₦airaland Forum

The Northern group, Arewa Think Tank (ATT) has wholeheartedly commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its groundbreaking initiatives in the solid minerals sector, particularly the lithium revolution.

A statement by the Convener of Arewa Think Tank, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu said this bold move marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s economic trajectory, ensuring that the natural resources are harnessed for the benefit of the people.

“The establishment of Nigeria’s first lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State, along with several other factories across the country, demonstrates President Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to value addition and local beneficiation.

“This strategic approach will not only generate substantial revenue for the nation but also create thousands of jobs, stimulate economic growth, and empower local communities.

‘We applaud President Tinubu’s leadership in banning the export of unprocessed lithium, a decision that underscores his determination to break the cycle of economic dependency and exploitation.

“By insisting on local processing and value addition, we are poised to reap the full benefits of our mineral wealth.

“The Arewa Think Tank also recognises the pivotal role of the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Henry Dele Alake, in driving this revolution. His tireless efforts to bring transparency, structure, and discipline to the sector have been instrumental in attracting investments and ensuring the successful implementation of the administration’s policies.

“As we move forward, we urge all stakeholders to continue supporting this visionary initiative. Together, we can build a prosperous future for Nigeria, one that is driven by our own resources, ingenuity, and resilience”. The statement said.

omenka:
You are desperate, but one other thing I'm very of is that you're nowhere as desperate as Gringori. And he will not see shishi no matter the amount of catering services he renders pro bono at children's birthday parties.

“Peter AGBỌ́TIKÚYỌ̀ Obi.

“Peter Rufai died on July 3, 2025, he is paying condolence visit on August 23, 2025, just because of what Taribo West said. Just anything for the camera and media shaaa.”

The Nigerian military has recorded a major breakthrough in its internal security operations with the arrest of a notorious wanted bandit, Adamu Buba, also known as ‘Mai Pankshin’, alongside 13 members of his gang.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) announced the development on Friday, disclosing that the suspects were responsible for a series of deadly attacks and criminal activities across Plateau and Kaduna States.

According to the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, the arrests were made by troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) during coordinated operations targeting terrorist cells and criminal hideouts in Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Jos South, Bassa, and Jos North LGAs of Plateau State, as well as Jaba and Zangon Kataf LGAs in Kaduna State.

Recovered from the gang were arms, ammunition, and motorcycles. Interrogations are ongoing.

In a related operation, the General Officer Commanding 3 Division and Commander OPSH, Major General Foluso Oyinlola, on August 17, 2025, handed over 220 assorted weapons and 1,874 rounds of ammunition—all recovered from criminal elements—to the Director-General, National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, in Jos, Plateau State.


Between 13–20 August 2025, Nigerian troops conducted a series of operations in multiple theatres under various task forces. Key highlights include:

North Central & North West: In Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, and Kogi States, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke neutralized terrorists, arrested suspects including a gunrunner, and rescued kidnapped victims. Operations extended to Bwari Area Council of the FCT.

North East – Operation Hadin Kai: In Borno and Yobe States, combined ground and air operations targeted Boko Haram and ISWAP hideouts in locations including Monguno, Gwoza, Konduga, Damboa, and Bama LGAs.

Several terrorists were neutralized, 9 collaborators arrested, and 3 kidnapped victims rescued.

Arms, ammunition, IEDs, motorcycles, and ₦191,700 cash were recovered.

North West – Operation Fagge Yamma: In Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto States, troops killed terrorists, rescued 46 kidnapped victims, and arrested 11 suspects.

Similar success was recorded in Niger State.

Niger Delta – Operation Delta Safe: Troops foiled oil theft worth over ₦25 million, dismantled 8 illegal refinery sites, and arrested 33 suspects.

Weapons, crude oil, tricycles, and boats were seized across Delta, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.

South East – Operation Udoka: Troops engaged suspected IPOB/ESN elements in Imo, Abia, and Anambra States, recovering weapons and arresting suspects.

In a joint operation with NAPTIP, troops rescued 9 pregnant women, 7 infants, and 4 children from an illegal orphanage in Owerri West LGA.

Major General Kangye emphasized that the Nigerian Armed Forces remain committed to restoring peace and security nationwide.

“These achievements reflect the unwavering resolve of the Armed Forces to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria,” he said.

He added that recent successes are encouraging farming activities and community stability. “We appreciate the growing cooperation of local communities and urge citizens to continue supporting security operations.”

Nigerian troops of Operation HADIN KAI have successfully repelled a terrorist attack in Wulgo, Borno State, killing at least seven fighters, including two senior ISWAP commanders.

According to Zagazola Makama, several other terrorists sustained severe injuries during the fierce gun battle.

The slain commanders were identified as Abu Nazir, the Munzir of Juye, and Abu Fatima, the Munzir of Koloram. Troops also recovered four motorcycles from the attackers, though an armoured vehicle (MRAP) was set ablaze by the retreating insurgents.

“The terrorists came heavily armed but were decisively engaged. We inflicted heavy casualties on them, including two of their senior commanders,” a military source confirmed.

President Bola Tinubu has said that Nigeria is participating in the ongoing 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) with a clear mission to unlock over $1billion in trade and investment opportunities.


Writing on his X handle on Wednesday, the President stated that Nigeria’s engagement at the summit, themed “Co-create innovative solutions with Africa”, was anchored on green innovation, industrial growth, and youth empowerment.

“Our participation aims to unlock $1Billion+ in trade & investment, drive green innovation & industrial growth, expand opportunities for our youth, and position Nigeria as the heart and gateway to West Africa’s vast market,” he wrote.

Describing the conference as a launchpad for lasting development and global partnership, Tinubu noted that Nigeria’s push was built on “technology, talent and trust.”

He added that Nigeria will continue to play a leadership role on the continent, declaring that: “Nigeria will lead, and Africa will rise.

The Niger State Government has agreed to a deal with the government of Saudi Arabia to export livestock worth about $100 million dollars according to the state governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, on Tuesday at the Firstbank Agric and Expo 2025.

This signals a positive trend in the government’s non-oil export from the country, and under the deal agreement, the first tranche begins with a $10 million payment to the Niger State government by the Saudi authorities.

The development is aimed at stimulating the economy of Niger state and also making the state a strategic player in the livestock supply chain.

Governor Bago said, “This is incredible. The Saudi government has given us an offtake agreement for $100 million. They’ve asked the Nigerian Export and Import Bank (NEXIM) to come in, and we’re starting with the first $10 million.”

This development comes against the backdrop of increasing geopolitical and environmental disruptions in the Sahel and Sudan, which have created urgent demand for livestock across the Middle East.

Bago explained that this is a $2.5 billion annual opportunity, as Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries seek stable, high-volume sources for meat and animal by-products.

He said, “This is not just about meat. The tripe, blood, skin, hooves, every part of the animal has value. We’re building the entire ecosystem.”

In his remarks, Olusegun Alebiosu, Firstbank CEO, explained that as a nation, Nigeria finds itself at a pivotal moment in its economic journey, one that demands bold diversification beyond oil and the harnessing of the vast opportunities in our non-oil sectors.

He said, “Today, agriculture, once overlooked, is rightfully at the heart of our national development agenda.”

Alebiosu, during the event, renamed FirstBank Agric & Export Expo, which reflects the bank’s renewed and unwavering commitment to positioning non-oil exports as a transformative force in Nigeria’s economy.

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has announced a transformative shift in Niger State’s livestock trade, revealing plans to stop the direct supply of live cows and goats to markets in Lagos and Ogun states.

Instead, the state will process meat locally at Mokwa and deliver frozen, packaged products to Southwest markets, aiming to enhance hygiene, reduce waste, and boost economic value for local farmers.

Speaking at the First Bank 2025 Agric and Export Expo in Lagos, Governor Bago emphasized the need for value addition in agriculture to curb economic losses from exporting raw commodities.

“We have started looking at the possibility of stopping the supply of live cows to Lagos markets. We will terminate supplies of cows and goats at Mokwa, process the meat in Niger State, and deliver frozen products to markets in Lagos and Ogun,” Bago stated.

He noted that this initiative would prevent animal waste from littering southern states and ensure farmers fully benefit from the livestock value chain.

To boost food production in the country’s most populated but tiniest state by landmass, Niger State Governor Umar Bago yesterday donated 100,000 hectares of land to Lagos State for agricultural development.

The governor made the announcement at the FirstBank Nigeria-sponsored Agric & Export Expo 2025, held in Lagos.

The Federal Government has unveiled a renewed push for agricultural growth, with emphasis on boosting food production for both local consumption and exports.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, represented by his Special Adviser, Ibrahim Alkali, laid out a bold vision to transform Nigerian agriculture from a subsistence-based sector into a global export powerhouse.

A tonne of raw produce brings income, but tonnes of processed produce build industries, create jobs, and earn foreign exchange,” Kyari said.

Using cocoa as an example, he noted that while Nigeria earns about $700 million annually from raw cocoa exports, processing could multiply that value three- to five-fold.


Obstacles and Opportunities

The minister acknowledged that agricultural transformation cannot be achieved without strong infrastructure.

He cited the exorbitant cost of domestic transport and the frequent rejection of Nigerian goods abroad due to poor certification.

“It often costs more to move a container from Ghana to Lagos than from Lagos to Europe,” he lamented.

He called for the adoption of a zero-reject policy, from farm to port, and the establishment of accredited laboratories and certification systems to meet global standards.

Citing global examples, Kyari pointed to Brazil, which earned $125 billion in agricultural exports in 2021, and Kenya, where innovative financial models have made agriculture the country’s third-largest foreign exchange earner.

Kyari also emphasised Nigeria’s youth advantage, noting that over 70 per cent of the population is under 30.

Between 2020 and 2022, African youth-led agri-tech startups attracted $640 million in investment, evidence that Nigerian youths are already building the future of agriculture.

Lagos pushes for diversification

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urged the private sector to partner with the government in urgently diversifying the economy away from oil.

He described the expo as a “visionary platform” for building an agriculture-driven future.

Citing volatility in global oil prices, foreign exchange instability, and rising import costs, he stressed:

“Nigeria must urgently broaden its economic base. The global marketplace is not waiting for us.”

Sanwo-Olu commended President Bola Tinubu’s policies, which he said have spurred steady growth in non-oil exports.

He cited data from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) showing that non-oil exports rose 19.59 per cent in the first half of 2025 to $3.225 billion, up from $2.696 billion in the same period of 2024.

He added that Lagos, as Nigeria’s commercial hub, has a “special responsibility” in the transformation agenda.

The governor highlighted major projects funded through a $1.35 billion partnership with Afreximbank and Access Bank, including the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Lekki-Epe International Airport.

The state, he said, has also launched a N500 billion Offtake Guarantee Fund to support food security and agricultural productivity.


Niger’s role

Governor Bago said Niger would serve as the production hub, while Lagos would be the consumer and logistics hub.

The proposed “Lagos Farm” project will be spread across several locations in Niger State to cultivate yams, beans, and livestock for Lagos markets.

He also pointed to huge export opportunities in the Middle East.

“The annual Hajj requires about five million sheep, each costing 500 riyals, representing a 2.5 billion riyal market in one transaction,” he revealed, adding that annual livestock demand in the region could reach 30 million.

Bago emphasised value addition across the livestock chain — from meat to hides and by-products — warning that “countries that export raw commodities remain perpetually broke.”


Bank restates commitment to agribusiness financing

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, represented by NEPC CEO Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, said the government was intensifying efforts to help exporters meet certification standards, adding that the One State One Product (OSOP) programme remains central to diversifying away from oil.

FirstBank Managing Director, Olusegun Alebiosu, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to financing agribusiness and non-oil exports.

“The expo reflects our shared vision for a stronger, more resilient economy anchored on food security, agribusiness, solid minerals, and non-oil exports,” he said.

He described agriculture as a once-overlooked sector now central to Nigeria’s development agenda, noting FirstBank’s long history of financing agribusiness across the value chain.

kettykin:
It looks a bit organized but I am not impressed

Softmirror:
What I meant by nothing concern Tinubu is the reason I added that attachment. Nobody should be crying and calling Tinubu, Tinubu, Tinubu.............hold your governors accountable.

David Umahi, Minister of Works, has dismissed criticisms of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, insisting that, contrary to claims on social media, the project features an extensive drainage system and is being executed with high engineering standards.

Speaking during an inspection tour of the coastal road on Monday, Umahi said the project was the only one of its kind in the country with an extensive drainage system.

“This is the only project in the whole country where you have 750 kilometers of roads and 750 times two of underground drainage all through,” he told journalists, adding, “what was on social media was very misleading. There are bound to be problems where a project is not completed.”

The minister explained that a recent incident of erosion at a section of the road was being addressed, stressing that the ministry and contractors were deploying new technology to safeguard the project.

“In fact, when we had done the concrete pavement, we had just about three metres for the ocean to break into that carriageway. We had to fight the ocean,” Umahi said.

“We brought in geotextile to ensure the ocean does not leach into the sharp sand. On top of that, rocks are being layered at different levels. This is quite a lot of work and could be seen as a project on its own.

“I don’t know why people take so much delight in dishing out false information. We have 750 kilometers of underground drainage times two, which is 1,500 kilometers of underground drainage. You can see the pipes for yourselves,” he added.

Commending Hitech Construction Company, Umahi said the contractor had demonstrated “courage and commitment” beyond profit-making.

“No one else would have done this. There are so many unwritten things being done here for the stability of the job. It takes people that are committed to the development of the country,” he noted.

Taking a swipe at critics who questioned the project cost without visiting the site, Umahi argued that the terrain and soil conditions made construction far more complex than in other parts of the country.

“Is the cost of one kilometre of road here the same as in Sokoto or Enugu? People sit under air conditioners and analyse without knowledge. Come to the site, analyse the soil textures, analyse the pits, and then you will understand,” he said.

He challenged critics to an open debate, saying: “It took us five years to read this thing (civil engineering) and 30 years in the field to understand what is going on. That is why this work is progressing. I have offered debate, anyone who feels otherwise, let us debate.”

On the controversy over reported plans to spend trillions of naira on Third Mainland Bridge and Carter Bridge, Umahi clarified that the Federal Government had not approved any figure for the repair or reconstruction of the bridges.

Concerns arose after reports circulated that the government had earmarked about N3.8 trillion for the projects.

“What we presented to the Federal Executive Council was not a request for money,” he said.

“We asked for approval to invite a minimum of seven global contractors to carry out investigations, designs, and bids. No approval has been given for any figure. We only cited Berger’s estimate, which we don’t trust, and we want to compare with other experts globally.”

Umahi revealed that assessments dating back to 2013 showed that both Carter and Third Mainland bridges were suffering structural degradation from chlorination, rusting of piles, sand mining, and ocean scouring.

He added that while a consultant suggested demolishing and rebuilding Carter Bridge as a cable bridge for about ₦359 billion, the government opted for wider consultation before making any decision.

“Whatever is finally decided will not be a one-man show,” Umahi assured. “We will also bring in the private sector, whether for rehabilitation or new construction, and they will toll it,” he said.

Sources in the commission disclosed that government was planning to increase total allocation to the states to between 30 and 40% from the current formula which allocates 52.68%, 26.72% and 20.60% to the Federal, State and Local Governments, respectively.

The Federal Government is already relinquishing 5% of its tax revenue to the states as contained in the recently signed national tax laws.

Softmirror:
If anybody likes the should go and build brewery with their money or open bet Naija shop. Nothing concern Tinubu.