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FG targets 12bscf daily gas production by 2030 to power industries

The Federal Government says it is targeting 12 billion standard cubic feet of natural gas production daily, by 2030, as the part of efforts to address Nigeria’s energy supply challenges, strengthen manufacturing and accelerate industrialisation.

Under the Gas Master Plan 2026, President Bola Tinubu, said his administration planned to raise output to 10 billion standard cubic feet per day by 2027 before reaching 12 billion standard cubic feet by 2030, placing increased emphasis on domestic gas utilisation, electricity generation and industrial development.

The president unveiled the plan, on Monday at the 20th anniversary of OTL Africa Downstream Energy Week, held in Lagos.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Patience Ojekunle, the president said Nigeria’s proven gas reserves of more than 250 trillion cubic feet offered significant opportunities to transform the economy, provided the country could attract investment in production, processing, transportation and distribution infrastructure.

Tinubu said the government’s ambition is to move beyond exporting raw energy resources to building a domestic industrial economy that uses natural gas to power factories, generate electricity, produce petrochemicals and support transportation.

‘Gas will power industries, support electricity generation, expand CNG and LPG utilisation, strengthen LNG exports, and provide feedstock for petrochemicals and other gas-based industries,’ she said.

The president described natural gas as both an engine of industrialisation and a bridge towards a cleaner, more secure energy future, adding that reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act were designed to improve transparency, commercial viability and investor confidence.

However, hestressed that meeting the production targets would require more than increased output, as inadequate infrastructure, financing requirements and the need to connect gas resources with consumers remain critical considerations.

Chief Executive, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, similarly emphasised the importance of strengthening domestic hydrocarbon supply to support refining, gas utilisation and industrial growth.

She said Nigeria recorded average production of 1.717 million barrels of crude oil and condensate per day in September 2026, a 2.34 per cent increase over August.

‘Crude oil production alone averaged 1.53 million barrels per day, marking the fifth consecutive month Nigeria met or exceeded its OPEC production quota,’ Eyesan who was represented at the forum said.

She attributed the improvement to better asset integrity, enhanced security of evacuation infrastructure, closer collaboration with operators and efforts to restore production from shut-in assets.

She also disclosed that more than 127 million barrels of crude oil and condensate were delivered to Nigerian refineries between the first and third quarters of 2026.

However, she said that the commercial disagreements under the willing-buyer, willing-seller arrangement had initially affected deliveries to local refiners.

To address the challenges, she said the commission was engaging producers and refiners over pricing benchmarks, transportation costs and payment terms, while consultations continued on a proposed domestic crude swap framework.

The arrangement, she said could allow refiners to obtain crude from the nearest suitable production or export point, potentially reducing transportation costs by $3 to $4 per barrel.

The commission’s chief said it was also working with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to align crude supply planning with refining demand.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the OTL Advisory Board, Otunba Adetunji Oyebanji, said Africa’s downstream petroleum industry had undergone significant transformation over the past two decades, shifting gradually from import dependence and managed pricing towards local refining and regional trade.

He cited the development of large-scale private refining capacity in Nigeria, alongside infrastructure expansion in other African countries, as evidence of the sector’s changing structure.

Oyebanji, however, warned that uneven infrastructure, foreign exchange constraints and continued import dependence in some markets remained obstacles to a more resilient regional energy system.

He also said geopolitical tensions, shipping risks and global supply chain disruptions had increased freight rates and cargo costs, complicating the operations of downstream businesses.

He urged industry stakeholders to develop practical solutions that balance environmental objectives with Africa’s industrial requirements and consumers’ purchasing power.

Speaking, Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu A. Verhijen,

said reforms had begun reshaping the downstream market by encouraging domestic refining, private investment and competition.

She disclosed that government efforts had helped mobilise more than $2 billion in private investment in downstream gas over the past three years.

She, however, identified affordable gas, regulatory certainty and regional integration as priorities for the next phase of the reforms.

According to her, expanding access to gas would require completing infrastructure that connects production centres with power plants, industries, households and transport operators.

She added that predictable regulations and consistent enforcement were necessary to attract long-term investment, while regional integration could enable Nigerian refined products, gas and technical expertise to reach wider African markets.

The presidential representative said the African Continental Free Trade Area offered opportunities to strengthen Nigeria’s position in regional energy trade.

She stressed that the success of the reforms should be measured by their impact on employment, skills development, household welfare and business productivity.

‘A secure energy system that leaves citizens behind is neither stable nor sustainable,’ she said, calling for targeted interventions to protect vulnerable households and support small businesses.

Floating Naira without local production impoverishing Nigerians – Duke

Former Cross River state governor and presidential candidate of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, Tuesday said floating the naira without first developing local industries and strengthening domestic production is further impoverishing Nigerians.

In an interview with reporters in Abuja, Duke argued that Nigeria’s economic difficulties were being worsened by import dependence, weak industrial production, rising fuel costs, excessive government spending and monetary policies that failed to address the underlying causes of inflation.

The former governor questioned the wisdom of allowing the naira’s value to fluctuate without deliberate measures to strengthen the economy and sustain a realistic exchange rate.

‘No country floats its currency. The currency is your economic worth. It is like floating your value. As a human being, what is your worth? Are you going to float your worth? You manage your worth. You manage your currency.

‘You have to sit down and determine what an exchange rate should be. So, if you say a fair exchange rate for us would be 500, 600 naira to a dollar, fine, how do we achieve that?

‘You need foreign currencies to allow you to import your necessities, but you must develop the local industry.

‘Now, when you float the currency, you impoverish your people further because they’re not even developing their local industry and so, everybody’s importing one thing or another.

‘That’s why I said if the naira becomes one naira to two dollars, everybody will clap. But how can you just keep on importing more?,’ he asked.

Duke insisted that countries deliberately pursue policies designed to sustain the value of their currencies, adding that Nigeria should similarly determine the exchange rate it considers appropriate and work towards achieving it.

‘You look at the currency and you look at the value you want to sustain. Everybody does it. The Chinese do it. The Americans do it. They’re not going to allow their currency to fall.

‘Then you look at what it is that we ought to do to achieve the value that we think we ought to be.

‘So, what are the things that we’re importing that we can do without and make sure that they’re done here in Nigeria? That’s the way we ought to be thinking.

‘I mean, doing it in Nigeria, we’ll be creating jobs for our people. And if you’re creating jobs for our people, you’re creating economic stability for your people. As long as you continue importing, you’re creating jobs overseas,’ he said.

The former governor also lamented what he considered insufficient attention to Nigeria’s balance of trade, saying the country could not achieve economic stability without addressing the relationship between its imports, exports and foreign investment.

‘Nobody’s even talking about balance of trade anymore. Balance of trade is: I buy so much from you, you buy so much from me. If I have nothing to give you, then you invest in me.

‘So you balance what goes out to what comes in.’

On trade, he argued that Nigeria needed to pay greater attention to the balance between imports, exports and foreign investment, saying economic stability would remain difficult without a stronger domestic production base.

Duke also faulted the Central Bank of Nigeria’s high interest rate regime, saying the cost of borrowing was discouraging investment and making it difficult for businesses to obtain financing for productive activities.

‘I will also talk about the interest rate regime. I’ve had this conversation with the governor of the Central Bank.

‘They believe that the interest rate is so high because they’re trying to stem inflation.

‘I said, well, there’s a misalignment between monetary and fiscal policy. Monetary policy has interest rates and all that.

‘But interest rates don’t cause inflation. The price of your fuel causes inflation. The high cost of your fuel causes inflation because everything moves through transportation.’

He said the prevailing interest rates meant that many businesses could no longer afford to borrow.

‘But right now, because of your interest rates, no one will borrow money today. They won’t give it because they know you can’t pay for it.’

Duke identified fuel costs as a major driver of inflation, arguing that the price of transportation affected the cost of virtually every product and service in the country.

He also blamed excessive government spending and the widespread patronage of imported products by public institutions for putting additional pressure on the naira.

‘The second thing is the unbridled spending by the governments. If you go to government establishments, literally everything is imported. Vehicles, everything is imported.

‘When you learn to start making those things here, and you patronise yourself, you don’t put pressure on the exchange rates because they’re made locally.

‘And secondly, you’re creating jobs. But more importantly, you’re localising your expenditure, your growth.’

Duke said government spending should be directed towards strengthening domestic production, creating jobs and reducing the demand for foreign exchange.

Duke also questioned the emphasis on age in assessing political leaders, arguing that competence and the quality of appointments were more important considerations.

‘Age doesn’t affect your brain,’ he said.

He maintained that political leaders depended considerably on the quality of the teams they assembled, but complained that appointments were increasingly driven by political considerations rather than the requirements of effective governance.

‘When a government sets up the cabinet, you see the number of politicians that are playing with it. A lot of the appointments are based on politics and not on governance,’ he stated.

Duke also expressed enthusiasm about the personalities in the presidential contest, saying he looked forward to substantive debates in which aspirants would explain their programmes and approaches to the country’s challenges.’I’m actually very excited about the pool of candidates we have. Adewole Adebayo – Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Peter Obi – National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Africa must stop exporting labour, start exporting skills – Adesina

FORMER President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has urged African countries to move beyond supplying labour to ageing economies and invest in skills, technology and enterprise to make their workforce more competitive globally.

Adesina said Africa’s growing population could become a major economic asset if governments equipped young people with the knowledge and capabilities needed to drive productivity, innovation and industrial development.

He made the call at the inaugural Seyi Tinubu Colloquium, held recently in Lagos, where he delivered an address titled: ‘Africa Next: Building the Demographic Asset Class.

‘Africa, therefore, should not aspire merely to supply labour to an ageing world. We should aspire to supply capability to a changing world,’ he said.

He stated that Africa’s demographic advantage would depend not simply on the number of people available to work, but on the quality of education, skills and employment opportunities available to them.

He said governments should strengthen education and vocational training, align learning with labour-market needs and expand opportunities for workers to acquire skills relevant to emerging industries.

Adesina described education as an investment in national productive capacity, warning that unemployment, underemployment and skills mismatches could undermine the continent’s development prospects.

‘Our young people are not the liability. Wasted potential is the liability,’ he said.

He argued that the failure to translate young people’s potential into productive employment often reflected weaknesses in the systems meant to prepare and support them, including inadequate education, healthcare, infrastructure and access to finance.

The former AfDB president also urged African countries to prepare workers for changes driven by artificial intelligence (AI), insisting that the continent must do more than consume technologies developed elsewhere.

‘We must become a creator, an adapter and a shaper of AI,’ he said.

He called for technologies that respond to African languages, businesses, markets and development needs, alongside investments that enable workers to adapt to changing workplace demands.

Adesina further emphasised the need to connect skills with capital, technology and markets, saying young people require access to finance and business support to turn their ideas into enterprises capable of creating jobs.

He cited the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (i-DICE) programme, which received $178 million in AfDB financing towards its $618 million funding package, as well as the bank’s $100 million commitment to support a Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank model.

He said Africa’s ability to develop a competitive workforce would depend on whether its economies could productively deploy the skills young people acquire.

Adesina’s message was that the continent must move beyond providing workers to the global economy and build the capabilities to compete in higher-value activities, create businesses and drive innovation.

He maintained that investing in people would be critical to turning Africa’s demographic growth into economic prosperity.

Ex-Oyebanji aides donates food items to motherless home in Iyin-Ekiti

Former Technical Advisers to Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji, have donated foodstuffs and other essential items to the Erelu Adebayo Children’s Home, in Iyin-Ekiti, as part of efforts to support the welfare and wellbeing of vulnerable children.

The initiative was also aimed at complementing the state government’s commitment to social care and protection.

Items donated to the home included bags of rice, toiletries, detergents, bathing soaps, noodles and other essential supplies.

The former technical advisers, led by Chief Akin Fasae said the initiative was aimed at complementing Governor Oyebanji’s people-oriented programmes, particularly those designed to improve the living conditions of children in need of care, protection and support.

Chief Fasae added that the gesture formed part of activities to celebrate the successful completion of Oyebanji’s first term in office and recognise the administration’s efforts towards inclusive governance, social welfare and the promotion of an egalitarian society.

The former aides said the welfare of vulnerable children remained a collective responsibility requiring contributions from individuals, organisations and other members of society.

In their remarks, Akogun Tai Oguntayo, Mr Stephen Adetunji and Mrs Abimbola Oni noted that Governor Oyebanji had made significant contributions to the welfare of orphans, vulnerable children and the underprivileged members of society over the past four years.

They said the development informed their decision to round off the first phase of his administration’s tenure with the donation.

The former aides stressed the importance of extending a helping hand to children in care facilities, noting that access to essential supplies and a supportive environment would contribute to their comfort, development and overall wellbeing.

They encouraged the children not to lose hope in their future and urged them to remain focused, disciplined and committed to their education and personal development.

They commended the management and caregivers of the children’s home for their dedication to the children’s welfare, urging them to sustain their efforts to provide a safe, nurturing and supportive environment where the children could thrive and realise their potential.

Imade College alumni invest N200m in projects

Old students of Imade College, Owo, Ondo State, have invested more than ?200 million in infrastructure projects at the school, but lamented a shortage of teaching staff and other challenges affecting its operations.

The projects, executed as part of activities marking the institution’s 80th anniversary, included classrooms, laboratories, accommodation facilities, three-bedroom flats and public toilets.

Chairman of the anniversary planning committee, Yinka Akinola, said individuals and different sets of alumni undertook about 10 projects to improve the learning environment.

Akinola, who left the school in 1971, when it had about 300 students, said the growing student population, had increased pressure on existing facilities, despite improvements, including the provision of computer laboratories.

He identified inadequate teaching staff as the college’s major challenge, saying the alumni had been forced to divert funds meant for infrastructure development to employing temporary teachers. According to him, the association spent about ?11 million this year to engage ad hoc teachers and pay the salaries of more than 20 staff members.

Akinola named the worldwide president of the Imade College Owo Old Students Association (IMACOSA), Ambassador Godson Echegile, as a major contributor, disclosing that he had spent over ?100 million on projects at the school this year.

He appealed to the government to recruit more teachers to ease the alumni’s financial burden.

Also, IMACOSA worldwide vice president, Felix Ajibade, said the association had employed 29 ad-hoc teachers at ?70,000 salary each monthly to prevent the shortage from affecting students’ academic performance.

Ajibade urged the government to provide more teachers, drivers and security personnel, noting that the school had three vehicles, but no drivers.

He added that teachers had been burdened with additional responsibilities, while the size of the premises required adequate security during the day and at night.

He appealed to financially capable alumni to support the institution, stressing that even modest contributions could make a difference.

Responding, Chairman, Ondo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Dr Oluwadayisi Oke, acknowledged the need for more teachers in public schools but said the government was addressing the shortage through recruitment.

She said Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had prioritised education through improved teachers’ welfare, timely salary payments, training and retraining programmes, and attention to pensioners, expressing optimism that better working conditions would attract more young people to the profession.

WOFAN’s crowdfunding model targets improved agricultural extension delivery

The Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) has demonstrated how crowdfunding and community-based savings can improve agricultural extension delivery with the provision of 15 Volkswagen Golf vehicles to super trainers implementing its ICON2 project in Kano and Jigawa states.

Under the financing arrangement, beneficiaries contributed 50 per cent of the cost of the vehicles, while WOFAN provided the remaining half through its revolving support model, giving extension workers improved mobility to reach farming communities, access markets and generate additional income.

The initiative seeks to address transportation challenges that often limit the reach of agricultural extension services, particularly in rural communities where farmers depend on extension workers for technical guidance, training and information on improved farming practices.

WOFAN Founder and Global Advocate, Dr Salamatu Garba, said the intervention was designed to equip super trainers, extension workers and community leaders with the means to reach more farmers and improve agricultural service delivery.

‘We are commissioning batch one of logistic vehicles for our super trainers, extension workers and community leaders.

Through their own savings and our complementary support, they now have the mobility needed to reduce the gap farmers face at harvest, move produce to markets, and carry out their extension work more effectively,’ Garba said.

She explained that the vehicles would serve both operational and commercial purposes, enabling beneficiaries to discharge their extension responsibilities while generating additional income through the transportation of goods and passengers.

According to her, improved mobility would ease the difficulties associated with reaching remote farming settlements and reduce beneficiaries’ dependence on commercial transportation when moving between farms, communities and markets.

The crowdfunding model requires super trainers to organise themselves into groups, typically comprising seven or eight members, and save half the cost of the vehicles over an agreed period. WOFAN then provides the balance through its revolving support arrangement.

The scheme builds on the organisation’s experience in providing productive assets, including tractors, threshers and other equipment, to women farmers, youths and agricultural marketers under the WOFAN ICON2 project.

By combining beneficiaries’ contributions with institutional support, the model promotes financial discipline, collective responsibility and ownership while expanding access to productive assets that individual rural workers might otherwise struggle to afford.

The initiative also reinforces the role of super trainers in agricultural extension delivery. Having progressed from the ranks of extension workers through commitment and performance, they train other extension personnel, community leaders and cluster leaders, who subsequently replicate the training in their communities.

Their responsibilities include promoting financial inclusion and encouraging savings among rural households, making the vehicle scheme an opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of the financial practices they teach.

The additional mobility is expected to strengthen this training network, improve the frequency of community engagements and facilitate the transfer of agricultural knowledge between extension personnel and farmers.

Chairman of WOFAN’s Technical Board, Professor Sani Miko, described the initiative as a demonstration of how collective savings and shared responsibility could expand economic opportunities for vulnerable groups.

He urged the beneficiaries to use the vehicles responsibly and serve as good ambassadors of the organisation, while commending WOFAN’s crowdfunding approach to productive asset ownership.

The vehicles will complement existing transportation options used by beneficiaries, including two-wheel and three-wheel tricycles, tauraruwa pickups and other vehicles supporting agricultural and value-chain activities.

Beneficiaries, including Sadiya Ibrahim, Hajiya Bilkisu from Jigawa State and Isyaku Yahaya from Garun Mallam in Kano State, expressed appreciation for the intervention, describing it as a boost to their work and the services they provide to farming communities.

They said the vehicles would improve their ability to reach farmers, conduct training activities and explore additional income-generating opportunities.

WOFAN said it planned further distributions of vehicles and pickups to extend the scheme to more participating clusters.

The commissioning of the first 15 vehicles in Kano and Jigawa states highlights the potential of crowdfunding and community savings as alternative mechanisms for financing agricultural development, particularly when beneficiaries’ contributions are matched with institutional support.

Beyond addressing transportation constraints, the initiative places agricultural extension workers at the centre of efforts to improve farmers’ access to knowledge, technical assistance and improved farming practices.

WOFAN is a Nigerian non-governmental organisation working in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation to empower women farmers, youths and persons with disabilities through agricultural training, capacity building, financial inclusion and community-based livelihood initiatives.

Passport Legacy Hosts Cocktail Evening with Grenada IMA CEO to Explore Investment Migration and Generational Legacy

…Weyinmi Oritsejafor, Managing Director of Passport Legacy Nigeria, welcomed Mr. Thomas Anthony, CEO of Grenada’s Investment Migration Agency, for an evening of conversations on second citizenship, global mobility and investment opportunities.

Passport Legacy, a Swiss-owned investment migration and advisory firm, hosted an evening cocktail in Lagos on October 20, bringing together clients, investors and partners for conversations around second citizenship, international mobility and investment opportunities, with special guest Mr. Thomas Anthony, Chief Executive Officer of Grenada’s Investment Migration Agency (IMA).

The event provided an opportunity for guests to engage directly with Grenada’s investment migration leadership and gain insights into the country’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program, its international mobility benefits and the investment opportunities available to prospective applicants. The evening also created a platform for clients, partners and the Passport Legacy team to connect and explore the wider role of investment migration in long-term family and wealth planning.

In her opening address, Ms. Weyinmi Oritsejafor, Managing Director of Passport Legacy Nigeria, highlighted the firm’s wider advisory offering beyond citizenship and passport acquisition. She explained that Passport Legacy operates under PL Group, which also encompasses real estate, government advisory and private client services, supporting clients with a range of international investment and lifestyle needs.

‘We are not simply a passport company; we do so much more than passports. Investment migration is just one facet of the services we provide,’ Oritsejafor said, emphasising the firm’s commitment to providing solutions that extend beyond the initial citizenship process. She noted that many clients continue to work with the firm after completing their citizenship programmes, seeking assistance with other personal, investment and international advisory needs.

Oritsejafor also highlighted the group’s real estate presence across Cyprus, Greece, Thailand, Bali and Dubai, alongside its government advisory work with Argentina and São Tomé and Príncipe. As Managing Director, she oversees Passport Legacy’s Nigerian operations across its Lagos and Abuja offices, supported by a team focused on client advisory and application processing.

The evening’s special guest, Mr. Thomas Anthony, CEO of Grenada’s Investment Migration Agency, delivered an address outlining Grenada’s position as an investment and citizenship destination. He discussed the country’s economic landscape, international market access, investment opportunities and the benefits of its Citizenship by Investment programme for individuals and families considering greater global mobility.

Anthony highlighted Grenada’s access to international markets through regional economic arrangements, including the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and discussed the opportunities available to investors considering business activity in the country. He also explained the potential relevance of Grenadian citizenship to individuals exploring the United States’ E-2 Treaty Investor visa route, which is available to eligible Grenadian nationals who meet the applicable investment and business requirements.

Addressing the programme’s processing timeline, Mr Anthony stated that decisions on clean applications could be made within approximately six to eight months of submission, depending on the circumstances of each application. He also discussed the real estate investment route, noting that investment performance and completion timelines should be considered alongside the broader benefits of the programme.

A key point of discussion was the distinction between the duration of an investment and the permanence of citizenship. Responding to questions from guests about exiting a real estate investment after the prescribed holding period, Mr Anthony explained that the subsequent disposal of an eligible investment does not, in itself, terminate citizenship once it has been lawfully granted, subject to the applicable laws and programme requirements.

He further highlighted the intergenerational implications of citizenship, explaining that Grenadian citizenship may be passed to eligible subsequent generations in accordance with the country’s citizenship laws and registration requirements. This, he noted, makes citizenship planning a consideration that can extend beyond the immediate applicant to future family generations.

The interactive session allowed guests to gain clarification on investment requirements, potential returns, citizenship rights and the practical considerations involved in choosing an investment migration programme. The discussions reinforced the importance of understanding both the immediate benefits and long-term responsibilities associated with international citizenship and investment decisions.

The formal program concluded with a networking session, allowing guests to engage with Mr Anthony, the Passport Legacy team and fellow attendees. The gathering emphasised the firm’s commitment to building lasting client relationships and creating opportunities for informed conversations between investors, advisers and program representatives.

Through engagements such as the cocktail evening, Passport Legacy continues to position investment migration within a broader conversation about international opportunities, private client advisory and legacy planning, helping individuals and families consider solutions aligned with their long-term ambitions.

About Passport Legacy

Passport Legacy is a Swiss-owned investment migration advisory firm operating under PL Group. Beyond citizenship and residency advisory, the group offers services in real estate, government advisory and private client services. Passport Legacy Nigeria operates from offices in Lagos and Abuja, supporting clients as they navigate international mobility and investment opportunities.

PDP insists on launching PCC, says Wike working for Tinubu, not dictating party’s affairs

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gave a surprise position on Monday, insisting that its presidential candidate, Senator Sandy Ojang Onor, would contest the January 16, 2027 poll, no matter the consequences of ongoing developments within the polity.

This came days after both the PDP’s national leader and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Mr Nyesom Wike, and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) officially confirmed Wike’s backing for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.

Tinubu had named Wike to his revised Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) list on Tuesday, 13 October 2026.

The PDP leader and former governor of Rivers State, was specifically appointed campaign coordinator for Rivers state and the FCT, further sealing the minister’s public declaration to back Tinubu on the grounds that the PDP had not been in a good standing to win the presidential election.

However, with about 81 (11.7 weeks) days to the presidential election, the PDP said it had not backed out of the poll or aligned with Wike’s decision back Tinubu because according to the party, ‘Wike is an appointee of the President Tinubu and he is merely doing his job as an appointee by supporting his boss.’

Responding to inquiries by the Nigerian Tribune on Monday, the National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, claimed that contrary to the public perception that the PDP as a party had settled for Tinubu, it was indeed planning to inaugurate its own PCC soon.

Mohammed disclosed that the names of the members of the PCC were being carefully computed for inauguration to enable the PDP to begin its campaigns ahead of the elections.

He argued that it was wrong for anyone to assume that since Wike was backing Tinubu, it automatically meant that the PDP would not contest the presidential poll.

Obaship tussle: Olufon urges Ifon Omima residents to shun division, embrace dialogue

The Olufon of Ifon-Osun, Oba Peter Oluwole Ipadeola Akinyooye III, has pledged continued engagement with stakeholders in Ondo State to resolve the lingering obaship crisis in Ifon Omima, appealing to the people to shun division and embrace peaceful dialogue. The monarch gave the assurance during a two-day solidarity visit to Ifon Omima, where he met with traditional and community leaders as part of efforts to understand the issues delaying the installation of a successor to the late Olufon of Ifon Omima, Oba Israel Adewusi, who died in 2020.

The six-year vacancy in the traditional institution has remained a source of concern among descendants of Ifon, prompting renewed calls for reconciliation and a peaceful resolution of the succession question.

According to a statement by the monarch’s Chief Press Secretary, Akeeb Adekunle Yusuff, the visit was designed to establish a clearer understanding of the challenges surrounding the vacant stool while encouraging cooperation among the various interests involved.

The statement said Oba Akinyooye consulted the Regent, Adéùlé, kingmakers, ruling houses and representatives of the Ifon Development Union (IDU), Ifon Improvement Forum (IIF) and Ifon Youth Association (IYA), among other stakeholders.

Addressing the concerns surrounding the crisis, the monarch acknowledged the frustration arising from the prolonged absence of a substantive traditional ruler but urged the people not to allow the situation to undermine the community’s unity.

‘I understand the pain and anxiety caused by the absence of a king for six years, but I assure you that efforts are ongoing to find a lasting solution,’ he said, appealing to residents to remain calm while the necessary consultations continued.

He warned that violence and bitterness could further complicate the situation, insisting that all outstanding grievances should be addressed through dialogue and lawful processes.

Beyond the immediate succession challenge, the visit also sought to reinforce the ancestral relationship between Ifon Omima and Ifon Ile, now Ifon-Osun, in Osun State. Historical accounts cited in the statement trace the founding lineage of Ifon Omima to Ifon Ile, from where its ancestors reportedly migrated following a contest over kingship.

Oba Akinyooye said the historical connection imposed a shared responsibility on both communities to promote peace and preserve their common heritage, regardless of geographical separation or generational differences.

He further assured the people that he would continue to engage relevant authorities and stakeholders in Ondo State to facilitate a transparent and inclusive process for selecting a new Olufon of Ifon Omima.

The monarch maintained that the community, which serves as the headquarters of Ose Local Government Area, needed a stable traditional institution to support its growth and development.

‘We are one family. Geographical distance and passage of generations should not sever our ancestral bond. I will not abandon you in this trying period. Let us keep praying and working together for peace,’ he said.

From farm to fortune: The hidden gold in Nigeria’s agro-commodity market

For decades, oil dominated Nigeria’s economy. In 2026, a quiet revolution is happening in warehouses, markets, and farms across the country – agro-commodities are becoming the new oil.

From maize and soybeans in Kwara to sesame seeds in Jigawa and ginger in Kaduna, agro-commodity trading is creating a new generation of millionaires, not just among farmers, but among aggregators, processors, and storage operators.

Kwara as the Next Agro-Hub

Kwara State is strategically positioned between Northern producing states and Southern consuming markets. Towns like Afon, Bode-Saadu, and Share are emerging as aggregation hubs for maize, soybeans, and cashew.

The Kwara State Government’s renewed push for industrial parks and improved road access has made the Ilorin-Afon corridor attractive for investors looking to build mid-size warehouses.

For export crops like sesame, ginger, and hibiscus, the difference is even greater. Export-grade sesame is currently earning 2 to 3 times the price of local-market grade.

The Challenges That Remain

Despite the boom, challenges persist. Access to affordable finance, high cost of transportation, inconsistent quality standards, and lack of real-time market information still limit many small aggregators.

Stakeholders are calling for more support from the Bank of Industry (BOI), the Nigerian Exchange’s Growth Board for raising capital, and private warehouse developers offering lease-to-own models.

What Comes Next

As Nigeria pushes for food security agro-commodities are expected to remain one of the most profitable and resilient sectors.

For entrepreneurs, the message is clear: The future is not just in planting, but in aggregating, storing, grading, and connecting Nigerian farms to both local factories and the global market.