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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now a defining force in how businesses operate and how people work, yet anxiety is sparked among Nigerian employees who fear that automation may replace their jobs rather than enhance them.

Nigeria currently stands ahead of many global averages in AI adoption, with remarkable potential for productivity gains, innovation, and economic growth. However, unless the country urgently addresses its widening skills gap, strengthens its digital infrastructure, and solidifies policy frameworks, millions of Nigerians risk being left behind as the world transitions toward AI-driven work.

According to PwC’s 2026 Global Digital Trust Insights Report, while AI adoption is accelerating globally, skills shortages remain a major barrier. Half of respondents (50 percent) cited a lack of knowledge in applying AI to cybersecurity as a key challenge, while 41 percent pointed to insufficient technical expertise.

Another PwC report predicts that AI could replace up to 40 percent of jobs by 2030, with the financial sector among the most vulnerable. Service-oriented roles such as food preparation, cleaning, and transportation are also at high risk of automation.

‘While these changes can have negative short-term impacts, they also open opportunities for workers to upskill and take on more fulfilling roles,’ the report noted.

Femi Osinubi, consulting and risk services leader at PwC Nigeria, stressed that Nigerian firms must go beyond adopting AI tools to developing local talent. ‘Combining technology and skills is key to protecting Nigeria’s digital economy and infrastructure.’

Over the last decade, companies have increasingly transitioned to digital systems to store data, reduce paperwork, and expand business reach. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated this shift, forcing firms to adopt remote work models and digital communication tools.

Technology became the bridge that sustained business continuity through lockdowns and restrictions, which is a change that has since evolved into a new normal powered by AI.

A global survey by Ipsos and Google found that 70 percent of Nigeria’s online population has used generative AI, which is far above the global average of 48 percent. Among these users, 93 percent employ AI for work-related tasks such as brainstorming, drafting, or problem-solving, compared to 74 percent globally.

Similarly, a Zoho/Arion Research report revealed that 93 percent of Nigerian organisations have adopted AI, with 31 percent already operating at advanced levels of integration.

However, readiness remains a major challenge. Nigeria ranks 18th out of 54 African countries in PwC’s AI Talent Readiness Index with a score of 37.7, trailing behind South Africa (52.1), Tunisia (51.8), and Kenya (49.7).

A GetBundi survey reports that over 85 percent of Nigerian graduates lack essential digital skills, while a Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) report shows that 65 percent of employers identify the skills gap as a major barrier to transformation.

Uchenna Uzo, professor of marketing at Lagos Business School, said the first step is to accept AI as a skill, not a threat. ‘The workforce must realise that most jobs are now replaceable if we don’t embrace AI as a competency to develop,’ he said.

‘Beyond mindset, workers need to understand AI’s capabilities, regulatory frameworks, and how to integrate the technology into daily practice,’ he said.

Uzo emphasised that reskilling should start with data literacy. ‘AI runs on data. Every worker must be data-centric. Without quality data, AI cannot function effectively,’ he added.

He recommended short AI courses, both free and paid, and encouraged organisations to invest in AI tools for experimentation and learning.

Obiageli Nwobi, managing consultant at HR Allied Services Ltd, noted that AI is already part of everyday work. ‘From personalised recommendations to research tools, many people use AI daily without realising it. The future workforce will not only be assisted by AI but will be shaped by it.

‘The focus is shifting from jobs to skills, and success will depend on human-AI collaboration,’ she said.

Emmanuel Asika, digital equity expert and former country director of HP Inc., said, ‘If we are serious about preparing Nigeria’s workforce for an AI-powered world, we must stop treating AI like rocket science and start treating it like oxygen, which is essential, everywhere, and evolving.

He outlined a five-step roadmap that maps the skills gap by identifying who’s at risk and what new roles are emerging; tier the training, which is from basic AI awareness to sector-specific and deep-tech paths; forge public-private partnerships, which is collaboration because government alone won’t suffice.

He added that there is a need to create portable credentials because skills should be stackable, verifiable, and job-linked; there is also a need to establish feedback loops to measure progress, adapt, and iterate.

‘Reskilling is not charity, it’s national defense. AI will not wait for us to catch up,’ Asika noted.

Digitvant Microfinance Bank has been named the Digital Payment Disruptor of the Year at the 2025 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, held on Saturday, October 11, 2025.

The award recognises Digitvant’s outstanding contribution to Nigeria’s evolving financial ecosystem and its unwavering commitment to making digital payments simpler, smarter, and more inclusive. It highlights the bank’s distinctive approach to using technology to drive empowerment while maintaining the human touch that defines its service culture.

Florence Ogunyamoju, managing director of Digitvant Microfinance Bank, described the recognition as both an honour and an affirmation of the brand’s purpose-driven innovation.

‘This award reaffirms our commitment to doing things differently,’ she said. ‘At Digitvant, we are not just building digital systems; we are building trust. Our focus is to create financial solutions that are simple, secure, and sustainable; solutions that work for the people and businesses that power Nigeria’s economy.’

Petra Akinti Onyegbule, group head of Corporate Communications and Branding, added a forward-looking reflection:

‘Even as we celebrated in the hall, my mind was five years ahead – on the global stage where Digitvant’s impact will continue to grow. We are going to empower more lives, empower more businesses, and we will do it while preserving the dignity of every customer. What sets us apart is not just what we do, but how we do it, which is with excellence, empathy, and purpose.’

With flagship products such as DigitvantPay and Market Monie, Digitvant continues to redefine access and inclusion, proving that digital transformation can coexist with dignity, trust, and sustainability.

As the bank celebrates this milestone, its vision remains clear: to keep pushing boundaries, deepening impact, and shaping the future of digital banking, one empowered customer at a time.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will be fighting to keep their 2026 FIFA World Cup dream alive when they face Group C leaders Benin Republic on Tuesday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

For Nigeria, a football powerhouse that has graced six World Cup finals since debuting in 1994, the stakes could not be higher.

Super Eagles

The three-time African champions must secure a convincing win over the Cheetahs and hope for a favourable result from Nelspruit, where South Africa host Rwanda in the group’s other decisive fixture.

Group C Standings

Benin Republic top Group C with 17 points, two clear of South Africa (15) and three ahead of Nigeria (14). A win in Uyo would see Gernot Rohr’s side, led by the German who once managed the Super Eagles, qualify for their first-ever World Cup, a historic achievement for the Cheetahs.

Nigeria, however, are desperate to avoid missing consecutive World Cup tournaments for the first time in their history, having failed to qualify for Qatar 2022. Since their maiden appearance in the USA in 1994, the Super Eagles have featured at every World Cup except in 2006 and 2022, reaching the Round of 16 in 1994, 1998, and 2014.

Super Eagles Focused on Redemption

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle and his squad know what is at stake. Nigeria are the only side among the three contenders to have lost just once in the qualifying campaign. A two-goal victory over Benin, coupled with South Africa dropping points against Rwanda, would be enough to send the Eagles soaring back to the global stage.

The team will rely on its mix of experience and youthful energy. William Troost-Ekong, who is set to earn his 83rd cap, and midfielder Alex Iwobi will bring valuable experience, having both featured at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Meanwhile, 2023 African Player of the Year Victor Osimhen, along with Ademola Lookman, Calvin Bassey, Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, and Samuel Chukwueze, are determined to earn their first taste of football’s biggest stage.

Key Absences on Both Sides

Benin will be without key players Yohan Roche and Sessi D’Almeida through suspension, while Nigeria are also hit by absences. Ademola Lookman (suspension) and full-backs Ola Aina and Bright Osayi-Samuel (injuries) will miss the crunch tie.

Fans’ Faith Fuels the Eagles

Despite the challenges, the Super Eagles are counting on the support of their fans, with thousands expected to fill the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.

The nation’s 220 million football lovers will also be watching anxiously as their team seeks redemption.

As the final whistle approaches in both Uyo and Nelspruit, the equation will be simple for Nigeria: win well and hope fortune smiles on them elsewhere.

A place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico is the prize, and the Super Eagles will need every ounce of belief, precision, and resilience to claim it.

The National Assembly has proposed that the 2027 Presidential and Governorship elections be conducted in November 2026 as against in February or March of the election year.

The proposal as contained in the draft copy of various amendments being sought in the 2022 Electoral Act, seeks that election into the two offices should be conducted not later than 185 days before expiration of tenure of the incumbent which is May 29, 2025.

The proposed amendments which came to the fore on Monday during a one-day Public hearing held by the Joint Committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Electoral Matters also contained other far-reaching amendment proposals.

This is even as many of the Stakeholders who made presentations at the public hearing, demanded for electronic voting and transmission of election results.

Section 4 (7) of the prosed amendment states ‘ Elections into the office of the President and Governor of a State shall be held not later than 185 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of the office.’

Calculation of the 185 days before May 29, 2027 clearly shows that the election must be conducted in November 2026 , since the number of days from May 28, 2027 to December 1st 2026 are 180 days.

For the Federal and State legislators, Section 4(5) of the proposed amendment to the 2022 electoral act states ‘ Election into the State Houses of Assembly and the National Assembly shall be held not later than 185 days before the date on which each of the Houses stands dissolved .’

In unlocking the constitutional impediments against the amendment , the joint committee states in the draft copy ‘:section 28 now section 27 ( 5 – 7) was introduced due to the amendments to sections 76, 116, 132 and 178 of the Constitution, which seeks to remove the determination of election timeline from the constitution to the Electoral Act.’

The proposed amendment seeking for conduct of election six months before expiration of tenure of incumbent, as explained by Adebayo Balogun, the Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, aims at given enough time for disposal of election litigations before swearing in of declared winners.

According to him, section 285 of the 1999 Constitution will be amended just as section 139 will also be amended.

He said, ‘To ensure that all manner of election litigations are dispensed with , before the swearing in of winners ,we are proposing amendment that will reduce 180 days of tribunal judgement to 90 days , 90 days expected of Judgement by appellate court to 60 days up to the Supreme court , which will all not exceed 185 days.’

Other far-reaching amendment proposals being sought for by the joint committee , are early voting contained in section(2) of the draft bill.

It states, ‘There shall be a date set aside for early voting not later than 14 days to the day of the election.’

Categories of Nigerians listed for the pre-poll are security personnel, officials of the commission, accredited domestic observers, accredited journalists and ad – hoc staff of the commission.

Other proposed amendments are mandatory electronic transmission of election results, non – compulsory use of permanent voters card etc.

The proposed amendment as contained in Section 60(5) of the Electoral Act also seeks to ensure compulsory electronic transmission of results.

‘The Presiding Officer shall transmit the results including total number of accredited voters to the next level of excuses both electronically and manually just as it criminalises failure of Presiding Officer or Collation Officer who distribute unstamped ballot papers and results sheets. Such erring officers will be jailed for one year or pay a fine of N1m or both.

‘All the Stakeholders who made presentations at the public hearing including representative of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ), Professor Abdullahi Zuru , aligned with the joint committee’s proposals.’

In an era where technology is redefining how we live and learn, two Nigerian engineers are leading a quiet revolution in higher education.

Through their fast-growing edtech startup, Cubbes, co-founders Peter Adeyemi and Emmanuel Akinyele are transforming how African students access, manage, and interact with academic materials.

What started as a simple idea – to make lecture notes and past questions easier to find – has evolved into a continent-spanning digital learning platform that is reshaping the study habits of students across Nigeria and beyond.

From chalkboards to code

For Adeyemi, the seeds of Cubbes were planted long before the platform existed. ‘While I was still in secondary school, I loved mathematics and used to tutor my neighbors’ children. They would pay me N10 each, and I would teach them using the walls of our compound as a chalkboard,’ he told BusinessDay.

That early love for teaching continued into university, where he became known for rewriting lecture notes and solving past questions for classmates. ‘A decade later. A former classmate called to tell me that my notes were still being circulated because I used to sign them!’ he said.

Years later, while mentoring a student preparing for exams, Peter realized many still struggled to find proper study materials in Nigeria’s universities. ‘It struck me, in this digital age, why are students still sourcing for past questions?’ he said.

That question became the catalyst for what would eventually become Cubbes, a platform designed to centralize academic content, digitize course materials, and empower students to study smarter.

Inside the Cubbes platform

Launched in 2024, Cubbes has become one of Africa’s most promising education technology startups. It is a digital learning platform that integrates AI tutors, flashcards, and smart planners to centralize study materials and streamline academic organization.

The platform offers a personalized academic assistant where students can find all their lecture notes, past questions, and course outlines in one place. By simply selecting their institution, faculty, department, and level, Cubbes automatically curates all the relevant content for the semester.

Since its launch, Cubbes has empowered over 50,000 students across 100+ institutions in Nigeria and Uganda. Students have reported a 50 percent improvement in academic performance and a reduction in study stress, thanks to its AI-driven summaries, personalized recommendations, and organized dashboards.

‘Cubbes is designed to make learning efficient, not exhausting. We want students to spend more time understanding concepts and less time searching for materials,’ Adeyemi explained.

Smarter Learning Through AI

Cubbes’ innovation lies in how it seamlessly integrates Artificial Intelligence into students’ daily study routines. Powered by OpenAI models, the platform generates contextualized responses and summaries tailored to each course.

‘Many students already use tools like ChatGPT. But Cubbes embeds AI directly into their study workflow. Because the system understands the course context, the answers and explanations are far more accurate,’ Akinyele said.

The platform also uses flashcards, spaced repetition prompts, and progress trackers to help students retain knowledge better – applying proven learning science principles to boost performance.

Beyond learning: A digital ecosystem for students

As the founders dug deeper into students’ needs, they discovered another problem: the manual process of paying departmental and faculty dues. Cubbes digitized this too, allowing student associations to collect payments via Paystack and issue digital receipts instantly.

‘We now process thousands of dollars in student payments each semester. It is part of our vision to create a complete digital ecosystem for students – not just a study tool,’ Adeyemi revealed.

Collaboration, scale, and the future

Rather than compete with lecturers, Cubbes works collaboratively. Through its User-Generated Content (UGC) system, class representatives and lecturers can upload verified course materials. The startup also produces Platform-Created Content (PCC), including practice questions aligned with institutional syllabi.

A Lecturer Portal is under development, which will enable lecturers to manage classes, distribute notes, and take attendance using geolocation-based tracking.

Cubbes’ success has also been boosted by its participation in the Antler Accelerator Programme, a global venture builder for early-stage startups. The program helped the founders refine their business model, validate scalability, and strengthen investor readiness.

‘Before Antler, we were testing several ideas. The mentorship helped us focus on what truly drives values like access, efficiency, and impact,’ Adeyemi said.

The University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, has expressed readiness to collaborate with Lagos State government to upscale the quality and quantity of ‘Eko Rice’ and contribute to the state’s drive to boost rice production with its scientific innovations.

Ganiyu Oyetibo, dean of faculty of Life Sciences at UNILAG made this known during his remark at the institution’s Botany@ 60 years anniversary organised by the Department of Botany of the university.

Oyetibo in his remark, appealed to the state government to assist the university with more lands, which he said would help facilitate the accreditation of the university’s Agriculture Department by the National Universities Commission’s (NUC).

Besides, he emphasised that the land when given, will enhance the students hand-on-skill trainings, and research, stressing that the Botany Department with its innovative strides will contribute to the upscaling Eko Rice, and strengthen food security in the state.

Oluwarotimi Fashola, the special adviser to the Lagos State governor on agriculture and food systems, speaking on botany as the cradle of food production, said Nigeria must design food systems that are resilient, sustainable, and adaptive.

And to achieve this he said the country must embrace the science of plant, emphasizing that rice is not merely a dietary staple in Nigeria, but a strategic commodity, an economic force, and a barometer of national stability.

He explained that Nigeria ranks as the largest consumer of rice in Africa, with consumption levels exceeding seven million metric tons annually, yet, despite its vast arable land, favourable agroecological zones, and green local capacity, the country is still falling short in its production, and the gap between supply and demand is getting wider.

‘This is both a challenge and an opportunity. When the price of rice increases due to shortfall in production as a result of many factors, it triggers a chain reaction. Food inflation increases, eroding household purchasing power.

‘This drives up general inflation, affecting every aspect of our lives, that’s the economic weight of rice. If a single species, has the capacity to affect the agroeconomic indicators of a nation, and the livelihood of millions,’ he queried.

Furthermore, he explained that in Lagos, the statistics are not less striking, as the state consumes over 20 million bags of 50kg rice annually.

He said that millions of naira would be retained within the domestic economy, if every one of those bags were grown, milled, packaged, and distributed locally.

‘Millions of direct and indirect jobs would be created, and it’ll reduce dependency on food imports, and enhance food security, particularly for an urban poor,’ he noted.

Fashiola disclosed that under the administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the state has taken bold, systematic steps to localise rice production across the value chain.

‘Over 1,500 hectares of rice farmland have been established, where rice farming is being revitalised through fertilisation and irrigation infrastructures.

‘The state has commissioned the largest rice field in Imota, the largest in Nigeria, and indeed the largest in sub-Saharan Africa, with a processing capacity of over 2.5 million bags of head rice per year. This is a functional, scalable, and future-oriented,’ he emphasised.

He reiterated that when science is aligned with a policy, investment, and political will, it will achieve a lot, especially for young people.

‘It offers a future that is not only green, but profitable and open-spirited. With emerging fields like aerobiology, paleontology, plant-based bioplastic, plant-based nanobiotics, and plant-based pharmaceuticals.

‘These are multi-billion dollar industries of the future, and Nigeria must not be left behind,’ he said.

Dele Olowokudejo, a retired university don, called on the government to assist the Botany Department, and Life Sciences faculty with fundings because there are insufficient financial support for partner programmes. Besides, he said the department lacks infrastructure such as standard laboratories, and research facilities, among others.

‘We need a standard botanic garden, the imperium here has a very small capacity for learning opportunities.

‘Moreover, we’re having insufficient practical training no hands-on experience for our students in botanical research and fieldwork,’ he said.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Monday, revealed that building a strong political party comes before his presidential ambition.

This is as the Governor has vowed to ensure that Oyo State gives the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), one of the best organised national conventions ever.

Makinde who is the Chairman of the Transportation sub Committee of the November elective convention, warned those who may be working against the Convention to desist from such as they will be standing against ‘a moving train.’

Makinde, while speaking on plans for the convention coming up between 15 and 16 of November, noted that the action so far represent demonstration of the fact that the National Convention train has moved.

‘Whoever is trying to stop a moving train is probably also trying to commit suicide.’

‘So, my advice is, please, no matter how highly placed, no matter what has transpired in the past, we don’t want to see anyone dead. So, please don’t commit suicide.’

The Governor who served as secretary of the last PDP convention, said he accepted to serve in lower capacity, in the ‘spirit of doing everything and anything to put our party on the path that Nigerians would love to see

‘We decided that no amount of assignment is too small or too big. So, if they like, let them say I should be the one to clean the floor in Ibadan.For the sake of this party, for the sake of democracy in Nigeria, I will gladly do it.

‘We’ll start our job right from when the delegates want to step out of their various states, and we’ll manage the process all the way to Ibadan, and back to their various states after a successful national convention.’

He assured that the committee will not be distracted from the job of ensuring smooth movement of all delegates to the convention

Also speaking on his 2027 ambition, Makinde said ‘ Well, I already said to people several times, I’m old enough to set an agenda for myself.

‘For us, we must have a party before anyone can have an ambition.

‘So all the efforts right now, except you’re saying that, no, forget about having a party. Just focus on ambition. So nobody’s going to set an agenda for me.

‘First thing first, our first step is to put our best effort, the best foot forward to ensure that your state is able to host the best national convention ever in the history of PDP. And that is exactly what we’re focused on.’

Speaking also on defections from the party, Makinde noted that it is the right of those defecting to make their decision

‘Being a member of a political party is something that is voluntary. It means you are ready to submit yourself to the constitution of the party that you are joining. And people may sometimes think that managing people, managing political parties, managing governance processes are very simple. They’re not.

‘They’re actually very complex and complicated. Yes, no party should condone indiscipline.

‘But having said that, you have to go through a process. You have your constitution. Our constitution has been framed such that even when people have issues with the party, when you have issues bordering on discipline, there’s still a process.

‘We don’t want to wake up and say, oh, okay, somebody has been expelled or suspended. Democracy is a process of governance that has a process. It’s not like in the military.’

He noted that the party is still in the process of having a system that is robust enough.

‘But we shall get to a point where people will get what they deserve in terms of what they’ve done to the party.’

On his assessment of the ruling APC, he said ‘ people of Nigeria, they are not blind. They know.

‘The people of Nigeria, they know. So what we can give you the assurance that we’re not going to spend our energy and time talking about what they should have done or they shouldn’t have done this, because Nigerians are aware. They are more aware than we leaders are even giving them credit for.

‘But the PDP you will see post-convention, with new leaders, new heroes coming up, will be a PDP that will come out boldly to tell Nigerians what they will do for them. And it will be in black and white, such that we can be held accountable.’

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded a total revenue collection of ?658.6 billion in September, reflecting continued growth amid ongoing reforms and enforcement efforts.

Lanre Issa-Onilu, Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), announced this at the monthly national joint security press briefing on Monday in Abuja.

Issa-Onilu emphasised that September was marked by strategic engagements, key operational achievements, and collaborative efforts that reinforced the Service’s vital role in advancing Nigeria’s economic transformation agenda.

‘The Service continues to advance reforms, innovation, and stakeholder trust under the leadership of Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi,’ he said.

‘To improve trade efficiency, the NCS launched a One-Stop-Shop platform aimed at fast-tracking cargo clearance. This system is designed to reduce procedural delays, shorten clearance times, and enhance coordination among trade stakeholders, facilitating smoother commerce’.

The DG also noted that the NCS strengthened its collaboration with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) through a strategic engagement focused on policy alignment and industrial growth.

He explained that this partnership reflects the Service’s recognition of the manufacturing sector as a key contributor to Nigeria’s non-oil revenue diversification.

Issa-Onilu further highlighted the Service’s ongoing commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR), demonstrated through support for sister agencies and involvement in community development initiatives across various sectors.

These efforts showcase the understanding that security and trade are bolstered when institutions collaborate and communities are empowered.

He added that the commendation from the Board of Trustees of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) serves as external validation of the Service’s efforts to build an organisation grounded in professionalism, accountability, and mutual trust.

Issa-Onilu stated that the achievements recorded in September prove that the Nigeria Customs Service is not only progressing but also setting new benchmarks in institutional excellence, reform communication, and national service delivery.

‘The performance in September shows that the Nigeria Customs Service is evolving and setting new standards in reform, communication, and service delivery,’ he added.

The briefing, organised by NOA with support from security agencies, paramilitary forces, and regulatory organisations, highlighted the NCS’s progress over the past month.

Abuja based lawyer and human rights advocate, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has praised Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, for his contributions to youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy as he clocks 40.

In a statement issued on Monday, Olajengbesi, the Managing Partner of Law Corridor, described Seyi Tinubu as one of the most outstanding young Nigerians shaping the country’s business and development landscape. He lauded the celebrant’s dedication to nation-building and his positive influence among Nigerian youths.

Olajengbesi noted that Seyi Tinubu, who chairs the out-of-home advertising company, Loatsad Promomedia, has demonstrated that young Nigerians can succeed in business through creativity and hard work. He said the entrepreneur’s tenacity and innovation continue to inspire a new generation of business-minded youths.

‘At 40, Seyi Tinubu continues to show Nigerian youths that building a thriving business in Nigeria is possible,’ Olajengbesi said. ‘Establishing his advertising firm, Loatsad Promomedia, about 10 years ago is testament to his entrepreneurial candor and a shining example of what resilience and vision can achieve.’

The lawyer further praised Seyi Tinubu’s role in supporting national development initiatives, noting that despite his father’s political position, he has maintained a focus on productive ventures and youth-oriented causes rather than political controversies.

‘Politically, Seyi Tinubu has stayed above the noise and focused on assisting his dad in the assignment of national development,’ Olajengbesi said. ‘Since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule, Seyi Tinubu is undoubtedly the most vibrant president’s son that the country has produced.’

He also highlighted Seyi Tinubu’s philanthropic efforts in education, youth empowerment, and agriculture, describing him as a consistent supporter of community growth and human capital development.

‘Seyi Tinubu’s kind gestures are palpable in education, youth empowerment, and agriculture,’ Olajengbesi added. ‘He has been diligently generous in the humanitarian space even before his father became Nigeria’s president.’

Olajengbesi concluded by celebrating Seyi Tinubu as a ‘symbol of modern Nigerian entrepreneurship’ and a bridge-builder who connects young people to opportunities for growth and innovation.

He urged other privileged young Nigerians to emulate Seyi Tinubu’s example by investing in ventures that empower others and contribute meaningfully to national progress.

The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has distanced itself from the ongoing ASUU strike, directing its members to remain in classrooms and continue academic activities, in a move that underscores the division within the university academic unions.

Niyi Sunmonu, CONUA’s president, in a statement, dismissed reports that have been suggesting its involvement in the ongoing strike.

He said the union is committed to maintaining academic stability through constructive dialogue and peaceful engagement with the government and other stakeholders.

‘It is important to emphasise that CONUA has no basis at this time to declare a dispute or embark on any strike action,’ Sunmonu said.

Sunmonu advised members to continue with their academic and administrative duties as expected.

The statement highlighted CONUA’s formal protest following its initial exclusion from the renegotiation committee of the 2009 agreement between academic staff and the federal government, which was inaugurated in October 2024.

‘The union formally protested this exclusion, which eventually culminated in a meeting with the minister of education on 11 September 2025.

We are pleased to note that the Ministry of Education has recently expanded the committee, fulfilling that promise. Until CONUA is formally brought to the table and any of the issues it has presented to the federal government becomes the subject of dispute, there is no foundation whatsoever for any strike action by CONUA.

‘Resolutions from nationwide congresses following the September 11 meeting, the national leadership reported the outcome to members across universities, after which congresses were held between September 18 and 24, 2025,’ the statement read.

Additionally, the statement states, ‘At these congresses, members unanimously reaffirmed CONUA’s principled stance that no strike action should be taken and that engagement, not disruption, remains the best path forward for the Nigerian university system.’

Recall that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) declared a two-week warning strike from October 13, citing years of unmet demands.

And in the face of the impasse, the federal government accused ASUU of remaining uncooperative despite negotiation efforts and pleas to resolve the matter.

Besides, the Ministry of Education threatened to invoke a ‘no work, no pay’ policy, insisting that dialogue remains the most effective way to resolve disagreements.