₦airaland Forum

The Federal Housing Authority has flagged off the construction of its Renewed Hope Housing Estate in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, marking a major step in the Federal Government’s drive to deliver affordable homes to Nigerians.

The groundbreaking ceremony was performed by the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, and attended by Oyetunde Ojo, Managing Director and Chief Executive of the FHA.

Ojo, speaking through a statement issued and signed on Friday by the FHA’s Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Chigelu, described the governor as a leader deeply committed to the welfare of his people, particularly in the area of housing provision.

He recalled the governor’s early support for the project, noting that he provided the Authority with land free of charge and pledged further assistance to ensure its success.

Ojo stated, “I recall vividly that on May 2, 2024, when I led my management team to visit Your Excellency to seek the buy-in and collaboration of Akwa Ibom State in our Renewed Hope Housing agenda, this state, through Your Excellency, gave us the reception and encouragement that has not been matched anywhere.”

Speaking further, the FHA boss said Governor Umo Eno not only provided prime land but also promised to give all necessary support to ensure the initiative’s success.

He added that the Authority’s decision to launch the Renewed Hope Housing programme from Akwa Ibom was a deliberate gesture to reciprocate the governor’s goodwill and partnership.

“We are starting the fulfilment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s promise of renewing the hope of having roofs over their heads in livable and affordable houses. The importance of good shelters cannot be overemphasised as far as productivity and a good life are concerned,” Ojo said.

According to him, the FHA has completed procurement processes for housing construction across the six geopolitical zones of the country, with plans already concluded for groundbreaking ceremonies in Kaduna, Abia, Ogun, Ekiti, Kogi, and Adamawa states.

Ojo also revealed that the authority has been completing and commissioning inherited projects in line with President Tinubu’s directive that “the days of abandoned projects are over.”

He emphasised that the project in Akwa Ibom represents more than another housing estate, describing it as “a livable and affordable environment which is the signature of the Federal Housing Authority.”

Ojo thanked Governor Umo Eno for providing the authority with the platform to establish its presence in Akwa Ibom for the first time in its over 50 years of existence, adding that the project’s value chain would create jobs and stimulate economic activity in the state.

In his address, Umo Eno expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for approving the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme and to the FHA for choosing Akwa Ibom as the launch site of the programme.

He noted that such federal projects align with his administration’s commitment to collaboration with the Federal Government to tackle the housing deficit and accelerate development.

The governor revealed that, besides the FHA project, the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development had been allocated 50 hectares of land for its own housing initiative.

He stressed the importance of prioritising the welfare of workers, stating:

“Our civil servants are at our hearts; that is why we are doing a lot in the area of housing. We have the Aviation City, Judicial City, Legislative, and Executive estates all built to house our people.”

Governor Umo Eno further assured that his government would not compromise on the welfare of Akwa Ibom residents, urging the FHA to ensure the project’s speedy completion.

He said the state’s robust security architecture would also be extended to protect the housing site, emphasising that “the government does not compromise or play politics with the welfare of the people.”

The Renewed Hope Housing Scheme is a flagship initiative of President Bola Tinubu’s administration designed to address Nigeria’s housing deficit and promote inclusive home ownership.

Implemented through the Federal Housing Authority and the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the programme aims to provide affordable, quality, and livable homes for low- and middle-income earners across the six geopolitical zones.

Under the Renewed Hope agenda, the Federal Government has prioritised partnerships with state governments to provide land and support infrastructure, while the FHA oversees construction and delivery.

The initiative is part of broader economic reforms to stimulate job creation, strengthen local building industries, and ensure that every Nigerian has access to decent housing in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal on sustainable cities and communities.

The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Rev. Joseph John Hayab, has stated that the wave of killings and insecurity in Kaduna State has significantly reduced under the administration of Governor Uba Sani.

Hayab, who spoke yesterday in Kaduna, said the security improvement had brought a sense of relief and renewed hope to residents across the State, especially in areas that previously experienced frequent attacks.

“We are no longer burying people like before. To a large extent, people are no longer scared to travel to certain places. Even curfews that used to be imposed at the slightest tension are no longer common. There is new life in Kaduna”.

The CAN Chairman attributed the relative peace to the inclusive leadership style of Governor Uba Sani, which, according to him, has encouraged dialogue and confidence between citizens and the government.

“In the past, people didn’t trust the system. They saw the government as being against them. But now, people are free to speak, and the government is willing to listen. This openness is helping to sustain peace”.

Rev. Hayab noted that while isolated cases of insecurity still occur, the level of violence has reduced drastically compared to previous years.

“Before, we were hearing about 20 or 200 people being killed at once. Now, such reports are rare. The reduction shows progress,” he said.

He commended Governor Uba Sani for reaching out to all parts of the State, including Southern Kaduna, which he said had suffered neglect and distrust in the past.

“Governor Uba Sani has been visiting communities in Southern Kaduna and identifying with their concerns. People now feel included and respected. That’s the kind of leadership that brings unity”.

He urged leaders across the country to adopt inclusive governance as a means of addressing regional grievances and promoting national cohesion.

“When regions or groups cry out, they are simply asking for attention. When leaders ignore them, they create division. But when you listen and engage, people feel they belong”.

Hayab expressed optimism that Kaduna will continue to enjoy peace if the current approach is sustained.

“Our prayer is that this spirit continues. What we are witnessing now is a new life in Kaduna”.

Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, has dismissed the possibility of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar becoming Nigeria’s president.

Akiolu said destiny does not favour Atiku to become Nigeria’s president who has been running since 1992.

The monarch disclosed this while speaking with journalists at his Iga Iduganran Palace during as part of activities to mark his 22 years on the throne. Akiolu also said President Bola Tinubu’s emergence was divinely ordained.

He appealed to Nigerians to support Tinubu in achieving his vision for the country. “The future belongs to God. But let me say it plainly: former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will never be President of Nigeria.

“Tinubu is compassionate and visionary, who would have believed he’d become president? He presented his certificate to me first after winning. “Lagosians and Nigerians should support him to fulfil God’s purpose for the country.”

Some voters in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, have expressed dissatisfaction over what they described as “poor consideration” after allegedly being offered small amounts of money to vote.

A voter who spoke off-camera to the Anambra Broadcasting Cooperation, ABS, expressed anger over the situation.

She stated that as at 9:00 am, no one was at the Central School, Obosi, where the voting took place.

According to her, an announcement was later made urging residents to come out and cast their votes.

She said many people responded and turned out to exercise their civic duty, only to be given N1,000 afterward.

She described the amount as “too small,” considering the stress they went through to participate in the election.

Meanwhile, a 21-year-old first-time voter, Chinyere Aniwetalu, has admitted to being paid to vote at Nteje Ward 1, Amuda Village Square Polling Unit 12, in the Saturday Anambra governorship election.

Chinyere, who spoke with journalists, confirmed receiving money but declined to disclose how much or the political party that paid her. While expressing excitement about her participation in the election after years of waiting to reach voting age, Chinyere said,

“I was paid to vote.” She explained that she was unable to vote in the 2023 general election because she did not have a Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) at the time. She said, “ I just got my PVC this year, and I’m happy to use it today.”

Allegations of vote buying surfaced at several polling units during the Anambra governorship election, even as security agencies maintained that they were acting with neutrality and restraint.

Although officers of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) were observed patrolling some centres to deter inducements and enforce electoral regulations, voters and witnesses said cash payments for votes continued — but more covertly than in past elections.

At Polling Unit 02, Amawbia Primary School, a voter who spoke on condition of anonymity said she received money after stating her preferred candidate.

“The process was seamless,” she said, “but before we voted, we were asked who we wanted to vote for. It was only when our choice matched what they wanted that we were given money.”

Asked whether those who refused to vote for the preferred candidate were prevented from voting, she replied in the negative and insisted that everyone was allowed to cast their ballots.

Another voter, who gave his name only as Tochukwu, said the vote-buying this time was coded and more discreet.

“Unlike previous elections that they buy votes publicly, this election is more coded. No one approaches you until it’s time to vote. After accreditation, one of those with the money will ask who you are voting and will join you to see if you actually voted for the said candidate. Only then will the money be given to you,” he said.

A police officer, speaking off the record, said that their role was to ensure the peaceful conduct of the electorate and that officers were, so far, complying with directives on conduct and neutrality.

At Polling Unit 006, the security presence was visibly strong, yet allegations persisted that party agents were paying voters who showed they had voted for particular candidates.

Observers at several units across Awka, Amawfia and Abagana reported that by mid-day most voting had been completed and many voters were waiting for ballot sorting.

Many credited the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) with speeding accreditation and easing the voting process. Officials and voters said the technology largely functioned as intended, helping to keep the exercise orderly.

Representatives of civil society organisations, accredited journalists and election observers were on the ground monitoring proceedings.

Meanwhile, commercial activities continued in major markets and along busy streets in Awka, with traders and commuters carrying on as voting proceeded.

The Nigeria Police Force, led in the state by DIG Benjamin Okolo, said it had deployed officers across the state, concentrating on Ihiala, Ogbaru, Ayamelum and other flashpoints.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, operatives were strategically stationed at polling units, collation centres, waterways and border communities to deter disruption and reassure voters.

SP Tochukwu reiterated the Command’s commitment to neutrality and professionalism.

“The Command assures all political actors and citizens that it remains committed to safeguarding lives and property while ensuring a transparent and credible election,” he said.

For now, pockets of alleged inducement have not resulted in open clashes, and polling continued largely without incident as security agencies sustained a visible presence and electoral officials completed accreditation and voting procedures.

Meanwhile,21-year-old first-time voter, Chinyere Aniwetalu, confessed that she was paid to vote at Nteje Ward 1, Amuda Village Square Polling Unit 12.
Chinyere, who spoke in Igbo language, confirmed receiving money but refused to disclose the amount or the identity of those who paid her.

“I was paid to vote,” she said with a smile, adding that she was, however, happy to finally exercise her civic right after years of waiting to reach voting age.

She explained that she could not participate in the 2023 general elections because she did not have a Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) at the time.

“I just got my PVC this year, and I’m happy to use it today,” she noted.

At the polling unit, most voting activities had been concluded by midday, with several voters seen hanging around as officials prepared for the sorting and counting of ballots.

INEC officials at the centre told journalists that the voting commenced early, around 8:00 a.m., and had been smooth so far, though they were still expecting a few more voters to turn up before the close of polls.

The incident underscores ongoing concerns about vote-buying and voter inducement, which have continued to mar Nigeria’s electoral process despite sustained campaigns by authorities and civil society groups against the practice.

Another voter, a Youth Corp member on election duty in Awka, said the election was peaceful,but that the only problem was that party agents from a particular political party, were monitoring voters to know the party they were voting for ,”

as of violence, the security agencies did their jobs perfectly well, but party agents of a particular political party were monitoring voters to know who they are voting for.

If you vote for their candidate, they will give stipend. This is not good, because their presence influences who to vote for, put fear in the mind of voters, while they still instil fears in others who may not want to be marked for attack after the election “.

A new wave of defection is gearing up in Taraba State as Governor Agbu Kefas is reportedly set to dump the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to join the All Progressive Congress (APC).

According to news reports making the rounds, the Taraba State Governor has already been scheduled to officially defect to the ruling party on November 19.

A source close to the APC National Working Committee said the move was described as a masterstroke as the APC Chairman is rumoured to be the mastermind behind the defection.

Amid the rumoured defection, the APC Chairman is expected to spearhead the APC team that will welcome him into the ruling party.

Already, Governor Kefas’ defection was the subject of debate at the APC’s recent leadership meeting held on Wednesday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

“Everything is already set for the Taraba governor’s arrival into the APC fold,” the official said, adding that the move had been privately discussed at the party’s leadership meeting held on Wednesday at the APC national secretariat in Abuja.

The source also hinted that Yilwatda played a leading role behind the scenes, describing the switch as a “masterstroke.”

Speculation over the governor’s political direction heightened earlier this week when he addressed APC and PDP stakeholders at the Banquet Hall of TY Danjuma House, Jalingo.

Earlier on, Governor Kefas dropped a strong hint earlier this week while addressing APC and PDP stakeholders at the Banquet Hall of TY Danjuma House in Jalingo, where he said:

“Yes! A rumour is indeed circulating, and I’m also hearing that rumour.

“Sometimes, when a rumour keeps moving like that, it makes somebody think that it is something good. I am also hearing that rumour, and I am working on it to see that it becomes a reality. So, by the grace of God, in a few days to come after next week, you will hear from me.

“Let’s continue to pray. I want to assure everyone here, whether you are from APC, PDP, or any other party, that we are committed to doing justice. Let’s forgive one another. Let us think about how we can move this state forward.”

His statement finally concurred with widespread speculation about his imminent defection to the APC, as many of his supporters confirmed their willingness to show allegiance with the party in anticipation of his formal announcement.

APC Stakeholders Rally Behind Governor

Ahead of the formal declaration, key APC figures in Taraba have already thrown their weight behind the move.

A meeting held at the Jalingo residence of Danladi Baido over the weekend brought together a large coalition of APC leaders, including the state party chairman, the APC Youth Forum, “Concerned Citizens,” APC Like Minds, and elders from all 16 local government areas and two development zones.

The gathering was convened to reaffirm loyalty to the governor and mobilise support for his expected defection.

Stakeholders described the move as “timely” and “strategic,” arguing that Kefas’ entry into the APC would strengthen Taraba’s political relevance at the federal level.

They also highlighted potential benefits such as increased federal presence, infrastructural expansion, economic growth, and improved human capital.

The Ondo State Government said, on Wednesday, that it had signed a $50bn investment agreement with a consortium of international firms under the Sunshine Infrastructure Joint Venture to establish a major refinery and free trade zone in the state.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying the consortium includes Backbone Infrastructure, MJ Care Investment Finance, China Harbour, and Honeywell OUP.

According to Adeniyan, the governor received the investors on Tuesday and described the partnership as a strategic step toward sustainable industrialisation and long-term economic stability.

Aiyedatiwa said the initiative is expected to position Ondo as a major industrial hub in Nigeria.
The statement read,

“The Joint Venture had secured over $50bn for the development of a 500,000-barrels-per-day refinery and a 1,471-hectare Sunshine Free Trade Zone in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.

“The funding followed the successful execution of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Joint Venture and the state government through the Ondo State Investment Promotion Agency.

“This investment marks a new dawn for Ondo State. It will fast-track industrial development, attract more investors and create jobs for our people.”

Aiyedatiwa assured the investors of his administration’s commitment to transparency, a conducive business environment and the protection of their investments, noting that his government had been deliberate in implementing policies that promote ease of doing business.

Earlier this week, Backbone Infrastructure Nigeria Limited said it has secured expressions of interest for up to NGN71.8 trillion ($50bn) in funding to develop a refinery and build out the 1,471-hectare Sunshine Free Trade Zone in Ilaje, Ondo State.

The initiative follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Nigerian company and the Ondo State Government in July.

The State government said on Wednesday it signed an agreement with a consortium that includes Backbone Infrastructure, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), and Honeywell OUP.

CHEC, a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Company (HK:1800; SHA:601800), typically acts as an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor rather than a primary project financier. Honeywell OUP is a private real estate and industrial development arm of Honeywell Group.

“The funding followed the successful execution of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Joint Venture and the state government through the Ondo State Investment Promotion Agency,” said Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s press secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, in a statement.

“This investment marks a new dawn for Ondo State. It will fast-track industrial development, attract more investors and create jobs for our people.”

Backbone earlier stated that the planned development would include storage, loading and transport infrastructure to position the zone as a refining and export hub. The private Nigerian infrastructure and project development firm said it was working with strategic partner NEFEX Holding Limited , a Canadian company that operates across key sectors of the global energy and logistics chain.

The investment scale represents a major increase from estimates publicised in mid-2025, when Backbone described the refinery concept as a 100,000-bpd project with an indicative cost of around $15bn. The larger figure reflects a fivefold expanded capacity and broader integrated zone development.

In his remarks, the Managing Director of Sunshine Infrastructure JV, Mr Henry Owonka, said the initiative had progressed from conception to execution through consistent engagement with the Ondo State Investment Promotion Agency.

He explained that the project’s initial $30bn valuation was reviewed to $50bn following an expansion to cover broader infrastructure and community-driven programmes.

“The Sunshine JV is not just an investment; it’s a development framework that will transform industries, strengthen communities and improve livelihoods,” Owonka stated.

He added that the refinery would supply petroleum products locally and internationally, while its Corporate Social Responsibility programme would focus on education, local employment and infrastructure development in surrounding communities.

10 : An authoritarian creates a cult of personality. Trump has.

Emperors and kings often glorified themselves by displaying their portraits everywhere. The American tradition has rejected that kind of hagiography for living presidents. Our leaders haven’t needed to puff themselves up this way until now.

Huge banners with Mr Trump’s face hang from government buildings. He posts memes in which he wears a crown, including an A.I.-generated video that depicts him flying a jet that drops faecal matter on protesters. He held a lavish military parade on his birthday.

At televised meetings, members of his cabinet gush sycophantic praise. He announced the creation of a meme coin with his likeness. To celebrate the country’s 250th birthday next year, the Treasury Department plans to put his face on a physical coin.

The Trump cult of personality plays into his claims — common among autocrats — that he possesses a unique ability to solve the country’s problems. As he put it, “I alone can fix it.” He seeks to equate himself with the federal government, as if it does not exist without him.

11: An authoritarian uses power for personal profit. Trump has.

Authoritarians often turn the government into a machine for enriching themselves, their families and their allies. Mr Trump glories in his administration’s culture of corruption.

He openly uses the presidency as an opportunity to pad his bottom line, in ways that range from the comically petty (like charging the Secret Service up to $1,200 per night for rooms at his hotels) to the shamelessly greedy (like the $40 million that Amazon paid for the rights to a Melania Trump documentary or his recent demand that the government pay him $230 million because he was investigated for breaking the law).

He solicits favours from foreign governments, including an aeroplane from Qatar. His children also profit from their father’s position, through real-estate deals, crypto, a private club in Washington and more. And he rewards those who enrich them, recently pardoning the head of a cryptocurrency firm who worked with the Trump family.

In the first six months of this year, the Trump Organisation’s income soared to $864 million, up from just $51 million a year earlier, according to a recent Reuters analysis. It’s worth noting that recent Supreme Court decisions have made corruption harder to police.

Mr Trump’s culture of corruption may resemble the behaviour of foreign autocrats more closely than any other category on this list. He is using what rightly belongs to American citizens, the power and resources of our democratic government, to enrich himself, and he is not trying to hide it.

12: An authoritarian manipulates the law to stay in power. Trump has started to.

Authoritarians change election rules to help their party, and they rewrite laws or violate their spirit to ignore term limits.

Mr Trump’s biggest attempt to follow this playbook failed when he was unable to undo his election defeat to Joe Biden in 2020. But that effort showed Mr Trump’s willingness to break the law to remain in power.

In his second term, he has shown worrisome signs of using his power to entrench the Republican Party’s hold on the government. He has pressed Republicans to take gerrymandering to a new extreme.

He issued an executive order in March that seeks to interfere with how states run their elections. These moves increase the chances that Republicans will keep control of Congress even if most voters want to oust them.

Mr Trump has not taken concrete steps to remain in power for a third term, which the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution was written to forbid. He has alternated between floating the idea and suggesting he understands that he must leave the presidency for good on Jan. 20, 2029.

Even if he backs away from any scheme to serve more than two presidential terms, Mr Trump’s attempts to tilt the electoral field in favour of Republicans are anti-democratic and could pervert American elections for years.

The clearest sign that a democracy has died is that a leader and his party make it impossible for their opponents to win an election and hold power. Once that stage is reached, however, the change is extremely difficult to reverse. And aspiring authoritarians use other excesses, like a cowed legislature and judiciary, to lock in their power.

The United States is not an autocracy today. It still has a mostly free press and independent judiciary, and millions of Americans recently attended the “No Kings” protests.

But it has started down an anti-democratic path, and many Americans — including people in positions of power, remain far too complacent about the threat.

The 12 benchmarks in this editorial offer a way to understand and measure how much further Mr Trump goes in the months and years ahead. We plan to update this index in 2026.

Methodology:

In the scales above, the points on the left indicate roughly where the United States, flawed though it was, had been before Mr Trump took office. Moving even one notch toward autocracy on these scales is a worrisome sign.

1 : An authoritarian stifles dissent and speech. Trump has started to.

Authoritarian takeovers in the modern era often do not start with a military coup. They instead involve an elected leader who uses the powers of the office to consolidate authority and make political opposition more difficult, if not impossible. Think of Vladimir Putin in Russia, Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and, to lesser degrees, Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey, Viktor Orban in Hungary and Narendra Modi in India. These leaders have repressed dissent and speech in heavy-handed ways.

Over the past year, President Trump and his allies have impinged on free speech to a degree that the federal government has not since perhaps the Red Scare of the 1940s and 1950s. His administration pressured television stations to stop airing Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show when Mr Kimmel criticised Trump supporters after the murder of Charlie Kirk, revoked the visas of foreign students for their views on the war in Gaza, and ordered investigations of liberal nonprofit groups.

Mr Trump so harshly criticises people who disagree with him, including federal judges, that they become targets of harassment from his supporters.

Many forms of speech and dissent remain vibrant in the United States. But the president has tried to dull them. His evident goal is to cause Americans to fear they will pay a price for criticising him, his allies or his agenda.

2 : An authoritarian persecutes political opponents. Trump has.

In addition to restricting speech and dissent, autocrats use the immense power of law enforcement to investigate and imprison people who have fallen out of favour.

Mr Trump’s Justice Department has become an enforcer of his personal interests, targeting people for legally dubious reasons while creating a culture in which his allies can act with impunity.

Following the president’s demands, his appointees have secured indictments of a few critics (including Attorney General Letitia James of New York and the former F.B.I. director James Comey) and ordered investigations of others (including Senator Adam Schiff of California). Some of these appointees were once Mr Trump’s personal lawyers.

Mr Trump has also used executive orders to go after perceived enemies, including law firms representing his critics. And he has systematically fired government employees who played roles in earlier investigations of him or his allies.

“We are all afraid,” Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, a Republican, said this spring. “It’s quite a statement. But we are in a time and a place where I certainly have not been here before. I’ll tell you, I’m oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice, because retaliation is real.”

Mr Trump has simultaneously shielded his own supporters from legal consequences for their actions, including through his blanket pardon of the Jan. 6 rioters.

True authoritarians go much further than Mr Trump has, but he has already targeted his opponents with legal persecution in shocking ways.

3 : An authoritarian bypasses the legislature. Trump has started to.

When a democracy slides toward autocracy, the leader often finds ways to neuter the legislature, turning it into a body that rubber stamps his decisions. Congress has started down this path. The Constitution makes clear, in Article I, that Congress alone has the power of the purse. Mr Trump is undermining this system.

His administration has violated federal law at least six times by withholding funding authorised by Congress for libraries, preschools, scientific research and more, the Government Accountability Office found.

He has gutted or dismantled congressionally authorised agencies like the Department of Education and U.S.A.I.D.

He has also imposed new taxes, his tariffs, without congressional approval. Since the current government shutdown began, he has used donations from billionaires to pay troops and finance the construction of a ballroom at the White House.

Some of the blame lies with the Republican leaders of Congress, who have failed to fight his power grabs. Their complicity does not change the fact that these power grabs have been illegal.
Mr Trump has defied the Constitution by trampling on Congress’s power of the purse.

In full autocracies, legislatures often formally transfer some of their authority to the executive, and some congressional Republicans have proposed such changes.

4: An authoritarian uses the military for domestic control. Trump has started to.

Even democracies occasionally use their militaries on home soil. The military can keep order and protect citizens after a devastating storm. In extreme and rare circumstances, troops can enforce the law when local authorities refuse to do so, as happened in the segregated South in the 1950s and 1960s.

Authoritarians use the military much more frequently and performatively, to suppress dissent, instil fear and convey supreme power.

Mr Trump deployed the National Guard in Los Angeles to crack down on protests, despite local officials’ insistence that they had the situation under control.

He attempted the same in Portland, Ore., and Chicago before being restrained by federal courts. He has also begun to treat the military as an extension of himself, firing several high-ranking officials without good reason and summoning hundreds of leaders to Virginia to listen to overtly political speeches by him and his appointees.

Mr Trump’s use of the military for domestic control has been limited. But his willingness to use it as he has, and his threats to expand that use, through the invocation of the Insurrection Act and with troops beyond the National Guard, is extremely worrisome.

5 : An authoritarian defies the courts. Trump has started to.

Would-be authoritarians recognise that courts can keep them from consolidating power, and they often take steps to weaken or confront judges.
Mr Trump has baldly defied federal judges on several occasions.

In March, for instance, his administration ignored a federal judge’s order to turn around airplanes that were deporting migrants to El Salvador. More often, the Trump administration has engaged in gamesmanship, going around orders rather than directly disobeying them.

One example: After a federal judge blocked his deployment of the Oregon National Guard, the administration moved to deploy National Guard units from other states instead.

So far, Mr Trump has defied no Supreme Court orders and has pledged not to. But the justices have too often played into his strategy by failing to stand up for lower courts.

It is a hopeful sign that he has not ignored the Supreme Court, and the court may yet block his most blatant power grabs. Still, the court’s reluctance to restrain him appears to have emboldened him to sidestep lower court orders he does not like.

6 : An authoritarian declares national emergencies on false pretences. Trump has.

Authoritarians often curtail democracy by declaring an emergency and arguing that the threat requires them to exercise unusual degrees of power.

Mr Trump’s recent predecessors were not perfect on this issue. They sometimes declared questionable emergencies. He has gone to another level.

He has used manufactured emergencies to sidestep Congress and impose tariffs, deregulate the energy industry, intensify immigration enforcement and send the National Guard into Washington. Chillingly, he has claimed that a Venezuelan gang invaded the United States to justify the killing of foreign civilians in international waters, in defiance of U.S. and international law.

Mr Trump’s willingness to kill people without due process, through the blowing up of boats that American officials could instead stop and search, represents one of his most extreme abuses of power. It raises the prospect that he may expand the use of emergency power to other areas, including domestic law enforcement.

7 : An authoritarian vilifies marginalised groups. Trump has.

Authoritarians tend to demean minority groups, trying to turn them into a perceived threat that provides a justification for a leader to amass power. Mr Trump has repeatedly suggested that marginalised groups are responsible for the nation’s problems.

Immigrants have topped his list. Mr Trump has blamed them for destroying communities, and his administration has tried to dehumanise them by posting mocking videos of shackled immigrants. In response, many Latinos have stopped speaking Spanish in public and started carrying their passports to prove citizenship.

He has vilified transgender Americans and barred them from military service. He has fired women and people of colour from leadership posts and ended programs that promote workplace diversity.

His administration has attempted to erase aspects of Black history, including by removing books on slavery and segregation from military libraries and pressuring Smithsonian museums to minimise those subjects.

At the same time, he has suggested that white people and Christians are victims, which echoes the autocratic habit of claiming that majority groups are, in fact, oppressed.

Mr Trump is borrowing from the autocrats’ playbook by suggesting that some citizens are legitimate and others are second-class.

8: An authoritarian controls information and the news media. Trump has started to.

Democratic governments prize accurate information as a guide to decision-making. Authoritarians seek to suppress inconvenient truths.

Mr Trump has sought to manipulate government information in several ways. He fired the head of the Bureau of Labour Statistics after the agency reported disappointing job growth this summer. He shut down federal data collection efforts related to climate change, presumably because the information might encourage people to take action.

He has also taken steps to control the media, both traditional forms and new ones. He arranged for the sale of TikTok from a Chinese company to investors with ties to his political allies. He pushed Congress to end funding for public radio and television. He extracted multimillion-dollar payments from ABC, Paramount (which owns CBS), YouTube and Meta to settle baseless claims that he has been treated unfairly, and he is pursuing lawsuits against The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

All of these moves are meant to reduce coverage that does not parrot his views.
In place of an independent and free press, Mr Trump evidently hopes to create a shadow ecosystem willing to promote his interests and talking points.

9 : An authoritarian tries to take over universities. Trump has started to.

Authoritarians, recognising that universities are hotbeds of independent thought and political dissent, often single them out for repression. Mr Putin and Mr Erdogan have closed universities.

Mr Modi’s government has arrested dissident scholars, while Mr Orban has appointed loyalist foundations to run universities.

A signature policy of Mr Trump’s second term has been his attack on higher education. He has cut millions of dollars of research funding, tried to dictate hiring and admissions policies and forced the resignation of the University of Virginia’s president.

It is a sustained campaign to weaken an influential sector home to many political progressives who do not support him — and to many young people, who typically form the crux of anti-authoritarian protest movements.

Because the federal government finances so much academic research, it has considerable power over universities. Initially, some universities seemed as if they might simply submit to Mr Trump’s demands. More recently, several showed more willingness to resist, rejecting a proposal that would have rewarded them financially for adopting Trump-friendly policies.

China has restated its support for Nigeria’s sovereignty and internal stability, pledging deeper security cooperation with the country.

The assurance followed a meeting between China’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, in Abuja.

In a post on X, Ambassador Dunhai said relations between both nations have strengthened significantly since President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to China and participation in the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation last year.

Dunhai noted that practical cooperation across various sectors has produced “fruitful outcomes,” supporting Nigeria’s socioeconomic development and improving citizens’ livelihoods.

The envoy stressed that China “firmly supports the Nigerian government in leading its people on a development path that fits Nigeria’s national realities,” while opposing “any country’s interference in other countries’ internal affairs under the pretext of religion and human rights.”

Dunhai further condemned “the wanton threat of sanction and use of force” by the Nigerian government, assuring that China remains committed to assisting Nigeria in combating terrorism and maintaining domestic stability.

The meeting held amid heightened diplomatic tension following US President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” and threats of a possible US military intervention over an alleged ongoing Christian Genocide in the country.

The President spoke at the Federal Executive Council after the swearing-in of two ministers, Dr Bernard Mohammed Doro, and Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh (SAN). Doro will manage the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, while Udeh will oversee the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology.

Economic reforms continue to yield results and gain national and international acceptance.

On the current state of the economy and the relationship between Nigeria and the United States, President Tinubu assured that the Federal Government was engaging with the world diplomatically.

“The most important thing is the fact that despite the political headwinds and the fear of our people, we will continue to engage with partners.

“The success of the $2.3 billion eurobond that was oversubscribed by 400% is the most assuring. So, the task ahead is immense; we are engaging the world diplomatically, and we assure all of you that we will defeat terrorism in this country.

“The task ahead is immense, but it is our resolve to move forward with unity and purpose, guided by the Renewed Hope Agenda to build a prosperous, inclusive and resilient Nigeria.”

We will defeat terrorism

On the security challenges facing the country, President Tinubu, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, charged Nigerians not to succumb to despair, assuring that the government will defeat every form of terrorism and secure every part of the country.

He called Ministers and other officials to ensure consistency in communication and avoid discordant messaging.

“Do we have problems? Yes. Are we challenged by terrorism? Yes. But we will defeat terrorism. We will overcome the CPC designation. Nigeria is one happy family, and we shall spare no effort until we eliminate all criminals from our society. We want our friends to help us as we step up our fight against terrorism, and we will eliminate it,” President Tinubu assured.

Other related matters

During the cabinet meeting, President Tinubu, who directed Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, to brief the Council on the nation’s economic performance, stated that the government will continue to sustain and consolidate the gains.

Earlier in his address, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy noted that the macroeconomic indicators showed the economy had picked up, with one of the best results in the last decade.

Edun said: “The reforms that have been taken under your Renewed Hope Agenda, so bold and sometimes unpopular, are rooted in a clear objective to build a competitive economy that attracts, creates jobs and lifts millions out of poverty.

“In Q2 2025, Nigeria’s GDP grew by 4.23%, the highest in a decade, outside the COVID rebound. Thirteen sectors recorded growth above 7% up from nine sectors in the previous quarter.

“The industrial sector nearly doubled its growth from 3.72% to 7.45%, reflecting rising productivity and investor confidence. Inflation eased to 18.02% in September 2025. As we know, foreign exchange reserves topped $43 billion, and our trade surplus reached N7.4 trillion.

“Clear examples of macroeconomic stability, as the consumer spending basket published earlier this year shows, our citizens now spend maybe about half of the income on basic needs, food, shelter and clothing, as compared with almost 90% previously.

“This signals a country moving from subsistence towards productivity and indeed affluence.”

The minister said the vision of reaching a one trillion dollar economy by 2030 was achievable by pursuing a 7% annual growth and a commitment to ending poverty as a moral imperative.

“Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force Grey List marks a major milestone in strengthening our financial integrity and confidence.

“At the recent World Bank/IMF annual meetings, global leaders commended our reforms, our progress and the revised IMF growth forecast of up to nearly 4% and improved credit ratings,” the minister added.

He said there was an urgency to mobilise domestic resources and provide investment to finance infrastructure, as well as drive sustainability and job-rich growth.

Yesterday’s hugely successful $2.35 billion Eurobond issuance, in which the order book peaked at over $13 billion, is a testament to continued investor confidence in our country, our reform agenda and Mr President’s leadership.

“Despite the political headwinds which we are all aware of, the market shrugged off those political considerations and focused on the economic fundamentals of Nigeria” he stated.

For greater inclusivity, Edun urged ministers overseeing sectors such as infrastructure, mining, education, health, agriculture, the blue economy, digital innovation, arts, and culture to collaborate with sub-national governments to identify and package projects that meet investor expectations.

“Every Naira must be optimised to sustain momentum amid global liquidity constraints. Where there is less funding from multilateral institutions, we must rely on our own resources. The next phase of reforms will remove barriers holding back investors. We will review tariffs and import restrictions to stimulate productivity and investment,” he said

EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security, Anouar El Anouni, who reacted to Trump’s threat, reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to freedom of religion and belief, and to the protection of all communities.

“The EU expresses its solidarity with all the communities and families affected by the violence, including the recent large-scale attacks in the Southern belt of Nigeria and in the Northeast,’’ El Anouni added.

He assured that the European bloc has taken note of the statements made by the American administration concerning Nigeria.

El Anouni added: ‘’The EU reaffirms its commitment to freedom of religion and belief, and to the protection of all communities, especially to minorities, and we underline our commitment to the peaceful coexistence of the Nigerian population, beyond geographical, ethnic, political, or religious differences.

‘’We recognise the many factors behind the violence in Nigeria. Let us note that religion is only one of these factors, and only in certain instances.

“The European Union cooperates with the competent Nigerian authorities and implements multi-faceted support in Nigeria to prevent violence, to encourage the consolidation of peace and to assist the victims of violence and forced displacement.”

In Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Mao Ning, told reporters at a news conference that Beijing would not turn its back on a ‘’comprehensive strategic partner’’ like Nigeria, especially in its time of challenge.

“We oppose any country’s interference in other countries’ internal affairs under the pretext of religion and human rights. We oppose the wanton threat of sanctions and use of force,” Ning said.

“As a comprehensive strategic partner of Nigeria, China firmly supports the Nigerian government in leading its people to a development path that fits Nigeria’s national realities,” he added.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja, ECOWAS drew the attention of its partners and the international community to the growing level of violence that terrorist groups of different colouration have perpetrated in some countries in the West African region, including Nigeria.

It said it was important for all to note that perpetrators of violence target innocent civilians of all religious denominations, including Muslims, Christians, and adherents to other religions.

The regional bloc rejected ‘’false and dangerous claims’’ that seek to deepen insecurity in communities and weaken social cohesion in the region.

The statement reads in part: “Perpetrators of this violence target innocent civilians of all religious denominations, including Muslims, Christians, and adherents to other religions.

“As independent reports have confirmed over the years, terrorist-related violence does not discriminate based on gender, religion, ethnicity or age.

“ECOWAS calls on the United Nations and all partners to support member states in their fight against these groups and to treat as false any claims that these terrorist groups target one group, or that there is a genocide of one religious group in the region.

ECOWAS calls on the whole world to stand by the countries in the region in their fight against terrorism that targets all communities.’’

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has dismissed the order reportedly granted by an Oyo State High Court on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention, describing it as “Ibadan judicial and political awada kerikeri of a hand-to-mouth-judge.”

Justice A. L. Akintola issued the ruling on Monday, following an ex parte application filed by Folahan Malomo Adelabi, effectively countering a restraining order earlier granted by the Federal High Court in Abuja last week.

Reacting to the development, Fayose, in a statement on Tuesday, described the order as “Ibadan judicial and political awada kerikeri of a hand-to-mouth-judge.”

Fayose said even the most unintelligent human being in Nigeria will know that a State High Court cannot act as an Appellate Court over the Federal High Court.

According to him, the order is another show of desperation by those who have become the undertakers, waiting at the graveside to give the PDP a final burial.

He said, “How do you go to a State High Court to get an exparte order asking INEC to monitor a national convention on which a Federal High Court ruled five days ago that it should not monitor?

“It appears that desperation has affected their sense. If not, they won’t go to a State High Court to obtain an order on a matter already decided by a Federal High Court.

“The judge only granted an ineffective order that is dead on arrival order. It is an order no one, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), can obey.”

Fayose further called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to sanction Justice A.L. Akintola, who issued the ex exparte order, despite being aware of the October 31, 2025, judgment of Justice James Omotosho on the same matter.

He added, “Hand to mouth judges like Justice Akintola are bad eggs that must be flushed out of the judiciary.

“Unfortunately for them, the PDP has been rescued from their hands and it is now in the intensive care, being looked after by the new Acting National Chairman, Mohammed Abdulrahman.

“I am hopeful that the party will survive under Abdulrahman, and start the most important process of healing from the injuries it suffered from the vampires, which the Ibadan elements represent.”

@adis_beautification wrote: “None of them were wearing the tag. Those without a ticket entered; the gate was broken, and the security guards weren’t at the gate. The security personnel did a terrible job. Touts entered. They used razor blades to tear bags. So does it mean if we go to a concert, our safety is not guaranteed? The number of girls who were robbed was a lot. Unfortunately, my phone was stolen.”


@hairz_by_steph wrote: “They were pressing girls’ breasts and buttocks. A guy behind me was rock-hard,” she said. “I lost my nails; the crowd was too much. Everybody was just entering. The event was supposed to start at 4 p.m., but Davido only arrived at 3 a.m. People were entering without tags. A guy was walking around me, looking for something tangible to take from me. I met another friend who was crying; her phone was stolen. Security had to carry me out because the crowd was too much.”


@mmachukwu wrote: “This was my experience at Davido’s concert in Enugu. If I had known what was good for me, I would have stayed home. The entrance was crazy. There were tasers, there were canes. People would just be going in, trying to pass through the gates, and all of a sudden, there would be a huge crowd pushing everyone backwards. Everyone would be falling down. If you look forward, you’ll see the security using one very long cane flogging everyone in his line of sight, and they were literally tasering people. You’d just be there and hear a taser going off on somebody’s body multiple times.”


@mirabel_merra wrote: “When the security got tired, they just abandoned the gates. The way people were pushing, if I hadn’t held my sister, she would have fallen. The stampede was real—gates were forced down, people were falling over each other, and security completely broke down.”


@reallifestories wrote: “The wig I borrowed was stolen, my shoe, my other phone — everything in my bag. It is even someone who took me to his car and gave me the clothes that he had and slippers. He told me to catch my breath and stop crying, and to go home when I was ready. It’s not fair ”


@Gidi_Traffic wrote: “ It’s 2025 — there’s no excuse. Event organisers must start factoring in the safety and well-being of women at gatherings like this.”

The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, has taken a swipe at President Donald Trump, saying his allegation of genocide is as a failure of the United States’ intelligence.

Issa-Onilu stated this at the monthly National Joint Security press briefing held in Abuja on Monday, adding that this is not the first time that the U.S intelligence failed.

He cited instances where the intelligence failed in Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan.

“Let me speak specifically to some of the import of the tweet. One is to say that the Christian genocide in Nigeria, I’m sure even America knows that is not true. This is not the first time that the intelligence of the United States has failed America.

“It failed them in Iraq. It turned out that there were no weapons of mass destruction, and they apologised. It failed them in Libya and many other instances. So I’m sure this is another error in their intelligence gathering,” Issa-Onilu added.

The NOA boss further stated that the recent shake-up among Nigeria’s security chiefs demonstrated that the country was working seriously to strengthen its internal security and address communal and religious violence.

“A country that is not working seriously on the issue of security will not take such drastic steps as the President just took last week, changing the top echelons of the military to ensure that the system is rejigged and empowered to do more,” he said.

Issa-Onilu disclosed that the National Security Adviser and the newly appointed service chiefs were expected to brief the media later on Monday afternoon from the Office of the National Security Adviser, where they would “provide an adequate response to the allegations of genocide.”

In an explosive post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, US President Trump said that he asked the Pentagon to map out a possible plan of attack in Nigeria, one day after warning that Christianity was “facing an existential threat” in Africa’s most populous country.

In his post, Trump said that if Nigeria does not stem the killings, the United States will attack and “it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians.”

Trump on Sunday also repeated his threat of a military operation in Nigeria over the killings of Christians, after the Nigerian presidency suggested a meeting to resolve the issue.

Asked if he was considering US troops on the ground in Nigeria or air strikes, Trump replied: “Could be, I mean, a lot of things — I envisage a lot of things.”

“They’re killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We’re not going to allow that to happen,” he added.

Ex-Head Of State, Abdulsalami Warns Donald Trump Over Remarks On Nigeria

“Trump’s comments pose a grave threat to the country’s hard-won unity,” he said.
“At this critical time, unity, wisdom, and diplomacy must take precedence over division and pride.”

“What Nigeria needs now is cooperation and strategic dialogue, not threats or labels,” he said.
“The U.S. should work with us to strengthen peace and security.”

“Nigeria must continue to engage in quiet diplomacy to address any misunderstandings and protect its national interest, ” he added.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria, describing the allegation as politically motivated and “a case of politics taken too far.”

Speaking on a Channels Television programme monitored in Abuja on Monday, Wike accused elements in the opposition of pushing the narrative to discredit President Bola Tinubu’s administration and recycle the same political tactics used against former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

“I am a Nigerian and a full-blooded Christian. My father is a pastor, and my family are all Christians. I serve in this government. It is an indictment on me and my faith for anyone to allege that a government where I serve supports genocide against Christians. This is politics taken too far,” he said.

Wike argued that several key figures in the country’s security architecture are Christians, including the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the DSS, and the Chief of Defence Staff.

“This is politics taken too far. The Inspector General of Police is a Christian, the Director General of State Security Service is a Christian, the Chief of Defence (Staff) is a Christian.

“Tell me how any right-thinking person will think that we will seat in a government and support the killing of our own people? ” he queried.

The minister maintained that President Tinubu, whose wife is a pastor, would never condone religious violence. “The President I know cannot shut his eyes to such atrocities,” he said.

Responding to questions on whether complacency could amount to complicity, Wike insisted that the Tinubu administration has invested more resources in fighting terrorism than any previous government.

He accused opposition forces of exploiting the security situation to incite religious division ahead of the 2027 elections.

“This is exactly the same script they used in 2015 against Jonathan. The opposition knows no party is currently strong enough to challenge President Tinubu, so they are desperate to create tension. This genocide claim is just a political weapon,” he stated.

Wike emphasized that terrorism and banditry have claimed lives across all faiths and ethnic groups.

“Terrorists are killing Christians, Muslims, and even non- believers. When Benue was under attack or when the Chibok girls were kidnapped, Tinubu was not President. So, it’s wrong to link today’s killings to this administration,” he noted.

He urged Nigerians and the international community not to be swayed by politically driven reports.

“I support any country genuinely willing to help Nigeria fight terrorism, but no one should use our internal challenges for politics. This government is not helpless; it’s working and will continue to work to solve the problem,” Wike said.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake , yesterday said that over N30 billion was generated from mining fees and approvals for private mineral-buying centres across the country between January and September.

He said the region contributed N7.2 billion to the total revenue, making it the highest contributor to the mining income.

Alake said it is a significant leap in investor confidence and sectoral growth.

He spoke on the activities of his ministry on the second day of the two-day Southwest Stakeholders Dialogue organised by Afenifere, Southwest governors and the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) held in Akure, capital of Ondo State.

He said: “It is with pride that I announce authoritatively here today that between January and September this year, we have recorded over N30 billion as total revenue, and the South-West contributed N7.2 billion, making it the highest contributor to mining revenues of the federal government.”

The minister attributed the revenue boost to reforms and awareness campaigns designed to attract investors into the solid minerals sector, adding that the Southwest is strategically positioned to reap economic dividends from the reforms.

Alake said: “The Southwest has the most successful gold mining project in Nigeria – the Segilola Gold Project – which in 2024 declared a turnover of $193 million at its international headquarters.

“The Segilola Gold Mining Project in Osun State employs over 2,000 workers, 80 percent of whom are youths below 40 years of age.”

Alake said the project pays the highest taxes and royalties in the gold sub-sector, significantly boosting Nigeria’s presence in the global gold market.

He added: “This success is credited to Sheikh Horos, the Managing Director and CEO of Segilola Gold in Washington. The project is key to marketing Nigeria at various international forums.”

Highlighting the mineral wealth of the region, Alake described the Southwest as being richly endowed with gold, lithium, limestone, granite, clay, silica, salt, feldspar, kaolin, laterite, quartz, manganese, beryllium, and gemstones.

He said: “Our records show that South-West companies hold 1,801 mineral titles, including 630 exploration licenses, 51 mining leases, 284 quarry leases, and 836 small-scale mining licenses.

“As of October 15, Ondo State had the highest number of titles at 481, followed by Oyo (441) and Osun (374). The South-West’s large concentration of quarry leases also explains the cluster of mining explosives manufacturing companies in the region.”

The minister disclosed that government had licensed 46 private mineral buying centres and registered 369 mining cooperatives with over 5,000 members.

He said the cooperative model serves as a non-kinetic strategy to combat illegal mining.

Alake said the introduction of higher royalties and fees has boosted government revenue and encouraged mergers and acquisitions among mining firms, thereby improving their financial capacity and access to funding.

He stressed: “Previously, individuals held as many as 35 mining licenses without operating any. Meanwhile, investors with capital lacked licenses. The review of fees forced consolidation and improved financial discipline in the sector.”

Alake also said that revenues from the Mining Cadastral Office doubled from N6 billion in 2023 to N12.2 billion in 2024, and by last week had climbed by 110 percent to N26.7 billion in 2025.

He added: “As we approach the year’s end, we expect even greater achievements.”

Alake said the implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda is bearing fruits.

He said: “The Renewed Hope Agenda of your son, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the contract with the Nigerian people. It seeks to revive the hope that Nigerians voted for on June 12, 1993, encapsulated in the manifesto of President Moshood Kashimawo Abiola of blessed memory, the welfarist manifesto aptly titled, Farewell to Poverty.

“The Renewed Hope Agenda is a potent declaration that those who conspired to murder the hope of the oppressed that MKO symbolized only killed the body. They could not kill the mission and the vision of the man who gave hope to the hopeless and brought smiles to homes and communities all over the world.

It is a stoic acknowledgment that the struggle for the development of the Nigerian State as a country whose immense resources have positioned to be the giant of Africa, must continue.

“All of us in the Federal Executive Council are privileged to be led by a man of vision, a workaholic who thinks on his feet, the financial genius who constantly innovates the economy, the political titan whose grasp of the logistics and permutations of power has no equal.”

He added: “At the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, we followed the path of the President by developing the Seven Point Agenda to position the Solid MInerals Sector for domestic consolidation and international competiveness.

This entailed reforms designed to clean the sector’s Augean stable of inefficiencies and dysfunctional values and processes.

We brought to bear the values of Omoluabi, the values of probity and integrity, compliance with the law and consequences for violation, inclusion and fairness, to the art and craft of governing the mining sector.”

Alake said although there is still much to be done, the trajectory is progressive and even, in several ccases, revolutionary.

He added: “Insecurity was a major headache. In Niger, Kebbi and Kogi states, artisanal miners clashed with bandits as farmer-herder confrontations ensued. In Zamfara state, recurrent bandit attacks on gold mining communities, targeting of miners for kidnapping, extortion and raids were so prevalent that the Buhari administration banned mining .

“ In collaboration with my brother, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, we established the Mining Marshals from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps. The Mining Marshals has restored over 90 mining sites, illegally occupied by bandits to the legitimate licensees and is prosecuting over 300 violators of the Nigerian Mining and Minerals Act.

The restoration of relative order in the sector is evident in the decision of President Tinubu to lift the ban on mining in Zamfara State after the five-year ban.

“We are putting in place the mines satellite monitoring project. This project, approved by the Federal Executive Council, with an initial take-off fund of N2.5 billion, has captured all the mineral licences and co-ordinates in the country and will monitor movement of persons and trucks in the minerals areas to detect unlicensed, illegal operations and report revenue accruable to the Federal Government from minerals transported from one place to another.

“The gradual restoration of security, law and order, also supported by the bold conquest of invaders and destruction of insurrectionists by the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force has encouraged miners to return to their sites.

The resumption of legal extraction and operations has increased the number of persons employed, the royalties and fees paid and boosted government revenue.”

Against the paltry figure of N8.6 billion collected by the Federal Government from mining in 2022, as soon as we rolled out our reforms on assumption of office, the figure rose to N14.9 billion in 2023. As we introduced more measures, it rose to N38 billion in 2024. And it is with pride that I announce authoritatively that, between January and September, this year, we have recorded over N30 billion as total revenue and South-West contributed N7.2 billion, making it the highest contributor to mining revenues of the Federal Government.

The South- West region is well-positioned to benefit from these reforms. First, it has the most successful gold mining project in Nigeria: the Segilola/Thor project, that in 2024, declared a turnover of $193 million dollars at its international headquarters.

It employs, over 2,000 workers and 80 percent of them are youths below 40 years. Segilola pays the highest tax and royalties in the gold mining subsector. And much of this credit for growing Nigeria’s face in the global gold sector goes to your son, Segun Lawson, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Second, with massive mineral deposits given by Olodumare, South West has gold, lithium, limestone, granite, clay, silica sand, feldspar, kaolin, laterite, quartz, mica, beryllium and the world’s best gemstones. Our people are showing interest and are active in the mining sector.

Our records show that companies from the South-west hold 1,801 mineral titles out of the 9,592 nationwide. These include 630 exploration licences, 51 mining leases, 284 quarry leases and 836 small scale mining leases. As at October 15, this year Ogun has the highest number of titles with 481, followed by Oyo, 440 and Osun, 374.

The fact that the South West has the largest concentration of quarry leases in the country also explains the concentration of companies manufacturing mining explosives. The Solar Niga Chem and Intrachem operate from Ogun State and feed the mining sector through dealer firms such as Dynatrach and Tuntise.

I am glad that our people are fully involved in the mining value chain. We have issued licences for 46 private mineral buying centres centres and 369 co-operatives with 5,734 members.

I must emphasize that establishing co-operatives is the non-kinetic component of our strategy to secure the sector by reducing illegal mining.

Osun has the highest number of co-operatives with 158 comprising 1,648 members followed by Lagos, (77) and Oyo (47). Currently, we digitising the register of co-operatives by taking their co-operatives. Not less than 80 has been captured in the South-West so far.

While we encourage more investment in the country, we insist that our people should not be cheated. We encourage all communities on mineral bearing land in Nigeria to set up committees that can engage investors to negotiate the compulsory Community Development Agreement, CDA.

The law is very clear: a mining company must sign a CDA, stating in clear terms, how it intends to impact the development of the mining community before commencing mining.

From our records, 99 CDAs have been signed in South West till date. Significantly, not less than 45 communities in the South-West signed CDA between September 2023 and now, indicating the aggressiveness with we have implemented the policy by doubling the CDA record of over 15 years in just two years!

As part of the Seven Point Agenda, we set up the Nigerian Solid Minerals Company as successor in title to the defunct Nigerian Mining Corporation.

The company, currently under the Ministry of Finance Incorporated, is expected to have a private sector orientation by having 50 per cent shares of mega mining companies, 25 per cent of the Federal Government and 25 percent of Nigerian shares by IPO.

This company will engage in joint venture projects with local and international investors on brown and green fields, encourage skills transfer and promote gainful employment of Nigerians to create the capital formation necessary to reposition the sector as Nigeria’s next major revenue earner.

Our reforms of the rates regime in licences and royalties have accelerated sectoral stability and boosted revenue. The revocation of 3,794 titles of defaulting and dormant companies have reduced speculation and attracted serious investors.

The increase in administration of licence fees and royalties have raised the bar of industrial consciousness by encouraging mergers and acquisitions.

Again, the results are evident in the revenues of the Mining Cadastral Office, that, in one year doubled from N6billion in 2023 to N12.5 billion in 2024. In fact, from January to last week, the figure increased again by about 110 per cent with the record of N26.7 billion revenue. As we approach the end of the year, we are confident that we shall achieve more.

Ladies and gentlemen, our progress at home has been matched with renewed vigour and creativity in attracting investors to Nigeria abroad. Our campaign for value addition, first articulated at the Future Minerals Forum in January, 2024, inspired Ministers of Mining in Africa to set up the Africa Minerals Strategy Group and I was unanimously elected the pioneer Chairman of the AMSG.

The gospel of value addition is spreading like wild fire across Africa as more countries abandon the unprofitable and devastating raw minerals export policy for the industrial, job -creating, skills -transferring value addition.

The implementation of this policy by our administration has produced new start-up projects in processing. These include the impending groundbreaking of the $400 million Africa’s largest rare earth plant, the lithium processing plants of Asba Company, Canmax Technology, Avatar New Energy Nigeria Company, totaling $1.7 billion Foreign Direct Investment.

When we consider the multiplier effects of these numerous developments, we will not be surprised by the recent reports of statistical agencies and economic monitors such as the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, NBS and the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, NEITI. The NBS reported that overall growth of the sector rose from 2.84 per cent in 2023 when we took over to 4.85 per cent in 2024. It added that contribution to aggregate GDP moved from 5.56 to 5.64 percent in the period.

I wish to conclude by appealing to the local traditional and modern authorities in Nigeria generally and South West in particular to join our campaign against illegal mining, support for co-operatives and value addition. As it is said, our past is a story already told, our future shall be written in gold.

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has said his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, was made in the interest of the state.

Diri made this statement on Sunday during the 14th Bayelsa Thanksgiving Day at the Ecumenical Centre in Igbogene, Yenagoa.

DAILY POST reports that it was the first time he spoke publicly on the issue after resigning from the PDP on October 15.

According to him, some people might not understand his decision to join the ruling party, but, with time, it would become clear that his reasons were altruistic.

The governor expressed happiness over the gathering of different political leaders at the Thanksgiving service, emphasising that the unity of Bayelsa was crucial for its development.

The two-term governor maintained that politics should be a tool for development, not a means to bring people down, and that his administration would continue to unite and advance the state.

According to him, the prevailing peace and security in the state, alongside its ongoing development, were reasons to be thankful to God. He also urged the people to imbibe the culture of thanksgiving.

He said, “Somebody had to take the decision (to leave the PDP) and I took it on behalf of the state. I took it in the best interest of the state. Some of you might not understand now but later it will be clear to all.

“When we came in as a government, what we did at the beginning was to ensure that most of the uncompleted projects were completed, and we introduced new ones. That alone is enough reason to thank God.

“The peace and security we are enjoying is another reason to thank God. Politics is for development and not to kill your brother. The gathering here is a testimony of the unity in the state.”

The Federal Government has signed a $400 million Strategic Cooperation Agreement with Stellar Steel Company Limited, a subsidiary of China’s Inner Galaxy Group, to establish an integrated steel plant in Ewekoro, Ogun State.

The announcement was contained in a statement posted on the Official Handle of the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Wednesday.

The agreement, signed by the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, marks a major step toward reviving Nigeria’s steel industry.

Once completed, the Ewekoro plant will enable Nigeria to produce up to 10 million tonnes of crude steel annually, positioning the country as a key regional hub for steel manufacturing in West Africa.

“The Federal Government has signed a $400 million Strategic Cooperation Agreement with Stellar Steel Company Limited, a subsidiary of China’s Inner Galaxy Group, to establish an integrated steel plant in Ewekoro, Ogun State.

“The agreement, signed by the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, marks a major step toward reviving Nigeria’s steel industry and advancing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope industrialisation agenda, ” the statement read in part.

It added, “Once completed, the Ewekoro plant will enable Nigeria to produce up to 10 million tonnes of crude steel annually, saving over $1 billion in foreign exchange each year.”

He added that the facility would generate more than 2,000 direct jobs in Ewekoro and about 20,000 indirect jobs along the steel value chain


Stellar Steel’s Assurance

In his response, Mr. Li assured the minister that Stellar Steel would honour all terms of the agreement and deliver the plant within record time. He pledged that the project would meet international standards and that the company would strictly observe environmental and safety protocols during both the construction and production phases.

“We are determined to see this project through to completion, and we will ensure that it is done with the highest safety and quality standards,” Li said.

He emphasised that Stellar Steel viewed Nigeria as a key strategic partner and that the company was committed to supporting the country’s industrialisation agenda.

The signing of the agreement is being seen as a potential turning point for Nigeria’s troubled steel sector, which has struggled for decades to live up to its potential despite huge investments.

For Audu, the Ewekoro plant is proof that Nigeria can finally move beyond abandoned projects and stalled initiatives, such as Ajaokuta, and embrace a new chapter in its industrial journey.

“This cooperation demonstrates our seriousness in transforming the steel industry into a sustainable driver of jobs, infrastructure and economic development.

The era of missed opportunities must end. This project is a symbol of what we intend to achieve in the years ahead,” the minister concluded.

He wrote on Facebook :
“If these reports are true, then we can only say Bismillah, because it means foreign interests are being stirred up against us,”

“The truth is that those killing Nigerians do not distinguish between Muslims and Christians. Ethnic and communal conflicts in Nigeria have claimed the lives of both.”

“ America and its partners have never felt at ease with African countries that have large populations and resources,” he said. “ They see nations like Nigeria as potential threats because we refuse to submit to foreign control.”

“Our only crime is that we spoke the truth — that what Israel is doing to Palestinians in Gaza is worse than what Nazi Germany did to the Jews during World War II. We also asked that Africa and the black world be given a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.”

“The Nigerian government has done its best to dismiss these falsehoods but the United States insists it must ‘save’ Nigerian Christians at all costs, while turning a blind eye to the killings of Muslims.”

“America will not fight a war for Nigerian Christians, It will only deepen the hardship of both Muslims and Christians alike.”

“We must not fight each other and destroy our own lives, Our Christian and Muslim leaders must unite to enlighten their followers about this grave threat. The government, too, must strengthen security for all Nigerians.”

“Let us continue to pray, “May Allah protect us from the evil and plots of our enemies.”

“Nigeria under their evil eye of religious bigotry!
“It is evident now we are sharing a country not only with evil people from banditry, BH.

IPOB and other criminals, as confessed recently by the governor of Anambra Soludo, we have many unpatriotic bigot clerics that are aiding imperialists to divide us further so that they can pillage our resources. Otherwise, what can they even do?

“At a time when Americans are lining up for food rations, what concerns them with our internal problems. Yes, this is not to say efforts are not placed to tackle the insecurity, but the right combination of strategies is what is lacking to completely nail it. Now they want to compound the problem. All the bluff is about 2027.

“Those who armed the outlaws as NGOs and come around to claim piety. The danger to us is that they form and start arming another Militia like they have done in other places”

“Finally, some of our own countrymen, with the help of certain U.S. officials, have landed us in this mess,”

“Nigeria has almost solely relied on the United States in its fight against terrorism, purchasing the majority of our sophisticated weapons from them.

“Now, with the new sanctions, how are we supposed to effectively confront the very same terrorists committing these atrocities?”

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, on Thursday unveiled the Borno Plastic Factory, announcing the commencement of both nationwide distribution and exportation of its plastic products to neighbouring countries.

Zulum made the announcement during an inspection tour of the facility located in the new Maiduguri Industrial Area, describing it as part of his administration’s strategy to industrialise the state and reduce dependence on federal allocations.

“I am happy to note that people from Borno State will no longer procure plastic materials from other places,” the governor said.

He disclosed that the factory had already received and executed international orders, with finished plastic wares shipped to Chad and Cameroon, while sales were ongoing to several states across Nigeria.

“You have seen that the products have been sold to our neighbouring countries and other states within Nigeria. We will invest more in our industries so that, in the near future, Borno State Government will no longer rely on the Federation Account for its day-to-day activities,” Zulum added.

The governor explained that although the factory was originally constructed under the administration of former Governor Kashim Shettima, it had been revived and expanded as part of his government’s recovery and development plan.

To ensure sustainability and profitability, Zulum said the state adopted a Public-Private Partnership model, placing management under Tatabe Global Services, which now oversees daily operations, production, and marketing, while the state provides oversight and an enabling business environment.

According to him, the factory, now operating at full capacity, produces a wide range of household and industrial plastic items, including chairs, tables, basins, and other wares. It has also created hundreds of direct jobs for Borno indigenes, providing a vital source of livelihood.

“The factory has become a model for industrial revival and youth empowerment in our state,” the governor noted.

Zulum was accompanied on the tour by the Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, principal officers of the House, and other senior government officials.

Former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, has explained why ex-President Goodluck Jonathan can’t run for the presidency in 2027.

Speaking via an opinion article, Salami stated that the constitution bars Jonathan from running for office.

He warned that any attempt by Jonathan to occupy the highest political office in Nigeria would be a violation of the law, as the constitution clearly restricts any person from being President for more than two terms, or eight years.

The former Appeal Court President explained that Jonathan completed the tenure of the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s term before winning an election of his own, making any further attempt unlawful.

He stressed that if Jonathan contests and wins, the victory would not stand. The courts, he said, would nullify such a mandate.

Salami said: “It is painstakingly and dispassionately demonstrated abundantly to all and sundry that the ambition of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to contest for the office of the president for the second term in the 2027 general election is effectively and undoubtedly shot down.

“ My advice to the political class angling up in his support to heed the warning, caveat emptor usually directed to land speculators to be aware.

“In an event of his winning the election he will be conveniently removed by the Court of Appeal in an election petition to that court which removal will be undoubtedly affirmed by the Supreme Court on the ground that his total tenure would have exceeded the eight years maximum tenure.”

He added: “ It seems to me, however, that the interpretation of the amendment is not strictly in contention.

“What is in issue, to my mind, is the eligibility of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to seek the office of the president in the 2027 general election, being a person who exhausted the remainder of the term for which Umoru Musa Yar’Adua was elected president.

“It is his case that the amendment to the Constitution cannot take a retroactive effect.This argument has probably lost sight of two points of view.”

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has commenced a detailed technical and commercial review of its three major refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna to determine their operational and financial viability.

According to NNPC Ltd., the review is part of a broader strategy to reposition the refineries as modern, revenue-generating assets capable of meeting Nigeria’s fuel needs and aligning with international best practices.

The company disclosed this in an update shared on Wednesday via the verified X handle of its Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Bayo Ojulari (@BayoOjulari), describing the initiative as “the beginning of a new era in Nigeria’s refining sector.”

“We are filled with determination and looking ahead with optimism to ensure our refineries operate effectively.

“Our drive is fuelled by the understanding that the prosperity of Nigerian states and the success of our nation will always take precedence over individual interests,” the post read in part.

According to Ojulari, NNPC Limited is currently in the “Technical and Commercial Review” phase, aimed at assessing the operational state of all three refineries and determining whether to high-grade or repurpose the facilities for optimal performance and long-term sustainability.

What NNPCL is to do

In simpler terms, high-grading a refinery means transforming an old, underperforming plant into a modern, efficient, and globally competitive facility — not just fixing what’s broken, but upgrading it to deliver better output and higher returns.

“Where We Are: Ongoing technical and commercial review for comprehensive assessment of all three refineries, to high-grade or repurpose as may be required to ensure optimal performance and sustainability, ” he said.

Ojulari stated that the exercise marks the beginning of a new phase in NNPC’s refinery rehabilitation journey, which aims to transform the facilities into globally competitive assets capable of meeting Nigeria’s domestic fuel demand.

“We are repositioning as a commercially driven, transparent energy company serving Nigerians,” he said.

The assessment, which involves both internal and external experts, is expected to guide decisions on technology upgrades, commercial models, and future production capacities.

Partnerships and technology upgrades

The review, which involves both local and international experts, is expected to inform key decisions on technology upgrades, operational models, and commercial frameworks.

NNPC plans to engage Technical Equity Partners — globally recognised operators with proven experience in running world-class refineries — to drive the next phase of the rehabilitation effort.

Ojulari revealed that discussions with potential partners were ongoing, with all engagements guided by strict technical and commercial benchmarks to ensure value for Nigerians.

“The next phase is to advance Technical Partnerships and select Technical Equity Partners who have a track record of operating refineries to international standards.

“Complete requisite agreements to mobilise towards implementing high-grade or repairs as required.”

The refinery rehabilitation project, the company noted, is central to Nigeria’s National Energy Strategy, which focuses on energy security, asset optimisation, and compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act.

It said the plan was designed to ensure compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act as the supplier of last resort for petroleum products in Nigeria, while also improving the operational efficiency and profitability of its refineries.

Nigeria has struggled for decades to restore its ageing refineries despite multiple attempts and billions of dollars spent on turnaround maintenance.

The combined nameplate capacity of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries is about 445,000 barrels per day, yet none have produced refined fuel at a commercial scale in over a decade.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace Limited, Allen Onyema, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing the policy support that made possible the airline’s historic Abuja–London Heathrow flight.

He said the president’s intervention helped slash international airfares from as high as $13,000 to about $3,000.

Speaking in an interview on ARISE News on Wednesday, Onyema described the milestone as a turning point for Nigeria’s aviation sector and a proof of what effective collaboration between government and private enterprise can achieve.

“I want to congratulate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for pulling this off. This is an example of government paving the way for the private sector to thrive.

“No country develops without the private sector, because it is the private sector that embodies and implements the visions and aspirations of government.”

“President Tinubu did the right thing for this country. His intervention forced foreign airlines to reduce their ticket prices drastically. Prices have come down from $13,000 from Abuja to Heathrow; we’ve brought it down to $3,000,” Onyema said.

His comments came after Air Peace Limited on Sunday commenced a direct flight from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to the London Heathrow Airport.

In a statement through his aide, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo , said,

“The flight took off this morning, Sunday, October 26, 2025, and is expected to arrive this evening in London, marking a major milestone for Nigeria’s aviation industry.”

Onyema said the flight has “saved Nigerians money and made flying affordable again. Even Britons on our flights were happy because competition has finally arrived.”

The Air Peace boss revealed that the airline now operates 14 weekly flights between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, covering both Lagos–London Gatwick and Abuja–London Heathrow routes, a first for any Nigerian carrier.

He said the entry into the lucrative UK route has forced foreign airlines to review their fares, benefiting all travellers.

“This is the first time any Nigerian airline will be flying both the Lagos–London Gatwick and Abuja–London Heathrow routes simultaneously.

“It’s opened the corridor not just to Europe but to the entire world. Many of our passengers are connecting to America, Canada and Asia through London, saving a lot of money with our affordable fares.”

“Even if you don’t fly Air Peace, you can now fly other airlines at reduced fares,” he added.

“Air Peace cannot fly everybody, but at least Nigerians now have a choice,” he said.

Onyema credited Keyamo for driving the president’s aviation vision, noting that under Tinubu’s administration, Nigerian airlines have regained access to international leasing options after more than 15 years of restrictions.

“I cannot stop praising Festus Keyamo. He is implementing the mandate and vision of Mr President 100 per cent. This is the first time airlines in Nigeria will have leasing options.

“For over 15 years, the industry was blacklisted, but this administration changed everything. They signed the Cape Town Convention Practice Direction that allows big leasing companies to come into Nigeria.

“The government has given Nigerian aviation a new lease of life,” he said.

Onyema also hailed the government’s removal of the 4% FOB levy on imported aircraft parts, saying such responsive policies have boosted investor confidence.

“We’re not asking for money — just supportive policies. When we complained about the levy, the president removed it immediately. That’s what a listening government does.”

Onyema, however, cautioned against bureaucratic hostility toward indigenous enterprises.

“Some people still suffer from a pull-him-down syndrome. Destroying a company like Air Peace that employs over 10,000 Nigerians harms the nation. When people lose jobs, insecurity rises."

He reaffirmed Air Peace’s commitment to projecting Nigeria’s image globally, stressing that the airline’s success belongs to the country, not just its founder.

“Air Peace is not about Allen Onyema — it’s about Nigeria. Every time we fly our flag in London, we show what Nigerians can achieve when government and the private sector work together,” he added.

PUNCH Online reported that Kayemo had said in June 2025 that the landmark flight follows sustained diplomatic efforts by the Federal Government to enforce reciprocity in international air travel agreements.

The minister said that the breakthrough was the result of a letter from the ministry dated Aug. 1, 2024, to the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Rt. Hon. Louise Haigh.

The federal government has again faulted some US officials for allegedly using faulty assumptions and data to assert that terrorist elements in Nigeria were targeting Christians.

It said purveyors of such narratives were unwittingly playing into the hands of criminals whose ultimate objective was to incite conflict between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this in an interview on CNN Tuesday night.

Idris emphasised the concerted moves by the Tinubu administration to tackle the country’s security challenges to guarantee the safety and well-being of all citizens.

The minister described the notion as a fallacy that did not reflect the country’s complex security realities and the right to freedom of religion enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.

He portrayed Nigeria as a highly tolerant country that respected freedom of religion, warning that promoting a false narrative of intolerance can inadvertently sow division between Christians and Muslims in the country.

Idris said in the statement, “Characterising it as attacks on Christians will drive Nigeria towards division. The criminals want to portray the country as if there is a fight between Christians and Muslims.

“We have seen attacks on Christians. We have also seen attacks on Muslims as well. Muslims and even those who do not identify with any faith have suffered at their hands. But it is also wrong to characterise Nigeria as a country that does not tolerate religious freedom, and it’s also wrong to say that everywhere is not safe in Nigeria. Nigeria is, indeed, a safe country, Idris said.

“Some of the claims made by some officials of the United States are based on faulty data and some assumptions that the victims of this violence are largely Christians.

“Yes! There are Christians being attacked, but these criminals do not just target one religion. They target Christians. They also target Muslims. We have seen that especially in the northern part of the country.”

The minister acknowledged that while security challenges existed in the country, the government was tackling them decisively and with sustained commitment.

Highlighting recent gains in the war against terrorism, the Minister revealed that between May 2023 and February 2025, over 13,500 terrorists and criminals were neutralized, while nearly 10,000 hostages were rescued during military operations nationwide.

He also confirmed that the top leadership of ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate, was captured last month in a coordinated counter-terrorism operation.

“These feats expose as unfounded the notion that Nigeria is passively tolerating religiously motivated terrorism,” the Minister added.

Idris emphasized Nigeria’s inclusive leadership structure, noting that both Christians and Muslims hold top positions in the Armed Forces and Police.

He also underscored Nigeria’s global recognition for interfaith peacebuilding, pointing to the recent Commonwealth Peace Prize awarded to Rev. Dr. James Movel Wuye and Imam Dr. Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa for their decades-long work in promoting interfaith dialogue.

The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment under President Bola Tinubu to safeguarding all citizens, regardless of faith or ethnicity, and to ensuring justice through continued prosecutions of Boko Haram and other terrorist suspects.

“The Nigerian story is not one of religious genocide or persecution, but of resilience, diversity, and peaceful coexistence,” Idris stressed.

He urged the international media and commentators to act responsibly, avoid sensationalism, and support Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.

“Yes, indeed, we have seen security challenges in Nigeria, but we also have to recognize that there is a massive drive by the government to ensure that Nigeria is ultimately safe for everyone,” he said.

He stated that Nigeria had been grappling with security challenges since 2009, but explained that in the past two years, there had been sustained momentum and determination to eradicate the threats.

The naira broke the N1,450/$ resistance line at the official market and the 1490/$ resistance line at the unofficial market, despite recent gains seen in the U.S dollar index.

The naira’s value increased to N1,447 per dollar at the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM), while it traded at N1487/$ at the black market.CBN released data indicated that the naira appreciated by N5 points while the exchange rate dropped to N1,447 per dollar from N1,452 per dollar on Monday.


Africa’s richest man bullish on naira

The founder of the Dangote Group and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, advised Nigerian dollar holders to sell their US dollars immediately rather than keep them.

He made this statement at a global press conference in Lagos, where he announced plans to expand his $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

He based his advice on the expectation that the refinery’s expanding operations, supportive government policies, and the resulting improvements in Nigeria’s trade balance and foreign reserves will all help the Naira continue to appreciate against the dollar.

This advice aligns with the recent strengthening of the Naira, partly due to the refinery’s impact on reducing reliance on fuel imports.

The Naira appreciated from about N1,475/$1 earlier in October to N1,447/$1 at the end of October 2025. With a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd), the Dangote Refinery is Africa’s largest. It began full operations in early 2025 and is currently producing jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline.

Dangote Refinery started full operations in early 2025 and can currently produce 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. With plans to increase capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day, Dangote may become the world’s largest single-train refinery.

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has announced the launch of the 2025 SMEDAN Pitch Competition.

The competition will award N20 million in grants to five outstanding entrepreneurs whose businesses demonstrate innovation, resilience, and sustainable growth.


SMEDAN empowers Nigerian entrepreneurs

The pitch competition forms part of this year’s National MSME Conference, which aims to promote innovation and enterprise development among Nigerian youths and business owners.


The initiative offers a platform for small business owners to showcase their ideas before a national audience of investors, innovators, and policymakers.

Ten finalists will be selected and treated to an all-expenses-paid trip to Lagos state, where they will pitch their business ideas live for a chance to win from the N20 million grant pool.

A statement from SMEDAN reads: “The 2025 SMEDAN Pitch Competition is designed to celebrate creativity and innovation within Nigeria’s MSME space. The goal is to empower visionary entrepreneurs whose businesses are contributing to inclusive economic growth, resilience, and sustainability.”

Applicants are required to submit a one-to-two-minute video introducing their business, explaining the problem their product or service solves, and demonstrating how it aligns with the 2025 conference theme, ‘Building a Future of Innovation, Resilience, and Prosperity.’

Application details and deadlines

According to the organisers ;

*entries close on October 28, 2025. Interested entrepreneurs can apply via smedan.gov.ng/msmeconference.

*Applicants must: Be registered with SMEDAN (portal.smedan.gov.ng) with a valid SUID.

* Own a Nigerian business operating for at least 2 years.

* Be available for the live pitch in Lagos (Nov 16–18, 2025).


Step 1: Elevator Pitch Video

* Record a clear, 2-minute video introducing yourself and your business. Highlight your innovation, resilience, and growth plans.

* Post publicly on social media, tag @smedangov, and use hashtags #SMEDANPitchCompetition #SMEDANGov #MSMEConference25 #GrowNigerian

* Follow SMEDAN on all platforms and include your video link in the application form.

Step 2: Application Form Fill out three sections:

Personal Information Business Information Pitch Entry (with video link) To fill out the application form, use this link. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeQ54VluP3uXThlFfcItkLWXyAdKVNUzu3lMboCWGAYht0N8g/viewform

1. Bosun Tijani : He was appointed by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) as a member of the board of trustees.
He was also elected Vice Chairman of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Council placing Nigeria at the forefront of global digital policy and governance.

Bosun Tijani was also listed in the 2025 TIME 100 AI list alongside tech leaders like Elon Musk, Sam Altman and Mark Zuckerberg.

2. Tolu Obamuroh : He serves as an advisor to the Government of Nigeria in international matters. On October 17, he was promoted to partner at White & Case LLP, a world leading international law firm with headquarters in New York. His appointment takes effect on January 1, 2026.

His appointment is in the Arbitration practice at the firm's Paris office. He is the only Nigerian qualified lawyer in the new global partner class.

3. Olayemi Cardoso : Regarded as one of Nigeria's finest CBN Governor, he bagged the award for Central Bank Governor of the Year at the 2025 African Banker Awards held in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

4. Festus Kenyamo : On May 23, 2025, he was appointed Chairman of the West African Banjul Accord Group (BAG). His appointment reinforces his bold and innovative policies in the aviation sector in repositioning Nigeria's leading role in improving air travel across West Africa.

5. Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar : He assumed the Chairmanship of the Association of African Air Forces (AAAF). His appointment underscores NAF's leadership role and expanding capabilities in the region. The Association brings together key stakeholders including Air Chiefs, Defense experts, and industry leaders to explore cutting-edge advancements in aerospace technology and their role in bolstering security across Africa.

6. Rt Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo : Serving as the minister of state for petroleum resources (GAS). He emerged as the President of 2026 Gas Exporting Countries Forum ( GECF ) at the 27th ministerial meeting in Doha, Qatar.

7. Dr. Philip Mshelbila : He is the CEO/MD NLNG. Along with the minister of state for petroleum resources, he was appointed Secretary-General of GECF.