SATURDAY 17TH OCTOBER 2026

2027: N32 Trillion FAAC Windfall in 41 Months Puts Governors Under Spotlight CSOs demand evidence of improved healthcare, education, jobs, infrastructure Seek greater transparency

Nume Ekeghe and Sunday Ehigiator

As the 2027 general election approaches, the performance of state governors is coming under

renewed scrutiny, with states and local governments receiving a combined N31.77 trillion from

the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) between June 2023 and October 2026, according

to data compiled by THISDAY. This is as Governors have been challenged to account for increased

FAAC revenues by demonstrating Continued on page 5

With New Credit Rating Agency, Africa Pushes for Fairer Risk Assessment, Lower Borrowing Costs...

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Saturday October 17, 2026 Vol 31. No 11514

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Kwankwasiyya, NNPP Petition INEC Over Kano, Oyo Guber Candidates’ Exclusion Protest hits Kano as aggrieved supporters challenge omissions Tinubu reappoints Bila, nominates five new INEC commissioners

Alex Enumah, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano,

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

is facing mounting pressure over the exclusion of some candidates from its final list

for the 2027 elections, with the Kwankwasiyya Movement and the New Nigeria People’s

Party (NNPP) petitioning the commission over omissions in Kano and Oyo states,

respectively, while a Peoples Continued on page 5

Atiku Fit, Ready to Traverse 36 States, FCT, ADC-PCC Declares Says Tinubu’s refusal to campaign nationwide is arrogant, insult to Nigerians Story on page 5 Accuses Kwankwaso of doing president’s bidding, describes call for former VPto step down as reckless

GOVERNOR BIODUN OYEBANJI’S SECOND-TERM INAUGURATION...

L-R: Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele; Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau; Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma; President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, and Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, during the second term inauguration ceremony of Gov. Oyebanji in Ado Ekiti… yesterday

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With New Credit Rating Agency, Africa Pushes for Fairer Risk Assessment, Lower Borrowing Costs

Continent pays more to borrow, says WAIFEM DG Experts demand transparent ratings, stronger data, joint ownership of debt analysis

Nume Ekeghe in Bangkok, Thailand

African policymakers and financial experts have called for a fairer assessment of the continent’s economies, stronger debt management capacity and greater transparency in credit rating methodologies, warning that persistent risk premiums

continue to raise borrowing costs and constrain development financing. The call comes as Africa seeks to strengthen its voice in global credit assessments following the launch of the Africa Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA) in Mauritius this month, against the backdrop of mounting debt pressures, a projected global shortfall of

800 million jobs and growing demands for infrastructure and social investment. Also yesterday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that rising debtservice burdens were squeezing development spending, while the World Bank Group highlighted the challenge of creating jobs for a rapidly growing global

workforce, with a projected shortfall of 800 million jobs over the next 10 to 15 years. Speaking at the 2026 IMF/ World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva warned that high and rising interest burdens, particularly in low-income countries, were leaving governments with less

room to finance development. On his part, World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, stressed the need to mobilise private capital, expand infrastructure and create jobs, disclosing that the institution mobilised $112 billion in private capital last year. The new continental credit rating agency is expected to

complement existing international credit rating agencies by incorporating more African data, expertise and perspectives into assessments of the continent’s economies. However, stakeholders say its success will depend on its independence, credible methodologies, reliable economic data and acceptance by investors.

stewardship and present his plans for the country. He said Tinubu’s reported reluctance to campaign nationwide would give the opposition an advantage. “What President Tinubu has done is a clear act of contempt against the Nigerian people. The APC is known for its contempt

for Nigerians. How can a man who wants to be re-elected as president, after failing woefully, say he does not want to visit the people he seeks to govern?” he said. The ADC-PCC spokesman

ATIKU FIT, READY TO TRAVERSE 36 STATES, FCT, ADC-PCC DECLARES Chuks Okocha

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has declared that its presidential candidate, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, is fit and ready to campaign across Nigeria’s 36 states and the

Federal Capital Territory ahead of the 2027 general election. The council also criticised President Bola Tinubu over his decision not to campaign in all states, describing it as an act of arrogance and an insult to Nigerians, while accusing former Kano State Governor Rabiu

Musa Kwankwaso of advancing the president’s political interests by calling on Atiku to step down for Peter Obi. The Director of Media and Publicity of the ADC-PCC, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement, was quoted to have made the remarks while receiving a

delegation of youths under the aegis of Young Voters for Atiku (YVA) and in a separate response to Kwankwaso’s interview on Channels Television. Ologbondiyan argued that a president seeking re-election should be willing to engage voters directly, account for his

KWANKWASIYYA, NNPP PETITION INEC OVER KANO, OYO GUBER CANDIDATES’ EXCLUSION

Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant in Ogun State has threatened legal action. The development comes as President Bola Tinubu yesterday nominated five new officials to the electoral body and reappointed its National Commissioner representing the North-east, Dr Bala Bila, amid preparations for the forthcoming general election. The president nominated four national commissioners and two resident electoral commissioners, with the Senate expected to scrutinise the nominees. In Kano, hundreds of supporters of the Kwankwasiyya Movement stormed the state office of INEC to protest the

omission of their governorship candidate from the final list. The protesters, led by the deputy governorship candidate, Mustapha Kwankwaso, on behalf of Aminu Gwarzo, submitted a formal petition demanding the reinstatement of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate. Responding, the Kano State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abdu Zango, said the commission had received the complaint and would give it due attention. “Basically, what they came to do is to present a complaint about the omission of their candidates. INEC has made the point very clear, the reason for

the omission and the fact that there is a window of appeal that has been provided up to the 24th of October,” Zango said. He added that the petition would be forwarded to the commission’s national headquarters for consideration, commending the protesters for presenting their grievances peacefully. Zango said INEC in Kano remained neutral and urged residents to continue collecting their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), noting that collection would soon be extended to Registration Areas to improve accessibility. The spokesperson for the Kwankwasiyya Movement,

Dr Habib Mohammed, said the protest was not only to demand the reinstatement of the candidates but also to petition against an INEC staff member allegedly involved in the substitution of some candidates. “We are also petitioning against a staff here, whom we believe colluded with some unauthorised people to hide a decision which led to substitution of some of our candidates,” Mohammed said. He alleged that letters bearing suspected forged signatures had been submitted to INEC, resulting in the substitution of the candidates. He called for an investigation into the

staff member’s alleged role, adding that the Resident Electoral Commissioner had assured the delegation that the petition would be escalated to the national headquarters.

Oyo NNPP Candidate Petitions INEC Chairman In Oyo State, the governorship candidate of the NNPP, Adebiyi Adedapo, petitioned the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, over the omission of his name from the final list of governorship candidates for the 2027 election. In an open letter dated October 15, Adedapo urged the commission to investigate the

2027: N32 TRILLION FAAC WINDFALL IN 41 MONTHS PUTS GOVERNORS UNDER SPOTLIGHT

measurable improvements in healthcare, education, infrastructure, employment and poverty reduction, amid concerns that rising public revenues have yet to translate into better living conditions for many Nigerians The massive inflows have raised questions about how effectively the funds have translated into better infrastructure, improved public services and tangible improvements in the lives of Nigerians, particularly at the grassroots, where local governments are expected to play a critical role in development. Despite the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment of July 11, 2024, affirming financial autonomy for local governments, many state governors have continued to wield considerable influence over funds allocated to local government areas (LGs), raising concerns about whether the ruling has delivered the intended independence. Under the existing revenuesharing formula, the federal government receives 52.68 per cent of distributable revenue, state governments get 26.72 per cent, while LGs receive 20.60 per cent. However, the administration of LG allocations remain a contentious issue, with questions persisting over the extent to which councils exercise effective control over their

funds. FAAC allocations to states and local governments have risen substantially since the removal of the petrol subsidy, which increased the revenue available for distribution among the three tiers of government. THISDAY’s analysis showed that states and local governments received a combined N3.861 trillion between June and December 2023. While the 36 states received a total of N2.223 trillion in the sevenmonth period, LGs got N1.637 trillion. Also, in 2024, both tiers

of government got N7.870 trillion, with States receiving N4.594 trillion and the LGs N3.276 trillion. Furthermore, in 2025 both tiers of government got N10.419 trillion, in which N5.988 trillion went to the states and N4.430 trillion to the LGs. Also, in the first nine months of 2026, they received N9.618 trillion, with the States receiving a total of N5.56 trillion and the LGs N4.056 trillion. This brings the total for both tiers of government since President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidy to N31.77 trillion.

The September 2026 revenue which was shared by FAAC this week, further underscored the scale of the revenue windfall. A total of N2.428 trillion from the Federation Account was distributed among the three tiers of government in October 2026, representing an increase of N90 billion from the N2.338 trillion shared in September. Of the amount, the federal government received N832.242 billion, the 36 state governments received N799.87 billion, while local governments received N560.66 billion.

Leading the call for accountability on the increased allocations actions, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) urged citizens, civil society organisations (CSOs) and the media to intensify scrutiny of state finances and government performance. CISLAC, through its Executive Director, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), expressed concern over what it described as a

Continued on page 14

omission and take corrective action in accordance with the law. He said he emerged as the party’s duly nominated candidate following a consensus primary conducted under the supervision of its National Secretary, Oginni Sunday, in accordance with the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines. According to him, the NNPP submitted his candidature to INEC, while his EC9 form was displayed at the commission’s Oyo State office, giving him reason to expect that his name would appear on the final list. Continued on page 8

widening gap between increased FAAC revenues accruing to state governments and persistent poverty, unemployment, infrastructure decay and economic hardship. “Governors cannot continue celebrating record allocations while citizens struggle with failing hospitals, deteriorating schools, unemployment, poor roads and inadequate basic services,” the organisation stated. “The question is no longer how much states receive, but what governments have delivered with the money.” CISLAC argued that governors should be assessed on measurable improvements in citizens’ welfare rather than political publicity, budget announcements or ceremonial project commissioning. It identified key indicators for evaluating state performance to include the functionality of primary healthcare centres, availability of medicines and medical personnel, school enrolment and learning outcomes, completed and usable roads, access to clean water, sustainable job creation and poverty reduction. According to CISLAC, “Development is not measured by the size of government allocations, but by the quality of life of the people.”

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NEWS

News Editor: Charles Ajunwa 09157401421 (sms only) Email charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

UNVEILING REMODELLED PREMIER HOTEL IBADAN... L-R: Secretary to the Ekiti State Government (SSG), Prof. Abibat Adubiaro; SSG to Oyo State Government, Prof. Musibau Babatunde; Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa; Secretary to the Government of the COURTESY VISIT... Federation, Senator George Akume; AFRICA'S Group Director,TO Odu’a DIGITAL Investment Company Limited/Chairman Planning Committee, Mr. Seni Adio, SAN; Chairman, Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Bimbo Ashiru and SSG to the ACCELERATING FUTURE... STrATeGIC ALLIANCe SANITISe FXInvestors MArKeT… L-R: Director-General of theMrs. Budget Office Salu-Hundeyin, of the Federation, Tanimu CEO, Impact Foundation, Etemore Glover; Chair ofin GSG Nigeria Partner and Vice Chair of GSG Impact, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika; Minister of Lagos State Government, Abimbola theYakubu; inauguration of newly remodelled and redeveloped Premier Hotel Ibadan, State…recently PHOTO: ABIODUN AJALA L-R: Founder, CWG, Austin Okere; APC Deputy Governorshipduring Candidate, Damilola Sonayon-James; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, CWG,Oyo Adewale Adeyipo; Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat; and Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu; CEO ofEconomy GSG Impact, Elizabeth Boggs and Development Manager at GSG Impact, Ms. Atieno Otonglo, at the courtesy the Federal Ministry RAPID DIAGNOSTIC TEST PRODUCTION FACILITY INAUGURATION... L-R: Minister of National Finance andSenator Coordinating Minister of the ofMs. Nigeria, Wale Edun; Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola andvisit theto Governor, Central Director-General, Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Obiageli Amadiobi, at the CWGDavidsen, TeXcellence 5.0Market Conference with theme, "Accelerating Africa's Digital Future." held in Olukoyede Lagos....recently PHOTO: ABIODUN AJALA

Bloomberg: Nigeria Draws First Tranche Ekiti: Oyebanji Unveils New Development Edo APC, State Govt Trade Words Idris: Nigeria on Path of Economic President Tinubu Welcomes New of $5 Billion Swap With UAE Bank Agenda as Tinubu, Akpabio Grace Inauguration over N9bn Fresh Loan Approval Renewal, Global Respect Qatar Investment Initiatives from of Budget andand Economic Planning Abuja… recently Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, in aBabatunde StrategicAjayi; Alliance to Stimulate the forex market Abuja…yesterday L-R: Akarigbo Paramount RulerinOf Remoland, representative of Minister of Trade andin Investment, Dr. Rabiu Olowo; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Group Managing Director, Codic Pharm Ltd, Sammy

Ogunjimi; Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate Muhammad, and Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during the inauguration of Codix Bio Limited held along the Sagamu-Benin expressway, Ogun State…yesterday

tranche of a $5 billion derivatives press time. drawn attention from market closing at N1,380.9/$ at the inflows, despite mounting Nume Ekeghe with agency He acknowledged the participants Imploring because the governor not official Tinubu's market greetings yesterday, as well as pressure distortions whose neglectchasing would improved publicArab services and Deji Elumoye in Abuja and deal with United Emirates' The $5 billion that facility, of the from investors reports governor earned his second to disappoint in his second best wishes to the governor and have inflicted greater injury on inclusive governance. Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado-Ekiti largest lender, pressing ahead approved by the National limited public disclosure compared with N1,380.1/$ dollar-denominated assets, “In his infertile rambling, Tenebe stupendous as N9 billion for the state Governor, Mr. Godwin has been swindled by Obaseki-led captured. Adibe emenyonu in Benin City term through his capacity to term, he said, "Your Excellency, people of Ekiti State, saying the our country. Nigerians have President made wild and completely off-theObaseki across all sectors of the fathom projects which only "Information at the behest of the withRepresenting a transaction that has been Assembly earlier this year, is surrounding its terms. The the previous day, while holding falling international oil prices Nigeria has accessed the first administration with an unassailmark suggesting that state over the paston seven years.” isand inceremonies theMonetary imagination of online of1,700 the Edo State House of listen without succumbing, his existed asThethe end and President celebrates Oyebanji's endured the cent discomfort ofprojects difficult Tinubu, Vice Shettima Nigeria's political elite converged humongous debt profile of members scrutinized forPresident being opaque. part of the federal government's International Fund firm atthat N1,390/$ the parallel acomments pullback in the domestic tranche of a proposed $5 able, span over kilometres - aimed minister reiterated that the the federal government about 85 per complete bold reform agenda, which included Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja and Edo State is owing $35 Ahoada billion. “Tenebemandate hasmore been ontriumph a frenzy the governor, it was discovered Assembly istoto the effect that they Edo State chapter of the All ProN135 billion and $35.6 billion, courage take decisions, and the responsibilities of office renewed as "a of correction. Their patience deserves congratulated Oyebanji and his on Ado-Ekiti yesterday as President at unlocking economic activity and ongoing reforms by the Tinubu is concentrating projects in the handled by Rock Result along planrecalled to diversify (IMF) and was Fitch recently market for thelies thirdtoconsecutive equities market. billion derivatives the“The removalWest of fuelAfrican subsidies nation and the were Blessing Ibunge in Portfinancing Harcourt Even ifofthat was what was written looking for tell since that the facility notremember N9 South from their external holiday gressives Congress (APC), yesterday, the governor is Monisade unyielding and Nigeria. Thesources Ambassador knows stability tothe thewere world. Ieven seeabout your Nigeria's tax system, making Nigeria's readiness to build in on the- bridging end of the tunnel."You find Deji in Abuja his display of "composure, respect reclaim hours, democratic accountability and theit section anThe economy that rewards regional divides. administration not just than northern areas ofas theActing nation. East West is can't atknown 60work, per deputy, Mrs. Afuye, BolaElumoye Ahmed Tinubu, represented unification of foreign exchange rates drew about $1.5 billion the financing and reduce cautioned that while derivativeweek. naira hasRoad come under arrangement with the United for him, he should have he assumed office billion but a figure wrapped in or leave by the Speaker on the urged Governor Godwin Obaseki to unstoppable in his characteristic that I take Qatar very seriously. efforts in human development, easier for foreign investors to do momentum generated by his state a better partner than Nigeria. “The aim is not just connectivity, economic arithmetic, but about Responding to questions from cent completion, adding that RCC, two of the most significant policy shifts for institutions, and a refusal to the distinction the people have labour by which trust is earned." expands opportunity and makes Minister of Information and National on their re-election, describing by Vice President Kashim Shettima, that the figure is wrong and can't Chairman. Rather than focus secrecy as much as N17.5 billion request of the state governor for last couple of weeks from a borrowing costs. Structured as based financing can improve Analysts attributed pressure in recent sessions as Arab Emirates' largest lender, stop securing loans, noting that the design to leave State in ruin, but economic opportunity,” he said. creating aand new foundation inclusive who his inspection have shown commitment in We are willing to gofor further peace prosperity. business in observed the visit torenewed Qatar inEdo 2024, pledging to the Ipublic always follow global issues President Bola Tinubu yesterday in Nigeria’s recent economic Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said by mistake public office personal conferred upon you.forLike He resilience stated thatcountry. theto support that Setraco resources answer more be true. their mandate ashistory. a clear on reawakening his completely which the opposition in you, the journalists immediate approval ofFirst thein to Senate President Godswill Akpabio N9 billion loan recently approved asking for a facility of N17.5 total return swap transaction a Total Return Swap with liquidity, such arrangements the strong investors reposition ahead of the according to a Bloomberg “Nigeria is really retracing its steps. growth, and the Zarama section of theefforts Westto their our bilateral relations." we"They areaccountability, sandwiched between the of all difficult bilateral agreements "We are making and your efforts. have to welcomed new initiatives by implement “These were decisions that s said theand country was on Assembly the path towards "Injobs. reality,to our debtYou stock is not comatose party, which isEast unable rejected and orsustainable refused facility which according to house grandeur"—qualities hethe described have examined your the Tinubu administration and dollar-denominated faithfully public needs," he by the House of was endorsement ofThey the administration' few days ago, which was other prominent leaders with First Abu Dhabi Dhabi proceeds are should be transparently macroeconomic fundamentals, fundraising report, marking first billion ItAbu isThe becoming anBank, important nation once development. rehabilitation Bayelsa State, Addressing the journalists, Umahi President said Qatari challenge ofof terrorism and helping Road between the two countries. reform our tax in system. Going do more inin Nigeria toare help fight had to be made. causedBank some them Qatari investors tothe explore economic recovery, restating federal a secret and fact, we ‘under to provide constructive criticisms to be part the approval. is said to be N9 billion needless and will plunge the state said to be N9 billion." as uncommon virtues. first term and entrusted youfiscal with Umahi theexperiences governing All Progressives added. first-term performance. witnesseddrawdown the inauguration again the comity of nations. In another development, who expressed satisfaction withstill the said, "We havein just inspected thewould work PJSC, according to people earmarked for refinancing debt managed toreaction, minimise healthy external by Dangote Refinery and but anisaircraft taking reported underof turbulence, government’s to restoring government had demonstrated our neighbours. We areUmahi conscious He directed the Minister of but by ofreserves the past and poverty the humanitarian opportunities in the agricultural borrowed’. Emperor Tenebe expected of a viable opposition, But in its the Edo asamong event unfolded, after into financialcommitment distress. Tenebe, saidlike "It important The Vice President, however, told their next four years. Honour that Congress (APC) have been enjoying The Vice President thanked the The respect that Nigeria used to have disclosed this yesterday while inspecting ongoing projects across Rivers, Delta ofPetrochemicals, Rock Result where we have multiple He said the overwhelming Biodun Oyebanji for off, we are now reaching stability. The investors’ confidence and deepening maturity and foresight in working of who is our friend and those Budget and Economic Planning, the need to depart from old area. You have done well have known this if he understood he has resorted to spreading State Government stated that sector and assured that Nigeria the mammoth request by the familiar with the transaction, and supporting infrastructure and debt risks. on a steadily upward trajectory prompting ain aGovernor facility that has attracted But in a swift reaction, the to state, that it is now in public is now gradually returning. Investors the ongoing construction of federal and Bayelsa. concrete culverts over the East West World Bank has noted our return to Oyebanji that the next four years judgement by opening more doors across Nigeria is "rooted in an people of Ekiti State for renewing democratic values. support enjoyed by the governor a second term, in a ceremony the economics of governance, fiscal misinformation in a desperate the Edo APC was “obviously opposition in the House as to for global peace and deserves helping us to the ameliorate the at Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; ways, our reforms have been rotation developing a knowledge-based remains to structure strategic Edo State open Government said it and political space that the have who asked not to be identified financing. Meanwhile, naira has $51.2 billion and sustained of capital from naira scrutiny over its morethe confidence country,” roads in by Rivers, Bayelsa Delta He said that the tough Bodo-Bonny Roadof Road failuregovernment's between Rivers and growth levels not seen in over aof the This was as his to counterpart, Minister responsibility and debt-to-GDP ratio. curry cheap popularity. the achievements of attempt rationale for ain our facility require generosity ofhowever, spirit as that pained for the young, raising and the quality understanding of theinvestment necessity the APC mandate, commendation. problems." Minister ofthe Information and hard. Itomade decisions economy in Qatar, but what reflected confidence partnerships. that underscored Ekiti'sofgrowing was perplexed learn what fiscal budget of Edo State was because they aren't authorised This transaction has, remained relatively resilient, foreign portfolio assets into dollars. and transparency. he said. states, dismissed the claims trending construction handled by Julius Berger Bayelsa. decade,” Idris told Forbes Africa. Works, David Umahi, has disclosed itoftermed “laughable and incredibly passed few weeks ago before the According to him, "I am proud President Tinubu also noted National Orientation, Mohammed so that we could grow. We are about Nigeria?", the President The President gave the earned him victory at the polls of public service and keeping faith the reforms undertaken to secure noting that the governing party the people and came with national political relevance. toHe speak to the reported that noted that this media." year’s observance thatBloomberg the federal government is investing ridiculous tantrums attributed to Edo State House of of Assembly of your efforts to bring peace and ongoing reforms to streamline gradually seeing the light at the explained. Idris; andresponsibility Minister assurance atgovernors, the State House, owes its voters the discipline of greater toForeign deepen Withofacting federal of the Democracy Day not just trillions naira in the construction Efforts byleave THISDAY to as well as a greater willingness with those whose voices are seldom Nigeria's economic survival. Nigeria drew about $1.5 billion the new chairman of the proceeded on without the Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Abuja while receiving a special to place Ekiti above the quarrels heard at occasions such as this." "President Tinubu confronted never forgetting who put them democratic governance and sustain lawmakers, former governors, warranted celebration, buttogether sober and ofof roads the commencement Edo State chapter APC, Jarret of the execution independently the overrehabilitation the past two weeks through Maitama Tuggar, toconfirm work envoy from the Amir of across the State reflection on the journey of democratic of the moment. Shettima conveyed President fiscal burdens and structural in power. country. development. traditional rulers and other Tenebe where he made baseless of the budget by the executive. reported drawdown from a Idris Total Return Swapon(TRS) to ensure the timely execution of Qatar, Dr. allegations Mohammed bin and economic renewal. reaffirmed this yesterday in Itconsolidation and spurious the is most disheartening that the Rescue workers from around the trapped under rubble before the buildings. Heavy machinery reported severe shortages of Shettima urged Oyebanji to dignitaries in attendance, Oyebanji of these agreements. Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of transaction with Abu Dhabi Idris explained that funds recovered an interview withFirst Forbes Africa toan Edo fiscal management ofto our dear State Government now is world yesterday intensified efforts critical 72-hour "golden window" arrived in some of the hardest-hit essential supplies, years consolidate on his achievements used the occasion unveil was told that he would not board the would clear the air on what really every passenger hassaying a right, yourof Chinedu Eze He said, "To all the members of Qatar's Minister of State for Finance were unsuccessful. Bankby PJSC, people familiar requesting from the fuelfor subsidy removal were mark the Democracy Day celebration state the citing Governor Godwin a facility of N17.5 to locate survivors trapped beneath for finding survivors begins to close, areas nearly two days after the underfunding had left the country' by promoting inclusive leadership, flight because boarding had closed. happened, since the Senator and the right is limited to what is within thes ambitious second-term agenda the delegation, Idirectly want tointo asent big Foreign Affairs, Dr. Al-Khulaifi, being reinvested critical Obaseki-led government.” and unbroken 26 years ofrequested democratic billion with corollary ofsay project Calls andno text messages with the deal who lid Operators Minerals formalisation of artisanal miners also want tobegin be available part of the move d'Affairs, US Embassy, InBBC another development, the airline have made their own ICAO (International Civil Aviation Airline ofDevelopment, Nigeria (AON) Charge collapsed buildings in Venezuela the reported. disaster to clearing massive healthcare system ill-prepared for a thank you for coming to Nigeria. fairness, reconciliation and respect conveyed Amir's strong interest in centred on accelerated infrastructure Addressing a press conference attached there to the said facility infrastructure projects including two rule in Nigeria. to the Minister ofGod Financewhat and Dr. anonymity because they were Dele hasthe described into cooperatives amongst others. to reduce global emissions and put Organisation) Greene, in his include office on Minister of Aviation and Aerospace videos that covered the incident. regulation and the that byAlake, disrupting operations David We are grateful expanding bilateral yesterday, Tenebe had cooperation, said the state and also that theto facilityfor is not after two powerful earthquakes The worst-hit areas the piles of debris. disaster of such magnitude. expansive highway corridors that will said He defended President Bolaexpansion, Tinubu’s for democratic institutions. development, economic United States Nigeria’s "Theindustry. miningThere sector mining sector on the global aviation Coordinating of the Alake lauded the United notalready authorised to speak publicly. Development, Festus has our Okonkwo stated the operators’ is noprovides amount of Air when itasdenied him Thursday, was suffering a debt contained as loanMinister to be in the we have experienced astaken partners announcing that aunder high-level killed Peace more than 900 and States’ capital,commitment Caracas, theKeyamo, coastal state Among those awaiting Thedisappointment, tragedy has also reignited ally andpeople strategic veritable avenue for map. We on have critical minerals to fostering ordered that a probe should be viewpoint the anxiously incident and said ofa any if atincreased all, from boarding for the Lagos-Abuja flight, Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, According to Bloomberg, profile of N135 billion and $35.6 2024 fiscal budget recently in progress. I am also just glad that the longstanding Qatari business delegation will the left thousands injured in State one ofand the cooperation ofinfrastructure La Guaira neighbouring rescue isCentre Natacha Diaz, criticism of Nigeria Venezuela's fragile forinthe mining trade between andinvolved the United that are in commercial demand with Nigeria in diverse conducted on theand incident. passengers have their2, rights but any airline that gives you any rightin among the sectors that World Bank Group’s financing Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi former governor ofAbuja Edo Deji Elumoye innation’s billion. AQatar cursory perusal are under scrutiny and processing," Penta Mefforts &Amp; Tambuwal one of them was also Kuni Tyessi Abuja wereofnot responded toofasthe of partner "Nigeria has accessed first passed. Amir greatly remembers visit Nigeria in the the coming sector development. States, especially in the area of value globally,"Alake said. sectors of the economy, stating that country' s deadliest natural disasters communities, where hundreds of whose two daughters are believed emergency response system, with Spokesman of AON and the airline operations are guided by for self-help. We have been talking currently Senator representing Edo He said, "While it is a monumenbudgetdiscussed does not reveal where expected to benefit from increased mobilisation initiative is a support Cardoso, at the Nigeria Investors Oloyede said. LGA, Sokoto, Sokoto State. impersonation. the issues during my weeks to explore opportunities entire Speaking while receiving itChairman addition, which implies processing The minister partner- about underscores significance of the ofthe Unitedshowed Nigeria regulations and itawelcomed isshopping the responsibility unruly behaviour. So,towhat North District, Adams Oshiohole, tal disaster that Edo State patrimony the project for the facility is ever in more than a century. buildings were reduced to piles of trapped inside complex residents urging authorities allow “The 2025 UTME the Oloyede added that 80 suspects The registrar also said that due to private capital. for the government’s efforts to Forum, held on the sidelines of The Joint Admissions and President Bola Tinubu yesterday in agriculture, food security, and visit last year. and of setting up ship with the US on investments in of extracted smooth bilateral relations in between Airlines, Obiora Okonkwo, a pressof of airlines and passengers toby abide saw wasminerals avolunteers typical case unruly violated aviation regulation. According to Bank Venezuelan concrete and twisted steel. where they worked. Holding their more civilian to participate prevalence ofinsome particular types were being interrogated the you substandard performance, four centres Board (JAMB) has both Tinubu, a post on his verified attract investment and expand the 2026 IMF–World Bank Annual "Let me commend the brotherly Matriculation welcomed World Group’s other critical sectors. factories here. We would also require the mining value chain, expanding countries. in Lagos yesterday called by those regulations. behaviour. It is not acceptable. Air Senator Oshiomhole who had conference infractions, suggests systemic police fortechnology their involvement in the had been delisted and blacklisted for officially announced the of on authorities, at Abuja least 920release people ofwhich grief unfolded acrossI access photograph, the distraught mother in rescue operations as thousands financing from institutions to extracting thank you for your visit. President Tinubu emphasised relations between Qatar and 6:30a.m. X“IScenes handle, @officialABAT, extended economic opportunities. Meetings inmultilateral Bangkok. proposed plan to mobilise about the Federal Airports Authority “AON had had theinfull brief of Peace is a respected airline. No matter Lagosflight on Air Hope” and improving the lives of the 2025 Unified Fidelis David in Akure vulnerabilities or gaps in registration examination malpractices and most technical deficiencies. He listed the Tertiary Matriculation for our local operators. We are providand processing minerals and met the US Assistant Secretary of have been confirmed dead, while affected communities as desperate said they were "all I have." remain displaced. Nigeria (FAAN) bring out the on this the incident. And as whatThe youPresident think about it, they carry to to Nigerian and Air Peace “I welcome World Bank charged investors Peace last Wednesday wasfinancing denied ofinvitation $5.79 billion in private the people Ondo State. Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan among theof youthful population. boarding “Wethan are3,300 establishing, this State ing incentives for investments like mining areas. forvideo Energy Resources, Geoffrey and examination administration or/ asecuring ofmatter them would beas prosecuted. centres Adventure Associate, Behind Examination (UTME) results. CCTV of investors the incident, saying of fact, much asup weto 40 to 50as: percent ofproposed all the domestic when he arrived atsustained 6:05a.m., more others families waited near collapsed Another resident, Andreina Meanwhile, international international to explore Group’s work to mobilise to examine the projects for Nigeria. “Today, we take yet another bold The Governor of Ondo State, tax waivers for mining equipment, Throwing light on reforms Pyatt, on the sidelines of the Mines He said the government is year, 37,000 Citizens’ Brigade and monitoring. “The Board has identified the Sheshe Supermarket, Kano, Saadatu has commenced investigation Following poor performance Kasim Sumaina in Abuja in the numerous challenges Olawale Ajimotokan that it is the video from FAAN that appreciate and understand that passengers in Nigeria. 25 minutes to departure time and injuries the twin earthquakes, structures, hoping forinthem news of embarked Valerio, appealed forthehelp to rescue assistance hasrepatriation begun pouring into step in our ongoing commitment to inof Lucky Aiyedatiwa, hasNational said his worried the projects, assuring that $5.79 billion inby private financing and College engage with their He after hasSchool. also steps of full ofZaria. profits upon federal govThe Director General, Money London that about 72 per cent Primary 1,000 eachto and “The newconference trends observed were presence of extraneous fingers in policy Rimi ofdirectly Education, candidates in thetaken 2025in UTME, to establish thethe circumstances confronting country, Abuja improving the youthful welfare ofpopulation our people, state, administration will continue to of measuring magnitudes 7.2 and past missing loved Many her one-and-a-half-year-old son, the country. Rescue teamsNigeria, from to home countries amongst others," ernment, the minister highlighted year, andones. weand had asurvivors fruitful his administration would work to for Nigeria. This partnership sponsors through Projects Orientation Agency (NOA), attract domestic and foreign the nation’s including FCT, Abuja. These in the Registration Examination the registration details of some of On how to check the UTME results, telecommunications and digital surrounding theto incident. The Nigerian Investigation social inclusion and fulfilling prioritise socialSafety inclusion and ensuring urging them intensify emphasised. Community Development I didwere analyse our 7.5, struck barely aGlobacom, minute have also forced toallin sleep Santiago, who remains trapped Switzerland and Mexicothe have Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has resolve obstacles and facilitate the revised supports ourThis efforts help Alake the Federal Government’s platform investors to Nigeria, unveiling have become foreigners through Brigade are going toapart be engagement. processes andbeen they mainly the these candidates. raises to concerns Oloyede said: "To check 2025 solutions company, said It added that further the promise of Renewed Hope for Citizens’ Bureau (NSIB) yesterday economic empowerment of vulnerable In his remarks, the US Ambas(CDA) guidelines issues, andcategories: fundamentally, we just Agreement prayers for President Bola The federal government announced plans to launch the influence of cartoonsupdates on Wednesday night. The second outdoors after their homes were alongside other family members joined local emergency responders, and like Boys’ Scout and Girls’ Guild following Identity Fraud, regarding potential strategies for UTME results, candidates should send its Examination Preparatory Service execution of viable investments. businesses expand and attract for showcasing investment a pipeline of 65 bankable projects Tinubu for the support given to the all,” he declared. Kuni Tyessi in Abuja citizens through strategic partnerships sador commended the renewed geared towards reducing friction in want to diversify our economy would be provided as the commenced anitsinvestigation into movies Tinubu andand his administration. has asserted unwavering awith 37,000 Citizens’ Brigade in which are foreign in of theEnumah olden days. and Biometric Fraud of Combined impersonation. by text message “UTMERESULT” as was specifically designed to help from quake is believed to be the strongest destroyed or declared unsafe. beneath the rubble. while the United States military is wrote, "We undertook our investment into agriculture and opportunities. AHe statement posted on the anti-graft's prosecution to proceed with the trial described the May 27, 2025 bail application seeking $78.5 billion in investment. Alex in Abuja According to Aiyedatiwa, a total the federal government. interest of Nigeria in solid minerals, commission the Humanitarian host communities; on-going plans oil. Not just for our own investigation progresses. an incident involving afreedom Challenger primary schools across countryto . contents, He255 also expressed optimism resolve togovernment securing values and across cultures. “Across the in world, Nigerians Thumbprint ofreforms Candidate,” he lDoctors of 3,656 candidates fall withinzone this one word to 55019 or 66019will using the excel Computer-Based social media handle X, noted that thesaid. duo prayed for accelerated hearing of the“Our defendants as incompetent, given of 16, beneficiaries all 18 students to hit the South American nation In La Guaira, residents described in the disaster participating in humanitarian rescue that the sector has huge Also, Aiyedatiwa hasthe forwarded for new security architecture to ofstressing economic survival but also toa and economic to build digital infrastructure,” Tinubu said. administration work According to Tinubu, the Affairs Ministry. The federal yesterday According toAreas athat report on 604 aircraft, registration number He made theHouse disclosure whilea Local Other he said, were category. Consequently, the results of that same they had used Issa-Onilu said as a in way outthe are known beFinancial thewas smartest examinations. were arraigned onglobal a six-count case. thephone defendants were neither underto that ongoing security The Economic Crimes for Nigerians held captive potentials rival the contribution the state secure resources; efforts in tuneinfractions, with for the the Ondo State of Assembly HeGovernment revealed Nigeria said there arejournalists ongoing discussion since 1900. toand widespread devastation ascharge, rescue warned thatbillion hospitals were operations despite longstanding stronger foundation fortrends investment Thenatural $78.5 project pipeline with youtonumber to resolve obstacles investment move aimed be speaking with in Ibadan incident, Abuja Tower established T7-SEI, operated by Triton. bordering on toWe the defence J.J. arrest, inthe detention, nor have appeared impersonators at laundering the point of to theResponding, candidatesthe have beencounsel, withheld.” register during the registration process. of the malaise, NOA would soon on earth. is abriefing positive Commission (EFCC), yesterday, arraigned Speaking at workers aThis press in reduction of oilnorto nation's economy. generate big geo-data; the inmoney global warming. will receive N75, 000 each, disbursed list of 12 nominees for the position of operations and coordinated byhow bandits. has concluded plans to host people on 15,000 Nigerians stranded Emergency are racing teams, police officers and military struggling to cope with the influx tensions between Washington and give more Nigerians the was presented by the Minister of and move viable investments at strengthening the foundation during working visit to Oyo of $12 with million. SAN, on on underage his part reminded the before court,will being the grounds the Managing Director/Chief Executive registration the active involvement Usman, Speaking candidates, Resultthe printing be available later." aleaders Mobile containing but someof people Abuja yesterday, Registrar JAMB, tune contact with thetoApp aircraft, identified in monthly installments of N25, 000 development Thea aircraft departed Abuja commissioners the State Executive interventions would yield global discuss issues Secretary toinNiger, the Government in Cameroon, Chad and launch against time to growth, rescue those feared personnel searched damaged ofFinance casualties. Medical personnel and Caracas. opportunity todouble earnregistration, a tobetter and Coordinating Minister into execution, creating jobs and for Ishaq economic expanding State. The defendants according the court of subsisting bail following applications of provided by thereacting Administration of Officer of SunTrust Bank Ltd, Halima for three months, directly through Council for confirmation. of few CBT centres, he explained that the Meanwhile, to the poor indigenous cartoons through mischievously tend to portray Prof. Oloyede, revealed that the as DWC052, at 1629 UTC. The for Lagos at 1612 UTC. At three migration and how it affects other parts of the worldSenator would of positive results in the fight us ofHe the Federation, living." of the Economy, Taiwo expanding for our EFCC's statement, however,ofpleaded the defendants, dated May 27, Oyedele, 2025 and Criminal Justiceopportunities Act,students (ACJA) that should businesses and creating jobs, Buba and the bank's Executive Director/ said 1,000 Citizens’ Brigade their debit cards. The governor made this and attempted substitution self by Ministry of Education’s decision performance of in the 2025 Board withheld the results of 39,834 which local contents, national in negative light. But this is crew asked the tower whether it nautical miles, while passing 3,500 countries under the membership be returned to Nigeria safety. against kidnapping andinjected other George Akume, gave the values guilty” to all the charges when they that thethe should uphold a Tinubu bail application but rather Chief Compliance Officer, He said total amount commitment during the official would be Commissioner, set up in each of the According to the President, the prayed Governor of the the people,” stated. with agriculture digital “not candidates. toalongside enforce acourt minimum age of precipitate UTME, the company explained that candidates outare of the over 1.9Innocent million and culture would be who we as aand people. of the Dialogue on not Federal could seethe that door feet, the crew declared aNational mayday readOloyede to themadded following which the lead applications and admit thegranted defendants applied for bail from the comfort of their Mbagwu, before Justice Emeka Nwite criminal activities. assurance yesterday when into theEuro-African scheme isthe N1,aircraft’s 219,125, 000, flag-off ceremony ofFederal the second phase promoted. 36 states and the Capital that 244 candidates 16, an exception was for the Glo Examination Preparatory applicants that sat for the exam. “To change the negative narMigration and Development. Commission for Refugees, Migrants was missing. after the aircraft’s door separated Rotimi Oyedepo, to“exceptionally bail. officesstudents when noronaction has of the Federal High Court,boss, Abuja for economic support of thehosted Conditional Cash national Transfer Tand erritory (FCT) toDisplaced promote "Our direct mission earth, he members of providing were caughtcounsel, engaging in “WhatsApp gifted” underage homes Serviceortrains practical According thesetting JAMB of prosecution According to him, "These vari- ratives, we to are upout the Popularly known asonthe Rabat Internally Persons SAN, announced thetoreadiness of the The prosecution counsel in his response, been taken againstinthem. alleged fraud. Thegoal duty airhouseholds. traffic controller to thousands ofon disbursement to beneficiaries in Ondo mid-air. values as of old, stating that the runs,” subscribing rogue groups students. ways to excel Computer-Based the figure 96 candidates' results were our earth is to ous policies are geared towards Citizens’ Brigade to produce the Federation of Muslim Process, the used meeting would be (NCFRMI), Alhaji Tijani Ahmed, The governor recalled thatthe into young State,Inheld atthe theBrigade Akure South Local (DATCO) binoculars aofthis statement, the Director essence was toin changing that bordering on terrorism murder. enumah in Abuja promising leaked questions. The registrar said thatand of the 41,027 Fagbemi, examinationsSAN, such assubmitted Joint Admissions withheldNigerians over exam malpractices, the and and createa Alex promote, tonarratives preserve, and Women's Associations the first thematic dialogue under disclosed at a mediayesterday. briefing November 2024, a total of 8,637 debit Government Secretariat the charge having been filed by Although, they pleaded not revive and rebuild the national observe the aircraft but could not General and Chief Executive He said their results had also been underage candidates who registered, and Matriculation Board (JAMB), decrease from 123 in the previous year. wrong impression that the outside positive models to rebuild the to prolong life. toIt's not to Nigeria’s chairmanship, which Nigeria (FOMWAN), led cards in Abuja. were distributed beneficiaries, At the event, Governor Aiyedatiwa Justice Bolaji Olajuwon of a Fed- guilty the Inspector General of Police, was to all the charges, the judge the values and create positive models withheld to set a stern example. only 467 met the high-performance Junior and Senior West African Oloyede said the Board remained confirm the door’s status because Officer of the NSIB, Captain world is having about the country . national values." conveyed government' s approval stakeholder participation in health federal government’s Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja is being co-chaired by Nigeria Ahmed revealed that no amounting to N647,775,000, making launched the distribution of the by its National Amirah, Dr. shorten it. The government resolute in its commitment to eralInHigh Court inhe Abuja, yesterday, incompetent and askedexaminations the court to however, ordered that they some cases, said,Oversight the entire and criteria, with onedefendant. disqualified duebe to and Examination Council the Kingdom aircraft’s position. The Wale Igbintade Alex than Badeh said the aircraft High Court which had dismissed onegovernance. other unreliable witness testimonies, at50the 5th the Ministerial sector commitment to1,3,4,5,6, strengthening and the and fewer sixJr.,million people current phase of a Spain, significant Renewed Hope Debit Cards to the dismissed application bycentres two remanded strike out counts and 7 of isofdoing everything to secure at malpractice. the Kuje Correctional Sumaye Fadimatu Hamza. houses and several vehicles. operatives from the Nigerian on the federal government to Blessing Ibunge in Port syndicates colluded with CBT examination as well as IELTS. eliminating any form of examination his no-case submission, and quashed At theofpending lower court, Justice Raliatu including those of PW9, PW10, and crew wasofsubsequently advised theof social safety net. thousands oftobeneficiaries aseffort part expansion returned Abuja and landed isthe focusing on youth, education were displaced inthat Nigeria, while Committee (MOC) held in Abuja As efforts to reinforce health sector governance, The federal government has Rivers State indigenes challenging the charge or strike strike out the Center, the hearing of release all who are He vowed no The explosion, which occurred Army, Nigeria Security and Civil declare an emergency in the Harcourt to register using multiple fingerprints. He said that the Board remained The 2025 UTME results released malpractice, adding that 1,957,000 the 12-count charge filed against Adebiyi had ruled that the EFCC PW11, as well as Exhibits P59–P61. The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, “We understand the economic of the federal government’s National and innovation. thousands refugees 22 are at living the jurisdiction of the court to try their entire suit for been incompetent. bail application fixed for deepening accordingly. safely onofRunway 1634 yesterday, said the state financing compliance, accountability across approved N32,880,443,906.25 captured," he said. will be spared to the challenges regard,were has approved your indicated that Governor Seyi that Kemi Olaitan inProgramme Ibadan tothat him, ascommittee aFinancial result of committed toas providing necessary by JAMB on May had elicited candidates verified to sit for onAccording Thursday, triggered panic as had Defence and the Nigeria area and direct the5Nigeria Gas him by thealleged Economic and established a prima facie case The Court of Appeal agreed, has discharged and acquitted a them that many of holds our people Social Investment (NSIP), over complicity in the Responding, Police lawyer, Mr. February 2,Corps well asthe the motion The meeting, which May elsewhere across thefacilitate world. At 1634 UTC, DWC052 landed UTC, with nine people on board, has so far disbursed a total of the Committee directed the implementing institutions, under the second quarter, 2026 suspension as the Onido of Ido in Makinde approved the suspension this, 3,656Commission candidates with “extraneous support for persons with disabilities widespread concerns asurged morenot than Crimes (EFCC). on some of the counts and ordered holding that the appellant was aof He lauded FOMWAN for the examDirector while 71,705 were of absent. former General thein burning safe return ofcollaboration captives, while and this programme is a clear implemented in with face residents fled for safety, while the Police Force had cordoned off the Company (NGC), a subsidiary Residents of Aleto community of the Rivers State House of Simon Lough, SAN, the of the 1st and 2nd defendants 13th to 14th, 2025, is expected to “We have 15,000 Nigerians who safely on Runway 22. Upon comprising three crew members The Oyo State Government, yesthe area of authority of Ido Local on 1st of February, 2024. N290 under thetheir initiative. MOC Secretariat to issue formal improving coordination among BHCPF disbursement memo The billion EFCC accused and his co-defendant the VIMSAS Nigerian Maritime Administration fingerprints” have had results Akpobolokemi aspiring toarea pursue tertiary education. 1.5 million out of 1.9 million candidates According to him, 2,157 candidates thatcontributions the that government the Ondo State Government through demonstration Assembly complex in Port Harcourt, court toofdismiss the Committee; application challenging the jurisdiction of member its steadfast reaffirming the government's injured were reportedly rushed affected to prevent further the Nigeria National Petroleum Eleme Local Government Area feature discussions would want to return to the country terday, suspended Oba Investment Gbolagade stands Area ofrejections Oyo State." Thewith letteryou,” readthe ingovernor part, "I fuselage wish to Government the aircraft’s andNational six passengers. Akpobolokemi conspiracy, open their notresults a signatory to any of the and Safetyfingerprint Agency (NIMASA), The meeting also approved communication all2025 36 the states to and stakeholders, andreleased accelerating added. withheld, and some CBT centres to He said that fortothe UTME, whose scored toofItsustain implementation of Rivers the Social experienced due State. for lacking in were merit. the court to defence. entertain suit tolanding, national development, commitment to we strengthening policy direction, shape voluntarily, and alsoOnido have guide toChime hospitals inof Port Harcourt casualties. Corporation (NNPC) Limited, Rivers State counting their Muritala Babalola, as the directed Obaare Babalola hand inform you that His Excellency, the Patrick stealing, and forgery in connection Akpobolokemi, through his Committee’s accounts. Akpobolokemi, of to alleged He further disclosed that efforts was clearly visible to the DATCO, Eguma Ezebalike and Programme Agency (NSIPA). The NSIB said the door had According to Lough, besides against them. implicated will face sanctions. a total of 501 candidates were below 200. A breakdown of the results to suspected registration infractions, modalities to commence inclusion reiterate responsibilities relating to implementation of ongoing healthcare services nationwide. efforts among not lessinthan 100,000 foreigners cooperative describing association as of Ido Ido Local Government national security. all million government in with Executive Governor of Oyo of over for alleged treatment. TheCollins Chairman of toThe investigate the incident and following aproperties gasfarpipeline illegal transfers from the Ogbonna and Kunle court further held he N754.8 fraud. Lukman Oladele, were ongoing tothe expand theState state’s Sections and 66Monday of thethat Police Ezebalike and Oladele had health Addressing the and gathering, theat are identified the within centres as lawyers successfully examined by Eleme JAMB released by4JAMB on showed alosses figure, he said, was above Prince observed that the was his been secured of He private sector actors the counterpart funding obligations sector reforms under the The Coordinating Minister countries origin, transit and living inrecovered this country asand refugees. Area of the state. possession to the Chairman Nigeria, inof exercise thedoor powers awho vital partner inofpromoting The SGF underscored During a visit to the Local Government Council, address the condition of the explosion that injured more than account of the VIMSAS Committee. Gbolahan, appealed the ruling, neither signed nor approved any In a unanimous decision delivered among five persons charged with Acts that empower them to bring argued that by the provisions social register to accommodate more governor expressed joy a deep Tigh Technologies Limited, Sascon Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG) that 983,187 candidates (50.29 per cent) acceptable margins and currently missing. its wreckage hangar. The Bureau The government, in a letter dated localthe government. Incourt the terrorism conferred on him by stressing Sub-section destination, explore inclusive All are theof responsibilities Ministerial Oversight Committee and fund commitments. national agenda towarddefendants, achieving of20Ido Health and Social Welfare, He wasand originally arraigned with arguing that thenationwide. EFCC to withdrawal instructions internal yesterday, appellate murder. The others the charge against of theequity Terrorism Act, it isfailed only the peace, advocacy, unity and thethese vital role faith-based households, that of sense ofFebruary, responsibility, noting that vulnerable community yesterday, security Chief Obarilomate Ollor, called pipeline. people and destroyed over International School, Maitama, across 11 centres scored between 160the andor199, while under investigation. 2nd of 2024 and signed meantime, the state government 1&2 of Section 26 ofcooperation the Chiefs policies, stronger of the commission, tostep give them no framework to strengthen broader In his remarks, Pate reaffirmed Universal Health Coverage. Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate who several others, but the charges were link him to any wrongdoing and memos related to the alleged are Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga allowed Akpobolokemi’s appeal, Section 5 and 99 of the Terrorism Attorney General of the Federation vulnerable household should be the initiative is a bold towards social progress. organisations in addressing According to Oloyede, the results 488,197 candidates (24.97 per cent) "A total of 39, 834 results remain Abuja, Wudil Computer Information by the Commissioner for Local

Umahi says FG investing trillions in construction of roads across Nigeria Affirms Nigeria's readiness for strategic partnership

Air Peace Incident: Oshiomhole Violated Aviation Mining Development: Nigeria, USto 920 Death Toll in Venezuela Earthquakes Rises Regulation, AON Alleges, Minister Orders Probe UTME: JAMB Releases Results, Withholds 39,834 Explore Areas of Strategic Partnership Tinubu Welcomes W'Bank's $5.79bn Plan, Places 1,426 results under scrutiny Dangles $78.5bn Projects Before Investors Globacom: how our product can help students excel in JAMB, other exams

Aiyedatiwa Launches FG's N1.2bn NSIB Probes Mid-air Conditional Cash Transfer inDoor Ondo, Separation on Private Jet After Akume Assures Nigerians Nominates Commissioners NOA DG: FG to Launch 37,000 Citizens' Brigade Nationwide

Emergency Landing in Abuja in Captivity of Freedom

FG to Repatriate 15,000 Nigerians Stranded Abroad

Alleged Money Laundering: EFCC Arraigns SunTrust Bank CEO, Executive

BurningofRiversAssemblyComplex:CourtDismisses Pate: FG Application Has Disbursed N32.88bn Challenging Competence of Charge Eleme Community Demands Emergency Action

Basic Healthcare Fund for Q2 2026 Appeal Court Acquits Ex-NIMASA DG Akpobolokemi in N754.8m Fraud Case as Gas Explosion Destroys 50 Houses, Vehicles

Oyo Govt Suspends Monarch in Ibadan

support,” hepromise said. of “Renewed fulfilling the Government andPresident Chieftaincy Ahmed thanked Bola Matters, Hon. Olusegun Olayiwola,

Law,sustained Cap. 28 Vol I, Lawsthat of Oyo and dialogue can left Statebehind. of Nigeria 2000positively. and by virtue reshape migration of all other enabling powers in

has vowedthe to hit hard atthe anyone, set aside Ikeja unreleased. Ofruling these, of 1,426 results no matter how highly placed, who contravenes the law.

Donald and Ochueja Thankgod. later amended to include only him Technology. Kano State and They wereWudil, last week arraigned on a seven-count criminal charge

relied onfileinadmissible evidence transfers. Act, shows that theand police have that any released charge ofbut terrorism are can also being sadly, fraudulent scored between powers to also 140 initiate 159. terrorism against them. Their lawyer, Mr. Lukman charges against the defendant.

7

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17, 2026 • T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R

NEWS

DISCUSSING AFRICA’S DEBT SUSTAINABILITY...

L-R: CEO, Development Reimagined, Ms. Hannah Ryder; Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Economist of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Dr. Hanan Morsy; Former Finance Minister of Niger Republic, Hon. Ahmat Jidoud; Director-General of the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management, Dr. Baba Musa, and Chief Executive Officer of the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF), Dr. Olivier Pognon, after a panel session with the theme, ‘The Debt Sustainability Framework, Credit Ratings and Africa’s Risk Premium,’ held on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand…Thursday

Wike Slams Atiku, Amaechi, Labels Them Political Gamblers Comment on Benue's N25bn allocation, plot by Suswam and Benue governor sparks tension Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja and George Okoh in Makurdi

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, has doubled down on the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in next year's Presidential election, Atiku Abubakar and his joint-ticket flagbearer, Rotimi Amaechi, as political gamblers and 'kalokalo' people. Also, Wike's recent reference to Benue State's reported N25 billion monthly federal allocation and alleged plot by former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam and Benue Governor, Hyacinth Alia, to frustrate his Rainbow coalition has increased tensions in Benue State over the 2027 elections. Wike, the national leader of Rainbow Coalition, delivered the jibe yesterday at a townhall meeting at Ayama in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers

State, to shore up support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. He cautioned the people of Rivers State against surrendering their political future to the duo, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, saying those individuals lacked vision or proven developmental records. The FCT minister, who emphasised that the Rainbow Coalition represented a broad alignment designed to secure a decisive victory in the upcoming 2027 general elections, maintained that leadership requires concrete action and foresight rather than perpetual political trial and error. Addressing a crowded gathering of stakeholders, Wike warned against politicians who treat presidential contests like games of chance.

Onafriq Shuts Down Nigeria Agent Banking Business, Cites Harsh Business Environment Emma Okonji Onafriq, a payment solution service provider, has announced its decision to wind down its agent banking business in Nigeria, operated as Baxi by Onafriq Nigeria Payments Limited. The decision to shut down the business, according to the company, is not unconnected to Nigeria’s business environment, which has to do with the country’s operating landscape, including inflation and currency depreciation, which have affected trading volumes, operating costs, and the sustainability of the offline agent banking model. Onafriq entered the Nigerian agent banking market in 2021 by acquiring the Baxi business (also known as Capricorn Digital Limited) and invested heavily through 2023 to strengthen and scale the agent network, an investment that reflected the group's belief in

agent banking’s role in expanding financial access and digitizing cash-based transactions. The company however said trading conditions changed significantly from 2024, citing the depreciation of the Naira and broader macroeconomic pressures that dramatically changed the economics of the strategy. The company, in a statement, also said the rapid growth of instant account-to-account payments simultaneously changed the mix of transactions at agents’ Point of Sales (PoS), adding that increased competition in this segment with associated margin compression added further pressure on the business. “Following a review of its longterm strategy and the sustainability of the business, the group concluded that winding down the agent banking operation is the right course of action,” the statement said.

"Don't trust your destiny to political gamblers. Don't trust your destiny to 'kalokalo' people,” Wike warned the crowd of stakeholders of traditional leaders, party faithful and community leaders. He described Atiku and Obi as individuals who kept contesting for the presidency every four years, hoping to recover what they lost, without any genuine vision for the country. Wike said, “These people are

political gamblers and you cannot give your destiny to "kalokalo" people; you cannot hand over your destiny to political gamblers. “Give a destiny to somebody who we know, who has tried all this, and he has done it." Noting that repeated presidential runs without a clear governance plan offer no real solutions to Nigeria's challenges. Drawing comparisons to international political figures, Wike

argued that while leaders like Abraham Lincoln ran multiple times driven by a clear national vision, “Atiku continues to run purely out of political habit and desire to recoup his investments.” He also defended his record as Rivers State governor, reminding the people of Abua/Odual that project delivery—not political rhetoric—should dictate their electoral choices. He challenged Amaechi to

show his contributions to the local government area, pointing to his administration's projects in the area. He adulated President Tinubu's administration for stabilising critical national sectors and restoring industrial harmony in tertiary institutions, calling on Abua-Odual residents to remain steadfast with the current administration heading into 2027.

N156bn Debt: Court Upholds UBA’s Receiver Appointment, Bars Diversion of Stallion Group’s Payments Wale Igbintade The Federal High Court in Lagos has upheld the appointment of a receiver/manager by United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc to recover an alleged N156.03 billion debt owed by Stallion Group, while restraining the defendants from diverting payments due to them

from government agencies. In a judgement delivered yesterday, Justice Daniel Osiagor upheld the validity of the mortgage arrangements securing the loans and affirmed UBA’s right to enforce its securities over the properties pledged against the facilities. The judge held that the

defendants did not dispute their indebtedness to the bank but challenged the amount claimed. The court also affirmed the liability of the guarantors and upheld the appointment of Romeo Ese as receiver/manager, confirming his authority to take possession of the mortgaged properties and seek protective

orders to safeguard the assets. In another significant aspect of the judgement, Justice Osiagor restrained the defendants from diverting receivables due to them from government agencies, a measure aimed at preventing the diversion of funds that could facilitate the bank’s recovery efforts.

Makinde: Oyo’s Development Transcends Party Politics Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said he is committed to serving the state without bias for political affiliations, stressing that development, not party labels, guides his administration. This was just as he charged politicians not to see politics as do or die affair, insisting that

politics should not put a wedge among brothers and sisters. Makinde spoke at the inauguration and handover of the Alhaji Kazeem Owonikoko Building at L.A. Primary School, Oke Esa, Iseyin, donated to the state government by Alhaji Ahmed Raji, SAN. According to him, governments and political parties come and go while Oyo State

remains, urging Raji to continue his philanthropic efforts. He highlighted ongoing industrial development in Iseyin, including the sugar factory near Fasola Farms, which is currently undergoing test running, stating that improved road networks have made the project viable and positioned Iseyin for global recognition. Speaking on the request

by Raji for autonomy for the LAUTECH Iseyin Campus, Governor Makinde said, “Regarding your request on the Iseyin Campus of LAUTECH becoming an autonomous university, we will go through the process. We will apply through the NUC, and I will carry out a sustainability study too. So, what you have asked for is done.”

Gunmen Abduct Catholic Priest in Otukpo George Okoh in Makurdi

The Catholic community in Otukpo Diocese is experiencing fears following the abduction of a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. John Inalegwu Otache. Fr. Otache, who is the Parish Priest of St. Margaret’s Parish, Ajegbe-Awume, was kidnapped

on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, along Otobi-Amejo-Ajegbe Road in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State. It was gathered that the priest was returning home from Otukpo when he ran into his abductors along the lonely stretch of road. In a statement signed by the Diocesan Chancellor, Rev. Fr.

Joseph Aboyi Itodo, the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo confirmed the incident. According to the statement, the Bishop of the Diocese, Most Rev. Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, is deeply pained by the development and has called on all priests, religious, lay faithful and people of goodwill to pray

for the quick and safe release of Fr. John. The statement reads in part: “We commend our brother, Fr. John, and all those in the kidnappers’ den throughout the country to the efficacious intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for their speedy and safe release.”

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R • SATURDAY OCTOBER 17, 2026

NEWS

CELEBRATING OFALA FESTIVAL...

L-R: Uba Negbasele of Onitsha, Chief Obiora Etukokwu; Odogwu Eze of Onitsha, Chief Okey Akpom; Divisional Head, South East, Globacom, Mike Ehumadu, and Agba oriogu of Onitsha, Chief Jide Ebo, at the Glo-sponsored Ofala festival in Onitsha, Anambra State…yesterday

Obi of Onitsha: Citizens Must Stop Depending Solely on Government, Help Themselves Describes Osun election as benchmark for 2027 election Glo’s support has transformed Ofala into world renowned cultural festival

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Traditional Ruler of Onitsha Kingdom, Obi Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, has said it would be delusional for Nigerians to place their hope and trust solely on government, insisting that

the people must strive to help themselves too. Achebe, who stated this during this year's traditional Ofala Festival, which held yesterday at the Eze Chima Square in Onitsha, also commended Globacom for helping transform Ofala into a

DSS, Military, Police Arrest Five Suspects Over 20 NYSC Members’ Kidnap

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), the military and the police have arrested five suspected members of a criminal gang allegedly responsible for kidnapping 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Imo State on Independence Day. The suspects were apprehended during a series of intelligence-led operations conducted between October 10 and 14 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State. Three other suspects reportedly escaped during the operations, sustaining varying degrees of

injuries. Recall that 20 prospective corps members were abducted by armed men along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway in Imo State on October 1, 2026, while travelling to report at their NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states. The victims were rescued on October 7 during a joint security operation at Amakohia Ubi Village. The latest arrests mark a significant breakthrough in efforts by security agencies to track down the suspected kidnappers, dismantle the criminal network allegedly behind the abduction and bring those responsible to justice.

DSS Nabs Fugitive Maina’s Son, Hands Him Over to EFCC The Department of State Services he was arrested before being (DSS) has arrested Faisal, son of former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, and handed him over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Security sources said Faisal’s arrest followed intelligence reports indicating that he had secretly returned to Nigeria. “His arrest followed credible intelligence which indicated that Faisal had secretly returned to the country,” a source said. The source added that DSS operatives tracked him to the Karsana area of Abuja, where

handed over to the EFCC. Faisal had been on the run since 2020, following his arraignment by the EFCC on a three-count charge bordering on money laundering. In October 2021, the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted him on money laundering charges and sentenced him to 14 years’ imprisonment. The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, had held that the EFCC had established that Faisal operated a fictitious bank account with United Bank for Africa through which his father allegedly laundered N58.1 million.

world-renowned cultural festival. The monarch said his admonition is taken from the successive themes of the event in previous years, including that of 2026, which is: ‘Igba Mbo, Iga N'Iru’, translated into English meant; strive and advance. He insisted that for years things have failed to change, insisting there was need for people to do what they could to advance their own course legally. He said, "In 2023 we had the theme: ‘Better. Together. Stronger’. It was a call for consolidation on our breakthroughs while galvanising for

future challenges. In 2024, ‘Courage. Perseverance. Self-reliance: Onye kwe, Chi'e ekwe’ was a reflection on the prevailing hardship, and empathy and encouragement to our people to survive the hardship, through their attitudes, determination, and actions. Last year was ‘Njikoka na Ntachi: Community Resilience’. "The last 10 years have been very challenging for our country. Thus, it would be delusional for us to place our hope and reliance entirely on the government. Accordingly, these reinforcing

themes call on Ndi Onicha to summon those enduring attributes that sustained our ancestors at the moment of difficulties in order to survive prevailing hardship while upholding our dignity as a people. We have no option than to strive and advance." The monarch also said the Osun governorship election should be a benchmark for the 2027 general elections, while calling on Igbo people to participate en masse in the forthcoming elections. He said, "The national elections are barely three months away.

Expectedly, the attention of the political class has increasingly turned to political positioning, and away from governance. "Democratic elections are opportunities for the electorate to select the candidates that would deliver the best governance. It is, therefore, imperative for non-partisan stakeholder groups, including the traditional and religious institutions, town unions, and the civil society organisations, to intensify their advocacy, mobilisation and enlightenment for free and fair elections.

Tinubu Support Group Rejects APGA, Soludo, Insists APC Will Clear All Positions in Anambra David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Despite the listing of Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) as state coordinator for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu, a support group, TSG rooting for the President has rejected his claims that there was an agreement to deliver the President while other positions went to his party, All Progressives Grand Alliance

(APGA). Members of Tinubu Support Group (TSG) in the South-east during a rally in Awka, at the weekend insisted that all votes from the group would go to President Bola Tinubu and other candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for other positions in the election. The rally which was organised by a chieftain of the APC and Deputy Coordinator APC PCC in the South-east, Sir Paul Chukwuma, stated that its

members will not collaborate with Soludo or APGA in the election, adding that members will vote APC "from top to bottom". Chukwuma in his speech insisted that all votes must go to Tinubu and other candidates of the party for various other positions, stating that nothing would stop Tinubu winning the votes in the zone. "What I want to tell you people is that in the forthcoming election, it is APC from top to bottom. Progressives are working together

is a deceptive slogan APGA is using to deceive Mr President. Next year, we will vote for only our party and that is the charge." Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, the APC Senatorial candidate in Anambra Central zone, Uche Ekwunife, among others, who spoke at the rally told the massive crowd that their votes would be for President Bola Tinubu in 2027 only, and other APC candidates in the state and National Assembly elections.

KWANKWASIYYA, NNPP PETITION INEC OVER KANO, OYO GUBER CANDIDATES’ EXCLUSION Adedapo said he had never withdrawn from the race and had neither submitted nor authorised anyone to submit a withdrawal letter on his behalf.

Tinubu Reappoints Bila, Nominates Five New INEC Officials Meanwhile, President Tinubu has nominated four new national commissioners and two resident

electoral commissioners to fill vacancies at INEC arising from expiring tenures, while reappointing Bila as the National Commissioner representing the North-east. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga disclosed the nominations in a statement on Friday, saying the nominees would be scrutinised by the Senate. The new national commissioner nominees are Professor Mustapha

Aliu, who is to replace Professor Abdullahi Zuru as the Northwest representative, and Bashir Muhammed Umar, who is to replace Professor Muhammad Adamu as the North-central representative. The president also nominated Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, the resident electoral commissioner in Osun State, as the South-west national commissioner to replace Professor Cornelius Ajayi, whose tenure expires on October 24,

2026. The two nominees for resident electoral commissioner positions are retired permanent secretary Dr Samuel Akinjide Akinleye, representing Ekiti State, and Zahradden Basiru Sanusi, from Jigawa State, who is to replace Professor Saidu Ahmed Babura. Tinubu urged the Senate to expedite confirmation of the nominees in view of the forthcoming general election scheduled for 2027.

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SATURDAY OCTOBER 17, 2026 • T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R

NEWS

BOOK PRESENTATION...

L-R: HOD Mass Communication Department, Veritas University, Rev. Fr Prof. Andrew Danjuma; Vice-Chancellor, Rev.Fr, Prof. Hyacinth Eme Ichoku; General Secretary, Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Onuoha Ukeh, and Treasurer, Dr Iyobosa Uwugiaren, during the presentation of copies of the book, "True, Trust and the Future of Journalism in Nigeria," by the NGE to the University in Abuja…yesterday

Tunji-Ojo: Tinubu Has Approved Lifetime Pay for Retired Immigration Chiefs Michael Olugbode in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has approved lifetime salary arrangements for retired comptrollers-general and deputy comptrollers-general of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi

Tunji-Ojo, has disclosed. Tunji-Ojo said the approval was part of the administration’s efforts to improve the welfare of personnel across the interior services, alongside promotions, recruitment, salary increases and improved hazard allowances. The minister disclosed this

at the closing ceremony of a specialised training programme for 87 immigration officers in Abuja, where he also highlighted reforms aimed at strengthening border security through digital technology, integrated migration records and improved intelligence sharing.

He said the federal government had integrated more than 15 million migration records into the NIS’s digital border management system and established a data centre with a capacity exceeding eight petabytes to improve identity verification and migration monitoring.

Rivers Police Suspend DPO Over Alleged Cultists’ Renovation of Outpost

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Police Command has relieved the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Abuloma Division of his duties over allegations that suspected cultists renovated a police outpost in the area, as the Commissioner of Police ordered a full investigation into the incident. The Command also queried and relieved the divisional

officer overseeing the affected outpost, pending the outcome of investigations into the circumstances surrounding the renovation and the alleged visit by suspected cultists to celebrate its completion. In a statement issued yesterday, by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Agabe Blessing Kaborlo, said the Command had taken cognisance of a trending social media report and video alleging that suspected cultists

renovated the Abuloma Police Outpost and visited the facility on Thursday, October 15. The Command, led by the Commissioner of Police Olugbenga Adepoju, condemned any action capable of undermining the integrity and professionalism of the Nigeria Police Force. It said police facilities were public institutions established to protect citizens and enforce the law, warning that they must not

become platforms for criminal groups to seek public recognition or influence. “The Command strongly condemns any action or association capable of compromising the integrity, discipline and professional standards of the Nigeria Police Force or conferring legitimacy, recognition or acceptance on suspected cult groups or other unlawful organisations,” the statement said.

Tunji-Ojo said the administration had also effected more than 50,000 promotions across the interior services in approximately three years, alongside recruitment exercises and improvements in personnel remuneration. He described the welfare measures as part of broader efforts to strengthen the capacity and performance of agencies under the Ministry of Interior. The minister said the government had developed a 10-year technology roadmap for the ministry, supported by a solar-powered data facility designed to enable the data control centre to operate off-grid. He explained that the digital transformation was intended to address longstanding weaknesses caused by fragmented databases and analogue processes, which had hampered the effective management of visas, residency permits and the identities of foreign nationals.

According to him, the government began integrating critical information systems across the ministry and its agencies to close identity gaps and improve the monitoring of migration into and out of Nigeria. He questioned the reliability of official records that reportedly put the number of foreign nationals working in Nigeria at about 40,000, arguing that disconnected information systems made it difficult for authorities to establish who was residing in the country and monitor their activities effectively. “When you do not have the data of those foreigners residing in your country, then how do you manage their affairs? And how do you monitor them?” he asked. Tunji-Ojo said the government had consequently embarked on the Centralised Interior Management System, an initiative designed to connect relevant information platforms across the ministry and its agencies.

After 34 Years, Women Centre Gets First Wheelchair Ramp 2027: Court Affirms Ereyitomi as Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development has for the first time in its 34-year history gotten a wheelchairaccessible ramp, allowing persons with disabilities to enter the building independently. The Director General of the Centre, Ms. Adedayo BenjaminsLaniyi, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja while receiving women journalists at the Centre.

According to the DG, the intervention was not about special seats but about special interventions that give attention to what had long been ignored. "It's not just about money, it's not just about special seats, it's about special interventions," she said. Benjamins-Laniyi said she ordered a complete review of the Centre's physical structure upon assumption of office and was struck by the resilience of the 34-year-old building.

"If you look around, this is an amazing, beautifully constructed resilient building. Thirty-four years and the concrete is not just concrete. When they brought in technology to slice through the concrete to recreate access, I saw terrazzo cement. What you are seeing on the floor, normally we see concrete, but this is 34 years of terrazzo mixed with cement," she said. She disclosed that when contractors saw her priority

on accessibility, they offered to construct the ramp as Corporate Social Responsibility at no cost to the Centre. "At no cost to the Women Centre, the company decided as CSR to give us our first wheelchair accessibility ramp," she said. The DG said the impact was immediate. On Wednesday, the first board member in the history of the Centre living with disability wheeled into the facility without being lifted or assisted.

APC Inaugurates 28-man Grassroots Mobilisation Movement for Niger State

Laleye Dipo in Minna

A 28-man Grassroot Mobilisation Movement for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu comprising Niger State Governor Alhaji Mohammed Umaru Bago and all candidates contesting various

elective positions in the state has been inaugurated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Minna. The Movement also comprised zonal coordinators for the three senatorial districts of the state and one coordinator for each of the 25 local governments in

the state. The inauguration was carried out by the North Central Zonal Coordinator of the Grassroot Mobilisation Movement, Alhaji Ibrahim Khaleel Aliyu, who tasked the coordinators to establish units in each ward and polling units in the state for the execution

of their assignments. Alhaji Aliyu also charged the coordinators to work towards recording at least 500 votes in each polling unit in the state for President Tinubu , Governor Bago and all candidates of the party in the January and February 2027 general elections.

APC's House of Representatives Candidate in Delta Election Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Court of Appeal, Abuja, has affirmed the nomination of incumbent House of Representatives member, Thomas Ereyitomi, as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming House of Representatives election for Warri Federal Constituency Seat in Delta State. A three-member panel of the appellate court took the decision shortly after dismissing the appeal brought by Ekpoto Ekpoto Emmanuel, for lacking in merit. It would be recalled that Justice Mohammed Umar of a Federal High Court in Abuja had on August 6 dismissed Emmanuel's suit on the grounds that the issues raised were outside the jurisdiction

of the court. Emmanuel in his suit had claimed that Ereyitomi ought not to be on the race for the ticket of the APC for the Warri Federal Constituency Seat, on the grounds of being a member of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). The plaintiff who was one of the three other aspirants that contested the APC primary election for the Warri Federal Constituency Seat, therefore prayed the court to void Ereyitomi's victory, adding that the votes be also transferred to him and he be declared candidate of the party. But, Justice Umar in his judgement dismissed the case for being non-justiciable, clearly stating that no court has jurisdiction to entertain the issue of membership of a political party.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R • SATURDAY OCTOBER 17, 2026

NEWS XTRA

CRESCENT UNIVERSITY 18TH CONVOCATION CEREMONY...

L-R: Deputy-Chancellor, Crescent University, Prof. Rasaki Kareem; Registrar, Zakariyya Ajibola; Olala of Ilara, HRM Oba Dr. Mutiu Adedimeji Oyeje-Lawal; Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council, Alh. Rafiu Adisa Ebiti; Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Gbajabiamila; Proprietor/Chairman, Board of Trustee(BOT), Muhammed Ma’ruf Adesegun Ajibola; Bursar, Ogunmefun Trimisiyu Gbadebo and Librarian, Dr. Mulikat Salaam, during the 18th Convocation Award of First, Master’s and Doctorate Degrees, Diplomas, Certificate, Prizes and Conferment of Honorary Degrees, Class of 2026 Crescent University Abeokuta. Ogun State... yesterday

Bauchi Governor Threatens Traditional Rulers Over Illegal Mining, Banditry

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, has directed the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to take decisive action against illegal mining, warning that nobody would be spared regardless of status or connections. The governor who gave the directive on Thursday during the State Security Council meeting held at Government House Bauchi, attended by heads of security agencies and

the Emir of Bauchi, who chairs the State Council of Traditional Rulers, stressed that illegal mining could finance banditry, support criminal networks and undermine public security. He particularly directed security agencies to intensify coordinated ground operations and patrols across vulnerable communities, warning that his administration will not tolerate banditry, kidnapping, illegal mining or any activities threatening the safety of residents. The governor who

acknowledged that Bauchi State remains relatively peaceful compared with some neighbouring states, however, warned that the government would not allow the situation to breed complacency in the face of evolving security threats. He identified banditry, kidnapping, cross border criminal

activities, illegal mining and misinformation as interconnected challenges requiring a coordinated and sustained response from security agencies and traditional institutions. He commended security operatives for their successes in dismantling criminal networks in areas including Alkaleri, Ningi

and other affected parts of the state, but insisted that more is needed to be done to consolidate the gains. He consequently directed security agencies to replicate the successes recorded in Alkaleri across other vulnerable communities, particularly forest reserves and border settlements,

by denying criminal elements freedom of movement and dismantling their hideouts. On illegal mining, Mohammed declared that his administration would take decisive action against individuals and groups involved in the activity, describing it as a major source of support for banditry and criminal networks.

Enugu Approves N32bn Legacy Gratuity Payment, Begins Disbursement Next Week

this yesterday, while briefing for Human Development and administration, adding that the Catholic Church Challenges Lagos Gideon Arinze inEnugu journalists at the Government Poverty Eradication, Prof. state government had made The Enugu State Government House, Enugu, after the State Benedett Ekwutosi Okoli, said provisions for the settlement of Govt Over Property Ownership has approved the payment of Executive Council meeting. the payment was part of the the gratuities in the 2026 budget,

The Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos has challenged a judgement of the Lagos State High Court declaring the Lagos State Government the owner of a disputed property at No. 17/19 Okoya Street, Idumagbo, Lagos Island. The Archdiocese, through the Sole Trustee of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, is asking the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, to set aside the judgement delivered by Justice I. O. Kasali on January 10, 2018, and uphold its claim to the property. In its proposed amended notice of appeal, filed in Appeal

No. CA/L/W/644/2019, arising from Suit No. LD/120/2000, the church faulted the lower court's decision, arguing that the Lagos State Government's takeover of the management of St. Patrick's Catholic Primary School did not automatically transfer ownership of the land to the government. The Archdiocese contended that it acquired the entire property at No. 17/19 Okoya Street from the Lagos Executive Development Board through a conveyance dated September 15, 1938, registered as No. 27 at page 27 in Volume 483 at the Lands Registry, Alausa.

JCI Ikeja Screens Over 2,000 Residents for Diseases, Offers Free Medicines Bennett Oghifo The Junior Chamber International (JCI), Ikeja, has provided free health screening and medical services to more than 2,000 residents as part of its annual community health intervention. The exercise tagged, ‘Commit to Quality Health’, held last Saturday and covered screening for blood pressure, blood sugar, malaria, tuberculosis (TB), HIV and hepatitis B, alongside dental and oral health checks and distribution of free drugs. Speaking at the event, President of JCI Ikeja, Olubunmi

Fadare, said the initiative was part of the organisation’s yearly programme aimed at taking healthcare education and basic medical services to communities. Fadare said the programme was designed to encourage residents to take their health seriously and seek medical attention when necessary. She said the latest exercise was the second phase of the programme organised by JCI Ikeja this year, following the first phase held to commemorate World Health Day, which reached more than 500 people.

about N32 billion in outstanding legacy gratuities owed to retirees, with the first tranche of N10 billion scheduled for release from next week. The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, disclosed

Onyia, who briefed newsmen alongside the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Malachy Agbo; Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Barr. Chimaobi Okorie; and Commissioner for Commissioner

commitment of the Governor Peter Mbah Administration to clear the inherited gratuity liabilities before the end of Mbah's first tenure. He explained that the outstanding gratuities were liabilities inherited by the present

which had been approved by the State House of Assembly. “This amount of money was put in the 2026 budget and approved by the Enugu State House of Assembly. So, it is in appropriation law,” he said.

NSE, AGESI Partner to Advance Climate-resilient Engineering in Nigeria Dike Onwuamaze

The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Ibeju-Lekki Branch, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Africa Green Economy and Sustainability Institute (AGESI) to strengthen climate-resilient engineering, infrastructure development and sustainability leadership in Nigeria. The partnership, announced

in Lagos on October 14, 2026, establishes a framework for training engineers, planners, regulators and infrastructure operators to address flooding, climate-related risks, landuse changes, infrastructure vulnerability and loss and damage associated with climate impacts. The collaboration is anchored in the Catchment Resilience Engineering Certification (CREC)

programme, powered by FIPRE which was presented to the NSE Ibeju-Lekki Branch recently and has now been adopted as a professional development pathway for engineers in Lagos State and across Nigeria. Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, the Chairman of NSE Ibeju-Lekki Branch, Engr. Olufemi Dare, said the partnership would provide Nigerian engineers with internationally aligned tools and

evidence-based frameworks to address emerging infrastructure and environmental challenges. “With this signing, we are committing to a new era of engineering excellence. This partnership gives Nigerian engineers the globally aligned tools and evidence frameworks needed to address flooding, climate stress, loss and damage, and infrastructure fragility,” he said.

inDrive Commits N132m to Driver Reward Campaign in Lagos, Abuja

Omolabake Fasogbon

inDrive, a global mobility and delivery services platform, has committed more than N132 million to a driver reward campaign running across Lagos and Abuja from October 5 to December 16, 2026. The initiative is part of efforts to recognise drivers and create more value for their participation on the platform.

The campaign will award 916 prizes, including two cars, four full-academic-year school fee awards, 40 smartphones, 40 television sets, and 830 shopping vouchers. Winners will be selected through six live-broadcast draws, while the two cars will be awarded to drivers who complete the highest number of rides over the full campaign period. Drivers will qualify by

reaching the platinum tier, with every completed ride counting as an entry. This means drivers who complete more rides during the campaign will have more opportunities to participate in the draws and qualify for rewards. Full terms and eligibility criteria are available on the inDrive app. Speaking on the campaign, Country Manager, inDrive Nigeria, Timothy Oladimeji,

said that the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to creating more value for drivers while reinforcing the principles that underpin its platform. Oladimeji added that the campaign provides drivers with additional opportunities to benefit from their activity on the platform, with more rides translating into more entries and opportunities to win.

SaturDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2026 • T H I S D AY

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OCTOBER 17, 2026 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

Building A Nation Through Legislation And Charity

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Journalist, lawyer and politician, Osita Izunaso is a man of compassion, writes CHUKWUDI ENEKWECHI

here are very few men who accomplish so much in different spheres of life at almost the same time. Senator Bonaventure Osita Izunaso is a man who has in the last 33 years oscillated from journalism practice, to sports administration, businessman, politician, legal practitioner and was able to cap it all as a philanthropist. He has used his Kpakpando Foundation founded in 2006 to impact positively on 5000 vulnerable people from across the country. He has also supported them through the award of scholarships, medical outreach programmes and entrepreneurial skills development. His compassion for the sick, vulnerable and disabled people had also inspired him to play a key advocacy role in the establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and this has garnered him numerous honours from within and outside Nigeria. Though an accomplished federal lawmaker having being a member of the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007 for the Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta/Oru west federal constituency, he has also devoted considerable attention to Nigeria’s sports growth and development by playing a key advisory role to then Nigeria’s Minister of Youths and Sports Development between 1995 and 1998 and which culminated in the victory of Nigeria’s men Football Olympic team. Nigeria won a Gold Medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. As a member of the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007, he was the chairman of the House committee on Housing and Urban Development, and in 2007 he was elected a senator for Imo West senatorial district (Orlu zone), and later returned to the senate for the second time in 2023. He is presently the chairman of the Senate committee on Capital Markets and Institutions. As a lawmaker at the highest level in the country Senator Izunaso has always advocated for the interest of the ordinary people, but most especially people with disability and the vulnerable in the society. Born on October 30 1966 in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra state, Izunaso has attained several academic feats including a bachelor’s degree in English, Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism, Barrister-at-law BL, through to PhD in Law. As a lawyer he has made a significant impact among

HE HAS USED HIS KPAKPANDO FOUNDATION TO IMPACT POSITIVELY ON 5000 VULNERABLE PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY

his peers by advancing the frontiers of knowledge in the law profession. For instance, Izunaso was a speaker at the Nigerian Bar Association National Conference on Tuesday 25th August, 2026 in Port Harcourt Rivers state. He spoke on the theme: Making Nigeria’s new tax reforms work in practice to 25,000 lawyers from all parts of the country and beyond. It is also worthy of note that that the conference had the following personages in attendance: George Weah, former Liberian president; Justice Amina Augie (rtd) of the Supreme Court; former vice president of Nigeria Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN, former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Chibike Amaechi; one of Nigeria’s foremost lawyers, Chief OnyeChi Ikpeazu SAN, Chief Femi Falana SAN and other legal luminaries. He delivered a lecture with the topic: ‘’Making Nigeria’s new tax reforms work in practice’’. In the area of sports development, Senator Izunaso has been the chairman of late Sam Okwaraji tournament’s steering committee and recently he unveiled the maiden First Bank Sam Okwaraji Nigeria Secondary Schools Football Championship in Owerri, Imo state. As a politician he was also the pioneer national organizing secretary of the All Progressives Congress between 2013 and 2018, and on that pedestal played a pivotal role in the victory of the party in the 2015, 2019 and 2023 general elections. As a political strategist and detribalized politician, he has over the years cultivated a network of political allies and friends from across the country. In Nigeria leadership deficit has over the years eroded societal development, but with politicians like Osita Izunaso the trajectory is tilting towards programmes and projects that are affecting the people positively. And if this trend continues, it is obvious that there is light at the end of the tunnel. At the Money 20 20 Middle East conference held in Saudi Arabia recently and which attracted big global financial and business players together Dr. Izunaso as a keynote speaker delved into the important role of the Dangote Refinery Initial Public Offer (IPO) and contented that it will stimulate the Nigerian and African economy by enabling ordinary Nigerians to own a chunk of the investment. EnekweChi (JP) is an Abuja-based Journalist

Love Your Eyes, Protect Your Future

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The theme #LoveYourEyes reminds us about protecting our ability to learn, work, and participate fully in society, writes ELIZABETH NDUBISI EROMOSELE

he elders say that there are some things we only truly appreciate when we begin to lose them. Vision is one of them. Every morning, we open our eyes and enter a world we rarely stop to think about. We read messages, recognise faces, drive, work, study, cook, trade, use our phones and navigate our surroundings. We depend on our eyes for much of what we do, yet eye health is often one of the last things we consider when thinking about preventive healthcare. World Sight Day 2026, marked on October 8, offers an opportunity to change that mindset. This year’s theme #LoveYourEyes reminds us that protecting sight is not simply about seeing clearly. It is about protecting our ability to learn, work, remain independent and participate fully in society. The global campaign is calling attention to accessible, available and affordable eye care, while encouraging action in schools, workplaces and communities. Let’s look at the numbers. The World Health Organisation estimates that at least 2.2 billion people globally have near or distance vision impairment, with at least one billion cases preventable or yet to be addressed. In Nigeria, an estimated 4.25 million adults aged 40 and above are blind or visually impaired, according to data from Sightsavers Nigeria. Sadly, behind these statistics are real everyday people. Now, consider the child who sits at

the back of a classroom and struggles to read what the teacher writes on the board. The child may be labelled inattentive or academically weak when the real problem is simply poor vision. Or the middle-aged professional who increasingly holds a phone farther away to read messages and assumes it is "just age". It may indeed be presbyopia, a normal age-related change in near vision, but it is still something that can be properly assessed and corrected. Then there is the person with glaucoma who feels perfectly fine. Glaucoma can develop silently, damaging the optic nerve before noticeable symptoms appear. By the time significant vision loss becomes obvious, some damage may already be irreversible. These examples demonstrate why eye care cannot begin only when someone notices that they cannot see. Eye health is closely connected to education, employment, safety and quality of life. Indeed, eye health is public health. For children, good vision supports learning. For workers, it supports productivity and safety. For older people, preserved vision can mean the difference between independence and dependence. Diabetes provides another important example. Poorly controlled diabetes can damage the blood vessels of the retina and cause diabetic retinopathy, potentially threatening sight. This means eye care cannot

be separated from general healthcare. A person living with diabetes needs medical management and appropriate eye care. This is precisely why routine eye examinations matter, even when everything appears normal. So, an eye examination is not simply a test to determine whether someone needs spectacles. It can also help detect conditions that may otherwise go unnoticed. It is however not all gloom. The country has made important efforts to address avoidable vision impairment. The National Eye Health Strategic Development Plan 2024 - 2028 places emphasis on universal eye health and integration of eye care into the broader health system. The Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA) is also playing an important role in taking eye-health advocacy beyond the consulting room. Through its activities, including community outreach and vision corridors, the association brings professional eye care and public education closer to Nigerians. NOA Lagos specifically identifies World Sight Day among the occasions when it organises free vision screenings and other outreach programmes. This is important because awareness becomes meaningful when it leads to action. The NOA's World Sight Day activities also includes school health talks, free eye screenings, awareness walk across the zones and media campaigns focused on

preventable blindness and the importance of regular eye examinations. These initiatives demonstrate what is possible when professional associations, government, communities and other stakeholders work together. As we mark World Sight Day 2026, there are five simple actions worth prioritising. First, make routine eye examinations normal. Do not wait until vision deteriorates significantly before visiting your optometrist. Second, prioritise children's vision. A child who cannot see properly cannot be expected to learn to their full potential. Third, encourage people with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension to take eye health seriously. Fourth, make workplaces safer for the eyes through appropriate protective equipment, lighting, screen practices and regular checks. Finally, strengthen access to affordable treatment. Early detection has limited value if people cannot afford or reach the care they need. Of course, World Sight Day should be more than another awareness day. It should be a reminder that sight is an essential part of human capital. On World Sight Day, let us truly #LoveYourEyes. Dr Eromosele (OD) is Lead Optometrist at Vantage Point Eye Clinic, Idimu, Lagos and immediate past Secretary for NOA Alimosho.

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OCTOBER 17, 2026 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT 13

SEPTEMBER 25, 2021 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

Yet another waste... What a waste!

In Praise of President Witch Hunt in Enugu and Police Investigation Buhari

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Hudu Kanje: ManStop of the Masses Ritual Attacks and Killings

on. Hudu Kanje, who campaign team on the day I by the EFCC, President Buhari by his action has successfully brought back to President Muhammadu Buhari took over the reins of he hen Advocacy for Alleged faeces, over accusations of witchcraft represents Awe North visited his Constituency Office the public consciousness the need to treat public funds with the highest level power on May 29, 2015, Nigeria was sadly a broken state in Witches, in collaboration and responsibility the death of offor transparency and accountability. many respects. As a result of manywith other factors including bad Constituency in the recently, I witnessed firsthand After keeping at bay through the House andfor untold level of corruption, could not brother's Advocacypoured for Alleged Witches (AfAW) thegovernance Ministry Gender and government her husband's wife. treasury Effortslooters on their toes and Nasarawa State howhepeople encomiums EFCC, particularly, President Buhari moved to curb unnecessary spending live up to its financial obligations and service providers at both the to identify urges the Nigerian public to stop ritual Women Affairs,toiscitizens sponsoring are ongoing and arrest of Assembly, isostentation. withoutPartdoubt on him nokillings end;because evidence of his the nation on what economists call articles of and state levels. attacksto and the notion afederal medical examination of the woman the perpetrators, habits who ofare currently a politician with sterling service to the people. He of the disclosures of the President’s stock taking was how pedigree. the country He Indeed one of the first official assignments that President Buhari carried of ritual money and wealth is completely accused abused forofwitchcraft frittered away billions in foreign belongs currency by to importing goods, which can baseless. is making this call the out was theand approval of billions Naira in bailout fundsattolarge. enable state the All Progressives soonAfAW quietly receded to following his private be produced at home. One of such items was rice, a major staple among reported arrest of suspected ritualists in Oyo State governors paysouthern something asNigeria. basic as workers’ bailout for in Enugu, This salaries. Granting The those Advocacy Alleged Witches Congress (APC) and also serves in southern office. But despite the mammoth Nigerians. By banning rice into the country, the President on one Nigeria. The local media reported funds was a hugeunderscores boost to national the security because the welcomes pressure of arrears intervention group's this police investigation ofimportation asinthe Chairman of the House crowd, was no hand had saved the nation billions foreign currency annually. that membersI of the astonished Western Nigeriathat Security of unpaid monthly salaries building dangerously all over the country was a zero of witch hunts and the incident. Witch persecution Committee ondomestic Finance and security operatives around And, on the other perhand, the President has boosted production Network, Amotekun, arrestedwere suspected ritualists tickingtolerance bomb. itsAsk commitment to they ending sists due andinineffective of rice and the process had nudged the country into self sufficiency in with the body parts ofwent a 73-year-old man. the naysayers and wouldabuses readily remind you of how longto it impunity Appropriation. him. He later through foodof production. He also created millions of jobs for young people in the rice The suspects, who were apprehended in the took President Buhari to appoint his ministers and how that contributed to cases linked to witchcraft beliefs and ritual policing. Few witch hunts He serves as elected voice for the same crowd to observe his value chain. and even Boluwaji area in Ibadan, said that a Muslim collapse ofin theNigeria. economy asAfAW if, without ministers, governance was frozen. to the attacks advocates are reported police, the voiceless for the Awe North prayers. What is most admirable about President Buhari and his government is cleric asked them to procure some human body But buying that narrative would amount to what a famous Nigerian writer, met with the state commissioner fewer investigated prosecuted its frugalor management of scarce national resources to attain optimum goals.leads partsIt forwas rituals. Ritual attacks are widespread Chimamanda Adichie, termed “the danger of afor single story”. Yet are the whole State Constituency. He also a lesson: whatever we do Gender recently, she did pledged because police areRecall notthat diligent and Buharithe since President stepped in the saddle, revenue dropped in in Nigeria. conceptions of how to story was that many of and our citizens not know how decrepit a state Finance andoilAppropriation life, Irrational we must endeavor to put abysmally if to sabotage him knowing all the big promises he made to make money or become wealthy and successful President inherited in 2015. to help Buhari rehabilitate the victim. An too often compromise theas investigaCommittee in the that State LegislaGod first. it was a testimony citizenscases, during police his campaigns. But with the little resources trickle in, the undergird theseBut atrocities. Many Nigerians It was therefore necessary himfinished to take stock againsttion the background advocate stated: "Wefor just process. In most ture. He youth emto thebelieve fact in that Hon. Hudu Alh. President is achieving what governments that focuses received oil on windfalls could strongly blood money, known in of the fact that the departing government did not, reportedly, cooperate full with thethemeeting with theincommisofficershandover are not interested not dream of.in justice local Kanje languages Owo (Yoruba) well with incoming government terms of leaving workable powerment, educational support some Hudu is as a Ogun true Muslim sioner now and sheGoodluck said that they'll or inlaw enforcement. They Today, the are trainsmore are up and running daily from Abuja to Kaduna. And or whose Ogwu ego (Igbo). think that they notes. Although President Jonathan was gracious defeat, many and health sector, and delivers faith in They Allah is unshakefrom Lagos to Ibadan a brand new rail track was started and completed; could become rich, or successful through ritual of his appointees were still over what they saw as their personalin profiting take the woman to sulking Parklane, which interested from the case, medical and welfare supplies able. are already commuting daily to and fro these two major cities in the sacrifice. Unfortunately, this is not the case. and therefore pulled all the stops to make things difficult for the islosses a government-owned hospital, for extorting money citizens from petitioners to local healthcare centres. He Anjorin Adeolu, country seamlessly as they reap from the dividends of democracy. And with Ritual wealth has no basisNasarawa in reason, science, Buhari government. a thorough and suspects, professionally thein way this government is going, before 2023 when the President Even with thebody obviouscheck-up..." and unpatriotic obscurantist behaviour of the PDP than sponsored a bill for thewould creation or reality. Home movies known as Africa In a related development, the carrying out the investigation and would beoflinked leave, the entire country rail with all of its economic or Nollywood films have not helped appointees and their supporters still in government hell-bent on making the by Nasarawa State Character magic advantages. matters. TheseA movies things difficult Buhari, thean President moved on with his methodical repair Hotcontinue Hackto reinforce police haveforordered investigation prosecution of suspects. these mistaken notions and other superstitions. of a broken country. The first thing he did was to identify all possible sources Ainofenokhai Ojeifo, Abuja Commission. into the incident. In a statement Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Families, recent churches, mosques, public of income to the nation and directed that all inflows be Being privileged to be in his strange storyand toldother of numertitled, orders institutions do internet not encourage the interrogation paid intoEnugu one singleCP account in lineinvestigation with the policy of Alleged Witches ous connected fridges of these traditional occult beliefs. There are Singleviral Treasury Account into video of(TSA). alleged trial by freezers being hacked T H E S AT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R no robustand efforts to criticize or dispel theseand The TSA policy, interestingly, was mooted ordeal and assault of woman inby the EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE their temperatures being sent so irrational and paranormal claims in schools, PDP government but its penchant for imprudence DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU Nkanu East…", the police public colleges, universities. So millions of and lack of accountability denied it the courage of T HMANAGING E SAT U RDIRECTOR DAY N EENIOLA W S PABELLO PER high that and all their contents were spoilt. A relations officer, Daniel Ndukwe EDITOR OBINNA CHIMA Nigerians grow upquestions blindly believing that they implementing the policy. What the President literally DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU number of trivial arise including CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI AHAMEFULA OGBU DEPUTY EDITOR could make money through ritual sacrifice of did was to gather all the nation’s money one box states: "The Commissioner of into Police, EDITOR NATION’SDIRECTOR CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING ENIOLA BELLO why are body fridges connected human parts. The belief to hasthe ledinternet many and locked it up with a big padlock andMamwatched for Enugu State Command, CP MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU and why do they have the capacity to reach Nigerians to commit crimes and perpetrate any thief to come close. THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI man Giwa, has ordered atrocities. Many have been jailed WhoBitrus can blame the President for almost the developing 50°C? There areNigerians more serious questions EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN State CID viral treasury video or are undergoing court trials due to ritualparanoia over to the investigate safeguard of theanational THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE as to what is the limit to these hacks and related attacks and murder. with revelations reports oftrial mind-boggling looting depicting theandalleged by ordeal how can they be prevented. Adjusting the Not too long ago, the police arrested some that took place in the 16 years of the PDP? With T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D and assault of a woman in Amafu temperature of aforfridge is female annoying young Nigerians stealing pants,and such disclosures of how billions meant for fighting EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA Village, Nkanu which they use for ritual sacrifice. insurgencyUgbawka, in the Northeast ended upEast in theLGA. pockets of GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, wasteful butintended what ifto the temperature in TH I S DAY N E WNWOGWUGWU, S PA P E R S LEMMANUEL I M I T E D EFENI ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA The has been identified AfAW is asking all Nigerians to desist from a few victim individuals while our gallant soldiers as fought with a hospital operating room was raised to EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE ritual-related abuses because ritual money bare hands and on empty stomach, Buhari Chinenye Okonkwo, whoPresident is around GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLAOJOGUN BELLO, KAYODE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR VICTORKOMOLAFE, DANBOYI 50°C or all of the lights were turned off? beliefs are baseless superstitions. Nigerian It was duty bound to bring sanity and accountability back 60 years old. Following the video, ISRAEL IWEGBU SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH media, should help in national spending. is best toschools, make and surecolleges that internet controls DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORSASSOCIATE SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE Police operatives Eastand educate and reorient the public. They should Thus, under Presidentfrom Buhari,Nkanu the Economic CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI can be turned off easily and immediately DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI Division visited the victim reasoning Nigerians out of this Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),and which had DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO SNR.PRINTING ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH if assist therein are similar events. We need to killer-superstitious absurdity and nonsense. remained comatose for years, wasPreliminary woken up to resume ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI obtained her statement. TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com make sure directs our connected laziness doesn't Leo Igwe the Advocacy for Alleged its duties. Apart from the trillions of Naira of looted CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI findings indicate that she was (AfAW) funds and property recovered from corrupt politicians DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO letWitches everything get out of our control. allegedly subjected to severe abuse, Dennis Fitzgerald, 28 Landale St,. TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com including being forced to eat human Box Hill, Vic., Australia

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R • SATURDAY OCTOBER 17, 2026

NEWS XTRA

CAPACITY BUILDING...

ROYAL RECEPTION...

L-R: Rev. Fr. Nwogu Darlington; Rev. Fr. Donatus Emerum; H.R.H. Eze Ernest Agala Ogbodudu 111 of Mbaukwu Autonomous Community; his wife, Ugoeze Getrude Agala, and Rev. Fr. Kingsley Uchenna Enyeribe, when the people of Oparachi Mbaukwu Ihitte Community stood still in a royal reception organised to honour the traditional ruler in Mbaukwu community…recently

L-R: Dean, School of Economics, Finance and Accounting, University of Kigali, Dr Luqman Afolabi; Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing, University of Lagos, Prof. Victor Odumuyiwa; Director of Administration and Human Resources, Lagos State Ministry of Establishments and Training, Mr Adedolapo Sulaimon Ajayi; Deputy ViceChancellor, Research, Innovation and Enterprise, University of Kigali, Prof. Ogechi Adeola, and Senior Partner/CEO, J. Soji-George Consulting Nigeria Limited, Prof. Olusoji James George, at a two-day Executive Leadership Masterclass on AI, Governance and Economic Transformation (AI-GET) for senior Lagos State Government officials, held in Lagos…recently

Families Wait PAGE 14for Answers After Nigerian Military Plane Crash Linus Aleke in Abuja with agency report More than a week after a Nigerian Air Force plane crash that killed all 25 people on board, families say they are still waiting for answers as military teams search for wreckage and human remains

in swampy terrain. President Bola Tinubu had ordered an i‌nvestigation into the October 5 crash, but relatives say they have received little information about what caused it, whether remains have been identified or how recovery efforts are progressing.

NCDMB Charges Anambra Journalists on Oil, Gas Opportunities, Accountability Kasie Abone and Sylvester Idowu in Warri The media must take a more proactive role in promoting Nigeria’s local content policy by highlighting opportunities, monitoring compliance with relevant laws and examining the effects of oil and gas operations on indigenous businesses and host communities, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has stated. Also, NCDMB in collaboration with Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited launched a 12-month training programme at Nigeria Machine Tools Limited, Osogbo, Osun State.

Speaking at a one-day capacitybuilding workshop for media stakeholders at Golden Tulip Hotel, Awka, on Thursday, October 15, 2026, the Board’s General Manager, Corporate Communications, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, described journalists as vital partners in implementing the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010. Ezeobi said the workshop was intended to enhance journalists’ knowledge of the NCDMB’s mandate, programmes and interventions, while providing them with the skills needed to report accurately and effectively on the technical aspects of the oil and gas industry.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin City to Lagos when it crashed in a remote area of South-west Nigeria after losing radar contact. It has not disclosed the cause. The flight was carrying 19 military personnel and six civilians. London-based software developer, Victor Anii, told Reuters that the uncertainty has compounded the grief of losing

his older sister, Esther Anii, a sergeant in the Nigerian Air Force. When he woke on October 5, he found a message from Esther asking him to send money for a bus journey from Benin City to Lagos. She told him the group had flown from Abuja but stopped in Benin City because of a fault with the aircraft. Tired of waiting, she was considering continuing the journey by road. Hours later, news broke that

to reject the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027, arguing that another term for the ruling party would prolong the hardship citizens were experiencing. He also expressed confidence that Atiku, if elected, would prioritise economic recovery, wealth creation, national security and improved living standards. The ADC-PCC further criticised Kwankwaso for urging Atiku to step down for Obi, describing the call as reckless, self-serving and an attempt to weaken the opposition ahead of the 2027 election. Ologbondiyan questioned why Kwankwaso was focusing on opposition leaders rather than challenging Tinubu’s administration, which the council said Nigerians were eager to vote out. “Rather than campaigning

as poor communication from the authorities, Anii posted a video ‌online criticising the Air Force's handling of families after the crash. Two days later, he said, an NAF commander visited his parents' home in Abuja carrying two envelopes. One contained a condolence letter. The family did not open the second because they suspected it contained cash.

United Nigeria Airlines Issues Commercial Paper, Targets Raising N20 Billion

Chinedu Eze

United Nigeria Airlines Company Limited has announced intention to issue commercial paper with a first tranche of N20 billion, indicating that it is the first domestic operator to do so. According to its September 2026 investor presentation which outlined its financial performance and five-year expansion strategy, the airline said the commercial paper will be issued in series one and two with tenors of 270 days and 364 days.

The proposed issuance, the domestic carrier explained, is the first under the airline’s N100 billion commercial paper programme. The transaction has Meristem Capital Limited as lead arrangers and Cordros Advisory Services Limited, Coronation Merchant Bank Limited, FCMB Capital Markets Limited, FSL Advisory Limited and Quantum Zenith Capital & Investments Limited as dealers. The issue comes as the airline seeks to strengthen its financial position and

ATIKU FIT, READY TO TRAVERSE 36 STATES, FCT, ADC-PCC DECLARES dismissed the argument that official engagements could prevent Tinubu from campaigning across the country, citing former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, as well as former United States President Donald Trump and former Vice-President Kamala Harris, as examples of political leaders who campaigned while holding or seeking public office. He alleged that Tinubu was reluctant to face voters because of public dissatisfaction over hunger, poverty, insecurity and the state of the economy. Ologbondiyan maintained that Atiku was physically fit, mentally alert and prepared to visit every state and the FCT to present his manifesto and seek the electorate’s mandate. He urged Nigerians, particularly young voters,

an NAF aircraft flying between the two cities had crashed. "We didn't know what was going on. We just knew we couldn't reach her, and her husband couldn't reach some of his friends on the flight," he said. It was not until the following day, when the Air Force published a list of those on board, that the family learned Esther had been among those killed. Frustrated by what he saw

against President Tinubu, whose administration Nigerians are eagerly working to vote out, Kwankwaso is fixated on Atiku Abubakar, the ADC candidate, whom millions of Nigerians believe can restore economic stability and make life affordable again,” he said. He alleged that Kwankwaso’s position raised questions about his political intentions, suggesting that his actions could benefit the ruling APC by creating divisions among opposition parties. “What Kwankwaso is doing amounts to advancing President Tinubu’s interests. It is a familiar APC strategy to use willing collaborators within the opposition to create confusion, sow division and weaken the collective efforts to bring about political change,” Ologbondiyan said.

He also argued that Kwankwaso’s political influence in Kano should not be considered indispensable to any presidential candidate seeking victory in the state. Citing the 2003 and 2007 presidential elections, he said former President Muhammadu Buhari had secured victories in Kano without Kwankwaso’s support, adding that Atiku could also win the state in 2027. Ologbondiyan further questioned Kwankwaso’s ability to translate his regional influence into nationwide electoral support, citing his fourth-place finish in the 2023 presidential election. He also alleged that Kwankwaso’s call for Obi’s candidacy was driven partly by personal political ambition and possible calculations ahead of the 2031 election.

expand domestic, regional and international operations. United Nigeria Airlines also secured investment grade ratings from two rating agencies. Agusto & Co. rated it A3 for the short term and BBB- for the long term with a stable outlook and DataPro assigned the airline short-term and long-term ratings of A1 and BBB. “The company’s stellar performance is evident in its financials. United Nigeria has grown its revenue from N10.3 billion in FY2021 to N90.8

billion in FY2025. Profit after tax increased from N1.3 billion to N23.8 billion over the same period. It recorded a revenue of N95.6 billion in the first half of 2026 and its August performance was resilient with turnover rising to N19.4 billion from N14.1 billion in July, while it returned to a net profit of N1.2 billion. The airline expressed optimism that its performance for the remaining part of the year and beyond would be in the upward trajectory,” the airline said in a statement.

The ADC-PCC director maintained that Atiku had built political relationships across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones over more than three decades, which he said positioned the former vice-president to assemble a broad national coalition. He urged Kwankwaso and other opposition figures to support Atiku, arguing that opposition leaders should prioritise defeating the APC rather than undermining one another. “The task before opposition leaders is not to undermine one another for personal political advantage but to unite around the urgent national mission of rescuing Nigeria,” Ologbondiyan said. The council also claimed that it had been politically strengthened by the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign

Council, saying the event had not attracted endorsements from ADC members or sympathisers.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as AKAGBURUONYE GRACE ULOMA now wish to be known and addressed as AKAGBURUONYE CHIDIMMA LILIAN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. This is to confirm that ADEBIYI MOBOLAJI and ADEBIYI MOBOLAJI ADIGUN are one and the same person. Henceforth he wishes to be known and addressed as ADEBIYI MOBOLAJI ADIGUN. FCMB and the general public, please take note. ADDITIONAL OF NAME ON MY DOCUMENTS

That due to some issues, my name was written as ODUN FRANCIS in all of my documents. That my full name is ODUN FRANCIS EMMANUEL CHUKWUDI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

SaturDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2026 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R O C T O B E R 17, 2026

16

MEMORABLE MILESTONES

Wale Ojo: 10 Defining Moments That Shaped My Life and Career

Renowned thespian, Wale Ojo has traversed quite a memorable career as an actor in the United Kingdom and Nigeria. Ojo started out acting on stage. But most of his works have taken major part on screen. Ojo recounts ten exciting moments of his life in this chat with Ferdinand Ekechukwu

1

. Sometime in 1978, I saw my beloved mother Princess Teresa Otieyeke Ojo on stage for the first time in a play titled “Wedlock of the Gods” written by her best friend, Zulu Sofola (first published female Nigerian playwright and dramatist). The play was staged at the University of Ibadan theatre and i was so taken in by the drama that when Mama was struck down by the witch lady in the play i ran onto the stage screaming “Mummy!” 2. In 1986 i became professional in the United Kingdom by performing in Shakespeare’s “Othello”. I played Othello dressed in military uniform as my female co-star who played Desdemona. Terrifying and wonderful at the same time. 3. Just before graduating from the University of Hull where i studied Drama as a degree i drove my new Toyota sports car onto the Gulbenkian stage and performed “Purple Rain” by Prince all dressed up like Prince for the annual drama festival. The audience loved it! 4. Sometime in the early eighties i played rugby for Mayfield College. I remember being handed the rugby ball and all I could hear was the feet of the overtly muscular opposition heading towards me. I took olff for dear life with the ball firmly held. Later a friend of mine remarked how he saw me racing down the rugby field like speedy gonzalez..a proud athletic moment for me I think. 5. Following on the athletics cue I became the high jump champion in my school when i broke the high jump record. I think I scaled 1.78m if I remember correctly. Another proud

Ojo athletic moment. 6. This event happened in the early seventies when my mother won the egg and spoon race and beat all the other school mothers at the Bodija International School mother’s day race. 7. Again round about the late seventies my dad, mum,

myself and my elder brother Niyi got into my dad’s new car a beautiful white Toyota Crown with number plate WAE 750L. Daddy drove all three of us down the lovely Agodi Gardens road in Ibadan testing the speed of the car. The familial joy and sense of bonding in the car that day was beautifully indescribable. Baba may as well have bought a space shuttle and we were flying off to the moon! 8. I was cast as Mr. Cokane in a play titled “ Widower’s Houses” by George Barnard Shaw by his great niece Fiona Shaw. This was brave casting for the year 1999 as the part being an aristocratic role would have been played by a white actor. However Fiona Shaw loved my audition and cast me. The play was performed at the Olivier stage at the National theatre of Great Britain. It was for me a career defining moment! 9. After completing the first ever Nigerian sitcom series to be aired on Netflix titled “ Meet the Adebanjos” I went to my beloved Peckham High Street to get my usual dose of Naija food. However, this time everyone on that street recognised me as a result of the series and all I could hear walking down Peckham high street was “ Mr. Adebanjo you must come to my shop o!” “We love you Mr. Adebanjo! ‘ ..”Where is your potato?” 10. In 2024 I picked up at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards the best actor award for the film “ Breath of Life”. I was accompanied to the stage to pick up the award with my good friend, Boma Akpore who was the first to congratulate me. Another exciting and career defining moment!

Petite Talker Targets Show Expansion, Foundation Growth After Media Award

C

assandra Obiefune, popularly known as Petite Talker, is targeting the expansion of The Petite Talk Show, deeper professional development and the growth of her empowerment foundation after winning the Media Personality of the Year award at the Lumin8 Lifestyle Magazine Honours 2026. The television presenter, event host and ARCON-certified brand strategist said her plans for the coming months include introducing fresh concepts to her show, creating more thought-provoking conversations and developing content that resonates with audiences beyond its broadcast. “I want the show to become a platform where celebrities and everyday people can have honest conversations about life, relationships, personal growth, mistakes, success, and the experiences that shape us,” she said. Petite Talker also plans to invest in continuous learning to sharpen her skills and strengthen her professional

expertise, stressing that experience alone is not enough to sustain growth in the media industry. “Another important milestone for me is my continued investment in learning. I believe that no matter how much experience you have, there is always room to learn, improve, and sharpen your craft. I don’t want to rely solely on talent or visibility; I want to keep developing the knowledge and professional depth to support the work I do,” she said. Beyond her media career, she is committed to expanding the Petite Empowerment Foundation, which she sees as a platform for creating opportunities for others and connecting personal success with community development “I am also committed to growing the Petite Empowerment Foundation because success means more to me when it creates opportunities for others. I want my journey to demonstrate that you can build a successful personal brand while remaining connected to the needs of your community,” she added.

Her plans follow her emergence as Media Personality of the Year at the Lumin8 Lifestyle Magazine Honours 2026, an honour she described as more than a trophy. “It is also a reminder of how far I have come, the battles I have fought privately, and the little girl who dared to dream of having a voice and using it to make an impact,” she said. Petite Talker began pursuing a career in the media 16 years ago, choosing communication and storytelling over music. She said the decision had taken her further than she had imagined, although her journey had not been without challenges. About eight years ago, she experienced Bell’s palsy, which left her unable to speak for three months. The experience, she recalled, taught her not to take her voice, talent or the simple things in life for granted. Her career has since spanned television presenting, event hosting and producing The Petite Talk Show, through which she seeks to create spaces for people

Petite Talker to share their stories and engage in meaningful conversations. As she pursues her next phase of growth, Petite Talker said she wants

to build a legacy that extends beyond public recognition, using her media platform and personal brand to inspire others and make a lasting impact.

Toluwanisings: Huge Loss to Nigerian Gospel Music Ministry

Tosin Clegg|

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t has barely been three weeks since he celebrated his fifth wedding anniversary on September 25, 2026. Images from the anniversary photoshoot showed him, his wife and their daughters dressed in chocolate-brown Aso oke. Another slide featured him and his wife in white shirts, multicoloured aso oke sokoto trousers and fila caps, completing their traditional outfits. Hundreds of comments poured in, celebrating their union and reflecting on how far God had blessed their home. Minister Olayemi Bayonile Bolaji, popularly known as Toluwanisings, was widely celebrated for his soul-stirring music and unwavering devotion to spreading positivity through his songs. His powerful vocal projection, characterised by deep undertones, became his signature and helped his music resonate with audiences during worship and praise sessions. His songs connected with listeners from diverse backgrounds, offering messages of hope, faith and inspiration. Toluwanisings also made waves with hit singles such as Worship Medley, Depthless, Yes Lord, My Plea, Asegun Ni Mi, Ailejuwe, Nje E Ti Gbo, Emimio Ese, Orin N Seto, Apostolic Praise, Ogbenutan, Kosoluwa Laye, Olorun Awon Baba and Toluwa Ni Mi. His music

Toluwanisings reached audiences not only through live performances but also on digital platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Audiomack, where his works were cherished by fans around the world. These platforms helped connect him with many listeners

who, although not necessarily Christians, appreciated the messages and depth of his songs. Wednesday, October 14, 2026, began like any other day but soon turned sombre as reports of the gospel minister’s presumed death spread across social media. Conflicting reports emerged, with some people disputing the claims while others continued to share news of his alleged death. Accounts shared on various social media pages suggested that he had slumped in the early hours of Wednesday and was rushed to a hospital. Some people also claimed that he had begun responding to treatment and urged others to stop spreading reports of his death. These accounts rekindled hope, prompting many people to pray for his speedy recovery. However, amid the uncertainty, others continued posting his pictures and videos, accompanied by messages of condolence to his family and wishes that he would find eternal rest in the bosom of the Lord.

Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

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•Tourism •Arts&Culture Charles Ajunwa Usaku Wammanda: Africans Must Tell Their Own Stories, Shape Global Cinema • 08064268968 • ajunwacharles@gmail.com

Dr. Usaku Wammanda, a lecturer at Film and Multimedia Department, School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, speaks about International Student Film Festival, why Africans should tell their stories among other salient issues. Charles Ajunwa brings excerpts

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hat’s the Pan-Atlantic University International Student Film Festival all about? The Pan-Atlantic University International Student Film Festival is about celebrating next African storytellers. This year, we focused on African students’ films. We’re taking submissions from all student filmmakers and then the major idea is to create a platform to celebrate these young filmmakers and also within this platform create an avenue for collaboration with industry experts and then opportunities for funders and all that. So we invite industry people to give sessions and then students interact with these industry people. In fact, our hope is that sometimes they watch these students’ films and then they pick interest in what the students are doing. This is the third edition. Last year’s edition, the student that won the Best Film Award, her film went to AFRIF and from AFRIF, she got a filmmaker that was willing to sponsor her next film. So those are the kind of things we’re hoping for at our Student Film Festival.

indigenous languages that we are fast losing to Western cultures why creating these films? Yes, we do. We’re looking into it, because like you said, we’re losing our culture and young people are learning about culture from the media, films for example. So why focusing on Africa, we’re saying how do we take African storytelling to the next level with the younger generation? That is why the idea of the ‘Unboxed’, that there’s an African story in a box that needs to be showcased to the wider world. And is why we only specifically accepted submissions from African student filmmakers, African stories.

What is the major objective of the student film festival? The major objective is to celebrate these young filmmakers. And besides that, discuss the future of African cinema and film schools. We have a panel on that because film studies in Nigeria, there’s now undergraduate department. Since the unbundling by National University Commission (NUC), we have universities now running the Film and Multimedia Studies. So we’re creating a platform for these people to collaborate and have access to industry people.

What about funding? In terms of funding, the school has been supportive. And we go and look for funds from people that are really interested in investing and MultiChoice really came through this year and some we would get next year.

Do you factor in aspect of our culture, especially

What is the level of collaboration so far? It’s encouraging. Keynote one, was given by Daniel Eton. The second keynote was given by Femi Adebayo. And some of our collaborators include MultiChoice, we have masterclasses run by people like Hakeem Effect, Uzoamaka Power and others. Yes, we have proper industry collaborators and other film schools around the world. We have students from at least 15 schools here. There’re Mass Communication Departments from other schools.

What is your take on African culture? It’s a very beautiful culture and we have a lot of untold stories. In fact, we’ve not begun to scratch the surface. There are stories in Africa, that is why most of the blockbuster stories coming are African stories. I’ve watched interviews

Wammanda of people in Hollywood City say they’ve run out of stories but the stories are here in Africa. So we are beginning to tell those stories in our own way. Before we allow people to come and tell our stories, but now is an era for Africans to tell their own stories themselves.

Kebbi: Turning Argungu Olamma Ojukwu:Tour Operators’ Partnership Boosts Nigeria-Benin Business Into Investment Hub Onuminya Innocent in Birnin Kebbi

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or decades, Argungu has been synonymous with culture, tradition and the spectacle of its famous fishing festival. But the Kebbi State Government is now seeking to give the historic town a new identity — a commercial and investment hub driven by tourism, fisheries and hospitality. The state government believes the worldfamous Argungu Fishing Festival can become more than an annual cultural celebration. It sees the event as a strategic economic asset capable of attracting investors, creating jobs and placing Argungu more firmly on the global tourism map. Governor Nasir Idris, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media, Communication and Strategy, Abdullahi Zuru, while briefing journalists on the state’s economic blueprint, said the administration was determined to reposition the festival to meet international standards. According to him, the government is repackaging the festival as part of a broader strategy to attract foreign direct investment and unlock the economic potential of Argungu. Kebbi, he noted, possesses enormous natural resources, including fertile agricultural land, vast water bodies and a rich cultural heritage. However, much of this potential remains largely untapped. The administration’s strategy, therefore, is to transform these

assets into productive economic opportunities. At the heart of the plan is the Argungu Fishing Festival, which the governor believes can become a major revenue earner for the state while generating employment opportunities, particularly for young people. For the government, turning Argungu into an investment destination requires more than promoting the festival. Infrastructure must also be developed to support increased economic activity. One of the projects being undertaken is the dualisation of the Argungu Township Road. Idris described the project as deliberate, stressing that it would provide the town with a facelift while improving the movement of people, goods and services. The road project is expected to strengthen the town’s commercial appeal and provide better access during the fishing festival and beyond. The broader objective is to ensure that the infrastructure supporting the festival can also serve the town throughout the year. Beyond infrastructure, the state government is engaging local and international investors interested in fisheries, tourism and hospitality. Such investments, the governor said, would help create a more diversified economic base for Argungu and Kebbi State. The strategy reflects the administration’s determination to move beyond dependence on agriculture and use tourism as a vehicle for commercialisation. If successfully implemented, Argungu could gradually evolve from a destination known mainly for an annual fishing spectacle into a year-round centre of tourism, enterprise and investment — turning cultural heritage into an engine of economic growth.

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he growing collaboration between Nigerian and Beninese tourism operators is opening new business opportunities, attracting more visitors and gradually breaking down barriers between Anglophone and Francophone West Africa. For Mrs. Olamma Ojukwu, Chief Executive Officer of GOTA Voyage, the travel and tourism arm of GOTA International Group, partnerships among tour operators are essential to unlocking the region’s tourism potential, strengthening cross-border relationships and

Ojukwu

promoting destinations that have long remained underexplored. Speaking on the sidelines of the 22nd Akwaaba African Travel Market, Ojukwu highlighted Benin Republic’s cultural heritage, emerging tourism attractions and hospitality offerings, while reflecting on how familiarisation visits and industry networking are translating into business opportunities between the two countries. She said: “Since 2016, we had the immediate past president that the whole world is talking about that decided to put Benin Republic on the map of Africa. In the early twenties, you would get out of Benin and tell people you’re from Benin, and they would ask you to bring the map. We had to say it is very close to Nigeria, Togo and Ghana for them to actually know where you’re coming from. “But the past president, Patrice Talon, took Benin to the map of the world. Let me say, he reintroduced Benin. Today, you come to Benin, and we have an emblem called the Amazon, the Woman King. You want to come to West Africa and you don’t have Benin on your map? It’s like you have not begun, because everybody wants to have a picture of the Amazon. “We are also selling the coastal road of Benin, from the border all the way to our historical city, Bida. You have the express road, you see the beaches, and we have put up waterfront restaurants and buildings where everybody wants to come and sit down and feel like they are in Alicante, Spain, right next door. “Benin is that country where you know you have no light issues, no water issues, the nightlife is top-notch, you leave your doors open and you don’t have traffic issues. These are many more natural things we are selling in Benin.”

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Personal Finance • with Omolabake Fasogbon • 08155131874

How AI Is Changing Way Businesses Fight Crime Omolabake Fasogbon

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ecurity risks remain atop the constraints of business operations in Nigeria, reportedly costing operators trillions annually. No business is immune to this menace and uncertainty, which can come from within as much as from without. From theft, robbery, burglary and break-ins to trespassing and unauthorised access, among others, security threats are costing players a significant percentage of their annual sales, with more indigenous businesses investing in security equipment, including closed-circuit television (CCTV). A 2016 report by research firm, 6Wresearch ranked Nigeria the second-largest video surveillance market in Sub-Saharan Africa, after South Africa, with the commercial segment dominating the market as per International Market Analysis Research and Consulting (IMARC). While video surveillance is designed to protect assets and deter crime, evidence continues to mount regarding security breaches and heavy losses at facilities where traditional CCTV cameras are actively deployed. Not that cameras are ineffective, experts say preventing and mitigating security breaches requires active monitoring and real-time intelligence to catch threats as they happen and trigger an immediate response. This need is driving the push for AI-assisted CCTV to complement security guards and add intelligence layers, especially in sectors like hospitality, oil and gas, retail, real estate, and education, where operators manage multiple cameras across several buildings and require swift alerts. Reiterating the above, founder of Sorveo, an enterprise AI video intelligence company, Iso Bassey said watching cameras all the time is

nearly impossible, especially across multiple sites. “Critical moments get missed, and finding footage later takes hours,” he said. He noted therefore that adding an AI-powered intelligence layer, such as the one offered by Sorveo, enables systems to flag individuals or events against watchlists, alert key staff instantly, and centralise review across all locations from a single dashboard for swift response. AI-powered video intelligence is gaining ground in Nigeria, with market research firm UnivDatos projecting that the Africa AI CCTV market, valued at $190 million in 2024, will grow by about 22.75 per cent a year between 2025 and 2033. Iso, however, argued that adoption is still quite low in Nigeria, adding that by embracing it, investors can expect returns commensurate with their investment in security. “Many organisations have and merely use

cameras to view live feeds or check recordings after an incident. The implication is that businesses may have invested in surveillance equipment without getting its full operational value. Moving from passive recording to timely alerts and searchable events can help close that gap, provided the system and other security equipment are also used responsibly and staff know how to respond,” he said. Deploying an intelligent CCTV system is neither herculean nor pocket-draining, especially for facilities with installed CCTV. Using Sorveo’s solution as an example, Iso said users need not replace a whole camera or install a new one, but can add intelligence to an existing camera that is compatible. “Ours is designed to make compatible CCTV more useful. Reusing compatible cameras saves replacement or installation cost, running new

cable or interrupting operations. However, actual savings depend on the customer’s camera estate, staffing, risks and deployment costs. “An intelligence-laid camera brings together event detection, watchlists, alerts and video evidence so teams can act on what cameras see. Embracing it means reducing time spent watching feeds and searching recordings, helping staff investigate incidents faster, and improving the chance of responding before a problem grows.” Addressing concerns over potential AI errors, Bassey clarified that the system delivers actionable intelligence for authorised personnel to evaluate before taking action. “Indeed, AI can make mistakes. This is why system alerts should be treated as useful leads for a trained person to review, not as a final decision about someone,” he explained. He emphasised that human guards remain central to physical security, noting that modern AI solutions exist to support on-ground staff rather than replace their role or judgment. “The system helps them notice events and find relevant video more quickly, but human guards still need to assess alerts, understand the situation, and decide what action is appropriate. They remain essential for prevention, response, communication, and care for people on site,” Bassey said. Acknowledging that enterprise security is a broad domain, he noted that expenditure in the sector is best justified through a balanced approach combining sound procedures, well-trained personnel, reliable power, stable connectivity, and a clear incident response plan. Iso explained that Sorveo designed its solution with Nigeria’s specific power and internet infrastructure challenges in mind “Our solutions store events offline. If the internet drops, the edge device keeps processing and saves events locally, then syncs when connectivity returns. Live alerts and remote viewing will be paused until then,” he said.

Elumelu Reveals $1m Unsolicited Investment in Afrinvest After 2008 Financial Crisis Firm repays investment with interest, earns billionaire investor’s praise for integrity

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ony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, has revealed that he made an unsolicited $1 million investment in Afrinvest West Africa following the 2008 global financial crisis, without documentation or formal agreements, trusting the company’s leadership to repay the funds when business conditions improved. Elumelu disclosed this in a post on his Facebook page after receiving a courtesy visit from Afrinvest Group Managing Director, Dr Ike Chioke, and members of the company’s senior leadership team, following the repayment of the investment with interest. According to Elumelu, the investment was driven by his confidence in Chioke’s leadership, resilience and ability to steer the financial services firm through difficult times. “A few years after the 2008 global financial crisis, which tested the resilience of many businesses, including Afrinvest, I made an unsolicited investment of $1 million in the company. No documentation. No agreements. No terms. Just requested their account number

and wired the fund and said – repay when things turn around,” he wrote. He explained that his decision was based on his belief in Chioke and his partners, adding that the repayment meant more to him than the financial returns. “Just recently, that investment was repaid with interest. Yesterday, Ike led his senior leadership team on a thank-you visit. But for me, the greatest return was not the financial gain. It was seeing Ike justify the trust I had placed in him and repay that trust with integrity,” Elumelu stated. He praised Afrinvest’s growth since the investment, noting that the company had developed into a thriving financial services institution with more than 200 employees and six subsidiaries, creating jobs, opportunities and lasting value. Elumelu said he shared the experience to encourage more successful Africans to support promising individuals and businesses, particularly during periods of uncertainty when access to capital and confidence can make a significant difference. Reflecting on his own entrepreneurial journey,

he said he had benefited from people who believed in him, took chances on him and opened doors of opportunity, adding that successful individuals had a responsibility to extend similar support to others. “I often speak about democratising luck. Throughout my own journey, I have benefited from people who believed in me, took a chance on me, and opened doors of opportunity. I believe we have a responsibility to do the same for others,” he said. He stressed that repaying trust was as important as repaying capital, warning that disappointing those who provide financial support could discourage them from helping other entrepreneurs in the future. “The act of repaying trust, not just capital, is inspiring and encouraging. When people invest in you, please do not disappoint them. If you do, you may make them regret their decision and discourage them from supporting others in the future,” he added. According to Elumelu, Chioke’s actions could inspire other investors to support businesses with strong potential, helping to expand economic opportunities across the

•Elumelu continent. He said Africa could achieve shared prosperity if more people with resources invested in promising entrepreneurs instead of allowing wealth and opportunity to remain concentrated among a privileged few.

TRÏNŪ Opens Abuja Bonded Warehouse, Boosts Northern Trade Links

By Omolabake Fasogbon

TRÏNU Bonded Warehouse, a subsidiary of Sirlyon Limited has begun operations at its customs-licensed bonded warehouse in Kuje, Abuja. The facility is positioned as an inland gateway for imported cargo bound for the Federal Capital Territory and Northern Nigeria to connect activities within this region to global trade. Speaking, CEO of TRÏNU Bonded Ware-

house, Bilal Ajijola disclosed that the company aims at building beyond just a warehouse. “We want TRÏNU to become an important inland gateway for trade into Abuja and Northern Nigeria, connecting businesses to global markets while making the movement of goods more efficient, secure and accessible, “he said. The facility gives importers, exporters, freight forwarders and clearing agents an alternative to handling Abuja-bound cargo entirely through the seaports and logistics

centres of Lagos and other commercial hubs. With capacity for about 700 containers, the facility offers general cargo storage and handling, customs documentation, clearance support, consolidation, and on-site office accommodation for customs and other regulatory agencies. According to Ajijola, cargo can be stored, processed and cleared in Abuja, closer to the businesses and markets it serves. “TRÏNU was built around a simple observation: businesses shouldn’t have to

keep moving back and forth to where their cargo isn’t ultimately going. By creating a secure, customs-licensed facility in Abuja, we’re bringing more of that process closer to where the goods are actually needed. You store, process and clear your cargo closer to its destination”, he said. He added that the organisation plans to build on the Abuja facility as part of a grander vision for bonded warehousing and inland logistics infrastructure across Nigeria.

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R O C T O B E R 17, 2026

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POLITY

Ekiti at 30: Tope Adebayo’s Blueprint for Land of Opportunity

From a modest home in Igbara-Odo to the boardrooms of several companies, lawyer and investor, Tope Adebayo tells Ekiti’s lawmakers that the state’s next 30 years will be shaped less by concrete and steel than by the opportunities it creates for its people, writes Raheem Akingbolu

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hen Tope Adebayo addressed the Ekiti State House of Assembly during activities marking the state’s 30th anniversary, he resisted the temptation to dwell on projects, budgets and government achievements. Instead, he told the story of a young boy from Igbara-Odo whose journey, he argued, reflects the possibilities that still exist for thousands of young people across the state. Born to parents who never had formal education, Adebayo’s beginnings were modest. His educational journey took him from Igbara-Odo to Ikere-Ekiti and later to Ado-Ekiti, where he studied law. From legal practice, he moved into business and investment, gradually building interests across sectors and establishing himself as an entrepreneur with a strong belief in human capital. Today, nearly two decades in business have seen him venture into hospitality, oil and gas, technology, banking and insurance. He serves on the boards of seven companies, while the businesses he pioneered employ more than 200 people. Yet, he insists that his personal achievements are secondary to the lessons they offer about opportunity and social mobility. That perspective shaped his contribution to the anniversary programme themed, “Ekiti at 30: Reflecting on Our Journey, Charting Our Future.” “My story is not really about me. It is a story of possibilities,” he told lawmakers. For him, development should be measured not only by what governments accomplish, but by how many people are equipped to improve their circumstances. From there, he turned attention to what he considers Ekiti’s greatest asset. While development debates often centre on infrastructure, natural resources and government spending, Adebayo argued that the state’s real strength lies elsewhere. “The greatest resource of Ekiti is not beneath our soil. It is

within our people,” he said, urging greater investment in talent, skills and education. It is a conviction he has backed with action. Following the 2018 governorship election, where human capital development featured prominently in his campaign message, he sponsored young people to enrol at the technical school in Igbara-Odo. The intervention reportedly increased enrolment by more than 1,000 per cent and revived interest in vocational education within the community. The initiative has since expanded through the Tope Adebayo Foundation, which provides scholarships and stipends for students. Beyond financial support, the programme seeks to elevate the status of technical education and demonstrate that vocational training can serve as a viable route to economic independence and personal advancement. For Adebayo, vocational skills should never be viewed as an alternative for those unable to secure university admission. In his view, skilled artisans, technicians and craftsmen often become entrepreneurs and employers of labour. Such individuals contribute directly to local economies, create jobs and stimulate growth. As he put it, “Skills are not a consolation prize. Skills are economic capital.” At the same time, he believes skills acquisition must be linked to opportunity. Training young people without creating pathways into employment or enterprise merely postpones the challenge. Software developers must be connected to technology markets, while technical graduates should find opportunities within construction, manufacturing and other productive sectors capable of absorbing their expertise. That thinking extends to the wider knowledge economy. Long regarded as one of Nigeria’s most educated states, Ekiti has an opportunity to transform educational attainment into economic advantage. Adebayo pointed to initiatives such as

L-R: MD/CEO, Guinness Nigeria PLC, Girish Sharma; Chairman, MTN Nigeria Communications PLC, Ernest Ndukwe; Non-Executive Director, TBWA\Concept, Kelechi Nwosu; Chief Executive Officer, TBWA\Concept, George Onukwu; and Director of Africa Operations, TBWA\Concept, Graham Cruickshanks, during the 2026 Omnicom Advertising Africa Conference held Lagos…recently

L-R: Head of Operations, Inter Metro Transport Solutions Limited, Muhammed Atta; Chief Operating Officer, Ecovia Limited, Oluwaseyi Akinwunmi; Founder, Hospital Emergency Response Foundation, Udanga Jarigbe; and Country Director, inDrive Nigeria, Oladimeji Timothy, at the inDrive Safety Summit 3.0 held in Abuja...recently

Adebayo the Ekiti Knowledge Zone, the Ekiti Start-Up Garage and the Innovation Enterprise Support Fund as platforms capable of nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship. Agriculture also features prominently in his vision for the state. Although Ekiti possesses fertile land and a longstanding farming culture, he believes too much value disappears from the agricultural chain. The focus, he argued, should shift towards processing, packaging and marketing. His formula is simple: “Let us produce. Let us process. Let us package. Let us market. Let us export.” Realising that ambition, however, requires a thriving private sector. Government has a critical role to play, but it cannot employ everyone. Investors, Adebayo noted, are attracted by predictable regulations, efficient approvals, reliable infrastructure and ease of doing business. Economic reforms become meaningful when businesses feel their impact and citizens see tangible outcomes. Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

L-R: The Oniru of Iruland, HRM, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal; the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat and Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya at the 2026 Eko World Food Day held at Police College, Ikeja in Lagos PHOTO SUNDAY ADIGUN

L-R: Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Presenting the CISLAC publications to the RegistrarGeneral and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN), during the CISLAC advocacy visit to CAC Head Office in Abuja,...recently

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T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •OCtober 17, 2026

PERSPECTIVE WhyPresident isTinubuBuilding Serious Claim to Greatness Ademola Oshodi

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igeria’s history offers several examples of exceptional leadership amid profound national difficulty. General Yakubu Gowon presided over post-war reconciliation; General Murtala Muhammed revitalised the public service, despite lacking an electoral mandate; General Abdulsalami Abubakar swiftly restored civilian rule, and Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 election concession demonstrated democratic maturity. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo led reforms, rehabilitated Nigeria internationally and secured an $18 billion Paris Club debt write-off, although his third term bid diminished his democratic legacy. Tinubu’s distinction is in uniting these strengths and making them endure through democratic renewal, economic recalibration, wider opportunity, security reform and renewed international influence. Commitment to Democracy Assessing President Tinubu’s leadership begins with his democratic record: As a senator during Nigeria’s Third Republic, he became a prominent supporter of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. He later assembled the political coalition that became the All Progressives Congress, which achieved Nigeria’s first federal transfer of power from a governing party to an opposition party. His election in 2023 attracted criticism from observers and was legally challenged, nevertheless, the Supreme Court affirmed the result. That historical record has been strengthened by President Tinubu’s conduct in office. Osun’s August 2026 election demonstrated his commitment to democracy. Before the election,Tinubu urged INEC to uphold the process and directed security agencies to protect voters and officials before congratulating Governor Ademola Adeleke after the opposition Accord Party defeated his APC. Despite documented inducement and localised disruption, the electorate’s choice prevailed. In Rivers State, the administration judged political paralysis and threats to public order grounds for emergency rule. Suspending the elected executive and legislature drew constitutional objections. Their restoration six months later kept the intervention temporary, but the controversy calls for protecting competitive politics in 2027. That democratic conviction guides Nigeria

Oshodi (left) and Tinubu abroad. At President Patrice Talon’s request, Tinubu authorised Nigerian airstrikes and troop deployments that helped defeat Benin’s December 2025 coup attempt. After GuineaBissau’s November coup, Tinubu authorised protection for opposition candidate Fernando Dias. His approach within ECOWAS did not restore constitutional rule in Niger, but reflected a democratic principle: negotiation first, protection where necessary, and force when required. Economic Reformation Democratic authority earns public confidence when government can correct economic decline. In 2022, petrol subsidies consumed 2.2 percent of GDP and 32 percent of government revenue, while federal debt-service exceeded retained revenue. Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio stood at 8.2 per cent in 2023, against Africa’s 16.1 per cent average. President Tinubu acted decisively. He dismantled the petrol-subsidy regime and converged official foreign-exchange windows as the Central Bank tightened policy and curtailed deficit financing. Hardship was felt and relief arrived slowly. Those deficiencies require correction, but preserving a system that rewarded arbitrage and smuggling would have deepened the crisis. Four 2025 tax laws consolidated the tax framework, created the Nigeria Revenue Service, retained VAT at 7.5 per cent and waived VAT on essential supplies like food and medicine; a February 2026 directive channelled oil and gas revenue into the Federation Account and subjected operating charges to legislative ap-

propriation. These sought to improve transparency, raise revenue and restore disciplined resource management. Tinubu’s reform belongs to a recognisable history of bold but difficult recalibration. Deng Xiaoping’s reforms in China, India’s 1991 liberalisation and Margaret Thatcher’s contested economic programme all altered their economies in ways that subsequent governments largely preserved. Conversely, in Russia, Boris Yeltsin illustrated rapid liberalisation’s dangers amid institutional weakness. Tinubu’s reforms are establishing a durable growth path while strengthening institutions to support production, employment and better livelihoods. Success hinges on turning stability into opportunity. Economic Successes Early results warrant cautious confidence while clarifying the work ahead: real GDP grew from 3.38 per cent in 2024, to 3.87 per cent in 2025, and 4.43 per cent in Q2 2026. The IMF reported stronger macroeconomic stability and resilience, noting that gross reserves increased from approximately $40 billion to $46 billion during 2025, while net reserves rose from about $23 billion to $35 billion. S&P also upgraded Nigeria’s sovereign rating from B-minus to B. Capital inflows reached $23.22 billion, but roughly 85 per cent were portfolio investments. This is encouraging, yet Nigeria needs more productive capital to expand manufacturing, create decent jobs and build domestic capacity.

The purpose of macroeconomic stability is ultimately a better life for citizens. President Tinubu raised the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 and exempted minimum-wage earners from income tax. By September 2026, the NELFUND had disbursed N355.87 billion after processing 1.66 million applications, establishing Nigeria’s first interest-free student-finance system at this scale. Yet social challenges persist. The IMF estimated poverty at 63 percent and food insecurity affecting 27 million Nigerians in late 2025. The administration must turn macroeconomic stability into higher real incomes, dependable services and wider opportunity. Tinubu’s administration brought the case that secured the Supreme Court ruling for direct local government allocations from the Federation Account. This would empower government at the grassroots to provide social amenities and interventions for the masses. Domestic refining shows how policy transforms capacity into national advantage. The Dangote refinery was largely constructed before Tinubu’s presidency and commissioned by President Buhari. Production, however, commenced under President Tinubu, whose administration supported domestic crude supply and introduced the naira-for-crude arrangement. The US Energy Information Administration reports that seaborne petroleum-product exports rose from 46,000 barrels a day in 2023 to about 350,000 by the second quarter of 2026, while imports fell from almost 400,000 to below 130,000. Buhari commissioned it and investors built it; Tinubu helped turn its operation into a national shift towards refined-product exports. Foreign Policy and National Power Foreign policy is where domestic reform becomes national power. Nigeria’s removal from the FATF’s increased-monitoring list reduced international compliance concerns. Nigeria also joined BRICS as a partner country and became an Association country of the International Energy Agency. During Tinubu’s state visit to Britain — the first by a Nigerian president in 37 years — UK Export Finance signed a £746 million port guarantee for port infrastructure. His administration has also intensified advocacy for permanent African representation on the UNSC and advanced Nigeria’s leadership of the African Group’s initiative on international tax cooperation.

•Oshodi is Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and Protocol See concluding part on www. thisdaylive.com

Nigerian Businesses Are Building, Thriving Despite Challenges Mayokun Owolabi

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or years, the conversation around Nigerian businesses has focused on their potential; what they could achieve if infrastructure improved, access to capital increased, or the operating environment became more favourable. But from where I sit, having worked across telecommunications, payment infrastructure at NIBBS, and now fintech, I have watched that conversation evolve alongside the realities of the market. Across the country, businesses are solving complex problems with ingenuity and building companies that are increasingly competitive beyond Nigeria’s borders. They are not defined solely by the challenges of operating in Nigeria. Instead, they are transforming those everyday difficulties into opportunities to innovate, create value, and serve customers in ways that are reshaping industries. These businesses operate in different industries, but they share a common characteristic of building solutions with global relevance while remaining rooted in local realities. One of the biggest changes I have witnessed in my career is a shift in ambition. A decade ago, success often meant building a business that could

thrive within Nigeria. Today, many founders build with regional and global markets in mind from day one. They design products that can scale across borders, adopt technology that lets them serve customers wherever they are, and consider partnerships that extend far beyond their immediate markets. Much of that shift has been enabled by the digital infrastructure I’ve spent my career working on and around. These are the systems that help businesses take their first online payment, move money across borders, and reach customers far beyond their home markets. That mindset change reflects a generation of entrepreneurs who are not waiting for permission to compete internationally. They understand that solving Nigerian problems can yield solutions relevant across Africa and, increasingly, the world. We have seen this play out in notable companies. Wakanow has grown from a Nigerian travel company into one of Africa’s leading travel technology businesses. PiggyVest has changed how millions of Nigerians save and invest by making wealth-building more accessible through technology; the kind of accessibility that depends on payment infrastructure working quietly and reliably in the background, something we at Flutterwave take seriously as a partner to businesses like theirs. Air Peace continues to show the ambition of Nigerian

Owolabi enterprise by expanding connectivity across West Africa and beyond. Even MSMEs like Ziva Lagos are proving that Nigerian brands can build premium products, loyal communities, and strong digital businesses from a local foundation. These companies differ in size and sector, but

together they tell a powerful story. They represent a new generation of Nigerian businesses that are no longer measured only by how well they navigate difficult conditions, but by the quality of the products they build, the customers they serve, and the impact they create. None of this happens in seclusion. Businesses rely on financial institutions, technology providers, regulators, logistics companies, telecom providers, and countless other partners that make commerce possible. The stronger these ecosystems become, through better collaboration, stronger data and knowledge sharing, and greater investment in cybersecurity, the more opportunities Nigerian businesses have to scale, and the stronger the case for continued investment in the infrastructure that supports them. That is how I see Flutterwave’s role. We’re helping businesses, from startups taking their first online payment to established enterprises expanding across borders, build with confidence. Every transaction represents a customer reached, a business expanded, or a new opportunity created. Supporting entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey means helping to build the infrastructure that allows innovation to flourish.

• Owolabi is the Head, Global Expansions and Payment Partnerships at Flutterwave

T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •OCtober 17, 2026

21

PERSPECTIVE

Why Do We Fight? Charles Odibo

of Nigerians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, with economic hardship and insecurity cited as leading concerns. These figures confirm that a large and growing section of the population is hungry for an alternative.

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e fight because Nigeria, our country, blessed with vast resources and brilliant people, remains trapped in a crisis of leadership that has reduced the lives of millions to a daily struggle for survival. We fight because the promise of independence, of democracy, of a country that works for its citizens, has been repeatedly betrayed. And we fight because silence in the face of such failure is complicity. On this sunny but resplendent day in Houston, about 10,480 kilometres away from Nigeria, I stand before you committed Nigerian diaspora community to say that the struggle for a better Nigeria is not confined to geography. It lives in every Nigerian who refuses to accept that the poverty, insecurity and institutional decay - inflicted on us by this APC government - are our permanent destiny. A Nation in Crisis The numbers tell a story more brutal than any speech. Nigeria ranks 161st out of 193 countries in the UNDP 2023/24 Human Development Report, firmly in the low human development category. Nearly 20 million children are out of school—one of the highest figures in the world. Our healthcare system ranks 187th out of 191 countries according to the World Health Organisation. Multidimensional poverty traps 133 million Nigerians, or 62.9 per cent of the population, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Between July 2025 and June 2026 alone, 7,825 people were kidnapped and 1,142 killed. These are not abstract statistics. They are mothers, fathers, students, traders and farmers whose lives were cut short or permanently altered by a failure of governance. This is not fate. It is the accumulated consequence of leadership that has prioritised power over people, patronage over performance, and short-term political survival over long-term national development. The 2023 Elections and the Trust Deficit The 2023 presidential election deepened that trust deficit. Data from Mundx.com, an election monitoring application, revealed serious anomalies. Forty-eight per cent of the result sheets uploaded to the IREV portal were not transmitted from BVAS machines but from more than 800 phone devices—contrary to the law. In Rivers State, Peter Obi recorded the highest number of votes on the IREV portal, yet the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Bola Tinubu the winner. In Oru-East Local Government Area of Imo State, over 100 polling units had no agents from any political party according to the Form EC8A documents uploaded to IREV. Yet the All

Odibo Progressives Congress won virtually all of them. More troubling still, those results were uploaded from just two locations—one in Omuma in Oru East and another on the Owerri-Port Harcourt road, near the state INEC office. The photographs of the Form EC8A sheets from these units were taken a day after the election, not at the polling units themselves. These findings do not require embellishment. They speak for themselves. They explain why millions of Nigerians, especially young people, feel that the electoral process has been compromised and that their votes do not count. When citizens lose faith in the integrity of elections, democracy itself is placed at risk. From Voices to Organised Action We have shouted. We have marched. We have demanded change. Now we must organise. Obidient Connect was born from that recognition. It is not another talking shop. It is a practical platform designed to turn frustration into structured civic power. In Nigeria, it connects Obidients and other well-meaning Nigerians polling unit by polling unit. It organises for effective voter mobilisation

and election-day vigilance. It enables Nigerians anywhere in the world to donate in support of grassroots work and civic education. Critically, it provides real-time transmission of certified polling unit results to a central dashboard, creating an independent layer of transparency that can flag discrepancies as they occur. The goal is straightforward - every polling unit should have representation; every result should be visible; every attempt to manipulate the process should be exposed in real time for the world to see. The Wind Is in Our Sail Public sentiment offers reason for hope. The SBM Intelligence Voter Sentiment Tracker, conducted across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, shows Peter Obi with a +58.3 net favourability rating. Bola Tinubu stands at –58.5. Obi leads on favourability in every zone except the Northeast. When respondents were asked about party or coalition voting intentions, the NDC associated with Obi and Kwankwaso was substantially ahead of both the APC and the ADC. A Reuters survey in August found that nearly 80 per cent

Why Your Contribution Matters This is investment, not charity. Your contribution helps protect votes. It helps hire and train poll watchers. It helps provide food and water for citizens who choose to occupy INEC offices in peaceful defence of the electoral process. It sustains the technology that flags IREV discrepancies in real time on the Obidient Connect platform. It strengthens our independent real-time vote transmission capability so that results can be seen live by Nigerians and the international community. And for those in the diaspora, it reduces the constant pressure of sending money home to cushion the effects of a failing system, because the long-term solution is a Nigeria that works. Every kobo will be accounted for. Transparency is not a slogan; it is a pledge. The funds will go into three core areas. First, connecting Obidients, building a dense network so that no polling unit is left without eyes and voices. Second, organising the grassroots, training, mobilising and equipping local volunteers with the knowledge and tools they need. Third, protecting the vote through technology that makes citizen monitoring practical and public. This is about more than one election cycle. It is about the survival of Nigeria as a coherent, hopeful nation. It is about the dignity of our children and the possibility of a country that works for the many rather than the few. We have come this far together, through the campaigns of 2023 and now 2027 beckons, through the disappointments and the renewed determination. The journey is not finished. History is still being written. Why do we fight? Because the alternative is surrender. Because a nation of 200 million people cannot continue to rank near the bottom of every meaningful human development index while its leaders congratulate themselves. Because the young people who fill our streets and our social media feeds deserve more than empty promises. Because those of you in the diaspora who send remittances, who watch from afar as insecurity and poverty deepen, still carry Nigeria in your hearts and refuse to look away. The wind is in our sail. The data, the energy, the growing organisation on the ground all point to a moment of possibility. What remains is the will to convert that possibility into reality, polling unit by polling unit, result by result, citizen by citizen. Thank you. And may God bless you all. Odibo, Coordinator, Obidient Connect, delivered this keynote presentation at the Texas Obidient Connect Rally held in Houston, on October 10, 2026.

Ayuk Urges Africa to Ramp Up Oil, Gas Production, Reject Anti-Fossil Fuel Pressure Oluchi Chibuzor

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he Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber (AEC), NJ Ayuk, has called on African governments to accelerate oil and gas exploration, expand energy infrastructure and mobilise financing for domestic projects, arguing that the continent must prioritise energy security and economic development to tackle widespread energy poverty. Ayuk, who spoke at the African Energy Week (AEW) held recently, urged governments to adopt an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy that accommodates oil, gas, renewable energy and other sources to meet the continent’s growing energy needs. He argued that Africa should resist external pressure to leave its hydrocarbon resources undeveloped while millions of people lack reliable electricity and access to modern energy services. “Energy poverty is not a climate strategy, and deprivation is not development,” he said, stressing that the continent needed to pursue energy policies that reflected its development priorities and economic realities.

Ayuk said Africa was approaching a critical moment in the global energy market, with geopolitical tensions and disruptions to international supply chains highlighting the importance of reliable energy supplies. He maintained that energy security depended on infrastructure, logistics, investment and effective execution, rather than policy declarations alone. According to him, Africa must urgently develop electricity grids, pipelines, factories and other infrastructure needed to support industrialisation, improve living standards and create jobs. Ayuk said the continent’s hydrocarbon production was projected to reach 11 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2026 and increase to 12.5 million barrels by 2030. He identified Nigeria, Algeria, Angola, Libya and Egypt as major contributors to Africa’s oil and gas production, while urging other countries to improve their regulatory frameworks and investment conditions to unlock additional resources. On Nigeria, Ayuk said reforms to deepwater fiscal and contractual terms were important to attracting investment and achieving the country’s production ambitions. He also cited Angola’s use of fiscal incentives to

revitalise mature oilfields, arguing that established petroleum-producing countries needed to maintain investment in existing assets while developing new reserves. Ayuk challenged South Africa to address regulatory and legislative obstacles affecting the development of its petroleum resources, particularly in the Orange Basin. He argued that discoveries in neighbouring Namibia had strengthened the case for further exploration and development planning in the wider offshore region. The AEC chairman urged South African authorities to provide greater regulatory clarity, remove unnecessary barriers and accelerate decisions required to attract investment into prospective petroleum areas. He also highlighted emerging exploration opportunities in frontier basins, including Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Gambia, where new agreements with international oil companies could help revive interest in underexplored petroleum provinces. Ayuk called for a balanced approach that would encourage investment in both frontier and mature basins, noting that near-field exploration, brownfield optimisation and improved contractual terms were necessary to offset natural production declines. He argued that African countries could not achieve

sustainable growth in oil and gas production without consistent exploration and investment. “Exploration is the absolute key to our survival,” he said, adding that developing the continent’s resources remained important to efforts to eradicate energy poverty. The AEC chairman also highlighted the planned Africa Energy Bank as a potential source of financing for oil, gas and other energy projects across the continent. He expressed appreciation to the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) for their roles in advancing the initiative, describing the proposed institution as an important step towards strengthening Africa’s capacity to finance its energy development. Ayuk argued that African energy projects faced difficulties securing international financing amid changing investment policies and restrictions affecting fossil fuel developments. He criticised what he described as inconsistent approaches to gas financing, arguing that natural gas continued to play an important role in supporting industrial activity and energy security in developed economies while similar projects in Africa faced mounting funding constraints.

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R O C T O B E R 17, 2026

22

FEATURES

Push to Rebuild Lagos Water Corporation During a recent inspection, he said: “The work Lagos Water Corporation’s rehabilitation drive aims to statements. is progressing steadily,” adding that “We are pleased with the progress we have made so far. Procurement has been all the equipment has been delivered to the site, revive waterworks, attract investment, improve efficiency completed, and installation is progressing as scheduled.” and strengthen climate resilience amid rising demand and Reviving Dormant Waterworks Among the most visible aspects of the programme has been the rehabilitation and recommissioning of facilities infrastructure challenges, writes Sunday Ehigiator that had either become dormant or were operating below

Sanwo-Olu Dike Onwuamaeze

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he Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) under the leadership of its Managing Director, Engr. Mukhtaar Tijani, recently received international recognition in Glasgow under the 2026 International Water Association (IWA) Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Programme. The honour made the LWC the second Nigerian utility to receive the recognition after Kaduna in 2022, and the first in southern Nigeria. The programme assesses utilities on climate adaptation, greenhouse-gas mitigation and climate-smart leadership. The recognition also highlights LWC’s efforts to build resilience despite longstanding investment and operational challenges. The Glasgow recognition came against the backdrop of a broader effort to revive dormant waterworks, rehabilitate critical infrastructure, modernise distribution networks and strengthen the Corporation’s operations, as Lagos seeks to build a water system capable of responding not only to today’s demands but also to the growing pressures of urbanisation and climate change. That reality presented a formidable challenge when Tijani assumed office as Managing Director of the Corporation in July 2023, alongside Engr. Helen Omolanke Taiwo as Executive Director, Operations. At the time, the Corporation reported that only two of its four major treatment plants were functional, producing a combined 15 million gallons of water daily, while only six of its 48 mini and micro waterworks were operating, and even those were below their capacities. Three years later, the picture has changed to one of an institution undergoing a broad-based programme of rehabilitation, restructuring, technological modernisation, and partnership building. For Tijani, however, the task appears to have been less about recognition and more about rebuilding the institution from its foundations, with major interventions now focused on restoring production capacity and improving the reliability of the systems required to move water across Lagos.

Replacing critical pumping equipment

One of the latest interventions was the replacement of critical pumping equipment at Iju Waterworks after more than three decades of service. LWC has received six clear-water pumps with motors and one additional pump head for Iju Waterworks, as well as two raw-water pumps with motors and control systems for the Adiyan Intake. Installation of the new equipment at Iju is ongoing. With Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s vision to advance investment in critical water infrastructure, the intervention is expected to improve water production and operational reliability at Iju after the new equipment is installed and commissioned.

Powering the waterworks

Mukhtaar Tijani’s engineering and energy-sector experience has brought a valuable perspective to his leadership of the water sector. Reliable electricity is essential to treatment plants, pumping stations and distribution networks. That understanding is reflected in the collaboration between LWC and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, linking the rehabilitation of water infrastructure with the power systems required to keep it running. Another major component of the infrastructure programme is the rebuilding of the Akute Independent Power Plant, which is intended to provide dedicated power to critical water infrastructure. On April 26, 2026, Governor Sanwo-Olu presided over the signing of the power agreement with Fenchurch. Rebuilding of the 26 MW plant began on September 26, 2026, with the existing engines being removed for replacement with new gas engines. The plant is planned to supply Akute Intake, Iju and Adiyan waterworks. Financed by Zenith Bank under the state’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme, the reported implementation plan is to deliver 10 MW within four months and the remaining 16 MW within 12 months. The dedicated-power investment is expected to address one of the critical constraints affecting water production and pumping reliability, particularly as the Corporation advances the rehabilitation of major waterworks and the completion of Adiyan II.

The Audacious Mandate

One of the defining features of Mukhtaar Tijani’s tenure has been the decision to approach the Corporation’s challenges as interconnected problems rather than isolated failures. Production cannot be separated from pumping capacity. Pumping cannot be separated from reliable power. Increased production is of limited value without functional distribution networks. The cancellation of funding for the USAID-supported Lagos Urban Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (LUWASH) programme, originally valued at approximately $45 million, forced the Corporation to review its plans. The disruption followed President Donald Trump’s halt to foreign aid and the subsequent withdrawal of USAID support. LWC had built its four-year rehabilitation plan around the expected funding. With no initial budget provision to cover the resulting gap, Mukhtaar Tijani and the Corporation reassessed their priorities, selecting waterworks that the Lagos State Government could fund. The response was to keep rehabilitation moving, even though the full programme could no longer proceed as originally planned. That philosophy is reflected in Mukhtaar Tijani’s public

potential. The Mosan Okunola Waterworks was recommissioned on December 14, 2023, with reported production restored to two million gallons daily. Supply was also extended into Baruwa, an area that had faced prolonged water scarcity and groundwater contamination. The intervention is significant not merely because of the restoration, but because the Corporation moved beyond production to connect the water to communities, with additional connections and network extensions planned. Akilo Waterworks was recommissioned on December 12, 2025, following the rehabilitation carried out with WaterAid Nigeria and Armani Beauty’s Aqua for Life initiative. The facility has a capacity of 4,500 cubic metres daily, with the capacity to serve approximately 100,000 residents, alongside 20 water kiosks. The project included new boreholes, replacement of electromechanical equipment and rehabilitation of the distribution network. Importantly, the partnership also incorporated household enumeration, baseline surveys, hygiene promotion and community engagement. This combination of physical infrastructure and community engagement illustrates an emerging model within the Corporation: water projects are increasingly being considered not merely as engineering assignments, but as servicedelivery systems. The rehabilitation programme also includes the construction of a new mini waterworks on Lagos Island and the rehabilitation of Ajegunle Waterworks. Alongside these interventions is the $2.5 million grantbacked rehabilitation of Ojokoro Waterworks, supported by WaterAid Nigeria and TeamWater, with the involvement of popular YouTuber MrBeast. The partnership reflects the international support being drawn to the Corporation’s infrastructure programme under Mukhtaar Tijani’s leadership. The Ojokoro rehabilitation contract was signed on September 4, 2026, with Bayroyal International Ltd. It includes civil, mechanical, electrical and instrumentation upgrades, borehole rehabilitation and drilling, solar integration, pressure monitoring, leakage detection, automated network management, metering and network expansion. It is expected to benefit approximately 72,000 residents when delivered. The Lagos Island, Ajegunle and Ojokoro projects are targeted for completion within 12 months.

Adiyan II: Moving a long-delayed project forward

Perhaps the most consequential project in the Corporation’s rehabilitation programme is Adiyan II. The long-delayed waterworks project was revived in November 2023 following renewed government funding commitments, contractor remobilisation and stronger project oversight. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu inspected the Adiyan II project in February and December 2025 as work progressed, providing support to the project alongside the project oversight being undertaken by Mukhtaar Tijani and the Corporation’s management. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu publicly acknowledged Mukhtaar Tijani’s role in reviving Adiyan II at the first Lagos Physical Planning Summit, held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, on October 15–16, 2024. Following former Governor Babatunde Fashola’s appeal to prioritise the project, Sanwo-Olu commended Mukhtaar Tijani’s persistence and consistent advocacy in bringing the long-stalled waterworks back on track. When completed, Adiyan II is designed to produce 320,000 cubic metres of treated water daily, more than 70 million gallons, and is projected to serve more than five million residents. Tijani has repeatedly highlighted the importance of the project. In a public update, he said he had discussed the Adiyan II project and the Corporation’s broader infrastructure upgrades, including the development of network intelligence to improve water distribution. The project, which is expected to be operational in 2027, is also being pursued alongside investment in dedicated power infrastructure, including the rebuilding of the Akute Independent Power Plant, which is planned to supply Adiyan as well as Iju and Akute Intake.

Rebuilding Network Beneath the sleepless city

Water infrastructure is not only about treatment plants. Much of the challenge lies beneath the roads and communities through which water must travel. Under Mukhtaar Tijani’s leadership, the Corporation has worked with technical partners to trace and digitise more than 170 kilometres of transmission pipelines using Geographic Information System technology. Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •OCtober 17, 2026

23

Expression

Outset, Not ‘Onset’

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USINESS News of September 15 welcomes us today with this headline solecism: “Customs alerts on (to) importation of expired tomato paste from Iran” “...alleged that the results declared by the INEC was (do I adjourn this edition?) marred by vote-buying....” Around the city: “Police, CBN clampdown (clamp down) on naira vendors” “...with regards to the complete number of cabinet members.” Ninth Assembly: with regard to or as regards the…. “A rubber stamp 9th assembly? Not possible!” A rewrite: A rubber-stamp ninth assembly? Impossible! “Otti...said he knew from the onset (outset) when he started executing projects that some individuals were not comfortable with him doing that for the betterment of the state.” THISDAY COMMENTARY of the above edition comes next with two wrongdoings: “South Africa and Nigeria each have (has or both have) rich cultures and a wealth....” “...should these diverse nations join together to work towards mutual goals” ‘Join together’ is biblical and correct according to some dictionaries, but I prefer just ‘join’ without ‘together’ “Kogi judiciary pay (pays) 5 months (months’) salary” “Assailant, vigilante member die in gun duel” (DAILY INDEPENDENT Rider, October 6 online edition) Get it right: vigilance member. Alternatively: Assailant, vigilante die in gun duel. “INEC official arrested over ‘missing’ ballot papers” Truth in defence of freedom: ‘arrest’ takes ‘for’—not ‘over’! “Woman arrested with AK-47, 148 live ammunitions” The last word in the extract is uncountable. The Old English (Anglo-Saxon)

period is gone! “This will remove the possibility of passing the bulk (buck)” (THE PUNCH, September 30) No pedestrian English. “The organized private sector took the bull by the horn recently….” (DAILY TRUST, October 6) For a better society: take the bull by the horns “Britain handed over the reigns of power to the politicians.” (THE GUARDIAN, October 6) Modern English: reins of government. “One even wonders why government did not adopt that method from the onset (outset).” “This is true given the restricted and guarded comments from those who have been priviledged to view the clips.” Spellings count: privileged. “Government needs to put (get) its acts together and prosecute the kidnappers.” My own comment: get its act (not acts) together. “Vigilante group accused of murder” Get it right: vigilance group. “Apart from all these, the debt recovery (a hyphen confirms class) level of the banks have not been any issue of interest to NDIC.” (THISDAY, October 2)) Question CBN has to answer, debt recovery has (not have). “It is believed in some quarters that the Nigerian Police has….” (THE NATION, October 6) Get it right: the Nigerian Police have. The next five blunders are from Daily Trust of October 5: “And the leaders, being new on the saddle of political leadership (another comma) were.…” The challenges of good grammar: in the saddle “Efforts by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his group to remove Akintola from office was (were) fiercely resisted.” Why the discord? “As a new democracy, there was (were) bound to be problems.” “In the course of the crisis, Awo and some

of his lieutenants were arrested and charged for (with)….” “The ethnic colouration of the coup led to a counter coup (a hyphen) in July 1966.” Spell-check: coloration “Have the previous exercises impacted meaningfully on the lives (life) of the average Nigerian?” “This could not have been possible if they had been outrightly liquidated.” (Source: as above) ‘Outrightly’ is a Nigerian creation! The right word ‘outright’ functions as an adverb and an adjective. Therefore, it does not require any inflexion. In other words: This could not have been possible if they had been liquidated outright. Even at that, ‘liquidation’ does not need any qualification because of its causative finality. So, if they had been liquidated.... ‘Reopening’ abhors hyphenation. It is not automatic that any word with a prefix must go with a hyphen, except where there is a vowel replication. For instance: re-entry, but readmit, readjust, etcetera. “Legislators, oil chiefs parley on industry enhancing issues” Imagine the classical excellence a hyphen between ‘industry’ and ‘enhancing’ would have conferred on the headline. “I said these are (were) beggars and I told my wife I better (I had better) get money ready for them.” “…the grassroots population of our people will remain the lifewire of the UBE scheme.” (Nigerian Tribune, October 6) Adult literacy: livewire “The remains of the Ovie, sources in the town revealed, was (were) later tied….” “And just last Friday, it was reported that the police has (had) arrested the PDP governorship candidate….” (THE GUARDIAN, October 6) “The meetings were about some developments alright....” (THE PUNCH, October 6)

‘Alright’ (non-standard) is unacceptable for ‘all right’ in formal settings. “My suggestion, therefore, is that our National Assembly members should tow (toe) the line of reason.” “This is because of the numerous restraints, both social and economical, which is (are) associated with the day to day (day-to-day) life of a convict.” ”…especially those public officers who remain suspect with regards (regard) to their qualifications and credibility to hold public offices.” (Nigerian Tribune, October 6) Alternatively, as regards their qualifications…. “The nation has (had) in the past pardoned and forgiven it’s (sic) past leaders and citizens who committed one offence or the other (or another).” (Leadership, October 6) “Such citizens had since been integrated back (reintegrated) into the system.” (Source: as above) “A recent summit in Kaduna on education in the northern states provided the appropriate forum to revisit, once again….” (THE PUNCH, October 6) ‘Revisit’ cannot co-function with ‘again’. “Gone are the days when government can (could) go it alone.” (THE GUARDIAN, October 6) “Infact (In fact) every (all) loving parents....” (DAILY INDEPENDENT Online, October 6) “In the agricultural sector, the two countries can learn a lot from one another (each other).” (Nigerian Tribune, April 6) “Wike’s rift with governors may cause (cost) APC Kogi, Bayelsa, Edo, others...in 2027” “Gudu, Lokogoma residents lament as crime (crimes) increase”

Still, The Disappearing Nigerian Middle Class

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t is the end of the month, and a couple sits at the dining table with a calculator, a list of expenses and the kind of silence that no motivational speaker can dispel. School fees are due. The landlord has remembered them. Electricity must be paid for, the car needs attention, food prices have developed another personality, and somebody in the extended family has an emergency that cannot wait until payday. Their salaries have arrived, but the money seems to have arrived without the purchasing power that used to accompany it. They are educated, employed, reasonably housed and responsible. Yet they are discovering that a life they once considered ordinary now requires the financial planning of a small corporation. Welcome to the Nigerian middle class, that increasingly anxious population learning to look comfortable while negotiating with its bank balance. The car may still be parked outside, the children may still attend a respectable school, and the professional title may command some respect at social gatherings. But behind the appearances, savings are thinning, holidays have become memories, medical appointments are postponed, and replacing a household appliance can require the sort of consultation usually reserved for constitutional amendments. The problem is no longer simply the inability to afford luxury. It is the growing difficulty of maintaining what used to constitute a modest, respectable life. The middle class is not a precisely defined economic category, nor has it disappeared altogether. It includes salaried workers, professionals, entrepreneurs and smallbusiness owners whose circumstances differ considerably. What is disappearing, for many, is economic security: the ability to save, absorb emergencies, educate children, maintain a home and reasonably expect tomorrow to be better than today. A person may remain employed and technically above the poverty line while becoming progressively less able to afford the life

that employment was supposed to make possible. The pressures are familiar. Food, transport, housing, electricity, healthcare and education compete relentlessly for household income. Parents who once planned for their children’s future now calculate which expense can be deferred without lasting damage. Young professionals hoping to leave their parents’ homes discover that rent and basic living costs can swallow a frightening proportion of their earnings. Small-business owners work longer hours without necessarily improving their circumstances. Some households are not earning less in nominal terms; they are simply buying considerably less with what they earn. Nigeria’s economic reforms must be considered against this reality. The removal of the petrol subsidy and changes to the foreign-exchange regime were defended as necessary measures to correct longstanding distortions, improve public finances and establish a more sustainable economic foundation. Supporters can point to improvements in selected macroeconomic indicators; critics can highlight the immediate hardship and uneven distribution of the costs. Both the stated objectives of reform and its consequences for households deserve scrutiny. An economy may become more stable by certain measures while families continue to struggle to feed themselves, pay rent and meet school fees. The question is not whether every reform must produce instant comfort, or whether government can simply decree lower prices. It is whether the design, sequencing and implementation of policy adequately recognise the people expected to endure its consequences. Were vulnerable households sufficiently protected? Did wages and social support keep pace with the adjustments? Were electricity, transport, housing and domestic production addressed with enough urgency to reduce the cost of living? And when government celebrates improved revenue or economic growth, how quickly can the ordinary household

expect to feel the difference? These questions matter because the middle class is not merely a collection of people who can afford air conditioners and occasional restaurant meals. Its members pay taxes, employ people, patronise businesses, invest in homes and educate the next generation. When their purchasing power weakens, the consequences travel beyond the dining table. The shopkeeper loses customers, the small manufacturer struggles to sell, and the ambitious graduate begins to wonder whether professional advancement remains a reliable route to a better life. This is not an argument that the middle class deserves more sympathy than millions of Nigerians who have endured poverty and insecurity for years. Their hardships are often more immediate and devastating. The point is that a society needs pathways out of poverty, but it also needs pathways that prevent those who have made progress from sliding backwards. A country should be concerned when people who work, produce, pay taxes and invest in their children’s future find it increasingly difficult to remain economically secure. The approaching 2027 elections therefore offer an opportunity to ask harder questions than the usual campaign-season exchange of accusations and promises. The incumbent administration can defend its reform agenda and point to improvements in selected indicators; its opponents can question the human cost, pace and distribution of the benefits. But neither declarations of success nor expressions of outrage are substitutes for credible programmes. Nigerians deserve to know what those seeking their votes propose to do about wages, food production, affordable housing, electricity, transport, healthcare, education and the conditions that allow businesses to survive and create jobs. Politicians should also be pressed for measurable commitments. How will employment translate into a living income? How will economic growth improve household purchasing power? What practical support will help small businesses expand?

How will social protection reach those who need it without becoming another avenue for waste or political patronage? And what will citizens be able to hold elected officials accountable for if the promises are not fulfilled? These are less glamorous questions than defections, rallies and carefully choreographed declarations of political affection. They are, however, considerably more relevant to the family trying to make its income last until the end of the month. Ultimately, the disappearing middle class is about more than money. It is about confidence: the belief that work should lead somewhere, education should widen opportunity, responsible choices should offer some protection against uncertainty, and families should be able to make plans without constantly revising them downwards. When that confidence weakens, the damage appears in abandoned ambitions, delayed independence, anxious households and young people who increasingly imagine their future elsewhere. As 2027 approaches, Nigerians should listen carefully to those seeking their mandate, particularly for the substance beneath the promises. A thriving middle class does not prove that every citizen is prosperous, just as a struggling middle class does not tell the whole story of national hardship. But its condition offers one indication of whether economic opportunity is translating into durable security for people prepared to work and contribute. For the couple at the dining table, prosperity is not a figure announced at a press conference. It is the ability to pay the bills, save a little, meet an emergency and still believe that next year might be better. In a country so richly endowed with human and material resources, that should not be an extravagant ambition.

T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •OCtober 17, 2026

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Interview

Emmanuel Onyebadi: Some Inmates Remain Behind Bars Over Fines Below N5,000

Some inmates in Nigeria remain behind bars for years despite requiring fines of less than N5,000 for release, while others await trial without conviction. Sir Emmanuel Onyebadi, Worthy Advocate of the Knights of Saint Mulumba’s Victoria Garden City Sub-Council, decries these injustices, prison congestion and delayed trials, urging reforms to restore dignity and hope. He speaks with Sunday Ehigiator

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SM is involved in several social activities. Walk us through your contributions,particularly in the area of prison advocacy and social welfare? I should clarify that the head of the Knights at the Sub-Council level is the Grand Knight. I am a member of the Sub-Council’s executive, and my responsibility falls under prison advocacy. The Order’s responsibilities are divided among different offices, each with clearly defined functions. Therefore, I will speak specifically about the work of the Prison and Advocacy Committee of the VGC Sub-Council rather than claim to speak for the entire Sub-Council. Our committee is concerned with the welfare, dignity, rights and rehabilitation of inmates, as well as advocacy for justice and humane treatment within the criminal justice system. In Nigeria, once someone is arrested and charged, society often begins to treat that person as a criminal. When the person is remanded in a custodial centre, there is sometimes the perception that they have lost their rights and privileges and can no longer relate meaningfully with society. Through prison visits and other interventions, we seek to assist people in these circumstances. Many inmates are awaiting trial and have not been convicted of any offence, yet some spend years in custody. Our activities cover several areas. First, we visit inmates, pray with them, counsel them, encourage them and help them maintain their faith. Secondly, we provide welfare and humanitarian assistance by mobilising donations of food, clothing and other necessities, particularly for indigent inmates who have nobody to support them. Thirdly, we advocate against prison congestion, prolonged pretrial detention and barriers to access to justice. We also promote the humane treatment of inmates. We identify inmates who could be released after paying relatively small fines. In some cases, the amount required is less than N5,000. Where appropriate, we help such inmates meet these obligations so they can be released. We also facilitate access to legal assistance through lawyers who provide services to inmates who need help navigating the justice system. Finally, we focus on rehabilitation and reintegration. Releasing someone from custody is not enough. Those who have spent considerable time there need support to rebuild their lives and return to society. We therefore explore ways of helping them acquire the resources and skills necessary to reintegrate successfully. How are these activities organised across Lagos, and which custodial centre does the VGC Sub-Council serve? The Knights of Saint Mulumba have a presence across the ecclesiastical provinces in Nigeria. We belong to the Lagos Ecclesiastical Province and operate under the Lagos Metropolitan Council, which has sub-councils spread across Lagos State. The VGC Sub-Council is assigned to work with the Ikoyi Medium Custodial Centre. Other sub-councils also undertake prison visitation and related activities at custodial centres within the Lagos Archdiocese. Our work is coordinated with the Archdiocesan Prison Apostolate and its prison chaplaincy to ensure consistency in our activities. We also report our interventions to the Metropolitan Council, which relates to the Archdiocese. It is important to emphasise that membership of the VGC Sub-Council’s Prison andAdvocacy Committee comprises both Knights and Ladies of the Sub-Council. Furthermore, the work we undertake at the VGC Sub-Council is replicated, and in some cases on a much larger scale, by Advocacy Committees of other sub-councils under the Lagos Metropolitan Council, operating under the leadership of the Metropolitan Advocate. The Order remains committed to promoting Christian values of mercy, justice, human dignity and the rehabilitation of offenders through practical action. In line with the mission of the Archdiocesan Prison Apostolate, we recognise that a person in prison retains their human dignity and deserves care, while also respecting victims’ rights and the requirements of justice. What specific intervention has the VGC Sub-Council undertaken to improve inmates’ welfare, particularly in healthcare? During our prison visitation in 2025, we discovered that many inmates urgently needed medical assistance. The correctional authorities were making efforts to maintain the dignity and welfare of inmates, but the large number of people in their custody placed considerable pressure on the resources available to them. We found several inmates suffering from hernia and requiring surgery. Others needed basic medical care and medicines. Following that visit, we decided to concentrate some of our resources on helping critically ill inmates access treatment.As a Sub-Council, we mobilised funds among ourselves to support hernia surgeries. The initiative was successful, and we have adopted it as an annual programme.

committed an offence, the correctional system should help that person recognise the consequences of their actions, reform and return to society as a better citizen. Unfortunately, some former inmates struggle to reintegrate because society rejects them and they lack the skills or support needed to earn a living. This can contribute to reoffending. The problem is therefore not limited to the custodial centres themselves. It also involves the justice system, public attitudes and the absence of sufficient rehabilitation and reintegration programmes.

Onyebadi Each year, we aim to support a specified number of inmates who require the procedure. The process is transparent. The correctional authorities identify inmates in critical need of surgery, while our medical practitioners liaise with the facility’s medical personnel to assess the cases and coordinate the intervention. We provide the necessary funding and medical supplies, while the surgeries are conducted by the appropriate medical personnel at the correctional facility’s clinic in Kirikiri. We have witnessed these procedures and seen the relief they bring to beneficiaries. For our Sub-Council, our target for the 2025–2026 period has been to support approximately 10 inmates to undergo hernia surgery. We have funded the programme, with three cases remaining at the time of this interview, pending the presentation and identification of suitable beneficiaries. We have also provided medical supplies based on lists of essential medicines submitted by the correctional authorities. We have completed two rounds of such support, with another planned before the end of November. These interventions are not intended to replace the responsibilities of government. Rather, they are our contribution to ensuring that inmates who urgently need medical care are not neglected because of resource constraints. From your prison visits, how would you describe the condition of custodial centres in Nigeria, and what needs to change? The experience is not pleasant. Congestion is one of the first things you notice when you visit a custodial centre. The number of people held there is enormous relative to the facilities available, and one can only imagine the conditions in the rooms where inmates sleep. The facilities require additional improvements to make them more suitable for human habitation. This is particularly concerning because many inmates have not been convicted of any offence; they are awaiting trial. We also discovered that delays sometimes occur because inmates cannot be transported to court when their cases are scheduled for hearing. Moving inmates requires functional vehicles and adequate security arrangements. When these are unavailable, court appearances can be delayed, prolonging detention. Feeding and access to necessities are also concerns. While I cannot speak authoritatively about every aspect of the feeding arrangements because I do not have all the relevant information, the overall conditions demonstrate the need for greater investment in the correctional system. The authorities in charge of custodial centres do not determine how many people are arrested and brought into their facilities. Once individuals are remanded, the authorities must accommodate them, regardless of whether the available infrastructure can adequately support the population. Our court system also contributes to the problem. Repeated adjournments, delayed trials and other procedural challenges mean that some inmates remain in custody for extended periods. The purpose of incarceration should include rehabilitation. If someone has

What reforms would you recommend to address congestion and prolonged detention in custodial centres? Our justice system is largely adversarial, and we need to make greater use of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to resolve appropriate cases without prolonged litigation.Alternative dispute resolution is already being practised in some states, including Lagos. Expanding access to these mechanisms could help reduce the number of cases that proceed through lengthy court processes. We also need to improve investigative procedures. Ideally, when someone is suspected of committing an offence, the authorities shouldconductproperinvestigationsandestablishcredibleevidence before taking the necessary steps towards prosecution. In some cases, however, people are arrested first, and investigations begin afterwards. This can result in prolonged detention, cases that do not proceed effectively and situations in which people are held without sufficient evidence to justify prosecution. We must strengthen investigative standards and ensure that people are not subjected to unnecessary detention. Public education is also important. In Nigeria, it can be easy for someone to be accused of an offence, and allegations can sometimes have serious consequences even when the person is later found to be innocent. Addressing these challenges require legal reform, better investigative practices, more efficient courts and a change in public attitudes towards people who have been detained. However, at the VGC Sub-Council, we have chosen to focus particularly on interventions that directly preserve human life and dignity. That is why healthcare has become a major priority for us. Beyond healthcare, what is the Sub-Council doing to support inmates’ education and skills development? We have not abandoned our other responsibilities. We continue to support inmates in education and other areas where we can make a difference. For example, we discovered that some inmates were due to sit for the WestAfrican Examinations Council (WAEC) examinations but had nobody to sponsor them. So far, we have assisted 17 candidates to sit for their WAEC examinations. That number is only a small fraction of those who need assistance. Unfortunately, the cost of sponsorship is relatively high, limiting what we can currently do. We have also encountered inmates who are university graduates pursuing master’s and even doctoral programmes. Some of them need sponsorship to continue their education. If we can secure more resources, we would like to support these inmates so that they can continue their studies and emerge from custody better prepared to contribute to society. Education can also create opportunities for inmates to teach one another. Those with the requisite knowledge and qualifications could help prepare fellow inmates for examinations and other academic pursuits. Skills acquisition is another important area. We have seen inmates engaged in soap-making, artwork, tailoring, perfume production and the manufacture of diffusers, among other activities. Some of the products are well made and could compete favourably in the marketplace. The challenge is finding the resources and opportunities to expand production and create a sustainable market for them. With appropriate support, these activities could generate income, improve inmates’ welfare and equip them with marketable skills before their release. There is considerable talent within custodial centres. What is needed is a more deliberate effort to develop these abilities and connect them with opportunities. What role does public awareness play in improving welfare of inmates and supporting their reintegration? Public awareness is extremely important. Unfortunately, there is insufficient public understanding of the conditions in custodial centres and the challenges inmates face. Many people rely on what they read on social media or in the news without fully appreciating the realities of life in custody. Our sensitivities to the suffering of others appear to be diminishing. We hear reports of killings, kidnappings and other terrible incidents, and they often become just another news story. See concluded part on www. thisdaylive.com

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T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R O C T O B E R 17, 2026

INTERVIEW

Okpanachi: Nigeria’s Investment Drive to Create Millions of Decent Jobs

Managing Director of the Development Bank of Nigeria, Tony Okpanachi, says expanding finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises could unlock millions of quality jobs. Speaking at the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand, he discusses investment, access to finance, global development models and partnerships. Nume Ekeghe presents excerpts What have been the major outcomes of your engagements at the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings, particularly for the Development Bank of Nigeria?

tional investors. How can these investments translate into jobs and opportunities for MSMEs, and what is your assessment of the government’s approach? First, let me say I must commend the approach this time around because it was very serious and business-minded to come out with a deal room. You come to the deal room with specific deals and projects that are calling for investors. So, you have done your homework. You come here and say you are showcasing those deals, that Nigeria is open for business and open for investment. You say these are the deals; come and discuss them. The counterparties are also identified. I must commend that approach. It is very important. Secondly, the specificity of the deals is also very apt because they are specific about the deals, the locations and the sectors. So that has also helped. Now, to answer your question directly on when these deals are to be consummated. These appear to be big-ticket deals. I would call them infrastructure deals, but there is a value chain, and they create jobs across the value chain.

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et me start by saying the theme of the Annual Meetings is quite apt, given the fact that the issue of job creation is quite important, especially for developing countries and Nigeria in particular. There have been a lot of issues around unemployment, the youthful population, the entrepreneurial population, and the need to be able to get great jobs, not only jobs, but decent jobs. The second thing, which is quite important here, is the opportunity Nigeria had to showcase the reforms and the changes in Nigeria. Expectations are looking up in Nigeria. We had this investors’ forum where the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy and the Central Bank Governor were also present to share with the Western community what Nigeria is doing and the results of the reforms. We can see that even globally, the World Bank and the IMF are acknowledging that Nigeria is on the right track. So, i must say it was a very important opportunity to showcase Nigeria. Now, coming down to the Development Bank of Nigeria, we had several sessions and a lot of bilateral discussions with our funding partners. We are also exploring new funding partners and other partners for technical assistance. Some of our conversations with existing partners indicate that they are willing to do more with us, and they are quite happy with what the Development Bank of Nigeria has done in this period. Of course, they are also looking at what we plan to do in terms of our future outlook, and they are quite positive about that. Secondly, there is the opportunity to get other partners to work with us and with MSMEs in Nigeria, ultimately providing not only access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, but also technical skills where necessary and capacity building. Some have even said they will provide access to markets for small businesses in Nigeria. We are exploring different areas and having discussions with different partners to see how we can work with them to bring more impact to Nigeria. Beyond the Development Bank of Nigeria itself, the meetings also provide an opportunity to share ideas with other participants. The Annual Meetings was well attended globally, with participants from over 190 countries, I am told. So, it is a good opportunity to network, learn from others and share best practices globally. The theme of the meetings places significant emphasis on job creation. How many jobs has DBN facilitated since its establishment, and how does the bank measure the quality of those jobs? We have created about 1.2 million jobs since DBN was created, and it is an ongoing thing. The more you provide access to finance to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, the more they create jobs through their activities. The impact comes through job creation. Now, it is not only job creation; we are also trying to look at decent job creation, the quality of the jobs. So, it is not just jobs, but the quality of the jobs. Working through the financial institutions that we partner with, we do monitoring and evaluation to ensure that we see that the impact of this lending to them is translating into job creation and all the other impacts that we expect.

Take any deal, for example. Take the floating LNG project, which is part of the deals on the table. Of course, it is going to create decent jobs for people who are going to work there in different parts of the project. When you look at some of the deals that have to do with agriculture, value addition and all that, these things create jobs. As they are consummated, they obviously create opportunities for others within the value chain to create millions and millions of jobs, and I always say decent jobs, as they should be. So, it is a booster, and what I would encourage investors to do is to take Nigeria seriously and look at those opportunities. You see, it is in the midst of a crisis and challenges that you also get opportunities to enable you to make a mark. Investors are looking for opportunities, and the opportunities are there. With the kind of stability we are seeing now and Nigeria’s growth trajectory and growth projections, I think it is the right time for them to come and see how they can partner with local partners and invest appropriately. Okpanachi

but also decent. Secondly, as we see opportunities arise, technology provides opportunities in Nigeria. For example, technology and artificial intelligence are opportunities that will create jobs for people. Thirdly, there is the operating environment for manufacturing, small-scale industries and all those things. Once you deal with issues around power and infrastructure, which are taking the forefront now, you will see businesses operating in an environment where they can create the kinds of jobs we are talking about. Then, fourthly, when you look at the entrepreneurial spirit of Nigerians themselves, they have Beyond access to finance, what are the major structhe ideas and they want to do it, but you have to create a tural constraints limiting Nigeria’s ability to create normal environment for them to do it. We are beginning to more decent jobs, and what needs to change to address see that happen in different areas. Once opportunities come them? in technology, innovation and other areas, these are things Access to finance is just one of the issues. There that create decent jobs for people. are so many other issues. First and foremost, the So, beyond government itself, the private sector should macroeconomic environment was quite challenging. have an enabling environment to excel and create these With the reforms, it has been possible to avert what kinds of jobs. We expect that to happen. Beyond that, would have been a catastrophe, which is very positive. it is also a value-chain issue. When you look along the So now, what we are seeing is the need to begin to value chain in different sectors, you see opportunities. For translate some of those reforms into impacts on ordiexample, in the agricultural sector, moving from a focus on nary citizens by way of shared prosperity and creating primary products to creating value within the value chain opportunities for people to be able to create jobs. That will create jobs. is an overarching point. Secondly, specifically coming to What we are looking at and encouraging is that we job creation, once the economy picks up and economic should create jobs, but create decent jobs that will make the activities pick up, all the macroeconomic indicators right impact. begin to moderate positively. Of course, businesses will then operate in an environment where they are At the investors’ forum here in Thailand, the Nigerian able to expand, bring in new products and create new delegation outlined investment opportunities worth $78.5 opportunities to generate jobs that are not only relevant billion and presented a framework for attracting interna-

What are the key takeaways from these meetings for DBN, particularly in terms of expanding financing options, reducing borrowing costs and bringing global best practices to Nigerian MSMEs? For DBN, I must say that these meetings provide an opportunity, first and foremost, to draw attention to small MSMEs in Nigeria. In some of the sessions we have attended, you see that they talk about this. We are talking about big projects, but it all translates because micro, small and medium-sized enterprises create the greatest number of jobs. So that focus is quite important. Secondly, for DBN, ultimately through our partnering financial institutions, how do we translate some of these global best practices to our country? Thirdly, if there is a need for additional funding sources, because there are issues around the cost of funding and the cost of borrowing, are there additional sources? Are there concessionary sources of funding that can help ameliorate the cost of borrowing for small businesses in Nigeria? Of course, we are exploring that as part of the discussions we are having. Beyond that, we are not looking at lending alone or access to finance. What are the other best practices that we can also bring to bear by sharing experiences with other developing countries? We had some bilateral discussions with Indian companies that want to share with us what they are doing. How do we share that in Nigeria? Even here in Thailand, we see a vibrant economy. How are the small businesses doing? How are they surviving? We had some conversations with small businesses to see how things are different here, what the challenges are and how they are able to overcome those challenges. How can we also share those experiences with our businesses back in Nigeria? Those are the things we take away from here, and, of course, they will guide and help us as we bring some of these best practices to bear in what we do with our MSMEs in Nigeria.

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AUTOWORLD

T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •OCtober 17, 2026

Bennett Oghifo

• 08037128871 •Email: benett.oghifo@thisdaylive.com

Beyond the Showroom: 5 Questions Every Nigerian Car Buyer Should Ask About After-Sales

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A workshop network is only one part of aftersales support. Breakdowns can happen away from home, during a journey or in locations where reaching a service centre is inconvenient. Ask whether roadside assistance is available, what geographical areas it covers, which services are included and whether towing or recovery is provided. Find out how to contact the assistance team and whether the service operates around the clock. CarlohaCare Rescue is one example of a programme designed to extend assistance beyond the workshop, offering 24-hour roadside support on highways and major roads under its applicable service arrangements. The broader point is that buyers should understand what help is available when a vehicle problem occurs outside normal service conditions.

he showroom experience is designed to make choosing a vehicle exciting. Customers compare designs, explore technology, inspect interiors and imagine how a new car will fit into their lives. But before making a final decision, there is another side of ownership worth investigating: the support available after the vehicle leaves the showroom. A vehicle is a machine that requires maintenance and, occasionally, repairs. The quality of the ownership experience therefore depends not only on the vehicle itself, but also on the people, parts and systems supporting it. For Nigerian motorists, where a vehicle may be essential for daily commuting, school runs, business operations or family travel, the ability to obtain timely and dependable support matters.

Here are five questions every buyer should ask. 1. What does the warranty actually cover? A warranty is an important part of a vehicle purchase, but its value depends on the terms. Ask how long the warranty lasts, which components are covered, what exclusions apply and what the customer must do to remain eligible. Find out how claims are assessed and where warranty repairs can be undertaken. Buyers should distinguish between the length of a warranty and the breadth of its coverage. A longer warranty may be valuable, but customers need to understand precisely what protection it provides. 2. How much will routine servicing cost? Every vehicle has a maintenance schedule. Before purchasing, request details of the recommended service intervals and the likely costs of parts and labour. Some distributors provide servicing packages that cover specified maintenance during a defined period. Others require customers to pay for each service as it falls due. Neither arrangement should be assessed on

its headline description alone. Buyers should compare the duration, covered items, exclusions and conditions to determine which offers better value for their circumstances. 3. Are genuine spare parts readily available? Parts availability can influence repair time, cost and vehicle reliability. Ask the dealer which parts are commonly stocked, how less common components are sourced and what happens if an essential part is temporarily unavailable. It is also useful to understand whether the dealer operates a partsdistribution network and how customers can obtain assistance outside the main showroom location. No distributor can guarantee that every component will always be available immediately. What matters is the quality of the parts-supply system and how openly customers are informed when delays occur. 4. What happens if a repair takes longer

than expected? This question is especially important for people who depend on their vehicles every day. Some after-sales packages provide repair-time commitments or alternative transportation when a vehicle cannot be returned within a specified period. Buyers should establish whether such provisions exist, what triggers them and what conditions apply. Carloha's CarlohaCare 6-6-7 programme, for example, combines a six-year warranty and six years of free servicing with a seven-day repair promise, subject to the programme's terms and conditions. The arrangement highlights a principle buyers should consider when comparing ownership packages: support should be explained in terms of specific commitments, not just general assurances. Customers should also ask how complaints are escalated and how they will receive updates while a vehicle is undergoing repairs. 5. Is help available when the vehicle breaks down on the road?

Make after-sales part of the test drive Consumers are increasingly familiar with comparing vehicle specifications online before visiting a showroom. The same habit should apply to after-sales support. Request the warranty document. Obtain the servicing schedule. Ask about parts availability. Read the roadside assistance terms. Speak to existing owners where possible, and investigate how complaints are handled. The answers may reveal meaningful differences between vehicles that appear similar in price and specification. For distributors and dealers, this creates an opportunity to build confidence through transparency and dependable delivery. For buyers, it provides a way to evaluate the complete ownership proposition rather than making a decision based solely on appearance, technology or promotional offers. A good vehicle should meet the customer's needs on the road. A good ownership package should also provide a clear path to maintenance, repairs and assistance when required. The smartest question at the showroom is therefore not only, "What comes with this car?" It is also, "What support comes with owning it?"

OMAA Unveils 3 New CNG, Electric Buses, Introduces Vehicle Finance

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MAA, a Nigerian vehicle and energy company, has unveiled three new passenger vehicle models in compressed natural gas (CNG) and batteryelectric vehicle (EV) variants, alongside a vehicle financing programme designed to make fleet acquisition more accessible for transport operators and corporate organisations. The unveiling, which coincides with the company's sixth anniversary, features the OMAA U3 minibus, K7 bus and V12 high-capacity city bus, extending the company's portfolio to cover passenger transportation requirements ranging from small shuttle services to large-scale mass transit operations. The company has also opened pre-orders for the three models, offering operators the flexibility to choose between CNG and electric powertrains based on their operational requirements, route characteristics, energy infrastructure and cost

OMAA Electric Buses considerations. A major highlight of the announcement is the introduction of OMAA Finance, a finance programme developed in partnership with leading Nigerian

financial institutions, with repayment terms spanning upto 48 months. The initiative is intended to address one of the major challenges facing commercial transport opera-

tors: the high upfront cost of acquiring vehicles and the difficulty of matching repayment obligations with operating revenue. Under the programme, financing is advertised as starting from N890,000 monthly, for the OMAA U3 minibus with an initial 10% deposit although individual terms will depend on applicable eligibility requirements, tenure and equity contribution. Speaking on the development, Chinedu Oguegbu, Managing Director of OMAA, said the new vehicles and financing initiative represented the company's determination to strengthen local automotive manufacturing while expanding access to cleaner and more cost-effective transportation solutions. “Six years ago, we set out to demonstrate that commercial vehicles could be assembled in Nigeria and powered by cleaner, more affordable energy. Today, the introduction of the OMAA U3, K7 and V12 in both CNG and electric variants, alongside our vehicle financing programme, represents another significant step towards that vision.

JetourTurns Abuja Into Luxury Auto Playground, Blends CarsWith Culture

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etour Nigeria transformed Abuja into a showcase of automotive technology, luxury and culture during the Jetour Experience Abuja 2026, held at the Maha Event Centre, Garki, from September 22 to 24. The three-day event brought together automotive enthusiasts, industry stakeholders, prospective buyers and lifestyle enthusiasts for test drives, technology demonstrations and entertainment. Activities included music, spoken-word and violin performances, Chinese cultural dances, art exhibitions, panel discussions and a stage play. Nollywood actor, Uzor Arukwe, popularly known as Odogwu Panrara, also made a surprise appearance. The major attraction was Jetour's expanding vehicle range, including the X50, X70 Plus, X70

PHEV, X90 Plus, T2, T2 PHEV, Dashing, G700 and the newly introduced T1 and F700. Visitors participated in test-drive sessions to assess the vehicles' performance, comfort and technology. Managing Director of New Era AutoVehicle Services, Kemi Koyejo, said Nigerian motorists increasingly demand vehicles tailored to their individual needs, highlighting Jetour's petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid offerings. Executive Director of Elizade Nigeria Limited, Dr. Ademola Philip-Adewunmi, said Jetour had expanded significantly in Nigeria within three years, adding that its vehicles are supported by a five-year or 150,000-kilometre warranty, spare parts and trade-in programmes. FRSC Corps Commander Cherries Muta also highlighted the importance of modern driverwarning and safety technologies.

Jetour luxury SUVs

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17, 2026 • T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R

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BACKPAGE CONTINUATION CONTEXTUALISING INEC’S MULTI-AGENCY LOGISTICS COMMITTEE outcomes.

Separation of Powers?

To speak of separation of powers outside the well-known ecosystem of the three arms of government must sound outrightly laughable to any serious student of politics – at least of the liberal democratic tradition. Yet, here we are. We are under obligation here to make a distinction between the needs of any electoral environment and the different institutions and individuals responsible for addressing those needs and securing that environment. It is not the duty of INEC to own an army, or command same, in order for it to carry out the not-very-simple task of preparing for, conducting or managing elections. That is the job of the police and other security agencies. These agencies are its “service providers” for the purpose of fully carrying out its duties. Templates and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) must be fully conceptualized and developed in good time. Rules of Engagement must be clearly spelt out. Role-definition and ‘command structure’ for every task must be unambiguous. Simulations are needed, including joint rehearsals to build task-guided group cohesion; for everything to run smoothly in the field. The foregoing is without prejudice to the expected activities of political mischief makers, the possibility of having compromised security personnel and sundry challenges, during the actual elections. As was said on this page on 27 Nov 2019, under the title “INEC and Off-Season Elections”, ‘Our political parties ... make no investment in the political education of their presumed members. All they plan for in the bid to get power or “win” elections is (1) compromise whoever is available to be compromised, (2) take over the space where an electoral contest is to take place, if they can, (3) terrorize or subdue INEC officials, if that is the only way to determine final election outcomes, and (4) try any other thing they think they can get away with, based on their political clout”. The article under reference above pointed out that “...it is within this environment that poor INEC is expected to perform wonders.

It is within this environment that INEC is deemed to be unilaterally capable of securing the space by itself”. Really? Let’s get real! That means, let us look at the realities and challenges before us without blinkers and convenient sun shades. The article of seven years ago, referenced above, asked: “Does the organization command an army, or is it just another institution of state that can only function effectively and efficiently in collaborative endeavours with security agencies? Can INEC perform the role of high priest in a room full of drunkards where, as a rule, it is a crime to be sober; or act sober? What do you expect of an electoral body saddled with the unenviable task to teaching table manners to angry and hungry bus conductors at Ojuelegba roundabout in Lagos?” It is against this background that Amupitan’s inuaguration of the Committee in good time, for the group to become a viable team, stands out in bold relief. And, as was also said here seven years ago: “... there are those who would like to prevent it from performing its lawful duty, even when it is determined to be objective, impartial and committed to its assigned role as neutral umpire. For a regulatory agency charged with the task of moderating the political behaviour of politicians, political parties and the citizenry, INEC faces a most unenviable assignment. That is why it is always in the line of fire for both foreseen, unforeseen and even unforeseeable events; including even bad weather in Sao Tome”. “It comes with the job, I guess”, the article surmised. Now, back to the present. Early logistics preparation is one way of making sure that solutions to the transport, security and terrain challenges associated with conducting elections across the country are found and applied in good time. There is good news in the fact that the Committee has a wide-spectrum human capital pool fro m which to draw, across various fields. It draws representation from correctional, aviation, security, ports and customs agencies, the Central Bank of Nigeria, transport unions and maritime workers. Participating organizations include the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),

SELLING NIGERIA TO GLOBAL INVESTORS

billion or more. The pipeline ranged from $1 million to $15 billion per project, with a median capital requirement of $153 million. Of the 65 projects, 48 require less than $500 million, while 17, valued at a combined $72.3 billion, require at least $1 billion each. The government also highlighted the protections available to foreign investors. These they listed to include permission for 100 per cent foreign ownership in most sectors, full repatriation of capital and profits with a Certificate of Capital Importation, double taxation and bilateral investment treaties, and Nigeria’s membership of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The investment framework also included a five per cent annual tax credit on qualifying capital expenditure for five years under the Economic Development Tax Incentive. Sharing the success story of the Dangote Industries Limited, Dr. Hassan Mahmud, said the government(‘S) reforms – both fiscal and monetary – (has)HAVE helped TO stabilise operations of the Dangote Group. He said policy consistency and incentives available to businesses operating in an export-free zone were important factors in building investor confidence. “The transparency and the credibility we have seen in that have significantly enabled the Dangote Group to have good projections and was able to come out of the woods from his investment of about

$20 billion in the refinery,” he said. Mammud urged international investors to consider Nigeria, describing the country’s reform experience as a model for other African economies. “Please come into Nigeria, bring your investment. Nigeria is actually a symbol to other African countries now,” he said. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, also called on global investors to consider longer-term commitments, particularly as interest rates begin to decline and the relative attractiveness of fixed-income investments changes. Oyedele said the government was strengthening collaboration between fiscal and monetary authorities, adding that stability and gradual appreciation of the naira were helping to moderate inflationary pressures. Oyedele said the government would focus on five major areas of reform: agriculture, power, inflation management, regulatory efficiency and data transparency. On power, he said, “You cannot power a $1 trillion economy in darkness. It’s impossible.” He explained that the government was examining market-reflective pricing, transmission challenges and efficiency in the electricity sector, which remain important considerations for investors seeking to establish or expand businesses in Nigeria. On regulatory reform, Oyedele said excessive regulation, unclear rules and administrative burdens imposed significant

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria. Hear the INEC Chairman: “In seeking to address the complexities of moving men and materials across the vast and varied terrain of Nigeria, the commission opted for a multi-agency approach. The inclusion of our security and logistics experts from various arms of service underscores our resolve to treat election logistics as a matter of national priority”. While describing logistics as one of the most critical and challenging components of election management, Amupitan emphasized the fact that technology and procedural safeguards must be supported by polling units that opened on time with the required personnel and materials. “Technology and procedural safeguards”! The other good news is that the Committee is involved in the assessment of the total logistics requirements for the elections, in addition to the auditing the readiness of warehouses, vehicles and transport hubs, including airports and seaports. This is one of the best approaches to making a team out of a bunch of agencies brought together by INEC for a task. This is “Headache Outsourcing” at its best. Let them be involved in determining the logistics expenditure headlines and the figures and use their requisition to provide security services during the elections. Those who would like to give us a figure of what “INEC collected for the elections” have their work cut out for them. Why the special consideration? Because this is a special national assignment, besides their routine duties, for which they earn their monthly salaries as personnel of their various organizations. Let the Committee to identify gaps, recommend corrective measures, monitor compliance with approved plans and schedules, and address transport bottlenecks, shortages and security threats holistically. Yet the Committee is not autonomous. Quite the contrary!

Its members are to coordinate with INEC departments and state offices. They are to formalize arrangements for secure transportation by road, air and maritime routes. They are to liaise with government agencies and transport unions to facilitate movement. And the Committee is to submit periodic reports and recommendations to the commission, while ensuring that materials reached every part of the country on schedule. The Chairman’s call on the Committee members to be dedicated and to develop dynamic plans that would respond to changing weather, terrain and security conditions is a call for operational agility; which should be taken very seriously. His observation, that the “Nigeria’s geography, from the creeks of the Niger Delta to the arid plains of the north, demands a logistic plan that is both flexible and resilient”, is a statement of fact. His warning, that “We must anticipate the weather, the terrain, and the security environment to ensure that no Nigerian is disenfranchised due to late arrival of materials”, should be the Committee’s mantra; because the inauguration has actually laid the foundation-in-principle for efficient preparations and credible elections.

costs on businesses. On data transparency, Oyedele acknowledged concerns about the availability and consistency of Nigeria’s fiscal statistics, particularly the tax-to-GDP ratio. He said the Ministry of Finance was finalising arrangements to make relevant information available and accessible on its website. CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, emphasised that lower inflation remains critical to improving the welfare of ordinary Nigerians. “Our medium-term target is to bring it down to single digits. Of course, as we embrace inflation targeting, that will obviously be a lot more open and transparent, and people will be able to have a clearer sense of the road of travel,” he said. He also pointed to Nigeria’s external reserves, which he said had reached their highest level in 18 years, describing them as a buffer against external shocks. According to Cardoso, the reforms helped Nigeria withstand global pressures, including the effects of war and discussions around tariffs, while the exchange rate had remained stable and appreciated. Nevertheless, beyond the beautiful slides and colourful PowerPoint presentations, Nigeria’s government and policymakers must move from selling investment opportunities to strengthening investor confidence. International investors are accustomed to ambitious presentations,

attractive incentives and promises of reform. So, the government Nigeria must take steps to reduce abrupt policy reversals, strengthen regulatory independence and ensure that investors can make long-term decisions without constantly recalculating political and regulatory risks. Foreign direct investors require a credible framework for managing currency risks, settling cross-border obligations and planning future returns. Nigeria must sustain efforts to contain inflation, deepen the FX market, improve fiscal discipline and strengthen external buffers without creating distortions. Additionally, the government must confront its infrastructure deficit, particularly unreliable electricity, expensive logistics and inadequate transport networks. No investment pitch can permanently compensate for the additional cost businesses incur from generating their own power, moving goods through congested corridors or relying on inefficient ports. These structural weaknesses erode productivity, undermine competitiveness and discourage investments that require long payback periods. Addressing multiple levies, inconsistent enforcement and shortening the lengthy approval processes are concerns that the government must address beyond the investor forum. Finally, equally important is to ensure faster dispute resolution, stronger commercial courts and reliable enforcement of contracts and property rights.

Mandate Issues and Proof of Responsibility

The Committee is to develop a Logistics Plan, that is a comprehensive framework for the storage, distribution, and retrieval of sensitive and non-sensitive election materials. The professionals here are to bring their expertise to bear on the task, as designed by them with the assigned task in view. The Committee is to carry out Terrain and Risk Mapping. This means identifying and mapping difficult terrains, riverine communities, and security-challenged areas. This will subsequently guide the provision of specific transportation and safety arrangements. All said, we need well-structured InterAgency Coordination and Collaboration, to prevent delays and voter disenfranchisement. This Commission is not a conventional Task Force for quick fixes. It is yet another good pillar put in place, as we inch forward towards 2027.

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Uzodimma and Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election Campaign As Secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council Secretariat, the Imo State governor occupies a strategic position in the APC’s efforts to coordinate party structures, mobilise stakeholders and present President Bola Tinubu’s continuity agenda ahead of the 2027 election writes Oluchi Chibuzor

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s Nigeria moves towards the 2027 presidential election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is working to organise its political structures, consolidate support among party stakeholders and communicate the policy priorities of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. At the centre of this effort is Hope Uzodimma, the Governor of Imo State, who serves as Secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council Secretariat. The position places Uzodimma within the organisational structure responsible for coordinating the activities of the presidential campaign. Beyond the public rallies and political gatherings that typically accompany election campaigns, the assignment involves the less visible work of bringing party leaders, governors, mobilisation networks and other stakeholders around a common political message. For Uzodimma, the central message is continuity. The APC believes that the policies and reforms initiated under President Tinubu should be sustained and consolidated beyond the president’s first term and Uzodimma is among those driving this agenda. In statements following the inauguration of the Presidential Campaign Council and at subsequent mobilisation events, the Imo governor has repeatedly framed the 2027 contest around economic transformation, stronger subnational governments and the delivery of democratic dividends. His public comments provide an insight into how the party intends to present its record, organise its political base and make the case for another term. Presidential campaigns in Nigeria operate across a complex political landscape involving national party leadership, state governors, legislators, local party structures, women’s Uzodimma groups, youth organisations and grassroots mobilisation networks. Coordinating these interests requires more than the announcement of political endorsements. It also demands communication, planning and sustained engagement among actors whose responsibilities and political priorities may differ. Uzodimma’s role as Secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council Secretariat places him within this coordination process. His task, as reflected in his public statements, is closely linked to the APC’s effort to align its various political structures behind Tinubu’s re-election bid. At the inauguration of the campaign council, Uzodimma said the party understood the responsibility entrusted to it by Nigerians and the mandate it intended to pursue. He also highlighted the position of the Progressive Governors in championing the continuity agenda, identifying economic transformation and stronger subnational governance as important elements of the party’s political vision.

reforms intended to transform the economy and improve national development outcomes. On this basis, he has called for the president’s mandate to be sustained into another term. At the campaign council’s inauguration, Uzodimma said the party remained committed to consolidating what it regards as the gains of the administration and pursuing a more prosperous Nigeria. This argument places the 2027 election within a broader debate about the direction of Nigeria’s economic management. Supporters of continuity can be expected to emphasise the administration’s policy choices and argue that their effects require time to become fully established. The political challenge, however, is to connect policy announcements and macroeconomic indicators with the everyday experiences of citizens. For voters, questions of economic direction are closely linked to employment, purchasing power, access to essential services, infrastructure and the cost of living. The campaign’s case for continuity will therefore be assessed not only through its stated objectives but also through evidence of how policies affect households and businesses. Uzodimma’s role in presenting the continuity agenda will place him among the party figures responsible for communicating its rationale to different audiences.

Economic Transformation and the Role of States

The emphasis on coordination is significant because the APC’s electoral machinery extends beyond the federal government. Governors and state-level political structures are important channels through which the party communicates with communities, organises supporters and engages local stakeholders. The effectiveness of the campaign secretariat will therefore depend partly on its ability to facilitate cooperation across these structures and translate the party’s broad objectives into a coordinated national campaign.

Continuity as the Central Political Message

Uzodimma’s public statements have consistently presented continuity as the organising principle of the APC’s 2027 campaign. He has argued that Tinubu’s administration is advancing

One of the themes Uzodimma has emphasised is the relationship between federal reforms and the capacity of state governments to deliver development. In his remarks at the campaign council’s inauguration, he identified economic transformation and strengthening subnational governments as central to the Progressive Governors’ vision. The emphasis recognises the important role states play in translating national policies into local outcomes. State governments have responsibilities across areas such as primary healthcare, basic education, roads, agriculture, local economic development and the provision of other public services. Their capacity to discharge these responsibilities depends on revenue, institutional effectiveness, the quality of public expenditure and the ability to attract investment. Consequently, a campaign message that highlights stronger subnational governments raises questions about how federal and state authorities can work together to improve development outcomes. It also creates an opportunity for the APC to explain how its economic agenda is expected to affect states with different resources, economic structures and development needs. Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

Afreximbank Targets $3.2bn Investment Opportunities at C’River Conference Funmi Ogundare

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freximbank, in partnership with the Cross River State Government, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the Forum of State Investment Promotion Agencies in Nigeria, will convene the sixth African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network Investment Conference (AfSNET) in Calabar from November 12 to 14, 2026, as the state intensifies efforts to attract investment and expand agricultural production. The conference, scheduled to hold at the Calabar International Centre, will focus on mobilising investment, developing bankable projects and strengthening intra-African trade. It comes as Cross River secured a commitment of more than $20 million from ValueFronteira Limited to develop a 4,000-hectare oil palm plantation in Yala Local Government Area over five years. A statement by Afreximbank said AfSNET had facilitated more than $3.2 billion in investment opportunities and transactions since its establishment in 2021. The network has convened more than 1,400 delegates across five editions, with 21 African countries represented. The sixth edition, themed “The Role of Sub-Sovereigns in Catalysing Development Through Trade and Investment,” is expected to bring together African sub-national governments, investors, financial institutions and develop-

ment partners to advance investment-ready projects, partnerships and intra-African trade opportunities. The three-day programme will feature investment promotion training, project preparation workshops, investment showcases, discussions on Special Economic Zones, business-to-government deal rooms and investment pitch sessions designed to connect sub-national governments directly with financiers and investors. Speaking on the conference, Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, said hosting the event would provide the state with an opportunity to engage African and international investors, showcase its investment opportunities and build partnerships to support sustainable economic development. “Hosting the sixth AfSNET Investment Conference provides Cross River State with an important opportunity to engage African and international investors, demonstrate the breadth of investment opportunities within the state and build partnerships that can support sustainable economic development,” he said. Otu said the state looked forward to welcoming governments, businesses, financiers and development partners to Calabar. Also speaking, Afreximbank’s Executive VicePresident, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Mrs Kanayo Awani, said sub-sovereign governments were central to Africa’s economic transformation because much

of the continent’s production, infrastructure development and investment took place at that level. She said AfSNET provided a platform for states, provinces and counties to strengthen project preparation, connect viable opportunities with capital and build the productive capacity needed to expand intra-African trade. “The sixth AfSNET Investment Conference will therefore place particular emphasis on bankable projects, investment mobilisation and partnerships that can support industrialisation, value addition and stronger regional value chains,” Awani added. Among the investment opportunities associated with the network is the $40 million Med Aditus Pharmaceuticals project in Kisumu, Kenya. The project, which is under preparation, envisages a manufacturing plant capable of producing at least two billion tablets and capsules annually for the treatment of non-communicable diseases. Established in 2021, AfSNET provides a platform for African states, provinces, counties, municipalities and other sub-sovereign authorities to showcase investment opportunities, engage investors and financiers, improve project development capabilities and contribute to intra-African trade, industrialisation and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

GLOBAL SOCCER

NEWSPAPER

NEWS

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • APRIL 24, 2011

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WEEKLY PULL-OUT

ADEMOLA LOOKMAN

17.10.2026

NEWS

STILL ON SONG

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BACK FROM GOAL-SCORING SABBATICAL? AdemolaLookman’sexplosiveChampionsLeaguecameoagainstManchesterUnited might be the exact spark his stutteringAtletico Madrid career desperately needed.After enduring a bruising eight-game goal drought for club and country, the Super Eagles forward came off the bench to completely dismantle the English giants. Now, the big question looms: will this decisive strike finally ignite his season?

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ADEMOLA LOOKMAN

Back from Goal Scoring Sabbatical?

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Ademola Lookman’s second goal for Atletico put the game beyond Manchester United

or 75 minutes at the Metropolitano, the air hung heavy with the tense, suffocating pressure that has come to define Atletico Madrid’s early-season campaign. Diego Simeone prowled his technical area like a caged animal, his side locked in a familiar gridlock. Then, in the 71st minute, he turned to his bench and summoned Ademola Lookman. What followed was an explosive, gamealtering 13-minute sequence that didn’t just secure a vital 2-0 UEFA Champions League victory over Manchester United—it might have completely rewritten the trajectory of the Nigerian international’s season. Before Tuesday night, Lookman’s first year in the Spanish capital had been shrouded in frustrating silence. The blistering pace, the razor-sharp spatial awareness, and the lethal finishing that made him one of Europe’s most feared forwards at Atalanta had seemingly vanished. He had drifted through eight consecutive matches for both club and country without finding the back of the net. For a player who thrives on rhythm and instinct, it was an agonising drought. He looked like an artist holding the brush but forgetting the strokes, a footballer burdened by the heavy weight of expectations that comes with wearing the Rojiblanco shirt. But football has a beautiful, chaotic way of restoring faith in the span of a few heartbeats.

Thirteen Minutes of Mayhem

When Lookman replaced Alex Baena, Simeone’s instructions were characteristically Spartan. “Simeone told me to just bring the energy, try and help the team defensively and offensively,” Lookman revealed in his post-match press conference. It was a directive rooted in intensity, a demand to disrupt a stubborn Manchester United backline.

Lookman did not just bring energy; he brought a hurricane. Just three minutes after stepping onto the pitch, the 28-year-old attacker turned the match on its head. Sensing a pocket of space in the final third, he triggered a trademark darting run that caught the United defense entirely off guard. Leny Yoro, left isolated and desperate, lunged in to halt a clear goal-scoring opportunity. The referee’s hand went straight to his back pocket. Red card. In 180 seconds, Lookman’s sharp movement had reduced the English giants to 10 men and shattered their defensive structure. With United reeling, the Super Eagles star smelled blood. Five minutes later, Jonathan David unleashed a ferocious strike that the United goalkeeper could only parry into the danger zone. While others watched the trajectory of the ball, Lookman reacted with the predator’s instinct that had been dormant for two months. He pounced on the rebound, outmaneuvering his marker to poke the ball home from close range. The Metropolitano erupted. Lookman wheeled away, a mix of sheer ecstasy and profound relief etched across his face. The drought was over. The ghost of the last eight games had been exorcised in front of the raucous Atletico faithful.

The Heavy Burden of a Slow Start

To understand the magnitude of this cameo, one must look at the psychological toll of Lookman’s slow start to the campaign. Moving to La Liga under a manager as demanding as Diego Simeone is a daunting tactical recalibration for any forward. Simeone demands an uncompromising, two-way work rate—intensity “on both sides of the ball,” as Lookman noted. For a player struggling to find his attacking boots, pulling double duty defensively can often sap the energy required to be

clinical in the final third. As the games ticked by without a goal, questions began to circulate. Was he a fit for Cholismo? Could he replicate his Italian success in the rigorous, tactical landscape of Spanish football? Lookman himself didn’t shy away from admitting the relief that the goal brought. “I’m very happy to come on and help the team; it’s important,” he stated, deflecting individual praise toward the collective effort. “The guys put in a big shift before I came on, which made it easier to slot in and play, so I’m really pleased with the collective effort.” That humility masking a fierce competitive drive is exactly why Simeone values him. But while team-first rhetoric is standard post-match protocol, elite forwards feed on goals. It is their oxygen. Without it, they starve. Tuesday’s strike was Lookman’s very first of the Champions League campaign, providing him with the solid footing he has desperately lacked since August.

Will the Spark Become a Blaze?

The ultimate question now facing Atletico Madrid and Nigerian football fans is whether this explosive cameo is a temporary flash in the pan or the genuine catalyst that spurs his season to life. Historically, Lookman is a momentum player. When he finds his groove, the goals tend to arrive in clusters. The sharp movement and constant threat he posed throughout his short time on the pitch against United suggested a player whose confidence was instantly restored by the smell of the net. He played with a lightness and freedom that had been entirely absent in pßrevious weeks. “This win gives us huge confidence heading into our next fixture,” Lookman warned, and that confidence will be vital as Atletico transitions back to domestic duties. The immediate litmus test arrives today. The Colchoneros host Espanyol in a crucial

La Liga clash. Lookman’s decisive, gamechanging display against Manchester United has handed Simeone a fascinating tactical dilemma. Does the Argentine tactician reward the Nigerian’s impact with a highly coveted spot in the starting eleven, or does he continue to utilise him as a high-octane weapon off the bench? Given Atletico’s need to string together consistent domestic victories, starting Lookman could strike fear into an Espanyol defense that will undoubtedly look to sit deep and compact. Lookman’s ability to unlock tight spaces—vividly demonstrated by how he drew the red card from Yoro—makes him a compelling argument for a starting role. He has earned the right to build on this momentum from the first whistle, rather than waiting in the wings.

A Solid Footing for the Future

No matter how Simeone deploys him today, the narrative surrounding Lookman has fundamentally shifted. The conversation is no longer about a signing struggling under the weight of an eight-game goal vacuum. Instead, it is about a lethal continental weapon who just dismantled Manchester United in a matter of minutes. The road ahead is long, and a single closerange rebound does not fully guarantee a season of 20 goals. Spanish football will continue to test his patience, and Simeone will continue to demand relentless defensive tracking. But for the first time this season, Lookman is playing with the wind at his back. In the grand theatre of the Champions League, Lookman reminded Europe, his manager, and most importantly, himself, exactly what he is capable of. If this performance was the relief he needed to find his footing, the rest of La Liga should take notice. The Super Eagles forward is finally off the mark, and his season might just have begun on a rainy Tuesday night in Madrid.

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Arokodare

Real Madrid Demand Resignation of La Liga President

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eal Madrid have demanded the “immediate resignation” of La Liga president, Javier Tebas after he likened the approach of the club’s management to that of Joseph Goebbels, the Nazis’ infamous propaganda chief. In a lengthy statement, Madrid described Tebas’ remarks as “deeply offensive” and “morally repugnant”. Madrid said they disqualified him from continuing to hold his positions as head of the Spanish top flight and vice-president of the Spanish FA and called on him to step down from both roles. “Javier Tebas’ repeated conduct demonstrates a

lack of neutrality, respect, and impartiality incompatible with his institutional responsibilities,” read Madrid’s statement. “His constant attacks on Real Madrid and those who demand transparency and reform constitute, in our club’s opinion, a true scourge for Spanish football.” Yesterday, in a lengthy post on social media site X, Tebas compared the communication strategy of Madrid’s management and in-house TV channel to that used by Goebbels, who was the minister for propaganda in Nazi Germany. “Real Madrid’s management directs an orchestra of mouthpieces and Real Madrid

TV leads the singing,” Tebas wrote. “Their score is always the same: select the plays that suit them, repeat the grievance, feed the suspicion, and point fingers at the enemies. “That method recalls propaganda mechanisms exploited by Goebbels, Nazi Germany’s minister of propaganda: systematic repetition, construction of an enemy, and subordination of facts to the narrative.” Tebas added that he was drawing comparison with “those propaganda techniques” and “not with an ideology”.

Ajax Amsterdam Legend, Frank de Boer has called for patience with Tolu Arokodare, insisting the striker deserves time to demonstrate his abilities despite comparisons with Dutch icons Marco van Basten and Patrick Kluivert. After a difficult spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Arokodare joined the Eredivisie giants during the summer transfer window on a season-long loan deal

that includes an option to buy. The Nigeria international has lived up to expectations at his new club, registering seven goals and two assists in eleven appearances across all competitions, despite starting just six matches. One of those starts came in Thursday’s UEFA Conference League encounter against HNK HajdukSplitinCroatia,wherehe playedthefull90minutesbutwas unable to add to his goals tally.

De Boer believes Ajax can get the best out of Arokodare by supplying him with crosses from the flanks, highlighting the importance of providing the striker with the right service to make an impact. He told Ziggo Sport, via Ajax Showtime: “We are used to comparing a striker to Van Basten and Kluivert, but I have also seen a few times that he is technically giftedandthatyoucanmake very good use of him.

Ajax Legend de Boer Backs Arokodare Amidst Basten, Kluivert Comparisons

Fubara Rewards Real Madrid Academy With N50m After UK Tour Triumph Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has rewarded players andcoachesoftheRealMadridFootball ≤ping the players’ football skills and character, stressing that academic excellence must complement sporting ambition. “Intelligence without character amounts to nothing,” he said, urging the students to remain disciplined, responsible and committed to their education. Fubara also assured the academy that the state government would

address concerns over inadequate facilities, accommodation and other operational challenges to provide a more conducive environment for learning and training. He thanked the local and foreign consultants who facilitated the tour, describing the trip as a life-changing experience for students, many of whom hadnevertravelledbeyondPortHarcourt. According to him, the exposure would help the students appreciate opportunities in international football and serve as worthy ambassadors of Rivers State. ThePrincipalofRealMadridFootball Academy, Port Harcourt, Dr

Prudence Isaac-Harry, expressed appreciation to the governor for sponsoring 61 student-athletes and 12 officials on the UK tour. She said the students impressed the Southampton and London football communities with their skills andperformances,earningasilvertrophy. “Thank you, sir, for showcasing Rivers State’s raw talents to the global stage. This landmark trip has successfully opened windows for further international tournaments, as several top-tier clubs are already extending invitations to the Real Madrid Football Academy, Port Harcourt,” she said.

Man City Target Bounce Back as EPL Action Returns to DStv, GOtv Following a dramatic week of Champions League action, attention shifts to the Premier League this weekend, with several clubs looking to build on their European performances or bounce back from disappointing results. Everton host Chelsea at 12:30pm today, with Chelsea looking to build on their 5-1 win over Bournemouth after three games without a victory. The match, alongside all Premier League fixtures, will air live on SS Premier League (DStv Ch. 203, GOtv

Ch. 65). Liverpool face Brentford at 3:00pm, hoping to recover from their 3-0 league defeat to Man City. Their 6-3 Champions League win over LASK in midweek offers a timely boost, but Brentford will be looking to build on a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa. At the same time, Man City host Ipswich, aiming to extend their perfect league start after beating Liverpool 3-0. City lost 4-2 at home to PSG in midweek and will be keen to respond. Ipswich arrive after a 2-1 win over Fulham. The

match will air live on SS Football (DStv Ch. 205, GOtv Ch. 61). Newcastle host Aston Villa at 5:30pm, looking to recover from a 4-1 defeat to Coventry. Villa were held to a 2-2 draw by Brentford. Sunday begins at 2:00pm with Brighton hosting Crystal Palace and Leeds welcoming Man United. . At 4:30pm, Forest host Arsenal, who have responded to their first league defeat with a 2-1 win over Leeds and a 3-0 Champions League victory over Lille.

Swimmers during the second Pan African School Games... yesterday

Swimming Takes Centre Stage as 2nd Pan African School Games Kick Off in Style

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he Olympic-size swimming pool at James Hope College, Lekki, buzzed with excitement on yesterday as young athletes from more than 11 schools competed in the swimming events of the 2ndPanAfricanSchoolGames. The three-day competition, organisedbySeunAkinbohun, Busola Tejumola andAderoju Ope-Ajayi, aims to promote athleticexcellencewhilecreating opportunitiesforeducation,career development and cultural exchangeamongyoungpeople. Swimmers aged 11 to 15 competedacrossvariousevents, with participants battling for honours in the Under-11, Under-13andUnder-15categories. The event also attracted hundredsofparentsandguardians who turned out to cheer on the athletes. Speakingduringthecompeti-

tion,co-organiserAderojuOpeAjayi said passion and a desire to make a difference in youth sports inspired the organisers to continue despite financial challenges. “2025 was our first edition, and it was tough. Our passion, drive and desire to make a difference in sports motivated us to keep going,” she said. Ope-Ajayi acknowledged the support of sponsors and partners, describing their contributions as vital to the success of the competition. She noted that the maiden edition helped identify talented young athletes and opened pathways for further sports development opportunities. Shealsocommendedparents for encouraging their children to participate in sports. “Ourparentshavebeenvery supportive. You can see them under the sun cheering and

encouraging their children. We are very grateful,” she said. Accordingtoher,thecompetition was deliberately scheduled during the students’ half-term break to avoiddisruptingacademicactivities. Ope-Ajayi said the organisers hope to see stronger performances, good sportsmanship and greater enjoyment of sports among participants. “We want to see great sportsmanship, records being broken and, most importantly, children enjoying sports. We want them to understand that whatever they set their minds to, they can achieve it,” she added. She described the opening day as a success, revealing that nearly 400 children and more than200parentsattendedtheevent. RiverbankSchoolChiefExecutive Officer, Regina Jemide, praised the organisers for their commitment to youth sports development and notedtheimprovementsmadesince the inaugural edition.

NBBF Vice President, Udezue Thanks Delegates, Hopes on Greater Nigeria Basketball egates of the Elective Congress The new vice president of for the trust you placed in me the Nigeria Basketball Federatoday. This victory belongs to tion, Ugo Udezue has thanked every state association, coach, delegates to the Elective NBBF player and fan who believes Congress, the Nigerian basketNigerian basketball can stand ball lovers for the belief they among the very best in the world. have in his capacity to serve. “I warmly congratulate Dr. While congratulating the MustaphaAbdullahi on his electhe new NBBF President, Dr tion as President. I look forward Mustapha Abdullahi on his to working closely with him and new office, the AFA Sports the new Board to build on the boss pledged his support foundations laid by those who and the belief that the new served before us. board will build on the Udezue “To the South East, and to foundations laid by the mitted to serving all six zones previous administrations for and the FCT equally for tangible every zone that stood with us: a better Nigeria Basketball and balanced grassroots and thank you. Our work now is to ecosystem. infrastructural development. serve all six zones equally. That Udezue who emerge unopThe statement by Udezue, means better facilities, stronger posed in the election held in Vice President-elect, Nigeria leagues, and national teams run Abuja on Thursday. October Basketball Federation reads, with the professionalism our 15, 2026 says the Board is com- “I am deeply grateful to the del- athletes deserve.

Temple Company, BOS Africa Join Forces to Build Commercial Capacity in Africa’s Sports Industry

The Business of Sports Institute Africa(BOSAfrica)andTheTemple Company have announced a strategicpartnershiptostrengthen professional capacity and bridge the gap between learning and practical experience in Africa’s sports industry. Thecollaborationbringstogether BOS Africa’s specialist education and professional development programmeswithTemple’sexperienceintalentmanagement,brand strategy,sponsorship,media,commercialpartnershipsandintellectual property. Through Ogidi Studios, Templewillalsocontributeaccessto professionalaudiovisualproduction expertise and facilities. The organisations will collaborateonselectedmasterclasses, workshops, executive learning

programmes,industryengagements and thought-leadership initiatives. BOSAfrica will lead academic and programme development, while TempleandOgidiStudioswillprovide complementary industry expertise, practitionerengagementandpractical learningopportunities. Areas identified for hands-on learning include developing and pitching sponsorship proposals, athlete branding and commercial representation, endorsement and image-rights negotiations, sports contentproduction,digitalstorytelling, and building commercially sustainablesportsorganisations.Thepartners envisageusingindustrycasestudies, simulations, studio demonstrations and,wherefeasible,real-worldassignments to help participants put their knowledge into practice.

L-R: Founder and Academic Director, Business of Sports Africa, Beverly AgbakobaOnyejianya and President, The Temple Company, Terfa Tilley-Gyado during the signing ceremony of a partnership agreement between The Temple Company and Business of Sports Africa to develop capacity among young professionals in sports industry in Lagos... on Tuesday

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SATURDAY OCTOBER 17, 2026 • T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R

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STRENGTHENING NIGERIA-CHINA MONETARY POLICY COLLABORATION...

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso (left), and Governor of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), Dr. Pan Gongsheng, during a strategic meeting between the two institutions on the sidelines of the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) in Bangkok, Thailand…yesterday

OKEYIKECHUKWU EDIFYING ELUCIDATIONS okey.ikechukwu@thisdaylive.com

Contextualising INEC’s Multi-agency Logistics Committee

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wo days ago, Chairman of the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Amupitan, took the commendable step of inaugurating a multiagency logistics committee. This is not a hurriedly cobbled Task Force, coming a few weeks before the elections; and without enough time to gain traction and really work as a focused group. This Committee has the straightforward task of ensuring timely and seamless movement of personnel, and delivery of election materials, for the 2027 general elections. No sooner was the inauguration concluded than the Committee’s raison d’etre, the wisdom, or unwisdom, of INEC in setting it Amupitan up at and whether it offers any real guarantees regarding the Commission’s impartiality and the subject of very heated conversations at the credibility of the 2027 election became as private forum in Abuja.

On the one hand were those who felt that bear on it over time. the inauguration, coming immediately after But one thing was clear from the the Commission’s Chairman went round discussions: We are not likely to have any the country on a hands-on stakeholder of the usual delays, and other factors, that engagement, was proof of the man’s otherwise disenfranchise voters. Yes, that preparedness. On the other hand were those these would be avoided if the job of this who, while admitting that the Chairman is Committee is carried out the way it ought to. being pro-active, are also simultaneously The consensus was that what Nigeria concerned that that the Commission may needed now was a well-developed, yet be “embarrassed” in future by desperate comprehensive and efficiently deployed, politicians, notwithstanding its elaborate efforts logistics plan for the physical security, storage, distribution, and retrieval of election to ensure electoral best practices. Then there was the group of those whose materials when, where and how needed; intervention focused on the far reaching efforts without let or hindrance. Thus, that the of INEC on voter education, the fact that idea of bringing together the interagency INEC deserved ‘fair hearing’ under its new and interdisciplinary expertise needed for Chairman, and encouragement and close the purpose is to ensure the optimization support is needed to give the Commission of the chances for positive final elections enough backbone to withstand whatever Continued on page 27 political pressure may yet be brought to

OBINNACHIMA EDGY OPTIMIST

obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com

Selling Nigeria to Global Investors

“N

igeria is no longer just a promise. The facts and statistics are constantly improving. Nigeria is open for business and this is the best time to invest in Nigeria. The reforms have come home to rest and this is the best time to invest in Nigeria. I invite you all. Nigeria is open for business.” The foregoing are excerpts from the remarks delivered by Idris BeloOsagie, Special Adviser on Economic Strategy to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, after presentations by the Minister’s

Special Adviser, Macroeconomic Policy, Prof. Bright Eregha and the Deputy Governor, Economic Policy Directorate, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Philip Ikeazor, on the state of Nigerian economy, while speaking at an investors’ forum organised by the Nigerian delegation on the sidelines of the ongoing International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand. Beyond the assurances of reform and renewed optimism, the forum sought to bridge the gap between investment interest and actual capital commitments as well as to enhance the country’s visibility. To achieve this, the government introduced a deal room designed to

connect prospective investors directly with key policymakers, showcase investment opportunities and address concerns about investing in Nigeria. The initiative was intended to give investors direct access to relevant government officials and help convert interest in the country’s investment pipeline into actual commitments. According to the government officials, the pipeline comprised 65 projects requiring a total of $78.5 billion, with energy and transport accounting for almost four-fifths of the funding requirement. The project breakdown presented at the forum showed that oil, gas and power account for 25 projects requiring $36.4 billion, while transport and maritime

account for eight projects valued at $25 billion. Agriculture and agro-processing account for six projects requiring $9.8 billion, while industry, manufacturing and mining comprise 17 projects requiring $6.6 billion. Technology, health and urban services account for the remaining nine projects, with a combined capital requirement of $700 million. The government presented investment opportunities across different funding categories, from projects requiring less than $100 million to those needing $1 Continued on page 27

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