Issuu

FG Retrieves 50 Oil Fields from Defaulting Awardees, Insists on ‘Drill-or-Drop’ Policy Renaissance to double crude output to 500,000bpd, domestic gas to 1bcf/d OPEC gov wants $100bn investment opportunity retained locally Assures Nigeria will get its required OPEC quota next year Shell, Eni pledge faster project execution amid improved regulation Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum

Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has recovered more than 50 fallow oil fields for fresh development after

enforcing the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) provisions on acreage management.

This is coming as the upstream regulator has reiterated its plans to enforce the drill-or-drop policy

in a bid to end the ‘warehousing’ of blocks awarded to operators, as the commission intensifies its

drive to unlock dormant assets and Continued on page 9

Thursday 8 October, 2026 Vol 31. No 11505. Price: N400

www.thisdaylive.com TR

UT H

& RE A S O

TUC Tells FG: Implement N800 to $1 Exchange Rate to Reduce Fuel Price Says FG should do more to secure citizens

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

TOPPING OFF CEREMONY OF NEW AMERICAN CONSULATE AT EKO ATLANTIC CITY...

L-R: U.S. Consul General, Brandon Hudspeth; U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for West Africa and for Public Diplomacy Richard Michaels; and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during the Topping Oﬀ Ceremony of the New Consulate Compound at Eko Atlantic City in Lagos ... recently

President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Festus Osifo, has urged the federal government to strengthen the Naira to between N700 and N800 to one US Dollar, saying the high exchange rate Continued on page 9

Military, DSS, Police, Others Rescue 20 Abducted Youth Corps Members Uzodimma hails security agencies

NUPRC ANNOUNCES 2026 LICENSING ROUND...

Story on page 9

L-R: The Chairman, NUPRC Board, Senator Magnus Abe; the Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Jarigbe Agom; Minister of state for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; former Senate President Ahmad Lawan; Vice President Kashima Shettima; Commission Chief Executive, NUPRC, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan; Group Chief Executive Oﬃcer, NNPC, Mr. Bayo Ojulari; Executive Secretary, PTDF, Prof Shu’aibu Aliyu; and OPEC Governor for Nigeria, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi Bero, at the 5th anniversary ceremony of the NUPRC in Abuja on October 6, 2026

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, t T H I S D AY

Thinking of

Banking? Think ZENITH

*O UPEBZhT GBTU NPWJOH GBTU DIBOHJOH XPSME :PV OFFE B öOBODJBM QBSUOFS UIBU VOEFSTUBOET ZPVS VOJRVF FYQFDUBUJPOT " #BOL EJHJUBMMZ DPOOFDUFE BDSPTT "GSJDB BOE HMPCBM öOBODJBM DFOUFST XJUI FOBCMJOH QMBUGPSNT UP GBDJMJUBUF USBEF TFBNMFTTMZ XIFOFWFS XIFSFWFS IPXFWFS " #BOL XJUI TNBSU öOBODJBM TPMVUJPOT GSPN B TZTUFNJ[FE CMFOE PG UFDIOPMPHZ BOE IVNBO UPVDI 'PS FBTZ GBTU BOE TFDVSF CBOLJOH UIBU DSFBUFT SFBM WBMVF UVSOJOH ESFBNT JOUP SFBMJUZ JT OPX JO ZPVS IBOET

1&01-& 5&$)/0-0(: 4&37*$&

6O 6OJUFE ,JOHEPN H -POEPO .BODIFTUFS FSS 'SBODF $IJOB 6"& 6" 6 "& /JHFSJB /JHFS /JHF HFFFSJB H S 5IF (BNCJB 4JFSSB -FPOF $ÙUF Eh*WPJSF $ÙUF $Ù UF Eh* E *WP WPJS JSFF (IBO (IBOB (I BOBB ,FOZB ,FOZ ZB

4DBO UP 0QFO BO "DDPVOU

;FOJUI #BOL JO ZPVS CFTU JOUFSFTU

4JNQMZ DPOOFDU XJUI VT PO TPDJBM NFEJB 'BDFCPPL 9 *OTUBHSBN BOE -JOLFEJO DPOUBDU ;FOJUI %JSFDU PVS IS *OUFSBDUJWF $POUBDU $FOUFS PO PS WJTJU BOZ PG PVS CSBODIFT

;&/*5)#"/, [FOJUIEJSFDU![FOJUICBOL DPN

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, t T H I S D AY

THISDAY • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

NEWS

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

SAVANNAH ENERGY AT S&P GLOBAL LAGOS MARKET BRIEFING...

L-R: Managing Director, Savannah Energy, Nigeria, Pade Durotoye; Vice President and Head of Regional Upstream Insights, S&P Global Energy, Beth Evan; Vice President, Financial Control and Tax, Seplat Energy Plc, Chidi Onovo; General Manager, Corporate Finance, First Exploration & Petroleum, Abimbola Ayinde; and Head, Upstream and Midstream Energy, First Bank Plc, Temitayo Osundosumu, during the S&P Global Lagos Market Brieﬁng held at the Lagos Continental Hotel Lagos …recently

Umahi: Foreign Banks’ 70% Funding of LagosCalabar Road Shows Contract Openness Explains why ministry diverted coastal highway in Ondo Says EFCC to begin arrest of defaulting contractors Insists it’s not Igbos’ turn to be president Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Minister of Works, David Umahi, yesterday defended the federal government’s handling of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, arguing that the fact that the government was funding only 30 per cent of the project while foreign banks were responsible for the remaining 70 per cent demonstrated the transparency and openness of the contracting process. Umahi, who spoke at a press briefing in Abuja, also explained the ministry’s decision to divert part of the coastal highway in Ondo State, saying the route had been redesigned because of the difficult terrain and the need to adopt construction methods capable of protecting the road from the encroaching sea. Besides, he insisted that the government would not be forced to revert to asphalt construction where it considered concrete more appropriate, stressing that the choice of construction method was based on engineering considerations rather than pressure from contractors or other interests.

On the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Umahi said the funding arrangement itself demonstrated that the process was open to scrutiny. He explained that the federal government’s contribution represented only about 30 per cent of the project cost, with foreign financial institutions providing the remaining 70 per cent. According to him, the arrangement underscored the commercial and financial scrutiny to which the project had been subjected. He also defended the ministry’s use of special procurement for a section of the coastal road, saying the process had gone through the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and ultimately received approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC). Umahi said the ministry first identified a contractor with the technical experience to construct roads in difficult coastal terrain, after which the company submitted its bid. The ministry, he explained, subsequently compared the proposed rates with prevailing prices and submitted the bid to the BPP for review. “Would you say we have infringed on the process or the

law? So it’s those who do not understand the process that are still asking questions, that are still talking,” the minister said. On the diversion of the coastal road in Ondo State, Umahi said the decision was necessitated by the physical realities encountered along the route, insisting that the government had to respond to the circumstances rather than blindly

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), yesterday, in Lagos told financial institutions and Fintech companies still host-ing their payment data outside Nigeria that the Janu-ary 1, 2027 deadline for the migration of all Nigerian data back to the country for local hosting remained unchanged. CBN advised those concerned to immediately com-mence the process of data migration and localisation, if they had not started the process, in order to meet up with the deadline. Director, Payments Systems Supervision Department, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Rakiya Opemi Yusuf, made the clarification

in her welcome address, dur-ing the “CloudReady Nigeria Financial Services Roundtable”, organised by Africa Hyperscalers. According to Yusuf, who was represented by Assistant Director, Payments Systems Supervision Department at CBN, Mr. Babatunde Ajiboye, “Our task is to ensure proper implementation of the directive of the CBN for local data storage and management of payment trans-action data into practical, reliable implementation. “The CBN circular of June 15, 2026 requires payment transaction data generated within Nigeria to be stored and managed in Nigeria with full compliance set for 1st of January, 2027.”

highways, including the AsabaOnitsha axis, saying the ministry had launched what he described as “Operation Rescue” to restore badly damaged portions of critical routes while more permanent reconstruction was being undertaken. He said the government could not remain indifferent to motorists spending several hours trapped on major highways.

“We have had to intervene as responsible citizens. We have directed an operation, and we call it an operation rescue. And it’s ongoing,” he said. The minister also announced a tougher enforcement regime against contractors handling federal projects, particularly those who had received government funds without deploying them to construction sites.

Oloworaran: Foreign Currency RSA Offers Opportunity for Diaspora Participation in CPS New personal pension plan targets self-employed, underserved Nigerians as agents take services nationwide Pensioners cite payment of backlog, pension enhancements, PENCARE as gains, seek stronger collaboration James Emejo in Abuja Director-General, National Pension Commission (PenCom), Ms. Omolola Oloworaran, said the commission had opened a new front in the country’s pension market by allowing Nigerians working for foreign companies and those living abroad to participate in the Contributory

CBN Insists on Data Localisation, Says No Extension in January 2027 Deadline Emma Okonji

adhere to an original alignment. He said the ministry had encountered a similar problem on another section of the coastal highway, where the sea had reached the edges of the road, requiring the adoption of a construction system similar to that used on the Eko Atlantic project. Umahi also addressed the poor condition of some major federal

According to Yusuf, “The compliance date hasn’t changed. It’s 1st of January, 2027. So, while you go about your implementation, you must know that it has to address the full data lifecycle from creation through processing and storage to eventual disposal. This calls for a complete data audit. The practical sequence is to audit and classify the data, agree on the local architec-ture and contracts, then mitigate, test, and inde-pendently verify completion.” National Commissioner and CEO, Nigeria Data Protec-tion Commission (NDPC), Dr. Vincent Olatunji, in his address, spoke on data sovereignty and stressed the need for the protection of Nigeria’s data hosted out-side the country.

Pension Scheme (CPS). Speaking at the 2026 Customer Service Week seminar, with the theme, “Extra Mile”, in Abuja, Oloworaran said the commission was also pushing deeper into the country’s vast informal economy. According to her, the measures form part of the commission’s new “Pension 2.0” reform agenda designed to widen coverage, strengthen protection of pension assets, and make the system more responsive to a changing workforce. Represented by PenCom Head of Surveillance Department, Mr. Abdulrahman Saleem, Oloworaran stressed that Pension 2.0 was anchored on innovation, inclusion, and integrity, with the objective of moving pension administration beyond its traditional dependence on formal employer-employee relationships. At the centre of the initiative is the Guideline on the Administration of Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) in Foreign Currency, which provides a framework for Nigerians employed by foreign companies and those working abroad to participate in the CPS. The initiative seeks to expand the pool of long-term retirement savings while aligning the pension system with the increasingly international nature of Nigeria’s workforce. Oloworaran said the reform

reflected PenCom’s determination to ensure that pension administration kept pace with emerging employment patterns and the realities of a global workforce.

PPP Targets Informal Economy Beyond the diaspora, Oloworaran pointed out that PenCom was also targeting millions of Nigerians whose livelihoods fell outside the conventional formal employment structure through the Personal Pension Plan (PPP). She said the plan was designed specifically to bring self-employed persons and informal sector workers into the CPS, removing some of the barriers that had historically excluded them from formal retirement planning. The commission had also established a Framework for the Engagement of Accredited Pension Agents, creating a distribution network through which pension products could be taken directly to underserved communities across the country. The agents will market and sell the PPP, potentially shifting pension enrolment from an employer-led model towards one in which individuals can independently initiate and sustain retirement savings. Oloworaran also disclosed that the

commission had revised corporate governance guidelines for licensed pension fund operators and introduced recapitalisation requirements. She said stronger capitalisation would improve operators’ resilience, strengthen protection of pension assets and support a more stable and competitive industry. The revised governance framework, she added, would reinforce accountability, transparency and ethical conduct among operators.

Seamless Access to Pension Services The PenCom director-general said current reforms were not limited to expanding coverage and strengthening operators, but also focused on changing how contributors and retirees interacted with the pension system. “Pension 2.0 is not merely about reform; it is about transforming the customer experience,” she said. She said PenCom would improve digital interface to make access to RSAs more seamless and responsive, while simplifying compliance processes for employers. According to her, service delivery remains central to restoring confidence in the pension system, with the commission committed to greater transparency, open communication and responsiveness.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, t T H I S D AY

THISDAY • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

NEWS

ACAMB 3OTH ANNIVERSARY GALA...

President, Association of Corporate Communications and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB), Jide Sipe; Managing Director/CEO, Optimum Bank, Ademola, Odeyemi; President/ Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers, Dele Alabi; Managing Director, Nigeria Inter-Bank Bank Settlement System, Premier Oiwoh and Registrar and Chief Executive Oﬃcer, CIBN, Akin Morakinyo, during the ACAMB’s 30th anniversary Gala held in Lagos...recently

Moody’s Turns Positive on Sub-Saharan Africa as Debt, Liquidity Improve Nigeria, others’ outlook vulnerable to high debt-servicing costs, weak revenue Says borrowing costs to fall marginally by 2027 Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Sub-Saharan Africa’s sovereign credit outlook has turned positive for the first time in several years, with Moody’s Ratings citing improved economic policies, stronger commodity prices and better access to financing as factors helping governments across the region strengthen their fiscal positions. The ratings agency, in a new re-

gional assessment released yesterday, said reforms undertaken by several governments had helped the region withstand inflationary pressures, while improving liquidity conditions and stronger commodity revenues had eased some of the fiscal strain that had weighed heavily on sovereign borrowers. Moody’s, however, warned that the positive outlook remained vulnerable to high debt-servicing costs, weak

government revenue mobilisation, climate-related shocks and security risks across parts of the region. Of the 25 sub-Saharan African sovereigns rated by Moody’s, only Botswana and Mauritius remain in the investment-grade category, which the agency considers to represent relatively low-risk borrowers. However, eight of the 25 sovereigns currently have positive outlooks, indicating the possibility of future

rating improvements if the underlying fiscal and economic trends continue. They are Nigeria, South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Togo, Ghana, the Republic of Congo and Zambia. Thirteen countries have stable outlooks, while four have negative outlooks: Mauritius, Gabon, Mali and Senegal. The inclusion of Nigeria among the eight countries with positive outlooks places Africa’s largest economy

among the sovereigns Moody’s sees as having improving credit fundamentals, although the country continues to face substantial fiscal and debt-management challenges. The positive regional assessment comes as several African governments have moved to strengthen fiscal frameworks, improve domestic revenue mobilisation, manage debt more actively and deepen local capital markets.

As Global Public Debt Hits $111tn, UNCTAD Raises Concerns over Investment Squeeze in Developing Countries Says debt service costs stalling development Borrowing nations to hold first formal meeting in Thailand next week Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has disclosed that global public debt rallied to $111 trillion, up from $49 trillion in 2010, raising concerns that rising borrowing costs are adding pressure on developing countries’ public finances, limiting the resources available for health, education, and other development priorities. In its latest “World of debt” publication, UNCTAD revealed that Since 2022, interest payments on external public debt had exceeded net new lending to developing countries.

According to UNCTAD, developing countries face average public debt interest rates of 5.2 per cent, compared to 2.2 per cent in developed economies, driving interest payments from $363 billion in 2010 to nearly $1 trillion in 2025. The report said, “Debt should help countries invest in their future. But in many developing countries, the servicing of external debt now exceeds new inflows.” The UN agency said interest payments in 51 developing countries exceeded government spending on health or education, estimating that developing countries can save about

$500 billion a year in interest payments if they are able to borrow at rates similar to those paid by developed economies. It warned that higher and persistent borrowing costs were constraining public finances across developing economies. UNCTAD stated that debt servicing in many of such countries now exceeded new external inflows, weakening debt’s role as a tool for future investment. It said as global public debt reached $111 trillion in 2025, with developed economies accounting for more than two-thirds of that total, debt had been rising faster in developing countries. UNCTAD called for reversing

declines in official development assistance, expanding lending by multilateral and regional development banks, and increasing technical support to strengthen national capacity. At the country level, it urged stronger macroeconomic management, better public institutions, improved debt portfolio structures, and wider use of innovative financial instruments, ahead of a Borrowers’ Platform meeting set for October 12 in Bangkok, during the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings. Meanwhile, the Borrowers’ Platform is gathering momentum ahead of the first Governing Council in Bangkok next week.

The platform is a dedicated space for developing countries to collectively strengthen their voice as rising borrowing costs squeeze development spending. The Borrowers’ Platform holds its first Governing Council meeting on the side-lines of the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand next week. “The platform offers borrower countries a dedicated space to work together and share knowledge towards finding a sustainable solution for the debt issues,” said Ambassador Alaa Hegazy of Egypt, Interim Chair of the Borrowers’ Platform.

Moody’s identified Zambia and Ethiopia as the countries expected to record the biggest declines in debt levels, reflecting efforts to restore fiscal sustainability and restructure or manage their public finances. The agency said it expects the economies of sub-Saharan Africa to grow by 4.3 per cent in both 2026 and 2027, measured as a weighted average across the countries it covers. The projected growth represents a relatively resilient performance despite the fiscal and financing challenges confronting many African economies, particularly those still dealing with elevated borrowing costs and large refinancing requirements. Moody’s also projected an improvement in the region’s overall borrowing requirements, forecasting that the amount governments would need to raise annually to finance fiscal deficits and refinance maturing debt would fall to 11.2 per cent of gross domestic product in 2027, from a peak of 12.3 per cent recorded in 2025. In the same vein, the agency stated that it expects the improvement in financing conditions and fiscal consolidation to translate into a moderation in aggregate government debt. Total government debt across the rated sub-Saharan African sovereigns is projected to level off at 56.6 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2027, compared with 62.4 per cent in 2025.

Stakeholders Urge Revival of Textile Industry to Halt Revenue Loss Say Nigeria losing N265–N530bn annually Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Stakeholders in the cotton, textile and garment value chain have urged the federal government to immediately operationalise the Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Board (CTGDB). They said there should be presidential approval for CTGD-Board’s immediate take-off, a lawful 12-month preservation protocol for qualifying assets, and prompt transmission of the Executive Bill to the National

Assembly for institutionalisation and loans recovery. The forum said the measures will preserve viable factories facing financial distress, warning that Nigeria is losing N265 billion to N530 billion annually to textile imports. The call was made on Tuesday in Abuja at a press conference organised by Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Forum (CTGDF) to mark World Cotton Day 2026. This year’s theme focuses on preservation of industrial assets

and revival of the sector through the National Economic Council Board. The forum, in a statement signed by Coordinator of CTGDF, Chief Anibe Achimugu, acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to cotton production and textile revival, as pledged in his “My Vision for Nigeria” 2023 manifesto and the Renewed Hope Agenda 2023, which proposed textile industrial hubs particularly in the North-west and North-east. It said it supported recovery of

legitimate loans, stating that an operating factory can repay debt, buy Nigerian cotton, and sustain jobs, while selling recoverable machinery for scrap will destroy that opportunity. According to published revival benchmarks cited in its economic assessment, full sector revival holds potential for combined 1.4 million to over two million direct and indirect jobs across the value chain. Globally, it is recognised that one metric ton of cotton can generate year-round employment for 5-6 persons on average, but delivery depends on

deliberate investment. Direct factory jobs would be created or restored in ginning, spinning, knitting and weaving, dyeing, finishing and garment making, with huge opportunities for women and youth. Factory demand would support cotton farmers and seasonal labour alongside indirect employment in inputs, cottonseed oil and feed processing, transport, storage, packaging, engineering, finance and trading. The forum cited National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) trade figures showing

recorded textile imports of N726.18 billion in 2024, N1.061 trillion in 2025, and N578.51 billion in the first half of 2026, adding that replacing 25 per cent to 50 per cent of 2025 import value with Nigerian production would represent an illustrative gross opportunity of N265–N530 billion annually at 2025 values. It said net foreign exchange savings would depend on imported inputs and equipment, but revival would retain more value in Nigeria, attract private investment, expand tax receipts and improve creditors’ prospects of repayment.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 • THISDAY

NEWS

RECEPTION HOSTED BY AGF FOR NIGERIAN LAWYERS ATTENDING IBA CONFERENCE IN COPENHAGEN...

L-R: The Minister of state for Works, Bello Musa Goronyo; Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Nigerian Ambassador to Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway, Lola Akande; and Yusuf Ali (SAN), at the reception hosted by the AGF for Nigerian lawyers attending International Bar Association 2026 Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark on Tuesday PHOTO: S A MEDIA OFFICE.

Sierra Leone President, Sanwo-Olu, Elumelu Seek $180bn Investment Pipeline to Drive West African Integration Oluchi Chibuzor Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and African business leader and Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu, yesterday called for stronger collaboration between governments and the private sector to accelerate economic integration, industrialisation and investment across West Africa. The call was made in Lagos, during a media roundtable held in connection with the West Africa Investment and Industrialisation Summit (WAIIS) Private Sector Advisory Board Principals’ Meeting. The engagement focused on mobilising private capital and advancing investment-ready projects ahead of the WAIIS scheduled for November 16 to 18, 2026, in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Bio, who is leading the summit, said West Africa had discussed economic integration for about five decades without doing enough to create a truly consolidated regional market. He said the time had come for governments and the private sector to take regional integration more seriously by building a common market capable of serving more than 400 million people. “West Africa has been talking about economic integration for about 50

years, but we have not done enough to integrate our economies and create a consolidated market,” Bio said. “For me, one of the things we have to do is to bring together this common market to serve more than 400 million people. “I am mobilising the private sector in West Africa and around the world to come together and begin to take economic integration in West Africa more seriously.” Speaking on Lagos’ role in the initiative, Sanwo-Olu said Africa must increasingly focus on producing goods and services that Africans would consume while creating a larger market for businesses across the continent. He said Lagos and other West African economies must work together to unlock opportunities and establish platforms capable of deepening regional integration. “We have said it several times that Africa needs to build what Africans will use and what Africans will consume. That is the thinking behind this initiative,” the governor said. “For Lagos, and indeed West Africa, we have to begin to work together and realise the opportunities that exist in terms of creating a larger market and ensuring that there is greater intentionality in building platforms that can bring us together.” Sanwo-Olu said technology,

agriculture and other productive sectors could play important roles in strengthening economic integration and creating opportunities across the region. He added that Lagos was ready to contribute to the initiative by working with stakeholders and political leaders to translate regional aspirations into practical economic opportunities. Also speaking, Elumelu, who the Co-chair of the summit said the private sector was encouraged by the commitment of political leaders to bring businesses and governments together to accelerate economic development. Elumelu, the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF)

and promoter of Africapitalism, which advocates private-sector-led development and entrepreneurship in Africa, said stronger regional cooperation would help create jobs for young people and provide greater opportunities for prosperity across West Africa. “I also want to speak on behalf of the African and West African private sector. We are happy that our political leaders are beginning to bring all of us together so that we can make a much greater impact,” Elumelu said. “This is consistent with our aspirations to create jobs for our young people and ensure that everyone within the region has an opportunity

Sunday Ehigiator The United States Government has celebrated the structural completion of its new consulate compound in Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, with a topping off ceremony marking the completion of the highest structural point of the 10-storey chancery building.

The ceremony, held in Lagos was attended by the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for West Africa and Public Diplomacy, Richard Michaels; U.S. Consul General, Brandon Hudspeth; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; senior Nigerian government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, business leaders,

Labour Ministry pledges reforms to protect workers in post-recapitalisation era The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) has called for an immediate end to the casualisation and outsourcing of jobs in the banking, insurance and financial services sectors, describing the practice as “modern-day slavery.” The Acting National President of ASSBIFI, Fanimokun Isaac Adesina, made the call yesterday in Lagos, at the association’s commemoration of the 2026 World Day for Decent Work. Adesina said the theme of this year’s commemoration, ‘Young

Workers Organising for the Future,’ was particularly relevant given the rapid transformation of the workplace through artificial intelligence (AI), digitalisation, automation, platform economy, algorithm management and outsourcing. He said the changes in the world of work made it necessary for trade unions, employers and government to urgently address the growing displacement of permanent employment by casual and contract arrangements. According to him, “Today in the banks, insurance and financial institutions, we have witnessed significant

with its proponents arguing that deeper regional cooperation remains essential to expanding trade, investment and industrial development. The summit, themed “Powering Regional Integration through Energy Trade, Strategic Minerals, Agribusiness and Digital Transformation,” is expected to bring together Heads of State, ministers, investors, development finance institutions, business leaders and project owners. A key objective is to develop bankable regional projects capable of attracting public and private capital while strengthening energy access, food security, industrialisation and digital connectivity.

U.S. Celebrates Structural Completion of New Consulate in Lagos

ASSBIFI Demands End to Casualisation, Outsourcing in Banks, Insurance Sectors Sunday Ehigiator

to prosper.” According to him, West Africa possesses the resources, human capital and entrepreneurial capacity required to build a prosperous regional economy. “We have what it takes. We have the resources, the people and the entrepreneurial spirit to build a prosperous West Africa,” he said. Elumelu expressed the hope that the summit would mark the beginning of a new era of stronger economic cooperation, integration and shared prosperity in the region. The WAIIS initiative comes as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) marks 50 years since its establishment in 1975,

displacement of permanent decent work with casual, contract employees, and third-party outsourcing. “Graduates with commanding degrees-and professional qualifications are employed as contract and casual staff with no pension, no health cover, no jobs security, no collective bargaining rights, and sometimes the worker is compelled to sign-off his freedom of association entitlement before or during employment. This is not only indecent work, but modern-day slavery.” The ASSBIFI president urged managements and employers, particularly in the banking, insurance

and financial sectors, to respect workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining. He specifically called for compliance with the Nigerian Constitution and International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions 87 on Freedom of Association and 98 on Collective Bargaining, as well as Convention 158 on Termination of Employment. Adesina also demanded living wages and improved social protection for workers, rejecting what he described as inadequate remuneration that could not meet the rising cost of living.

representatives of U.S. companies and Nigerian alumni of U.S. government exchange programmes. The milestone was marked by the ceremonial pouring of the final bucket of structural concrete onto the roof of the Chancery, bringing to an end four years of work on the main structure of the new diplomatic facility. Speaking at the ceremony, Michaels said the project represented the importance the U.S. attached to its relationship with Nigeria, describing the new compound as a symbol of the two countries’ partnership. “This new consulate compound reflects cutting-edge construction and engineering techniques, built to the highest U.S. standards for design and construction, and standing as a lasting symbol of what our two nations can achieve together,” Michaels said. He added that the project was also an indication of the U.S. commitment to Nigeria’s economic future, particularly Lagos, which he described as a major economic centre capable of driving shared prosperity. “This new compound demonstrates that America is investing in the future. And with commerce at the heart of our priorities, no place in Africa is better positioned than Nigeria, with Lagos as its economic hub, to drive shared prosperity on both sides of the

Atlantic,” he said. The project, according to the U.S. Consulate will contribute more than $95 million to the local economy through employees, subcontractors and suppliers across Lagos State and Nigeria. It said it has also provided training for more than 1,500 Nigerian workers to international construction standards, while 120 Nigerian engineers, architects and administrators are currently working on the project alongside 43 American construction professionals. Hudspeth said the project was more than the construction of a diplomatic facility, stressing that it represented an investment in the future of relations between the two countries. “That is what we are building here at Eko Atlantic City. Not just a building, but the foundation for the next chapter of our partnership,” he said. The topping off ceremony, a longstanding construction tradition, signifies the completion of a building’s core structural framework. The milestone brings the new U.S. diplomatic facility closer to completion and eventual opening. Built on a 12.2-acre, or 4.94-hectare site in the rapidly developing Eko Atlantic City, the new compound will comprise the 10-storey Chancery, multipurpose rooms for public events and a new American Center.

THISDAY • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

NINE

Paramount Completes $81bn Takeover of Warner Bros in Historic Deal New entity combines CNN, CBS, HBO Max, CNN, others

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Paramount has completed its $81 billion takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, creating one of the largest media and entertainment companies in Hollywood under the Skydance name. The transaction brings together two of America’s oldest and most influential movie studios, placing major entertainment and news brands including HBO Max, Warner Bros, CNN and ‘Harry Potter’ alongside Paramount+, CBS, ‘Top Gun’ and ‘The Godfather’ under one corporate structure. The combined company is headed by billionaire David Ellison and co-Chief Executive Officer, Ynon Kreiz. “Today is a historic day, not just for Skydance but for our entire industry. We couldn’t be more

excited to get to work,” Ellison said, the Associated Press (AP) reported. Ellison’s Skydance acquired Paramount for $8 billion last year before turning its attention to Warner Bros Discovery, triggering a roughly year-long battle for control of the Hollywood giant. Including Warner’s debt, the overall value of the transaction is close to $111 billion. The deal represents one of the biggest mergers in the history of the media and entertainment industry, further concentrating ownership in a sector already dominated by a small number of major companies. The takeover also carried significant political undertones, given the Ellison family’s relationship with United States President Donald Trump, who on Tuesday described the new Skydance as “going to

be a great company.” The road to the acquisition was marked by an intense bidding war involving Paramount and Netflix. Warner initially reached a studio and streaming agreement with Netflix in December after indicating that it was considering a sale of all or part of its business. Paramount subsequently launched a hostile bid, arguing that Warner’s management had not meaningfully engaged with its earlier proposals. The contest intensified in early 2026, with Warner repeatedly backing Netflix as its preferred buyer. Netflix eventually withdrew after Paramount increased its offer to $31 per share for the entire company. Paramount and Warner subsequently signed a mutual merger agreement in late February. The proposed merger drew

strong opposition from sections of Hollywood, with thousands of actors, writers, directors and other industry professionals signing an open letter in April opposing the transaction. The signatories, including Jane Fonda, Mark Ruffalo, Denis Villeneuve and J.J. Abrams warned that the merger could result in fewer jobs and less choice for audiences. Others, however, supported Ellison and his pledge to maintain Paramount’s commitment to theatrical movies. Concerns over the future of CNN also featured prominently in the takeover debate. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised CNN’s coverage, while members of his administration openly expressed support for a change in the network’s ownership. Ellison has pledged to maintain

editorial independence at CNN, saying Tuesday that the company had not discussed news coverage with political leaders and wanted to remain in “the truth business” and “the trust business.” Skydance is retaining Mark Thompson as CNN’s editor-in-chief. As part of a settlement reached with states that challenged the merger, the new company will establish a News Editorial Independence Board to oversee editorial safeguards at CNN. Critics, however, have questioned the effectiveness of the arrangement, pointing to controversies surrounding CBS under Skydance ownership. The takeover also attracted scrutiny over foreign investment. Paramount secured billions of dollars in financial backing from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United

David Ellison Arab Emirates to help finance the Warner acquisition. The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved Paramount’s request for substantial indirect ownership by the Gulf investors. Paramount had previously disclosed that the investors were expected to indirectly hold nearly 50 per cent of the equity interests in Skydance without voting rights, but sought approval for the possibility of the foreign investors eventually holding up to 100 per cent through future investments.

MILITARY, DSS, POLICE, OTHERS RESCUE 20 ABDUCTED YOUTH CORPS MEMBERS

Amby Uneze in Owerri and Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Nigerian military, in collaboration with Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police, and other security agencies, has rescued 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and a civilian, who were abducted in Imo State. The prospective corps members, who spent seven days in captivity, were abducted on October 1 around Umunoha, in Imo State, while travelling to their orientation camp. Director of Defence Media

Operations, Major-General Michael Onoja, who confirmed the rescue in a telephone conversation with THISDAY, did not provide further details. But the Nigeria Police, in a statement last night, said the victims were rescued about 4:28 pm on October 7, at Amakohia Ubi Village in Imo State, following sustained and coordinated search-and-rescue operations by the security agencies. The police statement said, “Following their safe recovery, the victims have been taken for medical examination and necessary medical attention as part of the post-rescue process.

“The successful rescue followed sustained operational coordination and collaboration among the security agencies involved in the search-andrescue effort.” The force added that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the suspects responsible for the abduction, as the police and other security agencies continued to intensify operations to bring those responsible to justice. “The Nigeria Police Force appreciates members of the public for their cooperation and support and reiterates its commitment to the protection

of lives and property and the prompt response to threats to public safety,” the force said. The police further assured the public that updates would be communicated as necessary. Earlier, Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, had deployed Deputy InspectorGeneral of Police in charge of Operations, DIG Shehu Nadada, to Imo State to coordinate the search-and-rescue operation for the 20 prospective NYSC members and other passengers abducted along the OwerriOnitsha Road. The deployment followed appeals by the victims’ parents

TUC TELLS FG: IMPLEMENT N800 TO $1 EXCHANGE RATE TO REDUCE FUEL PRICE remains central to rising cost of goods, including petrol pump price. Osifo spoke at a press conference shortly after the union’s National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting in Abuja on Wednesday. He said the federal government should take decisive steps to end the insecurity ravaging the country. Osifo said while macro-economic indicators were picking up, with inflation gaining some stability and exchange rate strengthening, government could do better in area of microeconomics. The TUC president recalled that in 2024 the congress presented a 15-point demand to the federal government, with exchange rate at its centre. He said, “We cannot be tired talking about exchange rate because it is central to literally everything. Today, the official rate is just a little above 1,300 Naira to the USD, but we see that government can still do better.” He added, “We commend the CBN governor Cardoso for the great work that he is doing in the Central Bank, but we can still do much more because we still believe that 1300 Naira to $1 is still undervalued.” Osifo insisted that at N1,300 to the Dollar, Naira remained undervalued. He stated, “From all international commentators, from economic thinktanks, both local and international, from scholars, currently our Naira is undervalued and is not trading at the strength it should. “Yes, we knew that before,

when it was around N400, it was overvalued, but today at N1,300 it is still undervalued. So, government should do everything possible to move the Naira to the right value.” He also commiserated with families of security personnel who died in recent incidents. He recalled that a pilot involved In the Ondo State military jet crash had just gotten married weeks ago. On insecurity, Osifo said TUC would want the federal government to deal decisively with the problem ravaging almost every party of the country. He said the union was urging government to provide the security agencies with needed funds and equipment to prosecute the fight against the terrorists and bandits, adding that without stable country there will be no economic progress. Osifo condemned the incident in Niger State that led to the death of about 37 persons in the custody of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, describing it as an aberration. He stated, “We are quite happy that government immediately swung into action by setting up a committee, but we don’t want the committee report to just be another report gathering dust. “Whoever is culpable, no matter how highly placed, must be decisively dealt with according to letters and spirit of the law.” On workers’ clamour for pay rise, TUC said it expected the federal and state governments to begin minimum wage talks latest by February, six months

to the expiration of the current Minimum Wage Act. It urged government to engage workers on negotiation for appropriate increase in allowances and wage award in the interim. The congress expressed support for the warning strike embarked upon by Joint National Council (JNC) of Federal Workers and said

it will be ready to join in escalating the action should government fail to resolve the issues. On the health sector dispute involving members of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), Osifo said the union resolved to send a letter to Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare to hasten action on workers’ demands.

to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, and the police authorities for urgent intervention.

Uzodimma Hails Interagency Alliance Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, applauded security agencies for their quick intervention and for securing the release of the 20 corps members kidnapped along the Onitsha-Owerri Road. Uzodimma said he was particularly pleased with the security agencies for their collaboration and patriotism in ensuring that the corps members were rescued unharmed. In a statement he personally signed, Uzodimma expressed satisfaction with the collaborative efforts of both the Oyo and Imo State governments towards the quick release of all 20 captives. He said since the issue involved the security of lives, the government was cautious about

releasing too much information to the public, hence the discreet manner it was handled. The governor said he was particularly grateful to the security agencies for the discreet and collaborative manner in which they tackled the challenge. He also praised the parents for their patience during the trying period and urged Nigerians to always have faith in the federal government to overcome the current security challenges in the country. Sources informed THISDAY in Owerri that the kidnapped victims were rescued following joint security operations involving five days of planning and execution. Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier-General Olakunle Nafiu, met with the rescued victims at the DSS medical facility. Nafiu was accompanied by senior security officials, including Imo State Commissioner of Police, State Director of DSS, and Commander of 34 Artillery Brigade.

FG RETRIEVES 50 OIL FIELDS FROM DEFAULTING AWARDEES, INSISTS ON ‘DRILL-OR-DROP’ POLICY accelerate oil and gas production. implementing a portion of the PIA. develop them. bons is data. And we’re working The commission disclosed this And today, you would see that She contrasted that with a aggressively with our multi-client in Abuja during a panel session as those fallow fields have been put working acreage, where seismic partners such as TGS, Verizon and part of its fifth anniversary, where into subsequent licensing rounds acquisition, drilling preparations, the rest of those to ensure that data operators and regulators outlined for folks that will be able to develop procurement, contracts and other is available so that you can quickly the scale of investment expected in them,” Shaw said. development activities were actively mature,” Shaw explained. Nigeria’s upstream sector and the According to her, the recovered taking place. The intervention came as reforms required to translate the fields had subsequently been put “A working acreage is one that Renaissance, one of the major country’s substantial hydrocarbon into licensing rounds for investors has activities. It is resourced, money independent operators in Nigeria, resources into greater economic prepared to develop them, stressing is spent, it’s being worked, seismic outlined an ambitious plan to raise value. that any acreage that remained is going on, you’re ordering your its production to one million barrels The NUPRC’s Director, Acreage undeveloped would again be long-lease items, showing commit- of oil equivalent per day by 2030. ment to work. You are basically Management, Olaide Shaw, who returned to the pool. Chief Executive of Renaissance spoke on one of the panels, said the “An acreage that is being ‘ware- also signing your drilling contracts,” Energy, Tony Attah, said the recovered fallow fields had been housed’ means taking photo-ops, Shaw said. company was currently producing She added: “Acreage warehous- about 265,000 barrels of oil per returned to the licensing process putting a licence in the briefcase, after their previous holders failed taking lovely pictures, posting ing is a no-no. Any acreage that has day and planned to increase this on social media, and then when been warehoused, we guarantee to about 500,000 barrels per day, to develop them. She explained that the commis- the licence is about to expire, (the you, we’ll put them in the basket.” while simultaneously expanding sion’s “drill or drop” policy was awardee) runs to the regulator, ‘I She further stated that the com- its gas contribution to Nigeria. designed to ensure that companies need more time.’ More time for mission has now gone totally digital, “Our ambition is for 1 million holding oil and gas acreage either what? No plans whatsoever, stressing that this has enhanced the barrels of oil equivalent a day by progressed with their committed unresourced, (just) photo-ops,” work of the commission. 2030. And in today’s calendar, work programmes or relinquished she said. “Today in the Commission, we you’re counting now in months,” the assets for other investors capable According to her, acreage don’t have papers moving from Attah said. of developing them. warehousing also occurs where desk to desk. This means that He disclosed that Renaissance “About two years ago, we had companies with large portfolios we’re able to approve any of the was already delivering more than the fallow fields campaign, which concentrate their resources on applications from wherever we 2.2 billion cubic feet of gas per really, really, you know, fluttered their most attractive assets while are. So we’ll continue to do that. day to the Nigeria LNG project, the industry. We were able to retaining less-prioritised blocks “The other commitment that is recover over 50 fallow fields by without assigning resources to very critical in unlocking hydrocarContinued on page 34

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 • THISDAY

NEWS

FINAL CONCRETE POURING OF THE BRIDGE LINKING TERMINAL 1 & 2...

L-R: Director of Human Resources and Administration, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Dr. Luqman Emiola; Director of Airport Operations, FAAN, Capt. Mahmood Abdullahi; Director of Engineering Services, Engr. Abiola Adejare; Managing Director/CE, FAAN, Mrs. Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku; Director of Corporate Services, FAAN, Engr. Jensen Asaba; Portfolio Manager, Arup, Engr. Nimot Muili; Director of Public Aﬀairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, Mr. Henry Agbebire, Regional General Manager, MMIA, Mr. Olatokunbo Arewa; and General Manager, CCECC, Michael Cheng, during the ﬁnal concrete pouring of the bridge linking Terminal 1 & 2 as part of ongoing MMIA Rehabilitation and Expansion Project ahead Yuletide season in Lagos...on Tuesday

NICON Cautions Buyers Over 28 PTADLinked Properties, Cites Court Judgement Management urges prospective investors to verify authority of sellers Says disposal must comply with July 2025 consent judgement Sunday Aborisade in Abuja The management of NICON Insurance Limited has cautioned prospective buyers and investors against entering into transactions involving 28 properties linked to the Federal Government Pension Transitional Arrangements Directorate (PTAD) without first verifying the authority of those offering the assets for sale.

NICON, in a statement on the controversy surrounding the properties, made available to THISDAY in Abuja on Wednesday, based its position on a consent judgement delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2310/2022 between PTAD and NICON Insurance Limited. The consent judgement, delivered by Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia

on July 23, 2025, provides for arrangements involving PTAD and NICON in relation to the disposal of the properties, according to the insurance company. The NICON management said the court-approved arrangement required the two parties to jointly make the necessary arrangements for the disposal of the 28 properties located in different parts of the country.

The company said the proceeds from the disposal were intended to address outstanding legacy liabilities, while any balance arising from the enhanced value of the properties was to be shared between the parties in accordance with the terms of the arrangement. The warning followed what NICON described as concerns over proposals for the properties to be

2027: CJN Tasks Judges on Impartiality, Detachment, Says Conduct Under Close Scrutiny Commissions NICN headquarters building Alex Enumah in Abuja Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has warned judges to adhere to the high standards required of judicial officers both on the bench and outside, stressing that their conduct is being closely monitored by the public. Kekere-Ekun also stressed the need for judges to shun some engagements that might seem to suggest alignment with political groups. She sounded the warning in her goodwill message to judges of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), during a special court session to herald the 2026/2027 Legal Year and the official commissioning of the NICN headquarters building, in Abuja. She emphasised that judges must ensure that their decisions remained firmly anchored in the constitution, applicable legislation, binding precedent, and established principles of judicial reasoning, as the country approached another electoral season. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fixed January next year for presidential and federal legislatures elections, while that of the governorship and state legislatures was slated for February. Since the inception of the current democratic dispensation, all presidential elections had ended in the court except that of 2015,

where then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, after losing the election, refused to go to court. The CJN stated, “Some of Your Lordships may, in accordance with the applicable constitutional and legal framework, be called upon to serve as members of Election Petition Tribunals. In that capacity, Your Lordships will be called upon to decide politically sensitive disputes which attract considerable public attention. “The nature of such assignments, therefore, demands an even greater degree of impartiality, restraint and detachment. “Whether sitting in this court or performing a tribunal assignment, you must remain conscious that your conduct will be closely scrutinised.” Kekere-Ekun said judges must ensure that nothing in their “associations, public engagements or other conduct creates a reasonable perception of political alignment or predisposition”. She also stated that lawyers were not excluded from her admonition as they also had a responsibility to protect the integrity of the judicial process. According to her, politically sensitive litigation requires particularly careful professional judgment. She added that lawyers must resist the temptation to pursue proceedings in different courts or divisions in the hope of obtaining

a more favourable outcome. Kekere-Ekun stated, “Forum shopping and parallel proceedings capable of producing conflicting orders do considerable damage to public confidence and can expose the judiciary to avoidable embarrassment. “The Bar must never become an instrument through which the judicial process is manipulated for partisan or strategic purposes. The proper forum is determined by law, not by the perceived likelihood of success before a particular Judge or court.” The CJN also emphasised the need for restraint in public commentary, urging that the right to criticise a judgement or judicial process should not extend to personal attacks on judges, deliberate misrepresentation of proceedings, or attempts to bring pressure to bear on the court through public opinion. She urged that where there were genuine concerns about judicial conduct, aggrieved individuals, or litigants should use the appropriate institutional channels to express such concerns. Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), commended the court’s electronic filing and service system, which he said placed it among Nigeria’s leading institutions in the use of technology for justice administration. Fagbemi, represented by Director

of Civil Appeal, Tijani Gazali (SAN), observed that the value of the new building would be measured by “the quality, efficiency and fairness of the justice administered” within it. He identified delay as an enduring challenge, particularly in employment disputes, where terminated workers and employers alike faced prolonged uncertainty. He said technology must be complemented by effective case management, adequate personnel, professional discipline, and cooperation between the Bench and the Bar.

disposed of through a purported liquidator, whose authority and appointment, according to the company, were the subject of ongoing legal proceedings. NICON said it was important for members of the public to exercise caution and conduct appropriate due diligence before committing funds to any transaction involving the affected properties. “The consent judgment gave NICON and PTAD the power to jointly undertake all necessary arrangements for the purpose of disposing of the 28 properties,” the company said. NICON maintained that prospective purchasers should establish that any proposed transaction was being conducted in accordance with the authority and procedure contemplated by the Federal High Court judgement. The company also urged potential investors, financial institutions, estate developers, and other stakeholders to verify the legal status of any property being offered for sale and the authority of the person or entity purporting to act on behalf of the relevant parties. According to NICON, the issue is particularly important because the properties are situated in different parts of the country and could involve

substantial financial commitments by prospective purchasers. The company said the commercial value of the assets should not overshadow the need to establish the legal authority for their disposal. It further stated that the consent judgement remained the relevant framework for the implementation of the settlement between PTAD and NICON, subject to any subsequent order or determination by a competent court. NICON advised prospective purchasers not to rely solely on representations by intermediaries or third parties but to obtain appropriate legal and documentary confirmation before entering into agreements or making payments in respect of any of the properties. The company stated, “The general public is hereby warned against entering into any contract of sale in respect of any of the properties without first establishing that the transaction is authorised under the terms of the consent judgment.” The insurance firm also called on relevant government institutions and other stakeholders involved in the process to ensure that any disposal of the properties complied with the terms of the court-approved settlement.

GLO Renews Commitment to Cultural Heritage Ahead Ofala 2026 Globacom, Nigeria’s indigenous telecommunications company, has reaffirmed its commitment to preserving, promoting and projecting Nigeria’s cultural heritage, as it joins the people of Onitsha in celebrating the 2026 Ofala Festival of Onitsha. The telecommunications giant is the official sponsor of Ofala 2026, sustaining a relationship with the historic festival that has endured for over 15 years. The partnership reflects Globacom’s conviction that culture is not merely an inheritance from the past, but a living patrimony through which communities preserve identity, transmit values and renew their place in civilisation. The 2026 edition, marking the

25th Ofala of the reign of the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, is themed “Igba Mbo, Iga N’Iru – Strive and Advance From Resilience to Progress.” The theme captures the spirit of Ndi Onicha, whose history is defined by resilience, enterprise, adaptation and determination to advance. A statement from Globacom disclosed the company’s continued association with Ofala “reflects a philosophy that places culture alongside connectivity as instruments of national development. “For Globacom, Ofala is far more than an annual cultural celebration. It is a living expression of identity, continuity and collective aspiration.

“Our sustained partnership with this magnificent institution reflects our belief that preserving heritage and advancing society are not competing imperatives; they are mutually reinforcing pillars of a progressive nation. “This is the spirit of Globacom’s clarion call, ‘Never Settle for Less’, which is to honour what is worthy, while continually striving for something greater. “Never Settle for Less is a philosophy of progress: to respect the foundations upon which we stand, while seeking to broaden possibilities, deepen impact and move the nation forward. We are proud to support a cultural institution that honours its roots while engaging the future.”

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, t T H I S D AY

TRIBUTE TO

BISHOP

CLARENCE CHINEDU

JAMES

A Mentor and Prayer partner :LWK JUDWLWXGH WR *RG , KRQRXU %LVKRS &ODUHQFH &KLQHGX -DPHV ZKR OHG PH WR &KULVW LQ DQG UHPDLQHG D ORYLQJ PHQWRU DQG IDLWKIXO SUD\HU SDUWQHU <RXU JXLGDQFH VWUHQJWKHQHG P\ IDLWK \RXU SUD\HUV VXVWDLQHG PH DQG \RXU H[DPSOH WDXJKW PH WR VHUYH *RG VLQFHUHO\ , ZLOO DOZD\V FKHULVK \RXU LPSDFW RQ P\ OLIH 7KRXJK ZH PRXUQ \RXU SDVVLQJ ZH WDNH FRPIRUW LQ WKH KRSH RI HWHUQDO OLIH WKURXJK -HVXV &KULVW ǐ%OHVVHG DUH WKH GHDG ZKLFK GLH LQ WKH /RUG DQG WKHLU ZRUNV GR IROORZ WKHP Ǒ ǌ 5HYHODWLRQ 0D\ *RG FRPIRUW \RXU IDPLO\ DQG WKH FKXUFK 5HVW LQ WKH SHDFH RI &KULVW GHDU %LVKRS <RXU OHJDF\ OLYHV RQ LQ WKH OLYHV \RX WRXFKHG <RXU OHJDF\ OLYHV RQ LQ WKH OLYHV \R

Aged:

62 Years

BURAL ARRANGEMENTS FRIDAY 9TH OCTOBER, 2026

SATURDAY 10TH OCTOBER, 2026

4PM

9AM

NIGHT OF TRIBUTES AND SERVICE OF SONGS ͘òƱ͘0ŬĘƱŉŪĠ͘§ĠđŷŬđŉšŉòƱŉŷŬ͘tŉŬŉƥƱƝŉĠƥ 1 Edozie Okonkwo Str. by FMC off Anwal Rd, Opp. Aniora Filling Station, West End Asaba.

RECEPTION OF GUESTS

FUNERAL SERVICE

at Anioboshi Primary School, by Federal Government Gire College, Ibusa, Oshimili North L.G.A. Delta State.

at Endtime Reconciliation Ministries beside FMC, Asaba b

12NOON INTERNMENT

at his residence Bishop Chinedu C. James Street, Off, Ibusa Giris Grammar School Road, Ibusa Delta State.

SUNDAY 11TH OCTOBER, 2026

9AM

THANKSGIVING SERVICE

1 Edozie Okonkwo Str. by FMC off Anwal Rd, Opp. Aniona Filling Station, West End Asaba.

"b]m;7‫ث‬

Evangelist li t Emmanuel E lU Ugo-Akaeze A

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, t T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY OCTOBER 8, 2026

Acting Group Politics Editor DEJI ELUMOYE

POLITICS

Email: deji.elumoye@thisdaylive.com 08033025611 SMS ONLY

As APC Women’s Mobilisation Machinery Gathers Momentum... Jonathan Eze writes that political mobilisation becomes substantially more consequential when it is entrusted to people who already possess social relationships within their communities.

Remi Tinubu

Betta Edu

former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Betta Edu, appears to have approached her assignment as Director of Women Mobilisation of the Presidential Campaign Council with uncommon urgency, organisational intensity and strategic purpose. Barely weeks after her appointment to the position, the ex-Minister has moved the women’s mobilisation agenda beyond the familiar rhetoric of campaign-season enthusiasm into a more elaborate architecture of community engagement. Her mandate, under the leadership of First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is rapidly assuming the character of a nationwide mobilisation enterprise, with women being organised at ward and community levels ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Edu was listed as Director of Women Mobilisa-

tion in the APC Presidential Campaign Council unveiled in August 2026. The scale being projected is considerable: the Directorate says its activation strategy is reaching communities and grassroots structures across the country, with reports putting the target at 176,846 communities/polling-unit locations, while pursuing the broader objective of mobilising 40 million women votes for President Bola Tinubu. Whatever the final electoral arithmetic may be, the significance of the exercise lies in the organisational philosophy behind it. It is an attempt to build a women-centred political network that does not wait until the final weeks of an election before discovering the grassroots.

And that is where Edu’s political assignment becomes particularly noteworthy. A Mobilisation Strategy Built From Ground Up The most striking feature of the emerging structure is its geographical spread. From Kaduna and Kano to Katsina and Jigawa; from Kwara and Abia to Rivers, Imo, Cross River, Benue, Plateau, Oyo, Ondo and Osun, reports indicate that women’s meetings, ward engagements and community-level activities are already taking place. In Kwara South, for instance, thousands of women were reportedly mobilised in Offa as part of the broader activation exercise. The women pledged to extend the mobilisation to communities, wards and polling units, with door-to-door engagement envisaged as the campaign structure becomes fully operational.

In Rivers, representatives of the Women Mobilisation Directorate have similarly emphasised the importance of taking political engagement to the polling-unit level. The message from these disparate locations is therefore remarkably consistent: the mobilisation is being designed to travel downwards, from the national campaign structure to states, local governments, wards, communities and ultimately households. That is a fundamentally different proposition from merely assembling women at rallies. A rally demonstrates numerical strength for a day. A grassroots network, if successfully maintained, creates continuing political contact. NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

Yusuf: A Technocrat as Oyo Gov in 2027 Kamar Adeolu writes that Oyo State deserves a technocrat, policy-strategist bridge-builder, and a governor with leadership competence come February, 2027.

kim Adebola Yusuf towers above all other candidates in the forthcoming race to Agodi Government House in 2027. His performance speaks to it. Available records affirm it. At just 57, this son of Oluyole soil effortlessly displays the noble principles of accomplished leadership, efficient management with Omoluabi, the ennobling qualities of sublime traits. Here is a man of integrity, honour, learning, character, and sound achievements. Schooled and Rooted for Service Yusuf’s upbringing and educational preparation reflect serendipity: a commitment to excellence, service and a predestined pathway. He attended and completed his secondary education at the highly reputable Government College, Ibadan (GCI), the crucible of the old Western Region’s meritocratic tradition in 1984. He then proceeded to the University of Ilorin and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Political Science in 1988. In 1997, he got a Master of Industrial and Labour Relations (MILR) from University of Ibadan. From the same university, he got Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 2002. By dint of hard work, he earned his professional qualification as an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in 2000. In 2014, he got deeply embedded in national and international governance structures by the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, (NIPSS) Kuru following his completion of Senior Executive Course 36 and subsequently acquired the globally rated and highly recognized mni designation — the quiet badge of Nigeria’s strategic elite.

Yusuf

Success Across Borders Long before politics beckoned, Yusuf had conquered Banking and Finance, two of the most demanding but very rewarding developmental sectors of every nation’s economy. As Managing Director/CEO of Skye Bank (Gambia) Limited (2009–2013), he successfully ran full banking operations on foreign soil — a test of leadership, adaptability, and financial stewardship that few Nigerian executives ever face.

Based on outstanding performance, the system reinvited him as Transition Managing Consultant for Skye Bank (Sierra Leone) Limited in 2019. From 2016 till date, he has been serving as Asset Management Partner of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) — the nation’s resolution vehicle where distressed assets are recovered and financial stability is quietly defended. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (FCIB, 2014), he is no dabbler in finance, rather, he is an institution-builder

with cross-border experience that Oyo State desperately needs to attract investment, create jobs and corporate development. An Impressive Governance Résumé What truly distinguishes Yusuf from the typical aspirant is that he had actually governed at various levels, different places and numerous times. He served as a Special Adviser on Due Process, Policy and Budget Implementation to former Oyo State Governor, Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja’s administration in 2005–2007. In this position, he sat at the nexus of Oyo State’s administration — enforcing fiscal discipline and ensuring that budgets delivered real value to the people. In 2017, he served as Special Adviser (Digital Transformation) to the then Minister of Communication, bringing federal-level policy depth and a digital economy vision to his portfolio. In 2003, he established The Fortune Group, a pro-active respected good-governance advocacy think-tank. This shows an envisioned leader who had been preparing for governance long before seeking votes. This candidate is not a novice in governance. He knows the ropes. He will not get to power to experiment or govern by trial and error. He has actively combined the attributes of a technocrat with deep corporate governance expertise. It is rare, if not impossible, to find a governorship candidate so steeped in competence. -Adeolu writes from Ibadan. NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

THISDAY • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

POLITY

L-R: Raising the Future , hundreds of Nigerian Students Lift Their First Laptops High as Joshua Peters’ GiveBack Backpacks, Society of Performing Arts Nigeria and HP Work to Close the Digital Divide at a CSR intervention last week in Ikoyi, Lagos.

GiveBack Backpacks Expands EdTech Access for Young Nigerians By Ndianaabasi Matthew

t 14, Joshua Peters founded a not-for-profit on the belief that a student’s future should not depend on where they were born. Three years later, he has handed out 200 laptops to young Nigerians, including girls displaced from Chibok. In a country where millions of young people still learn without a computer, a single laptop can mean a great deal. For 17-year-old Joshua Peters, it can be the difference between a talent that grows and one that goes undiscovered. “Talent is everywhere, but access is not,” he told a room of students, teachers and partners in Ikoyi, Lagos. “A young person’s ability should never be measured by the opportunities they happened to be born into.” The occasion was a Youth Empowerment Summit organised by the Society for Performing Arts in Nigeria (SPAN). At the summit, GiveBack Backpacks, the organisation Joshua founded at 14, presented 200 HP laptops to young Nigerians. Each came packed in a backpack with a water bottle, educational materials and tech aids. The donation is worth about $50,000. It is the latest step in the group’s work to bring technology-led learning to students left behind. It helps them build digital skills, explore new technologies and solve real problems in their communities.

A simple conviction Joshua’s starting point was not technology. It was fairness. He saw that two equally gifted students could end up on very different paths. The difference was rarely ability. It was what each had to work with: a device, a connection, a quiet place to study, a chance to try things and fail. So he set out to close that gap, one backpack at a time. “When we widen access to learning,”

he said. “We give talent room to grow.” That idea now drives everything GiveBack Backpacks does. The group does not see a laptop as a gift that ends the day it is received. It sees it as a starting point. A device can open lessons, teach skills, test ideas and give a student a voice. “A laptop can open a lesson you could not attend, help you learn a skill, test an idea or tell a story that needs to be heard,” Joshua told the students. “With practice and persistence, a tool received today can become an opportunity created tomorrow.”

Standing with Chibok For Joshua, one group of young people stands at the heart of the mission: the girls of Chibok. Through its partnership with the Society for Performing Arts in Nigeria, known as SPAN, GiveBack Backpacks is supporting access to digital learning for young women whose education has been disrupted. The work also extends resources to other students with limited access to technology and school supplies. “Their education and opportunities have been disrupted through no fault of their own,” Joshua said. “We cannot give back the time they have lost. But we can stand with them, invest in what comes next, and extend that same commitment to other young people whose ambitions deserve a fair chance.” The work is intended to focus on what comes next. Young women displaced from Chibok are not defined by the violence they experienced. They are students, learners, and future contributors with ideas and ambitions of their own.

The value lies in the use What stood out most in Joshua’s address was not the size of the donation but how little he dwelt on it. He named the figure once, thanked those who made it possible, and moved on.

“The value of these gifts, however, will be measured by what you do with them,” he said. That shift puts the responsibility, and the power, back with the students. It treats them not as people receiving charity but as future builders, coders, writers and problem-solvers. He spoke to them directly. “To every student here: we believe in your ability to shape your future,” he said. “Your circumstances may have made the journey harder, but they do not set the limits of your mind or your ambition.” Then came something closer to a charge than a speech. “Be curious,” he urged. “Ask difficult questions. Learn how the world works, then imagine how to make it better.” He added one more request, the one that gives the organisation its name, stating, “Use these resources to study, to create and, when you can, to help someone else find their way forward.” The giving, in other words, is meant to keep going.

Bridging the digital divide The digital divide remains a real barrier for students across Nigeria. Access to computers and reliable internet is uneven, particularly in rural communities and among families affected by displacement. Some students learn digital skills in theory before they can practise them on their own device. That gap matters more each year. Coding, data, design, digital media, and online research are becoming central to how young people learn and prepare for careers. Students without access can be excluded before they have a chance to demonstrate what they can do. GiveBack Backpacks responds with a practical model. Each backpack combines a laptop with everyday learning resources, recognising that students need more than a device to participate fully in school. The goal is to

give students room to experiment and build confidence before the stakes become higher. A laptop can help turn an idea into research, learning into practice, and practice into a pathway forward.

A partnership built on shared belief Joshua was quick to share the credit. He thanked SPAN Nigeria for “helping us turn a shared belief into action”. He also thanked the teachers and supporters who, in his words, “continue to show up for these young people”. It is a fitting partnership. SPAN has long worked to develop young Nigerian talent through the arts. GiveBack Backpacks brings the tools of the digital age to the same mission. Both rest on the idea that potential, given the right support, will find its way.

Young, but not waiting At 17, Joshua is younger than many of the students he serves. He does not treat his age as a reason to wait. He started GiveBack Backpacks at 14, when most young people are still working out what they care about. In three years, he has turned a personal conviction into an organisation that can move hundreds of laptops and tens of thousands of dollars in support to where they are needed most. He is part of a growing generation of young Africans who are not waiting to be handed solutions. They are building them, often for peers who share their age but not their opportunities. His message to the students was, in the end, a mirror of his own story: start where you are, use what you have, and help someone else along the way. “This day is about you, your ideas and the future you will build,” he told them. “We look forward to seeing what you accomplish.” For 200 young Nigerians, that future now has a laptop, a backpack and a reason to believe it is within reach.

T H I S D AY THURSDAY OCTOBER 8, 2026 20 TR

UT H

& RE A S O

Thursday October 8, 2026 Vol 27. No 11497

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

A NATION LOSING ITS CHILDREN The state should mourn the fallen, keep the citizens safe, and punish negligence, writes PAT ONUKWULI

See page 21

KADUNA’S PROACTIVE MEASURES AGAINST FLOODS The state has mapped out communities vulnerable to flooding, while temporary shelters are in place, writes PAUL TUNKU

See page 21

EDITORIAL

THE DEBATE ABOUT DEATH PENALTY

See page 22

Nigerian politicians should face electoral matters squarely instead of fighting mass media opinions, writes MONDAY PHILIPS EKPE

THE ELECTION PREDICTION THAT OFFENDED SOME London-based The Economist is readily one of the world’s most respected SULQW QHZV PHGLD $ KDUG HDUQHG SUR¿OH in case that needs to be stressed. It’s for the same reason that one item in its publication on Nigeria’s Independence 'D\ 2FWREHU D FRXSOH RI GD\V DJR KDV EUXLVHG VRPH QHUYHV DQG SHUKDSV FDOPHG RWKHUV 7LWOHG ³1LJHULDQV 'LVOLNH 7KHLU 3UHVLGHQW %XW 0D\ 5H HOHFW +LP $Q\ZD\´ WKH FRQWHQWV DUH ERWK HPSKDWLF DQG XQDSRORJHWLF DQG KDYH NHSW IDLWK with the headline. Drawing the premises of its conclusion IURP WKH ¿QGLQJV RI &RQWURO 5LVNV DQ LQWHUQDWLRQDO ULVN FRQVXOWDQF\ ¿UP WKH newspaper had probably hoped that LWV WDUJHW UHDGHUV ZRXOG VLW EDFN UHOD[ enjoy and then swing into necessary DFWLRQV %XW PXFK PRUH WKDQ WKHVH DUH EHLQJ KDUYHVWHG &RQVLGHU WKH IROORZLQJ VL[ NH\ VWDWHPHQWV LQ WKH DUWLFOH 2QH ³,QFXPEHQWV ZLWK DFFHVV WR WKH UXOLQJ party machinery and plentiful cash to GROH RXW JRRGLHV KDYH WHQGHG WR KDYH DQ advantage in recent Nigerian elections.” (YHQ ZLWKRXW DQ\ VWDWHG VFLHQWL¿F GDWD DQG DQDO\VHV WKLV DVVHUWLRQ LV DOUHDG\ D JLYHQ $FFHVV WR SXEOLFO\ RZQHG IXQGV facilities and privileges has often been GHSOR\HG E\ JRYHUQPHQW R൶FLDOV WR SURVHFXWH SULYDWH LQWHUHVWV 5HVWUDLQW LQ this regard and the will to investigate such practices have continued to dwindle over time. 7ZR ³(YHQ YRWHUV ZKR OLNH 0U 2EL 3HWHU 2EL 3UHVLGHQWLDO &DQGLGDWH RI WKH 1LJHULD 'HPRFUDWLF &RQJUHVV ± 1'& PD\ UXOH KLP RXW EHFDXVH KH LV D &DWKROLF WKH IDFW WKDW KH KDV D 0XVOLP UXQQLQJ mate may not be enough.” The rationale for this pronouncement is neither here QRU WKHUH :KHQ 2EL OHIW WKH 3HRSOH¶V 'HPRFUDWLF 3DUW\ 3'3 DEUXSWO\ LQ WKH runup to the last presidential election and SLFNHG WKH /DERXU 3DUW\ /3 WLFNHW QRW many people saw his subsequent strong showing coming. Not few Nigerians VWLOO WKLQN ULJKWO\ RU RWKHUZLVH WKDW he actually triumphed in the 2023 RXWLQJ <HV WKDW ZDV DQ XQSUHFHGHQWHG surprise and the circumstances may have FKDQJHG %XW GLVPLVVLQJ KLV FKDQFHV LV DOVR ÀLSSDQW DQG LOO FRQVLGHUHG 7KUHH ³0DQ\ SHRSOH DUH OLYLQJ ZKHUH WKHUH KDV EHHQ QR UHDO VHFXULW\ QR UHDO KHDOWK FDUH QR UHDO VFKRROV 2YHU WLPH SHRSOH¶V H[SHFWDWLRQV JHW ORZHU DQG ORZHU ´ 3XW GL൵HUHQWO\ PDQ\ Nigerians have resigned to fate and have inadvertently become complicit in the sabotage of their own entitlements. I’ve DOZD\V PDLQWDLQHG WKDW PRUH WKDQ DQ\ RWKHU IDFWRU WKH UHFNOHVVQHVV DQG VHOI centredness of Nigerian leaders have been further enabled by the failure of

WKH PDVVHV WR WDNH WKHLU GHVWLQLHV LQWR their own hands and confront such sad behaviours frontally. No democracy is worth the name without a participatory SRSXODFH DIWHU DOO 2UGLQDU\ SHUVRQV assume political positions and instantly EHFRPH GHPLJRGV XQWRXFKDEOH E\ WKH travails of those on the other side of the table. You are tempted to attribute that DWWLWXGH WR WKH XQSDODWDEOH H[SHULHQFHV under the military administrations but you’re soon faced with the fact that \HDUV LQ WKLV )RXUWK 5HSXEOLF ± WKH nation’s longest in its chequered history ± RXJKW WR KDYH WXWRUHG WKH FLWL]HQV ZHOO HQRXJK RQ KRZ WR PDNH FRUSRUDWH concerted and legitimate demands. )RXU ³3OHQW\ PD\ VZDOORZ ZKDWHYHU bad feelings they have about their dayto-day struggles and vote for their ‘son’” Sectionalism. Tribalism. Stubborn sentiments which have for long contested against merit in the country’s quest IRU H[FHOOHQFH DQG JHQXLQH SURJUHVV Numerous videos originating even IURP VRXWK ZHVW 1LJHULD 3UHVLGHQW %ROD 7LQXEX¶V KRPH EDVH GHWDLOLQJ WKH FLWL]HQU\¶V GLVHQFKDQWPHQW ZLWK KLV administration have been trending on WKH VRFLDO PHGLD %XW ZLOO WKH DQJVW EH subsumed under primordial instincts and not matter at the 2027 presidential poll? )LYH ³1R ZRQGHU 0U 7LQXEX IHHOV VDIH HQRXJK WR WDNH H[WHQGHG KROLGD\V LQ Paris.” Another word used in this report WR GHVFULEH WKH SUHVLGHQW¶V UHOD[HG SRVWXUH in the midst of the various challenges HQFRXQWHUHG E\ KLV FRPSDWULRWV LV ³FRRO´ No attempt to do his psychoanalysis here. %XW VX൶FH LW WR VD\ WKDW 1LJHULDQV GR QRW ORRN OLNH SHRSOH ZKR ZRXOG PDNH GUDVWLF moves to alter their togas of predictability DQG DORRIQHVV DQ\WLPH VRRQ $W OHDVW LQ WKH HVWLPDWLRQ RI WKH EXON RI WKH SROLWLFDO class. When you hold the reins of power KHUH WKH UDQJH RI WKH WKLQJV \RX FDQ GR to ensure your re-election is virtually limitless. 6L[ ³$V ORQJ DV WKH VHFXULW\ FULVLV

remains unresolved and economic JURZWK ZKLFK LV H[SHFWHG WR KLW WKLV \HDU GRHV QRW WUDQVODWH LQWR FRQFUHWH LPSURYHPHQWV LQ 1LJHULDQV¶ GDLO\ OLYHV many voters will remain disappointed. <HW IHZ ZLOO XVH WKH EDOORW ER[ WR H[SUHVV WKHLU GLVDSSRLQWPHQW ´ 7KDW LV QRW PXFK H[LVWV DW WKH PRPHQW WR PRWLYDWH WKH FKXQN RI WKH HOHFWRUDWH WR YRWH IRU Tinubu but they’re set to do just that. And seemingly helplessly so. It is this point that has irritated the leading opposition SDUWLHV LQ SDUWLFXODU /LVWHQ WR 0DODP %RODML $EGXOODKL VSRNHVSHUVRQ RI WKH $IULFDQ 'HPRFUDWLF &RQJUHVV $'& ³,¶P HPEDUUDVVHG the way we are elevating a mere story to the level of an electoral projection. ,I WKLV ZHUH D ORJLF FODVV ZH ZRXOG EH guilty of what is called ‘argumentum DG YHUDFXQGLDP ¶ , UHDG WKDW VWRU\ DQG , WKLQN HYHQ DV D SLHFH RI MRXUQDOLVP LW¶V poor journalism.” +HDU 3KUDQN 6KDLEX 'LUHFWRU RI &RPPXQLFDWLRQ $'&¶V 3UHVLGHQWLDO &DPSDLJQ &RXQFLO ³$ IRUHFDVW LV QRW D verdict. Nigerians measure the economy E\ ZKDW WKHLU LQFRPH FDQ EX\ ZKDW WKH\ must go without and whether they can provide a decent life for their families.” 5HDG 2VD 'LUHFWRU 1DWLRQDO 3XEOLFLW\ Secretary of the Nigeria Democratic &RQJUHVV 1'& ³7KH (FRQRPLVW DUWLFOH DJUHHG WKDW 7LQXEX LV VR XQSRSXODU 6R how did it arrive at the conclusion that he would still win despite that? The article decided to leave many things unsaid. Its conclusion was not based on the facts DQG VWDWLVWLFV WKDW LW LWVHOI LGHQWL¿HG DV Tinubu’s Achilles’ heels.? %XW FDQ 1LJHULDQV EH WUXVWHG QRZ to vote overwhelmingly against the government that appears incapable of WDFNOLQJ WKH YLFLVVLWXGHV WKDW SODJXH WKHP XQHQGLQJO\" ,I WKH\ GR ZLOO WKHLU H൵RUWV FRXQW" $UH WKH\ SUHSDUHG WR JR WKH H[WUD PLOH" 0DQ\ SHRSOH FDQ¶W ¿JXUH RXW DQ\ IXQGDPHQWDO GL൵HUHQFHV EHWZHHQ the current holders of power and those intending to displace them. Even before WKH R൵HQVLYH VWRU\ FRQFHUQV KDG EHHQ raised at some fora about the inability of the rival politicians to present a FRPPRQ IURQW LQ RUGHU WR XQVHDW 7LQXEX in addition to the advantages that go with incumbency. A lot more should be done to present viable alternatives to the 1LJHULDQ SHRSOH 1RW WR DWWDFN D VLQFHUH HYHQ LI ÀDZHG YLHZ LQ 7KH (FRQRPLVW $EXEDNDU 2EL DQG FR FRXOG ZHOO EH returning to their fortunes three year ago. A déjà vu that can be avoided. Dr Ekpe is a member of THISDAY Editorial Board X: @monday_ekpe2

T H I S D AY

321

THURSDAY OCTOBER 8, 2026

The state has mapped out communities vulnerable to flooding, while temporary shelters are in place, writes PAUL TUNKU

KADUNA’S PROACTIVE MEASURES AGAINST FLOODS In many parts of the country, governments are often very good at responding to emergencies after they have occurred. Officials arrive with relief materials, committees are inaugurated, victims are visited, promises are made and, sometimes, photographs are taken. By then, however, homes may already have been washed away, livelihoods destroyed and, tragically, lives lost. That is why the latest proactive flood measures in Kaduna State deserve attention. In fact, it is refreshing that it is anticipating the problem and preparing to tackle it. The Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA) says it has mapped communities considered vulnerable to flooding, identified temporary shelters and pre-positioned relief and non-food materials across the state. The agency has also strengthened its early-warning system, drawing on forecasts from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency. According to the Public Relations Officer of KADSEMA, Philips Dominic, communities such as Rafin Guza, Bashama, Unguwan Rimi, Barnawa, Kabala Costain and Romi have been identified as particularly vulnerable because of their proximity to rivers and tributaries. Parts of Tudun Wada, Barnawa, Rigasa and Sabon Tasha have also been mapped because of their low-lying terrain and drainage problems. But it is important to note that is not just a map-and-report exercise. The government says temporary shelters have been identified, including the Namadi Sambo Skills Acquisition Centre in Tudun Wada and Romi Primary and Secondary School. Emergency tents have also been provided for deployment when necessary, while relief materials have been positioned at zonal and local government levels. It is also encouraging that the government is not waiting for floodwaters to rise before evacuating people. KADSEMA cited the evacuation of residents of Askolaye following warnings of flooding. While residents initially resisted leaving, community engagement eventually resulted in their evacuation. That is what disaster preparedness should be. In all of these, it is noteworthy that there is a structured relief plan. “All resources are strategically positioned at zonal and LGA levels under the custody of the LEMCs across the 23 LGAs,” the KADSEMA spokesman said. “Deployment of these resources will be triggered immediately upon activation of the designated safe havens. The activation and deployment protocol can be executed within minutes as the situation warrants. All necessary arrangements are in place, and the state remains on high alert.”

This brings up some hard and difficult conversation. While temporary shelters are good and necessary, they are not a substitute for flood prevention in the first place. A government cannot indefinitely evacuate people from the same communities every rainy season. It must address the rivers, drainage channels, erosion corridors, waterways and settlements that make those communities vulnerable. To his credit, Governor Sani appears to understand this. In 2024, his administration directed relevant ministries and agencies to develop a flood-mitigation plan for areas identified as flood-prone. The state subsequently embarked on drainage desilting across Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan. Officials said the plan targeted about 160 kilometres of drainage. The administration also made flood prevention part of a broader environmental agenda. In 2024, about 1.7 million trees were planted. And in January 2025, the Sani-led administration announced plans to plant 10 million trees over four years as part of its afforestation programme. The government also said it had mandated the desilting of about 140 kilometres of drainage and was considering the dredging of River Kaduna and other water bodies. Then, in July 2026, Sani flagged off a comprehensive flood and gully erosion control project stretching from Rigasa to Tudun Wada. The state government says the project will cost more than N34 billion and cover 17.8 kilometres. It is aimed at tackling a flooding and erosion problem that has plagued the area for decades. There is an important human dimension to that project. About N2 billion in compensation was reportedly paid to approximately 1,000 people whose houses would be affected by the intervention. The governor said the policy was deliberate: government should not destroy people’s property in the name of development without paying adequate compensation. As it is, flood-control projects can be traumatic when residents are treated as obstacles. Tunku writes from Kaduna

The state should mourn the fallen, keep the citizens safe, and punish negligence, writes PAT ONUKWULI

A NATION LOSING ITS CHILDREN Some tragedies should not be allowed to dissolve into Nigeria’s crowded news cycle. Within days, the country has confronted two profoundly distressing events: young Nigerians travelling to answer the call to national service were abducted in Imo State. At the same time, a Nigerian Air Force aircraft crashed in Ondo State. Different circumstances; one disturbing question: how safe is life in Nigeria? On 1 October, prospective National Youth Service Corps members travelling to orientation camps were attacked by gunmen along the Owerri–Onitsha corridor. Thankfully all the victims have reportedly been rescued. But the outrage is difficult to overstate. Parents educate their children, often at great sacrifice; Nigeria summons them to national service; criminals intercept them on a Nigerian highway; and families are then confronted with ransom demands for their lives. National service should signify national belonging, not national exposure. The NYSC was conceived in 1973 as an instrument of reconciliation and integration. Beneath that khaki uniform lies an implicit covenant: if the Republic asks young Nigerians to travel beyond their familiar communities in its service, the Republic assumes a heightened obligation to protect them. Government should therefore be alarmed that young citizens travelling on national assignment could be abducted in broad daylight. However, rescue cannot be the end of the matter. Government must also review mobilisation routes, transport arrangements, highway surveillance and rapid-response capabilities so that service to Nigeria does not become a journey into avoidable danger. Before the country could absorb its anxiety, another tragedy occurred: on October 5, a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 on a flight from Benin to Lagos crashed near Igbokoda in Ondo State. There were twenty-five on board, including the crew. The victims are not just numbers, but families and communities affected by the loss. President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of three days of national mourning is fitting. Half-mast flags recognise that those who serve the nation deserve the nation’s gratitude in death as in life. The President has also ordered an investigation into the crash. But mourning must not replace accountability. The investigation should be rigorous and transparent, and it should dispel rumours about the tragedy. Nigerians deserve to know if mechanical failure, operational issues, maintenance problems, human error, or other factors caused the disaster within national security limits. If negligence is found, appropriate action should follow. A nation honours its dead by lowering flags and preventing repeat failures. And here is another contrast that de-

serves attention. If fallen military personnel rightly receive national mourning, what of the hapless civilians repeatedly murdered by insurgents and bandits in villages, on highways and in their homes? They may not have worn uniforms, but their lives were no less Nigerian. The government should consider appropriate ways to memorialise and immortalise innocent citizens killed by insurgency and banditry, thereby affirming that the Republic remembers not only those who died while defending Nigeria but also those whom Nigeria failed to protect. The aircraft tragedy and the kidnappings should not be conflated. One is an aviation disaster whose cause must be established; the other is a criminal assault demanding urgent rescue and prosecution. Yet both converge on the same principle: the state’s duty of care. One group was travelling to serve Nigeria; the other was serving Nigeria. Neither should have had to gamble life for service. Greek mythology tells of Charon, the ferryman who carried the dead across the river that separates the living from the underworld. Nigeria must never become a nation where families perpetually stand on that riverbank, watching helplessly as insecurity, negligence and violence carry away their children. The duty of the state is not merely to mourn the departed, but to keep its citizens safely on the shore of life. Nigeria’s greatest resource is not beneath its soil. It walks upon it: the corps member with a call-up letter, the pilot entering a cockpit, the soldier at his post, the farmer in his village, the traveller on the highway. Mourn the fallen. Honour the murdered. Investigate what failed. Punish negligence where proven. Prevent recurrence. When a nation repeatedly loses its children to kidnappers on the road, insurgents in communities, or preventable failures in the air, it loses more than lives. It loses confidence, belonging, and, ultimately, the moral authority of the state itself. In the end, a nation that cannot keep its children safe cannot convincingly call itself secure. Dr. Onukwuli is a legal scholar and public affairs analyst. patonukwuli2003@yahoo.co.uk

22 4

T H I S D AY THURSDAY OCTOBER 8, 2026

EDITORIAL

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

THE DEBATE ABOUT DEATH PENALTY

The state should decide whether to kill condemned inmates or to commute their sentences

s Nigeria joins other countries for the 2026 World Day Against the Death Penalty with the theme, ‘Stories for Life’, a decision must be taken on the growing numbers of death row inmates in the country, especially when Zimbabwe and Ghana recently joined 112 other countries to abolish the death penalty. “Beyond the statistics and headlines, the death penalty raises profound questions about justice, human dignity and the possibility of irreversible error,” says the German ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Stefan Rössel, who today hosts an event in Abuja in partnership with Avocats Sans Frontieres (ASF) France, to commemorate the date. “How we report on these question matters—because behind every case is a human story.” While the last execution was caried out in Nigeria in December 2016, the death penalty remains legal for crimes such as murder, armed robbery, and treason. But the debate on capital punishment as the ultimate deterrence for certain crimes continues to rage among sociologists, moral philosophers and jurisprudence H[SHUWV 7KRVH ZKR LQVLVW RQ LWV H൶FDF\ DUJXH WKDW WKH fear of death is man’s highest nightmare and that those who know that their crimes will attract such a penalty would think twice before their action. Those with the contrary viewpoint insist that hardened criminals will not be deterred by the fear of death because of their criminal acts. The knowledge that the consequence of such a crime is predetermined death could in fact make such criminals more brutal. This latter argument goes further to indicate that the state, by resorting to capital punishment, risks being guilty of the same killing for which it is punishing those condemned to death for crimes involving the loss of lives. If the state kills the condemned murderer, the argument goes, it reduces the population by two instead of one. Moreover, the state ought to exercise

greater moral restraint by presenting a more humane, forgiving and corrective disposition even towards those who kill others. Therefore, the moral conundrum of the capital punishment argument encumbers the state with a huge burden. In the interim, Nigeria has an urgent crisis in its burgeoning numbers of inmates on death row. Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Nwakuche, told the National Assembly in March last year that there were 3,688 on death row. He explained that the reluctance of state governors to either execute death row inmates or commute their sentences to life imprisonment is a major reason for prison congestion. Whatever may be WKH MXVWL¿FDWLRQV SURORQJHG VROLWXGH LV QRW RQO\ GHtrimental for the psychology of death row inmates but also negates the international treaties, declarations and other documents to which Nigeria is a signatory. It is an inherent violation on their rights and dignity to keep people interminably on death row, especially for cases that have been concluded by the Supreme Court. Some of these condemned persons have spent decades waiting to die in the hands of the law. They live in uncertainty on a day-to-day basis. Meanwhile, excuses for the delay in executing the death sentences range from shortage of hangmen to the lack of will on the part of state governors who KDYH WKH XOWLPDWH SRZHU WR FRQ¿UP FRPPXWH RU DPHliorate the death sentences. Our state governors must see this situation as a serious challenge requiring urgent but delicate exercise and action. The options are within reach. Governors should consider exercising the prerogative of mercy to commute death sentences to life for these condemned inmates. They must understand that to keep people LQGH¿QLWHO\ RQ GHDWK URZ LV WR NLOO WKHP E\ LQVWDOments. Besides, it is time Nigeria joined 28 other African countries that have abolished death penalty from their statutes.

Some of these condemned persons have spent decades waiting to die in the hands of the law T H I S D AY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITOR WALE OLALEYE MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

T H I S D AY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: ﬁrst name.surname@thisdaylive.com

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

LETTERS WHEN CERTIFICATES BECOME BARRIERS

In Nigeria today, a young person with only a Senior 6HFRQGDU\ 6FKRRO &HUWL¿FDWH ([DPLQDWLRQ 66&( TXDOL¿FDWLRQ FDQ SXUVXH RSSRUWXQLWLHV LQ VHYHUDO XQLIRUPHG security and public service organisations, subject to the recruitment requirements of the particular agency. Yet, IRU PDQ\ JUDGXDWHV SRVVHVVLQJ D KLJKHU TXDOL¿FDWLRQ does not always translate into broader opportunities, especially when it comes to recruitment into security related services. This raises an important question: what happens to the value of the years spent pursuing higher education when a graduate can be excluded from an opportunity simply because of age or other recruitment conditions, even when the person possesses the required educational TXDOL¿FDWLRQ DQG LV SK\VLFDOO\ FDSDEOH RI SHUIRUPLQJ WKH job? Every year, thousands of graduates emerge from uniYHUVLWLHV DQG SRO\WHFKQLFV ZLWK FHUWL¿FDWHV LQ WKHLU KDQGV and hope in their hearts. Unfortunately, many soon disFRYHU WKDW WKHLU FHUWL¿FDWHV DUH HDVLHU WR IUDPH WKDQ WR XVH in securing meaningful employment.

While young Nigerians continue to acquire degrees, Higher National Diplomas and other professional qualL¿FDWLRQV DYDLODEOH HPSOR\PHQW RSSRUWXQLWLHV UHPDLQ limited. The situation becomes even more painful when graduates possess skills, knowledge and talents that could contribute meaningfully to national development EXW DUH XQDEOH WR ¿QG RSSRUWXQLWLHV WR SXW WKHP LQWR SUDFtice. Some graduates are forced into petty trading, irregular labour and other survival activities. Others migrate from their communities to larger cities in search of employment. In the process, communities lose the energy, knowledge and ideas of young people who could have contributed to local development. This situation deserves particular attention in the security sector. There should be a serious conversation about ZKHWKHU TXDOL¿HG JUDGXDWHV ZKR PHHW WKH HGXFDWLRQDO physical, medical and other legitimate requirements for security related employment should automatically be GLVDGYDQWDJHG EHFDXVH RI DJH GL൵HUHQFHV Idris Rufai, idrisrufai744@gmail.com

GOOD AND BAD? In the old days of my youth, it was easy to tell who was good or bad especially with the westerns; the good guys wore white hats, the bad guys wore black hats. It's no longer so easy, nor so precise. Quite recently OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said "We believe that the world should accept some bad things hapSHQLQJ IRU WKH EHQH¿WV RI WKLV WHFKQRORJ\ DQG SHRSOH KDYLQJ the agency". This scares me and should scare most people. At a simple level if Medical research, when done ethically, leads to 1000 people being better but one person is much worse or dies then the medicine does not get released. It PXVW PDNH HYHU\ERG\ EHWWHU R൵ QRW QHDUO\ HYHU\RQH We don't really need to worry about Arnie and the Terminators, but rather the data collection and the lack of privacy, the apparent lack of copyright acceptance. No one wants 'some bad things' that might lead to better things. Dennis Fitzgerald, 28 Landale St, Box Hill, Vic., Australia

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

REPO

A T

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

08056356325

O C T O B E R

S & P INDEX

7 , 2 0 2 6

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OPR

25.34%

CALL

23.25%

INDEX LEVEL

595.26

1/4 TO DATE

0.24%

N1,383.00 / 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

25.18%

1-MONTH

21.37%

1-DAY

0.10%

YEAR TO DATE

-10.99%

*AS AT WED., OCTOBER 7, 2026

3-MONTH

22.41%

MONTH-TO-DATE

0.24%

EFCC: Right Policy, Regulation will Tame Cybercrime without Enforcement

Stories by Emma Okonji The Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has said that the enactment of appropriate policy and regulation can tame cybercrime activities, including financial crimes, without applying the necessary enforcement strategies. Olukoyede, who said this during the inauguration of the Awka Zone of the EFCC in Anambra State, insisted that past experience has shown that the application of the

right policies and regulation have helped Nigeria in curbing cybercrimes and financial crimes without enforcement by the EFCC. Citing the policy that established the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) for tertiary institution students, the EFCC boss said, that singular policy has drastically reduced cybercrime that was prevalent among young Nigerians who indulge in cybercrime activities, just to pay their school fees and survive on campus. “Before NELFUND was

established by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, most of the people that commit cybercrime ‘419’, are the youth. Majority of them are students of tertiary institutions and when we bring them forward for questioning as to why they indulge in cybercrimes, some of them genuinely tell us they can’t afford to pay their school fees, and that they needed money to pay their school fees and survive on campus because their parents are poor and cannot afford to pay their school fees,” Olukoyede said. According to him, to curb

the situation, President Tinubu directed that the proceeds of crime be channeled to support NELFUND. He said, that right policy has helped hundreds of thousands of students to pay their school fees, adding that the implication is that the federal government has been able to take close to one million of the student beneficiaries out of the docket of the people that have the potential to commit cybercrimes. “That is the effect of a single policy of the federal government that has pulled several students

out of cybercrime activities, without involving the EFCC implementation strategies,” he said. The EFCC boss also cited another instance with the fuel subsidy removal by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. “Upon the assumption of office, Mr. President made a policy statement and said: ‘Fuel subsidy is gone’. And I will tell you the implication of that on financial crimes investigation and prosecution in Nigeria. Before the fuel subsidy removal, we have about 80 cases of fuel subsidy in court. And some of those

cases were filed way back 2013, 2014, and 2015, and we are still investigating the cases. We have been able to deal with less than 20 per cent of those cases in court as I speak and we don’t know whether we’re going to bring that to an end. “But since the policy statement on the removal of fuel subsidy, the cases of financial crimes on fuel subsidy have dropped completely and that is the best way to fight corruption,” Olukoyede said. The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

Customer Sa t i s fa c t i on Up 71% as E-commerce, Others Emerge Best Sectors As the country celebrates 2026 Customer Service Week, the Nigeria Customer Service Index (NCSI) Group has released its 2025 report on the state of customer service in Nigeria. According to the report, customer satisfaction score hits all-time high at 71 per cent amid service quality decline in key sectors, as E-commerce, Real Estate and Telecommunications emerged best sectors, among the 12 sectors surveyed by the report.

The 2025 report, which is the third in its series since its debut in 2023, presented a contrasting yet predictable outcomes with resilient performance amid wide service quality decline. Powered by the West Africa Association of Customer Service Professionals (WAACSP), the report is a national benchmark of customer satisfaction, service delivery and consumer sentiment across 12 major economic sectors.

The report, which was jointly signed by the Head, Media & Communications, NCSI Group, Orode Jennifer, and Team Lead, NCSI Group, Anozie Christian, is a template that offers organisations a practical basis for comparing performance, understanding changing expectations and directing s e r v i c e - i m p ro v e m e n t investments. Using a structured, web-based questionnaire, quantitative research and

random sampling, the 2025 survey gathered 21,387 responses, rating over 1,500 organisations, covering all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The report said respondents evaluated their experiences across customer experience dimensions including trust, professionalism, competence, complaint resolution, ease of doing business, processes and procedures, staff engagement, and customer-focused innovation.

Key findings of the report showed that the national NCSI benchmark stood at 71 per cent, with nine of the 12 sectors recording lower scores than the previous reporting period. E-commerce led the sector performance at 75 per cent, rising 15 percentage points from 2024, followed by Real Estate at 72 per cent, up 10 points, while Telecommunications posted modest positive growth of one point.

The sharpest contractions were recorded in Transportation (-13 points), Power (-10 points) and the Public Sector (-10 points). Public Sector and Power recorded the lowest scores overall, at 53 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively. Customer trust was the number-one priority in every sector, ranging from 71 per cent in Power to 90 per cent in E-commerce. The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

M A R K E T D ATA A S AT W E D N E S D AY, O C T O B E R 7 , 2 0 2 6 BONDS DESCRIPTION Price Yield Change Updated Time (%) October ^13.98 230.00 7, 2026 96.21 16.98 FEB-2028 ^21.00 20105.35 16.90 0.00 October MAR-2028 7, 2026 ^19.30 170.06 October 104.53 17.05 7, 2026 APR-2029 ^14.55 26October 95.28 16.80 0.00 APR-2029 7, 2026 ^18.50 21October 104.48 17.02 -0.12 FEB-2031 7, 2026

BILLS MATURITY NTB 8-Oct26 NTB 5-Nov26 NTB 3-Dec26 NTB 7-Jan27 NTB 4-Feb27

Discount Yield

CPS

Change (%) Updated Time

MATURITY

17.00

17.30

0.00 October 7, 2026

17.30

17.85

0.00 October 7, 2026

17.79

18.63

0.00 October 7, 2026

18.54

19.83

0.00 October 7, 2026

19.83

0.00 October 7, 2026

HAAI CP X 7-SEP-26 PCLL CP V 25-SEP-26 AGRO CP IV 7-DEC-26 DAIL CP II 26-NOV-26 JVIL CP XXIV 29-DEC-26

17.10

Discount Yield 22.85

22.92

22.79

23.12

22.80

24.25

21.22

22.32

22.20

23.91

CLEARED NAIRA-SETTLED NDFS Change (%)

Updated Time

-0.01 October 7, 2026 0.00 October 7, 2026 0.01 October 7, 2026 0.00 October 7, 2026 0.01 October 7, 2026

CONTRACT TENOR Contract (MONTH)

Current Rate ($/₦)

Updated Time

–

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

AFRICA SOCIAL IMPACT SUMMIT…

L:R: Chief of Strategic Partnerships, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Mariarosa Cutillo; Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda; CEO, Sterling One Foundation, Olapeju Ibekwe; Chief Executive Oﬃcer, Sagamore, Jay Hein; Chairman, Phillips Consulted Limited, Foluaho Phillips; CEO & Founder, InnoPower Global, Emil Ekiyor and Managing Partner, Velocity Digital, Michael B. Serwadda at the Africa Social Impact Summit Global Action Forum, held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, USA… recently

O l o w o r a r a : Pe n C c o m A d d i t i o n a l N10.7tn Retirement Wealth in Two Years

Ebere Nwoji

The Director General National Pension Commisssion (PenCcom), Ms Omolola Oloworara, has revealed that the agency created additional N10.7 trillion retirement wealth in the last two years. Oloworara who stated this at the 2026 annual media conference organised by PenCom in Lagos, said the quantum growth recorded in the industry was enabled by various reforms going on in the pension sector. According to her, “The reforms also saw significant

growth in retirees’ takehome benefits especially retirees under treasury funded pension scheme and those under National Social Insurance Trust scheme in which no less that 2,116 retirees received 1,173 per cent increase in their take home benefits thereby relieving the beneficiaries from 21 years of stagnation in pension benefit.” She said 938,229 Nigerians joined the Contributory Pension Scheme(CPS) within the same period, adding that this has expanded the pool of formal retirement savings.

She said monthly pension payments for more than 241,000 retirees increased from

N12.15 billion to N14.83 the reform going on in billion following the the sector. implementation of pension Oloworaran disclosed adjustments, an aspect of that, Treasury-funded

Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) now have an exit benefit scheme.

FG Urged to Accelerate Fibre Rollout Project Delivery to Close Connectivity Gap Stories by Emma Okonji Industry stakeholders have advised the federal government to accelerate the delivery of Project BRIDGE to Nigerians, as a strategic response to the middle-mile connectivity gap. Project BRIDGE is an initiative of the federal government to roll out

90,000 km national fibre optic cable backbone across the country in order to give all Nigerians uninterrupted access to internet connectivity. The federal government was also advised to advance complementary measures to improve the availability and reliability of power for digital infrastructure; sustain policy

consistency; and support financing structures that reduce the cost of capital for the telecoms sector. The telecoms industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), was also advised to sustain the reforms that were already improving investment conditions, including the

tariff realignment, the designation of critical national information infrastructure and Right of Way (RoW) engagement with states; publish the first national Nigeria Digital Connectivity Index report; advance open-access and wholesale regulation; and finalise the direct-to-device framework.

Firm Reinforces Commitment NGSTQB Backs National Software Testing Guideline, Seeks Enforcement to Customer Choice As Nigerian consumers increasingly embrace smart home technology and connected entertainment, LG Electronics is reaffirming its commitment to delivering innovative Smart TV experiences that combine convenience, personalization, security, and customer control. “Technology should work for people, not the other way around. Our goal is to provide meaningful customer choice while delivering smarter and more personalized entertainment experiences,” said LG Electronics in a statement. As voice-enabled technology gains popularity across Nigerian households, LG has

clarified how voice recognition operates on its Smart TVs. Voice control is disabled by default and only becomes active when users choose to enable the feature. To help deliver more relevant content experiences, LG Smart TVs offer an optional feature called Automatic Content Recognition (ACR), which identifies what content is being viewed from supported sources. The feature helps improve content discovery, audience insights, and viewing experiences while remaining fully under customer control. ACR is turned off by default and requires users to accept separate agreements before activation.

The Nigerian Software Testing Qualifications Board (NGSTQB) has formally endorsed the National Software Testing Guideline introduced by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), while urging its enforcement follows a

risk-based, tiered model rather than a one-size-fits-all standard. The guideline requires software developed, modified, integrated or deployed for use in Nigeria to undergo functional and non-functional testing, covering security, performance, usability,

compatibility, reliability, maintainability and portability, before operational deployment. It applies across both public and private sectors, with the depth of testing determined by a system’s risk, data sensitivity, public exposure and potential consequences of failure. NGSTQB, a professional

PMI to Assist Entrepreneurs Turn Ideas into Viable Businesses Project Management Institute (PMI), the leading authority in project success, has launched a free course to help entrepreneurs across sectors build delivery skills such as planning, financial discipline, and reliability. Titled: ‘PMI Foundations: Project Management for Entrepreneurs’, the course is designed for aspiring and

early-stage entrepreneurs across sectors, including founders, side-hustle creators, solopreneurs, community innovators and small teams. Giving details of the report findings, the Managing Director, sub-Saharan Africa at PMI, George Asamani, said: “These findings show why creators need

support with the business behind their content. A brand deal can bring in revenue, but creators also need to understand what it will cost to deliver. Project management helps them plan that work and use their resources wisely. Those skills matter just as much to someone building a catering business or

NCC Leverages ITU’s Recognition to Advance Digital Literacy The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said it will leverage the Digital Bridge Institute’s (DBI) designation as an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Digital Transformation

Centre (DTC) to accelerate digital literacy, enhance digital inclusion, and equip more Nigerians with the skills needed to participate effectively in the digital economy. NCC made this known

body focused on software testing standards and certification in Nigeria, said the guideline would address a gap in the country’s digital economy, where software failures have disrupted banking, identity and publicservice platforms relied on by millions of Nigerians.

while receiving the Senior Digital Skills Officer of the ITU, Ms. Robyn Fysh, who paid a courtesy visit to the NCC Head Office in Abuja, recently. The visit took place on the sidelines of Fysh’s

official engagement in Nigeria. The engagement forms part of her mission to DBI following the Institute’s designation by the ITU as a Digital Transformation Centre (DTC), a recognition that

places DBI within a global network of institutions dedicated to advancing digital skills and digital transformation initiatives. vDBI also serves as the ITU’s Digital Training Academy (DTA) in Nigeria.

launching a new product.” The report found that creators faced irregular income, uncertain payment dates, and production costs that impacted their earnings. Against this backdrop, the course’s ‘Before You Begin’ and ‘Know Your Numbers’ modules address practical questions about readiness, resources and financial decisions. For a creator, accepting a campaign may mean paying an editor or hiring equipment before payment arrives. Planning costs and understanding cash flow can help them assess whether they can afford to take on the work and what they will need to deliver it, Asamani said.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 07010510430

How Seven-Up Bottling Company Rescued SariIganmu PHC, Delivered Lifeline to Thousands In a major boost to grassroots healthcare delivery, Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc (SBC) has rescued the long-neglected Sari-Iganmu Primary Health Centre in Apapa-Iganmu, Lagos, transforming it into a fully functional, solar-powered facility capable of serving thousands of residents. Writes MARY NNAH

n a bold intervention against Nigeria’s crippling primary healthcare deficit, Seven-Up Bottling Company Ltd. (SBC), in collaboration with the Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), has unveiled the fully rehabilitated Sari Primary Health Centre, reaffirming the company’s commitment to the wellbeing and development of its host communities. The unveiling ceremony, held recently in Lagos, brought together key stakeholders, including Sari El-Khalil, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SBC; HRM Oba Abdulfatai Oyeyinka Aremu Aromire II, the Ojora of Ijora and Iganmu Kingdom; Hon. Jimoh Olawale Saliu, Executive Chairman of Apapa-Iganmu LCDA; Hon. Lawal Aina Musbau, Chairman, House Committee on Health; alongside local government officials, community leaders, healthcare professionals and other key stakeholders. Apapa-Iganmu holds a significant place in SBC’s history. The company rolled out its first bottle from the community in 1960 and has maintained a close relationship with the area for more than six decades. For the community where it all began, this is history coming full circle. In his keynote address, Sari El-Khalil, Managing Director, SBC, said Apapa-Iganmu holds a significant place in the company’s history as the first bottle of 7Up rolled out from the community in 1960. He said SBC has a longstanding relationship with its host communities dating back to more than six decades with the responsibilities that come with being part of them, saying, “Everything that Seven-Up Bottling Company does is part of the community, and everything that the community does is part of Seven-Up Bottling Company. Our communities and people are a pillar of our strength. Their wellbeing matters to us, and that is why we keep looking for ways our intervention can make a meaningful, lasting difference. Whether within our operations or in how we choose to impact our communities, for us, it is always about putting people first.” El-Khalil also noted that giving back has remained part of SBC’s heritage, reflected over the years

L-R: Chairman, House Committee on Health, Hon. Lawal Aina Musbau; Managing Director, Seven-Up Bottling Company Ltd, Sari ElKhalil; the Ojora of Ijora, HRM Oba Abdulfatai Oyeyinka Aremu Ojora; and Executive Chairman of Apapa-Iganmu LCDA, Hon. Jimoh Olawale Saliu, at the unveiling of the fully rehabilitated Sari-Iganmu Primary Health Centre in Apapa-Iganmu LCDA, Lagos State, renovated by Seven-Up Bottling Company Ltd, recently in Lagos

through initiatives such as the Pepsi Football Academy and the Seven-Up Harvard Business School Scholarship, which has sponsored 16 Nigerians to attend Harvard Business School, alongside other interventions in education, youth development, health and community wellbeing. Reflecting on the longstanding relationship between SBC, the El-Khalil family and the Apapa-Iganmu community, HRM Oba Abdulfatai Oyeyinka Aremu Aromire II, the Ojora of Ijora and Iganmu Kingdom, spoke about the relationship that has developed over the years: “My relationship with Seven-Up Bottling Company and the El-Khalil family goes back many years. I have had the privilege of witnessing the company’s growth from the time of the MD’s grandfather to the present day. The relationship has grown through

this period beyond business into one built on trust, friendship and a shared commitment to the wellbeing of our people,” Oba Aromire II said. He commended the company for its continued support for the community and its investment in the rehabilitation of the health centre. The intervention included the renovation of the maternity ward, the construction and equipping of a laboratory where none previously existed, and the installation of solar power infrastructure to support more reliable operations at the centre. The project also aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 3- Good Health and Well-being, one of the seven priority SDGs within SBC’s sustainability agenda. Executive Chairman of Apapa-Iganmu LCDA, Hon. Jimoh Olawale Saliu, said that the rehabilitation of the Sari-Iganmu Primary Health

Centre is another demonstration of SBC’s longstanding commitment to the wellbeing and development of the community. He said the project follows other SBC interventions in Apapa-Iganmu, including the company’s Plastic Waste for Product (P4P) initiative, a plastic buy-back programme launched in 2025 to tackle plastic pollution while creating economic opportunities for residents. The upgraded facility is expected to provide a safer, more functional and better-equipped environment for healthcare workers while improving the experience of patients and families who rely on the centre for essential healthcare services. Seven-Up Bottling Company Ltd. (SBC) is one of Nigeria’s leading beverage manufacturing and distribution companies, with operations across the country. The company combines brand leadership with a commitment to responsible business, community development and sustainable impact.

OneHealth Advances Medical Weight Management withThe Method Victoria Ojiako OneHealth, Nigeria’s digitalfirst pharmacy and healthcare platform, is strengthening its healthcare offering with The Method, the country’s first structured, medically supervised GLP-1 weight loss programme. The Method addresses a health challenge that has largely gone unmanaged in Nigeria: an estimated one in four urban Nigerian adults is overweight or obese, yet most who seek help cycle through unregulated supplements, fad diets and misinformation. GLP-1 medications are increasingly available in the Nigerian market, but they remain largely inaccessible, unsupervised, and in many cases misused. Speaking during a recent knowledge session, Adeola Alli, Founder and Chief Executive

Officer of OneHealth, said weight management should be approached as a longterm health need rather than a short-term intervention, particularly for people who require sustained clinical support. “Weight management is often treated as a short-term problem, but for many people, it is a long-term health need, just like any other condition. People either struggle to access these treatments safely or access them without appropriate medical guidance. The Method exists to close that gap.” Rather than positioning GLP-1 medication as a routine consumer purchase, The Method begins with medical screening, consultation and diagnosis, ensuring that treatment decisions are guided by clinical assessment. Patients who are clinically eligible are prescribed tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) or

semaglutide (Ozempic® or Wegovy®), with medication verified and dispensed through OneHealth’s pharmacy supply chain. The programme brings together medical consultation and diagnosis, GLP-1 prescription and dispensing, ongoing physician and pharmacist supervision, and personalised health coaching. Dosages are reviewed and adjusted based on each patient’s clinical response, while coaching addresses nutrition, physical activity and behavioural change. The programme also includes home medication delivery, three months of gym access through OneHealth’s partnership with i-Fitness, and structured progress tracking and reporting to support measurable outcomes over time. “Medication may be part of the solution for an appropriate

patient, but medical guidance, follow-up, active lifestyle, nutrition and long-term support all matter,” Alli added. “That is what makes this a healthcare programme, rather than a simple prescription refill.” Each patient enrolled in The Method follows a personalised, structured care pathway covering screening and enrolment, medical consultation, medication dispensing, active monitoring, lifestyle coaching and a formal review at the end of each treatment cycle. At this review, the physician and pharmacist assess the patient’s progress and determine the appropriate next step, whether to adjust the treatment plan, renew it or graduate the patient from the programme. The Method is available on a monthly subscription basis, with corporate and HMO pricing available on request.

The programme builds on OneHealth’s existing pharmacy and healthcare infrastructure, the same network that already connects patients, HMOs and pharmacy partners across the country. “OneHealth has always been about building a trusted digital health infrastructure so the average Nigerian can access vetted, verified medicines and healthcare solutions,” Alli said. “The Method brings that same thinking to weight management, while keeping the quality, professional oversight and patient-centred approach that healthcare requires.” OneHealth is a Nigerian digital-first pharmacy and healthcare platform focused on making access to quality medicines and healthcare services more convenient and connected. Founded by

Adeola Alli in 2019, OneHealth has served more than 800,000 customers through a network of partner pharmacies across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The platform brings together innovative healthcare products under a single brand: an online pharmacy for same-day medication delivery; PillFinda, a wholesale marketplace connecting pharmacies, distributors and manufacturers; Pillmova, an end-to-end logistics service; The Method, a medically supervised GLP-1 weightmanagement programme; Imani, a wireless breast pump; Refill, a service that ensures you never miss a dose or run out of essential items through convenient monthly deliveries; and Lumina, providing AIguided health information and clinical consultations for maternal and sexual health.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

FEATURES

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

At London Stock Exchange, Zotmann Showcases Africa’s Mineral Wealth and Investment Potential The appearance of Victor Nwokeji, Executive Vice Chairman of Zotmann International Limited and Zotmann Mining Limited, at the London Stock Exchange, where he rang the Closing Bell, provided a platform to spotlight a much bigger proposition: the immense potential of Africa’s mineral wealth to drive industrial growth, create jobs and attract responsible global investment. For Zotmann, that potential lies not merely in extracting resources, but in building sustainable mining businesses, developing local expertise and creating lasting value for investors, communities and the wider economy. Royce Okolie reports

R-L: Amb. Rex, CBE, Co-founder FLAIR Global Summit & Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London for King Charles II, Dr. Yvonne Thompson; Executive Vice Chairman of Zotmann International/ Zotmann Mining Limited Victor Nwokeji (MON); Managing Director Zotmann International Mrs. Nneamaka Nwokeji; and others during the market’s Closing Bell to mark the end of the trading session at the London Stock Exchange by Zotmann EVC…in London on Monday

n a significant moment that showcased Nigeria’s growing business potential before the international investment community, the Executive Vice Chairman of Zotmann International Limited and Zotmann Mining Limited, Victor Nwokeji, rang the market’s Closing Bell to mark the end of the trading session at the London Stock Exchange. Nwokeji’s participation in the prestigious ceremony at the London Stock Exchange, one of the world’s leading financial markets, provided an opportunity to highlight the immense business, investment and natural resource potential of Nigeria and the wider African continent. The event brought together business leaders and members of the international investment community, creating an avenue for discussions around Africa’s economic prospects, responsible investment, entrepreneurship and the need for stronger connections between African businesses and global capital markets. For Nwokeji, the occasion represented more than a ceremonial appearance. It was an opportunity to project the aspirations of African businesses on an international platform and to emphasise the capacity of companies from the continent to participate meaningfully in the global economy. The Closing Bell ceremony is a symbolic tradition at the London Stock Exchange, marking the conclusion of the trading session while providing companies, entrepreneurs and business leaders with a platform to celebrate milestones and strengthen their engagement with the global financial community. Speaking during the event, Nwokeji described the opportunity to ring the Closing Bell as a great honour, stressing that the occasion carried a significant message about the place of African businesses in the global economy. “It is a great honour to stand here today and ring the Closing Bell at the London Stock Exchange, as Executive Vice Chairman of Zotmann International Limited and Zotmann Mining Limited, and as an African businessman who believes deeply in the enormous potential of our continent,” he said. According to him, the ceremony demonstrated that African businesses have a place at the table where global capital meets global opportunities. “This moment carries a powerful message: African businesses belong where global capital meets global opportunity,” Nwokeji said. He explained that Zotmann was committed to building responsible and sustainable mining companies capable of creating jobs, developing skills, strengthening industries and delivering lasting value to shareholders, host communities and the wider economy. The Zotmann executive emphasised that the continent’s enormous mineral resources could play a major role in driving industrialisation

Executive Vice Chairman of Zotmann International Limited and Zotmann Mining Limited, Victor Nwokeji, at the London Stock Exchange after ringing the Closing Bell

and economic development if properly harnessed through responsible investment, effective governance and long-term strategic planning. He, however, stressed that ambition must be matched with action, noting that sustainable business growth requires transparency, sound corporate governance, credible geological evidence, responsible operations and respect for host communities. According to him, investors and businesses must move beyond the pursuit of short-term returns and embrace models that create sustainable value for all stakeholders. Nwokeji’s position reflects the growing global interest in Africa’s mining sector, particularly as the continent continues to attract attention for its vast deposits of critical minerals and other natural resources required for industrial development and the global energy transition. He noted that responsible mining should not be viewed solely as an avenue for extracting mineral resources, but as a platform for creating jobs, developing local expertise, supporting communities and building industries capable of contributing to national and continental economic growth. The Zotmann executive vice chairman further explained that the company’s commitment to Africa’s future extends beyond the mineral resources beneath the continent’s soil, but also encompasses investment in people and the creation of opportunities for inclusive economic growth. “Our commitment to Africa’s future extends beyond the resources beneath our soil. It includes investing in people and creating opportunities for inclusive growth,” Nwokeji said. “This is why we are proud to partner with FLAIR Global Summit in supporting initiatives that empower women and girls. We believe that no meaningful economic transformation can be achieved when a significant part of society is left behind.” The statement underscored what he described as the importance of inclusion in the continent’s development journey, particularly the need to ensure that women and young people are given access to opportunities that enable them to contribute to economic and social progress. Nwokeji said businesses operating in Africa must recognise that their responsibilities extend beyond balance sheets and financial performance. He argued that companies should contribute to the development of the communities in which they operate by creating employment opportunities,

supporting skills development and building partnerships that promote sustainable livelihoods. Addressing London’s investment community, Nwokeji called for deeper engagement with African businesses, urging investors to visit African markets, examine projects, assess available data and evaluate opportunities based on governance, project quality and performance. He maintained that Africa should not be approached merely as a destination for extracting resources, but as a continent offering opportunities for long-term investment, industrial partnerships, technological development and wealth creation. The Zotmann executive encouraged international investors to look beyond traditional perceptions of the African market and undertake proper due diligence in evaluating investment opportunities. He also challenged African entrepreneurs to raise their standards and build businesses capable of attracting and sustaining the confidence of international investors. The responsibility for changing the narrative about Africa, Nwokeji said does not rest solely with foreign investors or governments. African businesses themselves must demonstrate professionalism, transparency, accountability and the capacity to deliver on their commitments. Nwokeji said African entrepreneurs must build institutions and businesses that can compete on the international stage, stressing that access to global capital comes with expectations around governance, transparency, accountability and performance. He added that African businesses must be prepared to meet those expectations while remaining focused on addressing local needs and creating value within their respective economies. The Zotmann executive also used the occasion to highlight the importance of partnerships in unlocking Africa’s economic potential. No single company, investor or government can independently transform the continent’s vast opportunities into sustainable prosperity. He therefore advocated stronger collaboration among African businesses, international investors, governments, development institutions and local communities. Nwokeji said the Closing Bell should serve as a signal for stronger relationships between Africa and the international investment community, particularly through deeper partnerships, increased investment and greater collaboration. He noted that stronger engagement

between African businesses and global financial institutions could create opportunities for capital mobilisation, expansion, technology transfer and the development of new industries. The London Stock Exchange platform, he said, offered a powerful reminder of what could be achieved when ambition, capital and enterprise converge. He maintained that Africa’s vast resources, youthful population, entrepreneurial energy and growing markets provide a strong foundation for sustainable economic growth. “Africa has the resources. Africa has the talent. Africa has the ambition. Together, with responsible investment, strong partnerships and unwavering commitment, we can transform these advantages into sustainable growth and lasting prosperity,” he said. The message resonated with the broader conversation around the future of Africa’s extractive industries and the need to ensure that the continent derives greater economic value from its natural resources. For Nigeria in particular, the mining sector has increasingly been identified as an important area for economic diversification and the reduction of dependence on oil revenues. The country possesses significant deposits of gold, lithium, tin, coal, lead-zinc, iron ore and other minerals, creating opportunities for exploration, processing and industrial development. Nwokeji’s appearance at the London Stock Exchange therefore offered an international platform to reinforce the argument that Nigeria and Africa can play a much larger role in the global resource economy when investment is supported by credible institutions, responsible operators and strong partnerships. Beyond the symbolism of ringing the Closing Bell, the Zotmann executive’s participation represented a call for greater confidence in Africa’s capacity to build globally competitive businesses. It also reinforced his belief that the continent’s future should be shaped not only by the resources it possesses, but by how effectively those resources are transformed into opportunities for its people. As the trading session came to an end at the London Stock Exchange, the occasion provided a fitting backdrop for Nwokeji’s message: that Africa is ready for deeper engagement with the global investment community, and that its businesses must be prepared to meet the highest standards in order to seize the opportunities ahead. The Closing Bell, according to Nwokeji, was not simply the conclusion of a trading day. It was, in his words and message, a symbolic call for a new chapter of stronger partnerships between Africa and the world—a chapter in which African resources, talent and ambition are matched by responsible investment, credible leadership and sustainable enterprise.

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

FEATURES

Final Curtain for a Legend as Lagos Stood Still for Olu Jacobs, the Titan Who Built Nollywood It was not just a funeral; it was a ﬁnal ovation as the city of Lagos stood still on Friday, October 2nd, when This Present House, Freedom Way, Lekki, opened its doors for the last act of a man who gave Nollywood its soul. Family in royal blue, government dignitaries, and a constellation of Nollywood stars gathered not to mourn, but to celebrate 84 years of grace, grit, and greatness. Oludotun Baiyewun Jacobs, the boy from Kano who conquered the West End, Hollywood, and then came home to build an industry, had taken his ﬁnal bow on September 16th. On this day, Lagos bowed back. Writes MARY NNAH

t did not feel like a funeral. It felt like a state event, a family reunion, and a theatrical finale all in one. When the doors of This Present House, Freedom Way, Lekki opened on Friday morning, Lagos came to a halt to bid farewell to its most beloved son - Oludotun Baiyewun Jacobs, MFR, the man the world knew simply as Olu Jacobs, who died on September 16th, 2026, at the age of 84. The blue theme said it all - royalty. His widow, the iconic actress Joke Silva, sat flanked by their sons, Olusoji and Olugbenga Jacobs, and grandson Oludayo, all in shades of royal blue. Their small family, as Olusoji would later say, had been made large by love. This was the final act of a two-day farewell. On Wednesday, September 30th, the industry had gathered for a Night of Tributes and Service of Songs - actors, directors, producers weeping, laughing, mimicking his iconic baritone. On Friday, it was time for the church to take over. The roll call inside This Present House spoke volumes about the life he lived beyond the screen. In attendance were Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat and his wife, Oluremi Hamzat; First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; former First Lady of Lagos, Dame Abimbola Fashola; former Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun; former Ekiti First Lady, Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi; Hon. Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, and other government dignitaries. And then Nollywood came in full force - Shaffy Bello, Kate Henshaw, Ireti Doyle, Patrick Doyle, Keppy Ekpeyong, Stan Nze, OC Ukeje, Lala Akindoju, Stephanie Okereke Linus, Ernest Obi, Morayo Afolabi-Brown and dozens more. When soul singer Darey Art Alade stepped forward to perform his classic “Pray For Me,” there was hardly a dry eye in the hall. Lagos Deputy Governor Hamzat described him simply as “an icon of the entertainment industry.” “Uncle Olu Is Free” - Pastor Tony Rapu Founder of This Present House, Pastor Tony Rapu, mounted the pulpit and delivered what many described as a sermon for the living, not the dead. He opened with Revelation: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord... they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them.” Then he painted pictures. Of a woman wailing uncontrollably at a funeral he once attended, wanting to jump into the grave. “Leave her, she won’t jump in,” he had told people. “She is not really crying for the man. She has problems, and she’s crying over her problems.” He likened it to when Jesus carried the cross, and women wept for him. “Jesus said, weep not for me, weep for yourselves.” “Uncle Olu has gone to rest,” Pastor Rapu declared. “We are the ones facing the crisis of the world today. The wars, the hunger, the poverty, the hardship, the pains. Before 40, you are told to succeed. After 40, you are told to preserve what you have made. And then comes blood pressure, diabetes, prostate, dementia, arthritis, marriage problems, children’s problems, social media battles, depression.” He recalled counseling area boys: “I asked one, why do you smoke marijuana so much? Why don’t you stop fighting? He said, you can’t stop the fight, the fight is in his blood. But when he smokes weed, it makes him fight in slow motion.” “Many of us are struggling, but in slow motion. Uncle Olu is free. I think we should clap. Let’s just clap for him”, Pastor Rapu said. And the hall erupted in applause. He went on to challenge everyone about legacy. “If death is an eventuality, why are people so surprised when it happens?” he asked.

the gaps between acting jobs grew shorter and the career he had patiently nurtured took flight. His years in Britain laid the foundation for the legend the world would know. He worked extensively in theatre at the Royal Court Theatre and the National Theatre of Great Britain. He performed Tom Stoppard’s Night and Day alongside Diana Rigg and John Thaw for 18 months every single day except Mondays in the West End. On British television in the 1970s, he appeared in The Professionals, The Tomorrow People, Barlow at Large, The Witches and the Greenigog, where he played the mystique character, “Twebele Alabaster. Internationally, he featured in The Dogs of War (1980), Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985) and Roman Polanski’s Pirates (1986).

Late Olu Jacobs portrait

A cross-section of dignitaries and family members at the funeral service

He closed with the words that have now gone viral: “To live in the hearts of those you love is never to die. The memory of the righteous is a source of blessing. Death takes many things, but memories last forever. What will your tribute book look like? What will you leave behind apart from cars and houses? Make the world a better place”, Rapu concluded his sermon. A Son’s Thanks When Olusoji Jacobs rose to give the vote of thanks, his voice was steady, his gratitude profound. “Good morning, once again, your excellencies. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the Jacobs family, thank you for being here this morning to honor the life of our father,” he began.“ To Pastor Tony and Pastor (Mrs.) Nkoyo Rapu and all the other officiating pastors, thank you for leading us in worship, in prayer, and in the word. You have held us up today by reminding us that death is not the end for those who are in Christ, and that we sorrow not as those who have no hope.” He thanked the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Executive Governor of Lagos State, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, the First Lady of Lagos State, Dame Fashola, Erelu Fayemi, and all dignitaries. “Our family is small, and your love has made it much larger these past few months. We are deeply grateful.” He thanked the organising committee

“who carried out the service with care and tirelessness.” The Boy From Kano Who Conquered The World The story they celebrated was more than 84 years long. It was over five decades of arts, excellence, service and legacy. Oludotun Baiyewun Jacobs was born on July 11, 1942 in Kano, of Oke-Itoku heritage from Abeokuta, Ogun State. He grew up in Kano, where his early fascination with performance developed through school drama, debating societies and church programmes. The defining moment came when he watched legendary theatre practitioner, Chief Hubert Ogunde, perform. That night, the boy knew he would be an actor. At a time when professional acting was not regarded as a conventional or secure career, he chose his calling anyway. He travelled to the United Kingdom ostensibly to study marketing - and he excelled at it. But his spirit refused a single path. While studying marketing, he pursued his passion for the stage, gaining admission to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, RADA, London. Marketing would become his secret sustenance. When acting engagements were few, Olu could always find his footing as a market researcher and marketing executive. A family-owned company took a particular liking to him and became a professional home. They valued his reliability, warmth, and diligence , and they understood his dream. They gave him something priceless: freedom. Whenever an acting job came, they let him go. Whenever the curtain fell, they welcomed him back. For years, that remarkable arrangement sustained him until

Return To Nigeria - And A Grief That Almost Broke Him When Olu returned to Nigeria, he did not return quietly. He stepped into Wole Soyinka’s world, from Jero’s Metamorphosis to Second Chance, and then The Third Eye, where he immortalised Inspector Dafe. But it was in Ahmed Yerima’s The Trials of Oba Ovonramwen that his artistry reached another dimension. Playing the revered Oba, Olu inhabited the role with such physical and emotional conviction that he seemed transformed into the historical monarch himself - in bearing, dignity and stillness. Yet, while he was giving life to a king on stage, life was preparing a blow no script could have written. During the production, Olu and Joke lost their beloved 10-year-old daughter, Dayo. There are losses for which language is inadequate. After Dayo’s funeral, Olu returned to the stage. He returned to his character. He returned to work, carrying a grief no audience could see. For Olu, the stage was more than a profession. It was a refuge. He would later say returning to acting helped keep him sane. It didn’t erase his pain - it gave him somewhere to place it. The Bridge And The Partnership Olu Jacobs belonged to the bridge generation - the generation that connected Nigeria’s traditional theatre to television and to Nollywood. He was not merely an actor who witnessed Nollywood’s growth. He was one of the practitioners whose experience and professionalism gave the industry its foundation. Beyond performance, he was a mentor. The Presidency would later describe him as “a towering figure whose career across theatre, television and film inspired a generation.” And away from the lights, he shared a remarkable partnership with fellow distinguished actress Joke Silva. Together they built a family - sons Olusoji and Olugbenga, grandson Oludayo - and a shared vision: The Lufodo Group, with interests in film production and distribution, and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts (LAPA), which has trained hundreds of performers. For Joke, he was not the celebrated actor known to millions. He was a husband, father, collaborator, companion and friend. His honours were many: African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dancing Heart (2007), Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards Industry Merit Award for Outstanding Achievement in Acting (2013), Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR (2011), and AMAA Lifetime Achievement Award (2016). NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

KPMG: Opay Leads Fintech PaymentApps with 69% Smartphone Penetration Dike Onwuamaeze A new study carried out by the KPMG Nigeria, in collaboration with the Orange Group, has revealed that Opay lead the Nigerian fintech payment apps in 2025 with 69 per cent smartphone penetration. According to the report, PalmPay, Moniepoint, Access Bank and United Bank for Africa (UBA) smartphone presence were 29, 16, 11, 11 per cent respectively; while GT Bank, First Bank and Zenith Bank recorded 8,8 and 6 percentage penetration respectively. The study said that fintech platforms are redefining financial access in Nigeria, with Opay reaching 69 per cent smartphone presence and significantly outperforming most traditional banking apps. It said: “Opay, PalmPay and Moniepoint rank as the top three banking and fintech apps on smartphones of Nigerian users, underscoring the

growing dominance of fintech solutions over traditional banking platforms. Opay leads the category with a remarkable 69 per cent smartphone penetration. “The data suggests that traditional banking and fintech services are increasingly converging within the mobile ecosystem. As smartphones become the primary gateway to digital services, financial institutions are no longer competing only with other banks but also with agile fintech platforms that deliver faster, more convenient mobile-first experiences. This shift indicates that mobile usability, app performance and integrated digital services are now critical differentiators in financial services.” The study, which was released in Lagos by KPMG and Orange is titled, “Nigeria Smartphone Study: A Nationwide Analysis of Smartphone Ownership and Digital Application Usage.” The report said that as smartphone adoption continued to rise across major cities, mobile devices

are increasingly becoming the preferred channel for accessing financial services. It said: “Many consumers now rely on mobile banking applications to perform everyday financial transactions such as transfers, bill payments, airtime purchases and account management,” adding that this “reflects the growing role of smartphones in enabling convenient financial access.” On e-commerce, the report showed that Jumia, Temu, Jiji and Konga lead the sector with 15, 8, 6 and 3 per cent smartphone penetration respectively. It also showed that Amazon had 2.0 per cent while Slot, AliExpress and Alibaba had 1.0 per cent penetration each. Commenting on the study that surveyed 13,251 respondents across 12 major Nigerian cities, Partner and Head, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, KPMG Africa, Mr. Lawrence Amadi, said that the report provided a timely assessment of Nigeria’s evolving smartphone and mobile application ecosystem.

Fidson Selected to Expand InfluenzaTreatment Access, Pandemic Preparedness Fidson Healthcare Plc has been selected as one of eleven manufacturers across nine countries to sign sublicence agreements with the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) for the development and manufacture of generic versions of baloxavir marboxil, an innovative antiviral treatment for influenza, under MPP’s voluntary licensing agreement with Roche. The Executive Director of the Medicines Patent Pool, Charles Gore, said: “We are now moving into implementation with manufacturers across multiple regions. This is exactly the kind of work that needs to happen

before, rather than during, a health emergency. “We will now work closely with these manufacturers to support product development and regulatory approval, with the aim of making qualityassured generic baloxavir available as quickly as possible. By combining global manufacturing capacity with regionally focused production, we are helping build a more geographically diverse and resilient supply base for the future.” The Vice President and Head of Global Policy, Roche, Tamara Schudel, remarked: “Moving from our initial agreement to actual sublicensing

manufacturers today marks an important milestone and demonstrates what is possible when organisations lean in with trust, pragmatism, and a shared goal.” The Managing Director and CEO, Fidson Healthcare, Biola Adebayo, said: “Being selected by the Medicines Patent Pool as a sublicensee under the Roche-MPP voluntary licensing programme for baloxavir marboxil is both an honour and a validation of Fidson’s longstanding commitment to qualityassured pharmaceutical manufacturing, innovation, and improving healthcare outcomes.”

Indigo, Clients Shine With Multiple Honours at Edge Awards Integrated Indigo Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading full-service marketing communications consultancy firms, and its clients recorded a strong showing at the 2026 EDGE Awards, securing 13 awards across public relations, corporate communications, sustainability, reputation management, digital commerce, mobility, and corporate affairs. At the ceremony held in Lagos, Integrated Indigo received the Leadership Award in PR (Corporate), while its Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Bolaji Abimbola, was honoured as the Outstanding PR Personality of the Decade. The PR campaign, “From

Lafarge to HBM: A New Chapter,” handled by Indigo for HBM Nigeria Plc, was adjudged PR Campaign of the Year (Corporate). The Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director at Coca-Cola HBC, Soromidayo George, was named Chief Sustainability Officer of the Year. In the same vein, Samuel Iboroma, Senior Manager, External Communications, at Nigerian Bottling Company Plc, received the Corporate Communications Professional of the Year award. Speaking on the recognition, Bolaji Abimbola said the awards reflected the quality of work delivered by Integrated Indigo Limited and the strength of its partnerships with

clients across various sectors. He added that the breadth of the recognitions demonstrated the impact of strategic communications in helping organisations strengthen their reputation, communicate their value, and engage meaningfully with stakeholders. “This is a significant recognition for Integrated Indigo and, more importantly, for the people and partnerships behind the work we do. To see our agency, our clients, and professionals across our client portfolio recognised across such a broad range of categories is a testament to the quality, creativity, and strategic thinking that go into our work,” he said.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS (MILLION NAIRA) October 2025

Month

Money Supply (M3)

119,037,577.07

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

9,291.49

Money Supply (M2)

119,028,285.58

Quasi Money

79,681,419.97

-- Narrow Money (M1)

39,346,865.60

---- Currency Outside Banks

4,646,794.28

---- Demand Deposits

34,700,071.33

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

34,804,442.84

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

84,233,134.23

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

99,199,655.08

---- Credit to Government (Net)

24,787,980.96

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

74,411,674.12

--Other Assets Net

2,603,854.03

Reserve Money (Base Money)

36,641,142.21

--Currency in Circulation

5,057,881.01

--Banks Reserves

31,583,261.21

--Special Intervention Reserves

284,361.95

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

October 2025

Inter-Bank Call Rate

October 2025

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

27.00

Treasury Bill Rate

15.07

Savings Deposit Rate

7.43

1 Month Deposit Rate

11.37

3 Months Deposit Rate

11.32

6 Months Deposit Rate

11.12

12 Months Deposit Rate

11.78

Prime Lending rate

18.89

Maximum Lending Rate

29.56

NSE MARKET INDEX CAP

0.75%(52%YoY)

Index

0.9% (29%Y/D) ˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ Ͱ͵ϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT 24TH NOVEMBER , 2025

The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes stood at $63.14 a barrel on Monday, 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).

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

MARKET NEWS

Stock Market Loses N457.4bn In 3 Days as Bears Maintain Grip Kayode Tokede The Nigerian stock market has experienced a downward trend for the third consecutive trading activity this week, dropping by N457.4 billion on investors’ profit-taking in major stocks quoted on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX).

The market capitalisation that opened for trading this week at N162.843 trillion, dropped by 0.28 per cent or N457.4billion to close October 7, 2026 at N162.385 trillion. Consequently, the NGX All-Share Index closed at 250,096.75 basis points, about 0.28per cent or 711.52 basis points decline from 250,808.27 basis points the stock market opened for

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

trading this week. Opening for trading this week, the local stock market opened the week on a bearish note, as losses in Nestle Nigeria Plc dropped by 5.2per cent and, Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) depreciated by 0.5per cent, to cause the NGX ASI close lower by 0.1per cent to 250,667.86 basis points. The market on the

S E C U R I T I E S MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

following day also closed on bearish note as profit-taking activities in First Holdco Plc that depreciated by 5.1 per cent and Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc that plummeted by 1.2 per cent dragged the NGX ASI lower by 0.2 per cent to 250,273.50 basis points. On the third, the NGX ASI down by 0.07per cent to close at 250,096.75 basis points, following investors profit

T R A D E D

VALUE TRADED ( N )

MAIN BOARD

A S

O F

taking activities in GTCO that depreciated by 0.75 per cent, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc that dipped by 2.14 per cent and Oando Plc that fell by 3.23 per cent. The Nigerian stock market was expected to remain cautious and volatile this week as investors continue to lock in profits following strong year-to-date gains. Analysts expected cautious

trading to persist, but noted that resilience in market breadth could support interest in lagging counters with strong fundamentals. A group of analysts at Cowry Assets Management Limited said, “we expect the market to remain cautious and volatile in the near term, as investors continue to lock in profits following the strong year-to-date gains.

O CTO B E R 0 7 / 2 6 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, t T H I S D AY

GAMINGWEEK Edited by NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG | gamingweek1117@gmail.com | Tel: 08114495324

AGE: Three Years, One Venue, A Continental Gaming Statement The Eko Hotel award is particularly interesting because of the word “Legacy.” AGE is only three years old. It cannot yet claim the kind of institutional history that Eko Hotel celebrated at its golden jubilee. But the recognition suggests that AGE is beginning to create a footprint large enough to be noticed outside the gaming industry, writes Nseobong Okon-Ekong

Managing Director of Eko Hotel and Suites, Mr. Ghassan Faddoul From left: Guy Murray-Bruce of Silverbird Production with beauty queens and Mr. Ghassan Faddoul with the musical ensemble, Loud Urban

n award presented at a golden anniversary celebration may ordinarily be dismissed as ceremonial. But when a three-year-old continental gaming platform is recognised alongside organisations that have contributed significantly to the 50-year commercial journey of one of Nigeria’s most iconic hospitality brands, there is more to the story than a trophy. The Appreciation and Legacy Award presented to the Africa Gaming Expo (AGE) at the 50th anniversary celebration of Eko Hotel and Suites is, in many respects, a recognition of scale, patronage and influence. It is also an indication of how quickly AGE has inserted itself into Lagos’ conference and events economy and, more importantly, into

the evolving conversation about Africa’s gaming industry. Since its inaugural edition in 2024, AGE has consistently made the Eko Hotel Convention Centre its home. Three editions, one venue and an increasingly international audience have created a relationship that extends well beyond the rental of a conference hall. For one week during AGE, Eko Hotel becomes a meeting point for regulators, gaming operators, technology providers, investors, payment companies, industry associations and other stakeholders drawn from Nigeria, Africa and beyond. Most of AGE’s international speakers, exhibitors, partners and delegates are also accommodated within the hotel. The result is a commercial ecosystem in which the value of the expo is measured not only by the number of people attending its sessions, but by hotel rooms occupied, meals consumed, meetings held and

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State (left) with event compere, Abovi Ufboma, better known as, Bovi

hospitality services purchased. That relationship was acknowledged when AGE was singled out for the Appreciation and Legacy Award during Eko Hotel’s golden jubilee celebration. For an event in only its third year, the recognition is remarkable. For the organisers, it is also a challenge.

When Patronage Becomes Inﬂuence The Chairman of Eko Hotel, William Chagoury, was generous in his appreciation of the hotel’s major patrons and partners, stressing the fundamental role such organisations play in sustaining the institution. The message was simple but powerful: a hotel of Eko’s stature cannot exist in isolation from the businesses, conferences and institutions that continually bring customers through its doors. AGE has become one of those recurring business generators. The significance is amplified by the scale of the venue it occupies. Eko Hotel Convention Centre is Nigeria’s only purpose-built meeting venue of its

Enugu Reaffirms Regulatory Direction at Stakeholders Forum Nseobong Okon-Ekong The Enugu State Gaming and Lottery Commission has concluded plans to hold its 2026 Enugu State Gaming Stakeholders Forum, with renewed emphasis on stronger compliance, technology-driven regulation, responsible gaming and greater accountability across the gaming industry in Enugu State. The forum, to be held on Thursday at Gold Rhino Hotel, Nkpokiti Road, Enugu, will bring together licensed gaming operators, their agents, and other industry stakeholders under the theme ‘Beyond Compliance: Building a Safer, Smarter and More Sustainable Gaming Industry in Enugu State’. An annual feature, the forum is being convened against the background of the changing nature of gaming and the need for regulation to evolve alongside developments in technology, gaming

operations and player protection. The commission restated that modern compliance must go beyond obtaining or renewing licences. It must also include accurate reporting, effective regulatory monitoring, secure technology, responsible business practices, and player protection. A major focus of the Forum will be the commission’s Gaming Regulatory Management Platform (GRMP) and the integration of operators’ systems with the regulatory monitoring infrastructure. The idea is to provide an opportunity to address concerns around backend connectivity, data security, access controls, system integrity and the protection of commercially sensitive information, as stakeholders will be given greater clarity on the purpose of regulatory monitoring and the safeguards required to support secure and effective technology-driven regulation. The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

type and scale. Filling it with an audience drawn from across the African gaming ecosystem as well as other global gaming stakeholders is itself a statement about the growth of AGE. But perhaps the more revealing statistic is what happens outside the conference room. A continental expo generates demand for accommodation, food and beverages, transportation, meetings and other services. International participants spend money in the city. Companies meet prospective clients and partners. Local businesses benefit from the influx. In that sense, AGE is not simply using Lagos as a location. It is contributing to Lagos as a destination.

The Bigger AGE Proposition When Africa Gaming Expo (AGE), led by Charles Ekundayo, was launched in 2024, the ambition went beyond creating another industry exhibition. The objective was to build a continental platform around an industry undergoing profound transformation. Gaming in Africa is no longer merely about traditional lottery or betting operations. It now encompasses digital technology, mobile platforms, payment systems, identity verification, artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity, responsible gaming and increasingly sophisticated regulatory frameworks. The industry’s growth has consequently created a need for serious conversations about its future. AGE has sought to provide that forum. Its collaboration with the Lagos State Lottery and Gaming Authority (LSLGA), under the leadership of Bashir Are, has added an important regulatory dimension to the platform. The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

Arum

THISDAY • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

NEWS

BIG BROTHER NAIJA SEASON 11 PRIZE PRESENTAION...

L-R: Marketing Coordinator for Nigeria, BetPawa, Oluwatoyin Mohammed; Executive Head, Content and Channels, West Africa, MultiChoice Nigeria, Atinuke Babatunde; Winner, Big Brother Naija Season 11, Temi Nkem Chigbue; and Regional Marketing Manager, West Africa and Central Africa, BetPawa, Nii Armah Ashong Katai, at the Big Brother Naija Season 11 Winner’s Prize Presentation in Lagos, yesterday

FG Moves to Avert Varsity Crisis, Releases 8-month Salary Arrears to Non-academic Staff SSANU hails government Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The federal government has released eight months’ arrears of the Consolidated Non-Academic Staff Tertiary Institutions Allowance (CONTA) to workers in federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, in a move aimed at strengthening industrial harmony and preventing disruptions in the nation’s tertiary education system. The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) commended the federal government for the swift intervention, describing it as a demonstration of responsiveness and commitment to honouring agreements reached with university-based unions. The allowance, covering January to August 2026, was announced yesterday by Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, barely two days after the government commenced payment of the Consolidated Academic Tertiary Institutions Allowance (CATA) to academic staff. The twin payments signalled the federal government’s efforts to address staff welfare across the tertiary education sector and ease tensions that could threaten the stability of the academic calendar.

Alausa said the release of CONTA demonstrated the administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare and recognition of the critical role played by non-academic personnel in keeping tertiary institutions functional. According to him, the welfare and motivation of both academic and non-academic staff remain central to ensuring stable institutions and producing the skilled manpower required for national development. He said the payment was also part of the federal government’s broader efforts to address legitimate welfare concerns, promote industrial harmony, and minimise disruptions to academic activities nationwide. The minister said the administration would continue to strengthen institutions responsible for developing Nigeria’s human capital, stressing that a stable tertiary education system is essential to the country’s socio-economic development. Alausa assured stakeholders that the Federal Ministry of Education would sustain consultations with relevant unions, heads of institutions, and other stakeholders to resolve outstanding issues and build a more stable and productive tertiary education system. He appealed for continued

cooperation from academic and non-academic staff, institutional authorities, and unions as the government implemented its reforms in the sector. The minister reiterated that the ministry under his leadership would continue to prioritise staff welfare, institutional stability, human capital development, and improved learning outcomes. He added that the federal govern-

The European Union (EU) has released €225,000, equivalent to about N340 million, in humanitarian assistance to support communities displaced by conflict in Kebbi State. The intervention, announced on Wednesday, will enable the Nigerian Red Cross to provide emergency assistance to conflict-displaced persons in the state over a six-month period. The assistance comes amid worsening insecurity in Kebbi, where armed attacks and communal violence across seven local government areas have displaced thousands of residents and left affected communities in urgent need of humanitarian support.

According to the EU, the funding will prioritise multipurpose cash assistance, allowing displaced families to meet their most immediate needs, while protection services will be provided for vulnerable individuals. The response is expected to reach approximately 7,700 conflict-displaced people living in settlements and host communities across the state. The EU said particular attention would be given to female-headed households, persons with disabilities, elderly people and individuals facing acute protection risks. The intervention will also include continuous monitoring of population movements and the mobilisation of local volunteers, with the EU

at the weekend, demanded immediate release of funds and full payment of outstanding CONTTA arrears since January 1, 2026. The union warned that failure by government to meet its demand within 14 days would compel it to resume a “total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action” without further notice. The ultimatum had also demanded payment of two months’ salaries withheld during the 2022 industrial action and one-year arrears arising

from the 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increases. However, less than 48 hours after making its position public, the government released the eight months’ arrears, averting an imminent shutdown of academic activities. Confirming the release, SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, described the development as evidence that constructive engagement, when matched with prompt action, could protect industrial harmony and workers’ welfare.

UNESCO, FG Seek Ethical Framework for Neurotechnology in Nigeria Michael Olugbode in Abuja The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the federal government and the scientific community have called for the development of an ethical and regulatory framework to guide the responsible development and application of neurotechnology in Nigeria. The call was made on Wednesday in Abuja at a two-day stakeholders’

EU Releases €225,000 Humanitarian Aid for Conﬂict-Displaced Persons in Kebbi Michael Olugbode in Abuja

ment remained committed to fulfilling its obligations to personnel in the tertiary education sector and addressing outstanding welfare issues in line with the human capital development objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda. SSANU lauded Alausa for his proactive role in facilitating the payment. The union had in a communiqué issued after its 56th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State,

saying the effort would help lay the groundwork for longer-term recovery interventions by other humanitarian actors. The latest intervention is part of the EU’s contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The EU said insecurity in Kebbi State had deteriorated significantly following an escalation of armed attacks and communal violence. While displacement had been ongoing since mid-August, it said a sharp escalation in violence around August 31 triggered the humanitarian response.

roundtable on the ethics of neurotechnology, where experts warned that rapid advances in technologies capable of interacting with the human nervous system could create profound challenges for human dignity, privacy, autonomy and fundamental rights. Speaking at the event, UNESCO Representative to Nigeria, Dr. Isaias Barreto da Rosa, said neurotechnology was opening extraordinary possibilities in healthcare, rehabilitation, education and inclusion, but warned that the closer technology came to the human brain, the more fundamental the ethical questions became. He said neurotechnology could improve understanding of the brain, enhance diagnosis and treatment, support rehabilitation and enable people living with disabilities to communicate and live more independently. However, Barreto da Rosa said neurodata could be among the most sensitive forms of personal information, raising questions about who controls such data, how meaningful consent could be guaranteed, and how mental privacy, autonomy and freedom of thought could be protected. He also warned against the possibility of neurotechnology widening existing inequalities rather than reducing them. “These questions cannot be addressed after the technology has already transformed our societies.

Ethics must evolve alongside innovation, not struggle to catch up with it,” he said. The UNESCO representative recalled that the organisation’s member states adopted the Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology in November 2025, describing it as the first global normative framework dedicated to the field. He said the recommendation built on UNESCO’s longstanding work on bioethics, science and emerging technologies, including its Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. According to him, the central principle was that scientific progress must remain at the service of humanity, human rights and the common good. Barreto da Rosa noted that Nigeria had already contributed to the international process that produced the recommendation, with Nigerian experts and the Neuroscience Society of Nigeria participating in consultations that helped shape the global framework. He said the task before Nigerian stakeholders was to translate the global principles into national reflection, policies and action. “For Nigeria, this is also a question of opportunity,” he said, noting that the country’s universities, research institutions, medical community, technology ecosystem and young innovators had the capacity not

only to participate in the future of neurotechnology but also to help shape its governance in Africa. He urged stakeholders to examine who benefits from neurotechnology, who bears its risks, who has access to it, whose rights must be protected and who should be accountable when things go wrong. The National Project Focal Point in the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Adebayo Adeyemi, said the federal government considered the consultation timely, given the opportunities and risks associated with neurotechnology. Adeyemi, who conveyed the goodwill of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, said the minister was passionate about the initiative and welcomed the appointment of a national project focal point. He said the UNESCO recommendation adopted in November 2025 provided clear boundaries and safeguards for the use, application and promotion of neurotechnology globally. According to him, the immediate task was to interpret those recommendations within the Nigerian context. “What is expected from this twoday meeting is that we are to be able to put those recommendations in a perspective that represents Nigeria, a perspective that will be able to speak to our realities,” he said.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 • THISDAY

NEWS

COURTESY VISIT BY THE NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ARBITRATORS...

L–R: Staﬀ, Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICArb), Emmanuel Kwaya; Co-Chairman, NICArb, Hajiya Hassana Bala; Chief Operating Oﬃcer, NICArb, Mr. Williams Odah; Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, fnipr; Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators 2026 Investiture & Awards Night Ceremony, Mr. Dapo Akinosun, SAN; Director-General, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ali M. Ali; Member, NICArb, Prof. Oladele Akogan; and Director-General, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Comrade Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos, fnipr, during a courtesy visit by the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators to the Honourable Minister on October 7, 2026, in Abuja PHOTO: KHALID AHMED/FMINO.

Mbah Seeks National Emergency in Education, Launches Enugu Education Policy As UNICEF, UNESCO, others, hail governor’s giant strides in education Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has called for a radical boost in education spending and the declaration of a national emergency in Nigeria’s education sector to guarantee the country’s development and future prosperity. Mbah made the call in his keynote address at the 2026 Enugu Education Summit and the unveiling of Enugu Education Policy, held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, on Wednesday.

He said the audacity needed to fund a quantum leap in the nation’s education sector would flow from an appreciation of its necessity. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO); British Council; and other global and national education stakeholders hailed the governor for making education the centrepiece of his administration’s development agenda.

Speaking at the summit, themed, “Transforming Education for the Future: Leadership, Innovation, Partnership, Financing and Sustainable Reform,” Mbah said Nigeria had reached the point where education must be treated as a national emergency. He stated, “I believe Nigeria has reached the point where we must treat education as a national emergency. “Not rhetorically, but in our

budgets, our teacher development, our infrastructure, the standards we demand, and the partnerships we build between the federal government, states, development agencies, communities and the private sector. “Our future prosperity depends upon the knowledge and capabilities of our people, after all. And that means every Nigerian child, wherever they are born, must have access to an education capable of preparing them for the world they are entering.”

Fagbemi: Nigerian Laws Will Protect Investors’ Interests Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has assured foreign and local investors of enabling laws to protect their business interests. The AGF gave the assurance at a dinner he hosted for the Nigerian delegation to the ongoing International Bar Association 2026 Conference, holding in Copenhagen, Denmark. According to a statement by his media, Kamarudeen Ogundele, the event was attended by the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo; lawyers, diplomats, Nigerian commu-

nities in Denmark and neighbouring Sweden, and their foreign friends. Fagbemi in the statement said President Bola Tinubu was committed to building a stronger Nigeria by implementing economic policies and laws that will further boost investors confidence in the country. “The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to strengthening the rule of law, improving access to justice, modernising the administration of justice, strengthening prosecution and law-enforcement institutions, promoting respect for human rights, and creating a legal environment in

which citizens and investors can have confidence,” he said. The AGF urged lawyers and other Nigerians to join hands with the government in the efforts to make Nigeria greater. In his remarks, Goronyo described Fagbemi as a man of courage and called on the gathering to support Tinubu in his uncommon reform efforts. The Nigerian Ambassadors to Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway, Lola Akande, said the strength, independence and credibility of legal institutions were important to the confidence of citizens, investors

Amnesty International Demands Reinstatement of Plateau Child Rape Case Yemi Kosoko in Jos Amnesty International Nigeria has called on Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, to direct the immediate reinstatement of a rape case involving a four-year-old girl, describing its discontinuance as a miscarriage of justice and a setback for the protection of survivors of sexual violence. Addressing journalists in Jos, Amnesty International’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi, criticised the decision of the Plateau State Attorney-General’s office to withdraw the case despite a subsisting bench warrant issued against the defendant for failing to

appear in court. Sanusi said Amnesty was not declaring the accused guilty but insisted that the courts must be allowed to determine his innocence or guilt through due process. He warned that abandoning such a case could undermine public confidence in the justice system and embolden perpetrators of sexual violence. The organisation urged the state government to reverse the withdrawal, reinstate the charges and ensure the police execute the court’s arrest warrant so that the trial can continue. Programme Manager of Amnesty International Nigeria, Barbara Magaji,

said the organisation had engaged relevant authorities and written petitions seeking explanations for the discontinuance but was yet to receive a satisfactory response. She maintained that justice must be pursued in the interest of the child survivor and her family. Also speaking, counsel to the survivor, Stella Samuel, recounted how the matter emerged during a family dispute before alleged evidence of sexual abuse was discovered after the child was reunited with her mother. She said police investigations and medical examinations were conducted before the case proceeded to court.

and international partners. “That is why the work we do here matters. It matters to the individual whose rights require protection. It matters to the investor seeking confidence and predictability. It matters to businesses operating across borders,” she added. Commending Fagbemi on behalf of the Nigerian delegation, a senior lawyer, Yusuf Ali, said the AGF had set precedents in legal victories for the nation and consecutively hosting the gathering since assumption of office.

Mbah added, “Whatever education costs us today, ignorance will cost us far more tomorrow. “Once we understand that, the question changes. It is no longer: Can we afford to make or fund this quantum leap? It becomes: What will happen to us if we do not?” He stated that no nation could truly eradicate poverty or achieve sustainable development without addressing the root causes of poverty, including lack of knowledge, knowhow, and the capabilities through which people created wealth, found employment, built enterprises, participated intelligently in society, and determined the direction of their own lives. He stated, “If we fix the road today but fail to educate the child who will maintain it tomorrow, how sustainable was our investment in the road? “If we build factories but lack the skilled people capable of running increasingly sophisticated production systems, where is our own Industrial Revolution going to come from? “And if millions of young people reach adulthood without the knowledge and capabilities to participate meaningfully in the economy, what exactly do we imagine the social cost of that will be?” Mbah said, “So, if Nigeria is to become a creation economy rather

than a consumption economy, then we must equip our young people not simply to use what the world creates, but to research, design, engineer and create what the world needs. “The point here is straightforward: transformation cannot survive on aspiration alone. Eventually, somebody has to pay for it.” Mbah cited his administration’s decision to invest 33 per cent of the state’s annual budget in education for three consecutive years, building, among other facilities, 268 Smart Green Schools, and more than 7,000 classrooms equipped with 21st-century learning tools. He said,,“If Enugu’s experience offers one lesson, it is that when the scale of the challenge demands a quantum leap, audacity is not a luxury. It is a necessity. “When we came into government, we had to look at that reality very closely. We could have repaired the existing system. We could have renovated some classrooms, supplied some desks, put computers into a few schools and called it reform.” He added, “But we had to ask ourselves a more difficult question: would it be enough? Would an education system essentially designed for the world of 40 years ago prepare an Enugu child for the world of 20 years from now? Our answer was ‘No’.

Igbo Leaders, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Abolish ‘Eze Ndigbo’Title Worldwide, Replace it with ‘Onyendu’ Sunday Okobi The leaders of the Igbo Nation and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo have finally concretized and sealed the abolishment of the ‘Eze Ndigbo’ title globally, replacing it with the title of ‘Onyendu’(Ndindu). They also affirmed the decision by inaugurating and presenting the chosen Ndindu to Lagos State residents as well as the global community, and introduced them to their respective communities in Lagos as recognised cultural leaders. At the historic inauguration and official presentation of the Lagos State chapter of Association of Ndindu Ndigbo Nauzoije (ANNN) to the

Lagos State Government and residents as well as the global community, held in Ikoyi, Lagos, recently, the Chairman of ANNN, Lagos State chapter, Onyendu John-Greg Okey Ezegbuadi, said the occasion was not just an inauguration, but was the end of confusion over the years and the birth of clarity and institutional legitimacy. The inauguration, therefore, marked a significant milestone in efforts to establish a more structured and coordinated framework for Igbo cultural leadership in Lagos, while strengthening ties between diaspora communities and traditional institutions in the Southeast. According to him, “For nearly

two decades, the Igbo Nation has been enmeshed in a needless but delicate controversy over nomenclature. Therefore, today is not just an inauguration. Today is the burial of confusion, and the birth of clarity. Today is the end of an era of misconception and the beginning of an era of institutional legitimacy.” In his opening address, the Igbo leader in Lagos said the title of Eze Ndigbo outside Igbo land became a subject of contestation, misinterpretation, and sometimes, open conflict, adding that it created division among our people in diaspora as well as created a disconnect between our diaspora leaders and the ancestral authorities at home.

THISDAY • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

NEWS

INAUGURATION OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS RENOVATED BY NEM INSURANCE...

L-R: Executive Director, Technical, NEM Insurance Plc, Mr. Adeyemi Mayadenu; Executive Director, Finance and Investment, NEM Insurance Plc, Mr. Idowu Olaitan Semowo; Education Secretary, Mushin Local Government Education Authority, Mr. Aremo Yusuf Ademola Olokodana; Group Chairman, NEM Insurance Plc, Mr. Tope Smart; Managing Director/CEO, NEM Insurance Plc, Mr. Andrew Ikekhua; Head Teacher, Community Primary School, Ilupeju, Victoria Ajibade; and General Manager, Corporate Services, NEM Insurance Plc, Mojisola Teluwo, during the inauguration of school buildings renovated by NEM Insurance Plc at Ilupeju Primary School, Lagos State, yesterday

2027: ADC Cautions INEC against Partiality, Siding with APC Demands decentralisation of PVC collection Atiku accuses Tinubu of abandoning farmers, says agric collapsing Promises production subsidy for locally refined fuels Chuks Okocha and Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) yesterday cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against tilting the 2027 electoral process in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). It warned that the credibility of the election would depend largely on the commission’s neutrality, transparency and equal treatment of voters. The ADC campaign, in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, said its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, remained prepared to participate in the 2027 election provided INEC guaranteed a free, fair and credible process devoid of violence and manipulation. The council also urged INEC to ensure that eligible Nigerians who register to vote are able to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), insisting that registration figures would be meaningless if registered voters were subsequently denied access to their cards. Ologbondiyan said the commission must demonstrate its independence by resisting any attempt by the ruling

party to influence its decisions or operations. “Reading out figures of registration is nothing. What matters is the number of cards actually collected by Nigerians. What gives a citizen power on election day is not that his name is in a register somewhere, but that he has his PVC in his hand,” he said. The council expressed concern over alleged bureaucratic bottlenecks and delays at PVC collection centres, particularly in areas considered strongholds of opposition parties. It urged INEC to prevent disenfranchisement through administrative obstacles, deliberate delays or unequal access to voter cards. “We urge INEC to be independent and not take orders from the APC. INEC must remain an unbiased umpire and not operate as an extension of the ruling party,” Ologbondiyan said. He said the ADC would insist on full compliance with the Constitution and Electoral Act throughout the electoral process, adding that the party was closely monitoring the commission’s activities ahead of the 2027 elections. “The ADC won’t allow anything short of compliance with our electoral laws. We demand full transparency,

neutrality and strict adherence to due process from registration to declaration of results,” he said. The council further called on the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, to decentralise PVC collection to the ward level, extend collection hours and deploy technology to notify voters when their cards were ready for collection. Ologbondiyan warned that any attempt to manipulate the process in favour of the ruling party would attract lawful resistance from Nigerians. “Let it be clear to INEC that the

2027 general election is not business as usual. Nigerians have endured hardship, hunger and misgovernance under the APC. They see 2027 as an opportunity for a rescue mission. “Any attempt to rig or tilt the process in favour of the ruling party will be met with lawful and resolute resistance from the people,” he said. He added that democracy would be endangered if INEC abandoned its neutrality and became an instrument of partisan interest. “When INEC begins to take dictation from the ruling party, when PVCs are made

The Vice Chancellor (VC), of MIVA Open University, Prof. Tayo Arulogun, has recommended that institutions of higher learning should tilt towards practical hands-on curriculum to enable their graduates acquire skills that make them job creators, and not just job seekers. Speaking during a media chat with journalists on Wednesday in Abuja on the institution’s journey so far and the plans ahead, Arulogun

explained the school’s curriculum is now tilted towards practical teaching that leads to job creation rather than the traditional theoretical teaching that lends credence to employment-seeking. He said Nigerian universities can bridge the skills gap between the academia and the industry. According to him, “We know that we must not just be teaching theory only. We must tilt our curriculum towards practical hands-on sessions so that once people graduate, they can actually be job creators. They

The former vice president, in the statement issued by his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said Nigeria’s agricultural trade position had deteriorated from a N740.27 billion surplus in the first half of 2025 to a N56.13 billion deficit in the corresponding period of 2026. He described the N796.40 billion reversal as evidence of the administration’s failure to create an environment in which farmers, processors and manufacturers could thrive.

NASENI Awards N435.5 Million to Winners of Innovation Competitions Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has awarded N435.5 million in grants to innovators across Nigeria under its maiden innovation competitions. The grants were presented to winners of the Innovate Naija, Future Makers, Intra-Agency and Inter-Agency competitions at an award ceremony held yesterday at the State House Banquet Hall,

Presidential Villa, Abuja. The national winner of the Innovate Naija competition received N100 million, while the first and second runners-up received N30 million and N20 million, respectively while the 37 state champions, including Abuja got N2.5 million each, a NASENI statement said. Similarly, the top six winners of the NASENI intra-agency and inter-agency competitions received a combined N162 million. Of this

Varsity VC Prescribes Practical, Hands-on Curriculum to Bridge Skills Gap, Check Graduate Unemployment Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja

available in APC strongholds and hidden in opposition areas, then democracy is under threat. “INEC must not become a political party. It must not write its name in the black book of history as the Commission that set Nigeria ablaze because it chose to serve a party instead of the nation,” he said. In a separate statement yesterday, Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of abandoning farmers and allowing insecurity, high production costs and weak domestic processing to undermine the agricultural sector.

are not just people who are looking for jobs. “It is about mindset change so that people do not start looking for jobs. They become job creators. And that is what we are doing at MIVA Open University to ensure that we have embedded that into our curricula. 70% of them are already employed with this approach. “And also, we set up what we call Career Advancement Centre so we link them to the industry. Also, we teach them practical skills for

them to become innovators and to become founders. All these are things that we are doing for our students.” Arulogun noted that partnership with industry players had helped in bridging the gap, adding, “We go beyond theory. We have an existing MoU and working relationship with industry. For example, we have a relationship with Terra Industry to ensure that our students are able to design and develop robotics, design and develop robots, drones.”

amount, N140 million went to the three winners of the inter-agency competition, while N22.5 million was shared among the three winners of the intra-agency competition. The top six finalists in the future makers competition received a combined N23 million in prize money, with the overall winner receiving a N5 million grant prize. Presenting the awards, President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to promoting innovation and developing home-grown technological solutions toward Nigeria’s industrialization. Udeh described the NASENI innovation competition as a demonstration of the government’s support for Nigerian innovators and urged the beneficiaries to deploy the grants responsibly to improve their solutions and contribute to national development. He said the federal government believed in the capacity of the innovators to contribute to Nigeria’s future, urging them to use the grants to refine their products, test their assumptions and build sustainable businesses. Earlier, the Executive Vice Chair-

man and Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Halilu, charged the award recipients to continue developing innovations that would address everyday challenges confronting Nigerians. Halilu urged the innovators to protect their intellectual property, understand their finances, build strong teams and seek partnerships that would complement their capabilities. He also advised them to remain focused on the problems their innovations seek to solve, listen to their target users, test their products, learn from failures and continually improve their solutions. Also speaking, the Director of Programmes, AfriLabs, Nanko Madu, commended the federal government and NASENI for recognising innovation as a critical driver of national development and applauded the award recipients for developing solutions to some of the country’s pressing challenges, urging them to remain creative, resilient and entrepreneurial. She said young Nigerians were increasingly developing solutions tailored to the country’s infrastructure, power challenges, climate and local operating conditions, while reducing dependence on imported technologies and foreign expertise.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 • THISDAY

NEWS

GRAND OPENING OF EUPHORIA360 HUB...

L-R: All Progressives Congress’ Lagos Deputy Governorship Candidate, Princess Damilola Sonayan-James; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat; Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka; Chief Executive Oﬃcer, Euphoria360 Hub, Mr. Femi Adebayo; Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Transportation, Mr. Sola Giwa; Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Mr. Sunday Dare; and Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Bopo Oyekan-Ismaila, at the Grand Opening of Euphoria360 Hub, held at Oregun, Lagos... recently

Kefas: Taraba 100% for Tinubu’s Re-election Deji Elumoye in Abuja

Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, has disclosed that the state was in total support of the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in January, 2027. According to Kefas, Taraba voters are 100 per cent behind the president and other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the 2027 general election. Kefas made the declaration on Wednesday after meeting with Tinubu at State House, Abuja. The governor said federal interventions in security, education, healthcare, and infrastructure were making a visible impact across Taraba State. He praised the impact of the Tinubu administration’s interventions in Taraba, saying residents are directly benefiting from federal support across critical sectors. According to him, improved security, free

education, healthcare services, and infrastructure development have strengthened confidence in the federal government and deepened public support for the president. He stated, “You can

see that I’m on ground, we’re in charge. All the interventions, all the support from the president, the people are feeling it, from security to free education to healthcare system to infrastructure.”

Kefas added, “So the people have no doubt, and they’ve given all the assurance that Mr President is reaching out to them through me, and for that reason, they are going to vote for Mr President.

Taraba State is for APC 100 per cent.” The governor, the APC leader in the state, said his visit was partly to welcome the president back and to convey condolences over the recent Nigerian

Air Force plane crash in Ondo State. He described the incident, which claimed the lives of military personnel and other citizens, as a national tragedy deserving of collective sympathy.

NLC, Experts Seek Inclusive Energy Transition to Protect Communities, Workers Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and energy transition experts have called for greater involvement of workers and host communities in the formulation and implementation of Nigeria’s energy transition policies. The stakeholders made the call while discussing the need for a just and equitable transition from fossil fuels to renewable and low-carbon energy sources. Head of British Research Academy, Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, said climate change

was largely a workplace issue because workers were directly exposed to pollution and other environmental hazards. Okereke stressed that workers and their representatives must be involved in climate change and energy transition discussions, stating that they are among those likely to be most affected by the transition. He urged the government to adopt inclusive policies that would take into account the interests of workers, particularly those whose jobs could be affected by the gradual shift away

from fossil fuels. He also called for adequate training and skills development to enable affected workers to transition into emerging employment opportunities in the low-carbon economy. Okereke stressed the need for social protection measures, including adequate compensation, early retirement benefits, and timely payment of pensions for workers who might lose their jobs as a result of the transition. NLC’s Head of Climate Change, Comrade Eche Asuzu, said Nigeria’s energy transition

policies must be anchored on justice and equity. Asuzu stated that political and economic factors, including governance, institutional arrangements, and the distribution of benefits, often determined who gained or lost from energy projects. He called for stronger research and data collection to identify the concerns of communities affected by mining and other energy-related projects. According to him, some communities have raised concerns over displacement, inadequate

compensation, and the failure of companies and government authorities to adequately respond to their grievances. Asuzu said although Nigeria had policies and regulations designed to protect affected communities, poor implementation and inadequate monitoring remained major challenges. He called for stronger collaboration among the federal, state and local governments, companies, and host communities to address gaps in the implementation of energy transition policies.

FG RETRIEVES 50 OIL FIELDS FROM DEFAULTING AWARDEES, INSISTS ON ‘DRILL-OR-DROP’ POLICY a level originally targeted as part of its 2030 ambition. Attah, however, said the company’s ambition had evolved beyond supplying gas for export, stressing that Nigeria needed to retain more gas domestically if it was to achieve industrialisation. “Consistent with our vision of industrialisation of Nigeria, we’re very well aware that export gas will not industrialise Nigeria. So for that, we are committed to bringing in 1 BCF of gas into Nigeria,” he pledged. He said Renaissance was currently supplying about 200 million standard cubic feet of gas per day domestically and was therefore targeting an increase of almost five times that volume. Attah identified collaboration with the NUPRC and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) as critical to achieving the target.

“The partnership with NUPRC and NNPC, of course, are the main levers that we need to be able to make this happen,” he said. In his intervention, both as a keynote speaker and panelist, Chief Executive of First E&P and Governor, Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, said the country was in the middle of a major investment cycle that could attract about $100 billion into the oil and gas industry. He stressed that the impact of the investment must be felt within Nigeria through local contractors, service companies, communities, employment, taxes and other economic activities. “We are moving from an extractive industry to value retention. So when that $100 billion has been spent, we must make sure it’s felt in Nigeria. Not just in China or Korea or Singapore or Houston.

It must be felt here,” he said. Adeyemi-Bero said particular attention should be paid to strengthening the domestic oilfield services industry so that Nigerian contractors have the vessels, rigs, equipment and financing required to execute the projects that were coming. “When you say drill or drop, we must make sure that when somebody comes to drill a well with us, the competence is there, the capacity is there. We can do the best FDPs, take the best investment decisions. But our execution must be world-class,” he said. He urged financial institutions to provide greater access to capital for service companies, noting that inadequate contractor capacity could ultimately delay or stall final investment decisions. The OPEC governor also assured that when the time comes for Nigeria to request a new quota

next year, the country will get it. Adeyemi-Bero said Nigeria’s target of increasing oil production to 3 million barrels per day by 2030 represented a major challenge, but argued that the country should focus less on debating whether the target was achievable and more on building the project pipeline required to get there. “Bonga Southwest is supposed to be 180,000 barrels a day when it comes. So, we need roughly eight Bongas. It’s not impossible. It’s when we say we stop because it’s a challenge that we fail,” he said. He also cautioned against awarding acreage to investors without the financial capacity to execute their commitments, noting that exploration wells were particularly difficult to finance through debt. “It’s important that those who win it, we actually assess that they can actually do this. Because

debt will not make it happen. It will always be equity,” he said. Also speaking, Eni’s Maurizzio Pinna, said the focus should be on collaboration and faster project execution, stressing that the company was committed to bringing its fast-track approach to project development in Nigeria. Similarly, the NUPRC’s Executive Commissioner, Development and Production, Enorense Amadasu, said the regulator was focused on creating an ecosystem that would make the upstream industry more competitive and predictable. “As 21st century operators that want to be ahead of others with global distinction, we want to enable business. Our drive in making sure that we achieve the national aspiration. That we make business competitive. That we provide clarity. “That we make the work in

the industry to be very predictive and sensitive, such that when the investors come, they know that they get value for their money,” he pointed out. He said the commission ultimately wanted operators to become increasingly selfregulatory while the regulator concentrated on consistency, continuous improvement and removing barriers to investment and production. Also speaking on one of the panels, Executive Vice President and Country Chair, Shell Nigeria, Elohor Aiboni, said the acceleration of investment in the upstream sector was already underway, particularly in the deepwater. She cited Bonga North and other deepwater projects as being in execution, while the signing of some addendums to existing arrangements had created opportunities for additional projects.

THISDAY • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

NEWS

STAKEHOLDER PRESENTATION OF PROJECT COPE MARKET RESEARCH FINDINGS...

L-R: Head, Strategy and Partnerships, LAPO Microﬁnance Bank (MFB), Mr. Evbuomwan Efosa; Traditional Ruler of Agaledu Isheke Community, Eze Egbe Ogodo; Chairman, Ebonyi LGA, Mr. Odigwe Chibueze; Traditional Ruler, Nkaliki Achara Unuhu Community, Eze Sunday Oketa; and Head, Corporate Services, LAPO MFB, Mr.Abel Ovenseri, during the stakeholder presentation of Project COPE Market Research Findings, conducted under LAPO MFB’s Curbing Open Defecation Prevalence through Economic Empowerment project in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State... recently

Mark: ADC Won’t Accept Rigging in 2027 NSCIA backs state police, mobilises Muslims for next year’s elections Over 1000 Islamic clerics ask Tinubu to drop re-election bid Yiaga Africa poll reveals Nigerians willing to vote, but shackled by fear, distrust, vote buying Chuks Okocha and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja National Chairman of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has declared that the party would not allow itself to be rigged out at next year’s elections. According to a statement from the office of the national publicity secretary, Mark made the comment during a courtesy visit by Governing Council of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development to the party’s headquarters in Abuja, yesterday. The council, led by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, said the courtesy call was part of the centre’s ongoing stakeholder engagements with political parties and political leaders ahead of the 2027 general election. Ariwoola expressed the centre’s commitment to promoting free, fair and credible elections. He urged the ADC leadership to encourage its candidates and members to comply with INEC’s rules and eschew all forms of political violence. In his response, Mark declared ADC’s commitment to playing by the rules. “We are committed to playing politics in a manner that promotes public confidence in democracy,” he said. He also emphasised that the party would comply with INEC’s rules guiding the elections, as well as ADC’s code of conduct, articulated in its Orange Book, adding that the party would, however, not accept rigging. Mark stated, “We hold ourselves to the highest standards of good conduct as a political party. We will play by the rules. But we will not accept rigging or allow ourselves to be rigged out.” Ariwoola’s entourage included members of Savannah Centre’s Governing Council, otherwise known as the “Council of the Wise”. They included Professors Abdullahi Shehu and Azeez Musa Dankano; Executive Director, Ambassador Sani Bala; Mr Tunji Lardner; and Ambassador Godswill Ighali, among others.

NSCIA Backs State Policing, Mobilises Muslims for 2027 Elections

Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has backed constitutional amendment to decentralise the operation of the Nigeria Police. NSCIA adopted the resolution in a communique issued yesterday at the end of its General Assembly in Abuja on October 1. The communique was signed by its President-General, Abubakar, and Secretary-General, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede. NSCIA called for an urgent and a comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s security architecture. It reiterated that it would support state policing, provided the reform that required approval of at least 24 houses of assembly before it could advance to the next stage of the constitutional process was anchored on professionalism, constitutional safeguards, impartiality, accountability, sustainable funding, respect for fundamental rights and effective coordination between federal and state security institutions. NSCIA also urged all government agencies to respect the right of Muslim female students, corps members, female personnel in the security agencies, and staff in other work places to use hijab as their fundamental human right. The council tasked Muslims to obtain their National Identity Numbers (NINs) and Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate fully in the process of selecting Nigerian leaders at all levels in the 2027 elections It further faulted the authorities of University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, and University of Lagos on their hostile dispositions to the Supreme Court judgement, which favoured the use of hijab in their International Schools. NSCIA berated the tertiary institutions for their attempts to re-designate such schools as private (despite being established by public institutions) ostensibly to manipulate court judgements against the right of willing female students to use hijab in public schools. It urged the aforementioned tertiary authorities to retrace their steps by being law-abiding and inclusive. Although it acknowledged the efforts of the government to stimulate

the economy, NSCIA charged the federal government to expedite action on drastically reducing the cost of transportation and food to alleviate the hardship being faced by ordinary Nigerians. The council also adopted the 2026 report of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and endorsed its recommendations to reposition the Hajj industry in Nigeria for excellence. The meeting was attended by prominent Emirs, Obas, Chief Imams, Chiefs, Principal Officers of the council, Islamic scholars, leaders of major national Islamic organisations, and delegates from all the states of the federation and the FCT.

Over 1000 Islamic Clerics Ask Tinubu to Drop Re-election Bid Over 1000 Islamic clerics urged President Bola Tinubu not to seek re-election in the 2027 presidential election, citing economic crisis, insecurity, and other challenges facing the country. The call was contained in a communique issued at the end of a national conference on “An Assessment of the State of the Nation under President Tinubu and the 2027 General Election,” in Kano State on Sunday. The Islamic clerics under the umbrella of Ko Da Naka…For the Struggle to Promote Good

Governance and Community Development, in collaboration with AFAQ Educational Foundation, expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Tinubu administration was running the country. The clerics unanimously agreed that Tinubu’s economic policies, including the removal of the fuel subsidy, changes to the naira exchange-rate system, increases in electricity tariffs, and tax reforms, had increased the burden of hardship on ordinary citizens. The conference expressed its dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Tinubu administration was being run, particularly the continued implementation of economic policies which participants unanimously agreed had increased the burden of hardship on ordinary citizens. The communique stated, “It is unfortunate that the government has continued to insist on pursuing these policies, which are increasing hardship among the people, rather than reviewing and correcting them. “The government prioritised the growth of its revenue at a time when the rising cost of living and unemployment are threatening the lives and well-being of citizens. “Consequently, participants at the conference unanimously agreed that it would be inappropriate to re-elect this government in the forthcoming 2027 general elections if it does not change its harmful economic policies.” The participants also expressed

concern over the continued killings and kidnappings by bandits, and other acts of terrorism across the country. They called on the federal government to take urgent action to address insecurity, particularly in the North-west and other parts of the country. The communique added, “Alternatively, the president should refrain from contesting the 2027 election. If he refuses to do so, it is incumbent upon citizens to reject his candidacy and allow those whom they believe can provide better leadership.” The Imams resolved that it would be inappropriate to re-elect the Tinubu government if it refused to change course. “Nigerians should not be asked to endure another term of the same policies while families struggle to meet basic needs and the promised relief remains out of reach,” they stated.

Yiaga Africa Poll: Nigerians Willing to Vote in 2027, But Shackled by Fear, Distrust, Vote Buying Majority of voters had yet to settle on their preferred candidates ahead of the 2027 presidential election, Yiaga Africa’s national voting intentions survey discovered. Findings of the survey released yesterday showed that 84 per cent of Nigerians were likely to vote in the January elections, but only 41 per cent were certain to vote and

had already chosen a candidate. Yiaga said 2,470 Nigerians across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were interviewed for the poll. Most adult citizens — 96 per cent — had been registered to vote, Yiaga said, but about 44 per cent of the eligible voters were yet to settle on a candidate. By zone, the North-central recorded the most intentions to vote, with 57 per cent, followed by the South-west (54 per cent), then North-east (52 per cent), and South-south at 33 per cent. Presidential election campaigns kicked off in August, but had so far lacked significant momentum. President Bola Tinubu of All Progressives Congress (APC), who is seeking re-election, is being challenged by Atiku Abubakar of African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peter Obi, flagbearer of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). The trio were the top candidates in the 2023 presidential election. According to the poll, 54 per cent of voters disapproved of Tinubu’s performance. “A desire for change in leadership (49 per cent) is by far the leading motivation, ahead of civic duty (20 per cent), support for a specific candidate (16 per cent), and party loyalty (11 per cent).” The survey also discovered that the economy and jobs, security, corruption and governance were among the key issues for voters.

Tambuwal Drags Sokoto Govt to Court over Withheld Probe Report Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto Former Governor of Sokoto State and Senator representing Sokoto South Senatorial District, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has dragged the Sokoto State Government to court over its alleged failure to release the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry that probed his administration. Tambuwal, who governed Sokoto State between 2015 and 2023, had challenged what he described as the deliberate withholding of the report

by the government of Governor Ahmed Aliyu. The suit, marked SS/133/2026, was filed before Justice Mohammed Mohammed of the Sokoto State High Court 6, through his counsel, U.O. Sule, SAN. Joined as defendants in the suit were the Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, and the Sokoto State Commission of Inquiry. At the heart of the suit was the alleged refusal of the state govern-

ment and the Commission to release to Tambuwal a copy of the report despite the conclusion of its sittings and submission to the government. The Judicial Commission of Inquiry was set up by the Ahmed Aliyu administration to investigate the activities, financial transactions and other matters relating to the Tambuwal administration from 2015 to 2023. The Commission was chaired by a former Chief Judge of Gombe State, Justice Mu’azu Pindiga, who was

appointed to head the inquiry into the eight-year administration. In the originating summons, Tambuwal asked the court to compel the defendants to make available to him the full report of the Commission to enable him know the findings and recommendations against him, if any. He argued that having submitted himself to the inquiry and participated in the process, he was entitled as a matter of law and natural justice to know the outcome of the proceedings.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 • THISDAY

NEWS

NASENI AWARDS N435.5M TO WINNERS OF INNOVATENAIJA...

Front Row: Representative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Hon. Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh SAN (6th from left); EVC/CEO of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu (5th from left); Hon. Minister of Youth Development; Mr. Ayodele Olawande (4th from left); Deputy Governor Kaduna State, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe (7th from left); Nanko Madu, Director of Programmes, AfriLabs (8th from left); Chairman PICTT, Dr. Mohammed Dahiru (3rd from left); and Head of NASENI Innovation Hub, Mrs. Busola Beckley Folayan-Perez (2nd from left), in a group photo with the winners of NASENI’s Innovation Competitions during presentation of prize grants at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa Abuja, yesterday

Aiyedatiwa: Pilot Averted Bigger Disaster in Ondo Air Crash as Search Enters Day Two Search, recovery efforts in progress, says NAF as Keyamo, air chief meet to end civil-military aviation safety dichotomy DHQ, DECAN, Buratai Foundation, NDLEA, Bayelsa mourn Michael Olugbode, Linus Aleke in Abuja, Chinedu Eze in Lagos and Fidelis David in Akure Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who visited the site of the recent air crash in the state, yesterday, said the tragedy could have been worse if the aircraft crashed directly into Igbokoda community. Aiyedatiwa revealed that eyewitness accounts suggested the pilot appeared to have manoeuvred the aircraft away from the populated area before it plunged into the swamp. According to him, the aircraft crashed about 200 metres from the community after what residents described as a sound suggesting that the aircraft was experiencing engine problems. The governor said, “From what the people told us, the aircraft was almost coming into the community, but the pilot managed to manoeuvre it away before it crashed about 200 metres from the community and went straight into the swamp.” Aiyedatiwa said only the pilot could have explained the circumstances surrounding the final manoeuvre, stating that the action might have prevented a larger catastrophe in the coastal community. Describing the scene as a “very gory sight”, he said portions of bodies, clothing, jackets belonging to Air Force personnel and fragments of the aircraft had been recovered and preserved for investigation. Aiyedatiwa, who was accompanied by personnel of the Nigerian Navy and Air Force, divers, officials of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agency, and local residents involved in the search, said the main wreckage had yet to be located. He said, “The main body of the aircraft has not been sighted. It is believed to be submerged in the swamp.” The governor added that the depth and nature of the terrain could have caused the aircraft to sink deep into the mud.

He explained that the difficulty in accessing the crash site prompted him to direct the state Ministry of Works to deploy two amphibious machines, popularly known as swamp buggies, to create wider access through the waterways and enable larger boats to move closer to the location. According to him, the machines were also used to excavate the soil in the area in the hope of locating the main wreckage or other parts of the aircraft, while Navy personnel and local divers continued searching the deeper sections for possible bodies and the cockpit. “From construction experience and analysis of this area, for you to get to refusal level, it’ll get to about 30 metres deep,” Aiyedatiwa said. The governor also disclosed that aviation fuel was still flowing into the water around the crash site, raising concerns about pollution as recovery efforts continued. The governor commiserated with President Bola Tinubu, Nigerian Air Force, and the families of the deceased, describing the victims as young Nigerians, who had committed themselves to defending the territorial integrity of the country. He said the search and recovery operation would continue, while urging Nigerians to pray for the bereaved families and the armed forces. Aiyedatiwa said, “I am a man of faith, so we cannot completely rule out a miracle,” referring to biblical accounts of Lazarus and Jonah. “But looking at what we have seen here I doubt whether any of the victims can return to life. May their souls rest in peace,” he said. The difficult swampy terrain of Igbokoda had continued to hamper efforts to recover the remains of victims and the main wreckage of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft that crashed near the naval base in the area, more than 48 hours after the tragedy. The aircraft, with registration number NAF 931, crashed on Monday while on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos, killing all 32 people on board, comprising seven

crew members and 25 passengers. The recovery operation was further complicated by the thick mangroves, murky waters, and deep mud at the crash site, with the main body of the aircraft believed to be completely submerged. The difficult terrain had also delayed efforts to locate the aircraft’s cockpit and black boxes, which investigators hoped would provide vital clues to the circumstances surrounding the crash. Commander of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operation Base, Igbokoda, Captain Andy Alemongwa, had briefed the governor on the progress of the search operation as Navy personnel, divers, and local residents continued efforts to locate missing bodies and the submerged wreckage.

NAF: Search, Recovery Efforts Continue Nigerian Air Force (NAF), under the direction of Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, continued to lead and coordinate search and recovery efforts following the NAF ATR-42 air crash. According to Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the CAS commended the dedication and professionalism of NAF personnel, as well as the invaluable support provided by the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ondo State Government, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Amotekun Corps, Hi-Tech Construction Company, local authorities, community leaders, and volunteers. He stated that the coordinated efforts reflected the strong spirit of inter-agency cooperation and collective national service in times of adversity. Aneke reaffirmed NAF’s commitment to pursuing the recovery operation diligently and safely, in close collaboration with all relevant stakeholders. He assured the public that appropriate updates would continue to be provided as the search and recovery operation progressed, while

appreciating Nigerians and other stakeholders for their solidarity, prayers, and support.

Keyamo, Air Chief Meet to End Civil-Military Aviation Safety Dichotomy The strict dichotomy between civil and military aviation could become a thing of the past as Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, agreed to deepen collaboration between Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in the areas of aviation safety, airworthiness, certification, training, and capacity building. The agreement was reached yesterday when the aviation minister paid a condolence visit to the chief of air staff, following the tragic Nigerian Air Force aircraft incident at Igbokoda. The minister, after signing the condolence register, held a private meeting with the air chief, before both leaders addressed the media and announced a new framework for closer cooperation between the civil and military aviation authorities. Keyamo expressed deep sympathy to the Nigerian Air Force, describing the incident as a national tragedy and commending the gallantry and sacrifices of the men and women of the air force. He stated, “We value the air force. We value the efforts of the gallant men and women of the air force and what they do for the country.” The minister stressed that tragedies within the aviation sector did not distinguish between military and civilian operators, stating that both sectors ultimately serve the same country and protect the same citizens. According to him, the incident has further strengthened the need for greater cooperation and the sharing of expertise between the two sides. Keyamo said, “It is one country, one people. When disaster happens, it affects everybody. There were civilians in that air crash and when there’s an air crash in the civil aviation, too, there can be military personnel. And so, it is important that we cooperate

in the area of safety.” The minister said the Nigerian Air Force already relied on civil aviation infrastructure, particularly air traffic control, and said the existing relationship should now be expanded into a more structured partnership. He disclosed that he had already contacted Director-General of NCAA and facilitated direct communication between the NCAA leadership and the chief of air staff. “We have decided that we will cooperate in terms of capacity building,” he said. Keyamo announced that a joint committee involving NCAA and Nigerian Air Force would be established to facilitate collaboration in airworthiness, certification, training, and other aviation safety measures, while respecting the statutory mandates of both institutions. He assured the chief of air staff that personnel of Nigerian Air Force would be given access to relevant training opportunities undertaken by the civil aviation authorities. The minister stated, “There is no reason why we cannot take some names from the air force. We have a lot of training we go for, so there is no reason why we cannot. “This is a kind of cross-pollination and symbiotic relationship we have decided to build for the safety of the lives of Nigerians.” Responding, Aneke thanked the minister for the condolence visit and his continued support for the Nigerian Air Force. He described the minister’s gesture as a demonstration of the strong relationship that had developed between the civil and military aviation sectors under his leadership. The chief of air staff disclosed that both institutions had already commenced discussions on a framework that would enable personnel from the civil aviation sector to contribute to the air force’s safety environment. He said that was particularly in the areas of airworthiness and certification, while Air Force personnel would also contribute their expertise to the civil aviation sector where required. “We have both agreed that we need to move the aviation industry,

whether military or civil, to a higher level,” Aneke said. He welcomed the minister’s offer of training opportunities for Air Force personnel, stressing that the initiative would strengthen capacity and enhance aviation safety across the country. The chief of air staff emphasised that the two institutions had a shared responsibility to protect Nigerian lives. “We are serving the same government; we are protecting the same Nigerians. So we are just a blend of each other,” he said.

DHQ, DECAN, Buratai Foundation, NDLEA, Mourn Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN), and Buratai Foundation expressed their deep sorrow over the tragic loss of crew members and passengers aboard the ill-fated Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft. They extended their heartfelt condolences to the families, colleagues, and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the incident. According to a statement by Director of Defence Information, Major-General Samaila Uba, the Armed Forces of Nigeria extended their heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of all those involved, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), and the entire armed forces family. Uba stated, “The demise of the crew members and passengers is a painful loss to the entire armed forces and the nation at large. Our personnel give their all daily to keep Nigeria safe. Their courage and sacrifices will never be forgotten.” DECAN said it was deeply traumatised by the tragic incident and the enormous loss of lives. In a statement, President of DECAN, Odita Sunday, said, “Our hearts go out to the families, friends and colleagues of the victims at this incredibly difficult moment. No words can adequately capture the pain of losing loved ones, especially in such sudden and tragic circumstances.

THURSDAY OCTOMBER 8, 2026 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

BOOSTING EDUCATION IN AKWA IBOM…

L-R: Commissioner for Education, Akwa-Ibom State, Professor Ubong Essien Umoh; Awardee for Overseas Postgraduate programme in Canada, Dr. Joseph Akpan; Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno; mother of the Awardee, Mrs. Egondu Jacob; the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, father of the

2027: CSOs, Others Urge Ebonyi Electorate to Vote for Candidates with Competence, Track Records

Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki

Civil Society Organizations and other stakeholders in Ebonyi State have called on the electorate in the state to look beyond political manifestos, slogans and personalities, and critically interrogate the competence, capacity, policy proposals, and track records of various candidates of political parties for the 2027 general

election. The stakeholders made the call last Monday in Abakaliki, the state capital during a democratic dialogue organised by the Centre for Media and Dialogue Initiative(CMDI) in collaboration with the Correspondents’ Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ebonyi State chapter, with the theme: ‘Beyond the Manifesto: Ebonyi 2027 Election

and the People’s Interrogation of Next Leadership’. The Programme Director of the Centre, Eze Chikodiri Igwe, said the essence of the dialogue was to provide a

The federal government’s Renewed Hope Cities initiative has drawn more than 100,000 expressions of interest from Nigerians across the public, private, and informal sectors, with traders and small business owners in Abuja, Kano, and Lagos among those buying into the scheme. Conceived as a public-private partnership under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the programme brings together the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and a consortium of developers, such as Continental Civil and

and capacity to deliver. Igwe said democracy required more than campaign promises, stressing that voters must demand clear explanations on how

proposed policies would be implemented, the resources required and the mechanisms for measuring performance and holding elected officials accountable.

Scores Injured as Motorcyclists, Ticket Sellers Clash over Levies in Ondo Fidelis David inAkure

Scores of people have been injured following a violent clash between commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as Okada riders, and ticket sellers in Akure, the Ondo State capital, over alleged multiple General Construction, Ceezali levies imposed on the riders. Limited, and Citec International The clash, which occurred Limited. President Tinubu personally broke ground at flag off of the flagship project in Karsana, Abuja, where 2,400 Kayode Tokede housing units are nearing completion. Coleman Technical A central pillar of the Industries Limited yesterday programme is the President’s called for stiffer penalties directive to the Federal for manufacturers and Mortgage Bank of Nigeria distributors of counterfeit (FMBN) to extend mortgages and substandard cables, to contributors of the National saying weak enforcement Housing Fund. More than is encouraging the growth 2,000 Nigerians have already of the illicit trade. benefited from the scheme, The company’s Managing with over 10,000 additional applications currently being processed. Francis Sardauna inKatsina

Over 100,000 Eye Renewed Hope Cities Initiative Kingsley Aliamaka

credible, respectful and non-partisan platform where candidates could explain their programmes while citizens, the media and other stakeholders interrogate their policy choices

in some parts of the Akure metropolis, was triggered by disagreements over the collection of levies from commercial motorcycle operators, with the riders accusing ticket sellers of demanding additional payments after they had already paid similar charges. The dispute centred on

an alleged daily levy being collected under the guise of an ‘emblem’, with some of the riders accusing the Chairman of Akure South Local Government Area, Hon. Gbenga Fasua, of imposing multiple charges on them. The development reportedly disrupted commercial motorcycle operations in

some parts of the city as the riders protested over what they described as multiple and unauthorised collections. One of the riders, Jimoh Akindele, accused the Akure South council chairman of directing ticket sellers to collect additional levies from operators despite payments already made for similar purposes.

Coleman Demands Stiffer Penalties for Cable Counterfeiters Director and Chief Executive Officer, George Onafowokan, made the call while responding to questions from journalists after a media tour of Coleman’s factories in Sagamu, Ogun State. Onafowakan said the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) needs to strengthen its enforcement efforts to protect genuine

manufacturers and consumers from substandard products. He argued that confiscating and destroying counterfeit cables without prosecuting those responsible would not serve as an effective deterrent. The Coleman boss questioned the number of counterfeiters prosecuted

by SON, alleging that the regulator had not done enough to ensure that offenders faced criminal sanctions. He also alleged that SON sometimes focuses on charging manufacturers for testing cables rather than working with relevant agencies to prosecute those involved in counterfeiting.

CDP Empowers Over Two Million People in Katsina Kabir, disclosed this last Tuesday

for economic empowerment.

farmers and 60,000 bags of

Kabir said the beneficiaries were drawn from all the 361 wards across Katsina State, and stressed that the state government rural revitalisation initiative has improved the livelihoods of citizens and created opportunities

supporting vulnerable people and enhancing their economic wellbeing. The coordinator explained that the state government, through the CDP, distributed 400,000 bags of fertiliser to

quantities of fertiliser and grains were distributed by the community development programme this year to boost food productivity and assuage the plight of vulnerable households in the state.

the inauguration of the He said the initiative had assorted grains to vulnerable VFD Group Appoints Ijeoma Emezie- The Katsina State-owned during executive committee members continued to impact communities citizens across the 361 wards Development (EXCOs) of ‘Dikko Mayar Da across the state through of the state last year. Ezigbo as Deputy Managing Director Community various interventions aimed at He added that the same Programme (CDP) has Alkhairi Da Alkhairi’.

VFD Group Plc, a leading investment company with interests across financial services, technology, capital markets and other strategic sectors, has announced the appointment of Ijeoma Emezie-Ezigbo as deputy managing director and executive director, effective October 5, 2026. The appointment marks a significant step in the group’s institutional development, reinforcing its governance structure, executive leadership depth and long-term succession planning. The appointment, disclosed in a notice filed with Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) on October 2, 2026, reflects VFD Group’s continued commitment

to building an institution designed for sustainable growth beyond the contributions of any single individual. Emezie-Ezigbo brings more than two decades of experience spanning corporate finance, transaction advisory, mergers and acquisitions, business valuation and strategic financial management across Nigeria, Canada and other African markets. Most recently, she served as Partner and Head of Transaction Services, West Africa, at KPMG Nigeria, where she led transaction advisory engagements across the region. Her career also includes roles at Stanbic IBTC Group, IBM Canada and Canadian Tire Corporation.

empowered more than two million people across the state through various empowerment initiatives and rural development projects. The state Coordinator of the CDP, Professor Kamaludden

O&J Capital, Partners to Host Global Mobility Confab in Lagos Fred Ojeh As interest in international residency, citizenship, and investment opportunities continues to grow among Nigerians and businesses, O&J Capital, in partnership with iWorld and Mirsatori, is set to host Beyond Borders

2026, a conference focused on global mobility and investment solutions. The event, scheduled to hold on October 22, 2026, at the Marriott Hotel, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, will bring together migration experts, wealth advisors, investors, entrepreneurs,

and professionals seeking opportunities beyond their national borders. According to the organisers, the conference is designed to provide participants with direct access to information on European residency programmes, UAE residency opportunities,

citizenship pathways, and international investment solutions. The initiative aims to simplify complex migration and investment processes, enabling individuals, families, and businesses to make informed decisions about their future.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 • THISDAY

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

FIFA Ranking: Super Eagles Drop Four Places After Crash in Guinea-Bissau Duro Ikhazuagbe

Super Eagles 3-0 defeat by Guinea-Bissau in a 2027 AFCON qualifier has caused Nigeria’s senior men’s football team to drop four spots in the latest FIFA ranking released on Wednesday. Eagles dropped from 26th to 30th overall and also now sixth in Africa from their previous third position. The three-time African champions struggled to beat Madagascar 2-1 in the first qualifier for the 2027 edition to be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The win for Guinea-Bissau has now lifted the Wild Dogs eight places up the ladder of African football to 35th position from their previous 43rd spot. They are also on top of Group L of the 2027 AFCON qualifying series with six points from two matches after wins over Nigeria and Tanzania On Match-day two in Bissau, the Wild Dogs did the unimaginable, ripping Eagles apart with three goals Coach Eric Chelle and his wards were left stranded. They are now firmly in charge of Group L with a maximum six points from two games. In the African standings, Morocco leads the pack, followed

Super Eagles...dropped four places in latest FIFA Ranking released yesterday by Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire, with Nigeria now sixth. DR Congo are seventh with Cameroon, Mali and South Africa making up the Top 10 of African football in the latest October Rankings. Globally, world champions Spain surged further ahead at the top of the pecking order,

with second-placed Argentina, the beaten finalists at the FIFA World Cup 2026, now almost 40 points adrift, while France still occupy the final place on the podium. However, the standout storyline in the upper echelons comes from Portugal (5th, up 2), who have leapfrogged both Brazil

(6th, down 1) and Morocco (7th, also down 1). Belgium, The Netherlands and Mexico completed the Top 10 of world standing for the month under review. The next edition of the FIFA/ Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking will be published on 18 November 2026.

Eguavoen Allays Fears Over Absence of Key Players as Falcons Battle Comoros on Friday Marvelous David Interim Head Coach of the Super Falcons, Augustine Eguavoen, has dismissed fears in some quarters that the withdrawal of three key players from the team ahead of the LA 2028 Olympic women’s qualifier against Comoros on Friday poses danger to the team. Speaking ahead of the clash in Ikenne tomorrow, Eguavoen was full of confidence in insisting that Super Falcons will win the double header fixtures. “It is true that we have a number of withdrawals, notably Asisat Oshoala, Ashley Plumptre and Oluwatosin Demehin. However, I have confidence in their

L A 2 0 2 8 O LY M P I C Q UA L I F I E R replacements as these ones also have the quality and experience to contribute meaningfully to the team’s success against Comoros. “Everyone has settled in well in camp as we have a full house now, and our focus is to present a strong and competitive squad for the two matches.” Super Falcons stepped up preparations for their LA 2028 Olympic qualifying campaign against Comoros with 14 players before Captain Rasheedat Ajibade and six additional members of the squad arrived, to increase the number of Falcons in camp to 21.

Ajibade was joined in camp by Michelle Alozie, Christy Ucheibe, Toni Payne, Jennifer Echegini, Folashade Ijamilusi and Janet Akekoromowei as the team continued the preparations at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo. Goalkeepers Chiamaka Nnadozie and Comfort Erhabor, as well as Gift Monday, Joy Omewa and Uchenna Kanu, were also expected to link up with the squad as preparations for the opening encounter intensified. The Falcons progressed directly to the second round after receiving

Runsewe Hails Gov Eno’s Golf initiative onYouth Devt The President, Nigeria Golf Federation (NGF), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, has commended the Akwa Ibom Government for introducing free golf training for youths across the state. Runsewe also praised Gov. Umo Eno for his commitment to sports development, describing the initiative as a strategic investment in the future of golf. He said the NGF was ready to partner the Akwa Ibom Government to strengthen grassroots golf development and create opportunities for young talents across the state.

Runsewe made the commendation while reacting to the state government’s plan to train young golfers from the 31 Local Government Areas ahead of the 2027 Sports Festival. He said the initiative aligned with the NGF’s priority of developing young golfers and creating a sustainable pathway for discovering future champions. “This is the kind of initiative we want to see across Nigeria because youth development is critical to the future of golf. “Gov. Eno has demonstrated that

sports development goes beyond organising competitions; it involves identifying talents early and giving them the opportunity to grow. “The Nigeria Golf Federation is ready to support this initiative and work closely with the Akwa Ibom Government to develop these young golfers. “We will explore areas of technical support, coaching, competitions, and capacity building to ensure the programme produces meaningful results,” Runsewe pledged with enthusiasm.

a bye, while Comoros secured their place in the round by thrashing Sudan 30-0 on aggregate. Nigeria will welcome Comoros for the first leg on Friday, October 9, before the return encounter on Tuesday, October 13. Both fixtures will take place at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne because Comoros lack CAF approved facility for international matches. The Olympic qualification campaign comes at an important time for the Falcons following a disappointing 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations outing and their failure to secure a place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Nigeria ended a 16-year wait to return to the women’s Olympic football tournament at Paris 2024 and will now aim to book another place at the Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

Arteta Seals New Arsenal Contract Until 2030 Manager Mikel Arteta has said that this is “only the beginning” of Arsenal’s success after signing a new contract with the Premier League champions until 2030. BBC Sport reported earlier this month that an agreement had been made on an improved new contract. The Spaniard’s deal was set to expire at the end of this season, with his time in charge of the Gunners now possibly stretching to a decade following his arrival in December 2019. Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone is reportedly paid over £20m per year, as was former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola - both of whom Arteta benchmarked his

worth against. The new contract includes an increase from his current salary of £10m per year plus an additional £5m in bonuses. “This club is unique, its character and the way it makes you feel, and I have a great sense of privilege that our journey together will continue,” Arteta said. “We have already built a special bond and created memories that will last a lifetime, and what is so exciting is that this is only the beginning of what we can achieve together.” The 44-year-old has won a Premier League and FA Cup in charge of Arsenal, losing the Champions League final against Paris St-Germain in May.

GUNNER FOR LIFE...

Mikel Arteta..seals new Arsenal contract until 2030

Galatasaray Want Osimhen for UCL Action Next Tuesday Galatasaray are pressing ahead for Victor Osimhen to be fully fit for their UEFA Champions League home tie against Barcelona next Tuesday. Osimhen himself is determined to face Barcelona. After completing his treatment, the striker returned to Istanbul and immediately began individual training at the Florya Metin Oktay Facilities.

According to Turkish news outlet, Milliyet, Osimhen, who has been participating in indoor training sessions and continuing his physical conditioning at Galatasaray’s training facilities in Kemerburgaz and Florya, has impressed the technical staff with his determination to be fit again. It has been learnt that the star has set his sights on the crucial UEFA

Champions League match against Barcelona as his main target and that he absolutely wants to be on the field for this game. The Nigerian striker was conspicuously missing from the Super Eagles first two match-days of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers at home against Madagascar in Uyo and away with Guinea-Bissau.

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

BACK PAGE CONTINUATION MUSEVENI’S CONFESSION ON DANGOTE’S DAY 2019 Census Baseline recorded 143,920 residents). Dangote told the people that where they were standing, “an industrial city will begin to emerge,” and promised a school to train 1,000 local engineers and technicians. Meanwhile, shortly before the ceremony in Lamu, the Environment and Land Court in Malindi ordered the parties to maintain the status quo in a suit filed by 133 residents of Chandavai who say the site is their ancestral land. The case comes up next Wednesday (14 October). It is not a frivolous matter. Lamu Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and its fishermen want to know what happens to their waters. Ruto, to his credit, told the people of Lamu that such questions are not obstacles to development but what responsible development must answer. Dangote himself said industrialisation must have a human face. Both men should be held to their words. With the African leaders in Lamu taking turns to eulogise Dangote, it was little surprise that they would call for more entrepreneurs like him. But in the separate conversations I had with some people on our punishing journey—which was almost like military troop deployment—including auntie Fatima Wali-Abdurrahman, Mr Asue Ighodalo, Mr

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda Stanley Jegede and Mr Robert Ade-Odiachi (uncle Robbie), I said what we need is not necessarily more Dangotes but more entrepreneurs with his

can-do spirit, especially among the young generation. We need to reverse this idea of chasing bubble government appointments and redirect their minds to entrepreneurship. Readers of this page already know where I stand on Dangote. As I wrote in May this year, Dangote and the Power Sector – THISDAYLIVE, Dangote has demonstrated the possibility of “a productive Nigerian capitalism and its extension to the rest of Africa.” Lamu is the latest in that extension. As a firm believer in local entrepreneurship as an engine for job creation and national development, the illustration I often use to defend the few big players we have in Dangote and Dr Mike Adenuga Jnr is the Biblical parable of talents that is set within the context of investment and productivity. In Lamu, Museveni brought the point home for me in a way he couldn’t have imagined. While both the first and second servants in the Biblical account made a hundred percent profit from what each was given, nobody knew about their business practices. Yet, as I once wrote, many Nigerian businesspeople have also been offered opportunities through the patronage system we run but they spend their winnings on vanities without adding any value to our society. These are billionaires who employ

no more than drivers, cooks, gardeners, stewards and the likes—personal staff who merely minister to their indulgences and those of their families. From what the unproductive servant who buried his one talent in the Biblical parable tells us, which we can also see from the Museveni story in Lamu, not even a ‘monopolist’ can profit from a refinery that was never built! In his speech at Lamu, President Ruto said that the African leaders before them secured the flag for their countries and the task of his own generation is to build the industries that will make independence real. I completely agree with him. But between those two generations stands another, which has held the flag for 40 years and is still drawing up plans. Dangote has now shown them twice, first in Lekki and now in Lamu, what it looks like when somebody ‘gets on with the job’. Kenyans, Ruto warned Dangote, “are very good in keeping data” and they will count the 40 months he promised to deliver on the refinery. Just as well. But it is also a pity that nobody was counting the 40 years for Museveni and other African leaders for whom national development and the well-being of their people is forever ‘in the pipelines’ of unbuilt refineries!

NEWS

Shettima: FG to Fast-track Food, Nutrition Bill to Protect Funding, Instill Accountability Says country’s $26m nutrition commitment unlocked $52m matching fund Nigeria, Ethiopia deepen cooperation in security, aviation, trade, investment, food security Deji Elumoye in Abuja Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday said Nigeria will accelerate work on a National Food and Nutrition Bill, as part of efforts to protect nutrition financing, strengthen accountability, and sustain interventions across successive administrations. According to him, the proposed legislation would strengthen the federal government’s Nutrition 774 Initiative and deepen a compact among federal, state and local governments to deliver a unified response to malnutrition, beginning at the community level. Speaking during the Nigeria-Ethiopia Nutrition Leadership Exchange Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Vice President said Nigeria’s National Policy on Food and Nutrition 2026–2035 had set targets

to reduce the country’s stunting rate to 32 per cent by 2029, 28 per cent by 2032 and 25 per cent by 2035. The Vice President noted that with nutrition committees already established in 32 State Houses of Assembly, the time was ripe to give the country’s nutrition response stronger legislative backing. He explained: “We are convinced that, with nutrition committees in 32 state assemblies, there is no better time for us to accelerate the development of a National Food and Nutrition Bill and the advancement of a federal, state and local compact to protect financing and enforce accountability beyond administrations.” Shettima disclosed that nutrition committees had also been established in more than 450 local governments, while the federal government was

strengthening state councils and delivery capacity across all levels of government. According to him, Nigeria’s Nutrition 774 Initiative provides a single framework that brings together all tiers of government, with governors and local government chairpersons expected to lead implementation within their respective jurisdictions. “Each council, being the lowest tier of our system, is our unit of planning, financing and accountability. We are working with states on costed plans for priority councils, bringing health, agriculture, social protection, water, sanitation, hygiene and education to the same mother and child,” he said. The Vice President also disclosed that Nigeria’s $26 million commitment to the Child Nutrition Fund attracted matching support, unlocking $52 million, while 21

states had contributed $6.3 million since 2023 for supplies aimed at preventing and treating malnutrition. He said the proposed Presidential Nutrition Investment Fund would provide catalytic financing, while the Nutrition Financing Subcommittee was working to mobilise additional domestic resources. “We can only claim that our budget fulfils its purpose when it nourishes a child,” Shettima stated, adding that the government was strengthening systems linking public expenditure to measurable nutrition outcomes through scorecards and stronger domestic financing. He explained that the urgency of the reforms was underscored by the fact that 40 per cent of Nigerian children under five are affected by stunting, alongside an estimated annual economic cost of

Dangote Opens $1.6bn Reﬁnery IPO to East Africa, Offers Investors $300m Slice Uganda, Kenya clear routes for interested investors 729 million depository receipts set to be offered Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has opened nearly $300.4 million, or almost 20 per cent, of its $1.6 billion initial public offering (IPO) to investors in East Africa, in a move that could deepen the regional ownership of Africa’s biggest refinery. The development followed regulatory approvals in Kenya and Uganda allowing eligible investors in the two countries to participate in the share sale, with the East African portion of the offer structured through Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) to be listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. A Global Depository Receipt (GDR) is a negotiable financial certificate issued by a depositary bank that represents a specific number of shares in a foreign company. An information memorandum released yesterday showed that the regional offer comprises about 729 million GDRs, priced at 53.50 Kenyan shillings each, with the offer capable of raising about 39

billion Kenyan shillings, equivalent to approximately $300.4 million, if fully subscribed. Each GDR represents one underlying share in Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE. The East African offer represents almost 20 per cent of the refinery’s broader IPO target of at least $1.6 billion, which was launched by Aliko Dangote in September to raise funds for the planned doubling of the refinery’s capacity from 700,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day. The IPO, which Dangote has branded a “people’s IPO”, is expected to be Africa’s largest, further extending the refinery’s ownership beyond its existing Nigerian base. Uganda’s Capital Markets Authority said that it had approved investors in the country to participate in the offer of securities under the IPO of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE. Similarly, Kenya had earlier approved a GDR route that allows eligible Kenyan investors to access the IPO through negotiable

certificates representing shares in the Nigerian company. Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority also required Dangote Petroleum to maintain a minimum public free float of 15 per cent of the total issued GDR pool among investors in the country. The GDR offer is scheduled to close on October 13, with allotments expected around November 12 and listing to take place 15 business days after the allotment. The minimum subscription is 2,000 GDRs and thereafter in multiples of 100, while the minimum success threshold for the GDR offer is 50 million Kenyan shillings. The Kenyan offer is being jointly advised by Renaissance Capital (Kenya) Limited and Lagos-based Renaissance Capital Africa, while Stanbic Bank is serving as custodian and receiving bank, it was learnt. The expansion of the Dangote refinery’s ownership to East African investors comes as the group simultaneously pushes into the region with plans to replicate its Lagos refining project in Kenya.

At the groundbreaking of the proposed Kenyan refinery on September 30, Dangote offered East African countries a combined 30 per cent equity stake in the planned project, which is estimated to cost about $17 billion. The proposed Kenyan refinery is expected to take approximately five years to complete and could provide East African investors with access to about $1.5 billion worth of equity in the project. David Ndii, economic adviser to Kenyan President William Ruto, had disclosed at a capital markets forum in Nairobi that Kenya would take a 10 per cent stake, while Ethiopia and Rwanda had also expressed interest in participating. The East African IPO offer comes at a time when Dangote is seeking to establish a broader regional investor and commercial base for its refining business. The Lagos refinery, built by the Dangote Group over about 10 years at an estimated cost of $20 billion, currently has a processing capacity of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

$56 billion from undernutrition. He added: “We act to protect learning. We act to preserve earnings. We act to project productivity.” The Vice President explained that the government was also engaging food vendors, small and medium enterprises, manufacturers, financiers and regulators through its Private Sector Engagement Framework to improve the availability and affordability of nutritious food. Shettima said government was working with industry and regulators to strengthen compliance with fortification requirements for salt, flour, edible oil and sugar. He added that Nigeria and Ethiopia would work towards a joint statement defining continued cooperation between both countries on nutrition. “Nigeria and Ethiopia owe Africa an example worthy of its children,” the Vice President said. Earlier, the Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Mr. Temesgen Tiruneh, who declared the forum open, said the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and Ethiopia could help shape Africa’s development trajectory. He welcomed Nigeria’s interest in Ethiopia’s nutrition experience, noting that his country had placed food and nutrition at the centre of its development agenda. According to him, improving nutrition requires sustained political leadership, financing and accountability at every level of government, backed by systems that track implementation and results. “Over 100,000 children in Ethiopia have been protected from malnutrition through community mobilisation and improvements in the nutritional value of the food they eat,” Tiruneh said. While highlighting Ethiopia’s experience, the Deputy Prime Minister said the exchange was mutually beneficial, noting that Ethiopia also had important lessons to learn from Nigeria’s approach to tackling malnutrition. In her remarks, Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Mekdes Daba, said the leadership exchange was focused on one of Africa’s most urgent development challenges, child malnutrition, with particular attention to Ethiopia’s Seqota Declaration, its national commitment to end child stunting by 2030. She stressed that nutrition during the early years of life has far-reaching consequences for health, education and economic productivity.

“Stunting affects far more than a child’s physical growth. Poor nutrition can limit brain development, weaken school performance, reduce future earnings and slow national economic progress. “Investing in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life is among the most important investments a country can make,” she said. Daba explained that Ethiopia placed nutrition at the centre of its development agenda through the Seqota Declaration, guided by the principle that malnutrition cannot be defeated by one ministry or sector acting alone. Members of the Nigerian delegation, including governors and ministers who spoke at the forum, pledged to strengthen Nigeria’s nutrition value chain through greater investment in technology, financing, education and food systems to improve food and nutrition security. Meanwhile, the Vice President and Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Temesgen Tiruneh, held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the forum, where both leaders reviewed relations between Nigeria and Ethiopia and explored opportunities for deeper cooperation in trade, investment, food security, aviation and security. Tiruneh, who conveyed Ethiopia’s condolences to Nigeria over the recent Ondo air crash, said his country places a high premium on its relations with Nigeria, particularly as both nations are among Africa’s most populous countries. He explained that Ethiopia’s decision to treat nutrition as an economic and development issue led to the launch of the 15-year Seqota Declaration in 2015, beginning with communities most affected by malnutrition before expanding to about half of the country. The Deputy Prime Minister also welcomed progress on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement signed by both countries, called for the convening of the Nigeria-Ethiopia Joint Commission, and commended growing private-sector cooperation, including the Dangote Group’s investment in Ethiopia. Responding, Shettima reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations with Ethiopia, saying both countries have a responsibility to leverage their population, resources and strategic positions for Africa’s development.

T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026

Price: N400

BACK PAGE LEAD PHOTOGRAPH

A TRANSATLANTIC STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE...

L-R: Former Minister of Foreign Aﬀairs, Mr. Henry Odein Ajumogobia, SAN; former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; President and CEO, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Hon. Kimberly Reed; Group Managing Director, Prime Atlantic, Mr. Ayo Otuyalo; Senior Counselor to the President for International Engagement and E.W. Richardson Fellow, Dr. James Jay Carafano; Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole and her counterpart in Ministry of Power, Mr. Joseph Tegbe, during the Nigeria’s Moment: A Transatlantic Strategic Partnership Dialogue, hosted by the American Business Council Nigeria in partnership with the Heritage Foundation, held in Ikoyi, Lagos, ... yesterday

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

Museveni’s Confession on Dangote’s Day

ast week Wednesday in Lamu county on the Kenyan coast, a Nigerian businessman stood before East African leaders to break ground on a $16 billion refinery complex that did not exist even as an idea six months ago. And he promised to be back in 40 months to commission an industrial complex that will process about 700,000 barrels of crude a day, generate 1,000 megawatts of power and produce a million tonnes of polypropylene a year, with some 60,000 people employed during construction. I was there to witness history and I took notes. But the most arresting line of the day did not come from Alhaji Aliko Dangote or the host President William Ruto of Kenya. It came from President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda. Evidently a popular figure in East Africa, Museveni was hailed by every speaker, including President Ruto, as their ‘father’ and quite naturally, he spoke at the occasion where he was also warmly received by the crowd. He started with all the Marxist jargon (bourgeoisie, comprador, proletariat etc.) that many of us used to entertain ourselves back in the days on campus at Ife. He then expressed delight at seeing Dangote helping to rewrite the story of Africa beyond “this 70-year betrayal of exporting raw materials and importing finished products.” To underscore his point, Museveni did the arithmetic with coffee. A kilogramme of Ugandan beans, once husked, earns about two dollars. Roasted and packaged in another country, according to Museveni, the same kilogramme sells for forty dollars. He made the same comparative deductions with cotton and gold. Done with the first of his four-point intervention, Museveni moved to the second. Uganda will still build its own ‘small’ refinery at Hoima and that, while he supports the Lamu project, he will not put Ugandan money in it until he has found out from President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania what became of an earlier plan for a refinery at Tanga. His third point was a renewed call for the political federation of East Africa, on the premise that while shares in a refinery sited in Kenya may bring Uganda profit, it will not answer the question of jobs for his people. The fourth and final point by Museveni, offered almost in passing, was a confession: Dangote, he disclosed, had come to Uganda before but made no investment. “I didn’t know that some people were disturbing him with bribes,” Museveni said. Before I deal with the substantive issue, what struck me most in Lamu was the gathering itself. The Presidents of Kenya, Uganda, Benin and Togo were in attendance. So was the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Dr Abiy Ahmed. The bereaved President of Tanzania (she recently lost her husband) sent a representative and so did the Presidents of Rwanda,

Alhaji Aliko Dangote South Sudan, Somalia and Burundi. Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo was also there with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri. I can think of regional summits that have not drawn that kind of attendance. And this was a private citizen, who holds no office and commands no army, getting leaders from West and East Africa to gather on a stretch of the Kenyan coast to watch him dig. That convening power is what private capital looks like when it has a track record. President Ruto was quite candid about this. The Lamu project, he said, is enabled by government but driven by the private sector, because no government can borrow or tax its way to every factory, port and power plant. Now, let me come back to Museveni. If the ‘African betrayal’ is 70 years old, questions must also be asked of the man lamenting it. Museveni took power in Kampala in January 1986 (40 years ago) and most Ugandans alive today have known no other president. That ‘betrayal’ is also part of his legacy in so many ways. Commercially viable crude oil deposits were confirmed in Uganda’s Albertine

Graben in 2006. By Museveni’s own account in Lamu, that oil has still not come out of the ground, and he told the audience why: “Because I refused to export petroleum without a refinery.” As a principle, that is admirable. If you cannot process, you should not export. But a principle is not a refinery. In February 2015, Uganda selected a consortium led by Russia’s RT Global Resources to build one, and the Russians walked away the following year. In April 2018, an agreement was signed with the Albertine Graben Refinery Consortium for a plant of 60,000 barrels per day. It lapsed in June 2023 without a final investment decision. In March last year, a fresh agreement was signed with Alpha MBM Investments of the United Arab Emirates. Nothing has come out of it. Twenty years of planning. Three sets of partners. Not one barrel! Meanwhile, the refinery Dangote conceived in April this year will have nearly twelve times the capacity of the one Uganda has spent two decades trying to build! Finally, let’s come to the fourth of Museveni’s points. The biggest industrial investor on the continent went to Uganda looking for where to put his money. Some people, presumably with the power to say yes or no, asked him for theirs first. He left. And the president did not tell us that he held anybody accountable. That, right there, is the betrayal. It was not committed by a coffee roaster in Europe or a commodity trader in Geneva. It was committed at home, under a leader who has had 40 years to find out what goes on in his own government. It says a lot that President Ruto felt the need to reassure Dangote that nobody in Kenya would be allowed to extort anything from him. No president should have to say that to an investor at a public ceremony. But everybody in the audience understood why he did. It would be unfair to make Museveni carry the failure of a whole continent. The natural resources have always been here. So is the market. The challenge is about what we do with them. From the Lagos Plan of Action in 1980 to Agenda 2063, African leaders have never been short on declarations on industrialisation. What they have been short of is

It says a lot that President William Ruto felt the need to publicly reassure Dangote that nobody in Kenya would be allowed to ask him for bribes. No president should have to say that to an investor at a public ceremony. But everybody in the audience understood why he did.

delivery. According to Afreximbank figures cited by Ruto, Africa produced about 6.8 million barrels of crude oil a day in 2024 and consumed about 4.5 million barrels a day of refined products, much of it bought back from abroad. Kenya alone spent KSh530 billion (about 4.1 billion dollars) importing petroleum products last year. However, before Nigerians laugh at Uganda, we should remember that the lamentation of Museveni is ours too. I once recalled Obasanjo’s admission that none of the 18 refinery licences he approved while in office was ever actualised just as many have written on the billions of dollars sunk into the endless turn-around maintenance of governmentowned refineries. Dangote told the audience that the Lamu project “started like a joke” in April, when President Ruto sent emissaries to him to discuss buying fertiliser. Ruto’s version is that he wrote Dangote a letter that same month, inviting him to an infrastructure summit convened in Kenya with the Africa Finance Corporation, and asked him to imagine a refining platform for East Africa. Either way, the idea is barely six months old. By 30 September, the land had been set aside, the first equipment was on site, heads of government had been assembled and a completion date had been fixed. None of this should surprise anyone who followed the Lekki story. When Dangote decided to build a refinery in Nigeria, he recalled in Lamu, many said it was impossible. The project was too big, the financing too difficult, the engineering too complex. “Some doubted us. Some dismissed us. Some even mocked the scale of our ambition.” The Lekki refinery took far longer and cost far more than its promoter first imagined, as Dangote has often admitted. But Lekki now stands, and it is on the strength of that record that he could say in Kenya: “Lekki proved that it can be done. Lamu must prove that it can be repeated.” Addressing African leaders directly, Dangote said his group has $50 billion to roll out under a plan that ends in 2030, across infrastructure, minerals, ports, power and petrochemicals. “All you have to do is tell us what you want and our team is ready to work with you.” African businessmen used to visit presidential villas to ask for things. In Lamu, a Nigerian businessman stood before presidents and asked what they needed. There is one more thing we should give to Dangote. What he builds is never just a plant. The Lekki complex sits on 2,635 hectares, about seven times the size of Victoria Island. Lamu is Kenya’s least populous county with about 175,705 people (the Continued on page 39

Printed and Published in Lagos by THISDAY Newspapers Limited. Lagos: 35 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos. Abuja: Plot 1, Sector Centre B, Jabi Business District, Solomon Lar Way, Jabi North East, Abuja . All Correspondence to POBox 54749, Ikoyi, Lagos. EMAIL: editor@thisdaylive.com, info@thisdaylive.com. TELEPHONE Lagos: 0802 2924721-2, 08022924485. Abuja: Tel: 08155555292, 08155555929 24/7 ADVERTISING HOT LINES: 0811 181 3085, 0811 181 3086, 0811 181 3087, 0811 181 3088, 0811 181 3089, 0811 181 3090. ENQUIRIES & BOOKING: adsbooking@thisdaylive.com (ISSN 1117-871X)