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The Federal Government has expressed confidence that Nigeria’s economy will attain the $1 trillion Gross Domestic Product (GDP) target set by President Bola Tinubu by the year 2030.

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, made this known in Abuja during a courtesy visit by the European Union (EU) Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, led by Mr. David McAllister.

Bagudu said the administration is working closely with both local and international partners to achieve the goal, noting that the government’s growth strategy places significant emphasis on private sector participation.

‘Our President has set a clear target for Nigeria to achieve a one trillion-dollar GDP by 2030,’ the minister told the EU delegation. ‘This is ambitious, but achievable through partnerships such as ours with the European Union.’

In a statement issued by the ministry on Tuesday, Bagudu explained that the government’s economic blueprint is built around strong collaboration with the private sector, which he said would provide 86 percent of the investment required to reach the $1 trillion GDP target.

He said the Tinubu administration is determined to achieve double-digit economic growth in an environmentally sustainable manner within the target period. ‘We are pursuing growth that is both inclusive and responsible-one that creates jobs, strengthens productivity, and protects the environment,’ he said.

Bagudu credited the ongoing reforms under President Tinubu for placing Nigeria’s economy on a more sustainable path and expressed appreciation to the European Union for its continued partnership and support.

The minister specifically thanked the Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria, Ambassador Gauthier Mignot, for facilitating Nigeria’s participation in the 2025 Global Gateway Forum and for securing a N320.5 billion (pound 190 million) credit line allocated to Nigerian commercial banks and financial institutions to boost lending to the agricultural sector.

He noted that the EU’s Global Gateway Project, which plans to invest pound 300 billion in Africa, aligns with Nigeria’s priorities of promoting a green, digital, and inclusive economy while enhancing healthcare, education, and democratic governance.

Bagudu assured the EU delegation of the government’s readiness to deepen cooperation across key sectors of mutual interest. ‘We believe the absorptive capacity of our economy is strong, whether in agriculture or other forms of infrastructure. We are committed to partnering with you and fostering mutually beneficial relationships for our people,’ he said.

The EU delegation leader, Mr. David McAllister, described Nigeria as the EU’s largest trade and investment partner in Africa, accounting for a significant share of imports and exports between both regions.

McAllister said the visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration in critical areas such as clean energy, industrialization, and economic diversification. ‘We seek to encourage investment and renewal in clean energy, to bolster Nigeria’s manufacturing sector and industrial capacity, and to broaden cooperation and sustainable economic diversification beyond oil exports,’ he stated.

Earlier, Dr. Sampson Ebimaro, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, welcomed the EU delegation and commended their efforts in promoting democratic governance and sustainable development across the globe.

He described the visit as an opportunity to explore how Nigeria and the EU can work more closely to address shared priorities and accelerate economic progress. ‘This engagement provides a platform to align our development goals and strengthen institutional cooperation for mutual benefit,’ he said.

The meeting concluded with both parties reaffirming their commitment to expanding economic cooperation, improving access to investment capital, and driving inclusive development through sustainable partnerships.

The Final Award in the arbitration initiated by General Hydrocarbons Limited against First Bank of Nigeria Limited, issued by Sole Arbitrator Hon. Justice Kumai Bayang Akaahs, was published today the 28th, October 2025,

General Hydrocarbons Limited (GHL) was represented by Messrs. Paul Usoro SAN and and Abiodun Layonu SAN. First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FBN) was also represented by Messrs Gbolahan. Elias, SAN; Babajide Koku, SAN and Victor Ogude, SAN.

The Tribunal dismissed GHL’s case in its entirety, affirming FBN’s financing obligations as conditional, finding no breach or entitlement to damages by GHL, and ordering GHL to bear the costs of arbitration.

The dispute arose from the Subrogation Agreement dated May 29, 2021, under which GHL undertook the repayment of an outstanding debt of $718 million and FBN undertook to provide additional loans to finance the development and production of OML 120 in line with the provisions of the Subrogation Agreement.

GHL alleged that FBN breached the agreement by failing to provide absolute and timely financing, sabotaging alternative funding efforts, and causing losses including liabilities to third party and leading to loss of productive time in the development of OML 120.

FBN argued its financing obligation was conditional and not absolute but subject to review and professional discretion in line with banking policies and regulatory guidelines.

The key Findings of the Tribunal are as follows:

1. FBN has a conditional, not absolute, obligation to finance OML 120 development. It must review and evaluate financing requests and may attach competitive terms as deemed suitable.

2. GHL failed to prove any breach by FBN. FBN made several financing offers totaling $185 million, and delays alleged by GHL were not found unreasonable or in breach.

3. Introduction of an Independent Asset Manager as a financing condition by FBN was consistent with the agreement and not a breach.

4. Allegations of FBN sabotaging alternative financing arrangements were unsubstantiated and dismissed for being devoid of any merit.

5. All reliefs sought by GHL, including declarations, damages for unpaid contractor fees, losses, and termination of the Subrogation Agreement, were refused.

6. FBN was adjudged entitled to recover reasonable legal and arbitration costs from GHL, amounting to $112,100 and N111,250,000, payable within 30 days with interest on late payment.

The Service Chiefs-designate yesterday met with Defence Minister Abubakar Badaru and National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu ahead of their screening today by the Senate.

Chief of Defence Staff Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede led Chief of Army Staff Maj.- Gen. Waidi Shaibu, Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Idi Abbas and Chief of Air Staff Air Vice Marshal Sunday Aneke on the visits.

There was no statement from the NSA’s after the visit, but spokesman of the Defence Minister Mati Ali in statement said the visit underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to building cohesive defence leadership anchored on trust, collaboration and shared purpose.

On Monday, 72 hours after they were named, the Service Chiefs met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced yesterday in plenary after reading the correspondence for the President, that the Service Chiefs will be screened for confirmation today.

President Tinubu’s letter urged the Senate to give ‘expeditious consideration’ to his request for clearance of the new security chiefs.

The Senate President referred the letter to the Committee of the Whole, which he chairs.

As political momentum builds toward the 2027 general elections, Comrade Abdulhakeem Adegoke Alawuje, founder of the Disciples of Jagaban (DOJ) and a key figure in the Tinubu Support Movement, has declared that ‘Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi have neither the influence nor the credibility to turn the North against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.’

In a strongly worded statement, Alawuje cautioned politicians ‘engaging in underground ethnic and religious politics,’ insisting that every move is being closely monitored.

‘Be warned. There is no political or ethnic scheme you can execute without the awareness of our agents. The North will not be deceived again,’ he said.

Recalling Tinubu’s pivotal role in the 2015 elections, Alawuje said history will not forget how the then-APC National Leader ‘stood firmly with the North when it mattered most.’

‘At that crucial moment, Tinubu traversed the region, convincing millions who once opposed Buhari to support him. The North has not forgotten that selfless act,’ he stated.

He described the North as ‘a region of loyalty and honour,’ stressing that it would ‘reward Tinubu with its votes again in 2027.’

The Tinubu loyalist accused Atiku of masking a ‘Northern agenda’ while alleging that Peter Obi was ‘hiding behind religious sentiments.’

‘Both are playing hypocritical politics of the highest order. No propaganda will turn the North against its trusted ally from the Southwest,’ he declared.

Citing recent remarks by the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness Muhammad Sanusi II, who noted that ‘Nigeria has pulled back from the brink of economic collapse,’ Alawuje commended President Tinubu’s ‘bold and transformative reforms.’

‘Tinubu is performing exceptionally well-transforming Nigeria’s economic and developmental landscape. Nigerians only need patience,’ he added.

Praising the President’s resilience amid criticism, Alawuje said Tinubu’s governance had silenced detractors.

‘Despite social media ‘economists’ sowing fear, Tinubu has proven them wrong. He is a courageous and visionary leader-an economic reformer and a true champion of human development,’ he said.

Alawuje urged Nigerians to support Tinubu’s ongoing reforms and resist divisive politics, saying, ‘President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made us proud. He has laid a solid foundation for Nigeria’s future.’

Nigeria may be on the verge of losing another promising talent to Europe as the Greece Football Federation (EPO) reportedly closes in on completing the paperwork that will allow West Ham United U21 defender Rayan Oyebade to represent Greece internationally.

Oyebade, born to a Greek mother and Nigerian father, is eligible to play for both countries. According to reports, the 17-year-old has already expressed his desire to switch allegiance to Greece, with the EPO expected to finalize the process in the coming days.

Once approved, Oyebade will become available for selection to the Greece U19 team under coach Vangelis Moras.

The highly-rated youngster joined West Ham United in 2021 and has steadily risen through the youth system. A composed, left-footed centre-back, Oyebade is admired for his calmness in possession and sharp reading of the game.

He made his youth international debut for England U15, showcasing his versatility and technical ability at an early stage. During the 2023/24 campaign, he featured 13 times in the U18 Premier League South, registering a goal and an assist despite battling injuries for much of the season.

Now in his second year as a scholar, Oyebade has captained Lauris Coggin’s U18 side several times and played a pivotal role in West Ham’s Premier League Cup final victory at Reading. His progress earned him a first professional contract with the club on April 3, 2025-a clear sign of his growing stature.

With Greece acting swiftly to secure his international future, Nigeria appears set to miss out on another defensive gem with dual eligibility.

Former Petroleum Minister (State), Chief Timipre Sylva, is not involved in any coup as rumoured in some quarters, his Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Chief Julius Bokoru, has said.

Bokoru, in a statement on Wednesday, said desperate and narcissistic politicians plotting to actualise their ambitions in 2027 were behind the rumour because of their perception of Sylva as their obstacle.

He said such evil politicians took their desperation to a sickening level following Sylva’s intimidating political presence and credibility exposing their dark, self-serving ambitions.

Describing the former Governor as an unrepentant and thoroughbred democrat, Bokoru said Sylva had shown unwavering support to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration.

He recalled that Sylva recently mobilised the entire structures of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State to unanimously endorse President Tinubu at the APC Bayelsa expanded stakehokders’ meeting.

Bokoru, however, admitted that Sylva’s Abuja home was subjected to a raid by individuals believed to be operatives of the Defence Headquarters, saying they inflicted significant damage on the property.

He said the security operatives that raided Sylva’s house did not provide any reason for their action.

He confirmed that Sylva and his wife were already out of the country at the time of the raid.

Explaining their absence, Bokoru said Sylva was in the United Kingdom for a routine medical check and would soon be on his way to Malaysia to attend a professional conference.

Bokoru added: ‘In the past forty-eight hours, I have been inundated with calls from members of the press, political associates, and concerned individuals regarding a circulating report alleging that His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, has ‘fled’ the country in connection with certain purported matters.

‘For the avoidance of doubt, it is true that the residence of His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, was recently subjected to a raid by individuals believed to be operatives of the Defence Headquarters. During the said operation, considerable damage was inflicted upon the property.

‘Despite sustained efforts, I have been unable to ascertain the reasons or authorisation for this raid. To the best of my knowledge, the officers involved did not provide any categorical explanation for their actions, either at the time or subsequently.

‘It is important to state unequivocally that His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, CON, and his esteemed wife, Her Excellency, Alanyingi Sylva, were both outside the country at the time of the incident.

‘As at my last communication with His Excellency, he was engaged in a routine medical check-up in the United Kingdom, after which he was scheduled to proceed to Malaysia to attend a professional conference.

‘The next development I was made aware of, regrettably, were reports circulating across social media and other platforms concerning the raid on his residence’.

He added: ‘While the Defence Headquarters has already debunked the swirling rumours of a coup in Nigeria, it is important to state emphatically that Chief Timipre Sylva, CON, has no involvement whatsoever-either in planning or in logistics-with any such plot.

‘Chief Sylva is a thoroughbred democrat, whose entire political journey has been defined by his faith in democratic processes and institutions. From the 1990s, when he was first elected into the Old Rivers State House of Assembly, to his tenure as Governor of Bayelsa State, Sylva has achieved every milestone through transparent, democratic engagement and the will of the people.

‘His unwavering support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a matter of public record. It remains fresh in memory how he mobilized the entire Bayelsa APC structure to unanimously endorse President Tinubu at the APC Bayelsa Expanded Stakeholders’ Meeting.

‘These rumours are nothing more than the handiwork of desperate and narcissistic politicians, already consumed by ambitions for 2027, who see Sylva as their last real obstacle-a man whose political presence and credibility continue to expose their dark, self-serving ambitions’.

Over the past 10 years, Nigeria’s story has been one of courage and continuity, of institutions learning discipline, and of leaders willing to face hard truths about our economy. President Muhammadu Buhari laid the foundation of fiscal prudence, agricultural revival, and infrastructure renewal. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has advanced that legacy through decisive structural reforms such as removing the fuel subsidy, unifying exchange rates, modernising tax policy, and restoring credibility to public finance. These choices were not easy, but they were necessary. They broke habits that had become too costly to sustain and redirected public wealth toward productivity.

Since May 2023, government non-oil revenue has grown by more than 400 percent. This is not coincidence. It is the outcome of intentional policy and technological transparency. The Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee has simplified compliance, eliminated duplication, and placed technology at the centre of revenue collection. Revenue agencies that once competed now cooperate. Multiple taxation is being dismantled. Incentives for businesses are transparent and available online without intermediaries or privileged access. Every entrepreneur, large or small, can now apply for fiscal waivers or export credits within minutes. Fairness by design and technology is replacing favour by connection.

Energy stability has returned as proof that reform, though painful, delivers results. The queues that once defined our petrol stations are gone. Deregulation has reopened the downstream market and restored investor confidence in oil and gas, bringing new capital into deep-water, midstream, and modular-refinery projects. Parallel reforms in the Presidential CNG Initiative are changing urban mobility by replacing petrol fleets with cleaner and cheaper gas vehicles. At the same time, a nationwide solar-power rollout is providing electricity to schools, clinics, and small industries. Together, these initiatives reflect a balanced energy future built on efficiency, competition, and sustainability.

Security remains the foundation of every reform. In 2024, N3.85 trillion, about 13 percent of the national budget, was allocated to defence and internal security. For 2025, that figure rose to N6.57 trillion, with significant investment in equipment, intelligence, and personnel welfare. The Nigerian Air Force is modernising with 24 M-346 attack jets and 10 AW-109 helicopters. The Navy has commissioned new patrol ships and maritime helicopters to strengthen coastal and energy-asset protection. Across all theatres, joint operations by the Nigerian Armed Forces and intelligence agencies have neutralised tens of thousands of terrorists, insurgents and criminal elements, arrested many more, and rescued tens of thousands of hostages and displaced persons. The tempo has changed. Our armed forces now take the initiative rather than wait for it.

Infrastructure remains the bridge between ambition and opportunity. Across the country, more than 260 major projects in roads, bridges, ports, and pipelines are under construction or near completion. The Lagos – Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto – Badagry Super Highway are redefining commerce and mobility. The national Bridge Fibre Project is expanding digital connectivity across cities and rural areas, strengthening the country’s broadband backbone and opening new corridors for education, innovation, and enterprise.

Digital governance reform is also deepening national capacity. The ongoing overhaul of the National Identity Management Commission has expanded NIN registration to tens of millions of citizens, creating a reliable digital backbone for planning, financial inclusion, and social protection. For the first time, national data is being harmonised across agencies, improving service delivery, strengthening security coordination, and helping the country plan development with precision.

Work along the River Niger corridor from Lokoja to Baro Port is progressing to enable future inland-waterway operations that can reduce transport costs and improve market access across regions. These projects reflect a deliberate effort to balance regional growth, from the Niger Delta clean-up and gas expansion in the South to new exploration in the North and industrial corridors across the Middle Belt.

Reform without human investment is reform without soul. The $2.2 billion Health Sector Renewal Programme is upgrading 17,000 primary health centres and training 120,000 health workers, while free caesarean care and subsidised dialysis are easing the burden on families. In education, student-loan schemes, digital-skills initiatives, and new STEM and AI curricula are preparing our young people for a digital economy. Through the Student Loan Fund, access to higher education is becoming a right, not a privilege. Its synergy with new financing institutions such as CREDICORP and the Nigeria Credit Guarantee Company ensures that young Nigerians can pursue knowledge with the same confidence that entrepreneurs pursue capital. Free technical and vocational training at the tertiary level will supply the technicians and artisans required for industrial growth.

Agriculture and food security have become the centre of national resilience. Beyond grains, the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development is unlocking a trillion-naira value chain in meat, dairy, and leather. Expanded fertiliser blending, mechanisation, irrigation, and storage are supporting millions of smallholders. With increased investment in rice, cassava, and cash-crop processing, Nigeria is moving toward genuine food sovereignty. Food security is not an aspiration but a necessity for economic stability.

The government’s economic renewal is also anchored on access to finance, enterprise, and inclusion. The establishment of CREDICORP, the Nigeria Credit Guarantee Company, and the Student Loan Fund has strengthened the foundation for a credit-based economy as well as human capital and domestic productivity. Together, these institutions expand access to credit for small businesses, farmers, civil servants, individuals, and students while de-risking lending and empowering citizens to build their future without political connections. In promoting local production over import dependence, the Nigeria First Policy is not only conserving foreign exchange but also creating pathways for skilled youth employment and industrial apprenticeship across states.

President Tinubu has made it possible for any Nigerian engaged in productive enterprise and producing goods in Nigeria, to get business patronage without knowing anyone. From where I stand, and for every Nigerian, the true beauty of the Nigeria First Policy is that it invites us all to become participants in our country’s renewal. We can each now go into productive enterprise and live the Nigerian dream, so long as we care enough to believe in this nation and invest in our people, resources, and future.

In the midst of reform, President Tinubu’s words have been both compass and caution: ‘As we continue to reform the economy, I shall always listen to the people and will never turn my back on you.’

That statement captures the essence of progressive governance which I define as courage guided by compassion. Under this directive, Nigeria’s social-protection system has been rebuilt on transparency and technology. The Conditional Cash Transfer programme now reaches more than 15 million households on a verified digital register, each linked to a NIN-validated wallet or bank account for direct payment. No intermediaries and no leakages. In addition, N344 billion has been disbursed in three tranches to the 36 states and the FCT to support local welfare and enterprise programmes. The Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, which will operate across 8,809 wards, will economically engage over 10 million Nigerians and ensure that national policy translates into local opportunity.

The humanitarian principle of progressivism is simple. Reform must lift, not leave behind. Fiscal discipline restores credibility. Social investment restores trust. When citizens see roads being built, hospitals working, and social payments arriving on time, faith in reform deepens and the social contract is strengthened.

The numbers also tell their own story of impact and renewed hope in Nigeria. Non-oil revenues continue to rise. Exports are diversifying. Nigeria has recorded its first trade and balance-of-payments surplus in years, a sign of growing production and renewed confidence in the naira. Oil output is improving, new investments are flowing into the upstream and midstream segments, and our current account is gaining strength as reforms take hold.

While citizens are beginning to see the first trickles of progress, the greater task is to ensure that these trickles flow downward to communities, markets, classrooms, and farms where growth becomes tangible and human.

The task ahead is to sustain this momentum but it won’t be easy. Every child must be in school. NIWA must be further strengthened to expand partnerships for safer and cleaner waterways. NDLEA must receive greater support to combat the rising threat of drug trafficking and addiction, and NAFDAC must be empowered with stronger laboratories and technology to protect the public from counterfeit medicines and unsafe food. These are not peripheral agencies. They are frontline guardians of national wellbeing, and their effectiveness determines the credibility of our progress.

I imagine a Nigeria where every child learns, every farmer prospers, every hospital has power, and every young person earns a dignified living. That is the spirit of renewal behind this progressive decade. It is the belief that courage and compassion are not opposites but partners in building a fair and prosperous country. Tomorrow’s Nigeria is not waiting to be discovered. It is waiting to be delivered with courage, competence, and care.

I am Rabiu Isyaku Rabiu and I endorse the publication of this message.

Lionel Messi wants to play for Argentina in next year’s World Cup, but he says he will listen to his body before deciding whether he can make that dream come true.

The 38-year-old striker for Inter Miami of MLS led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title and yearns to be on the field when the ‘Albiceleste’ defend the crown next year in North America.

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi told NBC News in an interview broadcast on Monday that he will see next year how his body feels before deciding on whether or not he can play in the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

‘It’s something extraordinary to be able to be in a World Cup and I would love to,’ said Messi, who turns 39 next June.

‘I would like to be there, to be well and be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there.

‘And I’m going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter and see if I can really be 100%, if I can be useful to the group, to the national team, and then make a decision.’

Messi, who has been playing professionally since 2004, wants the chance for one more star turn on football’s biggest stage.

‘I’m really eager because it’s a World Cup. We’re coming off winning the last World Cup and being able to defend it on the field again is spectacular because it’s always a dream to play with the national team, especially in official competitions.’

Messi, who debuted with Barcelona in La Liga at age 17, joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and moved to MLS in 2023.

‘The truth is that I like everything about living here,’ Messi said of Miami.

‘I spent a lot of time in Barcelona, which for me is an extraordinary city, where I grew up and had many spectacular moments, and which we miss a lot.

‘But Miami is a city that allows us to live very well, that makes us enjoy life, that allows us to be calm, that allows the kids to be themselves and live day to day.’

Messi has 195 appearances for the Argentine national team, scoring 114 goals.

Stardust Media Services Limited has rewarded outstanding children with cash prizes at the maiden edition of the Abuja Creativity, Innovation, and Nutrition Gathering, aimed at unveiling and nurturing the unique abilities of young Nigerians.

The event, themed ‘Igniting Creativity, Innovation and Nutrition for Young Minds in Nigeria,’ brought together over 1,000 children from schools and families across the Federal Capital Territory and other states.

Speaking at the colourful occasion, the Chief Executive Officer of Stardust Media Services, Queen Irene Onwuka, said the programme was designed to provide a platform for children to showcase their technical skills, inventive ideas, and nutritional awareness.

The carnival featured cultural dance performances, innovation exhibitions, traditional food displays, and a creative cultural march-past that celebrated Nigeria’s diversity and young talents.

The event climaxed with an award ceremony recognising exceptional young innovators. Igbabee Terkuma from Philips St. Dominik School, Makurdi, Benue State, emerged the overall winner in the Creativity category, receiving a star prize of ?1,000,000.

Chukuma Miracle of JSS Kuje Central, FCT, won ?500,000 as the first runner-up in the Nutrition category, while Isaac Oluwatobiloba Faloye received ?300,000 for his outstanding performance in the Innovation category.

Queen Onwuka expressed delight over the success of the event, describing it as a milestone in empowering children to think creatively, eat healthily, and dream boldly. She said the initiative was a step toward nurturing future innovators who will drive Nigeria’s growth and cultural vibrancy.

Dignitaries from the public and private sectors attended the occasion, including representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), Niger State SUBEB, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding.

The United States has revoked the B1/B2 visa of Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.

A B1/B2 visa is a temporary non-immigrant visa for business or tourism purposes.

Soyinka revealed the development during a news conference themed: ‘Unending Saga: Idi Amin in Whiteface!’ held at Kongi’s Harvest Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos yesterday.

He explained that no reason was given for the action by the U.S.

The revocation, he told reporters, appeared to be a form of witch-hunt, which he linked to his long-standing criticism of the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump.

‘I have no visa; I am banned, obviously, from the United States. And if you want to see me, you know where to find me,’ the playwright said.

The Nobel Laureate said he received official notification of the visa revocation six days ago through a letter from the Non-Immigrant Visa Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos.

Part of the letter reads: ‘This letter serves as official notification by the United States Consulate General in Lagos that the non-immigrant visa listed below has been revoked pursuant to the authority contained in U.S. Department of State regulations. Additional information became available after the visa below was issued.’

The 91-year-old Soyinka, who appeared calm during the session, said he could not decipher the reason for the revocation because at no point did he violate any laws.

‘I’m still looking into my past history. I don’t have any past criminal record or even a misdemeanour to qualify for the revocation. Have I ever misbehaved toward the United States of America? Do I have a history? Have I gone against the law anywhere?’ he questioned.

The playwright, however, clarified that he bore no resentment toward the US and its citizens.

He maintained that his advocacy for justice and equality remained intact.

‘I will continue to welcome any American to my home if they have anything legitimate to do with me,’ he said, adding that he would keep speaking against racism and policies he considered unjust, including those of President Trump.

Soyinka said that the news conference was to notify people in the US who might be expecting him for engagements not to waste their time, as he could no longer travel to the country.

Soyinka had declined an invitation from the U.S. Consulate for a visa re-interview scheduled for September 11, 2025, saying he felt it was a scam.

‘I thought it came from scammers who prey on those eager to get visas elsewhere, promising to deliver them for a certain amount. It was very strange because I had never received that kind of letter from that or any other embassy,’ he said.

Upon discovering its authenticity, he stated that attending such an interview was out of the question.

‘The question of going to such an interview is totally out of consideration,’ he said, adding that holding the re-interview on September 11, a date he described as one for ‘deep, sober reflection’ in the U.S., was inappropriate.

Soyinka referred to the American government at the time as being led by a ‘white Idi Amin,’ in apparent reference to Trump.

The Nobel laureate had, in December 2016, publicly torn his U.S. Green Card following Trump’s victory in the presidential election, fulfilling a promise he made before the polls.