Tag: Nigeria

Tinubu Names Yari, Uzodimma to Steer 2027 Reelection Machine

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the constitution of the for the 2027 elections, with the President and Vice President Kashim Shettima serving as chairman and vice chairman according to a list released Saturday morning. Party Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda joins as vice chairman, while former Zamfara Governor Senator Abdulaziz Yari takes the role of director general. Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma will serve as secretary, supported by APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Bashiru and Hadiza Bala Usman as deputy and assistant secretaries. Tinubu will also lean on a body of advisers including Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Segun Osoba and Senator Rochas Okorocha. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abass and Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni have been assigned as deputy director generals for the south and north campaign zones, while Senator Adams Oshiomhole takes charge of mobilisation. James Abiodun Faleke returns as deputy director general for election planning, working with zonal directors across all six geopolitical zones. The legal directorate will be led by Muiz Adeyemi Banire, while Information Minister Mohammed Idris Malagi coordinates media and strategic communication alongside Dele Alake, Bayo Onanuga and Lanre Issa Onilu. Segun Dada returns as Director of New Media, a role he held in the 2023 campaign, and the council has named five spokespersons led by Dele Alake. Tinubu charged all council members to work tirelessly to deliver victory in the January 2027 elections, urging them to showcase the administration’s economic record and reach out to party members not formally listed to join the effort. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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African Students Crown Olukoyede Continent’s Icon of Integrity

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The African Students Union Parliament has honoured EFCC Executive Chairman Ola Olukoyede with the Pan African Leadership Hall of Fame Award as Africa’s Patriotic Icon of Integrity and Leadership, presented during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters. Speaking for the delegation, Nigerian representative Comrade James Uneze, a student of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, said the honour recognises Olukoyede’s contributions to nation building and his fight against economic and cybercrimes, describing him as a role model who has given hope to Nigerians affected by financial crime. Uneze linked the award to the union’s wider campaigns against cyber fraud, drug abuse and the spread of small arms among African youth, framing the recognition as part of a broader push to reintroduce Pan Africanism as development led by Africans for Africa. Receiving the award on Olukoyede’s behalf, Head of the Commission’s Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit, ACE II Aisha Mohammed, said the recognition shows the EFCC’s efforts are being noticed by young Africans, stressing that collaboration remains central to the Commission’s work and that no single agency can fight corruption alone. Mohammed noted that Olukoyede also chairs the Network of Anti Corruption Institutions in West Africa, calling the timing of the award fitting given the Commission’s continental and international partnerships. The delegation included students from Nigeria, Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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FAAN Boots Company Over Alleged Illegal Parking Fines at Abuja Airport

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The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has ordered the immediate removal of a company accused of illegally imposing parking fines on motorists at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, following a complaint over irregular enforcement of parking rules. FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, disclosed the action in a post on X, saying the complaint was escalated to Managing Director Olubunmi Kuku, who ordered the company’s immediate ejection from the airport. The complaint, raised by a user identified as Ogundipe Esq, alleged that enforcement agents clamped vehicles of motorists who had merely stopped briefly, then demanded a N25,000 fine and, in some cases, directed payment to personal accounts through a point-of-sale operator rather than an official channel. He further alleged that motorists paying through the account displayed at the enforcement office were warned their vehicles could be delayed until payment was confirmed. Achimugu said Kuku has consistently promised swift action wherever evidence of illegal activity affecting airport users emerges and confirmed that discussions are underway to identify a suitable replacement company for the affected duties. He urged vehicle owners to comply with designated parking and traffic instructions at the airport to avoid similar disputes going forward. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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BOI’s N250bn Bond Sells Out in Five Days, Bank Credits Tinubu’s Backing

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The Bank of Industry has credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s support after its N250 billion Series 1 Fixed Rate Bond was oversubscribed within five working days, issued through BOI Financing SPV Plc under the bank’s one-billion-dollar Multi Currency Instruments Programme. BOI Chief Executive Officer Olasupo Olusi said the strong response reflects investor confidence not just in the bank but in Nigeria’s domestic capital market’s ability to mobilise long term capital for productive investment. He credited President Tinubu’s executive approval of investor incentives as central to attracting demand within such a short window. Olusi said the goal of the transaction is to convert investor confidence into increased financing for Nigerian businesses, supporting job creation and a healthier economy. He added that a separate N100 billion fund approved by the President for BOI would help cushion the bond’s pricing and ease the burden of high interest rates on manufacturers and other bank customers. The bank said the transaction broadens its funding base, adding deeper domestic capital mobilisation to its existing track record in international capital markets, though final subscription and allotment figures remain undisclosed pending Securities and Exchange Commission approval. Proceeds from the issuance will strengthen BOI’s capacity to provide long term financing across priority sectors, supporting local value addition, employment and economic diversification, with the bank describing the milestone as further proof of Nigeria’s growing capacity to fund development at scale. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Osun Was the Test, 2027 Is the Exam: INEC and Canada Chart Path to Credible Polls

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The Canadian High Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 General Election, with Chargé d’Affaires David Sproule leading a delegation on a courtesy visit to INEC headquarters in Abuja. Sproule said Canada remained committed to countries strengthening democratic processes and pledged continued support in areas including electoral participation, women’s inclusion, public awareness, technical assistance and election observation, describing credible elections as a shared objective between the two countries. INEC Chairman Prof Joash Ojo Amupitan described Nigeria Canada relations as a longstanding partnership rooted in democratic values and good governance, thanking Canada for its support on civic education, institutional strengthening and gender inclusion. Amupitan pointed to the recently concluded Osun State Governorship Election on August 15, 2026 as a benchmark, noting that 94.5 per cent of polling units opened for accreditation and voting by 8.30am alongside smooth BVAS performance and result uploads, calling it the gold standard guiding preparations for 2027. He disclosed that campaigns for the 2027 elections officially began on August 19, 2026, and that INEC had taken part in a National Peace Accord signing by presidential candidates the day before, while identifying five priorities ahead of the polls, consolidating technology gains, deepening inclusivity, strengthening institutional capacity, countering misinformation and running a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November 2026. The mock exercise, he said, would put the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and other equipment through rigorous field testing ahead of the general election. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Shettima to Nigerians: A Nation Gets Congested When Opportunity Does

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Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the Federal Government is deliberately spreading infrastructure and economic opportunity beyond major cities to ease congestion, expand jobs and promote balanced development nationwide, speaking while inaugurating the Elele Umudioga Egbeda Ubimini Akpabu Ikiri Omoku Dual Carriageway in Rivers State on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The 33.5 kilometre road runs through Ikwerre, Emohua and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government areas, linking communities along a key agricultural, commercial and oil and gas corridor leading to Omoku, widely known as the state’s Gas City. Shettima said the project reflects the Renewed Hope Agenda’s push to extend security, welfare and economic opportunity beyond the centre, arguing that people migrate to cities when roads, markets, jobs and services fail to reach them. He described roads as among the most democratic tools of development, connecting farmers to markets, workers to jobs, students to schools and patients to healthcare. The commissioning adds to a string of infrastructure projects the administration has rolled out in the Niger Delta region this year. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Obi Opens 2027 Bid: Nigeria Can Work, and Nigeria Must Work

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Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has formally kicked off his campaign for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections, marking the official start of the campaign season on August 19, 2026, with an address to Nigerians and the press. Obi called the moment a defining test for Nigerian democracy, giving citizens a chance to weigh the records and plans of those seeking their mandate at a time of what he described as grave global uncertainty, entering the race with the conviction that Nigeria can and must work. He pointed to sobering figures to frame the stakes, citing IMF data showing 63 per cent, over 140 million Nigerians, living at or below the poverty line, alongside estimates that 35 million people will need food assistance during the 2026 lean season and 3.6 million Nigerians remaining internally displaced due to conflict. Drawing on his private sector background and his record as Anambra Governor, Obi said leadership must be measured by outcomes, not intentions, describing his running mate Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s focus on education and human capital development as a complementary governing experience despite their different backgrounds. He framed the campaign around a simple test for voters, whether Nigerians are better off than four years ago, whether businesses can produce and expand, and whether young people and farmers can find productive opportunity. Obi said fixing Nigeria requires more than reactive reforms, calling for disciplined management of public resources and sustained investment in the country’s people as the foundation for economic recovery. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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UNIBEN Confirms N145.9m Student Loan Windfall for 1,454 Beneficiaries

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The University of Benin has acknowledged receiving N145.98 million from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund for 1,454 students under the 2025/2026 academic session. In a letter dated July 7, 2026, signed by Registrar Bimpe Omoyiwola and addressed to NELFUND Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr, the university confirmed the funds arrived in three tranches, an initial N92.75 million paid to 910 students on April 15, 2026, followed by N35.18 million on May 7 for 358 students, and a final N18.04 million on June 9 for 186 more beneficiaries. The three payments brought the total received under the additional tranches to N145,975,250, benefiting 1,454 students in all. Omoyiwola described the initiative as invaluable in widening access to affordable tertiary education for Nigerian students, expressing the university’s appreciation to both NELFUND and the beneficiaries. She assured the agency of UNIBEN’s continued commitment to transparency, accountability and strict compliance with the guidelines governing the student loan scheme. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Nigeria Pitches Africa’s Youth as China’s Next Big Manufacturing Partner

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A senior Nigerian government representative used a keynote address at the 2026 First Working Meeting of the China Africa TVET Cooperation Programme and China Africa MOOC Platform Quality Development to press for deeper skills partnerships between the two regions. The Nigerian delegate told the gathering that the country’s national development plan and Renewed Hope Agenda place technical and vocational education at the centre of economic transformation across manufacturing, agriculture, construction, renewable energy, ICT and the creative industries, stressing that Nigeria needs welders, coders, agro processors and engineers to build its future workforce. Citing Sustainable Development Goal Four, which calls for a sharp increase in youth with skills for employment and entrepreneurship, the representative called for joint TVET institutions, shared curriculum development, teacher exchanges and apprenticeship programmes tailored to Nigeria’s and Africa’s industrial needs rather than classroom theory alone. The delegate said future cooperation under the Forum on China Africa Cooperation must be guided by three principles, relevance, scale and sustainability, arguing that while China brings technology, investment and experience, Africa’s young population brings energy, innovation and a workforce ready to build. The meeting forms part of ongoing efforts to align skills training programmes across the continent with the demands of industry rather than academic theory. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Idris to North Central: Let TETFund Turn Your Classrooms Into Economic Engines

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The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said the Federal Government’s investment in tertiary education through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund will help unlock the North Central region’s vast agricultural, mineral and energy potential, speaking at the 2026 TETFund North Central Zonal Town Hall Meeting in Lokoja, Kogi State. Idris said universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in the zone must be tied directly to its development needs, producing scientists, engineers, agricultural experts, technicians and entrepreneurs capable of unlocking the region’s opportunities. He pointed to the 2026 TETFund intervention as proof of that commitment, with roughly N2.53 billion allocated to each public university, N1.87 billion to each polytechnic and N2.06 billion to each college of education. He described the figures as more than budget lines, representing laboratories that can be equipped, lecture halls that can be built and research that can be supported, while pressing institutions to focus not only on churning out graduates but on research, innovation and job creation. He also highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, technical education and digital skills programmes as tools widening opportunity for young Nigerians, calling education both an economic and a national security investment. Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo said tertiary institutions must move beyond producing graduates to becoming centres of practical solutions, calling for research that tackles real problems in agriculture, mining, healthcare, manufacturing and renewable energy rather than staying confined to theory. Idris urged TETFund to keep its intervention funds transparent and closely monitored and called on stakeholders to ensure the town hall’s recommendations translate into measurable action. The meeting drew the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, represented by Prof Babatunde Bernard, former Kogi Governor Captain Idris Wada, and TETFund Board of Trustees Chairman Rt Hon Aminu Bello Masari, among other dignitaries. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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