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Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has said that Africa is not in search of charity but genuine collaboration founded on mutual respect, fairness, and shared values.

A statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said Lawal made the remarks while delivering the keynote address at the Canada-Africa Trade and Investment Expo 2025, held on September 17 at the Toronto Marriott City Hotel in Canada.

The event, themed ‘Strengthening Canada-Africa Partnerships in Trade, Investment, and Sustainable Growth,’ brought together policymakers, investors, and business leaders to explore opportunities for deeper economic ties between the two continents.

He said: ‘If Africa is to realize its potential fully, we must recognize that development is not just a matter of national policy; it is also a function of sub-national action. While our Federal Governments provide policy direction, it is within our States, provinces, and Local Governments that the promises of trade, investment, and growth must be translated into tangible realities.’

The governor explained that his presence at the event as a state leader underscored the crucial role of sub-national entities in driving Africa’s economic renaissance.

‘Sub-national Governments are the places where farmers cultivate the crops that feed nations, where mining operations either succeed or fail, where young people seek opportunities, and where investors look for clarity, stability, and fair return,’ he said.

Lawal added that Zamfara State is deliberately reshaping its governance and investment environment to attract responsible partners who share the values of transparency, accountability, and sustainability.

‘Agriculture is central to our economy. With over 70% of its land arable, Zamfara could become a food basket for Nigeria and the African continent,’ he said. ‘We seek partnerships in mechanization, irrigation, post-harvest management, storage, and agro-industrial chains. Canadian expertise, paired with our farmers’ resilience, can set a new food security model for Africa.’

Despite efforts to empower Micro and Medium Enterprises in the country, most businesses in the informal sector still earn low amidst high cost of doing business, a report by financial technology company, Monieppint has shown.

According to Moniepoint, the informal economy is still largely youth-driven, with 73 per cent of business owners aged between 18 and 44.

‘Businesses owned by people aged 35-44 increased to 35 per cent, compared to 29 per cent in 2024,’ it noted.

However, the report noted that women-owned enterprises declined slightly to 35 per cent, while men controlled 65 per cent.

It also added that ’44 per cent of informal businesses make less than N20,000 daily in revenue,’ while ’70 per cent earn below N50,000 in profit’ it stated.

A breakdown of the report by Daily Trust further showed that cash remains the dominant payment method for most informal enterprises in Nigeria.

The report launched to mark the fintech’s decade of operation over the weekend noted that one in four informal businesses report that digital payments account for less than 10 per cent of their total business revenue.

‘For most informal businesses, digital payments are an option, and typically not the full story. 1 in 4 of them say that digital payments account for less than 10 per cent of their total business revenue.

‘Only 16 per cent of them say that digital transactions account for over 50 per cent of their business revenue.’

The finding sits alongside other constraints, low profits, multiple levies, and limited access to large loans, which keep most operators reliant on offline transactions despite rising use of transfers for supplier payments.

‘The number of businesses in retail and trade increased to 44 per cent, followed by other services (33 per cent), agriculture (7 per cent), arts, entertainment, and recreation (4 per cent),’ according to the study.

Despite this dominance, ‘profit margins are low and often eroded by inflation, multiple taxation, and lack of access to credit,’ Moniepoint reveals.

Gender inequality persists, as ’41 per cent of women-owned businesses earn less than N10,000 per day in profit, compared to 34 per cent of men-owned.’

The gap underscores structural financial and cultural barriers to female entrepreneurship.

The report details the demographic, operational, financial, and digital trends shaping the sector amid rising inflation and evolving policy efforts.

The South-West, led by Lagos, continues to dominate, hosting one-third of all informal businesses. Lagos alone accounts for ’16 per cent of businesses in the informal sector – about the same as the North-East and South-East combined.’

In terms of structure, 85 per cent of operators are sole proprietors, and only 40 per cent employ labour – mostly one to three workers.

Moniepoint revealed that longer-established businesses are twice as likely to hire staff, indicating that survival and growth are critical to job creation potential.

The report also highlights that many informal operators ‘pay some form of taxes or market levies (89 per cent).’

However, poor understanding of business registration and its benefits continue to deter formalisation.

Under ‘Credit, Taxation, and Financial Behaviour,’ the report indicates that 70 per cent of informal businesses depend on informal credit sources like family and friends, while digital payments are gradually replacing cash transactions, signalling improved financial inclusion.

On the policy front, experts emphasised the need for simplified registration systems, gender-sensitive financial products, and digital literacy support.

Dr. Nurudeen Abubakar Zauro noted that inflation rose from ‘22.41 per cent in May 2023 to 34.8 per cent by December 2024,’ before easing to 21.88 per cent in mid-2025, urging targeted interventions such as conditional cash transfers and accessible credit.

Similarly, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Director-General, Dr. Chinyere Almona, called for ‘coherent regulatory empathy’ and tiered compliance structures to prevent excessive taxation from driving small businesses deeper into informality.

According to Moniepoint, while Nigeria’s informal economy remains resilient and adaptive, structural barriers in finance, regulation, and digital infrastructure hinder its potential to contribute sustainably to GDP and formal employment.

Recently, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu granted a state pardon to 175 individuals. Some of those on the list include foremost Nigerian nationalist Herbert Macaulay, the Ogoni Nine, environmentalists tried and executed under the Abacha regime. However, a considerable percentage of those on the list were individuals convicted of murder, kidnapping, corruption, illegal mining, and drug trafficking.

The decision, although constitutionally grounded, has sparked national debate on the role of the prerogative of mercy and its implications for justice, national security and governance. A state pardon, when exercised in good faith, can reinforce justice and offer hope to deserving citizens with a record of misdeeds who have paid their debt of service, providing them with hope and succour. State pardon could also pose a threat to national security and undermine the state’s institutional mechanisms of justice and law enforcement.

Debate on state pardon

Government supporters argue that state pardons were given to deserving convicts and inmates who have demonstrated good conduct, to reintegrate them into society. They also argue that pardons were given to address the challenge of prison overcrowding in the country. However, media reports on the long list of beneficiaries of the state pardon cast a moral question on the true intention of the pardon, as many on the list were political elites, drug peddlers, kidnappers, and murderers, many of whom are yet to show remorse or serve out their punishment. Civil society groups, opposition parties, and even victims of some of those released have described the government’s decision as embarrassing and political, an action that poses severe implications for national security and justice.

Some have criticised the pardon of the Ogoni Nine, arguing that a pardon amounts to an admission of guilt. The Ogoni Nine, convicted by the military tribunal of Abacha for environmental activism, were victims of institutional oppression and the silencing of activists and voices of truth. Critics insist that what was needed for the Ogoni activists was not a state pardon but an institutional apology and compensation for the cruelty meted out to them. Their inclusion is viewed as politics rather than justice, an attempt to pacify the people of the region in the government’s bid to resume oil exploration.

The politics of state pardon

The prerogative of mercy, a legal term that refers to the inherent power of a state to pardon or reduce the punishment of a person convicted of a crime, is nothing new in Nigeria, especially during this democratic dispensation. From Obasanjo to Jonathan and Buhari, there have been exercises of presidential pardon. In defence of this current pardon, some analysts have cited the case of Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the former Governor of Bayelsa State, who received a state pardon from former President Goodluck Jonathan. However, Alamieyeseigha’s pardon was quite different from this sort of discretionary pardon. At the time he was pardoned, he had already entered a plea bargain with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He had been exonerated, having served his punishment by virtue of the plea bargain. This context is important to understand the difference between a pardon granted after due legal process and one that seems politically motivated.

In Nigeria, there is a common saying that politics is everything and everything is politics. This phrase encapsulates the idea that political considerations often override moral or legal logic in our country. Some analysts explain the presidential pardon from this perspective as a political move aimed at manipulating consensus and maintaining power. This underscores the urgent need for transparency and accountability in our governance.

Politics and moral governance in Nigeria

Politics in our clime is often described as a dirty game with a scarcity of morals. Even in its worst form, there is still caution for politicians to act in good conscience. Governance is a more serious task; it rests on the pillars of moral precepts and survives on legal instruments, which are often framed within moral logics and ideas. This highlights the crucial need for moral governance, a principled and ethical leadership that upholds justice and the rule of law.

Morality and virtue are necessary ingredients for nation-building and sustainable development. Great nations are built on the strength of their moral fabric and the seriousness with which a government upholds national virtues and moral principles. In this balance lie crime and punishment, justice and peace, anti-corruption and development, accountability and equality. Laws are instituted to uphold the moral fabric of a nation, and punishments are meted out to offenders to maintain peace and deter wrongdoing. Morality is not just an asset in nation-building and development. It’s the capital required to build a strong political economy that can guarantee peace, security, justice and progress in any nation.

Moral governance entails making government decisions in line with a good conscience, upholding justice, building trust, uplifting the collective conscience, and binding or weaving the moral thread of the nation.

Discretionary state pardon granted to high-level offenders and political elite risk putting the nation on a nihilistic path where nothing matters, evil is rewarded, and justice and punishment are trivialised on the altar of elite networks and state capture. This undermines the state’s ability to serve the public interest and can lead to widespread corruption and injustice.

A polity where public offenders are granted state pardon at will invites anarchy, as it distorts the foundation of good conduct, respect for the rule of law and robs victims of justice.

Nigeria’s nation-building journey is at a crossroads, marred by weak institutions, insecurity, poverty and a deficit of trust between the government and the people. Government actors need to prioritise moral governance that emphasises accountability, transparency, and integrity to build trust, strengthen institutions and uphold justice.

Moral governance is not an abstract idea. It is the foundation upon which peace, justice, and unity rest. Until Nigerian leadership reclaims morality as a principle in governance rather than a tool of politics, the nation will continue to trade its moral capital for temporary power and with it the promise of true nation-building.

The recently launched Lagos Omi-Eko project valued at EUR 410 million (about N713bn) is targeted at transforming waterways mobility and transporting 25m passengers yearly.

The project is financed through a collaboration of the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Union (EU), the European Investment Bank (EIB) with an earmarked subsidised loan of EUR 360 million.

The project divided into two components will begin covering channelisation, marking and dredging of 140km of ferry routes from which the state will develop 15 priority ferry routes, including constructing high-quality infrastructure and facilities.

The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) is saddled with the responsibility of covering the first component.

The second component is expected to be completed by 2030 while the entire Inland Waterways Transport infrastructure comprises 25 ferry terminals and jetties with electric charging facilities to power e-vessels.

Also, the onshore depots for routine vessel maintenance, while land connections, including road surfacing, are expected to develop for other transport services connecting to ferry terminals.

The investment would bring decarbonised transportation in Lagos, reducing CO2 emissions by 41,000 tonnes yearly. It is expected to take 25,000 passengers yearly, saving travel time by 3hrs on each trip.

Speaking at the launch, the state’s governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu described the Omi Eko project as ‘historic’, describing it as a ‘bold statement’.

Omi Eko, a Yoruba phrase is translated loosely as water of Lagos. It is an initiative to leverage on the state’s abundant water to drive waterways transportation.

78 electric ferries were deployed for the project.

The governor added that the project reaffirms the state’s frontline leadership in delivering a sustainable integrated water transportation ecosystem.

He reiterated that waterways transportation is a critical priority in his administration’s THEMES+ Agenda to transform mobility in the metropolis.

‘Every Lagosian knows the frustration of traffic. But a few will remember that Lagos began as a network of islands, knitted together by water. Long before bridges connected the city, boats carried dreams, goods, and people across the lagoons. This water body nourishes us, shapes the State’s identity and now, it will carry us into the future.

‘The OMI-EKO project is a comprehensive, future-oriented blueprint for sustainable mobility in Lagos. It merges technology, environmental stewardship and smart design to create waterways that are not just navigated, but optimised. This is the kind of innovative projects cities around the world are building to confront the twin challenges of urban population growth and climate change. Lagos is not waiting to catch up, we are setting the pace,’ he said.

Sanwo-Olu highlighted the investment potentials, saying the objective was to make transportation through water seamless, reduce carbon footprint, the air cleaner and transform waterways from barriers of separation into corridors of opportunity.

‘The launch of this project is more than a ceremonial curtain pull. It is a covenant with our people, our planet, and with future generations. With OMI-EKO, we are lifting not only boats but lives, businesses, and communities. We are signaling that Lagos is ready to lead Africa’s urban transition by this bold, sustainable, and inclusive investment,’ he said.

Former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, who created LASWA in 2008, hailed the Sanwo-Olu’s administration for nurturing the agency to a viable global entity.

He said the OMI-EKO project would further expand the scope of the state’s integrated transportation network, expressing optimism that the project would not stall, given the commitment of the European partners.

Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Seun Osiyemi, said the project would unlock the full potential of Lagos inland waterways, bringing the final piece of the State’s Integrated Multimodal Transportation System to life.

‘OMI-EKO aligns with broader Lagos Transport Policy, which promotes sustainability, inclusivity, and innovation, while ensuring that transport solutions serve the people while protecting the environment. The project is not just about ferry operations; it is about empowering communities, creating jobs, easing congestion, and reducing our carbon footprint,’ he said.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Blue Economy, Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, who doubles as LASWA’s head, noted that the OMI-EKO project was no longer a dream, but a reality that would change the course of transportation in Lagos.

He said the 78 hybrid electric ferries that would be deployed after the completion of the project would reduce pollutants’ emissions and boost clean mobility

The LASWA boss said 20 existing jetties would be upgraded with modern terminals across 15 major water routes.

‘In the first phase, there will be dredging and channelisation of 15 ferry routes for safer and faster transport. Parts of the benefits include technology transfer and capacity development for key agencies in the waterways, especially LASWA.

‘There will be funding for the informal boat sector under our Vessel Industry. This is how we build a water-based economy that works for all – from operators to passengers, from private investors to our citizens,’ he said.

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jean-Noel Barrot, said the project received complete support from EU partners, given the untapped opportunities in Lagos waterways.

The envoy said the OMI-EKO project represented the ‘best possible’ example of what partnership could achieve for the benefit of the people, pointing out that the development was part of the success of the bilateral cooperation reached during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to the French President Emmanuel Macron.

The EU Ambassador in Nigeria, Mr. Gautier Mignot, noted the partnership was an historical milestone for Lagos and EU member states, stressing that the investment would enhance life quality.

‘This investment supports development of 12 strategic waterways corridors to enhance secure and efficient sustainable transport networks. Four of these corridors are located in West Africa. We are proud to be part of this project which showcases all the aspects of global gateway development,’ Mignot said.

Ten female teams across Nigeria are jostling for glory in the inaugural Governor Douye Diri Women Pre-season Football Tournament in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

The 10 teams comprising eight Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) sides and two non-league teams, will test their strength in the competition which is aimed at preparing the clubs for the new season.

The pre-season tournament which is scheduled to end on October 25 kicked off yesterday with the opening match between Bayelsa Queens and Delta Queens.

In the first match, played at the Government House field, Bayelsa Queens piped Delta Queens 1-0, to start the tournament on a promising note.

According to the draws, the competition would be played in two groups of ‘A’ and ‘B’ with five teams in each group.

Group A has hosts, Bayelsa Queens of Yenagoa, Delta Queens FC, Rivers Angels FC, Imo Strikers FC and Nasarawa Amazons while the clubs in group B are Bayelsa Princesses FC, FC Robo, Abia Angels FC, Edo Queens FC and Heartland Queens FC of Owerri.

Other clubs are; Rivers Angels of Port-Harcourt, Imo Strikers, Heartland Queens, FC Robo and Bayelsa Princesses.

The chairman of Bayelsa Queens football club, who doubles as the chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Pastor Robin Apreala, assured the teams of fairness throughout the tournament, urging the referees to be professional in the discharge of their duties.

The Chairman of the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC), Hon. Mamman Nda Ari, has said the State Local Government Electoral Law signed into law recently is to enhance a free, fair and credible next Local Government elections in 2026.

The SIEC Chairman disclosed this on Friday in his address at the meeting with stakeholders in Lokoja.

He told the stakeholders, comprising various political parties, civil society organisations , traditional rulers, security agencies and other interest groups that the preparation towards local government election is at the top gear .

According to KOSIEC chairman, the new law is being aligned with the INEC Electoral Act is to ensure that conduct of election to the local government is credible free, fair, and transparent .

He added that the law is expected to address concerns on the issues around electoral process, voter registration, candidate nomination, and the overall management of Local Government elections.

Also, he stressed further that the new law is to provide clarity on the tenure of local government officials and the procedures for their election.

‘By aligning with the INEC Electoral Act, the state may be able to improve the legitimacy and credibility of its local government elections, potentially leading to more effective governance at the grassroots level.

‘KOSIEC remains committed to transparency that will provide a level playing field for all the political gladiators and their parties.’

‘This stakeholders gathering will allow us to showcase the new 2025 electoral law that would guide us in the conduct of the elections.’

‘This meeting is sacrosanct so that every stakeholder will have a say in making a timetable for the elections.’

‘Stakeholders should as a matter of necessity begin sensitization of our citizens on the new electoral law and the value of the electoral process generally, as well as the need for voters to come out in their large numbers to exercise their franchise’, said Eri

However, the stakeholders raised concern over roles and contempt, including budgetary provision to guarantee the forth coming local government election, since the tenure of the present local government leaderhip is about to wind up.

The chairman of Kogi NGOs Network (KONGONET) Ambassador Idris Ozovehe Muraina stated that the implementation of the framed up new law by the KOSIEC in alignment with INEC’s provisions may make officials of KOSIEC liable to contempt .

He advised that the document should be given holistic view before being used for the coming local government election to avoid being trapped in the embedded legal implications associated with the new laws .

‘It may be difficult for the KOSIEC to implement some of the INEC laws being aligned with to the letter ; several of the clauses may implicate KOSIEC into contempt charges’, said Ozovehe.

Also, the Executive Director of Initiative for Grass-root Advancement (INGRA), Hamza Aliyu Ibrahim raised the issue of budgetary provision that will create enabling environment for the conduct of the election.

‘We are not compelled by law to do it , but chose to do it . Am wondering how this election is going to be conducted without a budgetary provision.

‘The state government has not presented a supplementary budget to that effect. It may not be feasible to finance the election as being envisaged since there is no budgetary back up, and the tenure of the present local government officials is about to expire’, he said .

The Kogi State Government swore in the present elected Local Government Chairmen on October 21, 2024, two days after the local government election held on October 19, 2024.

Protesters, who are agitating for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, have fled the protest ground after combined security forces released live bullets.

The protesters, led by the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement and former Presidential candidate of African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, gathered as early as 6:50am around the headquarters of Women Affairs ministry.

Daily Trust reports that the security forces drawn from the Nigerian police, Guards Brigade, Department of State Services (DSS) and NSCDC, had beefed up security around Presidential Villa, since Sunday.

They mounted road blocks at strategic places leading to the Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Court of Appeal Headquarters, Force Headquarters and the popular Eagle Square.

Before the beef up, the protesters had vowed to march to the Presidential Villa to press home their demands regarding the continued detention of the IPOB leader.

Our correspondent reports that as the protesters marched around the Court of Appeal, the operatives fired different shots.

The protesters had earlier thought the police officers, who were preventing them from advancing further wanted to fire teargas cannisters at them but they fled when live bullets were being released from different directions.

Earlier, Sowore and some of the protesters had shouted at the police, saying, ‘Don’t teargas us! Don’t teargas us! Respect rule of law! We have rights to protest, we’re Nigerians.’

As at when filing this report, the military Armoured Personal Carriers from the Guards, Nigerian police and the DSS were still stationed at those strategic locations.

Team Nigeria’s men’s and women’s hockey teams have returned home after proudly representing the nation at the African Hockey Cup of Nations (ACN) held in Ismailia, Egypt.

Made up entirely of local-based players who trained intensively for over six weeks in Abuja, both teams delivered spirited performances against some of Africa’s hockey powerhouses – including South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, and hosts Egypt.

The men’s team claimed the bronze medal – their best finish in recent years – after defeating Kenya 3-1 in the third-place playoff. Nigeria’s James Samaila shone brightly, emerging as the tournament’s top scorer with an impressive eight goals.

Meanwhile, the women’s team, who had previously secured bronze in earlier editions, put up a commendable fight but narrowly missed out on a podium finish this time.

President of the Nigeria Hockey Federation (NHF), Engineer Simon Nkom, speaking on arrival from Egypt, praised both teams for their ‘dedication, teamwork, and resilience,’ and pledged continued support for the sport’s growth.

‘Our players showed the true Nigerian spirit. We’ll keep building on this foundation to achieve greater results,’ he said.

Engineer Nkom also described the men’s bronze medal as a major milestone for Nigerian hockey.

‘Our players displayed exceptional passion and discipline throughout the competition. This achievement is a significant step forward for Nigerian hockey,’ he added.

An organisation, Ikore International Development Limited, in partnership with ChananHill, has taken a nutritional campaign awareness to Aso Pada, a neaigbouring Abuja community in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Abuja Metro reports that the event, held on Thursday, was part of the activities to mark this year’s World Food Day with the theme, ‘Hand in Hand – Better Food, Better Future.’

It was attended by more than 200 community members-including pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and local leaders and was designed to promote healthy eating habits and better food choices using locally available foods.

It featured a series of interactive sessions and a symbolic Food Pledge to encourage lasting behaviour change toward improved nutrition.

Speaking at the event, Ikore’s Managing Partner, Ogheneovo Ugbebor, highlighted that the initiative reflects Ikore’s ongoing commitment to improving food and nutrition outcomes through inclusive, locally owned solutions.

‘At Ikore, we believe real change begins in communities. Taking this year’s commemoration to the grassroots is our way of showing that nutrition is everyone’s business-from the household to the market, and from mothers to fathers,’ Ugbebor said.

She said the partnership between Ikore and ChananHill paved the way for the official activation of the Balanced Plate Initiative-a program designed to improve household nutrition by empowering women and nutritionally vulnerable groups with the knowledge and tools to make better food choices.

Hembafan Martina, Head of Program at ChananHill, underscored the importance of community-led nutrition awareness in achieving food security and healthier families.

‘The Balanced Plate Initiative is about helping women and pregnant or lactating mothers understand that good nutrition starts with what’s already in their kitchens,’ Martina said.

The World Food Day celebration in Aso Pada not only commemorated a global cause but also paved the way for a sustained community nutrition movement-one that places women at the heart of change and promotes a future where every household can achieve better food and better health.

The police have arraigned two persons in Ekiti State, Adeola Seun (23) and Oluwatobi Ojo (30), at the Chief Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti over an alleged indecent sexual touch.

The prosecutor, Inspector Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the defendants, on or about October 12, 2025, at Araromi-Ekiti within the Ijero-Ekiti Magisterial District, sexually touched one Adaramola Bunmi without her consent.

Inspector Oriyomi said they have committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 269(1) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State 2021.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge and their counsel, O. G. Abiola, urged the court to admit them to bail in liberal terms.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Abayomi Adeosun, granted them bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety each in like sum.

The case was adjourned until November 20, for hearing.