₦airaland Forum

The 2023 PDP governorship candidate in Lagos State and lead visioner of the Lagos4Lagos movement, Mr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran aka Jandor) has described the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027 as unstoppable.

Adediran had on March 3 resigned from the PDP and announced his return to his former party, the APC. Speaking during a rally to announce his return to the APC in Ojo area of Lagos on Friday.

Adediran explained that his assignment presently was to work towards the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Adediran said the positive results of Tinubu’s people-centred reforms and recent defections into the party have made the president’s re-election in 2027 unstoppable, if he decides to re-contest. He said: “Our conviction to come back home is a result of the reforms that Mr President is doing.

“Removal of fuel subsidy makes Tinubu a selfless President because he would have ordinarily allowed the status quo to remain to secure a second term in office.

“The President is poised to do what is best for the country, and the reforms are yielding results for the country now.

“That is why we are going to do everything humanly possible to make sure we work for his re- election. “Our priority is to ensure that we see to how this man will return in 2027 to further reposition the country,“ he said.

Adediran, who noted that though he did not win as PDP candidate in 2023, his struggle, however, opened up political opportunities for people of the Badagry division in the APC.

In his response, the Lagos State APC chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, who noted that the party was proud to have Mr Adediran and his team back, urged the leaders to accommodate the team.

Meanwhile, Olushola Idowu, the chairman of Ojo Local Government, described the return of Adediran as a good addition to the APC, especially in Ojo Local Government, urging party members to welcome him and his followers with open arms.

Also speaking, Kayode Robert, commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, commended Adediran for his courage to return to the ruling party.

This development is expected to significantly boost private sector access to international capital in both foreign exchange and local currency, supporting the country’s long-term economic transformation.

Nigeria has been formally admitted as a member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to enhance private sector access to foreign capital.

This development is expected to significantly boost private sector access to international capital in both foreign exchange and local currency, supporting the country’s long-term economic transformation.

The EBRD is a leading climate financier globally, investing in climate change initiatives, green energy, and sustainable growth.

A strategic milestone

Speaking at the EBRD’s 2025 Annual Meetings in London, Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, described Nigeria’s accession as a strategic milestone that aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“This is a proud day for Nigeria. Our accession to the EBRD marks a critical milestone in our economic reform journey. We are committed to building a transparent, rules-based economy that unlocks private investment and accelerates inclusive growth,” the Minister stated during the Board of Governors’ Plenary Session.

With over 80% of its financing directed towards the private sector, the EBRD plays a pivotal role in supporting entrepreneurship, SMEs, and large-scale investments across key sectors.

Nigeria’s membership opens new opportunities for local businesses to access development finance and technical expertise in priority areas such as energy transition, infrastructure, agriculture, and digital innovation.

The Minister also held high-level bilateral meetings with delegations from France and the United States, reinforcing Nigeria’s position as an active and trusted partner in global economic governance.


Background

The 2025 EBRD Annual Meetings, themed “Expanding Horizons, Enduring Strengths,” brought together leaders from over 70 economies to advance dialogue on inclusive growth, resilience, and sustainable development.
Nigeria initially joined the EBRD as its 77th shareholder in March, marking a significant milestone in the country’s economic trajectory.
This followed Nigeria’s application to join the bank in April 2024, which the EBRD’s Board of Governors approved in May 2024.

zero8zero:
Do you remember the woman below, ex spokeswoman of DSS, Marilyn Ogar. You remember how PDP used DSS to bully, harass and intimidate opposition APC?. You remember how DSS broke into their headquarters, turned everything upsidedown and carted away their membership register?. You remember how happy you were that time?. You were reminded about karma but you ignored. Your wailing never start.

The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has stated that the global economic community and multilateral financial institutions are placing increased confidence in Nigeria’s economy due to the bold reforms initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Bagudu made the remarks in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday.

According to the Minister, the economic decisions taken by the administration are already yielding dividends, attracting investor interest, and strengthening Nigeria’s fiscal position.

“We have seen investors from Brazil, Belarus, and Saudi Arabia increasingly entering our agricultural space. The world economic community and multilateral institutions are putting more faith in our economy.

“Investors want to see good policy—can I get paid back? Are the numbers credible? Is the environment transparent? That’s why they appreciate when they see quarterly GDP growth,”

“For the first time in 25 years, Nigeria is refining oil. Mr President was courageous enough to allow crude sale in naira to our refiners. This is a testament to his belief in our economy.”,
Bagudu said.



Fuel subsidy removal, FX unification driving investor confidence

Bagudu described the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of the foreign exchange market as transformative decisions that are restoring fiscal discipline and transparency.

“We were losing 5% of our GDP on fuel subsidy—money going to just a few, Mr President took the courageous step to end it.”, he stated.

He further noted that the FX reforms have significantly reduced arbitrage and encouraged market fairness.

“The foreign exchange reform removed uncertainty and favouritism. We now have a fair market—willing buyer, willing seller—which has generated revenue growth and boosted private sector confidence,” he added.



Budgets focused on responsibility and investment

Bagudu also highlighted the 2024 and 2025 budgets as key instruments balancing fiscal prudence and strategic investments.

“We have increased spending in health, education, infrastructure, security, and technology. The 2024 budget achieved significant deficit reduction, and more importantly, it showed that we are serious—and the markets believed us,” he noted.

The Minister credited this growing market confidence to the administration’s consistency, policy discipline, and a shift towards data-driven planning.

Speaking on public finance management, Bagudu pointed to President Tinubu’s insistence on constitutional and institutional respect, especially regarding inherited liabilities from the previous administration.

“Mr President inherited N22.7 trillion in Ways and Means financing, but he insisted on respecting the Central Bank’s independence. That discipline is earning us credibility globally,” Bagudu explained.

He emphasized that such decisions, though politically difficult, are necessary to signal seriousness to the international community and domestic investors alike.

Acknowledging the hardship many Nigerians currently face, Bagudu compared the reform process to a physical fitness journey.

The Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, has pledged to further lower the prices of rice and other food items, which he said have already decreased over the past year.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for granting waiver on imported food items, saying that his “foresight” helped crash food prices in the country.

In July 2024, the Tinubu administration announced the suspension of customs duties on imported food items to stem food inflation.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after meeting with President Tinubu on Thursday, Rabiu said BUA Foods keyed into that policy and was able to import quite a lot of wheat, maize and rice.

“At the time food prices were really very high last year. For example, the price of rice was about N100,000 or thereabout per 50 kilo bag. The flour was about N80,000 per bag and maize was about N60,000 per 50 kilo bag, and pasta above N20,000 per Carton. So what we did was, we keyed into that policy and BUA was able to import quite a lot of wheat, maize and rice.

“And the moment the shipment started coming, we started processing, we crushed the prices of some of these commodities. And today I’m happy to inform you that the price of rice is about N60,000 from what it was last year at N110,000. Flour is today N55,000 Naira per 50 kilo bag.

“Maize is about N30,000. And this happened because of Mr President’s foresight and vision by introducing that one-off duty waiver for a period of six months, and with that, we’ve been able to bring down the prices of these commodities,” Rabiu said.

The billionaire businessman further explained the causes of the food price increases and how the President’s policy helped to curb the trend.

“So, what has been happening and a lot of people probably don’t know this, is that Nigerians, a lot of companies in Nigeria usually buy a lot of paddy. That is rice paddy. Rice Paddy is what you use to process rice.

So, the moment the harvest season starts, a lot of people will now buy a lot of these paddy and hold it for a period of three to four months. The moment the season finishes, then the price will double. So a lot of people don’t know that, but that has always been the problem.

“That does not really in any way affect the farmer, because the farmer is getting his four to N500,000 per ton of paddy.

But the people that are buying and holding for three to four months, once the season finishes, it goes back up to N800,000. Hence why you are getting N110,000 per bag.

“So, what that intervention did at the time when we brought in was to create an issue for those hoarders. Because the moment we imported, we were selling, and those orders had a lot of paddy, they could not sell, and the price now came down, and it is still down. So a lot of those holders are actually crying now and losing money.”

He said that the Rice Millers Association has come together to address the issue of hoarding by some companies, adding that the association will not allow any of its members to hoard rice.

“What we are doing as rice Millers is that we want to ensure that rice Millers are not buying and hoarding Paddy, although at the end of the day, it’s quite difficult to stop that. But what is happening is that once they know that there is rice availability imported, because BUA has imported enough rice to last us until the end of the year, for example.

“So, they know that if they try to hoard rice and try to take it up, Bucha is there and will crash the price. So I am hopeful that at the end of the day, the price of rice going forward is not going to go any higher than what it is today.

“And I’m sure as soon as the season starts, the farmers will get the price they’ve always gotten, and the price of rice is going to stay the same, because people will be wary of hoarding, because if they hoard it is going to be a problem for them, because they might lose money. So that is on rice.

“And again, let me use this opportunity to thank His Excellency, for his foresight, for his vision, because I actually didn’t see that. I didn’t know that that was going to work, but we keyed in.

We imported and we have supported, and now prices are down. So that is what we did, and we will continue to do to support the efforts of the government to ensure that food prices continue to come down. And I’m sure prices will come down.

Nigeria’s inflation rate eased to 23.71% in April 2025, down from 24.23% recorded in March. This is according to new data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) seen by Nairametrics on Thursday. The latest figure marks a modest decline of 0.52 percentage points, offering a glimmer of hope amid persistent economic challenges and rising cost-of-living pressures across the country.

Beremx:
over sense dey worry you. You nailed it!! It's all about Seyi Tinubu, no one else

The Nigeria Customs Service has reported that operatives from the Seme Area Command, located at the Nigeria-Benin border, intercepted a shipment of suspected explosive materials, including corrosive mercury, hidden within five cartons of the Quran.

Speaking at the Seme Command headquarters on Wednesday, Customs Area Controller, Ben Oramalugo confirmed the seizure and announced the arrest of a suspect linked to the illegal consignment.

According to Oramalugo, the materials were being transported in a red Toyota Avensis with the registration number GGE 66 JN. The vehicle was intercepted during routine checks along the Badagry–Lagos Expressway.

“In addition to the suspected explosives, the Command also intercepted various foreign currencies during the month of April, amounting to the equivalent of N8.9 million after conversion,” Oramalugo told journalists.

He revealed that the significant bust occurred on the night of March 28, 2025, at approximately 8:00 p.m., describing it as a major breakthrough in the Command’s ongoing crackdown on the smuggling of hazardous and prohibited materials.

He said that investigations into the origin and intended destination of the explosive materials were underway.

Oramalugo said the arrested suspect had been taken into custody for questioning.

Meanwhile, the discovery has raised serious concerns about the lengths to which smugglers are going to evade detection with suspicion of the possibility of a broader smuggling or criminal network.

Hence, the Customs urged the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activities that may aid in the fight against the smuggling of dangerous goods across the nation’s borders.

Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has lambasted a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dele Momodu for criticizing the Minister’s latest remark regarding the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.

Olayinka said Momodu hates to hear the truth and wants to keep eating the money of former PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
He maintained that Wike has said the truth about PDP’s 2027 presidential ticket.

In what appears to be a message directed at Atiku, Wike during his monthly press briefing in Abuja, said PDP will not zone its presidential ticket to the North.

He said: “PDP cannot give the presidential ticket to the North (in 2027).”

Displeased by his remarks, Momodu said Wike’s boastfulness will end, adding that the Minister will be humbled when the time comes.

Posting on Facebook, Momodu wrote: “The PDP cannot send the presidential ticket to the North in 2027. I’m building the PDP, not tearing it apart – Wike.

“History has taught the world that Nyesom Wike’s boastfulness will end and he shall eat the humble pie when the time comes.

“When did he become the Chief Justice of Nigeria that he can misinterpret our Constitution as he wishes. He said the North will not be allowed to pick the next Presidential ticket of PDP and that he is fighting for justice.

“At what point did he discover that Justice or injustice?

“It is surprising that all the respected journalists in the room could not tell him to stop the HYPOCRISY and ask if he did not want to be ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR’s Vice Presidential nominee!! That’s the only truth that haunts and gets him livid with rage.”

Momodu also berated Wike over his comments regarding the suspended Governor of Rivers State.

He noted: “On FUBARA, did Wike ever allow any soul to control himself as Governor, including those who helped him to the top? Has he not rained torrents of insults on all of them?

“Since almost three years when he lost the PDP Presidential Primary, MR PROJECT has remained inconsolable and my appeal to him is no man can have his way always. In a Democracy, everyone has the right to contest or not, based only on the CONSTITUTION of NIGERIA, and not the whimsical decision of one man, WIKE. Oju lo pe si… Time flies.”

Responding, Olayinka said Momodu considers anybody who tells Atiku to bury his presidential ambition as his enemy.

In a chat with DAILY POST, Olayinka said:

“Babalawo Dele Momodu sha wants to be eating Atiku’s money. Anyone who tells him the truth that Atiku should bury his thought of contesting the Presidency again in 2027 is Dele Momodu’s automatic enemy.

“The millions he collected as Campaign Director of Media in 2023 don sweet Ẹ̀gbọ́n oníkùn gbẹ̀ndu gbẹndu bí ọ̀yà.

“Wike has said the truth that must be said to Atiku.”

President Bola Tinubu yesterday welcomed new initiatives by Qatari investors to explore opportunities in the agricultural sector and assured that Nigeria remains open to strategic partnerships.

The President gave the assurance at the State House, Abuja while receiving a special envoy from the Amir of the State of Qatar, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi.

Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Al-Khulaifi, conveyed Amir’s strong interest in expanding bilateral cooperation, announcing that a high-level Qatari business delegation will visit Nigeria in the coming weeks to explore opportunities in agriculture, food security, and other critical sectors.

President Tinubu emphasised Nigeria’s readiness to build on the momentum generated by his state visit to Qatar in 2024, pledging to implement all bilateral agreements between the two countries.
He directed the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu;

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, to work together to ensure the timely execution of these agreements.

He said, “To all the members of the delegation, I want to say a big thank you for coming to Nigeria. We are grateful to God for what we have experienced as partners in progress. I am also glad that the Amir of Qatar greatly remembers the issues discussed during my visit last year.

“Let me commend the brotherly relations between Qatar and Nigeria. The Ambassador knows that I take Qatar very seriously. We are willing to go further in our bilateral relations.”

The President said the Qatari government had demonstrated maturity and foresight in working for global peace and deserves commendation.

According to him, “I am proud of your efforts to bring peace and stability to the world. I see your efforts in human development, peace and prosperity. Like you, we are sandwiched between the challenge of terrorism and helping our neighbours. We are conscious of who is our friend and those helping us to ameliorate the problems.”

President Tinubu also noted ongoing reforms to streamline Nigeria’s tax system, making it easier for foreign investors to do business in the country.

“We are making efforts to reform our tax system. Going by experiences of the past and the need to depart from old ways, our reforms have been hard. I made tough decisions so that we could grow. We are gradually seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

“You can’t find a better partner than Nigeria. I always follow global issues and your efforts. You have to do more in Nigeria to help fight poverty in the humanitarian area. You have done well in developing a knowledge-based economy in Qatar, but what about Nigeria?”, the President explained.

President Tinubu said Nigeria’s partnership with Qatar can be improved by looking into food sovereignty and economic prosperity.

“We are doing well as much as we can as the leader in Africa. We want to continue to promote good relations with you. We are ready to do whatever we can do from here. We subscribe to peace efforts by your government. There can be no development without peace,” he added.

Earlier, Al-Khulaifi conveyed the Amir’s desire to strengthen the strategic partnership with Nigeria, particularly in peace-building, agriculture, and petrochemicals.

He expressed pride in the current level of relations and looked forward to expanding both government-to-government and people-to-people ties.

His words: “We are proud of the level of relations we have reached with Nigeria. I am very impressed with our partnership with the country, which is not just government to government but also people to people.

“Our Ambassador has been following up with the projects. We have much to do together in agriculture, food, and petrochemicals. We have some companies telling us that we should create a way for them to come into Nigeria.”

Al-Khulaifi, whose responsibilities include mediating peace in Africa and the Middle East, said some Qatari companies will visit Nigeria to discuss investment opportunities in agriculture.

“The message I have from His Highness, Amir of Qatar, is that he wants Nigeria to be a strategic partner in Africa,” he further stated.

Agbegbaorogboye:
Ah!! Zombie!!
Do you even know what you're writing
Who told you this nonsense? Do you know what it means to securitize loan? Which investor bought it and "cleared" it?
Zombie!! Delete this comment abeg. Southies must not see that see that we have this level of daftness among us

nedu666:
30 trillion ways and Means cleared. By whom and when. The money wasn't cleared it was added to the domestic debt. Who even hire you for this propaganda job

Agbegbaorogboye:
They target the daftest and dumbest to put in that job

Even an average intelligence person won't touch that job with a long pole

They are now counting paying off sukuk loan as achievement

Se ri were gbogbo

anonimi:
Is this why ebilokan the petroleum minister stole billions for repairing PH and Warri refineries that have failed to produce fuel hence why imports are continuing

PressMyButton:
I'm loving this, since President Tinubu opened up the oil sector, it has become a chess game, a price war, call it anything. Remember that Dangote had said on several occasions he has enough fuel to go round, therefore, there's no need for markerters importing fuel. From the article above, you will see where Dangote exported 44,000 tonnes of diesel, very sure he also exported petrol and other products as well. Meanwhile, as that was happening, the marketers ignored Dangote to go import their own petrol into the country. For me, I am neither here nor there, I don't want market monopoly, at the same time, I do not want marketers boycotting local refineries to patronize foreign refineries, I do not also want too much pressure on the dollar for fuel Importation. So, I am caught in between.
However, Dangote is a Don, from what I am observing here, he's a badass capitalist that knows his way around the market. He has warned the importers that he has enough to go round but the marketers insisted they will only buy from where it is cheaper as the market is now a free market. Dangote would then wait for them to go place an order abroad and when their petrol is on the sea, Dangote reduces his own price below the landing cost. By the time, the marketers received their products, they are left with no choice than sell it at Dangote's price. They dare not sell above the price of Dangote. With that, the marketers run into losses.
I heard them crying two months ago that the price crashes made them incur losses when Dangote again crashed the price after FG renewed the naira for crude deal. My observation so far is that Dangote is still controlling the market price and whenever the marketers decided to buy from abroad, he reduces his own price to punish them.