi final last night

Lindelof blocked Alex Berenguer’s shot on the line. But the game turned dramatically in United’s favour in the 30th minute when Harry Maguire produced some

before his cross was flicked on

who was subsequently sent off. Bruno Fernandes then closed out the loud

Hon. Wasiu Isiaka...Ogun State Commissioner for Sports Development

AKIN OSUNTOKUN

Afenifere: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (In Memory of Chief Ayo

Yesterday

In the understanding of ‘ethnicity as the expression of solidarity and common loyalty of peoples who share among themselves a country and a culture’- Chief Obafemi Awolowo was right to commit himself to the notion and evolution of ethnic solidarity among the Yoruba. To put it in his precise phrase “I would see to it that the Yoruba evolved an ethnic solidarity among themselves” Awolowo made this significant pledge at his departure from Nigeria to study law in the United kingdom, UK, in 1941. The vision was subsequently consummated with in the formation of the Egbe Omo Oduduwa in London in 1945 .

The pre colonial Yoruba political unit (nation) that antedated Nigeria, holistically found political and constitutional expression; and sociological continuity in the egbe omo Oduduwa and ultimately the Western region of the Nigerian state until 1962. This development was in consonance with Dan Elazar’s postulation of a postmodern global trend in which there is a general movement from class-based to ethnic-based politics.

Within the context of seeking political power in the

ethno regional predicated Nigerian politics, it would have been unrealistic of the Egbe omo Oduduwa not to rouse and magnify the urgency of the ethnic mobilization of the Yoruba. Nationalism tends to remain quiescent until there is the need to activate it, the Egbe and the Yoruba

found themselves with such a need in 1945.

Adebanjo)

The seed that germinated in the constructive confusion and identity instability of Afenifere (aka Action Group, AG) was presaged by the overlapping identities of the egbe and the AG. Of the same interpretation is the role of Awolowo as the founder of the two organisations, which further engendered the conflation of one with the other.

Prior to the formation of the AG, the dominant party in the Western region was the National Council of Nigerian citizens, NCNC. It was the enlistment of the ethnic rally (what Awolowo called the “ethnic solidarity”) provided by the egbe that enabled the AG to turn the tide of political supremacy against the NCNC in the Western region.

This trend was replicated in the other regions. It was a similar instrumentality of ethnic mobilization that accounted for the political dominance of the Northern Peoples Congress, NPC and NCNC in the Northern region and the Eastern region respectively. It was in recognition of this political pattern that recommended federalism as the most adaptable constitutional structure to the circumstances of Nigeria.

Specific to the Yoruba, the legacy of its 19th century history, especially as represented by the Afonja/ Alimi syndrome, reduced the threshold and tolerance of the

Yoruba for internal political squabble and disunity more so as it concerns any relationship with the Fulani dominated North.

This background served the exclusionary purpose of the consolidation of the AG towards becoming the dominant party in the Western region. Awolowo and the AG were themselves not in a hurry to shed this pan Yoruba toga until 1959. “the open declaration of ideology did not come until 1959 when the party made public a document containing a statement of its ideology”. This was in deference to the imperative of projecting the AG as a national party in order to confer cosmopolitan panache on the ambition of Awolowo to become the Prime Minister of Nigeria. Needless to say that his position as leader of opposition equally required of him a pan Nigerian outlook.

Upon the breakout of the AG crisis in 1962 and as it degenerated into his political isolation, Awolowo strategically and fervently sought to register the AG as a detribalised party in the collective consciousness of Nigerians. The short term compensation of this outreach was the alliance with the Igbocentric National Council of

For the Abolition of Poverty

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On the account of the nation’s immense human and natural resources, Nigerians ought not to be associated with poverty. But poverty cannot be abolished in a capitalist country. For instance, 37.9 million (11.5%) of the residents live in abject poverty in the United States that is said to be the richest country in the world. In justifying the harsh economic pains inflicted on the Nigerian people due to the zealous implementation of neoliberal economic policies, the federal government has blamed oil theft and smuggling of petroleum products as the cause of poverty in Nigeria. However, President Bola Tinubu has said that, “After the initial turbulence… the take-off was very cloudy and uncertain. Today, we see a light at the end of the tunnel.” Since we do not share in the optimism of the government, we are going to review the task of abolishing poverty in the country.

President Bola Tinubu

The World Bank says

that most Nigerians live on less than N3,440 per day.

In 2018, Nigeria was rated as the poverty capital of the world as about 87 million Nigerians fell into extreme poverty that year. In 2022, it was reported by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics that 133 million citizens had become “dimensionally poor.” The World Bank’s latest Africa’s Pulse report has projected a grim future for Nigeria, with poverty expected to rise by 3.6 percentage points by 2027.

Released during the ongoing IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, DC, the report cites Nigeria’s reliance on oil, economic fragility, and governance challenges as key drivers. It highlights the country’s structural economic weaknesses, dependence on oil revenues, and national fragility as key barriers to meaningful poverty reduction.

It has also been confirmed that Nigeria has been downgraded to the fourth position on the list of top African countries by gross domestic product (GDP).

Nigeria’s GDP has plummeted to $188.27 billion. In the African continent, South Africa leads with a GDP of $410.34 billion, followed by Egypt at $347.34 billion, and Algeria at $268.89 billion.

The Premium Times has observed that “Nigeria, which until 2023 was the continent’s biggest, fell to the fourth position after two sharp devaluations of its currency shrank its GDP by more than half, causing the naira to lose roughly 70 per cent of its value against the dollar.”

As a result of the reckless devaluation of the currency, the business environment has become hostile as a result of rising interest rates and scarcity of forex needed to import raw materials and machinery. According to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, 335 manufacturing companies became distressed and 767 shut down in the year 2023 with hundreds of thousands of job losses.

Continued on page 38

Late Chief Ayo Adebanjo

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo (middle), surrounded by Deputy Governor, Comrade Joel Salifu (4th right), other senior government officials and labour leaders in the state, performs the ceremonial cutting of the cake in commemoration of the 2025 International Workers’ Day at the Muhammadu Buhari Square in Lokoja, yesterday