Author: Nouman Ali

The Pan African Parliament (PAP) has commended Nigeria for its remarkable and historic turnaround in the petroleum sector, describing the country’s upstream reforms as a benchmark for the continent.

At the conclusion of a fourteen-day special syndicate meeting of West African parliamentarians held in Johannesburg to deliberate on African resource management and the urgent need for a continental model law, PAP members declared Nigeria’s faithful implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 the practical template that other African oil-producing nations should emulate.

The meeting resolved to fast-track the drafting of a Model Law on Natural Resource Governance, with Nigeria’s transparent, predictable, and investment-friendly licensing regime repeatedly cited as the central reference point.

Official figures confirm the country has repeatedly surpassed 1.7 million barrels per day in 2025, decisively ending a decade of stagnation caused by security challenges, operational setbacks, and chronic investor hesitation.

Nigeria now stands firmly on course to achieve its long-standing target of 2.5 million barrels per day by 2026. A near-70 rig count recorded this year-the highest in almost a decade-with more than forty rigs still active, reflects the strongest upstream drilling activity in years and unmistakable evidence that global investor sentiment has turned decisively in Nigeria’s favour.

This transformation has been powered by multi-billion-dollar Final Investment Decisions, the approval of Field Development Plans worth approximately twenty billion dollars in the past ten months, and rigorous enforcement of the PIA’s ‘drill or drop’ provisions, which have seen idle and fallow discoveries systematically recovered and prepared for immediate reallocation to serious developers.

Nigeria has also replaced irregular and opaque bid rounds with annual licensing cycles, delivering the regulatory predictability investors have long demanded.

The 2025 licensing round, opening on 1 December, is already regarded as one of the most strategically important since the PIA was enacted in 2021.

Built on the fully digital, transparent, and livestreamed platform that won universal acclaim in 2024, the exercise will offer around twenty-four blocks across onshore, shallow-water, and deep-offshore terrains, with a deliberate emphasis on natural gas alongside crude oil in line with Nigeria’s energy-transition commitments and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Massamba Dieng of Senegal told journalists at the close of the meeting: ‘What Nigeria has achieved in less than five years is nothing short of revolutionary for Africa.

‘The disciplined enforcement of ‘drill or drop’, the return to annual licensing rounds conducted on a fully digital and transparent platform, and the recovery of billions of barrels in stranded assets have turned Nigeria into the continent’s most attractive upstream destination.

‘We in Senegal and across West Africa intend to borrow heavily from this model as we craft our own reforms.’

Hon. Salifu Jawo, Gambian member of the Pan African Parliament, added: ‘Nigeria’s leadership extends beyond its borders through its chairmanship of the African Petroleum Regulators Forum under Engr. Gbenga Komolafe.

‘The practical knowledge being shared through AFRIPERF is already helping smaller producers design better regulatory frameworks. The combination of political will, legislative clarity in the PIA, and courageous regulatory execution has given Africa a success story we can all replicate.

‘This is why the Model Law we are drafting will be built largely on Nigeria’s experience.’

Adding further weight to Nigeria’s continental influence is its current presidency of the African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF), held by Engr. Gbenga Komolafe.

Parliamentarians noted that Nigeria’s bold reforms are being actively disseminated across the continent through AFRIPERF platforms, offering practical guidance to regulators seeking to attract investment and maximise resource value.

As the Pan African Parliament prepares to adopt a continent-wide Model Law on Resource Management, members unanimously agreed that Nigeria’s journey-from near-collapse to renewed vigour under the transformative framework of the Petroleum Industry Act and its exemplary leadership of AFRIPERF-will serve as the cornerstone of that historic legislation.

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has issued a strong appeal for accelerated action on economic reforms and domestic resource mobilization across Africa to finance development and job creation.

Speaking on the sidelines of the G20 Investment Breakfast Dialogue in Johannesburg, the Minister stated unequivocally that, ‘we must accelerate bold economic reforms and strengthen domestic resource mobilisation to finance investments, jobs, and long-term development.’

Delivering the keynote address at a forum convened by MTN, which included CEOs from South Africa, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), and various development partners, Edun noted that the continent is meeting at a moment of ‘profound global economic change’ demanding coordinated action, deeper regional collaboration, and an investment climate built on stability and reform.

The Minister outlined four major disruptions currently reshaping the prospects of developing regions. First, global trade dynamics are being rewritten, with the established rules that supported the rise of economies like China, India, and Brazil changing rapidly.

Second, capital flows to emerging markets have tightened dramatically. Citing African Development Bank estimates, he pointed out that many developing economies now pay more in debt service than they receive in development assistance. Africa alone is projected to pay about $163 billion in debt servicing in 2024, while total foreign direct investment is less than $100 billion.

At the same time, technology is disrupting labour markets and reshaping the future of work, a worrisome trend for a continent where the median age is just 20, and millions of young Africans require jobs, skills, and opportunities.

Finally, he said the world faces a paradox of ‘insufficient resources to fight poverty, yet abundant resources to fight climate change’ – resources that often bypass Africa despite its disproportionate vulnerability to climate shocks.

Using Nigeria as a case study, the Minister described a disciplined programme of reforms that the country has embarked upon since May 2023, aimed at building a modern and competitive economy.

Nigeria’s strategy, he explained, rests on two key pillars: establishing macroeconomic stability so private investment can thrive, and increasing government savings to expand investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

To this end, the government implemented several difficult but necessary decisions, including the removal of fuel subsidies, the liberalization of the foreign exchange market, landmark tax reforms, and structural adjustments across key sectors such as energy, power, logistics, education, and industrialization.

‘All these reforms have one purpose,’ Edun said, ‘to build a competitive economy where private capital is rewarded, innovation is encouraged, and businesses have the confidence to invest.’

Edun told investors that Nigeria is beginning to see clear signs of economic recovery and stabilization. He reported that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.23 percent in Q2 2025, significantly up from 3.1 percent in Q2 2024 and 2.51 percent in Q2 2023. Inflation, though still elevated, has been consistently moderating since March 2025, reaching 16.05 percent by October. External reserves have also risen to $46.3 billion.

‘These indicators carry a simple message,’ the Minister proclaimed. ‘Nigeria is more stable, more predictable, and more investable than it has been in many years.’

He acknowledged, however, that the reforms have posed challenges for vulnerable populations. To cushion the impact, the government has expanded direct benefit transfers to 15 million households, with approximately nine million already receiving cash support.

The forum received positive feedback from the business community. MTN Group CEO, Ralph Mupita, described Nigeria as a ‘true African success story,’ noting that the country accounts for 35-40 percent of MTN’s business and serves 85 million customers. He further encouraged South African investors to leverage Nigeria’s reform momentum.

Similarly, the NIPC’s Executive Secretary, Aisha Rimi, credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms for establishing the foundation for accelerated growth.

She stated that many of the long-standing issues affecting South Africa-Nigeria investment relations are now being addressed through the bi-national commission. Representatives from South Africa’s Department of Trade and Investment mirrored this view.

Governors from Nasarawa, Gombe, Kaduna, and Plateau States also made presentations, showcasing opportunities in agriculture, mining, transportation, and tourism. They noted that the federal reforms have expanded fiscal space for state-level investment, enabling a pivot toward value-added industries rather than raw material exports.

In his closing remarks, Minister Edun concluded that Nigeria has ‘laid the foundation for a modern, resilient, private-sector-led economy,’ with a medium-term ambition of achieving at least 7 percent growth driven by private investment.

Senator Sunday Marshal Katung (Kaduna South) said his loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu runs deeper than party lines, declaring that he would have vigorously campaigned for the president’s re-election even if he had remained in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Katung, who recently defected to the ruling party, said gratitude, not political calculation, drove his decision, noting that Tinubu’s interventions in Southern Kaduna within 18 months surpassed anything previous administrations had delivered.

The Senator, in a chat with journalists at the weekend, said, ‘Even if I stayed in PDP, I would have still worked 100 per cent for President Tinubu. No President, living or dead, has done for my people what he has done.’

He listed the establishment of a Federal University in his district, its College of Medicine, and a Federal Medical Centre as unprecedented legacy projects that will ‘outlive everyone.’

According to him, after consulting widely with stakeholders back home, the consensus was that supporting Tinubu fully was the right and honourable thing to do.

‘Remaining in PDP while working for him would have amounted to antipathy. My people said when someone does this much for you, you don’t stand aside,’ he said.

Beyond politics, Katung said one of his strongest motivations in the Senate is his revived sickle cell bill, which he described as a deeply personal mission dating back more than three decades.

He recounted a 1991 encounter with a child battling a sickle cell crisis who pleaded with his parents to ‘allow him to die so they could rest,’ a moment he said has haunted and driven him ever since.

Katung first attempted to sponsor the bill in 2016 while in the House of Representatives, but it stalled. Now, he insists, the legislation must be completed because ‘too many people have died needlessly.’

He also recalled the case of the late Kaduna Military Administrator, General Mukhtar, whose children died one after the other from sickle cell crises-an experience he described as painfully unforgettable.

The Senator disclosed that a public hearing on the bill is scheduled for Monday, after which the National Assembly will conclude work and forward it to the President for assent.

The bill proposes treatment centres in every local government area, centres of excellence across the six geopolitical zones, and policies to boost local production of critical sickle cell medication currently sourced from London.

Katung praised religious institutions for insisting on premarital genotype screening but said mandatory testing should emerge from stakeholder submissions to avoid unnecessary sensitivities.

He revealed that his NGO currently supports about 55 sickle cell patients under the care of a public-health physician, adding that he does it as a personal sacrifice, not for publicity.

Speaking on constituency challenges, Katung lamented that Kauru and Sanga Local Government Areas remain among the most neglected parts of the country, with communities lacking motorable roads.

He narrated how a 15-minute journey in the area often becomes a four-hour ordeal, and how he was moved to tears last year when he crossed the same river that previously claimed the lives of students trying to reach school.

The senator emphasised that his priorities include roads, healthcare facilities, and electrification, stressing that bottom-up planning and genuine community engagement are key to curbing insecurity and youth restiveness in the region.

Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez delivered a comfortable 2-0 win at Burnley to lift Chelsea to second in the Premier League.

The opener came when Neto met Jamie Gittens’ cross at the far post, while Fernandez sealed victory with a late run into the box after a counter-attack involving Neto and substitute Marc Guiu.

The Blues rarely moved out of second gear during the 90 minutes and were able to rest unused substitute Moises Caicedo, with matches against Barcelona and Arsenal to come.

However, resting players looked a gamble early on as Burnley started brightly, with Jaidon Anthony having two early shots blocked and Loum Tchaouna forcing a save from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez with a strike from the edge of the box.

Chelsea started slowly and tested Burnley keeper Martin Dubvravka with a tame long-range effort from Trevoh Chalobah.

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Defence, Hon. Babajimi Benson, has reaffirmed the importance of deeper collaboration between Nigeria and the United States, saying such a partnership remains crucial to addressing insecurity and other strategic challenges facing the country.

Benson stated this while reflecting on his recent engagements with senior U.S. officials, which he attended alongside other relevant committee chairmen with reporters in Abuja.

According to him, the series of meetings reinforced a consistent message: that Nigeria and the United States are stronger when they work together.

He said, ‘On 19 November 2025, I led a team of relevant committee chairmen to meet a United States delegation led by Ms. Cassandra Carraway and Mr. Mark Handloff. This followed the 13 August 2025 consultations with the military-political adviser at the U.S. Embassy, also involving Mr. Handloff, and the earlier 15 December 2024 dialogue with the U.S. congressional delegation led by Rep. John James, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, alongside Reps. Young Kim, Sara Jacobs, Jonathan Jackson, and officials of the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, led by Amb. Richard Mills Jr.’

Benson noted that each engagement reaffirmed the long-standing partnership between both countries and their shared commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity in Nigeria.

‘Rep. John James has consistently reiterated the U.S. government’s dedication to supporting Nigeria through both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches,’ he said.

He explained that the latest round of talks concluded with both sides agreeing on the need to deepen trust, expand U.S. support for Nigeria’s counter-insurgency efforts, strengthen human-rights protections, and enhance legislative diplomacy.

Benson added that Nigeria seeks a relationship with the United States that reflects not only the nation’s challenges but also the strength, creativity, and resilience of its youth, as well as the ongoing reforms aimed at restoring Nigeria to its rightful place as the giant of Africa.

He noted that Nigeria does not benefit from ‘condemnation or confrontation,’ especially at this delicate phase of its democratic evolution.

‘Our engagements with U.S. officials have consistently affirmed that cooperation, collaboration, and constructive partnership are the most effective tools for addressing our security concerns, deepening our democracy, and protecting human rights,’ he said.

Benson stressed that Nigeria remains open to honest dialogue, fair criticism, and mutual accountability-provided they occur within a framework of respect and shared strategic interests.

‘These,’ he said, ‘are the surest pathways to a more peaceful, more stable, and more prosperous Nigeria, in a manner that advances the long-term interests, values, and security of both Nigeria and the United States.’

BIC Cristal Pen, was awarded the Iconic Ball Point Pen of the Year at the 2025 Brandcom Awards, held at Landmark Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, recently.

The award spotlights BIC’s enduring legacy, widespread relevance, and consistent brand leadership in the period under review (2024-2025).

This award comes at a significant moment for the company, as the brand celebrates the 75th anniversary of the BIC Cristal Pen, serving as a testament to the longstanding excellence and unmatched legacy of the Iconic BIC Cristal Pen.

Commenting on the occasion, Anthony Amahwe, Managing Director, BIC, stated: ‘We are deeply honored to receive this award. For 75 years, the BIC Cristal Pen has been more than a writing instrument, it has been a significant part of people’s lives, serving as a trusted partner for learning and evolution. This recognition is a reminder of the trust our consumers have placed in us for decades, and we remain focused on continuing the legacy of the BIC Cristal Pen.’

Since its invention in 1950, the BIC Cristal Pen has remained one of the world’s most widely used writing instruments, renowned for its durability, precision, and affordability. Its transparent design, smooth ink flow, and dependable performance have made it a trusted companion in classrooms, offices, and creative spaces around the world.

Its invention democratised writing and drawing for millions; as an available and affordable tool.

Beyond function, the BIC Cristal Pen has become a cultural touchpoint across many generations, continuing to inspire self-expression and creativity for various age groups and professions.

As BIC celebrates the 75th anniversary of the BIC Cristal Pen all year-long, the brand has spearheaded several initiatives to empower students, teachers, artists, and individuals everywhere to continuously express themselves and achieve their goals.

Rise Up Together, a global nonprofit working across Africa, South Asia, and the United States, has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering emerging Nigerian advocacy leaders who are advancing gender justice for women and girls.

The organization, which has been operating in Nigeria since 2014, has now trained nearly 200 leaders working across the Federal Capital Territory, as well as in Nasarawa, Anambra, Rivers, and Kaduna states.

Speaking in Abuja on Saturday after training for its sixth cohort of 25 civil society leaders, Country Director Theresa Effa, said the initiative is designed to strengthen local advocacy aimed at improving policies, systems and social conditions for women and girls.

She said, ‘We identify those who are passionate about advancing issues and situations that enable women to live and thrive within their communities.

‘We work mainly around advocacy because when you talk with political leaders and policymakers, you’re trying to change the system for many people to be impacted.’

She said participants would return to their states to champion improved access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for girls, stronger legislation against gender-based violence and more effective implementation of existing gender policies.

Effa noted that Rise Up selects its partner states using available national data to identify gaps in gender development and areas where targeted interventions can drive measurable change.

She cited earlier successes, including the development of a girl-child policy in Nasarawa State by a member of the fifth cohort.

The policy, she said, helped the state attract federal and World Bank funding to renovate schools and provide conditional cash transfers to caregivers, enabling more girls to enroll and remain in school.

She added that Rise Up supports its leaders through a structured ‘leader’s journey’ that combines training, seed grants, technical assistance and ongoing engagement.

‘We stay in touch. We provide resources and support,’ she said.

Jennifer Broome, Director of Strategic Partnerships at the US headquarters, said the organisation was impressed by the quality and depth of commitment shown by the new cohort of 25 leaders.

‘They’re going to take this learning, this new knowledge and these new skills and go really far with advancing gender equity for girls and women in Nigeria.

‘You can imagine what will happen down the line after these girls graduate, more literate girls who become women who are economically independent and contribute to the development of the state and the country,’ she noted.

Broome said Rise Up will continue supporting the cohort with future funding opportunities, mentorship and technical guidance.

She confirmed that the organisation will return in 2026 to train a seventh cohort, as part of its long-term model of investing in leaders year after year to achieve sustained, evidence-driven change.

Participants of the 2025 Rise Up Leadership Accelerator described the programme as transformative, saying it has reshaped how Nigerian civil society organisations engage government and pursue gender justice.

Oluwatimilehin Onafeso, Executive Director of Working to Advance African Women (WAAW) Foundation, said the training redefined her understanding of advocacy and would directly reshape her organisation’s work for greater impact on the communities it serves.

She noted that many activities traditionally labelled as advocacy were merely courtesy visits, not strategic efforts to influence public policy.

‘The biggest takeaway for me was realising that advocacy is about working with decision makers to change policies and systems. For years, we treated the effects of problems without tackling the root causes,’ she said.

Onafeso said WAAW Foundation will now prioritise strengthening the implementation of the National Policy on Science and Technology Education.

She identified significant gaps in STEM infrastructure in girls-only public schools, especially in remote parts of the FCT, where ICT centres and science laboratories are lacking.

Strengthening these facilities, she said, would expand girls’ access to STEM careers and contribute to national development.

For Denis Tsakpa, Partnerships and Leadership Lead at Every Girl Initiative, the Accelerator has broadened his understanding of advocacy and its role in achieving systemic, long-term change.

‘We used to call ourselves advocates, but we were not. Now we understand strategy, context and how to push for large-scale, sustainable change,’ he noted

Tsakpa welcomed Rise Up’s planned one-on-one mentorship support and called for the programme to be expanded to reach more civil society groups, especially in conflict-affected regions transitioning from humanitarian response to development work.

He also urged corporate bodies to direct more of their social responsibility funding toward policy-focused initiatives, and encouraged government institutions to be more open to meaningful engagement with civil society, noting that effective advocacy benefits both policymakers and citizens.