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Sir: Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Femi Fanwo in a recent post on his Facebook page touted the payment of salaries to civil servants in Kogi State as an ‘achievement’ of the state administration. For a man who occupies the exalted position of image maker of a state government, such a post was not only a professional misstep but also an unfortunate blunder in public communication.

Here is what Fanwo wrote: ‘They said the payment of salaries is not an achievement. I agree. No questions. But when it is not paid, it becomes a failure. Isn’t it?

‘Government resources have competing pressures. Education is there, healthcare is there, roads are there, agriculture is there, youth and women empowerment is there, security is there, housing and urban development too and many others across all the sectors.

‘The magic of the Kogi State government to still meet all of these needs and still pay salaries should be commended.

Let’s be clear: payment of salaries is not an achievement. It is an obligation. A responsible government pays its workers as and when due, not as an act of benevolence, but as a matter of statutory and moral duty. To celebrate it as an ‘achievement’ is to set a dangerously low bar for governance and to insult the intelligence of the working population whose sweat and labour sustain the state machinery. Workers earn their pay through their service. Salaries are rights guaranteed by law, not favours dispensed by magnanimous governors.

Under international labour standards, specifically Article 23(3) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), it is clearly stated that ‘Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity.’ This provision makes salary payment a matter of right and justice, not benevolence.

Similarly, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 95 (Protection of Wages Convention, 1949) mandates employers, including governments, to pay wages regularly and in full. The obligation is binding on all member states, including Nigeria.

At the national level, the Nigerian Labour Act (Cap L1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004) explicitly provides under Section 15(1) that ‘Wages shall become due and payable at the end of each period for which the contract is expressed to subsist.’ In simple terms, the law expects that every employer, whether private or public, pays workers promptly at the end of each month.

Also, Kogi State’s Public Service Rules reinforce this, mandating that government employees receive their lawful entitlements as and when due. Nowhere in these laws is salary payment described as a government favour or an ‘achievement.’

Governor Usman Ododo’s administration has indeed initiated and continued several development-related projects across the state. These are in road rehabilitation, construction of model secondary schools, support for security architecture, and expansion of infrastructure across tertiary institutions. These are tangible, measurable, and impactful indicators of achievement. Those are the milestones that define success in governance. Not the routine act of paying salaries.

Across Nigeria, many states, especially in the Northwest and Southwest consider prompt salary payment a routine responsibility, not a trophy to flaunt. States like Lagos, Oyo, and Rivers have long normalized the practice of paying civil servants promptly, even while executing massive infrastructural and social projects.

Let’s be honest, failure to pay salaries promptly is not only a sign of administrative incompetence; it is a woeful failure that reeks of irresponsibility. It cripples productivity, fuels corruption, and breeds resentment. When governments pay salaries late, they are not saving money – they are losing legitimacy.

Therefore, Governor Usman Ododo’s decision to pay salaries promptly deserves acknowledgment for responsibility, not celebration for achievement. The distinction matters, especially in a democracy where accountability and communication shape public perception. Each time a spokesperson misrepresents responsibility as achievement, the government loses moral capital. The governor’s performance should speak through visible projects, economic reforms, and governance integrity, not through exaggerated praise for meeting basic obligations.

Superstar Lionel Messi, the MLS Golden Boot winner and MLS MVP favourite, leads an MLS Best XI list this season that features representatives from nine clubs.

With 29 goals and 19 assists, the Inter Miami forward was one goal contribution shy of the league-record 49 set by Carlos Vela in 2019 and could be the first back-to-back MVP in league history.

Argentina’s Messi is joined on the list, announced by MLS on Wednesday, by players from seven different countries, including six players who are honoured on the list for the first time.

The Philadelphia Union, with defenders Jakob Glesnes and Kai Wagner, and the Vancouver Whitecaps, with defender Tristan Blackmon and midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, were the only teams with more than one member.

The Best XI is determined annually by the media, MLS players and MLS club technical staff members.

The 2025 MLS Best XI:

Forwards: Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)

Midfielders: Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Evander (FC Cincinnati), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders)

Defenders: Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), Jakob Glesnes (Philadelphia Union), Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union)

Goalkeeper: Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United FC).

Federal Government has trained more than 75,000 youths in skill acquisition through Innovation Development and Effective in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) TVET initiative.

National Project Coordinator, Mrs Blessing Ogwu, spoke at the launch of six months’ free training of 100 trainees in Agriculture and Aquaculture in Badagry, Lagos State.

The programme is organised by Federal Ministry of Education, IDEAS-TVET Initiative, in conjunction with SejFarms Consults Limited.

Ogwu said the training had been on since five years ago, though there were other components.

‘But for this IDEAS-TVET Initiative, it started in late 2024 and we have done the first cohort. This is the second cohort.

‘The aim is to train youths in skills, especially skill transfer.

‘What youths need most is to be taken off the streets and equipped to be self-sustained.”

‘So far, we are looking at engaging over 75,000 youths before the end of the programme,’ she further said.

She lauded the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa and World Bank for helping youths.

The Managing Director, SejFarms Consults Ltd, Mr Sejiro Oke-Tojinu, said the participants, mainly graduate of agriculture, would become better farmers that would improve food security agenda by the Federal Government.

Mr Nurudeen Tiamiyu, the coordinator of the training, said after the programme, participants should have enough hands on experience in agriculture in the whole value chain.

Mr Peter Dansu, the media aide to Prince Sesi Whingan, the lawmaker representing Badagry Federal Constituency, advised beneficiaries of the training to take advantage of the programme to become professional farmers.

Mr Augustine Kiki, a teacher, who represented Lagos State Commissioner for Youths and Social Development, Mr Mobolaji Ogunlende, enjoined the beneficiaries to take the training seriously and make best out of it.

Assistant Chief Fisheries Officer, Ministry of Agriculture and Food systems, Mrs Toying PoT-Balogun, advised the beneficiaries to make Lagos proud by taking advantage of the programme for their own benefits.

Forty-Eight Hours from now, the people of Anambra State will go to the polls to elect their governor. Will they return Governor Chukwuma Soludo, or will they elect a brand new governor? The election will be a test case for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, who assumed office last month. He is barely three weeks old on the job.

It is good that he is starting with an off-cycle election and in one state for that matter. With the security challenges in Anambra and the Southeast, in general, he must roll up his sleeves to ensure that this problem does not mar the election. Security is not his job though, but it is vital to a successful election. The security agencies must lend him a helping hand in this regard.

Amupitan has his job cut out for him. It is free and fair election or nothing. He has a huge task ahead and as he makes his debut as INEC Chair, with the Anambra poll on Saturday, the country’s chief electoral officer must have his eyes on how posterity will judge his tenure. His name, Amupitan, which means ‘a catalyst of history’, speaks to that. The nation cannot wait to see him not only make history, but also be a catalyst of change.

i imagine that first lady Oluremi Tinubu is standing more solidly in spirit by her husband at this time than at any other. I hope, also, that the president is kitting his health well with the right kinds of food and drinks and, of course, food supplements for the brain, nervous system and the heart. For there is no doubt that the last two weeks or so have been the most stressful of his political career, challenging his indomitable spirit, astute intellect and the dependability of his body to wade through the blast furnace of international politics with a super power unscathed. I recall we discussed stress management tangentially when he was Governor of Lagos State in the early nineties, when I took Shakirat Adeoti to his office on a thank you visit. Although I have to recall that event for the purpose of a good testimonial for a leading Nigerian politician who is friend to christians and moslems alike, the stress load from the pay load of a Governor’s Office is nothing near the worries and burden of the President of a weak country against which a giant, super power nation has declared intent of war.

Shakirat Adeoti was a microbiology graduate from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) who, at 33, had bleeding cancers in both breasts. She lived with her father, 92, and mother, 50 at 13, Opeloyeru Street, off Babs Animashaun area of Surulere, Lagos. When Governor Tinubu heard of her travails in The Comet newspaper, he sent her a cheque for N1 million to clear her medical bills. His wife, Oluremi, added N250,000 to the N1million and provided her family with raw food, cooking oil and sundry other things for their living convenience. I had been taking Shakirat to church on Sundays and mosques on Fridays and secondary school assemblies on Mondays, to raise money for her. Sometimes, we went to those schools in the company of Alhaji Razak Adedigba who was the Managing Editor of The Comet newspaper at that time. I would like to add that, about that time, Edith Ike Okongwu, a former Public Relations Manager of Guiness, who bore the first child of Gen. Yakubu Gowon out of wedlock when he was Head of State, lay languid with breast cancer in an oncology ward of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). Before she passed, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd) and Victoria, his wife, who took the place of Edith because he could not marry an Ibo during the war against Ibos, went to see her in hospital before she passed. Again, Governor Tinubu moved in compassion to help a dying person. He is a liberal moslem, his wife a liberal Christian pastor. They helped a dying Moslem girl and her distraught family, irrespective of their religion, and a Christian woman again irrespective of her faith. A hardened Moslem as President intent on annihilating christians would not permit that his wife be a Christian pastor and would not appoint Christian service chiefs and a Christian Inspector-General of Police! The generousity of Governor Tinubu and his wife, Oluremi, was not of ‘peculiar concern’ to me at that my first and only meeting so far with him. What was of ‘peculiar concern’ to me then were the stress lines I saw over his face and noticed in his voice. I would learn later from the then commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State, who is now the Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake, that Governor Tinubu hardly slept. He combined administration in daylight hours with political meetings at night. I did not know how to drive home the points I made about health better than by carrying coal to Newcastle, as they say. Newcastle is abundantly blessed with coal. So, why would I need to ship coal from Enugu colliery to Newcastle? That was what I did in a token obedience to one of The Laws of Nature, The Law of Balance, which demands healthy balance in ‘giving’ when we ‘take’. So, I purchased some nutritional supplements for coping with stress and sent them to the Governor through The Comet’s State House Correspondent. At that time, I was the newspaper’s Editorial Director/Editor-in-Chief and had adopted Shakirat Adeoti and her parents to be looked after under an upcoming The Comet Cares Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).

The stress of Office Governor Tinubu encountered in Lagos is incomparable with what he must have gone through in the past 30 months in the hands of all kinds of mafias in the Nigerian economy. But all the mafias combined cannot compare to the on-going bombardment of Nigeria as ‘a country of peculiar concern’ over killings of Christians in the North. Only a carefree Nigerian would say this is not an exceptional time for him or her as it would be for President Tinubu and the First Lady. I have not slept well for 48 hours. I have friends and family members who live in the North and are considering relocation to Lagos. Some who have money are making enquiries about property they can quickly buy or let. I guess many persons are bombarded with similar enquiries. The Army had probably found it unstrategic to fight the Northern insurgents and bandits with soldiers of Northern descent and had probably relied more on Southern soldiers to minimise the havocs of moles to strategy and effectiveness. Southerners whose children are in the Nigerian armed forces are restless and sleepless. Would Donald Trump try to do in the North what President George H.W Bush did in Panama in 1989 when American troops kidnapped the defacto ruler, Manuel Noriega, and sent him for trial in the United States on drug trafficking offences? In 1992, Noriega was jailed for 40 years with cuts to 30 years and later 17 years on account of good behaviour in prison! The U.S. says it has information on Nigerian financiers of Gboko Haram which it brands a terrorist organisation! The Noriega news was far far away, and we never thought such things or semblances of them could happen here.

Possible Nigerian Scenarios

Many people are wondering about possible scenarios.

1) Will Nigeria give American soldiers right of way to the North?

2) If prominent persons in the North are kidnapped by American soldiers, will that not overturn peace in the region? Will the Americans be able to handle the spill overs and not create a real religious crisis in the country?

3) Will China stand by or concede a share of the spoils of the Nigerian market to another country? Do the Chinese owe Nigerians their lives?

4) What if the Americans are coming for a do-or-die fight? How will they come in? By sea, with troops and aircraft carriers and through Lagos? Will many people not flee to their homeland and abandon the aborigens to their fate?

5) Will a Southern soldier lift a finger against the invaders? Will Northern soldiers, therefore, march down to engage the Americans in the South?

6) An American war anywhere leaves a bad taste in the mouth after, whether in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq or Libya. Will Nigeria be like them after?

We never know what may happen until events begin to unfold. Some of the countries on the Northern border who let in Sahelian invaders upon Nigeria, with the connivance of some Nigerians, have not only shut their borders but also barricaded them with military tanks and troops to prevent Nigerian refugee and escapee terrorist influxes into their countries!

President Tinubu

I pity President Tinubu because the buck stops in his hands. This problem began not with him. Yet, he has carefully navigated the Northern mines fields, mindful of the explosions a careless step may cause, without losing sight of the goal.

National Assembly

The National Assembly had been too slow in segregating the various political zones into semi-independent regions to free the Federal Government of needless administrative pressure. In my widow’s mite contribution made in this column and elsewhere on political restructuring of Nigeria, I suggested that each of the six regions be permitted to elect a Governal General to govern it like a mini President, building upon existing structure in the regions, while the Federal Government is limited to Defence, Currency, Immigration, Customs, Foreign Affairs etc. Each region will keep 40 percent of the resources in its dormains and all local governments 20 per cent while the Federal Government, for now, takes 40 per cent. We may think President Trump is garrulous. But can we any longer when only two weeks ago Amotekun announced a clear and present danger in Ondo State, one of the six South Western Yoruba states? Amotekun, the unarmed vigilante response to banditry and kidnapping, mentioned that 40 Yoruba men had been recruited by AK 47 bearing Fulani herdsmen and paid N150,000 per person every month to work for them. These 40 men had even been trained to bear AK 47. Wasn’t this a ‘clear and present danger’ ?

How it all began

This problem is believed to have begun with the Obasanjo Administration, hidden at that time around the right to Islamic jurisprudence. Obasanjo passed it to Yar’Adua, and Yar’Adua to Jonathan. The world’s powers assembled in Nigeria then to destroy this nagging bed bug. But the North told Jonathan the bandits could not be called terrorists because they were their children , and almost every family could be bereaved if the international army struck. Why could they not speak to their children who were killing and setting up parallel governments in the forests to tax communities and farmers, causing food shortages, unaffordable food prices and probably famine in some circumstances? To worsen matters, some state governments have been reported to be negotiating peace with the terrorists. Americans have no quarter for terrorists. From their perspective, if Nigeria becomes a terrorist haven, terrorism could raise its head again, upsetting the laborious work done in various regions of the globe to subdue it.

Questions begging for answers

We should not deceive ourselves in this travail. Why was Borno State the focus of Boko Haram at the start of the proceedings? Why have communities in Benue and Plateau become targets? Because they are flowing more towards the South and abandoning the North? What is the dominant religion of the states? Was the Bornu Kanem empire ever conquered by the Jihadists? It is true Boko Haram, which translates as Western education is poison, targeted niches of Western education, that is christians and later defocused to attack and to murder without reason worshippers on open ground Jumat services and in mosques. The Islamic states of West Africa is unambiguously anti Christian. The burning of christians and moslems believed to denigrate Islam in no small measure added to the conception of a Northern Nigeria intolerant of the religion of other persons.

President Goodluck Jonathan literally speaking fled from the North when he said he was ‘Not a Soldier’ implying he did not wish to fight the Bokoharam. That was why some of his critics thought he deliberately abandoned the North to self- destruction, a charge he has debunked.

Muhammadu Buhari

Many people believe he caused the trouble because he always said he would make ‘the country ungovernable’ if he did not become president. There is no palpable evidence as yet in the public square that he brought in the Fulani herdsmen from the Sahel who are now tormenting Nigeria.

Some persons have wondered why he did not disarm them if he did not approve of them. To this, I always assume that he was held captive by the radical North who wanted to balloon the Fulani Population for vote power that would always give the North permanent control over the country.

President Buhari gave credence to this supposition with his half hearted backing for Bola Tinubu even on campaign grounds. What, I always wondered, was the meaning of ‘Vote For Your Conscience’. Still, I do not think this is sufficient evidence to catch him by the wrist. For I do not think a Christian Southern president could have done with El Zaki what he did to him in the face of the law supporting this malevolent Islamic disciple of Iran. It was in respect of this case that the concept developed of THE STATE is BIGGER THAN THE LAW.

THE CAN

If an armed gang is in your home in the dead of the night and the police won’t come, would you not gladly accept help from another or a friendlier gang? It is a person whose life is not palpably endangered who refers to the CONSTITUTION. Even lawyers and judges flee at the sounds of bombarding guns. A man who has lost all members of his family doesn’t understand SOVEREIGNTY. He wants release, vengeance. Although the Bible speaks against vengeance seeking or taking and the Lord Jesus forgave His murderers on the Cross, the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) are human, perhaps not even fully evolved into human beings. They made so much noise about MOSLEM-MOSLEM ticket as if LATEEF Jakande and RAFIU JAFOJO, once Governor and Deputy Governor in Lagos, were not moslems and ran the best state government. How could they have so easily forgotten that MOSHOOD KASHIMAWO ABIOLA and Babagana kingibe who won the later annuled Presidential election that was the fairest in Nigeria was not another joint Moslem ticket. We must thank Rev. Fr Kukah, one of the lone voices in Christianity, who dismissed the Christian genocide claims of CAN. Dr William Folorunso KUMUYI of the Deeper Life Church, was reported to have made a statement in favour of Nigeria which the church later refuted. General Overseers of the big churches are keeping silent as if a shaky firmament that will not not hurt members of their congregation if it crashes. Religious highway men on radio are busy promising prosperity and dictating bank account numbers as if The Almighty Creator arbitrarily dispenses His blessings on creatures who do not deserve them.

YOUNG NIGERIANS

Their displeasure with Nigeria is palpable. They willingly support President Trump. They believe their country had failed them. They probably do not know that President John F Kennedy in his inaugural address on 20 January 1961 told Americans: ‘ THINK NOT OF WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU, BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY’ . President Trump may be coming for WHAT HE CAN DO FOR HIS COUNTRY. He is probably focused on Nigeria’s huge lithium deposits which America needs to grow its economy. Elon Musk has come here several times for an export licence. Nigeria said no, set up a company here and export the products to America. Young Nigerians see their country as a blast furnace and America as Eldorado . President Trump may wish to edge China out of Nigeria’s market. What would that mean for Nigeria’s merchants? America doesn’t deal with people like them.

THE NORTH.

It has always been the problem of Nigeria or its sick baby. It denied the Government the political will to clear the insecurity mess it causes. When the Army managed to defeat some insurgents, they were not joyfully prosecuted, if they were at all. In the end, we are told they have ‘repented’ ,have undergone psychotherapy and recruited into the armed forces. Hence, they became moles and endanger the lives of our troops. Now, the chicken has come home to roost . So, we should expect that the North would expect President Tinubu, to protect them. They know America knows them.

PRESIDENT TINUBU

There he goes, but not as a sacrificial lamb or martyr. He is a strong willed and street wise man with the tinge of heroism in his temperament. On top of that, he is courageous, strong willed, street wise and gifted as well with native Nigerian wisdom. Psychological war does not break him. He carries deep within the grains of diplomacy from his culture. He knows what to give and when to, and what to not take.

OUR HEALTH

I submitted a different column last Sunday, but had to write this one all through Monday night to Tuesday dawn when the crisis thickened. Many of us give too much of ourselves to our country. We have had sleepless nights, skipped heartbeats, experienced fear and anxiety since this trouble thickened. We may be close to brain questions, elevated blood pressure, elevated blood cholesterol, nervous system challenges, and other related health blues. For the President, first lady and cabinet, everyone who came to sleep over this ‘peculiar concern’ is missing heart beats or rising blood cholesterol and hypertension, I suggest the following food supplements to be added to the diet immediately

BRAIN

Lecithin, Gingko biloba, Gotu kola, ginseng, Omega 3 fatty acid, magnesium threonate, co enzyme Q 10 or ubiquinol.

STRESS MANAGEMENT

Lavender, valerian root, kava, Ashwaghandah, chamomile, passion flower, Gingko biloba

NERVES

Lemon balm, high dosage Vitamin B Complex,

HEART, BLOOD QUESTIONS

Wheat grass, mixed tocopherols, selenium, chlorophyll-2, cayenne or black pepper, regenerating drink, CO Q 10 or ubiquinol. Although Nigeria has become a concern in the thinking of the American Presidency, many Nigerians are still confident to say ALO IRE O, ABO IRE O. (Goodness shall follow you to America and return with you).

The final of the 2025 Delta State Principals’ Cup football Competition takes place today, 6th November, at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

The youth developmental football competition which is in its 8th edition, is sponsored by Zenith Bank Plc in collaboration with the government of Delta State.

Over 1.000 schools from all the 25 Local Government Areas of the state took part in the tournament which started on September 18 at the St. Patrick’s Secondary School, Asaba.

The stage is now set for Urhobo College, Effurun, to clash with Ogbeijoh Government School in the final which promises to be highly explosive.

Urhobo College, Effurun, earned a ticket to the final after winning a protest against Otokutu Grammar School while Ogbeijoh, Warri South West LG Champions, qualified after beating Justice, Peace and Success Academy 5-4 on penalties after fulltime score stood at 2-2 in the encounter decided in Ozoro.

And so, Justice Peace and Success Academy will face Ughelli South LG Champions, Otokutu Grammar School, in the Third Place match also on Thursday, which will serve as curtain raiser for the final match.

Delta State Governor, Sherif Oborevwori, has assured he will be at the Stephen Keshi Stadium to grace the final match.

Delta FA Chairman, Chief Ken Nwanmocha, and top officials of sponsors, Zenith Bank Plc are also expected in attendance.

The CEO of Hideaplus Limited, the organisers of the tournament, Tony Pemu, told our correspondent on Wednesday that all arrangements have been concluded to make the final hitch-free.

Without the Student Loan Scheme, dropout rates in tertiary institutions would have surged, further worsening the socio-economic challenges of the nation. However, many students would continue to express gratitude to the administration of President Bola Tinubu for the zero interest loans, which has saved many from leaving school abruptly.

Therefore, the scheme, under the aegis of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), remains a beam of hope; an initiative in tandem with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda. For observers in the education space, it has revolutionised tertiary education in the country, while underlining the commitment of the President to open access to education.

Before now, students have recounted how the scheme became their saving grace in the face of economic hardship, thus when NELFUND announced that applications have surpassed one million, it was a reflection of the scheme’s appeal and acceptability, making it one of the most-widely embraced social intervention programmes under the Bola Tinubu-led administration. Interestingly, all the scepticisms surrounding it at inception have evaporated. Critics also argued it should be an ‘education grant’ and not a loan, yet it is waxing strong, and surpassing expectations.

Historic milestone

Last week, the agency noted that the student loan scheme has crossed one million applications on its official portal, making it one of the biggest uptake levels for a government-supported social scheme since the start of the present administration.

Its Director of Strategic Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, said the milestone was achieved less than a year after the scheme’s launch on May 24, 2024. He described the development as a strong indicator of growing national confidence in the initiative.

According to NELFUND, more than N116 billion has been disbursed to students in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country, with over 600,000 students benefitting.

The disbursements include both tuition and upkeep allowances to bring relief to learners.

As of early last month, NELFUND confirmed the disbursement of N65.3 billion to 239 institutions for tuition payments, alongside N51.1 billion in upkeep allowances to students – bringing the total amount disbursed to N116.4 billion.

NELFUND Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, attributed the success of the initiative to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, which prioritises inclusive access to education.

‘Crossing the one-million mark represents more than data; it symbolises renewed hope for a generation of Nigerians determined to rise above financial barriers to education.

‘It is a testament to visionary leadership, sound policy design, and the collective effort of all stakeholders driving this transformative agenda,’ he said.

NELFUND reaffirmed its commitment to improving access, transparency and efficiency in the loan process, pledging that every qualified Nigerian student – regardless of background or location – will be able to benefit from the scheme.

The agency stressed that the loan programme is non-discriminatory and inclusive, cutting across all religious and ethnic lines while promoting unity through equal educational opportunities.

‘NELFUND remains focused on ensuring that no Nigerian is denied the opportunity to learn, grow, or contribute to national progress because of financial limitations,’ the statement added.

Ongoing process

NELFUND has also announced the official launch of its student loan application portal for the 2025/2026 academic session. The agency stated that the application period will run from Thursday, October 23, 2025, to Saturday, January 31, 2026.

It urged newly admitted students to use their Admission Number or JAMB Registration Number in place of a matriculation number when applying.

NELFUND stated that disbursements typically occur within 30 days of the approval of successful applications. The agency continues to process and disburse funds in batches for both the past 2024/2025 and the current 2025/2026 academic sessions.

It has mandated institutions to upload verified student data onto the NELFUND portal to ensure seamless processing of applications and disbursements.

The agency noted that upkeep loan disbursements are in line with the institutions’ academic sessions to avoid possible duplicate transactions.

Statistics on registration

Checks revealed that the North-West region has the highest number of students who have registered for the NELFUND loan, with 157,831 applicants as of May 2025. The North-East follows with 127,058, the South-West with 92,850, and the North-Central with 74,120 applicants. Overall, northern regions have seen a significantly higher application rate compared to southern regions, with northern states like Kano, Borno, and Benue leading in applications.

Geopolitical Zone Number of Applicants (May 2025)

North-West 157,831

North-East 127,058

South-West 92,850

North-Central 74,120

South-South 37,180

South-East 27,098

NELFUND won’t put pressure on beneficiaries to repay

Sawyerr insisted that NELFUND will not put pressure on graduates to repay the loans unless they get jobs.

‘There’s no obligation on the loanees to repay the loans until two years after they have completed their NYSC. And even after two years, there’s no obligation to repay the loans unless a person has a job.

‘Two years after NYSC, there’s a reporting requirement for us to know what the status of the individual is. If they don’t get jobs for the next 10 years, which is not the plan, then they don’t pay the NELFUND any money. Additionally, the obligation to repay is on the employer who is obliged by law to give us a proportion of the funds that they are paying as a salary to the employee.

‘Our guidelines have determined that to be 10 per cent. So, even after this two-year moratorium, it’s designed to ensure that the employer, who’s really benefiting from the intervention of NELFUND, is the one obliged to take 10 per cent and repay the fund.’

Tinubu’s game changer, ray of hope

The president has received more plaudits for changing the face of tertiary education with the Student Loan Scheme.

In his praise of the president, Senior Special Assistant on Students’ Engagement to the President, Sunday Asefon, said: ‘Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has justified his mandate by making education easier for students. There was no president since independence that gave students the opportunity to get interest free loans to attain tertiary education and return it when they start working.

‘The President had told our parents not to go and get high interest loans to send their children to tertiary school, but to get the NELFUND that is interest-free and pay when the beneficiary starts working.

‘It doesn’t require you knowing anyone in a position of authority before you can access it.

‘Since we got independence, no President has allotted high budgetary provisions to education the way President Tinubu has done.’

The President had in April last year signed the Student Loan (Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024, into law.

The assent was sequel to the separate considerations by both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the report of the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.

The Act empowers the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to provide loans to qualified Nigerian students for tuition fees, charges and upkeep during their studies in approved public tertiary institutions and vocational and skills acquisition establishments in the country.

The revised Student Loan Act 2024 was created to remove financial barriers and make education more accessible to students, regardless of their economic background. The mandate so far has been fulfilled with over 600,000 students receiving the loans across more than 100 tertiary institutions nationwide.

Students’ appraisal

Abubakar Aliyu, a graduate of Bayero University Kano (BUK) Kano, said: ‘Many of my fellow students have benefitted from the loan scheme. Those who applied have given their testimony about it. I am very happy because I have never seen a programme as successful and helpful as NELFUND for students.

‘I appreciate the Federal Government for this wonderful development and I know they can still do better. If this can stand, then they can still do much to ensure younger ones at home, not financially stable, can go to higher institutions and get a degree,’ Aliyu said.

Similarly, a 300-Level student of Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Ibrahim Fatimo, said she first heard about the scheme from one of her associations.

‘It was announced in our Epe federation and then in our department. I was motivated when they said they’ll pay our school fees and that would help me a lot.

‘I eventually applied, and it was so smooth as I encountered no difficulties. It has been helpful, from the school fee payment down to the upkeep,’ she declared.

Saba Hanifa, a 300-Level student at the Department of Education Biology at Usmanu Danfodio University (UDUS), who benefited from the loan scheme, stated that it has eased her financial burden.

‘I was managing well with financial support from my parents, but with NELFUND, I could afford additional necessities beyond food,’ she said.

France has reaffirmed its commitment to deepen economic and diplomatic ties with Nigeria, as Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) celebrated its 40th anniversary of promoting bilateral trade and investment between France and Nigeria.

Speaking at a briefing in Lagos, Consul General of France in Nigeria, Laurent Favier, hailed the partnership between both countries, describing Nigeria as France’s leading trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa.

Favier said the trade between France and Nigeria represented 20 per cent of France’s trade with the region, with over 600 French businesses in Nigeria and creating over 16,000 direct jobs.

‘French businesses have found Nigeria not only a formidable market, but also an innovation hub with huge potential,’ he said.

He praised Nigeria for the economic reforms aimed at improving the business environment and encouraging foreign investment.

The consul general highlighted major French investments in Nigeria, including TotalEnergies’ plan to invest $6 billion in the energy sector, Danone/Fanmilk’s expansion in Oyo State, Schneider Electric’s new office facility, and SPIE Global Services Energy’s training centre in Port Harcourt.

Favier also acknowledged Nigerian companies such as Access Bank, Zenith Bank and UBA for establishing operations in France, reinforcing bilateral trade.

He pointed to development support from the French Development Agency (AFD) and Proparco, citing the recent Omi Eko water transport project inaugurated in Lagos.

‘We just witnessed perfect case with the inauguration of ‘omi eko’ sustainable water transport project that was funded by AFD , EU and EIB and inaugurated in the presence of the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot.

‘The French government remains committed to strengthening this partnership between our two nations. We will continue to invest in initiative that promotes sustainable development, technology transfer and economic growth, thereby creating jobs and fostering inclusive prosperity,’ he said.

President of the FNCCI, Guillaume Niarfeix, described the chamber as the most active bilateral trade body in Nigeria, boasting over 500 member-companies and strong backing from French institutions, including Business France, AFD, Proparco, French Tech, and the Embassy.

Dignitaries present at conference were Consul General of France in Lagos, Laurent Favier; President France-Nigeria Chamber of commerce and industry;

Director Business France/Commercial Counsellor French Embassy, Maxime Bieliaeff; Regional Director PROPARCO,Xavier Echasseriau; Economic Counsellor,French Embassy Lagos , Laura Marie; Director General, France-Nigeria Chamber of commerce and Industry,Moses Imoru; Economic Officer-Regional Economic Department, Claire Lavielle.

Zambia has shown interest in understudying National Values charter, the cornerstone of proposed Nigerian Identity Project, earlier approved by Federal Executive Council (FEC).

This was part of the outcome of the second meeting between National Orientation Agency (NOA) officials, led by Director General, Lanre Issa-Onilu, and Zambian High Commission officials, led by Deputy High Commissioner, Jenipher Mutembo, in Abuja.

Issa-Onilu gave an overview of the operational structure of the agency.

He said: ‘The agency is one of the largest in Nigeria, with 818 offices in all 774 local governments, 36 states, and Federal Capital Territory (FCT). We are rooted at the grassroots and remain a vital communication channel between the government and people.’

A statement by NOA’s Deputy Director, Paul Odenyi, said the agency’s director general explained that it communicates policies, programmes, and projects to citizens and collates grassroots feedback to inform decision-making.

The statement added that the feedback is submitted to the relevant government institutions and the parliament.

Issa-Onilu said the narrow perception of leadership in Africa is limited to political figures, instead of encompassing civil, traditional, and moral leaders as influencers of national values.

Zambian Deputy High Commissioner, Mrs Jenipher Mutembo, lauded the hospitality and openness the NOA director general and his team extended to the team, recognising the strength and structure of the Nigerian agency.

Mrs. Mutembo said: ‘I must commend your presence in all local governments. This grassroots model is powerful, and we see its potential as a framework that others, Zambia included, can learn from.’

She applauded the agency’s commitment to providing an opportunity for Zambia to observe, learn, and possibly adopt aspects of NOA’s operational methodology for national reorientation and civic education.

The deputy high commissioner stressed the shared African values, youth influence, and the role of media, particularly touching on cultural perceptions exported through Nigeria’s creative industry.

‘Our young people are watching these films. They are learning, forming ideas, and creating perceptions, sometimes misinformed, about success, morality, and identity. What we portray shapes national values and international image. As leaders, we have a duty to ensure that the content reaching the public inspires unity, innovation, dignity, and pride in African heritage.

Sir: Nigeria’s fight against corruption and other financial crimes is essential, and agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are central to that effort. Yet increasingly aggressive tactics (surprise arrests, publicised investigations, dawn raids, and detentions) are creating a climate of fear that may be undermining the very outcomes Nigeria needs: investments, productivity, and sustained growth.

High-profile operations send a powerful signal, but they also ripple through firms in unintended ways. When senior executives face the possibility of unannounced arrests for non violent economic offences, leadership teams become overly cautious and apprehensive.

Requiring the physical presence of chief executives for routine queries is especially counterproductive. When finance, legal, or compliance officers can answer questions, summoning the CEO serves little investigative purpose while inflicting maximum disruption. It diverts leadership from operations, stalls approvals, and signals that cooperation will be met with spectacle rather than professionalism. Allowing designated officers to respond, or using written interrogatories and virtual meetings, can resolve issues without fear tactics.

Many sectors and transactions such as energy, telecommunications, finance, and infrastructure are technically complex.

Routine investigators may not always distinguish legitimate structures or transactions from red flags at first glance. In such cases, agencies should seek expert help or request detailed explanations and supporting documents from firms before escalating. Early technical engagement saves time, reduces disruption, and improves outcomes for both investigators and firms.

Publicised investigations and sensational headlines before facts are fully established can weaken, not strengthen, corporate governance. Directors may focus on reputational damage control rather than building robust compliance systems. Fear encourages secrecy and siloed decision making, eroding the internal transparency that underpins effective oversight.

These dynamics carry real financial costs. Boards and lenders price risk, and when enforcement feels unpredictable or punitive, risk premiums rise. Companies face higher borrowing costs, tighter covenants, and reduced access to capital as financiers account for potential disruption from investigations or sudden removal of key decision makers. In an economy where credit is already expensive, this ‘fear premium’ can stall expansions, slow hiring, and blunt productivity.

Foreign investors look for clear rules, consistent processes, and proportionate treatment. The impression that firms may face spectacle, extended detentions, or unwarranted raids discourages market entry and reinvestment.

Capital flows to jurisdictions where robust enforcement coexists with predictable, fair outcomes.

The broader economy pays the price. When investment is deferred, infrastructure lags, supply chains thin, and technology transfers slow. Contracts shrink for local suppliers, talent drifts to calmer markets, and entrepreneurship shifts from building to hedging.

None of this diminishes the need for strong enforcement. Deterrence matters and credible prosecution is essential for market integrity and public welfare. But enforcement must avoid fear based tactics that cause collateral damage. International standards point the way: the United Nations Convention against Corruption stresses pairing enforcement with prevention through education and public awareness, integrity in the public sector, private sector compliance frameworks, and civil society participation.

A better path is available. For less potent economic crimes and cooperative suspects, written summons and voluntary interviews could serve as the default response, reserving arrests and detention for cases involving credible flight risk, evidence tampering, obstruction, or similar concerns. In line with the UN Convention, education led prevention-regular guidance, sector trainings, and reminder notices that nudge firms toward best practices should be prioritised. Simple public scorecards (such as best and worst performer lists) based on objective criteria could be considered to reward improvement and spotlight laggards without theatrics.

These measures do not weaken enforcement; they strengthen it. By emphasising proportionality, due process, expertise, and incentives for compliance, Nigeria can deter misconduct without deterring investment, inviting more good capital to fuel economic growth and shared prosperity.