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British microcomputers and other foreign-made components have been found in Russian missiles and drones used in recent deadly strikes on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed, renewing calls for tougher international sanctions on Moscow.

In a post on social media on Monday, Zelensky said investigators identified parts from allied countries – including the United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Japan, and South Korea – in weapons fired during Sunday’s massive assault, which killed several civilians in western Ukraine.

‘Nearly 100,688 foreign-made parts were in the launched attack drones, about 1,500 in Iskanders, 192 in Kinzhal missiles, and 405 in Kalibrs,’ he said. ‘Microcomputers for drone flight control are produced in the United Kingdom.’

The Ukrainian president described the discovery as evidence that Russia continues to access Western technology despite two years of sweeping trade restrictions and export bans. He urged allies to ‘shut down every scheme that circumvents sanctions’, warning that companies and countries that allow loopholes to persist were indirectly enabling Moscow’s war machine.

Ukraine has shared detailed information on each identified company and product with its partners, Zelensky added.

British and American components identified

According to Zelensky, US companies supply converters for Russia’s Kh-101 cruise missiles and Shahed-type drones, sensors for unmanned aerial vehicles, and microelectronics used in missiles. British firms, he said, have been linked to the production of microcomputers used to guide drones.

The revelation is significant given the leading role both Washington and London have played in supporting Ukraine’s defence effort, providing weapons, intelligence, and billions in financial aid since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

The United Kingdom’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) said it was taking the allegations ‘incredibly seriously’, stressing that it had already banned the export of thousands of goods to Russia, including all items that Ukraine had flagged as being used on the battlefield.

‘We take reports of goods from UK companies being found in Russian weaponry incredibly seriously,’ a government spokesperson said. ‘Any person or firm that does not comply with sanctions could face large financial penalties or criminal prosecution.’

More than £20bn ($26.9bn) of UK trade with Russia is now under sanction, the department said.

Despite some of the harshest sanctions in modern history, Russia has managed to maintain and even expand parts of its military production, often through complex supply chains and third-party intermediaries in countries not participating in Western sanctions.

Russia has become the most-sanctioned nation in the world, yet it has avoided economic collapse by redirecting trade, boosting defence spending, and finding new buyers for its energy exports – particularly in China and India.

However, signs of strain are emerging. In June, Russia’s Minister for Economic Development, Maxim Reshetnikov, admitted the economy was ‘on the brink of recession’, amid slowing industrial output and a mounting fiscal burden.

Tensions have also been rising over reports of closer cooperation between Moscow and Beijing. Ukrainian intelligence official Oleh Alexandrov claimed over the weekend that China has been helping Russia identify targets in Ukraine using satellite reconnaissance.

He said Kyiv had evidence of ‘a high level of cooperation’ in mapping Ukrainian territory for strikes – an allegation the Kremlin has denied. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia has its ‘own space capabilities’ and does not rely on Chinese satellites.

Zelensky’s statement came as several European countries reported a surge in suspicious drone activity over military installations and civilian airports. Some governments have accused Russia of testing NATO’s air defences – a charge Moscow has dismissed as ‘baseless’.

Four members of one family, including a 15-year-old girl, were among those killed in Sunday’s strikes, which saw more than 500 missiles and drones launched overnight, mainly targeting the Lviv region in western Ukraine.

It was about development. It was about good governance. It was about progressive politics. But more deeply, it was about recognition, respect, and renewal – a heartfelt connection between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and a region with a proud history and boundless potential.

In Owerri, the capital of Imo State – right in the cultural and political heart of the South East – President Tinubu did more than commission infrastructure. He touched hearts, affirmed bonds, and renewed trust.

Just like in every other state he has visited in the past few weeks, the atmosphere in Imo was electric. Excitement filled the streets, hope filled the air, and expectations were met with substance.

This was not a visit of empty gestures – it was a visit grounded in action and guided by intent. This was President Tinubu’s second official visit to Imo State since taking office. His first was in January 2024, for the inauguration of Governor Hope Uzodimma’s second term. This return was not just a ceremonial trip – it was a deliberate step in building a deeper partnership with the people of the South East.

‘Today, I can confidently tell you – the worst is over,’ the President declared. These words, from a leader speaking directly to a region that has known both triumph and trials, were not just a statement of policy. They were a promise. A reassurance. A turning point. Projects that Speak Louder than Promises the President, accompanied by 22 APC Governors, and the National Chairman of the APC Professor Nantawe, came bearing visible evidence of federal partnership and regional development.

Gov. Hope Uzodimma, chairman of the Progressive Governor’s Forum literarily brought Nigeria to Owerri, Igbo heartland. A feat that speaks to his political clout and foresightedness. Nigeria converged on Imo State to bear witness to the Progressive development in Imo State.

Key legacy projects commissioned include: The Imo Concorde Hilton Hotel – revived as a symbol of Imo’s re-emergence as a destination for tourism and business. The Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Conference Centre – a new home for regional and continental dialogue. The Asumpta Flyover – easing congestion and improving connectivity across the capital. The Imo Digital Learning Centre – investing in the youth through technology and education. The Owerri-Mbaise-Obowo-Umuahia Road – a lifeline for communities, farmers, and businesses across Imo and Abia States.

This road is especially symbolic. It connects people – literally and figuratively. It shortens distances, reduces travel costs, and expands opportunity. For agrarian communities like Mbaise and Obowo, it brings markets closer and futures within reach.

For traders and commuters, it brings safety, efficiency, and dignity back to mobility. A Party, A Book, A Legacy Before the formal unveiling of the book, ‘A Decade of Impactful Progressive Governance in Nigeria’, authored by Governor Uzodinma, President Tinubu rose to address the gathering.

He began with warm greetings to leaders, dignitaries, and the people of Imo and the South East – but his message quickly turned to the heart of Nigeria’s national condition.

‘Thank you for your resilience. Thank you for your endurance,’ the President began, speaking directly to Nigerians across the country. ‘Nigeria is getting on the path of progress. The worst is over.’

It was more than political rhetoric – it was an expression of empathy and a moment of emotional connection, acknowledging the sacrifices made by ordinary citizens through a period of hardship and reform. President Tinubu praised the people for their patience, assuring them that the difficult economic reforms were already beginning to bear fruit.

‘The economy will pay you back,’ he said, drawing a rousing applause from the crowd. He then turned to Governor Hope Uzodinma, applauding him for his leadership, vision, and delivery of real, tangible development in Imo State.

‘You have shown what progressive governance looks like,’ the President noted.

Standing for Unity At the same event, President Tinubu addressed recent claims and allegations of religious persecution – particularly the narrative of genocide against Christians circulated by commentators outside Nigeria. With firmness and gravity, he dismissed these assertions as ‘a lie from the pit of hell.’

‘They lie all over the place that we have religious persecution. Our Muslim brothers and sisters, our Christian brothers and sisters are united. No religious persecution in Nigeria – it is a lie from the pit of hell.’ His message underscored the theme that reverberated throughout the visit: the unity of Nigerians regardless of faith, and the refusal to allow misinformation to divide or weaken the bonds of national family.

Leadership in Full Force The event brought together Nigeria’s most senior political leaders – a strong signal of unity and national direction. Among them were: Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, the traditional institution was represented by Emirs, Kabiyesis, Obongs, Obis, Oonis in full alongside leaders of other eminent personalities.

This included former Governors and former and serving Senators and House of Representatives members. Nearly 8 of the current serving Ministers were in Owerri to give full support to Nigeria’s President and the undisputed leader of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. GCFR.

This display of leadership was more than protocol – it was a gesture of respect to the South East and a collective reaffirmation of the region’s central place in Nigeria’s political and developmental journey. A Renewed Pact with the South East in Imo, President Tinubu extended more than a hand – he touched hearts.

The projects he commissioned were significant, but the messages he delivered were even more profound: that the South East is not on the margins, and that Nigerians of all faiths are united in this journey.

For decades, the South East has longed for inclusion, dignity, infrastructure, and national acknowledgement. This visit-full of depth, symbolism, and substance-marked a turning of the page.

It was a renewal of trust, a reaffirmation of identity, a recommitment to shared prosperity. President Tinubu did not come as a stranger. He came as a leader, a partner, and a believer in the enormous potential of the South East.

The pact is clear: A South East that is heard, seen, included – and empowered. And the promise is firm: no part of Nigeria will ever be forgotten or divided. As the President departed Owerri, he left behind roads, buildings, and digital learning centres.

But more importantly, he left behind a growing sense of belonging – and the hope that the bridge between the South East and the center is being rebuilt, brick by brick, with trust, truth, unity, and tangible action. Reform to Recovery In Owerri at the belly of the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Conference Center, President Tinubu seized the ‘Bully Pulpit’ in Owerri to deliver inspiring, powerful and fiery messages.

‘As I stand before you today, I can tell you with confidence that Nigeria has turned the corner.’ You will see prosperity. You will have it. Those who are speaking ill of this country should stop. Sixty-five years of independence is not a joke’.

‘I stand before you confident, yet humble, to say that Nigeria is no longer where it was ten years ago. We have crossed that line. We promised change, and today I can confidently tell you that promise is alive.

The worst is over,’ he reiterated. President Tinubu was not done yet. He has words for detractors. ‘There’s no religious persecution in Nigeria. It’s a lie from the pit of hell. I have always believed in good governance.’.

The President in Owerri put a bold foot forward: Nigeria is out of Surgery and it is time to rebuild together. That message resonates non-stop.

Nigeria’s soaring youth unemployment crisis is being compounded by deep-rooted flaws in the country’s education system, alongside other systemic challenges, according to a report from the ongoing 2025 Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja.

Speakers at the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES #31), themed ‘The Reform Imperative: Building a Prosperous and Inclusive Nigeria by 2030,’ emphasised that faulty education, graduates’ skills-mismatch and limited depth of the private sector, among others, are functional to the surging unemployment in Nigeria.

‘Those in schools are not learning as they should, fueling the learning crisis in the country. Besides, students there are instances of graduates’ skills-mismatch syndrome.

Moreover, the private sector firms are too small to create the number of jobs needed in the country,’ they stated.

To tackle the soaring unemployment crisis, experts at the NES #31 posited that Nigeria must create at least 4.5 million jobs every year to absorb its teeming unemployed population.

The discussants emphasised that the kind of jobs that will take people out of poverty are not being created in high numbers.

They advocated a reform of the technical and vocational institutions in the country to upskill graduates who will not only be fit for jobs but would also become job creators.

From outdated curricula and limited vocational training to a mismatch between graduates’ skills and labour market demands, experts warn that without urgent reforms, the nation’s young population will continue to face bleak job prospects.

Nigeria’s future hinges on its youth. With innovation and resilience, young Nigerians are not just demanding change but driving it, forging new paths in technology, art, and entrepreneurship.

‘Empowering them with quality education and opportunities isn’t a choice; it’s the only sustainable strategy for a prosperous and stable,’ they say.

The 31st Nigerian Economic Summit, with the theme ‘The Reform Imperative: Building a Prosperous and Inclusive Nigeria by 2030,’ comes at a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s development journey.

With bold reforms already underway, NES #31 convenes a diverse gathering of global leaders, senior government officials, CEOs, economists, development partners, scholars, and change-makers to build consensus on the next phase of Nigeria’s transformation and shape actionable policies and practical solutions for Nigeria’s socioeconomic development.

The summit adopts a pragmatic, future-facing lens to shape a cohesive national agenda that balances macroeconomic stability with inclusive growth.

The principal objectives of NES #31 are to forge a consensus on Nigeria’s reform trajectory, balancing stability and inclusion; develop sector-specific reform strategies; galvanise stakeholder input into the National Medium-Term Development Plan; scale proven subnational reform models; and strengthen public-private-development partnerships for reform

On the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, African Business Stories (ABS) marked the one-year anniversary of its flagship Roundtable Series with two milestones: the presentation of its inaugural Africa Champion Award to Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), and the launch of its first Impact Report, capturing a year of progress in closing Africa’s $42 billion gender financing gap.

The event opened with special remarks from Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (Florida’s 20th District), who underscored the urgency of shifting from aid to trade in U.S.-Africa relations.

She highlighted new U.S. legislation enabling diaspora remittances to be reinvested as capital and reaffirmed her commitment to the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

‘When women start businesses, they create jobs, change communities, and shift entire economies,’ said Cherfilus-McCormick.

The award was presented by Florie Liser, President and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa, who praised Prof. Oramah’s transformative leadership in expanding Afreximbank’s assets and guarantees eight-fold, growing revenues sevenfold, and ensuring women, youth, and SMEs have access to trade and capital opportunities.

‘Prof. Oramah embodies the foresight to envision a stronger Africa through trade, the resolve to mobilise billions in capital for transformative initiatives, and the commitment to ensure that women, youth, and SMEs are not left behind,’ said Liser.

In his acceptance remarks, Oramah underscored the importance of narrative ownership and boldness in Africa’s development journey:

‘The problem of Africa is that others have been telling our stories – and telling them in ways that put us down. We must tell our own stories and define African best practices.’

He also called for ambition in mobilising resources at scale:

‘Small projects rarely succeed. If we want to compete globally, Africa must think big and act boldly.’

The ABS Impact Report, unveiled by Founder Akaego Okoye, documents five high-level convenings held across New York, Washington, D.C., and Luanda, Angola over the past year.

The $42 billion funding gap is not just a challenge, it is an opportunity,’ said Akaego Okoye. ‘This first year has proven that when women are seen, connected, and resourced, they don’t just grow businesses – they transform economies. ABS will continue to create the access and partnerships needed to catalyse their success.’

These gatherings brought women founders face-to-face with policymakers, financiers, and global leaders, and laid the groundwork for new access to markets and capital. The report serves both as a record of impact and a roadmap for future action.

Alongside these milestones, the Roundtable featured: A Founders Panel with Ifedayo Agoro (Dang! Lifestyle) and Lesego Serolong-Holzapfel (Moedi Wines), sharing the realities of accessing capital, navigating trade barriers, and scaling globally.

A Public-Private Dialogue with Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim (Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs) and Cheryl Buss (CEO, Absa International), highlighting how policy frameworks and innovative financial products must align to unlock scale for women entrepreneurs.

The signing of an MOU between Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Domena Commodities Limited to expand women’s participation in agribusiness and trade.

At least nine out of every 10 Nigerians will no longer have to pay the Pay as You Earn (PAYE) tax Taiwo Oyedele, the chairman, presidential fiscal policy and tax reform committee has said. He also added that Nigerians will start enjoying benefits of new tax laws, beginning from January 2026.

Oyedele who spoke at the ongoing Nigerian Economic Summit (NES31) in Abuja on Tuesday, said that about 98 percent of the Nigeria’s population will no longer pay the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax.

He emphasied that the new tax laws are targeted at protecting the low income earners or those at the poverty line.

‘We cannot tax poverty, about 97 to 98 percent of Nigerians will no longer pay the PAYE, but the 2 percent will pay more as high income earners,’ he said.

Simba TVS has launched its new Kargo tricycle in Nigeria, designed to improve last-mile delivery and address the growing logistics challenges faced by businesses and service providers across the country.

According to the company, the Simba TVS Kargo tricycles are adapted for cargo and utility purposes, from FMCG distribution to rural healthcare delivery, providing solutions to sectors long underserved by conventional logistics.

‘Simba TVS Kargo is more than just another product, it’s a lifeline for businesses, farmers, and communities.

‘We saw the struggles created by rising costs after fuel subsidy removal and stepped in with a solution that is practical, durable, and affordable,’ Kamlesh Pitale, head of institutional sales at Simba Group said.

The company added that with a 400-550kg carrying capacity, the Simba TVS Kargo fills the critical gap between motorcycles and pickup trucks, backed by warranties, after-sales support, and customisation options.

‘The vehicles are already in use across multiple industries, including poultry, crop farming, FMCG distribution, waste management, and even healthcare,’ the company stated, noting that one standout innovation is the Simba TVS Ambulance Tricycle, designed to navigate rough terrain and reach remote communities with speed and efficiency.

‘Recent deliveries have been made to Taraba State, Port Harcourt, and the Leprosy Missions in Lafia, Abuja. Known for its maneuverability, low fuel consumption, and high performance, the Simba TVS Ambulance Tricycle has been described as a life-saving option when minutes matter.

Major players such as Multipro and Tolaram have already embraced Simba TVS Kargo. Multipro alone operates more than 165 units nationwide, replacing decades-old imported trucks that were unreliable and costly to maintain,’ they company noted.

Beyond vehicles, Simba TVS has invested heavily in after-sales infrastructure, committing more than N20 billion to service and support. With 50,000 trained mechanics, nationwide spare parts warehouses, and a 24-hour helpline, the company ensures minimal downtime for operators.

Its new ‘Service on Wheel’ campaign takes maintenance directly to customers’ locations, reducing operational disruptions.

Simba TVS also runs a youth training initiative, certifying more than 15,000 technicians in partnership with the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC). Riders are also given orientation sessions on maintenance, warranties, and best practices to maximize product life.

Jide Odelola, head of Marketing, said that Simba TVS Kargo is steadily becoming a permanent fixture in Nigeria’s logistics ecosystem.

‘The traction is building rapidly. Soon, Simba TVS Kargo will be the go-to special-purpose vehicle across hospitals, churches, farms, SMEs, NGOs, and government agencies. These vehicles are built for Nigeria’s realities, durable, cost-effective, and reliable,’ Odelia said.

With over 35 years of engineering expertise and a strong footprint across the country, Simba TVS is positioning Kargo as the future of last-mile mobility in Nigeria, a future that is affordable, practical, and truly transformative

Nigeria’s economy stands at a crossroads. With growth projections slowing, fiscal pressures rising, and climate shocks compounding development challenges, the search for new growth drivers is urgent. One of the least exploited but highest-potential levers is also the greenest: reforestation. The ‘green dividend’, the returns in economic, social and financial terms from restoring tree cover, is real, and Nigeria should be rising to claim it.

Reforestation: An investment, not a concession

Too often, tree planting is relegated to the fringes of environmental policy, seen as a public good with limited payback. That view is stale. Thoughtfully designed forest restoration, whether via natural regrowth, agroforestry systems, or mixed plantation models, can deliver tangible benefits to governments, communities, businesses, and individual households.

The concept is simple: trees sequester carbon, stabilise soils, regulate water cycles, enhance biodiversity, and moderate microclimates. But beyond these ecological services lies the value chain of jobs, incomes, resilience, health, and fiscal savings. Studies have shown that increasing tree cover in low-income settings can raise per capita incomes by as much as between N300,000 and N800,000 annually.

In West Africa, where land degradation undermines agricultural productivity, restoring forests can complement farming productivity. In Nigeria, especially, restoration correlates with improved dietary diversity. Households in regions where natural forest regrowth occurred have been shown to consume more fruits and vegetables and to show modest but measurable gains in living standards. Especially in rural areas, non-timber forest products (NTFPs), which include fruits, medicinal plants, fuelwood, and fibres, can become resilient income sources for households.

Economic benefits at scale

From a macro perspective, reforestation and afforestation programmes bring multiple dividends:

-Carbon finance and climate markets: As global carbon trading and voluntary markets mature, Nigeria can monetise carbon credits from forest restoration. This can inject foreign exchange into public accounts and catalyse private sector investment.

-Job creation: Every stage (nursery establishment, planting, maintenance, monitoring) is labour-intensive. Estimates suggest that every million dollars invested in green infrastructure can create around 24 year-round living-wage jobs.

-Agricultural resilience: Trees in agroforestry mosaics improve soil fertility, reduce erosion, and buffer crop yields against extreme weather. One study noted that integrating trees and crops yields comparable climate benefits while diversifying incomes.

-Tourism, ecosystem services, land value uplift: Healthy forests attract ecotourism, boost real estate values near green corridors, and reduce costs associated with flooding and storm damage.

-Health and productivity: Cleaner air, lower heat stress, and fewer respiratory illnesses translate into reduced health expenditures and higher worker productivity. Trees act as natural filters of pollutants and offer cooling in urban environments.

For Nigeria, which continues to struggle with degraded land, desertification in the north, and weak public finances, those are not fringe effects; they are strategic levers.

Social and individual returns

At the community and household levels, the green dividend is felt in several ways:

A. Poverty reduction and income diversification: Forest restoration offers alternative income streams, reducing dependence on single crops or extractive practices. This is especially powerful for women, youth, and smallholders.

B. Nutritional gains: As noted earlier, regrowth areas boost access to wild fruits, vegetables and other micronutrient-rich foods, helping to reduce malnutrition.

C. Social cohesion and culture: Community planting programmes can strengthen local identity, instil environmental stewardship, and bridge generational ties around common purpose.

D. Resilience to shocks: Forest cover buffers erosion, reduces flood risk, stabilises water tables, and acts as a safety net in times of climate stress.

In Nigeria, though reforestation efforts have often faltered due to tree mortality, land tenure disputes, and funding gaps, the upside remains compelling if those challenges are proactively addressed.

Constraints and the path forward

To unlock Nigeria’s green dividend, some structural hurdles must be surmounted:

-Property rights and land tenure clarity: Many rural communities lack formal title to the land they farm or restore. Without clear tenure, incentives for long-term tree care falter.

-Species choice and ecological appropriateness: Monoculture plantations (e.g., fast-growing exotics) may lock in risks. Policy should favour native and mixed species, plus natural regrowth, to maximise co-benefits.

-Mortality and maintenance: Globally and in Nigeria, the failure rate of planted trees is high unless sustained aftercare is assured. That means financing beyond planting – irrigation, weeding, and community engagement.

-Finance and incentives: The public purse cannot shoulder large reforestation alone. Nigeria needs pro-green fiscal instruments, payment-for-ecosystem-services frameworks, carbon offsets, and blended finance vehicles.

-Monitoring, safeguards and governance: Transparent tracking, community participation and safeguards against land grabs or perverse incentives are essential.

Policy levers and business engagement

To scale impact, Nigeria must translate green ambition into actionable policy:

1. National reforestation strategy with clear targets, budgets and accountability frameworks. The National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) is one such institution, already tasked with land restoration in the Sahel belt.

2. Incentive schemes: Tax credits and subsidies for private afforestation, payments to communities for ecosystem services, and carbon credit frameworks aligned with global standards.

3. Public-private partnerships: Encourage forest restoration as business opportunities for firms in carbon, timber, ecotourism, and green infrastructure. A win-win: profit with purpose.

4. Capacity building and community engagement: Training local youth in nursery management, engaging traditional authorities, and ensuring inclusion of women and marginal groups.

5. Integration into agricultural and land use planning: The green dividend must not compete with food production but complement it-through agroforestry, riparian buffers, and contour plantings.

6. Rigorous monitoring and evaluation: Satellite tools, community audits, and impact reporting must ensure that promised dividends are real and equitable.

A concluding call

Nigeria’s pursuit of development must now walk hand in hand with regeneration. The green dividend is not a utopian dream but a multi-dimensional return on investment: stronger growth, more resilient communities, healthier citizens, and new revenue streams.

To neglect the forest’s potential is to limit Nigeria’s future. As the world increasingly values carbon, climate resilience, and bundled environmental goods, Nigeria can position itself not as a laggard but as a leader in Africa’s green economy.

The ongoing Seplat Tree4Life reforestation project in Edo State is proof that large-scale, successful reforestation projects designed for carbon credits and sequestration can indeed be implemented in Nigeria. It is a showpiece of what is possible when ambition, science, and corporate responsibility converge. The challenge, and the opportunity, is for other large corporations to follow Seplat’s example and commit to similar bold initiatives.

For governments, communities, businesses and individuals alike, investing in trees is not charity; it is calculus. The time to cultivate the green dividend is now.

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has declared Senator Adams Oshiomhole ‘persona non grata’ following his criticism of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) over its nationwide strike in solidarity with 800 engineers sacked by Dangote Refinery.

In an October 3 interview with Arise TV, Oshiomhole called PENGASSAN’s industrial action ‘hasty and unfair’ to other workers.

NUPENG responded sharply in a statement signed by President Williams Akporeha and General Secretary Afolabi Olawale, accusing the former labour leader of betraying core union principles.

‘In conclusion, the leadership of NUPENG hereby declares Senator Adams Oshiomhole persona non grata within the ranks of Nigerian Oil and Gas Workers,’ the union said.

The declaration means NUPENG will no longer participate in or endorse any labour-related event involving Oshiomhole. ‘The NLC, TUC and conscionable civil society organisations should kindly take notice,’ the statement added.

NUPENG described Oshiomhole’s remarks as a ‘betrayal of labour principles’ and a ‘distortion of established laws.’

‘We witness with utter disappointment a former labour leader now transformed into a vocal advocate for corporate oppression,’ the union said.

It stressed that PENGASSAN’s sympathy strike is protected under Section 31 of the Trade Unions Act and aligned with the global union tenet: ‘An injury to one is an injury to all.’

‘His attempts to rationalize the victimization of workers. are not only nauseating but represent a flagrant misrepresentation of Nigerian Labour Law and ILO Conventions,’ NUPENG stated.

The union accused Oshiomhole of ignoring the mass dismissal while condemning PENGASSAN’s response, calling his stance ‘an act of profound historical revisionism and political amnesia.’

NUPENG affirmed its full support for PENGASSAN and the dismissed workers, vowing to use all legal and industrial tools to seek justice.

It also urged Oshiomhole to step back from labour commentary, saying he has ‘irretrievably lost the moral right and legitimacy before Nigerian workers.’

Sometimes progress doesn’t fail for lack of ideas; rather, it falters for lack of proximity.

We talk about innovation as though it lives in code, capital, and conference declarations. But the truest measure of progress is how close our solutions come to people’s everyday lives. It’s not about technology in itself; it’s about the distance between a brilliant concept and the mother waiting in a rural clinic, or the young entrepreneur who just needs digital access to unlock possibilities.

In last week’s article, I reflected on innovation as who we are. But innovation without proximity is performance. It dazzles on paper but struggles in practice. As leaders, especially in Africa’s rapidly evolving public and private sectors, we are being invited to locate progress not in the clouds of aspiration but in the closeness of impact.

‘For Africa, this lesson is timely. As we push for continental self-determination in health supply chains, digital sovereignty, and green transitions, our leadership must blend diplomacy with groundedness.’

The global headlines behind the headlines

This past week’s global news cycle was a study in contrasts. From the USAID indictment involving stolen HIV test kits in Kenya to new global pledges for digital infrastructure and climate finance, one thread runs through them all: how fragile systems can become when proximity is lost.

The case of diverted commodities is not simply a governance story; it’s a proximity story, a reminder of how complexity, distance, and limited local ownership can strain even the best-intentioned systems. When people closest to the challenge feel ownership, integrity grows stronger and trust deepens.

By contrast, India’s digital public infrastructure offers a powerful lesson in what happens when systems are designed with proximity in mind, meeting people where they are and translating access into empowerment. It worked not because of technological superiority, but because it honoured connection.

Even climate conversations are circling back to this truth. As John Kerry said in Geneva, the world’s energy transition isn’t about sacrifice; it’s about investability. That word, ‘investability’, is proximity in motion. It signals a shift from pledges to participation, from promises to practice.

Reclaiming proximity in leadership

In African development, proximity is not a soft value; it’s a structural one. The success of any programme or partnership depends less on what’s written in the strategy document and more on who feels seen by it.

When we design digital health systems in Lagos or Mogadishu, the actual innovation is not in the platform; it’s in how we ensure that the nurse using it in a rural clinic finds it intuitive, affordable, and human.

When we build cross-sector partnerships, the power lies in our ability to create belonging for government officials, private innovators, and local actors alike.

I often say that Africa’s strength is not its scale but its synchronicity: how governments, citizens, and partners can align when the goal is shared and the context respected. Proximity is the architecture of that alignment.

Proximity and trust in the age of global transitions

The world is undergoing a set of overlapping transitions – digital, demographic, and climatic – that will redefine how we measure growth and governance. The IMF’s latest research on fiscal resilience, the EAT-Lancet report on just food systems, and the new wave of private finance-led aid models all point to one reality: progress must be local to be lasting.

The risk is that in our pursuit of global relevance, we lose relational depth. We become fluent in frameworks but tone-deaf to context.

But proximity reminds us that trust is still the global currency of leadership. Without trust, data becomes suspect, and even the most elegant digital system remains a shell.

For Africa, this lesson is timely. As we push for continental self-determination in health supply chains, digital sovereignty, and green transitions, our leadership must blend diplomacy with groundedness. The distance between Addis Ababa and Abuja, Geneva and Garoua, or New York and Nairobi must be bridged not only by planes and policies but also by perspective.

The quiet revolution of staying close

The next era of leadership in Africa will not be won through scale alone but through sensitivity. The leaders who will define the next decade are those who understand that proximity is not a step backward from ambition; it is the only way to make ambition real.

In a sense, this is Africa’s moment to model what the world needs most: relational governance.

Africa has always led through community, through connection, dialogue, and shared responsibility. That ethos, if embedded in our institutions, can redefine what global cooperation looks like.

When a government official in Ghana collaborates with a startup in Kenya to digitise primary care, or when African scientists co-design solutions with communities rather than for them, proximity becomes a force multiplier. It turns partnerships into pathways and strategies into stories people can trust.

A closing reflection

The future will reward leaders who can be both visionary and proximate, global in reach but local in touch. The ones who can translate between systems and citizens, who understand that sustainability is built one relationship at a time.

So, as global conversations swirl around aid reform, climate transition, and digital acceleration, perhaps the quiet question we must keep asking is, How close are we, really, to the people we serve?

Because in the end, leadership is not about distance travelled, but connection sustained.

And progress, like trust, only grows stronger when we choose to stay close.

The’ unlawful’ take-over of 2,560 oil wells and gas resources at Effiat Mbo Mangrove Islands in Mbo Local Government Area of Àkwa Ibom by Republic of Cameroon has led to a loss of huge revenue accruable to the State, an advocacy group, Open Forum has alleged.

Apart from annexing the islands, the Group has also accused Cameroon of taking over parts of Bakassi Peninsula, which Nigeria Government under the Olusegun Obasanjo’s Administration, formally handed over to Cameroon in August 2008, following the ruling by International Court of Justice (ICJ) at Hague, Netherlands.

According to the Group, the court used the Anglo-German Agreement of 1913 as a key document in its decision in ceding Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroon.

The Group also disclosed that a recent report shown that there are 16 ancestral homes/villages in Effiat, Mbo Mangrove Islands.

Matthew Okono, Founder and President of Open Forum, an advocacy group, stated

‘While defending the Akwa Ibom ownership of the resolved 76 oil wells, our sister State, Cross River was trying to take back through political solution, we drew the attention of His Excellency, Gov Umo Eno to the vast Oil Wells and Gas Resources, estimated at over 2,560 wells at Effiat Mbo Mangrove Islands, Mbo LGA illegally annexed along with Bakassi Peninsula by Republic of Cameroon.’

Okono, who disclosed this during a public presentation to the Speaker, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly in Uyo on a position paper entitled: Agenda Setting for an Akwa Ibom without oil, said, ‘Imagine the amount of resources that will accrue to the State if the government responds to sensitive information made available to them so they can act alongside other authorities to get required results.

‘The matter is currently at the National Assembly. AKSG needs to be fully involved to avoid future controversies.’

If not for the circumstances, the resources would have raised the economic status of Àkwa Ibom as the largest producers of oil in Nigeria, thereby attracting humongous monthly revenue to the state’s purse.

Already, Akwa Ibom Government has budgeted N5 billion for Excess Crude Oil for 2025 financial year, showing that N416.7 million is being expected from Federation Account monthly.

Recall, the Senate had, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, constituted an eight-member Ad hoc Committee to investigate the allegations that the Republic of Cameroon had forcefully taken over Nigerian Mangrove Islands and maritime territories in Effiat in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

Akpabio, announced the Committee’s composition during the plenary after most senators supported it through voice votes.

He said the Committee would be chaired by Jimoh Ibrahim, the senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District.

Other members of the are Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC, Ondo Central), Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), Kaka Lawan (APC, Borno Central), Banigo Ipalibo (PDP, Rivers West), Agom Jarigbe (PDP, Cross River North), Ekong Sampson (PDP, then, now, APC, Akwa Ibom South) and Aniekan Bassey (PDP then, now APC, Akwa Ibom North-East).

The Senate president directed the Committee members to report to the Senate within two months with recommendations on how to address the issue.

The need to probe the forceful takeover of Nigerian mangrove islands followed a motion sponsored by Mr Bassey during the plenary.

The senator, while presenting his motion, said the Cameroonian Government had encroached on Nigeria’s islands in Akwa Ibom despite the fact that the affected islands were not part of the territories ceded to Cameroon under the 1913 Anglo-German treaties or the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling of October 2002.

Bassey decried that the encroachment had significantly crashed the state’s economy, particularly in the oil and gas sector.

‘It is a monumental national embarrassment that foreign laws are being imposed by the Cameroonian Gendarmes on Nigerians living in the 16 ancestral villages in these areas. This encroachment is illegal and has resulted in a significant economic loss, particularly in oil and gas revenues.

‘It should be noted that the islands in focus were not part of the territories ceded to the Government of Cameroun by the 1913 Anglo-German treaties and the International Court of Justice’s decision of October 2002.

‘As such, the encroachment into these territories is not only illegal but has led to a huge economic loss of more than 2,560 oil wells and gas revenues, which ought to accrue to Nigeria,’ he said.