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After two decades without issuing a new licence issuance, the National Pension Commission (PenCom) has granted Parthian Pensions Limited a Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) licence, marking a major milestone for the industry.

Parthian Pensions aims to disrupt and redefine the pension landscape with cutting-edge technology, customer-first solutions, and the backing of the Parthian Group, a Nigeria’s leading investment house.

Speaking during a media parley with journalists in Lagos, the Group Managing Director, Parthian Group, Mr. Oluseye Olusoga said the newly established PFA has been positioned to be the alternative PFA of choice for Retirement Savings Account (RSA) holders seeking better return on investment and excellent customer service.

Olusoga stated that they are set to capture many Nigerians under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), in line with the objective of the regulatory authority, PenCom.

The Managing Director, Parthian Pensions, Mr. Olufemi Odukoya on his part said they observed that over the years, some PFAs have lost their guards and they have come to fill it.

He stressed that their mission therefore is to secure a retirement lifestyle plan because everyone has a vision to enjoy after retirement.

He said the company has witnessed high level of acceptance in the few weeks that they commenced operations.

Speaking on what they will also be doing differently, Odukoya said they will build relationship, noting that this is part of what has been missing in the pension industry.

He said: ‘We want to focus on relationship building. We have identified the gap in this area. We will leverage on the best technology but we will also be there for our clients physically. In the few days we have gone to the market, we have achieved a lot in terms of acceptance and patronage.

‘Since the inception of the transfer window opened by PenCom, almost about N1.77 trillion has been moved across the PFAs by about 384,000 contributors. So you can imagine how much has been moved in one segment of the pension market. The other segment is registration of new RSAs. We have our own strategies that we will use to grow the market’.

He noted that with Parthian background in finance and asset management over the years, and they kind of promoters behind the Group, their clients can trust and assured that they are in good hands.

The Public Complaints Commission has restated its unwavering commitment to promoting justice, accountability, and fairness.

Speaking in Ado-Ekiti, on Wednesday, during the golden jubilee celebration of the Commission, the Commissioner representing Ekiti State, Prince Akintade Olayisade, said the celebration offered an opportunity to renew PCC’s dedication to equity and protection of citizens’ rights.

He emphasised that as the Commission celebrates 50 years of service, the Ekiti office remains resolute in strengthening justice delivery, deepening transparency, and ensuring every citizen, regardless of their status, can seek redress against administrative injustice.

Olayisade noted that the Commission, established on October 16, 1975, during the administration of General Murtala Mohammed, has remained the voice of the voiceless, the defender of fairness, and a bridge between the government and the governed.

‘For fifty years, the Public Complaints Commission has been a pillar of justice and fairness in our democracy. As we celebrate this golden milestone, we reaffirm our resolve to deepen justice delivery, strengthen transparency, and ensure that every Nigerian has access to redress without fear or favour.’

The Commissioner noted that the Ekiti PCC has consistently upheld the core values of the ombudsman by ensuring prompt and impartial investigation of complaints bordering on unpaid entitlements, wrongful dismissals, and land disputes.

Olayisade said these interventions have brought relief to the aggrieved and restored citizens’ confidence in public institutions.

He also highlighted the Commission’s commitment to innovation and reform, including the introduction of digital record-keeping systems, open-door complaint mechanisms, and sustained public enlightenment campaigns to raise awareness about citizens’ rights and avenues for redress.

While acknowledging challenges such as limited resources and increasing case volumes, the Commissioner maintained that such hurdles would not deter the commission from fulfilling its statutory responsibilities.

‘Our commitment remains firm and unshaken. We will continue to defend the rights of the people, uphold fairness in all dealings, and promote transparency and accountability across all tiers of government’, he assured.

Olayisade commended the Ekiti State Government, ministries, departments, agencies, civil society groups, and the general public for their continued cooperation and urged them to sustain their support for the Commission’s mission.

Northern Nigeria is famous for its political pomposity of having the highest number of votes to influence political power or direction. However, it is lacking the political sagacity to transform the deplorable conditions of the people to justify its numerical relevance. In today’s North and politics, misplaced priorities have been the order of the day. We are afraid of breaking away from conventions to attain a paradigm shift that will discover our potentialities, fix our opportunities and discontinue the practices of conservatism. Long term policies and projects for sustainable development are inadequate to face the challenges of the 21st century.

There is no adequate balancing between human development and physical development. The North’s politics bolsters mainly in relation to cheap popularity and other forms of self-aggrandizement, rather than exalted and exemplary mission for regional rejuvenation and prosperity. Our numerical pride, after all, is never a means to achieving an end, not even an end in itself.

If numerical advantage is the only measurable and core value that matters in North’s politics, we should not have been battling the chronic diseases of poverty, unemployment and insecurity among others. In fact, this so called strength calls for sober reflections on how to make it politically and economically viable and constructive, not destructive as in the case of the merchants of death killing innocent and defenceless people.

For long, two conflicting trends have continued to define our protracted and overwhelming ills. I am referring to the eventual advent of political will versus political opportunism. We are entangled in a political contest of elites who are torn apart between political will and political opportunism. The political elites who possess political will for reforms are very rare because they have been relegated to the background and the North will continue to bleed without this political capital.

While political opportunists have saturated and hijacked the political environment, the alarming risk is that the mainstream northern politics begins and ends with the perpetuation of self-indulgence as well as self- complacency. We are no longer thinking about robust institutions that foster advancement, but we are fighting wars over individuals.

Meanwhile, northern interests, yearnings and aspirations will continue to be compromised and imprisoned. This is a typical political error we are underestimating. We have forgotten that our collective yearnings and aspirations are so humongous that they require the deployment of strong political will to conquer our difficulties and conundrums.

It is easy to forget that political will is indispensable because political characters are willing to commit precious time, energy, funds and political capital to achieve desirable and impactful change. These political elements are risk bearers and can incur opportunity costs to fulfil collective interests. It is all about politics for change and not politics for extending the status quo. Unfortunately for northern Nigeria, our political nomenclature is not aspiring for the restoration of political will to strengthen our progress.

The only panacea to mould our politics, secure and rescue the North from imminent collapse is relentless desire for the enthronement of political will. Therefore, the elites who are students of political will should be mobilized and massively supported to join active politics. This can be done through the utilisation of different fora by organizations and patriotic individuals. It is high time to raise political will awareness by adopting modern technology. The time is now and not later. This is the greatest service the North requires for the meantime.

On the other hand, political opportunism is not the best political friend of our time, pragmatically taking advantage of every available situation or circumstance to maintain political support or influence towards egoism. It is often the benchmark for illegitimate behaviour in politics. One of its greatest ills is prioritizing expediency over principles. In the end, we are victims of the political reactionaries.

Political will focuses on the depth of power while opportunism concentrates on the length of power. Between political will and opportunism, therefore, our collective and inordinate desire has always been tilted towards opportunism. The political opportunism vanguard is fast growing while we are helpless and hopeless. The political will to transform rural areas and boost farming activities is bankrupt and we remain happy!

Political visions are supposed to empower political will to transform northern Nigeria. Political woes are never supported by blatant pretentions and all that. In today’s North, political opportunists are unwilling to reach a compromise that will sacrifice their political project for northern project. Our crisis is so huge and complex that we are enmeshed in trivial matters while ignoring potential dangers that may consume us.

The formation of political thoughts and practices vis-a-vis the development of the North is largely shrouded in an utter lackadaisical attitude. Developmental concerns and wisdoms are at poverty level and inconsistent with our generational yearnings and aspirations. Imagine how stupendous money is squandered annually sponsoring government officials and party loyalists to perform the lesser Hajj (Umrah) while basic public schools are lacking structures and resources. This manipulative and religious tendency has proved political excessiveness in the midst of squalor.

Political will is an effective therapy while political opportunism is a dangerous disease. Our political opportunists are self-made heroes taking advantage of the circumstances to promote themselves, with little regards to principles, in total disregard for consequences as they affect the rest of us. For sure, the North is at the devastating spot of political opportunism. It is paying costly for the evils of political opportunism. That is why Yobe, Sokoto and Kebbi are having the highest number of out-of-school kids in the country.

In the profound wisdom of Milton Friedman, one man’s opportunism is another man’s statesmanship. This is an inspiring food for thought addressed to all northerners with political mind and proper jingoism.

Fourteen young Nigerian visual artists-all alumni of Thought Pyramid Art Centre’s Next of Kin Art Competition, through various media explore Japa, one of the most pressing realities in contemporary Nigeria -the emigration wave. Through their lens, the multi-phased project provided the artists the opportunity to investigate the migration phenomenon both introspectively and outwardly through visual storytelling and artistic reflection. Opened recently at the Thought Pyramid Art Centre, Ikoyi Lagos, the exhibition backed by a documentary film, offers a critical look at the systemic, personal, and societal factors fueling Nigeria’s emigration wave. The accompanying film, Jápa: The Search For A Better Life, extends the conversation beyond the canvas. It amplifies the tone of the exhibition and allows the artists to tell their stories in their own voices-stories that are as much about leaving as they are about staying, about hope as much as despair.

The project as a compelling dual-channel one that features a feature-length documentary and a group art exhibition exploring one of the most pressing realities in contemporary Nigeria – mass migration.

The word Japa (with tonal emphasis) is derived from the Yoruba language. It combines ‘já’ (to run) and ‘pá’ (completely) to evoke an urgent escape-a fitting metaphor for the current wave of young Nigerians fleeing the country in search of better opportunities abroad.

The project Japa is a multi-phased project designed to investigate the migration phenomenon both introspectively and outwardly through visual storytelling and artistic reflection. It comprises a documentary film and a group exhibition and presents a narrative of search, sacrifice, resilience, and reckoning.

Together, the film and art exhibition act as a mirror to the nation, and the creative space-revealing not just why people are leaving, but what it means to stay. Japa is not just a critique. It is a call to listen, to reflect, and perhaps, to return.

Founder and Artistic Director, Thought Pyramid Art Centre Chief Jeff Ajueshi stated that the exhibition is not just another showcase of talent; but an intentional statement about continuity, commitment, and responsibility. The exhibition, he said, brings together fourteen remarkable visual artists-all alumni of the Next of Kin Art Competition and Exhibition Series-and in doing so, it affirms the very reason Next of Kin was founded: to discover, nurture, and sustain the growth of Nigeria’s emerging artistic voices.

‘It was a deliberate choice to feature only artists who have passed through the Next of Kin platform. Too often in the art ecosystem, emerging practitioners are celebrated briefly, only to be left without guidance, support, or opportunities to advance their careers. At Thought Pyramid Art Centre, we believe that discovery must be followed by development, and competition must give way to community. This art exhibition is, therefore, both a continuation of our promise and a challenge to the wider art world: if more platforms operated like Next of Kin, where participants are not abandoned after the spotlight of the competition fades, then why would our most promising talents feel compelled to look elsewhere-or even leave the country-for sustenance and recognition?

‘The theme, Japa, resonates strongly with this question. Migration, driven by the search for better opportunities, has become a pressing reality for many young Nigerians, including artists. Yet, if we create and sustain ecosystems that provide visibility, mentorship, and professional growth, then perhaps the urgency to leave would diminish.

What we have here is proof that Nigerian artists, when supported, can thrive, innovate and contribute meaningfully to both local and global conversations,’ he noted.

Executive Producer (Film) and Curator (Art) Mr. Ovie Omatsola recalled that the project was conceived from a deeply personal moment, but as a reflection of a larger national reality. ‘It demanded a curatorial inquisition. Could art respond to this growing trend of migration? Could it interrogate its causes and effects? I felt there was an urgent need to respond, and that response has become what you now encounter in this exhibition.

‘Art, throughout history, has been more than aesthetics; it has been a voice, a mirror, a protest, and a healing balm. In times of social crisis, it is art that often helps us pause, reflect, and confront the truth. Projects like JÁPA are important because they ensure that artists are not just passive observers but active participants in society-using their creativity to illuminate the concerns, choices, and consequences of our shared existence,’ he added.

According to him, the participating visual artists in the exhibition did not enter this conversation from a distance, as they have lived experiences of JÁPA. ‘For Bertha Onyekachi, it was the fatherly absence migration cost her; for Odinakachi Okoroafor, it was the reality of life in Angola; for others, the experience comes through family, friends, or personal longing. Because JÁPA is not an abstract concept but a lived truth, the artworks presented here resonate with authenticity and depth. They are not mere representations; they are testimonials, layered with pain, resilience, longing, and hope,’ he said.

The collections embody the desire to give hope, manifestation of highly proverbial visual languages while serving as a repository of long-lasting statements. Each work insists that while migration may be inevitable for some, the narratives we create around it must remain complex, human, and true. This authenticity has become a powerful influence on the project: making it not only inspirational but also deeply relatable.

To Omatsola, it was important that the exhibiting artists are all currently residing in Nigeria. ‘This decision is not a simplistic declaration that Nigeria is perfect, nor a dismissal of the reasons many choose to leave. Rather, it is a rhetorical representation of Nigeria and the Nigerian spirit: the choice to wrestle with the challenges of staying, the courage to create meaning in the midst of uncertainty, and the insistence that our voices can still shape the narrative of our time,’ he added.

The accompanying film, Jápa: The Search For A Better Life, extends this conversation beyond the canvas. It amplifies the tone of the exhibition and allows the artists to tell their stories in their own voices-stories that are as much about leaving as they are about staying, about hope as much as despair. Together, the film and the exhibition form not just an art show, but a lived experience-an immersive journey into the complexities of JÁPA.

‘It has taken a long time to get here, but I am grateful that we did. My hope is that this project becomes not only a mirror to society but also a template of how far we can go in telling the right stories through art. With JÁPA, we affirm that art must always respond to society, and in doing so, it has the power to inspire, to question, and to heal,’ he noted.

Participating artists include Ademola Ojo, Christian Allison, Olalekan Adeyemi Julius, Caroline Useh, Popoola Nurudeen, Segun Jiboku, Ikechukwu Ezeigwe, Bertha Onyekachi, and Segun Fagorusi. Others are Hassan Abdulazeez, Alogi John, Akinnire Solomon, Odinakachi Okoroafor and Sidney Osioh.

Almost all the works are thought provoking. For instance, Nurudeen’s My Bag of Dreams captures a man who sits where hours gather like dust, the heavy bag on his lap pressing not just against his knees, but against the walls of his heart. Behind him, green and white stretch, like an unbroken memory, a flag that once fluttered in his laughter, now whispering questions in the wind.

However, his gaze is fixed on a distance that is both promise and exile, each minute a tug between staying and going. Symbolically, the weight he carries is not only cloth and metal, but the quiet ache of leaving home while still sitting in it.

For Osioh’s If you stay, Na you know, (an acrylic and charcoal on canvas) is an art piece that pricks it’s viewers of the current situation of the country and how unsafe it has been for the common man to strive and feed his family. Hence, this painting poses the quest of how sure are you that your tomorrow is guaranteed to fulfill your dreams? Why not look for a safe net elsewhere for your family.

In like manner, Osioh’s If You No Go,You No Go Know, (acrylic and charcoal on canvas) is a piece of art that gives its viewers an imaginative license within time and space to take a pause for a second and muse on the current happenings in the country. Hence, if you no go, you no go know create in its viewers mind a stance of trying to look for a better place to live in. You might just remain where you are simply because you failed to try.

President Bola Tinubu has underscored importance of basic education, saying his administration cannot watch while children are out of school.

He described education as a national security imperative, economic growth strategy, and moral duty.

Tinubu said the free primary education schemes launched in the country in 1955, 1957 and 1960 by premiers of western, eastern and northern regions was an antidote for poverty for many Nigerians.

The President spoke at the 70th anniversary of the launch of Free Universal Primary Education in Nigeria in Lagos, as part of the 65th Independence Anniversary celebrations.

Tinubu, represented by Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education (UBEC), Aisha Garba, noted that the commission has evolved from a grant administrator to a true system reformer.

He said it now focuses on increasing equitable access to basic education in all parts of Nigeria, improved quality learning, stronger financing and institutional reform.

Tinubu urged development partners, teachers, parents and other key stakeholders to play impactful roles in basic education.

Former Governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande hailed the organisers for bringing everyone together for a reminder that universal comprehensive education is the most important asset for man to be truly independent in a society and independent country.

The curtain has officially fallen on one of the most exciting campaigns of the season – the TECNO 2025 Back-to-School Promo. What began on August 28, 2025, the campaign, themed ‘Buy Smarter, Win Bigger,’ gave students, parents, and young professionals the perfect opportunity to gear up for a new academic season with affordable gadgets and irresistible rewards.

Throughout the campaign, customers enjoyed more value for every purchase – from handy power banks and selfie light sets to rotatable phone stands and stylish vacuum cups. But TECNO didn’t stop there. The excitement soared even higher with weekly online raffle draws that transformed everyday shoppers into proud winners of premium appliances like refrigerators, deep freezers, and rechargeable fans.

The campaign reached its grand finale on October 10, 2025, when 10 lucky customers across Nigeria emerged as the ultimate winners. From Lagos to Kano, Abuja to Onitsha, smiles lit up faces as people like Fumilayo and Asuni took home the sleek TECNO Spark 40, while others, such as Victor and Otu, won brand-new laptops to power their academic journey. Nneka and Janet celebrated their wins with freezers, while Mohammed, Sarah, and Oloruntomi proudly walked away with fans – making this year’s Back-to-School season one to remember.

Speaking on the campaign’s success, a TECNO representative shared:

‘Seeing students and families across the country win rewards that truly make a difference in their daily lives reminds us why we do what we do. This promo was about more than sales – it was about supporting our customers and helping them start the school year strong.’

As the campaign wraps up, TECNO extends heartfelt appreciation to every customer who participated, shopped, and shared in the fun. While the 2025 Back-to-School Promo may have come to an end, the brand promises even more exciting opportunities ahead. Because with TECNO, every season is another chance to win big and live smarter. For more updates, follow TECNO on Facebook, Instagram, and X(Twitter).

In a bid to diversify the economy and reduce over-dependence on oil, President Bola Tinubu has announced N1 trillion investment in the solid minerals sector.

The president disclosed this while delivering the keynote at the 10th Edition of Nigeria Mining Week 2025, in Abuja.

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the president noted that the N1 trillion commitment, which is the largest government-led mining initiative in the nation’s history, was drawn from the N4.5 trillion increase in the 2025 federal budget.

The president said the landmark investment, which was in alignment with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, will fund geo-scientific exploration, geological surveys, and critical infrastructure needed to unlock mineral-rich regions.

‘This is the most significant single investment in Nigeria’s mining industry by any administration. We are turning the wealth beneath our feet into prosperity in our hands,’ Tinubu said.

Commending the sectoral progress made, Tinubu noted that the revenue generation of the sector grew by six-fold from N6 billion in 2023 to N38 billion in 2024.

He however attributed the performance of the sector to new policies, tighter regulations, and the establishment of the Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) designed to attract capital, form joint ventures, and boost local mineral processing.

Tinubu then re-emphasised his administration’s zero tolerance for unsafe or environmentally harmful mining practices, stressing that ‘natural resources must enhance lives today and for future generations. Mining should heal and build, not hurt or divide.’

Reaffirming the National Assembly’s support for the sector, Chairman Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Sen Ekong Sampson expressed readiness of the legislative arm to provide legislative backing for the President’s mining reforms.

He assured that the Senate would continue to enact progressive laws and provide oversight to sustain investor confidence and transparency.

He said: ‘Our focus is to unlock the full potential of this sector through enabling policies and strategic partnerships.’

He expressed optimism that ongoing reforms under the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development would position Nigeria for global competitiveness.

He, however, identified collaboration among government, industry players, and communities as the only way to achieve inclusive growth.

He said: ‘What we need for every sector is collaboration, not conflict. We have no excuse not to make the best of our country’s natural endowments’.

In his address, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake described the sector’s rapid growth now contributing about 4.6 per cent to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as proof of the effectiveness of President Tinubu’s reform-driven agenda.

‘From all available evidence, our policies are working. But we couldn’t have achieved this without the cooperation of stakeholders,’ he said.

Alake then disclosed that the Federal Government is addressing two major financial gaps limiting local participation, particularly through the African Joint Committee (AJC) framework, to empower indigenous investors to compete with international players.

On his part, the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s determination to revive Nigeria’s steel industry as a backbone of industrialisation and infrastructure expansion.

He revealed that a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with a Chinese firm for the rehabilitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Plant, targeting the production of 10 million metric tonnes of steel by 2030. ‘With the right partnerships and renewed investor confidence, Nigeria’s steel industry will soon take its rightful place as the bedrock of national development,’ he said.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Engr. Faruk Yabo emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to building a transparent, technology-driven, and investor-friendly mining environment.

Yabo noted that the various reforms introduced under Alake’s leadership are repositioning the sector to meaningfully contribute to national GDP while promoting responsible mining.

‘Our goal is to ensure Nigeria no longer exports raw minerals but value-added products that create jobs, foster innovation, and strengthen prosperity,’ Yabo stated.

Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), stressed the importance of transparency and accountability in building investor confidence.

He stated that NEITI’s latest report shows the mining sector still underperforms due to poor data management and weak inter-agency coordination.

‘Transparency is not an option; it is the foundation upon which trust and investment confidence are built,’ Dr. Orji said, pledging NEITI’s continued support for reforms that guarantee fairness and shared prosperity.

Earlier, the National President of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Ayanleke expressed the association’s unwavering commitment to the promotion of a collaborative, transparent, and sustainable partnership with government and other stakeholders in the sector.

He noted that the progress recorded in the sector was made possible by the exemplary leadership of the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Alake and his team.

He said the mining week has remained a catalyst for sectoral dialogue, innovation, and reforms – bridging the gap between policy and practice, operators and investors, and ideas and implementation.

Ayanleke noted that the sector in the last decade witnessed the introduction of cutting-edge technologies, policy reforms, strategic partnerships, and capacity-building initiatives that continue to redefine the mining landscape in Nigeria.

Nigeria has secured its third major gas investment in 18 months, with Shell approving a $2 billion Final Investment Decision (FID) for a new offshore gas development in the HI Field, located in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 144.

The project is expected to deliver about 350 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscf/d) from 2028 – roughly one-third of the gas requirements of the Nigeria LNG Limited’s Train 7 project.

President Bola Tinubu welcomed the investment, describing it as another clear vote of confidence in Nigeria’s economic reforms and energy policies.

‘This major FID announcement by Shell, their second in one year, is a clear validation of our wide-ranging reform efforts and a signal to the world that Nigeria is fully open for business and investment,’ the President said.

The new decision brings total upstream investment commitments in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector to over $8 billion since Tinubu assumed office in 2023.

The announcement followed earlier approvals of the Ubeta Non-Associated Gas project and the Bonga North deepwater development, both seen as cornerstones of the administration’s energy revitalisation drive.

Together, the Ubeta and HI gas projects will supply up to 15 percent of the total feedgas requirements of the NLNG’s Trains 1 to 7, underpinning energy security and export reliability.

These investment inflows, it was gathered, are the result of targeted reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration, coordinated through the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy.

The reforms include fiscal incentives, streamlined regulatory processes, reduced contracting costs, and faster approval timelines – measures now enshrined in law.

The HI gas field, discovered in 1985, is being developed under Presidential Directive 40, which introduced a new fiscal framework to attract Non-Associated Gas investment in onshore and shallow offshore zones.

Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Arowolo Verheijen, said the HI and Ubeta projects will solidify the foundation for NLNG’s Train 7 and enhance domestic energy access.

‘With the Ubeta FID and now the HI FID, we have secured the gas supply needed to make NLNG Train 7 not just possible, but transformative. These projects will strengthen Nigeria’s LNG exports, expand LPG availability for households, reduce imports, and boost foreign exchange earnings. And this is only the beginning – more FIDs are on the horizon’, Verheijen stated.

Shell’s Upstream President, Peter Costello, affirmed the company’s long-term commitment to Nigeria’s energy sector.

‘Following recent investment decisions related to the Bonga deep-water development, today’s announcement demonstrates our continued commitment to Nigeria’s energy sector, with a focus on Deepwater and Integrated Gas.

‘This project will grow Shell’s leading gas portfolio while supporting Nigeria’s ambition to become a more significant player in the global LNG market’, Costello said.

The NLNG Train 7 expansion, to which the new projects will contribute, is expected to increase Nigeria’s LNG capacity by 8 million metric tonnes annually, a 35 percent boost over current production.

The expansion will also stimulate thousands of direct and indirect jobs, strengthen SME participation in host communities, and expand the country’s clean energy footprint.

President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustaining a stable investment climate.

President Bola Tinubu has extended his condolences to the government and people of Kenya over the passing of former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga, describing him as a towering figure in African politics and a lifelong advocate of democracy and justice.

In a condolence message issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu paid tribute to the late Odinga’s enduring contributions to Kenya’s political evolution and Africa’s democratic advancement.

The President lauded Odinga’s courage in the face of adversity, his resilience in championing electoral reforms, and his unwavering belief in the power of the people.

‘His courage, resilience, and belief in the people’s power will remain sources of inspiration for generations to come,’ he said.

Tinubu described the former Prime Minister as a freedom fighter and a Pan-Africanist whose legacy extended beyond his country’s borders.

‘As a statesman of international repute, Mr. Odinga embodied the spirit of Pan-Africanism and was a steadfast advocate for inclusive governance and regional cooperation,’ the statement read.

The President noted that Odinga’s legacy would endure in the institutions he helped to build and the democratic ideals he championed.

‘We mourn with Kenya in this moment of national grief and stand in solidarity with you, President William Ruto, as you lead your nation through this painful chapter,’ Tinubu said.

‘May the memory of Raila Odinga continue to guide Kenya towards peace, unity, and progress,’ the President added.

Top Islamic leaders and lawmakers in Northern Nigeria have raised fresh concerns over rising insecurity and the growing misuse of social media, warning that the nation risks sliding into chaos if decisive action is not taken.

Speaking at a special summit of Northern Ulamas in Kaduna, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, represented by the Emir of Zazzau, Amb. Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli called for urgent regulation of social media, which he said is being used to spread division and hatred.

‘This is the time to unite the Muslim Ummah,’ the Sultan urged. ‘Our clerics must preach peace, tolerance, and national unity in line with Islamic teachings.’

House Leader, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, who also addressed the summit, called for stronger collaboration between Islamic leaders and lawmakers to shape policies that promote peace and good governance.

‘Security is everyone’s business,’ Doguwa said. ‘We in the National Assembly will support any initiative that unites our people and upholds Islamic values.’

Senator Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara West) echoed similar concerns, noting that insecurity has deep roots in the North, especially in mineral-rich communities.

‘Insecurity started in Muslim-dominated areas,’ Yari said. ‘We can’t blame the government alone. The solution lies in our hands – in unity, action, and honest dialogue.’

He warned against the region’s worsening economic gap, saying: ‘We’re sleeping in our rooms and expecting to become billionaires. It doesn’t work that way. We must address economic realities.’

On the issue of social media, Yari was blunt, ‘Social media doesn’t spare anyone – rich or poor. We are all victims of its abuse. It’s time to regulate it and use it responsibly, like other nations do.’

Prominent cleric, Sheik Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, called for dialogue among Islamic sects to tackle poverty and banditry, which he said are being exploited by external forces.

‘Banditry is being fueled by outsiders who covet our mineral wealth,’ Gumi warned. ‘They use uneducated herders as pawns in a larger game. We must talk among ourselves and end it internally.’

He urged a review of existing laws to curb social media defamation without stifling freedom of expression. ‘This summit is not against anyone,’ he said, ‘but about the unity and progress of Nigeria.’

The summit ended with a collective call for inter-sect cooperation, peaceful dialogue, and stronger religious leadership to address insecurity, disunity, and economic hardship across the North.