₦airaland Forum

APC CRISIS: COURT ASKED TO NULLIFY STATE CONGRESSES

... To dissolve Buni-led Caretaker Committee

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has begun to feel the impact of the minority judgment of the Supreme Court on the Ondo State governorship election following a suit seeking the nullification of all the actions taken by the party’s Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), headed by Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni.

The suit which was filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT), Abuja, by an aggrieved member of the party, Okosisi Emeka Ngwu, poses a threat to the legality or otherwise of the just-concluded State Congresses of the party.

It is coming on the heels of the dissenting judgment of the Supreme Court on the petition filed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2020 Ondo State governorship election, Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, against the incumbent governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, and the APC.

The apex court had in a minority judgment of three justices, questioned the validity of the Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee and declared it illegal.

It held that the party erred by allowing a sitting governor to hold the position of party national Chairman in clear breach of section 183 of the 1999 constitution (as amended).

The fresh suit marked FCT/HC/CV/1824/2021 and dated August 2, listed the APC and all members of the party’s Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee as defendants.

They are Mai Mala Buni; Isiaka Oyebola; Ken Nnamani; Stella Okorete; Governor Sani Bello; Dr James Lalu; Senator Abubakar Yusuf; Hon. Akenyemi Olaide; David Leon; Abba Ali; Prof Tahir Mamman; Ismail Ahmed and Senator Akpan Udoedehe.

The claimant in his originating summons filed by his counsel, Chief Oba Maduabuchi, SAN, is further asking the court to dissolve the Committee known as and called caretaker/extraordinary convention planning committee as there is no organ of the party or any such organisation in the party’s constitution.

He further sought a declaration that pursuant to section 87(4)(b)(1) of the Electoral Act (as amended), only the National Executive Committee of a political party can validly appoint a date for the holding of primaries for the nomination of the gubernatorial or other candidates of the political party.

A declaration that unless an election is conducted in accordance with the Electoral Act and by an organ known to and created by the constitution of the APC, no valid candidate can emerge from such a primary.

Ngwu, who stated that he wanted to contest the position of the national chairman of the party in 2018, has further urged the court to grant an order set tong aside all actions and decisions taken by members of CECPC of the party.

Before seeking the above declaratory reliefs, the claimant posed the following questions to be determined by the court: “Whether there is any organ of the APC known as Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee created in or by the constitution of the party.

Whether the organisation known and called caretaker/extraordinary planning committee is one of the organs created by Article 11 of the constitution of the political party known and called the APC.

Whether pursuant to section 87(4) (b) (1) of the Electoral Act (as amended) any other organ of a political party can validly appoint a date for the holding of a congress for the purpose of nominating the governorship candidate of the political party Including the APC apart from the National Executive Committee of the party.

Whether a valid candidate or officer of the party can emerge from a congress fixed by any other organ of a political party outside the National Executive Committee of a political party including the APC.

The originating summons is supported by a 10-paragraph affidavit wherein, the claimant averred that in 2018, he had wanted to contest for the National Chairman of the party after the tenure of the then national chairman of the party expired but was prevailed upon to allow Adams Oshiomhole to be returned unopposed.

That he was prevailed upon to sheath his ambition because he (Oshiomhole) had only four years to be in office and then he will contest the election for the position of the national chairman.

That after just two years, I was surprised to hear that the National Executive Committee and National Working Committee had been dissolved and a contraption known as Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee had been created by an unknown person and Mai Mala Buni asked unilaterally to head the committee.

That I was surprised as by the constitution of the party, the National Executive Committee would be in office for four years until June 22, 2022.

That my supporters and I also knew that only a duly elected National Executive Committee could validly hold any primaries to nominate candidates for the party for the various elections to be held between the day of the dissolution of both the National Executive Committee anf National Working Committee.

That the CECPC is unknown to our party’s constitution and it is operating without reference to the party’s constitution.

IGP APPOINT DCP TUNJI DISU TO REPLACE ABBA KYARI.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc has today, 2nd August, 2021 approved the posting of DCP Tunji Disu as the new Head of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT). The posting of the officer is on the heels of Management’s decision to fill the leadership gap within the IRT and refocus the Unit for better service delivery.

2. The IGP has charged the new Head of the IRT to demonstrate his professional competence in his leadership of the Unit. He also assured citizens that the IRT will remain focused in the discharge of its duties in line with national statutes and international best practices.

3. Prior to his appointment as the new Head of the IRT, DCP Tunji Disu, a former Commander of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Lagos State, was the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja. He had also previously served at the State CID, Rivers State as the Deputy Head of the Unit. He was also a former Commander of the Nigeria Police Contingent to the African Union (AU) Peace Keeping Mission in Dafur, Sudan.

4. DCP Disu holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the Lagos State University (LASU) and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State. He has also attended several professional courses both at home and abroad: Small Arms Smuggling Training in Botswana, Internet Fraud Training at the Cambridge University, UK, Strategic Leadership Command Course at the Police Staff College, Jos, Forensic Investigations and Criminal Intelligence Course at the University of Lagos, amongst others. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations and Chattered Institute of Personnel management, amongst other professional bodies.

His posting is with immediate effect.

CP FRANK MBA
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
ABUJA

Hushpuppi Paid Abba Kyari N8m To Detain Chibuzo – FBI Alleges

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has alleged that money laundering suspect, Abass Ramon, aka Hushpuppi, paid N8m or $20,600 to the embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, to arrest and detain a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Kelly Vincent.

A document issued by the United States District Court for the Central District of California and dated February 12, 2021, alleged that Hushpuppi contracted the services of Kyari after Chibuzo allegedly threatened to expose an alleged $1.1m fraud committed against a Qatari businessman.

“Kyari provided the account information for a bank account at a Nigerian bank, Zenith Bank, in the name of a person other than Kyari himself,” Page 59, item 145 of the document stated.

FBI Special Agent, Andrew John Innocenti, made the allegation in the ‘Criminal Complaint By Telephone Or Other Reliable Electronic Means’ filed before the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Detailing the events leading to the alleged payment, the document stated, “On January 16, 2020, Abbas sent a message to Kyari on WhatsApp, and then placed five calls to another phone number (+2348060733588) that was listed as ‘Abba Kyari.’ Call records show that the last three of the calls were answered and that one of the calls lasted more than two minutes.

“Shortly after that, Abbas received a message from Kyari, confirming ‘We would pick him today or tomorrow.’ Abbas wrote, ‘I will take care of the team also after they pick him up.’ Kyari confirmed ‘Yes ooo.’”

The document averred that, based on the conversation described in paragraphs 143 to 145, Abbas planned to pay the Nigeria Police Force officers who arrested Chibuzo for that service.

It alleged that “This was not the only time that Abbas arranged payments with Kyari”, adding, “On May 20, 2020, Abbas sent Kyari transaction receipts for two transactions from accounts at Nigerian banks (GTBank and Zenith Bank) of a person Abbas knew in the U.A.E.— a person also arrested with Abbas in Abbas’ apartment in the U.A.E. by Dubai Police on June 9, 2020 — to the Nigerian bank accounts of another person in Nigeria.

“The amounts on the transaction receipts totalled 8 million Nigerian Naira, which was approximately $20,600 based on publicly available exchange rate information.”

The FBI document noted that, “Attempting to reason with Abbas, on January 18, 2020, Chibuzo recounted for Abbas all the assistance he had provided in the scheme to victimize the victim Businessperson, including creating the “power of attorney” document, devising a story to tell the victim Businessperson, and facilitating the creation of the “telephone banking” number and fake Wells Fargo website.

“On January 20, 2020, Kyari sent to Abbas a biographical, identifying information for Chibuzo, along with a photograph of him. In a conversation immediately following, Abbas confirmed, ‘that is him sir.’

“Kyari stated, ‘We have arrested the guy. He is in my cell now. This is his picture after we arrested him today.”

According to the document, Kyari then sent the biographical information about, and photograph of Chibuzo to Abbas, using two different WhatsApp numbers — the second of which Kyari said was his “private number.”

“From that point on, Kyari and Abbas primarily discussed the arrest and detention of Chibuzo through WhatsApp on this ‘private number,’” the document stated further.

“After receiving the photograph of Chibuzo, Abbas stated, ‘I want him to go through serious beating of his life.’ Kyari responded, ‘Hahahaha,’ and Abbas replied, ‘Seriously sir.’

“Kyari then asked for details about what Chibuzo did on audio, which Kyari said was ‘So that we will know what to do.’

“In response to Kyari’s question about what Chibuzo had done to Abbas, Abbas sent Kyari an audio message, which is transcribed here, describing how Chibuzo had tried to steal away a fraud victim (i.e., “the job”) from him:

What he did is, I have one job. The job want to pay me 500, umm, 75,000 dollars [i.e., $575,000]. He went to message the job behind me because I told him to help me make one document for me to give the job. Then he went—he has a—I gave him the details.

Then he went to message the job behind my back and try to divert the money and in this process, he tell the job because of the documents he gave me that I gave the job, he tell the job, ‘These document they sent to you before. These people are fake. This money—is me who can help you to get it. Come to me le—bring this money you want to pay these people to me. I’m the only one who can help you,’ and all these things to divert the job for himself.

“After listening to the message, Kyari wrote, “Ok I understand. But he has not succeeded.” Abbas claimed Chibuzo had taken some money, and provided Kyari with two screenshots, one of which contained the phone number 3054405586 (the phone number Chibuzo used to contact the Victim Businessperson).

“Abbas then told Kyari, ‘Now the [Victim Businessperson] was skeptic to pay me the money cos he keep attacking the [Victim Businessperson] from his end. Now I can handle the [Victim Businessperson] correctly.”

The document further alleged that “Abbas further told Kyari that he wanted to pay money to send Chibuzo to jail for a long time, stating, ‘Please sir, I want to spend money to send this boy to jail, let him go for a very long time.’

“Kyari responded, “Ok bro, I understand; I will discuss with my team who arrested him . . . And handling the case We will do something about it.’

“Abbas responded, ‘Let me know how I can send money to the team sir. Let them deal with him like armed robber.’ Kyari responded, ‘OK I will send their account details to u.’”

“Abbas further wrote, ‘He betray me and try to take food out my mouth, this is great punishable sin,’ and Kyari responded, ‘Yeah bro.’

“Abbas then continued, ‘I want him to suffer for many years.’ Kyari responded, ‘Hahahaha! Hahahaha.’”

The document alleged that, “Approximately six minutes later, Kyari provided the account information for a bank account at a Nigerian bank, Zenith Bank, in the name of a person other than Kyari himself.

“Abbas responded, ‘Ok sir, tomorrow by noon,’ indicating that he would make the payment to Kyari’s team by the next day.

“Approximately a month later, on February 19, 2020, Kyari sent a message to Abbas, saying, ‘Hello hush with [sic] need to talk about the subject under detention with me.’

“Abbas asked, ‘Should I call u on this number sir?’ to which Kyari replied ‘Yes call me.’

“The following day, Kyari sent Abbas multiple photographs of Chibuzo to Abbas, including close-up photographs showing a rash or skin disease on Chibuzo’s torso and arms.

“Abbas responded, ‘I don pity am, make them leave am from Tuesday.’ Kyari wrote, ‘Ok bro, they just brought him from hospital. The fever and the rashes is giving him serious wahala. He got the disease from other suspects in the cell.’

“Abbas responded, ‘I see am, I no too pity am. That’s what people like him deserve, but I go forgive am for God sake.’

“Abbas then said, ‘No problem sir from Tuesday he can go,” apparently giving Kyari his blessing to release Chibuzo from custody.

“Kyari responded, ‘Ok bro. We will also keep his phone and other gadgets for some weeks.’ Abbas responded, “Yes those ones they should not give him again, those ones are gone . . . Make he no see those ones again for life.’

“Kyari responded, ‘Yes he will not see it again,” indicating that he would accede to Abbas’ request.”

Kyari has been suspended by the Police Service Commission as Head of the Intelligence Response Team based on the recommendation of the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba. A panel has also been established to probe the matter.

Osinbajo Day and the Rest of Us
By Ayodeji Seriki


On August 8, 2021, exactly a week away, some Nigerians would roll out the drum to celebrate the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The event, tagged Osinbajo Day, which is the second edition, is a brain child of a pressure group –Osinbajo Grassroots Organisation (OGO).
Yes, not much is known about OGO, the organization that has consistently drummed support for the nation’s number 2 citizen but a lot is known about the subject of the celebration, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. In the last two weeks, the entire social media landscape has been awash with short videos by young spirited Nigerians who are obviously members of the organization and others who have keyed into the initiative.

Wole Akande writes :

Starboy!

The Vice President of Nigeria.

Nothing but a kind, humble and decent man.

So here he is, with his wife, walking out of an engagement with an entourage including security and all the accoutrements of power and he spots an old friend (me) and instead of just waving and walking on, stops, slightly diverts to ask the old friend how he was and why he had not since come to visit!

Wow! Who does that? I was so touched and honored that I promised to come visit soon.

These are the qualities that has endeared Professor Yemi Osinbajo to a whole lot of Nigerians and why I have the greatest respect and love for him❤️. His humility and kindness are the exact examples much required and so much missing from a country that is power drunk on itself.

I would very much wish he became President of Nigeria but I am unsure if he has the needed ruthlessness that is needed to give Nigeria the restructuring it so desperately needs.

I know the moniker or appellation ‘Starboy’ irritated some people which directly led to their attempt to discount him but the forgot that God protects his own.

Then again, God has a sense of everything and I understand some in his church have a vision thing.

We will know what it is by 2023, yes?

Please help me salute and pray for the successful tenure of Starboy. He deserves every accolade.

CELEBRATING DEMOCRACY DAY, 2021

In commemoration of DEMOCRACY Day, June 12, 2021, a one hour documentary titled “NIGERIA: Consolidating Democracy and National Unity,” will debut simultaneously on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Channels TV networks this Saturday at 8:00-9:00pm. TVC will be showing at 4:30-5:30pm the following day, Sunday June 13th.

The film features President Muhammadu Buhari and dignitaries who were central to the annulled June 12 election and the events that followed, including General Abdulsalam Abubakar, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Kola Abiola, Hafsat Abiola-Costello and Mohammed Fawehinmi, son of legal luminary, Chief Gani Fawehinmi who along with Amb. Babagana Kingibe, was also recognized with a Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) national honor.

With sections dedicated to the annulled election, recognition process and evolution of Nigeria’s democracy and continuing quest for its consolidation and national unity from Independence in 1960, the documentary was filmed exclusively in Nigeria and directed by the award winning, Nigerian-American, Hollywood-based filmmaker Ose Oyamendan.

Also featured are President Goodluck Jonathan, children of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the country’s first and only Prime Minister, those of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the first republic opposition leader and Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nigeria’s first President as well as Amb. Shehu Malami, nephew of Sir Ahmadu Bello and son of Sultan Abubakar III, as they capture the spirit of Nigeria’s Independence Day in 1960.

The documentary will be shown at 8:00pm on Saturday, June 12, on both the NTA and Channels TV. TVC will be showing at 4:30-5:30pm on Sunday June 13th.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
June 9, 2021

BIAFRA PARADOX


They so love Biafra that they will not live or invest there.
They love Biafra so much as to ignite conflagration inside it, while living safely abroad.
They so love Biafra that they go to any length to run away from it in droves and scatter into Europe, the US, Canada, etc, dying like flies in the process; in the perilous Sahara desert or drown in the Mediterranean sea.
They love Biafra to the extent of forming an army of wayward, jobless youths to visit mayhem and destruction on the Eldorado country.
They love Biafra so much as to make the 'country' hostile to any sane investors, including the Biafrans themselves.
Biafra has the highest number of its citizens living outside, yet, it is the most inhospitable to outsiders.
Whenever Biafra comes, it is going to be destroyed, not by outside forces, but by its internal contradictions.
A dead-on-arrival country.

ON THE VIRAL VIDEOCLIP OF GOV. DAPO ABIODUN'S BROADCAST

A videoclip of the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun appearing to correct errors in his speech during a rehearsal or recording of a broadcast has been trending online.

Before the matter is allowed, yet again, to snowball into an avoidable storm, a few observations need to be made.

The first is that speechmaking is a vital component of the executive functions of the Governor. Because of its key representational role in projecting the State chief executive and his administration, utmost priority must be accorded to it in the schedule of the Governor. Much more than meeting with contractors, commissioning projects and hosting dignitaries, the reputational damage resulting from the mismanagement of the Governor's Office speech function could echo far and be long lasting.

A state broadcast has an even more elevated importance because it purports to communicate with the people at key moments in the life of the state.

The point that many of the needlessly defensive comments that I have read on this controversy seem to miss is that the speech of the Governor that would be recorded for broadcast must, first and foremost, be camera-ready. The recording session is not the time and place that you start to struggle with the right words to use, sentence construction, syntax and suchlike. Before the Governor presents himself in front of a camera to rehearse or record a speech, all of that should have been sorted out between him and his speechwriter prior to his showing up for the kleig lights. This would limit the circle of mischief makers lurking in the shadows to ridicule the process like the people behind the sharing of this tape have obviously done.

The corrections to be made on camera should be with regard to takes, effects, carriage, ambiance, cadence, tonality, comportment, flow, etc. A situation where the Governor is wondering, as Prince Abiodun is seen to do in the said video, whether "Information" (I presume by that he means the Information Ministry) did not go over the draft is just below par. With due respect, Mr. Governor should have familiarised himself with the speech draft prior to going before a camera for its recording. It is his broadcast afterall - not that of "Information"!

In the six-and-a-half years that I served in Ogun State, one of my core assignments was to be the Governor's speechwriter. It was a role that Governor Gbenga Daniel insisted I play, regardless of whatever portfolio I occupied - be it Communication Adviser, Information Commissioner or Chief of Staff.

And the process of implementing a speech draft is really a simple one. When a major speech is to be made, the Governor tells his speechwriter what he wishes to say and after this has been captured into a draft, he then goes over the draft. It is at this point of going over the initial draft that grammatical and other constructional corrections are made. Never before the camera - whether in rehearsal or actual recording! Just imagine that the speech under reference here was not for recording but had to be delivered to a live audience. Would Governor Abiodun be pausing at the podium to correct the "is" and "was" of the draft and the sentence constructions?

The upshot of all of this is that the Governor and his aides must take this episode as a lesson. And they should cure themselves of the victim mentality that seeks to excuse sloppiness by blaming lapses on the opposition. It is the duty of the opposition to score points against the government. It is also the duty of the government to reduce the opportunities for the opposition's points-scoring against it to the barest minimum.

In conclusion, my advice is that the government should quickly put this episode behind it, take the lessons in good faith, sanction whatever lapses occasioned the embarrassment and just forge ahead.

I left the service of Ogun State nearly twelve years ago. But I want to believe that there is still sufficient resident capacity within the civil service and appointee cadres of the state administration to ensure that things are done right in a manner that befits of the pioneering and frontline role of our dear state and the labours of its Founding Fathers.

May God in His infinite mercies continue to grant Governor Abiodun and his administration the wisdom and presence of mind to steer the ship of Ogun State.

Kayode Samuel

This heart is not afraid to leave his known and yield God's call to the unknown, for it has stopped clinging to the "insecured securities" of this life and now lives in reckless devotion to God saying: "because He lives, i can face tomorrow...."

So he's content to hope in God and throws all his energy in seeking first..first..first the Kingdom which lasts, content to wait for these things to be added to him on the path of seeking God's kingdom without having to greedily, desperately, fearfully pursue after these things! (Matthew 6:33)

Oh Jesus help my heart to be strong and courageous, resolute and firm in my choice of you!

(To be continued)

benzyluv:
LOSING TO GAIN (1)

"I am no fool to lose what I cannot keep in order that i may gain what i cannot lose"

Yes! This is an expression from a heart that is being sold out completely in pursuit of eternal life. A heart whose hope and worth of living isn't built on the hopes or promises of a boisterous life here on earth but has found rest and satisfaction, comfort, confidence and has built solid Faith in God in anticipation/eager expectation of the establishment of a Kingdom and City whose builder and maker is God!

This heart has no regrets, no shame, no second-thoughts, no longing for the former life He left just to embrace the One most dear to him...for now he's well aware and has accepted the fact that even if he doesn't walk away from these things (especially as they continue to contribute to the weights holding him back from fervently pursuing eternal life)... they'll one day definitely "walk away" from him (if not in living,at death- he can't take them with him; the money, friends, luxury, reputations,positions, status e.t.c).
It's a heart that speaks, live, breath resolute faith!

Hebrews 11:8-10,13-16
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.
And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise.

Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.

Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own.
If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back.
But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

LOSING TO GAIN (1)

"I am no fool to lose what I cannot keep in order that i may gain what i cannot lose"

Yes! This is an expression from a heart that is being sold out completely in pursuit of eternal life. A heart whose hope and worth of living isn't built on the hopes or promises of a boisterous life here on earth but has found rest and satisfaction, comfort, confidence and has built solid Faith in God in anticipation/eager expectation of the establishment of a Kingdom and City whose builder and maker is God!

This heart has no regrets, no shame, no second-thoughts, no longing for the former life He left just to embrace the One most dear to him...for now he's well aware and has accepted the fact that even if he doesn't walk away from these things (especially as they continue to contribute to the weights holding him back from fervently pursuing eternal life)... they'll one day definitely "walk away" from him (if not in living,at death- he can't take them with him; the money, friends, luxury, reputations,positions, status e.t.c).
It's a heart that speaks, live, breath resolute faith!

benzyluv:
An entrepreneur is born.

A year after learning web design, Akpos was going places. Like he really was going to different places to build websites, including those places that didn’t want to talk to him before. All e had to do was show that PAP site — everyone loved the fire thing.
He started buying foodstuff for his mother on his way from business, so his mother respected him now. Once a week, he would buy fuel for the gen.
Three months after is first website job, he bought himself a laptop with a nice black Targus bag to go with it. He joined twitter and wrote a small article about javascript and the tech cool kids all over twitter were replying him . Life suddenly wasn’t so bad.
He stopped calling himself a web designer. He was an entrepreneur now.
The only downside to his new life was the constant arrest by police, who called him a Yahoo boy. Every time he got arrested, he would pay a little something before he got released — the police said if he really has a job like he said “where your ID card”.
That’s why Akpos decided to start a company — MegaKP Technology Company. He printed an ID card, business card and letterheads. The next time the police stopped him, he proudly showed is ID card. When they asked him what he did at the company, he proudly smiled, “Managing Director”.
The next time he passed the police post, they didn’t stop him. He was driving his new Toyota Corolla. So police can have respect, he thought. “Their collective fathers”.


+1

Hiring is not easy. Every new entrepreneur struggles with that moment where there is too much work to do, but there is worry that there isn’t enough money coming in to support hiring.
Akpos realized however, that writing code takes so much time, it was hard to chase for new business. He started looking for someone just like him — designer, coder, business maven. He couldn’t find someone. The young people these days don’t work hard to gain multiple skills, yet ask for N100k a month. He settled for a guy who had decent web design skills and could use photoshop, but wasn’t too greedy — N50k.

No brothers in business

That week after he hired his first staff, Bayo called him. A bank he worked for had given him a couple of jobs and he could not deliver all of them. He needed someone he could trust. The deal was simple — Akpos would attend the bank meetings with Bayo, deliver on his part of the business and get paid 50% of what Bayo gets when the bank pays.
Agreed.
On Tuesday, the day of the meeting, Akpos was in front of the bank an hour ahead of the meeting, wearing a new suit. Bayo didn’t show up until 5 minutes to the meeting, wearing a well starched white kaftan. Akpos was more than a little impressed. Only people who hcaave arrived wear kaftans to business meetings.


The meeting went well. Akpos helped Bayo answer some questions and the client was happy. One of the men in the room, the bank’s head of technology — Mr Smith, was so impressed with Akpos, he gave him his business card.
It took Akpos one week of sleepless nights to deliver the project. His new staff grumbled a lot, but stayed with him and they delivered right on schedule. Bayo called to say the client was very happy. They will pay in two weeks.
Two weeks came and passed, Bayo did not call. Akpos called, but Bayo didn’t pick up. The third week came and went. Frustrated, he called that man at the bank who had given him his business card. The man was happy Akpos called. He was surprised that Bayo’s employee would call, but confirmed their company had been paid weeks back. When Akpos honestly explained that he was not Bayo’s employee, Mr Smith understood, and asked Akpos to meet him the next day.
At that meeting, Mr Smith, told Akpos he liked how his mind worked, and would like to work with him on another project. He asked Akpos to forward his company details to him. Akpos left the bank, happy, but in two minds. He wanted this new business, but he didn’t want to offend Bayo. He tried calling Bayo again, to tell him about the new bank project, and also to offer him a cut from the new business. Bayo did not pick up.
Akpos went about his business that day. He also put together a very nice profile and sent to Mr Smith. That evening, Bayo called. He abused Akpos for cutting him to get business from his client. Akpos tried to explain, but Bayo wouldn’t listen. Bayo told him to never ever call his phone again, then hung up.
Akpos didn’t call Mr Smith for two weeks. Then Mr Smith called. He listened to Akpos, then told him “Life happens. Send me your CAC documents so we can list you as a vendor”. Akpos confessed that his company was only in name, he was not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission. Mr Smith gave him a lawyer’s number.
“Call him, he can get you registered in 2 days. Send me the documents immediately they arrive”.


Baller.

Akpos’s story was a miracle. He told this story to every employee he hired. With every telling, the story got sweeter, and by the 20th telling, Akpos himself had come to believe the newer, sweeter version, which deleted Bayo and replaced Mr. Smith with the CEO of the Bank.
He was traveling abroad on vacation and generally enjoying life.
Everyone loved Akpos. And his story. Three years down the road, he was running one of the biggest software businesses in the city, attended TED Talks and had a regular blog. People read his blogs about how to build successful businesses, and asked him to come and talk to their teams.
One of his readers worked at the Federal Internal Revenue & Extortion Service, FIR(E)S.
A week later, Akpos received a letter saying he owed the government N35 million in taxes.
“WHAT?”
Akpos called his friend, Ray, a lawyer.
“So have you been remitting taxes?”
“No”.
“But you have been putting tax in your invoices to clients?”
“Yes now. But everybody does it just to increase how much the client pays”
“Ah, this is serious o, because every business you do, every payment that you client makes to your bank account registers with FIR(E)S.”
“So what do we do?”


First contact with the devil

The first visit by the FIRS was very formal. They gave Akpos a deadline, after which he would be shut down. Akpos didn’t have that kind of money. He had been generous with his profits. He paid his staff well, gave to church, took care of family, enjoyed life and bought a house.
When Akpos started the business, he knew nobody to open doors for him. He got lucky when he met a few a man who introduced him to the big ogas, and took a percentage of his contract fees. Unknown to him, those kickbacks were leaving him with huge tax liabilities. Of course he couldn’t call Alhaji Jamil to please send back the tax on that N5 million he got as “marketing commission”.
He called his mother to talk and she took him to PAP for prayers. As PAP was prophesying, Akpos was seeing himself in chains, being led to jail. He was in soup.

The next morning, he got a Whatsapp call from the tax man. He said there is a way out. They needed to meet in person. At the meeting, no words were spoken — the tax man would write a number of the paper, hand it to Akpos, Akpos would shake his head, write on the paper and pass it back. After a short while, a compromise was set — the penalty was reduced by over 80%, but he would pay 10% of the original obligation to a private account. The paper notes were burned.
Akpos was relieved. He was a good guy, but the trouble he was in could ruin the entire business. So he hustled some funds and did as he was told.


More letters

The FIR(E)S problem was gone and he had received his first ever tax clearance. But that was the same week he got a call from the Pension Commission. An old staff had reported his business to the commission for failing to remit pensions. He had also made a similar report to the State Internal Revenue Shakedown.
All of a sudden, Akpos was in trouble. There were troubles as far as he could see. For the first time, he missed pay day, and a few more staff were threatening to leave if he didn’t pay on time. He was being featured on blogs after the State IRS had arrested him. Nobody knew that the SIRS had offered the same deal as the FIR(E)S, but because he didn’t have money, the state people arrested him to teach a lesson.
Akpos had been having headaches off and on since his troubles started. He took pain medications, but the headaches always did not go away. He finally went to see a doctor, who ordered tests.

The doctor asked how old he was, then shook his head. Akpos had developed high blood pressure.
Three years after his life had turned around for good, Akpos didn’t want to be an entrepreneur anymore.


There are many Akpos stories
There are so many stories like those of our friend, Akpos. People who just wanted to hustle, but business happened to them along the way. People who weren’t trained about taxes, pensions and other deductibles. People who set staff salaries, trying to pay decently so bigger companies would not steal their best staff, only to realize that they are building up a backlog of back taxes on account of that.
Too many entrepreneurs have unknowingly entered the Fowler’s net, while trying to hustle. Some found themselves heavily indebted to staff because their clients owe them. Some are in trouble because they rushed to buy that TTH to show they have arrived, then business stopped flowing.
It’s hard out there. Really hard.
This story has no happy ending

www.editieffiong.medium.com/the-road-to-perdition-nigerian-business-edition-80ccb8fca862

benzyluv:
The road to perdition — Nigerian business edition
Editi Effiong


The business journey of most young Nigerians often begins with them tired of being broke, hungry, and a disgrace to their family. To alleviate the situation, they decide to do something.

Now, “something” here is to be taken exactly at face value. If you’ve ever met a young Nigerian who has been looking for a job for 3 years after graduating from university or college, you would probably hear phrases along the lines of “I just need something to do. Anything.”
This is the kind of something that comes to mind when the young person decides to start the small something. It could be anything. Human hair, point and kill, makeup, fabric sales, pure water etc. For the sake of this post, I’m going to go with web design, since this is the one I know well.


So our friend, let’s call him Akpos, has decided to start a web design business because, ahn ahn, this hunger is too much. Also because he ran into his old schoolmate, Bayo, the other day and felt so ashamed. Bayo looked very clean, coming out of his original Tokunbo Toyota Highlander (TTH). He even had a small accent.
Bayo that used to wear those silly striped shirts with a worn out belt back in university, was now wearing a well-starched white kaftan with an Apple Watch, balling like Bolanle (no relation of Bayo’s).
Whatever Bayo was doing to blow, he will try it too. That’s how he decided to start web design.


It begins.

Web design is not very hard to learn. Akpos spent the next few days in an internet cafe, learned the basics of HTML. Then he learned the other one, CSS, before trying out javascript. This one was a little hard, but the effects you could do with it na die. As soon as he could use javascript to make letters jump on the web page, he knew he was ready.
He went home and proudly told his mother “Mummy, I am now an entrepreneur”. To show how serious he was, Akpos took his transparent “job application file” and pushed it under the bed. Never again!
The next day, Akpos started looking for someone who was willing to pay for web design. He tried the big hotels, then the big schools, but no one wanted to give him business. Dejected, hungry, he walked back home. His mother had warned him about this entrepreneur business, but he wouldn’t hear. But one month of entrepreneurship, it turned out, was as hard as job search. It’s kuku the same thing.


A month to the day after he started his entrepreneurial journey, Akpos reached under his bed and retrieved his old transparent folder.
On the way out to nowhere, Akpos decided to stop by Prophet Akpan Power’s Ministry, so Prophet Akpan Power (PAP) could pray on his folder. The prophet had previously prayed on the folder, but a month under the bed probably weakened the efficacy of the old prayer, so Akpos needed reinforcement.
Outside PAP’s church building, there was a sign announcing yet another 3-day power packed crusade, titled “We Will Win By Force” AKA “WWW By Force”. Just the kind of encouragement Akpos needed. By force work. By force business. WWW By Force…
That was when it hit him. He ran into the church. PAP was kneeling at the alter, praying. Akpos ran up to him, almost out of breath, shouting “Sir, PAP, let me build ya website”
Two weeks later, Akpos launched the website www.prophetakpanpowerministries.com in front of the PAP congregation. The website was really nice. It had a really fine picture of the prophet with his hands pointing to heaven. At the tip of his pointing finger, Akpos used javascript to put a flame of blue fire to show that this man of God was powerful. Everyone loved it. (If you actually clicked on the PAP website link, LOL).
PAP was so happy, he paid him N10,000 more than the N20,000 they had agreed. He also prayed an extra prayer for Akpos’s transparent folder, but Akpos knew the time for the folder was gone. He spent N10,000 of his new stash on new clothes — new shirt, new second hand suit and a nice pair of original fake Italian shoes. He was an entrepreneur now, he had to represent.


Two weeks after launching the website, PAP called Akpos. A brother-in-ministry also wanted a website. He gave Akpos the fellow prophet’s number. Just before Akpos left, PAP warned him, “Do a good job for my brother, but don’t put fire on his finger. His anointing is great, but it is not on the same level as my own”.

An entrepreneur is born.

A year after learning web design, Akpos was going places. Like he really was going to different places to build websites, including those places that didn’t want to talk to him before. All e had to do was show that PAP site — everyone loved the fire thing.
He started buying foodstuff for his mother on his way from business, so his mother respected him now. Once a week, he would buy fuel for the gen.
Three months after is first website job, he bought himself a laptop with a nice black Targus bag to go with it. He joined twitter and wrote a small article about javascript and the tech cool kids all over twitter were replying him . Life suddenly wasn’t so bad.
He stopped calling himself a web designer. He was an entrepreneur now.
The only downside to his new life was the constant arrest by police, who called him a Yahoo boy. Every time he got arrested, he would pay a little something before he got released — the police said if he really has a job like he said “where your ID card”.
That’s why Akpos decided to start a company — MegaKP Technology Company. He printed an ID card, business card and letterheads. The next time the police stopped him, he proudly showed is ID card. When they asked him what he did at the company, he proudly smiled, “Managing Director”.
The next time he passed the police post, they didn’t stop him. He was driving his new Toyota Corolla. So police can have respect, he thought. “Their collective fathers”.


+1

Hiring is not easy. Every new entrepreneur struggles with that moment where there is too much work to do, but there is worry that there isn’t enough money coming in to support hiring.
Akpos realized however, that writing code takes so much time, it was hard to chase for new business. He started looking for someone just like him — designer, coder, business maven. He couldn’t find someone. The young people these days don’t work hard to gain multiple skills, yet ask for N100k a month. He settled for a guy who had decent web design skills and could use photoshop, but wasn’t too greedy — N50k.

The road to perdition — Nigerian business edition
Editi Effiong


The business journey of most young Nigerians often begins with them tired of being broke, hungry, and a disgrace to their family. To alleviate the situation, they decide to do something.

Now, “something” here is to be taken exactly at face value. If you’ve ever met a young Nigerian who has been looking for a job for 3 years after graduating from university or college, you would probably hear phrases along the lines of “I just need something to do. Anything.”
This is the kind of something that comes to mind when the young person decides to start the small something. It could be anything. Human hair, point and kill, makeup, fabric sales, pure water etc. For the sake of this post, I’m going to go with web design, since this is the one I know well.


So our friend, let’s call him Akpos, has decided to start a web design business because, ahn ahn, this hunger is too much. Also because he ran into his old schoolmate, Bayo, the other day and felt so ashamed. Bayo looked very clean, coming out of his original Tokunbo Toyota Highlander (TTH). He even had a small accent.
Bayo that used to wear those silly striped shirts with a worn out belt back in university, was now wearing a well-starched white kaftan with an Apple Watch, balling like Bolanle (no relation of Bayo’s).
Whatever Bayo was doing to blow, he will try it too. That’s how he decided to start web design.


It begins.

Web design is not very hard to learn. Akpos spent the next few days in an internet cafe, learned the basics of HTML. Then he learned the other one, CSS, before trying out javascript. This one was a little hard, but the effects you could do with it na die. As soon as he could use javascript to make letters jump on the web page, he knew he was ready.
He went home and proudly told his mother “Mummy, I am now an entrepreneur”. To show how serious he was, Akpos took his transparent “job application file” and pushed it under the bed. Never again!
The next day, Akpos started looking for someone who was willing to pay for web design. He tried the big hotels, then the big schools, but no one wanted to give him business. Dejected, hungry, he walked back home. His mother had warned him about this entrepreneur business, but he wouldn’t hear. But one month of entrepreneurship, it turned out, was as hard as job search. It’s kuku the same thing.


A month to the day after he started his entrepreneurial journey, Akpos reached under his bed and retrieved his old transparent folder.
On the way out to nowhere, Akpos decided to stop by Prophet Akpan Power’s Ministry, so Prophet Akpan Power (PAP) could pray on his folder. The prophet had previously prayed on the folder, but a month under the bed probably weakened the efficacy of the old prayer, so Akpos needed reinforcement.
Outside PAP’s church building, there was a sign announcing yet another 3-day power packed crusade, titled “We Will Win By Force” AKA “WWW By Force”. Just the kind of encouragement Akpos needed. By force work. By force business. WWW By Force…
That was when it hit him. He ran into the church. PAP was kneeling at the alter, praying. Akpos ran up to him, almost out of breath, shouting “Sir, PAP, let me build ya website”
Two weeks later, Akpos launched the website www.prophetakpanpowerministries.com in front of the PAP congregation. The website was really nice. It had a really fine picture of the prophet with his hands pointing to heaven. At the tip of his pointing finger, Akpos used javascript to put a flame of blue fire to show that this man of God was powerful. Everyone loved it. (If you actually clicked on the PAP website link, LOL).
PAP was so happy, he paid him N10,000 more than the N20,000 they had agreed. He also prayed an extra prayer for Akpos’s transparent folder, but Akpos knew the time for the folder was gone. He spent N10,000 of his new stash on new clothes — new shirt, new second hand suit and a nice pair of original fake Italian shoes. He was an entrepreneur now, he had to represent.


Two weeks after launching the website, PAP called Akpos. A brother-in-ministry also wanted a website. He gave Akpos the fellow prophet’s number. Just before Akpos left, PAP warned him, “Do a good job for my brother, but don’t put fire on his finger. His anointing is great, but it is not on the same level as my own”.

T[b]he road to perdition — Nigerian business edition
Editi Effiong
[/b]

The business journey of most young Nigerians often begins with them tired of being broke, hungry, and a disgrace to their family. To alleviate the situation, they decide to do something.

Now, “something” here is to be taken exactly at face value. If you’ve ever met a young Nigerian who has been looking for a job for 3 years after graduating from university or college, you would probably hear phrases along the lines of “I just need something to do. Anything.”
This is the kind of something that comes to mind when the young person decides to start the small something. It could be anything. Human hair, point and kill, makeup, fabric sales, pure water etc. For the sake of this post, I’m going to go with web design, since this is the one I know well.


So our friend, let’s call him Akpos, has decided to start a web design business because, ahn ahn, this hunger is too much. Also because he ran into his old schoolmate, Bayo, the other day and felt so ashamed. Bayo looked very clean, coming out of his original Tokunbo Toyota Highlander (TTH). He even had a small accent.
Bayo that used to wear those silly striped shirts with a worn out belt back in university, was now wearing a well-starched white kaftan with an Apple Watch, balling like Bolanle (no relation of Bayo’s).
Whatever Bayo was doing to blow, he will try it too. That’s how he decided to start web design.


It begins.

Web design is not very hard to learn. Akpos spent the next few days in an internet cafe, learned the basics of HTML. Then he learned the other one, CSS, before trying out javascript. This one was a little hard, but the effects you could do with it na die. As soon as he could use javascript to make letters jump on the web page, he knew he was ready.
He went home and proudly told his mother “Mummy, I am now an entrepreneur”. To show how serious he was, Akpos took his transparent “job application file” and pushed it under the bed. Never again!
The next day, Akpos started looking for someone who was willing to pay for web design. He tried the big hotels, then the big schools, but no one wanted to give him business. Dejected, hungry, he walked back home. His mother had warned him about this entrepreneur business, but he wouldn’t hear. But one month of entrepreneurship, it turned out, was as hard as job search. It’s kuku the same thing.


A month to the day after he started his entrepreneurial journey, Akpos reached under his bed and retrieved his old transparent folder.
On the way out to nowhere, Akpos decided to stop by Prophet Akpan Power’s Ministry, so Prophet Akpan Power (PAP) could pray on his folder. The prophet had previously prayed on the folder, but a month under the bed probably weakened the efficacy of the old prayer, so Akpos needed reinforcement.
Outside PAP’s church building, there was a sign announcing yet another 3-day power packed crusade, titled “We Will Win By Force” AKA “WWW By Force”. Just the kind of encouragement Akpos needed. By force work. By force business. WWW By Force…
That was when it hit him. He ran into the church. PAP was kneeling at the alter, praying. Akpos ran up to him, almost out of breath, shouting “Sir, PAP, let me build ya website”
Two weeks later, Akpos launched the website www.prophetakpanpowerministries.com in front of the PAP congregation. The website was really nice. It had a really fine picture of the prophet with his hands pointing to heaven. At the tip of his pointing finger, Akpos used javascript to put a flame of blue fire to show that this man of God was powerful. Everyone loved it. (If you actually clicked on the PAP website link, LOL).
PAP was so happy, he paid him N10,000 more than the N20,000 they had agreed. He also prayed an extra prayer for Akpos’s transparent folder, but Akpos knew the time for the folder was gone. He spent N10,000 of his new stash on new clothes — new shirt, new second hand suit and a nice pair of original fake Italian shoes. He was an entrepreneur now, he had to represent.


Two weeks after launching the website, PAP called Akpos. A brother-in-ministry also wanted a website. He gave Akpos the fellow prophet’s number. Just before Akpos left, PAP warned him, “Do a good job for my brother, but don’t put fire on his finger. His anointing is great, but it is not on the same level as my own”.


An entrepreneur is born.

A year after learning web design, Akpos was going places. Like he really was going to different places to build websites, including those places that didn’t want to talk to him before. All e had to do was show that PAP site — everyone loved the fire thing.
He started buying foodstuff for his mother on his way from business, so his mother respected him now. Once a week, he would buy fuel for the gen.
Three months after is first website job, he bought himself a laptop with a nice black Targus bag to go with it. He joined twitter and wrote a small article about javascript and the tech cool kids all over twitter were replying him . Life suddenly wasn’t so bad.
He stopped calling himself a web designer. He was an entrepreneur now.
The only downside to his new life was the constant arrest by police, who called him a Yahoo boy. Every time he got arrested, he would pay a little something before he got released — the police said if he really has a job like he said “where your ID card”.
That’s why Akpos decided to start a company — MegaKP Technology Company. He printed an ID card, business card and letterheads. The next time the police stopped him, he proudly showed is ID card. When they asked him what he did at the company, he proudly smiled, “Managing Director”.
The next time he passed the police post, they didn’t stop him. He was driving his new Toyota Corolla. So police can have respect, he thought. “Their collective fathers”.


+1

Hiring is not easy. Every new entrepreneur struggles with that moment where there is too much work to do, but there is worry that there isn’t enough money coming in to support hiring.
Akpos realized however, that writing code takes so much time, it was hard to chase for new business. He started looking for someone just like him — designer, coder, business maven. He couldn’t find someone. The young people these days don’t work hard to gain multiple skills, yet ask for N100k a month. He settled for a guy who had decent web design skills and could use photoshop, but wasn’t too greedy — N50k.


No brothers in business

That week after he hired his first staff, Bayo called him. A bank he worked for had given him a couple of jobs and he could not deliver all of them. He needed someone he could trust. The deal was simple — Akpos would attend the bank meetings with Bayo, deliver on his part of the business and get paid 50% of what Bayo gets when the bank pays.
Agreed.
On Tuesday, the day of the meeting, Akpos was in front of the bank an hour ahead of the meeting, wearing a new suit. Bayo didn’t show up until 5 minutes to the meeting, wearing a well starched white kaftan. Akpos was more than a little impressed. Only people who hcaave arrived wear kaftans to business meetings.


The meeting went well. Akpos helped Bayo answer some questions and the client was happy. One of the men in the room, the bank’s head of technology — Mr Smith, was so impressed with Akpos, he gave him his business card.
It took Akpos one week of sleepless nights to deliver the project. His new staff grumbled a lot, but stayed with him and they delivered right on schedule. Bayo called to say the client was very happy. They will pay in two weeks.
Two weeks came and passed, Bayo did not call. Akpos called, but Bayo didn’t pick up. The third week came and went. Frustrated, he called that man at the bank who had given him his business card. The man was happy Akpos called. He was surprised that Bayo’s employee would call, but confirmed their company had been paid weeks back. When Akpos honestly explained that he was not Bayo’s employee, Mr Smith understood, and asked Akpos to meet him the next day.
At that meeting, Mr Smith, told Akpos he liked how his mind worked, and would like to work with him on another project. He asked Akpos to forward his company details to him. Akpos left the bank, happy, but in two minds. He wanted this new business, but he didn’t want to offend Bayo. He tried calling Bayo again, to tell him about the new bank project, and also to offer him a cut from the new business. Bayo did not pick up.
Akpos went about his business that day. He also put together a very nice profile and sent to Mr Smith. That evening, Bayo called. He abused Akpos for cutting him to get business from his client. Akpos tried to explain, but Bayo wouldn’t listen. Bayo told him to never ever call his phone again, then hung up.
Akpos didn’t call Mr Smith for two weeks. Then Mr Smith called. He listened to Akpos, then told him “Life happens. Send me your CAC documents so we can list you as a vendor”. Akpos confessed that his company was only in name, he was not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission. Mr Smith gave him a lawyer’s number.
“Call him, he can get you registered in 2 days. Send me the documents immediately they arrive”.


Baller.

Akpos’s story was a miracle. He told this story to every employee he hired. With every telling, the story got sweeter, and by the 20th telling, Akpos himself had come to believe the newer, sweeter version, which deleted Bayo and replaced Mr. Smith with the CEO of the Bank.
He was traveling abroad on vacation and generally enjoying life.
Everyone loved Akpos. And his story. Three years down the road, he was running one of the biggest software businesses in the city, attended TED Talks and had a regular blog. People read his blogs about how to build successful businesses, and asked him to come and talk to their teams.
One of his readers worked at the Federal Internal Revenue & Extortion Service, FIR(E)S.
A week later, Akpos received a letter saying he owed the government N35 million in taxes.
“WHAT?”
Akpos called his friend, Ray, a lawyer.
“So have you been remitting taxes?”
“No”.
“But you have been putting tax in your invoices to clients?”
“Yes now. But everybody does it just to increase how much the client pays”
“Ah, this is serious o, because every business you do, every payment that you client makes to your bank account registers with FIR(E)S.”
“So what do we do?”


First contact with the devil

The first visit by the FIRS was very formal. They gave Akpos a deadline, after which he would be shut down. Akpos didn’t have that kind of money. He had been generous with his profits. He paid his staff well, gave to church, took care of family, enjoyed life and bought a house.
When Akpos started the business, he knew nobody to open doors for him. He got lucky when he met a few a man who introduced him to the big ogas, and took a percentage of his contract fees. Unknown to him, those kickbacks were leaving him with huge tax liabilities. Of course he couldn’t call Alhaji Jamil to please send back the tax on that N5 million he got as “marketing commission”.
He called his mother to talk and she took him to PAP for prayers. As PAP was prophesying, Akpos was seeing himself in chains, being led to jail. He was in soup.

The next morning, he got a Whatsapp call from the tax man. He said there is a way out. They needed to meet in person. At the meeting, no words were spoken — the tax man would write a number of the paper, hand it to Akpos, Akpos would shake his head, write on the paper and pass it back. After a short while, a compromise was set — the penalty was reduced by over 80%, but he would pay 10% of the original obligation to a private account. The paper notes were burned.
Akpos was relieved. He was a good guy, but the trouble he was in could ruin the entire business. So he hustled some funds and did as he was told.


More letters

The FIR(E)S problem was gone and he had received his first ever tax clearance. But that was the same week he got a call from the Pension Commission. An old staff had reported his business to the commission for failing to remit pensions. He had also made a similar report to the State Internal Revenue Shakedown.
All of a sudden, Akpos was in trouble. There were troubles as far as he could see. For the first time, he missed pay day, and a few more staff were threatening to leave if he didn’t pay on time. He was being featured on blogs after the State IRS had arrested him. Nobody knew that the SIRS had offered the same deal as the FIR(E)S, but because he didn’t have money, the state people arrested him to teach a lesson.
Akpos had been having headaches off and on since his troubles started. He took pain medications, but the headaches always did not go away. He finally went to see a doctor, who ordered tests.

The doctor asked how old he was, then shook his head. Akpos had developed high blood pressure.
Three years after his life had turned around for good, Akpos didn’t want to be an entrepreneur anymore.


There are many Akpos stories
There are so many stories like those of our friend, Akpos. People who just wanted to hustle, but business happened to them along the way. People who weren’t trained about taxes, pensions and other deductibles. People who set staff salaries, trying to pay decently so bigger companies would not steal their best staff, only to realize that they are building up a backlog of back taxes on account of that.
Too many entrepreneurs have unknowingly entered the Fowler’s net, while trying to hustle. Some found themselves heavily indebted to staff because their clients owe them. Some are in trouble because they rushed to buy that TTH to show they have arrived, then business stopped flowing.
It’s hard out there. Really hard.
This story has no happy ending

www.editieffiong.medium.com/the-road-to-perdition-nigerian-business-edition-80ccb8fca862

kingxsamz:
Even in your bible, Abraham lied that Sarah was his sister.
A little lie isn't bad, as long as that lie won't put others or yourself at risk, then it's fine.

Sarah was definitely Abraham's Sister, he didn't also add that he was the husband because he was not asked.

TWITTER, NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE REST OF US.
By Babatunde Ajose DCOB.

In 2017, Farhad Manjoo, New York Times Tech Columnist warned that Tech companies are becoming more powerful than Government and might spell doom if nothing is done to curtail their activities.

The Nigerian Government just banned the operation of Twitter indefinitely and compatriots are complaining bitterly. Those complaining don't want their freedom of speech trampled upon. I share their position and acknowledged that the Nigerian Government took an extreme position on Twitter no doubt, but these Nigerians should also remember that there can only be citizenship rights if there's a country . Looking at the activities of these Tech Giants around the world, various governments will have no choice than to take unpopular position on their activities regardless of their benefits especially in Nigeria where Twitter was openly soliciting funds for the Anti-Government movement called #EndSars , where the President's Obituary was published and nothing was done, where millions upon millions suffer abuses and bully on daily basis and Twitter only cares about their profit. I was in the Manchester Court room when a man was sentenced for insulting Rooney's Wife on Twitter and there was no mention of failed state in England, but reverse is the case here, anything goes in our media space. We have forgotten that every right comes with an obligation.

I appreciate the fact that this Government failed on almost all the promises that brought them to power, the reasons for the failure is a topic for another day. But should we lose a country because a government failed? Buhari will leave in 2023 but the damages we're doing to our country will hunt us in decades to come. Is it not possible to see this country beyond Buhari and rally round our God-given land, or have we gotten any other place we want to pass to our children unborn?

We all know that the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) is a proscribed organization in Nigeria and classified as a terrorist organization by Nigerian laws and even in some South-Eastern States of Nigeria as at the last time I checked. The fairness and legality of this proscription is left to the legal practitioners to argue in courts or the lawmakers from Biafra Region to lobby on the floor of the Parliament. What we have seen is that the Leader of a Proscribed IPOB has chosen Twitter as his mouthpiece which has brought about arson, carnage and killings on the streets of the supposedly Biafraland and Twitter doesn't see anything wrong in it. It's like an organization providing a platform for Al-Qaeda or ISIS to disseminate messages to their sympathisers in America....Who does that? Yet, my people love and hail Twitter because a government failed us.

Few months ago, Twitter announced the opening of their office in Ghana citing Freedom of Speech for their reasons for shunning Nigeria and my people fell for it. All around the world, multinationals especially Tech Giants look for Tax Haven to do their businesses; my people forgot to investigate if freedom of speech is actually the reason Twitter went to Ghana as they told us. The simple reason is the repatriation of profit and taxes which Nigerian Government is now taking serious. MTN the South African telecommunication giant had same issue; ShopRite, the South African stores, is another multinational that tried to mess with our tax laws, thank God Egbon Tayo Amusan came to our rescue and I'm happy those cash they have collected from Nigerians over the years will remain in Nigeria.

Apple Inc. the makers of world's most expensive gadgets moved their Head Office to Ireland in an attempt to avoid the American tax or are we saying there's no freedom of speech in America? Same Apple moved their factory to China because of cheap labour, should we then say America does not have the right infrastructure like Nigeria? Have you forgotten the legal war between the FBI and Apple in respect of privacy right over American security? How about the court drama between EU/Ireland & Apple Inc. over unpaid €14 Billion taxes.

All notable and luxury clothing lines in the Western world moved their production outfits to Asian countries because of labour laws of the West or should we assume they went there because of NEPA and Bad leadership in their home countries? Nigerians should wake up please, we are the second largest English speakers in the world after United States of America; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc cannot afford to lose the Nigerian Market, they need us more than we need them but will develop a funny narrative to appease the their Nigerian followers as their reasons. That is the style of multinationals especially the Tech Giants.

Egypt is the largest Twitter user in Africa, did Twitter establish in Egypt? They will not because the Egyptian tax laws don't permit their "Wayo Activities". By the way how many Ghanaians will Twitter employ in their new Ghana office? I'm very sure, it's less than 200 compared to the 5000 jobs Microsoft is creating with its partnership with Nigerian Government, but Nigerians prefer to mourn the loss of 200 jobs over 5000 created here. I have the privilege to have worked in the Nigerian Embassy in London where I met several business delegation wanting to come to Nigeria and I know how robust some of our investment laws are. I acknowledge the fact that there are several rooms for improvement in these laws but we're not doing badly as we're being made to believe. The chat below shows you that your preferred Ghana is not as popular as Nigeria in the Foreign Direct Investment Market so guys learn to support your country against this tax evaders.

The simple truth is that Twitter wants to evade tax by being in Ghana and enjoy the biggest Market in Africa, Nigeria, through ECOWAS Treaties and AFCTA Agreement and let's be guided more multinationals will still do the same thing in future. Do you know how much Twitter is making in Nigeria? Are you aware Twitter is having similar problem in India? Do you know Twitter and other social media companies don't pay any tax in Nigeria? Do you know they will prefer to go to Ghana because the Nigerian Government just came up with a tax reform that compelled them to pay our taxes they've been pocketing? Check the new Financial Act 2020 for details.

Finally, I want to submit that the Nigerian Government took this extreme decision at a wrong time and for wrong immediate reasons but we should not forget the remote reasons and the underlying factors. Twitter is just out to make profit and not to protect anybody's right as portrayed in Nigeria; Twitter should realize that having a dominant share of 200million people Market comes with a lot of caution and decorum. The Nigerian Government should also have a legal framework to register and regulate these Tech Giants and institute deterrent punitive measures like fines and the likes instead of outright ban.

Thank you for reading.

Babatunde Ajose DCOB is a Sustainable Development Strategist from Badagry with specialisation in Tourism, Foreign Investment, Microfinance. He is a Fellow of several professional bodies in the UK.

RE: GIANT OF AFRICA IS FALLING: STATING THE FACTS

Please find below the response of the Presidency to the publication in Foreign Affairs magazine that appeared in the current edition as sent to the publishers:



Dear Sir,

The latest article on Nigeria in Foreign Affairs titled ‘The Giant of Africa is Failing’ is unfair both to a magazine with such an esteemed pedigree and to its readers.

Ambassador Campbell has been predicting the collapse of Nigeria for several years. He is of course entitled to his opinions, even where events consistently prove him wrong.

But facts should not be bent to support distorted opinions.

Let me give you one example.

The authors write:

‘At an April meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Buhari reportedly requested that the headquarters of the U.S. Africa Command be moved from Germany to Nigeria so that it would be closer to the fight against jihadi groups in the country’s north.’

President Buhari did not request that AFRICOM move to Nigeria. The transcript of the call with Secretary Blinken is available on the State Department’s own website.

It’s not just a question of the invented addition of ‘to Nigeria’ with regard to AFRICOM. It sums up a piece that attempts - subtly but revealingly - to shift facts to suit an argument.
Nigeria faces multiple challenges, not least of which is the dissemination of fake news and prejudiced opinion.

This is something we have come to expect from partisan blogs and politically motivated lobbies. It is still a surprise, and a disappointment, to see them joined by Foreign Affairs.



Yours sincerely,

Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media & Publicity)

03 June, 2021.

Social media trends for Friday 4th June, 2021

Tompolo
The Minister of Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio, was on the trend following his visit to Delta state, allegedly to plead with ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo over a seven-day ultimatum he had issued.

Tompolo had called on the Federal Government to set up a board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) or else there will be a breakdown of law and order in the region.

Many people who reacted to the development criticized the minister, saying it is sad how the government trembles at the threat of violence from non-state actors.

Some of the opinions are captured below:

@AbiolaTalks80: "This administration's admiration for non-state actors make me wonder if #Nigeria will ever emerge a one united nation from this political and economic quagmire."

@MooAkee: "Perhaps, Tompolo should come out of hiding and serve on the board. If you want something to be done properly, do it by yourself.

"Keep running away from taking responsibilities openly and then turn back to complain of mismanagement while in hiding. Who are you deceiving?"

@LongwilliamsT: "Tompolo you are doing a good job. Carry on."

@king_Zule: "Niger Delta can’t be underdeveloped while we feed the nation. People who aren’t from the region getting employed into top offices in NDDC; it must stop!!!!"

Over 20,000 reactions followed the trend.

*Gumi*
Social media users have slammed popular Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi for advising the Federal Government to support splinter groups among bandits as a way to end mass abductions of school pupils.

Gumi was reported to have given the advice on Wednesday while reacting to the abduction of 200 Islamiyya school children in the Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State. He said many bandits were ready for a dialogue, and that the government could use them to fight the ugly ones.

But many took to Twitter to disagree strongly with Gumi's postulation, arguing that there are no good bandits.

Below are some of their arguments:

@Morris_Monye: "So according to Sheik Gumi, there are good bandits and bad bandits.

"My man, a bandit is a bandit no matter how you colour the bandit.
It's like saying good armed robbers and bad armed robbers."

@BChocolait: "Sugarcoating is a tactic used to caramelize evil to justify the kidnapping and killings done by these terrorists by a renowned Islamic cleric.

"So tay now, we see killings as a thing to just argue about on social media and forget it ever existed."

@hammedmusa: "I don't know why that man is still walking free despite uttering ridiculous and annoying comments. If a southerner tries that, he would have become a regular guest in prison."

@ROyekulehin: "Why are some people so methodologically unfortunate? What’s the meaning of good bandits and bad bandits. That man will be shamed to death."

@shalomhans: "So Gumi is telling me that we have good and bad witches, good and bad armed robbers."

@FabianKenni: "Bad is bad. Outlaws are outlaws... Evil is evil... Crime is crime... I don't think he understands the realities of his statement..."

The trend gathered about 30,000 engagements.

*Femi Adesina*
A piece written by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, titled: 'I Suddenly Remembered Why I Fell In Love With The President’, has been mired in the murky waters of criticism, as many Nigerians on social media read different meanings to it.

They averred that the presidential aide was endorsing the high-handedness of his principal.

*USSD*
Many users of USSD services in Nigeria on Friday complained about the notice to pay N6.98 for each transaction session.

They took to Twitter to express their dismay over the charges.

USSD is a critical channel for delivering financial services, especially for those who do not have access to physical banking infrastructure or internet services.

Meanwhile, the CBN had stated in March that “The general public is reminded that the USSD channel is optional, as several alternative channels such as mobile apps, internet banking, and ATMs may be used for financial transactions."

However, there are concerns about how the new charge will affect financial inclusion, particularly for people who do not have access to internet services.

18,000 tweets followed the trend.

*Twitter Nigeria*
Many people are protesting the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria by the Federal Government.

There are also others who are expressing support for the suspension as they agreed with the reason being given by the government for the action.

They say Twitter has done more harm than good to the corporate existence of Nigeria, citing instances such as the EndSARS protests that resulted in unprecedented destruction of lives and property and the attendant breakdown of law and order that almost destabilized the country.

Reactions to this trend and several other related hashtags are still pouring in.

Ministry of Interior
Press Statement

FG institutes disciplinary action against Registrar of Benin Marriage Registry
The Federal Government has taken immediate disciplinary action against Mr. Ozuruonye Chukuma, the Registrar of Benin Federal Marriage Registry due to what it termed gross negligence of duties, absence from duties without leave and acts unbecoming of a public officer-all in negation of the Public Service Rules.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, and Principal Registrar of Marriages in Nigeria, Dr. Shuaib Belgore said the decision was in line with the ethics of the Civil Service which encourages, diligence and discipline for public officers.
"This will serve as deterrent to others who are careless with their official duties," Belgore said.
Belgore said he had directed immediate investigation into the incident and ordered that Mr. Ozuronye Chukuma be relieved of his duties as a Marriage Registrar in Benin Federal Marriage Registry and recalled to the Headquarters in Abuja immediately, pending the conclusion of investigation.
It would be recalled that some sections of the media reported that the said officer was not at his duty post to carry out his statutory role when, on Friday 28th May, 2021, an intending couple and their family members were at the Marriage Registry for the event, but the Registrar was not on ground to conduct the Marriage.
The Permanent Secretary and Principal Marriage Registrar of Marriages in Nigeria noted that the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has warned all Federal Marriage Registrars who handle their official duties with levity to desist from such acts or be ready to face disciplinary actions.
The Permanent Secretary and Principal Registrar of Marriages in Nigeria, on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and the entire Ministry, tenders an unreserved apology to the Couple, Mr. Abel Ugiagbe, Miss Marian Obire and their family members who were made to face disappointment on a day that should have been for joyful celebration.


Barr. Mrs. M. Soyinka-Onijala
Director Citizenship & Business
For: Permanent Secretary/ Principal Registrar of Marriages in Nigeria
4th June, 2021

PRESS RELEASE

FG Suspends Twitter's Operations in Nigeria

The Federal Government has suspended, indefinitely, the operations of the microblogging and social networking service, Twitter, in Nigeria.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced the suspension in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, citing the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria's corporate existence.

The Minister said the Federal Government has also directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations in Nigeria.

Segun Adeyemi
Special Assistant To The President (Media)
Office of the Minister of Information and Culture
Abuja
4 June 2021

The Path by Rick Joyner
Chapter 1

THE VOICE (1B)

“There is more than one path?” I asked.

“Yes, and all but one go to a place you do not want to go. There are delusions, deceptions, distractions, and traps all along the path. They are all there to divert you from your purpose. It will take more discernment, more wisdom, and more courage to stay on the right path than anyone has.”

“Then how can I make it?” I asked.

“You will need help. You will need the Helper. You will have to depend on Him and stay humble enough to keep depending on Him.

“You must also have the living water.

You must never let it out of your sight again. You must drink from it as soon as you begin to thirst. Even drink when you are not thirsty when you can. It will keep you alive. Staying close to it will help keep you on the path.”

Everything he said seemed to go deep into my heart because my perception was so keen. I felt that I could recall everything perfectly anytime I needed to. I have been such a concept-oriented person that I struggle to remember details accurately and consider this one of my greatest weaknesses. I was elated that I could perceive and remember every detail with such clarity and depth now. I felt as if a whole new part of my mind had been opened.

The Voice drew his head back as if he was suddenly interested in something and said,
“You have understanding. The mental clarity you now have is because the Spirit quickens your mortal body. The Spirit will turn your weaknesses into strengths. If you will walk in the Spirit, you will always be strong in what you need. To make it to your destiny, you must abide in the Spirit. The waters you are drinking are Spirit and life. It was the Spirit that quickened Moses so that he did not grow weaker with age, but stronger, and his eyes never grew dim.”

“Do you mean I can feel like this from now on?” I asked.

“You can, and even more so. It is up to you. How well you learn this will determine how well you do on this journey and whether or not you complete it. To feel as you do now, to think as you can now, and to be able to see as you can now, is the natural state of the new creation you are.”

“I don’t think I have ever been as close to death as I was just a few minutes ago,” I said. “After drinking this water, I don’t think I have ever been this alive. I have a mental clarity I don’t remember ever having except when I was before the throne. Just a few minutes ago I could hardly think at all. Now you say I can be this way all of the time?”

The Voice moved to stand right in front of me and looked intently into my eyes, and said, “You not only can, you must remain as you are now. When you are in the Spirit, you are before the throne. His kingdom is within. The King is in you. You are His temple. To walk in truth is to know this and to live in His presence.
“Until one is born again they cannot see the kingdom. But just because they are born again does not mean that they see it,” he continued. “Few of those who are born again in these times are opening their new eyes, their spiritual eyes. Few who are coming here now have seen the kingdom. It is a marvel that any get this far with so little vision. This is why so few are making it through even part of the wilderness.

“The Lord gave the warning, ‘Woe to those who nurse babes in these times’, or ‘Woe to those who keep their people in immaturity’. His warning was true—this is the great tragedy of your time.”

“I know this is true. I have been preaching it for years,” I agreed.

“Yes. You have, but what have you done about it?” he asked.

“I guess not much. Not as much as I should have,” I confessed.

“It is the tragedy of your generation to have brought in the greatest harvest of the age, but then lost most of it. There is an even greater ingathering coming, and this must not happen again.

“There is great rejoicing at a single sinner that repents, and there is great lamentation when a single one falls away. There are not many true disciples because there are not many true shepherds. You have excelled at making converts, but you are not making them into His disciples. The Great Commission is to make disciples. The Lord gave a definition of what a disciple is, and we have few who make it even this far because you are not making disciples. This is the bane of your age.”

“I am guilty,” I confessed. “I knew better, and even grieved over this, but did not do much about it.”

“This is why the judgment of teachers is even more severe,” said the Voice. “Your shepherds have been feeding themselves and have not taken care of the people. Now the final battle is near. We have an army where even its leaders do not know how to fight. Right now few could even survive the first attack. There are already many needless casualties because of this.”

“How will we win?” I asked. “We do win. It is written.”

“We will win because of our Captain, but this battle is for His people. He has already won. Now you must win. I came at the beginning of the age to help prepare the way for Him then, and I have come again at the end of the age to prepare the way for Him again. I do this by helping to prepare His people. Now the first thing that must be done to prepare for Him and the times is to make the leaders into disciples. They will not know how to make disciples if they have not been disciples.

“No one can make it on this path who is not a disciple, and they certainly won’t last long in the battle without being one. There should be multitudes that are on this path now, but there are few.

“You are the generation that was given the greatest resources, the most knowledge, the most freedom, but so few have come to the knowledge of the truth. Where are the shepherds?” the Voice lamented.

“I am guilty of everything you’re saying,” I confessed. “I have been a poor teacher, and an even worse shepherd.”

“You have judged yourself rightly. Because you have judged yourself, you will not have to be judged, but you must repent. True repentance brings change.

“‘The last shall be first,’ the Voice continued. “The generation emerging is called to be the greatest of all. Right now, it is in the worst shape of all. This happened on your watch. Even so, ‘where sin abounds grace does that much more abound.’ There is still grace available to change this if you repent.”

“You are the one who prepares the way for the Lord. You are here to prepare us for Him. How can we make this great change? The fabric of Christianity in our time is very thin. We are as weak and unprepared as you say. What do we need to do?” I begged.

“As I said, the next step is the next step on this path. This path will prepare you, and I will help you. I was with John the Baptist to do this in his time. It begins with repentance. You cannot stay long on this path without a strong foundation of repentance.You must be quick to see your sin—quick to see your mistakes and to correct them.You are quick to see your sin and mistakes. This is helpful, but you have not been quick to correct them, and that can be your doom.Repentance is more than feeling sorry for your sin, it is turning from the sin.
“Only a foundation of repentance will keep you humble enough to walk in the grace of God. Humility is to be teachable and dependent on the Holy Spirit. This has not been a foundation that many have built upon in your time. You must start with preaching and teaching repentance. You must start praying for the Spirit to come to convict of sin. Your generation hardly even knows what sin is.

“I prayed for the judgment of God to come upon my own nation. Then I had to challenge the false teachers and prophets of my time. This is a basic duty of the prophets. Where are your prophets? Where are your apostles? Where are the shepherds who will protect God’s people from the great deception of your time? Why are the wolves allowed to devour God’s people right in front of them and they do nothing?

“I was taken up so that I would not see death so that I could return to prepare the way for the Lord. The Baptist loved the people enough to warn them. He loved them enough to risk his life to tell them the truth and to stand for the truth that could set them free. Where are those that can be used to prepare the way for the Lord in your time? Where are those who will even risk being rejected for the sake of the truth?”

“There are some,” I replied, “but not many. They are not well known because not many will listen to them, but there are some.”

“We do not need many. If they have courage and a resolute heart, it will be enough. If they have courage and a resolute heart, they will find this path,” the Voice continued.

“Many think they are on the path of life, but have long ago departed from it. Only with the foundation of repentance can one find and stay on this path. Where the foundation of repentance is strong, there will be a victory over sin, not just remorse about it. The deadly trap for your generation is that they hardly know what sin is, much less how to turn from it.”

“Everything you say is true,” I admitted. “I may be the chief of sinners in this time. I have taken comfort that I have not committed the major sins since I have believed, but I have committed one that is worse. I have seen the Lord. I have seen His glory and His throne, and I have still become lukewarm. I have become frivolous and wasteful of my time. I should be walking in much more than I am, but as you witnessed, I did not even have enough spiritual sense to seek the living water in the wilderness.

“I know I have fallen far short of the devotion that the Lord deserves from me. This is the most difficult part of all—I am the most zealous for the Lord that I know of, and I am lukewarm. The King deserves better.
“You are right to be disappointed that I was not stronger when I got here, but it may not get much better with others who come. They may all arrive here in bad shape, but they will listen to you. They will repent, and they will walk this path with great courage.”

“You are right in your judgment of yourself and your generation. The flock of the Lord is in very bad shape. As Jeremiah lamented, the sheep have become lost sheep because their shepherds have led them astray by making them turn aside to the mountains and hills, to things that will keep them excited and keep them moving. They are being led to the things of the Lord, but not to the Lord Himself. Many are now lukewarm because they have so much, so many distractions. Others are lukewarm because they are worn out from all the hype and continuous running to and fro.

“You are right about your generation. Even so, the biggest victories can only come with the biggest battles. Your generation has failed, but it does not have to end in failure. Those who repent will be given the grace to change. Then they will be given one of the greatest honors of the ages—they will be allowed to fight in the last battle. All of the prophets and righteous ones have been waiting to see these days. You are living them.

“I was surprised by the condition that you, and the few who have made it this far, have come in. But now I see strength. If the others who come have this and can keep it, then you will prevail.”

“What is that strength?” I asked.

“You are quick to repent. You are not afraid of an accurate evaluation of yourself. You do not try to hide your faults or make excuses for them.That is a foundation that victory can be built upon. Only with this accurate evaluation will you fully embrace the cross as your hope. The power of God is the cross, and those who live the life of the cross will live in power.
“To be changed into the image of the Lord, you must see His glory with an unveiled face.Excuses are the biggest veil that keep people from seeing Him as He is, and from seeing themselves as they are. Those with this veil do not change. Even if they see His glory it is distorted through the veil they wear, so they are not changed by it. If you keep this humility it will not take long to get you ready for your purpose.”

“What is my purpose?” I inquired.

“You are a forerunner of the forerunners. You are to help prepare those who will prepare the way for the King. They are the mighty ones that have been prophesied since Enoch spoke of them. They are alive now. This is their time, and you are called to help prepare them.”

“Since Enoch did not see death, does he also have a part in preparing the way for the Lord?” I asked.

“After the Fall, Enoch was the first to recover the most basic purpose of man—to walk with God.The message of Enoch has been for every generation. He too was taken up as a testimony that this is the victory over death—to walk with God. To walk with God is to eat of the Tree of Life. The mighty ones he was shown that come at the end of the age were given their authority because they will walk with God as Enoch did.

“Enoch has a special part in these times. Those who stay on this path and make it to the city of God do so because they learn what Enoch learned. After you have learned from me you must learn from him. Those who do not learn repentance first almost all fall to pride.The worst pride can be thinking you are closer to the Lord than others. Repentance has to come to prepare the way for the Lord so that you can walk with Him and not stray.”

The Voice then motioned for me to follow him on the path. I followed. The living water and the thrill of the journey made me feel young again. I was thankful to have been able to talk to someone about the poor leader, teacher, and shepherd I had been. I knew it was true, and this gave me hope. I had the exuberance of starting over again, knowing I was being given another chance. I had found grace. I wondered if there could be any gift more wonderful than being given another chance.
As if listening to my thoughts, the Voice turned and said, “The gift of being born again is the great gift. It is the gift of starting over.”

“Very true,” I acknowledged. “I feel that I’m being given a whole new beginning again, almost like I’m being born again, again. Even if I failed again it would be better to die trying, to die in this wilderness, than to not try at all.”

“The Lord gave us day and night so that we could wake up each day to a new day. Every day is a new beginning.Repentance is waking up again to a new day,” the Voice explained.

I was awake like I had not felt for years, and maybe ever. I was on the path again to the greatest adventure one can have in this life, seeking the city that God is building

The Path by Rick Joyner
Chapter 1

THE VOICE (1A)

I thought every step would be my last. The hunger, thirst, and weariness all combined into the greatest crisis I had ever experienced. Death had to be very close. The fog was so thick I could only see a few feet in front of me, and it seemed to perfectly fit my mental state. I was determined not to stop as long as I was still conscious, but I knew that could not be much longer.

I was trudging through a dense forest on a narrow path. My eyes burned. My clothes were frayed so badly, they hardly gave any protection from the thorns and sharp limbs that stabbed at me continually. I had gone far beyond the point where I thought I could not go any further and each step was torture. Death became desirable. Even so, if I died I did not want it to be because I gave up. I knew that if I ever stopped I would not be able to start again, so I plodded on step by tortured step.

I thought of why I had entered this wilderness. I had been shown a great purpose on the other side. Now my whole purpose was to die while still trying to go forward. This would at least be some measure of victory against this wilderness that now seemed sure to be my doom.

Just when I was sure my next step would be my last I saw a faint sparkle through the fog ahead. I thought I must have imagined it and that my mind was playing tricks on me, but I gathered all of the resolve that I had to stumble forward a few more feet. I saw it again. It could not be very far, so I determined to reach whatever it was.

I emerged from the forest and was standing in front of a small lake. It was the most beautiful water I had ever seen, not just because I was so thirsty, but it was like a scene out of heaven. The water was a deep blue that sparkled from within. Large rocks and trees seemed to have been arranged around it for a special beauty. It looked completely natural and yet divinely landscaped.

I tried to kneel down, but fell on my face at the edge of the water. As thirsty as I was I just stared at it for a long moment. The water seemed alive with light. It then occurred to me that it must be some kind of radioactive pool. It could kill me to drink it.

“So what!” I thought. “I’m going to die if I don’t drink it, so I might as well try it.” Still, I cautiously dipped the tip of my finger into the water and touched it to my tongue. It felt and tasted strange. It was charged with some kind of energy, but it was also sweet. I felt energy and drank more. The more I drank, the stronger I felt.

I kept drinking until I felt stronger than I ever had in my life.It was as if every cell in my body was being awakened. Just moments before I felt worse than I ever had, and now I felt better than I ever had. I went from hell to heaven, from being on the edge of death to being more alive than I had ever been. I was in awe.

I began to look around. My eyes had brightened so that I could see through the fog. The water had not only quenched my thirst, but my hunger as well. “What kind of water is this?” I thought. Then I began to think that the water had been radioactive and had done something very strange to me physically. I considered that it probably would kill me pretty soon, but it would be a wonderful way to die! I felt so good it was hard to be negative about anything.
The mental clarity was as invigorating as the energy I felt flowing through my body. I could never remember feeling this good or sharp. As I looked around I seemed to take in every detail quickly. I saw things I would have never noticed before even if I had stared for a long time. My mind was going at hyper-speed, but with order and precision.
I was thinking that if I would have had this water while going through the wilderness, it would have been the most enjoyable journey ever, not the death walk it had been. I was then startled to see a man standing so close that I could not believe I had not seen him approaching, especially with the way I was able to see and take in so much.

“Who are you?” I asked. “Does this water belong to you?”

“This water belongs to anyone who will drink it,” he replied.

“Are you an angel?” I asked.

“No. I am a man like you,” he replied.

He stared at me for a moment and then continued, “The stream that feeds this pool was very close to you in the wilderness you just came through. You could have refreshed yourself with it at any time.”

“I did not see any stream in that wilderness,” I protested.

“You did not see it because you did not look for it,” he replied, dispassionately.

This was a shocking thought. If I could have had this water through the wilderness I would have run through it singing praise to God instead of suffering the torture I endured!
“I was not told anything about this water in the wilderness,” I replied.

“Even the youngest disciples are taught where to find this water and how to drink from it daily. Is there no discipleship left? Did you not have a mentor to teach you this?” he said.

“No. I did not have a mentor. And there is not much discipleship left,” I answered.

The visitor hung his head as if deeply grieved. Finally he continued, “Well, your endurance was impressive. It will serve you well on this journey, but you must save your endurance for the battles ahead. *The wilderness is intended to be hard, but not as hard as you made it. The living water is available to sojourners at any time and in any place, if you stay on the right path. When you are on the right path it will always be close to you, so find it, drink it often, and never go far from it.* This is one of the most basic lessons you must learn for where you are headed and what you are called to do.”

“I don’t think you will have to tell me that again,” I responded, “but how do you know where I’m going and what I’m called to do?”

“I’ve been waiting for you and the others. I’m here to help you. There have not been many coming this way in recent times. This has to be the result of there not being much discipleship left. Are there no fathers left?”

“Spiritual fathers and mothers are rare in these times,” I said. “I think, in general, the leaders have given themselves to building organizations more than building people.We do have some great ministries and organizations being raised up, but great saints are becoming rare.”

“What about you?” he inquired.

“I am as guilty as anyone else. I have not been a good father or mentor. I too have spent more time building organizations than building people,” I replied.

“Would you do it differently if you got another chance?” the visitor asked, looking at me as if this was the most important question he could ask.
“I would like to try,” I answered. “I’ve always been clumsy in relationships, but I know how important it is. I just have not done much about it.”

“You are correct,” the visitor replied.

“The world has had the greatest ingathering of new believers in history in your time, but very few are are finding this path. If they do not come here they will not be prepared for what is coming upon the earth. If they are not prepared,they will be lost.”

“What is coming?” I asked.

“Do you not know where you’re going?”

“I do know I am going to the mountain, but you spoke of something coming. What is coming?” I asked.

“I know you have been to the mountain and that you have fought battles there, but what is coming is the greatest battle there has ever been on the earth. It is the last battle.

“We are here to prepare you for your purpose, to finish what has been lacking in your training, which is much more than I was expecting. We must get started. I’ve brought you these,” he said, and held up a new set of clothes that he laid on a nearby branch.

I looked at the clothes and then back at him, but he was gone. I was sure he could not have moved fast enough to get beyond my vision that quickly, yet I could not see him. I thought he must have been an angel as I turned to look at the clothes.
The clothes were made out of a material so thin and light they did not seem to have any weight. I thought they would be too fragile to wear. I tried to make a small tear in the tunic to test it, but as hard as I tried I could not tear it. I then tried to poke a small hole in it with a sharp stick, but as hard as I tried I could not even make a mark on it.

I removed my torn rags, washed in the pool of water, and put on the new clothes. There were boots, a cape, and a hat, all made out of the same material, and they all fit perfectly. I then heard the voice of the man who had just been with me coming from the forest. I could not see anyone in the direction the voice seemed to be coming from.

“They are more than clothes. They are part of your armor. You will need it to get where you are going now.”

“Where am I going now?” I asked.

“You are going to your home.”

“Who are you?” I asked, still looking for the source of the voice. “Where is my home?”

“I am the Voice that cries in the wilderness,”he said as he stepped out of the forest so close that I could not believe I had not seen him. Then he continued as if he had heard my thoughts.

“You did not see me because I cannot be seen until I move. Are you prepared for this journey?” he asked, looking at me with great intensity.

“With this living water I feel ready for anything, but honestly the answer would have to be ‘no.’ I am not prepared. I know I’m going to the mountain, but I don’t know how to get there other than to follow this path. I have not been this way before,” I replied.

“I am not surprised. Those coming here now are like an army that does not even know how to hold their weapons, much less use them. Even those who have been leaders of thousands who show up here are weak, with minds that have not been renewed or transformed. They are worldly, foolish, and not prepared even for this journey, much less for what is coming upon the earth,” he lamented.

“I’m sorry. I’m as guilty as anyone, but what can we do about it?” I asked.

“We must do the best we can with what we’re given to work with, but we are getting very close to the last battle. It will be the climax of the ages, the ultimate battle between light and darkness. You are so far from being ready for it,” the Voice continued to lament.

“I’ve never known anything but battles my whole life. I’ve known the last battle is near, and I’ve been preaching and writing about it for years. But not many want to hear about it, and of those who will hear it, few will act on it. I don’t even think I have done much to act on it. Few have set their affections on things above and not the things that are on the earth.

“I’ve not been here before,” I continued, “but it does seem familiar. I do not know what you mean by ‘my home.’ I’ve had many homes. Am I going to one of them?”

“Do you remember what you were seeking when you began this journey?” he asked.

“I do,” I replied.

“You are seeking the city that God is building. You want to be a part of what He is doing, not just what men are doing. That is what everyone who comes here is seeking,” the Voice continued. “This seems familiar because you have been here before. You have passed this place a few times in the circles you have been going in. You will understand all of this in due time, but you are right to think that you are not ready for the journey. You are not ready.”

“What do I do to get ready?” I asked.

“You are already doing the main thing—walking this path. You admitted to not understanding even the basics about the living water. You do not feel ready. Maybe you are humble enough to learn what you need fast enough. It is those who think they are ready who are always the first to get lost here.”

“I really do not remember being at this pool before, but I do feel that everything is familiar,” I said. “You even seem familiar.”

“Everything here changes over time,” the Voice continued. “You have been here before, but it did not look like this. You must understand this for the journey. The familiar things you are looking for to give you bearings are not the same, and you are not the same.

Therefore, your guidance must come from your heart, your spirit. You must see with the eyes of your heart more clearly than you see with these eyes, or you will not stay on the right path

benzyluv:
BVN DEPLOYMENT FOR SOCIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMMES AND OTHERS: 
- Considering that personnel costs are the Federal Government’s largest expenditure line, the Federal Government has given priority to the deployment of the BVN for payroll and pension audits. The use of BVN to verify payroll entries on the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) platform has so far led to the detection of 54,000 fraudulent payroll entries. 
- The Federal Government has also ensured the deployment of BVN system to serve as the verification basis for payments to beneficiaries and vendors in the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), the N-Power Scheme and the Homegrown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP)
 
OPEN GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP
- In May 2016, President Buhari attended and participated in the International Anti-Corruption Summit organised by the UK Government. At that Summit he pledged that Nigeria would join the OGP, an international transparency, accountability and citizen engagement initiative. 
- In July 2016, Nigeria became the 70th country to join the OGP. Following this, Nigeria constituted an OGP National Steering Committee (NSC), which went on to develop a National Action Plan (2017–2019) that aims to deepen and mainstream transparency mechanisms and citizens’ engagement in the management of public resources across all sectors. 
- In 2018, Nigeria was elected to lead the OGP, alongside Argentina, France, and Romania. All four new members of the OGP Steering Committee will serve for three years starting on October 1, 2018.
 
ASSET RECOVERY
- Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) has helped anti-corruption agencies devise clearer strategies for obtaining forfeiture of assets suspected to have been acquired fraudulently, mainly from State Coffers, before prosecuting suspected culprits. Part of this work has involved painstakingly reviewing existing Laws (like the Money Laundering Act, 2004, the EFCC Act, 2004 and the ICPC Act, 2000), to identify and highlight sections directly conferring powers of forfeiture on Nigeria’s anticorruption agencies. This advocacy has led to a significant increase in the use of Non-Conviction Based Asset Forfeiture Mechanisms by anti-corruption agencies
- ICPC scrutiny of practices, systems and procedures of MDAs’ personnel cost from 2019 to 2020, yielded 189 billion Naira in recoveries from inflated personnel budgets.
- In 2019 alone ICPC also recovered 32 billion Naira worth of Land, Buildings and Vehicles.
- ICPC’s audit of Constituency Projects covering 2015 to 2018 helped recover 2 billion Naira of diverted funds and assets.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SECURITY AND JUSTICE REFORM
- Nigerian Air Force has acquired 26 brand new aircraft since President Buhari assumed office in 2015, and is expecting another 12 (the twelve Super Tucano currently on order from the United States Government, due for delivery starting July 2021). The NAF is also locally re-activating several previously unserviceable planes.
- The Nigerian Navy has acquired close to 400 new platforms since 2015, including 172 Riverine Patrol Boats (RPBs), 114 Rigid- Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs), 2 Seaward Defence Boats (SDBs), 12 Manta Class/Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC), 3 Whaler Boats, 4 Barges / Tug Boats, 22 Fast Attack Boats, 14 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), 4 Helicopters, 14 River Town Class, 14 House Boats and 4 Capital Ships.
- In line with the President’s directive, the Nigerian Navy has established a Naval Base Lake Chad in Baga, Borno State, as well as deployed 14 Naval Security Stations along the nation’s coastline in areas prone to criminal activity.
- President Buhari signed into law, in 2019, the Bill establishing the Police Trust Fund, which will significantly improve funding for the Nigeria Police Force.
- Nigeria Police Force launched a new National Command and Control Center in Abuja in 2019
- As part of Criminal Justice Reforms, President Buhari in 2020 granted amnesty to 2,600 prisoners nationwide, representing about 3.5 percent of all inmates, in a bid to decongest Nigeria’s prison population. The beneficiaries were those 60 years and above; those suffering from ill-health that might likely lead to death; convicts serving three years and above and have less than six months to serve; inmates with mental health defect; and inmates with a pending fine not exceeding N50,000 and with no pending cases.
- Presidential approval for commencement of Community Policing Programme nationwide, and release of take-off funding. The Community Policing Programme has now been enshrined into the Police Act, 2020.
- The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) is deploying a Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) at five International Airports. MIDAS is a global real-time border management system developed by International Organization for Migration (IOM), and is linked to INTERPOL & other watchlists. The implementation of MIDAS at the International Airport in Abuja was described by the IOM as “the largest deployment of MIDAS at any airport globally, to date.”

DIPLOMACY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Re-establishment of Nigeria’s position and influence in the regional and global arena. Fragile/broken relations with the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, and with neighbouring countries (Chad, Niger, Cameroon) have been revived and strengthened since June 2015.
Major outcomes/results/manifestations of Nigeria’s renewed visibility and respect on the International Stage include:
- The positions of Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Secretary-General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), African Development Bank, and African Export–Import Bank are all currently held by Nigerians.
- The signing, in August 2016, of an MoU with the UK Government on modalities for the return of Nigeria’s stolen assets in the UK.
- The establishment of a Global Forum for Asset Recovery (GFAR), hosted by the governments of the US and UK in December 2017, to focus on assisting Nigeria and three other countries to reclaim their stolen assets.
- Nigeria joined the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in 2016 and developed a National Action Plan, which is already being implemented.
- In 2016 Nigeria signed an Agreement on the identification and repatriation of Illicit Funds with the United Arab Emirates during President Buhari’s Visit to that country.
- The Federal Government under President Buhari has successfully engaged the governments of Switzerland, Jersey Island, United States, United Arab Emirates, and Liechtenstein among others, in an effort to ensure the repatriation of Nigeria’s stolen assets.
- A total of US$622 million in looted Abacha funds repatriated to Nigeria in two tranches in December 2017 and April 2020. The first tranche ($322m) is being disbursed as part of the Buhari Administration’s Social Investment Programme interventions, while the second tranche ($311m) is being invested in the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), managed by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).
- Under President Buhari’s watch, Nigeria has been playing an active and stabilizing role in OPEC. In 2017 Nigeria was able to successfully negotiate a vital exemption from production cuts agreed at the time, a move that helped shore up revenues and foreign reserves.
- The Buhari Administration has mobilized International Support for the War against Boko Haram, forging strong partnerships with key countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, ECOWAS, the AU, the UN, and others. After years of stalemate, the United States finally agreed to sell – and has sold – weapons to Nigeria (12 Super Tucano Aircraft)
- Revamp of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) comprising troops from Nigeria and Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Benin.
- The designation of President Buhari as the African Union (AU) Anti-Corruption Champion for 2018
- The designation of President Buhari by ECOWAS Heads of State as West Africa’s Covid-19 Champion in 2020.
- President Buhari’s interventions have helped restore and strengthen democracy in The Gambia and Guinea Bissau. He authorized the deployment of troops, fighter jets and warships to The Gambia during the impasse that followed the December 2016 Presidential elections.
- Successful evacuation and repatriation of more than 10,000 Nigerian migrants from Libya, with the support and partnership of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
 
 
 
 
 
 
BILATERAL RELATIONS:
CHINA
- Billions of dollars in concessional infrastructure funding for critical road and rail projects. President Buhari’s April 2016 official visit to China has unlocked billions of dollars in infrastructure funding, primarily for road, rail and port projects;
- Implementation of a Chinese Yuan (CNY) 15 billion Currency Swap Agreement between the Peoples Bank of China and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
 
GERMANY
- Support for the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), six-year Programme to modernise Nigeria’s electricity grid, under a Government-to-Government framework between the Nigerian and German Governments; to be managed and implemented by Siemens AG.
- Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and Petkus Technologie of Germany, aimed at significantly reducing the incidence/impact of post-harvest losses in Nigeria’s Agriculture Value Chain.
- Signing of a MoU with Volkswagen of South Africa (VWSA) to develop a joint vision for an automotive hub in Nigeria.
 
UNITED STATES (USA)
- Renewed cooperation in Security and Anti-Corruption. The US Government has approved the sale of 12 Super Tucano Aircraft to Nigeria, as well as repatriation of recovered looted monies and assets stashed in the US. In 2020 the United States and the Bailiwick of Jersey repatriated $311 million to Nigeria
- Nigerian and U.S. militaries collaborated to host, April 2018 in Abuja, the 2018 African Land Forces Summit, the largest gathering of African Army chiefs, to discuss cooperation aimed at improving security on the continent.
 
UNITED KINGDOM (UK)
- 2018: Nigeria commenced the implementation of Automatic Exchange of Tax Information (AETI) protocol with the United Kingdom. This Protocol will provide the Nigerian Government with data on bank accounts, property and trusts held in the UK by Nigerian nationals, and will support the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) by allowing Nigerian tax authorities to check the accuracy of declarations received regarding overseas assets and income.
- 2018: Launch of a UK-Government funded £13 million education programme that will provide training for teachers, school equipment, and security for schools, for 100,000 children living in parts of the Northeast affected by Boko Haram.
- 2021: Repatriation by the United Kingdom of GBP 4.2 million being recovered loot from the Ibori family, to Nigeria.

benzyluv:
SUPPORT TO STATES
- The Buhari Administration has extended more than N2 Trillion Naira in bailout packages to State Governments, to enable them meet their salary and pension obligations, especially in the face of dwindling oil revenues in the first 3 years of the Administration. The support has come in the form of the following:
- Budget Support Facility (Total of 614 billion Naira extended to the States.
- Paris Club Refunds ($5.4 billion)
- Infrastructure Loans & Refunds: More than 700 billion Naira in refunds for Federal Road projects embarked upon by State Governments.
- Loan Restructuring for Facilities with Commercial Banks: In 2015, the DMO restructured Commercial Bank loans with a total value of N575.516 billion for 23 States to reduce the debt service burden on the states. In exchange for their loans to State Governments, the banks were issued 20-year FGN Bonds at a yield of 14.83% per annum. The Restructuring Exercise benefited the States through:
• Reduction in the monthly debt service burden of States from between 55% to 97% for various States;
• Interest rate savings for the States ranging from 3% to 9% per annum;
• Longer repayment period for the loans now converted into Bonds; and,
• Freeing up of needed cash to run the machinery of Government.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 NIGER DELTA
- Take-off of the Nigerian Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Delta State. The University was granted approval in January 2018 by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to commence undergraduate degree programmes effective 2017/18 session, and commenced academic activities on April 12, 2018.
- Resumption of work on the 337km East-West Road project, originally awarded in 2006. The Buhari Administration expects to complete the project by Q1 2022.
- President Buhari approved 5 billion Naira in take-off grant for the Maritime University.
- Ogoni Clean-Up: Setting aside of US$170m seed funding for the Ogoni Clean Up, in an Escrow Account established for that purpose. The Escrow Agreement Signing Ceremony took place in April 2018. The Clean-Up commenced in January 2019, with the handover of the first batch of 21 sites to the selected remediation firms, after a painstaking procurement process. As of March 2021, 16 of the first 21 sites had been certified cleaned.
- Approvals for the establishment of private-sector-led Modular Refineries across the nine States of the Niger Delta – the first three Refineries have now been completed, while construction is ongoing on others.
 
 
ANTI-CORRUPTION AND TRANSPARENCY
EXPANSION OF TSA AND IPPIS COVERAGE
- On August 7, 2015, President Buhari issued a directive to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to close their accounts with Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and transfer their balances to the Central Bank of Nigeria on or before 15th September 2015. 
- The TSA system was launched in 2012, but failed to gain traction until President Buhari’s executive order in August 2015. The TSA system has now been implemented in more than 90 percent of all Federal MDAs. 
- This decision to fully operationalize the Treasury Single Account (TSA) system—a public accounting system that enables the Government to manage its finances (revenues and payments) using a single/unified account, or series of linked accounts domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria — has resulted in the consolidation of more than 17,000 bank accounts previously spread across DMBs in the country, and in savings of an average of N4 billion monthly in banking charges.
- In spite of great opposition, the Buhari Administration has expanded IPPIS coverage to the Armed Forces, as well as Federal Universities and other academic institutions.

BVN DEPLOYMENT FOR SOCIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMMES AND OTHERS: 
- Considering that personnel costs are the Federal Government’s largest expenditure line, the Federal Government has given priority to the deployment of the BVN for payroll and pension audits. The use of BVN to verify payroll entries on the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) platform has so far led to the detection of 54,000 fraudulent payroll entries. 
- The Federal Government has also ensured the deployment of BVN system to serve as the verification basis for payments to beneficiaries and vendors in the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), the N-Power Scheme and the Homegrown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP)
 
OPEN GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP
- In May 2016, President Buhari attended and participated in the International Anti-Corruption Summit organised by the UK Government. At that Summit he pledged that Nigeria would join the OGP, an international transparency, accountability and citizen engagement initiative. 
- In July 2016, Nigeria became the 70th country to join the OGP. Following this, Nigeria constituted an OGP National Steering Committee (NSC), which went on to develop a National Action Plan (2017–2019) that aims to deepen and mainstream transparency mechanisms and citizens’ engagement in the management of public resources across all sectors. 
- In 2018, Nigeria was elected to lead the OGP, alongside Argentina, France, and Romania. All four new members of the OGP Steering Committee will serve for three years starting on October 1, 2018.
 
ASSET RECOVERY
- Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) has helped anti-corruption agencies devise clearer strategies for obtaining forfeiture of assets suspected to have been acquired fraudulently, mainly from State Coffers, before prosecuting suspected culprits. Part of this work has involved painstakingly reviewing existing Laws (like the Money Laundering Act, 2004, the EFCC Act, 2004 and the ICPC Act, 2000), to identify and highlight sections directly conferring powers of forfeiture on Nigeria’s anticorruption agencies. This advocacy has led to a significant increase in the use of Non-Conviction Based Asset Forfeiture Mechanisms by anti-corruption agencies
- ICPC scrutiny of practices, systems and procedures of MDAs’ personnel cost from 2019 to 2020, yielded 189 billion Naira in recoveries from inflated personnel budgets.
- In 2019 alone ICPC also recovered 32 billion Naira worth of Land, Buildings and Vehicles.
- ICPC’s audit of Constituency Projects covering 2015 to 2018 helped recover 2 billion Naira of diverted funds and assets.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SECURITY AND JUSTICE REFORM
- Nigerian Air Force has acquired 26 brand new aircraft since President Buhari assumed office in 2015, and is expecting another 12 (the twelve Super Tucano currently on order from the United States Government, due for delivery starting July 2021). The NAF is also locally re-activating several previously unserviceable planes.
- The Nigerian Navy has acquired close to 400 new platforms since 2015, including 172 Riverine Patrol Boats (RPBs), 114 Rigid- Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs), 2 Seaward Defence Boats (SDBs), 12 Manta Class/Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC), 3 Whaler Boats, 4 Barges / Tug Boats, 22 Fast Attack Boats, 14 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), 4 Helicopters, 14 River Town Class, 14 House Boats and 4 Capital Ships.
- In line with the President’s directive, the Nigerian Navy has established a Naval Base Lake Chad in Baga, Borno State, as well as deployed 14 Naval Security Stations along the nation’s coastline in areas prone to criminal activity.
- President Buhari signed into law, in 2019, the Bill establishing the Police Trust Fund, which will significantly improve funding for the Nigeria Police Force.
- Nigeria Police Force launched a new National Command and Control Center in Abuja in 2019
- As part of Criminal Justice Reforms, President Buhari in 2020 granted amnesty to 2,600 prisoners nationwide, representing about 3.5 percent of all inmates, in a bid to decongest Nigeria’s prison population. The beneficiaries were those 60 years and above; those suffering from ill-health that might likely lead to death; convicts serving three years and above and have less than six months to serve; inmates with mental health defect; and inmates with a pending fine not exceeding N50,000 and with no pending cases.
- Presidential approval for commencement of Community Policing Programme nationwide, and release of take-off funding. The Community Policing Programme has now been enshrined into the Police Act, 2020.
- The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) is deploying a Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) at five International Airports. MIDAS is a global real-time border management system developed by International Organization for Migration (IOM), and is linked to INTERPOL & other watchlists. The implementation of MIDAS at the International Airport in Abuja was described by the IOM as “the largest deployment of MIDAS at any airport globally, to date.”

benzyluv:
YOUTH AND CREATIVE INDUSTRY SUPPORT
- Establishment of the 75 billion Naira National Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), approved by President Buhari in 2020
- Establishment of the Creative Industry Financing Initiative (CIFI), by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee, to provide single-digit financing to young Nigerians in the fields of Fashion, Film, Music and Information Technology.
- In 20197, the Federal Government added Creative Industries to the list of qualifying sectors for ‘Pioneer Status’ Incentives – which grants relief from Corporate Income Tax for a specified period of time.
- Presidential Approval for the handover of the National Theatre, Lagos, to the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Bankers Committee, for redevelopment into a world-class Creative Park serving the theatre, film, fashion, music, and ICT sectors. The handover has been done, and redevelopment work (valued at about 20 billion Naira) has now kicked off.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FISCAL, TRADE, MONETARY AND INVESTMENT REFORMS
- The Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) in 2017 completed a long-overdue revision of the list of activities that can benefit from Nigeria’s Pioneer Status Incentive, which grants beneficiary companies a 3 to 5-year tax holiday. The revision, done more than 10 ten years after the last one, has modernized the List, expanding the tax holiday incentives to qualifying companies in E-commerce, Software Development, Animation, Music, Film and TV.
- Restoration of Federal Budget to January-December cycle, with the 2020 Budget, for the first time in 12 years.
- Introduction, since 2020, of annual Finance (Reform) Bills to accompany the annual Federal Appropriation Bill
- Negotiation of the billions of dollars in arrears of Cash Calls we inherited when the administration assumed office, resulting in an agreement for a significant discount of more than a billion dollars. Since 2017 the NNPC has commenced payment of the arrears to the Oil Companies. As at Q4 2020, more than $3 billion of the ~$5 billion arrears had been cleared.
- Launch of a Visa-on-Arrival Policy, as part of Ease of Doing Business Reforms. In addition, a comprehensive reform of the existing Visa Regime, leading to the rollout in 2020 of a new and enhanced Visa Policy for Nigeria (including expansion from 6 visa categories to 79; each tailored to a specific type of traveller – 36 Temporary Residence Visas, 15 Permanent Residence Visas, 24 Short Visit Visas, etc.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PRESIDENTIAL ASSENT TO LEGISLATIVE BILLS
- Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act, 1993 (Amendment) Act, 2019, which will deliver increased revenues to the Federation.
- Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) Bill, the first legislation in Nigeria’s history focused on curbing anti-competition practices; establishing the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
- Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) Establishment Act, 2018
- Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill, an Executive Bill, signed into law in 2019. The Bill facilitates the identification, tracing, freezing, restraining, recovery, forfeiture and confiscation of proceeds, property and other instrumentalities of crime, as well as the prosecution of offenders in criminal cases regardless of where in the world they might be.
- Bill establishing the Police Trust Fund, which will significantly improve funding for the Nigeria Police Force (2019).
- Nigeria Police Act, 2020 – the first comprehensive reform of Police legislation since the Police Act of 1943.
- Repeal and Re-Enactment of the Companies & Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020 – the first comprehensive reform since 1990.
- Not Too Young to Run Bill (2018) – a Constitution Amendment Bill, to reduce the age of eligibility for running for elective office in Nigeria.
- Nigerian Correctional Services Bill, 2019 – the first comprehensive reform of prison legislation in close to five decades
- Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Offences Bill, 2019 – the first anti-piracy legislation in West Africa.
- A Bill to grant financial autonomy to States’ Houses of Assembly and States’ Judiciary (2018)
- Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020
- Finance Act 2019 and 2020
- The Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EXECUTIVE ORDERS
- The Buhari Administration has, since 2017, issued a number of landmark Executive Orders:
• Executive Order on Promotion of Transparency and Efficiency in the Business Environment (2017)
• Executive Order on Promoting Local Procurement by Government Agencies (2017)
• Executive Order on Submission of Annual Budgetary Estimates by all Statutory and non-Statutory Agencies, including Incorporated Companies wholly owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria (2017)
• Executive Order on the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (2017)
• Presidential Executive Order on Planning and Execution of Projects, Promotion of Nigerian Content in Contracts, Science, Engineering and Technology (2018)
• Executive Order (and Amendment) on the Voluntary Offshore Assets Regularization Scheme (VOARS) (2018)
• Executive Order on Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme (2019)
• Executive Order Implementing Financial Autonomy of State Legislature and State Judiciary (2020)

SUPPORT TO STATES
- The Buhari Administration has extended more than N2 Trillion Naira in bailout packages to State Governments, to enable them meet their salary and pension obligations, especially in the face of dwindling oil revenues in the first 3 years of the Administration. The support has come in the form of the following:
- Budget Support Facility (Total of 614 billion Naira extended to the States.
- Paris Club Refunds ($5.4 billion)
- Infrastructure Loans & Refunds: More than 700 billion Naira in refunds for Federal Road projects embarked upon by State Governments.
- Loan Restructuring for Facilities with Commercial Banks: In 2015, the DMO restructured Commercial Bank loans with a total value of N575.516 billion for 23 States to reduce the debt service burden on the states. In exchange for their loans to State Governments, the banks were issued 20-year FGN Bonds at a yield of 14.83% per annum. The Restructuring Exercise benefited the States through:
• Reduction in the monthly debt service burden of States from between 55% to 97% for various States;
• Interest rate savings for the States ranging from 3% to 9% per annum;
• Longer repayment period for the loans now converted into Bonds; and,
• Freeing up of needed cash to run the machinery of Government.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 NIGER DELTA
- Take-off of the Nigerian Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Delta State. The University was granted approval in January 2018 by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to commence undergraduate degree programmes effective 2017/18 session, and commenced academic activities on April 12, 2018.
- Resumption of work on the 337km East-West Road project, originally awarded in 2006. The Buhari Administration expects to complete the project by Q1 2022.
- President Buhari approved 5 billion Naira in take-off grant for the Maritime University.
- Ogoni Clean-Up: Setting aside of US$170m seed funding for the Ogoni Clean Up, in an Escrow Account established for that purpose. The Escrow Agreement Signing Ceremony took place in April 2018. The Clean-Up commenced in January 2019, with the handover of the first batch of 21 sites to the selected remediation firms, after a painstaking procurement process. As of March 2021, 16 of the first 21 sites had been certified cleaned.
- Approvals for the establishment of private-sector-led Modular Refineries across the nine States of the Niger Delta – the first three Refineries have now been completed, while construction is ongoing on others.
 
 
ANTI-CORRUPTION AND TRANSPARENCY
EXPANSION OF TSA AND IPPIS COVERAGE
- On August 7, 2015, President Buhari issued a directive to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to close their accounts with Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and transfer their balances to the Central Bank of Nigeria on or before 15th September 2015. 
- The TSA system was launched in 2012, but failed to gain traction until President Buhari’s executive order in August 2015. The TSA system has now been implemented in more than 90 percent of all Federal MDAs. 
- This decision to fully operationalize the Treasury Single Account (TSA) system—a public accounting system that enables the Government to manage its finances (revenues and payments) using a single/unified account, or series of linked accounts domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria — has resulted in the consolidation of more than 17,000 bank accounts previously spread across DMBs in the country, and in savings of an average of N4 billion monthly in banking charges.
- In spite of great opposition, the Buhari Administration has expanded IPPIS coverage to the Armed Forces, as well as Federal Universities and other academic institutions.

benzyluv:
AGRICULTURE
- Anchor Borrowers Program (ABP): [/b]The Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) of the Central Bank of Nigeria, launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 17, 2015, has made more than 300 billion Naira to more than 3.1 million smallholder farmers of 21 different commodities (including Rice, Wheat, Maize, Cotton, Cassava, Poultry, Soy Beans, Groundnut, Fish), cultivating over 3.8 million hectares of farmland.
- [b]Presidential Fertilizer Initiative: Launched as a government-to-government partnership between the Nigerian and Moroccan Governments, in December 2016, the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) produced ~12million 50kg bags of NPK 20:10:10 equivalent in 2020, bringing total production since inception to over 30 million 50kg bags equivalent; and number of participating blending plants increased to 44 from three at inception.
- Special-Agro Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme: A partnership between FGN, AfDB Group, and other stakeholders including IFAD and BOI. Under the SAPZ programme, agro-processing centres will be established across the country. The agro-processing centres will be provided with basic infrastructure such as water, electricity and roads as well as facilities for skills training. Seven (7) States and the FCT selected for the pilot phase, due to commence 2021: Ogun, Oyo, Imo, Cross River, Kano, Kaduna, Kwara.
- The Green Imperative – a Nigeria-Brazil Agricultural Mechanisation Programme aimed at boosting agricultural production in Nigeria. The National Assembly has approved a loan for the financing of the program, which will involve the development of 632 privately-operated primary production (mechanisation) Service Centers and 142 Agro processing (value addition) service Centres across the 774 LGAs, and the reactivation of 6 privately owned partially-operational or moribund tractor assembly plants nationwide. It will also train 100,000 new extension workers.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SOCIAL INVESTMENT AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION
- In 2016, President Buhari launched the National Social Investment Programme, currently the largest such programme in Africa and one of the largest in the world. Currently, the National Social Register of poor and vulnerable Nigerians (NSR) has 32.6 million persons from more than 7 million poor and vulnerable households, identified across 708 local government areas, 8,723 wards and 86,610 communities across the 36 States of the country and the FCT.
- From this number, 1.6 million poor and vulnerable households (comprising more than 8 million individuals, in 45,744 communities from 5,483 Wards of 557 LGAs in 35 states and the FCT are currently benefiting from the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program, which pays a bimonthly stipend of N10,000 per household.
- In January 2019, President Buhari launched Nigeria’s Micro-Pension Scheme – which allows self-employed persons and persons working in organisations with less than 3 employees to save for the provision of pension at retirement or incapacitation.
- Establishment of Survival Fund, National Youth Investment Fund, and National Special Public Works Program (774,000 beneficiaries across 774 LGAs nationwide), and the Central Bank’s Covid-19 300 billion Naira Targeted Credit Facility (TCF) – more than 150 billion Naira disbursed so far – to support millions of small businesses, households and young people, with federal grants, loans and stipends.
- The Buhari Administration’s Survival Fund has provided its grants (Payroll Support, Artisan and Transport Sector grants, and General MSME grants) to more than 800,000 beneficiaries, since the last quarter of 2020. It has also provided free business registration to more than 200,000 MSMEs across the country.
- Presidential approval for the establishment of the Nigeria Investment and Growth Fund (NIG-Fund), in 2021.
- As at the end of 2020, Development Bank of Nigeria (which commenced operations in 2017) had disbursed 324 billion Naira in loans to more than 136,000 MSMEs, through 40 Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs). (57% of the beneficiaries are women-owned MSMEs while 27% are youth-owned).
- Bank of Industry has disbursed more than 900 billion Naira in loans to over 3 million large, medium, small and micro enterprises, since 2015.
- In January 2019, President Buhari launched Nigeria’s Micro Pension Scheme – which allows self-employed persons and persons working in organisations with less than 3 employees to save for the provision of pension at retirement or incapacitation.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 EDUCATION AND HEALTH
- Since assuming office, the Buhari Administration has committed more than N1.7 trillion of capital intervention to Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, through various means, including TETFund – with the universities taking the lion share of the total amount.
- The Federal Government has disbursed more than 170 billion Naira in UBE Matching Grants to States and the FCT since 2015, 8 billion Naira in Special Education Grant to States and private providers of Special Education, and 34 billion Naira from the Teachers Professional Development Fund to States and the FCT. 
- Launch of the Alternate School Programme (ASP), designed to ensure that every out-of-school child in Nigeria gains access to quality basic education, irrespective of social, cultural or economic circumstance, in line with the aspirations of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG-4).
- Presidential approval for a new (extended) Retirement age of 65 and Length of Service of 40 years for Teachers in Public Basic and Secondary Schools in Nigeria (both effective January 1, 2021), as well as a new Special Teachers Salary Scale (effective January 1, 2022), and also a new Special Teachers Pension Scheme.
- Reduction in number of out-of-school children, by 3,247,590, as at 31st December, 2020, achieved through a World-Bank financed program known as ‘Better Education Service Delivery for All’ (BESDA). 1,792,833 of that number achieved through formal schools while 1,454,757 are through non-formal interventions such as Almajiri, Girl-Child, Nomadic/Migrant and IDPs Education).
- Under the World Bank-supported Innovation Development & Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) Project, approved in 2020, US$200m will be invested in 6 participating States (Abia, Benue, Ekiti, Gombe, Kano, Edo) as well as 20 Federal Science and Technical Colleges nationwide. Implementation will be stepped-up in 2021 to afford millions of Nigerian youths the opportunity to acquire hands-on skills to effectively contribute to national development.
- Presidential approval for the establishment of the following:
• Federal Maritime University, in Delta State
• Nigerian Army University, in Borno State
•Six new Colleges of Education (one per geopolitical zone: Odugbo, Benue State; Isu, Ebonyi State; Ekiadolor, Edo State; Gidan Madi, Sokoto State; Jama’are, Bauchi State; and Iwo, Osun State).
• Six new Federal Polytechnics in Kaltungo, Gombe State; Ayede, Oyo State; Daura, Katsina State; Shendam, Plateau State, Ohodo, Enugu State; and Ugep, Cross River State.
• Under the phased implementation of the National Youth Policy, 6 Federal Science & Technical Colleges (FSTC) were established in 2020, as follows: FSTC Ogugu, Kogi State; FSTC Hadeija, Jigawa State; FSTC Umuaka, Imo State; FSTC Igangan, Oyo State; FSTC Ganduje, Kano State; FSTC, Amuzu, Ebonyi State. Five (5) additional Federal Science and Technical Colleges (FSTC) will come on-stream in 2021, and will be located in Bauchi, Plateau, Sokoto, Enugu and Cross River States.
- Grants to State Governments: At least $2.5 million disbursed to each State of the Federation and the FCT, under the Saving One Million Lives (SOML) initiative, to improve health outcomes.
- Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF): For the first time since the National Health Act was passed in 2014, the Federal Government in 2018 began including the 1% minimum portion of the Consolidated Revenue Fund – amounting to 55 billion Naira in 2018 – to fund the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). The Fund is designed to deliver a guaranteed set health services to all Nigerians, through the national network of Primary Health Care centers.
- Passage of enabling legislation for the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), for the first time since it was founded in 2011. President Buhari approved a grant of 5 billion Naira for the NCDC in March 2020, as part of the response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
- Tertiary Healthcare Upgrade Programme: A number of key Federal Hospitals across the country are being upgraded to effectively manage cancer and other major health challenges. Cancer Radiotherapy machines and other equipment are being provided to these hospitals. The National Hospital in Abuja has already received two LINAC (cancer treatment) machines.
- Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) in March 2018 invested US$10m to establish a world-class Cancer Treatment Center at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), and US$5m each in the Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital and the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, to establish modern Diagnostic Centres. These Centers have all been completed and are now operational.
- Launch in 2019 of a Cancer Treatment Support Programme, ‘Chemotherapy Access Partnership’, as a public-private partnership between the Federal Government of Nigeria and a Private Sector coalition, to enable Nigerians access lower-cost, high-quality medications for the treatment of several types of cancer.
 
 
 
 
 
 
CREATIVE INDUSTRY AND SPORTS
SPORTS
- Long overdue renovation of the Lagos and Abuja National Stadiums kicked off in 2020, ahead of concessioning for private management.
- In 2018, the National Sports Festival held for the first time since 2012.
- Nigeria national U-17 football team, the Golden Eaglets, won the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the fifth time, in 2015. Their first ever win was 30 years earlier, in 1985, when President Buhari was military Head of State.
- Nigeria’s participation at the 2016 Paralympic Games yielded her best gold medal result since Nigeria started taking part in the Games in 1992.
- D’ Tigress, Nigeria’s Female National Basketball Team won the 2017 FIBA Africa Women's Championship, the continental championship Cup, for the first time in 12 years, and earned qualification for its first FIBA Women’s World Cup appearance since 2006.
- In 2018, D’ Tigress, Nigeria’s Female National Basketball Team earned its first-ever win at the FIBA Women’s World Cup, and went on to advance to the quarterfinals. The Team finished in 8th place – the best ever performance by an African Team.
- In 2019, D’ Tigress successfully defended its 2017 Afro Basketball Women Championship Title.
- In 2020, D’ Tigress became the only female African Team to qualify for participation in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.
- Nigeria’s Women’s Football Team, the Super Falcons, won the African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) in 2016 and 2018.
- In 2018, Nigeria hosted a FIFA Executive Football Summit, one of twelve worldwide.
- In 2019, the Super Falcons advanced to the group stage of the Women’s World Cup, for the first time in 20 years.
- In 2019, Nigeria won its first Athletics World Championship Medal in six years.

YOUTH AND CREATIVE INDUSTRY SUPPORT
- Establishment of the 75 billion Naira National Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), approved by President Buhari in 2020
- Establishment of the Creative Industry Financing Initiative (CIFI), by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee, to provide single-digit financing to young Nigerians in the fields of Fashion, Film, Music and Information Technology.
- In 20197, the Federal Government added Creative Industries to the list of qualifying sectors for ‘Pioneer Status’ Incentives – which grants relief from Corporate Income Tax for a specified period of time.
- Presidential Approval for the handover of the National Theatre, Lagos, to the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Bankers Committee, for redevelopment into a world-class Creative Park serving the theatre, film, fashion, music, and ICT sectors. The handover has been done, and redevelopment work (valued at about 20 billion Naira) has now kicked off.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FISCAL, TRADE, MONETARY AND INVESTMENT REFORMS
- The Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) in 2017 completed a long-overdue revision of the list of activities that can benefit from Nigeria’s Pioneer Status Incentive, which grants beneficiary companies a 3 to 5-year tax holiday. The revision, done more than 10 ten years after the last one, has modernized the List, expanding the tax holiday incentives to qualifying companies in E-commerce, Software Development, Animation, Music, Film and TV.
- Restoration of Federal Budget to January-December cycle, with the 2020 Budget, for the first time in 12 years.
- Introduction, since 2020, of annual Finance (Reform) Bills to accompany the annual Federal Appropriation Bill
- Negotiation of the billions of dollars in arrears of Cash Calls we inherited when the administration assumed office, resulting in an agreement for a significant discount of more than a billion dollars. Since 2017 the NNPC has commenced payment of the arrears to the Oil Companies. As at Q4 2020, more than $3 billion of the ~$5 billion arrears had been cleared.
- Launch of a Visa-on-Arrival Policy, as part of Ease of Doing Business Reforms. In addition, a comprehensive reform of the existing Visa Regime, leading to the rollout in 2020 of a new and enhanced Visa Policy for Nigeria (including expansion from 6 visa categories to 79; each tailored to a specific type of traveller – 36 Temporary Residence Visas, 15 Permanent Residence Visas, 24 Short Visit Visas, etc.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PRESIDENTIAL ASSENT TO LEGISLATIVE BILLS
- Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act, 1993 (Amendment) Act, 2019, which will deliver increased revenues to the Federation.
- Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) Bill, the first legislation in Nigeria’s history focused on curbing anti-competition practices; establishing the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
- Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) Establishment Act, 2018
- Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill, an Executive Bill, signed into law in 2019. The Bill facilitates the identification, tracing, freezing, restraining, recovery, forfeiture and confiscation of proceeds, property and other instrumentalities of crime, as well as the prosecution of offenders in criminal cases regardless of where in the world they might be.
- Bill establishing the Police Trust Fund, which will significantly improve funding for the Nigeria Police Force (2019).
- Nigeria Police Act, 2020 – the first comprehensive reform of Police legislation since the Police Act of 1943.
- Repeal and Re-Enactment of the Companies & Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020 – the first comprehensive reform since 1990.
- Not Too Young to Run Bill (2018) – a Constitution Amendment Bill, to reduce the age of eligibility for running for elective office in Nigeria.
- Nigerian Correctional Services Bill, 2019 – the first comprehensive reform of prison legislation in close to five decades
- Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Offences Bill, 2019 – the first anti-piracy legislation in West Africa.
- A Bill to grant financial autonomy to States’ Houses of Assembly and States’ Judiciary (2018)
- Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020
- Finance Act 2019 and 2020
- The Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EXECUTIVE ORDERS
- The Buhari Administration has, since 2017, issued a number of landmark Executive Orders:
• Executive Order on Promotion of Transparency and Efficiency in the Business Environment (2017)
• Executive Order on Promoting Local Procurement by Government Agencies (2017)
• Executive Order on Submission of Annual Budgetary Estimates by all Statutory and non-Statutory Agencies, including Incorporated Companies wholly owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria (2017)
• Executive Order on the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (2017)
• Presidential Executive Order on Planning and Execution of Projects, Promotion of Nigerian Content in Contracts, Science, Engineering and Technology (2018)
• Executive Order (and Amendment) on the Voluntary Offshore Assets Regularization Scheme (VOARS) (2018)
• Executive Order on Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme (2019)
• Executive Order Implementing Financial Autonomy of State Legislature and State Judiciary (2020)

benzyluv:
POWER
Energizing Education Programme: Taking clean and reliable energy (Solar and Gas) to Federal Universities and Teaching Hospitals across the country. Four Universities completed and commissioned already: BUK (Kano), FUNAI (Ebonyi), ATBU (Bauchi) and FUPRE (Delta); others ongoing.
Energizing Economies Programme: [/b]Taking clean and reliable energy (Solar and Gas) to markets across the country. Completed projects include Sabon-Gari Market in Kano, Ariaria Market in Aba, and Sura Shopping Complex in Lagos.

[b]National Mass Metering Programme: Nationwide rollout of electricity meters to all on-grid consumers, launched in August 2020. The Central Bank of Nigeria is providing 60 billion Naira for the first phase, with a target of 1 million meter installations. So far more than 500,000 meters have been delivered to the Discos, and more than 280,000 installed.

Solar Power Naija: Launched in April 2021 to deliver 5 million off-grid solar connections to Nigerian households. The program is expected to generate an additional N7 billion increase in tax revenues per annum and $10 million in annual import substitution. In May 2021, the Rural Electrification Agency announced the planned deployment of solar-powered grids to 200 Primary Health Centres (PHC) and 104 Unity Schools nationwide.
Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), aka Siemens Power Program: A Government-to-Government initiative involving the Governments of Nigeria and Germany, and Siemens AG of Germany, to upgrade and modernize Nigeria’s electricity grid. Contract for the pre-engineering phase of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) was signed in February 2021, following the 2020 approval for the payment of FGN’s counterpart funding for that phase.
Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) has provided grants for the deployment of 200,000 Solar Home Systems, impacting one million Nigerians. The NEP is also delivering mini-grids across the country.
 
HOUSING
- The Family Homes Fund Limited (FHFL), incorporated by the Federal Government of Nigeria in September 2016, is the implementing agency for the Buhari Administration’s National Social Housing scheme.
- More than two thousand (2,000) hectares of land with titled documents have been given by 24 States for the Buhari administration’s Social Housing programme, with the capacity to accommodate about 65,000 new homes.
- Under the National Social Housing programme, Nigerians will be given at least a 15-year period with a monthly payment at 6 percent interest rate, to pay for each housing unit. The Central Bank of Nigeria is providing a N200 Billion financing facility, with a guarantee by the FGN.
 
OIL AND GAS
The Buhari Administration has declared this decade the “Decade of Gas.”
- Ground-breaking on 614km Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Project.
- Successful completion of Nigeria’s first Marginal Field Bid Round in almost 20 years, expected to raise in excess of half a billion dollars, and open up a new vista of investment in oil and gas.
- Launch of National LPG Expansion Programme (including Removal of VAT from the domestic pricing of LPG)
- Financial close and signing of contract for NLNG Train 7, which will grow Nigeria’s production capacity by about 35%
- Nigeria and Morocco have in 2021 signed an agreement to develop a US$1.4 billion multipurpose industrial platform (Ammonia and Di-Ammonium Phosphate production plants) that will utilize Nigerian gas and Moroccan phosphate to produce 750,000 tons of ammonia and 1 million tons of phosphate fertilizers annually by 2025. It will be located in Ikot-Abasi, Akwa-Ibom State.
- Commissioning, in December 2020, of the new NPDC Integrated Gas Handling Facility in Edo State, the largest onshore LPG plant in the country, with a processing capacity of 100 million standard cubic feet of gas daily, producing 330 tonnes of LPG, 345 tonnes of propane and 2,600 barrels of condensate, daily.
- Establishment of a $350m Nigerian Content Intervention Fund, to finance manufacturing, contracts and assets in the oil and gas industry
- Financial Close on the following NNPC-involved projects:
o A 10,000 tonnes per day methanol plant and a 500 million standard cubic feet per day gas processing plant, in Odeama, Brass, Bayelsa State.
o The ANOH gas processing plant, with a processing capacity of 300 million standard cubic feet of gas, in Imo State. It is a Joint Venture between Seplat Petroleum  Development Company and the Nigerian Gas Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). It also has the potential to deliver 1,200MW of power when completed.
o Comprehensive Rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery (PHRC). Sign-off Ceremony of Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) Contract held in April 2021, marking the commencement of site handover and full mobilization to site.
- Policy, Regulatory and Funding Support for the establishment of Modular Refineries across the Niger Delta. When the Administration took office in 2015 Nigeria had only one functioning Modular Refinery. Today there are at least six ongoing brownfield and greenfield Modular Refinery Projects across the Niger Delta. In 2020 President Buhari commissioned the first phase of the Waltersmith Modular Refinery, in Imo State.
- Launch of the Nigerian Upstream Cost Optimization Programme (NUCOP), to reduce operating expenses through process enhancement and industry collaboration.

AGRICULTURE
- Anchor Borrowers Program (ABP): [/b]The Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) of the Central Bank of Nigeria, launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 17, 2015, has made more than 300 billion Naira to more than 3.1 million smallholder farmers of 21 different commodities (including Rice, Wheat, Maize, Cotton, Cassava, Poultry, Soy Beans, Groundnut, Fish), cultivating over 3.8 million hectares of farmland.
- [b]Presidential Fertilizer Initiative: Launched as a government-to-government partnership between the Nigerian and Moroccan Governments, in December 2016, the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) produced ~12million 50kg bags of NPK 20:10:10 equivalent in 2020, bringing total production since inception to over 30 million 50kg bags equivalent; and number of participating blending plants increased to 44 from three at inception.
- Special-Agro Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme: A partnership between FGN, AfDB Group, and other stakeholders including IFAD and BOI. Under the SAPZ programme, agro-processing centres will be established across the country. The agro-processing centres will be provided with basic infrastructure such as water, electricity and roads as well as facilities for skills training. Seven (7) States and the FCT selected for the pilot phase, due to commence 2021: Ogun, Oyo, Imo, Cross River, Kano, Kaduna, Kwara.
- The Green Imperative – a Nigeria-Brazil Agricultural Mechanisation Programme aimed at boosting agricultural production in Nigeria. The National Assembly has approved a loan for the financing of the program, which will involve the development of 632 privately-operated primary production (mechanisation) Service Centers and 142 Agro processing (value addition) service Centres across the 774 LGAs, and the reactivation of 6 privately owned partially-operational or moribund tractor assembly plants nationwide. It will also train 100,000 new extension workers.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SOCIAL INVESTMENT AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION
- In 2016, President Buhari launched the National Social Investment Programme, currently the largest such programme in Africa and one of the largest in the world. Currently, the National Social Register of poor and vulnerable Nigerians (NSR) has 32.6 million persons from more than 7 million poor and vulnerable households, identified across 708 local government areas, 8,723 wards and 86,610 communities across the 36 States of the country and the FCT.
- From this number, 1.6 million poor and vulnerable households (comprising more than 8 million individuals, in 45,744 communities from 5,483 Wards of 557 LGAs in 35 states and the FCT are currently benefiting from the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program, which pays a bimonthly stipend of N10,000 per household.
- In January 2019, President Buhari launched Nigeria’s Micro-Pension Scheme – which allows self-employed persons and persons working in organisations with less than 3 employees to save for the provision of pension at retirement or incapacitation.
- Establishment of Survival Fund, National Youth Investment Fund, and National Special Public Works Program (774,000 beneficiaries across 774 LGAs nationwide), and the Central Bank’s Covid-19 300 billion Naira Targeted Credit Facility (TCF) – more than 150 billion Naira disbursed so far – to support millions of small businesses, households and young people, with federal grants, loans and stipends.
- The Buhari Administration’s Survival Fund has provided its grants (Payroll Support, Artisan and Transport Sector grants, and General MSME grants) to more than 800,000 beneficiaries, since the last quarter of 2020. It has also provided free business registration to more than 200,000 MSMEs across the country.
- Presidential approval for the establishment of the Nigeria Investment and Growth Fund (NIG-Fund), in 2021.
- As at the end of 2020, Development Bank of Nigeria (which commenced operations in 2017) had disbursed 324 billion Naira in loans to more than 136,000 MSMEs, through 40 Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs). (57% of the beneficiaries are women-owned MSMEs while 27% are youth-owned).
- Bank of Industry has disbursed more than 900 billion Naira in loans to over 3 million large, medium, small and micro enterprises, since 2015.
- In January 2019, President Buhari launched Nigeria’s Micro Pension Scheme – which allows self-employed persons and persons working in organisations with less than 3 employees to save for the provision of pension at retirement or incapacitation.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 EDUCATION AND HEALTH
- Since assuming office, the Buhari Administration has committed more than N1.7 trillion of capital intervention to Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, through various means, including TETFund – with the universities taking the lion share of the total amount.
- The Federal Government has disbursed more than 170 billion Naira in UBE Matching Grants to States and the FCT since 2015, 8 billion Naira in Special Education Grant to States and private providers of Special Education, and 34 billion Naira from the Teachers Professional Development Fund to States and the FCT. 
- Launch of the Alternate School Programme (ASP), designed to ensure that every out-of-school child in Nigeria gains access to quality basic education, irrespective of social, cultural or economic circumstance, in line with the aspirations of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG-4).
- Presidential approval for a new (extended) Retirement age of 65 and Length of Service of 40 years for Teachers in Public Basic and Secondary Schools in Nigeria (both effective January 1, 2021), as well as a new Special Teachers Salary Scale (effective January 1, 2022), and also a new Special Teachers Pension Scheme.
- Reduction in number of out-of-school children, by 3,247,590, as at 31st December, 2020, achieved through a World-Bank financed program known as ‘Better Education Service Delivery for All’ (BESDA). 1,792,833 of that number achieved through formal schools while 1,454,757 are through non-formal interventions such as Almajiri, Girl-Child, Nomadic/Migrant and IDPs Education).
- Under the World Bank-supported Innovation Development & Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) Project, approved in 2020, US$200m will be invested in 6 participating States (Abia, Benue, Ekiti, Gombe, Kano, Edo) as well as 20 Federal Science and Technical Colleges nationwide. Implementation will be stepped-up in 2021 to afford millions of Nigerian youths the opportunity to acquire hands-on skills to effectively contribute to national development.
- Presidential approval for the establishment of the following:
• Federal Maritime University, in Delta State
• Nigerian Army University, in Borno State
•Six new Colleges of Education (one per geopolitical zone: Odugbo, Benue State; Isu, Ebonyi State; Ekiadolor, Edo State; Gidan Madi, Sokoto State; Jama’are, Bauchi State; and Iwo, Osun State).
• Six new Federal Polytechnics in Kaltungo, Gombe State; Ayede, Oyo State; Daura, Katsina State; Shendam, Plateau State, Ohodo, Enugu State; and Ugep, Cross River State.
• Under the phased implementation of the National Youth Policy, 6 Federal Science & Technical Colleges (FSTC) were established in 2020, as follows: FSTC Ogugu, Kogi State; FSTC Hadeija, Jigawa State; FSTC Umuaka, Imo State; FSTC Igangan, Oyo State; FSTC Ganduje, Kano State; FSTC, Amuzu, Ebonyi State. Five (5) additional Federal Science and Technical Colleges (FSTC) will come on-stream in 2021, and will be located in Bauchi, Plateau, Sokoto, Enugu and Cross River States.
- Grants to State Governments: At least $2.5 million disbursed to each State of the Federation and the FCT, under the Saving One Million Lives (SOML) initiative, to improve health outcomes.
- Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF): For the first time since the National Health Act was passed in 2014, the Federal Government in 2018 began including the 1% minimum portion of the Consolidated Revenue Fund – amounting to 55 billion Naira in 2018 – to fund the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). The Fund is designed to deliver a guaranteed set health services to all Nigerians, through the national network of Primary Health Care centers.
- Passage of enabling legislation for the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), for the first time since it was founded in 2011. President Buhari approved a grant of 5 billion Naira for the NCDC in March 2020, as part of the response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
- Tertiary Healthcare Upgrade Programme: A number of key Federal Hospitals across the country are being upgraded to effectively manage cancer and other major health challenges. Cancer Radiotherapy machines and other equipment are being provided to these hospitals. The National Hospital in Abuja has already received two LINAC (cancer treatment) machines.
- Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) in March 2018 invested US$10m to establish a world-class Cancer Treatment Center at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), and US$5m each in the Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital and the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, to establish modern Diagnostic Centres. These Centers have all been completed and are now operational.
- Launch in 2019 of a Cancer Treatment Support Programme, ‘Chemotherapy Access Partnership’, as a public-private partnership between the Federal Government of Nigeria and a Private Sector coalition, to enable Nigerians access lower-cost, high-quality medications for the treatment of several types of cancer.
 
 
 
 
 
 
CREATIVE INDUSTRY AND SPORTS
SPORTS
- Long overdue renovation of the Lagos and Abuja National Stadiums kicked off in 2020, ahead of concessioning for private management.
- In 2018, the National Sports Festival held for the first time since 2012.
- Nigeria national U-17 football team, the Golden Eaglets, won the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the fifth time, in 2015. Their first ever win was 30 years earlier, in 1985, when President Buhari was military Head of State.
- Nigeria’s participation at the 2016 Paralympic Games yielded her best gold medal result since Nigeria started taking part in the Games in 1992.
- D’ Tigress, Nigeria’s Female National Basketball Team won the 2017 FIBA Africa Women's Championship, the continental championship Cup, for the first time in 12 years, and earned qualification for its first FIBA Women’s World Cup appearance since 2006.
- In 2018, D’ Tigress, Nigeria’s Female National Basketball Team earned its first-ever win at the FIBA Women’s World Cup, and went on to advance to the quarterfinals. The Team finished in 8th place – the best ever performance by an African Team.
- In 2019, D’ Tigress successfully defended its 2017 Afro Basketball Women Championship Title.
- In 2020, D’ Tigress became the only female African Team to qualify for participation in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.
- Nigeria’s Women’s Football Team, the Super Falcons, won the African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) in 2016 and 2018.
- In 2018, Nigeria hosted a FIFA Executive Football Summit, one of twelve worldwide.
- In 2019, the Super Falcons advanced to the group stage of the Women’s World Cup, for the first time in 20 years.
- In 2019, Nigeria won its first Athletics World Championship Medal in six years.

benzyluv:
INFRASTRUCTURE
 
-Presidential approval, in 2020, for the establishment of InfraCo Plc, a world class infrastructure development vehicle, wholly focused on Nigeria, with combined debt and equity take-off capital of N15 trillion, and managed by an independent infrastructure fund manager.
- Establishment in 2020 of the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), with more than $1 Billion in funding so far.
- The Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has seen total additional inflows from the Government of around US$2 billion under the Buhari Administration – since the original US$1 billion which the Fund kicked off with in 2012.
- Launch of the Nigeria Innovation Fund, by the NSIA, to address investment opportunities in the domestic technology sector: data networking, datacenters, software, Agri-tech, Bio-tech, etc.
 
RAIL
- 156km Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail nearing completion
- 327km Itakpe-Warri Standard Gauge Rail completed and commissioned 33 years after construction began.
- Abuja Light Rail completed in 2018.
- Ground-breaking done for construction of Kano-Maradi Standard Gauge Rail, and revamp of Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri Narrow Gauge Rail.
- Financing negotiations ongoing for Ibadan-Kano Standard Gauge Rail project
 
ROADS
- Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), investing over a billion dollars in three flagship projects: Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway.
- Executive Order 7 mobilizing private investment into the development of key roads and bridges like Bodo-Bonny in Rivers and Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki-Ojota in Lagos
- Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), a public-private partnership program to mobilise, in its first Phase, over a Trillion Naira in private investment into the development and maintenance of 12 Roads, amounting to 1,963km in length.
- More than 360 billion Naira worth of Sukuk Bonds raised since 2017 for dozens of critical road projects across all six geopolitical zones.
 
PORTS
- Completion of New Terminals for International Airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt
- Construction of New Runway for Abuja and Enugu International Airports
- Presidential approval for four International Airports as Special Economic Zones: Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
- Approval for new private-sector funded deep sea ports: Lekki Deep Sea Port (Construction already well underway, for completion in 2022); Bonny Deep Sea Port (Ground-breaking done in March 2021); Ibom Deep Sea Port; and Warri Deep Sea Port
- Development of capacity at the Eastern Ports:
o In December 2017, Calabar Port commenced export of bulk cement to Tema Port in Ghana
o In 2019, three container ships berthed at Calabar Port, for the first time in eleven years
o Dredging of Warri Port (Escravos Bar—Warri Port channel) completed in 2018
o On October 30, 2019, an LPG Tanker operated by NLNG, berthed in Port Harcourt – the first time ever an LPG ship berthed in any of the Eastern Ports
o On December 8, 2019, Onne Port received JPO VOLANS (owned by Maersk), the FIRST gearless and largest container vessel (265.07 metres) to call at any Eastern Port in Nigeria.
o On August 1, 2019, Onne Port’s Brawal Terminal received MSC GRACE, its first container vessel since 2012.

POWER
Energizing Education Programme: Taking clean and reliable energy (Solar and Gas) to Federal Universities and Teaching Hospitals across the country. Four Universities completed and commissioned already: BUK (Kano), FUNAI (Ebonyi), ATBU (Bauchi) and FUPRE (Delta); others ongoing.
Energizing Economies Programme: [/b]Taking clean and reliable energy (Solar and Gas) to markets across the country. Completed projects include Sabon-Gari Market in Kano, Ariaria Market in Aba, and Sura Shopping Complex in Lagos.

[b]National Mass Metering Programme: Nationwide rollout of electricity meters to all on-grid consumers, launched in August 2020. The Central Bank of Nigeria is providing 60 billion Naira for the first phase, with a target of 1 million meter installations. So far more than 500,000 meters have been delivered to the Discos, and more than 280,000 installed.

Solar Power Naija: Launched in April 2021 to deliver 5 million off-grid solar connections to Nigerian households. The program is expected to generate an additional N7 billion increase in tax revenues per annum and $10 million in annual import substitution. In May 2021, the Rural Electrification Agency announced the planned deployment of solar-powered grids to 200 Primary Health Centres (PHC) and 104 Unity Schools nationwide.
Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), aka Siemens Power Program: A Government-to-Government initiative involving the Governments of Nigeria and Germany, and Siemens AG of Germany, to upgrade and modernize Nigeria’s electricity grid. Contract for the pre-engineering phase of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) was signed in February 2021, following the 2020 approval for the payment of FGN’s counterpart funding for that phase.
Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) has provided grants for the deployment of 200,000 Solar Home Systems, impacting one million Nigerians. The NEP is also delivering mini-grids across the country.
 
HOUSING
- The Family Homes Fund Limited (FHFL), incorporated by the Federal Government of Nigeria in September 2016, is the implementing agency for the Buhari Administration’s National Social Housing scheme.
- More than two thousand (2,000) hectares of land with titled documents have been given by 24 States for the Buhari administration’s Social Housing programme, with the capacity to accommodate about 65,000 new homes.
- Under the National Social Housing programme, Nigerians will be given at least a 15-year period with a monthly payment at 6 percent interest rate, to pay for each housing unit. The Central Bank of Nigeria is providing a N200 Billion financing facility, with a guarantee by the FGN.
 
OIL AND GAS
The Buhari Administration has declared this decade the “Decade of Gas.”
- Ground-breaking on 614km Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Project.
- Successful completion of Nigeria’s first Marginal Field Bid Round in almost 20 years, expected to raise in excess of half a billion dollars, and open up a new vista of investment in oil and gas.
- Launch of National LPG Expansion Programme (including Removal of VAT from the domestic pricing of LPG)
- Financial close and signing of contract for NLNG Train 7, which will grow Nigeria’s production capacity by about 35%
- Nigeria and Morocco have in 2021 signed an agreement to develop a US$1.4 billion multipurpose industrial platform (Ammonia and Di-Ammonium Phosphate production plants) that will utilize Nigerian gas and Moroccan phosphate to produce 750,000 tons of ammonia and 1 million tons of phosphate fertilizers annually by 2025. It will be located in Ikot-Abasi, Akwa-Ibom State.
- Commissioning, in December 2020, of the new NPDC Integrated Gas Handling Facility in Edo State, the largest onshore LPG plant in the country, with a processing capacity of 100 million standard cubic feet of gas daily, producing 330 tonnes of LPG, 345 tonnes of propane and 2,600 barrels of condensate, daily.
- Establishment of a $350m Nigerian Content Intervention Fund, to finance manufacturing, contracts and assets in the oil and gas industry
- Financial Close on the following NNPC-involved projects:
o A 10,000 tonnes per day methanol plant and a 500 million standard cubic feet per day gas processing plant, in Odeama, Brass, Bayelsa State.
o The ANOH gas processing plant, with a processing capacity of 300 million standard cubic feet of gas, in Imo State. It is a Joint Venture between Seplat Petroleum  Development Company and the Nigerian Gas Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). It also has the potential to deliver 1,200MW of power when completed.
o Comprehensive Rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery (PHRC). Sign-off Ceremony of Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) Contract held in April 2021, marking the commencement of site handover and full mobilization to site.
- Policy, Regulatory and Funding Support for the establishment of Modular Refineries across the Niger Delta. When the Administration took office in 2015 Nigeria had only one functioning Modular Refinery. Today there are at least six ongoing brownfield and greenfield Modular Refinery Projects across the Niger Delta. In 2020 President Buhari commissioned the first phase of the Waltersmith Modular Refinery, in Imo State.
- Launch of the Nigerian Upstream Cost Optimization Programme (NUCOP), to reduce operating expenses through process enhancement and industry collaboration.

benzyluv:
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE 

THE BUHARI ADMINISTRATION AT 6: COUNTING THE BLESSINGS ONE BY ONE 


The Muhammadu Buhari administration clocks six years May 29, 2021. This milestone affords the opportunity to reflect, and recount the impact that has been made (and is being made) on different sectors of national life. 
From infrastructure, to finance, education, healthcare, sports, anti-corruption, human development , housing, oil and gas, foreign relations, and many others, the Administration is recording giant strides, enough to make Nigerians proud. That is, those who are dispassionate and fair-minded, not beclouded by political partisanship and undue cynicism. 
Some people claim: we don’t see what they are doing. We don’t hear about it. Well, here it is. A Fact Sheet, a report card on the Buhari Administration, just a bit of the successes, as the milestone of six years is attained. 
As it is said, the past is but a story told. The future may yet be written in gold. When the Administration breasts the tape in another two years, by the grace of God, the applause will be resounding, even from the worst of sceptics. Facts are undeniable, and always remain so. They are stubborn things. 


Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
May 28, 2021

INFRASTRUCTURE
 
-Presidential approval, in 2020, for the establishment of InfraCo Plc, a world class infrastructure development vehicle, wholly focused on Nigeria, with combined debt and equity take-off capital of N15 trillion, and managed by an independent infrastructure fund manager.
- Establishment in 2020 of the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), with more than $1 Billion in funding so far.
- The Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has seen total additional inflows from the Government of around US$2 billion under the Buhari Administration – since the original US$1 billion which the Fund kicked off with in 2012.
- Launch of the Nigeria Innovation Fund, by the NSIA, to address investment opportunities in the domestic technology sector: data networking, datacenters, software, Agri-tech, Bio-tech, etc.
 
RAIL
- 156km Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail nearing completion
- 327km Itakpe-Warri Standard Gauge Rail completed and commissioned 33 years after construction began.
- Abuja Light Rail completed in 2018.
- Ground-breaking done for construction of Kano-Maradi Standard Gauge Rail, and revamp of Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri Narrow Gauge Rail.
- Financing negotiations ongoing for Ibadan-Kano Standard Gauge Rail project
 
ROADS
- Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), investing over a billion dollars in three flagship projects: Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway.
- Executive Order 7 mobilizing private investment into the development of key roads and bridges like Bodo-Bonny in Rivers and Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki-Ojota in Lagos
- Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), a public-private partnership program to mobilise, in its first Phase, over a Trillion Naira in private investment into the development and maintenance of 12 Roads, amounting to 1,963km in length.
- More than 360 billion Naira worth of Sukuk Bonds raised since 2017 for dozens of critical road projects across all six geopolitical zones.
 
PORTS
- Completion of New Terminals for International Airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt
- Construction of New Runway for Abuja and Enugu International Airports
- Presidential approval for four International Airports as Special Economic Zones: Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
- Approval for new private-sector funded deep sea ports: Lekki Deep Sea Port (Construction already well underway, for completion in 2022); Bonny Deep Sea Port (Ground-breaking done in March 2021); Ibom Deep Sea Port; and Warri Deep Sea Port
- Development of capacity at the Eastern Ports:
o In December 2017, Calabar Port commenced export of bulk cement to Tema Port in Ghana
o In 2019, three container ships berthed at Calabar Port, for the first time in eleven years
o Dredging of Warri Port (Escravos Bar—Warri Port channel) completed in 2018
o On October 30, 2019, an LPG Tanker operated by NLNG, berthed in Port Harcourt – the first time ever an LPG ship berthed in any of the Eastern Ports
o On December 8, 2019, Onne Port received JPO VOLANS (owned by Maersk), the FIRST gearless and largest container vessel (265.07 metres) to call at any Eastern Port in Nigeria.
o On August 1, 2019, Onne Port’s Brawal Terminal received MSC GRACE, its first container vessel since 2012.