FRIDAY 30TH MAY 2025

TotalEnergies Strikes Deal to Sell Interest in Bonga Oilfield for $510m Roger Brown: Seplat will redefine Nigeria’s gas future through innovation NLNG launches human capital devt programme for $5bn Train 7 project

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Peter Uzoho in Lagos

French oil major, TotalEnergies,

yesterday announced plans to sell its participation in the Bonga oilfield to a subsidiary of Shell in Nigeria, Shell Exploration and Production

Company (SNEPco), citing the need to focus more on gas and offshore activities.

TotalEnergies, in a statement,

said it will divest its 12.5 per cent non-operated stake in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 118 Production Sharing Contract (PSC) for $510 million.

“TotalEnergies continues to actively high-grade its upstream portfolio, to focus on assets with low technical costs and low emissions, and to lower

its cash breakeven,” said President, Exploration and Production at Continued on page 10

US Federal Appeals Court Reinstates Trump’s Tariffs After Trade Court Ruling... Page 32

Friday 30 May, 2025 Vol 30. No 11009. Price: N400

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

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Celebrating

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Years of Leadership and Progress

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n behalf of my family, friends, and the countless Nigerians who continue to believe in the promise of a brighter future, I am honoured to extend my heartfelt congratulations to His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as we mark the second anniversary of your ascendancy to the highest office of our dear nation.

Mr. President, these past two years have exemplified your unwavering commitment to the ideals of the Renewed Hope Agenda, a vision that has ignited optimism and inspired collective action among Nigerians.

Your leadership has been marked by

resilience, innovation, and an unyielding determination to address the multifaceted challenges facing our nation.

As we reflect on the milestones achieved under your stewardship, it is evident that your administration has laid a foundation for sustainable growth and national rejuvenation. Your focus on reforms in critical sectors such as infrastructure, education, security, and economic diversification has been instrumental in steering Nigeria towards progress and stability.

Your Excellency, I take this opportunity to assure you of my continued support, prayers, and dedication to the democratic principles and values you

Signed:

His Excellency, Sen. (Dr.) Abdul’aziz Yari Abubakar (Marafan Sokoto, Shettiman Zamfara) Zamfara West Senatorial District

embody. As you guide our great nation through the complexities of governance, may you be endowed with the strength, wisdom, and foresight required to navigate the path ahead.

On this momentous occasion, I pray for your continued good health, energy, and vision to fulfil the aspirations of millions of Nigerians who look to your leadership with hope and trust. May your efforts yield lasting peace, unity, and prosperity across all regions of our beloved country.

Long live Your Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu!

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

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THISDAY • FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2025

NEWS

Group News Editor: Goddy Egene Email: Goddy.egene@thisdaylive.com, 0803 350 6821, 0807 401 0580

HADIZA BALA USMAN’S COURTESY CALL TO NNPCL NEW MANAGEMENT...

L–R: The Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination & Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU), Hadiza Bala Usman; Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mr. Bayo Ojulari; and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of NNPC Ltd, Mr. Adedapo Segun, during the Special Adviser’s courtesy visit to the NNPC Ltd’s new management, yesterday

Green Energy Unveils 360,000 Bpd Oil Terminal, First By Any Indigenous Firm Facility to reduce Nigeria’s crude evacuation challenges 90% of $400m project handled locally, says energy company

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

In a move that will significantly reduce Nigeria’s crude evacuation challenges, Green Energy International Limited (GEIL) has unveiled its $400 million Otakikpo oil terminal, the first of its kind to be built by any private indigenous oil company in the country.

The unveiling of the facility located near the Ogoni and Opobo fields in Rivers state, also represents an opportunity for over 40 stranded fields around the area to contribute to the Nigerian economy.

A huge volume of Nigeria’s oil in the Niger Delta is stranded, without any evacuation route for export. This issue significantly affects the country’s ability to monetise its oil resources and has serious economic, operational, and security implications.

With 750,000 barrels of oil storage capacity (expandable to 3 million barrels) and 360,000 barrels per day pumping capability, the terminal offers a secure and efficient evacuation route for the oil reserves in the region. Designed to handle up to 250,000 barrels per day of crude injection, the facility presents an opportunity for third-party producers, fostering economic inclusion and job creation in the Niger Delta.

Another advantage of the facility is that the Otakikpo terminal is within 6 kilometres to 13 kilometres distance from the Opobo and Ogoni fields, which are more than 60 kilometres from the nearest evacuation and export infrastructure.

Speaking when the company took journalists and members of the Independent Petroleum Producer Group (IPPG) on a tour of the project, Chairman of Green Energy, Prof Anthony Adegbulugbe, said the humongous facility was completed two years before the scheduled time.

He paid homage to the hardworking Green Energy staff and service providers, who worked tirelessly on the Otakikpo onshore terminal, the first of such to be constructed in decades in Nigeria.

“It is noteworthy that more than 90 per cent of the contract value of this national asset was handled by indigenous contractors, and the beautiful edifices and civil works were constructed by the king of the community, the Okan-Ama of Ikuru town. A proud Andoni King, a lover of his people,” he stated.

While praising all those who made the project a reality, Adegbulugbe stated that despite the challenges, there was not a day of rancour or complaints, noting

that one of the companies, WAV, together with the technical team weathered all the challenges and delivered against all.

“This historic and critical national infrastructure was delivered ahead of schedule in what I believe is a clear statement of intent by our country and Nigerian indigenous E& P companies to the international community that Nigeria is ready to play a leading role in the global en-

The federal government yesterday began the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas-powered buses to Nigerian universities, beginning with the University of Abuja, as part of efforts to cushion the high cost of transportation and promote cleaner energy use on campuses.

The project, tagged CNG-SPROUT, is in the first phase and is expected to be replicated across 20 federal universities nationwide. SPROUT stands for Special Palliative Relief on University Transportation.

Performing the commissioning, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, described the initiative as a timely response to Nigeria’s energy transition and economic realities.

“I hereby commission the Project CNG-Sprout buses for deployment

to university campuses across the country. May they serve as vehicles not just of transport, but of hope, relief, and national progress,” he said.

He explained that the initiative was designed to provide immediate palliative relief to students while also aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s broader commitment to energy affordability, environmental responsibility, and transport sector reform.

“As we navigate energy reforms and shift towards cleaner fuels, cushioning the impact on vulnerable populations, particularly students, remains a key national priority,” Ekpo said.

The project is being implemented through the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF) in partnership with FEMADEC Energy Limited, which was commended for completing

hope—the belief that Nigeria’s oil industry can be fully indigenous, execute world class projects and drive industry transformation.

“It represents opportunity—an open door for over 40 stranded fields to finally contribute to our economy. It represents a promise—a promise to the communities that host the Ogoni and Opobo assets that their resources will not be neglected for one more day,” he said.

He argued that it will be difficult for Nigeria to increase daily crude production to above 3 million barrels per day without debottlenecking the country’s E&P’s upstream & midstream infrastructure.

To achieve this goal, the NNPC and indigenous operators, he said, must forge an unbreakable alliance to quickly and efficiently unleash the full potential of our country’s resources.

LCCI: Tinubu’s Reforms Expanding Service Sector, Leave Real Sector Struggling Pate: Reforms attract Pharma investors, add 4m Nigerians to health insurance

Nume Ekeghe and Dike Onwuamaeze

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has reviewed the impacts of President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s economic reforms and declared that the reforms have grown the service sector and left the real sector, especially manufacturing and agriculture struggling for survival.

The Director General of LCCI, Dr.

FG Begins Deployment of CNGpowered Vehicles in 20 Varsities Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

ergy security and its own prosperity.

It is proof that Nigerian companies can execute world-class projects, drive industry transformation, and set new benchmarks for operational excellence.

“To me, to my company, to the community, to our dear country, this terminal represents more than steel and storage tanks, more than pumps and generators, more than marine export infrastructure. It represents

the first phase of deployment on schedule.

The minister added that the rollout of CNG buses was only the beginning of a wider plan to revolutionise Nigeria’s public transportation system.

“In the coming months, we will be unveiling further incentives for CNG vehicle conversion, expanding refuelling infrastructure, and supporting local assembly and innovation in the CNG value chain. This is not just a transport solution, it is a jobs and industrialisation pathway,” he said.

In his remarks, the MDGIF Managing Director, Oluwole Adama, applauded the President for providing what he termed clear “executive steer” through initiatives such as the Executive Order 40 and the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PCNGI).

Chinyere Almona, said that two years into the administration, Nigeria has undergone significant policy shifts - most notably, the removal of fuel subsidies, exchange rate liberalisation, and attempts to shore up public revenues through tax reforms.

Almona, who assessed the macroeconomic impacts of these reforms, said that Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 3.4 per cent in 2024 from 2.74 per cent in 2023 was “driven by the services sector, which expanded by 5.37 per cent and accounted for over 57 per cent of GDP. “This growth, while positive, has been uneven as manufacturing and agriculture sectors have continued to struggle due to high production costs, insecurity, and logistical inefficiencies, limiting business competitiveness.”

She said that these reform measures “have also imposed short-term hardships on businesses and households, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which remain the backbone of the Nigerian economy.”

According to her, Nigeria’s current macroeconomic landscape reflects a nation in transition.

She said: “On one hand, the government’s economic reform agenda - centered on the Renewed Hope mantra - has attracted some investor interest, revived engagement with multilateral institutions, and improved public finance efficiency.

“But on the other hand, inflationary pressures have reached historic highs, driven by high energy costs, food insecurity, forex instability, and weak industrial productivity.

“There are also growing concerns about policy coordination. While monetary authorities target inflation, fiscal policy expands through borrow-

ing and recurrent expenditure. This divergence has weakened the impact of economic interventions and eroded investor confidence.”

Almona also added that inflation, which stood at 23.7 per cent in April 2025, has remained a critical challenge.

According to her, “fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange (FX) liberalisation have increased prices, especially for transportation and food.

“The removal of fuel subsidy alone freed up an estimated $7.5 billion annually, but tripled fuel costs. While this improves the fiscal outlook, it increases business operating expenses, particularly logistics, agro-processing, and retail SMEs,” Almona said.

The LCCI also said that “businesses still face challenges accessing forex for imports, and many continue to price goods defensively due to volatility concerns” in spite of the FX reforms and unification of the exchange rate that have improved transparency, boosted confidence, and enabled the Naira to stabilise around N1,600/$ and external reserves rising above $37 billion.

It added that public debt has grown to N144.67 trillion, with debt service still consuming over 90 per cent of federal revenue and advised that the government must consider cheaper sources of debt and deploy debt into the real economy to subsidise production.

The LCCI acknowledged that Tinubu’s bold macroeconomic reforms, which are aimed at correcting longstanding structural distortions, have come with significant short-term socio-economic costs but offered the potential for long-term macroeconomic stability and inclusive growth if they are implemented effectively and supported by strong institutional backing.

Meanwhile, the Coordinating

Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, has said the Tinubu administration’s reforms in healthcare are yielding results, with over four million Nigerians newly enrolled in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and fresh momentum toward ending the country’s reliance on imported pharmaceuticals.

Speaking on Channels Television, yesterday, Pate noted that President Tinubu’s administration is actively addressing the long-standing de-industrialisation of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector.

This, he said, is being tackled through the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) an ambitious plan aimed at transforming Nigeria into a regional hub for health products by boosting local production and encouraging private-sector participation.

He said: “For decades, Nigeria has been systematically de-industrialised.

We were dependent on imports of the most basic things like generic pharmaceuticals, which we could have produced,” Pate said, highlighting policy inconsistencies that stifled local manufacturers.

He pointed to recent reforms, including an executive order to reduce tariffs on raw materials and manufacturing equipment, as measures designed to correct the course. He also highlighted the ‘Nigeria First’ policy, which promotes local content and encourages Nigerians to patronise homegrown pharmaceutical products.

“Recently, we commissioned a manufacturing plant in Sagamu in Ogun State, and several others have now started setting up, one here in Abuja is able to produce 600 million test kits.”

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NEWS

COURTESY VISIT TO ZENITH BANK...

L–R: Executive Director, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Akin Ogunranti; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji; the Oniru of Iruland, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal, Abisogun II; His wife, Olori Mariam Lawal; and Executive Director, Mr. Adamu Lawani, during the monarchs’ visit to the bank in Lagos, yesterday

Atiku: Tinubu’s Addiction to Loans Mortgaging Nigeria’s Future

Declares report of students writing exams in dark, unfit conditions, national disgrace NACCIMA, CPPE voice concerns over fiscal sustainability Analysts say loans will narrow fiscal deficit, boost economy if well utilised Chuks Okocha, James Emejo in Abuja and Dike Onwuamaeze in Lagos Former Vice President and presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubukar, yesterday accused the President Bola Tinubu government of mortgaging Nigeria’s future by taking too many loans.

Atiku said the decision to take further loans was not only reckless but also a dangerous move that threatened the future of citizens and generations

yet unborn.

National President of Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), and Centre for Private Enterprises (CPPE) also raised concerns over the federal government’s growing appetite for public borrowings, especially given the significant disparity between actual oil production levels and budgeted projections.

They also expressed worry over public debt sustainability amid fiscal challenges.

However, analysts said the federal government’s new borrowing requests could help narrow the fiscal deficit in the 2025 budget if utilised for development purposes.

The reservations came against the backdrop of Tinubu’s formal request for the approval of the National Assembly to secure a new wave of multi-currency loans amounting to approximately $23.5 billion, €2.265 billion, ¥15 billion, and N757.9 billion, totalling about N45 trillion when converted to the naira.

The borrowing plan spanning

multiple international lenders and development institutions marks one of the most ambitious external financing proposals of the Tinubu administration.

Specifically, the president sought approval to raise up to $2 billion in capital from the domestic debt market.

But there are growing concerns over the continued public debt accumulation by the current administration amid elevated borrowings from previous administrations.

In a statement he signed, Atiku said the “announcement by the Tinubu-led

Okoli: Advanced Mechanisation Technology, Adherence to Global Best Practices Will Transform Agriculture James Emejo in Abuja

The Chief Executive, AGCOMS International Trading Limited, Chijioke Okoli, has said the country’s exposure to advanced mechanisation technology and adoption of global best practices remained key to transforming the agricultural landscape.

He said despite Nigeria’s current historic low mechanisation level, the strong focus of President Bola Tinubu’s administration on increasing tractor usage increases the prospects and potential for the sector.

He spoke at the annual NAMPO Harvest Day in South Africa, the largest agricultural trade show on the continent.

AGCOMS is Nigeria’s John Deere dealer, delivering tractors, implements, after sales support, and mechanisation solutions tailored to smallholders and commercial

farmers alike.

The company, a trade facilitation and agricultural mechanisation firm took the message of optimism about mechanisation of Nigerian agriculture to the 2025 NAMPO, to further spotlight the potential of the sector to global investors.

The current administration is implementing a multiplicity of programmes to boost agricultural mechanisation including the deployment of over 30,000 tractors across the nation over five years, establishment of mechanisation hubs and training of tractor operators and mechanics.

Okoli said, “It’s vital for the world to know that, despite Nigeria’s historic current low mechanisation level, the prospects of the country are bright because of the strong focus of the Tinubu administration on increasing tractor usage in the country. So we have every reason to be optimistic.”

According to him, “The trip was also an opportunity for us to see and learn from cutting edge developments This trip represents more than just attendance—it is a bold statement of our vision.

“We are committed to building the most knowledgeable and forward-thinking team in Africa.

Exposure to advanced mechanisation technology and global best practices is key to transforming our agricultural landscape.”

Widely acknowledged as the most influential event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, the event witnessed a record-breaking 87,191 visitors over four days.

AGCOMS, the authorised dealer of the iconic John Deere brand of agricultural equipment, was represented at the event by a team of 10 key staff led by Okoli.

Also in attendance at the event was a team from Niger State, a

Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu, Alia Laud Methodist Prelate Aba On 65th Birthday Mary Nnah

In a grand celebration marking a major milestone in the life of the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Oliver Ali Aba, Nigeria’s top leadership showered praise on the revered cleric on his 65th birthday, on Tuesday.

President Bola Tinubu, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia were among the dignitaries who paid glowing tributes to the Prelate, describing him as a beacon

of righteousness, a key ally in Nigeria’s quest for unity and national development, and a transformative leader whose contributions remain instrumental to the nation’s growth and progress.

The celebration, which was held at the Hoares Memorial Methodist Cathedral in Yaba, Lagos, was a fitting tribute to the Prelate’s enduring impact on the nation.

According to a statement by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, President Tinubu said, “Your teachings have

inspired hope, uplifted lives, and fortified the moral foundation of our nation.”

Akume quoted the President as urging the Prelate and other denominations to partner with his administration in driving economic growth and strengthening democracy.

“Church and state have always cooperated in service to humanity. I urge you and other denominations to partner with my administration in driving economic growth and strengthening democracy,” the President was quoted as saying.

state which is in the forefront of mechanisation at the sub-national level.

The state’s delegation was led by the Chief Executive of Niger Foods, Mr. Sammy Adigun.

Meanwhile, ine of the highlights of this year’s exhibition was the historic launch of the John Deere 9RX 830 hp Tractor - adjudged as the most powerful tractor ever introduced in Africa.

It combines massive horsepower, quad-track agility, cutting-edge technology, and operator luxury.

It’s designed for elite agricultural operations that demand maximum performance, efficiency, and precision in large-scale fieldwork.

APC government to pursue fresh external and domestic loans is a reckless and dangerous move that threatens the future of Nigeria and generations yet unborn”.

The former vice president stated, “Despite national outrage, this administration is pushing ahead with plans to borrow $21.54 billion, €2.19 billion, and ¥15 billion — an equivalent of over $24 billion, which is more than 60 per cent of Nigeria’s total foreign exchange reserves. This borrowing spree will raise our total public debt from N144.7 trillion to a crushing N183 trillion.”

He explained that this was coming at a time when Nigeria’s debt burden was already alarming.

According to Atiku, “As of December 31, 2024, public debt stood at $94 billion (N144.7 trillion).

“Since President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, public debt has jumped by 65.6 per cent.

“Under the APC-led administration since 2015, public debt has ballooned by 1,048 per cent, from N12.6 trillion to N144.7 trillion “The debt-to-GDP ratio has exceeded 50 per cent.

“The debt-service-to-revenue ratio is over 130 per cent, meaning the government now spends more on repaying loans than it earns.”

Atiku stated, “This is not just unsustainable — it is immoral.

“The Tinubu administration is borrowing money not for development but to service existing loans, fuelling a debt spiral that leaves nothing for

infrastructure, education, healthcare, or jobs.

“This addiction to borrowing, entrenched under the APC-led administration and now accelerated

by President Tinubu, has turned public finance into a Ponzi scheme — borrowing to pay debt, then borrowing again to pay interest. Nigeria is now caught in a vicious cycle that mortgages the future to pay for the past.

“We warn that this is economic sabotage in plain sight.”

The former vice president said, “We demand that this reckless borrowing plan be halted immediately. We call on lawmakers, civil society organisations, the media, and the international community to take urgent action to stop this looming catastrophe.

“Nigeria must not be sold into debt slavery.”

National President of NACCIMA, Mr. Dele Oye, voice similar worry, saying the federal government’s growing appetite for public borrowings is particularly disturbing, especially given the actual oil production levels, which were about 1.5 million barrels per day (mbpd), lower than the budgeted projections of over 2 mbpd at projected price of $75 per barrel.

Oye said while borrowing might be necessary to bridge the financial gap, the magnitude of the borrowing in a single transaction raised questions about fiscal sustainability and the potential burden on future generations.

He said it was crucial for the government to ensure responsible and effective allocation of borrowed funds.

Dangote, Gate Foundations, Others Facilitate Vaccination of 20,000 Children in 3 States Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano The Dangote and Gates foundations, in collaboration with Community Reorientation Women Network (CROWN), facilitated lifesaving vaccinations for over 20,000 children, and linked over 50,000 pregnant women to antenatal services in six states across the north.

Speaking at a press conference in Kano on Thursday, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Foundation, Zouera Yousouffou, explained that CROWN had galvanised over 5,000 ambassadors, placing them in the women collectives, to provide key messages to caregivers, as well as identify children and women needing services.

According to her, the group has

already conducted a pilot outreach in 39 wards across three states, out of the six identified states, with the network of ambassadors and facilitators.

Yousouffou, who presented a keynote message with focus on the CROWN concept and its objectives, introduced the board members, and spoke to the vision of the future.

She said CROWN was a volunteer-based women collective committed to advancing human development indices in the most remote areas.

According to her, “Our entry point has been health but we are consolidating and plan to expand to education and nutrition.

“These women will be supported with economic empowerment

schemes that builds on the crafts they are interested in ensuring that this is a wraparound support that empowers the woman and benefits her family.

“We have implemented pilots in a few wards across some states including Kano, Sokoto and of course Bauchi where we started.

And we have started to see the promise that this holds in improving immunization uptake, preventing malnutrition and linking over 190 thousand families to essential health services.

“With this proof of concept established, we recently incorporated CROWN as a grassroots entity, and yesterday, inaugurated the Board of Trustees here in Kano to help steer this initiative and keep us true to cause.

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SOUVENIR FOR EU AMBASSADOR...

L–R: European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Gautier Mignot, receiving the Lagos State Government plaque from the Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during a courtesy visit at Lagos House, Marina, yesterday

Edun, Adesina: $500m Nigeria Trust Fund Replenishment Will Unlock Private Capital Sidi Ould Tah elected AfDB president Tinubu rejoices with Mauritanian counterpart Buhari lauds Adesina for successful tenure as AfDB boss

Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Nume Ekeghe in Abidjan The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and the outgoing President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, have reaffirmed that the newly approved $500 million replenishment of the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF) will catalyse private capital inflows into low-income and fragile African states.

The amendment to the protocol agreement establishing the NTF was signed in Abidjan yesterday by Edun and Adesina on the sidelines of the AfDB Annual Meetings.

Established in 1976, the NTF is a concessional loan window created

by Nigeria within the AfDB to offer soft financing for the continent’s most vulnerable economies. The latest funding injection, to be disbursed in tranches, also extends the life of the Fund to 2040.

Also, the Director General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Dr. Sidi Ould Tah of Mauritania has been elected as the new President of the AfDB, ushering in a fresh chapter for the continent’s premier development finance institution.

After three tense rounds of voting, Ould Tah clinched the top seat with 76 per cent of delegate votes, becoming the 9th president of the Bank since its establishment in 1967.

Speaking at the signing, Edun first praised Adesina’s transformative tenure, calling it a decade of global impact

for the Bank.

“We congratulate and felicitate with Dr. Akinwumi Adesina on a most successful tenure of ten years. He raised the international profile and public persona of the AfDB, putting it firmly on the world stage,” Edun said.

On Nigeria’s renewed commitment to the Fund, he added: “The NTF was first established in 1976 and Nigeria is proud to be replenishing for the sum of $500 not all at once but also in good time and also extending to 2040 the tenure of the fund. We know it is a pull of funds to help the less developing countries amongst us.

“We are all developing countries and we are all striving to achieve the reduction of poverty and improvement of our lives and people and indeed the industrialization and modernisation of our economy we must try not to leave anyone behind.

“The NTF is there to help the least stable amongst us and Nigeria is proud to provide that leadership to Africa and to be an integral part of the AfDB,” he said.

Adesina, in response, said Nigeria had once again demonstrated bold leadership in the face of Africa’s development challenges.

He said: “The $500 million that you have committed to the AfDB for the NTF would allow us to do balance sheet optimisation, more hybrid capital and mobilise more private capital for many low-income countries because they would not get very far if they cannot expand their private sector.

So, Nigeria again is doing the right thing and showing the right leadership

and commitment to the low-income countries in Africa.

“And of course, as these countries have more resources, they would reduce their debt because they can mobilise more private capital.”

Meanwhile, the new president-elect of AfDB, Ould Tah would be bringing over with him over 30 years of experience in public service, multilateral institutions, and development finance.

Ould Tah began his career in 1984 at the Mauritanian Bank for Development and Commerce (BMDC) and later held roles at the Food Security Commission and Municipality of Nouakchott.

He also served as Advisor to the Director General and Head of Internal Auditing at the Nouakchott Port Authority. His regional experience includes a stint as a Financial Analyst at the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID) in Sudan and senior positions at the Islamic Development Bank, where he was Technical Assistant to the President.

On the political front, Ould Tah was economic advisor to both the President and Prime Minister of Mauritania from 2006 to 2008, before serving as Minister of Economy and Finance and later as Minister of Economic Affairs and Development.

In his address, he acknowledged the weight of the role and expressed gratitude to the African nations that supported his candidacy, stating, “Now let’s go to work, I’m ready,” he stated.

Also, President Bola Tinubu has felicitated his Mauritanian counterpart, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani,

Cardoso Named Central Bank Governor of the Year James Emejo in Abuja

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, has been named the Central Bank Governor of the Year by African Banker magazine.

The award was presented at the 2025 African Banker Awards Gala, held on Wednesday, May 28, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The event organisers recognised Cardoso’s “bold and strategic” leadership in steering monetary and regulatory reforms that had restored stability and confidence in Nigeria’s financial system.

In a statement, the Awards Committee praised the CBN under Cardoso for implementing key policy measures aimed at stabilising the naira, improving transparency in the foreign exchange market, and re-establishing policy credibility.

The committee also stated that the efforts had laid the groundwork for long-term macroeconomic resilience and renewed investor confidence.

Adviser to the CBN Governor on Stakeholder Engagement and Strategic Communication, Dr. Nkiru Balonwu, accepted the award on Cardoso’s behalf.

Balonwu was accompanied on

stage by the bank’s Director, Monetary Policy Department, Dr. Victor Oboh, and Director of Banking Supervision Department, Dr. Olubukola Akinwumi.

They were later joined by a member of the bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), Dr. Aloysius Ordu.

According to the organisers, “The award reflects the committee’s recognition of Governor Cardoso’s recent achievements and the central bank’s critical role in addressing market imbalances and repositioning the Nigerian economy for sustainable growth.”

on the election of Ould Tah as the ninth President of the AfDB Group.

Tah will succeed Adesina of Nigeria, who will step down in September after completing two five-year terms.

In a telephone conversation from Lagos with the Mauritanian leader on Thursday afternoon, after Tah’s election at the AfDB’s Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte D’Ivoire, the President, in a release issued by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, commended the transparent process that led to the emergence of the former Mauritanian Finance Minister.

President Tinubu believed that Dr Tah would bring a wealth of experience to the role, given his track record in former positions.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s strong partnership with the AfDB, emphasising its status as the institution’s largest shareholder among its member countries, comprising 54 African

nations and 27 non-African states.

The President restated his commitment to working closely with the incoming AfDB president to advance shared priorities, including infrastructure development, agricultural transformation, energy access, and climate resilience.

Nigeria recently approved a $500 million capital replenishment for the NTF in May 2025, extending the fund’s operations by another 15 years. Established in 1976, the NTF is a special AfDB fund fully financed

by Nigeria to support development projects across Africa.

Tinubu pledged Nigeria’s full support for Tah in implementing his vision for the institution, including strengthening regional financial institutions, promoting Africa’s economic independence, leveraging population growth for development, and building climate-resilient infrastructure.

Tinubu thanked the outgoing

President, Adesina, and wished him success in his future endeavours.

Also on Thursday, ex-President Muhammadu Buhari rejoiced with Adesina on his completion of two terms as Managing Director of the AfDB, saying that he is happy with the enormous success achieved at the end of his tenure, and is glad to have supported his emergence as the helmsman of the bank in the first and second instances.

Buhari, in a release issued by his spokesperson, Mallam Garba said: “I have seen Dr. Adesina, a son of Nigeria, put up a spectacular performance in the African Development Bank after two terms.

“As his tenure ends and a successor is emerging, records show that he has set such a great, unmatched record of excellence, leaving shareholders far happier than they had ever been. I am happy with the role I played in bringing his talent forward.”

Tax Reforms Bills in Youth Interest, Say FIRS Chairman, Presidential Aide Senate passes harmonised version

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Zach Adedeji, yesterday, urged youths to be more involved in tax matters.

He said doing so would in order to have a clear understanding of how it works and benefits they stand to derive from taxation.

This was as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Citizenship and Leadership, Ms. Rinsola Abiola, said the tax reforms driven by President Bola Tinubu are focused on empowering, supporting and building a better economic future for young Nigerians to thrive.

Adedeji and Abiola spoke at a Youth and Tax Town hall meeting jointly organised by the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Citizenship and Leadership and the FIRS. The FIRS Chairman, represented by his Special Adviser on Research and Statistics, Prof. Aisha Mahmoud

Haman, noted that building a culture of voluntary tax compliance lies in engaging Nigeria’s young majority, who make up more than 60 percent of the population.

He said, “Taxation is both a fiscal tool and a social contract. It is the foundation of public trust and the most sustainable means by which governments meet their obligations to the people.”

He acknowledged the longstanding public perception of taxation as a burden, but said the FIRS was actively working to rebuild that relationship.

Adedeji said, “Our role at the FIRS is not simply to collect taxes but to build a culture of voluntary compliance, transparency, accountability, and most crucially, inclusion.

“If we harness this energy productively, Nigeria can become one of the most competitive economies in the world. But if we ignore it, we risk deepening economic exclusion, unemployment, and social tension.”

For her part, Abiola explained that

Nigeria’s proposed tax reforms were not just about revenue collection but also about opportunity, empowerment, and national inclusion.

She added, “A lot has been said about the proposed tax reforms. I wish to assure everyone present here today, and indeed all other young people across the country, that these reforms have been crafted with the best interests of young people at heart, whether as professionals, salary earners, or business owners.”

Abiola emphasised that young people were no longer the leaders of tomorrow but active participants in shaping economic policies today.

She listed advocacy, innovation, entrepreneurship, and policy engagement as key avenues through which youths can influence Nigeria’s tax landscape.

“By fostering entrepreneurship and job creation, young people contribute to expanding the tax base and generating revenue for national development,” she said.

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Oil Losses: NUPRC Gets Historic Measurement Systems Audit

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

To safeguard Nigeria’s commonwealth and enforce accountability in the oil and gas sector, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), has received the engineering audit of upstream measurement equipment and facilities in the industry end–of–project report from PE Energy.

Approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in 2024, the report, a statement from the NUPRC said, is a significant step toward improving hydrocarbon measurement and accountability, essential for ensuring optimal revenue collection within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

As mandated by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, the NUPRC is tasked with ensuring that hydrocarbon resources are accurately measured and

reported.

According to the upstream regulator, the audit has helped in conducting a gap analysis, delivering a verified baseline inventory of all measurement points and implementing a competency transfer programme for the commission toward reshaping regulatory culture in the upstream sector.

Areas covered by the audit include on-site inspections and evaluation of all upstream metering systems, documentation of both current and ideal measurement points as defined by the PIA. It also includes development of intervention strategies, ranging from equipment upgrades to new installations, and advisory services to optimise measurement in areas with limited metering infrastructure.

The audit initiative, according to the

Gbenga Komolafe Chairman of PE Energy, Daere Akobo, is a critical pillar in Nigeria’s broader reform agenda for the oil and gas sector.

It seeks to overhaul how oil production is measured and monitored, sending

a clear message that a new era under the PIA has begun, where accuracy, accountability, and transparency are non-negotiable.

The NUPRC Chief Executive,

TotalEnergies Strikes Deal to Sell Interest in Bonga Oilfield for $510m

TotalEnergies, Nicolas Terraz.

However, the company stated that the deal was still subject to necessary approvals by the Nigerian authorities.

TotalEnergies has been in Nigeria for more than 60 years and employs more than 1,800 people across different business segments. Nigeria is one of the main contributing countries to TotalEnergies’ hydrocarbon production, with 209,000 barrels per day (bpd) produced in 2024.

The company also operates an extensive distribution network, which includes about 540 service stations in the country.

The statement said, “TotalEnergies announces that its subsidiary TotalEnergies EP Nigeria (TEPNG) signed an agreement with Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd (SNEPCo) for the sale of its non-operated 12.5 per cent interest in the OML118 Production Sharing Contract (PSC) for an amount of $ 510 million.”

OML118 PSC is operated by SNEPCo (55 per cent), in partnership with Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (20 per cent), TotalEnergies EP Nigeria (12.5 per cent), and Nigerian Agip Exploration (12.5 per cent).

Located deep offshore at 120 kilometres south of the Niger Delta in Nigeria, it contains the Bonga field, which started production in 2005, as well as the Bonga North field, the development of which started in 2024.

According to the company, production from the OML 118 PSC, which is mainly oil, represents approximately 11,000 bpd in company share in 2024.

“Completion of the transaction is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals,” it added.

In Nigeria, the company said it was focusing on its operated gas and offshore oil assets and was currently progressing the development of Ubeta project, designed to sustain gas supply to Nigeria LNG. TotalEnergies had recently undertaken divestments in Nigeria, aligning with a broader trend among international oil companies (IOCs) to reduce their onshore operations due to various challenges, ranging from their emissions reduction goals to issues with host communities.

In July 2024, TotalEnergies agreed to sell its 10 per cent stake in the SPDC joint venture to Chappal Energies for $860 million. The transaction included interests in 15 oil-producing licenses and three gas-producing licences in the Niger Delta region.

Despite transferring its participating interest, TotalEnergies retained full economic interest in the gas assets to ensure continued supply to Nigeria LNG. Meanwhile, from landmark acquisitions to digital innovation and environment, social and governance (ESG) leadership, Seplat Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, Roger Brown, said the energy sector leader was transforming Nigeria’s energy landscape and setting new standards for Africa’s indigenous operators.

Brown stated this during an interview with Forbes Africa/Penresa team, according to a statement by the company.

Following its landmark acquisition of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) assets, the CEO maintained that Seplat Energy was poised to redefine Nigeria’s gas future through a blend of integration, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to inclusive national development.

He stated, “We are absolutely delighted to have completed the MPNU acquisition. It’s a true game-changer for Seplat Energy. The scale of this transaction is simply monumental.

“We’re now active in 11 blocks, eight of which we operate directly.

The acquisition not only doubled Seplat’s reserves but also significantly expanded its footprint and diversified its portfolio across upstream and midstream sectors.

“We have seven onshore blocks and four shallow-water offshore blocks. With this acquisition, we formed Seplat Energy Producing Nigeria Unlimited (SEPNU) and now manage operations that connect seamlessly into three terminals - one offshore and two onshore.”

Brown added, “This gives us a fully integrated value chain – from the wellhead all the way to export via vessel – with Seplat in full control of operations.

“Our production has materially increased. We’ve moved from around 50,000 barrels per day to over 120,000 barrels per day. We’re proud to say that our workforce now includes around 1,500 professionals – the vast majority of whom are Nigerians.”

Brown emphasised that the gas resource in Seplat’s offshore blocks was extraordinary.

He stated, “While not all of it is currently classified as proven reserves, we estimate the actual volumes are three times what we’re currently reporting. This gas will be instrumental.

“It will feed into domestic power generation, industrial uses, such as fertiliser and petrochemicals, and LNG – both Nigerian LNG and new floating LNG initiatives.

“This is a major opportunity for Nigeria as we move into a new phase of energy autonomy. It’s not just about exporting oil and gas anymore; it’s about building domestic capacity that supports job creation, industrialisation, and long-term economic resilience.

“Seplat’s strategy remains focused on meeting Nigeria’s specific energy needs.

“You must tailor your energy strategy to where you operate.

Nigeria has one of the lowest levels of energy access globally. Affordable, reliable energy is essential for economic development, job creation, manufacturing, education, and healthcare. Gas is the answer for Nigeria’s base load electricity. It’s available 24/7, 365 days a year.”

By the end of this year, Brown said the company would have three operational gas processing plants onshore, stating that strategically, these are located to serve high-demand areas, such as Lagos and Abuja.

“Together, with our offshore acquisition, we’ll soon be capable of processing one billion cubic feet of gas per day. This expanded gas capacity will lower electricity costs and displace expensive and polluting diesel generators,” he said.

While gas remains foundational, Brown said Seplat was already thinking ahead. He added that the company did have ambitions in renewables and electricity generation.

“But for now, the biggest opportunities – and the greatest needs – lie in upstream oil and gas and midstream gas processing. At some point, when the time is right, we will take further steps into the electricity space,” he said.

The company’s long-term roadmap includes expanding modular solutions

FG to Train 500,000 Civil Servants on Digital Literacy to Improve Governance

Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja

The federal government is to train 500,000 civil servants on digital literacy to improve government’s operations by eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks in official transactions.

The Director General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dasuki Arabi, disclosed this in Abuja, Thursday at the ITGOV Nigeria 2025 conference, with the theme, “Advancing Government Operations Through Digital Transformation”, organised

by Transter IT and ManageEngine.

Arabi, who was represented by the Director Strategy, Innovation and Research, Sulala, said, “In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, IT automation has become not just a tool, but a strategic imperative for modern governance.

“From eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks to improving service delivery and accountability. automation is at the very heart of the transformation journey we must all embark upon. “ At the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), we have long embraced our role as an engine of

change. Through platforms like our self-assessment tool and the website ranking scorecard for MDAs, we have embedded performance metrics into the fabric of public service delivery.

“However, digital tools alone cannot drive transformation. We must invest in people, the true enablers of innovation. “That’s why we have

committed to training 500,000 public servants in digital literacy and emerging technologies, equipping them to manage and sustain these technologies for long-term impact.”

He called for collaboration between all the tiers of government for the project to be realised, adding, “We urge all relevant state and federal

institutions to collaborate with us on this ambitious but necessary goal.”

The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA, Kachifu Abdullahi in his keynote address stated that the world was witnessing a digital transformation that is changing the way way governments operate.

CUPP Lauds Akinwumi Adesina’s Achievements as AfDB President Urges Nigeria to give him country’s highest honour

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has heaped generous accolades on the outgoing President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who is rounding off his second tenure in that capacity.

In a press release in Abuja signed by the coalition’s national Publicity Secretary, Mark Adebayo, CUPP said Adesina’s time at the bank has been

“revolutionary and transformational”, stressing that he helped in improving the effectiveness of the AfDB. According to the group, Adesina has represented Nigeria and Africa well on the global stage and has put the bank on the global stage of competitiveness and institutional efficiency.

Under Adesina’s presidency, it stated that ‘Africa 50’ was set up, which became a first rate private equity infrastructure investment platform that has portfolio companies now

worth over $7 billion.

“His presidency powered multi-level institutional support for Africa, including the African Union (AU), Africa Centre for Disease Control (ACDC), the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA, etc, which ran into over hundreds of millions of dollars. “ Over $225 billion in investment interests in Africa has been mobilised

by African Investment Forum launched in 2018, among other unprecedented success stories.

Gbenga Komolafe, who was excited about the development, noted that the results would redefine how Nigeria manages and monetises its most vital natural resource, and pledged to ensure that the recommendations are fully implemented.

Meanwhile, in a pivotal meeting held in Abuja, the NUPRC and NNPC Energy Services (ENSERV), have agreed to enhance their collaboration in the oil and gas sector, expressing their commitment to cultivating a productive and results-oriented partnership that will support Nigeria’s energy objectives.

Komolafe welcomed the delegation from ENSERV, which was at the commission’s headquarters to introduce the organisation’s new management team led by the Managing Director, Sotonye Pinnick.

During the meeting, ENSERV

expressed a strong commitment to collaborating with NUPRC, particularly in the exploration of frontier basins.

The initiative is seen as crucial for enhancing Nigeria’s hydrocarbon reserves and improving the nation’s energy security.

Komolafe congratulated the new leadership and emphasised the importance of regulatory cooperation as mandated by the PIA, urging ENSERV to stay aligned with global energy transition trends, prioritise innovation and operate with a strong environmental consciousness.

Additionally, he highlighted the necessity of executing their budget plans promptly. The meeting had both parties committing to fostering a productive and results-driven partnership that will support Nigeria’s energy objectives.

that can bring power closer to off-grid communities.

Brown said, “We’re exploring modular gas-to-power systems that can be deployed in rural areas. These will play a key role in solving last-mile electricity access problems.”

Technology is central to Seplat’s strategy – both for operational excellence and for reducing environmental impact.

Brown stated, “We’re aggressively moving to end routine flaring – some years ahead of Nigeria’s national target of 2030. We’ve committed to ending flaring in our onshore operations this year, and we’re working on a roadmap for our offshore assets.

“We’re deploying AI to monitor the integrity of aging infrastructure.

Predictive maintenance now guides our operations. We’re also using better drilling technologies, data analytics for seismic analysis, and digital twins for real-time monitoring.

“Our technology team is continuously scouting and deploying tools that improve efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint.”

He said the adoption of those tools was part of building a smarter, safer, and more future-resilient Seplat.

Brown said, “This is about creating a culture of continuous innovation about using the best available tools to optimise performance while keeping people and the environment safe.

“Seplat is also investing in people, recognizing that long term sustainability starts with human capital.

“We just onboarded 50 new graduates through our graduate trainee programme – out of over 10,000 applicants.”

He explained, “The talent in Nigeria is remarkable. We want to give them reasons to stay and thrive here. This investment in human capital extends into partnerships with educational institutions and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) programmes.

“We’re working with universities to help shape curricula that are aligned with the skills we need in the energy industry.”

He added, “It’s not just about hiring - it’s about helping to develop the next generation of Nigerian engineers, geoscientists, economists and tech innovators, among others.”

Brown pointed out that strong governance and a commitment to transparency underpinned the company’s role in Nigeria’s transformation.

He said, “President Bola Tinubu has made clear that attracting foreign direct investment is a national priority.

The process we went through with the MPNU acquisition was incredibly detailed and transparent. That’s the kind of diligence international investors expect.” Brown notes the institutional progress being made.

“Two of our board members are now part of NNPCL’s board.

These are top-tier professionals – a clear signal that Nigeria is serious about transforming the energy sector. You simply cannot ignore Nigeria – a population of over 200 million heading toward 400 million.

By 2050, one in four people on the planet will be African. Nigeria will

be central to that story.”

He stressed the global significance of what is happening now, saying, “This is a pivotal moment for Nigeria and the region. The global energy transition will not look the same everywhere.

“For Africa, and for Nigeria specifically, gas is our bridge fuel.

And companies like Seplat are showing that indigenous players can lead the way.

“Seplat also continues to deepen its impact through community investment and local partnerships.

“Our approach is holistic— from scholarships and education support to healthcare outreach and economic empowerment.”

The CEO further said, “Our procurement policies prioritize indigenous businesses. We want value to stay in Nigeria, to strengthen the local economy and create jobs across the value chain.

“Through its healthcare outreach, Seplat has touched thousands of lives across rural communities with free medical services, maternal health programs, and awareness campaigns.

“These programmes are often developed in consultation with local leaders to ensure relevance and impact. We believe in being a responsible neighbour and a reliable partner. Our goal is to support longterm development that lasts beyond the life of our projects.”

He mentioned environmental stewardship as another cornerstone of Seplat’s ESG commitment, revealing that the company is investing not only in flare reduction but also in biodiversity initiatives and conservation programmes in the Niger Delta.

Brown stated, “We understand our responsibility goes far beyond profitability. We’re even exploring the use of renewable energy to power our own operations – a small but symbolic step toward a diversified energy future. Gas is our foundation, but we’re preparing for what comes next.

“Finally, Seplat’s adherence to global standards ensures its long-term sustainability and investor confidence.

“We are dual-listed in Lagos and London. We operate to global standards and have robust governance systems. That’s what gives investors’ confidence. We’ve seen real reforms.

We’ve seen transparency. We’ve seen changes in leadership, especially at NNPCL, that show Nigeria is serious.

“Nigeria is open for business, and Seplat is living proof of what’s possible when you lead with belief, strategy, and integrity. With bold leadership, a clear vision, and deep national roots, Seplat Energy is not just keeping pace with Nigeria’s Decade of Gas - it’s leading the way.”

Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) also declared its commitment to building Nigerian capacity with the launch of its Train 7 Project Human Capital Development (HCD) Basic Training Supplementary Programme in Port Harcourt.

Speaking at the occasion, NLNG’s Nigerian Content Development Manager, Dagogo Buowari, described the programme as a milestone in Continued on page 36

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Politics

Acting Group Politics Editor DEJI ELUMOYE Email: deji.elumoye@thisdaylive.com 08033025611 sms only

Wike as FCT’s Minister of Infrastructure

Folalumi Alaran writes that Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has justified his appointment by President Bola Tinubu in August, 2023 with the level of on-going infrastructural development in the capital city.

I

mmediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who resumed duties as Minister of the FCT on August 21, 2023 after the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, became the 17th Minister of the nation’s capital territory.

On his first day in office, Wike had told top management staff of the FCT Ministry: “It is not going to be business as usual. The President has given us the marching order. We must bring FCT back to what it is supposed to be, and we are willing, and we have the capacity to do that”.

A lot of groups and associations attested to the ability of Wike to deliver as FCT Minister going by his pedigree as governor of Rivers State.

One of the world’s largest associations for security professionals, ASIS International, could not hold its conviction in describing Minister Wike as a man with a vivacious spirit sufficient enough to address many of the challenges facing Abuja, including insecurity.

LikeASIS, a senior lawyer, Mohammed Ndaran (SAN) in March 2024, declared that Minister Wike, in just a few months in office, performed far beyond his predecessors.

According to him: “His performance in just a few months as FCT minister is far beyond several years spent by his predecessors in that office and these are facts” Wike in less than two years as FCT Minister led a massive overhaul, not just of Abuja city road’s infrastructure, but also of land administration processes, as well as the development of the real estate sector.

He is also set to showcase milestone achievements of the President Tinubu’s government, this time, in two years of the administration.

As the President marks his second anniversary in office as Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, several completed projects across different sectors of the Abuja economy have been lined up for his inauguration.

According to Wike, the projects to be inaugurated cut across the Abuja city center, the satellite towns, and the rural areas, reflecting the administration’s commitment to inclusive development.

Key projects slated for inauguration by the President, include the Arterial Road N16, connecting Maitama and Katampe districts, the 16-kilometer OSEX II to Wasa service carriageway, linking Apo and Wasa districts, the Arterial Road N5 from Lifecamp Junction to Ring Road III, the renovated International Conference Centre (ICC), and the Greater Abuja Water project.

Other slated projects are the Bus Terminals in Kugbo and Mabushi as well as Apo - Wassa road, the Inner Nothern Expressway from Ring Road 3 (Idu to Kubwa Road), the CN8 from N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way) to Court of Appeal, N20 Flyover Onnex Kubwa Road and Life Junction to Ring Road III. Also lined up for inauguration are the KabulsaTakushara Access Road, the Kabusa-Ketti Access Road, the access road in Giri District, the 15km Road from A2 Junction Abuja-Lokoja Road to Pai in Kwali Area Council, as well as the Ushafa, War College, and Army Checkpoint roads in Bwari Area Council.

A statement by the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Lere Olayinka, said the aforementioned projects will be inaugurated within 19 days.

In 2024, a similar inauguration of projects took two weeks, highlighting the magnitude of the development achieved so far by the administration under Wike.

First anniversary: While celebrating President Tinubu’s first anniversary, Wike took the Nigerian leader on a tour and inauguration of critical projects.

The President who was visibly excited as he drove around the city, could not hold back his joy, seeing the level of performance and the delivery of quality projects.

“I must recognize your vision that is revolutionary and very inspiring to many of our people.

Christian Center to the Ring Road (renamed as the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Way), the rehabilitated Abuja Metro Line, the constructed access roads to the train stations, and parking lots.

The President also flagged off the commercial operation of Abuja light rail, the engineering infrastructure to Wuye district, full scope development of the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) from the Villa roundabout to Ring Road 1, and full scope development of Arterial Road N20, from the Northern Parkway to the Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX) (renamed the Wole Soyinka Way).

The first anniversary, also featured the delivery of roads B6, B12, the Circle Road in Central Area, the engineering infrastructure to Guzape district lot II, and the provision of engineering infrastructure to the New Layout and the Diplomatic area.

Other projects delivered in the first year, are the Guzape District II Cadastral Zone A11 District, the resurfacing of existing roads, and remedial works on bridges in the Asokoro, Garki, Maitama, and Utako districts.

The FCT Minister also within a one year pushed for extensive works on the extension of the Inner Southern Expressway (ISEX) from the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) to the Southern Parkway (S8/9), the construction of the 11-kilometer access road (FCT Highway 105) from the Airport Expressway to Kuje Township with spur at Kyami and the resurfacing of 189 roads covering 57 kilometers of roads within the Abuja city center.

The changes you made to the FCT – structural and administrative – are yielding results and elevating the heart of many Nigerians,” President

Tinubu had noted.

The first-anniversary tour, witnessed Tinubu’s inauguration of the Southern Parkway, from the

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Federal University, Ilaro: Another Liberation Milestone for Ogun West

Kayode Odunaro writes on the implication of the upgrade of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro to Federal University of Technology, Ilaro via the recent signing into law, of a Bill recently passed by the 10th National Assembly, by President Bola Tinubu.

O

n Wednesday, 22nd May, 2025, President of the 10th Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, announced gleefully at the start of plenary of the Senate that the bill to upgrade the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro to a Federal University of Technology, passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the National Assembly has been assented to by President Bola Tinubu. He thereafter congratulated Senator Olamilekan Adeola aka Yayi (APC, Ogun West), the sponsor of the bill, the people of Ogun West and Ogun State for a new federal university in the state.

Indeed, the President of the Senate announcement was unusual in the sense that it was usually the Executive arm of government that makes such announcements, particularly after a signing ceremony by the president of Nigeria.

But Senator Akpabio knows the import of the new university for the people of Yewa and Aworiland and indeed, Ogun State.

About a year ago, Senator Adeola had invited the President of the Senate and about 60 Senators to Yewa Day celebration and the August visitors had seen the underdevelopment and marginalization of the senatorial district first hand leading Senator Akpabio to pledge to support Senator Adeola in the struggle to uplift the people of the district from marginalization including the unjustifiable fact that in about 48 years since the creation of Ogun State, no indigene of the district has ascended the number one position of Governor in the state.

So, it was an elated Senator Akpabio that saw in the Federal University of Technology, Ilaro

(FUTI) from Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro (FPI) as a liberating force to uplift a people cheated over the years of political and economic marginalization.

The journey of this institutional education liberation is an arduous one that once again showed Senator Adeola as a man who is a focused goal getter of good deeds once he made up his mind on a worthy cause.

This writer should know as one in cohort with Senator Adeola in the struggle for the realization of this dream acknowledged as historical landmark.

Shortly, after Senator Adeola was elected and inaugurated in June 2015 as a senator representing Lagos West, I was appointed as his Senior Legislative Aide(SLA) and one of his immediate directive to me pursuant of his legislative agenda was the need for upgrade

two noted educational institutions, namely Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos and Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State to fullfledged universities. The two institutions have something in their favour in terms of many years of existence and development of infrastructure over the years. It was my bonded duty to draft the two bills and lead debates.

So, the journey began in 2016 when the two bills were passed by the Senate after going through first, second and third reading under Senator Bukola Saraki as President of the Senate and during President Mohammadu Buhari’s first tenure. Unfortunately, it was not passed in the House of Representatives before expiration of the 8th National Assembly under Senator Saraki as chairman. Unrelenting, Senator Adeola again presented the two bills in the 9th Senate with Senator Ahmad Lawan as President of the Senate during the second tenure of President Buhari. This time the bills went through first and second reading, public hearing and third reading and were passed.

Graciously, the House of Representatives concurred with the passage of the bills and hopes were high that President Buhari would assent to the bills. However, for unexplained reasons the bills were not assented to till the end of the 9th National Assembly and dream of a people and a hardworking senator was yet again in vain.

-Odunaro, Chief of Staff to Senator Olamilekan Adeola, writes from Abuja.

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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S

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Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Email oriarehu.eromosele@thisdaylive.com

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Stakeholders: Suspension of FG’s Plan to Fund National Carrier Project Will Grow Successful, Competitive Airlines

Chinedu Eze The recent suspension of federal government’s plan to fund the establishment of a national carrier will help grow Nigerian airlines, make them globally competitive, and reduce the current capital flight from the country by foreign carriers, aviation industry stakeholders have said.

Last week, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the federal government will not be reinvesting in the national carrier project, ‘Nigeria Air’, “but is always open to proposals from private or public entities, both in and out of the country, that will truly benefit Nigeria and Nigerians

in establishing a National Carrier.”

The minister also said government would reinforce its support for the growth of domestic airlines, which in the last two years have received so much support from government to improve their operations.

Reacting to the new policy thrust, many industry experts commended the federal government and said it was a good decision taken by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government because other efforts made by the previous governments to establish a national carrier ended in fiasco because of lack of transparency and sincerity of purpose.

They noted that many countries that have national carrier do not have many domestic carriers like Nigeria, which has the highest

indigenous international travelers in Africa, noting that many national carriers in Africa were not really established for profit making but to drive tourism.

They remarked that except Ethiopian Airlines, which records profits, many national carriers in Africa are used as vehicles to support tourism, giving examples with South Africa Airways, Egypt Air, Rwand Air, Air Maroc and others.

Industry expert and former Commandant of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Group Captain John Ojikutu (rtd), described the suspension of the funding of national carrier programme by the federal government as a wise decision.

“It is the wisest decision taken by any of the government administrations since 1993 when the call began on the defunct Nigeria Airways. We have no reason to continue calling for a National Carrier after the Privatisation, Commercialisation and Concession Act of 2000.

What we need now and which the minister has announced last week Friday are Flag Carriers but let the flag carriers be designated by the government with a National Policy and not by themselves if they must operate on the BASA (Bilateral Air Service Agreements) routes which is a commonwealth of Nigerians and not private nor for any individual. Flag Carriers are ‘National Ambassadors’

that represent the country, not themselves, in foreign countries.

That is what the flag carriers are.

Any attempt to continue with the idea of a National Carrier is a way to forming a government carrier for government officials and not necessarily for the Nigerian citizens.

The Nigeria Airways was exactly that, a government officials’ carrier,” he said.

The Managing Director and CEO of Aero Contractors Limited, Captain Ado Sanusi, said it was good for the federal government to support domestic airlines but if a national carrier was eventually established it could exist side by side with other airlines if properly managed and if the state has capacity to establish one.

He also said that it is a good thing to jettison the plan to establish a national carrier because of the way previous government went about it, remarking that now the government has decided not to fund a national carrier, it can now concentrate in modernising airport infrastructure, providing state-of-the-art aeronautical facilities, manpower development and others.

He also urged government to review taxes levied on airlines because that would be another way of helping airlines to grow and also stop overregulating the airlines and make the operating atmosphere conducive for flying.

The story continues online on

www.thisdaylive.com

WACT-APM Terminals Welcomes Leading Container Carrier, Connects Eastern Nigeria to Global Trade Routes Eromosele Abiodun West Africa Container Terminal (WACT)-APM Terminals Nigeria has received Hapag-Lloyd, one of the world’s leading liner shipping companies as it launched its service at the terminal. The launch of the new service was celebrated with a special ceremony at the WACTAPM Terminals Nigeria Onne port, marking the partnership with Hapag-Lloyd’s weekly shipping service, directly connecting East Nigeria to global trade routes.

This strategic alliance underscores

the commitment of WACT-APM Terminals Nigeria’s commitment to expanding Nigeria’s maritime capabilities and solidifying its position as a vital gateway for international commerce. The new service will significantly enhance connectivity, offering increased vessel capacity, improved transit times, and greater schedule reliability for businesses operating in East Nigeria.

The CEO of APM Terminals Nigeria, Frederik Klinke, described the event as not a maiden call but the launch of Hapag-Lloyd

as a shipping line in East Nigeria.

He said the development is an important milestone and indication of the strong partnership that APM Terminals has globally with Hapag-Lloyd.

“This is an important milestone in East Nigeria for building its potential. We in APM Terminals have a very strong belief in the East Nigerian market. We are very proud of the partnerships that we have with our shipping line customers, now, with Hapag Lloyd being among them, and our government partners as well

means additional opportunities for shippers, and it means that there are new services that are available to the people - new goods and new export markets to explore,” Klinke stated.

He expressed his excitement about the investment in WACT, noting that it has attracted additional customers to the terminal — a development he described as “a vote of confidence.”

He also praised the investment as resulting in, “a state-of-the-art terminal equipped with the most modern technology.”

Also speaking, the Managing

Director of WACT-APM Terminals Nigeria, Jeethu Jose, reiterated that the partnership in WACT-APM Terminals Nigeria underscores the growing trust and confidence that WACT is earning within the regional and global trade ecosystems. He also acknowledged the continued support of all the company’s stakeholders as pivotal to the company’s commitment to give the customers the best in-class service.

The story continues online on

www.thisdaylive.com

M a r k e t d ata A s at T h u r s d ay, M ay 2 9 , 2 0 2 5

BONDS

Description Price Yield Change Updated Time (%) ^16.2884 17May 95.16 19.54 0.00 29, 2025 MAR-2027 May ^19.94 200.00 29, 101.12 19.11 2025 MAR-2027 ^13.98 23May 88.97 19.32 0.01 FEB-2028 29, 2025 ^21.00 20May 104.32 18.90 0.00 MAR-2028 29, 2025 ^14.55 26May 87.73 19.13 -0.37 29, APR-2029 2025

as the customers that we serve in East Nigeria. What we are really trying to do is to lift the East Nigerian market. There is a lot of trade potential that requires better logistic solutions.

“We have invested $115 million in this terminal over the last year, and we have created a lot of capacity that we want to bring to this market in order to make it easier to trade and for the economy of this region to grow. Getting a new shipping line is an extremely important milestone because that means incremental growth. It

BILLS Maturity NTB 5-Jun25 NTB 10-Jul25 NTB 7-Aug25 NTB 4-Sep25 NTB 9-Oct25

Discount Yield

Change (%) Updated Time

Maturity

17.95

18.01

May -0.01 29, 2025

17.12

17.46

May -0.01 29, 2025

17.80

18.43

May -0.01 29, 2025

18.55

19.52

May -0.01 29, 2025

19.37

May -0.01 29, 2025

TGIF CP II 3-JUN-25 MCIL CP II 16-JUL-25 JVIL CP XI 20-JUN-25 FAST CP VI 11-AUG-25 MTNN CP XII 30-JUL-25

18.10

CLEARED NAIRA-SETTLED NDFS

CPs Discount Yield 26.67

26.76

21.86

22.50

26.17

26.59

24.88

26.20

22.02

22.88

Change (%)

Updated Time

May -0.02 29, 2025 May 0.00 29, 2025 May -0.01 29, 2025 May 0.00 29, 2025 May 0.00 29, 2025

Contract Current Tenor Contract Rate ($/₦) (Month) NGUS JUN 13M – 24 2026 NGUS JUL 14M – 29 2026 NGUS AUG 15M – 26 2026 NGUS SEP 16M – 30 2026 NGUS OCT 17M – 28 2026

Updated Time

May 29, 2025 May 29, 2025 May 29, 2025 May 29, 2025 May 29, 2025

22

FRIday, May 30, 2025 • T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

Air watch

SAHCO Restates Commitment to Strengthen Industry Collaboration Stories by Chinedu Eze Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) Plc has reiterated its commitment to advancing Nigeria’s cargo and aviation handling sector by successfully hosting a Cargo Stakeholders engagement.

The event served as a platform for meaningful engagement, collaboration, and strategic dialogue among SAHCO’s key clients in the cargo logistics value chain to promote trade and efficiency in the cargo industry.

The gathering brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including clearing agents, exporters, logistics professionals, amongst others. Discussions focused on how to reposition Nigeria’s cargo industry as a central driver of economic diversification and how to support government initiatives

for sustainable growth.

In her welcome remarks, the Managing Director/CEO of SAHCO, Mrs. Adenike Aboderin, who was represented by the Executive Director, Cargo Services, Mrs. Boma Ukwunna, expressed her heartfelt appreciation to partners and stakeholders for their support over the years. She noted that the event was not only a celebration of the sector’s achievements but also a vital opportunity to share insights, identify challenges, and reinforce industry partnerships.

Executive Director of Cargo Services SAHCO, Mrs. Boma Ukwunna, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to sustained investment in modern equipment and facilities.

She highlighted that SAHCO currently operates some of the most advanced Ground Support Equipment (GSE) and warehousing solutions in the country, all designed

to support efficient and compliant cargo operations.

Other salient issues discussed at the event, included poor packaging standards of most exportable Nigerian product, how to improve packaging to compete with international markets and how to combat the challenges of the limitations in effective traceability systems to ensure accountability of products from origin to their final destination.

Furthermore, lack of formal training amongst clearing agents and freight forwarders was highlighted about how this has promoted inadequate documentation, unethical practices and touting. It was emphasized that to promote efficiency in the cargo industry, there is need to ensure proper certifications are acquired by those who engage in the cargo industry to improve efficiency and industry reliability.

Air Peace Promotes Inclusivity at Children’s Day Celebration As part of its ongoing commitment to social impact and child-centered advocacy, West Africa’s leading airline, Air Peace Limited, proudly sponsored and attended the Parkland Amusement Centre Children’s Fiesta and Raising Star’s This Ability 4.0, in celebration of Children’s Day 2025.

The airline said these dual engagements were centred on a shared goal: honouring children and creating inclusive spaces where every child’s voice is heard and valued.

At the Parkland Children’s Fiesta, children from various underprivileged schools gathered

for a vibrant day filled with fun activities, games, and refreshments.

The event, held at Parkland Amusement Park, Lagos, brought together children from diverse backgrounds in a celebration of unity and happiness.

Air Peace sponsored 40 children to attend the event, ensuring they experienced the joy and excitement of the day. Alongside prominent brands like Chocolate City, Mavin Records, Ryno Auto, and others, Air Peace stood out for its commitment to celebrating the voices and dreams of Nigerian children.

With the theme: “Empowering Every Voice,” the event focused

on inclusion, awareness, and empowerment. This Ability 4.0 featured an art exhibition session showcasing the creativity of children with disabilities, a talent competition including fashion, music, and visual arts showcase, a dance competition involving inclusive schools, and seminars for parents, advocates, and tutors of children living with disabilities, as well as financial grants to support youth-led SMEs and young adults with disabilities.

Speaking at both events, Air Peace’s Head of Marketing, Mr. Ikenna Nnabuife, emphasised the airline’s unwavering dedication to child-centered initiatives.

NCAT to Address Deteriorating Infrastructure at College Rector of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria in Kaduna State, Dr. Danjuma Adamu Ismaila, has given assurance of the institution’s readiness to address deteriorating in infrastructure in order to meet the surge in enrollment for the over 200 aviation industry programmes run by the college.

Ismaila disclosed this at the opening session of the League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) Course, which ended today in the College.

He said despite some challenges, including inadequate accommodation, the college is striving hard to position itself as the leading centre for manpower development in the country.

He said the construction of a 150room additional hostel is currently on, affirming that the management is

concluding plans to acquire a Boeing 727 flight simulation facility to boost the recurrence training of pilots in the country.

The rector said if many facilities were provided, there may be no need for aviation personnel to travel overseas for training given the capacity of the college to block the huge gap in training needs.

He spoke of plans by the management to expand courses offered in the college to reflect evolving trends and technology in the global air travel space.

He said the college would continue to pursue decarbonization

Firm Unveils Cooling Platform to Curb Food, Medical Waste, Pollution

Sunday Ehigiator

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)

programmes by switching to solar and other sources of power and energy other than fossil fuels.

In his remarks, Chairman of LAAC, Comrade Idris Suleiman, urged NCAT management to continue to design programmes to meet the fast evolving trends for airlines, aviation agencies and other players in the value chain.

The LAAC chairman said: “This gathering marks not just the start of another training session, but it is a reaffirmation of our collective commitment to excellence, capacity building, and responsible journalism within the aviation sector.”

In a bold response to Nigeria’s food preservation crisis and growing climate challenges, KoolBox, an energy tech company, has launched KoolBuy, an innovative platform that empowers households and small businesses to access solar-powered refrigeration solutions through flexible, installment-based financing.

The groundbreaking platform unveiled at an event held yesterday in Lagos, offers three key options, exchange old electricity-powered refrigerators for solar models, convert existing units using plug-and-play solar technology, or purchase new solar refrigerators with a down payment as low as 10 per cent.

Hosted by popular skit maker and comedian Layi Wasabi, the event spotlighted how KoolBuy aims to eliminate food spoilage, reduce carbon emissions, and expand clean energy access across Nigeria, especially in underserved communities.

In his address, the Chief Executive

Officer of KoolBox, Mr. Ayoola Dominic noted that, “No one should be left without refrigeration. Cooling used to be a luxury. Today, it’s a right, and KoolBuy is making that a reality.”

According to Dominic, SubSaharan Africa loses over 40 per cent of its food due to a lack of refrigeration, while the region’s cold storage access remains a dismal 17 per cent, compared to over 90 per cent in developed countries.

He further highlighted the alarming medical waste situation in Nigeria, with estimates ranging between 13 to 632.5 grams per person daily, citing data from the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.

“This is not just about convenience, it’s about survival. Lack of cooling destroys medicine, accelerates food waste, and contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions,” Dominic emphasized. “By solving the cooling problem, we are directly fighting climate change.”

A i r Watch Resuscitating West Coast Market for Nigerian Airlines

Chinedu Eze About 15 years ago Nigerian carriers dominated the West and Central African air travel, providing the highest service and connecting all the countries in West Africa, but years later Nigeria began to lose the market to other airlines.

In the past, Nigerian airlines effectively connected Accra and Lagos and later Abuja, and there was regular flight to Banjul, The Gambia, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Niger and even beyond, up to Angola. But a decade ago Nigeria began to lose the market and the major factors, according to industry observers, included service efficiency, competition and high cost of operation.

Some countries like Cote d’Ivoire introduced high charges against fellow African carriers as anti-competition strategy to protect its own airline, Air Cote d’Ivoire, while Ghana opened its airspace to all and sundry, encouraging foreign airlines to operate hub and spoke, which made competition stiff on the route.

Then there is the short lifespan of Nigerian carriers, the airlines like the defunct Bellview, Virgin Nigeria, which operated successfully on the West Coasts, as well as First Nation Airways, have all gone under, except Arik Air, which has however lost its verve. These airlines operated effectively for many years on West and Central African destinations, connecting businessmen and women, policy makers, government officials and international and regional agency officials across the sub-region.

There was also when Nigerian carriers were generating substantial foreign exchange from the West Coast routes, but THISDAY gathered that Nigerian airlines are struggling to survive on the routes now and are even recording losses.

Head of Strategy and Development, Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies, Lagos, Professor Anthony Kila, told THISDAY on Wednesday that Nigerian airlines should review their operations in the West Coast and adopt new approach in tandem with the new market realities before they could make successful operations on the sub-region.

“My views are that for Nigerian carriers to thrive on West African routes, they must understand the market and its people, become more efficient by adopting a lean and customer-centric approach, and engage proactively with policymakers, regulators, and regional partners to foster a supportive aviation ecosystem.

“To remain competitive and potentially take the lead, they must merge operational discipline with strategic vision and collaborative leadership within the region. To be regional leaders, Nigerian airlines need to be able to use Enugu, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Uyo in the south, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and even Sokoto in the north as strategic hubs for the region. They must also be bold and expand aggressively to serve underserved or high-demand West African routes, such as Conakry, Kigali, Monrovia, and Niamey, where competition is low but traffic potential is high. They also need to deliberately create the perception that they are the airline that people want to fly and that other operators want to work with,” Kila said.

Looking at the current situation of the market, travel expert and organiser of Akwaaba African Travel Market, Ambassador Ikechi Uko, told THISDAY that Nigerian airlines could dominate the West Coast if they can work together, synergise and build hub and spoke operations, which would entail bringing all their passengers from different destinations to Nigeria by 11 pm and from 1 am take them to their final destinations.

Uko, gave example with Asky Airlines, which does not have domestic operations but all international service and noted that the airline, which started with only two aircraft, has been doing well because it created a hub in Lome and efficiently connect

passengers from the hub to other destinations and has become very efficient and dependable in West Africa.

He therefore urged Nigerian carriers to look inwards and learn how to work together to achieve positive results, noting that the sub-region is for Nigerian carriers to dominate if they can work together.

“There has to be an intentionality about this.

Air Cote D’Ivoire used high charges to drive out competition but it is struggling now. Asky Airlines complained about the high charges but it is dominating the route; so, high charges cannot discourage a serious operator, but Nigerian airlines have to build capacity by working together in order to achieve positive result,” he said.

Uko also advised Nigerian airlines to cooperate in order to make the most effective use of their operations, noting that some years ago, many Nigerian airlines started Lagos-Accra route and saturated the marked and made it unprofitable, as he predicted.

“Some of them had to withdraw from the route.

Today, Nigerian airlines are operating Lagos-Banjul route, from Air Peace, Overland Airways to ValueJet; and according to inside source, two more Nigerian airlines are planning to operate to the destination.

Analysing the route, industry observers noted that the route may not be able to offer more than 400 seats a day, which would be shared by the Nigerian carriers, Asky Airlines and any other,” he said.

One of the factors adduced to the reason why Nigerian airlines lost the West Coast market was the creation of open sky policy that allows other airlines free entry and free exit in 23 African countries.

Reports indicate that the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), which was ratified by the African Union, created open sky for 23 African countries that are already signatories to the policy.

The implication of the policy, it was learnt, is that the airlines of these 23 countries can freely enter and exit these member-countries without hindrance.

It was, however, gathered that while Nigeria allows airlines from the West Coast like African World Airlines (AWA), Air Senegal, Air Cote d’Ivoire and others to operate in the country with minimum charges, other countries over charge Nigerian carriers to discourage them from flying to lucrative destinations such as Accra, Abidjan, Dakar, Freetown and others.

With such strangulating charges and taxes, THISDAY learnt that the Nigerian airlines were forced to charge high fares to these routes to offset operation cost, thus making them uncompetitive.

Nigerian operators have suggested that Nigeria should respond to the high charges levelled against Nigerian carriers by these countries by introducing high charges against airlines from these countries.

A Nigerian operator once noted, “The charges are too high. After paying them, you cannot get up to N5,000 from the base fare and you have not counted the cost of operation. Their ground handling charges are so high; the same with navigational charges by ASECNA (airspace services provider) and if you don’t pay in time they seize your aircraft.”

Seeming to have woken up from sleep, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recently complained about the high charges in West African and moved to curb the outrageous taxes on air operations in member states.

ECOWAS later announced that it had taken bold steps to address the disturbing high airfares within the sub-region with an ambitious plan to implement a 25 per cent reduction in passenger service and security charges on air travel within the sub-region by January 2026.

ECOWAS may have realised that such high taxes have retarded the growth of air travel in West Africa and inimical to the success of SAATM. The story continues online on

www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY • FRIday, May 30, 2025

23

BUSINESSWORLD

AVIATION

Security Infrastructure Upgrades at Airports In order to meet international standards and recommended practices, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has acquired security equipment to further secure the nation’s airports, writes Chinedu Eze

A

the concerned officials will take the passenger and his or her baggage to designated areas for physical checks.

“The designated areas will also have CCTV cameras. This is to ensure the passengers are not being exploited. When the machines dictate something, the Aviation Security (AVSEC) call the relevant agencies such as National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Customs, Quarantine, amongst others to follow up,” Afegbe explained. Before now security operatives had defended the screening tables at the international airport, Lagos, saying that the physical screening was necessary because the equipment available them was not able to identify some prohibited goods and objects. But with the acquisition of the latest Rapiscan equipment, that argument was not more tenable.

“They complained that the machines we were using before could not detect, what they were looking for. But now, the ones we have now can detect what they are looking for. That is why they are now going to sit by the monitor and be screening the baggage through the monitor.

If they suspect that your bag is having contraband, they will take you to a corner for further search,” he said.

viation security experts have posited at different fora that what is key about staying ahead of those who may want to compromise airport security is to always update the security system with state-of-the-art equipment, noting that equipment and trained personnel are very critical in establishing reliable security architecture at airports.

Recently, the former Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren, warned that the outlaws who may want to invade airports are always planning, devising new ways to erode airport security.

He therefore called on concerned authorities to always remain ahead of the curve in order to protect lives and property at the airports.

ICAO Standards

This explained why the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), keep member countries on their toes, insisting that they must maintain high standard of security to earn its approval, hence the regular audit of airport security by the global body.

Over the years, existing security equipment has become obsolete; making international airlines to doubt the efficacy of such equipment. This and other factors prompted the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace development, Festus Keyamo and the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, to embark of the transformation of security equipment at the airports, especially the major international airports in the country.

Since the beginning of the Tinubu administration, FAAN has engaged in fortifying the security apparatus at the airports by replacing old equipment with the new and also reorganising the security system for more positive results.

Some of the equipment include: state-ofthe-art Rapiscan Orion 928DX, a sophisticated screening machine installed at the entrance of the new international terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. It is spectrum 4-colour imaging machine, which can exhibit images in the Classic 4-color and the new proprietary Spectrum 4-color (SP4) option providing superior image, allowing improved security by quick and accurate identification of threats and increase in throughput.

The equipment is designed to detect a wide range of explosives and narcotics respectively in real time during the scanning process by marking a potential threat on the X-ray image.

Rapiscan Systems detection algorithms are based on regulatory approved material analysis techniques.

Reinforcing Passenger Protection

FAAN’s Director of Aviation Security Services, (DASS), Albert Igbafe Afegbe, explained that the equipment has a lot of features that when compared to the old screening machines it replaced, “you realise it is way, way, far better than what we have been using.”

“I am going to explain the features for you to know what this machine can do. So, the first thing I am going to talk about is the Spectrum 4 colour imaging, the SP4, which this machine has. Trying to compare with the old machine we have is like comparing analogue television with digital crystal clear television we have now.

That is what you use to compare this with the old machine. So, the SP4 that I am talking about has the ability to be able to identify potential threats with clear vision.

Visual data is clear and it is fast. As the bag is being screened, it is being scanned, it is constantly taking notes of whenever you have like an illicit substance. It detects fast, quickly.

“You are able to see that with the colour image, you know what you are looking at, which has already been specified on the system. Now, it also has the ability to detect narcotics and explosives, which is rare in all the machines at the same time, real time. It is like having a chemistry inside the system that detects the drugs, the narcotics immediately, picks it immediately, and then gives you that image with the SP4 that I have already explained to you. That is what the system is capable of doing. Simultaneously, at the same time, not like some machines will detect narcotics, they will not detect, but this does that. One of the features of this machine is that it also has the ability to absorb advanced technology, unlike the recent machines. If there is any improved technology, it can be upgraded,” Afegbe explained.

“Most of the equipment that have been installed at the Murtala Muhamemd International Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, have the dual-mode auto-set, which enables the Aviation Security (AVSEC) to detect organic materials.

Securing the Bags

Kuku “If the system is programmed, it has this intensive algorithm to detect where you have material. It does that in two different modes, the range mode and the interactive mode. The range mode, you are able to pick it, and then you specify it on the system.

“When someone is traveling with more than what you are supposed to travel, organic material, like an agricultural product you want to travel with, it is able to detect that. You can pick a pixel and then you interact with it. You tell it, okay, fingerprints, wherever you have discovered this thing, and then it does that as quickly as possible. That is what this system does. It has the ability to detect currency, too. When you have more than enough, it detects that, too,” he further said.

E-gate

Afegbe spoke about the installation of E-gates at the Lagos airport and how travellers now undergo biometric verification using facial or iris recognition, fingerprints, or a combination of modalities. “After the identification process is completed and the passport holder’s identity is verified, a physical barrier such as a gate or turnstile opens to permit passage. If the passport holder’s identification is not verified or if the system malfunctions, then the gate or turnstile does not open “So, we are trying to introduce this e-gate method where it will be seamless for passengers when they are travelling, or when they are arriving. This is the e-gate which is under the test run. Here, nobody needs to have physical contact with you. You just take your boarding pass, scan it and it will open. Without the boarding pass, you can’t pass through here. So, it stops this touting and all that,” Afegbe said.

Eliminating Extortion

According to experts, in addition to many advantages, it will help to further reduce interpersonal and physical interaction between airport security officials and passengers, which will put to an end alleged extortion of passengers by officials.

Igbafe said with the completion of the installation of all the screening machines and the monitors, each security agency would have its own monitors and the tables would be put away permanently.

“The tables (for physical screening of passenger’s bags) you see will be a thing of the past, you will not see

any table here. There will be no physical contact, because what we are also doing is that when we fix those monitors and the machines dictate unaccepted objects,

FAAN has also installed modern equipment for the screening of bags before they are taken to the aircraft. The bag starts its screening journey from the entrance of the terminal to check in desk, where the checked in bag is taken to the central baggage area, where the bag is again thoroughly screened before it is loaded into the aircraft.

The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

24

T H I S D AY •FRIDay, MAY30 2025

business/MOnEYGUIDE

Elumelu Increases Stake in UBA, Acquire 45.034m Shares Worth N1.54bn Kayode Tokede Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Tony Elumelu has increased his stake in the bank with the acquisition of 45,034,044 valued at N1.54 billion The billionaire banker of note acquired the shares through Heirs Holdings Limited, the investment company he also chairs.

The transaction was disclosed in a filing on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), signed by UBA’s Company Secretary and Legal Counsel, Bili Odum.

Details of the disclosure reveal that Heirs Holdings Limited acquired the ordinary shares at a price of N34.30 between May 22 and 23, 2025, under the identification code NGUBA000001.

Before the recent acquisition, Heirs Holdings already stood out as the only shareholder with more than a 5 per cent stake in UBA, holding 5.30 per cent of the bank’s share capital, equivalent to 1,814,003,900 shares.

With the latest purchase, the company now owns 1,859,037,944 shares, raising its total stake to 5.43 per cent.

After the transaction, UBA’s trading volume surged, with 60.7 million shares exchanging hands on May 22 and 45.1 million on May 23.

Coupled with a strong Q1 2025 performance, analysts said the recent share purchase could further boost investor confidence in UBA, especially as the

bank’s stock gained over 3 per cent, closing at N34.45 on May 23.

Heirs Holdings Limited is a family-owned investment company founded by Nigerian entrepreneur Tony Elumelu.

The company focuses on sectors that offer strong long-term returns within Africa’s economy, managing an investment portfolio valued at N15 trillion ($9.8 billion) as of March 2025.

Its investments cover a broad range of industries, including technology, healthcare, real estate and hospitality, energy, power, and financial services.

The recent share purchase marks one of Heirs Holdings’ latest moves in the financial services sector, making it the only shareholder in UBA to hold a 5.43 per cent stake.

Chief Executive Officer of APM Terminals Nigeria, Frederik Klinke (second right); Country Managing Director, Hapag-Lloyd, Himmat Ahlawat (second left) and other officials during the launch of HapagLloyd’s weekly shipping service at WACT-APM Terminals, Onne Port...recently

MARKET INDICATORS

Coronation Merchant Bank Reports N12.9bn Profit, Reaffirms Strategic Focus Kayode Tokede Coronation Merchant Bank has declared N12.9 billion profit in 2024 financial year, about 303 per cent increase over N3.2 billion declared in 2023.

Gross earnings stood at N97.1 billion in 2024, representing an increase of 58 per cent from N61.58 billion reported in 2023.

This was disclosed in the 2024 audited results as it convened the 10th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos, celebrating a decade of institutional resilience and reaffirming its position as a catalyst in Nigeria’s merchant banking sector.

The event marked a significant

milestone in the Bank’s journey, highlighting a year of strategic repositioning and long-term value creation.

The AGM provided an opportunity to reflect on the Bank’s strong full-year 2024 performance, previously announced to the market, which demonstrated its strategic momentum and growing market relevance.

Shareholders’ funds strengthened to N45.8 billion, while return on average equity nearly doubled to 19 per cent affirming the Bank’s disciplined execution and capital efficiency.

The total assets of Coronation Merchant Bank expanded to N558.6 billion, up from N524.5

billion the previous year, reflecting continued stability and growth.

Reflecting on the bank’s performance, Chairman of Coronation Merchant Bank, Mr Babatunde Folawiyo stated:”At Coronation, we are building an enduring institution rooted in sound governance and driven by a clear purpose. As we celebrate our tenth anniversary, we reflect on a decade of progress and look ahead with renewed determination. We are building an institution defined by sustainable finance, innovation, and partnerships that unlock broad-scale development. Our performance this year is both validation and motivation.

FCMB Reaffirms Support for Ojude Oba Festival FCMB Group Plc has reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to the Ojude Oba Festival, describing it as a vital cultural asset that builds trust, reinforces shared identity, and drives trade and investment through arts, crafts, tourism, and hospitality.

Addressing journalists in Ijebu-Ode ahead of the 2025 edition of the festival, FCMB’s Divisional Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Diran Olojo, said the financial services firm views the event as a platform for cultural expression and a catalyst for inclusive and sustainable growth.

He said, “Ojude Oba reflects the type of society we’re working to build, one that values legacy, unity, and long-term

prosperity,” Olojo said. “Our support, which began nearly 25 years ago, is rooted in the vision of our late founder, Otunba Olasubomi Balogun, who believed in the role of culture in enterprise development and community advancement. This belief remains a cornerstone of our purpose - to connect people, capital and markets.”

This year’s festival, themed, “Ojude Oba: Celebrating Our Roots, Preserving Our Future”, is scheduled for Sunday, June 8, 2025. FCMB has pledged to deepen its engagement by participating in traditional activities, including the regberegbe parade and homage to the Awujale, the traditional ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru

Kayode Adetona.

The bank’s involvement, Olojo noted, goes beyond sponsorship. “We see our role as helping to reinforce traditions that have socio-economic value. Festivals like Ojude Oba create demand across tourism, hospitality, and small business sectors while preserving the culture that binds us.”

The Chairman of the Ojude Oba Festival Organising Committee, Olu Okuboyejo, praised corporate sponsors like FCMB, noting that the event showcases cultural continuity and religious harmony. “This year, 25 warrior families will demonstrate their horse-riding prowess alongside colourful regberegbe displays.

ANST Concludes Five-month Training in Software Testing In a landmark moment for Nigeria’s tech ecosystem, the Association of Nigerian Software Testers (ANST) has announced the graduation of its inaugural cohort from a five-month intensive software training program, a milestone in its continued mission to build world-class software quality assurance professionals in Africa.

The program which was held in Lagos, Nigeria, saw ANST, a non-profit professional body, who has been at the forefront of advancing the software testing profession in Nigeria continue on its mandate to raise awareness about the importance of software testing in delivering high-quality

digital solutions, the association advocates for the professional rights, visibility, and continuing development of software testers.

Through initiatives in policy engagement, training, community building, and harmonized pay scales, ANST continues to be a vital force in Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.

It’s just concluded training program, launched in January 2025, drew 180 applicants across two learning tracks the Beginner Path (Emergence Team) and the Intermediate Path. The structured, live-instruction model spanned 11 robust modules, covering critical aspects such as Fundamentals of Software Testing, API Testing,

Performance Testing, Web and Mobile Automation, Security Testing, Database Management, and Programming.

“The ANST played a significant role in my professional career as a young software tester. It provided me with exposure to a network of great professionals and a continuous opportunity to learn. Today, it’s an honour to have conceived, designed, and led this bootcamp that has empowered many others.

This graduation ceremony is a testament to the grit and resilience of our faculty and students” said Udeme Jalekun, Director of Professional Development and Training for ANST.

MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS (MILLION NAIRA) Month

NOVEMBER

Money Supply (M3)

108,966,480.44

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

19,796.18

Money Supply (M2)

108,946,684.26 72,672,756.90

-- Narrow Money (M1)

36,273,927.36

---- Currency Outside Banks

4,652,527.74

---- Demand Deposits

31,621,399.62

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

17,347,112.78

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

91,619,367.66

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

115,576,757.67

---- Credit to Government (Net)

39,616,629.91

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

0.00

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

75,960,127.77

--Other Assets Net

12,147,461.96

Reserve Money (Base Money)

30,871,571.25

--Currency in Circulation

4,878,125.22

--Banks Reserves

25,993,446.02

--Special Intervention Reserves

278,860.37 • Source - CBN

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

November

Inter-Bank Call Rate

28.88

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

27.50

Treasury Bill Rate

18.00

Savings Deposit Rate

6.56

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.48

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.53

6 Months Deposit Rate

12.13

12 Months Deposit Rate

14.22

Prime Lending rate

18.39

Maximum Lending Rate

31.06

NSE

NSE MARKET INDEX % Change

CAP

0.75%(52%YoY)

Index

0.9% (29%Y/D) • Monetary Policy Rate - 27.50%

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE As At 6TH JANUARY , 2025

The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes stood at $76.18 a barrel on Monday, compared with $75.89 the previous Friday, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Djeno (Congo), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basrah Medium (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

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T H I S D AY •FRIDay, MAY 30 2025

mARKET NEWS

Ponzi Schemes: SEC Raises Alarm, Highlights Devastating Impact on Investors, Economy Kayode Tokede The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), yesterday raised alarm over the dangers of Ponzi schemes, stressing of its devastating impact on investor confidence, financial stability, and the Nigerian capital market at large.

This was the central theme of a paper titled “Ponzi Schemes: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Illegality” presented by Head of the

Enforcement Department of the SEC, Dr. Sa’ad Abdulsalam at the Capital Market Enlightenment Programme organized for the Capital Market Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CAMCAN) in Lagos.

Abdulsalam noted that the proliferation of fraudulent investment schemes continues to erode public trust in formal investment platforms. By offering unrealistic returns and operating outside the regulatory framework,

P R I C E S MaiN Board

F O R

DEALS

destabilized investor sentiment and undermined participation in legitimate capital market activities.

“The erosion of market confidence caused by Ponzi schemes leads to significant volatility and reduced investor engagement,” he said. “The fallout not only damages individual finances but also tarnishes the reputation of regulatory institutions tasked with protecting investor

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interests.”

Beyond the capital market, Abdulsalam emphasized that the social and economic consequences of Ponzi schemes are far-reaching. Household financial losses, often involving life savings or borrowed funds, intensify socio-economic stress and threaten community cohesion.

“These losses are not just figures on a balance sheet,” he explained. “They represent

T R A D E D MaiN Board

broken trust, devastated livelihoods, and increased poverty in affected communities.”

Nigeria has a long and troubling history with Ponzi operations. According to Abdulsalam, from the infamous Umanah Umanah scheme in the 1990s to Nospecto in the early 2000s and the widespread MMM craze of the 2010s, fraudulent fund managers have repeatedly exploited regulatory gaps and economic

A S O F

vulnerabilities.

Abdulsalam noted that over 400 unlicensed fund managers were uncovered in 2010 alone, underscoring the scale of the threat.

He attributed the rise of Ponzi schemes to several factors, including limited financial literacy, the lure of quick returns during periods of economic hardship, and the rapid spread of misinformation through social media.

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FRIDAY MAY 30, 2025 • T H I S D AY

This

Weekend

T H I S D AY •FRIDay, MAY 30, 2025

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com

07010510430

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Weekly Magazine UTH

& R E ASO

Dr. Elvis Abuyere: 10 Years of Consistent

Impact, Driving Economic Development, Empowerment at Skywise Group

T H I S D AY •FRIDay, MAY 30, 2025

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Cover

Dr. Elvis Abuyere: 10 Years of Consistent Impact, Driving Economic Development, Empowerment at Skywise Group

For Dr. Elvis Abuyere, it’s been a decade of visionary leadership, driving economic development and empowering individuals and businesses across Africa as the MD/CEO, Skyewise Group, one of the fastest growing diversified integrated conglomerate providing array of world-class investment services and automobile sales. Known as a catalyst for innovation, growth, and sustainable transformation, Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that over the past decade, the group has triumphed by expanding its operations, created jobs, and empowered thousands through strategic investment, youth initiatives, and grassroots development programmes. Gearing off to mark its 10th anniversary this coming week, the group is set to consolidate past gains as they aspire for more- locally and internationally

Dr. Elvis Abuyere

O

ver the past decade, Skyewise Group has evolved into one of Nigeria’s most dynamic and fast-growing diversified conglomerates, leaving a notable imprint across several critical sectors of the economy.

From investment advisory to automobile sales, travel and tourism, cooperative finance, and social empowerment, the company has consistently set standards in delivering world-class services tailored to the Nigerian and African markets.

At the heart of this success story is Dr. Elvis Abuyere, the visionary Founder and Managing Director/CEO of Skyewise Group. Through his bold leadership, the Group has not only weathered economic storms but has also thrived—expanding operations, creating jobs, and empowering thousands through strategic investment, youth initiatives, and grassroots development programmes.

Skyewise Group: A Multi-Sectoral Force for Economic Advancement What began as a modest venture has, in ten short years, grown into a formidable conglomerate comprising the Skywise Automobiles, which is a fast-growing auto brand redefining vehicle sales and distribution in Nigeria; and the Skyewise GIS, an SEC-certified investment advisory subsidiary offering sustainable financial solutions to individuals and corporate entities.

Others include the Skyewise Travels and Tours, which delivers functional, affordable travel logistics and packages across Nigeria and internationally; the Skyewise Cooperative, an associate finance arm providing flexible loans and accepting fixed deposits to support members’ economic activities; and even more importantly, the Skyewise Foundation, the Group’s CSR engine, dedicated to reducing unemployment and empowering young Nigerians through practical skill acquisition and

entrepreneurship training.

Expatiating he said: “Skywise Group is a conglomerate with subsidiaries such as Skywise Automobiles, the Skyewise GIS, which is certified by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as corporate investment advisor.

“Also within the group are Skyewise Travels and Tours saddled with tour packages in and out of Nigeria with affordable and functional logistics; we also have the Skyewise Cooperative, an associate finance arm of the group that gives loans to members and also accept fixed deposits.

“We have the Skyewise Foundation, which is charged with the responsibility to ensure that we reduce unemployment in Nigeria and also give young people a sense of direction to fend for themselves.

“The foundation is arming young people not only to become self employed but creators of job, so that upon graduation and their NYSC scheme, they will have skills that give them access to sustainable economic activities.”

Through these subsidiaries, Skyewise Group has directly impacted lives, supported local businesses, and contributed to Nigeria’s GDP by promoting goods and services production over mere currency circulation.

Safe to say that under Dr. Abuyere’s leadership, the Group has stayed true to its founding values—integrity, credibility, innovation, and social impact.

and press conference on Saturday, May 31, in Abuja. The roadshow will showcase Skyewise’s portfolio—especially its thriving automobile division—parading the streets of Abuja to celebrate innovation and brand excellence.

On Sunday, June 1, a novelty football match will be held at Turf Arena Sport Centre, Central Area, Abuja, featuring four teams: Skyewise Group, Kairos-Hof, Mshel Homes Ltd, and Friends of the CEO. This event aims to foster camaraderie and healthy competition among stakeholders and partners.

From Monday 2 to Wednesday June 4, the company will hold an Open House & Customer Value Drive, offering clients and prospective investors an insight into Skyewise’s operations and future goals.

On the Day 6, which is Thursday June 5, the Group intends to highlight the company’s commitment to social impact through a CSR initiative for persons with disabilities, reinforcing the Group’s enduring commitment to inclusion and community support.

The festivities will culminate in a Gala Night on Friday, June 6, celebrating a decade of milestones, and finally, a Thanksgiving Service at Champion Faith Assembly, Abuja, on Sunday, June 8, to honour the journey thus far and dedicate the future to greater purpose.

Commemorating a Decade of Excellence In recognition of its 10-year milestone, Skyewise Group will host a series of celebratory events themed around “10 Years of Consistent Impact”.

The anniversary celebrations are scheduled to run from Saturday, May 31 to Sunday, June 8, 2025, featuring a blend of corporate, community, and social activities.

The anniversary kicks off with a roadshow

Looking Ahead: A Future Rooted in Vision Reflecting on the journey, Dr. Abuyere described the last decade as one of resilience, transformation, and purpose which was navigated through teamwork, effective management, partnership and stakeholders engagement.

“It’s been 10 years of building a sustainable investment platform, 10 years of undoubted

credibility, 10 years of empowering society and giving back to people,” he remarked. “We’ve achieved so much despite the challenges, and the next 10 years will be even more impactful—locally and globally.”

While thanking the Group’s investors, who he described as the backbone of its success for their overwhelming support in the last ten years, he recounted that the journey so far, though hugely successful, has not been without a number of hiccups.

With offices already in Abuja, Lagos, and Benin City, Skyewise Group is now positioning to expand internationally, competing with global brands and deepening its footprint across Africa and beyond.

He added that “I will also say 10 years of not giving up because like I said, it has been challenging at the same time with mixed feelings, because building a business on Nigerian soil is not an easy feat especially when you have to deal with services and products that relate with people on a daily basis.”

Dr. Abuyere further stated that the company has also made significant contributions towards growing the nation’s GDP in the last 10 years.

He said the Group strove to achieve growth in the last 10 years, promising stakeholders that it will strive to ensure that the next 10 years will even be bigger and better.

“We are already becoming a household name in Nigeria knowing the fact that we have three branches — one in Lagos, in Abuja and one in Benin. We are hoping to compete with global brands in the next 10 years whereby we can build our offices across the globe, not just in Nigeria or Africa alone and that is what we are looking forwards to,” he said.

As Skyewise marks this important milestone, one thing is clear: Dr Elvis Abuyere and his team are only just getting started.

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T H I S D AY •FRIDay, MAY 30, 2025

news

AMVCA 2025: Africa’s Entertainment Industry Comes Alive

Under the glittering lights of the Eko Hotel and Suites, the crème de la crème of Africa’s entertainment industry converged for the most anticipated night of the year – the 11th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA). The air was electric with excitement as stars walked the red carpet, their designer outfits dazzling and their talent shining brighter. On this unforgettable evening of May 10th, 2025, the AMVCA celebrated the best of African film and television, honouring the creatives and performers who have captivated audiences across the continent and beyond. Writes MARY NNAH

Femi Adebayo, receiving the award for Best Lead Actor in the movie “Seven Doors”

Lateef Adedimeji and his wife, Adebimpe Oyebade flanked by friends and family, while receiving an award for “Lisabi: The Uprising”.

Mercy Aigbe being crowned the 2025 Best Supporting Actress at AMVCA 11

Co-host of 2025 AMVCA, David Oke, with the host, IK Osakioduwa at the event

Lateef Adedimeji and his wife, Adebimpe Oyebade , displaying their awards

One of the winners

T

he 11th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) was a spectacular celebration of African film and television excellence, held on Saturday, May 10th, 2025, at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, Nigeria.

The star-studded event brought together the crème de la crème of the African entertainment industry, with A-listers gracing the red carpet and competing for coveted awards.

Hosted by the charming IK Osakioduwa, the ceremony honoured outstanding achievements in 28 categories, including a newly introduced category for Best Music Score.

The evening was filled with breathtaking performances, surprise wins, and heartfelt tributes that showcased the depth of talent in African entertainment.

The big winners of the night included “Lisabi: The Uprising,” produced by and starring Lateef Adedimeji, which took home three awards: Best Indigenous Language Film (West Africa), Best Art Direction, and Best Makeup.

Directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, the historical drama tells the story of a resistance against the oppressive Alaafin of Oyo in the 1800s.

Adedimeji and his wife, Adebimpe Oyebade, dedicated their awards to God and their hardworking team.

However, the coveted Best Movie award went to “Freedom Way” by Blessing Uzzi, a 2024 action thriller that explores themes of corruption, police brutality, and youth oppression in Nigeria. The

film, directed by Afolabi Olalekan, defeated other top contenders like “Skeleton Coast,” “Suspicion,” and “House of Ga’a.”

Another standout film was “Seven Doors,” a supernatural Netflix series by Femi Adebayo, which won three awards: Best Lead Actor (Femi Adebayo), Best Lead Actress (Chioma Chukwuka), and Best Music Score (Tolu Obanro). The show’s gripping storyline about a cursed monarch captured the hearts of fans at the award night.

The ceremony also honoured industry veterans Nkem Owoh and Sani Mu’azu with Lifetime Achievement Awards, while director Kayode Kasum received the Trailblazer Award for his innovative approach to filmmaking.

These awards recognised the significant contributions these individuals have made to the industry, paving the way for future generations.

The night was lit up by performances from Nigerian Idol Season 9 winner Chima, Singer Johnny Drille, viral stars Fido, Kunmie, and Serotonin.

The event’s grandeur, elegance, and celebration showcased the vibrancy and diversity of African storytelling, making it a truly unforgettable experience.

The AMVCA red carpet was a fashion extravaganza, with African women showcasing their style and poise. From stunning gowns to statement accessories,

the ladies slayed the carpet with their unique sense of fashion.

Designers from across the continent made their mark, with each look telling a story of its own. The carpet was abuzz with excitement, as fans and industry professionals alike gathered to celebrate the best of African entertainment.

In addition to the film and television awards, the ceremony also recognised excellence in other areas, such as cinematography, sound design, editing, and costume design.

The winners in these categories included Leo Purman for Best Cinematography, Olaosebikan Okonrende for Best Sound/ Sound Design, Tongai Furusa for Best Editing, and Adedamola Adeyemi for Best Costume Design.

The 11th edition of the AMVCA was a resounding success, celebrating the best of African film and television while providing a platform for industry professionals to come together and appreciate each other ’s work.

As the event came to a close, it was clear that the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards had once again proven itself to be a premier awards ceremony, showcasing the very best of African entertainment.

The winners list was as follows: Best Movie was awarded to Freedom Way by Blessing Uzzi; Best Indigenous

Language Film (West Africa) went to Lisabi: The Uprising by Lateef Adedimeji and Adebimpe Oyebade; Best Supporting Actor was Gabriel Afolayan for Clarence Peters’ Inside Life; Best Supporting Actress was Mercy Aigbe for Farmer ’s Bride; Best Lead Actor was Femi Adebayo for Seven Doors; and Best Lead Actress was Chioma Chukwuka for Seven Doors.

Best Cinematography was won by Leo Purman for The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos; Best Sound/Sound Design went to Olaosebikan Okonrende for Suspicion; Best Editing was awarded to Tongai Furusa for Inkabi; Best Costume Design went to Adedamola Adeyemi for Christmas in Lagos; Best Art Direction was won by Solihull Badu Noutical and Ayanmo Yakub for Lisabi: The Uprising; and Best Makeup was awarded to Hakeem Onilogbo for Lisabi: The Uprising.

Best Music Score went to Tolu Obanro for Seven Doors; the Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Nkem Owoh and Sani Mu’azu; the Trailblazer Award went to Kayode Kasum; Best Director was awarded to Niyi Akinmolayan for Lisabi: The Uprising; Best Writer went to Afolabi Olalekan for Freedom Way; Best Actor in a Comedy was Charles Inojie for his role in a specific movie; and Best Actress in a Comedy was Funke Akindele for her role in a specific movie.

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T H I S D AY •FRIDay, MAY 30, 2025

news

Heroes in Orange: How Glo Foundation Feted, Empowered LAWMA Sweepers to Day of “Rest and Relaxation”

They are often seen but rarely acknowledged—the men and women in bright orange uniforms who rise before dawn to sweepthestreetsandkeepourcitiesclean.Butforonce,theroleswererecentlyreversed.TheGloFoundationturnedthe spotlightonover1,000oftheseunsungheroes,treatingthemtoadayfilledwithlaughter,music,games,andwell-deserved recognition. Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that it wasn’t just about celebration because it came with the promise of a skills trainingprogrammeasapowerfulreminderthateveryworkerdeservestobeseen,valued,andempowered

Some of the celebrated LAWMA workers

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hey are often seen but rarely acknowledged—the men and women in bright orange uniforms who rise before dawn to sweep the streets and keep our cities clean. But for once, the roles were recently reversed. The Glo Foundation turned the spotlight on over 1,000 of these unsung heroes, treating them to a day filled with laughter, music, games, and well-deserved recognition. Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that it wasn’t just about celebration because it came with the promise of a skills training programme as a powerful reminder that every worker deserves to be seen, valued, and empowered In a rare but heartwarming departure from their daily routine, over 1,000 sanitation workers from across Lagos State swapped their sweeping brooms and early morning shifts for music, laughter, games and gifts, as the Glo Foundation hosted a “Rest and Relaxation Day” in their honour.

Held at the headquarters of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) in Ijora Olopa, the event was not just a chance for workers to unwind—it was a public recognition of their tireless work to keep Africa’s most populous city clean, often under hazardous and thankless conditions.

From impromptu dance competitions to prize raffles and heartfelt speeches, the atmosphere was festive and deeply moving.

“Our Real Heroes” – Glo Foundation Speaks “Today is about celebrating our mummies and daddies. You are our real heroes,” said Mrs Jumobi Mofe-Damijo, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Glo Foundation, in her tribute to the workers.

“The amazing energy you are devoting in your line of duty on a daily basis is worth celebrating.”

She noted that the Foundation, which is the social responsibility arm of telecoms giant Globacom, had chosen to honour the sweepers for the invaluable service they render, even at great personal risk.

“We recognise the hazards you face from drivers who don’t appreciate you and are sometimes impatient while you are by the roadside sweeping. It is the reason we are here today—to let you know how much we value you.”

Empowering the Future Beyond the festivities, there was an important announcement. Mrs Mofe-Damijo revealed that Glo Foundation would be launching a four-week skills acquisition programme for 200 sweepers or their dependants. The initiative will cover vocational skills such as hairdressing, bead making, fashion design, barbing and digital training in areas like social media management and e-commerce.

“This is not just a party; it’s an opportunity to build for the future,” she explained. “We want to equip you with skills that can give you financial stability and options beyond the roads you sweep.”

A Worthy Collaboration Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, commended

the initiative, describing it as both timely and thoughtful. “This gesture falls squarely within the frame of the THEMES+ agenda of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Administration, which prioritises health and wellness of the people,” he said. “We thank the Glo Foundation for the kind gesture and encouragement.”

Dr Gbadegesin also praised the upcoming empowerment programme.

“When you teach a man to fish, you have succeeded in feeding him for the rest of his life. That is exactly what Glo Foundation is set to achieve with that programme.”

A Day to Remember As music filled the air and the workers danced in their brightly coloured orange uniforms, personal stories of resilience and hope began to emerge.

Aniekwe Rejoice Ifeoma, a Lagosborn sweeper, shared how working with LAWMA had helped her grow.

“I’m currently training to be computer literate,” she said proudly. “During my free time, I sell zobo and tigernut drinks to earn extra income. I appreciate Globacom for this opportunity to rest and enjoy myself today.”

The amazing energy you are devoting in your line of duty on a daily basis is worth celebrating… We recognise the hazards you face from drivers who don’t appreciate you and are sometimes impatient while you are by the roadside sweeping. It is the reason we are here today—to let you know how much we value you

For Awolaja Esther, who has been sweeping the streets of Ikorodu for the past 15 years, the job has been more than just a livelihood—it’s been a lifeline. “I’ve used this job to support two children through university,” she shared. “Today means a lot. I thank Globacom for recognising us.”

Excitement peaked during the raffle draw segment of the event. Madam Dorcas Adeniji, from Oshodi, was visibly overwhelmed with joy after winning a grinding machine. “I can’t believe it,” she exclaimed, dancing with infectious energy.

Mrs Adewusi Bisola from Alakuko, who won an inverter microwave oven, was all smiles as her friends surged forward in celebration. Ige Sadatu, who received a sewing machine, said simply, “Thank you, Globacom. This means a lot to me.”

Community and Corporate Bonding The event was graced by community leaders and senior officials from both LAWMA and the Glo Foundation, including the Bobakeye of Ijora, Iganmu & Apapa Kingdom, Prince Adekemi Ojora. All took part in the activities, mingling freely with the sanitation workers in a rare show of corporate-community bonding.

Iyabo Joseph, one of the sweepers, summed up the spirit of the day. “It’s been a while since I’ve had this much fun. I am truly grateful to LAWMA and the Glo Foundation for organising this amazing event.”

Her colleague, Lateefat Alabi, added, “This has motivated me to keep doing my job diligently. It feels good to be appreciated.”

As the sun set over the LAWMA headquarters and the music faded, what lingered was not just the sound of laughter or the sight of jubilant workers—it was a profound sense of belonging.

For once, the spotlight shone brightly on those who work quietly in the background, sweeping the streets of Lagos, one corner at a time.

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THISDAY • FRIDAY, May 30, 2025

PERSPECTIVE

Two Years of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope: A Nation Reborn A

By Gbenga Olufemi

s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu marks two years in office, Nigeria stands at a historic crossroads—not of despair, but of transformation. The journey from May 29, 2023, to date has been nothing short of revolutionary, led by a bold leader who has dared to confront Nigeria’s most entrenched challenges and reimagine the possibilities of governance, economic stability, and national progress.

From the outset, President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda was more than a slogan; it was a comprehensive vision to recalibrate a system long weighed down by subsidies, rent-seeking, debt traps, and dwindling investor confidence. The path he chose was not the easy one, but it was necessary—and today, the results are beginning to speak for themselves.

Economic Reforms that Rescued a Teetering Nation Before President Tinubu’s inauguration, Nigeria’s economy was dangerously unsustainable. Subsidies on fuel, electricity, and the naira, coupled with massive debt servicing, pushed the country to the brink. Tinubu’s immediate decision to remove fuel subsidies and unify the exchange rate was a courageous leap that triggered short-term hardships but initiated long-term gains.

Today, those reforms are bearing fruits.

Domestic crude refining has rebounded, with the Dangote Refinery and Port Harcourt facility now contributing to stable petroleum supply and lower PMS prices—down from over N1200/litre to around N890/litre.

Food inflation, once soaring above 40 per cent, is stabilising, thanks to a combination of market deregulation, the import duty-free window, and improved security in farming regions. Farmers have returned to the fields, markets in bandit-hit areas like Birnin Gwari are reopening, and food prices are easing across the country.

For the first time in years, Nigeria’s Federation Account is witnessing record inflows, with states tripling their FAAC allocations. This has curbed excessive borrowing and allowed for more state-level investment in infrastructure and social services.

Tinubu’s monetary reforms have also restored investor confidence. Nigeria’s Eurobond issuance in late 2024 received over $9 billion in orders—four times the subscription level—while Fitch Ratings upgraded the country’s outlook from Negative to Stable.

Total trade volume reached N138 trillion in 2024, representing a 106 per cent increase from 2023.

Petroleum exports soared, and the country now boasts a trade surplus of N18.86 trillion. Foreign reserves are rising, with Net Foreign Exchange Reserves improving from $3.99 billion in 2023 to $23.11 billion currently.

President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope vision has been energised by a cadre of ministers whose performances have been nothing short of transformative. At the forefront is Barrister Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), whose leadership has turned the capital into a beacon of urban renewal.

Under Wike’s stewardship, the FCT has seen massive infrastructural development—from urban highways to rural feeder roads—boosting connectivity and livelihoods. Schools have been rehabilitated, security enhanced with over 100 vehicles provided to agencies, and investments surged, particularly in previously neglected rural districts.

Administrative reforms, including the creation of the Youth Development Mandate Secretariat, have strengthened governance, improved service delivery, and made the FCT more responsive to residents’ needs.

Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo Few ministers have risen with such striking immediacy to the forefront of national admiration as Hon. (Dr.) Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. Dubbed the “Star Boy” of the Tinubu administration, his stewardship of the Ministry of Interior has not only been administrative—it has been transformative.

In a system often weighed down by bureaucratic inertia, Tunji-Ojo has carved a new path defined by digital innovation, institutional integrity, and people-centred delivery.

When he assumed office, Nigeria’s passport system was mired in delays, inefficiencies, and public frustration. But Tunji-Ojo approached this challenge with a technocratic precision and a citizenfirst mentality. Within months, his team cleared a staggering backlog of over 204,000 passports, restoring dignity and predictability to the application process. Even more impressively, he pioneered a centralised passport production and contactless renewal system that has streamlined operations and eliminated waste—saving the nation over N800

President Bola Tinubu million annually. Under his watch, Nigeria has now joined International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)’s global security ecosystem, significantly enhancing the international acceptability of its travel documents and positioning the country for an e-Visa regime that promises speed, transparency, and security.

At the nation’s borders and entry points, a silent revolution has been unfolding. Forty electronic gates, deployed across major international airports, have ushered in a new era of automated, secure border control. These systems are not mere installations—they are symbols of a vision that aligns Nigeria with global standards while preserving national security. Tunji-Ojo’s leadership has also extended to strengthening terrestrial surveillance, with coverage now reaching over 60 per cent of Nigeria’s 4,047-kilometre land border—a feat never before achieved.

His reformist energy has equally touched the soul of the correctional system. In collaboration with the private sector, his ministry secured N585 million in corporate social responsibility funds, enabling the release of over 4,000 inmates who had been languishing in detention solely due to their inability to pay fines. This move decongested correctional centres by five per cent and saved the federal government over N1 billion in feeding and administrative costs. But more than the figures, it was a restoration of humanity—proof that justice must also be tempered with compassion. With biometric registration of all inmates now completed, the correctional system is evolving into a more secure, rehabilitative structure.

President Tinubu’s approval of a 50 per cent upward review in inmates’ feeding allowance— implemented by the Interior Ministry—is another affirmation of this administration’s moral clarity on human dignity. Plans are underway to relocate 29 correctional centres that urban expansion has rendered unsuitable, reaffirming the government’s resolve to turn prisons into places of reform rather than warehouses of neglect.

The Federal Fire Service, long overlooked and underfunded, has emerged under Tunji-Ojo’s direction as a retooled force for emergency response. With new infrastructure, 15 rapid-response Ford vehicles,

six heavy-duty trucks, and a remodeled training academy, fire service personnel are now better equipped to meet rising urban and rural risks. This modernisation is not simply about equipment—it is about saving lives and protecting national assets with professionalism and urgency.

Equally significant is the reawakening of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Under Tunji-Ojo’s oversight, the Corps has dismantled over 1,000 illegal refineries and 200 oil bunkering sites. Its enforcement drive has yielded over 345 convictions, and new operational capacities—gunboats, surveillance vehicles, and 10,000 newly trained agro-rangers—now protect key assets, farms, and mining areas. These developments are not coincidental. They are the result of deliberate, structured leadership focused on national security and economic stability.

One of the more understated yet groundbreaking achievements has been the forensic audit and overhaul of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). Tunji-Ojo’s ministry uncovered systemic fraud, including over 6,000 illegal NIN acquisitions by foreign nationals. His insistence on inter-agency collaboration and database integrity has helped safeguard national identity and contributed to the effective rollout of the Student Loan Initiative, which now supports over 18,000 Nigerian students through verified, secure identity channels.

Importantly, Tunji-Ojo has also addressed the long-standing morale issues among paramilitary personnel. For the first time in decades, promotion backlogs have been cleared, and a new special allowance has been instituted. Over 50,000 officers across various agencies have been promoted, sending a powerful message that service and loyalty will no longer go unrewarded.

What defines Tunji-Ojo’s tenure, however, is not merely the scope of reforms but the spirit behind them. His actions demonstrate that public office can indeed be a tool for genuine service—that systems can be made to work, and that leadership, when purposeful, can change lives. Through bold innovation and compassionate governance, he has turned a previously overlooked ministry into one of the engines of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

David Umahi and National Infrastructure In the Ministry of Works, Senator David Umahi has proven that technical expertise can deliver real change. His commitment to infrastructure renewal has been visible and impactful.

Umahi oversaw the successful reopening of the Third Mainland Bridge after critical maintenance and continues to lead on key national projects like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. His merit-based appointment has transcended political affiliations and regional sentiments, offering a unifying force for Nigeria’s development.

With frequent site visits and a hands-on approach, Umahi has earned praise for transparency, diligence, and commitment to quality infrastructure delivery.

Keyamo’s Aviation Turnaround When Festus Keyamo assumed the role of Minister of Aviation, Nigeria’s aviation sector was in turmoil.

Through rigorous stakeholder engagement, safety revalidation of airlines, and regulatory reforms, Keyamo stabilised the industry.

He empowered the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to reassert global safety standards and restored confidence among passengers and operators alike. Keyamo’s quick diagnosis and bold interventions have put the sector on a path to growth and international credibility.

Two years into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s tenure, Nigeria is not just surviving—it is recalibrating for greatness. His leadership has ushered in difficult but necessary reforms, guided by a team of visionary ministers delivering results across sectors.

The road ahead will demand continued sacrifice and collective resolve, but Nigerians can take pride in a government that listens, adapts, and most importantly—acts. The Renewed Hope Agenda is no longer a promise. It is a reality in motion.

President Tinubu’s second anniversary is not just a milestone—it is a testament to the power of courageous leadership, strategic reform, and a deep commitment to national transformation.

•Olufemi, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Lagos

32

FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2025 • THISDAY

NEWS

GLOVO FUTURE COMMERCE SUMMIT...

L–R: Chief Executive Officer, Sooyah Bistro, Ms. Olamidun Ogundoyin; Chief Executive Officer, Bukka Hut, Mr. Rasheed Jaiyeola; Chief Executive Officer, Sweet Sensation, Mr. Ayo Anibaba; General Manager, Glovo Nigeria, Mr. Lamide Akinola; Chief Executive Officer, Lost in Lagos, Ms. Tannaz Bahnam; Head of Commercial, Glovo Nigeria, Mr. Kolawole Adeniyi; and Chief Executive Officer, Molabat, Mr. Olusegun Ake, during the Glovo Future Commerce Summit in Lagos… recently

US Federal Appeals Court Reinstates Trump’s Tariffs After Trade Court Ruling Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

A federal appeals court yesterday reinstated President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs just a day after a trade court blocked them, ruling that Trump had overstepped his authority. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued the reinstatement without explanation, giving both sides deadlines in early June to respond.

The tariffs, dubbed “Liberation Day” duties, target a wide range of goods from major US trading partners, including Canada, Mexico,

and China, which Trump claims are complicit in fentanyl trafficking into the US. A US trade court had blocked most of Trump’s tariffs in a sweeping ruling that found the president overstepped his authority by imposing acrossthe-board duties on imports from US trading partners.

The Court of International Trade said the US Constitution gives Congress exclusive authority to regulate commerce with other countries that is not overridden by the president’s emergency powers to safeguard the US economy.

“The court does not pass upon the wisdom or likely effectiveness of the President’s use of tariffs as leverage,” a three-judge panel said in the decision to issue a permanent injunction on the blanket tariff orders issued by Trump since January.

“That use is impermissible not because it is unwise or ineffective, but because (federal law) does not allow it,” a Reuters report quoted the court as saying.

Financial markets cheered the ruling. The US dollar rallied following the court’s order, surging against currencies such as the euro, yen

and the Swiss franc in particular.

Wall Street futures rose and equities across Asia also jumped.

The judges also ordered the Trump administration to issue new orders reflecting the permanent injunction within 10 days. The Trump administration minutes later filed a notice of appeal and questioned the authority of the court.

The court invalidated with immediate effect all of Trump’s orders on tariffs since January that were rooted in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a law meant to address “unusual

N152m Property Dispute: Engineer Gets Court’s Nod to Amend Defence, add Witnesses Wale Igbintade

Justice Akingbola George of the Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square has granted all reliefs sought by Engineer Anthony Ugbebor in a N152 million property dispute.

Ugbebor, the first defendant in Suit No: LD/4471LM/2023, filed a motion seeking leave to amend his statement of defence and counterclaim in a case brought by property developer, Olukayode Olusanya, and his company, Oak Homes Limited, against him and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The claimants are seeking various reliefs, including a declaration of trespass.

In a motion dated March 31, 2025 – supported by a 13-paragraph affidavit and a written address dated

April 9, 2025 – Ugbebor, through his counsel, Mr. N. A. Salau, sought the court’s permission to amend his defence and counterclaim, to call additional witnesses, and for the amended processes to be deemed properly filed.

Salau, in his submissions, argued that the court had the power to grant the application at any stage of proceedings, relying on the averments in the affidavit and legal authorities.

He emphasised that the amendments would not prejudice the claimants’ case but were necessary to ensure justice was served.

While the claimants did not file a counter-affidavit, their counsel, Mr. A. O. Erue, expressed the need for the claimants to file consequential amended processes in response to the ruling and objected to the immediate commencement of trial.

In a ruling delivered yesterday,

George agreed with the defence, holding that courts have discretion to grant amendments at any stage of proceedings, particularly when they serve the interest of justice.

He stated, “A court will not refuse an amendment merely because it introduces a new fact. What is important is that the amendment is necessary for the just and proper determination of the issues before the court.”

The court found that the application complied with the High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) Rules, specifically Order 30, Rule 10, and accordingly granted the following orders: “Leave to the first defendant to amend his statement of defence and counterclaim; “Leave to call additional witnesses, including Mr. Oluwaseyi Omodele and Mr. Sheu Hassan; “An order deeming the amended

DBN Raises Nigeria’s Climate Finance Ambition, Launches Green Declaration Emma Okonji

The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) has launched the Green Declaration, a collective, high-level show of commitment to accelerating Nigeria’s energy transition through climate-smart investment, strategic partnerships, and inclusive financial action.

The signing ceremony, in Lagos, convened an assembly of stakeholders from finance, development, and government, signaling unified intent to position green finance as an economic opportunity, not a regulatory burden.

The declaration, which DBN

Managing Director, Tony Okpanachi, described as “a call to action and not mere imposition of obligations,” sets the tone for Nigeria’s climate finance framework. It encourages institutions to align financial flows with the country’s climate goals, including the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Paris Agreement, while mobilising capital across public and private sectors, multilateral agencies, and community actors.

“The world is currently focused on energy transition—the shift towards clean and sustainable energy sources,” Okpanachi said. “By reducing reliance on fossil fuels and embracing

renewable energy, we can address climate change, diversify energy sources, create jobs, and reduce pollution, ultimately leading to a healthier and more sustainable future,” Okpanachi added The Green Declaration integrates multiple fronts: championing climatesmart investments that create green jobs and protect natural ecosystems; driving innovation and ensuring inclusion so women, youth, rural entrepreneurs and underserved communities have access to finance; supporting regulatory frameworks that enable clean energy growth; and leading by example through institutional realignment.

processes as properly filed and served.”

Following the ruling, Salau informed the court that Ugbebor was attending proceedings virtually from the United States, and that one of the proposed witnesses had travelled from Abuja for the hearing.

He applied for a cost of N500,000 against the claimants for the day’s adjournment.

Erue opposed the application for costs, arguing that the claimants should be given an opportunity to respond to the new facts and that immediate trial would amount to an ambush. He also sought costs in the alternative.

and extraordinary” threats during a national emergency.

The court was not asked to address some industry-specific tariffs Trump has issued on automobiles, steel and aluminum, using a different statute.

The decisions of the Manhattanbased Court of International Trade, which hears disputes involving international trade and customs laws, can be appealed to the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., and ultimately the US Supreme Court.

Trump has made charging US importers tariffs on goods from foreign countries the central policy of his ongoing trade wars, which have severely disrupted global trade flows and roiled financial markets.

Companies of all sizes have been whipsawed by Trump’s swift imposition of tariffs and sudden reversals as they seek to manage supply chains, production, staffing and prices.

A White House spokesperson said U.S. trade deficits with other countries constituted “a national emergency that has decimated American communities, left our workers behind, and weakened our defense industrial base – facts that the court did not dispute.”

“It is not for unelected judges to decide how to properly address a national emergency,” Kush Desai, the spokesperson, said in a statement.

The ruling, if it stands, blows a giant hole through Trump’s strategy to use steep tariffs to wring concessions from trading partners. It creates

deep uncertainty around multiple simultaneous negotiations with the European Union, China and many other countries.

However, analysts at Goldman Sachs noted the order does not block sector-specific levies and there were other legal avenues for Trump to impose across-the-board and country-specific tariffs.

“This ruling represents a setback for the administration’s tariff plans and increases uncertainty but might not change the final outcome for most major US trading partners,” analyst Alec Phillips wrote in a note.

Trump has promised Americans the tariffs would draw manufacturing jobs back to US shores and shrink a $1.2 trillion US goods trade deficit, which were among his central campaign promises.

Without the instant leverage provided by tariffs, the Trump administration would have to find new forms of leverage or take a slower approach to negotiations with trading partners.

Initial reaction among Asian policymakers was muted, with Japan’s economy minister saying he would examine the details of the ruling, while the Bank of Korea said it saw the effective tariff rate on South Korean exports under the ruling falling to 9.7 per cent from 13.3 per cent.

The ruling came in a pair of lawsuits, one filed by the nonpartisan Liberty Justice Center on behalf of five small US. businesses that import goods from countries targeted by the duties and the other by 12 US states.

Deplorable Roads: House Committee Decries Low Financial Appropriation to FERMA Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Roads Emergency Management Agency (FERMA), Hon. Aderemi Hussein, yesterday, said the appropriation of a lowly 10 per cent of the national budget to the agency had hindered its ability to perform its functions effectively.

Hussein said such development had resulted in the deplorable conditions of roads in the country.

He spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, during an oversight visit by the committee.

Hussein, who represents Ido/ Ibarapa East federal constituency of Oyo State, said FERMA used to be one of the most reliable agencies of government, but inadequate funding had hindered its effective

performance.

He said, “Before now, FERMA used to be one of the reliable agencies of government where people have hope on the kind of work that they were doing.

“At its inception, FERMA was properly funded. Engineers were always at work and contractors were equally fully engaged and people were doing quality work that minimized deterioration of roads in our states across the country.

“But this time around, if you see the extent of damages or deterioration that we have in all our roads infrastructure across the country, it is evident that what they have as a current amount of money that they are using on a yearly basis will not be able to solve their problem.

“This has been what almost everybody in the ministry, in the

agency, have been crying about. Even those who are not even engineers, road users, everybody knows that FERMA needs to be supported in order for them to do more”.

Hussein said that it was part of the responsibilities of the committee to go around to see that the money appropriated for FERMA for the purpose of road maintenance was spent according to the purpose they were approved. He added that the committee was satisfied with the volume of work done in line with the 2024 approvals.

According to him, “After our meetings with the federal road maintenance engineers, the briefs that we received from the directors and the state engineers in charge, we are quite pleased with the volume of work they have done in line with our 2024 approvals.

33

THISDAY • FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2025

NEWS

56TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF NESTLE NIGERIA...

L–R: Managing Director, Nestlé Nigeria Plc, Mr. Wassim Elhusseini; Chairman, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode; Secretary, Mr. Bode Ayeku; and Non-Executive Director of the company, Mr. Mauricio Alarcon, at the 56th Annual General Meeting of Nestlé Nigeria Plc, held at MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos…recently

Military, NAFDAC Intercept 100 Trailer Loads of Fake Drugs Worth Over N1trn

Linus Aleke in Anambra

The Nigerian military in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has intercepted 100 trailer loads of fake and substandard drugs valued at over N1 trillion across major drug markets in the South-East and other parts of Nigeria.

The Director of NAFDAC SouthEast Zone, Dr. Iluyomade Martins, made this disclosure while briefing defence correspondents at the military cantonment in Onitsha during a biannual media tour of the Joint Task Force South-east Operation Udo Ka’s area of responsibility.

He said: “Over 100 trailers loaded with counterfeit and unwholesome pharmaceuticals were intercepted during the month-long exercise.

Precisely on February 9, we organised an operation in which Sector 302 was

a major player. The objective was to remove fake and substandard medicines from the biggest drug markets in Nigeria.

“We executed the operation simultaneously in Onitsha, Lagos, and Aba, and the Nigerian Army played a critical role in its success.

“We moved more than 100 trailers of fake and substandard medicines from various markets, especially in the South-East. The items we confiscated are worth over N1 trillion.

“You can imagine the number of lives that have been saved by removing these poisons from circulation.”

The Zonal Director stated the joint task force worked tirelessly on the ground for over four weeks, uncovering massive quantities of dangerous drugs hidden in commercial consignments.

He also revealed that a substantial number of the intercepted products

were illicit substances that not only endangered public health but also served as financial lifelines for criminal and terrorist networks.

According to him, “A lot of the things we recovered were narcotics that fuel insecurity. If you remove the fueling of insecurity, you’ve already done 50% of the work needed to stabilise the country.”

The director, however, praised the synergy between the Nigerian Army and NAFDAC, citing the operation as a model example of how interagency collaboration can yield tangible results in the fight against crime and insecurity.

Noting that NAFDAC is very happy to collaborate with the Nigerian Army, the director said this is how interagency collaboration should be if government institutions truly want to save Nigeria.

He applauded Sector 302 and Headquarters 82 Division, Nigerian

Amnesty International: Over 10,000 Killed in Two Years of Tinubu’s Presidency, Villages Sacked Across North Asks government to match its promises with concrete action Wale Igbintade Human rights watchdog, Amnesty International, has condemned the federal government’s failure to stem the spiralling violence and humanitarian crisis across the country, revealing that at least 10,217 people have been killed in attacks by armed groups since President Bola Tinubu assumed office two years ago.

In a damning report released yesterday, the organisation said the government’s inaction has allowed criminal gangs, insurgents, and bandits to wreak havoc in rural communities, leaving a trail of destruction, displacement, and death.

“Today marks exactly two years since President Bola Tinubu assumed office with a promise to enhance security. Instead, things have only gotten worse, as the authorities continue to fail to protect the rights to life, physical integrity, liberty, and the security of tens of thousands of people across the country,” said Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

According to the report, Benue

State has suffered the heaviest toll, with 6,896 people killed, followed

by Plateau State with 2,630 deaths.

In total, 672 villages have been sacked in Benue, Plateau, and Zamfara states, while over 450,000 people have been displaced, their lives shattered by persistent attacks.

Amnesty’s findings paint a grim picture of a nation gripped by fear and lawlessness.

The statement added that in Zamfara State, 529 villages remain under the control of bandits, with 273 people killed and 467 abducted in two years.

It added that in Katsina State, at least 294 people were killed and 306 abducted, mostly women and girls.

“The violence has been particularly brutal in Benue and Plateau states, where entire communities have been wiped out, boreholes, clinics, and schools destroyed, and farmlands left untended. The resulting displacement and loss of livelihoods have pushed thousands into destitution, with many forced to beg for survival.

“The authorities’ failure to hold

suspected perpetrators accountable is fueling a cycle of impunity that is making everyone feel unsafe. Time is running out, as gunmen, bandits, and insurgents are ramping up attacks daily. The nationwide bloodshed must end now,” Sanusi warned.

The report also highlighted the emergence of new armed groups, such as Lakurawa in Sokoto and Kebbi states, and Mamuda in Kwara State, further complicating the security crisis.

Survivors of attacks in Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara states told Amnesty of the unbearable burden of paying “levies” to gunmen to avoid death.

Also, a resident of Maru Local Government in Zamfara State lamented: “The only relationship between us and the government is that they issue media statements after we are attacked and killed.

That is all they do.”

Amnesty International called on the Nigerian government to match its promises with concrete action to protect lives, investigate atrocities, and provide justice for victims.

Army, which coordinated and spearheaded the operation with precision and commitment.

He said: “We had the best collaboration with Sector 302 and the 82 Division, and this success shows the power of unity in national security operations.

“The operation is part of a broader push by the federal government and security agencies to crack down on the distribution of illicit substances and counterfeit products, which have been linked to rising insecurity, addiction, and loss of life in the region. Investigations

are ongoing, and arrests have been made, with suspects expected to face prosecution.”

The military and NAFDAC, he said, have reiterated their commitment to sustained enforcement efforts to rid Nigerian markets of dangerous pharmaceutical products.

DSS, Military Repel Bandits’ Attack in Niger, Kill Scores

Linus Aleke in Abuja

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in a joint operation with troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) have neutralised scores of heavily armed bandits believed to be loyal to terrorist kingpins Dogo Gide and Leyi.

Top security sources revealed the operation began on Tuesday when the terrorists stormed Chibani Village in Munya Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State.

They further revealed the bandits reportedly killed one Ayuba Isah and

left two other persons, a policeman and Alhaji Shuaibu, with gunshot wounds.

According to the sources, “On Wednesday, bandits said to be numbering over 200, brandishing sophisticated weapons, stormed a security base in Kuchi, a town in Munya LGA. The fierce gun battle that ensued led to the neutralisation of scores of the bandits, with many others fleeing with various degrees of injury.”

They said that reinforcement from Galadima Kogo to Kuchi was a major factor that helped weaken

the bandits.

Another security source reported seeing large herds of cattle, believed to have been rustled, crossing the Kusasu River in Galadima Kogo District, Shiroro LGA, advancing towards a place believed to be their hideout in Borisudna/Kwaki axis in the same Shiroro.

He said DSS operatives and soldiers of the Nigerian Army in the area contacted the Nigerian Air Force for aerial support and expressed optimism that the Air Force would be able to smoke out the fleeing bandits.

Students Writing WAEC Exam in Taraba Escapes Death as Classrooms Collapse WAEC apologises for delay in English language exam Cites security, logistical challenges

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo and Funmi Ogundare in Lagos

Hundreds of final year students of Government Secondary School, Namnai in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State who were writing WAEC examinations narrowly escaped being killed on Wednesday as the entire block of classrooms in which they’re writing the examination collapsed.

Besides the students, Youth Corp members serving in the school, teachers, supervisors and invigilators also escaped death by the whiskers.

Also yesterday, the writing of WAEC English exam commenced at about 10.00 pm across the state and ended at about 1.00 am.

However, in a related development, WAEC issued an apology following the delay in the conduct

of the English Language paper two during the ongoing 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates.

The Council cited security concerns, logistical hurdles, and sociocultural factors as key contributors to the disruption.

Moyosola Adesina, Acting Head of Public Affairs, WAEC, in a statement, explained the delay was a consequence of heightened efforts to prevent examination leakage and uphold the integrity of the exam process.

Meanwhile, the near tragic classrooms collapse incident occurred at about 6.00pm during a heavy downpour that was accompanied by a very heavy windstorm that removed rooftops of several houses in the community.

The victims were trapped in the

collapsed classrooms and it took residents of the community who rushed to the scene several hours to rescue them from the wreckage.

Though no death was recorded, the victims however sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to the Primary Healthcare Centre few metres away from the school for treatment.

Some residents of the town who spoke to THISDAY on phone maintained it was their timely arrival at the scene that averted what could have been a tragic incident of monumental proportion.

Meanwhile, students that wrote their WAEC English examination across Taraba State did so under serious stress, fatigue and exhaustion following several hours of delay in the commencement of the examination.

34

FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2025 • THISDAY

NEWS

TWO YEARS OF IMPACTFUL LEADERSHIP...

L–R: Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Afojuru Ozoemena; Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu; Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai; Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah; business mogul, Engr. Arthur Eze; former Governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo; and His wife, Dr. Patricia Nwobodo, at Okpara Square, Enugu, during the celebration of Governor Mbah’s second anniversary as governor, yesterday

Mbah on Midterm Stewardship: We’re Laying Foundations for Enugu’s Prosperity Jim Nwobodo, Arthur Eze, NASS Caucus, others endorse governor Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has declared that his administration is laying the foundations for the state’s prosperity and future, while addressing a mammoth crowd that gathered at Okpara Square, Enugu, to felicitate him on his second anniversary in office on Thursday.

His words: “In just two years, we have begun to rewire the foundation of Enugu State for future promise. We have constructed over 800 kilometers

of roads, opening access to farms, markets, industry, schools, and hospitals.

“To date, we have delivered five ultra-modern terminals across the state: Holy Ghost Terminal 1 for interstate travel with a skybridge to Terminal 2; Holy Ghost Terminal 2 for intra-city transport; Gariki Terminal; Abakpa Terminal; and Nsukka Terminal - all ready to be commissioned.

“We have allocated 33 percent

of our budget to education alone, surpassing even global benchmarks, because we believe that our future is forged in classrooms. Soon, we will begin the rollout of 260 Smart Green Schools, equipped with digital whiteboards, science labs, and solarpowered experiential learning spaces.

“Alongside this, we are building 260 fully equipped Primary Healthcare Centres across every ward, each designed with staff quarters, solar panels, and clean water. No

mother in Enugu should ever again fear childbirth due to distance or neglect.”

Governor Mbah noted that security remained the foundation of all progress, and said his government had “launched a state-of-the-art Command and Control Centre, deploying 150 AI-enabled security patrol vehicles, and witnessed the decline in violent crime, making it possible again for citizens to travel, trade, and sleep in peace.”

Political Parties’ Crises: NILDS Sets Up Elite Consensus Platform Says members non-partisan professionals Unfolds plans to transform institute to varsity Sunday Aborisade in Abuja The National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), yesterday disclosed it was mobilising non-partisan elites to come up with pragmatic solutions to the series of crises rocking political parties in Nigeria.

The Director General of NILDS, Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, stated this while addressing journalists on his achievements in the last six years at the institute’s complex, in Abuja.

Sulaiman noted with concern that the series of crises bedeviling political parties in Nigeria were emerging threats to the nation’s democracy and needed to be curbed urgently.

He said the institute believed the problem was beyond what the politicians could solve by themselves.

He said: “We have come up

with what we call Elite Consensus Platform. This is because we cannot allow these things to be addressed by politicians alone. This country is beyond the politicians.

“The numbers of the people in politics, is very insignificant compared to the larger population of the country. Where a country’s democracy is failing, I think the best thing is to bring out the elites, to show the direction and the perspectives.

“So, the institute has come up with this elite consensus platform.

We have mobilized elites from the various sectors, across the country.

We have identified the issues, areas of conflicts and have proposed ways and methodology to address the issues.

“We have enough people in this country that can guide our policy

making in the right way. They are not politicians. They don’t have any special interests in politics.”

Abubakar also hinted that the institute had in the past, engaged with politicians, the civil societies and the nongovernmental agencies to produce a lot of reports on how to strengthen the nation’s democracy.

He said the institute was also planning another round of training for senators and members of the House of Representatives who were not part of the orientation programme organised for members of the 10th National Assembly at inception.

Apart from this, Sulaiman, who is a former minister of National Planning said the institute was making efforts to ensure gender inclusion in the nation’s polity through research, training and advocacy.

FG Plans Intervention for Kano’s Ailing Industries Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano The Minister of State for Industry, Trade, and Investment, Senator John Enoh, has announced that the federal government is set to revitalise Kano’s industrial sector under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Minister, who visited the Mamuda group in Kano’s Challawa industrial hub yesterday, announced plans to foster an enabling environment for industrial development in the north.

He explained that the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda includes

facilitating partnerships between the Mamuda industry and others by providing accessible soft loans to business owners.

“Given the impressive workforce of over 13,000 people you’ve assembled, it’s clear that the government should offer you special consideration in recognition of your significant contribution to the labor market.”

Enoh stated.

In his remarks, the Chairman of Mamuda Group, Hassan Mahmoud, said: “ The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment continues to

create the foundations for a more inclusive, investor-friendly, and innovation-driven industrial landscape across Nigeria.

“Your presence here reinforces confidence in the role of publicprivate collaboration as a driver of real progress. At Mamuda Group, our mission is clear and aligned with that national vision: To transform local resources into world-class products, to generate employment at scale, and to build industries that are not only globally competitive, but proudly rooted in Nigerian communities”

He also pledged to expand and continue the institute’s National Quiz Competition among primary and secondary schools on democracy in order to inculcate the culture of civil rule in them from childhood.

The DG said: “We believe when you talk about democracy, inclusivity, good governance, we need to get this imparted to the younger ones, to our children.

“The curricula in the university must change. It’s not just teaching about government and history. It’s about teaching democracy, teaching good governance.

On the side of the economy, he said: “We’ve increased our internally generated revenue (IGR) by over 600 per cent, revived moribund assets, launched investment drives, and improved our ease of doing business while laying the groundwork for agro-industrial systems that will feed, employ, and empower our people.

“We have equally created 300,000 hectares of landbank to be leased to large scale commercial farmers, while establishing 200 hectares of Farm Estate in all the 260 wards in the state to scale up agricultural production across the value chain, both for export and the local market.

“We didn’t stop there. We completed the Enugu International Conference Centre, giving our state a place on the global stage. We launched Enugu Air, a bold venture that will transform Enugu into a globally-connected economic powerhouse.

“We have conceived a radical overhaul of our transport system, procuring 200 CNG buses and 2,000 city taxis. Our ticketing technology will significantly reduce transport costs for families,” he added.

He also highlighted the state’s investments in tourism, among others, noting however, that all those were “just the beginning of the story,” given his plans for the state.

Speaking, a former governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, said Mbah had done well in building and transforming the state.

“What I can tell you today is that no other state has done what Enugu has done. For me, you are going to continue to be our governor.

Everyone knows you are doing well,” he stated.

Also speaking, business mogul, Engr. Arthur Eze, described Mbah as God’s gift to Igbo land and Nigeria, saying no one could stop his re-election.

“God is a wonderful God. He brought your son, Peter Mbah to change Igbo land. When I came into the city, from Airport to the city, I noticed he has changed the whole Enugu,” Eze said.

The Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu and Hon. Nnoli Nnaji of the House of Representatives, pledged their continued cooperation with the governor.

Speaking on behalf of returnees to the Peoples Democratic Party, former governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Hon. Chijioke Edeoga, and LP chieftains, vowed to work for the success of the Mbah administration.

“On behalf of the members of the National Assembly, State House of Assembly, who have joined us back in PDP, we commit ourselves once again to PDP and the ideals of the party. We stand and will fight for the PDP, and for our governor to the end,” he said.

Governor Mbah’s second anniversary was also marked with a holy mass at the Government House Chapel.

Katsina to Secure Additional N50bn Worth of SURWASH Projects As CSOs decry manpower shortage in Katsina hospitals Say many operating without basic tools

Francis Sardauna in Katsina The Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has announced plans by his administration to secure an additional N50 billion worth of Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation And Hygiene (SURWASH) Projects.

Radda who disclosed this Thursday while inaugurating eight boreholes-based water supply schemes in Katsina metropolis said his government will secure the funds this year for the execution of water projects in the state.

In a health sector related development, the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Katsina State have decried what it termed alarming manpower shortage and lack of functional life-saving equipment at primary and secondary healthcare facilities in the state.

The CSOs said medical doctors, nurses, consultants and technologists had abandoned hospitals in the state due to poor remuneration and other impediments in search of greener pastures elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Governor Radda

said the SURWASH funds will scale up the government’s efforts in providing potable water to underserved communities across the state, enhance existing infrastructures and ensure resilience in water supply for both urban and rural areas.

He added his administration has invested heavily in the water supply scheme and explored global solutions, including the World Bank supported SURWASH project, where over N25 billion worth of water projects are being implemented in the state.

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THISDAY • FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2025

NEWS

PUBLIC HEARING BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS AND TETFUND...

L–R: Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and Tetfund, Senator Muntari Dandutse; Senator Kawu Sumaila, representing Kano South; and Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North, at a one-day public hearing on the following Bills: Federal University of Technology, Asaba, Delta State, Act Cap F23 (Amendment) Bill 2024; Federal College of Education (Special), Karaye, Kano State (Establishment) Bill 2024 (SB 187); and Federal University of Education, Gumel, Jigawa State (Establishment) Bill 2025 (SB 239), held by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and Photo: Julius Atoi Tetfund, yesterday

Fubara: Tinubu Acted with Wisdom by Declaring Emergency Rule in Rivers State

Assures his people he’ll return to office soon, appreciates Tinubu’s intervention in crisis Says peace process ongoing, sure of reconciliation with Wike

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has said President Bola Tinubu acted timely and with wisdom by declaring emergency rule in the state, otherwise, the story would have been different.

Fubara confirmed that peace and reconciliation processes were ongoing for the restoration of all executive and legislative institutions and offices in the state.

The governor urged his supporters, Rivers people, and Nigerians to thank Tinubu for his swift intervention to salvage the state from anarchy, assuring that he would return to his office soon.

Fubara spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt at a meeting with leaders and stakeholders of the Simplified Movement as part of activities to mark his two years in office as Governor of Rivers State.

He also assured the people that democracy and good governance would soon return to the state, with both the executive and legislative arms working.

He stated, “I want to assure you that the issues will soon be resolved, and you will come back to your offices; not just at the executive arm, but also legislative arm.

“I also believe that the strong

relationships we had before will return, and we will begin to work together again, for the good and progress of the state. What is important is for us to have a forgiving spirit.”

Fubara urged his supporters and the entire Rivers people to show appreciation to the president for his bold action to halt the degenerating political crisis in the state, and tasked them to totally subject themselves to the peace process to enable the state move forward.

The governor stated, “We are already in the peace process. I want you to thank Mr President for his timely intervention to salvage the situation, and stabilise the polity and the state. If not for Mr. President, the story today would have been different.

“I don’t know how he gets his information, but the truth is that he acted with wisdom at the right time.

He is the one you should thank. And let me also thank him personally for his intervention, and the personalities across the country, who moved in and appealed to him to intervene.

“We have to come down from our high horses, and subject ourselves to the peace process. And that is what we are doing. What is important is for the state to move forward. It is not about you; the interest of the state is paramount.”

Fubara stated that but for the political situation orchestrated by the crisis, the second year celebrations would have been used to showcase some of the key milestones recorded by his administration in various sectors across the state.

The governor assured the people that the government would bounce back stronger, more united and engi-

The Constitution Review Committee of the House of Representatives, has scheduled a meeting with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) for July 23, 2025 to present proposed constitutional amendment bills and solicit the governors’ cooperation in getting them passed.

The Committee disclosed that it would hold a joint retreat with members of the Senate committee and the Speakers of all 36 States Houses of Assembly to streamline and synchronise the legislative proposals to ensure uniform application across the federation.

The Committee has also arranged for interactions with key media stakeholders —including the Nigerian

The governor disclosed that since the president’s intervention, several reconciliatory meetings had been held, including some at the FCT minister’s residence.

“There is no reason why there will not be peace between me and my Oga,” he said, in reference to Wike, adding, “There will be peace. We are meeting. We will reconcile.”

Senate panel hails president for approving more varsities

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, yesterday, commended President Bola Tinubu for restoring the hope of Nigerians for a viable and sustainable nation through transformative and courageous leadership. Akpabio stated this in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, in Abuja.

He congratulated Tinubu on his second anniversary in office, saying

National, zonal public hearings begin in July Guild of Editors, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the Nigerian Broadcasters Association (NBN) — as well as civil society groups and diplomatic representatives to drive public discourse and awareness on constitutional reforms while enhancing transparency and accountability.

All these meetings were part of the committee’s strategy to secure the approval of vital constitutional bills before the end of December 2025.

These resolutions were revealed by the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, during a committee meeting held on Wednesday at the National Assembly in Abuja, where he shared a comprehensive timetable for the review process.

anyone who might have felt disappointed in his handling of the crisis, emphasising that his actions are guided by a desire to protect the peace and progress of the state.

Fubara also expressed confidence that reconciliation between him and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, would happen soon.

Akpabio: President Tinubu Has Provided Transformative Leadership Within TwoYears

House Sets Timeline, to Consult with Govs, Speakers, Editors over Constitution Review Juliet Akoje in Abuja

neered to deliver quality dividends of democracy to the people.

Fubara explained that those expressing anger and grievances had the right to do so, but added that the time had come for all to embrace peace, pursue reconciliation and forgiveness for the development and progress of the state.

He pleaded for forgiveness from

Kalu emphasised the importance of passing the current set of constitutional amendment bills

by December 2025 and noted that additional rounds of review might be required, as lawmakers were still introducing new proposals.

He reported that the committee was making steady progress toward its goals, but emphasised that certain key tasks must be completed on schedule to remain on track.

Kalu confirmed that the second engagement with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum would take place on Wednesday, July 23, 2025 and that during this session, the Committee would present the current bills, ask for their backing on proposed changes, and aim to secure consensus on bills that may be contentious.

the president has placed Nigeria on a solid developmental pedestal, using the Renewed Hope Agenda as his policy thrust.

The senate president said, “Today, May 29, 2025, marks the second year anniversary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

“On behalf of the Nigerian Senate, the entire National Assembly, my family and constituents, I extend my warmest and profound congratulations to a visionary, courageous and transformative leader, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on this milestone.

“I commend President Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda, which is gradually revitalising our economy, improving the lives of Nigerians,

rekindling hope in our people and building a brighter and prosperous future for our nation.

“Your drive and obsession to giving every section of the country a sense of belonging has clearly been demonstrated in the creation of development commissions in all the geopolitical zones. This is unprecedented in the annals of our nationhood.

“The level of infrastructure development as enunciated in the monumental ongoing projects across the country such as the Lagos- Calabar Coastal High way, the Lagos- Maiduguri are testaments to your leadership signature and development conscious pedigree.”

The statement added, “The economic reforms are gradually turning Nigeria into the preferred business

destination of local and foreign investors; with the naira making a strong rebound couple with your ambitious and purposeful fiscal policies.

“Mr. President, your achievements in the area of security are wholesome and commendable. In the last two years, the Nigerian Armed Forces have taken the war against insurgency to the door step of bandits, terrorists and other criminal elements and the results are obvious and positive.

“No wonder, you have received torrents of endorsements to return to office in 2027 just two years into your first tenure. These endorsements are certainly not a fluke but founded on verifiable performance in good governance and delivery on campaign promises and undiluted national consciousness.”

Morka: Unlike Buhari, Others, Tinubu Staked His Political Interests With Unpopular Policies Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, has said unlike former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari, President Bola Tinubu staked his 2027 political interest by embarking on policies that made him unpopular including removal of the fuel subsidy.

Morka disclosed this while addressing a press conference in Abuja to commemorate the second year anniversary of the Tinubu-led government.

He said, “In two years of this

administration, we made clear that this president has enacted a vision and proclaimed a mission to tackle problems that were created generationally in our country. All of the difficulties we speak about today didn’t drop from the sky. They were long in coming.

“As I said, all the presidents who came before this president preferred to simply postpone the doomsday.

Because we didn’t just wake up in the last two years to realise that fuel subsidy was a destructive device in our country.”

Morka noted that previous administration had to resort to excessive borrowing because 95-98 per cent

of the country’s revenue was used to service debt.

“Our government was already completely mortgaged to these serious national economic commitments.

The debt servicing and the subsidy regime. Now, how can anyone, any country, survive on that money? It was completely unsustainable.

“The difference between President Bola Tinubu and the rest of them was that this president, once he was inaugurated, he took an oath and said, you know what, enough. He knew, and we know, that doing what this president has done would likely make him unpopular in the beginning, which we are all witnesses to.

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FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2025 • THISDAY

NEWS

OPENING CEREMONY OF THE INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON DRUG CONTROL...

L–R: Director, Public Prosecution, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Muhammed Abubaker; Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig-Gen. Buba Marwa Photo: ENOCK REUBEN (rtd); and Agency Secretary, Barr. Shedrach Aruna, during the Opening Ceremony of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Drug Control in Abuja, yesterday

Ighodalo Heads to S’Court as Appeal Court Affirms Okpebholo as Edo State Governor A’Court faults, expunges BVAS from tribunal’s record, Wike congratulates governor Olawale Ajimotokan and Alex Enumah in Abuja Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election in Edo State, Mr Asue Ighodalo, has vowed to appeal the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which dismissed his case challenging the declaration of Senator Monday Okpebholo as the governor of the state.

Ighodalo and his party had

approached the appellate court to challenge the April 2, judgment of the tribunal, which held that they failed to prove their allegations of non-compliance during the conduct of the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State.

They claimed that the tribunal erred in law and occasioned a miscarriage of justice, when they concluded that the appellants dumped documents especially the Bimodal Verification Accreditation

System (BVAS) machines on the court and also failed to call credible witnesses to prove their case.

The appellate court in a unanimous judgment, yesterday, disagreed with the appellants, stating that they have not found any tangible reason to deviate from the findings and conclusions of the tribunal.

Justice Mohammed Danjuma, who delivered the lead judgment held that the appellants failed to prove their allegations of non-

compliance, because they did not call the proper persons to speak about how the said noncompliance occurred, adding that the witnesses based their evidence on the testimonies of others.

Before delving into the merit of the appeal, Justice Danjuma resolved a cross appeal filed by Okpebholo against part of the tribunal’s judgment, in favour of Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Tinubu, Akpabio, Osoba, Yahaya, Others Celebrate Ogun Governor, Abiodun, at 65 James Sowole in Abeokuta and Segun Awofadeji in Gome

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, among several other prominent Nigerians, has acknowledged the transformative style of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State as one that has led to notable advancements in infrastructure and facilities for the socio-economic development of the state.

The president made this assertion at the thanksgiving service to mark the 65th birthday anniversary and six years in office of the governor, held at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Ake, Abeokuta.

The president, who was represented by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said, “Your leadership over the past six years has transformed the entirety of

Ogun State into a model of progress marked by notable advancements in infrastructure, social welfare, education, youth empowerment, agriculture, and food security.

“Through transparent and inclusive governance, you have fostered innovation, stability, and sustainable development, reflected in Ogun State’s rising profile as a leading destination for investment and a state with steadily growing Internally Generated Revenue.

“I commend your unwavering commitment to public service and to the advancement of our great nation; your leadership remains a pillar of strength in our collective pursuit of national renewal and prosperity.”

Akpabio, in his personal message, commended Abiodun for his developmental strides, stating

that the governor has been able to translate his vision into reality.

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo commended the governor for his developmental strides, describing the governor’s 65th birthday as a day of joy.

A former governor of the state, Chief Olusegun Osoba, acknowledged the infrastructure development the state has witnessed in the last six years as tremendous, noting that the governor has been able to fix major roads and provide other essentials to the people of the state.

Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Oludotun Aremu Gbadebo, said Governor Abiodun has touched lives in various ways, just as he has done in providing roads, hospitals, houses, and others, praying for the governor to end well.

Kingibe to Wike: It’s Illegal to Take over People’s Properties over Ground Rent Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, has said it was illegal for properties to be seized, revoked, or sealed solely on account of failure to pay ground rent.

Reacting to the ongoing development in the capital city, the lawmaker warned FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, not to run foul of the law.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on the authority of Wike, had revoked over 4,700 properties, whose owners were said to have failed to pay ground rent for decades.

The Administration, on Monday,

began the sealing of the affected properties, including the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Peoples Democratic Party’s secretariat, Ibro Hotels, among others, before the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who gave the defaulters a 14-day grace to settle their rents.

But reacting, Kingibe said the Land Use Act indicated that the penalty for such default is, by law, limited to a fine or surcharge, not the compulsory taking over or sealing of the property without recourse to the due process prescribed under Section 42 of the Land Use Act and other relevant provisions.

“The indiscriminate and sometimes

abrupt sealing of properties, often executed without proper notice, engagement, or adherence to legal procedure, only serves to deepen the economic distress of individuals, families, and business owners already facing mounting hardship.

“These actions undermine livelihoods, erode public trust in institutions, and risk destabilizing the fragile balance of social and economic stability within the FCT. “As the elected Senator of the Federal Capital Territory, I cannot, and will not, stand idly by while residents are subjected to enforcement practices that contravene established laws and compound their suffering.

The Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, commended the governor for reviewing the Obas’ law and taking care of the traditional rulers despite financial challenges, while the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, congratulated the governor on reaching the age of 65, describing him as a humble and fantastic human being.

Okpebholo and APC had opposed the admissibility of the BVAS machines, which was admitted by the tribunal, although did not attach any value to it because the appellants failed to demonstrate how the machine operates.

However, the appellate court held that it was wrong for the tribunal to have admitted the document from the bar, after a contention by parties, adding that documents admitted from the bar are documents consented to by parties.

Having faulted the process via which the BVAS was admitted, the appellate court subsequently made an order expunging all the evidence attached to the BVAS as well as its admittance.

Danjuma pointed out that since the bottom of the case of the appellants (BVAS) has fallen, the case of the appellants is lacking in merit and was hereby dismissed.

The appellate court agreed with the tribunal on the issue of overvoting and improper computation of results, stressing that the appellants should have called polling units agents to testified how the results

were inflated or how the documents were not filled by officials of the electoral umpire.

He also agreed with the tribunal that some of the testimonies provided by some of the witnesses were hearsay for not being presented by the original witnesses, who were present at the polling units but by reporting officers.

However, speaking with journalists shortly after the judgment, Chairman of the PDP in the state, Mr Tony Aziegbemi, said their lawyers would obtain the Certified True Copy (CTC) of Court of Appeal judgment to enable them approach the Supreme Court.

While accusing the justices of bias, Aziegbemi said, “there are so many grounds to appeal to the Supreme Court”, and therefore urged PDP faithful to remain calm and keep hope alive.

Also speaking, Edo State Deputy Governor, Mr Dennis Idahosa, congratulated his principal and the people of Edo State for the victory, eben as he called on Ighodalo to “embrace the judgment and let’s come together and develop Edo State”.

TotalEnergies Strikes Deal to Sell Interest in Bonga Oilfield for $510m NLNG’s broader commitment to achieving Nigerian content targets and empowering the country’s youth through skills-based development, according to a statement by the company’s Manager, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, Anne-Marie Palmer-Ikuku The Train 7 project, currently under construction, is expected to raise NLNG’s production capacity by 35 per cent to 30 million tons per annum (mtpa), from its current 22mtpa output.

“This initiative further strengthens NLNG’s role in supporting Nigerian Content development, especially within the ongoing Train 7 Project. We are proud to sustain this momentum in collaboration with the NCDMB, whose visionary support continues to drive human capital development across Nigeria,” Buowari stated.

The liquefaction company explained the supplementary training was an expansion of the Train 7 HCD Basic Training Programme and offers two distinct learning tracks designed to meet the diverse needs of participants: structured theoretical modules through classroom training, and practical, field-based experience through hands-on training.

Each of these components, the

statement said, followed a carefully developed curriculum with specific milestones to ensure that trainees graduate with both industry-relevant knowledge and applied technical competence.

“For the trainees, this is not just a learning programme – it is a Launchpad for your professional journey,” Buowari said, adding, “I urge you to commit fully, complete all required modules, and take the certification process seriously. This experience could define your future.”

Beyond technical training, NLNG said the programme was structured to holistically support the personal and professional development of each participant. It added that trainees would have access to healthcare services through Reliance HMO, ensuring their wellness throughout the training period.

The company said the trainees would also be enrolled in mentorship programmes designed to provide guidance from seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry.

Additionally, it said wellness and support services, including counselling and emotional support resources, would be available to help participants maintain balance and resilience.

According to the statement, regular performance reviews and career counselling sessions will ensure each trainee’s progress aligned with their long-term professional aspirations. It said these offerings reflect NLNG’s commitment not only to skill acquisition but also to developing well-rounded professionals capable of thriving in dynamic and demanding environments.

Buowari, at the ceremony, also recognised the dedication of NLNG staff and project teams whose tireless work behind the scenes made the programme’s expansion a reality.

He stated, “Many hands within NLNG have worked tirelessly to make today a success. From those present in this room, to others handling business-critical operations elsewhere, we say, thank you. Your efforts are contributing to a more sustainable and empowered Nigeria.”

He added, “The Train 7 project, a significant expansion of NLNG’s production capacity, continues to align with Nigeria’s national vision for local content, inclusive growth, and youth empowerment.

“Through initiatives, such as this training programme, NLNG is reaffirming its purpose-driven mission of ‘Inspiring a Sustainable Future’.”

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NEWSxtra

REVIEWING PERFORMANCE IN OFFICE…

L-R: Former Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Chief Executive Officer, TMS Media, Dr. Mike Omeri; former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, and Deputy Governor of Benue State, Mr. Samuel Ode, at a town hall meeting on the two years in office of Governor Hyacinth Alia’s Administration in Makurdi …recently

Troops Vow to Stop IPOB’s Sit-at-Home Order to Honour Biafra’s Fallen Heroes Linus Aleke in Anambra

Troops of the Joint Task Force South-east Operation Udo Ka have vowed to frustrate the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB)’s declaration of a sit-at-home in the South-east and some parts of the South-south to honour the fallen heroes who paid the supreme price during the Biafran war.

The troops also pledged to deploy every force at their disposal to provide security and a conducive environment for secondary school students scheduled to take the English Language paper for the ongoing West African School Certificate Examination in the entire Southeast on the same day.

The Indigenous People of Biafra had in a statement on Monday

Police Kill Notorious Kidnapper in Rivers Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Police Command yesterday said a suspected notorious kidnapper troubling rural communities in the state has been killed.

According to the spokesperson of the police command, the suspect, David Uzoma Kamalu, popularly called M-Kaze, was killed when he engaged operatives at Rumuodogu 1 Community, Emohua Local Government Area of the State.

In the statement signed

by Grace Iringe-Koko, the

command disclosed that during the fierce gun battle with criminal suspects in the area, M-Kaze was fatally wounded while several other gang members escaped with varying degrees of bullet wounds.

She disclosed that during search at the criminals hideout in the area, one pump-action shotgun, two live cartridges, various local charms believed to be used for protection and intimidation were recovered.

Iringe-Koko stated: “In a daring operation, on May 25, 2025, Operatives from the Rumuji Division of the Rivers State Police Command neutralized a suspected notorious kidnapper and murderer, David Uzoma Kamalu, ‘m’ a.k a. M-Kaze and recovered exhibits in a tactical raid on a suspected criminal hideout in Rumuodogu 1 Community, Emohua Local Government Area.”

“The operation, which commenced at about 01:00a.m was the culmination of days of intensive intelligence gathering, showcasing the command’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge intelligence to disrupt and dismantle criminal networks.

“During the operation, the Police operatives encountered fierce armed resistance from the gang members, leading to an exchange of gunfire. In the ensuing engagement, M-Kaze was neutralized, while several other gang members escaped with varying degrees of bullet wounds.”

The police spokesperson also revealed that deceased suspect, “M-Kaze, was a highvalue target with a notorious reputation for orchestrating heinous crimes against innocent citizens.”

declared a sit-at-home on May 30(today), 2025, explaining that “This is to honour Biafran men and women who died during the Biafran War.”

Noting that the sit-at-home is a yearly memorial, IPOB said: “It is a way to remember Biafra heroes and heroines.”

The group said it had informed

the South-east and South-south governors about the plan.

But the Sector Commander of Sector 5, Operation Udo Ka, Colonel Adamu Kabiru

Mohammad, assured the people that criminal elements in the region would not be allowed to play games with the future of young people under any guise.

We’ve Not Forgotten You, Mutfwang Reassures IDPs in Plateau

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has reassured internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the state that the government has not forgotten them, as it is working in collaboration with the federal government and development

partners to resettle and rebuild broken communities.

The governor gave the assurance just as the factsfinding committee on incessant attacks on Plateau communities he constituted has begun its assignment with visits to some heads of security agencies in the state.

Mutfwang, who gave the assurance in a state-wide broadcast to mark his second year in office, said: “My fellow citizens, the last two years have tested us. We faced legal distractions that sought to derail the mandate you freely gave us.”

“We endured the pain of

continued attacks on our rural communities, the burden of a broken economy, and the scars of many years of neglect. But through it all, we did not falter.

We kept faith. We stayed the course. And we have begun to see the signs of a new Plateau—the Plateau of our dream.”

Court Rejects Statements, Videos Obtained without Kanu’s Lawyers

Alex Enumah in Abuja

A Federal High Court in Abuja, has rejected as exhibits, statements and videos tendered by the federal government in the alleged terrorism trial of Biafra nation agitator, Nnamdi Kanu.

The statements dated October 21, 24 and November 4, 2015 made by Kanu to operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) during his interrogation sessions were rejected on the grounds that they were obtained without the presence of Kanu’s lawyers.

Justice James Omotosho declined to accept the documents, while delivering ruling in a trial-within-trial, held to ascertain the veracity of Kanu’s claim that he made the said statements involuntarily.

The DSS had sought to

tender the said exhibits on Wednesday to prove their allegations of alleged terrorism and treasonable felony charge against Kanu, but the defendant objected to the admissibility of the said evidence claiming that he had made them under duress.

Be Innovative, Competitive for National Devt, ex-HoSF Charges Varsities

A former Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF), Prof.

Oladapo Afolabi, has urged universities in Nigeria to be innovative and competitive to remain relevant and engender national development.

Afolabi made the call during the 2025 Faculty Lecture in honour of Prof. Olu Odeyemi

organised by the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State.

The programme, which had the theme, ‘Legacies in Microbiology – Honouring Professor Olu Odeyemi’s Impeccable Contributions to Science, Technology, and Society’, was held at the African

Centre of Excellence Conference Hall of the institution.

The late Odeyemi, the pioneer Rector of the Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Osun State, and a retired scholar from the department of Microbiology of OAU, died on March 6, 2025.

The former HoSF, who was

the chairman on the occasion, emphasised that universities must be creative and be solution providers to remain relevant.

He stated that if universities dreamt wisdom and solutions, they would be relevant, stressing that innovation, funding, competition, and good governance are key to that.

President Tinubu Has Shown Exemplary Leadership, Says PAP Boss The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme(PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, has congratulated President Bola Tinubu on the occasion of the second year anniversary of his administration.

Otuaro noted that the president has shown good

leadership in the past two years and worked assiduously to strengthen unity and peaceful co-existence, deepen good governance culture and enrich democratic practice in the Nigeria.

According to him, President Tinubu has also provided clear direction of his policies

and programmes anchored on his Renewed Hope Agenda for the country’s progress and development and the shared prosperity of citizens.

Otuaro commended the president for displaying uncommon courage in confronting the economic challenges that were pulling

the country backward and stagnating its socio-economic growth and infrastructural development.

He observed that Tinubu’s bold decisions and well-thoughtout reforms had brought about national rebirth, and also yield positive results in the various sectors of the economy.

Okowa, Keyamo, Senators Attend Delta State’s Thanksgiving Event Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

The thanksgiving and praise day event organised to mark the second year of the administration of the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori yesterday

in Asaba, was attended by thousands if Deltans, including former governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and his wife Edith, Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister, Chief Festus Keyamo (SAN), the three

Delta State Senators Joel Onowakpo-Thomas, Ede Dafinone, and ‘Ned Nwoko.

The atmosphere at the Dome Events Centre on Okpanam Road, Asaba, electrified by the various rendetion of traditional

Christian gospel and praise songs and energetic dances, was complemented by the large presence of numerous dignitaries and political leaders from the APC and others formerly of the PDP in the state.

Yola, the state capital.

Fintiri, while addressing the citizens at the state secretariat, the venue of ultra -modern international conference and event centre said the centre, when completed, would boast state-of-the-art facilities, including

galleries, mini halls, administrative offices, restaurant, tea-room, and outdoor sitting arrangements.

Governor Fintiri said the Centre would attract patronage across the country and internationally, opening up the state for investment and

tourism. He noted that the project represents a bold and strategic effort to build the Adamawa State of the future today, maximising the hospitality and tourism sector potential by positioning the state well and ready for the MICE industry.

Fintiri Breaks Ground for International Conference, Events Centre in Adamawa Daji Sani inYola

Adamawa State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has broken ground for the construction of an ultra-modern International Conference and Events Centre in

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FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2025 • T H I S D AY

BACK PAGE CONTINUATION For the Ooni of the arrest of the Yoruba self-determination fighter Sunday Igboho the previous evening. This was reinforced by the propensity of the media to speculate and draw correlations between unrelated events.

It would have been clairvoyant of the Ooni to know beforehand that Igboho would be arrested on July 19th and thereby convene a meeting (of individuals travelling from different parts of the country) on the event for the following day. This clarification was by no means a distancing from the responsibility a Pan Yoruba caucus bears for intervening in any event that is of active concern to the Yoruba people. Perhaps the coincidence was a way of providence acclaiming the formation of the caucus and cutting out for us our task.

It was a responsibility imposed on us by unforeseen circumstances from which we cannot walk away. In the furore that followed, it however became impossible to organically separate the inauguration of the caucus from the Igboho development. To boot, the extraction and circulation of the so-called full membership list of the caucus went viral on the social media and became a celebrity cause celebre attracting applause, cynicism, blackmail and the occasional venom.

Sooner than later, we got caught up in the resurgence of the Ooni/Alaafin syndrome. We figured that a Yoruba monarchy-centred-initiative should prioritise goodwill visits with the other leading monarchs hence the quick order courtesy call on the Alaafin.

A member of the caucus and deputy chairman of the Oyo state traditional council, the Olugbon of Igbon, Oba Olusola Alao, employed his good offices to secure an appointment for a courtesy call on the Alaafin. But since there is no good way of reporting the drama of the visit from the two conflicting accounts of what transpired, the sooner the whole episode was forgotten the better for us all.

This was our first and last encounter with the late Oyo monarch. One of the reasons we felt confident in going to see him was the fact that hardly had the official ink dried on his appointment letter, kabiyesi Ogunwusi took the unprecedented initiative of going all the way to Oyo, Abeokuta and Ijebu-Ode to pay courtesy calls and rally the fellow monarchs to the cause of Yoruba solidarity and unity.

The generic report of the charm offensive and shuttle diplomacy was ‘On Sunday, February 7, 2016, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi visited the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo at the latter’s Ake Palace in Abeokuta, Ogun State. It was in continuation of the

Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade Ooni’s recent “unity tour” to Yoruba monarchs during which he reiterated his message that there could not be development without unity. The recently coronated Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi, on Friday visited the paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Sikiru Adetona, at Ijebu-Ode, ending 75 years of rivalry between the two monarchies.

Ooni Ogunwusi made a similar gesture when he visited the Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi, on January 17 to end a 79-year old supremacy battle between the two thrones’.

“Before the visit to the Alake, the Ooni had paid an unscheduled visit to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi at his palace in Oyo, Oyo State. He joined Oba Adeyemi in the celebration of his 45th anniversary on the throne and attended the thanksgiving service held at the Methodist Church, Apaara, Oyo to commemorate the Alaafin’s coronation anniversary. Oba Ogunwusi was the first Ooni to visit Oyo town since 1937. He was accompanied to Oyo by scores of monarchs across Yorubaland. He said he was determined to ensure the unity of all Yoruba sons and daughters all over the world.

“I am here today, though not invited. As the Arole

Oduduwa, the onus is on me to felicitate with all sons and daughters of Oduduwa wherever they are and to show my solidarity for them. I am ready to damn any consequences or insinuations from anywhere; my mission here is to preach peace among nations of Yoruba both home and abroad and I am ready to work with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi to project the unity and love which existed in the days of our forefathers,”.

The Alaafin, while expressing joy with the presence of the Ooni and other Yoruba Obas at the coronation anniversary, noted that if all the monarchs in Yorubaland unite, there would be tremendous progress in Nigeria.

He said: “This special visit was done last in March 1937.

That was the first time the kings in Yorubaland met in Oyo town and today, history was made with the visit of The Arole Oodua, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II and I feel delighted to host you and to reassure you that I am ready to work with you.”

The baton has now passed to the newly installed Alaafin Hakeem Owoade. Lending immense credibility to the selection process of Owoade was the wise initiative

Celebrating President Tinubu’s Remarkable Two Years In Office

on deliverables. He knows when, where, and how developments should flow.

For him, anything to make it work is what he wants to hear and see happening. And, anything short is not worth is attention. He has built his life on the pillars of strategy, constantly aligning with forces that promise progress.

We must remember that this man is the major force that propelled the wind of change that blew across the country like a hurricane over a decade ago, and went on to unseat an incumbent president through the democratic process. Today, he clocks two years in office as the father of the nation and leader of the world’s most populous black nation.

Since May 29, 2023, when the baton of leadership of Africa’s largest economy was handed over to him, he has continued to exhibit unmatched tenacity and perseverance, even in the most difficult situations, to steer the country out of its challenges and give its citizens a new lease of life.

Beyond politicking, we must always remind ourselves that we are first, Nigerians, before being loyalists to any political party. And, as such, our interest and focus should be on the emancipation of our country. It is common knowledge that you cannot make an omelette without breaking an egg. Development is a product of sacrifices, as we must be ready to make sacrifices for the greatness we so yearn for.

Here is a president putting his re-election bid on the line. How else do you define courage? Ordinarily, one would have thought that he would play politics to do what entices the public at the detriment of true national growth and development —a path many presidents once trod. For him, he knew the consequences of wasting time, especially for a country that needs to redeem its glory, as well as begin to push other African countries to greater heights.

Regardless of party affiliations, we must judge him objectively. Hence, it is not surprising to hear recently that the Governor of Akwa Ibom, a politician from the opposition party, His Excellency Pastor Emo Bassey Eno, aligns with Mr. President, acknowledging his strides in just two years.

In his words: “I support this president. I know clearly that this president did not create the situation that we are in. And, I cannot mince words.”

One may sound patronising by quoting fellow party politicians. A sincere and honest compliment from the opposition has done justice to what we define as objectivity. Therefore, we can only agree that the man affectionately known as the “Jagaban Borgu” by his numerous followers and associates has lived up to expectations as a visionary, a pathfinder in turbulent times, and a steward of hope in a generation weighed down by deferred dreams.

To appreciate where we are, we must constantly remind ourselves where we are coming from. President Tinubu inherited a country drifting perilously towards the abyss and on the verge of tumbling off the cliff.

Before he assumed office, the citizens had lost hope in their country; hardly could you find anyone walking with a smile on their faces. The economy, like other facets of our national life, was in tatters and on the verge of another recession.

From the available index of assessment, we saw that it was sluggish due to internal as well as external factors that have been compounded by the fall of oil prices occasioned by a global recession.

There and then, cometh the President, Bold, Auda-

cious, and Tenacious, with measured reforms and people-oriented initiatives tailored towards achieving his “Renewed Hope” Agenda to restore Nigeria on the path of sustainable progress after years of mere promises by successive governments.

President Tinubu’s footprints have been deeply ingrained in virtually every area of our national life, and even the naysayers and doomsday prophets (as some have publicly identified themselves to be) have eaten the humble pie and grudgingly acknowledged his impact in the last 24 months.

Judging by available metrics, today, the economy is back on the path of growth after the years of the locusts, and it is noteworthy that the government’s priority sectors, including agriculture and solid minerals, continue to lead the growth of the now diversified economy.

Exports have grown steadily in agriculture, raw materials, solid minerals, and manufactured goods, positioning Nigeria for a leading role in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCTA), the world’s largest free trade organization.

Spurred by targeted food interventions and enhanced productivity across sectors, inflation is now on the slide while external reserves have stayed at healthy levels throughout these periods.

We must not fail to tell our true story, especially as there are false narratives flying about in the media. I consider this a vital part of our responsibility as political officeholders. And, as I often say, if we don’t feed our people with facts, they will be fed with falsehood by mischief makers whose sole objective is to plunder, and turn the masses against the government.

In some sections of the media, our people are being told the nation is in shambles, when in honesty, the external reserves now hover around $40.19 billion. In simple terms, this account currently posts a surplus of $6.83 billion. Beyond external reserves, non-oil exports have also increased by 36% year-on-year to expand the country’s revenue base.

There is so much to talk about, and if you see anyone supporting Mr. President, these are the points convincing them to remain with him, regardless of where they may be standing on the divide. The unification of the foreign exchange windows eradicated the market distortions that had for years enriched rent-seekers at the expense of honest enterprise. This bold decision revitalized the investment climate with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) rising to $6.2 billion in 2024, up from $4.8 billion in 2022.

With the Renewed Hope agenda, Macroeconomic stability is no longer an aspiration; it is a reality. Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product rose by 4.6% in the last quarter of 2024, the highest in a decade. Of course, President Tinubu sustained his predecessor’s drive for infrastructural development and took it a notch higher with several laudable projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

That project alone is a testament to the President’s vision of linking every part of the country with superhighways.

The 700- kilometre, which cuts across eight states, is expected to add N1.3 trillion annually to the national purse when completed.

Over 2,000 kilometres of roads have either been built or reconstructed under President Tinubu’s leadership.

The revitalisation of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano corridor, the East-West Road, and the full activation of the Second Niger Bridge access roads are all part of this national reawakening.

Our railways are once again humming with promise.

The Lagos-Kano and Port Harcourt-Maiduguri standard

gauge lines are advancing steadily, reducing transportation costs by 35% and enhancing mobility for over 12 million Nigerians annually.

When Mr. President was worried by the activities of terrorists and other non-state agents disturbing the nation’s social fabric, he came up with measures to address the problems. Today, the establishment of the National Command and Control Centre to integrate real-time operations across all security agencies has reduced incident response time by 43% and violent crime by 28%.

This President, through the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), has installed e-gates in all international airports. Today, all persons entering the country through the airports are pre-profiled and screened against global criminal watchlists. For the first time in history, we now pick up people of interest before fizzling into the population.

Mr. President looks for the root cause of problems when he commits to addressing them. He often reminds us that a solution that will create a problem in the future is not a solution but a compound problem. The rejuvenation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan with the establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development to supervise a phased transition from herding to ranching has also helped to address the frequent clashes between farmers and cattle rustlers in the North-Central.

Today, over 8,000 terrorists have been eliminated, while more than 11,600 criminals have been captured and prosecuted. The Nigerian Police Force has foiled over 100 organized criminal operations since 2023.

Displaced persons in Borno, Zamfara, Plateau, and Benue are returning to their homes years after they were sent packing by criminals.

With the Student Loan Act, 500,000 students now access higher education without the burden of immediate financial hardship. The repayment framework, tied to income post-graduation, guarantees equity and access.

The Three Million Technical Talent initiative has trained over 750,000 youths in digital technologies ranging from artificial intelligence to mechatronics.

Nigeria is fast becoming Africa’s outsourcing hub, with the National Talent Export Programme expected to generate $1 billion annually by 2026.

With N37.4 billion, six advanced oncology centres have been built, treating over 25,000 cancer patients and drastically reducing outbound medical tourism. Maternal mortality has declined by 12%, while immunisation coverage has grown by 15%.

Through the Afreximbank’s $1 billion health facility, 11 tertiary hospitals are undergoing radical upgrades, improving surgical capacity, laboratory quality, and attracting diaspora professionals back into the system.

More than 11,400 primary healthcare centres now dot our rural landscape, extending care to millions who once relied on prayers alone.

The Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer has supported 15 million households with monthly stipends, lifting four million Nigerians from extreme poverty. Every payment is traceable, auditable, and linked to biometric records. It is not charity; it is justice.

The nano-enterprise grants have touched 1 million businesses, creating 600,000 jobs and invigorating the informal economy. The National Consumer Credit Scheme has empowered Nigerians with over N200 billion in loans for housing, mobility, and productivity, delivering dignity and possibility.

The Minimum Wage Act, signed in July 2024, ensures

of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state in ensuring the fulfillment of the role assigned to Ifa in the appointment of a new Alaafin. He could not have gotten a better bearer of the will of Ifa than Professor Wande Abimbola. He is not just the foremost scholar on Ifa, he is the Araba (the head of the babalawos in Oyo).This is consistent with the view of Kayode Esuola that ‘Ifa remains the most systematized and authentic source of clarifying significant Yoruba matters, in all aspects of life’.

There is a sense of dejavu, of reliving the past in all of this. There is the striking parallel in how Adeyemi and Owoade emerged triumphant. Both instances defaulted on the side of integrity. As the commissioner for local government and home affairs in Western state,1970, it was the responsibility of ‘Dr Omololu olunloyo to announce the chosen candidate.

Dr olunloyo wrote in his book, “I had to visit ile ife when the trouble was too much. I submitted the qualified names to Ooni Aderemi for help. Aderemi stood up and told me let me consult my ancestors.

When Aderemi came back after two hours, he gave a clear answer to all our fears ! Adeyemi is the best of the pack, declared the Ooni, first of all he will live longer on the throne, secondly during his reign there will be peace and tranquility. I did not wait for a second, I thank Kabiyesi and left for ibadan. The following Monday I call the press and announce Adeyemi as the next king’.

The fulsome role accorded Ifa in this process is a manifestation of the sociological continuity from pre colonial Yoruba society to contemporary post colonial Nigeria; a functional state-society continuity. I had hoped that Alaafin Owoade would vindicate this good augury with calculated and self assured steps to bolster and give meaning to the platitude of working for the unity, solidarity and development of Yorubaland.

The confidential reports of what transpired at his installation ceremony do not provide a basis for this optimism. I also sat down to watch the audio visual recording of Alaafin’s reception of the first lady. I thought the seating arrangement at the high table was quite belittling of the Ooni. I waited in vain for his special recognition from the host. None came save the acknowledgement “of all monarchs” here present.

You can accuse Ogunwusi of many flaws but rallying fellow Yoruba Obas for the cause of unity, brotherhood and mutual respect is not one of such flaws.

To you my friend, father and patriarch, Baba ria Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja the second, let us utilise this occasion to take stock and make necessary amends.

that all eligible employees are paid at least N 70,000 per month is an affirmation of Mr. President’s commitment to quality life for the citizens.

The Act also requires companies to provide free transport or a transport allowance to employees who travel more than 16 kilometers from their usual work location.

Through our Ministry, the automation of the passport process is one of the success stories of Mr. President’s Renewed Hope agenda. The process has removed the bureaucratic and other unethical conduct that had hampered the issuance of passports for Nigerians in the past.

Again, we must not allow people to paint our story with a single brush. While we are not where we want to be, we must first acknowledge that we are no longer where we used to be. The tax reform bills, though contentious, at the beginning is another bold reform initiative of President Tinubu’s administration.

The benefits are numerous, including acceleration of improved service delivery to the public, boosting non-oil tax revenue, and improving efforts to curb the incidence of tax evasion and avoidance.

Success does not come cheap. It takes a courageous leader to inspire and achieve it. A man like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) has mastered the art, as results will always speak.

The recent payment of a $3.4 billion loan received from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during the COVID-19 pandemic was a historic milestone and a testament to President Tinubu’s visionary leadership, meticulous economic management, and commitment to sustainable growth and development. This noble act, no doubt, will ultimately shore up Nigeria’s socio-economic rating in the international community.

This is a two-year run with bountiful harvests, and I am proud to be one of Mr. President’s agents of change.

Nigeria in Better Shape Than at Any Time in a Decade

competent technocrats — shows how much could be achieved if Nigeria really got its act together. There are plenty of ways for Tinubu to build on a promising start.

First, his government has to tackle inflation — still running at 24 per cent — with more urgency. Food is the biggest driver. State governments need to increase supply by providing farm inputs, security and better access to market.

Second, it must build on tax reform by achieving its stated aim of doubling the ratio of tax collected to 18 per cent of GDP. Some of that should be spent on woefully neglected schools and clinics — even more urgent given foreign aid cuts. That will bring benefits of its own but, just as importantly, will also help to establish a social contract, which has been dangerously lacking.

Third, and perhaps most crucial, the government must confront banditry and terrorism with the same single-mindedness as it did distorted monetary policy.

The army needs cleaning up as urgently as did the central bank.

As Nigeria’s election cycle edges towards 2027, Tinubu may be tempted to slow the pace of change.

That would be a mistake. He should forge ahead, with the overriding aim of making ordinary Nigerians — not just investors — feel the benefits of shock therapy.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025.

39

THISDAY • FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2025

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Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Chelle Admits Super Eagles Lost Steam in the Clash with Ghana Duro Ikhazuagbe

Head Coach of the Super Eagles, Eric Sekou Chelle, has admitted that the senior Nigerian team got exhausted in the second half of the Unity Cup tournament clash with Ghana’s Black Stars in London.

Nigeria defeated Ghana 2-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium in London to qualify to play Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz in the final of the invitational game.

Eagles lost steam to meet the pace with which they started the first stanza in the second half to warrant some

UNITY CUP

Nigerian fans expressing worries over the team.

But in an interview on NFF Media, the Head Coach insisted that his team’s aggressive pressing game in the first half took a toll on the players physicality.

My philosophy is (that) I want to make some high pressure on the pitch, but the system is very difficult for the players,” Chelle said at the post-match press conference.

“My dream is that I want my team

to keep up the high pressure for 90 minutes. But I think it is impossible.

So we need to work and improve,” began the Franco-Malian gaffer.

Despite the fact that Eagles escaped with the 2-1 victory, fans point at the similarity between the game in London and Nigeria’s disappointing draw against Zimbabwe during their last World Cup qualifier in Uyo. Eagles faded late in the game after taking the lead.

Chelle however remains unfazed, insisting that with more time and consistent training sessions, his players will adapt better to his style and become more resilient in the latter stages of matches.

“Since I’ve been the coach of this team, I’ve had maybe seven or eight training sessions. We have played three games — two wins and one draw. We need to improve. We need to work. The players need to know

what I want,” he said.

“I think we made a great first half and in the second half we were tired. My guys, I’m so proud of them because they fight. It was difficult, but I see that they deserve — we deserve — the victory.”

Eagles raced to a 2-0 lead courtesy of a smart finish from Cyriel Dessers — his third international goal — and an own goal by Ghana’s Razak Simpson off Semi Ajayi’s beautiful header.

Nigeria’s win over their eternal rivals sees Eagles advance to the final of the 2025 Unity Cup, where they will face Jamaica. The Reggae Boyz booked their spot with a thrilling 3-2 win over Trinidad and Tobago in the other semi-final.

The final promises to be a fitting climax to the friendly tournament in London, with Chelle’s young side looking to crown their progress with silverware

Gateway Games, More than Sports Festival, Says Obasanjo James Sowole in Abeokuta Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday described the just concluded National Sports Festival (tagged Gateway Games) as more than a festival of sports.

Obasanjo in a remark at the closing ceremony of the two-week event, said the sports fiesta has been a triumph of unity, display of talents and show of national unity.

The former President who thumbed up the sports fiesta, in a statement made available to journalists, said he spoke not as a former president, but also as a happy and proud son of Ogun State.

He said, “ I was physically here with you at the colourful, glorious and inspiring Opening Ceremony.

And what a spectacle! I watched some of the events in the comfort of my room.

“Indeed, Gateway Games Ogun 2024 has been more than a festival of sports – it has been a triumph of unity, display of talents and show of national unity.

“Over these past two weeks, we have watched Nigeria’s sons and daughters drawn from every

region and creed compete not just for medals, but for honour, to make friends and for indicating unyielding hope of a strong and united country.”

Obasanjo commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for the organisation of the festival.

“To our Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, once again, I offer my deepest and great personal appreciation. Your leadership, commitment and unwavering dedication have delivered not just a festival, but also a legacy. You have shown the world the strength, capacity, and hospitality of Ogun State.

“This was a world-class event in every measure and you have raised the standard for all to follow in future.

“To the 36 States of the Federation, the Federal Capital Territory and the invited junior athletes (IJA), 38 teams in total, I salute your courage and sportsmanship. Your participation has reminded us that in every young Nigerian lies capacity for greatness and ability to excel. As you go home, please keep the memories and remember that you are all champions, not only of sports, but of unity, diligence, resilience and national pride.

Super Eagles have been confirmed to have been exhausted during the second half of the clash with Ghana’s Black Stars in London early this week.

Heineken Lights up Champions League Final Night Across Nigeria As football fans around the globe count down to the 2025 UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan, Heineken is bringing the excitement closer home to Nigerians.

On Saturday, May 31, 2025, the premium beer brand will host a series of vibrant viewing experiences across Nigeria, turning the final into a night of football, fun, and festivity.

Tagged ‘On Night, One Game, and One Epic Experience,’ the Lagos Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, leads the pack for a special viewing experience, with stylish Terraform Lounge in Lekki, as well as lively places like Rhapsody’s and Bheerhugz in Ikeja, Lagos.

“Fans will enjoy the final in a festive atmosphere. Casper & Gambini, as well as Ghosts & Spirit Lounge in Abule Egba, are also pencilled for the electrifying atmosphere,” observed Nigerian Breweries Plc officials.

Other cities are also in for a treat. In Abuja, the luxurious Transcorp Hilton will be buzzing. “Port Harcourt fans can gather at Piano Lounge and Lesuuka NightClub. Football lovers in Benin City can head to 130 Degrees, while those in Asaba can join the fun at Best Western Elomaz Hotel. Aba will be rocking at Oris Bar

and Lounge, Enugu fans can enjoy the game at David’s Hill, and Jos residents will gather at Jos Park City.”

At these locations, Heineken has promised that it is going beyond just showing the match. “Guests will enjoy good music from top DJs, tasty food, and refreshing Heineken beer. There will also be fun games, exciting giveaways, and a chance to win special prizes. It’s all part of Heineken’s mission to create a Champions League night that fans won’t forget.”

This activation is part of Heineken’s global “Cheers to the Real Hardcore Fans” campaign, which celebrates the true spirit of football lovers who bring passion, loyalty, and energy to every match, win or lose.

The Portfolio Manager for Premium Beer at Nigerian Breweries, Maria Shadeko, says Heineken is proud to honour these fans as well as the brand’s loyal consumers. “This year’s UEFA Champions League final is not just a match—it’s a cultural moment. We’re blending world-class football with unforgettable local experiences. Through our activities, we’re celebrating the real hardcore fans—the ones who make the game magical from wherever they are,” she said.

Some of the deserved winners on the podium after receiving their prizes during one of the quarter final games of the 2025 Unity Cup competition

Super Falcons Won’t Pull Punches against Cameroon, Says Madugu Head Coach, Justine Madugu, has said that the Super Falcons will entertain no hold-backs when they take on Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses in two friendly matches at the Remo Stars Stadium, IkenneRemo on Saturday and at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex, Abeokuta on Tuesday.

“Our objectives for these two matches include improving our game philosophy and tactical approach. We want to observe and assess the players in line with our philosophy. We are determined to improve the team’s coordination, team spirit and mentality towards winning the Women AFCON. “Yes, these are friendly matches

but we must approach things with the right mentality, with the attitude that we want to win, and with the mindset that we are already at the championship. It will not be right for us to treat the games with kid’s gloves and earn results that will have an untoward psychological effect on the team going to Morocco.”

Madugu insists that the players understand the nature and size of the rivalry between Nigeria and Cameroon on the field of play, and will approach the games with the seriousness they deserve.

“We must ensure a positive mentality and keep to the gameplan. It is important for us to use the games

to underscore our preparedness for the Women AFCON.” The Falcons and the Lionesses are no strangers to one another. Most recently, the Falcons won a penultimate qualifying fixture for last year’s Olympics 1-0 on aggregate, courtesy of Esther Okoronkwo’s barnstorming effort at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja in the return leg. The win sent the nine-time champions to the final qualifying round, where they faced South Africa’s Banyana Banyana. That fixture was also settled by the odd goal – Rasheedat Ajibade’s penalty kick in Abuja.

That feat qualified the Falcons for their first appearance at the Women’s

Olympic Football Tournament in 16 years.

When Cameroon hosted the Women Africa Cup of Nations nine years ago, the Falcons were there to deny them glory in the final, with Desire Oparanozie scoring a late goal to crown Nigeria for the eighth time.

Madugu has invited an interesting blend of the old and the new, home girls and those plying their trade abroad, with captain Ajibade, multiple award-winning goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, defender Osinachi Ohale, midfielder Christy Ucheibe and forwards Toni Payne and Francisca Ordega the old and wise heads that the younger ones can learn so much from.

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back page lead photograph

65th birthday Thanksgiving service of Gov Abiodun...

L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Adeola Olamilekan; Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele; President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, his wife, Bamidele Abiodun; Aremo Segun Osoba and deputy governor of Ogun State, Noimot Salako Oyedele, during the 65th birthday Thanksgiving service of Gov Abiodun, in Abeokuta … yesterday

AKINOSUNTOKUN DIALOGUE WITH NIGERIA

akin.osuntokun@thisdaylive.com

For the Ooni O ne of the unique and pleasant experiences of my adult life was the uncertain definition of my relationship status with the former Yoruba patriarch, Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade.

Between him and my friends (Tokunbo, Deremi and several nieces and nephew) I often wonder whose buddy I really was. Regardless of his preoccupation at the time of my arrival, he was given to receive and acknowledge me with a wink and salutation ‘alagbara’.

On my 50th birthday, he arrived at the church before I did. He would also wish for me to be a regular member of his entourage. It got to a point I had to inquire from older relatives if they could fathom a reason for this unusual recognition. Not surprisingly, I learnt he was my father’s friend in the socio-political circuit of the Western region. Rummaging through his archives, I actually discovered a picture of the two of them sporting champagne glasses apparently at a cocktail party.

Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade When his successor, Ooni Enitan Ogunwusi, Olofin Adimula, Ojaja II who didn’t know my dad (the pharaoh

who didn’t know Joseph) picked up the baton and actually upped the ante, treating me like an Ife prince, I resolved to probe deeper. I delved into the Yoruba cosmological order and discovered a possible case of incarnation. My great grandfather, Dada Akoja, paired with the famous Ekiti warlord Ishola Fabunmi, once came to relieve a besieged Ife in one of the numerous century long Yoruba intra tribal wars.This primordial relationship has been of tremendous value to my present preoccupation with the academic study of Yoruba prehistory.

Along the way the incumbent Ooni floated an elite peer group, christened the ‘Ooni Caucus’ comprising leading lights from across the length and breadth of Yoruba land. The Ooni proposed that “In order for me to better secure the honour, safety, integrity and well being of the Yoruba heritage especially in this challenging and perilous times, I have decided to exercise the power conferred on me as the Arole Oodua, to constitute a caucus of eminent Yoruba sons and daughters, to support

and advise me in the discharge of the royal mandate”.

“The caucus will serve as a body of primary advisers and companion to me in moving forward the institutionalisation of the ancient Oodua stool. We shall hold quarterly meetings at the Palace court in Ife and as occasion demands. In view of the prevailing security issues in the country, it will be the responsibility of the palace to ensure the safety and security of members in their ingress and egress to and from Ife. It will be the obligation of members to join kabiyesi in hosting major palace social and cultural events at Ife and accompany him in attendance at similar events to which the kabiyesi is invited. Members shall individually and collectively hold the obligation to protect and project the goodwill, prestige and power of the foremost Yoruba monarchy”.

The inauguration of the caucus was scheduled for July 20th 2021 and was thus fated to play into the news Continued on page 38

OlubunmiTunji-Ojo guest columnist

Celebrating President Tinubu’s Remarkable Two Years In Office

B

ibliophiles, who may have read about the exploits of legendary King Arthur of Britain, will remember his round table, where everyone is equal. Such is the rare opportunity members on the Federal Executive Council (FEC) under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) enjoys —a president that calls both the young and old to a fellowship of nation-building, bridges gaps between the north and south through his appointments into offices, and inspires even his sworn enemies to join his camp without coercion.

In two years working closely with Mr. President as his appointee, even as a youth, ICT Development Expert and Pan-Africanist that I parade myself as, this man, through his influence, instructions, challenge, charge and

President Bola Tinubu guidance, has taught me to be more courageous, focused on results, unmoved by frivolous media commentaries,

and ultimately be more dedicated in the service to my motherland.

For every milestone we have recorded at the Ministry of Interior, for instance, you can be sure to find Mr. President’s imprint and contributions. From a mere spark of an idea on the table with him, Mr. President would provide me with more context, and beyond that, would follow it up with resources to help me execute it seamlessly. “Make it work. Nigerians are watching.

Make it work,” he would say, and then follow it up with “Bunmi, when shall I expect a result?”

At such an instance, I know for a fact, I have entered into another national covenant —One that I owe the number one citizen of the largest black nation. To date, I still think only a few people know the president they

elected and swore in to office in 2023.

In my meetings with men of various agencies under my purview, I often repeat this: “If you must fail your service, don’t fail me as your Minister. If you must fail me, don’t fail Mr. President. If you must fail, Mr. President, don’t fail Nigerians and your conscience.”

Perhaps, people don’t understand the direct import.

Every failure has a consequence. As a nation, we cannot continue to run a race of one step forward, two steps backward.

Mr. President is not one to turn a blind eye to underperformance. He doesn’t wait for people to grade him before he grades himself. He is that hard Continued on page 38

Nigeria in Better Shape Than at Any Time in a Decade

FT EDITORIAL BOARD

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or years, Nigeria has been not so much a sleeping giant as a comatose one. Home to nearly one in five sub-Saharan Africans, its market of 230mn people should be an engine of continental growth. Instead it has been a drag, stuck in an oil-dependent rut, plagued by banditry and run by a political elite bent on self-enrichment. It is hardly surprising that all but a few investors may have missed the fact that Nigeria has turned a corner.

Halfway through the first presidential term of Bola Tinubu, who completes two years in office this

Thursday, Nigeria is in better shape than at any time in the past decade. That may come as a surprise — or even sound like a sick joke — to tens of millions of Nigerians who are suffering the worst cost of living crisis in a generation.

Yet Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos and the country’s wiliest politician in a generation, has stabilised the economy and laid the groundwork for a broader recovery. This year, the World Bank expects growth of 3.7 per cent, in what would be Nigeria’s best performance since 2014 save for a post-Covid rebound. Most ordinary Nigerians won’t feel that yet. But it is a decent performance when oil prices are weak. The tiny green shoots have

come because Tinubu’s government has tackled — albeit in often haphazard fashion — debilitating structural distortions.

On day one Tinubu removed a ruinously expensive fuel subsidy. More important still, the central bank has restored monetary policy orthodoxy after a shambolic era in which only cronies with access to cheap dollars benefited. After a dangerous overshoot, the naira has stabilised, with the gap between the official and black market rate shrinking to almost nothing.

The central bank has stopped printing money to pay for government profligacy. Politicians still spend too much, often on fripperies like an extravagant presidential

jet, but at least the government has begun to increase tax receipts.

Investors do not live in constant fear of a devaluation and can readily access dollars. That may eventually help Nigeria to diversify, but shorter term it is positive that oil production has recovered from a nadir of 1mn barrels a day to nearly 1.5mn last month. Oil theft has been reduced and local companies are squeezing more out of marginal fields.

That so much has been achieved by a government stuffed with cronies — and, to be fair, one or two Continued on page 38

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