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The peril of riding on trailers

The dangerous practice of travelling on top of trailers from the southern part of the country to the North and vice versa is becoming a fast-growing habit among some carefree Nigerians, many of whom are young people. Such persons are frequently seen sitting on trailers fully loaded with cattle or other goods as they travel to either the North or the South. This practice has resulted in the loss of many young lives.

Notably, most of those who engage in this practice are cattle sellers, commercial okada riders, or operators of various petty businesses who travel to the South to carry out their activities. Apparently, the desire to reduce the financial cost of such journeys drives them to recklessly use trailers as a means of transportation.

It is clear that those who, for instance, travel from Sokoto to Port Harcourt and vice versa on top of trailers expose themselves to grave danger. Their continued indulgence in such reckless behaviour demonstrates the extent to which many ordinary Nigerians have, regrettably, continued to undervalue their own lives.

Furthermore, the persistence of this dangerous practice indicates both a tendency among such travellers to violate existing transportation laws and the failure of relevant authorities and operators within the transport sector to enforce those laws. It is the combination of passengers’ recklessness, the greed of trailer drivers, and the complicity of some officials of traffic regulatory agencies that has allowed this hazardous practice to persist.

Daily Trust not only condemns this practice but also calls for the immediate adoption of effective measures to bring it to an end. Public sensitisation and strict enforcement of transportation regulations are undoubtedly necessary steps in this regard.

We, therefore, urge relevant government agencies, as well as transport associations and unions, to consider this unwanted practice as a challenge that requires urgent and sustained attention. Concerted efforts by these agencies and organisations will certainly help to eliminate this ugly trend.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), in particular, as the agency mandated to ensure compliance with traffic regulations and ascertain the roadworthiness of vehicles, should regard the widespread use of trailers for passenger journeys as a serious challenge requiring immediate action. Few violations of transportation laws demonstrate as clearly the failure of enforcement as the continued sighting of passengers on top of trailers.

Similarly, organisations such as the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) must ensure that their members comply with the laws guiding transportation. Restoring sanity to our roads and, by extension, the transport sector, can only be achieved if these bodies play their roles effectively.

Another important way to facilitate the movement of persons, cattle, and goods is the expansion of the rail transport system, which remains too limited to meet the country’s critical economic needs. The absence of an efficient and extensive rail network has made the use of trailers and other heavy vehicles for transporting cattle and goods an attractive option.

This newspaper recognises the immense benefits of a functional railway system to the national economy and, therefore, calls for the rapid transformation of the existing network to meet the demands of a modern Nigeria. Rail transport is arguably the most suitable means for hauling cattle and heavy goods because of its capacity to accommodate large volumes.

The safety and convenience provided by rail transport make it highly suitable for the movement of cattle. Significant financial costs, security challenges, and other risks associated with long journeys can be reduced if trains become the preferred means of transporting animals and heavy goods.

Meanwhile, even before the rail system is adequately upgraded, travelling on top of trailers must be completely banned. The FRSC should collaborate with all relevant agencies and stakeholders to ensure that this dangerous practice comes to an immediate end.

Trade order sparks boom for Kabale service providers as property owners rush to rebuild

As authorities continue to enforce the trade order directive, owners of dilapidated and illegal buildings in Kabale town are rushing to demolish and rebuild, and the ripple effect is putting money in the pockets of surveyors, architects, hardware dealers, masons and timber traders.

According to Kabale Deputy Town Clerk Mr Eric Sunday, all affected property owners must first have their plots surveyed and secure approved building plans before they can construct new structures.

‘The construction of the new houses must follow the physical development plans of our municipality where places designated for commercial, residential and industrial must serve the intended purpose,’ Mr Sunday said.

The directive has boosted local businesses as residents scramble for services and materials. It has also created an unexpected income stream for LC1 chairpersons who earn from witnessing and signing land sale agreements, as some affected owners opt to sell their plots rather than meet the urban authority’s building standards.

Mr. Joram Bwambale, proprietor of Macro Hardware and Macro Engineering Services in Kabale town, says demand for cement, iron bars, iron sheets and nails has nearly doubled.

‘The customers for building materials have almost doubled and I believe it is related to the implementation of the trade order as the affected people buy them to construct houses that meet the required standards of the municipal council authority. Before the implementation of the trade order we used to get about 50 customers for building materials but after the implementation of the trade order customers for building materials almost doubled,’ Mr. Bwambale said.

Masons are also feeling the surge. Mr. Rodney Muhwezi, a senior mason in Kabale town, says their services are now in high demand.

‘The payment for a mason per day ranges between Shs 50,000 and Shs 25,000 depending on the seniority while that of the porters ranges between Shs 20,000 and Shs 10,000 depending on their expertise. Although the trade order implementation disorganized local residents because of its abrupt implementation, it has helped some service providers to earn an extra income,’ Mr. Muhwezi said.

Professional fees have also gone up. Architects are charging between Shs 1 Million and Shs 2 Million to produce building plans depending on size and location, while surveyors demand between Shs 2 Million and Shs 3 Million to process land titles.

The trade order has had mixed effects on other groups. Kabale District Khadi Sheikh Kabu Lule said roadside timber traders were initially hit hard, but the municipal council’s decision to allow them to rent a 2-acre piece of Muslim land has helped.

‘After the Kabale municipal council authorities allowed us to rent out our 2-acre piece of land to the timber traders that were affected by the trade order, we get about Shs 100,000 per month from these dozens of traders currently using our land. If they can remain operating on our land for about 3 years, the Mosque administration will get some good money that can be used to support other development projects of the Islam,’ Sheikh Kabu Lule said.

Timber trader Mr. Erasmus Tumuhekye said relocation from the road reserve was disruptive, but rebuilding has revived sales.

‘There is scarcity of timber in Kabale town not necessarily because of the trade order implementation but also issues related to fuel price increases globally. The price of a piece of timber that measures 4×2 increased from Shs 3,300 to Shs 4,000 while that of 6×2 increased from Shs 4,300 to Shs 5,000,’ Mr. Tumuhekye said.

Kabale District Staff Surveyor Ms. Prosper Aheisiibwe noted a slight rise in land title applications in municipalities where the trade order is being enforced, though rural sub-counties remain largely unaffected.

‘The advantage of having your land titled is that there is proof of land ownership with defined boundaries, helps in organized development and urbanization, securing a mortgage among others. Bureaucracies involved in getting the land title should be reduced if the people are to be timely served. Why should the members of the area land committee come from the sub county yet the LC1 chairman and his committee can do the same work with ease since they are all residents of the same area that can tell who owns what in the village,’ Ms. Aheisiibwe said.

Grassroots development: Ogun LG chairman launches infrastructure projects

The Executive Chairman of Abeokuta North Local Government, Olanrewaju Ayodeji Oyegbola-Sodipo, has restated the commitment of his administration to sustainable grassroots governance.

During the commissioning ceremony, which was held last week Thursday, Oyegbola-Sodipo emphasized that physical structures are only one part of long-term growth.

‘Development is not measured solely by the number of projects we execute. It is equally reflected in the institutions we build, the laws we enact, and the level of public understanding and ownership we create.

‘Our approach has always been to carry our people along because lasting development can only be achieved through partnership between government and the people’, He said.

His commitment came consequent upon the commissioning of major infrastructure projects and the enactment of progressive local laws across the council area.

The Ogun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, applauded the administration’s grassroots development agenda.

The commissioner described what he termed the extensive investments in local infrastructure as a clear alignment with the developmental vision of the Ogun State Government under Governor Dapo Abiodun.

The new initiatives cuts across all sixteen wards and four major communities in Abeokuta North, targeting vital sectors such as basic education, primary healthcare, rural electrification, potable water supply, sanitation, road networks, and public facility upgrades.

It would be recalled that Oyegbola-Sodipo recently gave assent to the Abeokuta North Local Government Bye-Law on Livestock Grazing and Herders Registration.

The said law forbids open grazing, mandates the registration of livestock owners and herders, and establishes a clear regulatory framework designed to protect agricultural investments, curb farmer-herder clashes, and ensure public safety.

In other, to ensure compliance and community engagement, the council hosted what it termed a comprehensive stakeholder sensitisation session.

The ceremony had in attendance traditional rulers, community leaders, security agencies, farmers, herders, market associations, transport unions, and youth organizations to discuss the bye-law alongside regulations prohibiting indiscriminate waste disposal and illegal land occupation.

Oyegbola-Sodipo thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his national governance and security initiatives, as well as Governor Dapo Abiodun for supporting local council autonomy and development projects across Ogun State.

Police arrest man over alleged plot to abduct pastor, retired principal

Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested a 26-year-old man, Jeremiah Kwane, for allegedly attempting to recruit members into a kidnapping syndicate.

The suspect was arrested on July 31, 2026, by operatives of the ‘A’ Division in Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area, following credible intelligence.

The command’s spokesperson, Bright Edafe, said police received information that Kwane was recruiting people into a kidnapping syndicate with plans to abduct a pastor and a retired school principal in Ughelli.

According to him, officers swiftly acted on the intelligence and arrested the suspect at his workplace. Edafe said a search conducted during the operation led to the recovery of a single-barrel gun and two live cartridges.

He added that the suspect is undergoing further investigation and will be charged in court upon completion of the investigation.

He reiterated the command’s determination to rid the state of kidnappers, armed robbers and other violent criminals, urging residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.

From red tape to red carpet: Why Sri Lanka needs a world-class single window for investment

As Sri Lanka navigates its post-crisis economic recovery, the national conversation frequently circles back to an urgent, undeniable reality: the country must aggressively attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and spur domestic capital formation to secure sustainable, export-led growth. While the Government has recently invited proposals and accelerated frameworks to roll out digital single window infrastructure, public and policy discussions have largely remained confined to the narrow mechanics of procurement.

This is a missed opportunity. A single window for investment is not merely an IT procurement project or a software upgrade. It is a (i) foundational governance reform, (ii) a productivity multiplier, and (iii) an investment competitiveness make-or-break. To transform Sri Lanka’s economic landscape, we must view the Single Window not as a digital database, but as a total re-engineering of how the state interacts with (i) capital, (ii) entrepreneurship, and (iii) risk.

Why this reform matters now

Sri Lanka stands at a historic crossroads. Recent policy initiatives by the Ministry of Finance and the Presidential Secretariat underline a national push to streamline trade and investment. Yet, capital is globally mobile and fiercely selective. Investors today do not choose destinations based on potential alone; they choose them based on (i) friction, (ii) predictability, and (iii) execution speed.

Fragmented bureaucratic clearance systems impose a heavy “hidden tax” on every enterprise seeking to set up operations. By linking the upcoming Single Window initiative to broader structural adjustments, Sri Lanka can signal to international markets that it is moving past legacy bureaucracy and entering a new era of transparent, rules-based economic governance.

High cost of the current system

“Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed.” – Peter Drucker

Under the status quo, launching a major project in Sri Lanka often requires navigating a maze involving (i) multiple regulatory bodies (ii), line ministries, and (iii) approval-granting agencies. Investors routinely have to deal with up to a dozen or more separate entities-spanning (i) environmental authorities,(ii) local government bodies, (iii) utility providers, (iv) revenue departments, and (v) sector-specific regulators.

This labyrinth generates critical economic costs:

Prolonged time-to-market: Delays in obtaining construction permits, environmental clearances, and import licenses push back project commercialisation by months, sometimes years.

Administrative uncertainty: Discretionary decision-making and conflicting departmental mandates breed opacity and corruption risks.

Opportunity cost: Global investors operating on tight timelines bypass Sri Lanka entirely in favor of regional peers where approvals are swift, digital, and predictable.

The economic cost of these delays is (i) measurable in lost jobs, (ii) foregone export revenues, and (iii) stagnant productivity.

What is a single window for investment?

A single window for Investment is a centralised digital and institutional mechanism that allows parties involved in trade and investment to lodge standardised information and documents with a single entry point to fulfill all regulatory requirements.

Rather than an investor submitting separate dossiers to 10 or 15 different agencies, data is submitted once. The system acts as a central intelligence and routing hub, concurrently distributing requirements to (i) participating Government agencies (PGAs), (ii) tracking progress, (iii) managing approvals, and (iv) issuing unified digital certifications. It replaces (i) physical queues, (ii) paper files, and (iii) repetitive bureaucratic touch points with seamless interoperability.

Lessons from international success stories

Global benchmarks demonstrate that successful investment facilitation relies on political will, institutional integration, and uncompromising digital execution.

Beyond technology: Reforming institutions

As institutional economist Douglass North noted, the rules of the game dictate economic performance. Technology alone cannot fix a broken administrative process; digitising a bad process merely accelerates inefficiency.

True reform requires three parallel tracks:

Legal reauthorisation:

Enacting a comprehensive umbrella statute for electronic commerce and digital governance that supersedes legacy statutory mandates requiring physical seals, wet-ink signatures, and paper-based archiving is foundational to this reform. This requires explicitly granting legal validity to automated “deemed approval” mechanisms, ensuring that if a regulatory agency fails to review and respond within a legally mandated Service Level Agreement (SLA), the digital system automatically issues the clearance. Furthermore, it involves harmonising conflicting sectoral laws across the 16+ approval-granting bodies to resolve legal contradictions where older statutes vest absolute discretionary power in individual officials, while simultaneously establishing robust data protection and cybersecurity frameworks to safeguard proprietary investor data. Finally, empowering an apex oversight authority with statutory teeth is essential to legally bind all participating Government agencies to the digital workflow and penalise any unauthorised offline procedural demands.

Process re-engineering (BPR): Executing rigorous Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) requires radically trimming redundant bureaucratic steps by systematically mapping and purging obsolete, overlapping clearance requirements that currently force investors to jump through unnecessary hoops. This transformation involves replacing sequential, siloed departmental reviews with concurrent digital processing workflows, enabling multiple regulatory bodies to evaluate applications simultaneously rather than waiting in a sluggish line. Furthermore, it demands establishing strict, legally binding service level agreements (SLAs) for every participating agency, complete with clear tracking metrics and administrative accountability for unwarranted delays. To ensure continuous optimisation, the BPR framework must integrate feedback loops from private sector users to routinely audit and streamline bureaucratic touch points. Ultimately, this structural overhaul re-engineers the state apparatus from a bottleneck of obstruction into an efficient, streamlined engine of investment facilitation.

Cultural transformation: Achieving a profound cultural transformation requires fundamentally shifting the mindset of public officials from traditional gatekeepers of bureaucratic control to proactive facilitators of national wealth creation and economic dynamism. This cultural reset must be driven from the top down through leadership alignment programs that redefine public service success not by how many proposals are blocked or delayed, but by how rapidly legitimate investments are operationalised. Furthermore, it necessitates dismantling entrenched risk-averse behaviors by instituting institutional protections that encourage responsible decision-making rather than penalising officials for exercising legitimate administrative discretion. Integrating modern performance management frameworks and incentive schemes-where career advancement, departmental commendations, and resource allocations are directly tied to responsiveness and investor satisfaction scores-will further reinforce this ethos. Ultimately, cultivating this service-oriented culture transforms the public sector into an engaged, empathetic partner for the business community, ensuring that state institutions actively champion rather than hinder national competitiveness.

Roadmap for Sri Lanka

To build a world-class Single Window, Sri Lanka should adopt a phased, pragmatic implementation strategy:

Phase 1: Legal and process baseline (months 1-6): Finalise the legislative framework, map out regulatory bottlenecks across agencies, and establish the overarching governance structure backed by the Ministry of Finance.

Phase 2: Core platform development and integration (months 6-18): Procure and configure the digital architecture, connect core regulatory agencies (such as the Board of Investment, Inland Revenue, Registrar of Companies, and Central Environmental Authority), and conduct rigorous user acceptance testing.

Phase 3: Pilot launch and change management (months 18-24): Roll out the system for key sectors (e.g., export manufacturing and high-tech IT investments), backed by intensive training for public servants and private sector users.

Phase 4: Full scale-out and continuous optimisation (month 24 onward): Integrate secondary municipal and utility approval bodies, introduce AI-driven tracking analytics, and tie agency performance metrics to processing speeds.

Making Single Window cornerstone of economic transformation

“The secret of economic growth is simple: improve productivity.” – (Paraphrasing Paul Krugman)

Dismantling regulatory friction unleashes trapped private capital, empowering domestic entrepreneurs and foreign investors alike to scale operations rapidly without losing momentum to administrative inertia. Cutting through red tape drastically compresses the gestation period of capital projects, allowing high-value manufacturing and technology ventures to generate economic value and revenue much sooner. Streamlined digital processes eliminate opportunities for discretionary rent-seeking and corruption, fostering a predictable, rules-based market environment that attracts sophisticated global enterprises. Accelerating business entry and expansion directly multiplies high-skilled employment opportunities, keeping domestic talent within the country and reversing destructive brain drain trends. Transforming state machinery into a lean, efficient facilitator creates a virtuous cycle of sustained productivity growth, permanently elevating national competitiveness and fiscal resilience.

Conclusion

The decision to establish a National Single Window for Investment transcends standard bureaucratic modernisation; it stands as arguably the most consequential structural intervention available to Sri Lanka since the broad economic liberalisations and institutional shifts of the late 1970s. By dismantling legacy legal roadblocks, re-engineering siloed workflows into concurrent digital paths, and fundamentally transforming the public service mindset from control to facilitation, this reform creates an ecosystem where capital can thrive. Success will ultimately depend on treating this initiative not as a routine IT procurement project, but as a historic, uncompromising mandate for national institutional renewal-moving decisively from red tape to red carpet to rewrite Sri Lanka’s economic narrative for generations to come.

(The author, among many, served as the Special Advisor to the Office of the President of Namibia from 2006 to 2012 and was a Senior Consultant with the UNDP for 20 years. He was a Senior Economist with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (1972-1993). He can be reached via asoka.seneviratne@gmail.com.)

References

International Monetary Fund (IMF): Selected Issues Papers on Governance, Structural Reforms, and Investment Climates in Emerging Markets.

World Bank Group: Doing Business reports and diagnostic studies on Regulatory Governance and Single Window Implementation Frameworks.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): Policy Framework for Investment and Guidelines on Investment Facilitation.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD): Global Investment Reports and Investment Policy Reviews.

Country Case Studies: Enterprise Singapore (Business Grants Portal); Invest KOREA (One-Stop Service guidelines); Rwanda Development Board statutory frameworks; Estonia Information System Authority (X-Road architecture).

Elite FC win D’Royal off-season tournament in Ondo

Debutants Elite FC emerged champions of the fourth edition of the D’Royal Off-Season Football Tournament after edging defending champions Olukayode FC 1-0 in Sunday’s final.

The victory earned Elite FC the championship trophy and a cash prize of ?1m, while runners-up Olukayode FC received ?500,000.

Akure The King City secured third place after defeating Velocity FC 2-0 in the bronze medal match to claim ?200,000.

The tournament, popularly known as ‘Akara Na Senior Burger,’ drew large crowds throughout its month-long run and concluded with a colourful closing ceremony in Ondo State.

The competition also witnessed the maiden edition of the DOFT Women’s Cup, with Onimarg FC emerging champions ahead of K.D.O. FC and Havilah Queens.

Onimarg FC received ?200,000 as champions, while K.D.O. FC and Havilah Queens earned ?100,000 and ?50,000 respectively.

Organisers also staged the inaugural Para-Table Tennis Championship through the D’Royal Inclusive Foundation, with seven physically challenged athletes participating in a novelty event.

The participants shared a total prize of ?300,000.

The final ceremony featured a cultural performance by the J-29 troupe, while sponsors and partners, including Bet9ja Foundation, Nestlé Nigeria, Providus Bank, HandB Sports Global, Ageless and GoldIt, supported the tournament.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the President of the D’Royal Off-Season Football Tournament, Olaniboji Mathew, popularly known as D’Royal, thanked participating teams, referees, scouts, media organisations, the medical team, sponsors and other partners for contributing to the success of the competition.

He expressed appreciation for their continued support and pledged that the fifth edition of the tournament would be bigger and better.

The month-long football fiesta ended with a fireworks display as spectators celebrated another successful edition of the grassroots competition.

WBD Q2 results miss expectations amid revenue decline

Warner Bros. Discovery reported second-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of $8.7 billion on Thursday, down 11% compared with the same period last year and below analysts’ expectations, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media.

The company posted net income of $149 million, a sharp decline from $1.58 billion a year earlier. According to Warner Bros. Discovery, the results were significantly affected by $1.1 billion in pre-tax acquisition-related costs, including the amortization of intangible assets, content valuation adjustments, and restructuring expenses.

Diluted earnings per share (EPS) fell to $0.06, compared with $0.63 in the second quarter of fiscal 2025.

Despite the weaker financial results, the company highlighted the strong performance of its streaming business. Warner Bros. Discovery said the return of HBO Max hits Euphoria and House of the Dragon attracted large audiences and helped drive a significant increase in subscriber numbers.

In its shareholder letter, the company emphasized that HBO Max continues to strengthen its position by offering high-profile original content that resonates with global audiences and supports long-term subscriber growth.

Following the earnings release, Warner Bros. Discovery shares rose 0.42% in premarket trading to $26.08, suggesting investors responded positively to the company’s streaming momentum despite the decline in revenue and profits.

The latest results underscore the ongoing transformation of the media industry, where traditional television businesses continue to face pressure while streaming platforms remain the key driver of competition and future growth.

How Nigeria spent N1.16trn on petrol in 2021, says RMAFC

The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr Mohammed Bello Shehu, stated on Thursday that Nigeria spent N1.16 trillion on petrol subsidy in 2021, while N1.20 trillion was deducted from the Federation’s crude oil sales proceeds.

Shehu made the disclosure while presenting the commission’s submission to the Senate Public Accounts Committee (SPAC), which is probing the 2021-2023 audit reports on the oil and gas industry conducted by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

According to him, aside from the N1.16 trillion spent on fuel subsidy, crude oil and petroleum product losses accounted for N16.20 billion, pipeline repairs gulped N22.05 billion, while strategic stockholding cost N6.75 billion.

The RMAFC chairman also told the committee that the objective of the 13 percent derivation principle was undermined by the method used in its computation during the period under review.

‘The practice of computing 13 percent derivation on the balance of revenue after deductions from the total collections is contrary to the intention of the derivation objective,’ he said.

Meanwhile, the committee heard that oil and gas companies remitted $6.755billion to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) between 2021 and 2025.

The naira component of the contribution by the companies for the same period stood at N1.529trillion.

The NDDC presented an updated report of the contributions of the companies up to 2025 even though the investigation period covered 2021 to 2023.

The money came from the 3 percent statutory contribution of the oil and gas companies to the NDDC to finance development and environmental intervention in the Niger Delta, whose oil and gas activities generate the companies’ revenues.

Under Section 14(2)(b) of the NDDC Act, as amended in 2017, the contribution is 3% of the total annual budget of an oil-producing company operating onshore or offshore in the Niger Delta and 3% of the total annual budget of a gas-processing company operating in the Niger Delta, excluding the cost of feed gas.

The Managing Director of the NDCC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, was represented at the hearing by a team led by the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Honourable Ifedayo Abegunde.

In a presentation to the committee, the NDDC team informed the Senate that the companies still owed $290million and N163billion as outstanding within the period under review.

However, lawmakers stood the report down to allow them to study it before the agency reappears next Wednesday.

Why Abiodun is Ogun East’s best bet for the Senate

BACKED by a proven record of executive leadership, Governor Dapo Abiodun’s run for the Senate aligns with Ogun East’s push for stronger, result-driven representation at the centre. For the All Progressives Congress (APC), this ticket serves as a compelling strategy to consolidate the gains of the current administration. By putting forward tested executive leadership for the Ogun East Senatorial District, the party reinforces its commitment to high-impact representation while driving electoral success across the state. Ultimately, a win at the polls will create a powerful synergy between the state’s next administration and its voice in Abuja-ensuring Ogun East reaps maximum dividends from federal alignment. Having spent over six years laying a solid foundation for economic growth, industrial transformation, and infrastructure development, Governor Abiodun leaves behind both a strong track record for the party to leverage and a clear blueprint for his successor.

Transitioning to the Senate positions him to use that deep executive clout where it matters most: securing strategic federal backing for Ogun State. Governor Abiodun’s Senate bid is not an abstract political proposition; it is rooted in concrete, visible infrastructure that has redefined the socio-economic landscape of Ogun East. Over his tenure, the administration moved deliberately to unlock the economic potential of the district through transformative capital projects. Chief among these legacy achievements is the landmark Gateway International Airport located at Ilishan-Iperu. Conceived to transform the state into an international logistics and processing hub, the facility boasts a 4,000-metre runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft, serving as an immediate catalyst for economic expansion across the region. Beyond opening up Ogun East to global commerce, the surrounding Special Agro-Processing Zone and aviation village are attracting substantial private investment, creating thousands of jobs for local residents, and providing farmers with direct access to international export markets.

Complementing this mega-project is a comprehensive overhaul of the district’s transportation networks. The dualisation of the Sagamu-Ijebu Ode Expressway and the construction of the Ijebu Ode-Epe road corridor have restored key commercial links between Ogun East and Lagos State. By drastically reducing travel times, lowering logistics costs, and enhancing safety, these roads have turned once-congested border corridors into vibrant hubs of trade. Furthermore, targeted interventions in grassroots infrastructure-such as the expansion of affordable housing units in Prince Court Estates across Abeokuta, Sagamu and Ijebu Ode, alongside rural electrification and primary health centre upgrades-demonstrate a governance model that balances macroeconomic catalysts with direct community impact. By delivering on these high-stakes commitments, Abiodun has built the political credibility necessary to represent Ogun East at the national level. While the National Assembly is often dominated by procedural debates, effective lawmaking requires practical governance experience. Managing complex budgets, negotiating multi-stakeholder deals, and executing large-scale public works give former executives a distinct edge in legislative chambers.

Governor Abiodun brings this exact pragmatism to the Red Chamber. Former governors in the Senate possess a clear institutional advantage: they understand how federal ministries, departments, and agencies operate, and they know precisely how federal budgetary allocations translate into ground-level implementation. In a legislature where ranking influence and committee leadership dictate resource distribution, sending a former two-term governor ensures Ogun East does not start at the back of the queue. Abiodun’s background positions him to sponsor targeted bills that institutionalise regional economic zones, command budgetary leverage for local projects, and use direct access to executive ministries in Abuja to fast-track the takeover and rehabilitation of federal assets across the state. A recurring challenge for many senatorial districts across Nigeria is the friction-or total disconnect-between state government priorities and federal interventions. When a state’s senator operates in isolation from the governor’s office, the district suffers from duplicated efforts, stalled projects, and missed developmental opportunities.

Abiodun’s transition to the Senate addresses this gap entirely. Working alongside an incoming state administration that shares his developmental blueprint, he can act as an authoritative bridge between Abeokuta and Abuja. This alignment ensures that legislative interventions at the federal level directly support the state’s master plan for industrialisation. Whether negotiating federal grants for industrial clusters, pushing for federal concessions along commercial borders, or securing national backing for energy and power infrastructure, this strategic synergy ensures Ogun East negotiates within the federation from a position of unified strength.

Electoral transitions often bring policy drift, where critical projects started by one administration are abandoned or delayed by the next.

The APC’s strategy in fielding Governor Abiodun for the Senate guarantees continuity-safeguarding the investments made over the past several years while laying a sustainable path forward.

By stepping into the Senate, Abiodun provides a protective umbrella for ongoing state initiatives. His presence at the national level reassures private investors, international partners, and commercial development finance institutions that Ogun State’s economic policies remain stable, predictable, and supported at the highest levels of governance.

For the voters of Ogun East, this means the momentum built around industrialisation, job creation, and infrastructure expansion will not stall-it will accelerate.

Ultimately, the choice facing Ogun East is about maximising influence where national decisions are made.

A senatorial seat should not serve as a retirement posting or a platform for passive observation; it requires an occupant with the network, experience, and authority to deliver clear returns for their constituents.

Governor Dapo Abiodun’s candidacy represents a pragmatic choice to elevate Ogun East’s standing at the National Assembly.

By leveraging a proven record of legacy projects-from the Gateway Agro-Cargo Airport to expansive road networks-his transition to the Senate ensures that the district secures maximum dividends from federal alignment.

It is a strategic move that turns past governance achievements into future national clout, positioning Ogun East at the centre of regional and national growth for years to come.

Looking beyond local politics, Ogun East stands at a critical juncture where regional economic potential must be matched by formidable national clout.

The district does not need a political novice who will spend years learning the corridors of power; it requires a leader with immediate access to top-tier federal networks and the strategic insight to convert national policy into local development. Governor Dapo Abiodun’s transition to the Senate is not merely a lateral career step, but a calculated move to position Ogun East at the primary decision-making tables in Abuja.

His track record proves that he views governance through a lens of return on investment-where every policy, road, and capital project must yield tangible economic value for the people.

For the All Progressives Congress and the broader electorate, this candidacy offers a seamless bridge between past performance and future opportunities.

By pairing his executive experience with legislative power, Abiodun guarantees that the momentum built around industrialisation, agricultural expansion, and job creation will not falter.

His presence in the Red Chamber ensures that Ogun East will not only retain its standing as an industrial hub, but will also gain direct leverage during federal budget negotiations, statutory allocation reviews, and key committee assignments. In an environment where federal resource distribution is fiercely competitive, having a tested former governor in your corner is the ultimate competitive advantage.

Ultimately, a vote for Dapo Abiodun is an investment in stability, continuity, and maximum dividends from federal alignment. It elevates Ogun East from a participant in national discourse to a dominant voice shaping regional development across the South West.

By choosing a leader who has already delivered landmark projects like the Gateway Agro-Cargo Airport and key transit corridors, the district secures a representative who does not just make campaign promises, but executes them at scale. As Ogun East prepares for its next chapter, backing Abiodun ensures that the progress of today becomes the foundation for an even more prosperous tomorrow.

Tinubu welcomes Nigeria’s admission into World Energy Council

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed Nigeria’s formal admission as a National Member Committee of the World Energy Council (WEC), saying the development will strengthen the country’s participation in global discussions on energy security, equity and sustainability.

Tinubu also congratulated the inaugural leadership of WEC Nigeria, including Abdulrazaq Isa, who will serve as chairman, and Bala Wunti, the Chief Executive Officer.

In a statement on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described Nigeria’s admission into the global energy body as a significant development for the country’s energy sector.

He said Nigeria’s membership of the century-old organisation, which has a presence in more than 100 countries, would provide the country with an opportunity to play a greater role in shaping global energy policies and conversations.

‘Nigeria has joined the World Energy Council to lead, not just participate – to ensure Africa’s voice shapes global energy decisions,’ Tinubu said.

The President also congratulated members of the inaugural board, drawn from the energy value chain, regulatory institutions, industry associations, finance, academia and the Future Energy Leaders community.

Tinubu said the composition of the board, bringing together industry operators, regulators, finance experts and young energy leaders, would provide the balance and credibility required for the organisation to carry out its mandate.

He described Isa as a ‘distinguished patriot and trailblazing industrialist,’ citing his investments in indigenous refining and industrial energy.

The President also described Wunti as ‘one of Nigeria’s finest energy strategists and reform champions,’ noting his more than three decades of service in the energy sector.

Tinubu pledged the Federal Government’s support for WEC Nigeria as a neutral and technology-agnostic platform for policy dialogue, investment mobilisation and innovation.

He also reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to working with the World Energy Council and its global network towards improving access to secure, affordable and sustainable energy.

The President wished Isa, Wunti and other members of the inaugural board success in their assignments.