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The Nigerian Insurance Industry is set to host no fewer than 250 foreign and local delegates for the 2025 West Africa Insurance Companies Association (WAICA) Education Conference to provide strategic platform for deliberations on the impact of climate change on the insurance industry, as well as actionable strategies to safeguard the future of insurance education and practice.

The conference is scheduled to take place from Sunday, 12 October to Wednesday, 15 October 2025 at the Grand Ballroom of Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

This year’s conference, organized by the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) with the theme ‘The West African Insurer in the Face of Climate Change,’ will bring together insurance practitioners, regulators, policymakers, and thought leaders representing countries across the West African sub-region.

Member countries of WAICA, namely Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Gambia, will be represented, making the conference a truly regional platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and collaboration.

Speaking yesterday at a press briefing on the upcoming conference held at the Insurers House, Victoria Island, Lagos, the Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC), 2025 WAICA Education Conference, Mrs. Ebelechuwu Nwachukwu said it is particularly important for African insurers to engage in robust discussions on climate change.

She stated that as the continent faces unique vulnerabilities such as extreme weather events, flooding, drought, and agricultural disruptions that directly impact businesses, communities, and livelihoods.

She said: ‘For insurers, these challenges translate into rising claims, increased risk exposures, and the urgent need for innovative products and risk management strategies. By coming together at the WAICA conference, African insurers not only strengthen their collective preparedness but also position themselves to engage competitively with their global counterparts in shaping sustainable insurance practices and climate resilience solutions.

‘Lagos State, Nigeria’s commercial hub and one of Africa’s most vibrant megacities, was carefully selected as the host destination of the conference for its unique blend of business dynamism, cultural heritage, and world-class hospitality infrastructure. With its strategic role as a financial hub, Lagos provides an ideal environment for fostering cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange among West Africa’s insurance community. On Sunday, 12 October 2025, the WAICA 2025 conference will begin with a Cocktail Welcome Reception at the Insurers House, Victoria Island, in Lagos.

‘The Minister of State, Ministry of Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, has confirmed to deliver the keynote address at the Opening Ceremony of the conference on Monday, 13 October 2025, while Mr. Olusegun Omosehin, Commissioner for Insurance, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) is the Chief Host.

‘The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 2025 WAICA Education Conference has assembled an array of eminent local and international insurance industry leaders, dignitaries, and technical experts who will speak on and critically dissect the theme and various sub-themes of the conference. These include Dr. Abiba Zakaria, Ag. Commissioner of Insurance, Ghana; Mr. Wole Oshin, Group Managing Director, Custodian Investment Plc; Mr. Bockarie Kaloko, Deputy Minister of Finance, Republic of Sierra Leone; and Ms. Tola Adegbayi, MD/CEO, Mutual Specialist.

She continued: ‘Following the paper presentations, three panel sessions will be held and chaired respectively by Mr. Sunday Thomas, Former Commissioner for Insurance, NAICOM; Alhaji Mohammed Kari, Former Commissioner for Insurance (NAICOM)/Wazirin, Bauchi; and Ms. Olamipo Adeola, Head, Corporate Communication and Branding, Scib Nigeria and Co. Ltd.

‘The LOC have put in place adequate arrangements for the transportation and security of foreign delegates and other participants at the conference to ensure a seamless and safe experience throughout their stay in Lagos.

‘The 2025 WAICA Education Conference promises to be a landmark event, reinforcing regional cooperation and highlighting the critical role of insurers in responding to climate challenges while offering delegates a unique opportunity to experience the dynamism of Lagos’, she noted.

An expert has challenged operators in the insurance and pension sectors to come up with strategies that will bring the full informal sector under insurance and pension coverage.

The expert, Mr. Olatunde Amolegbe, who is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Arthur Stevens Asset Management Limited, challenge the operators at the Annual Conference of Insurance and Pension journalists in Lagos, with the theme: ‘Strengthening Pension and Insurance Framework for Better Economy’ noted that the informal sector constitutes about 70 million Nigerian working population.

He identified the two sectors as key sub-sectors of the financial services industry of the economy that have capacity to accumulate long term investible funds.

He however, regretted that both sectors for years, have been suffering from under development due to lack of public confidence and trust as well as poor awareness of the value of the sectors on the part of the public. Highlighting the underdeveloped nature of the two sectors, Amolegbe said pension and insurance coverage remained low, observing that only 26.3 percent of Nigerian workers had access to pension plan and health Insurance in 2023 largely due to the high number of informal sector workers in the country.

‘Approximately 92 percent of Nigeria’s employed population works in the informal sector, voluntary Micro pension scheme adoption has been low as of December 2024. Micro pension registration was barely 172.936 six years after the introduction of the scheme, for the inclusion of the informal sector’.

On insurance performance he said ‘Nigeria’s insurance penetration remains largely low at less than 1.0 percent compared to South Africa ‘s 11.54 percent, Namibia’s 7.41 percent Morocco’s 4.10 percent, Kenya’s 2.25 percent and the global average of 6.8 percent,’ he observed.

To address the problem, he said the operators’ first step towards capturing the informal sector into insurance and pension fold was to rebuild their confidence and trust towards the sector.

He said this was necessary because without regaining their confidence they could not be captured into pension and insurance nets because they would not want to put their money where they could not easily access it.

He also urged operators of the two sectors to device simple and different system of enrolling the informal sector operators into the system using modern technology.

He said operators of pension sector should begin to think how to establish micro PFAs and operate such firms in areas where micro people live.

He urged insurance operators to use the opportunity of publicity created by the NIIRA 2025 to promote financial literacy among young Nigerians and make people have feelings for savings through insurance and pensions.

Highlighting statistics on the performance of the two sectors between 2020 and 2024 Amolegbe said: ‘The pension and insurance sectors have recorded substantial growth, positioning them as critical pillars for economic stability and capital market deepening. Total pension assets reached over N23 trillion in 2025, equivalent to approximately 8.6 percent of GDP. Between 2020 and 2024, public sector contributions rose by 71.7 percent to N5.89 trillion, while private sector contributions grew by 65.7 percent to N5.42 trillion. In the fourth quarter of 2024 alone, contributions totaled N342.23 billion, with total Assets under Management standing at N22.51 trillion. Retirement Savings Account registrations rose by 14.8 percent over five years to 10.58 million accounts, and the Micro Pension Plan attracted N1.06 billion in cumulative contributions, highlighting the untapped potential of the informal sector’, he stated.

He noted that the insurance industry achieved a 56 percent increase in gross written premiums in 2024, reaching N1.562 trillion, with the non-life segment accounting for N1.1 trillion and the life segment N470 billion. Industry assets rose by 46.1 percent to N3.9 trillion, while market capitalisation climbed 41 percent to N1.2 trillion. Net claims paid totaled N622 billion, with growth driven by fire, oil, gas, and group life products. He however noted that penetration remained below 1 percent far behind regional peers such as South Africa, Namibia, Morocco, and Kenya. He highlighted benefits of pension as driving long term investment, reducing poverty level among the elderly, promoting social stability and reducing dependency on family and government.

NHe also highlighted insurance benefits as mitigating financial risks, and enabling businesses to invest and grow with confidence, promoting economic stability by compensating losses from unforeseen events and attracts foreign investment by offering risk coverage, boosting capital inflows among other benefits.

President Bola Tinubu has described Nigerian youths as the nation’s greatest asset, urging them to dream boldly, innovate, and dominate in diverse fields of endeavour.

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ýThe President made this charge on Wednesday during a televised address marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary.

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ý’I have a message for our young people. You are the future and the greatest assets of this blessed country.’

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ý’You must continue to dream big, innovate, and conquer more territories in your various fields of science, technology, sports, and the art and creative sector.’

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ýTinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment through impactful policies and targeted funding initiatives like the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

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ý’Our administration, through policies and funding, will continue to give you wings to fly sky-high.’

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ý’We created NELFUND to support students with loans for their educational pursuits.’

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ý’Approximately 510,000 students across 36 states and the FCT have benefited from this initiative, covering 228 higher institutions.’

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ý’As of September 10, the total loan disbursed was N99.5 billion, while the upkeep allowance stood at N44.7 billion.’

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ýHe also highlighted the success of the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP), which has disbursed N30 billion in affordable loans to over 153,000 Nigerians for essential needs like transport, solar power, and digital tools.

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ý’YouthCred, which I promised last June, is a reality, with tens of thousands of NYSC members now active beneficiaries of consumer credit for resettlement.’

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ýTinubu emphasised the Renewed Hope Agenda’s vision of a Nigeria where every youth-regardless of background-has a fair chance at success and a better future.

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ýHe spotlighted the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) programme driven by the Bank of Industry in partnership with key international development agencies like AFDB, French Development Agency, and the Islamic Development Bank.

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ýHe said initiative supports young entrepreneurs and creatives, fostering innovation and job creation across the tech and entertainment sectors.

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ýTinubu acknowledged that ongoing reforms have caused some short-term hardship but said they were necessary to avert a looming economic crisis.

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ý’The biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living remain a significant concern to our government.’

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ý’However, the alternative of allowing our country to descend into economic chaos or bankruptcy was not an option.’

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ý’Our macro-economic progress has proven that our sacrifices have not been in vain. Together, we are laying a new foundation cast in concrete, not on quicksand.’

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ýHe called on all citizens to contribute actively towards building a resilient, inclusive, and prosperous Nigeria.

The quiet layers of memory and history came alive at the inaugural Archivist Talk held at the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), Yaba, Lagos. The event, themed A Collective Remembering, brought together artists, archivists, cultural workers, and journalists to reflect on the role of archives in shaping Nigerian and global contemporary art.

The Archivist Talk is part of the CCA Lagos’ ongoing efforts to preserve the legacy of its founder, the late Bisi Silva, whose vision of connecting Nigerian artists to global audiences continues to inspire projects in archiving, documentation, and storytelling.

The session featured interactive activities such as collage-making and digital storytelling, designed to engage participants in new ways of experiencing archival materials. Technology was at the forefront of the conversations, showing how archives are evolving into dynamic platforms of creativity.

Multidisciplinary artist, Rasak Akorede, described the project as inspiring and innovative.

‘It was quite interesting because different people had different reactions. Some were able to ask questions about events as far back as the 1990s, and the archive gave them answers immediately. That shows how technology can change the way we engage with history,’ he said.

Curator and founder of the Arts Bridge Project, Tony Agbapuonwu, stressed the importance of documentation beyond art. ‘This programme shows us the importance of documenting the times we live in and the role of technology in preserving our stories. Beyond art, archives are tools for understanding culture and shaping the narrative of our society,’ he said.

For cultural reporter, Pelu Adegbesun, the event was a timely reminder of the need to embrace archiving in Nigeria. ‘In the past, many people did not pay attention to preserving memory, but with initiatives like this, young people are beginning to take interest in documentation. This is a beautiful development for our cultural heritage,’ he noted.

Project archivist, Jenny Agu, emphasized the continuing influence of Bisi Silva in Nigeria’s art ecosystem. ‘Her legacy is still very visible in the arts community. She believed in connecting Nigerian artists to global audiences, and this project continues that mission by opening access to archives in creative ways,’ she said.

Agu added that the Archivist Talk was not only about revisiting the past but also about shaping the future. ‘Preserving memory gives us a sense of identity. By using art and technology, we are ensuring that today’s stories will be available for generations to come,’ she explained.

Enthused by her experiences at the recently concluded CANEX Book Factory Prize for Publishing in Africa, in Algiers, Convener, Quramo Festival of Words, (QFEST) Mrs Gbemi Shasore has urged storytellers, publishers and readers to be courageous in advocating for change, which she said, is not an abstract thing. ‘Change is not an abstraction for me. It is visible in the streets, on our screens, in who reads and in how we read. It demands courage from storytellers, publishers and audiences alike,’ she added.

On returning from Algiers where Zimi, the 2023 Quramo Writers’ Prize winner was shortlisted for the CANEX Book Factory Prize for Publishing in Africa, she was renewed with vigour. That trip felt like a quiet nudge: the small labours of a modest publisher in Lagos can reach beyond our borders. It reminded her that when we nurture writers at home, their stories travel farther than we imagine.

That sense of possibility sits at the heart of this year’s theme: A Brave New World. This year’s QFest was designed as a festival that meets this moment: a space where difficult histories can be held, new technologies interrogated, bold futures imagined and new writers and stories discovered through the Quramo Writers Prize. The festival opens tomorrow and runs till Sunday October 5 at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Among guests expected at the festival include Prof. Mukoma wa Ngugi, a writer, poet and scholar, who teaches at Cornell University and has produced fiction and criticism that question memory, language and identity across Africa and its diaspora.

He will lead an intimate conversation on Saturday October 4, a rare chance for festival audiences to hear directly about the ideas and the craft behind his novels and poetry. Also on the guests list is Stephen James Smith, the award-wining Irish poet, and James Murua the Kenyan writer at the festival.

According to Shasore, their presence is more than star power; ‘it’s a reminder of the intergenerational, Pan-African and intercontinental conversations we’re trying to sustain at Quramo between those who inherit our literary traditions and those who reinvent them.’

‘Across the programme you will see that thread. We open with master-classes tomorrow with masters of their craft like Dele Sikuade, BB Sasore, Prof. Mukoma and Prof. Sarah Dorgbadzi the Ghanaian storyteller at the Quramo Hub in Victoria Island.

‘On Friday, October 3 features a conversation with the Quramo Writers’ Prize Top Five, culminating in the evening unveiling of the 2025 winner – moments that celebrate new voices and our ongoing commitment to publish and platform them. Saturday holds conversations that move from the intimate – a Writers Exchange between poets Tade Ipadeola and Stephen James Smith – to the public and urgent: a carefully framed conversation on the Nigerian Civil War, 961 Days: Brothers at War. Never Again- which aims for reflection and healing rather than recrimination with voices like Major General Akintunde Akinkunmi (rtd) and Ed Keazor amongst other discussants. That afternoon we honour film storytelling with the exclusive screening of Thicker Than Water from Nemsia Studios and, on Sunday, a moving documentary by Remi Vaughan-Richards, Sin is a Puppy That Follows You Home.

‘We have sought balance: workshops and masterclasses to sharpen craft; panels on AI, migration, climate and film distribution to test new ideas; cultural exchanges like Siamsa to remind us how stories sit inside ritual and song; and spoken-word nights that let younger voices speak directly. These sessions are not separate acts – they are parts of one conversation about who we are, what we owe each other, and how storytelling can help us imagine safer, fairer futures.’

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended warm felicitations to Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, on his 60th birthday, describing him as a dependable partner in implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda.

In a congratulatory message on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President praised the Speaker, who also serves as Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, for his ‘deep knowledge, wisdom, and openness,’ noting that the House under his leadership has passed several impactful pieces of legislation.

‘Speaker Abbas has displayed uncommon capacity as a leader of equals. His drive for integrity, excellence and selfless service has proved helpful in maintaining stability in the House,’ Tinubu said.

The President also commended the lawmaker’s long-standing service to the people of Zaria Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, whom he has represented in the House of Representatives since 2011.

‘I rejoice with the family, friends and associates of this fine lawmaker and leader of men on this milestone. I also congratulate the people of Zaria Federal Constituency in Kaduna State for picking Abbas to represent them,’ Tinubu stated.

The President prayed for many more years of service, good health, and greater accomplishments for the Speaker.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday joined hundreds of Nigerians in mourning Arise News anchor and reporter, Ms. Somtochukwu ‘Sommie’ Maduagwu, 29.

Sommie died on Monday after an armed robbery incident at her residence in the Katampe area of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

President Tinubu has directed security and law enforcement agencies to track down those responsible for Sommie’s death, a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said yesterday.

Describing the broadcaster’s death as cruel and condemnable, Onanuga said the President ordered investigators to conduct a swift probe to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.

He assured Nigerians that his administration was committed to securing lives and property, adding that additional measures were being put in place to combat crime in all its forms.

Mrs. Tinubu described Sommie’s passing as painful and untimely.

In a post on her verified X handle, @SenRemiTinubu, the First Lady said she was saddened by the tragic loss of ‘one of our young and brilliant minds in the journalism profession’.

She said: ‘Her death is painful and quite unfortunate. She has been cut down in her prime. I condole with the Chairman of Arise News Media, Chief Nduka Obaigbena, her family, friends, colleagues, and loved ones. It is my hope and prayer that the perpetrators will be apprehended as soon as possible and brought to book.’

Also, FCT Police Commissioner Ajao Adewale has ordered a discreet and comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Sommie’s death.

The police chief assured Nigerians of the command’s commitment to ensuring justice.

A statement by the command’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the police commissioner had directed the deployment of intelligence and operational assets to identify, track, and apprehend those responsible for ‘this heinous crime’.

The police also dismissed allegations that the team, which responded to the distress call, turned down appeals to take Sommie to the hospital on the grounds that they had no fuel.

Also, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; the Minister for Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris; the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) described her death as regrettable.

According to Sanwo-Olu, Sommie was a rising star in the media, and she performed her duties with passion and professionalism.

Idris described her as a vibrant and dedicated professional whose work resonated with audiences across Nigeria and beyond.

The minister assured fellow citizens that a swift investigation would be carried out on the incident.

The FCT Council of the NUJ called for a forensic investigation, saying the incident highlighted Nigeria’s growing insecurity and the need for accountability.

In a statement by its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), the NBA described Sommie’s death as cruel, expressing concern over reports of alleged medical negligence.

‘The suggestion that her chances of survival may have been compromised by a hospital’s failure to act urgently is shocking and demands accountability,’ said the NBA.

The body of Nigerian lawyers called for a thorough investigation into the robbery and the hospital’s handling of the case.

It stressed that Nigerians must not only be safe from insecurity but must also trust that healthcare institutions would save lives during emergencies.

Also, there are new facts about how the broadcaster died in Abuja.

Giving details during the Arise TV’s ‘Morning Show’, Sommie’s colleague, Ojy Okpe, said she jumped from her room after learning that 14 armed robbers had stormed the building.

Though she survived the fall, she reportedly died after hospital workers allegedly refused to give her immediate treatment.

Her colleagues accused Maitama Hospital in Abuja of negligence, claiming that Sommie and a security guard injured during the attack were denied urgent care because the hospital workers demanded identification documents before treatment.

Ojy Okpe and Reuben Abati described the incident as a preventable tragedy linked to systemic failures in Nigeria’s healthcare sector.

Abati condemned the hospital’s conduct, calling it a violation of medical ethics and Nigerian law, which mandates that accident and emergency victims be treated immediately.

Since he assumed office on May 29, 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has placed infrastructure at the centre of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. In two years, his administration has committed resources to roads, bridges, rail, ports, airports and power; signalling a determination to move beyond a past marked by stalled projects and unmet promises. The effort is aimed at reconnecting the country’s regions and laying firmer foundations for economic growth.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, stretching 700 kilometres across nine states, captures the scale and audacity of this ambition. With N15 trillion committed and the first 30 kilometres inaugurated in Lagos in May 2025, it is designed not merely as a road but as a new backbone for commerce, tourism and coastal development. Yet, it is only the flagship of a broader drive. From the near-complete Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the advancing Abuja-Kano dual carriageway to resurgent ports and a power sector that, in 2025 achieved record generation, the government is rewriting the story of national infrastructure.

Roads and bridges reconnecting a nation

Nowhere is this transformation more visible than on Nigeria’s roads. The Federal Ministry of Works reports that over N2.2 trillion has been invested in road projects since May 2023, with 440 projects ongoing, 260 palliative works completed, and 29 legacy initiatives have been undertaken.

The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a 127-kilometre corridor central to Nigeria’s road network, is now between 90 and 92 per cent complete as of September 2025. When the Tinubu administration took office in May 2023, the project, first awarded in 2013, stood at roughly 70 to 75 per cent, with major sections of the Lagos-Sagamu axis still under reconstruction. Since then, progress has accelerated under a tighter funding schedule and closer supervision by the Federal Ministry of Works.

Currently, all main carriageways are fully open, cutting average travel time from three to four hours down to roughly two to two-and-a-half hours, a reduction of up to 35 per cent. What remains are about 10 to 15 kilometres of service lanes, four to five pedestrian bridges, toll plazas, street lighting and landscaping, with final delivery targeted for the first quarter of 2026.

The Abuja-Kano dual carriageway, covering 375 kilometres, is 65 to 70 per cent complete. Section 2 (Kaduna-Zaria, 73 km) is fully operational, Section 3 (Zaria-Kano, 137 km) is nearing 90 per cent, while Section 1 (Abuja-Kaduna, 165 km) is 30 per cent complete. During his September 2025 inspection, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, assured Nigerians that ‘the progress is steady, and this road will soon match international standards.’

In the East, the Enugu-Port Harcourt dual carriageway (190 km) is 75 to 80 per cent delivered, with the Umuahia-Aba section opened in June 2025 and the Enugu-bound section scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2026. The Lokoja-Benin corridor (253 km), re-launched in February 2025 with N305 billion, has reached between 60 to 65 per cent completion, while the Kano-Maiduguri Road (540 km), long delayed, is now over 55 per cent, with key sections projected for completion in 2028.

Landmark bridges have also featured prominently. The Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos underwent emergency repairs from November 2023 to April 2024 at a cost of N21 billion. In August 2025, a N3.8 trillion structural overhaul began, with Section 1 targeted for completion in mid-2026.

The Second Niger Bridge, inaugurated in May 2023, had its access roads flagged off in March 2025 to ease connectivity between Anambra and Delta states. Across the Southeast, projects such as the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, the Abakpa Flyover and Akpoha Bridge are in various stages of rehabilitation.

Rail: Linking regions by steel

Nigeria’s rail development has gathered pace under the Renewed Hope Agenda. The Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Railway (157 km), operational since 2021, continues to expand freight capacity, with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and APM Terminals flagging off a new container service from Apapa Port to the Moniya Freight Yard in Ibadan in February 2025. The cargo trains, running three times a week, can haul up to 35 wagons of 40-foot containers or 70 wagons of 20-foot containers; a development which NRC Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa said would ‘enhance import and export activities, providing a more efficient and convenient mode of transportation.’

In 2024 alone, NRC recorded 362,327 tons of containerised freight moved via both narrow and standard gauge systems. This underscores the sector’s renewed momentum. Alongside this, the Abuja-Kaduna line has undergone track doubling and signal upgrades since 2024.

The $1.8 billion Kano-Maradi Line (284 km) is 60 per cent complete with the Kano-Daura section targeting 2026 delivery timeline, while rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Eastern Rail Line (1,400 km) has accelerated since 2023, with Sections I-IV aiming for a 2028 finish.

In August 2025, the Federal Government announced a proposal for a high-speed rail network connecting Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt covering over 2,500 kilometres, with $60 billion in funding discussions led by the Asian Development Bank.

Reforms in the maritime sector have doubled port revenues from N424.2 billion in 2023 to N893.6 billion in 2024. The Tin Can Island Port Complex is undergoing a $1 billion reconstruction to integrate with Apapa and Lekki ports, while Onne, Calabar and Warri ports are being modernised.

At the inauguration of the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road in May 2025, President Tinubu declared: ‘We are changing the story of infrastructure development in Nigeria through the execution of tangible projects across the country.’ The port, with a capacity of 2.7 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) is positioned as a central hub for West African trade. Kano and Kaduna inland ports also resumed operations in 2025, easing trade for the northern region.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola affirmed in May 2025 that ‘Nigeria’s seaports have been repositioned as engines of economic growth.’

The power sector has seen notable progress. In March 2025, generation peaked at 5,713 megawatts. The Presidential Power Initiative with Siemens has added over 700 megawatts since 2023, targeting 4,000MW by 2026.

The N700 billion Presidential Metering Initiative; delivered 300,000 smart meters by 2025, with World Bank support, while the African Development Bank committed $1.1 billion to off-grid electrification in Northeast; targeting five million new connections by 2026.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu said in April 2025: ‘This government has brought renewed clarity, vigour and urgency to power sector transformation.’

Airports: Modernising gateways

Airports have also been prioritised for modernisation. The Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA, Lagos) inaugurated its domestic terminal in 2023 and began $500 million rehabilitation in July 2025 under a 10-year concession, targeting 2027 completion.

In Abuja, work has progressed on the second runway of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, backed by N10 billion in federal allocations. Upgrades are ongoing at Enugu, Kaduna, Kano, Maiduguri, and Benin airports, covering runway works, terminals and utilities.

Agriculture: Mechanisation infrastructure

In June 2025, President Tinubu launched the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanisation Programme with 2,000 tractors, 10 combine harvesters, 12 mobile workshops and 9,000 implements supplied under the Belarus partnership. The initiative, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, is designed to cultivate over 550,000 hectares, generate two million metric tons of food and create 16,000 jobs.

The tractors will be distributed through a service provider model to ensure smallholder farmers gain access, while workshops and spare part depots are being set up as supporting infrastructure.

Looking ahead

The administration recognises the hurdles. Funding gaps, security concerns and the challenge of maintaining new infrastructure continue to shadow progress. Yet, the political will behind the Renewed Hope Agenda has given momentum to projects that once languished.

As President Tinubu declared in September 2025, ‘infrastructure projects will cover all regions, as no Nigerian is second-class and no region is left behind.’

From the concrete pavement of highways to the cranes reshaping seaports and the new sub-stations lighting up communities, Nigeria is on the path of renewal. The journey remains long, but the foundation for a modern infrastructure landscape is being laid steadily and in some cases, audaciously.

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has faulted the suspension of coach Aluma Napoleon by Warri Wolves on the ground that it did not adhere to procedures for contracting coaches.

In a letter titled, ‘Notarization and Registration of Contracts’ addressed to the club and signed by Davidson Owumi, the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, the club was mandated to ensure full compliance by submitting its contract with all of the club’s technical and management officials.

The NPFL letter read: ‘Information reaching us from the media space suggest that the Delta State Sports Commission has suspended your head coach Mr. Aluma Napoleon with immediate effect.’

The NPFL cited its Frameworks and Rules for 2025/26 in demanding compliance by Warri Wolves, stating that ‘you are aware that the framework and rules of the NPFL 2025/2026 season , Section B, article 6 and 11, clearly states the requirements for engagement and procedure for registration of contracts for all club officials.

‘You are however in breach of these sections as Warri Wolves FC have not submitted the contracts of its officials to the League Board. You are hereby requested to within twenty-four hours of receiving this letter, submit all relevant contracts of your technical team, including that of the assumed suspended head coach, Mr. Napoleon Aluma to the Secretariat of the NPFL’.

The letter warned that the club may have to play its future matches without a bench on account of failure to comply with the directive.

‘Note that failure to comply with this instruction will lead to the restriction of your technical team from accessing the technical area in future NPFL matches,’ the club was warned.

Owumi, in a related statement to the NPFL Media made it clear that the Warri Wolves case is not an isolated instance. He said this applies to all clubs that are yet to domicile the contracts with their technical officials with the NPFL.

‘I must admonish all Coaches to get hold of their contracts and lodge a report with the NPFL when there is a violation of the terms. It is the responsibility of the aggrieved to petition the league at all times’, he reminded the Coaches.

How do you assess the country’s journey so far, 65 years after independence?

The truth is that Nigeria is still far below the level we expected it to be. Sixty-five years of independence, with all the oil money we have received and disbursed, should have brought us much farther than this.

Today, people are still being kidnapped on our streets. There is no running water anywhere. There is no central sewage system in most parts of the country. Farmers, especially in the southwestern part of Nigeria, have been virtually neglected.

There was a time when the state government and even the Federal Government supported farmers with subsidised inputs like fertilisers, insecticides, and improved seedlings. In Ondo State, we had an agricultural input company that made these available. That support no longer exists.

I recall when former Governor Olabode George served here in Ondo. He purchased over 100 tractors and distributed them to various local governments to help farmers. Today, you would hardly find five tractors still functioning. It is a sad picture.

I hope that the government will sit down and recognise that the real purpose of governance is to improve the condition of human beings, not just to generate statistics about GDP growth or revenue growth. At present, the welfare of the people is declining, not improving.

Would you say Nigeria has gotten it right?

Frankly, the achievements so far have been disappointing. Many African countries with smaller populations and far fewer resources have achieved more than Nigeria in education, transportation, health, and general development.

It is painful to admit that in Nigeria today, outside of Abuja, there is hardly any city with a functional central sewage system or a reliable central water supply. Many of our cities still have unpaved roads. This is a shame, 65 years after independence.

As an economist, how do you assess Nigeria’s economy under President Bola Tinubu’s administration?

It is encouraging that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is growing under President Tinubu’s administration. As an economist and banker, however, I must stress that what we are experiencing is growth without development.

What does this mean? GDP is increasing, government revenues are rising, but the welfare of ordinary Nigerians is declining. That is growth without development, and it happens when government programmes are not deliberately designed to improve the lives of people.

One of the saddest developments in Nigeria in the last 65 years is that we have abandoned proper development planning. I was once the Director of Economic Planning for Nigeria before becoming a Permanent Secretary. At that time, we had five-year development plans to guide policy and spending.

A plan imposes discipline. It prevents waste and ensures coherence. For instance, if you plan to develop a port, you must also plan the roads leading to it, so goods can be evacuated. If you plan to build schools, you must also develop industries to create jobs for graduates. Without a plan, you find the government building a port with no access roads or schools, and no job prospects for graduates. That is the tragedy we face today.

President Tinubu introduced major reforms, including fuel subsidies removal. Have these reforms improved things compared to past administrations?

To be frank, the reforms were necessary, and President Tinubu must be commended for the courage to implement them. Take fuel subsidy, for example. It was a huge drain on our economy. When Tinubu removed it, the price of petrol shot up to about N1,200 per litre. Many past governments avoided that decision because of the political consequences. But Tinubu went ahead, and that deserves praise.

However, the government could have taken some preparatory steps to cushion the effects of such a bold reform. The immediate hardship on the masses might have been reduced if measures had been put in place first.

Another example is the foreign exchange system. Before the reform, we had six different exchange rates: one for investors, another for people paying school fees abroad, another for travel, and so on. This allowed some people to buy foreign currency cheaply at one window and sell at another, becoming multi-millionaires without doing anything productive. Tinubu’s reforms are eliminating that abuse, and this will have long-term benefits.

Some Nigerians are applauding Tinubu for cutting off oil cabals through subsidy removal. What is your view?

No doubt removing the subsidy has weakened the cabals who were profiting from it. But the government must now pay attention to the ripple effects. For instance, when petrol rose to N1,200 per litre, transport fares also went up. However, now that petrol has come down to about N850 per litre-a reduction of more than 35 per cent-transport fares remain unchanged. Taxi drivers, lorry operators, and motorcycle riders still charge the same rates they charged when petrol was N1,200.

Why has the government not engaged transport unions to ensure fares are reduced in line with petrol prices? This is where leadership must show responsibility. If transport costs fall, everybody benefits-farmers, traders, schoolchildren, and ordinary citizens. It is a glaring example of how reforms must be managed to truly improve lives.

What is your take on the new student loan scheme introduced by Tinubu’s administration?

It is a welcome development, and Tinubu must be commended for the initiative. It has the potential to expand access to education. In the past, in the old Western Region, we were proud of our achievements in education, particularly. However, today, the system is virtually collapsing. Many graduates of our polytechnics and universities can hardly express themselves properly. The quality has dropped drastically, and most schools are dilapidated.

That said, we must also acknowledge some achievements. At independence, Nigeria had only one university-Ibadan. Today, we have hundreds of universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. The growth in numbers is significant.

But my concern is not just about quantity. It is about quality. The system is churning out graduates, but the standard of training is low. The new student loan scheme is a step forward, but it must be complemented by a serious effort to improve the quality of education.

As Nigeria marks its independence, how do you rate security under President Tinubu compared to the past?

Sadly, the security situation remains very poor. In fact, there has been a catastrophic decline. Let me give you a personal example. As a boy, I travelled alone from Akure to Lagos to attend Igbobi College. I did that for five years, back and forth, without fear of kidnapping or banditry. But when I was 77 years old, already a grandfather, I was kidnapped on my farm here in Akure.

That experience sums up the collapse of security in Nigeria. Today, at 87, I cannot travel freely without fear. That is how much things have changed.

Are you saying security has completely broken down?

Yes, the breakdown is severe. But the solution lies in a different strategy. Security is fundamentally a local matter. If every community secures its territory, the whole country will be secure.

This is why I advocate decentralisation. Local leaders, traditional rulers, and community structures must take responsibility for protecting their people. The federal police cannot do it alone.

Here in Ondo State, we have Amotekun, which is part of this localised approach. In my own community, I organised traditional hunters into a disciplined group that works with the police. Most of the criminals arrested in our area in recent years were apprehended by these hunters, especially at night in the forests, where conventional police cannot operate.

This shows that security can improve if local structures are empowered. The government must adopt this approach nationwide.

How can Nigeria get it right and match developed nations?

Nigeria has everything it takes to succeed-oil, gas, bitumen, iron, gold, and many other resources. What we lack is visionary leadership.

We need leaders who can convert resources into jobs, wealth, and prosperity. But leadership alone is not enough. Every Nigerian must also play their part in improving their immediate environment. We cannot change the whole world, but we can change our surroundings.

So my message is: let us keep hope alive. We have no choice but to remain hopeful and continue working to build the Nigeria of our dreams.