SATURDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2026 by THISDAY Newspapers Ltd

Soaring Property Prices Shut Millions Out of Homeownership Developers pass rising construction costs to buyers, tenants Estate surveyor demands mass social housing, council-led schemes, stronger regulation

Bennett Oghifo

Soaring property prices, escalating

rents and rising construction costs are deepening Nigeria’s housing affordability crisis, shutting

millions of households out of homeownership as incomes struggle to keep pace with the

cost of shelter. The crisis, according to real estate developers, estate surveyors

and investment professionals, is driven by a combination of expensive land, construction

materials, labour, infrastructure, financing, statutory charges, Continued on page 5

Dangote Refinery IPO: Shareholders Assured of Better Returns, Minimal Risks...

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Saturday September 19, 2026 Vol 31. No 11486

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Tension, Outrage Trail Death of 37 Miners in NSCDC Detention Deji Elumoye, Chuks Okocha, Michael Olugbode, Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja, Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia, Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt and Laleye Dipo in Minna Continued on page 5

French President Emmanuel Macron (left) received President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a private dinner at the Élysée Palace in Paris…Thursday

2027: Where Are the Women? Only 9.6% of candidates are women Groups call for deliberate commitment to gender balance

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Sunday Ehigiator in Lagos

Ahead of the 2027 general election, the final lists of all the candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have shown that women remain significantly underrepresented among the candidates vying for various elective positions, constituting only 9.65 per cent, far below the 35 per cent affirmative action. The data from the final lists of candidates recently published by the electoral body indicated that a total of 4,881 candidates were cleared for the three elections.

However, of this number, 471 are women, representing 9.65 per cent, while 4,410 are men, representing 90.35 per cent. A further breakdown of the lists by category showed a huge gap among the National Assembly candidates. For the presidential election, out of 18 candidates, only two are women, representing 11.11 per cent, whereas 16 are men, representing 88.89 per cent. The two female presidential candidates are Okwori Fredrick of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Okereke Esther of the National Rescue Movement (NRM). Similarly, for the senatorial

is here

Continued on page 5

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SaturDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2026 • T H I S D AY

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2026 • T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R

PAGE FIVE

Reduce Fuel, Diesel Prices, Atiku Appeals to Tinubu

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, yesterday appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the petroleum sector by reducing the prices of petrol and diesel in the overall interest of Nigerians. Addressing a press conference

in Abuja, Atiku said, “Bola Tinubu should not be ashamed to do what is necessary to lower the price of petrol simply because Atiku Abubakar proposed a government intervention.” Speaking further, the former Vice President said, “For more than three years, that burden has travelled from the petrol station to the bus stop, from

2027: WHERE ARE THE WOMEN? election, 1,303 candidates were cleared by INEC, out of which 123 are women, representing 9.44 per cent, while 1,180 are men, representing 90.56 per cent. Also, for the House of Representatives, a total of 3,560 candidates were cleared by the commission, out of which 346 are women, constituting 9.72 per cent, whereas 3,214 are men, constituting 90.28 per cent. Analysis of the 123 female senatorial candidates shows that Akwa Ibom has the highest number, with 10 candidates, followed by Rivers, Osun and Kwara states, with seven candidates each. The seven female candidates for Kwara State are Temako Naomi, Ibrahim Ramat, Owolabi Felicia, Adesola Kehinde, Abdulahi Motunrayo, Abdulkarim-Adisa Maryam Ayoola-Fadekemi and

Anifowoshe Grace. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has four female senatorial candidates, including Omotosho Ololade, Ireti Kingibe, Austenpeters-Pam Amanda and Benyeogor Ufedojo. However, several states have only one female senatorial candidate, including Adamawa (Bagardi Charity); Borno (Baba Gana Zannah); Ebonyi (Nwachi Ude); Ondo (Omolabaro Omotilewa); Sokoto (Abdulrahman Halima); and Kebbi (Kabir Mohammed). Bauchi State has two candidates. In the same vein, for the House of Representatives, Lagos leads with 31 female candidates, followed by Imo with 21, Anambra with 20, Rivers with 20, Akwa Ibom with 17, Delta with 17 and Oyo with 17.

the bus stop to the market, and from the market to the family dining table. “When petrol becomes expensive, transportation becomes expensive. When transportation becomes expensive, food becomes expensive. Farmers pay more to move produce. Traders pay more to stock their shops. Workers pay more to get to work. Businesses

pay more for logistics and energy. “In the end, the Nigerian family receives the bill. When government makes energy expensive, it makes life expensive. “This is no longer an argument between economists. It is the daily reality of millions of Nigerians,” Atiku said. According to Atiku, “These are the real tests of an economic

policy. “When I first argued that government should review its approach to the withdrawal of petrol subsidy and consider responsible intervention to bring down the cost of fuel, Mr. Bola Tinubu dismissed my proposal as demonstrating ‘serious ignorance’ of governance and the economy. “My dear Bola, events since

then have raised a simple question. “Is the Nigeria Labour Congress also ignorant when it calls for urgent intervention to cushion workers from rising petrol prices? “Are petroleum marketers ignorant when they call for policies that strengthen domestic refining and help moderate pump prices?"

Kwara State also has 16 female candidates for the Green Chamber, while states like Katsina, Nasarawa and Zamfara have only one female candidate each. Responding, the Communication Manager, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Mujidat Agbabiaka, said the data was not simply a question about the number of women appearing on the ballot. “It raises a broader question about whether the political system is providing women with a genuinely accessible pathway into political leadership. These statistics point to the fact that 471 out of 4,881 candidates are women; that is approximately 9.6 per cent. “In other words, fewer than one in ten candidates is a woman. That is not simply a question about the number

of women appearing on the ballot; it raises a broader question about whether the political system is providing women with a genuinely accessible pathway into political leadership. “This is another call that every political party must make a deliberate commitment to more gender balance and inclusion.” In her contribution, the Project Officer, Renevlyn Development Initiative, Tracy Ohovwore, said: “The minimal inclusion and abysmal representation of women in all strata of government and in political activities in Nigeria is the reflection of a deep and worrying trend in our society. Even when women get slots, such positions are presented as merely ticking off the box, and not necessarily a rightfully deserved position.

The implication is that pressing issues concerning women take the back seat and are treated with levity.” Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwanguma, pointed out that the 9.6 per cent “raises serious concerns about the continuing underrepresentation of women in Nigeria’s political process.” “For a country in which women constitute roughly half of the population, their persistently low presence among candidates for major elective offices points to structural barriers that continue to restrict equal political participation. “These include the high cost of electoral politics, unequal access to political networks and campaign financing, discriminatory social

attitudes, political violence and intimidation, and internal party processes that may disadvantage women seeking nominations,” he added. According to him, “Nigeria also needs to revisit broader legal and policy measures aimed at improving women's political representation, including the continuing debate around special or reserved seats and other affirmative-action mechanisms. Any such measures should be transparently designed and consistent with constitutional and democratic principles. “The 9.6 per cent figure should therefore prompt serious reflection about the inclusiveness of Nigeria's democracy. Elections should provide meaningful opportunities for every segment of society to participate, compete and be represented.”

withheld) narrated that officials who took them for detention sprayed chemical in the place which made breathing difficult before the people choked to death. He however did not name the chemical. Also, Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, called for a transparent and independent investigation. While reports have raised issues including disease, overcrowding and inadequate ventilation, the actual cause of the deaths is yet to be conclusively established. Authorities have said investigations, including medical examinations and autopsies, are

being conducted to determine the cause. President Tinubu in a statement by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, directed relevant authorities to ensure that the investigation was comprehensive, transparent and unhindered, covering the circumstances of the arrests, the condition of the detainees when they were taken into custody, the conditions under which they were detained, the number of persons held in the facility, the medical attention provided and the events leading to their deaths.

is the quality and affordability of existing housing. Government data released in December 2025 indicated that about 15.2 million housing units were structurally inadequate, highlighting the need not only to construct new homes but also to improve existing housing stock and basic services. Chief M.I. Okoro, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), said the combination of soaring property values, high rents, expensive land and inadequate government intervention was increasingly putting homeownership beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians. Speaking against the backdrop of rising residential and commercial property prices, Okoro identified the widening gap between housing demand

and supply as a fundamental driver of the crisis. “It never used to be like this, but it will continue to go up,” he said, attributing the pressure to population growth, migration into urban centres and increasing demand for accommodation. According to him, while population continues to rise, the supply of land remains essentially fixed, creating intense competition for available development sites. He pointed to prime Lagos locations such as Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki Phase One, where developers are increasingly building vertically because of the scarcity and high cost of land. “The higher you go, the more expensive it is to develop it, and more expensive to acquire it,” he said.

TENSION, OUTRAGE TRAIL DEATH OF 37 MINERS IN NSCDC DETENTION Tension and outrage yesterday gripped Niger State following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), as President Bola Tinubu ordered a full and transparent investigation into the tragedy and vowed that anyone found responsible would face punishment. Their death followed enforcement of operations around Lt.Gen. Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Estate in Minna, Niger State. This comes as five alleged illegal miners were also confirmed dead yesterday,

following the collapse of a mining pit in Mayokam village, located in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State. The Taraba State Police said five miners were dug out of the collapsed pit following efforts by local residents. In a related development, Nassarawa state government announced the ban of underage miners as it is now an offence in the state for anyone below the age of 18 to work in any mine. In Niger, mourning the tragedy, former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida lamented the tragedy and called for calm but advocates measures to ensure that such

never repeats. This was as Governor Umar Bago of Niger State declared a 24-hour curfew in Minna following breakdown of law and order over riots which broke out over the death of the detainees in custody of Civil Defence in the state. The suspected illegal miners were among scores of people arrested by the NSCDC during enforcement operations against illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto area of Niger State on September 15 and 16. The Corps had said the operation was aimed at tackling illegal mining and resulted in the recovery of various exhibits.

Their deaths were reported in the early hours of September 17, shortly after the arrests. The Niger State NSCDC Command had initially said the detainees died following a suspected disease outbreak and that their remains had been deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination. The national headquarters subsequently cautioned that no specific disease had been established as the cause of death pending medical and laboratory examinations. But in what appears as an early clue to what led to the death of the alleged illegal miners, a survivor (names

Continued on page 14

SOARING PROPERTY PRICES SHUT MILLIONS OUT OF HOMEOWNERSHIP inadequate housing supply and weak purchasing power. The President of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Oba Akintoye Adeoye, said the continuous increase in residential property prices and rents had become a major concern for developers, prospective homeowners, tenants and investors. Adeoye said housing costs were rising faster than the purchasing power of many Nigerians, stressing that the problem could not be solved by focusing only on the final price charged by developers. According to him, the entire housing value chain must be examined, including land acquisition, construction, infrastructure, finance, transportation, professional

services, statutory charges and regulatory costs. He explained that developers were operating in an increasingly expensive construction environment, with sharp increases in the cost of building materials, land, labour, transportation, infrastructure and finance. “When the cost of producing a house increases, it inevitably impacts the price of the finished property,” REDAN said, noting that developers could not indefinitely absorb rising production costs without threatening the sustainability of their projects. The association, however, cautioned that rising development costs should not be used to justify arbitrary property pricing or exploitation of consumers. Rather, it argued that the

central policy question should be how to make it cheaper to produce housing. “If government and other stakeholders can reduce the cost of land, infrastructure, building materials and housing finance, developers will be in a stronger position to deliver more housing units at more affordable prices,” it said. Adeoye said even a property priced according to actual development costs could remain unaffordable to a worker whose income had not increased proportionately. He therefore called for greater access to long-term and affordable mortgage finance, saying Nigerians should be able to spread the cost of homeownership over 15, 20 or 30 years rather than being required to raise the

entire purchase price upfront. REDAN said it had been advocating mortgage financing, rent-to-own arrangements, cooperative housing schemes, housing savings programmes and other innovative mechanisms to improve access to homeownership. The federal government’s latest housing data illustrates the scale of the challenge, although estimates have varied depending on the methodology used. A National Housing Data Technical Committee report released in January 2026 put Nigeria’s 2025 housing deficit at 14.925 million units, while government agencies and previous estimates had placed the gap considerably higher. Beyond the numerical deficit, another dimension of the crisis

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Nume Ekeghe with agency reports

tranche of a $5 billion derivatives press time. drawn attention from market closing at N1,380.9/$ at the inflows, despite mounting deal with United Arab Emirates' The $5 billion facility, participants because of the official market yesterday, pressure from investors chasing largest lender, pressing ahead captured. approved National limited public disclosure compared N1,380.1/$ assets, “In his infertile rambling, Tenebe state Governor, Mr. Godwin as N9 billion for the has swindled by Obaseki-led Adibe emenyonu inAdedayo Benin City Adesanya,by hasthe declared that stupendous in the dying days of then Jennifer saidwith her husband sent dollar-denominated controversial third-term hisbeen alleged involvement in the Assembly Chuks Okocha, made wild and completely off-theObaseki across all sectors of the fathom projects which only "Information at the behest of the with a transaction that has been 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 unassailthe protracted legal battle over President Olusegun Obasanjo’s the money. She said she was project arose under the same prolonged legal battle. It said Akinwale in Abuja and Wale able, mark suggesting that state over the federal paston seven years.” isand in theMonetary imagination of online of1,700 the Edo State House of existed humongous debt profile of members scrutinized for being opaque. part of the federal government's International Fund firm at N1,390/$ theoffshore parallel acomments pullback the domestic tranche ofinaLagos proposed $5 bold span over kilometres - aimed The term, minister reiterated that the that the government about 85 per centin complete projects reform agenda, which included Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja and the long-delayed Mambilla first when Atiku wielded not familiar with the Obasanjo–Atiku administration, that Atiku would compromise Igbintade Edo State is owing $35 billion. “Tenebe has been on a frenzy the governor, it was discovered Assembly is to the effect that they Edo State chapter of the All ProN135 billion and $35.6 billion, at unlocking economic activity and ongoing reforms by the Tinubu is concentrating more projects in the handled by Rock Result along Ahoada “The African nation plan to diversify (IMF) andpower, Fitch recently market for thelies third equities market. billion derivatives the removalWest of fuel subsidies and the Blessing Ibunge in Portfinancing Harcourt Even ifofthat was what was written looking for toconsecutive tell sinceit section the facility was not N9 South were recalled from their external holiday Hydroelectric Power Project enormous put Nigeria company that wired the money. Atiku was not treated a Nigeria’s best interests for gressives Congressin(APC), yesterday, the governor is unyielding and Nigeria. Thesources Ambassador knows that stability tothat thewere world. Ieven see your Nigeria's tax system, making Nigeria's readiness to build in on the end of the tunnel."You find Deji Elumoye Abuja bridging regional divides. administration not just about than northern areas ofas theActing nation. East West is can't atknown 60as per unification of foreign exchange rates - or drew about $1.5 billion the financing and reduce cautioned while derivativeweek. The naira hasRoad come under arrangement with the United for him, he should have he assumed office billion but a figure wrapped in leave by the Speaker on the urged Governor Godwin Obaseki to unstoppable in his characteristic is not over, despite the recent in a serious financial peril, “Atiku’s treasonable act, participant merely because he personal, fiduciary gain. Following the judgement of 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 Minister of Information and that National that the figure is wrong can't Rather government than focus pressure as much ascan N17.5 billion Chairman. request of thecosts. stateStructured governor for lastBut couple ofEdo weeks from borrowing as secrecy based financing improve Analysts attributed infollow recent sessions as Arab Emirates' largest lender, stop securing loans, noting the design to leave State in ruin, arbitration decision involving despite Obasanjo’s objection after thewho Nigerian Vice Heand opposed but economic opportunity,” he said. creating aand new foundation forLike inclusive his inspection Setraco havePresident. shown commitment in We are willing to go further peace prosperity. business in observed the country. visit to Qatar in 2024, pledging toa the Iwas always global issues President Bola Tinubu yesterday the former Vice President the International Arbitration in Nigeria’s recent economic history. Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said by be true. on reawakening histo completely which the opposition in you, the journalists immediate approval ofFirst thein to 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 resilience strong investors reposition ahead of the according to a Bloomberg “Nigeria is really retracing its steps. growth, accountability, sustainable the Zarama of theefforts West jobs. our bilateral relations." we sandwiched the of all difficult bilateral agreements "We are making to their and your efforts. have to welcomed new initiatives byof implement the federal government. andarereservations atbetween the Federal declined tosection gowhich ahead with the it "In openly against it. “These were decisions that said theTribunal country was on Assembly the towards has accused theago, APC Campaign under thepath auspices reality,and ourstood debtYou stock is not comatose party, isEast unable rejected andand or refused facility which according to house by the House of was few days which was with First Abu Dhabi Dhabi are should be macroeconomic fundamentals, fundraising report, marking theexplore first billion ItAbu isThe becoming anBank, important nation once development. rehabilitation in Bayelsa State, Addressing the journalists, Umahi said the Qatari challenge terrorism and helping Road between the countries. reform our tax led system. Going more inunderstood Nigeria toare help fight had to They causedBank some them Qatari investors to economic recovery, restating ado secret and in fact, we ‘under Spokesman ofproceeds thebillion APC Executive Council meeting. illegal contract, Sunrise and dollar-denominated Nigerians then, as to provide constructive criticisms to be partofof the transparently approval. isPresident said to be N9 Council of deliberately the International Chamber needless and will plunge thefederal stateof said tobe bemade. N9two billion." again the comity of nations. In another development, who Umahi expressed satisfaction withstill the said, "We havein just inspected thewould work PJSC, according to people earmarked for refinancing debt managed toreaction, minimise fiscal healthy external by Dangote Refinery and but like"It anisaircraft taking reported under government’s commitment restoring government had demonstrated our neighbours. We areUmahi conscious He directed the Minister of but by experiences of the past and poverty the humanitarian opportunities in the agricultural borrowed’. Emperor Tenebe expected of a viable opposition, But innoted, its the Edo asamong event unfolded, after into financialdrawdown distress. Presidential Campaign He “Atiku’s greed, Leno Adesanya toreserves make aDelta claim they should understand now, Tenebe, said important distorting the outcome ofThe the Commerce (ICC) into Paris that turbulence, The respect thatforesight Nigeria used to have disclosed this yesterday while inspecting ongoing projects across Rivers, ofPetrochemicals, Rockknown Result where we have multiple off, we are now reaching stability. investors’ confidence and deepening maturity and 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 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 afavoured facility that has attracted But in a Nigeria, swift reaction, the to state, that it is now in public Council, Dele Alake, in a however, propelled him against the Federal Republic that serving in an administration Mambilla arbitration, saying the stalled World isfor now gradually returning. Investors the ongoing of federal Bayelsa. culvertsaofover the East West Bank has noted our returnthe to opposition democratic the economics governance, fiscal misinformation in a have desperate Edo APC “obviously in the House as to the global peace and deserves helping usconstruction towas ameliorate the and Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; ways, our reforms been concrete developing knowledge-based remains open toin structure strategic Edo State values. Government said it and political space that who asked not to be identified financing. Meanwhile, the naira has at $51.2 billion and sustained rotation of capital from naira scrutiny over its statement issued yesterday to disobey council and ofHeNigeria, demanding $680 Road doesfailure not in make every have more confidence country,” roads in by Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta said that the Bodo-Bonny Road between Rivers and the budget ruling has 3960mw Mambila Hydroelectric growth levels not seen in taken over aa the This was as his to counterpart, responsibility and debt-to-GDP ratio. curry cheap popularity. the the achievements of attempt rationale for ain our facility as pained commendation. problems." Minister of party Information and hard. Itomade tough decisions economy Qatar, but office what partnerships. was perplexed learn ofMinister what fiscal of Edo State was because they aren't authorised This transaction has, however, remained relatively resilient, foreign portfolio investment assets into dollars. and transparency. he said. states, dismissed the claims trending construction handled by Julius Berger Bayelsa. said Atiku’s alleged legendary President Obasanjo, months million as a settlement sum holder personally responsible decade,” Idris told Forbes Africa. Works, David Umahi, has disclosed tribunal award, amputated Power Project in Taraba State, 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 toits speak to the Bloomberg reported that He noted this media." year’s observance that theAll federal isCongress investing reverberated in Paris after Leno Adesanya, through gradually and interest of explained. for every policy, scheme or ridiculous tantrums attributed to Edo State House of of Assembly legal meaning, stuffed the ofcorruption the Progressives your efforts to bring peace and ongoing reforms to streamline Idris; and that Minister Foreign seeingintherespect light at the assurance atgovernment the State House, of the with Democracy Day notYusuf just trillions of naira in the construction Efforts by THISDAY to Nigeria drew about $1.5 billion the new acting chairman of the proceeded on leave without the at the International Arbitration an offshore account, China another arbitration in which decision associated with that Affairs, Ambassador Abuja while receiving a special gaps political propaganda (APC) Presidential Campaign warranted celebration, buttogether sober and rehabilitation ofof roads across the commencement Edo State chapter APC, Jarret of the execution independently confirm theto Tribunal under the auspices of Castle Investment, wired it is claiming over $2.7 billion government,” Atiku stated. over the past two weeks through Maitama Tuggar, to work envoy from the Amir of the State and presented the result Council (PCC) has asked the reflection on the journey democratic country. Tenebe where he made baseless of the budget by theofexecutive. reported drawdown from the International Chamber of $500,000 to the US Citibank in compensation and interest apresidential Total Return Swapof (TRS) to ensure the timely execution of Qatar, Dr.candidate Mohammed bin “The same applies Nigerians as a corruption African and economic renewal. Idris reaffirmed this yesterday in Itconsolidation and spurious allegations on the is most disheartening that the Rescue workers from around the trapped under rubble before the buildings. Heavy machinery reported severeprinciple shortages of of these agreements. Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of transaction with First Abu Dhabi Commerce (ICC). account of his"golden now-divorced relatingintosome disputes associated to Mambilla,” Atiku said. “I Idris explained thathim fundswhen recovered anDemocratic interview with Forbes Africa to Edo fiscal management of our dear verdict against no world State Government now is Congress (ADC), yesterday intensified efforts critical 72-hour window" arrived of the hardest-hit essential supplies, saying years of was told that he would not board the would clear the air on what really every passenger has a right, your Chinedu Eze He said, "To all the members of Qatar's Minister of State for Finance were unsuccessful. Bank PJSC, citing people familiar from the fuel subsidy removal were mark the Democracy Day celebration state by the Governor Godwin requesting for a facility of N17.5 He explained that hearings in wife, Jennifer Douglas. with the development of was not a member of the such verdict was delivered. Atiku Affairs, Abubakar, to quit the the delegation, I want to say a big to locate survivors trapped beneath flight for finding survivors begins close, happened, areas nearly days after the right underfunding leftisthe country' because boarding had to closed. sincetwo the Senator and the is limited tohad what within thes Foreign Dr. Al-Khulaifi, being reinvested directly into critical Obaseki-led government.” and unbroken 26 years ofrequested democratic billion with no corollary of project Calls andthe text messages sent Airline with thepresidential deal who the by Sunrise money thewant Mambilla Hydro Power technical process that Also, promoter ofNigeria. Sunrise 2027 election, lid arbitration Minerals Development, formalisation of artisanal miners also tobegin be available part of the move d'Affairs, USarrived Embassy, In“The another development, thein airline have made their own ICAO (International Civilevaluated Aviation Operators offiled Nigeria (AON) Charge collapsed buildings in Venezuela the BBC reported. disaster to clearing massive healthcare system ill-prepared for a thank you for coming to conveyed Amir's strong interest in Addressing a press conference attached there to the said facility infrastructure projects including two rule in Nigeria. toPower the Minister ofGod Finance and Dr. anonymity because they were Dele described into amongst others. to reduce global emissions and put Organisation) Greene, in his office Power and has Transmission tranches, raising red flagson at videos project." thecooperatives competing proposals and Minister of Aviation and Aerospace that covered the incident. regulation and the and Transmission that byAlake, disrupting the operations David insisting that hecooperation, is unfit We are for expanding bilateral yesterday, Tenebe had said the stateto and alsograteful that thetocorridors facility iswhat not after two powerful earthquakes The worst-hit areas include the piles of debris. disaster of such magnitude. expansive highway that will said He defended President Bola Tinubu’s United Nigeria’s "Theindustry. miningThere sector mining sector on the global Coordinating Minister ofLeno the Alake lauded the United not authorised to speak publicly. Development, Festus has our Okonkwo stated the operators’ is noprovides amount ofCompany Air Peace States when itasdenied him Ltd 900 (Sunrise) and Thursday, Citibank and in Keyamo, the United However, Atiku said the aviation recommended I did Company Limited, bealready President of Nigeria was suffering adue debtto contained as loan to be in the we have experienced astaken partners announcing that aunder high-level killed more than people and capital, Caracas, the coastal state Among those awaiting Thedisappointment, tragedy hasSunrise. also reignited ally and strategic veritable avenue for map. We on have critical minerals States’ commitment to fostering ordered that a probe should be viewpoint the anxiously incident and said ofanot 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 Adesanya over the stalled States. The wired money distortion rests on a false and sit on the procurement in progress. I am also just glad that the longstanding Qatari business delegation will the left thousands injured in State one ofand the cooperation of La Guaira neighbouring rescue isCentre Natacha Diaz, criticism of Nigeria Venezuela's fragile forinthe nation’s mining trade between andinvolved the United that are in commercial demand with Nigeria in diverse that conducted on theand incident. passengers have their2, rights but any airline gives you any rightin former governor of Edo 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 3960mw Mambila Hydroelectric and other suspicious transfers intellectually lazy assumption: panel. Ithat did not award the 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 Oloyede said. LGA, Sokoto, Sokoto State. impersonation. the issues during my weeks to explore opportunities entire Power Project in Taraba State totalling $40 million surfaced that because he served as Vice contract. So anyone alleging Speaking while receiving addition, which implies processing The minister welcomed partnerit underscores the significance of the Chairman of United Nigeria regulations and it is the responsibility about unruly behaviour. So, what North District, Adams Oshiohole, tal that Edo State patrimony for the facility is ever in moreJoint than aAdmissions century. buildings wereUTME reduced tobetween pilesthe of ship trapped inside a shopping residents urgingalso authorities todue allow 2025 showed Oloyede added that 80 complex suspects The registrar said that to The and smooth visitproject last year. in disaster agriculture, food security, and the extracted and setting up with the US onthe investments in ofthat bilateral relations revealed thatBoard Atiku and former in“The a US investigation President in Obasanjo Icivilian manipulated that process Airlines, Obiora Okonkwo, in types a pressof of airlines and passengers toby abide saw wasminerals avolunteers typical case of unruly violated aviation regulation. According to (JAMB) Venezuelan concrete and twisted steel. where they worked. Holding their more to participate prevalence ofSenate some particular were being interrogated the you substandard performance, four centres has both "Let me commend the brotherly Matriculation other critical sectors. factories here. We would also require the mining value chain, expanding countries. in Lagos yesterday called byadministration, those regulations. every action behaviour. It is not responsibility: acceptable. Air SenatorMinister, Oshiomhole who had conference Power Olu Agunloye into Atiku andfor other corrupt has a from simple infractions, suggests systemic police fortechnology their involvement in the had been delisted and blacklisted for officially announced the release of on authorities, at Abuja least 920 people ofwhich grief unfolded acrossI access photograph, the distraught mother in rescue operations as thousands financing multilateral institutions to extracting “IScenes you your visit. President Tinubu emphasised relations between Qatar and 6:30a.m. thethank Federal Airports Authority “AON had had theinfull brief of Peace is a the respected airline. No Lagosflight on Air worked in cahoots to sign an leaders. taken by that government must show instruction Imatter gave, Hope” and improving the lives of Fidelis David in Akure with the transport subsidy. I want Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan vulnerabilities or gaps in registration examination malpractices and most technical deficiencies. He listed the the 2025 Unified 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. of Nigeria (FAAN) to bring out the Air Peace on this incident. And as what you think about it, they carry Peace last power Wednesday was denied the people Ondo State. illegal contract with State “In the Senatecollapsed report attributed show the intervention I made, Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan among theof youthful population. “Wethan are3,300 establishing, this ing incentives for investments like mining areas. forvideo Energy Resources, Geoffrey and examination administration or/ asecuring ofautomatically them would bebe prosecuted. centres Adventure Associate, Behind Examination (UTME) results. to“Today, thank our workers for their boarding CCTV ofUS the incident, saying matter of fact, as much as weto 40 to 50as: percent of all the domestic when he arrived atsustained 6:05a.m., more others families waited near Another resident, Andreina Meanwhile, international wethe takegovernment yet another bold The Governor of Ondo State, tax waivers for mining equipment, Throwing light on reforms Pyatt, on the"Keeping sidelines ofFAAN theForeign Mines He said is year, 37,000 Citizens’ Brigade and monitoring. “The Board has identified the passengers Sheshe Supermarket, Kano, Saadatu Sunrise. titled: him. and show the paragraph of Following poor performance the numerous challenges efforts, dedication and support,” Olawale Ajimotokan in Oyo State Governor, Seyi that it is the video from that appreciate and understand that in Nigeria. 25 minutes to departure time and injuries afterSchool. the twin earthquakes, structures, hoping forin news of embarked Valerio, appealed to rescue assistance hasrepatriation begun pouring into step in our ongoing commitment to inof Lucky Aiyedatiwa, hasNational said his worried policy of full ofZaria. profits upon byfor thehelp federal govThe Director General, and Money conference London that about 72 per cent Primary 1,000 in each “The new trends observed were presence of extraneous fingers in Rimi College of Education, candidates in the 2025 UTME, Alake added that the Corruption out of the United ''History itself demolishes the tribunal award where that he said.the welfare confronting the our country, Makinde, yesterday reaffirmed Abuja people, state, administration will continue measuring magnitudes 7.2 and past missing loved Many her registration one-and-a-half-year-old thehome Rescue teamsothers," from countries amongst the minister highlighted andones. weand hadExamination asurvivors fruitful ernment, Orientation Agency (NOA),to ofimproving the nation’s youthfulofpopulation including FCT, Abuja. These in theyear, Registration the detailsWhen of someson, of to Oncountry. how to check thewas UTME results, and digital backdoor signing ofminute the contract States: Four Case Histories," that Community argument. the corrupt influence found.” social inclusion and fulfilling telecommunications Makinde made the declaration prioritise social inclusion and ensuring urging them to intensify that the welfare and interest Alake emphasised. revised Development engagement. I did analyse our 7.5, struck barely aGlobacom, apart have also been forced toallin sleep Santiago, who This remains trapped Switzerland and Mexicothe have Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, has have become foreigners through Citizens’ Brigade are going to be processes and they were mainly the these candidates. raises concerns Oloyede said: "To check 2025 solutions company, said the promise of Acting Renewed Hope for economic empowerment In his remarks, the US Ambas(CDA) guidelines issues, andcategories: fundamentally, we just Agreement when the Governor, of thefederal people ofgovernment the state will the prayers for President Bola The announced plans toof vulnerable launch on Wednesday night. The second outdoors after their homes were alongside other family members joined local emergency responders, influence of cartoons and like Boys’ Scout and Girls’ Guild following Identity Fraud, regarding potential strategies for UTME results, candidates should send its Examination Preparatory Service 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 Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal, always remain Tinubu andand histhe administration. has asserted its paramount unwavering awith 37,000 Citizens’ Brigade in to movies which are foreign in of theEnumah olden 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 A statement posted on the anti-graft's prosecution to proceed with the trial described the May 27, 2025 bail application Alex indays. Abuja According to Aiyedatiwa, a total the federal government. interest of Nigeria in solid minerals, commission Humanitarian host communities; on-going plans oil. Not just for our own primary schools across countryto . contents, alongside otherand top across government his administration. He255 also expressed optimism resolve togovernment securing freedom values cultures. the in world, Nigerians Thumbprint of Candidate,” he of 3,656 candidates fall hearing withinzone this one to 55019 or 66019has using the Computer-Based social handle X, noted thesaid. duo prayed for of theword defendants as incompetent, given of 16, beneficiaries all 18 students to“Across hit theexcel South American nation economic Inmedia La Guaira, residents described inaccelerated thearchitecture disaster participating inthe humanitarian rescue that sector huge Also, Aiyedatiwa hasthe forwarded forlDoctors new security to ofstressing survival butthat also to and Affairs Ministry. The federal yesterday He made theHouse disclosure while officials, labour leaders andstate civil are Other he trends said, were category. Consequently, the results of that same they had used Issa-Onilu saidAreas as a in way out known beFinancial the smartest This was just asAssembly he urged examinations. were arraigned onglobal a six-count case. natural thephone defendants neither underto that ongoing security The Economic Crimes be for Nigerians held captive potentials tonumber rivalwere the contribution the secure efforts in tuneinfractions, with for the the Ondo State of a Local HeGovernment revealed that Nigeria said there arejournalists ongoing discussion since 1900. toand widespread devastation ascharge, rescue warned that resources; hospitals were operations despite longstanding speaking with in Ibadan 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 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 oilnortoduring nation's economy. generate big geo-data; the inmoney global warming. will receive N75, 000 each, disbursed servants, welcomed him back list of 12 nominees for the position of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to 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 during a constitutional working to Oyo launch 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 App containing but someof people Abuja yesterday, Registrar JAMB, tune installments of N25, 000 development commissioners the visit State Executive tomonthly office after his annual leave. follow provisions interventions would yield global to discuss issues Secretary toinNiger, the Government in Cameroon, Chad and in against time to rescue those feared personnel searched damaged of casualties. personnel andMeanwhile, Caracas. State. The defendants according to the court of subsistingMedical 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, double registration, he explained that the to the poor indigenous cartoons through mischievously tend to portray Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, revealed that the of migration andfor how itmeeting affects He called other parts of the world would by handing over to Brigade the Vice their positive results in athe fight us ofHe the Federation, Senator EFCC's statement, however,ofpleaded defendants, May 27, 2025 and Criminal Justice of Act,students (ACJA) that should Buba and the bank's Executive Director/ said 1,000 Citizens’ debit cards. The governor made this which and attempted substitution self by the Ministry of dated Education’s decision performance in the 2025 Board withheld the results of 39,834 local contents, national in negative light. But this is countries under the membership be returned to Nigeria safety. between labour leaders and the President whenever he is on values against kidnapping andinjected other George Akume, gave the guilty” to all the charges when they prayed that the acourt should uphold a bail application but rather Chief Compliance Officer, He said theculture total amount commitment during the official would be Commissioner, set up in each of the candidates. to enforce minimum age theof precipitate UTME, the company explained that candidates outare of the over 1.9Innocent million “not and would be not who we as a people. of the Euro-African Dialogue on Federal National state that his Mbagwu, leave. readOloyede to themadded following which the lead applications and admit thegranted defendants applied for bail from the comfort of their before Justice Emeka Nwite criminal activities. assurance yesterday when into thegovernment, scheme is N1,noting 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 Rotimi Oyedepo, bail. and addressed offices when through noronaction has ofEmmanuel the Federal High Court, Abuja for economic support administration is "These aware of the ratives, of Conditional Cash national Transfer Makinde stated that his providing identified the winners of the to“exceptionally Eyesan, holders homes Theortrains NUPRC, the Addeh in Abuja Tand erritory (FCT) toDisplaced promote "Our direct mission hethe hosted members of were caughtcounsel, engaging in “WhatsApp gifted” to underage Service students practical According thesetting JAMB boss, of prosecution According to him, variwe to are upout the Popularly known asontheearth, Rabat Internally Persons SAN, announced the readiness of the Thethe prosecution counsel in his response, been taken againstinthem. alleged fraud. to thousands ofonhouseholds. disbursement to beneficiaries inwelfare Ondo economic challenges confronting commitment to the values as of old, stating that the 2020 marginal field bid round, of Petroleum Prospecting circular, emphasised that the PIA runs,” subscribing to rogue groups students. ways to excel Computer-Based the figure 96 candidates' results were our goal earth is to ous policies are geared towards Citizens’ Brigade to produce the Federation of Muslim Process, the meeting would be (NCFRMI), Alhaji Tijani Ahmed, The governor recalled that in young State, held at theBrigade Akure South Local essence ofthis the was toin SAN, submitted that on terrorism murder. enumah in mini Abuja residents due to certain Federal promising leaked questions. The registrar said thatand of the 41,027 Fagbemi, examinations suchaasstraightforward Joint Admissions withheld over exam malpractices, of the people informed the changing the 2022/2023 bid round bordering Licenses (PPLs). is built around The Nigerians Nigerian the and the andUpstream createa Alex promote, tonarratives preserve, and Women's Associations the first thematic dialogue under disclosed at a media briefing November 2024, a total of 8,637 debit Government Secretariat yesterday. the charge having been filed by Although, they pleaded not revive and rebuild the national 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 Government policies. government’s decision to and the 2024 licensing round According to the NURPC, the principle that “an acreage is held Petroleum Regulatory 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 world is having about the country . national values." conveyed government' s approval stakeholder participation in health federal government’s Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja He added that his government restore the wage award for as the target of the directive, circular with reference number to be worked, and any acreage Commission (NUPRC) yesterday 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 cases, said, the entire criteria, with onedefendant. disqualified duebe to commitment Examination Council High Court which had dismissed onegovernance. other witness testimonies, Igbintade atinstructing thesome 5th the Ministerial sector to1,3,4,5,6, strengthening and the Kingdom ofa Spain, and Wale fewer thanHope six and million people current phase significant continue to take Renewed Debitreinstate Cards to the civil servants the them to Oversight meet their NUPRC/1127/VOL.13/55 thatunreliable is not worked within announced that it was set to dismissed application bycentres two and strike out counts and 7its of iswill doing everything tonecessary secure remanded at malpractice. the Kuje Correctional and Sumaye Fadimatu Hamza. syndicates colluded with CBT examination as well as IELTS. eliminating any form of examination his no-case and quashed At lower court, Justice Raliatu including those of PW9, PW10, theof social net. thousands ofsubsidy, beneficiaries partof expansion isthe focusing on youth, education were displaced inthat Nigeria, while Committee (MOC) held in Abujaor Center, Astheissued ofpending efforts to reinforce health sector governance, The federal government has Rivers Statesubmission, indigenes challenging steps to of address thesafety situation. the charge or strike strike outand the the hearing of transport as as part statutory work commitments was in furtherance of term returns to the federal enforce the “drill-or-drop” release all who are He vowed no effort to register usingcharge multiple fingerprints. He bail said that the Board remained Theas 2025 UTME results released malpractice, addingLagos that 1,957,000 the 12-count filed against had ruled that EFCC well as Exhibits P59–P61. The Court of Appeal, Division, the “We understand the economic ofefforts the federal government’s National innovation. thousands refugees living and jurisdiction of the court to try Adebiyi entire suit for been incompetent. their application fixed for PW11, yesterday, said the state financing compliance, deepening accountability across approved N32,880,443,906.25 Makinde explained thatSeyi the that toof cushion theare hardship risk losing their licences. theestablished national drive tothe increase government.” provisions of and the acquitted Petroleum captured," he said. will be spared to facilitate the challenges regard,were has approved your indicated that Governor Kemi Olaitan inProgramme Ibadan According tothat him, ascommittee aFinancial result of had committed toas providing the necessary by JAMB on May 5 had elicited candidates verified to sit for him by thealleged Economic and a prima facie case The Court of Appeal agreed, has discharged a them that many of holds our people Social Investment (NSIP), over complicity in the Responding, Police lawyer, Mr. February 2, well as the motion The meeting, which May elsewhere across the world. has so far disbursed a total of the Committee directed the implementing institutions, under the second quarter, 2026 state’s wage bill has risen sharply residents are facing due to the A statement by the NUPRC production and to remind “The principle is backed by Industry Act (PIA) 2021, urging suspension as the Onido of Ido in Makinde approved the suspension this, 3,656Commission “extraneous support for persons with disabilities widespread concerns morenot than Crimes (EFCC). some of the counts and ordered holding that the appellant was a He lauded FOMWAN for the examDirector while 71,705 were of absent. former General the burning safe return ofcollaboration captives, while and this programme is a clear implemented in with face ofcandidates the Riverswith State House of on Simon Lough, SAN,asurged the of the 1st and 2nd defendants 13th to 14th, 2025, is expected to “We have 15,000 Nigerians who The Oyo State Government, yesthe area of authority of Ido Local on 1st of February, 2024. N290 billion under the initiative. MOC Secretariat to issue formal improving coordination among BHCPF disbursement memo from N4.5 billion in 2019 to N18 recent increase in pump price. spokesman, Eniola Akinkuotu, licensees of the finite term of Sections 77, 78 and 88 of the holders of non-performing The EFCC accused Akpobolokemi and his co-defendant member of the VIMSAS Committee; Nigerian Maritime Administration fingerprints” have had their results aspiring to pursue tertiary education. 1.5 million out of 1.9 million candidates According to him, 2,157 candidates demonstration that the government the Ondo State Government through Assembly complex in Port Harcourt, court to dismiss the application challenging the jurisdiction of its steadfast contributions reaffirming the government's feature discussions that would want to return to the country terday, suspended Oba Investment Gbolagade Area ofrejections Oyo State." Thewith letter readthe innoting part, "Ialso wish to Government Akpobolokemi of conspiracy, open their notas a signatory to anydefault of the and Safetyto Agency (NIMASA), TheState. meeting also approved communication all2025 36obligations states to and stakeholders, and accelerating you,” governor added. withheld, and centres He said that fortotheir the UTME, whose results scored monthly, that tolicenses sustain implementation of Rivers the experienced fingerprint due “INational want toSocial assure youOnido today stands indicated thatsome the CBT notice was to their licences and PIA, well asreleased the for lacking in were merit. the court to defence. entertain the suit intimate with the tobillion national development, commitment to strengthening guide policy direction, shape voluntarily, and we also have Muritala Babalola, as the Itsuspected directed Oba Babalola hand stealing, inform you that His Excellency, the Patrick and forgery in connection Akpobolokemi, through his Committee’s accounts. Akpobolokemi, of to alleged He further disclosed that efforts Chime Eguma Ezebalike and Programme Agency (NSIPA). According to Lough, besides against them. implicated will face sanctions. a total of 501 candidates were below 200. A breakdown of the results to registration infractions, modalities to commence inclusion reiterate responsibilities relating to implementation of ongoing the minimum wage, which was healthcare services nationwide. that the wage award will be contained in a circular signed to execute approved work and revocation provisions of status of their operations in efforts among not lessinthan 100,000 foreigners cooperative describing association as of Ido Ido Local Government national security. all million government properties in Prince Executive Governor of Oyo State of over alleged illegal transfers from the Collinsexamined Ogbonna and Kunle The court further held that he N754.8 fraud. Lukman Oladele, were ongoing tothe expand therisen state’s Sections 4JAMB and 66Monday of the Police Ezebalike and Oladele had health Addressing the another gathering, the are He identified the within centres as lawyers successfully bytimelines JAMB released by96 on showed asix figure, he said, wasChairman far above with N18,000 in 2019, has to of private sector actors the counterpart funding obligations sector reforms under the renewed for three The Coordinating Minister by the Commission Chief programmes within the Sections and 97,” the upstream weeks. countries of origin, transit and living in this country as refugees. Area of the state. his possession to the Nigeria, in exercise of the powers a vital partner in promoting The expressed SGF underscored account of thepersons VIMSAS Committee. appealed the ruling, signed nor approved any In a unanimous decision delivered among five charged with Gbolahan, Acts that empower them to argued that by the provisions register to accommodate more acceptable governor joya and adated deep social Tigh Technologies Limited, Sascon Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG) neither that 983,187 candidates (50.29 perbring cent) and currently The government, in letter of localmargins government. Incourt the terrorism conferred on him by stressing Sub-section destination, explore inclusive All these are the responsibilities N80,000. Ministerial Oversight Committee and fund commitments. national agenda toward months. We will also continue Executive, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa prescribed by commission stated. of Ido Health and Social Welfare, Specifically, the commission He wasand originally arraigned with arguing that thelaw. EFCC to withdrawal instructions orachieving internal yesterday, the appellate murder. The others the charge against the defendants, of theequity Terrorism Act, it isfailed only the peace, advocacy, unity and the vital role of faith-based vulnerable households, that sense of responsibility, noting that International School, Maitama, across 11 centres nationwide. scored between 160 and 199, while under investigation. 2nd ofcommission, February, 2024 and signed meantime, the state government 1&2 of Section 26 of the Chiefs policies, stronger cooperation of the to give them framework toComputer strengthen broader In his remarks, Pate Universal Health Coverage. Prof. Muhammad Pate who are several others, but the charges were link him to any wrongdoing and memos related theTerrorism alleged Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Akpobolokemi’s appeal, Section and 99 to of(24.97 the Attorney General of thereaffirmed Federation vulnerable household should be allowed the initiative is a bold stepfortowards social progress. organisations in addressing Abuja, Wudil Information According to Oloyede, the results 488,197 5candidates per cent) "A total of 39, 834 Ali results remain by the Commissioner Local no

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 Places 1,426 results under scrutiny Globacom: how our product can help students excel in JAMB, other exams

Aiyedatiwa Launches FG's N1.2bn Makinde Restores Wage Conditional Cash Transfer in Award, Ondo, Akume Assures Nigerians Transport OyoCitizens' Workers Nominates Commissioners NOA DG: FGSubsidy to Launchfor 37,000 Brigade Nationwide

in Captivity of Freedom

FG to Repatriate 15,000 Nigerians Stranded Abroad

Alleged Money Laundering: EFCC Arraigns SunTrust Bank CEO, Executive

Drill or Drop: NUPRC Gives Nonperforming Oil Licencees Six-week Grace Burning ofRiverswork Assembly Complex:or Court Urges them to meet statutory commitments loseDismisses permits

Pate: FG Application Has Disbursed N32.88bn Challenging Competence of Charge Basic for Q2Fraud 2026 Appeal CourtHealthcare Acquits Ex-NIMASA DGFund Akpobolokemi in N754.8m Case

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.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 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

NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE ON THEIR MINDS...

L – R: Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Media, Otega Ogra, and the Special assistant to the President on Social Media, Segun Dada, at a press briefing on National Youth Conference 2026 held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja ….recently GODWIN OMOIGUI

Dangote Refinery IPO: Shareholders Assured of Better Returns, Minimal Risks Says products from new 700,000bpd train exclusively for export to earn FX Promises uniform petrol price across Nigeria Memes on public offer drive conversation on shared ownership, accountability

Peter Uzoho and Sunday Ehigiator The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has assured prospective investors that its ongoing Initial Public Offering (IPO) will offer better returns with minimal risks, as the company moves from the construction phase to harvesting value from its $20 billion investment. This comes as memes and playful claims of corporate ownership among Nigerians on the IPO flood social media handles, opening a new chapter of collective ownership of Africa’s largest refinery. The assurance by the company came yesterday during a press engagement at the Dangote

Refinery Complex in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, where Vice President, Oil and Gas, Dangote Industries Limited, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, addressed concerns about pricing, profitability and expansion. The briefing comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of the refinery’s market impact. The plant recently raised its gantry price to N1,350 per litre, triggering retail prices of up to N1,400 in Lagos, while the company recently launched a landmark IPO that targets 10 million retail shareholders with a minimum entry of 5,250 shares, the first in Africa's capital market history. Edwin said the refinery’s philosophy on listing was to de-risk investors by only going

public after a project is completed and profitable. He recalled that in most parts of the world, projects raise equity at the project stage, but Dangote Industries does the opposite. He explained that the group completes the project, brings it to operations, starts declaring profit, and then goes public. “What we are achieving is, none of the shareholders is taking any risk. Because we are selling a company which is already running profitably,” he said. He added that the first six

months operational results had been declared to give investors a clear view of profitability, and that staff who understand the business had already taken up private placements. “Almost all the people in the refinery who know what it is, they all become shareholders, including me,” he said. On returns, the company promised sustainable dividends in foreign exchange. Edwin said the President and Group Chief Executive of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, had

declared that dividends will be paid in dollars, backed by massive FX earnings from exports. Currently, he said, about 50 per cent of production is exported, adding that with the new 700,000 barrels per day expansion train, all products from that plant will be exclusively for export. “Now, the new refinery will let all 100 per cent go for export because I am already exporting half of my production... So, foreign exchange generation is going to be huge. So, that is why he (Aliko) was able to give

assurance that he will be paying dividends in dollars,” he said. He noted that domestic consumption growth for petrol, diesel and jet fuel is not expected to be substantial in the short term, hence incremental output will feed the export market. On sustainability of payouts, Edwin asked investors to judge by the group’s track record in cement, sugar and salt. He said the group distributes almost all profits not reinvested in expansion as dividends, and that new investments ultimately raise share value.

At Private Dinner, Tinubu, Macron Pledge Deeper Nigeria-France Ties

Mr. Vincent Bolloré of the Bayo Onanuga, disclosed stated, inter alia: "French Deji Elumoye in Abuja Soludo Pardons Jailed Native Bolloré Group, whose media this yesterday in a post on President Emmanuel Macron President, Emmanuel and digital interests include his verified X handle, @ received President Bola Ahmed Doctor, Akwa Okuko, Makes Him French Tinubu for a private dinner on Thursday Canal+, MultiChoice and onanuga1956. Ambassador of Youths Reformation Macron, According to him, the two Thursday night at the Élysée night hosted his Nigerian Universal Music Group. David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has pardoned popular native doctor, Chidozie Nwangwu, popularly knows as Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki. Nwangwu, who was among eight native doctors arrested last year for their involvement in the promotion of money ritual, quick wealth and use of human parts for ritual had earlier this year entered a plea bargain with the state government. He was later offered a light sentence of 11 months, incarcerated in Nigeria Correctional Facility, Amawbia, Anambra State, and also given the condition of renouncing his fetish practice and promising to become ambassador of youth reformation. Nwangwu had accepted the conditions and had since

been serving his prison term until yesterday when Soludo pardoned him under the prerogative of mercy, making him Ambassador for Youth Reformation in Anambra. Special Adviser to the governor on Youth Reformation, Dr. Nelson Omenugha, who disclosed this said the governor had paid a visit to the prison in fulfilment of his duties when he stated this. Omenugha said, "Thank you, Mr. Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, for graciously extending your hand of mercy to Chidozie Nwangwu (Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki) and giving him a new responsibility as Ambassador for Youth Reformation. "This is the heart of Youth Reformation: not just punishment, but correction, restoration, a new purpose and A New Onye Anambra."

counterpart, Bola Tinubu, to a private dinner in Paris, the capital of France. President Tinubu yesterday also held talks in Paris, with

The dinner between Tinubu and Macron took place at the French seat of government, Élysée Palace. Presidential spokesperson,

leaders used the forum to pledge continued bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and France. Onanuga, in the post, had

Palace, reflecting the enduring relationship between Nigeria and France and their shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation.”

Police Warn Against Night Travels George Okoh in Makurdi The Benue State Police Command has advised travellers to avoid night journeys, warning that those whose trips may extend into late hours should consider postponing their journeys to safeguard their lives and property. The Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, CP Cletus Nwadiogbu, gave the warning yesterday, September 18, 2026, during an emergency

press briefing at the Command Headquarters in Makurdi, where he provided updates on major security developments in the state. Nwadiogbu urged travellers to exercise caution, particularly those who have prior knowledge that their journeys could extend into odd hours. He said, “I cannot be in Benue State as Commissioner of Police and watch lawlessness triumph,” while urging residents to resist the

temptation to take the law into their own hands. The CP advised members of the public to always explore available lawful mechanisms for resolving disputes and reporting criminal activities, warning that resorting to self-help could have serious consequences. The commissioner also disclosed the successful rescue of eight additional victims of a kidnapping incident in Ohimini Local Government Area, bringing the number of rescued victims to 12 out

of the 13 persons abducted. According to him, on September 13, 2026, at about 11p.m., armed men intercepted a commercial bus travelling along the Ankpenchi-Ogobia axis and abducted 13 passengers. He said operatives of the Command immediately launched coordinated searchand-rescue operations, leading to the rescue of four victims shortly after the incident, while nine others remained in the custody of the kidnappers.

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R • SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2026

NEWS

2026 OLOJO FESTIVAL...

L-R: Senior Brand Manager, Seaman, Nnena Uche- Onyenacho; Trade Marketing Manager, Nigerian Breweries, Olukayode Akintola; Chief Festival Administrator, Ayo Olumoko; Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi; Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Osun State, Bankole Ojo; Osun State Coordinator, Moniepoint, Olufemi Olaniyan; Director of Media, Brands Communication, Adron Homes, Seyi Oyekunle; Deputy Managing Director, Adron Homes, Odunola Ogundapo, during a media parley and unveiling of the sponsors of 2026 Olojo Festival, held at Ooni Palace, Ile-Ife, Osun State…recently

Nigeria’s External Position Strengthens as Exports, Remittances Lift Q2 Surplus to $7.54bn Cardoso, Oyedele sign MoU to strengthen fiscal, monetary policy coordination, target single-digit inflation

James Emejo in Abuja and Nume Ekeghe in Lagos

Nigeria’s external position strengthened significantly in the second quarter of 2026 as a sharp increase in export earnings, combined with lower crude oil imports, widened the country’s goods surplus and helped the current account surplus to $7.54 billion. Also, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Ministry of Finance, yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to prevent government spending, borrowing and liquidity management from working at cross-purposes in the fight against inflation. The agreement, which

was signed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, and CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, at the apex bank headquarters in Abuja, institutionalised regular consultation, data-sharing and coordinated policy assessments between the two institutions. The CBN in its Q2 2026 Balance of Payments (BOP) Highlights, stated that “provisional balance of payments (BOP) statistics for Q2 2026 shows a current account surplus of $7.54 billion,” up from $4.49 billion in the preceding quarter and $5.17 billion in the corresponding period of 2025. The latest surplus represented a 67.93 per cent increase from Q1

Plateau Police Disburse N25.8m to Families of Fallen Officers

Yemi Kosoko in Jos

The Plateau State Police Command has presented cheques amounting to N25,821,550.30 to 22 families of officers who died in active service, in what the Commissioner of Police, CP Ayodeji Faniyan, described as a renewed commitment to police welfare under the Inspector General of Police, IGP Tunji Rilwan Disu. Speaking at the ceremony held at the Command Headquarters in Jos, Faniyan said the current police administration had ended the era of delays, miscalculations and short‑payments in processing entitlements. He noted that the IGP had insisted on timely and complete disbursement of benefits, adding that more families would be reached as additional funds were released. He prayed for the repose of the fallen officers and strength

for their loved ones. The commissioner later briefed journalists on the Command’s operational activities for August 2026, highlighting arrests and recoveries across several local government areas. He disclosed that operatives apprehended suspects for offences ranging from illegal possession of firearms to rape, defilement, drug offences, kidnapping and armed robbery. In one major encounter, mobile police operatives in Barkin Ladi forced suspected bandits to flee, abandoning a GPMG, a SAR762 rifle and an AK‑47. Faniyan also confirmed the arrest of suspects linked to the defilement of minors in Jos and Bokkos, as well as the recovery of an English‑model AK‑47 in Wase. Anti‑drug operations in Angwan Rogo led to the arrest of four suspects and the seizure of substances suspected to be cannabis and other narcotics.

2026, underscoring the stronger flow of foreign exchange into the economy during the quarter. At the heart of the improvement was the goods account, which the CBN stated, “recorded a higher surplus of $10.12 billion in Q2 2026, as against $5.96 billion and $4.85 billion recorded in the preceding quarter and corresponding period of 2025, respectively.” The central bank attributed

the stronger goods position principally to the substantial increase in exports. It added, “A substantial rise in exports to $20.08 billion in Q2 2026, from $15.56 billion in Q1 2026, [was] driven by increases in crude oil, natural gas, refined petroleum products, and non-oil exports.” Crude oil remained the biggest source of export earnings, although the quarter also recorded

strong growth across other major export categories. According to the report, “Crude oil exports increased by 15.78 percent to $9.39 billion,” while “Gas exports rose by 40.15 percent to $3.63 billion.” The performance of refined petroleum products was even stronger. The CBN reported that “Exports of refined petroleum products increased by 66.24

per cent to $3.94 billion,” while “Non-oil exports increased by 25.30 percent to $3.12 billion.” Taken together, crude oil, gas and refined petroleum products generated $16.96 billion in the quarter, compared with $13.07 billion in Q1. Non-oil and electricity exports contributed a further $3.12 billion. The export improvement was complemented by a sharp reduction in crude oil imports.

FG Opts for Low-key 66th Independence Day Celebration, Inaugurates Inter-ministerial Committee

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The federal government has said that the activities for the celebration of the 66th Independence Anniversary on October 1 will be conservative. Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, disclosed this at the inaugural meeting of the InterMinisterial Committee (IMC) for the commemoration of Nigeria's 66th Independence Anniversary. Akume, represented by Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office (PEAO) Mrs. Bekearedebo Augusta Warrens, tasked

members of the committee to work with urgency given the limited time before October 1. He said emphasis will be on reflecting on the contributions, enduring legacies and sacrifices of the founding fathers and heroines, who worked for Nigeria's independence from colonial rule. He noted that the achievements recorded by Nigeria since independence were built on the foundation laid by the country's nationalists, stressing the importance of remembering their sacrifices while reflecting on the nation's journey since October 1, 1960.

The SGF added that the anniversary would also provide a window for the present administration to showcase its achievements and highlight efforts being undertaken to reposition the country through its reform initiatives, against the backdrop of the socio-economic challenges confronting the nation. He said the programme of activities will commence with a World Press Conference on Thursday, September 24, 2026; Juma'at Service on Friday, September 25; Church Service on Sunday, September 27, 2026 and Independence Day Public Lecture on Wednesday, September

30, 2026. President Bola Tinubu will make a nationwide broadcast on Thursday, October 1, 2026. The committee, which comprises the Secretary to the Government of the Federation as Chairman has the following as members: Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration,

NADDC Canvasses Tax Waiver for Local Vehicle Manufacturers to Make Prices Competitive David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) has called for a tax waiver for local vehicle manufacturers who import raw materials into the country. The council made the call when its Director General, Otunba Joseph Oluwemimo Osanipin

and the Chairman of Board of the Council, Chief Emma Eneukwu, led the management and members of board on an oversight visit to Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) and Kojo Motors Plant in Nnewi and Umunya, both in Anambra State. The team who inspected the plants of both companies

expressed satisfaction at the level of innovation they were bringing to bear, especially in the area of clean energy vehicles like the Electric Vehicle (EV) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles, but felt bad about complaints of high tariffs for imported raw materials, which pushes up the cost of their

vehicles, leaving them unable to compete with Importers of vehicles who enjoy tax free importation. Osanipin who spoke to journalists after the inspection said, "We are here on a facility tour of vehicle assembly and manufacturing plants to see those that manufacture and those that assemble.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 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

PASSING OUT PARADE...

L-R: Comptroller of immigration, Ilela Border Command, Sokoto, Musa Mukhtar; Comptroller of Katsina State, Zakarai Mohammed; Representative of the Comptroller General, ACG Sunday Agba and Commandant of Immigration Training School, Kano, Tony Akuneme, during the passing out parade of the school... recently

Court Rules NYSC Certificate Not Mandatory for Senate Election Dismisses suit against APGA, Stella Oduah

Alex Enumah in Abuja

A Federal High Court in Abuja has held that non possession of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate is not a ground for disqualification of a candidate in a senatorial election.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik stated this yesterday while delivering judgement in a suit seeking the disqualification of Senator Stella Oduah as candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the 2027 senatorial election in Anambra North

Senatorial District. The suit dated July 24, was filed by an aspirant of APGA, John Okechukwu Emeka, challenging the nomination of the former Senator as candidate of the party in the forthcoming general elections.

Oduah, APGA and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively. The plaintiff through his lawyer, A. C. Ozioko claimed that Oduah was not qualified to be on the ballot, on account of allegedly

Embrace Peace, Unity for Development, Royal Father Charges Niger Delta Stakeholders Ahamefula Ogbu

Former agitator and Royal Father in Azuzu Ama, Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa State, His Royal Highness Kile Selky Torughedi, has appealed to all stakeholders in the Niger Delta to stop bickering and forge a common front in pursuit of developmental goals of the Niger Delta region. The Royal Father in a statement expressed worry

over the abandonment of causes that led different people in the region to go up in arms about development, warning that the quarrels risked blurring the vision for the development and pulling them in different directions. He therefore asked all to relegate personal interests and come together to pursue development after which other concerns would be addressed. Torughedi appealed that they

should not brook losing sight of the common goal of attracting development to the region which current disagreement risked, adding that such would mean failing generations unborn in the region He appealed to traditional rulers, ex-agitators, youth leaders, elders, and other opinion moulders across the Niger Delta to unite for peace, progress and development of the region.

He particularly appealed to all aggrieved ex-agitators to sheath their swords and embrace the path of reconciliation. "At this critical juncture in our national discourse, what the Niger Delta requires is synergy, not sabotage. This is not a time for the politics of attrition or pull-down syndrome. It is a time for strategic alignment and nation-building,” he stated.

providing false information to INEC, in her Form EC9, in aid of her qualification for the 2027 general elections. In a 23-paragraph affidavit he deposed to in support of the originating summons, the plaintiff alleged that Oduah in column E6 of her form EC9 submitted to INEC on July 11, 2026 denied on oath that "she has never presented any forged certificate to INEC whereas in her affidavit of facts that she deposed in 2015 in support of her INEC form CFOOQ1, she deposed that she lost her First School Leaving Certificate and NYSC Corps Certificate, whereas the issuing authorities had stated that she was never issued with those certificates. While submitting that the First School Leaving Certificate is among the minimum requirements for anyone contesting for Senate, the plaintiff claimed that the 1st defendant is a graduate with a B.Sc. in

Business Administration. "That I know as a matter of fact that anyone who is a graduate in Nigeria must undergo the compulsory one year National Youth Service unless the person is exempted. "That the 1st defendant had procured a letter from Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) presented the same to the 3rd defendant in order to make the 3rd defendant believe that she completed her one-year youth service whereas she absconded from the camp. Attached herewith as Exhibit “M” is a copy of the NYSC letter on the subject and a copy of the police investigation report on the matter which unveiled the fact that her name was not among those deployed for primary assignment." Delivering judgement yesterday, the court however dismissed the suit for lacking in merit.

Ease Financial Burden On Poor Nigerians, FG Tasks Digital Invoicing Committee Catholic Bishops Urge Govts Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has called on the government at all levels to tackle insecurity and ease the financial burden on poor Nigerians. This charge was made in a communique issued at the closing Mass of the 2026 2nd Plenary Meeting of the bishops held at St. Benedict Cathedral, Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, on Thursday.

The communique signed by the CBCN President, Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, Archbishop of Kaduna and the CBCN Secretary, Most Rev. Peter Olukayode Odetoyinbo, Bishop of Abeokuta Diocese read during the Holy Mass, lamented that worsening killings and attacks have been slowing down the people's lives and nation's economy. The Second Plenary Meeting of

the CBCN hosted by the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo held at Our Lady and St. Kizito Pastoral Centre, Oke-Gada, Ede, Osun State between September 10 and 18, 2026. While appreciating the positive efforts governments and citizens are making in keeping the nation united despite all odds, the bishops, however, regretted that insecurity, poverty, poor infrastructure, bad governance,

and assault on human dignity have continued to ravage the country and its citizens. On insecurity, the CBCN recognised the move by the government to decentralise the police system to tackle insecurity in the nation, but at the same time, requested that such a reorganisation should be deployed for the common good rather than for personal, ethnic, political and religious interests.

Two Women Arraigned Over Alleged False Access Bank Shutdown Rumour Wale Igbintade

The Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID), Alagbon Annex, Ikoyi, Lagos, has arraigned two women before the

Federal High Court in Lagos over an alleged false publication claiming that Access Bank Plc would shut down its banking operations from September 23, 2026. The defendants, Idorenyin

Samuel Umoh and Fineness Monday Esu, were arraigned before Justice Akintayo Aluko on a three-count charge marked FHC/L/CR/773/2026. The police alleged that

the defendants conspired with other persons, said to be at large, to transmit a false publication concerning Access Bank through computer systems and networks.

on Affordable Working Capital

Dike Onwuamaeze

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, has tasked members of the newly inaugurated steering committee of the National Digital Invoicing and Financial Optimisation Strategy (NDIFS) to ensure that the national receivables-finance corridor is converted into transparent, regulated and affordable working capital for exporters, manufacturers, agro-processors and other stakeholders. The inauguration of the steering committee, which is co-chaired by the Chairman of EnterpriseNGR, Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede and the Executive Chairman, Nigeria Revenue Service, Dr. Zaach Adedeji, is in pursuant of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval the NDIFS and authorisation of the constitution of this committee.

Speaking on Thursday during the inaugural meeting of the NDIFS’ steering committee in Abuja with the theme ‘From Digital Invoice to Productive Capital: Financing Nigeria’s Next Phase of Growth’, Oduwole explained that the importance attached to the work of the committee is to save Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) cash constraints that could hamper their capacity to produce and export their products and services. She said, “For many SMEs, the constraint is cash conversion. And when cash is trapped in receivables, production slows, inventories tighten, suppliers weaken, and export opportunities are lost. “If NDIFS ends with cleaner invoices but leaves productive businesses cash-starved, we will simply have digitised compliance without transforming enterprise.

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R • SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2026

NEWS XTRA

PODFEST NAIJA 2026...

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat (right) and Curator of PodFest Naija.Chief Executive Officer of AT3 Resources – The Muvmnt Agency, Tosin Adefeko, during a meeting on the PodFest Naija 2026, held in Lagos…recently

Electoral Act: Olawepo-Hashim Calls for INEC’s Disbandment over Appeal Court Ruling Insists 2027 election risks becoming ‘coronation’

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Accord Party (AP) presidential candidate and Co-Chairman of Movement for Democratic Renewal, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has called for the disbandment and reconstitution of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its blatant disregard of a Court of Appeal judgement on the Electoral Act. The Court of Appeal had voided Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, and held that the provisions were inconsistent with Sections 221 and 222 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. Olawepo-Hashim said the implication of the July 16, 2026 judgement of the Court of Appeal in Abuja instituted by the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) is far-reaching, arguing that actions taken by INEC under provisions

subsequently declared inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) could no longer stand. The judgement followed an appeal by the Zenith Labour Party challenging provisions dealing with political party membership registers and candidate nomination including the timetable and schedule of INEC activities. The Court of Appeal held that ordinary legislation cannot impose restrictions on political parties that conflict with powers already guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution (as amended). The Court of Appeal also stated that, “no other condition contained in a subsidiary law could disqualify an individual already qualified by the Constitution.” He insisted that reconstitution of the electoral body is germane to a transparent and credible

2027 general election. Furthermore, he described ‘everything INEC has done’ under the disputed legal framework as a nullity; pending the final determination of the matter by the Supreme Court. Olawepo-Hashim questioned why the electoral commission would seek to sustain statutory provisions which the Court of Appeal had declared inconsistent with the Constitution. “The Constitution is supreme.

The National Assembly makes laws. INEC administers elections. INEC is not the parliament and INEC did not make the Constitution. “So, when a competent Court of Appeal declares specific provisions of an Electoral Act inconsistent with the Constitution, why is INEC fighting in court to restore those provisions rather than working with relevant political parties to address previous infractions?”

stressed that his objection was

INEC has appealed the not against INEC’s legal right judgement to the Supreme to appeal. “Of course, INEC can Court. On Wednesday, September 16, 2026, the Supreme Court heard arguments in the appeal and reserved judgement. A seven-member panel, led by Justice Adamu Jauro, said the date for judgment would be communicated to the parties. Regardless, Olawepo-Hashim

appeal. The issue is not whether it has the right to appeal. The question Nigerians should ask is; ‘what institutional interest does the electoral umpire have in sustaining provisions which a competent appellate court has declared inconsistent with the Constitution?’

FG Eyes Kano to Drive Tourism Beyond Lagos Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano

The federal government has targeted Kano to diversify Nigeria's tourism map from Lagos, as it pushes its Destination 2030 Plan to create two million jobs in the creative industry by 2030. Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy,

Hanantu Musawa, disclosed this at the National Theatre Creative Summit 2026 in Kano themed ‘Beyond Lagos: Unlocking Northern Nigeria’s Creative Economy’, which is the first time the initiative has taken place outside Lagos. Musawa said Kano was chosen because of its centuriesold creative traditions that

have long formed a tourism economy. “Kano had a creative economy long before anyone gave the name creative economy to the industry,” she said, citing the Kofar Mata dye pits, leatherwork, weaving, embroidery, blacksmithing, traditional performances and Kannywood as tourism assets. She said UNESCO’s

inscription of the Kano Durbar on its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2024 has placed Kano on the global tourism map. According to her, the recognition encompasses leatherwork, weaving, dyeing, embroidery, blacksmithing, horse preparation and drumming.

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, Dr. Kelechi Anosike, has promised to pay N90,000 as minimum wage to workers in the state if elected

in Nigeria. Anosike, a lawyer, said his administration would be peoplecentric and focused on restoring the dignity of the workforce across all cadres.

driven by ideology and a welfarist conviction that government must exist for the people. “Why a worker in Abia should vote for me is because I’m coming with a people-centric and

without ideology. "Today the person is in APC, tomorrow in PDP, next tomorrow in Labour Party. They keep shifting because there’s no conviction,” he said.

FG Launches ATPP to License 250,000 Unqualified Abia PDP Guber Candidate, Anosike Pledges N90,000 Minimum Wage in 2027, saying Abia workers Speaking in Abuja, Anosike people-centred administration. Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Teachers, Says TRCN remain the most disadvantaged said his foray into politics is Some people just enter politics

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has announced its full backing for the federal government's new Accelerated Teacher Professionalisation Pathway (ATPP), a programme targeting over 250,000 serving but unqualified teachers in public and private schools. The initiative, led by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and coordinated by a Technical Working Group chaired by Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, is aimed at closing the longstanding gap of teachers in classrooms without professional qualifications. For years, many teachers

with subject-area degrees have taught without passing through recognised teacher-training routes, leaving them vulnerable to sanctions and without career progression. According to TRCN, the ATPP will be implemented in cohorts by the Council and the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, with support from UBEC, NSSEC, NERDC and NCCE. The six-month programme offers two pathways: Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) for graduates of non-education disciplines, and Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) for National Diploma holders.

Obafemi Hamzat to Address Creators, Youth at PodFest Naija 2026

The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, will deliver the keynote address at PodFest Naija – A Festival of Stories. Hamzat, the 2027 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, according to a statement, would speak directly to young creators, podcasters, and storytellers

driving Nigeria's fast-growing creative economy. The festival holds on September 25, 2026, at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos. An Engineer with substantial technology and business experience, the Deputy Governor's address will focus on Creativity, Technology, Culture and the Future of the people of Lagos.

Lagos being the commercial and cultural capital of Nigeria, his attendance demonstrates his commitment to supporting the storytellers, podcasters, and content creators shaping this economy. He joins an electric lineup of storytellers, creators, and brands, including box office queen, Funke Akindele, Aproko Doctor, Rufai

Oseni, Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani, Babajide Ogunsanwo, Duke of Shomolu, Audu Maikori, Tosin Olaseinde, Fisayo Soyombo, Grace Ofure, Masoyinbo, Salem King, Dr. Foy, Toolz, William Benson, among many others, at a festival built to celebrate the power of stories and its influence on culture, business and society.

SaturDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2026 • T H I S D AY

SEPTEMBER 19 2026 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

COMMENTARY

Albert Alos: A Life Devoted To Truth And Education

SONNIE EKWOWUSI pays tribute to Albert Alos, pioneer Vice-Chancellor of Pan-Atlantic University

t was Cardinal John Henry Newman who wrote in his famous book, “The Idea of a University” that university education should not merely train people for jobs or produce professional qualifications, but should cultivate the whole human person, especially the intellect, character and capacity to pursue truth. If there is one person in whom Cardinal Newman’s thought rang true and found a resounding expression, it is Prof. Albert Alos, a Spanish-born Nigerian academic, co-founder of Lagos Business School (LBS), pioneer Vice-Chancellor of Pan-Atlantic University, Lekki, Lagos, and a renowned institution-builder. Albert died at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 5, 2026, aged 86. Albert not only imbibed Cardinal Newman’s legacy but he taught it and inscribed it in the Nigeria University system. I am pained to pen this tribute because I was privileged to attend the same conference with Prof Alos at the Iroto Conference Centre, Ogun State shortly before his passing. About four days before his death, he had complained to one of us that his heart was not pumping very well. The next morning, he was rushed to a Lagos hospital, where he was placed on oxygen. Three days later, he passed away after having been placed in the ICU. Prof. Albert Alos’ sudden death hit me so hard. During our conference, we had conversations, especially at table, about how to build a virtuous society and restore integrity to the university. On learning that I was involved in resolving some human rights crises, he raised his clenched hands in front of me and said: “Sonnie, fight on.” As I scribble this, I can still hear Alos’ words: Sonnie, fight on. I reckon that these words will imbue me with a certain resilient and rejuvenated spirit in the struggle to clothe the naked public square. Like yours sincerely, Albert was an unrepentant fan of *Barcelona FC*. During the conference, both of us were sneaking out to watch Barcelona’s La Liga football matches. I remember the La Liga match played on August 31 2026 between Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano, in which Barça thrashed Rayo Vallecano 5–2. I remember that

HE HELPED DEMONSTRATE THAT A NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY COULD BE BUILT AROUND ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, PROFESSIONAL RELEVANCE, CHARACTER FORMATION, LEADERSHIP AND STRONG INSTITUTIONAL VALUES

while our eyes were glued to the television watching the match, Prof. Alos, who sat in front of me, was motioning with his hands for the players to launch an attack, as if he were coach Hansi Flick instructing the players. Barcelona controlled a record 68.5 per cent of possession and had 26 shots to secure the vital three points. However, when Rayo shocked Barcelona by scoring first, I noticed that Prof. Alos became very uncomfortable. Anyway, the brilliance of new player Antonio, Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, eventually led Barça to a resounding victory. Since the sad news of Albert broke, many who knew him, especially those in the university community, have been shattered. Prof. Alos was not just a university man; he was a veritable university teacher and builder, the type who crossed difficult boundaries to reset the culture and character of the university. Albert had positively impacted the lives of many. He came to Nigeria on October 17, 1967, aged 28, at the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War. And he never left Nigeria before death came calling. At the time of his death, Albert had spent 59 years in Nigeria. In 2023, he was naturalised and became a Nigerian citizen, motivated by his long-standing love for Nigeria. Why did Albert leave the comfort and economic boom of Barcelona, Spain, to come to Nigeria during the Civil War? Albert came to Nigeria to assist in rebuilding the Nigerian university system. He recalled that as he disembarked from the Nigerian Airways plane, which flew from Nairobi to Lagos on that fateful day in October 1967, some fierce-looking armed Nigerian soldiers surrounded him, wondering about the mission in Nigeria. He brought out his letter of appointment for a lecturing job at the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University. Most Europeans who come to Nigeria for the first time have interesting stories to tell. Albert had his first baptism of fire in Nigeria when, after immigration clearance, he stood dumbfounded at the conveyor belt, waiting for his luggage to be brought out. Ekwowusi is a Legal Practitioner and Member of the Editorial Board, The Guardian Newspaper

The Need To Build Trust Beyond Announcements

Strategic communication should be a component of governance, argues ISRAEL FAGBEMIGUN

ne of the most recurring problems confronting Nigeria since independence is not simply the failure of government policies, but the growing distance between government and the people it governs. Over the decades, Nigerians have witnessed military coups, prolonged military rule, democratic transitions, policy reversals, economic hardship, corruption scandals and governance failures. Each has chipped away public confidence until today, the trust deficit now runs so deep that even well-intentioned policies are received with suspicion. This is why strategic communication must become a central component of governance in Nigeria, not an afterthought activated only when a policy is announced, a controversy erupts, or government needs to respond to criticism. Public communication must be deliberate, continuous, and built into the policy process from the beginning. The recent controversy surrounding Nigeria's tax reform is a useful example. Before the situation eventually calmed, the debate generated considerable anxiety, particularly in Northern Nigeria. Prominent northern figures and political juggernaut, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Borno state Governor Babagana Zulum and former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, raised concerns about the potential consequences of the reform for a region already battling poverty, insecurity and economic disadvantage. The

concerns grew intense enough to trigger opposition from 19 northern governors and 73 northern lawmakers, and at one point the House of Representatives suspended debate on the Tax Reform Bills, after their initial scheduling for consideration. Beyond the political disagreement, however, another problem emerged: a communication vacuum. As the debate continued, rumours and misconceptions spread rapidly, especially on the new media. Claims that the reforms would impose unbearable tax burdens circulated widely, alongside fears that government would acquire powers to debit citizens' bank accounts at will. Several of these claims were later debunked, but the most important lesson from the episode is this: misinformation thrives where credible information is absent, insufficient, or arrives too late. In my experience managing public perception for government, politicians and public institutions, one recurring weakness stands out. Many government agencies still approach communication as publicity, rather than as an integral part of governance. The emphasis falls on issuing statements, announcing programmes, distributing press releases and organising occasional briefings. These things are necessary, but they are not the same as strategic communication. A press release tells people what government has done. Strategic communication explains why it was done, how it affects them, what they should expect, and where they can seek

clarification. That distinction is critical. Government agencies must also accept that citizens no longer depend on traditional media alone. A government announcement now competes with WhatsApp messages, Facebook posts, X conversations, TikTok videos, blogs, influencer skits, conjectures through anonymous account and countless uninformed online comments. Information travels faster than official responses. An agency that waits until a controversy becomes a crisis before explaining its policy has already surrendered valuable ground to rumour. The tax reform experience demonstrated this clearly. The eventual intervention and clarification from those responsible helped correct several misconceptions, and opening the conversation to the media and influencers took the explanation beyond the standard press release. But that approach should not have become necessary only after the controversy had escalated. The questions and concerns should have been anticipated before the reforms were unveiled. That is what strategic communication demands. Since the beginning of the Fourth Republic, Nigeria has created numerous ministries, departments, agencies and parastatals across all tiers of government. Yet comparatively little attention has been paid to developing long-term communication strategies capable of rebuilding trust. Too often, communication units are treated as administrative departments rather than

strategic components of governance. The consequence is predictable: an agency announces a policy, citizens ask questions, social media fills the gap, rumours spread, critics seize the narrative, and the agency eventually organises a press conference to explain itself. By then, public perception has often already hardened. Government must move from this reactive model to a proactive one. Communication should begin before a policy is announced. Citizens should be told what problem government is trying to solve, why a particular approach was chosen, what the policy will cost, who will benefit, what the possible disadvantages are, and what safeguards are in place. People may still disagree after a proper explanation, but disagreement based on accurate information is fundamentally different from opposition driven by misinformation. Officials in government circles are quick to blame social media for misinformation, but misinformation has no life of its own. It thrives where there is a communication gap. Where citizens cannot obtain clear and timely information from an official source, they will naturally turn elsewhere. Agencies must therefore recognise that communication is not merely about defending government; it is about giving citizens enough reliable information to understand government. Fagbemigun, a communications strategist and perception manager, writes from Abuja. honisrael89@gmail.com

SEPTEMBER 19, 2026 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT 13

SEPTEMBER 25, 2021 • THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

INSIGHT

Their should be secured... Whatfuture a waste!

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Witches is concerned about She claimed to be possessed by public consciousness the need to treat public funds with the highest level on May 29, 2015,are Nigeria was sadly a more broken state in to bethe he power ember months here needs done. of transparency and accountability. many respects. As a result of many other factors including bad a recent report that Hisbah spirits and used perfumes for again, bringing with them inThe reforms being introduced by After keeping treasury looters on their toes and at bayathrough the Khadija governance and untold level of corruption, government could not he Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) arrested woman, treatment. In addition, she used creased human and vehicular the FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu MoEFCC, particularly, President Buhari moved to curb unnecessary spending live up to its financial obligations to citizens and service providers at both the urges the Nigerian public to stop ritual Abdullah, over alleged Part witchcraft to recite prayers into hammed, and hishabits strategic approach of the nation on what economists call articles of ostentation. federal andactivities state levels. as the year graduattackssome and killings because thewater notion activities. is the sharia andofadminister it towealth people seeking the disclosures of the President’s stock takingHisbah was how the country Indeed one ofdown. the first Traditionally, official assignments this that President carried theoffactors ritual money and is completely ally winds to Buhari addressing responsible frittered away billions in foreign enforcement currency by importing goods, which can AfAW isor making this call following the out was the of billions of Naira in bailout fundsfor to enable agency. Zamfara was baseless. traditional spiritual remedies. period is approval associated with increased roadstate crashes deserve commendareported arrest of suspected ritualists in Oyo State governors pay something as basic as workers’ salaries. Granting those bailout be produced at home. One of such items was rice, a major staple among the first to introduce sharia law in southern The report did not indicate if movement of boost people, commercial The Corps has continued to rice importation Nigerians. By banning into the country, the President on one Nigeria. The local media reported funds was a huge to national security because the tion. pressure of arrears inin1999. officers took Ms thatHisbah formal charges activities, social engagements and all overexplore operational measures aimed hand had saved the nation billions foreignHisbah currency annually. membersbrought of the Western Nigeria Security of unpaid monthly salaries building dangerously the country was a the other hand, the President has boosted production Amotekun, arrested suspected ritualists ticking bomb. Abdullah into domestic custody in Gusau, Network, against the woman. longdistance journeys across the at reducing crashesAnd, andonimproving of rice and users. in the process had nudged the country self capital. sufficiency A in with It thestated body parts a 73-year-old man.of Ask the naysayers and they would you of how long it among which is the into state thatof the Chairman country. Unfortunately, it isreadily also remind a compliance road food 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 period Nigeria often witnesses Onewas notable is the special Hisbah officer, Umar Tsafe, said Boluwaji Hisbah, Umar Hassan value chain. areaSheikh in Ibadan, said that a Muslim collapse ofwhen the economy as if, without ministers, governance frozen. example aButsurge traffic operation against articulated vehicle aboutMs Abdullah was arrested isfollow- cleric Gusau, urged investigations What is most admirable President Buhari and his government asked them to further procure some human body buyingin thatroad narrative wouldcrashes, amount towith what a famous Nigerian writer, its frugal of scarce national resources to attain optimum goals. parts rituals. Ritual are widespread Chimamanda Adichie, termed “the of a single story”. Yet the whole along the resultant fatalities anddanger injuries. related crashes themanagement Abuja-Keffi ing complaints from community to for determine theattacks authenticity of the Recall that since President Buhari stepped in the saddle, oil revenue dropped in Nigeria. Irrational conceptions of how to story was thatfor many of our citizens did not know how decrepit aparticularly state This calls renewed commitment road, the Kugbo axis, leaders. These leaders claimed allegations, so that appropriate acabysmally as if to sabotage him knowing all the big promises he made to make money or become wealthy and successful President Buhari inherited in 2015. byItall road users and stakeholders to which the Corps Marshal has been that she indulged in some forbidtion would be taken in "accordance citizens during his campaigns. But with the little resources that trickle in, the undergird these atrocities. Many Nigerians was therefore necessary for him to take stock against the background ensure the roadsgovernment remain safe. personally monitoring, well aswhat governments Presidentas is achieving that received oil windfallsat could strongly in blood money, known in of the factthat that the departing did not, reportedly, cooperate full den 'spiritual practices' her with believe the law". not dream of. of road someItlocal languages Ogun law Owo the (Yoruba) well with the the incoming in terms of leaving workable Over years, government Nigeria has robust handover public enlightenment residence. is not clear as which Today, the trains are up and running daily from Abuja to Kaduna. And or Ogwu ego (Igbo). They think that they notes. Although President Goodluck Jonathan was gracious in defeat, many continued to record more than users across Nigeria. to the some could chairman of Hisbah wasthrough referring from Lagos to Ibadan a brand newAccording rail track was started andreport, completed; become rich, or successful ritual of his appointees were still sulking over what they saw as their personal 5,000 reported deaths annually from Suchfortargeted interventions Hisbah raided theinapartto because Nigerian law not citizens are alreadyshould commuting daily to andofficers fro these two major cities the sacrifice. Unfortunately, this is not does the case. losses and therefore pulled all the stops to make things difficult the seamlessly as they reap from theof dividends of democracy.and And with road crashes, a disturbing be sustained and country replicated in other wealth has no basis in reason, science, Buhari traffic government. ment Ms Abdullah found Ritual recognize witchcraft. the way this government 2023 when the President would or reality. Home movies known as Africa Even that with the obvious obscurantist behaviour of the trend must notandbeunpatriotic allowed to parts of thePDP country where similar is going,a before woman who came to treat some magicLeo Igwe directs the Advocacy linked by rail with all of its economic or Nollywood films have not helped appointees and their supporters still in government hell-bent on making continue. Behind every fatal crash problems exist. leave, the entire country would bespiritual ailment. In the course of matters. for Alleged Witches. These movies continue to reinforce things difficult for Buhari, the President moved on with his methodical repair advantages. isof aa broken family thatThe loses a loved Tochukwu JimoAinofenokhai Obi, Obosi, Ojeifo, Abuja interrogation, Ms Abdullah admit- these mistaken notions and other superstitions. country. first thing he didone, was to identify all possible sources Families, churches, mosques, and other public income to the nation directedathat all inflows be Anambra State aofbreadwinner, a and parent, child institutions do Can not encourage the One? interrogation paida into one single accountthe in line with the policy of or friend. Beyond immediate Where I Buy of these traditional occult beliefs. There are Single Treasury Account (TSA). loss of lives, road crashes also leave T H E S AT U R DAY N E W S PA P E R no robust efforts criticize or dispel The TSA policy, interestingly, was mooted by the here are to many things thatthese I can't EDITOR YEMI ADEBOWALE thousands of but people withforinjuries, irrational and paranormal claims in schools, PDP government its penchant imprudence DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU afford or don't want and onoftop of colleges, and universities. So millions and lack of accountability denied it the courage of disabilities and psychological T HMANAGING E SAT U RDIRECTOR DAY N EENIOLA W S PABELLO PER thatgrow list up is an armour-plated EDITOR OBINNA CHIMA Nigerians blindly believing that golf they implementing the policy. What theenormous President literally DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU trauma, while imposing CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN OGBU ADENIYI DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA could make money through ritual sacrifice of did was to gather all the nation’s money into one box cart, and yes it does exist, President economic and social costs and on watched families EDITOR NATION’SDIRECTOR CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING ENIOLA BELLO human has bodyone. parts. The belief has led many and locked it up with a big padlock for Trump MANAGING EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU and thetonation. Nigerians to commit crimes and perpetrate any thief come close. THE EDITORIAL OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI I searched on ebay and Google shopping atrocities. Many Nigerians have been jailed Who can blame the President for almost developing Available statistics from the Federal EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN to find out how much a second hand one or are undergoing court trials due to ritualparanoia over the safeguard of the national treasury THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE Road Safety Corps show the seriousrelated cost attacksbut and no murder. with revelations and reports of mind-boggling looting would luck, nothing was ness of place the insituation. Not too long ago, the police arrested some that took the 16 yearsThe of theFRSC PDP? With T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D available. Google suggests it might cost recorded 9,570 road traffic young Nigerians for stealing female pants, such disclosures of how billions meantcrashes, for fighting EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA about a lottomore new which$200,000, they intended use forthan ritualmy sacrifice. insurgency in the and Northeast endedinjuries up in the pockets GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, 5,421 deaths 31,154 in of TH I S DAY N E WNWOGWUGWU, S PA P E R S LEMMANUEL I M I T E D EFENI ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA AfAW is asking all Nigerians to desist from a few individuals while our gallant soldiers fought with car, although admittedly I didn't inquire 2024, compared with 10,446 crashes, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE ritual-related abuses plating because ritual money bare hands and on empty stomach, President Buhari about the armour option. There GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLAOJOGUN BELLO, KAYODE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR VICTORKOMOLAFE, DANBOYI 5,289 deaths and injuries beliefs are baseless superstitions. Nigerian was duty bound to bring33,400 sanity and accountability back ISRAEL IWEGBU SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH is also little information on its fuels costs in 2025. Although there was a 2.4 media, schools, and colleges should help in national spending. DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORSASSOCIATE SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE either. Sometimes I think the world has educate and reorient the public. They should Thus, under President Buhari, the Economic and CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI per cent reduction in the number DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI assist in reasoning Nigerians out of confident this Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO gone mad, sometimes I am more SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH of deaths in 2025 compared with and nonsense. remained comatose for years, was woken up to resume ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com ofkiller-superstitious our future but absurdity this vehicle is making 2024, the number injured persons Leo Igwe directs the Advocacy for Alleged its duties. Apart from theof trillions of Naira of looted CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI me swing back to the mad option. Witches (AfAW) funds and property recovered from corrupt increased by 7.2 per cent, whilepoliticians DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO Dennis Fitzgerald, 28 Landale St, serious crashes rose by 10.5 per cent. TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com Box Hill, Vic Australia These figures demonstrate that much

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R • SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2026

NEWS XTRA

ACAMB CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY...

L-R: Treasurer, Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB), Unoaku Anyadike; Vice President 1, Chinwe Bode-Akinwande; President, Jide Sipe; Vice President 2, Morolake Phillip-Ladipo; General Secretary, Olugbenga Owootomo and Publicity secretary, Abiodun Coker at a meeting in Lagos…recently

Court in Split Decision Reverses Deregistration of NDC Dickson hails verdict, vows party will defeat APC in 2027

Alex Enumah and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, in a split decision of 2-to-one has reversed the judgment of a Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, which had set aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), pending a fresh hearing over a dispute involving its logo. Reacting to the development, national leader of the NDC, Senator Seriake Dickson, declared that the opposition party will proceed with its campaigns and participate in the 2027 general elections, following the Court of Appeal’s decision. While the majority judgment which set aside the judgment of Justice Isah Dashen was delivered by Justice Mohammed Danjuma and M. L. Hassan, the minority judgment was however delivered by Justice Okon Abang. Justice Dashen had in a judgment delivered on December 10, 2025, ordered INEC to register

the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party. However, the trial court later set aside the order during a ruling in an application brought by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which is laying claim to the ownership of the logo. Dashen had based the decision to set aside his earlier orders on the grounds that the PMP had successfully established its legal interest in the case. But, in their judgment in the appeal against the order for deregistration, the majority judgment held that the PMP is not a registered political party and as such could not have been a necessary party in the suit the NDC filed against INEC. According to the majority decision, PMP is “not a registered political party recognized by law” and could not be joined as a necessary party. The Court also held that, having not been a necessary party, the PMP operated as an “errand spoiler” and a “meddlesome interloper.” Besides, the appellate court held that the trial court “wrongly

Stop Waiting for Abuja, Atoyebi Tells Governors, LG Chiefs Bennett Oghifo

State governors and local government chairmen must be held accountable for translating government interventions into tangible benefits for citizens, Convener of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group, Bamidele Atoyebi, has said. Atoyebi charged governors and local government leaders to stop waiting for Abuja before tackling pressing needs in their communities, insisting that the impact of federal programmes would remain limited unless sub-national governments took ownership of complementary interventions. He made the call in a statement titled, “Progressive Governors, LG Chairmen Should Complement First

Lady’s Drive,” in which he urged the three tiers of government to coordinate programmes and ensure that public interventions produce measurable results. Atoyebi said the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), launched in 2023 by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, had demonstrated the potential of targeted interventions in agriculture, economic empowerment, healthcare, education and social investment. He cited the RHI-Tony Elumelu Foundation women empowerment programme, which targeted 18,500 women across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with each beneficiary receiving N50,000 to recapitalise an existing business.

and perversely declared” the PMP as a party affected by an earlier and subsisting court judgment recognizing the NDC. The appellate court subsequently allowed the appeal, holding that the trial court was wrong to assume jurisdiction,

adding that “the lower court cannot sit on appeal over its decision.” Justice Abang in the dissenting judgment held that the appeal “was dead on arrival” because the trial court did not decide that the PMP was not a registered political

party under the Electoral Act. He also added that the trial court did not decide that the PMP lacked locus standi (legal standing) to challenge the NDC in court. “Grounds of appeal cannot be raised on the imagination,

instinct and opinion of a counsel,” Abang held, adding that, “There must be a decision before there can be an appeal”. Besides, the minority judgment held that the appellant ought to have sought leave to appeal on fresh issues.

NAFDAC Links Ondo Deaths to High Methanol Intoxication Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has linked the recent deaths in Ondo State to high methanol intoxication from locally prepared alcoholic and herbal concoctions. NAFDAC said laboratory analysis of samples collected from affected communities confirmed presence of high concentration of methanol, a highly toxic substance known to cause blindness, organ failure and death when ingested,

even in small quantities. In a statement signed by NAFDAC's Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Agency said 11 of the 15 samples analysed also tested positive for Cannabis indica. The outbreak, which was first reported in early September 2026 in parts of Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, has so far recorded 182 cases with 48 deaths. According to NAFDAC, the affected communities include New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu and Oniparaga,

with the incident pronounced particularly in Odigbo Town and Araromi-Obu. Initial reports had indicated 31 deaths — 20 in Odigbo Town and 11 in Araromi-Obu — but the figure rose as investigations progressed and more cases were reported. Giving an update on the public health situation as at September 17, 2026, NAFDAC said of the 182 affected persons, 90 were admitted and subsequently discharged, six remain hospitalised, 31 were treated as outpatients, while five

persons became totally blind and two partially blind. The Agency listed clinical features reported among victims to include headache, generalised body weakness and pain, visual disturbances, difficulty in breathing and altered consciousness, with some cases deteriorating rapidly. NAFDAC said acute oral toxicity tests conducted on the samples showed critically sick mice and approximately 50 per cent mortality in six out of the 15 samples analysed, indicating significant toxic potential.

Do What U Love Festival 7.0 Celebrates Creativity, Talent presentation of the Wole Oguntokun participants, was supported by Oguntokun Legacy Award, which Bennett Oghifo The Street Project Foundation recently successfully staged the seventh edition of the Do What U Love (DWUL) Festival in Lagos. Themed ‘The Creator’s Market’, the festival brought together creatives, storytellers, entrepreneurs and young dreamers for a day of pitch competitions, poetry slams, stage performances, masterclasses, panel discussions and the

Legacy Award (WOLA). In keeping with its theme, Emerald Hall was transformed into a vibrant marketplace of ideas and talent, with a full programme that included a Creative Pitch Competition, Poetry Slam, stage play, masterclasses, panel discussion, live performances, creative showcases, film screening, games and networking opportunities. The festival, which was free to

sponsors such as Wema Bank and ALAT. The panel discussion, moderated by Godsdelight Agu, featured Chekwube Isaac, Elizabeth Adams, Roddie Law and Emy Josephs, who shared insights into creativity, purpose and the challenges of building sustainable careers around one’s passion. A major highlight of the festival was the presentation of the Wole

recognises young Nigerians aged 18 to 35 who have made notable contributions to theatre, storytelling and social advocacy. This year’s award went to Oluchi Odii, who was recognised for a two-decade career as a singer, songwriter, actor and producer, as well as her commitment to storytelling, mentorship and social transformation through the arts.

BRIPAN Announces 2026 International Insolvency Conference The Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN) has announced plans for its Annual International Insolvency Conference 2026, scheduled to hold 24th and 25th September 2026, in Lagos. The conference, themed ‘Building an Insolvency Architecture for a New

World Order’, is expected to bring together insolvency practitioners, regulators, policymakers, judges, legal professionals, financial experts, business leaders, academics, development partners, and other key stakeholders to discuss the future of business recovery, restructuring, and insolvency practice in Nigeria and beyond.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the event, the Vice President of BRIPAN and the Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Abiodun Ariyibi, said the conference comes at a time when businesses and economies around the world are facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities.

According to him, economic uncertainty, technological disruption, evolving regulatory frameworks, climate-related risks, and changing stakeholder expectations are reshaping the operating environment for businesses, making effective insolvency and business recovery systems more important than ever.

SaturDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2026 • T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R • SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2026

NEWS XTRA

AWARDS PRESENTATION...

L-R: Acting Managing Director, Critical Minerals Financing Corporation (CMFC) Plc, Mr. Anthony Adigwe; Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange (NGX), Mr. Jude Chiemeka; President and Co-CEO, CMFC, Dr. Israel Ovirih; Publisher and Chief Executive Officer, BusinessDay Media, Mr. Frank Aigbogun; Chief Operating Officer, CMFC, Mr. Ikenna Oguike; and Group Chief Financial Officer, CMFC, Mr. Joshua Adesoji, at the BusinessDay Top 25 CEOs Awards, in collaboration with NGX held in Lagos,,, recently

APC, NDC Clash: Delta Orders Probe, Prosecution of Culprits The Delta State Government has ordered security agencies to investigate a clash involving suspected supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area yesterday. The government directed that anyone found culpable should be prosecuted.

The clash reportedly occurred during an NDC campaign march in Effurun. Following the incident, an NDC leader allegedly accused the APC and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of sponsoring the attack. Reacting to the incident, the government said it was concerned about a viral video showing the

confrontation and warned that political rivalry must not degenerate into violence, thuggery or intimidation. The State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, said Governor Oborevwori had directed security agencies to thoroughly investigate the incident. He stressed that every

political party, candidate and supporter had the right to campaign freely and peacefully anywhere in the state without harassment or obstruction. Aniagwu said the government has a zerotolerance policy towards political violence, regardless of the party or individuals involved. He said political

TENSION, OUTRAGE TRAIL DEATH OF 37 MINERS IN NSCDC DETENTION

“The suspension of officers is only an administrative step and must not substitute for a proper determination of criminal responsibility where the evidence warrants prosecution”, he said. Tinubu directed the Ministry of Interior and the NSCDC leadership to cooperate fully with all relevant investigative authorities and ensure that no officer interferes with the process or attempts to frustrate the establishment of the truth. The President stressed the importance of the life of every Nigerian and that no citizen should lose his life while in government custody as a result of negligence, abuse, inhumane treatment or dereliction of duty. Tinubu expressed deep concern over the reported deaths, describing the development as a grave matter that requires urgent investigation and accountability. According to him: "While the federal government would continue to combat illegal mining and other criminal activities across the country, enforcement operations must be conducted strictly within the law and with full respect for the dignity and fundamental rights of every person in custody. “The fact that these individuals were suspected of illegal mining does not in any way remove their right to life, dignity and humane treatment while in government custody. Government will not tolerate mass deaths arising from official negligence, dereliction of duty or failure by public officials to protect the lives placed under their care. “Where the investigation

establishes that any official, through action, abuse or negligence, contributed to these deaths, such an officer must be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. There must be accountability." The President extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the repose of their souls. He also appealed for calm among the families and communities affected by the tragedy, assuring them that the Federal Government would pursue the truth and take appropriate action based on credible evidence.

for Saturday by the government was an indication of its people oriented policy. According to General Babangida, "the steps being taken by the authorities are necessary to establish the facts surrounding the deaths and ensure that appropriate action is taken based on the findings.” General Babangida expressed condolences to the parents and families of the deceased, as well as the people and Government of Niger State over the loss of lives in the unfortunate incident.

Babangida Condemns Deaths, Mourn

The NSCDC yesterday removed its Niger State Commandant from operational duties and commenced a fullscale investigation into the deaths of illegal miners who were in the custody of the Corps. The development followed an order by the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, directing the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Prof Ahmed Audi, to conduct a transparent and unhindered probe into the circumstances surrounding the deaths. Acting on the minister’s directive, Audi ordered the Niger State Commandant to immediately step aside and report to the NSCDC National Headquarters in Abuja to appear before the panel constituted to investigate the incident. The state commandant’s Heads of Operations, Mining, Legal, Intelligence, and Investigation were also directed to report to

PAGE 16

Former military President General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida condemned the death of the 37 Illegal Miners in NSCDC custody in Minna Niger State. General Babangida described the incident as not only "tragic" but "deeply disturbing," The former military president in a statement made available to newsmen in Minna yesterday signed on his behalf by the Tambari Kagara Alhaji Danladi Umar Abdulhameed urged all parties concerned in the unfortunate incident "to toe the path of peace in the interest of peaceful coexistence" The former military president commended the steps already taken by the Niger state government to douse tension saying that the postponement of the APC campaign flag off set

NSCDC Commandant Suspended

the national headquarters and face the inquiry panel. To ensure continuity of command and prevent any disruption to operations in the state, the NSCDC Commandant General directed another commandant to proceed to Niger State and assume immediate control of the command. The Corps, in statement signed by the NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commandant of Corps Babawale Afolabi, said the investigation would establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and determine whether any personnel breached the law, operational procedures or professional standards in handling the detainees. Audi assured the Interior Minister that the investigation would be comprehensive and that any officer found culpable would face appropriate administrative or disciplinary action and, where necessary, criminal proceedings under extant laws. The NSCDC said the probe was also intended to reinforce accountability within its ranks, particularly in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities relating to illegal mining and the protection of critical national assets. The Corps stressed that the enforcement of its mandate must be conducted within the framework of the law, while safeguarding the dignity, safety and fundamental rights of persons in its custody. Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, also announced that the “Commandant of the NSCDC

campaigns were not a licence for violence and that political differences should not threaten the peace of communities or safety of residents. The commissioner urged supporters of both ruling and opposition parties to abide by the law, stressing that political competition should not become a battle for physical supremacy.

He added that political affiliation could not shield anyone from prosecution, saying the government would not protect anyone who violated the law. Aniagwu called on political leaders, candidates, youth and community leaders to restrain their supporters and ensure campaign activities remained peaceful.

in Minna and his team have been suspended to pave way for thorough investigation into the matter." Bago disclosed that a panel has started meeting adding that the "Director General of the NSCDC, who is currently out of the country, has delegated his deputy to represent him," adding that the state government had already met with the senior NSCDC official. There was palpable tension in Minna yesterday following the action of youths who set fire on tyres on the highways and obstructed vehicular movements. As a result, the state government imposed a 24hour curfew on the state capital with immediate effect. Despite the curfew the youths still attacked security operatives or their vehicles resulting in police and soldiers patrolling the town.

by security authorities. Ojukwu, in a statement issued by the organisation’s Director, Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, NHRC, Fatimah Mohammed, directed the Commission’s preliminary investigation to establish the circumstances leading to the deaths and called for an independent forensic autopsy, as well as the preservation of all relevant evidence. He further stressed that the investigations already ordered by the Minister of Interior and the NSCDC must be conducted transparently, thoroughly and in accordance with international standards governing investigations into potentially unlawful deaths in custody. “Citizens who are arrested on suspicion by law enforcement agents are by law expected to enjoy the full complement of their fundamental human rights in accordance with national and international human rights instruments,” Ojukwu said. The NHRC boss reminded law enforcement agencies that allegations of illegal mining do not deprive suspects of their constitutional rights, insisting that every person detained by the state must be treated with dignity and in accordance with the law.

NHRC Opens Probe The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has commenced a preliminary investigation into the matter. Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Chief Tony Ojukwu, condemned the incident and expressed concern over the loss of lives in state custody, particularly as the precise cause of death remains subject to investigation. According to the Commission, the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination, while separate investigations have been initiated

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, FUNMILAYO, ALICE FALUYI hereby confirm that OLUFUNMILAYO ALICE FALUYI refer to one and the same person. All documents, records and transactions bearing either name belong to me. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •September 19, 2026

SHOWBIZ As Olu Jacobs Exits the Stage at 84

Ferdinand Ekechukwu- 08035011394 Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

Ferdinand Ekechukwu

eath rumours had spread several times across social media that Nollywood icon, Olu Jacobs had passed. Repeatedly, it was refuted by his family. In one instance recently, his wife and silver screen goddess, Joke Silva, addressed one of such reports, stating emphatically, “Olu Jacobs is alive and doing just fine.” But that wasn’t enough to quell the grim reaper for too long. The rumours hitherto had followed Silva’s disclosure that her husband was dealing with a degenerative condition that affected his health. The condition subsequently restricted him from the social scenes, while colleagues and admirers continued to celebrate his contribution to Nigerian film and cinema. Then at 84, on Wednesday, he gave up the ghost. The sad news soon spread across platforms. His family confirmed the news on Wednesday September 16, 2026, in an Instagram post shared by his son, Olusoji Jacobs. The family expressed gratitude for his life and asked the public to respect their privacy, describing him as a beloved husband, father, grandfather and uncle, and as “The Lion of Lufodo,” an institution he co-founded with his wife. “It is with gratitude to God for a life well lived and fought, that we announce the passing of our dear husband, father, grandfather and uncle. The Lion of Lufodo. We call on all bloggers and social media influencers to respect our families’ privacy at this time.” To many he was a man whose talent, discipline and extraordinary command of his craft helped shape Nigeria’s film industry. Born Oludotun Baiyewu Jacobs, the beloved thespian was widely recognised for his commanding screen presence and memorable performances in Nigerian and international productions. Over the course of his career, Jacobs became one of the most respected

figures in Nigeria’s entertainment industry, building a legacy that extended across stage, television and cinema. In recognition of his vast contributions to African performing arts, Uncle Olu Jacobs as he’s fondly called was conferred with the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2011 and received the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 2007, and was honoured with the Industry Merit Award at the 2013 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards. His film credits span various British television shows and series in the 1970s, including, The Goodies, Till Death Us Do Part, Barlow at Large, The Venturers, Angels, 1990, The Tomorrow People, The Professionals. In 1978, he played the role of President Mageeba in Michael Codron’s presentation of Tom Stoppard’s play ‘Night and Day’. According to an excerpts of a piece, “In the 1980s Olu Jacobs starred in several international films some of which include John Irvin’s war film The Dogs of War, Roman Polanski’s adventurecomedy Pirates (1986) and the family-adventure film Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985). On television he was a cast in TVS’ The Witches and the Grinnygog (1983 series). “Jacobs starred in over 120 Nollywood films and is considered by several media, film commentators and critics, to be one of the most influential African actors of all time, and is widely regarded as a cultural icon. He starred in several British television series and international films and has been regarded by many as one of the greatest and most widely respected African actors of his generation.” Before returning to Nigeria where he became a major figure in the country’s film industry, Olu Jacobs trained at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and built a career featuring in British productions. Torrents of heartfelt tributes have continued to trail his demise, notably from public figures, celebrities, industry colleagues, and government officials.

Jacobs

Terry Apala:

My Music is for Everyone, Not Just for Yoruba Alone, Represents Africa

Terry Alexandar Ejeh, better known as Terry Apala, has been one of the modern artistes redefining Apala music for a new generation. In this interview, Terry talks about how he started from the church, growing up in Mushin, Lagos, and how he created a niche with the traditional sound, fusing hip-hop, Afrobeats, other contemporary sounds and getting international recognition and more recognition from the Gen Z. Ferdinand Ekechukwu brings the excerpts

ou started as a church drummer and guitarist. How did those early experiences influence your music? Those early experiences shaped me more than I probably realised at the time. Playing drums and guitar in church taught me how to really feel rhythm, understand melodies, and connect with people through music. It also taught me discipline and how important live instrumentation and energy are. Even now, when I’m creating, I naturally pay a lot of attention to the rhythm, percussion, and the way different sounds come together. I think that foundation is part of why I’m able to blend different influences and still make the music feel authentic to me. You’re Isoko but grew up immersed in Yoruba culture in Mushin. How did that shape the Apala sound and identity you built? As an Isoko guy, I’m from a family that doesn’t joke with our culture. We cherish our tribe so much, but seeing myself in a different community (Mushin) has shaped my personality, my way of reasoning and also helped me experience and understand more about Yoruba culture. I love it so much, growing up in a community where we mostly listened to more Yoruba music than other genres. I’m enjoying it because when I was doing rap and R&B, I was nowhere to be found and was just like every other regular artiste. But ever since I chose Apala fusion, things have totally changed for good for me. In essence, my kind of music is not just for Yoruba alone; it also represents Africa. It’s for everyone. When you make your music, are you consciously preserving a traditional sound, or does it come naturally? The thing is, when I’m in the studio making

Apala fusion, whatever you call it, but I call it Apala fusion because it is redefined as modern Apala. Let’s talk more about recent times: How did the record with Ayra Starr happen? The record with Ayra Starr is such a masterpiece. Ayra’s team reached out to me and said they want me to be on Ayra Starr’s album (Starrgirl); I’m honoured to be on such a rich body of work. It’s a win for Apala music. I’m gradually getting international recognition and more recognition from the Gen Z fan base because before now, most of them actually think I’m in my 70’s, haha. The song made them discover what I look like. Thanks to Don Jazzy and Ayra Starr, plus the Mavin team.

Terry Apala music (Apala fusion), I am always intentional about it. It’s a process. Also, I aim to make sure that the element of the Apala fusion craft doesn’t drop, so what I do is 40 per cent Yoruba, 40 per cent pidgin and 20 per cent English. The thing is, when you hear me sing, you don’t even know when I’m singing in English, pidgin, or other languages because you feel that element of Apala in it. The likes of Pa Haruna Ishola, Sir Musiliu Ishola, Yusuf Olatunji and other Apala legends had songs that they wrote in English and pidgin, you know, so it is just the tone of the voice that makes it Apala. Music is a universal language, and my point is that I am intentional about my sound–Apala Hip Hop or

Your new single “Apaladisskizzy” features Mavo. What drew you to the collaboration and his sound? The song with Mavo was something I needed at that time. I needed to connect more with Gen Z because they are part of my priorities now, so the song was needed, and a shout-out to Mavo because he really came through for me and went hard on the song. Mavo is an artiste that understands what the new generation wants, so he’s the right person for the song. ‘Champagne Showers’ put you on the map in 2016. How do you look back at that moment and that version of yourself now? ‘Champagne Showers’ really did a lot for me, and I must say that song was an introduction to Apala fusion in the music industry, but there are a lot of differences between the era of ‘Champagne Showers’ and now. Then, Gen Z could hardly relate to the sound because it was too deep for them to digest, or perhaps they thought Terry Apala was one grandpa. But now Apala fusion has gone far compared to then; Gen Z can relate to the vibe,

and the sweetest of all is that I’m getting more visibility. Special thanks to DJ Tunez; he really did a lot for me. He’s part of the reason why I’m still here today; the whole world should celebrate him more. He’s a blessing to Afrobeats. Now that I’m here, I am gonna do whatever it takes to keep me here! You once went two years without making music and felt deserted by friends. What was happening during that period, and how did you find your way back? Yeah, I was out of the scene for two years. Life happened to me at that time; a lot happened during that period. It was the first time I’d ever experienced depression in my life. It’s something I really don’t want to talk about because if I start talking about it, it might put me in a bad state. As I said earlier, DJ Tunez really tried for me and a shout-out to my team: Ire Edumare, my lawyer, Tasen, Yungsniekey, Leemat, Funmi Feso and to all my fans in the world. If a young artiste wants to build a career around a traditional sound, what would you honestly tell them? I’d tell them to stay true to the sound, but don’t be afraid to evolve it. Traditional music already has so much history, identity and emotion behind it, so the goal shouldn’t be to run away from that, but to find your own way of presenting it. Study the sound, understand where it comes from, respect the people who built it, and then bring your own personality into it. Experiment with production, melodies, songwriting and even other genres. You can preserve the culture while still making something that feels fresh and current. For me, the most important thing is to be patient and consistent. Building around a traditional sound might take time, but if you genuinely believe in it and keep finding new ways to make people connect with it, you can create something that lasts.

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R S E P T E M B E R 19, 2026

MEMORABLE MILESTONES

At 70, Nkechi Ali-Balogun Reflects on Life of Purpose, Persistence, Impact

Renowned public relations practitioner, Dr. Nkechi Ali-Balogun has built a flourishing career spanning over three decades and has contributed to the growth and practice of PR. A household name, Ali-Balogun recently turned 70, and shares her career milestones, reflecting on her journey, achievements, impact and life of gratitude, with Ferdinand Ekechukwu Getting My Ph.D

rowing up I had an encounter with a man who just came back from Europe with a Ph.D. Why this encounter became a defining moment for me was because this guy was so boastful about this Ph.D. as if no one else on planet earth or in my community can ever earn a Ph.D. especially a woman. I just left secondary school then. Unfortunately, after university and with a good job and all the perks of office, I totally forgot that promise I made to myself. Then as turned 60, it hit me; no Ph.D. That started a journey in 2016. I never knew it would last that long, ASUU strikes, COVID and of course the one percent politics, I managed to finally make it in 2025. Having My Daughter I never knew in my life that someone would call me mother not after all my harrowing experiences trying to have a child. I gave up trying because I was satisfied with being called mummy by other people’s children especially my siblings besides it looked almost impossible that I would have a child, but God had another plan. My bundle of joy arrived 19 July and that day I knew why some mothers will call their child Onome (this is mine). Things started happening that made me realize that every woman must have a child of her own. Thank God it’s so easy to have a child today, never stay without one, the joy is indescribable. When I Got My First Job in the Bank I didn’t start out in Public Relations. My first job was as a school teacher, armed with nothing more than an NCE qualification and, I suppose, a quiet determination to make something of myself. But teaching was not where my story would end. I went back to school, and when I emerged with a degree, a new door opened — one that led me to the Nigerian Television Authority. I spent six years there, learning, growing, and finding my footing. And then came a moment I still look back on with quiet gratitude: a job offer at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank, with a salary that tripled what I had been earning at NTA. My Employment at the Nigerian Television Authority in 1987 From a secondary school teacher to a producer in NTA, that was a significant and remarkable change and achievement just by a stroke of luck. I remember that day very vividly when I accidentally met the then Director General and walked up to him in my usual boldness and people-friendliness, to ask him for a job at the NTA. The only pain was that I couldn’t do news as I

was told after auditioning that my voice was not good enough for news! I know better now though. My First Social Intervention One of my greatest passions in life is to find a way of putting smiles on people’s faces especially the less privileged. When I got a job in the bank, I registered an NGO, Right Initiatives and my first programme was empowering 500 women in a 3-day vocational skills training in soap making, events planning, bead making and ‘gele’ tying. It was such a fulfilling moment for me. Becoming the First Female Chairman of NIPR This was a milestone for me because it was my first eye-opener to the ugly and filthy world of politics where friends suddenly became your worst enemy and ready to drag you into the mud. Founding the NECCI PR Roundtable In 2000, five years after leaving the bank, an idea took hold of me: a platform where communicators would consistently place Nigeria’s most pressing issues on the national agenda and answer them with the tools of our profession. Twenty-six years later, that idea is still standing and still growing. The NECCI PR Roundtable has become more than a professional gathering. It has turned Public Relations into an instrument of national conversation, ethical leadership, and social development, lifting it out of the narrow world of image-making and placing it at the intersection of governance, business, technology, youth, women, investment, and ethics. My First International Public Relations Training in Dubai When I left the bank, I was certain of what I was going to do. I had discovered a gap in PR training in Nigeria. If you needed quality training in PR, you either went abroad or to the LBS for those who could afford it. This inspired me to start NECCI Limited (Training and Public Relations Consultants). The exciting thing about me is that everything I did growing up in my career was on hindsight. We took our training to Dubai. Our facilitators were hired from the UK, three of them and one from the US. We paid their expenses. In the Dubai training both public and private executives from oil and gas, banks, government agencies and more importantly, earning dollars, were in attendance. My First PR Training I had always wanted to train abroad. I had even tried to attend a university in the UK, but I couldn’t afford it. Looking back at the cost today, it seems so little—but at the time, it was beyond

Ali-Balogun

my reach. I was determined to learn and to acquire the skills to do the job properly. I wanted that overseas certificate too. As a young woman, I somehow believed it would be the icing on the cake. Today, I smile at how important that certificate seemed to the young woman I was. But I also recognise it for what it was: a milestone in the accidental journey that would become my PR career. Giving My Life to Christ I have saved the most important milestone in my life for the last. That was the day I gave my life to Christ. The day I surrendered completely to Him as my Lord and the God of my journey in 1987. That singular act changed the course of my life and transformed me spiritually and physically. My life in Christ gave me a new meaning to live having gone through a lot of diverse temptations and tribulations.

From Silos to Movement: Why Nigeria’s Creator Economy Needs Convening, Not Just Content Tosin Adefeko

voice or the biggest title, it’s the storyteller. The one who decides what gets remembered, what gets felt, and what gets passed on. Storytellers shape how we see ourselves and how the world sees us. That is not a small thing. That is influence in its most enduring form. As I said when we announced this year’s edition, storytelling remains the heartbeat of meaningful communication. Every brand trying to build trust, every policymaker trying to shift a narrative, every young Nigerian trying to be understood, they are all doing the same thing at the core: trying to tell a story that lands. If storytelling is that powerful, then the people telling those stories deserve more than an audience. They deserve a community.

icture a room with forty storytellers who have either never met or are barely familiar barring a few. A health coach seated next to a culture strategist. A podcaster who talks about money next to one who talks about love. All in the same space, at the same time. Watch what happens in that room. Storytellers who had only ever spoken to their own audience suddenly had many more listening. Brands stopped standing at the edge and started sitting at the table. Strangers became collaborators before the day was even over. People came to celebrate the work they’d built, and left having learned something they didn’t walk in with, an idea, a contact, a reason to try something new. That room was PodFest Naija 2025. And it taught me something simple: Nigeria’s storytellers didn’t need another platform to post on. They needed a room built for connection, collaboration, innovation, and learning..

The Problem Was Never Talent

We spend a lot of time celebrating individual wins in Nigeria’s creator economy, a viral episode here, a breakout creator there, and not enough time asking a harder question: what happens to all of that talent when it never shares a room? When the health coach never meets the comedian? When the podcaster building alone in Ibadan never crosses paths with the brand looking for exactly her voice in Lagos? The answer is that talent stays scattered. Culture grows slower than it should. And an entire generation of storytellers keeps rebuilding the wheel alone, when they could be

What Convening Actually Does

Adefeko building something bigger, together. This has never been about a shortage of ability. Nigerians have always been storytellers, long before podcasts existed, long before there was a stage or a microphone involved. We told stories around fires, in marketplaces, at family gatherings, in the call and response of our music. What’s changed is the format. What hasn’t changed is the instinct. The problem was never whether we could tell a good story. It was whether we had a room big enough to tell it in.

The Power of the Storyteller

The most powerful person in any room is not the loudest

Convening isn’t a soft word. It’s infrastructure. It’s the difference between a creator with an audience and a creator with an ecosystem. It’s the difference between a brand that sponsors a post and a brand that becomes part of a community’s story. It’s the difference between content that circulates for a week and a movement that compounds for years. That’s what we built with PodFest Naija: six stages, dozens of storytellers, brands willing to be in the room instead of just funding it from the outside, and an audience that came to participate, not just watch. Every stage was built around a different piece of how we live, love, earn, heal, build brands, and hold on to culture, because storytelling doesn’t live in one lane. It touches everything. And when storytellers, brands, and audiences share that same room, something shifts that content alone could never do. Ideas cross-pollinate. Collaborations form on the spot. A creator finds a mentor.

T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •September 19, 2026

Personal Finance • with Omolabake Fasogbon • 08155131874

Beyond Rent: Why Employer-assisted Housing Can be Game Changer Omolabake Fasogbon

ent inflation in Nigeria has continued to bite harder amid weakening household income. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that rent inflation rose from 14.79 per cent in June to roughly 39 per cent in July 2026. For the past two years, meeting rent demands has become more herculean, with investment banking firm, GTI Investment Group estimating that rents surged by 80 to 120 per cent between 2024 and 2026. Within this period, low- and middle-income households, along with young professionals have borne much of the brunt of skyrocketing costs. Crucially, proximity to the workplace remains not just a key determinant but a priority shaping housing choice, and that pressure has made the hunt for accommodation a survival of the fittest. Even a 133 percent minimum wage increase in 2024 has not offered a relief amid other competing needs, little wonder conversations around employer-provided housing have heightened in recent times. A recent Nairametrics report affirms that proximity to commercial hubs and transport links keeps demand strong in areas like Ikeja, Surulere, Yaba, Somolu and Gbagada, adding that Mainland markets are drawing tenants priced out of premium Island locations, even as rents climb across both segments. In the study, “Housing Costs and Commuting Distance,” Kevin Park et al. establish the correlation between housing cost and proximity to

Minister of Housing, Muttaqha Darma

job centres, finding that home values or monthly rents drop by roughly 0.05% to 0.65 percent for every additional commuting mile from major employment hubs. In essence, living near Lagos’s job hubs means residing around Victoria Island, Lekki, Yaba, Ikeja and Surulere, a reality seemingly out-of-reach for young professionals. Tosin, a young graduate earning a monthly salary of N200,000 at a private company in Ikoyi, lives with his parents in Iyana-Ipaja. On average,

he spends N6,000 daily and about N180,000 monthly commuting to work, leaving him with N20,000 to cover feeding, clothing, savings and other expenses. Showing understanding of housing reality in Lagos, the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat advised young workers like Tosin to live with parents or relatives, or share accommodation while building their finances. Hamzat admitted that rent should not exceed 40 percent of a worker’s income, noting that

anything beyond that makes no economic sense. The deputy governor’s position has since stirred mixed reactions, yet raised a fundamental question on the feasibility of workers attaining financial freedom, amid other economic pressures, including transport costs. Tosin already practises Hamzat’s advice, yet his remaining income after transport deductions falls short of the recommended 40 percent for rent. His salary would not secure him even a modest apartment, shared or otherwise, in the area where he works. Experts reckon employer-assisted or employerprovided housing would have relieved Tosin finances and even spared him hours of daily commuting from Iyana-Ipaja to Victoria Island. Nigeria’s housing crisis remains endemic and systemic, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income earners. Analysis by GTI suggests the challenge is not all housing deficit but one rooted in capital allocation and affordability, noting that more than half of Lagos’s housing supply remains for a small segment of the market. Specifically, GTI study on, ‘Beyond Rent: Mapping Lagos’ Housing-Led Capital Expansion’ found that properties priced below N15 million account for less than 5 percent of housing supply, while demand for such properties stands at about 55 percent. Founder and CEO of US-based ORO, George Fatheree argued housing has transcended a personal issue to become a workplace one. He highlighted the need for employer-assisted housing schemes that help staff live closer to the office, asserting that long commutes degrade productivity even when workers find affordable shelter.

Market News

HumanManager Urges People-centric HR Tech to Drive Productivity

Stories by Omolabake Fasogbon

Human resource experts have urged organisations to put people at the centre of workplace technology, noting digital systems and artificial intelligence should not reduce employees to mere data points. The experts spoke at the recent edition of HumanManager Limited’s Corporate Catalyst Conversation, themed “Work Well. Live Well: How Smart HR Systems Create Healthier, More Productive Workplaces”, examining how tech and workforce data can be deployed to boost productivity. Speaking, Human resource expert, Dr. Mariam Gbajumo-Sheriff, implored organisations to pay

greater attention to conditions under which employees work, alongside their wellness. Gbajumo-Sheriff who is also a lecturer at the University of Lagos questioned whether employers’ efforts measure genuine output or merely tracking digital activity. She said companies must use attendance, payroll, and performance data to flag burnout before it impacts operational stability. “Data generated across HR processes provides valuable insights, but its application must be guided by fairness and responsibility. Employees must be able to meet organizational goals without sacrificing personal wellbeing, enabling people to work well without sacrificing the ability to live well.”

Addressing organisational culture, Chief Storytelling Officer at Storywoxs54, Bemigho Awala, cautioned that overly rigid management tracking risks damaging employee engagement and employer brand equity. “We need to bring back the humans in Human Relations. Systems must not become so focused on control that they lose sight of the people they serve. How organisations communicate matters both to the employee experience and long-term business growth,” he submitted. Also, Lead Product Manager at HumanManager, Temitope Obidike explained that modern HR software wqs shifting from simple administrative record-keeping toward strategic workforce

optimization, including competency management. “People should be at the center of your decisions- your technology, solutions, and overall experience. Employer branding extends far beyond external public relations; it reflects the daily culture created inside the company”. Closing the session, Brand & Marketing Lead at HumanManager Limited, Jerry Adeyeri, reinforced that digital tools alone cannot fix broken corporate cultures. He averred that sustainable productivity requires aligning technology, leadership, communication, and strategy to ensure software serves as an enabler of business growth, rather than a substitute for human-centered management.

Businesses Urged to Cut Supply Chain Vulnerabilities amid Global Shocks African businesses face rising costs, production delays and shortages as geopolitical tensions, and changing trade policies expose weaknesses in supply chains, stakeholders have said. They spoke recently at the second African Centre for Supply Chain (ACSC) conference in Lagos, themed, “From Fragility to Foresight: Securing Africa’s Supply Chains amid Geopolitical Shifts.” Director General, ACSC, Dr. Obiora Madu, said businesses could no longer rely solely on efficiency and urged companies to diversify suppliers and

identify vulnerabilities across their supply chains. “Efficiency is not enough any longer because disruption will kill you completely,” Madu said. He said companies should maintain alternative suppliers and examine their suppliers’ own sources to avoid dependence on a single upstream provider. Madu stated the COVID-19 pandemic had exposed the risks of excessive dependence on China, while rising energy costs were forcing businesses to adopt alternative energy solutions. He also called for greater use of rail and inland

Cally Air to Expand Fleet with New CRJ Aircraft Cally Air is set to expand its fleet with the delivery of a new CRJ aircraft as part of a phased expansion programme expected to continue into early 2027. The aircraft will increase the airline’s capacity and provide greater flexibility to adjust flight frequencies across its domestic network. Cally Air currently operates three aircraft, with the additional capacity expected to support its schedules as demand for domestic air travel

continues to grow. Commenting on the expansion, Commissioner for Aviation, Cross River State, Captain Inah Eno Utum (Rtd), said the move would strengthen air connectivity in the region. “The expansion reflects the continued development of air connectivity within the region. Increased capacity can support movement between communities and create additional opportunities for trade, tourism and investment,” he said.

waterways to reduce logistics costs. As for Professor Frank Ojadi of Lagos Business School, the ability to continue producing and delivering goods during disruptions would increasingly determine the competitiveness of African economies. He said countries must develop regional production networks under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), asking. Ojadi also advocated the use of technology, including predictive analytics, Internet of Things

and satellite data, to identify supply-chain risks early. Director, Mechanical Engineering, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Olasunkanmi Ojowuro remarked that transport infrastructure remained critical to supply-chain security. “Resilience cannot be built after the crisis arrives. It must be engineered before the crisis,” he said. He called for investment in roads, railways, waterways, ports and data-driven transport systems.

Ex NIMASA DG, Peterside to Assess Ports’ Role in Nigeria’s Trillion-Dollar Economy

Former Director-General/CEO of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside will be examining the role of ports and the media in Nigeria’s drive towards a trillion-dollar economy. Peterside will deliver the 2026 Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council Annual Lecture, where he is expected to examine the relationship between ports, politics and economic growth. The lecture, titled “Politics, Ports and the Public

Interest: The Media’s Catalytic Role in Driving Economic Growth,” is scheduled for September 30 in Lagos. Peterside, a leadership and management expert will be sharing insight on how Nigeria’s ports, as key gateways for trade, can contribute to economic growth and how the media can strengthen public accountability around the sector. The annual lecture is part of the NUJ Lagos State Council’s 2026 Press Week.

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R S E P T E M B E R 19, 2026

VIEW POINT

Joseph Tegbe’s Panic Response to Power Sector Reform

n Ayn Rand’s mystery story, the Atlas Shrugged, there is something Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, can absorb: reason. Rand’s 1957 book remains valuable and useful outside the world of her fiction. She argues that reason is helpful for everyone. It is not only needed by a theoretical scientist in his laboratory, but by all of us, at all times. The heroes of Atlas Shrugged are thinkers. They demonstrate an ongoing commitment to understanding their work, themselves and the world around them. They choose their goals and values through thought, never putting their desires above the facts. That is a useful standard for anyone running a government ministry. Because the government is where good intentions can become expensive. Tegbe recently announced that his office is working on a call centre where electricity complaints from across Nigeria can be lodged and resolved. He also said the initiative would provide “sustainable job opportunities” for young Nigerians nationwide. For a minister that needs to roll off his shirt, Tegbe’s policy statement on electricity seems to me one from a man being handed the wheel Tegbe of a ship in a storm and then being told that within 15 working days, depending the engine room was already flooding: he’s on the complexity of the matter. If bemused and bewildered. the customer is dissatisfied or the But Tegbe can prove he led advisory services complaint is delayed or not resolved, at KPMG and worked for fortune 500 compait can be escalated to the NERC nies by using measured policy statements. Consumer Forum and then to NERC. Let me say up front that the power sector in For complaints involving meter Nigeria is like a convulsing child that requires a accuracy or bill reconciliation, the herbal doctor with clairvoyance eyes. resolution period is one billing cycle, It is unclear how Tegbe was thinking but the normally one month. setting mattered. Perhaps speaking to university If the complaint cannot be resolved students made the promise of jobs feel more within the initial 15 days, the DisCo important than the harder question of whether must notify the customer in writing, the institution being proposed is actually necesgive reasons, and request an extension sary. But electricity policy cannot be built around of no more than another 15 days, applause. It has to be built around facts. except where the nature of the matter, And the first fact is that Nigeria already has a such as construction work, requires system for electricity complaints. The regulatory longer. So, in practical terms, a DisCo framework is not silent on this. The Nigerian cannot simply receive a customer’s Electricity Regulatory Commission says a formal complaint and leave the customer’s first point of contact is the Customer customer waiting indefinitely without Complaints Unit of the Distribution Company explanation. serving that customer. Under regulation 43 All Tegbe needs to do is to make of the Customer Protection Regulations 2023, the DisCo is expected to resolve the complaint

the law work for the consumers. He doesn’t need to convert his office to the ministry of “call centres”. That’s poor economics. It appears Tegbe set aside his KPMG and management consulting discipline when making that statement. He failed to align his goals through rigorous thought, placing political desire above operational reality. The proposed economic model simply runs counter to the realities of capital expenditure. So the question for Tegbe is not whether Nigerians need somewhere to complain. They already have one. The real questions are why the existing regulatory system is failing to perform, and what a new federal call centre could possibly achieve that established statutory bodies cannot Ideally, a call centre that makes it easier for citizens to navigate the existing system could be useful. I’d also argue that a national number that receives a complaint, assigns a case number and automatically routes it to the responsible utility or regulator could improve access. But that is very different from creating another government structure to perform a function that already sits inside the electricity regulatory architecture. The danger is that the government creates another layer between the citizens and the institution that is legally responsible for solving the problem. That is not a reform. It is the opposite. All in all, it can simply be bureaucracy with a new national hotline or telephone number for consumer complaints. There is an even more important problem with the proposal. Nigeria’s electricity regulatory structure is becoming more decentralized, not more centralized. NERC announced in May that 15 states had assumed control of their electricity markets and that consumers in those states should now take complaints to their respective state electricity regulators. That means a new national call centre would have to explain its place in an increasingly complex regulatory system. Who owns the complaint? Who is legally responsible for resolving it? What happens

when the statutory deadline expires? There is also a useful irony in Tegbe’s announcement. He said the proposed call centre would create “sustainable job opportunities for our youth nationwide.” Will this employment be contractual or within the federal civil service? Either way, the power minister is offering no solution. He appears to me to be prioritizing politics over real benefits of access to reliable electricity. Actually, Nigerians are tired of complaint centres. They are very loud about what they want: comfort. As it is, Nigeria does not need the government to manufacture jobs by expanding its administrative footprint. Nigeria needs the government to create the conditions under which businesses can create jobs themselves. A functioning electricity market would allow manufacturers to spend less on diesel and generators. It would allow small businesses to devote more of their revenue to expansion rather than alternative power. That is how electricity policy becomes employment policy. By connecting millions more people to reliable, affordable power, Tegbe can unlock wider benefits across healthcare, education, security, manufacturing and so much. He doesn’t need to add “call centre” to his portfolio. Of course, electricity access alone is insufficient; power must be reliable, affordable, and continuous to yield long-term social impact. The World Bank is clear in its verdict on Nigeria’s power sector. It says power deficit is a primary bottleneck to Nigerian productivity, emphasizing the urgent need to close the metering gap and enforce strict regulatory sanctions against non-performing DisCos. Adeola Akinremi is a public poºlicy advisor and strategic communications expert with extensive multilateral experience advising on economic and policy reforms across global markets. As Founder and CEO of Hintells, he leads an AI-powered intelligence platform that connects businesses and African diplomatic missions in Washington, D.C. He can be reached via email: adeola@hintells.com

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Culture, Arts, Tourism Take Centre Stage at Akwaaba

The just concluded 22nd Akwaaba African Travel Market showcased the rich cultural heritage and tourism potential in Africa to the whole world, writes Charles Ajunwa

agos, the City of Excellence, played host to the 22nd Akwaaba African Travel Market, which brought together businesses from different African countries and beyond. The three-day event featured tour operators, exhibitors, airlines, hotels, agencies and different countries showcasing their tourism products at their well-decorated stands, which attracted hundreds of visitors. The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, who was taken round the exhibition stands by the founder of Akwaaba African Travel Market, Ikechi Uko, stated that the real strength in life is knowledge. According to her, “If you want to promote tourism in Africa, Nigeria, the whole world, it’s only when you know about something that you have the power. So, I think the real energy here is about the knowledge, having a travel market, I think it’s very key. “It connects different interests in the tourism sector. “For all the visitors that came into Nigeria, please feel free. Nigeria is a very friendly and hospitable country. There’s a lot to offer. I think we are the gateway into the black global community. “So, let’s work as one. West Africa, of course Africa, the world, the global South is looking to us. We’re looking at tourism as the next visitor in terms of the economic expansion that we all need as individuals.

You’re welcome to Nigeria. I hope you taste the Jollof rice, because the Jollof rice in Nigeria is still the best. Though we’re working on a unity Jollof, but for now, the Nigerian Jollof. The especially big and smoky Jollof that they do here in Lagos. “This is the 22nd year of Akwaaba African Travel Market. My prayer is that this will go on. It will go from strength to strength,” the minister said. In his welcome address, Uko described the journey to 22 years as hectic but fulfilling. He also commended the governors of Enugu and Akwa Ibom states, Dr. Peter Mbah and Umo Eno, who were represented at the travel fair. “Most people don’t know what Akwaaba means. In 1998, I went to World Travel Market, first time. When I got to London, most of my friends couldn’t get visa to come. I was lucky I got there. “I found that it was difficult to market Africa, because they gave you a very limited opportunity to expose yourself. And it was mainly tourism board that came. Because I was in the travel industry, I knew there were so many young tour operators, so many people who had capacity to grow. But they were limited from exposing their craft to the world. So, I came back, and I had the idea, we need to create something in Africa that gives Africans an opportunity to market themselves. “It was a very difficult dream to push forward. And I remember at ITB in 2001, I went to some African

L-R: Chairman Lagos House Committee on Tourism, Hon. Solomon Bonu; Enugu Commissioner of Tourism and Culture, Dame Ugochi Madueke; President Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria, Dr. Badaki Aliyu; First Lady of Lagos, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; Organiser Akwaaba African Travel Market, Ikechi Uko; Minister of Tourism, Gambia, Abdoulaye Jobe; and Mrs. Rita Ikechi Uko, at the 2026 Akwaaba African Travel Expo held in Lagos

stands, and I told them, I have this vision, and it is possible. Everybody said, no. Africans don’t have money and Africans can’t travel within Africa. “I met a very young lady then who eventually won the Jollof rice war later and she was in the Gambian stand, and she listened to me, and she said, ‘it’s a very nice idea, and I think it’s something doable’. She said, ‘but have you been to Gambia? I said, no. She said, ‘you have to come to Gambia’. Eventually, in 2006, I told everybody in Gambia that it is

possible to bring a lot of Nigerians there, because you have five-star rooms that sell for $70 to $90. The cheapest room in Eko Hotel then was like $700. Before Southern Sun opened, and it came to $400. And by the time I stayed one month in America, I came back, and I said, this is the best idea and I’ve to pursue it. By 2003, Eko Hotels called me, and the GM said, ‘we will support this vision’ and we started. “We chose Akwaaba because it’s the most popular welcome word

in West Africa. Not just in Ghana, Cote Dvoire and a little bit of Togo. It doesn’t belong to Ghana, it’s an Akan word. We chose another word from the Gambia called Bantaba. So we take African words for different events. We have four international events and each one has different words,” Uko said. On Jollof rice war, Uko said “It started from Akwaaba, from 2016, 2017, 2018. By 2017, it has grown beyond us. Today, we don’t talk about Nigeria and Ghana without Jollof rice.”

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R S E P T E M B E R 19, 2026

POLITICS

PDP: How Adebutu, Sowunmi-Kolapo Brought Ijebu-Ode, Odogbolu to Standstill Sunday Ehigiator

jebu-Ode and Odogbolu towns in Ogun State stood still on Wednesday as the campaign train of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2027 governorship election arrived in the cities. Even before the convoys of the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Ladi Adebutu and his running mate, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo arrived Ijebu-Ode, a large crowd of party supporters had mobilised themselves for a rousing welcome for the candidates at Lagos Garage area of the town. The rally soon turned into a full-blown carnival as thousands of indigenes, market men and women, okada riders, farmers, youths and other party faithful poured into the streets in wild jubilation, chanting victory songs as they trekked across streets while Adebutu and Sowunmi-Kolapo acknowledged cheers from the people. Also, the presence of the PDP candidate for Ogun East Senatorial District, Femi Omotayo Omo-Owo, added ecstasy to the procession that was already choked with human and vehicular traffic. Supporters waved banners, party flags and placards bearing photos of Adebutu and Kolapo, calling on bystanders to vote for the PDP in the next year elections. From Lagos Garage Area, to Kashiru, supporters increased in their numbers, dancing to the loud songs from a disc jockey who kept the crowds entertained during the long trek which later terminated at Stadium where the candidates and other party stalwarts addressed the people of the town. When the movement got to Oke-Aje market, traders abandoned their wares to identify with Adebutu, assuring him of their votes. “You’re the one we want; we are tired of this hardship,” a sweet potato trader screamed as the campaign train passed. At the popular Oke-Aje market, traders were thrown into excitement as the candidates suddenly alighted from the convoy and had personal encounters with indigenes and traders. Market men and women couldn’t hide their joy as Adebutu, Sowunmi-Kolapo and other party stalwarts patronised them and distributed the bought wares to supporters in a show that observers said confirmed their street credibility. When the campaign train got to Dagbuwere market at Idowa, indigenes trooped out in their numbers to welcome the PDP governorship flagbearers. Supporters resisted attack by thugs allegedly loyal to the ruling All Progressives Congress at the boundary between Idowa and Ososa, before the procession had its way. At Odogbolu, a politically-conscious town in Ogun East, it was a sea of heads as Adebutu’s campaign train arrived the town on Wednesday evening. Canopies had been mounted since dawn, but they could not contain the crowd. Drummers and the famous Odogbo women and men singing in Ijebu dialect - “Ladi de! Ladi de! Omo Ogun ti de!” (Ladi has arrived, the true son of Ogun State has arrived).

Adebutu and Sowunmi-Kolapo during the campaign Mounting the podium to a thunderous ovation, Adebutu paused, looked round the crowd and spoke in a mixture of English, Yoruba and Ijebu. “My fathers and mothers of Odogbolu, I did not just come to campaign. I came to make a covenant. “They tried to stop Ladi Adebutu from coming to Odogbolu but the people resisted them. I said if my people live here daily, I can also come. If you can live with bad roads, I can visit with bad roads. And by the grace of God, when you elect me, we will fix things,” Adebutu assured Odogbolu people. “I have heard your complaints. Let me speak directly to them. I have been saying it, I will return to local government autonomy. If you recall, when PDP was in power, we developed everywhere. This people have been embezzling public funds. All the pensions owed, I will pay. Pensioners should start rejoicing because good times are here. We will also pay gratuity arrears,” he vowed. They misappropriated cooperative society funds. You didn’t allow us to do posters. You didn’t allow us to use campaign venue, even in my mother’s hometown, Late Caroline. I am not a stranger here. “Someone who is fraudulent is not difficult to identify. Why do you take empowerment and benefits meant for Enugu, Ekiti and other states to your constituency? I have evidence to prove that they have diverted over N4 trillion of other states constituencies to Ogun. “Go to court because I am assertive that Solomon Adeola commonly called Yayi is not only incompetent, he coveted other states’ projects to Ogun.” “They shot at our windscreen today and our tyres while coming here. I will bring up documents and details of their fraudulent activities,” he revealed, asking the people

to vote him in order to make necessary changes. In her remarks, Sowunmi-Kolapo, urged the people to vote Adebutu and ensure that they resist intimidation. John Babafemi, former PDP chairman in the Odogbolu Local Government Area of the state, recalled how exciting the governance of PDP in Ogun State was at a time. He expressed sadness that the government of APC had bastardised good governance and inflicted pains on the people. Kehinde Shogunle, a prominent chieftain of the PDP, and the Director-General of the Ogun PDP Campaign, asked voters to stand by their votes and ensure they are not shortchanged. Femi Awotayo and other prominent dignitaries of the PDP also called on the people of Ogun State to resist intimidation. Folake Marcus-Bello, a chieftain of the PDP and former Nigerian Ambassador to Zambia, challenged the APC candidate, Solomon Adeola to prove his ancestry in Ogun State. She vowed to expose the alleged ugly past of the APC candidate following his recent legal threat over his origin in the state. The PDP Chairman, Abayomi Tella, urged the people of Odogbolu to come out en masse, vote and protect their votes. “The only solution to this bad governance is for you to vote and stand by your votes. All our National Assembly candidates will emerge and finally, our governorship candidate, Hon. Adebutu will emerge as governor of Ogun State.” As the campaign train left Odogbolu at sunset, a sea of people trekked behind it to the town’s boundary, still chanting: “Ladi ni! Ladi ni tiwa (Ladi is ours). In Odogbolu, the campaign was no longer just politics. It felt like a homecoming for a cherished true son of the soil.

Trump Bans CNN, MS Now, Politico from Covering White House

Five Killed, Two Critically Injured as Gunmen Attack Friday Market in Plateau State

resident Donald Trump yesterday banned CNN, MS Now, and Politico from the White House in a major escalation of his longstanding conflict with the media outlets that have covered his political career.“Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, promising, “Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow.” Contradicting Trump’s claim, CNN claimed reporters with the network remained in the White House as of yesterday afternoon, and that a team was continuing to travel with Vice President JD Vance for pool coverage. “CNN stands fully behind our White House team and their fair and accurate reporting,” the network said in a statement. “We have a right under the U.S. Constitution to do that reporting without hindrance or interference from the government. Should the ban which President Trump threatened go ahead, it would be

ive people have been confirmed dead and two others critically injured after gunmen opened fire on traders and buyers at the bustling Friday market in Mangu, about 52 miles south of Jos, the Plateau State capital. The attack occurred at about 8:30 p.m. in the section of the market known for selling perishable goods, where many traders were packing up for the day. Witnesses said the assailants stormed the area and began shooting indiscriminately, sending hundreds fleeing in panic and abandoning their goods. Local sources reported that the two injured victims are receiving emergency treatment at a nearby hospital. Community members described the scene as chaotic, with victims struck in the abdomen and lower limbs as they attempted to escape. A resident who witnessed the attack

an illegal assault on that fundamental and constitutionally-protected right.” In its own statement, Politico wrote, “POLITICO will continue to fairly report on this White House and future ones. We will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights against any attempt to restrict them.” Trump had previously banned the Associated Press from presidential events leading to litigation that remains ongoing, as NBC News reported. During his first presidential administration, Trump’s White House has also previously targeted CNN’s Jim Acosta, whose press pass was ultimately restored in November 2018. Per CNN, Trump offered only a cursory explanation for the ban, when pressed by reporters following the announcement. “No reason,” he said, according to the cable news network, adding, “It’s a very simple ban. I don’t want them in my office. I don’t want them here. I would say the ban would go as far as you can.” The president also hinted that the ban might be lifted if the outlets “could straighten themselves out.”

Yemi Kosoko in Jos

said people waiting for vehicles to take them home were caught off guard. “Everyone was preparing to leave. Suddenly, gunmen entered the market and started shooting. People ran for their lives and left everything behind,” he said. The incident comes just hours after a local development association in Mangu raised concerns over persistent insecurity in the area, stating that more than 750 of its members have been killed in terror-related attacks over the past three years. The group warned that threats against communities have continued despite repeated appeals for intervention. Security agencies have yet to release an official statement, but emergency responders and community volunteers are working to secure the area and support affected families. Residents say fear remains high as emergency responders work to evacuate the injured and recover bodies from the scene.

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R S E P T E M B E R 19, 2026

PERSPECTIVE

Wike’s Narcissism and Reckless New War Bright Goodluck

istory is a patient teacher. However, it does not forgive those who refuse to sit in class. Every empire that believed itself to be permanent, from Rome to the Ottomans to apartheid South Africa, fell not just to external enemies, but to the arrogance of men at the top who mistook the applause of a season for the loyalty of a lifetime. This seems to be exactly where Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has confined himself. He seems hell-bent on relearning this lesson the hard way. In recent days, Wike’s so-called Rainbow Coalition, which is a cross-party project he has positioned as a strategic vehicle for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election, has collided head-on with the two most consequential blocs of subnational power in the country. These are the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), chaired by the taciturn Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, and, by extension, the wider fraternity of state governors who have resolved that APC governors will not support or endorse candidates outside the party ahead of the 2027 elections. Uzodimma made the declaration on behalf of the governors during a closed-door meeting at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja. The governors did not stop at rhetoric but moved ahead to pledge to take charge of Tinubu’s re-election campaign across their respective states. The governors’ position hurt Wike deeply. It deflated him, bruised his ego and made him look so ordinary and of no significant importance in the race for Tinubu’s re-election. That decision was a direct and coordinated rebuke of Wike’s supposed invincibility. It was delivered with precision by the very men whose state machinery, structures, and grassroots loyalty will actually decide whether Tinubu returns to power. Wike is not a factor in that decision. The presence of the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who is also the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), a forum that represents the collective institutional weight of all thirty-six governors, at the meeting deepened Wike’s pain. For Wike, it was a signal that his coalition was meaningless to the collective aspirations of the governors. This is so because Wike’s position suggests an irony of self-importance. He is a minister, not a state governor. The implication is that he holds his office at the benevolence of the President, whom he has put in a fix to pick between a federal appointee, an aide, and the men who control the levers of power in the states. Tinubu is certainly wiser. What Wike has done is pick a fight with the governors, one of whom he was before 2023. His time as governor exposed him to the enormous powers of state governors. And he used it to bloat his ego after failing woefully in the presidential and vice-presidential runs in the 2023 general elections. He ought to know the implications of the powers of governors with regard to controlling the electoral machinery of their states, including local

Uzodimma and Wike

government structures, the party structure and leadership, the traditional rulers and other layers of political structure of the state whose endorsements move votes, including civil servants who staff polling units. In essence, while Wike commands attention from Abuja, the governors command state terrains. And in Nigeria’s brand of politics, the terrain wins. Wike’s decision to enter into a fight against the governors is a misadventure. It will come crashing like a pack of torn cards arranged by a heavily drunk. Looking back, Nigeria’s political history is littered with strongmen who believed their closeness to a president, their command of a media cycle, or their reputation for combativeness made them untouchable. Wike pretends not to be aware of this even when he makes comments suggesting that the President sits in office because of his (Wike) prowess. Perhaps that drives his arrogance and nauseating public conduct. Wike took a swipe at Uzodimma. He accused the Imo governor of sponsoring political attacks and insisting his coalition “has nothing to do” with the APC, and visibly threatened the party’s unity. In making the accusation, Wike walked a familiar path. He has, since becoming Minister in 2023, accused almost every politician in Nigeria of one form of treachery against him or the other. In

all these, he never found himself wanting for any wrongdoing. He has remained a candidate for canonisation while every other politician that has had something to do with him was the Satan. Speaking on an Arise TV interview from Spain, in his signature froggy voice, Wike spoke the language of a man who has convinced himself that self-belief is the same thing as strategic advantage. He expressed concern over the Rainbow Coalition’s impending implosion and insisted that his support is only for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election and that he never promised the PDP would not field its own candidates in governorship, National Assembly, and State Assembly elections. In other words, his coalition would vote Tinubu for president but PDP for the other offices. This is clearly the signature of a man trying to have every side of an argument at once. He pleads loyalty to Tinubu but will not be accountable to Tinubu’s party structure. That is treachery too! This is the sort of arrogance that history punishes. Every fallen strongman believed his indispensability was permanent. Every cornered emperor believed the legions loved him more than they loved stability. What Wike appears not to grasp, and refuses to accept, is that political capital is not a personal possession. It is borrowed. It is also conditional. It answers to institutions and alliances that can sustain the call. Wike ought to know

that the PGF is not a social club where liquid substances of 60% alcoholic volume are regularly downed alongside marinated jackals. No, it is the combined weight of 31 sitting APC governors, most of whom are on the ballot for re-election, and others seeking election to the Senate. These governors are not willing to sacrifice their electoral pursuits to entertain Wike’s narcissism. Wike ought also to recall that when rumours circulated that Uzodimma might be replaced as PGF chairman, 18 APC governors moved swiftly to pass a vote of confidence in him, and reaffirmed their support for his leadership. That was a manifest public demonstration that the forum, despite its internal frictions, closes ranks when challenged from outside. Wike is now that outside challenge. As a politician, Wike rides on audacity, mistakes an early win for permanent ordained status, and now picks a fight with the very structures that could have been his allies rather than his obstacles. Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon and believed the Senate would simply absorb the shock. Napoleon marched into Russia certain that momentum alone would carry him through winter. Closer to home, Nigeria has watched governors, ministers, and godfathers alike discover, often in a single election cycle, that the political grassroots they assumed was theirs by right had quietly reorganised itself elsewhere. Power in Nigeria is never static. It is a coalition that must be renewed, courted, and respected daily. Wike’s posture suggests that he believes otherwise.

Report Chronicles Seplat’s Rise, Power Struggles and Succession Oluchi Chibuzor

he Debriefing, a publisher of deep-dive corporate profiles, has released the second edition in a series of long-form histories of the companies that shape Nigeria’s economy. Board Games: White Knights and Dark Strategies at Seplat Energy tells the story of the country’s largest independent oil company: How it was built and scaled, how control passed from its founders to Tony Elumelu, what the coming years hold under Effiong Okon, its new chief executive, and its plans to grow output by half. It stated that, “The deals, personalities, and performance of Nigeria’s great companies receive regular coverage in the media, but few have had their stories told whole. The founding bargain, the money and where it came from, the rules the founders wrote and how they were later used, the succession that went to plan and the one that did not: these are the things that decide a company’s fortunes, and they are rarely set down in one place. “The Debriefing writes them from the public record, with every figure sourced, in a form that an executive, an investor or a regulator can read in an afternoon

and keep. Over time the series is intended to form a body of reference on Nigerian enterprise, of the kind from which business schools write their cases and from which the next generation of founders, directors and regulators can learn what worked, what failed, and why,” it added. Obiora Tabansi Onyeaso, the writer, followed Seplat from its founding in 2009 by ABC Orjiako, a prize-winning surgeon turned dealmaker, and Austin Avuru, one of Nigeria’s foremost petroleum geologists, through its dual listing in London and Lagos to its position today as the country’s leading indigenous producer. He also covered the third party in the founding bargain, the French company Maurel & Prom and its founder Jean-François Hénin, whose early capital and credibility won Seplat its first blocks. M&P held the deciding vote in every boardroom dispute for fifteen years. Its sale of that stake in December 2025 gave Elumelu the entrée to become the company’s largest shareholder. “The story is told against the backdrop of the largest shift in Nigerian oil in a generation. Between 2010 and 2025 the international majors moved their capital from the onshore Niger Delta to deepwater, and Nigerian companies took over the fields they left, paying more than fifteen billion dollars for them.

“Seplat’s 2010 purchase from Shell was the first of these transactions and the model for those that followed, among them Wale Tinubu’s acquisition of ConocoPhillips’ Nigerian business for Oando and Benedict Peters’ purchase of OML 29 for Aiteo. “The current edition maps the full sequence in a two-page chart and considers what the transfer has meant for the delta, for Abuja and for the operators who now carry the assets. “It is also a study of a question every successful founder-led company in Africa must eventually answer: what happens after the founders. Seplat’s two founders built a national champion and, over the following decade, drifted apart over its future direction and their places in it. “Board Games examines how the company emerged unscathed despite internal disagreements on the board, and other external bumps along the way. “This forms the third thread. Seplat’s governance was written at the London listing of its shares in 2014 to restrain the arbitrary power of any single large shareholder, and it held for twelve years, until the board set it aside this year to make Elumelu chairman. “Drawing on the experience of Oando, Pan Ocean, Nestoil and Chappal, the edition also examines how commercial disputes among large shareholders of important Nigerian

companies have escalated beyond the boardroom, through direct confrontation and through proxies, to draw in regulators, the courts, the police and anti-corruption agencies, often at the same time, before subsiding,” it added. Board Games closes on what comes next. It noted that, “Seplat’s own five-year plan commits it to 200,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day by 2030, half as much again as it produces today, with Effiong Okon, the engineer who brought the ANOH gas plant to first gas in January, now chief executive. “ “Beside that sits the question of OML 17, the block Elumelu’s Heirs Energies already holds, and whether it will one day be combined with Seplat. His record at UBA and Transcorp, set out in the edition in figures, suggests what a patient investor does with a controlling stake. “The account is drawn from sources in the public domain: Seplat’s prospectus, stock exchange announcements, audited results and capital markets day disclosures, Maurel & Prom’s regulatory filings, court records, published books and the reporting of established titles. Every figure is sourced where it appears. The edition is illustrated with photographs, charts, a map of the majors’ divestments since 2010 and a timeline of the company’s ownership.”

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R S E P T E M B E R 19 , 2026

PERSPECTIVE

34.8m Hungry Nigerians: The Muted Disaster that Should Shape 2027 Elections ChinemeOkafor

he number of Nigerians facing acute food insecurity in 2026 ought to be central in the 2027 elections discourse, in particular, the presidential debates. The implications of this are far-reaching for Nigeria’s corporate wellbeing; and thus, reckless to pretend about it going into the

elections. As we already know, somewhere in Jada, Adamawa, a farmer has since abandoned his fields because of sustained insecurity in the Nort-east. In Olowogbowo Isale eko Lagos, a mother now skips meals so her children can eat. Likewise, a trader in OtuNkwo Eze (Main Market) Onitsha in Anambra helplessly watches food prices rise faster than her disposable income. These are not fabrications, but the realities most Nigerians live with today. These descriptions capture how conflict, inflation and climate shocks are converging into one of Nigeria’s worst food crises in decades. But the country’s political elites would want this ignored for absurdities in the coming elections. When the Food and Agriculture Organisation of (FAO) and United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) of the United Nations (UN) said in its June 2026 Hunger Hotspots report, that an estimated 34.8 million Nigerians face or are already facing high levels of food insecurity from the second half of 2026, the reality of the report and warning was incredible. What does 34.8 million hungry people really look like or even mean? To understand the scale of this, and mindful of illogical quantification, I considered that Norway’s entire population is about 5.5 million people. The number of Nigerians facing food insecurity is therefore equivalent to more than six Norways in population. Put differently, it is in fact larger than the entire populations of Norway (5.5 million), Denmark (6 million), Finland (5.6 million), Ireland (5.5 million) and Switzerland (9 million) combined. This is staggering! At 34.8 million, if the food-insecure Nigerians formed a country, it would have a population larger than many European nations and would rank among the world’s top 45 most populous states, competing with the likes of Peru (34.9 million), Malaysia (34.4 million) and Ghana (35.7 million). So, why is this not in the front-end of debates leading to Nigeria’s 2027 elections, in particular, the presidential race?

No snubbing this profound crisis

The socio-economic consequences of a hungry population are far-reaching and should define political debates anytime, let alone

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari in general election periods. Any country that is unable or failing to feed 34.8 million of its circa 220 million population according to World Bank estimated figures, is simply and squarely grooming socio-economic crisis. Likewise, any government superintending this has flopped in governance – no beating around the bush. FAO and WFP work to combat global hunger through emergency food assistance, food security, nutrition improvement, sustainable agriculture and resilience building. They’ve concretely informed that alongside Sudan, South Sudan, Yemen and Palestine – the world’s most critical hunger hotspots in terms of severity and magnitude, “Nigeria has also moved into the highest-concern group, where around 34.8 million people are projected to face high levels of acute food insecurity (Cadre Harmonisé Phase 3 or above) during June-August 2026, including 1.8 million in Emergency (CH Phase 4)

and some 15,000 in Catastrophe (CH Phase 5) in Borno State.” In fact, both UN agencies explained that Nigerians in Borno risked ‘Catastrophe’ levels of acute food insecurity, defining this as an extreme lack of food and other basic needs, with starvation, death, destitution and extremely critical acute malnutrition levels manifesting during this period. Armed conflicts, economic inflation and climate shocks were primary drivers of this in Nigeria. Unlike the countries in the FAO-WFP Hunger Hotspots report who are facing famine conditions caused primarily by war, Nigeria possesses enormous agricultural potential. The challenge is less about the absence of arable land and more about the interplay of insecurity, economic instability and weak climate change resilience infrastructure. No country thoughtful about inclusive growth should snub the socio-economic consequences of a hungry population; they are farreaching. They include reduced productivity, since hungry workers are less productive. Basic medical insights indicate that malnutrition affects physical strength, concentration and overall productivity. In agriculture-dependent communities for example, this creates a vicious cycle: hunger reduces output, which in turn worsens food shortages and poverty. The insecurity experienced in farming communities means that Nigeria has a double whammy of hungry and vulnerable farming population. There is also the often-understated impact of hunger on education. Children who suffer malnutrition are more likely to perform poorly in school, miss classes or even drop out of their studies entirely. The long-term consequence of this is a reduction in quality human capital and future economic growth. Already the 2025 Global Hunger Index on Nigeria shows how poorly the country is doing, with 11.6 per cent of her children under five years acutely undernourished, while 33.8 per cent of under five years are stunted from chronic undernutrition. These elites must think long-term on how severe hunger today chips away Nigeria’s future human capital. Moreover, food insecurity can fuel more recruitment into criminal gangs, insurgent movements and armed groups, particularly among unemployed young people with few economic opportunities. we cannot frankly detach the insecurity siege in Nigeria from how hungry her population are today. Urban centres like Lagos, Abuja, Enugu are feeling the brunt of families kicked out of their farms by armed non-state actors, and who have migrated for survival. Dr Okafor is an academic and a journalist. Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

Beyond Participation: Rethinking the Measure of Nigerian Content

Tina Unachukwu

igeria has made substantial progress in addressing one of the defining questions of its oil and gas industry: How much of the value created by its hydrocarbon resources can be retained within the country? The results of more than two decades of deliberate Nigerian Content policy are significant. Nigerian Content performance now exceeds 61 percent, compared with less than five percent in-country value addition before the Nigerian Content regime took hold, and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has set a target of 70 percent by 2027. Behind those percentages is a much larger transformation. Nigerian companies today participate across segments of the oil and gas value chain that were once almost exclusively the preserve of foreign contractors. Nigerian professionals increasingly occupy technical, operational and executive positions historically dominated by expatriates. Indigenous service companies have invested in facilities, equipment, people, certifications and technology partnerships that would have been difficult to contemplate two decades ago. That progress should be acknowledged. But as Nigerian Content approaches its next stage of maturity, the industry should begin asking a more demanding question: What lasting industrial capabilities has Nigeria developed from the participation created by Nigerian Content policy? This distinction is significant. Participation indicates who is engaged in economic activity. Capability reflects the knowledge,

infrastructure, technology, intellectual capital and technical competence that remain in Nigeria after that activity has been completed. The future of Nigerian Content will increasingly depend on the country’s ability to transform participation into enduring capability.

From Expenditure Retention to Capability Retention

For much of the first five decades of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, a significant proportion of the value-adding activity required to develop our hydrocarbon resources took place outside the country. NCDMB has estimated the historical consequence at approximately US$380 billion in capital flight and two million job opportunities exported. But the cost of this dependence was never purely financial. Every major industrial project is also a vehicle for knowledge accumulation. Engineers deepen their judgement through repeated execution. Technicians become more proficient as their exposure to difficult scopes increases. Organisations develop stronger quality systems by solving increasingly complex problems. Companies acquire equipment and certifications because contracts provide the economic justification for those investments. In other words, industrial capability is cumulative. When sophisticated work is repeatedly undertaken outside Nigeria, the associated learning, experience, infrastructure and technical competence accumulate elsewhere as well. Conversely, when work is successfully executed in-country, the benefit can extend considerably beyond the immediate value of the contract. Each project has the potential to raise the technical baseline from

which the next Nigerian project begins. That is why the next chapter of Nigerian Content should concern itself not only with how much expenditure stays in Nigeria, but increasingly with how much capability stays in Nigeria.

What Should 70% Nigerian Content Mean?

As the industry moves towards NCDMB’s 70% target, the percentage itself will remain an important indicator of progress. But percentage participation should not become the destination. A mature Nigerian Content ecosystem should ultimately be visible in the increasing complexity of work that Nigerian companies and professionals can undertake to internationally acceptable standards. Can equipment previously sent overseas for testing, repair or refurbishment now be handled locally? Can Nigerian engineers diagnose problems that once required international mobilisation? Can indigenous companies execute more technically demanding OCTG, machining, fabrication, well-completion and asset-integrity scopes? Can internationally recognised certifications be maintained locally? Can Nigerian facilities meet the quality, cost, safety and delivery requirements demanded by international operators? And eventually, can capabilities develop through Nigeria’s domestic market become competitive enough to serve customers elsewhere in Africa? These questions may provide an increasingly useful measure of Nigerian Content maturity.

Unachukwu

manufacturers of OCTG and wellcompletion equipment supplied into the Nigerian market. We walked production lines, engaged technical teams and examined the manufacturing processes, engineering discipline and quality-control systems behind equipment eventually deployed in Nigerian operations. The experience reinforced an important point. Manufacturing capability is rarely created by purchasing machines alone. Behind every finished product sits an ecosystem: trained engineers, specialist technicians, material knowledge, quality assurance, certification, supply-chain discipline, production experience and the institutional knowledge accumulated through years of repeated execution. For Nigeria, the strategic opportunity is therefore not simply to ask how quickly an imported product can Lessons From Xi’an be replaced by a locally produced one; This issue became particularly clear the more useful question is: Which during a recent visit to Xi’an, China, elements of the capability behind where my team and I spent time with

that product can progressively and competitively be developed in Nigeria? The answer will differ by technology. For one category, the immediate opportunity may be local technical support. For another, testing and refurbishment. Elsewhere, machining or assembly may be viable. And where sufficient demand, infrastructure and economics exist, domestic manufacturing may ultimately become sustainable, as the pathway matters as much as the destination.

From Technology Access to Technology Capability

During that visit, Titan Tubulars Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of One Titanium, formalised an exclusive partnership with China Vigor Drilling Oil Tools and Equipment Co., Ltd. for designated completion tools and valve products across Nigeria and West Africa. Read full article online www.thisdaylive.com

Interview

T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •September 19, 2026

Bimbo Ashiru:

How We Brought O’dua Investment Back to Life

The outgoing Chairman of O’dua Investment Company Limited, Bimbo Ashiru, recounts how the board revived the 50-year-old regional investment company, transforming it from an asset-rich but cash-poor, underperforming enterprise into an AA-rated, ﬁnancially stronger conglomerate with ambitions to compete globally. Sunday Okobi brings the excerpts:

ongratulations on the progress O’dua Investment Company Limited has made under your leadership. For those unfamiliar with the Group, what exactly is O’dua Investment Company, and what is its core mandate? The O’dua Investment Company Limited (OICL) was established 50 years ago by Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his team, and when you say Omo Odua, it’s been coined from the Yoruba name. But the purpose of O’dua was to establish a conglomerate that would create investment that would bring back what our forefathers believed in, which was to have our regional investment company that would take care of our people. Take, for example, the free education enjoyed by many in those days was funded by the company. It was built mainly on cocoa. And don’t forget that Nigeria was the second-largest exporter of cocoa in the world. It was the funds realised from cocoa that were used to build the Cocoa House in Ibadan, Oyo State, and the University of Ife, which is now named Obafemi Awolowo University. All those companies in O’dua Group were like a value chain. And I’ll give you a good example. The Western Board (Western Nigerian Investment Corporation), now Wemaboard, is 82 years old. That means it’s older than the owners. They (Awolowo and co.) acquired all those agencies and firms and made them a regional investment behemoth. And it was not only O’dua Group that was established at that time; we had the Northern Regional Investment; we had the South-East Regional Investment, while we were the Western Regional Investment. The good thing is that the owners (founders) then felt that it was important to create a lasting legacy as well as lay a life-changing foundation for the people. Remember that the Western Region lent the Central Government of Nigeria 12 million pounds in those days. So, you could now see the kind of investment that had been put in place with such capacity, and it has really changed the dynamics; and I’m happy to tell you that O’dua is the only regional investment company established then that still exists today. I think the one in the Northern region, according to my friend, Alhaji Dikko, is about to be revived, as is the one in the South-east region too. Also, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is on the same scale as O’dua, but they are more into building infrastructure and improving roads and bridges, while O’dua is a regional investment company. We are into real estate, hospitality, and manufacturing. O’dua has shares in Guinness, even in the agriculture sector as well. During the military regime, O’dua had a little problem, because the military government took over the company and started running it and unfortunately, the purpose it was meant for could not be achieved. But I’m delighted to tell you that in the last six years, O’dua Investment Company Limited has found its level and has now come back big time to its original regional plan, goals, and success. What we did when we came in was to make O’dua a world-class conglomerate. We wanted to be able to compete with global conglomerates. Now, we have moved on solidly, and I’m glad to tell you that every director in the company is fully prepared through the constant acquisition of knowledge. All of them have

Ashiru

gone through different business schools to be able to learn and be trained to have the capacity to move O’dua Group forward. Also, every member of staff of O’dua and its subsidiary has started training to build capacity in order to understand that O’dua is an investment company with high stakes and different dimensions, not an operating company. Also, in the last four years, we’ve now made O’dua a holding company whereby we must be constantly investing and reinvesting. Our real estate company and businesses are now being managed by Wemaboard. You now see that there have been changes in the company. Also, it is good to know that we’ve invested in Iwosan Healthcare and FCMB Pensions, where we have 10 percent shares. We are now investing in different organisations, even in Dangote Industries too. So, currently, O’dua is aggressively focusing on investing in many areas. And what we have realised from the investments is a lot. Just like the SRC that we introduced (SWEAT, REVIVE and CREATE), we gave ourselves five years target, and at the end of the five years, which was last year, we made substantial profit, and now we can do things differently. How and what does it feel like to be outside the leadership of the O’dua Investment Company after many years of offering quality leadership? I feel good. I feel fulfilled. I always say that a leader of every team is also a member of that team. As a leader, you must see yourself as a part of that team. It’s just like the president of Nigeria; he is also a citizen of the country, and as the president, one day he will leave office and remain a citizen of the country and an elder statesman. Now, I’m being called Emeritus Chair. But don’t forget that when we came in six years ago, we had a chairman too, Dr. Segun Aina, a dynamic person, who is very articulate and smart. He led for two years, and I took over from him, and he was still part of the board before his tenure expired. So, we have created that tradition whereby a leader of the team becomes a member of the

team. By God’s grace, my tenure will end in 2028, and my focus is to support the incoming dynamic Group Chairman, Dr Tola Kasali, a fantastic man. He was a former commissioner in Lagos State; he is the first chairman of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of the state, a two-term commissioner in Lagos State, just like me too (two-time commissioner in Ogun State). So, he’s part of the team, and he understands the dynamics. And I can tell you that he’s going to succeed too. Under your leadership, O’dua recorded transformation from an asset-rich but cash-poor and under-performing enterprise into a strategy-driven regional investment conglomerate. Can you lead us into that journey? I remember vividly what it was like when we took over the company. I can tell you confidently that the success we have achieved today is a collective one. It’s just that I’m the leader of the team directing it, but the beauty of it is that when we started, Wemaboard got an A in Fitch Rating; and we decided that since we are the father of Wemaboard, let us even assess ourselves; let us know what the people feel about O’dua Group. We must be able to get somebody to assess from outside, not us praising ourselves from the inside that we have done so well. Consequently, we invited Agusto Rating to look at our books and every other aspect of the company. And by the time we did the first assessment, we had anA. In less than one year, they came again, and it became A+. Today, we are now AA-; and we further agreed that we cannot limit it to Nigeria alone, because we wanted to be a world-class conglomerate. So, we brought in an international rating company (Moody) to rate us, and we still had AA-. That means, today, O’dua is asset-rich and cash-rich. I can tell you that O’dua does not owe any bank any money. We are liquid, and our staff members are happy because they are well paid and are enjoying what O’dua offers in terms of quality. The good thing is that you must think about the welfare

of the people who are carrying out the work and implementing the company’s policies. And during the process, we established the O’dua Foundation, which is being chaired by the only surviving child of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Olatokunbo Dosumu.You need to see what they’ve done in one year since the foundation was established. They’ve impacted the South-West region immensely. At the same time, we were able to get a licence for the marginal field, Embitter Exploration, and by God’s grace, hopefully, before the end of this year or early next year, we should be able to start drilling. So, we were investing in so many areas. The beauty of it is that we were deliberate, we were focused, and we were being dynamic with all the things we were doing. We see O’dua as the general and collective property of the Western Region.And don’t forget, Lagos State is now part of O’dua Group. I remember I was the one who went to give the present state governor their own certificate. And we’ve been paying dividends for the past six years to date, and that’s the beauty of it. Also, when we took over the mantle of leadership of O’dua, we had KPMG as our consultant, and I am happy to tell you that there was an MoU that was signed by the governors. There is no single interference in the day-to-day or general running of O’dua Investment Company Limited. No governor called me to say please employ this or do that; none! But having said that, because they are shareholders, they are the owners of the business, and we still have to get necessary approvals from them. So, those are the things we did and it’s been very dynamic and great, and I would tell you, with my experience, the collective achievements we have recorded over the years are boundless. How have O’dua Investment activities impacted the lives ofYoruba people and Nigerians in general? We have created jobs and many other opportunities ever since we set up the South-west Agric Company. We have investments in all six states of the Southwest, where a lot of people are earning a living. In Ekiti State, we have our farm belt, where we are into cocoa and cassava production. In Osun State, we are also involved, including Oyo and Lagos States. We partner these states through SWACO in rice padding. We have another farm in Badagry (Lagos), where we are cultivating crops. Not only that, we have created jobs for teeming young people of the South-West region, and even other Nigerians. That way alone, we’ve been able to impact their lives…even with the Foundation. As I mentioned earlier, O’dua is giving life meaning to the young people in the Southwest. We’ve also been able to mentor many of them, focusing on technology and other areas; so, we’ve been able to impact them directly and indirectly through job creation for both the skilled and unskilled. Today, we have the South-West Information Technology Company too, which deals in IT and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for our young people, among others. So, we are ensuring that the impact of O’dua is felt according to the plans and legacy which Pa Awolowo and others had for the region in those days (that we must impact our children; that’s why they had free education). See concluding part on www. thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY, Th e S ATURDAY, N e w S PA P e r •September 19, 2026

Interview

Agatha Obiekwugo:

Nigeria Remains Market of Enormous Opportunity for Real Estate The new Chairperson, Afriland Properties Plc, Dr. Agatha Obiekwugo, believes the real estate market in Nigeria comes with challenges, but remains a market of enormous opportunity. She also speaks of the future of the market in Nigeria and the company’s drive to bridge housing deﬁcit. Kayode Tokede brings the excerpts:

ith high construction costs, changing financing conditions and evolving consumer demand, what do you believe will be the key to maintaining growth and competitiveness in Nigeria’s real estate market? I believe the answer is discipline, adaptability and a very close understanding of the market and the customer. The economics of real estate have changed considerably. Construction costs, financing costs, foreign exchange pressures and inflation all affect the feasibility of projects. At the same time, customers are becoming more discerning. For us, this means becoming better at making decisions based on real demand rather than assumptions. At Afriland, we believe the long-term winners will be companies that can combine financial discipline with development creativity. You must understand the numbers, but you must also understand people and how they want to live, work and invest. The market is challenging, but Nigeria remains a market of enormous opportunity. The important thing is to pursue that opportunity intelligently. Nigeria’s housing deficit remains significant, even as affordability and construction costs continue to present challenges. Where do you see the most compelling opportunities for Afriland to contribute to addressing this need while maintaining a commercially sustainable business? Nigeria’s housing challenge requires more than simply increasing the number of units available. We have to consider where people need to live, what they can afford, and the infrastructure and services required to make those communities genuinely liveable. We also need to recognise that affordability is not only about the selling price. Financing, transportation, power, water, security, and access to employment all affect the true cost of housing. So, how truly affordable is affordable for all involved? Afriland has an opportunity to contribute by bringing together development expertise, investment discipline and partnerships with government and other stakeholders. We can create commercially viable projects while also contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s urban development needs. You are taking on the Chairmanship of Afriland Properties Plc at an important point in the company’s growth journey and at a time of significant change in Nigeria’s real estate sector. What are your strategic priorities for Afriland in the first year of your tenure? For me, this is a significant opportunity to build on the strong foundation Afriland has established and position the Company for its next phase of growth. Having served on the Board since 2018, I have gained a deep understanding of the Company, its assets, people, opportunities, governance and the markets in which it operates. My approach is therefore not about changing direction for the sake of change, but about building what works, strengthening what can

be improved and unlocking the opportunities ahead. Ultimately, the objective is to ensure that Afriland continues to grow as a resilient, competitive and value-creating real estate institution. I see my role as Chairman as one of stewardship: Providing strategic direction, ensuring effective governance and working with the Board and Management to unlock opportunities that will position Afriland for short and long-term success. Afriland Properties has built a diverse portfolio across residential, commercial and mixed-use developments. How do you see the company growing its portfolio while continuing to deliver sustainable returns and long-term value to shareholders? Growth, in my view, should never be measured simply by the number of projects a company has. It should be measured by the quality of those investments, the returns they generate and the value they create. Afriland will continue to take a disciplined approach to portfolio growth. This means being selective about location, demand, development partners, funding structures and the eventual economics of each project. We also see considerable value in the balance between development income, investment income and recurring income. Development creates opportunities for capital growth, while income-generating assets provide us stability and resilience across market cycles. Ultimately, our objective is to build a portfolio that is valuable today, resilient tomorrow and capable of compounding value over time. Looking across the Nigerian real estate market today, which segment do you believe offer the strongest opportunities for Afriland, and why? I would be careful about identifying only one segment because Nigeria’s real estate needs are diverse. Residential real estate remains fundamental, particularly well-planned developments that respond to the needs of the growing middle and upper-middle segments while also addressing the broader affordability challenge. We also see significant opportunity in income-generating commercial assets, particularly in locations where there is strong underlying economic activity. Mixed-use development is another area of interest because it reflects the way modern cities are evolving. People increasingly want environments where residential, commercial, retail, leisure and essential services are integrated. Beyond the physical assets, however, I believe there is an important opportunity in real estate services and asset management. The ability to manage properties efficiently, improve occupancy, enhance asset performance and create recurring income will become increasingly important. For Afriland, the opportunity is to participate across the real estate value chain in areas where we can deploy capital and expertise intelligently. Afriland has developments in some of Nigeria’s most strategic locations, including Lagos and Abuja. How do you see the company deepening its presence in these markets, while positioning itself for

Obiekwugo opportunities in other parts of the country? Lagos and Abuja will remain strategically important to Afriland because of their economic activity, population growth, institutional importance and depth of real estate demand. Our approach, however, is not simply about geographic expansion. We are interested in market depth before geographic spread. There is still considerable opportunity to create value in the markets where we already have knowledge, relationships and operating experience. At the same time, we will remain open to opportunities in other Nigerian cities where demographic growth, economic activity and infrastructure are creating compelling real estate fundamentals. The key consideration will always be: Does the market present a sustainable opportunity, and does Afriland have a clear right to win there? We would rather enter a market with a strong proposition and the right partners than expand simply for the sake of having a presence. Afriland’s portfolio includes several landmark developments across residential, commercial and mixed-use segments. Which projects or aspects of the company’s development pipeline are you particularly excited about, and what do they represent for Afriland’s next phase of growth? Afriland Estate, Idu-Karmo, Abuja is an important part of our residential proposition and demonstrates our ambition to create more than individual housing units. We are focused on creating well-planned communities where quality homes are supported by the infrastructure, amenities and environment that make everyday living more enjoyable and sustainable. We are also particularly excited about The Residences II, our forthcoming development in Lugard Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos. It represents a further expression of our commitment to the luxury residential segment, with a focus on sophisticated living, thoughtful design and an exceptional

standard of quality. And then there is what I would describe as the crowning jewel of the pipeline: our forthcoming mixed-use development in Falomo, Ikoyi, being delivered through a joint venture between Afriland Properties, the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) and our development partners, Elalan Construction Company. This is an exciting opportunity to create a landmark destination that brings together residential, commercial and lifestyle uses within a carefully conceived urban environment. What excites me most is the progression these developments represent. From community-focused residential development in Abuja to high-end residential living in Ikoyi, they reflect a broader ambition for Afriland: to create lasting value in the real estate sector while contributing meaningfully to addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit. We want to create assets that are distinctive, communities that function, and investments that generate sustainable value. That, is the direction of Afriland’s next phase of growth. As the property market evolves, how important do you see recurring income from rentals, property management and other asset-based services becoming to Afriland’s long-term business model? A strong real estate business should not depend entirely on transactions that happen at a single point in time. Recurring income provides greater cash-flow visibility, resilience, and the opportunity to build deeper, long-term relationships with tenants, occupiers, and asset owners. This is where Afriland’s integrated model gives us an advantage. As a property developer, investor and manager, we are able to participate across the lifecycle of an asset, from development and investment to management and performance optimisation. This allows us to create value beyond the initial transaction and build sustainable income streams over time. Our focus is to continue strengthening this model, ensuring that our assets are professionally managed, and optimised to deliver sustainable value throughout their lifecycle. See concluding part on www. thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R S E P T E M B E R 19, 2026

PEOPLE

Aigboje, Ofovwe: Government Is Measured By Delivery, Not Intentions

For many Nigerians, government is ultimately judged not by its promises but by what it delivers. While public service is often associated with inefficiency, bureaucracy and slow implementation, thousands of civil servants work quietly to keep institutions functioning and services running. Since 2022, the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation’s Emily Aig-Imoukhuede Memorial Award has recognised more than 130 civil servants who exemplify excellence in service, while its Memorial Lecture promotes values-driven leadership and institutional reform. In this joint interview with James Emejo, Chairman, and Executive Vice-Chair of the Foundation, Aigboje and Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede discuss recognition, leadership, institutional culture and the need to make excellence the norm.

The Emily Aig-Imoukhuede Memorial Award marks its fifth year in 2026. Looking back, what has this journey reinforced for you about the role of values, leadership and recognition in nation-building?

igboje: This journey has reinforced something I have believed for a very long time: people rise or regress to the standards a society chooses to celebrate. It is important that I give you the background to the annual cash prices we give to Federal Civil Servants who are adjudged to have excelled in service. Back in 2022, I attended a Federal Civil Service Awards Ceremony, and I felt that the awardees were deserving of a higher cash value than what they received. Then and there I asked the then Head of Service if I could donate an amount of NGN500,000.00 to each of the awarded civil servants. She consulted with her team, gave her consent and it was announced as I drove to the airport. I then received a call from a Retired Perm. Sec who was watching the program and she said that she was very touched by my gesture, but that she knew that it was inspired by my mother’s life of service and suggested we rename the award in her memory. So, when we created this Award in memory of my mother, the first purpose was simply to preserve the values she lived by: integrity, compassion, discipline and a genuine devotion to serving others. Five years on, it has grown into something larger than a tribute. It serves as a major motivation to public servants and also provides evidence that there are far more exceptional public servants in Nigeria than the current perception suggests. We are quick to view the civil service through the lens of its challenges. We rarely pause to consider the men and women who arrive each day, make difficult decisions, solve problems and keep government working, often with no expectation of recognition. That, to me, is the heart of nation-building. If we want stronger institutions, we must be deliberate about the behaviours we choose to honour. A culture of excellence does not form by accident. People have to see it; believe it is attainable and understand that it counts. Recognition does that work. It says plainly that integrity matters, that professionalism matters, that going beyond the minimum matters. It creates role models, and role models shape the culture that follows them. At the inaugural Emily Aig-Imoukhuede Memorial Lecture, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah observed that “there are leaders who do not occupy office and there are people in office who are not leaders,” arguing that leadership is ultimately about influence and service. How can Nigeria’s public institutions cultivate and recognise this kind of values-driven leadership, beyond titles and hierarchy? Aigboje: Bishop Kukah put his finger on something essential: leadership is not a function of rank; it is a function of impact. One of our recurring mistakes is to assume that leadership begins at the top of the hierarchy. In truth, it usually reveals itself long before anyone hands you authority. Meaningful progress is often championed by people who are not the most senior people. They were simply the ones willing to take responsibility while others waited to be told what to do. Our civil service must become better at identifying those individuals and entrusting them with greater

responsibility. Too often we reward time spent in the role when we ought to be rewarding initiative. Much of the conversation around public sector reform focuses on policies, processes and technology. Why do you believe culture and human motivation deserve equal attention in the reform agenda? Ofovwe: Reforms do not implement themselves; people do. You can design the finest policy, deploy the best technology and build the most elegant process, and still fall short, because if the people responsible for delivery are not motivated or invested in the outcome, the results will never match the design. What our work at the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation has taught me is that lasting reform depends as much on people as it does on systems. When public servants feel valued, supported and properly equipped, they show up differently. They take ownership, they innovate, they do more than the task strictly requires. Culture is what determines how people behave when no one is watching, and that, more than any policy document, is what decides whether a reform takes root or quietly fades. Culture cannot be an afterthought in the reform agenda. Very often, it is the whole story. The foundation has consistently argued that Africa’s development outcomes are closely tied to the quality of its public sector leaders. In your view, what distinguishes high-performing public sector leaders from those who struggle to deliver results? Aigboje: The finest public sector leaders understand that their role is not to be the hero of the story. It is to build systems that keep performing long after they have gone. I have watched leaders deliver impressive personal results that vanished the day they left office. I have also watched leaders quietly strengthen an institution in ways that outlasted them by years. The difference nearly always comes down to a single question: were they building about themselves, or building beyond themselves? Sustainable development is the work of the second kind of leader. Over the past five years, the Award has recognised hundreds of civil servants across Nigeria. What has this experience revealed about the untapped leadership and talent that exists within the public service? Aigboje: What is clear to me is how incomplete the public picture of the civil service really is. If you judged it by the headlines alone, you would conclude that excellence is rare. Yet every year we meet public servants doing remarkable work with almost no visibility. Many of the people holding critical systems together are entirely unknown outside their own organisations and work in very challenging institutions. So, what we have uncovered is not hidden talent; the talent was never in doubt. What was missing was attention. Recognition, at its best, does not manufacture excellence. It simply brings into the light what was already there.Recognition programmes often inspire excellence in the short term but sustaining

Aigboje and Ofovwe that standard over time requires systems that reinforce behaviour, not just celebrate it. Looking ahead, how do we ensure that the stories and examples highlighted through the Award and Lecture translate into a pipeline of public servants who see excellence not as exceptional, but as expected? Ofovwe: What I worry about is our tendency to treat excellence as the property of a rare few. The reality is that most people want to do meaningful work and want to do it well. The real question is whether the environment around them makes that possible. When excellence always demands extraordinary personal sacrifice, the system itself is the problem. What we should be building are institutions where doing the right thing is supported, recognised and repeated until it becomes ordinary. That, for me, is the next chapter of this work: moving from celebrating individual excellence to making excellence easier for everyone. There is ever increasing demand for more effective governance and better public service delivery. What role do you see public servants playing in unlocking the country’s next phase of development? Aigboje: A central one. Nigeria’s next phase of development will be shaped less by the brilliance of our policies than by the quality of their execution, and execution is the work of public servants. The Civil Service is the engine room of the Nigerian state, the machinery that turns national ambition into administrative reality. When it works, Nigeria moves, and Africa moves with it.

Citizens do not measure government by its intentions. They measure it by delivery, whether a passport arrives on time, whether the hospital functions, whether a pension is paid without distress. A capable, motivated public service produces those outcomes, earns public trust and attracts the investment on which progress depends. No nation has ever achieved sustained development without one. Equip our public servants, empower them and honour them, and they will not merely support Nigeria’s transformation; they will lead it. As you both look ahead, what would success look like, not just for the Emily Aig-Imoukhuede Memorial Award, but for the broader ambition of building a world-class public service in Nigeria and across Africa? Aigboje: Success is a Nigerian public service that its own citizens trust and the wider world respects, one that draws the country’s brightest minds because it is understood to be a place where excellence is expected, cultivated and rewarded. Decades from now, if a young Nigerian aspires to public service as naturally as a job in a Bank or Telco, we will have succeeded, and Nigeria will have taken its rightful place as a standard-bearer for progress among nations. Ofovwe: Success for me is a young civil servant, somewhere in Nigeria, looking at the people this Award has honoured and deciding that excellence is worth pursuing. It is a manager who chooses to reward integrity over convenience. It is a ministry that decides high standards are not negotiable. Cultural change rarely arrives all at once; it comes one decision, one team, one institution at a time. If this Award moves that process forward, even a little, then I believe we are making a contribution that matters.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2026 • T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R

BACKPAGE CONTINUATION CARDOSO’S THREE YEARS AND PURSUIT OF PRICE STABILITY in August 2026, compared with 23.1 per cent at the beginning of the rebased CPI series in 2025. Cardoso made tackling inflation his paramount mission, holding onto orthodox monetary policy with his belief that it is an essential path to achieving sustainable economic growth in the midto-long term, as well as improving the standard of living of ordinary Nigerians. Equally, when Cardoso assumed office, the naira was confronted with severe distortions arising from multiple exchange-rate windows, limited liquidity and substantial uncertainty over access to foreign exchange. The CBN responded with a series of measures designed to unify and improve the functioning of the forex market, including the move towards a willing-buyer, willing-seller system, the clearance of verified forex obligations and tighter oversight of the Bureau de Change segment. The CBN also inaugurated the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Code (FX Code), which was to entrench accountability and compliance in the country’s foreign exchange market. This contributed positively to the stability in the forex market. He also introduced the Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System (EFEMS), which sets clear and enforceable standards for ethical conduct and governance in the forex market. All these were aimed at reducing arbitrage and restoring confidence in the forex market. A recent survey by Bloomberg showed that the naira is heading to its best performance in almost a decade as the reforms in the market continue to boost investors’ confidence and drive global capital inflows into the Nigerian economy. Perhaps an even more compelling measure of the changing external position is the growth in Nigeria’s external reserves. The country’s external reserves rose to $54.08 billion as (of) AT September 3, 2026, from the $41.50 billion recorded on the same date in 2025. This represented an increase of $12.58 billion or 30.3 per cent, year-on-year. External reserves movement showed that the latest position represents a significant strengthening of external buffers over the past year, with reserves adding more than $12.5 billion between September 2025 and September 2026.

Cardoso

The build-up has also been substantial since the beginning of the year. Reserves stood at $45.61 billion on January 5, 2026, indicating that the latest figure of $54.08 billion represents an increase of approximately $8.48 billion, or 18.6 per cent, in about eight months. At its current position, Nigeria’s external reserves have returned to a level last seen nearly 18 years ago, when it stood at $54.21 billion on December 22, 2008. Today, the CBN under Cardoso is closing in on its target of attracting $1 billion in monthly remittance inflows. Inflows through International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) rose to a record $947 million in July 2026. The July figure was the highest monthly remittance inflow ever recorded through formal channels and brings the country within touching distance of the $1 billion monthly milestone set by CBN under Cardoso’s leadership. Remittance inflows through IMTOs also reached $3.8 billion in the first seven months of 2026, representing a 50.2 per cent increase over the $2.5 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. The changing perception of Nigeria

in international financial markets provides another important dimension to Cardoso’s three-year assessment. Nigeria has received a series of positive signals from international credit-rating agencies in recent time. For instance, just this week, leading global investment banker, JP Morgan included the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) bonds in its freshly launched Government Bond Index– Emerging Markets Edge (GBI-EM Edge), relaunching the country into the bank’s bond benchmark after 11 years. Similarly, S&P Global Ratings upgraded Nigeria’s sovereign rating to B from B- in May 2026, citing structural reforms and improving creditworthiness. Also, Fitch Ratings affirmed the country’s B rating with a stable outlook in April 2026. In August, Moody’s retained the B3 rating but revised Nigeria’s outlook from stable to positive, citing stronger external resilience and economic growth. The clearest sign of improving market accessibility came from FTSE Russell, which confirmed that Nigeria would be reclassified from ‘Unclassified’ to ‘Frontier Market’ status, effective Monday, September 21, 2026. The

decision is particularly significant because Nigeria was removed from the FTSE frontier-market classification in 2023 due to concerns around forex accessibility and capital repatriation. There has also been a visible improvement in monetary-fiscal coordination in the past three years as the Fiscal and Monetary Policy Coordination Framework (FMPCF) continue to work towards improving synergy between monetary and fiscal policies, in order to achieve better economic management. The Financial Services Regulation Coordinating Committee (FSRCC) has also been strengthened with regular inter-agency meetings and collaborations. Nevertheless, despite these gains, the CBN is still far from where it ought to be. Inflation remains stubbornly at double-digit due to structural weaknesses in the system. In the next two years, the challenge for Cardoso will be to ensure that the success of price and exchange rate stability translates into sustained improvements in the real economy and the living standards of Nigerians. Recently, some banks have alleged that the CBN imposed punitive fines on them, raising concerns within the industry over the regulatory sanctions. This needs to be looked into as it undermines confidence in the banking system and the credibility of the regulatory framework. It could also raise questions about the consistency and transparency of regulatory enforcement. The CBN should therefore clarify the matter and ensure that regulatory actions are fair, transparent and properly understood by all stakeholders. Today there are two versions of the N1000, N500 and N200 notes in circulation, a fallout of the naira redesign policy. This cannot continue forever and Nigerians are looking up to Cardoso to fix this. From the foregoing, however, while challenges remain, Cardoso’s three-year tenure has delivered measurable gains in price and exchange-rate stability, stronger external buffers and renewed confidence in Nigeria’s financial markets. The task now is to make these gains endure and translate into greater prosperity for Nigerians.

THE WRITER AS RIGHTER OF HISTORY that in many ways the book that we are gathered to make public today will not disappoint Chidi Amuta’s many readers. The book is literary and refreshing in style. It is deep in insight as well. It offers us an insight into the modest life of this fine writer and notable intellectual. As we read through this volume, we follow his trajectory from a modest rural childhood to the ups and downs of the educational process. We follow him to a brilliant career in academia, journalism and public affairs. He remains a major voice in the areas of public communication, journalism and public affairs analysis and commentary. His experiences especially in the war years reflect the tragedy in our national history at a very trying moment. ChidI Amuta relates to this national tragedy as a personal setback. In his subsequent post-war

experience of national life, we share with him the sense of relief that Nigeria survived the turbulent years. Since getting to know Chidi in our period of national service, I have enjoyed his close collaboration at critical moments in our national life. His loyalty is rock solid just as his solidarity and abiding friendship are values that I commend to younger generations of Nigerians. His loyalty is only matched by his very enviable dedication to work and service which can never be in doubt. In many ways, Chidi Amuta approximates my notion of an individual who embodies the Nigerian dream. It is the dream of an individual who rises from very humble ordinary beginnings to become nationally recognizable. With no silver spoon, this writer has by dint of skill and hard work

become a nationally recgnised name. In the process, he has become truly significant and perennially relevant. A memoir is a challenge to human memory. The challenge is even more weighty when the subject of the memoir in question is himself a writer. Writers especially journalists earn a career by minding other people’s business. Therefore, when they are challenged to recall their life experiences, it is hard for a writer to decide on what truths and secrets they should reveal to the public and which to keep unto death. In HOMAGE, Chidi Amuta is able to walk this tightrope beautifully in a book rich in memory. He reveals harmless secrets about others while simultaneously telling an intimate personal story that appeals to all. HOMAGE appeals as an intimate life story, a piece of national history, beautiful prose, arresting narrative

and modern journalism. I therefore most enthusiastically commend this memoir to our public as a treasurable piece of national history. Most importantly, HOMAGE is a beautiful celebration of one remarkable Nigerian life. I commend this book and highly recommend it to our reading public, our youth especially, in their search for role models from among our departing generations. Congratulations Chidi and please keep writing so that in our life time, we may begin to right the wrongs of our history. •Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, GCFR, former President and Commanderin-Chief, wrote the goodwill message to Amuta on the occasion of the public presentation of his memoir, Homage: Return to Familiar Places, on September 12, 2026.

T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R S E P T E M B E R 19, 2026

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Osaghae’s Widow Still Awaits Justice Two Years On

More than two years after Fidelis Osaghae died under disputed circumstances, conflicting forensic findings have left his widow, Esther, searching for answers and waiting for justice for the husband who left home promising to return. Ayodeji Ake writes.

ore than two years after Fidelis Osaghae stepped out of his home in the early hours of July 29, 2024, telling his young wife he would return shortly, the circumstances of his death remain unresolved. The 33-year-old restaurant manager never came back. Instead, Esther received a telephone call directing her to a hospital in Afashio, Edo State. She could not leave immediately. Their daughter was barely two months old, and she had no one to leave the baby with. So, she sent her elder sister, Mrs. Mabel Akhagbemhe to find out what had happened. What Mabel encountered at the hospital marked the beginning of a two-year search for answers, a search that would involve the police, multiple autopsy examinations, conflicting toxicology reports, petitions, civil society organisations’ demands for answers and allegations of threats. The case drew significant media attention, especially after competing forensic findings emerged. Yet as the months passed and public interest moved elsewhere, Esther remained with the same questions that confronted her on the morning her husband disappeared: How did he die? What happened in the hours after he left home? And why have the findings surrounding his death failed to produce a clear explanation? Speaking with THISDAY, Esther noted that she is still waiting for justice for the husband she lost barely days before their first wedding anniversary. “I really can’t wait to witness when the major suspect, now Esther, Fidelis and their Baby in 2024 defendant in the suspicious death of my husband, Valentine Oyemike, and co-suspected perpetrators will be brought to justice. Maybe sickness or something,” she said. She went to the hospital. There, she said, she was directed towards I don’t want anyone that has a hand in my husband’s death Osaghae’s employer. According to Mabel, the encounter with Oyemike to escape this at all.” The allegations against Oyemike, Nneoma and other individuals immediately raised questions. “The next thing, he just opened his Tundra vehicle. I even thought remains a matter for due process and the courts. The suspects are entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until he wanted to go and bring something or so. The next thing is, I saw the deceased body. “I asked questions upon questions. He didn’t proven guilty. At the centre of the case, though, are two toxicology examina- answer,” she exclusively told THISDAY. According to her, the hospital did not accept the body. People tions that produced sharply different results. The first, dated around the hospital were reportedly asking why a dead man had November 15, 2024, reported the presence of chlorpyrifos, an organophosphorus pesticide, in samples taken from Osaghae’s been brought there. Eventually, the body was taken to a mortuary. For Mabel, the body. discovery of injuries on Osaghae’s body deepened the mystery. At The second, dated April 22, 2025, reported no organophosphorus or carbamate insecticides, including chlorpyrifos, but detected the mortuary, she said an attendant drew her attention to a dark tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in patch on his chest. “He said, ‘see this injury. See this mark. See this swelling.’ he said, cannabis. For Esther, the contradiction has made an already painful ‘Madam, this cannot be ordinary.’ Mabel said she had already noticed that Osaghae’s clothes appeared event even more suspicious and more difficult. “Two years now,” she said. “We are just living the day as torn and that there were bruises. The mortuary attendant’s observation prompted the family to photograph some of the findings and report it comes.” the matter to the police at the Auchi Division. However, she stated that the family’s experience at the police The husband who promised to return. Osaghae’s death came at a moment when Esther said their station left them even more shocked. Mabel said the family went to the police expecting an investigation. young family was preparing to celebrate its first wedding anniversary. Their anniversary was scheduled Instead, she claimed, the response suggested that a conclusion had for August 5, 2024. His death occurred on July 29, barely a week already been reached. “By the time we got there, it was like a case before the celebration. Their anniversary clothes were already that had not gotten there was already concluded,” she told THISDAY. with their tailor. “His own was with his tailor. Till now, the She recalled meeting the Divisional Police Officer ( DPO). According to her, the officer began discussing the possibility that clothes are still with them,” Esther said. The memory remains especially painful because nothing in the family’s plans suggested Osaghae had committed suicide. The DPO was the one explaining on behalf of the suspect. that their lives were about to change forever. “I didn’t understand what is happening here. They’ve already Osaghae had returned from work at about 2:30 a.m. He worked as a manager at ValChi Fast Food and Restaurant in Auchi, concluded the case a suicide case,” she stated. The family disputed that conclusion and alleged that the circumstances where, according to his wife, Oyemike was his employer. “He came home around 2:30 a.m. He didn’t bring our car surrounding Osaghae’s death were not sufficiently investigated before back home but came with a bike man which he left outside the suicide theory emerged. Then, the next drama happened. Osaghae’s wife, Esther, said she and went back to work at that dark hour of the night. When he came in, I just saw money in his pocket and he was also confronted with a distracting allegation concerning the paternity of her daughter. left already,” She alleged that the police told her that the suspect, Valentine Oyemike “intended to write a petition” against her, alleging that Esther recalled. According to her, Osaghae said he had been asked to return her husband was not the biological father of their child. For Esther, the allegation was devastating. She said she immediately to the workplace. “He told me that he was coming back. He even told me that dismissed that and offered to undergo any forensic examination I should not lock the door.” With their two-month-old baby necessary to establish the child’s paternity, even as she believed this beside her, Esther went back to sleep. She expected her husband was a deflection from the real, tragic issue. That claim has not been independently established. Nonetheless, “I to return within an hour. He never did. When she woke up and realised he was not beside her, she began calling his phone. am ready because my husband is the father of my child,” she said. “He was someone that if he sees my call, no matter how busy A forensic trail begins he is, he is going to pick that up,” she stated. But after many As questions accumulated, the family sought assistance from call attempts, he was not answering, and my anxiety set in.” The widow contacted the supervisor on duty, identified as civil society organisations. Petitions were subsequently made to Tracey. After many calls to her as well, she eventually picked the Inspector General of Police. The organisations called for a fresh and said “everything was under control,” Esther told THISDAY. and independent investigation, including forensic examination of The statement confused her. “What was under control?” she relevant phones, communications and CCTV footage, according to wondered. She continued calling, but the supervisor stopped the petitions. The family also pushed for an autopsy. That decision answering. Then, around 6 a.m., another call came. This time, would produce findings that would later become central to the case. from Valentine Oyemike himself. What the first autopsy found She was told to come to a hospital in Afashio, which is 10-15 According to documents made available to THISDAY, a post-mortem kilometres away from Auchi where the incident occurred. examination conducted on October 3, 2024, at Edo State University Esther wanted to go immediately, but her sister insisted on Teaching Hospital recorded several findings. going in her place because of the baby. The report described an embalmed young adult male and docu“I saw the deceased body.” Mabel, Esther’s elder sister, recalled the morning as something far more serious than an ordinary mented cyanosis, a bluish discolouration associated with reduced hospital emergency. She thought she was going to see a sick oxygenation. It also recorded dark patches on the chest, bruising man. She thought something had happened to Osaghae at work. on the right thigh and other findings. Of particular interest was “I thought he was sick. Maybe something happened at work. a sub-galeal haematoma, a collection of blood beneath the scalp.

The report placed it in the fronto-parietal region and measured it at approximately 8cm by 6cm. The lungs were described as congested and oedematous, with frothy fluid discharge. Histological examination reportedly showed severe pulmonary oedema and alveolar haemorrhage. The stomach contained semi-solid food matter, described as resembling semovita and vegetables, with a volatile and pungent odour. The stomach wall was described as friable and darkish, with greyish material attached to the mucosal surface. The report’s summary included corrosive gastritis, acute lung injury, cyanosis and the sub-galeal haematoma. The pathologists eventually listed asphyxiation, respiratory failure and chemical organophosphorus poisoning in the cause-of-death findings. The first toxicology report, issued on November 15, 2024, appeared to reinforce the poisoning theory. It reported the presence of chlorpyrifos and its metabolites in samples taken from Osaghae. The reported concentrations included 97.8 µg/ mL in stomach contents, alongside lower concentrations in other samples. The report also detected ethyl alcohol. It stated that the concentrations of chlorpyrifos and its metabolites was sufficient to cause fatality. For the family, the evidence appeared to provide a sabotage suspicion. A follow-up examination produced a different picture.

The toxicology report that changed everything

The second toxicology examination, reported on April 22, 2025, was conducted by Bode Technology and Forensics Limited on samples submitted from the National Hospital, Abuja. The laboratory examined samples from the liver, kidney, lungs and tongue scrapings. It found no organophosphorus or carbamate insecticides. It also reported negative results for several other categories of poisons, including chlorinated hydrocarbons, rodenticides, metallic poisons and cyanide. The acetylcholinesterase inhibition test, relevant in assessing exposure to organophosphorus pesticides, was also reported as negative for organophosphorus pesticides. But the laboratory detected THC. The report recorded THC concentrations in the tested tissue samples and described the detected concentration as being within a toxic level. However, the report did not simply declare cannabis the definitive cause of death. It discussed potential toxic effects, including loss of consciousness and possible fatal consequences under certain circumstances. The second toxicology report does not, by itself, establish homicide. What it does is create a major forensic contradiction. One report identified chlorpyrifos. The later report found no organophosphorus pesticide but detected THC. The question became unavoidable: How could samples associated with the same deceased person produce such different toxicological results? A second examination created yet another layer of uncertainty. A medical practitioner’s report dated April 2025 described the body as embalmed but decomposed, with extensive organ decomposition and mould deposition. It recorded a subcutaneous haematoma in the left anterior chest wall. But some findings from the first autopsy were not replicated. The second examination did not report the same sub-galeal haematoma identified in the first autopsy. That difference does not automatically prove that either examination was false. Decomposition, embalming, post-mortem handling, timing and differences in examination techniques can affect findings. What it does demonstrate is the need for competent forensic interpretation and a transparent explanation of the discrepancies. For the family, however, the conflicting findings have deepened rather than resolved their concerns.

The widow who had to leave home

While the forensic battle continued, Esther said she and her daughter no longer felt safe in Auchi. She alleged that the family experienced threats and intimidation after they began demanding answers. She said an organisation supporting the family eventually helped move them from Auchi to Abuja. “We were being threatened from different angles, planting the “paternity” rumours to incite sacrilege consequences against me. The NGO moved us to safety because that place was no longer safe for us,” she said. Mabel also recalled what she described as frightening incidents. She said people appeared to trail them and that there were occasions when strangers were seen around the family’s residence. She recalled neighbours reporting strange activity around the house and dogs barking at night. “We have already seen threats. So, there was a reason for us to leave that town,” she said. The claims of threats have not been independently verified for this report, but they form part of the family’s account of what happened after they began seeking answers. For Esther, the consequences have gone beyond grief. She is now trying to support herself and her daughter. A makeup artist who also does lashes, she said she has begun taking on jobs to survive. “We are just living the day as it comes,” she said. She acknowledged the financial and other support provided by those assisting the family, but said she still has to find ways to provide for her child. Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • APRIL 24, 2011

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

GIFT ORBAN BACK TO STRIKING FORM?

19.9.2026

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S’FINAL TICKET AT STAKE PAGE. 29

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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 S E P T E M B E R 19, 2026

GLOBAL SOCCER

GIFT ORBAN

Back to Striking Form? The career of Gift Orban has recently felt like a rollercoaster of blistering highs and baffling plateaus.Just a few years ago,the 24-year-old Nigerian striker was one of Europe’s most coveted young starlets,dazzling for KAA Gent before enduring quiet, frustrating stints with Lyon, Hoffenheim, and Hellas Verona. Stripped of his clinical edge,his explosive flair seemed to be fading away.However,a summer loan move toAmed SK—navigating their historic first season in theTurkish Super Lig,has spectacularly resurrected the forward.The definitive climax of this redemption arrived on Sunday night, when Orban unleashed a devastating second-half hat-trick to secure a 5-0 victory over Istanbul Baakehir. With six goals in five matches, he has matchedVictor Osimhen at the top of the scoring charts, breathing fire back into his career and demanding a Super Eagles recall

he Resurrection on the Bosporus Gift Orban’s career over the past three years read like a cautionary tale of a meteoric rise followed by a baffling plateau. FromthethunderousheightsofhistimeatKAA Gent, where he etched his name into European folklore with a record-shattering three-minute hat-trick in the Europa Conference League, the Nigerian forward seemed destined for the elite echelon of world football. His 28 goals in 44 matches for Gent turned heads across the continent, prompting Olympique Lyonnais to splash 14 million euros for his signature in January 2024. Yet, Ligue 1 proved a turbulent theatre. Orban struggled to secure a permanent foothold under successive tactical setups at Lyon, scoring a meagre five goals in 21 appearances.Ahasty departure to the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim offered little respite, yielding just four strikes in 13 outings.Asubsequent loan spell at Hellas Verona in Serie A brought brief glimpses of his old tenacity—seven goals and two assists in 29 matches, but it concluded with the bitter taste of relegation. By the summer of 2026, Hoffenheim deemed him surplus to requirements. Seeking an environment stripped of the suffocating pressure of Europe’s traditional heavyweights, Orban accepted a loan move to Amed SK, a club tasting the top tier of Turkish football for the very first time. A Night to Remember at Seyrantepe That gamble is already paying extraordinary dividends. On a vibrant Sunday night at the Seyrantepe Spor Kompleksi Stadyumu 1, Orban delivered a masterclass that announced his definitive return to elite form.After a tightly contested opening 45 minutes against Istanbul Baakehir, the second half transformed into the Gift Orban show. Just seven minutes after the restart, Orban broke the deadlock and doubled his side’s advantage by launching his body at Furkan Soyalp’s inviting cross, steering a precise header into the bottom corner. Two minutes later, the tactical blueprint of the match shifted from pressure to total dominance. Snatching possession during a blistering counter-attack, Orban showed ice-cold composure to convert a neat layoff from Ermal Krasniqi from close range. With 15 minutes remaining on the clock, the script repeated itself with devastating symmetry. Krasniqi once again found Orban inside the danger zone, and the Nigerian striker fired home with clinical authority to complete a breath-taking second-half hat-trick. Chasing Ghosts and Super Eagles Glory The treble brought Orban’s seasonal tally to six goals and one assist in just five league appearances for Amedspor, rocketing him to the summit of the Turkish Super Lig scoring charts. Remarkably, his prolific output places

Gift Orban seems to have found his mojo in Turkey

him in a direct, high-profile tie with compatriot and fellow Super Eagles talisman, Osimhen, who has also bagged six goals in the early weeks of the campaign before picking up an unfortunate hamstring knock. Orban’sscoringrunhavingalreadypunished Trabzonspor, Kasımpaa, and now Baakehir, has transformed him into the undisputed

spearhead of Amedspor’s maiden top-flight journey. The timing could not be more auspicious. With crucial Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau looming, Orban’s resurgence places immense positive pressure on the Super Eagles technical crew. The tests will not wait for sentiment. Tomor-

row, Amed SK return to the Seyrantepe Spor Kompleksi Stadyumu 1 to host a formidable Beikta side. Armed with renewed confidence and a lethal eye for goal, Orban stands ready to prove that his Turkish revival is no mere flash in the pan, but the permanent rebirth of one of Nigeria’s most explosive modern forwards.

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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 S E P T E M B E R 19, 2026

GLOBAL SOCCER

L-R :Nwoko, Iwobi and Bassey Osimhen injured during a Turkish League game

Galatasaray Question Osimhen’s Super Eagles Invitation Citing Fitness

uper Lig champions, Galatasaray have confirmed that Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen is not fully fit despite being named in Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying clashes against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. Osimhen, who has had a brilliant start to the current campaign, sustained the injury during the tough 3-2 win over Istanbul Baakehir. Since suffering the injury, Osimhen has missed Galatasa-

AFCON QUALIFIERS

ray’s last two matches across all competitions against Kocaelispor and Sporting Lisbon. Despite the injury, the Super Eagles star has been named in Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming clashes against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. In a statement released yesterday, Galatasaray confirmed that Osimhen will be unavailable for the clash against Trabzonspor as he continues with his recovery plans. “Mario Lemina, Wilfried Singo, and Victor Osimhen, who are

continuing their treatments, along with Kaan Ayhan, who felt pain in his Achilles tendon during the last training session, are not included in the squad for the Trabzonspor match,” the club wrote. The Nigerian international has had a brilliant start to the campaign, netting six goals and providing two assists in his first four league appearances. The former Napoli striker will be keen to recover from the injury and continue his brilliant performances for both club and country.

Nigeria, Colombia Battle for Semifinal Ticket An exhilarating clash is on the horizon at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, as Nigeria’s Falconets prepare to battle Colombia in a highly anticipated quarter-final matchup at the Stadion Miejski ŁKS in Łód tomorrow. With a coveted spot in the semi-finals at stake, both teams bring immense momentum and contrasting styles to this ultimate knockout showdown. Nigeria enters the quarterfinals after delivering a masterclass performance in the Round of 16, where they comfortably dismantled England with an impressive 3-0 victory. The Falconets’ attack looked ruthlessly

courtesy of a dramatic late own

U20 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP goal forced by Mariana Silva’s

efficient, highlighted by a stun- deflected effort in the 89th minning opener from Tosin Rafiu, ute. Having advanced from the followedbyclinicalfinishesfrom group stage as one of the best JanetAkekoromoweiandsubsti- third-placed teams, Colombia tute Mary Mamudu. Backed by has shown a knack for grinding an inspired performance from out results and capitalising on goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma, critical moments. This quarter-final sets up a who pulled off a crucial penalty save against England, the West classic tactical battle: Nigeria’s Africans are playing with sky- explosive pace and lethal high confidence and defensive finishing versus Colombia’s stubborn backline and gritty solidity. Colombia, on the other hand, determination. The Falconets will look to earned their ticket to the final eight by displaying incredible impose their physical presence resilience against tournament early, while Colombia aims to hosts Poland. The SouthAmeri- stifle the Nigerian rhythm and cans edged out a narrow 1-0 win, strike on the counter-attack.

Former S’Eagles Striker’s Son, 15 Other Nigeria-eligible Players Invited for England National Teams The English Football Association has announced the Three Lions and Young Lions’ squads for the first international break of the 2026-2027 season, with 15 Nigeria-eligible players receiving call-ups. Liverpool winger Rio Ngumoha has earned his first senior call-up for a quartet of UEFANations League matches against Spain, Czechia (2) and Croatia. The one-cap England international would no longer be eligible to represent the

Super Eagles if he makes three competitive appearances. Wolverhampton Wanderers appearances in those matches. Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwa- fullback Wesley Okoduwa, neri and Everton winger Tyrique Arsenal midfielder Ife Ibrahim George have been included in and Chelsea striker Chizaram England’s U21 squad for their Ezenwata have been included final three U21 Euro qualifiers in England U19s manager Ben against Kazakhstan, Slovakia Futcher’s 24-player squad for the friendlies against Republic and Republic of Ireland. Nwaneri has five goals and of Ireland, Norway, the United two assists in fifteen appearances States and Belgium. Wesley is the son of former for England U21s and was a member of the squad that won Nigeria international striker the 2025 European Champion- Emmanuel Okoduwa, who ship,whileGeorgehasregistered impressed at the 2003 African three goal involvements in six Games.

Portugal’s new head coach, Jorge Jesus has explained why he included Cristiano Ronaldo in his first national team squad, stressing that current form, not past achievements, will decide the 41-year-old’s place. Jesus included the Al-Nassr forward in the 25-man group for the upcoming UEFA

Nations League matches against Wales, Norway and Denmark. According to football transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano on X yesterday, “His performance is what matters. The past doesn’t count. Cristiano is a player like all the others. If he is performing well, he will play. If he isn’t, he won’t. “He has a different status and has won five

Coach Jesus Defends Ronaldo’s Inclusion in Portugal Squad

Ballon d’Or awards, but does that influence my decisions? No. “But is he a different player? Absolutely.” The call-up ends speculation that Ronaldo’s international career may have ended after Portugal’s World Cup exit earlier this summer. Jesus will take charge of Portugal for the first time against Wales on September 24.

Iwobi’s Recommendation Encouraged Chelle to Invite Fulham’s Nwoko for Russian Friendly

uper Eagles coach, Eric Chelle contacted Alex Iwobi before deciding to include Fulham midfielder Chibby Nwoko in Nigeria’s squad for the international friendly against Russia. Nwoko has received his first Nigeria call-up for the October 6 friendly in Nizhny Novgorod, and it is confirmed that the Fulham starlet has accepted the invitation to link up with the national team in the coming days. The left-footed midfielder, who has three caps for England U18s, is keen to switch

his international allegiance to Nigeria after previous attempts to secure call-ups to the Flying Eagles and Olympic Eagles failed to materialise. Nwoko still has some documentation to sort out following the expiry of his Nigerian passport. The 20-year-old is expected to begin the process of obtaining a new one, including securing a National Identification Number, with efforts being made to fast-track the process. However, the passport situation will not prevent him from featuring against

Russia as the October 6 fixture is a friendly. Chelle’s decision to invite Nwoko followed his monitoring of the midfielder’s progress at Craven Cottage. The Nigeria coach also contacted Iwobi and asked the Super Eagles star for his assessment of Nwoko, with the Fulham ace speaking highly of the academy graduate. Chelle subsequently watched Nwoko make his Fulham first team debut, where he played 22 minutes against AFC Wimbledon on August 27th, and was impressed by his performance. The Malian tactician consid-

England striker, Princess Ademiluyi has expressed disappointment over her side’s 3–0 loss to Nigeria’s Falconets in the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. Ademiluyi played the full 90 minutes for England, but she failed to deliver the goods. Despite registering five shots — three of which were on target — she could not find the back of the net. The result was unexpected, as England entered the fixture as favourites. While the English side slightly dominated possession, they fell short against

U20 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP

Maltby failed to convert—a missed opportunity that could have changed the game’s trajectory. Ademiluyi also acknowledged the Falconets’ relentless work rate and their resolute defending both on and off the ball, which proved difficult to break down. “I think the team did well in terms of how we reacted after we went down. I don’t think our momentum dipped; I think we went straight back at them,” Ademiluyi said after the match. “For us right now, the primary issue is finishing. Putting the ball in the back of the net is what we need to do.

England Admits Falconets Outplayed The Young Lioness a disciplined Nigerian side. Following the defeat, Ademiluyi reflected on the performance and explained how coach Aduku’s Falconets outplayed them on the day. Despite the defeat, Ademiluyi maintained that England performed well overall, highlighting their positive reaction after conceding the opening goal. However, she noted that poor finishing ultimately cost them. Shortly after Nigeria took the lead, England were awarded a penalty, but Rachel

Business of the Game: Why Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi Is My Choice to Lead Nigerian Basketball

Ugo Udezue

I have seen Nigerian basketball from almost every seat in the building. I wore the green and white for the Under-18s and the national teams, played at the University of Wyoming and then professionally. I became the first Nigerian certified as an NBA agent in the United States, served as Vice President at BDA Sports Management and represented athletes for more than 17 years. Then I came home, brought the African Basketball League and the Continental Basketball League to Nigeria, and cofounded AFA Sports, the first African brand to outfit a team at the Olympic Games. From every one of those seats, the lesson has been the same. Nigeria has never lacked talent. What it needs is an enterprise around the talent. That is why my choice to lead the NBBF is Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi.

Udezue

African basketball is now an industry. Since 2021 the Basketball Africa League has contributed more than $250 million to the GDP of its host countries and supported some 37,000 jobs. The NBA projects $5.4 billion and more than 650,000 jobs by 2034. From 2027 the league moves to permanent, investor-owned franchises, sold in the tens of millions of dollars, each expected to bring a modern arena with it. So far, that money has landed in Kigali, Dakar, Rabat

and Pretoria. Rwanda has 14 million people. Nigeria has more than 220 million, half of them under 19. And no one has our talent. The NBA opened this season with a record 135 international players, and Nigerians are among the largest African groups in the league. D’Tigress have won five consecutive AfroBasket titles and sit eighth in the world. In every state there is a 14-year-old with the frame and the hunger to play at the highest level who has never stood on a proper court. This is also about Nigeria itself. When a Nigerian name is called on draft night, or D’Tigress lift a trophy, the world sees the best of us: gifted, disciplined, excellent. That is national image no advertising budget can buy. Rwanda has used basketball to put Kigali on the map. Read full article online - www.thisdaylive.com

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SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2026 • T H I S D AY, T H E S AT U R D AY N E W S PA P E R

BACK PAGE LEAD PHOTOGRAPH

FISCAL-MONETARY POLICY COORDINATION... Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele (left) and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, after the signing of the Fiscal-Monetary Policy Coordination Memorandum of Understand (MoU) at the CBN Head Office, Abuja…yesterday

OBINNACHIMA EDGY OPTIMIST

obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com

Cardoso’s Three Years and Pursuit of Price Stability

he Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, this Tuesday marked his third year in office. Cardoso was appointed CBN Governor on September 15, 2023, he assumed duty in acting capacity on September 22, 2023 and was confirmed by the Senate on September 26, 2023. Cardoso’s three years at the helm of the CBN have no doubt delivered notable progress. Under his stewardship, the central bank has implemented a series of measures aimed at enhancing market transparency, improving financial stability, Cardoso fostering a more secure investment market-driven exchange rate regime. environment, and shifting towards a His pursuit of price and exchange rate

stability, which are the foundations of any resolute in its fight against inflation by sound economy, appears to be paying maintaining hawkish monetary policy off. These twin objectives are critical stance. By adopting aggressive monetary to achieving macroeconomic stability, tightening, the CBN also targets to curb strengthening investor confidence and excessive money supply, a key driver reducing uncertainty across the economy. of inflation, especially as the country When prices and the exchange rate are enters another election cycle. relatively stable, businesses can plan The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which with greater certainty, make investment measures the rate of change in prices decisions with more confidence and of goods and commodities, which had manage costs more effectively, ultimately surged following the major economic supporting higher economic output. adjustments of 2023 and 2024, has Indeed, every economy functions more embarked on a downward trajectory. efficiently when there is price stability, The latest data from the National Bureau and this has been a central objective of of Statistics (NBS) released this week, the reforms pursued by the CBN under put headline inflation at 15.39 per cent Cardoso. Continued on page 27 The CBN under Cardoso has remained

IBRAHIM B. BABANGIDA The Writer as Righter of History GUEST COLUMNIST

am most elated to identify with my dear friend, Dr. Chidi Amuta, as he presents his memoir: “Homage: Return To Familiar Places” to our public. In addition to being a fine writer, public intellectual and significant journalist of international repute, Chidi Amuta is one of those intellectuals that can be categorized as a national asset. His mind as a fertile ground of ideas and unusual insights. In his writing, he is bold and courageous when necessary. He assumes rational and balanced

positions on national issues. Sometimes, he looks power in the face and states his stand fearlessly. He is infinitely creative, very resourceful and has a mind that understands Nigeria and its contemporary problems and challenges. But in all situations, he maintains an admirable candour and civility of expression even when expressing rational dissent. I have known Chidi as a close friend and also followed his writing career for over four decades. During this period, I have found his writing compelling reading. Not only is his prose refreshing, his logic is often

irresistible as he opens our eyes to unusual possibilities in our national conversation. In being his creative and intellectually resourceful self, he has remained consistent in his national outlook. His outlook on Nigeria remains flawlessly nationalistic. His thought process is above ethnicity, region, religion and partisanship. Even in acknowledging his sense of balance, Chidi comes from an ideological background that can be described as left of center, hence he never ceased to joke about my favourite stance and choice of “A little to the right and a little to the

left”! We share the conviction that Nigeria is essentially a social democratic polity. We love equity and justice but would advocate fair reward for hard work and honest enterprise. Therefore, when he informed me that he was writing his memoirs, I waited anxiously for the outcome. I looked forward to this book as something that would be a delight to read because of the man’s craft as a writer and his refreshing vision and objectivity. I am glad to say Continued on page 27

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