Author: user user

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has said transforming Nigeria’s food system requires aligning policies with innovation and empowering youth as co-architects of agriculture.

Speaking at World Food Forum Nigeria Chapter Side Event: ‘Bridging Policy and Innovation: Youth at the Forefront of Agri-Food Transformation,’ Kyari said young entrepreneurs would drive innovation, create opportunities, and foster inclusive and productive agriculture ecosystem.

He noted that under President Bola Tinubu, agriculture has been placed at the core of national development agenda.

‘Food security is more than an economic priority; it is the foundation of national sovereignty and stability,’ he said.

Kyari said through Renewed Hope, the President is leading efforts to reinforce confidence in Nigeria’s food systems, strengthen production, and empower youths.

‘We are strengthening the link between policy and practice, ensuring that strategies are inclusive, data-driven, and shaped by those who live and work in our food systems, especially the youth driving innovation,’ he added.

The minister stressed that the government is shifting from a top-down approach to co-creation, where collaboration replaces prescription and young voices shape policies that define the nation’s future.

Listing progress made under National Agricultural Technology and Innovation, Kyari described it as the backbone of a tech-enabled, youth-driven, and commercially viable agriculture ecosystem.

He noted the need for sustained financing to scale youth-led agricultural innovations.

‘To sustain this innovation, we must ensure young agripreneurs access resources to scale their ideas. Financing innovation and enterprise is the catalyst for agricultural transformation. No matter how brilliant our ideas or technologies, without accessible and affordable finance, they cannot grow into impact,’ he said.

Kyari listed key initiatives, including operationalisation of the National Agricultural Development Fund and the N1.5 trillion recapitalisation of Bank of Agriculture, described as one of the largest agricultural finance commitments in Nigeria’s history.

These measures, he noted, will expand access to affordable finance for youth and women-led agribusinesses.

He also celebrated the contributions of Nigerian youth innovators such as Samson Ogbole, Femi Adekoya, Atinuke Lebile, and Azeez Salawu, who are leading projects in soilless farming, drone technology, biofortified crops, and ecosystem coordination.

The minister further commended Abdulsalam Umar of Matura Agro for pioneering Nigeria’s first large-scale cultivation of alfalfa grass for export.

Kyari announced the procurement of 2,000 tractors and over 9,000 agricultural implements, describing it as the largest mechanization initiative in Nigeria’s history.

‘This bold intervention will expand access to modern machinery, enhance productivity, and create new opportunities for youth in machinery operation, maintenance, and agribusiness services. It is part of our deliberate effort to make agriculture a field of innovation, dignity, and decent work for the next generation,’ he said.

The minister lauded the establishment of the World Food Forum (WFF) Nigeria Chapter, calling it a bridge between local innovation and global priorities.

He said the platform would unite youth-led organisations, private sector players, research institutions, and government agencies to build resilient food systems.

He urged partners to support the government’s drive to de-risk investments, upgrade enterprises, and provide blended finance to expand youth-led agribusiness opportunities.

‘Let us build a food-secure, youth-powered, and innovation-driven Nigeria, where every young person with a dream finds in agriculture not a struggle but a pathway to prosperity and national pride.’

A Magistrate’s Court in the Kuje area of Abuja has granted bail to former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, and Aloy Ejimakor, a member of the legal team which represented the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The court also granted bail to Kanu’s brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu and 10 others.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’I’d issued the bail order on Friday after the defendants were arraigned on charges bordering on unlawful assembly and disturbance of public peace.

They were granted bail in the sum of N500,000 each, with two sureties in like sum.

All 13 defendants were charged with inciting public disturbance and breach of peace in connection with the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest held on Monday, October 20, in Abuja.

Ejimakor, Emmanuel, and ten other defendants were arrested during the protest and later remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.

Sowore, however, was taken into custody on October 23 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he had gone to show solidarity during Kanu’s terrorism trial.

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress in Auchi community, Etsako West Local Government have presented Hon Abubakar Igbei as its consensus candidate for next year’s local government elections in Edo State.

The Edo APC primaries for local councils’ election have been scheduled for November 2025.

A leader of the APC in Auchi , Chief Jim Garuba, Daodu of Usogun Village, who spoke in an interview, said the consensus to pick Igbei was arrived at a stakeholders meeting attended by members of other political parties.

He said the stakeholders agreed to woo Governor Monday Okpebholo and other leaders of the party to accept their consensus candidate.

Chief Garuba described Hon Igbei as an established politician with a strong track record of community service.

According to him: ‘Uzairue has already secured the senatorial seat through Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the APC state chairman, and has also received other key appointments.

‘We have remained ardent supporters of the APC and all her candidates including Comrade Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Governor Monday Okpebholo.’

The Itsekiri Progress Club (IPC) has reacted to an appeal by the Urhobo Renaissance Society (URS) for a brokered peace among traditional rulers in Warri, Delta state, insisting that genuine peace can only be achieved on the foundation of justice, equity, and respect for established territorial boundaries.

In a statement by its Chairman, Dr. Tosan Popo, and Secretary, Mr. Godwin Oris Okotie, the IPC commended the URS’s peace initiative, but maintained that peace efforts must be guided by truth and legality.

Warri has been recently plagued in scuffles between the Itsekiris and Ijaws on one hand and Itsekiris and Urhobos on another owing to territorial claims and the now controversial delineation of wards in Warri Federal Constituency by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

‘We appreciate the Urhobo Renaissance Society’s (URS) recent appeal for peace among traditional rulers in Warri. Ordinarily, we of the Itsekiri Progress Club ought to have embraced the peace overture with all intent and purpose. It is however, a general norm that peace can only be achieved on the platform of equity and justice,’ the statement reads.

The Club emphasised that the ‘elusive peace within the larger Warri territory can only be attained when the intertwining tribes are ready to accept the truth and return to the original template of territorial boundary delineation as ably and proactively captured by the Delta State Government and the Nigerian Boundary Commission.’

According to the IPC, ‘brokering peace over a dinner table of injustice will be worse than the intended purpose,’ warning that ‘peace without justice means ignoring or glossing over important issues, which can lead to future conflicts.’

Citing the ethnic map of Delta State, the group highlighted the demarcation of local government areas (LGAs) along ethnic lines, noting three for the Ijaw (Burutu, Bomadi, Patani), eight for the Urhobo (including Uvwie, Sapele, Ughelli North and South), and three for the Itsekiri (Warri South, Warri North, and Warri South West).

The Club asserted that numerous judicial pronouncements had affirmed Itsekiri ownership of Warri, lamenting attempts by some groups to ‘annex Itsekiri lands.’

Describing such acts as the ‘major threat to peace in the Warri Federal Constituency,’ the statement read, ‘The situation in the territory is getting worse with the brazen acts of impunity being perpetuated by those who should supposedly enforce compliance and a pack of belligerent centrifugal forces attempting daylight defiance.’

The IPC referenced what it described as ‘the recent attempt and temerity of the Amakosu of Ogbe Ijoh to forcefully and unlawfully extend his territory to Warri South LGA’ as well as the ‘creation of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom from an aboriginal Itsekiri community.’

Condemning attempts to refer to their monarch as ‘Olu of Itsekiri,’ the statement said: ‘We know that there is no Ovie of Urhobo, Pere of Ijaw, or Asagba of Oshimili. Yet some find it convenient to say Olu of Itsekiri instead of Olu of Warri. What they fail to realise is that the name Warri has never been associated with any other tribe in Nigeria, pre- and post-independence, except the Itsekiri people.’

Reiterating their openness to dialogue, the IPC insisted that peace efforts must begin with honesty and historical clarity, adding, ‘Until URS and others answer the burning questions about truth and justice, the issue of petitioning for peace remains elusive.’

IPC reaffirmed commitment to coexistence, noting that Itsekiris have historically lived peacefully with other ethnic groups across Delta State, including in Urhobo-dominated areas like Sapele and Uvwie.

The statement called on all stakeholders to adhere strictly to the ethnic map of Delta State, warning that Itsekiri lands would never again be ceded under any guise.

‘Itsekiris will not cede an inch of our land ever again to any tribe in the name of peace. Let’s build a harmonious and prosperous Warri where justice reigns and no tribe is oppressed,’ it stated.

Dideolu Falobi, an aide of Ogun State former governor Gbenga Daniel, yesterday joined the 2026 Osun State governorship race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said agitation by some APC members for zoning the governorship ticket favoured Osun East Senatorial District more than Osun West.

Falobi, engineer, addressing reporters at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Osogbo, said there was need to rescue Osun State from the current administration which, according to him, was not addressing the needs and welfare of the people.

Speaking about the concentration of infrastructures in Ede, the hometown of Governor Ademola Adeleke, he said development must be evenly distributed.

Falobi said: ‘If you singled out a place and developed it, other places that you did not develop would begin to look like a junk hill. So, whatever you do as a leader, try and do what is called across-the-board development.

‘My administration will design an agenda for development, which will cut across all the towns and villages in Osun State. Just like under the leadership of my former principal, Gbenga Daniel. What we did was to design Ogun State’s master plan, which covered every area and aspect of the state.

‘Everything he did in his eight years is according to that plan we designed. When they were building the stadium in Ilaro, they went and built the one in Ijebu-Ode, they went and built the one in Abeokuta, and they were constructing the one in Sagamu.

‘When they established a polytechnic in Sapade, they picked four other areas and established polytechnics there. When we went to China to get investors to come in, I remember we brought some people to Lagos-Ibadan axis. Some people, we brought them to Itokun axis, some people we took them to Iloko axis, etc.

‘When you are doing 100km of road in Ede, you should do the same for other towns based on a cross-board development plan.’

Speaking about zoning, he said: ‘I am not aware zoning is formal in the APC. I stand to be corrected, it is an informal arrangement. By my calculation, since 1999, Osun Central has ruled thrice, Osun West twice and Osun East once, which I belong to.

‘When Aregbesola from Osun East left, it went to Oyetola from Central and now Adeleke from West, so even if they are doing zoning, it should come back to Osun East.’

Nigeria has officially exited the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list following sustained implementation of strategic reforms to strengthen its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) framework.

The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) confirmed the development, describing it as a significant milestone for the nation’s financial system and international reputation. The decision was formally announced at the FATF plenary held in Paris, France.

According to the NFIU, the removal of Nigeria from the grey list followed a rigorous mutual evaluation process which reviewed the country’s compliance with global standards for preventing illicit financial flows, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing.

The statement noted that Nigeria’s exit was achieved through ‘consistent inter-agency collaboration, decisive leadership, and the adoption of modern tools and technologies to strengthen financial intelligence gathering and enforcement.’

The FATF grey list is reserved for countries with strategic deficiencies in their AML/CFT regimes.

Being removed from the list means Nigeria has demonstrated sufficient political commitment and technical progress in addressing all identified deficiencies.

Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, Hafsat Bakari, described the achievement as ‘a collective victory for Nigeria’s financial system,’ adding that it signals renewed confidence from international partners and investors.

She stated: ‘Our removal from the FATF grey list reflects Nigeria’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law in financial transactions. This outcome is the result of years of hard work, collaboration among regulatory and law enforcement agencies, and the support of the Presidency.’

Bakari also expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his leadership, noting that his administration’s support accelerated the completion of the FATF Action Plan and ensured compliance with international standards.

The NFIU commended the efforts of key institutions such as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Nigeria Police Force, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), among others.

According to the Unit, these institutions worked tirelessly to address FATF’s 30-item action plan, which included strengthening supervisory oversight, improving risk-based assessments, enhancing information sharing, and ensuring effective prosecution of financial crimes.

The agency noted that Nigeria’s successful exit from the grey list will have positive implications for the economy, including increased investor confidence, reduced transaction costs for Nigerian businesses abroad, and improved access to the global financial system.

‘The FATF’s decision restores global confidence in Nigeria’s financial sector and signals that the country is a responsible member of the international financial community,’ the NFIU said.

It added that Nigeria will continue to engage with the FATF and its regional body, the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), to sustain progress and prevent relapse.

The FATF, an intergovernmental body established in 1989, sets international standards to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.

Nigeria’s exit from the grey list marks the culmination of sustained reforms initiated after the country was placed on the list in February 2023, when FATF identified strategic deficiencies in its AML/CFT regime. With all action items now successfully addressed, the country returns to full compliance with FATF recommendations.

The NFIU assured that it will continue to strengthen the effectiveness of its operations through advanced analytics, information sharing, and collaboration with domestic and international stakeholders to safeguard Nigeria’s financial system from abuse.

‘God asked me to be a bridge among different denominations,’ Rev. Uma Ukpai recalled in an interview, explaining why he named his ministry Uma Ukpai Evangelical Association (UUEA) and adding that it ‘is not a church.’

He shed further light on his role: ‘To show the world that we are not part of the competition of establishing churches, we had to bear the name. we are there to bring about revival to Christendom and to build bridges amongst different churches. that is why we could give birth to Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) – the coming together of different churches. God asked us to do that in order to bring about unity in the body of Christ.’

Apart from being a key figure in the formation of PFN and a unifying presence, he was an example of progressive priesthood, recognising the importance of secular interventions alongside spiritual mediations. For instance, his ministry complemented its mega crusades and miracles with social services, particularly related to health and education.

He elaborated the philosophy behind this approach, saying, ‘I think it is not enough to preach the gospel; we need to give social services to people who may not understand what preaching is all about.’

Challenges he experienced in his early life shaped his passion for poverty alleviation. His father died when he was 10. ‘I know what it means to lose a father and be a father from that age. I know what it is to save money to pay school fees. So, I have feelings for the poor,’ he said.

Ukpai died on October 6, aged 80. He ‘met Christ’ in 1958 as a member of the Assemblies of God Church. He was from Ohafia in present-day Abia State but established his ministry in Uyo in present-day Akwa-Ibom State.

He notably held crusades across Nigeria, including the yearly Greater Ohafia for Christ Crusade, Anioma One-million-man Crusade (2016), Nsukka (2012), Greater Ibadan for Christ (1982), and Greater Lagos for Christ (1985), which led to the founding of PFN. He was also recognised as an international evangelist.

Among his memorable moments as a minister, he listed his participation in the ‘Full Gospel International Business Men Convention where I was the first African to speak for four days’ and requests he received ‘to relocate to the United States of America but I didn’t go.’

He made an impact in health as chairman of Uma Ukpai Eye Centre, and King of Kings Hospital, a specialist hospital in Abia State for communities in Abia, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

His activities were no less impactful in education as the proprietor of Uma Ukpai School of Theology and Biblical Studies, Uyo, Uma Ukpai Polytechnic Asaga, Uma Ukpai Scholarship Foundation, and Joseph Business School, affiliate of Joseph Business School Chicago, USA.

After completing his secondary education in Nigeria, he studied at the School of Journalism and Television, Frisham, Hermitage, United Kingdom; South Florida Christian College Miami, Florida, USA; Carolina Christian University and Burke Bible College, Kentucky, USA. He held a certificate in Electrical Engineering Practice, a diploma in Journalism, a bachelor’s, and a doctorate in Divinity.

When Evangel University Akaeze, Ebonyi State, gave him an honorary degree of Doctor of Science (D.Sc.), in 2016, he described the award as ‘a very pleasant surprise.’ He added: ‘this is the first time I am getting a doctorate award from an academic institution. It will increase the driving force in my life to be the best a man can possibly be and to be a mentor and model to the younger generation.’

Indeed, he lived above controversy and scandal. His influential ministry is a testimony to his life of purpose.

CapitalSage Holdings has announced the appointment of Mr. Nath Ude as the Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CapitalSage Technology Limited, the financial services arm of the Group.

The appointment, contained in a statement ion Friday by CapitalSage Holdings, took effect from October 13, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the company’s ambition to accelerate digital-led financial transformation and consolidate growth across key markets.

As Group CEO, Ude will oversee the company’s financial services businesses, including Kolomoni Microfinance Bank (Nigeria and The Gambia), ERCAS, Regius Asset Management, Regius Capital, CreditAssist Investment, Tiki by Kolomoni, and SageBrush Wealth.

He will also manage operations spanning Nigeria, The Gambia, Kenya, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to the statement, the appointment aligns with CapitalSage Holdings’ strategic vision to expand its footprint and advance its mission of empowering individuals and businesses through inclusive, technology-driven financial solutions.

Described as a transformational banking executive, Ude brings over three decades of experience across Africa, Asia, and Europe.

Before joining CapitalSage, he served as Managing Director/CEO of Nova Merchant Bank, where he achieved significant milestones, including over 100 percent growth in profit before tax in 2022, zero operational fraud for three consecutive years, and the deployment of Africa’s first Infosys Finacle X1 system.

He also held senior executive positions at Union Bank of Nigeria, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Standard Chartered Bank (South Africa), and Citibank, where he led major initiatives in enterprise innovation, process automation, and digital optimisation.

Speaking on the appointment, Chairman of CapitalSage Holdings, Opeyemi Oduwole, said his appointment signals our next phase of growth, one defined by deeper innovation, stronger execution, and pan-African expansion.

‘Nath Ude’s experience in technology-led transformation and strategic governance will play a critical role in accelerating our growth strategy and delivering greater value to stakeholders.

‘The Board is confident that he will lead CapitalSage Technology into its next chapter as a key enabler of Africa’s fintech evolution,’ he said.

Ude expressed excitement about his new role, stating, ‘With over three decades in banking and technology across Africa, Asia, and Europe, I’ve seen how innovation can transform not just institutions but entire economies. What excites me most about CapitalSage is its vision and the people driving it-a team committed to building technology that doesn’t just move money but moves lives. I look forward to working with the team to scale our footprint, deepen inclusion, and create lasting value across Africa.’

With Ude’s appointment, CapitalSage Technology is poised to strengthen its fintech infrastructure, expand its innovation pipeline, and deepen its impact in Africa’s rapidly evolving digital economy.

The company continues to redefine how Africans save, invest, collect, and manage money through secure, seamless, and inclusive digital solutions designed to bridge financial access gaps across the continent.

The Police Service Commission (PSC) yesterday promised to investigate allegations of bribery and abuse of office levelled against an Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Emmanuel Aina.

Protesters, under the aegis of the Centre for Human Rights and Advocacy in Africa Network, stormed the PSC headquarters in Jabi, Abuja, demanding a thorough probe into the police officer’s conduct.

The demonstrators, who wielded placards with various inscriptions, accused AIG Aina of gross misconduct and urged the commission to take a decisive action.

In a petition, CHRAAN said: ‘Sometimes in 2024, one Asabe Waziri, a staff member of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limted (NNPCL), who was evicted by FCT High Court judgment from two blocks of flats in a property in Maitama, Abuja, was forcefully brought back to the flats by AIG Aina Emmanuel, using some officers like CSP Francis (FCID).

‘AIG Emmanuel Aina, in spite of his knowledge of a court order restraining Asabe Waziri from trespassing into the property and flats and a motion for stay of execution filed in respect of a Court of Appeal’s judgment against Asabe Waziri, in the Supreme Court.

‘It’s our complaint that AIG Aina vowed to return Asabe Waziri into the flats, using intimidation of the counsel to the property owner, Giwa Victor Esq, a human rights lawyer, whom he arrested and detained twice between June and July 2024 in order to unlawfully gain access to the property at No. 1, Mekong close, Maitama, Abuja.

‘Asabe Waziri and Abeh Signature Apartment, the owner of the property, had a dispute, which resulted in court action, that finally led to the property owner obtaining judgment in its favour against Asabe Waziri. The judgment was finally enforced against Asabe Waziri and she was vacated from the property.

‘Asabe appealed against the judgement to the court of appeal, her appeal succeeded in March 2024 and the property owner appealed against her judgment to the Supreme Court. A motion for stay of execution and Notice of Appeal to the Supreme Court was filed, all against Asabe’s Court of Appeal Judgement.

‘Shockingly, AIG Aina, knowing that this was a matter that was still subsisting in court, still went ahead to break into the flats forcefully and brought Asabe Waziri into the flats. According to the AIG, he wanted Asabe to be in the property while the case is going on in the Supreme Court.

‘It’s our complaint that AIG Aina vowed to return Asabe Waziri into the flats, using intimidation of the counsel to the property owner, Giwa Victor Esq, a human rights lawyer, whom he arrested and detained twice between June and July 2024 in order to unlawfully gain access to the property at No. 1, Mekong close, Maitama, Abuja.

‘Asabe Waziri and Abeh Signature Apartment, the owner of the property, had a dispute, which resulted in court action, that finally led to the property owner obtaining judgment in its favour against Asabe Waziri. The judgment was finally enforced against Asabe Waziri and she was vacated from the property.

‘Asabe appealed against the judgement to the court of appeal, her appeal succeeded in March 2024 and the property owner appealed against her judgment to the Supreme Court. A motion for stay of execution and Notice of Appeal to the Supreme Court was filed, all against Asabe’s Court of Appeal Judgement.

‘Shockingly, AIG Aina, knowing that this was a matter that was still subsisting in court, still went ahead to break into the flats forcefully and brought Asabe Waziri into the flats. According to the AIG, he wanted Asabe to be in the property while the case is going on in the Supreme Court.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said former President Goodluck Jonathan has not informed him of any plan to contest the 2027 presidential election.

Wike stated this during a live media parley monitored by our correspondent, in Abuja while responding to questions about speculations that Jonathan was being pressured to return to the presidential race.

The minister said: ‘You’re the one telling me here. Jonathan has never told me; he has never called me one day .’Look, I’m being pressured to run, what’s your thinking?’ If he calls me and asks me, I will be able to tell him my mind and what I feel’.

He added: ‘I will not because you people put something on the pages of the newspapers, just like you said they flew me out of the country – then, I now assume it’s correct.’

On the emergence of former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), as the consensus candidate for the position of National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wike distanced himself from the development, saying he knows nothing about it.

‘I don’t know about Tanimu Turaki becoming chairman; maybe he becomes chairman for another faction – it’s not the PDP I know,’ he stated.

The PDP Northern stakeholders had recently endorsed Turaki as their consensus candidate ahead of the party’s national convention scheduled for November 15-16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Speaking further, Wike dismissed the upcoming convention as illegal, hinting that he would not attend.

‘How do you want me to attend a convention that I know by law that there is no convention?’ he queried.