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The Federal Government has cancelled $717.7m in undisbursed World Bank financing for Nigeria’s troubled electricity sector, effectively terminating the remaining portion of a $1.52bn power sector recovery programme amid mounting tariff shortfalls, worsening financial pressures, and persistent implementation challenges across the industry.

Documents obtained by The PUNCH from the World Bank website on Monday showed that the cancellation followed a formal request by the Federal Government and a joint decision by both parties to discontinue financing under the Power Sector Recovery Performance-Based Operation due to evolving sector realities and the inability to achieve key reform milestones.

According to the World Bank restructuring paper, the cancelled amount represents the entire undisbursed balance remaining under the programme. “The restructuring will result in the cancellation of the entire undisbursed balance in the amount of $717.7m equivalent, and no further disbursements will be made under the Program following approval of this restructuring,” the bank stated.

The bank also disclosed that the programme’s closing date had been brought forward from June 30, 2027, to May 31, 2026, effectively ending the operation more than a year ahead of schedule. The cancelled facility formed part of a broader World Bank intervention designed to revive Nigeria’s struggling power sector.

The original Power Sector Recovery Performance-Based Operation was approved on June 23, 2020, with financing of about $752.5m equivalent. The programme was structured to improve electricity supply reliability, strengthen the sector’s financial and fiscal sustainability, and enhance accountability among key institutions in the electricity value chain.

Following initial progress recorded under the programme, the World Bank approved an Additional Financing package of approximately $763.5m equivalent on June 9, 2023, to consolidate earlier gains and support a new phase of reforms. The financing became effective on June 19, 2024, and extended the project’s closing date to June 30, 2027.

Together, the original financing and the additional facility amounted to about $1.52bn.

However, while the parent programme achieved substantial results and largely disbursed its resources, the additional financing struggled to meet critical reform conditions, resulting in limited disbursements and eventual cancellation of the remaining funds.

The World Bank noted that Nigeria’s electricity sector continues to face deep-rooted structural challenges despite years of reforms and significant financial support.

The report stated that the sector still suffers from weak distribution performance, transmission bottlenecks, underutilisation of available generation capacity, and persistent financial imbalances.

According to the bank, high technical, commercial, and collection losses across the distribution segment, combined with inadequate cost recovery, have created a recurring mismatch between revenues generated by the sector and its actual operating costs.

“These constraints have created recurrent financing gaps, most notably in the form of tariff shortfalls, which generate liquidity pressures across the value chain and weaken the operational and financial performance of sector institutions,” the report said.

The Federal Government developed the Power Sector Recovery Programme as a framework to restore the sector’s financial viability and reduce its fiscal burden on public finances.

The programme included plans to progressively eliminate tariff shortfalls, improve operational performance among power sector institutions, and strengthen regulatory oversight and accountability mechanisms.


According to the World Bank, implementation of the original operation delivered notable results. The report stated that tariff shortfalls fell by 71 per cent between 2019 and 2022, declining from N581bn to N166bn.

During the same period, regulatory cost recovery improved significantly from 56 per cent to 94 per cent, while annual electricity supplied to the distribution grid increased by 13 per cent between 2018 and 2021.

The bank said all standard disbursement-linked indicators and global indicators attached to the original programme were fully achieved. “Implementation of the parent operation was satisfactory, brought substantial results, and fully disbursed the PforR component as all DLRs were achieved,” the report stated.

Encouraged by those gains, the World Bank approved the additional financing package to address remaining structural weaknesses and deepen reforms under the Power Sector Recovery Programme.

The new facility was expected to support the development of a sustainable financing framework for the sector, improve operational performance through implementation of performance improvement plans, and strengthen governance arrangements among electricity institutions, particularly the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

However, the anticipated reforms failed to materialise within the expected timeframe. The World Bank attributed much of the setback to major macroeconomic developments that dramatically altered the operating environment.

According to the report, the liberalisation of Nigeria’s foreign exchange market in June 2023 triggered a sharp depreciation of the naira, leading to a substantial increase in the cost of natural gas used for electricity generation.

The bank explained that more than 70 per cent of electricity supplied into Nigeria’s national grid is generated using natural gas, whose pricing is denominated in United States dollars.

“The liberalisation of the foreign exchange market in June 2023 led to a significant depreciation of the local currency Naira, which resulted in a big increase in prices of natural gas used to produce above 70 per cent of electricity injected in the national power system,” the report stated.

At the same time, electricity tariffs for most consumers remained largely unchanged despite rising generation costs. The World Bank noted that electricity tariffs had effectively been frozen since early 2023, except for Band A customers, whose tariffs were adjusted to cost-reflective levels in April 2024.


Nigeria, Türkiye sign mining cooperation deal
This widening gap between actual electricity production costs and revenues collected from consumers resulted in a sharp increase in tariff shortfalls. According to the report, annual tariff shortfalls rose from a low of N140bn in 2022 to approximately N1.9tn in both 2024 and 2025.

“Due to the mismatch between the electricity generation costs and the sector tariff revenues, the tariff shortfalls increased sharply in the last 3 years, moving from a low of N140bn in 2022 to a high of N1.9tn per year in 2024 and 2025, putting serious pressure on the limited Federal Government of Nigeria’s fiscal space,” the World Bank said.

The report explained that the sharp deterioration in sector finances prevented Nigeria from achieving key global indicators attached to the additional financing package.

The bank noted that the required indicators were not achieved in 2023, 2024 or 2025 because authorities failed to establish a credible and fiscally sustainable financing plan capable of addressing the growing tariff deficits.

According to the report, the absence of a comprehensive financing framework and a declining trajectory of tariff shortfalls made it impossible to satisfy major programme conditions.

The bank stated, “Recent financing plans have not fully identified sufficient sources of funding to cover tariff shortfalls, nor established a credible trajectory for their reduction.”

Apart from financing challenges, implementation delays also contributed to the programme’s difficulties. The World Bank cited delays in aligning performance improvement plans with eligible expenditures, particularly those involving the Transmission Company of Nigeria, as well as challenges linked to verification requirements for key sector institutions.

“These constraints have limited the ability to trigger disbursements even where elements of progress have been achieved,” the report stated.

As a result, broader disbursements under the additional financing arrangement failed to materialise as expected. The World Bank disclosed that overall implementation progress under the additional financing remained “Moderately Unsatisfactory.”

Financial data contained in the restructuring document illustrates the extent of the programme’s underperformance. Under the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development component, the World Bank had committed $449m. However, only $41.24m had been disbursed, leaving $407.76m undisbursed and a disbursement rate of just 9.18 per cent.

Under the International Development Association component, $754.82m had been disbursed out of a total commitment of $1.063bn, leaving $308.53m undisbursed. The bank further noted that while about 95 per cent of the parent operation had been successfully disbursed, only around nine per cent of the additional financing package had been released.

“Of the AF combination of a loan and a credit totalling $763.5m equivalent, only 9 per cent, corresponding to prior results of the PforR, have been disbursed,” the report stated.

The World Bank concluded that the programme’s original design had become increasingly misaligned with prevailing realities in Nigeria’s electricity sector. “Taken together, these developments point to a misalignment between the design of the operation and the evolving implementation context,” the report stated.

According to the bank, achieving the programme’s objectives required coordinated progress across fiscal, policy, and operational dimensions, conditions that proved difficult to realise within the expected timeframe.

The Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, earlier warned that Nigeria may reject loan facilities from the World Bank if delays in approval and disbursement persist, saying prolonged timelines could undermine the country’s willingness to proceed with such arrangements.

The warning was contained in a press statement last week by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa.

Ogunjimi, who spoke in Abuja during a courtesy visit by a World Bank delegation led by Mrs Treed Lane, stressed that Nigeria expects timely processing of funding requests, given that the facilities are loans and not grants.

He said, “If approvals take more than six months, the Nigerian Government may no longer honour such arrangements,” highlighting concerns over bureaucratic delays in accessing development financing.

The AGF noted that as a responsible borrower, Nigeria should not be subjected to prolonged approval processes that could affect project execution timelines and broader development objectives. He therefore urged the World Bank to “expedite the approval and disbursement of project funds to Nigeria” to support the country’s priorities.

Ogunjimi emphasised that the loans carry repayment obligations, making it imperative that disbursement processes align with project schedules and fiscal planning frameworks.

However, the Senior External Affairs Officer at the World Bank, Mansir Nasir, earlier told The PUNCH that funds for projects financed by the institution were not disbursed at once but in instalments, depending on the nature of the project and financing instruments.

The PUNCH further learnt that Nigeria retained its position as the International Development Association’s third-largest borrower in the first quarter of 2026, despite a slight decline in its exposure to the World Bank’s concessional lending arm from $18.7bn in December 2025 to $18.5bn as of March 31, 2026.

The latest IDA financial statements showed that only Bangladesh, with $22.7bn, and Pakistan, with $19.2bn, ranked ahead of Nigeria, whose exposure accounted for about eight per cent of the institution’s $230.8bn loan portfolio.

However, on a year-on-year basis, Nigeria’s exposure rose by $1.2bn, or 6.9 per cent, from $17.3bn in March 2025, underscoring the country’s continued reliance on concessional World Bank financing.

Nigeria has retained its position as the third-largest borrower from the International Development Association (IDA), the concessional lending arm of the World Bank, despite a slight decline in its debt exposure in the first quarter of 2026.

According to the IDA’s March 2026 financial statements, Nigeria’s exposure stood at $18.5 billion as of March 31, 2026, down marginally from $18.7 billion recorded at the end of December 2025.

The $200 million decline represents a 1.1 per cent reduction over the three-month period. However, on a year-on-year basis, Nigeria’s debt exposure increased significantly by $1.2 billion, or 6.9 per cent, from $17.3 billion recorded in March 2025.

The latest ranking places Nigeria behind Bangladesh and Pakistan among the World Bank’s largest IDA borrowers.

Data from the report showed that Bangladesh remained the largest borrower with an exposure of $22.7 billion, followed by Pakistan with $19.2 billion, while Nigeria ranked third with $18.5 billion.

Other major African borrowers include Ethiopia with $14.4 billion, Tanzania with $14.3 billion, and Kenya with $13.2 billion in outstanding exposure.

The report also revealed that the IDA’s total loans outstanding stood at $230.8 billion as of March 31, 2026, slightly below the $231.1 billion recorded at the end of December 2025, reflecting a mild moderation in the institution’s lending portfolio.

According to the IDA, loans classified under non-accrual status represented only 0.4 per cent of the total portfolio, while provisions for potential loan losses amounted to $6.3 billion, equivalent to about 2.0 per cent of underlying exposures.

Nigeria’s exposure accounted for roughly eight per cent of the IDA’s total loan portfolio and approximately 13.3 per cent of the combined exposure represented by the institution’s ten largest borrowing countries.

The IDA noted that its ten largest country exposures collectively accounted for about 60 per cent of total portfolio exposure as of March 2026, highlighting the concentration of concessional lending among a relatively small number of developing economies.

Despite the slight quarter-on-quarter decline, Nigeria’s debt profile with the World Bank continues to trend upward over the longer term.

The report showed that Nigeria’s exposure rose from $17.3 billion in March 2025 to $18.5 billion in March 2026, underscoring the country’s increasing reliance on concessional financing to support development priorities and economic reforms.

Similarly, Ethiopia’s exposure increased from $13.2 billion to $14.4 billion over the same period, while Tanzania’s exposure rose from $12.6 billion to $14.3 billion.

Bangladesh’s debt exposure climbed from $21.2 billion to $22.7 billion, while Pakistan’s increased from $18.3 billion to $19.2 billion. Ghana also recorded an increase from $7.1 billion to $7.4 billion.

Nigeria’s position among the top borrowers reflects the scale of its infrastructure, social investment, and reform financing needs under the World Bank’s concessional lending framework.

The Federal Government is also currently engaging the World Bank for additional financing support.

Daily Trust reports that Nigeria is seeking a fresh $1.25 billion World Bank facility aimed at expanding access to finance, improving digital services, strengthening electricity supply, and supporting reforms in tax administration, agriculture, and trade.

If approved, the proposed facility would raise total World Bank loan approvals secured under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to about $10.6 billion in June 2023.

The proposed loan would also rank among the largest World Bank facilities approved for Nigeria in recent years, following the $1.5 billion Reforms for Economic Stabilisation to Enable Transformation Development Policy Financing approved in June 2024.

Experts had cautioned Nigeria against the rising multilateral loans especially amidst rising debt with Nigeria’s debt profile rising to N159 trillion as of 2025.

A finance expert and senior partner at SPM professionals, Dr. Paul Alaje recently noted that the current debt stock of the country is directly owned by Nigerians and will be paid by even citizens not yet born.

“So here is the point, as the volume increases, Nigeria has to pay more, mind you the debt they gave to us is not this year, but as of December 31 2025. So by the time we look at the one that we have retired and the new loans that have been approved and some that have been collected this year, it is clear that by the time the DMO is reporting that in the first quarter 2026, we would have crossed $160 billion. So it’s more of a burden on the economy. Whether we have the capacity to pay or not is a different kettle of fish,” he added.

David Umahi, has expressed confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will completely address Nigeria’s insecurity challenges within the next five years if given another mandate.


Umahi made the declaration on Saturday at Umunaga Ward in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State during the APC presidential primary election.

He said the 5,009 party members who turned out at the ward to elect President Tinubu as the party’s candidate for the 2027 general election show the people’s trust and confidence in the president.


Addressing party faithful and leaders, Umahi described Ebonyi State as a stronghold of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that the people had resolved to demonstrate total loyalty and support for President Tinubu and the ruling party.

“Ebonyi State is totally APC. We are only APC,” Umahi declared, adding that there was no other political party in Ohaozara Local Government Area apart from the APC.


He said the massive turnout of party members showed the people’s appreciation for Tinubu’s administration, especially for the appointments and infrastructure projects being executed across the South-East region.

According to him, President Tinubu has integrated the South-East into national politics through key appointments and developmental projects.

“Bola Tinubu is the Biafra we have been looking for. A man who has integrated the entire South-East, given us juicy appointments and very important infrastructure,” he said.

Speaking on the economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration, Umahi acknowledged the difficulties Nigerians initially faced but insisted that the policies had stabilized the nation’s economy.

“I laugh when people talk about the hardship caused by the reforms. Nobody has been able to say where Nigeria would have been without them,” he stated.

He maintained that the country had passed through the most difficult phase, expressing optimism that the benefits of the reforms would soon reach ordinary Nigerians at the grassroots.

“The macro-economy is stable and the President is now taking it down to the micro-economy. The worst is over and Nigerians will soon begin to see the benefits,” Umahi added.

He also commended the Federal Government’s ongoing road and bridge projects across the country, saying they were clear signs that the administration was reclaiming and rebuilding critical infrastructure nationwide.

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and member of its National Working Committee, Kenneth Okonkwo, has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing his administration as a “government of catastrophe” amid worsening economic hardship, rising insecurity and mounting public debt.

Okonkwo made the remarks during an appearance on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television, where he delivered a blistering assessment of the Tinubu administration nearly three years after assuming office.

The lawyer and opposition politician said Nigerians must confront what he described as the stark realities of the country’s current condition, insisting that the administration’s record so far has brought more hardship than hope.

“First of all, let’s be realistic, this has been three years of catastrophe,” Okonkwo declared.


He accused the President of failing to deliver on key promises to Nigerians, saying the only commitment Tinubu appears to have fulfilled was borrowing heavily as captured in successive national budgets.


“The only thing I can concede to President Tinubu is that in the budget, all the amounts he said he was going to borrow, he borrowed it. That is the only thing he fulfilled,” he said.

Okonkwo also questioned the Federal Government’s debt management approach, accusing the administration of relying on what he described as misleading economic measurements while the country’s productive capacity continues to weaken.

According to him, an economy that is not driven by strong production cannot afford to assess its debt sustainability merely through gross domestic product figures, warning that such an approach could push the country toward a fiscal crisis.

“A government that is not producing anything is now dubiously computing our debts based on GDP,” he said.

“Any country that is not a producing nation, you have to denominate your debt to your revenue because you will run into problems. Soon, you will be bankrupt.”


The former presidential campaign spokesman painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s business environment, arguing that the economic climate has become so hostile that only investors with access to significant foreign currency reserves can hope to survive.

“You have to be a billionaire in dollars for your businesses in Nigeria to survive,” he said.

Okonkwo further alleged that politics has become the only thriving sector under the current administration, claiming that public resources are increasingly being mobilised toward political calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“This is the government of catastrophe. The only viable business is politics,” he said.

He alleged that governors were already mobilising enormous financial resources to support political campaigns, claiming that the administration is determined to eliminate any serious electoral competition in 2027.

“The governors are already budgeting ₦800 billion to support the campaign. That is the only industry that is blossoming under Tinubu because he does not want any contest in 2027,” Okonkwo alleged.

On the issue of national security, the ADC stalwart said the country has witnessed an alarming deterioration, describing Nigeria as a dangerous environment increasingly defined by violence, terrorism and loss of lives.
“Nigeria has become a killing field,” he said.

He added that the country’s global security ranking reflects the severity of its internal challenges.

“You have 195 countries on earth, and Nigeria is the fourth most terrorised nation,” Okonkwo stated.

His comments come amid growing political debate over the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, debt accumulation strategy, inflationary pressures, exchange rate volatility and the continuing security challenges across several parts of Nigeria.

While the Federal Government has repeatedly defended its economic reforms as painful but necessary steps toward long-term stability, opposition figures such as Okonkwo continue to argue that the policies have deepened poverty, weakened businesses and left millions of Nigerians struggling with the rising cost of living.

The latest remarks are expected to further fuel political discourse as parties begin strategic positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Obaofaba:
Why take an illegal route through the desert just to escape from Nigeria.

They should thank God they are still alive and also thank the government for ensuring their safe returns.

Many have died on that deadly mission either on the harsh weather of the Sahara or in the Atlantic Ocean.

Only a handful made it to Italy.

Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, has announced a power outage in the Presidential Villa, Supreme Court, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and other parts of Abuja.


AEDC disclosed this in a notice on Saturday.

The distribution company attributed the outage to a technical fault.


Areas affected include State House, the Supreme Court, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Lugbe, Asokoro, Central Area, Garki Area 2, 3, 7, and 8 and some other parts of the nation’s capital.

The company, in the notice, apologized to “valued customers” in Bolingo Hotel, NAN, Turkish, Sudan, Egypt Embassy, Envoy Hotel, European Union, National Planning Commission, National Hospital, Pakistan, India Embassies, Garki Areal, 2, 3, 7, and 8, Garki Village, Garki Market, Ubiaja Street, Kaltungo Street, Lagos Street, Oka Akoko Street, Treasury House, Karibu Hotel, Oke Agbe Street, Part of Asokoro, Yakubu Gowon Street, Kano, Sokoto, Imo Government Lodges and Gado Nasko Street.


Other areas listed are Justice Sowemimo, Hassan Musa Katsina Streets, Part of Jasse Martin, NIA, TY Danjuma, De Well Apartments, Maitama Sule Street, State House, NASS Annex, Aso Drive, NJC, Supreme Court, SGE, DIA, Command Guest House, Barracks, War College, BAT Barracks, Lugbe, Jedo, Forte Royal, Back Of Dunamics, Customs Qtrs, Aviation Village Piwoye Kapwa, Ok Water, Nicomsat, Korean School, Nnamdi Azikiwe Int’l Airport, Dunamis Church, Shoprite, Airport Road, Airforce Base, River Park Estate, Immigrations, Customs, Correctional Services and Civil Defense Offices and environs.

Meanwhile, AEDC said the technical team of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, is working to restore power supply to the affected areas.

“We regret the inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience and understanding,” AEDC stated.

Some of the 497 Nigerians repatriated from Niger Republic on Friday have recounted the harsh experiences they endured while attempting to migrate illegally to Libya in search of better living conditions.

The returnees, who were received by the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano around 12:40 p.m., included 174 men, 97 women, 137 boys and 89 girls from states such as Kano, Jigawa, Borno and Kaduna.

One of the returnees, Sani Hamisu from Kano State, said he left Nigeria in search of economic opportunities after struggling financially at home.

According to him, he hoped to improve the welfare of his family and also raise enough money to get married.

“I wanted to support my family as the first son and also get married, so I decided to travel to Libya,” he said.

Hamisu described the journey through the desert as traumatic, saying many migrants lost their lives due to lack of food and water.

“In the desert, there was no water and no food, many died. Once your water finishes, nobody can help you even with a cup of water,” he added.

He disclosed that he spent six years in Libya doing menial jobs but eventually returned to Nigeria without achieving his goals.

“IOM rescued us in the desert and took us back to Niger Republic before we were brought to Nigeria,” he said.

Another returnee, Harira Muhammad, a mother of two from Borno State, said she travelled to Libya eight months ago in a bid to support her husband, who suffered a leg fracture after being hit by a vehicle during a Boko Haram attack.

“My husband was knocked down by a car during a Boko Haram attack and has had a leg fracture since then.

“I travelled to Libya in search of greener pastures, but we were attacked by bandits who collected our money,” she said.

Harira appealed to the government to assist returnees with business support and empowerment programmes to help them rebuild their lives.

Speaking on the exercise, the Head of Operations at NEMA’s Kano Office, Dr. Nura Abdullahi, explained that the repatriation was voluntary and not a forced deportation.

“It is a voluntary repatriation of Nigerians from Niger Republic. The returnees were brought back by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he said.

Abdullahi stated that the operation was coordinated through a collaboration involving the Nigerian Mission in Niger Republic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Organisation for Migration, IOM.

According to him, the arrangement was aimed at ensuring the safe and dignified return of stranded Nigerians.

He added that NEMA and relevant agencies provided support services for the returnees immediately after arrival, while the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons supplied medication to the Nigerian Red Cross medical team for those with health challenges.

Abdullahi noted that most of the migrants embarked on the journey in search of better economic opportunities but later realised the route was unsafe.

The NEMA official also advised Nigerians against embarking on dangerous migration journeys in search of greener pastures abroad.

[b]“No country is better than their country of origin,” he said.

Troops of 12 Brigade, in collaboration with local vigilantes, have arrested two suspected terrorists during a fighting patrol in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State.

This was made known in a post on X by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency and security expert in the Lake Chad region.

Makama stated that the operation was conducted at about 9:00 a.m. on May 19 along the Eganyi–Atabatam–Epiri–Ebatoto–Idebe axis following sustained surveillance and patrol activities in the area.

According to him, the troops reportedly carried out a coordinated sweep of the general area as part of ongoing efforts to curb criminal activities and restore security along vulnerable routes.

He added that during the operation, two suspected terrorists were apprehended.

The security expert further revealed that items recovered from the suspects included one motorcycle, one machete, and one mobile phone, among other sundry items.

“The suspects and recovered items were subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation and necessary action.

“The patrol formed part of continued operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks operating within Kogi State and its surrounding axis,” he said.

jom28gy:
What else does APC know how to do

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigeria’s security chiefs to address insecurity immediately following the recent abduction of school pupils and teachers in Oyo State.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the demand known in a statement on Wednesday.

Recall that at least 30 pupils and seven teachers were abducted by bandits from Community High School and L.A. Basic School, Ahoro Esinele, and First Baptist School (Nursery and Primary), Yawota, all in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Thereafter, one of the teachers was reportedly decapitated by the bandits.

The development has stirred reactions from Nigerians demanding immediate action to rescue the abducted pupils and teachers.

Reacting, the union said the Nigerian government at all levels must wake up.

“Our security agencies should do a thorough soul-searching. It is superfluous to say it is their sacred duty to protect lives and property. We believe where there is a will, there will be a way. Address this challenge before it is too late.

“We demand action now. We have had enough of sermons and condolence messages. For how long should we continue to bleed like this?” the labour union stated.

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Rashidi Ladoja, has stopped the proposed demolition of about 186 houses at Isokan Estate Extension, Alao-Akala, Elebu area of Ibadan in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Checks by The PUNCH revealed that the private residence of the Olubadan in Ibadan North Local Government Area was besieged on Sunday, around 12:30 p.m. by truckloads of Isokan Extension landlords, who informed the monarch that the rooftops of their houses had been removed between Thursday and Friday ahead of a planned demolition following an Ibadan High Court judgment in favour of one Mogaji Olopade Taofeek Abiola, also known as Mogaji Oloyin.

In a bid to save the affected houses, many of which had already been marked for demolition, the Olubadan gave the landlords the opportunity to repair their damaged rooftops after a second meeting with relevant stakeholders held at his Bodija residence on Tuesday.

The monarch also warned land grabbers to stay away from the area, insisting that the disputed land was not available for illegal acquisition.

The PUNCH recalls that Ladoja, on Tuesday, October 15, 2025, inaugurated a five-member committee on land grabbing and other related offences.

The committee, tasked with addressing land-grabbing issues from a legal perspective, includes Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Niyi Akintola and Musibau Adetunmbi. Other members are Yinka Okunade, Rahman AbdulRaheem and Tunji Thomas.

Olubadan stated that both the Oyo State Government and the Olubadan-in-Council were united in their resolve to rid Ibadan of land grabbing.

“Land grabbing is like an interlocking web of complex connections involving diverse interests that need to be unravelled. I know each of you very well. While we entertain no illusion as to the gravity of your responsibility, I have no doubt in my mind that you have the capacity to carry out the responsibility,” the monarch said.

Also, on Wednesday, April 2, 2026, the paramount ruler received the report of the land-grabbing committee, which proposed legal backing to curb the activities of land grabbers in the city.

Ladoja said, “The proposed legal framework would entail the passage of bye-laws by local government councillors, in accordance with the Land Use Act, to provide for the creation of special tribunals that would give accelerated hearing to cases of land grabbing in Ibadan and specify sanctions.”

However, at Tuesday’s meeting, stakeholders agreed that fresh ground markings should be carried out by independent surveyors to determine the exact boundaries of the disputed land, with the exercise to be monitored by the state Ministry of Lands, Housing, Survey and Urban Development.

“By so doing, we would be able to know who is trespassing on whose land and determine the next line of action to take,” the Olubadan said.

He also commended the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbemiga Abimbola, for ensuring prompt police intervention in the area and preventing the situation from escalating.

Confirming the development in a statement issued in Ibadan on Wednesday, the Olubadan’s media aide, Adeola Oloko, said the monarch’s residence was flooded by landlords from Isokan Extension seeking intervention.

“The Olubadan residence was besieged by truckloads of Isokan Extension landlords at about 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. They informed Kabiyesi that their house rooftops had been removed between Thursday and Friday ahead of demolition following an Ibadan High Court judgment in favour of Mogaji Olopade Taofeek Abiola, also known as Mogaji Oloyin,” the statement read.

Oloko added that Mogaji Oloyin had maintained that the 31 acres of land at Isokan Extension belonged to his family and that he possessed a valid court judgment and survey plan.

“He contended that he had made efforts to bring the reality of the matter to the attention of those concerned and invited the landlords for dialogue, but his efforts were rebuffed,” Oloko stated.

According to the spokesman of the Isokan community, Isiaq Olatunji, some fences had already been demolished in addition to the removed rooftops.

“Apart from the rooftops removed, some house fences have also been pulled down, leaving residents in fear. Unless Kabiyesi intervenes, we may be displaced unjustly,” Olatunji said.

Oloko further disclosed that neighbouring communities such as Alausa, Aromokun and Oluyedun, which were not covered by the court judgment, were also under threat, with fears that more than 400 houses could eventually be demolished.

Those present at the meeting included the Chairman of the Association of Ibadan Mogajis, Asimiyu Ariori; the Land Committee Secretary, Mogaji Odeku; Baale Apena; and personal aides to the Olubadan.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arrested a former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman.
Mamman, who has remained in hiding even after being sentenced to 75 years in prison, was arrested in Rigasa, Kaduna State.

Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the anti-graft agency, who disclosed this to journalists during a press briefing in Abuja, explained that he was arrested at about 3:30am.

Daily Trust reports that a Federal High Court in Abuja had last week sentenced Mamman to 75 years in prison in absentia, a few days after he was convicted.

Justice Omotosho convicted him of all 12-count charges, which bordered on money laundering and fraud amounting to N33.8 billion, connected to the diversion of funds from the Mambilla and Zungeru hydropower projects.


Olukoyede revealed that Mamman was nabbed alongside two others who were protecting him, adding that the house where he was arrested is currently being investigated.
“I’m happy to announce to Nigerians that at about 3:30 a.m. this morning, we arrested Mr Saleh Mamman.

“This is a test of the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the fight against corruption in Nigeria and to assure Nigerians that anyone who has dipped into government or national resources will not go unpunished.
“The eagle eye of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will always catch up with you wherever you are hiding,” Olukoyede said.

After the briefing, Daily Trust’s further findings revealed that Mamman was nabbed after he was tracked to the location in Kaduna, where he was being protected.
A high-placed source confided in our correspondent that the former minister continued to change his phone and use different SIMs, a development that made the tracking difficult before he was finally arrested.
“The convict continued to change his phone number. He continued using different phone lines. But as God would have it, operatives closed in on him, and he was finally arrested,” the source said.

Speaking further, Olukoyede warned that anyone involved in the diversion of public resources would eventually face justice, assuring Nigerians that the EFCC would continue to investigate both public and private individuals accused of corruption.

Silentgroper:
Where is national park??


Where In oyo state did this happen??

The Lagos State Government says it is planning to phase out the classification of electricity customers into different bands as introduced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission in 2024.

In April 2024, NERC placed electricity customers into bands A to E. Band A customers are premium customers mandated to pay the real cost of electricity while enjoying a minimum of 20-hour stable power supplies. Customers in other bands still enjoy government subsidies but with fewer electricity supplies.

Speaking at a ministerial press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, on Monday, the Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Biodun Ogunleye, said the Lagos State Government is eyeing stable electricity for all without any need for the banding system.


As the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission now oversees the Lagos electricity market, Ogunleye said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is interested in ensuring stable power in all homes.


“Let me say this: Part of what we are trying to enable is an environment that eliminates banding. Banding says that you have 3, 8, 12, or 21 hours of electricity.

“What we are saying is, is it impossible to have a continuous power supply? The governor has thrown the challenge and even repeated it again this morning. Is it impossible to have a 24-hour power supply?


“I strongly believe that we can do it. We have seen it before in this city. Banding is not what we want to focus our attention on,” he said.

Ogunleye had earlier said that the Lagos State Government would not allow an electricity subsidy, saying consumers in the state would pay the real cost of electricity as directed by the governor.

He said the state had expanded solar streetlight deployment, strengthened electricity infrastructure, and accelerated clean energy initiatives as part of efforts to transform Lagos into a reliable 24-hour economy.

Ogunleye said the state had intensified implementation of the Lagos State Electricity Law 2024 to establish a competitive electricity market driven by private sector participation.

According to him, the state has updated its Integrated Resource Plan and finalised a Strategic Implementation Plan aimed at eliminating the single-buyer electricity model and encouraging bilateral energy trading.

He said the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission had strengthened licensing and enforcement activities, while the Lagos Independent System Operator was being positioned to improve grid stability and market performance.

On renewable energy deployment, Ogunleye said the government had replaced 22,000 conventional streetlights with smart solar-powered systems across major highways and roads, including Gbagada-Oshodi Expressway, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Ikorodu Road, and Funsho Williams Avenue, adding that another 20,000 solar streetlights had been installed, bringing the total number of operational smart solar streetlights in the state to about 42,000.

The commissioner said critical public facilities had also benefited from improved power supply interventions. He noted that Gbagada General Hospital now enjoyed between 21 and 22 hours of daily electricity following the installation of 2MVA and 1MVA transformers.

According to him, lithium-ion battery storage systems had been deployed across 11 primary healthcare centres and 52 secondary schools, while the Lagos State Television had been equipped with a 200KVA solar-powered energy system.

Fresh facts have emerged over the abduction of school pupils and the killing of two teachers alongside an okada rider in Ahoro-Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, as investigators uncovered how suspected informants allegedly maintained communication with the abductors through telephone conversations.

The Oyo State Police Command disclosed that investigators traced the suspects through calls believed to have been exchanged with the bandits during and after the operation.

According to the police, the conversations allegedly contained details on how the criminals could successfully navigate routes within the National Park to hidden locations used as safe havens.

The breakthrough led to the arrest of no fewer than six suspects, who are currently in police custody and assisting security agencies with ongoing investigations into the gruesome incident.

Confirming the development on Tuesday morning, the State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said the suspects were apprehended during coordinated security operations across different locations in the state.

“We have six suspects in custody and they are assisting the investigation,”[/b]Ayanlade said.

He added that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly served as informants to the bandits responsible for the abduction and killings.

[b]“Our findings showed that some of the suspects were in contact with the abductors through telephone conversations and investigators are analysing those communications as part of efforts to uncover the full network behind the crime,” he stated.

Ayanlade further disclosed that security agencies uncovered discussions allegedly centred on routes through the National Park and locations believed to have been used by the criminals as hideouts.

“The conversations contained information on how the abductors could move through the National Park undetected and reach safe locations,” he added.

The police spokesman explained that the suspects were arrested during joint operations involving the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Agro-Rangers.

“The arrests were made possible through intelligence-driven operations carried out by joint security operatives working collaboratively to dismantle the criminal network,” Ayanlade said.

He assured residents that security agencies were intensifying efforts to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate linked to the attack.

“We are committed to ensuring that every individual connected to this criminal act is identified, arrested and brought to justice. Investigations are still ongoing,” he said.

The incident, which claimed the lives of two teachers and an okada rider while school pupils were abducted last Friday, has continued to generate concern among residents of the affected communities and neighbouring areas in Oyo State.

DomPerignon:
Natasha is gone be that.

Bello will win her by a landslide.

A former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has won the All Progressives Congress senatorial primary for Kogi Central in a decisive victory on Monday.

The direct primary election was conducted across the five local government areas that make up the Kogi Central senatorial district.

The Returning Officer, Dr Sadiq Mohammed, announced the results at the collation centre in Okene, describing the exercise as orderly and credible.

Mohammed said Bello polled 72,399 votes, defeating Ibrahim Adoke, who scored 319 votes, and Momoh Yusuf Obaro, who garnered 188 votes.

He added that Bello recorded overwhelming victories across all five local government areas in the district.

In Adavi Local Government Area, Bello secured 18,341 votes, while he scored 10,298 votes in Ajaokuta Local Government Area.


He also garnered 5,146 votes in Ogori Local Government Area, consolidating his wide margin in the contest.

Further results showed Bello polled 8,943 votes in Okehi and 29,621 votes in Okene, his strongest base.

The returning officer said the total of 72,399 votes confirmed a clear and decisive mandate for Bello across the district.

He noted that the process reflected the party’s commitment to internal democracy and peaceful conduct during the primary election.

The outcome positions Bello as the APC flagbearer for the Kogi Central senatorial seat in the 2027 general elections. (NAN)

DESPITE decades of reforms, huge public spending, and the privatisation of Nigeria’s power sector, millions of citizens and businesses continue to grapple with poor electricity supply, rising tariffs, and failing infrastructure. More than a decade after the unbundling of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, the crises persist. In this interview, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, Joe Ajaero, describes the sector as “the biggest scam in the country,” alleging that it has become a preserve of powerful interests. He speaks on the failed privatisation, DisCos’ challenges, tariff controversies, and pathways to lasting reforms.

Excerpts:

What do you see as the biggest structural failure in Nigeria’s power sector today? Do you think it is generation, transmission, or distribution?

Well, I think it is none of these in isolation. I cannot say that any one of these areas is the major problem. It is collective. We have three sectors that work together. The truth is that if there is a problem in one sector or another, then you are going to suffer for it.

If you generate 10,000 megawatts and transmission capacity is 5,000 megawatts, it is not guaranteed that you will even wheel 5,000 megawatts. You may get to distribution, and the distribution capacity may not even take 10,000 megawatts. So, you suffer either way.

If you have distribution capacity that can take 10,000 megawatts, but transmission cannot meet that capacity, it is a problem. If you have transmission and distribution capacity that can take 10,000 megawatts, but generation has not provided 10,000 megawatts, then that is also a problem. Every sector must match the other.

But the greatest challenge is that these three sectors believe they can handle 10,000 megawatts, yet the supply is not stable. Distribution cannot say it can consistently handle 4,000 megawatts. They may do so today, but tomorrow they may not. The same thing applies to transmission and generation. Generation may tell you there is no gas or that the water level has dropped.

I think this is a challenge we have created in this country because we do not have a conscious master plan for the power sector. The stakeholders are investors whose motive is simply to make money. Until the stakeholders sit together and plan for the future, the problem will remain.

So, are you saying this is the reason why, after 10 years of privatisation, electricity supply has not improved significantly?

Was privatisation meant to improve electricity supply? It is important that we realise this. Privatisation was never meant to improve power supply.

Before the eventual privatisation, licences were given to some individuals to generate electricity, but they did nothing. We told them that the total capacity of NEPA, later known as the PHCN, was 4,000 megawatts. It is scandalous and criminal that the total capacity today is still about 4,000 megawatts.

At the time, I led the union and we warned them that if they privatised and split the system into 20 companies, it would still be the same 4,000 megawatts they were sharing. And that is exactly what happened. Eko, Ikeja, Ibadan, Enugu DisCo, and others are all still depending on the same 4,000 megawatts.

The unbundling and privatisation were not meant to increase capacity. The plan was simply to divide the system so that you would have 20 managing directors and several executive directors, all being serviced from the same 4,000 megawatts. The plan was not to increase generation, transmission, or distribution.

They claimed they wanted to privatise NEPA because it was obsolete. Yet they were all fighting to buy the same supposedly obsolete equipment. They also claimed NEPA was inefficient, but it was that same NEPA that was divided into 20 entities and sold. How did they expect that to improve power supply?

If they truly privatised for the purpose of improving the power sector, they should have shown examples of countries where privatisation improved generation, transmission, and distribution.

Do you think government policy is the challenge, or is it inefficiency in the private sector?

You have to balance the two. You cannot simply generalise that the private sector is inefficient. For example, you can assign the private sector a place like Abuja Central Area. They can handle independent generation there. They can use solar to generate, transmit, and distribute power within that area effectively.

You can also go to Zungeru, which can provide about 900 megawatts, and build a power plant there. We are not talking about politically motivated power stations, as were built when Olusegun Agagu was Minister of Power.

Then you go to the Niger Delta, to places like Bayelsa and Rivers, where gas is constantly being flared. The gas being flared there can power gas-fired stations. Instead, we build political power plants in places like Papalanto and Omotosho and then construct expensive gas pipelines from Bayelsa to those locations. More money is spent on pipelines when the plants could simply have been built where the gas already exists. Once there is any disruption along the pipeline route, the gas supply is affected.

So, we need diversification. We need an energy mix. When people discuss climate change, some countries talk about reducing non-environmentally friendly sources. But you must first have enough electricity before transitioning. Countries like Germany still use coal significantly. In fact, Germany depends on not less than 40 per cent coal for its electricity supply.

In Nigeria, we have no coal-fired power plants despite our large coal deposits. Why? I visited one or two coal-fired plants in South Africa, and a single plant generated 2,000 megawatts. If we combine coal plants with hydro projects like Mambilla and Zungeru, we could generate around 5,000 megawatts from those sources alone. Gas stations could then serve as supplementary or emergency plants.

But instead, we overload gas-powered stations and charge Nigerians based on the cost of gas. That is why I advocated for a Ministry of Energy, where the minister in charge of gas would also oversee transmission and generation. In that case, gas supply and pricing issues would be better coordinated.

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Joseph Tegbe as Power Minister. What are your thoughts?

I have stopped advising government on the people they appoint because they have their own considerations. To them, they believe those people will deliver, so we simply watch.

Even the person appointed as Special Adviser on Power, Mr Rilwan Lanre Babalola, is a former minister. He was at the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) when they designed the privatisation modalities for PHCN. After that process failed, perhaps Mr President is bringing him back to make the system work.

So let us wait and see, 12 or 13 years later, whether they can finally get it right. The man, Babalola, is also the chairman of a newly established Presidential Task Force on Power Sector Reset and Restoration. But I do not know its exact assignment.

Is it meant to improve generation, transmission, or distribution?

Because if the focus shifts away from those core areas, Nigerians will not get electricity.

Is there any power plant Nigeria plans to commission this year? That is the important question. If we start building power plants today, they will only be commissioned in the next three years. Are there any plants currently being built for commissioning next year, in two years, or in three years? If there are none, then the power situation will not improve.

You cannot achieve stable electricity by magic. If we begin now, then in the next four years we can expect improvement. But if no projects are ongoing, even reinforcing existing lines will not solve the problem permanently.

What are your thoughts on the banding system: Band A, Band B, and Band C, where Nigerians pay more for electricity but still do not get supply?

Nigerians are too docile. Why should somebody classify me as Band A and classify another person differently? Is it not my right to have electricity for 24 hours?

As long as this banding system exists, many parts of the country will continue to suffer poor supply. If you go to some villages now, many communities hardly receive electricity supply. The authorities focus on areas designated as Band A because they can pay morɓe. To that extent, electricity is no longer treated as a social service.

People in villages and rural communities are effectively abandoned because they cannot afford the high tariffs. Band A, Band B, and Band C are unfair, and people should not accept the arrangement.

Most Nigerians, including government officials, have said the privatisation of the power sector is not working. Why is it difficult to reverse it?

The privatisation policy originated under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Since the All Progressives Congress (APC) came into power from Muhammadu Buhari to Bola Tinubu, they have not clearly presented their own power or energy policy. They have simply continued with privatisation.

Ordinarily, a new government should assemble experts to review the previous policy and produce a new blueprint. The late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua actually set up a Power Sector Reform Committee headed by Rilwanu Lukman, and I served on that committee. He suspended the privatisation for three years because he said, “How can I privatise something that is not available?”

The 4,000 megawatts Nigeria currently generates was largely achieved during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. When Obasanjo came in, generation was around 2,000 megawatts. Through rehabilitation and the installation of turbines, it was increased to 4,000 megawatts without building entirely new plants. Later, they started projects like Papalanto and Omotosho.

However, some plants such as Geregu were commissioned using generators, and many eventually ran into problems. At least they attempted to build power plants. But when these plants were sold, some transactions were questionable. For example, Geregu was sold under willing buyer, willing seller arrangements without proper bidding.

Now ask yourself—since the takeover, have these companies increased capacity beyond what they inherited? That alone is enough to show whether privatisation has worked or not.

In every power station, there are simple improvements that can be made. For instance, if you have turbines, you can increase capacity. Ask any of them: have they increased capacity? Are they even operating optimally?

Even if they are operating optimally, countries still plan ahead. If Nigeria has 500 houses this year, next year that number could rise to 550. Those additional 50 houses will need electricity connections and power. So how many megawatts are we supposed to generate next year? Are we not supposed to be building more plants?

Because by the time you have additional houses competing for the same 4,000 megawatts, the number of hours of electricity supply people receive will reduce. As demand rises and supply remains stagnant, the situation naturally worsens.

Organised Labour in the sector has complained about casualisation, pension issues, and lack of working tools. How have these issues affected the sector?

The issue in the power sector also concerns human rights and conditions of service. In fact, we were able to secure conditions of service in some areas, but many of those who came in had no intention of respecting workers’ rights.

Let me tell you what happened recently. The new management that took over one of the DisCos sent a document to all workers in the form of an oath of secrecy. They circulated it and gave all workers within their coverage area a deadline to sign it. The document leaked and got to us. We wrote to them, warning that if they failed to withdraw the form, they would have us to contend with. The following day, or two days later, they withdrew it.

They had attempted to circulate the same kind of form around 2003, and we resisted it then as well. The essence of that document was to compel workers to distance themselves from unions, thereby allowing management to do whatever they wanted. They could convert workers into casual staff and impose all kinds of unfavourable conditions. That is what you are seeing in the power sector today.

Even the people currently managing some of these DisCos are not the original owners. The first people who bought these companies resold them, and the companies have since changed hands several times. In truth, many of those initial buyers lacked both the financial and technical capacity to manage them. They did not have the money required.

If you observe closely, some banks have effectively taken over many power companies because they financed their acquisitions through loans. The original buyers of these power assets had little or no capital of their own. They borrowed heavily from Nigerian banks, and this contributed to the liquidity challenges the banks later faced because of the power sector. No foreign capital came into the country to purchase these DisCos. The acquisitions were financed largely with local bank loans.

That is why, if you look at Abuja Electricity today, banks have effectively taken over because the operators could not repay their loans. Since then, everything has revolved around profit. Human rights abuses began to emerge. Not long ago, we saw what happened at one of the DisCos where almost 900 workers were sacked. That is the kind of abuse taking place.

The operators lack the financial muscle and technical competence required to run these companies effectively. At the time, if you and I had agreed, we could simply have registered an electricity company, gone to a bank, obtained a loan, and acquired either Abuja or Ikeja Electricity. If we failed to service the loan, the bank would step in and seize the company.

As we speak, almost eight or nine DisCos have been taken over by banks. Many of these companies are facing serious challenges because of this arrangement. That is the problem we have today. We failed to ensure that only investors with genuine technical expertise and real financial capacity took over these DisCos. Now, the banks are effectively running them. But banks are not electrical engineering companies. They are now hiring personnel here and there just to keep operations going.

Is this the kind of privatisation process Nigeria intended to pursue?

The whole idea behind privatisation was to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), technical competence, and managerial expertise. At the time, apart from the Nigerian Electricity Supply Corporation (NESCO) Limited in Plateau State, Nigeria had virtually no indigenous electricity company with such experience.

Unfortunately, some individuals simply emerged and took over these companies without the necessary capacity. That is why they are still experimenting. One of these DisCos has had almost six managing directors in succession. Each new management comes in, sacks workers, and focuses mainly on increasing tariffs—and they are succeeding.

They use these arguments to convince the Federal Government to grant subsidies and financial support. Now they are talking about six trillion naira. Yet before privatisation, the government was not even subsidising PHCN with N100 million or N50 million. Government was practically giving nothing. So why is government now paying trillions after privatisation?

That is the question Nigerians should ask.

How much was government spending on PHCN before privatisation, when it was still fully government-owned? The assets were privatised for about N400 billion, and these operators were already collecting substantial revenues from day one. Yet between then and now, government has reportedly committed trillions of naira to support the sector.

That is why it is difficult to break the clique controlling the power sector. I have spoken before about regulatory capture. This clique can influence, if not determine, who becomes Minister of Power, who becomes Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and who occupies other strategic positions. That is what is happening today.

I had a serious debate with the last minister in his office. He was defending the decision for his office to use solar power. I told him he could not justify that unless he no longer wanted the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) or the DisCos to remain profitable.

If government offices use solar power, and citizens like me also switch to solar at home, while billions are still being invested in the grid, how then do you expect DisCos to recover costs by charging ordinary Nigerians who often do not even enjoy stable electricity supply? Why would the Minister of Power set such an example?

If a large percentage of Nigerians eventually switch to solar, then what exactly would the Minister of Power still be managing?

I understand that a presidential task force has now been set up. But if that task force is not focused on how Nigeria can sustainably move from about 4,000 megawatts to a significantly higher capacity, then it serves little purpose.

It is not enough to celebrate achieving 5,000 megawatts today if by the next morning generation drops back to 3,000 megawatts because the improvement is not sustainable.

Let us stop pretending we do not have ambition. Let us, for example, set a target and ask ourselves how to achieve it sustainably, so that it becomes the minimum available capacity at any given time.

Following the coordinated attacks on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on Friday, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Sunday expressed dismay and charged state governments, saying, “Yorubaland is now under siege.”

The leader of the group, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, disclosed this in a statement released by the organisation’s National Publicity Secretary in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

He lamented that the incident occurred the same week he marked his 100th year on earth.

The PUNCH reports that terrorists on motorbikes attacked Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esinele; and L.A. Primary School, all in Oriire Local Government Area on Friday, May 15.

Fasoranti sympathised with the victims and their families, praying for the quick recovery of those injured.

He expressed hope that a total stop would be put to the life-threatening insecurity situation in the country without further delay.

The statement read, “Afenifere Leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, was saddened to hear this unfortunate incident which occurred the same week he marked his 100th year on earth.”

It added, “To list some incidents of terrorism in recent times to underscore his (Fasoranti’s) call for urgent action to stem the tide. Among the instances he cited were the confirmation by the Ogun State Police Command on Tuesday, May 12, of the abduction of three members of a family by suspected gunmen at Ipojo Golden Estate, Oke-Eri, in Ijebu Ode. On Wednesday last week, the Police and vigilante operatives disrupted an alleged ₦10 million ransom collection operation by a suspected kidnapping gang in Otefon Village Forest, Atiba Local Government Area, Oyo State.

“On April 18, heavily armed gunmen invaded a church during an open-air crusade in Eda Oniyo, Ekiti State, killing a pastor and abducting several worshippers. Gunmen stormed Woro and Nuku in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State on February 3 and 4, killed many and abducted more than 170 people.

“On May 2, gunmen invaded a Police Mobile Force camp in Tenebo, Kaiama LGA, killing three police officers. On the same day, a 60-year-old trader was kidnapped in the Jinarere area of Ibadan by four masked gunmen, just as one Alhaji Aleshinloye, a businessman, was kidnapped in Irawo, Atisbo Local Government Area of Oyo State last week. Earlier, a schoolgirl was kidnapped in the Challenge area of Ibadan, while a retired teacher was killed on his farm in Ago Area, Oke-Ogun, Oyo State.

“On November 18, 2025, Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Ekiti LGA of Kwara State, was attacked by terrorists during a Tuesday evening service, killing three worshippers and abducting 38 others, including a pastor.

“Four passengers were abducted along the Igbeti–Kisi Road, though they were later rescued by police, Amotekun and Operation Burst. The list of terror acts keeps growing,” he lamented.

Afenifere declared that the latest attacks reinforced growing fears that the terrorists appeared determined to overrun the South-West and, ultimately, the entire South.

“The chilling reality thus detonated the earlier notion that the southwestern part of Nigeria was a safe haven considered relatively insulated from extremist violence that is prevalent in some other parts of the country.”

He added that what was happening now seemed to have been anticipated, going by actions taken by South-West governors under the leadership of the late Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who established the South-West Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, on January 9, 2020.

“The initiative was designed to safeguard the six states of the region,” he added.

Afenifere commended the swift visit of the Inspector General of Police, Tunji Disu, to Oriire following Friday’s kidnap incident, and the inauguration of the Police’s Violence Crime Response Unit in Ibadan by Governor Seyi Makinde on Saturday, May 16, 2026. It expressed hope that the initiatives would help prevent crimes, including banditry.

It, however, said, “The actions of South-West governors in recent times do not suggest that they appreciate the enormity of the responsibility they shoulder concerning the security of their land.”

The group recalled that governors of Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Lagos and Oyo met in Ibadan on Monday, November 24, 2025, in what was described as a Security Summit.

“The objective of the meeting was mainly on how to secure the South-West. In February, the Ogun State Government launched closed-circuit television hubs for security purposes, just as Ondo and Ekiti State governments also announced various steps to stem insecurity in their respective states.

“Earlier in the year, Oyo announced the purchase of two DA 42 MNG Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft at a cost of N7.7 billion. Announcing the purchase, Governor Makinde said the aircraft, when fully operational, would provide wide aerial coverage across Oyo and extend surveillance to vulnerable corridors linking Oyo and Kwara states, areas often exploited by criminal elements due to the porosity of the borders.

“Were the aircraft deployed, what happened last week would have been nipped in the bud because the planes were reported to be fitted with sophisticated surveillance technology capable of identifying targets from both high and low altitudes, which allow for real-time intelligence gathering, improving rapid response and precision security operations.”

Afenifere wondered what had become of the resolutions by the six governors, the CCTV installations in Ogun, the surveillance aircraft purchased by Oyo, and other security measures announced by Ondo at various times.

It recalled reports of bandits sending notices in English and Yoruba of planned attacks to some communities in Oriire LGA shortly after the killing of five forest guards at Oloka village in January this year.

“In view of the fact that the primary duty of government is the security and welfare of the people, governments in South-West states of Nigeria must prove that they are alive to their constitutionally assigned responsibilities. Everything must be done to ensure that no area in the region experiences attacks by kidnappers and bandits anymore. Yorubaland has been infiltrated.”

Afenifere called on the six governors in the region to make the security of their people their top priority.

“Every necessary step must be taken to ensure that terrorists do not have a place, not to talk of a foothold in Yorubaland — from Lagos up to Kogi, including Edo and Delta States,” the group said.

It added that while the Federal Government has the onerous duty of ensuring the security and welfare of Nigerians, governors have the responsibility of using resources at their disposal to secure their people and guarantee their welfare.

President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to see tax payment as a civic obligation necessary for national development.

Tinubu spoke on Friday at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali.


He said many citizens demand better roads, hospitals and social amenities while resisting taxation and other development-driven policies.

The president said taxes remain essential for financing infrastructure, healthcare, education and welfare programmes targeted at vulnerable citizens.


“Nobody wants to pay taxes. Yet everyone expects development. You want good roads and well-equipped hospitals, but you don’t want to contribute through taxes. The question is: how do we fund development and secure the future of our children?,”[/b]he said.

Tinubu maintained that both individuals and corporate organisations must contribute to national growth through compliance with tax obligations.

“A citizen who pays tax is a citizen. If you are not paying taxes and not exempted, then you are not fulfilling your obligation,” he said.

[b]The president also defended the economic reforms introduced by his administration, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market, describing them as difficult but necessary measures aimed at stabilising the economy.

According to him, Nigeria could no longer sustain subsidy payments and policies that encouraged corruption and smuggling.

“It was necessary to reset and reform the economy. We were spending future generations’ resources before they were born,” Tinubu said.

Reflecting on the state of the economy before the reforms, the president said several states struggled to pay salaries despite Nigeria’s oil wealth.

“You are producing oil, spending heavily on fuel subsidy, yet your refineries are not working. That trend was unsustainable,” he noted.

Tinubu acknowledged that the reforms initially triggered hardship and criticism but said early signs indicated that the policies were beginning to produce positive outcomes.

He stated that the naira had become more stable and predictable, making it easier for businesses and government institutions to plan effectively.

The president further explained that savings from the reforms had enabled the government to expand intervention programmes for students and vulnerable households through educational support and direct assistance initiatives.

Despite ongoing economic challenges, Tinubu expressed confidence in Nigeria’s long-term prospects, assuring that his administration would continue to pursue policies aimed at economic recovery, stability and sustainable growth.

phemmie06:
This man doesn't want to wait for 70 virgins anymore

Cyberterror:
Is Makinde aware that Wike's faction is still sitting pretty on INEC's website?

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, 81, has been sworn in for a seventh term, extending his 40-year tenure following a landslide victory in controversial January elections.

One of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, Museveni took the oath of office on Tuesday at an event at the Kololo Independence Grounds in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, while being cheered by thousands of attendees.

The election in January took place amid a nationwide internet blackout and reports of intimidation and abductions of the opposition.
Museveni won 71.65 percent of the vote, according to Uganda’s Electoral Commission.
Opposition leader Bobi Wine, an entertainer whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, received 24.72 percent and said “massive” ballot stuffing had taken place.

Since taking office in 1986, Museveni has twice changed the constitution to remove term and age limits.

The former rebel leader once said Africa’s problem was leaders who overstayed their welcome.

He is credited by Ugandans with overseeing rapid economic growth and ending a period of post-independence chaos that followed the end of British colonial rule in 1962.

Museveni first came to power as a rebel leader in 1986 but since then has won seven elections.
He is among the few African leaders in power for more than 40 years. Others include Congo-Brazzaville’s Denis Sassou Nguesso, Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang and Cameroon’s Paul Biya.

In his address, Museveni said that his government would use revenue from planned oil production to grow the economy and alleviate poverty.

African leaders who attended the ceremony included Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Félix Tshisekedi, South Sudan’s Salva Kiir and Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Uganda has one of the world’s youngest populations, with the majority of the people having known no other president.
Museveni has not indicated when he intends to retire, but analysts say this is likely to be his last term.