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Maltina deepens bond with Nigeria’s hospitality culture

Maltina, the malt drink brand, has continued to feature prominently in Nigeria’s longstanding culture of hospitality, particularly in homes and social gatherings.

The brand, which was launched in Nigeria in 1976, has become associated with occasions involving family, friendship, celebrations and the welcoming of guests.

A secondary school teacher, Adeola Adeniyi, said the tradition of offering visitors food and drinks was passed down to her from childhood and remains part of her household practice.

She said: ‘Growing up, whenever visitors came to our house, we knew there were certain things we had to do. You greeted them properly, brought out something to eat and offered them a drink. Today, I still find myself doing the same thing when people visit me, and Maltina is often one of the drinks I offer.’

The brand’s connection with consumers has also extended across generations, with some people who grew up with Maltina and its platforms, including Maltina Dance All, now introducing the brand to their own families.

The development highlights the role of everyday gestures, such as offering a visitor a drink, in sustaining Nigeria’s culture of warmth and hospitality.

Rohr recalls Messi’s jersey gift ahead of Argentina farewell

Benin coach Gernot Rohr has described his side’s forthcoming October 6th friendly against Argentina -already dubbed ‘Lionel Messi’s farewell international appearance’- as ‘a big honour,’ while stressing that his squad’s immediate focus remains two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Burkina Faso and Mauritania, reports MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN.

On Tuesday, Lionel Messi was named in Argentina’s squad for the international friendly against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, which will be his 208th and final appearance for the national team following his retirement announcement last month. Argentine FA president Claudio Tapia said the fixture would give the 39-year-old, Argentina’s all-time record scorer with 125 goals, ‘the farewell he truly deserves.’

The Franco-German trainer, who previously managed the Super Eagles, said facing Messi again carries personal significance.

‘I still have the jersey from Messi,’ Rohr told NationSports from his base in France.’ He gave it to me in Russia, so he will give me a signature, I hope, this time.’

Rohr recalled his two earlier meetings with Argentina while in charge of Nigeria including a 4-2 friendly win in Russia and the sides’ 2018 World Cup group-stage meeting, also played in Russia.

‘It was a fantastic game,’ he said of the friendly victory. ‘So, for me, it will be the third time I will play against this team.’

Rohr led the Super Eagles from 2016 to 2021, guiding Nigeria to the 2018 World Cup and a bronze-medal finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt before taking charge of Benin’s Cheetahs. His familiarity with Messi and Argentina now sits alongside a new project: building a young Beninese squad that he says will draw lasting value from the Buenos Aires trip, even as qualification business takes precedence.

‘It’s a big honour for Benin and for our young team,’ he said of the invitation to close out Messi’s farewell.

‘It will be wonderful to play there, but at first, we have two AFCON qualifiers – very important matches to play in Burkina Faso, and not even at home again,’ Rohr noted.

He added that Benin’s home fixture against Mauritania would instead be staged in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, meaning the Cheetahs face the prospect of playing both qualifiers away from home ahead of the Messi send-off.

‘Yes, it’s going to be a big experience for the young players and for everybody – for the staff, for the people of the [Beninese] federation,’ Rohr said. ‘Everybody will be happy to be there for this celebration of a big player and also the fête of football, I hope.’ He confirmed he would depart for the qualifying fixtures on Saturday, putting the Argentina friendly firmly at the back end of a demanding October schedule.

Argentina open a three-match friendly series against Bolivia in Cordoba on September 30th – their first outing since losing the World Cup final to Spain – before meeting Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on October 3rd and Benin three days later.

Tapia has invited all of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad to join the occasion, framing the Benin fixture as a celebration spanning two Messi-led triumphs: the 2022 World Cup and Copa America wins in 2021 and 2024.

Messi will bring the curtain down on a 20-year international career that began in 2005 and yielded 125 goals in 208 appearances, both national records. ‘We made the decision to invite the best player in the world, the symbol of our national team, our captain, Lionel Andres Messi, so that he can have the farewell he truly deserves on October 6th here in Argentina,’ Tapia said. The Estadio Monumental, with its 85,000 capacity, is expected to be at or near full voice for the occasion, subject to the FIFA-imposed restrictions outlined below.

Messi’s Argentina exit follows the death of his father, Jorge, last month, after which he said he had ‘serious doubts’ about continuing to play football ‘for much longer.’ Announcing his retirement from international duty, he said: ‘It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep in my soul but I understand that it is the right time.’ His club career continues regardless – his contract with Major League Soccer side Inter Miami runs until the end of the 2028 season.

The occasion will nonetheless be played under restrictions. FIFA has capped capacity at Argentina’s next home fixture at 50 per cent after players displayed a ‘The Falklands are Argentine’ banner following the World Cup semi-final win over England in July, a breach of the governing body’s disciplinary code over using a sporting event to stage non-sporting demonstrations. The fixture is also expected to count towards suspensions handed down after incidents involving Argentina players following the World Cup final defeat by Spain: Leandro Paredes received a 10-match ban, Nahuel Molina was suspended for seven games, and Thiago Almada for one.

For Rohr and his Cheetahs, the Buenos Aires trip caps what he has framed as a month defined first by qualifying expediency and only then by occasion even as he acknowledged the scale of what awaits his squad on October 6th in Buenos Aires.

Sudan: A Nation Under Strain, And An Appeal For The World To Look Again

Sudan’s war has become more than a contest for military control. For millions of Sudanese, it has evolved into a prolonged struggle for security, dignity, access to basic services and the possibility of returning to a normal life.

Against this backdrop, the Government of Sudan is calling for renewed international attention to what it describes as the devastating consequences of the conflict and the activities of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which the government describes as a rebel militia.

According to the Sudanese government, the conflict, which began with the RSF rebellion in April 2023, has inflicted widespread harm on civilians and placed enormous pressure on the country’s institutions and essential infrastructure. The government says the consequences have extended across communities, affecting women, children, older persons and other vulnerable groups.

The government’s account alleges that civilians have been subjected to unlawful and extrajudicial killings, attacks on residential areas, sexual violence and forced displacement. It further alleges attacks on property and civilian facilities, alongside the looting and destruction of public and private infrastructure.

These allegations form the central part of Khartoum’s appeal for stronger international engagement. The government argues that the destruction of infrastructure and disruption of essential services have consequences that extend beyond the immediate battlefield, making the restoration of functioning state institutions and the return of displaced populations considerably more difficult.

At the heart of the government’s position is the argument that Sudan’s crisis should not be viewed solely through the prism of a military confrontation. It maintains that the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national institutions must remain central to any effort to resolve the conflict.

The government insists that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) are the country’s legitimate national military institution and rejects what it regards as attempts to place the national army on the same footing as the RSF, which it identifies as a rebel militia.

It also objects to what it describes as external interference in Sudan’s affairs and calls for an end to military, financial and logistical support to the RSF. According to the government, cutting off sources of financing and arms supplies to the militia should form part of a broader international effort to bring the conflict to an end.

Yet the government’s message is not presented solely as a call for pressure. It also presents itself as an appeal for a pathway towards peace.

Khartoum says it remains open to serious regional and international peace initiatives and is prepared to participate in an inclusive Sudanese political process, provided that Sudan’s sovereignty, unity and national institutions are respected. It says any sustainable settlement must create conditions for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of internally displaced people and refugees.

That emphasis is significant in a country where displacement has become one of the defining consequences of the war.

For those forced from their homes, the meaning of the conflict is not confined to military positions on a map. It is measured in interrupted livelihoods, fractured communities, damaged homes, disrupted public services and an uncertain prospect of return.

The Sudanese government therefore wants the international response to encompass more than diplomacy. It is calling for stronger civilian protection, humanitarian access, support for voluntary return and reconstruction, while insisting that humanitarian action remain neutral.

The government further argues that accountability must accompany any peace process. It says those responsible for violations against civilians, as well as those who support them, should face justice under international law and international humanitarian law. It rejects what it describes as attempts to grant impunity or obscure the facts surrounding alleged violations.

There is, consequently, a broader question at the centre of Sudan’s appeal: how can a country rebuild when the institutions responsible for providing security and essential services have themselves been placed under extraordinary pressure by prolonged conflict?

The Government of Sudan says the answer must begin with the preservation of the country’s state institutions and sovereignty, an end to external support for armed groups, protection of civilians and a Sudanese-led political process.

Its appeal to the international community is ultimately framed around these principles: support Sudanese state institutions, strengthen civilian protection, facilitate humanitarian assistance, cut off what it describes as external sources of military support to the RSF, and help create the conditions for peace and reconstruction.

For Sudan, the stakes are therefore larger than who controls a particular city or territory.

They concern whether a country fractured by war can preserve its institutions, protect its people and eventually reconstruct the social and physical foundations of national life.

And as the war continues to exact its toll, Khartoum’s message to the international community is clear: Sudan wants the conflict, the suffering of its civilians and the forces sustaining the war to receive sustained international attention-and it wants peace to be pursued without compromising the country’s sovereignty, unity and national decision-making.

2027: ADC’s Adegoke picks Salako as running mate for Oyo governorship race

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Oloye Taofeek Adegoke, has picked Aderoju Oladayo Salako as his running mate for the 2027 governorship election.

Adegoke also received his certificate of return from the party at the ADC national headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

A statement by Adegoke’s Media Team on Friday said the certificate, signed by the National Chairman, Senator David Mark, and National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, certified Adegoke as the winner of the party’s 2026 Oyo State governorship primary.

The certificate stated: ‘This is to certify that Taofeek Adegboyega Adegoke having satisfied the requirements of the party constitution, is hereby declared the winner of the 2026 Oyo State primary governorship election, issued on the 30th day of May 2026.’

The statement added that a second certificate, signed by the party’s Electoral Committee, confirmed Adegoke’s participation in the 2026 primary election.

Salako, a Christian from Saki in Saki West Local Government Area of Oyo State, was born on August 3, 1979.

He graduated from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, in 2005 with a Bachelor of Technology (Hons) degree in Civil Engineering.

He was certified and registered as an engineer by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) in 2019.

According to Adegoke’s Media Team, Salako has worked on several infrastructure projects, including the beautification of Soun Ogunlola Town Hall, Ogbomoso; construction of a modern maternity and health centre at Ibapon, Ogbomoso; rehabilitation and construction of the Iwo-Ate/Ife-Odan Road in Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Area; and rehabilitation and construction of the Iresa-Adu/Iregba Road in Surulere Local Government Area.

His other projects include the rehabilitation of two maternity centres and two primary healthcare centres in Olorunsogo Local Government Area, Igbeti; construction of a housing estate in Lokogoma, Abuja; construction of a bus terminal at Igando, Lagos State; and a bus depot at Alimosho Local Government Area, Ikotun, Lagos.

He was also involved in the construction of the Ogbese River Bridge linking Ondo and Edo states, among other infrastructure projects across the country.

The statement said Salako’s experience in engineering and infrastructure development would contribute to Adegoke’s plans for Oyo State.

Adegoke said Salako was selected after consultations and consideration of political interests across the various geopolitical zones of the state.

The statement added that Salako’s name had been updated on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal as the substantive ADC deputy governorship candidate for Oyo State.

Oando’s shareholders approve cross-border listings

Shareholders of Oando Plc yesterday authorised the board of the energy group to undertake listings on other stock exchanges, in a major resolution that opened possible future listings on world’s stock exchanges.

At the 47th annual general meeting, shareholders reaffirmed confidence in the company’s earnings outlook and its board and management, expressing supports for strategic initiatives being undertaken to expand operations and deepen profitability

Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc, Mr Wale Tinubu, said the company has achieved several operational milestones and assured that shareholders would enjoy dividends of these achievements from the next business year.

He said the company has maintained operational control and disciplined execution of its growth strategy, which provide stable platform for building sustainable growth.

‘Operational control gives us execution capacity and creates value. We are focusing on clear accountability and stronger performance management. As we continue our integration, we will allocate capital responsibly, report on time, meet our guidance and commit to our choices,’ Tinubu said.

Chairman, Oando Plc, Mr Ademola Akinrele (SAN), commended the shareholders for their supports, assuring that the company remains focused on delivering good returns to its stakeholders.

He said: ‘I thank you all for your attendance today, and I’d like to thank you in particular, shareholders, for the range of your questions, the thoughtfulness of it, the insight of the questions, and the passion and love you’ve shown for the company, and also the patience and confidence you have reposed on the board’.

National Coordinator, Pragmatic Shareholders Association, Mrs Bisi Bakare, commended the board and management for their strategic approach to portfolio development and disciplined capital allocation.

‘I want congratulate the board and management for the strategic shift in the mining and infrastructure business from broad-based exploration to a more disciplined asset prioritisation approach. I believe this is a prudent approach, particularly given the need for disciplined capital allocation across the group,’ Bakare said.

Shareholders, at the virtual meeting, also approved amendments to the company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association to provide for physical, electronic or hybrid general meetings, as well as provisions relating to digital assets, cryptographic technologies, distributed ledger technologies, and other emerging technologies, subject to applicable laws and regulatory requirements.

All the resolutions presented at the meeting were passed, including the re-election of Mr Ademola Akinrele, Mr Omamofe Boyo, Mr Ikeme Osakwe and Mr Adeola Ogunsemi as Directors retiring by rotation; re-appointment of BDO Professional Services as the company’s external auditors; election of members of the Statutory Audit Committee; and approval of the remuneration of Non-Executive Directors.

Oando had seen a 20 per cent growth in total revenue in first half 2026 as improved operating efficiency and higher production drove the indigenous energy solutions group to its most remarkable performance in recent period.

Key extracts of the six-month report for the period ended June 30, 2026 released at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) showed that group revenue rose by 20 per cent to N2.1 trillion. Gross profit quadrupled by 331 per cent to N101 billion while net profit after tax closed at N68.6 billion.

The financial results underlined significant operational improvements. Oando’s upstream subsidiary reported 92 per cent facility uptime compared to 85 per cent in 2025, resulting in 16 per cent increase in average production to 42,789 boepd in first half 2026 from 36,836 boepd in first half 2025.

The production performance included crude oil production, which improved by 19 per cent to 12,358 bopd; gas volumes, which rose by 14 per cent to 28,497 boepd, and NGL production, which increased by 16 per cent to 1,935 boepd.

The company attributed the first half 2026 performance to cost-optimisation initiatives, especially lower transport, logistics, service and information and communication technology (ICT) costs, alongside the benefit of higher production across a largely fixed field cost base.

The six-month results were also supported by successful drilling of new wells, restoration of 12 previously shut-in wells, and sustained improvements in facility uptime across OMLs 60-63.

In its trading arm, the group also saw a 2.1 per cent increase in trading volumes to 13.15 MMbbl. The company attributed this increase to its crude oil marketing and offtake programmes and increased sourcing from marginal field producers.

Oando reiterated its focus on expanding crude oil marketing and trading portfolio in the second half.

Tinubu said the first half 2026 results marked an important inflection point in Oando’s journey.

‘Over the past two years, our priority has been to successfully integrate one of the most significant upstream acquisitions in Africa and unlock the full value of our expanded portfolio. The progress achieved during the period demonstrates that we are now delivering the operational and financial outcomes expected from that transformation,’ Tinubu said.

He explained that the group’s performance was driven by operational efficiency as it strengthened asset integrity, improved facility reliability and reinforced security across operating areas, resulting in average facility uptime of 92 per cent while reducing production operating costs by 18 per cent to $16.83 per boe.

He said: ‘Our development programme also gathered significant momentum during the period as we successfully drilled and completed two land development wells, with an additional land well currently being drilled, while mobilising a second drilling rig to accelerate activity across our operated portfolio. In parallel, we continued an extensive programme of rig-less well interventions designed to restore production, sustain plateau output and mitigate natural field decline. Together, these activities increased average production to 42,789 boepd, representing 16 per cent year-on-year growth.

‘This translated into a stronger financial performance, with revenue increasing by 20 per cent to N2.1 trillion, while the business generated N179.5 billion in operating cash, improving liquidity. Profit after tax also increased by 8.0 per cent to N68.6 billion, reflecting the overall improvement in operating performance during the period’.

In 2026, Oando embarked on an extensive drilling programme across both the operated and non-operated portfolio. With this already yielding results in first half within OMLs 60-63, the company hopes to complete its seven-well programme with planned drilling across its assets in Idu T, Samabri A and Ogbanbiri. This is to be complemented by a rig-less programme of approximately 100 well intervention activities planned across the portfolio for the full year. Together, these activities are expected to add production, sustain plateau and offset natural field decline across the portfolio.

Tinubu reassured on the outlook of the group, noting that the group has established a clear roadmap for sustainable growth.

He said: ‘Looking ahead in 2026, our priorities remain firmly centred on completing our seven-well drilling programme and portfolio-wide well intervention campaign while delivering production of circa 50,000 boepd. Beyond 2026, our identified inventory of 62 development wells, supported by 55 planned well interventions, provides a clear pathway towards our medium-term production ambition of approximately 100,000 boepd.

‘Furthermore, we shall execute an intensive fundraising and balance sheet restructuring programme to optimise our capital structure, strengthen our financial position, improve working capital, enhance financial flexibility and ensure the business is appropriately funded to accelerate growth and maximise long-term shareholder value

‘We have built a resilient operating platform and established a clear roadmap for growth. Our focus is now on translating our significant opportunities into higher production, a stronger balance sheet and superior long-term returns for our shareholders’.

The company reaffirmed full-year production guidance of 40,000-50,000 boepd, supported by a seven-well drilling programme across OMLs 60-63, of which two wells have been completed, with two more in progress. The trading arm has revised its guidance to 22-26 MMbbls following adjustments to a crude oil marketing programme. The company also continues to advance the rights issue and its $1.5 billion multi-instrument issuance programme and the expansion of its clean energy initiatives.

GUYANA-TRADE-Guyana says trade with China exceeded one billion US dollars last year

Prime Minister Mark Phillips says Guyana’s trade with China reached approximately US$1.8 billion in 2025, while the country’s exports to the Asian market climbing to a record US$501 million.

‘In 2025, two-way trade between Guyana and China reached approximately US$1.8 billion, and Guyana’s exports to China grew to US$501 million, our strongest performance in trade to date, which raised China to the eighth spot as our largest export destination,’ Phillips told a reception marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Phillips said the figure represents a significant expansion in the trading relationship, with China also remaining one of Guyana’s major sources of imports.

Guyana’s Bureau of Statistics recorded US$1.287 billion in imports from China in 2025, making it the country’s third-largest source of imports, behind Singapore and the United States.

Chinese imports accounted for 12.6 per cent of Guyana’s total imports for the year with the official figures putting the two-way merchandise trade at an estimated US$1.79 billion.

The Chinese Embassy has separately cited a higher US$2.89 billion figure for bilateral trade in 2025.

Guyana’s overall exports continue to be dominated by oil, which accounted for 88.4 per cent of the country’s US$20.14 billion in exports in 2025, according to the Bureau of Statistics.

Phillips said Guyana’s growing economy was creating further opportunities for commerce with China, as the government seeks to diversify the economy beyond oil while expanding infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, energy and other sectors.

The Prime Minister also pointed to areas where Guyana and China could deepen cooperation, including renewable energy, smart infrastructure, modern transportation and urban development.

Chinese Ambassador Yang Yang said Chinese companies had accumulated around US$13 billion in investment in Guyana by the end of 2025, citing projects including the Demerara River Bridge, six regional hospitals and the Aurora Solar Farm.

Chinese state-owned energy company CNOOC also holds a 25 per cent interest in the Stabroek Block, giving China a direct commercial stake in Guyana’s largest oil-producing asset.

What Is Wrong With Us: We Fly Halfway Around The World To Admire Discipline, Then Fly Home To Tolerate Chaos

Why the developing world’s most travelled leaders keep returning from Singapore, London and Tokyo with photographs instead of change

By Ing. Prof. Douglas Boateng, Chartered Director UK | Chartered Engineer UK | Fellow, Institute of Directors UK | Fellow, Ghana Institution of Engineering | Governance, Industrialisation and Supply Chain Strategist | Founder, Boardroom Governance Summit | Founder and Scriber, NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom)

There is a peculiar ritual familiar across much of the developing world. A political leader, senior official or business executive boards a flight from Accra, Lagos, Nairobi, Johannesburg or Lusaka and lands in Singapore, Dubai, London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Tokyo or Seoul, where the airport runs on time, the immigration process works, the roads are disciplined, the electricity is expected rather than celebrated, and public transport has the interesting habit of actually following its timetable. The delegation attends a conference on development or governance, takes its notes, poses for its photographs, perhaps produces a communiqué, and then flies home. Somehow the lessons remain in the suitcase. That is the uncomfortable question behind this reflection: most developing-world politicians and business leaders travel the world and see the best that developed nations have to offer, so what exactly is stopping them from building something similar at home?

We Can No Longer Claim We Have Not Seen What Works

There was once a time when geography restricted knowledge, when a policymaker in Accra could reasonably know little about how Singapore organised its ports or how the Netherlands managed its water. That excuse has disappeared. African presidents, ministers, mayors, engineers and senior civil servants travel constantly, our universities collaborate internationally, and our diaspora works inside some of the world’s most sophisticated institutions. We already know what functioning systems look like. The question has therefore changed from what should we do to why are we not doing what we already know should be done.

NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): there comes a point when lack of knowledge stops being an explanation and lack of implementation begins becoming an indictment.

Singapore Did Not Become Singapore By Admiring Somebody Else

Consider Singapore, a country African leaders frequently cite. The World Bank describes its transformation from a low-income country at independence in 1965 into today’s high-income economy, with growth averaging around seven per cent annually and reaching about nine per cent during its first twenty-five years. Between 1963 and 1975 it received fourteen World Bank loans focused on fundamentals such as water, sewerage, electricity, telecommunications and ports, and by the mid-1980s those loans had been repaid. Today its GDP per capita sits around ninety-eight thousand US dollars and its sanitation coverage is effectively universal. There was no magic wand; Singapore built, maintained, enforced, learned, adjusted and continued, decade after decade. African delegations have visited Singapore for years, and perhaps we have now studied it sufficiently. The next study tour should sometimes be a study return, asking honestly what was learned last time, what was implemented, what changed, and who was held accountable, because otherwise study tours risk becoming little more than development tourism.

Africa’s Problem Is Not That It Has Never Seen Infrastructure

The contrast becomes painful measured against our own deficits. As of 2024, about 560 million people in sub-Saharan Africa still lived without electricity, and the continent retains the world’s largest electricity-access gap, with the World Bank estimating Africa’s infrastructure financing gap at more than a hundred billion dollars annually. Behind every number is ordinary life: a child studying without dependable power, a small manufacturer running a generator, a clinic struggling with reliability, a farmer unable to process produce locally. Infrastructure is not concrete; it is productivity. And many of the decision-makers experiencing these deficits at home have personally experienced infrastructure excellence abroad, so they know precisely the difference.

NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): It is difficult to plead ignorance about darkness when you have repeatedly travelled to places where you have seen how the lights were kept on.

We Admire Maintenance Abroad And Neglect It At Home

Perhaps the greatest difference between successful and struggling societies is not what they build but what they maintain. We love commissioning ceremonies, with their ribbons, speeches and cameras, yet maintenance arrives later without any television coverage, so it apparently becomes less exciting. Drains block, streetlights fail, road markings disappear, and eventually somebody proposes an entirely new project rather than repairing the old one. The World Bank stresses that infrastructure quality is deeply connected to governance, to how projects are planned, selected and managed, and this affects both service delivery and public trust.

NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): A nation that celebrates construction but neglects maintenance will eventually become very good at commissioning replacements for things it should never have allowed to collapse.

Why Do The Rules Suddenly Work For Us Abroad

There is another contradiction worth naming gently. The same person who discards rubbish carelessly at home discovers environmental consciousness on landing in Singapore, and the driver who treats a red light as a suggestion at home becomes remarkably obedient in London. What changed was not character; it was consequence, enforcement and system design. A society cannot endlessly preach discipline while quietly rewarding indiscipline. The cleanest cities are not clean because their citizens are morally superior, but because waste is collected, rules are enforced, planning is respected and offenders face consequences.

NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): When the same citizen behaves differently after crossing a border, perhaps the problem is not only the citizen; examine the system waiting on either side.

We Do Not Need To Copy, We Need To Adapt

None of this means Africa should photocopy Singapore, Germanyor Japan, which would be intellectually lazy given how different our populations, geographies and institutions are. But principles travel even when systems do not: maintenance, planning, professionalism, merit, accountability and long-term thinking can all be adapted to local circumstances without being copied wholesale.

NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): Learn globally, think locally, adapt wisely, because a borrowed solution becomes useful only after it learns the language of the problem it has come to solve.

The Real Enemy May Be Short-Termism

Development requires time, yet our politics frequently demands immediacy, with roads needing to be visible before the next election and projects needing to carry somebody’s personal legacy. Singapore’s transformation, South Korea’s industrial rise, Japan’s reconstruction and China’s economic leap all unfolded across decades, not electoral cycles. The challenge is building institutions capable of carrying national priorities across political transitions, so that a new government improves what works, corrects what does not, and does not behave as though national history began on its own inauguration day.

NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): A nation cannot travel fifty years into the future if every political cycle insists on returning to kilometre zero.

Our Businesses Are Not Exempt Either

It would be convenient, and dishonest, to blame politicians alone. African executives travel too, visiting world-class factories and studying advanced supply chains, then returning home to tolerate late payments to small suppliers, weak maintenance and governance shortcuts. Standards should not change according to geography. UN Trade and Development estimates that small and medium enterprises account for roughly eighty per cent of employmentacross Africa, which means large businesses carry a developmental responsibility well beyond their own balance sheets, from paying suppliers fairly to developing local capability and investing in people.

We Travel More Easily Across Oceans Than Across Our Own Continent

Nowhere is the contradiction more visible than in African trade itself. We speak constantly about Pan-Africanism, yet intra-African trade remains only around sixteen per cent of the continent’s total exports according to UNCTAD, even though full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area could support a market worth roughly 3.4 trillion dollars. Agreements cannot drive trucks, and declarations cannot clear customs; what Africa needs now is transport corridors, interoperable payment systems, efficient borders and the political willingness to make the vision real.

What Is Wrong With Us

Perhaps what is wrong with us is that we have become excellent admirers of other people’s discipline. We admire clean streets abroad while tolerating rubbish at home, admire long-term planning while replacing policies with political cycles, and admire meritocratic systems before quietly asking whose person got the job. The developed world is far from perfect, with its own inequality and institutional weaknesses, and Africa should never romanticise it. But where something demonstrably works, pride should not prevent learning, and where we already know what works, endless learning should not become an excuse for avoiding implementation. Perhaps every delegation should be required to produce an implementation note rather than a travel report, answering honestly what was learned, what applies locally, who will implement it, and what happened twelve months later. That is how exposure becomes development rather than décor.

From Admiration To Implementation

Africa does not suffer from a shortage of examples; we have seen Singapore, studied Germany, understood Japan and admired the Netherlands. What we have not yet consistently done is bring those lessons home and defend them long enough to become ordinary. The next frontier is not another journey outward but a journey inward, from seeing to doing, from groundbreaking ceremonies to maintenance, and from election-cycle thinking to generational thinking.

NyansaKasa (Final Reflection): When leaders have repeatedly seen what good looks like, travelled on it, slept in it and enjoyed its benefits, the question is no longer whether they know better, but what prevents all of us from demanding, building and protecting better at home. Nations are not transformed by the number of places their leaders visit; they are transformed by the useful lessons their institutions have the courage and persistence to bring home and turn into everyday reality for their own people.

About the Author

Ing. Professor Douglas K. Boateng is a strategist in governance, industrialisation and supply chains, and serves as a professional chairperson, an international Chartered Director (UK) and a Chartered Engineer (UK). A Pan Africanist and social entrepreneur at heart, he has spent his career working across public institutions, corporate boards and industrial policy, in Africa and beyond, guided by the conviction that strong institutions are built on honest decision at a time. His contributions to industry and academia have been recognised with more than six lifetime achievement awards throughout his career. He is the founder of NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom), a collection of daily aphorisms he has written and shared since late 2019, distilling decades of experience advising governments, boards and enterprises on governance, accountability and institutional resilience into words meant to challenge and to endure. He convenes the Boardroom Governance Summit, Africa’s largest boardroom focused summit, and writes a widely read weekly opinion column

U-20 WWC: Falconets Thrash England 3-0 To Reach Quarter-Finals

Nigeria’s U20 girls, Falconets, fired from all cylinders on Thursday afternoon to side-step England’s Young Lionesses into the quarter-finals of the ongoing FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in Poland.

Playing in Bielsko-Biala for the first time since the commencement of the championship, the two-time World Cup silver-medallists showed intent from the opening whistle and were rewarded in the 8th minute when Tosin Rafiu broke the deadlock with a composed finish to put Nigeria 1-0 ahead.

England tried to respond through Lily Dent, Princess Ademiluyi, and Rachel Maltby, but Nigeria’s backline stood firm. A Video Assistant Referee review for a penalty in the 33rd minute briefly threatened to change the momentum, but Nigeria’s goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma made a big save to deny Maltby from six yards.

Uzoma was an important performer of the day, making six big saves in a first period that the Nigeria back-line appeared to struggle to contain the big Ademiluyi.

The Falconets held their nerve to go into half-time in the ascendancy, and leading 1-0.

The second half started in perfect fashion for Nigeria. Just two minutes after the restart, Janet Akekoromowei doubled the lead in the 47th minute with a clinical strike, putting England under immense pressure.

Mary Mamudu, introduced in the 61st minute for Ramotalahi Kareem, made an immediate impact. In the 73rd minute, she latched onto an assist from Precious Oscar to slot home Nigeria’s third goal, effectively sealing the contest.

The Falconets will on Sunday take on the winner of the Round of 16 clash between Poland and Colombia. That quarter-final duel is slated for the Wladylaw Król Municipal Stadium in Lódz, starting from 2pm Nigeria time.

At the final whistle, Aduku said: ‘We are very happy with this victory. The girls had a very motivating conference call with the NFF Acting General Secretary on Wednesday night and they promised to go all out today. I am happy they did that. We will go back to Lódz and aim for victory against either Poland or Colombia on Sunday.’

Rivers oil community demands roles in Ogoni oil resumption talks

The people of Kegbara Dere in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State have demanded direct representation in ongoing efforts to resolve the controversy surrounding the proposed resumption of oil and gas operations in Ogoniland.

The community led by its Paramount Ruler, HRH Chief Donald Kpegemona Gberesuu, said no decision concerning Kegbara Dere’s oil and gas assets should be taken without the participation of its duly constituted leadership and institutions.

In an open letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and copied to relevant Federal Government agencies, the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, MOSOP, KAGOTE and other stakeholders, the community declared: ‘No decision about Kegbara Dere without Kegbara Dere.’

The community said it was not opposed to responsible petroleum resumption, but insisted that any return to oil production must be accompanied by comprehensive environmental remediation, community participation, transparency, accountability, safety and tangible economic benefits.

Kegbara Dere also demanded the immediate inclusion of Gberesuu and representatives nominated through the community’s legitimate institutions in all strategic and stakeholders’ meetings on the proposed resumption.

It said: ‘Government engagement must follow this lawful leadership, not personality-based representation.’

The community based its claim to legitimate representation on a series of court judgments, which it said culminated in the June 29, 2026 judgment of the Bori Division of the Rivers State High Court affirming Gberesuu as the lawful Paramount Ruler of Kegbara Dere and restraining interference.

Beyond representation, the community called for independent verification and publication of petroleum assets, infrastructure and environmental liabilities associated with Kegbara Dere.

It also urged the Federal Government and other stakeholders to formally retrieve and review its Kegbara Dere Engagement Master Plan and Development Blueprint, which it said was submitted to the Office of the National Security Adviser in 2025.

According to the community, the blueprint proposes a broad economic framework for petroleum operations, including community participation, employment, local content, infrastructure, healthcare, education, environmental monitoring, technology and investment.

The blueprint also demanded the establishment of an oil and gas development institute in Kegbara Dere, equity participation in the petroleum value chain and representation on the management and directorate boards of companies, joint ventures and regulatory bodies involved in oil and gas operations.

The community also demanded the location of operators’ headquarters in Kegbara Dere, the establishment of petrochemical and LNG facilities, large-scale refineries and a community-based GMoU framework.

On the environmental front, it demanded the complete decommissioning of obsolete facilities and ‘holistic restoration’ of contaminated soil and groundwater.

It further called for compensation and settlement of families who, it alleged, suffered fatalities and permanent deformities during the repression of the Ogoni struggle.

The community said the proposed petroleum resumption must go beyond extraction to establish a transparent host-community economic and development compact.

‘No exclusion. No tokenism. No representation without mandate. No petroleum resumption without environmental responsibility. No extraction without meaningful host-community participation,’ it declared.

Kegbara Dere also maintained that its petroleum assets required authoritative verification, while asserting that the community had historically played a significant role in Nigeria’s oil industry.

According to the statement, Kegbara Dere Well 1 was drilled and completed in 1958 and produced what the community described as the first commercial volume of crude oil lifted from the area.

It listed numerous wells, flow stations, pipelines, gathering infrastructure, marine bases, tank farm and manifold sites and other petroleum facilities said to be located within the community.

The community, however, acknowledged that precise petroleum statistics should be confirmed through authoritative petroleum records and independent technical verification.

It also warned individuals and groups against making representations in its name without express authorisation from its recognised institutions.

‘While we appreciate the fact that several persons are Ogoni leaders born in Kegbara Dere and may be eligible if authorised to speak for Ogoni, at this time and in this instant case, nobody has the mandate to discuss on behalf of Kegbara Dere except this legal authority,’ the statement said.

The community said it was dissociating itself from positions attributed to individuals or groups without its mandate, insisting that its Master Plan and Development Blueprint remained its official framework for engagement on oil and gas resumption.

It further reaffirmed its support for the constitutional process for the creation of an Ogoni State, also known as Bori State, with a minimum of two local government areas for Kegbara Dere.

The statement was endorsed by Gberesuu and other members of the Kegbara Dere Contact Group on Oil and Gas Resumption, including the Chairman of the Kegbara Dere Town Governing Council, Chief Elder Enoch T. Gbarabe; Chairman, Community Development Committee, Capt. Rogers Dum Mbaka; Women Leader, Mrs Eunice Deenor; Youth President, Comrade Jerusalem Dumka; and spokesperson, Chief John T. Gaage.

FG To Review Tax Laws

The Federal Government has commenced a six-week review of the new tax laws to identify implementation gaps, address consequences that have emerged since their implementation and consider concerns raised by the organised private sector and other stakeholders.

The review will examine areas including Value Added Tax thresholds, withholding tax, capital gains treatment and multiple taxation.

Background

Daily Trust reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last year signed into law four new tax bills passed by the National Assembly, describing the laws as pivotal to the success of his administration’s reforms and the country’s prosperity.

The bills were the Nigeria Tax Bill (Ease of Doing Business), which seeks to consolidate Nigeria’s fragmented tax laws into a harmonised statute; the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, which establishes a uniform legal and operational framework for tax administration across the federal, state and local

governments.

As implementation commenced, organised private sector groups raised concerns over some provisions of the laws, including those relating to Companies Income Tax and withholding tax.

In June, the organised private sector (OPS) wrote an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, jointly signed by the leadership of key private sector bodies, including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA).

The groups warned that conflicting interpretations of the new tax laws had effectively paralysed corporate tax filings across the country.

The OPS said it fully supported the administration’s tax reform agenda and remained committed to lawful tax compliance, but argued that the implementation approach adopted by the NRS undermined the spirit and intent of the reforms.

‘This Open Letter is not an attack on tax reform or lawful revenue mobilisation,’ the group stated.

‘It is a plea to preserve the legality, credibility and economic promise of the historic reforms championed by Your Excellency. Our members are willing and ready taxpayers. They seek a clear, lawful and functional framework through which they can file accurate returns, pay taxes already accrued to the Federation, protect jobs and continue investing in Nigeria.’

The dispute centres on how taxes relating to accounting periods that ended before January 1, 2026, should be treated.

According to the OPS, the General Transition Guidelines issued by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy pursuant to provisions of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA) 2025 and Nigeria Tax Act (NTA) 2025 state that tax obligations arising from accounting periods ending before the commencement of the new laws should continue to be governed by the repealed tax laws, even if the filing and payment deadlines fall in 2026.

The private sector groups noted that the guidelines expressly provide that the new tax laws apply prospectively from January 1, 2026, except where specific provisions state otherwise.

The guidelines further state that no tax, penalty, surcharge, interest, filing obligation or administrative requirement under the new Acts should apply to any period before their commencement.

They also stipulate that Companies Income Tax payable for any basis period ending before January 1, 2026, should be determined under the repealed Companies Income Tax Act, notwithstanding that filing and payment may become due after the commencement date.

However, the OPS alleged that the NRS had adopted a different interpretation.

The controversy intensified after the NRS Emerging Taxpayers Office in Abuja issued a notice dated June 23, 2026, directing companies yet to file their Companies Income Tax returns for the 2026 Year of Assessment to do so under the new NTA and NTAA framework.

The notice stated that the NRS had no statutory authority to process Companies Income Tax returns for the 2026 Year of Assessment under the repealed Companies Income Tax Act or any other repealed tax legislation.

‘The applicable law for filing is determined by statute and not by taxpayer election, publication, administrative discretion, advisory, or any other communication suggesting an alternative filing basis,’ the notice said.

‘The Service has no statutory authority to process Companies Income Tax returns for the 2026 Year of Assessment under the repealed Companies Income Tax Act or any other repealed tax legislation.’

Oyedele gives committee six weeks to complete review

While inaugurating the Technical Subcommittee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms in Abuja yesterday, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said implementation of the new laws had exposed areas requiring clarification and further reforms.

‘The real test begins when the law meets the economy, as businesses interpret it, administrators implement it, investors respond to it, and citizens experience it. Implementation inevitably reveals areas requiring clarification, refinement or further reform,’ the minister said.

The Nigeria Tax Act 2025, Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2025 and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act 2025 took full effect on January 1, 2026.

Oyedele said the government was shifting from fundamental tax reforms to continuous improvement, stressing that the review was not intended to reverse the 2025 reforms.

He said, ‘The Finance Bill 2027 should not be seen as just another annual legislative exercise. Our task is not to rewrite the 2025 reforms, but to preserve their fundamental principles while learning from implementation and responding to new economic realities.

‘We must ask where implementation has revealed ambiguity, where unintended consequences have emerged, where compliance can be simplified, and where we can improve investment and competitiveness.’

The review will also cover fiscal policy and management, public financial management, debt, transparency, capital markets and cross-border capital flows.

According to Oyedele, the government received 134 submissions from across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones after inviting public input, alongside additional submissions made in hard copy.

Preliminary concerns raised by stakeholders included calls to clarify and simplify VAT thresholds, withholding tax and capital gains provisions.

Stakeholders also proposed stronger measures against multiple taxation and improved coordination among revenue authorities.

They called for greater digitalisation and data sharing to prevent taxpayers from repeatedly submitting information already available to government agencies.

Other proposals included stronger taxpayer rights, faster refunds, safeguards for small businesses and measures to improve investment and competitiveness in mining, renewable energy, healthcare and capital markets.

Oyedele urged the subcommittee to assess the economic impact of proposed changes, particularly on low-income households, workers and businesses.

‘Every tax reform produces winners and losers; the question is whether a policy is fair, efficient and competitive, not whether it is popular with everyone,’ he said.

He added, ‘A provision that raises revenue may impose a far greater cost on the wider economy. The government must optimise the whole economy, not merely achieve a single objective.’

The minister warned that complicated tax rules could increase compliance costs for businesses.

Beyond preparing recommendations for the Finance Bill 2027, the subcommittee will review the Deduction of Tax at Source Regulations 2024 and prepare revised withholding tax regulations.

It will also review the Companies Income Tax (Significant Economic Presence) Order 2020 and develop an updated framework aligned with the new tax laws and international practices.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance chairs the subcommittee, while Chairman of the Tax Advisory Committee Albert Folorunsho serves as co-chair.

Members include representatives of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Nigeria Revenue Service, Joint Revenue Board, Nigeria Customs Service, Central Bank of Nigeria, Debt Management Office, Budget Office of the Federation and Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission.

Other members are drawn from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Nigerian Bar Association, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria and Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

Representatives of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture and the Big Four accounting firms – Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC – are also members.

Folorunsho said the committee would develop recommendations that respond to the needs of taxpayers, businesses and government.