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The Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) is moving to make energy efficiency a core requirement of architectural practice, with plans to introduce new competency standards and certification for energy-efficient building design.

The initiative is part of a partnership between ARCON and the German development agency, Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), to strengthen the capacity of architects and other built-environment professionals across the country.

Under a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Abuja, the partners will review and update Energy Efficient Building Design (EEBD) competency standards and training materials, establish a national training network, and develop a certification framework for professionals.

The move could eventually affect architectural education, professional examinations and continuing professional development, given ARCON’s statutory responsibility for regulating architectural education, registration, training and practice in Nigeria.

The agreement brings together three GIZ-supported programmes – the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), Partnership for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PEEB) and Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) – under the Just Transition and Inclusion (JTI) Cluster.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, ARCON President, Arc. (Sir) Oladipupo Ajayi, said the building sector had a major impact on energy consumption, environmental sustainability, urban resilience and quality of life.

He said architects must therefore lead in promoting energy-efficient buildings, climate-responsive designs and sustainable construction.

‘Architects must therefore promote energy-efficient buildings, climate-responsive design, sustainable construction and inclusive development,’ Ajayi said.

He described the agreement as a platform for knowledge sharing, capacity development, innovation and practical action, stressing the need to ensure the benefits of sustainability extend to all sections of society.

Ajayi said ARCON was committed to working with its partners to integrate energy efficiency and sustainability into professional development, architectural education and building delivery.

The Registrar of ARCON, Arc. Mohammed Itopa Sule, said the agreement marked an important step towards advancing energy efficiency, sustainable buildings, climate-responsive design, inclusion and a just transition in the built environment.

In his vote of thanks, Sule pledged that ARCON would translate the MoU into practical programmes, improved building practices and measurable impact.

He commended GIZ Nigeria, ECOWAS, NESP, CoM SSA, and PEEB for their support and confidence in ARCON.

The ceremony was opened by GIZ Nigeria and the ECOWAS Country Director, Dr. Markus Wagner, with opening remarks delivered by Dr. Karin Jansen, Head of Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Abuja.

Sharon Kaburuk, Head of Component, Capacity Development at NESP, presented an overview of the agreement, and Jochen Rudolph, Cluster Coordinator, Just Transition and Inclusion Cluster, also participated in the ceremony.

The partnership matters because decisions made during design and specification can determine a building’s energy performance throughout its lifespan.

ARCON operates under the Architects (Registration, Etc.) Act and is responsible for accrediting architectural programmes in Nigerian universities and polytechnics, registering architects, and regulating professional training, conduct and practice.

The competency standards developed under the partnership could therefore be incorporated into curriculum expectations, professional examinations, and mandatory continuing professional development.

NESP supports Nigeria’s sustainable energy transition through skills, institutional and systems development in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

PEEB Cool focuses on energy efficiency and climate resilience in the building sector, while CoM SSA works with cities and municipalities on sustainable energy and climate planning and developing projects that can attract financing.

The partners said the signing marked the beginning of the initiative.

The immediate phase will focus on technically revising competency standards, developing training materials, and designing the certification framework before rolling out training through the proposed national network.

Accord chieftain Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has declared that no administrative action by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can extinguish his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election.

Hashim was reacting to his exclusion from the final list of presidential candidates published by INEC at the weekend.

In a statement in Abuja, yesterday, Hashim described the development as a matter that remains subject to judicial determination, insisting that he remains the duly nominated presidential candidate of the Accord.

‘I am the candidate of the Accord. No one can exclude me from the 2027 presidential election. The court will do justice,’ he said.

Hashim said Nigeria’s constitutional democracy does not confer on INEC an overriding power of ‘finality’ over disputes concerning who emerges as a political party’s candidate.

According to him, the adjudicatory powers vested in the courts exist precisely to prevent administrative decisions from becoming instruments of impunity or a means of foreclosing legitimate political rights.

‘Our democracy does not give INEC any right of finality over who stands as the candidate of a political party. Where there is a dispute over the emergence or exclusion of a candidate, the adjudicatory functions of the courts are provided precisely to prevent impunity and to ensure that no administrative process becomes a pre-planned mechanism for keeping particular candidates off the ballot.

‘We have seen this before. In the last Osun governorship election, the courts intervened in circumstances where candidates initially excluded from INEC’s processes were subsequently restored to the ballot. That is why nobody should assume that an administrative publication by INEC is the final word in a matter that is before the courts.’

Hashim has taken the matter before the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking, among other reliefs, an order compelling the Accord to recognise him as its presidential candidate and transmit his name to INEC. The case has been heard and reserved for judgment.

His case is based on his contention that he was the winner of Accord’s presidential primary conducted on May 30, after paying the prescribed nomination fee, with the exercise monitored by INEC officials.

Hashim said his legal battle, therefore, goes beyond his personal political ambition, describing it as a test of the integrity of political party primaries, internal democracy and the constitutional right of Nigerians to freely choose their preferred presidential candidate.

He called on his supporters and Nigerians who believe in democratic choice to remain calm, assuring them that he would continue to pursue the matter through constitutional and legal means.

‘We will not be intimidated, we will not be distracted and we will not surrender a legitimate democratic right because somebody has published a list.

‘The court will speak, and when it does, we will abide by the judgment.’

The Accord had disputed Hashim claim, saying he did not conduct any presidential primary and could not have had a presidential candidate.

The party added that the nomination fee paid by Hashim after nomination had closed, was returned to him.

During its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting hosted by Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke in July, the NEC of Accord reaffirmed that the party had no presidential candidate.

Fresh concerns have emerged over whether the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) can conduct its elective congress as scheduled, with the October 16 deadline fast approaching for a new board to assume control of Nigerian basketball administration.

Stakeholders say the electoral timeline is under severe pressure, pointing out that several constitutionally mandated pre-election steps remain unfulfilled with barely a month left.

Under the NBBF constitution, the transition process requires the current board to first convene an official meeting to determine the date and venue for an Extraordinary Congress, review audited financial statements, and propose members for the Electoral and Appeals Committees.

Following that meeting, administrative instructions and formal notice of the Extraordinary Congress must be circulated to state associations and key stakeholders at least 21 days in advance.

The Extraordinary Congress-attended by delegates as well as observers from the National Sports Commission (NSC), Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), and international governing body FIBA-must then formally approve the election date, venue, and electoral committees. Only after this step can the Electoral Committee issue guidelines, open nominations, screen candidates, and publish delegate lists.

The elective congress itself is scheduled to conclude with zonal elections, followed by polls for the vice presidency and presidency, before the newly elected board is sworn in to deliver its inaugural address.

However, basketball observers and administrative stakeholders question whether these procedural steps can be compressed into the remaining timeframe before the October 16 handover.

The delay has drawn criticism toward the National Sports Commission, with critics pointing to a lack of decisive coordination in expediting the process.

Following years of governance disputes, FIBA mandated in March that elections must take place between the end of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup and October 15, with the new board taking over on October 16. Stakeholders warn that missing this deadline risks plunging Nigerian basketball back into administrative uncertainty and potential international sanctions.

Stakeholders are now calling on the NBBF board and sports authorities to immediately issue a clear electoral timetable that complies with the federation’s statutory requirements.

Denge Onoh, former Southeast spokesman for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, has questioned the claim by socio-political commentator and ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri that an average Nigerian can comfortably live on ?3,000 daily.

In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, Onoh said the calculation, which amounts to about ?90,000 monthly, did not adequately reflect the cost of living and the economic realities facing Nigerian households.

He noted that although ?90,000 is above the current ?70,000 national minimum wage, using a daily figure of ?3,000 as a measure of affordability fails to account for household size, food inflation and other essential expenses.

Onoh said the analysis appeared to treat the Nigerian as an individual economic unit, whereas many households comprise five or more members.

According to him, a ?3,000 daily household budget for a family of five would amount to about ?600 per person, which he said would be insufficient to provide three meals daily while also meeting expenses such as education, clothing and healthcare.

He also cited data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which has reported significant increases in the cost of a healthy diet, noting that food expenses represent only part of the financial burden on households.

Onoh said the cost of cooking fuel, potable water, transportation and other necessities further reduces the disposable income of families.

He pointed to rising prices of food items in major markets, including tomatoes, pepper, rice, beans and other staples, as factors that have affected household purchasing power.

He said the affordability of food also varies across regions, with rural households that engage in subsistence farming having different cost structures from residents of major cities such as Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

According to Onoh, urban households also contend with fuel costs, transportation fares and energy expenses before meeting their food needs.

He further argued that using the ?70,000 minimum wage as a basis for establishing a ?3,000 daily living budget does not fully capture the financial pressures faced by low-income households.

Onoh said the significant proportion of household income spent on food could limit the ability of families to meet other important needs, including education, healthcare and savings.

He urged policymakers and public commentators to base discussions on the cost of living on broader economic indicators and household realities.

‘The welfare of Nigerians must be treated as a priority of any responsible government and its representatives, and not a privilege,’ he said.

The much-awaited initial public offering (IPO) of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE (DPRP) opens today for public subscription with high expectations for an offer that promises to reshape not only Nigeria but entire Africa’s capital market ecosystem.

DPRP is offering 4.1 billion ordinary shares at N525 per share, representing initial offer value of N2.15 trillion. Minimum subscription is 10 units or N5,250, and thereafter in multiples of 10 units. The application list, which opens today, will close on October 13, 2026.

In the event of oversubscription, DPRP could allot additional shares up to 1.23 billion shares or about N645.75 billion, under a 30 per cent oversubscription provision approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

President and Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said the IPO’s minimum subscription was strategically set at 10 ordinary shares of N5,250 to enable broad-based participation by retail and institutional investors while deepening public ownership of one of Africa’s most transformative industrial assets.

According to him, the offer is not just about raising fund but also carry along all Nigerians with drivers, cleaners, housemaids and the likes having the opportunity to be part owner of the refinery

‘This IPO is not only about raising capital; it is about democratizing wealth creation, broadening participation in Africa’s industrial future and giving millions of investors the opportunity to own a stake in a world-class enterprise, it’s a legacy we are laying down, nobody will live forever,’ Dangote said.

The landmark public offer places a valuation of close to $50 billion on Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals and is expected to provide the capital required to finance the expansion of the refinery’s production capacity from 700,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day. Situated on a sprawling 6,180-acre complex in the Lekki Free Zone, the refinery is reputed as the largest single-train refinery in the world.

Industry stakeholders have described the offer as potentially the largest retail investment drive ever undertaken on the continent, positioning it as a watershed moment for both Nigeria’s capital market and Africa’s industrial landscape.

Beyond raising capital, the IPO is expected to broaden participation in one of the continent’s most strategic energy assets, deepen market liquidity, and create a new generation of shareholders in a business widely regarded as a catalyst for Africa’s energy security and economic transformation.

Analysts said eventual listing of the refinery on the Nigerian Exchange later this year could significantly reshape the country’s capital market landscape, potentially increasing the exchange’s total market capitalization by more than one-third.

Investor appetite for the refinery has been evident in recent months. In July, the company raised $2.5 billion through a private placement targeted at institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals, with demand exceeding the offer size by 270 per cent. Market observers believe substantial unmet demand from that exercise could flow into the public offering.

Market experts believe the success of the Dangote Refinery IPO could establish a new benchmark for large-scale public offerings in Africa, while encouraging other major Nigerian enterprises to access long-term capital through public listings.

The public offer is expected to benefit from improving investor sentiment towards Nigeria following the country’s reinstatement to Frontier Market status by FTSE Russell. The development is anticipated to enhance foreign portfolio inflows and strengthen international investor participation in the capital market.

The IPO is intended to broaden DPRP’s ownership base and raise additional equity capital to support the company’s growth and strategic objectives.

DPRP operates one of the world’s largest integrated refining and petrochemicals complexes, with a refining throughput capacity of approximately 700,000 barrels per day and polypropylene production capacity of approximately 830,000 tonnes per annum.

DPRP recently launched expansion programme, which is expected to double its capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day, positioning it to become the world’s largest refinery.

DPRP had estimated it could surpass annual turnover of $55 billion under the ongoing expansion plan.

Dangote, at a recent briefing had reaffirmed plans to list a significant portion of the refinery’s shares on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), describing it as part of efforts to democratise ownership and allow Nigerians to share in the value creation.

‘Our main listing will be here in Nigeria to give Nigerians value. We want the Dangote Refinery to be the golden stock of the Exchange. Listing outside Nigeria is secondary to us. We want this to be a national asset in every sense. This is a step towards broader ownership and market transparency. Therefore we call on all Nigerians to seize this window, to benefit from this golden opportunity. Our long-term goal remains clear: to build Africa’s leading integrated energy and petrochemical hub, the first of its kind on the continent,’ Dangote said.

He said the refinery’s strong cash flow, profitability prospects and strategic positioning would make it attractive to both local and global investors.

At a world press conference in Lagos, Dangote said the decision to expand the refinery capacity was driven by enabling environment created by President Bola Tinubu’s reforms and emerging opportunities across Africa.

According to him, with growing regional demand for cleaner fuels and Nigeria’s evolving policy environment that encourages local refining, the $20 billion facility, already the largest single-train refinery in the world, will more than double its capacity within the next three years, making it a global leader in petroleum refining and a major driver of Africa’s industrial renaissance.

He said the refinery will also expand its polypropylene production capacity from 900,000 metric tonnes to 2.4 million metric tonnes per annum, further boosting the output of linear alkylbenzene, a key ingredient in detergent manufacturing, along with additional production of base oils.

He said: ‘With this expansion, the refinery transitions from producing Euro V to Euro VI fuel standards, meeting the highest global environmental benchmarks. We will also expand our power generation capacity to 1,000 megawatts, ensuring complete operational self-sufficiency. More than 85 per cent of our workforce will be Nigerians, with continuous investment in skills development and technology transfer. Our commitment to safety, sustainability and local participation remains unwavering throughout every phase of the expansion’.

He said the expansion reflected the group’s belief in Africa’s potential to achieve energy security and transform its economy from being an exporter of raw crude to a hub for refined petroleum products.

He estimated that the refinery’s revenue could exceed $55 billion annually, making it one of the most valuable industrial assets on the African continent.

‘This expansion reflects our confidence in Nigeria’s future, our belief in Africa’s potential and our commitment to building energy independence for our continent and the world. It also is about confidence in Nigeria, in Africa and in our capacity to shape our own energy future.

‘It is the dream of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, for Nigeria to emerge as one of the major suppliers of petroleum products in the world. And with his strong backing through his policies, we are taking on the challenge to make this happen,’ Dangote said.

He said the expansion would be executed over the next three years and would be financed through a mix of cash flow, public listing and strategic investors. When completed, the refinery will surpass India’s Jamnagar Refinery, currently the world’s largest facility, cementing Nigeria’s position as a global refining hub.

Highlighting the economic impact of the project, Dangote said the expansion would further strengthen Nigeria’s energy security, reduce foreign exchange outflows, and save the country billions of dollars annually that would otherwise go into importing refined products.

He said: ‘This expansion will create additional jobs, support thousands of SMEs, and deepen our industrial base. Our goal has never been just to refine oil, but to refine opportunities for our people. It is a vote of confidence in Nigeria, in the reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, and in the ability of Africans to build and manage world-class infrastructure’.

He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the Federal Government for supporting industrialisation policies such as Nigeria’s First, Naira-for-Crude and the ‘One-Stop Shop’ initiatives, which he said have emboldened investors to take on transformative projects.

He also commended the government’s intervention in mediating recent disruptions at the refinery linked to union activity and sabotage attempts, calling it a demonstration of effective collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Despite not yet recouping the initial investment in the 650,000 bpd phase, Dangote said the group is focused on long-term transformation rather than short-term returns.

He said: ‘Refining is a long-term project. We are expanding because we believe in Africa. Without this refinery, Nigeria would still be buying dollars at ridiculous rates and depleting our reserves to import fuel’.