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NCDC: Samples of two suspected Ebola cases in Adamawa test negative

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that samples collected from two individuals suspected of having Ebola Disease in Adamawa State tested negative after two rounds of laboratory testing.

The agency disclosed this in a statement shared via the agency’s social media page (X) on October 31, 2026, and signed by its Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, stating that the agency is working with the Adamawa State Government, through the State Ministry of Health and Human Services, to investigate the reported suspected cases in Yola.

‘The report was received by the Adamawa State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) in the early hours of October 30, following the identification of two individuals presenting with symptoms suggestive of Ebola,’ the NCDC explained, adding that the individuals had been isolated and appropriate public health measures initiated while samples were collected for laboratory testing to determine the cause of their illness.

‘Fortunately, the samples turned out negative for EBV after two rounds of testing,’ the statement said.

Idris commended the Adamawa State Commissioner for Health and his team for their proactive response, adding that the NCDC would continue to provide technical support to strengthen the state’s response operations.

He clarified that there was currently no laboratory-confirmed Ebola case in Adamawa State, noting that the index case previously confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory remained the only confirmed case reported in Nigeria.

The NCDC urged members of the public to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information or speculation about the situation. It advised Nigerians to rely on official government and public health communication channels for updates.

The agency also advised anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding, particularly after relevant exposure, to seek immediate medical attention and inform healthcare workers of their travel or contact history.

It warned against self-medication and urged individuals to follow the advice of healthcare professionals.

The NCDC said it would continue to monitor the situation in collaboration with the Adamawa State Government and other relevant stakeholders, providing updates as verified information becomes available.

Tundu Lissu’s brother’s final words: ‘Live in love and unity’

Arusha. The final message delivered by the brother of Chadema national chairman Tundu Lissu, Alute Mughwai Lissu, 72, to his family was a call for maintaining love, unity and cooperation and continuing the good deeds he had initiated.

The message was reportedly delivered shortly before his death at 2 am on Sunday, November 1, 2026, in Arusha, following a prolonged illness.

Speaking to reporters at the deceased’s home in the Fire area of Arusha, where the family was receiving mourners, one of the relatives who cared for him, Mr Peter Lissu, said the deceased had not said much shortly before his death but left a brief message for the family.

‘Just before he died, he did not say many words, but he told us to live in love, cooperate as a family and continue the good things he had started,’ said Mr Peter.

He explained that their late brother had told them he first fell ill in 1999 and had battled the condition for a long time.

Earlier, the deceased’s younger brother, Dr Vincent Lissu, who spoke on behalf of the family, said Mr Alute had died after his condition deteriorated significantly in recent days.

He said Alute had become the family’s spokesperson and clan leader, adding that his death had left a huge gap.

‘We will sit as a family and provide further details on other arrangements, but for now, what we can say is that our brother Alute Lissu had become our family’s spokesperson, clan leader and, generally, the head of the family,’ he said.

According to Dr Vincent, the deceased was also an important figure in Tundu’s life.

Both were lawyers, and the family expects him to be buried in Mahambe Village, Ikungi District, Singida Region, after the judgment in Lissu’s case, scheduled for November 6, 2026.

‘We expect the burial to take place in Singida, but we will announce the date later. We want to attend the judgment in our brother Tundu’s case, which is scheduled for Friday. Following this death, we have postponed the burial arrangements slightly so that we can be in Dar es Salaam on Friday to attend the judgment,’ he said.

He said the family would provide further information on the burial arrangements and other programmes the following week, after the judgment.

He explained that some family members living in Dar es Salaam, accompanied by Chadema leaders, had gone to Ukonga Prison, where Tundu Lissu is being held, to formally inform him of his brother’s death.

‘Alute was like a father to our family. He was a role model to us, particularly Tundu. He was a lawyer, and we believe Tundu may have been inspired to pursue law by looking up to his brother,’ he said.

‘Therefore, we know this is a huge loss and a source of grief for us. But think about Tundu, who is in prison and did not have the opportunity to care for his brother. This will be particularly painful for him. That is why we felt it was necessary to send people to formally inform him, rather than have him learn about his brother’s death through reports circulating outside or in prison,’ he added.

He said Alute, who was a widower, had left behind five children.

According to Dr Vincent, their mother, who was the senior wife in their father’s family, had 10 children, of whom five were still alive.

‘We have always been united and loving towards one another. Even when Tundu was in court, our brother Alute often accompanied us. Even when he was seriously ill, he still managed to attend the court proceedings. We have therefore remained a closely united family, loving one another, and his death has left a huge gap,’ he said.

‘Alute was like our father and the head of our family. Losing him is a huge gap and a great source of grief. But matters of God are in God’s hands. Regarding his illness, he had been sick for a long time, for several years,’ he said.

Chadema Deputy Secretary General Amani Golugwa said the family had informed the party of the death, which had been received with deep sorrow.

He said the family was mourning while arranging to attend the judgment in Tundu Lissu’s case.

‘The family has said the burial arrangements will take place after Tundu Lissu’s judgment. If he is released, he will be able to attend his brother’s funeral. We have received that information from the family, and as a party, we will stand with them during this period of mourning,’ he said.

‘The party will issue an official statement conveying its condolences to the family, and we will fully participate in the funeral arrangements,’ he said.

Oyo: Police recover stolen items from suspected serial burglar

Oyo Police Command has confirmed the arrest and recovery of stolen items worth over N16m from a suspected serial burglar, identified as one Nasiru Abiodun, within the Ejiooku/Iyana Offa area of Ibadan.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ayanlade Olayinka, in a statement, said the suspected burglar was arrested on Saturday following a report received at the Maku Base of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) from concerned residents of Oyewole Zone 2, Ile-Igbon, Ejiooku/Iyana Offa area of Ibadan.

He stated that the operatives apprehended the suspect at a residential apartment with a sack bag containing house cables and other valuable items estimated at ?3,000,000 (Three Million Naira).

‘Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime, admitting to having burgled a total of four different residential apartments within the area, carting away house cables, mobile phones, motorcycle batteries and other household valuables.

‘The total estimated value of the stolen items across the identified incidents amounts to ?16,220,000 (Sixteen Million, Two Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira), some of which have already been recovered from his possession.

‘Following the suspect’s confession and the revelations arising from the investigation, operatives of the Unit visited the identified crime scenes to establish relevant facts and advance the investigation.’

The police added that efforts have been intensified to recover the remaining stolen items and apprehend all individuals suspected of receiving the stolen property.

‘In view of the possibility of other unreported incidents linked to the suspect, the Command appeals to anyone within the Ejiooku/Iyana Offa, Ile-Igbon and adjoining communities whose residence may have been burgled in recent times to come forward and report such incidents to the nearest police station or the Maku Base of the Violent Crime Response Unit.

‘Such information will assist ongoing investigations and facilitate the recovery of additional stolen property.’

Aradel’s revenue surges 633%, but finance costs erode earnings

Aradel Holdings Plc grew revenue more than sevenfold in the nine months to September 2026, but the expansion did not translate into stronger bottom-line earnings as rising finance costs and tax expenses weighed on profit.

The oil and gas group reported revenue of N3.95 trillion for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, compared with N538.81 billion in the corresponding period of 2025. Gross profit rose to N1.66 trillion from N234.73 billion, while operating profit increased to N1.56 trillion from N167.53 billion.

However, finance costs climbed sharply to N841.13 billion from N21.39 billion, while tax expenses rose to N721.41 billion from N55.56 billion. Consequently, profit after tax fell 82.3 percent to N43.30 billion from N245.13 billion.

Profit after tax declined by 82.3 percent to N43.30 billion from N245.12 billion, while earnings per share dropped to N32.57 from N55.90.

The increase in finance costs was driven largely by the N529.10 billion unwinding of contingent consideration linked to the acquisitions of ND Western and Renaissance, alongside N251.06 billion in interest on bank borrowings. The unwinding charge is an accounting expense and should not be interpreted entirely as cash interest paid.

The revenue expansion also reflects a significantly larger business following Aradel’s acquisition of ND Western and Renaissance, completed on December 31, 2025. The 2026 figures therefore include businesses that were not consolidated on the same basis in the 2025 comparative period.

The enlarged group’s balance sheet reflected that expansion. Total assets rose to N10.76 trillion at September 2026 from N1.96 trillion a year earlier, while total liabilities increased to N8.81 trillion from N459.56 billion. Shareholders’ equity grew to N1.95 trillion from N1.50 trillion.

Cash and cash equivalents increased to N2.00 trillion from N411.83 billion. However, total borrowings also rose to approximately N1.51 trillion from N206.51 billion, reflecting the group’s larger financing structure.

Cash generation strengthened during the period. Net cash from operating activities reached N2.46 trillion, compared with N205.41 billion in the corresponding nine months of 2025. This was supported partly by a N1.38 trillion increase in trade and other payables, while the group paid N690.32 billion in taxes.

Investment spending also increased, with purchases of property, plant and equipment rising to N570.64 billion from N116.54 billion. Net cash used in financing activities widened to N1.32 trillion from N54.46 billion, reflecting outflows including interest, dividends, borrowing repayments and contingent consideration payments.

The company is generating substantially more revenue and operating cash, but facing a much heavier finance and tax burden as it integrates its enlarged business.

Aradel Holdings currently trades at N1439.9 and has a market capitalisation of N6.3 trillion; it has remained one of the most performing stocks on the stock exchange, returning 99.9 percent.

Skills key to competitiveness and quality employment, says Labour Minister

Skills are essential for business competitiveness, quality employment and citizens’ well-being, Labour Minister Marinos Moushiouttas said on Saturday, stressing the importance of vocational training in meeting the changing needs of the economy.

Addressing the closing and award ceremony of the 9th National Skills Competition, Skills Cyprus 2026, he said technology, artificial intelligence, the green transition and changes in work organisation were transforming the economy and increasing demand for skilled workers.

“The economy needs people with knowledge, practical skills, creativity, responsibility and the ability to adapt,” he said, adding that technical professionals must be able to apply their knowledge, solve problems and use new technologies.

He described technical and vocational skills as “a meaningful investment in the future of our young people and our country”, highlighting the importance of combining professional expertise with digital, green and transferable skills and lifelong learning.

Moushiouttas said skills development was a key priority for his Ministry, with efforts focusing on strengthening vocational education, upgrading skills and reskilling, linking training to business needs and improving young people’s access to quality employment.

He noted that Cyprus had a resilient economy, ranking among the EU’s fastest-growing economies, while responsible fiscal policy enabled the Government to support education, health and social welfare.

Referring to the competition’s 18 individual contests, he praised the Productivity Centre for providing a platform to showcase young talent and strengthen cooperation between education and the labour market.

Thanking organisers, experts, trainers and sponsors, he congratulated all participants, stressing that success was not measured solely by awards.

“Your value is not determined exclusively by an award. It is determined by the skills you develop, the experience you gain, the effort you make and your determination to become better,” he said.

“The future of Cyprus is built on the knowledge, skills and potential of its people,” he added.

Mixta Africa canvasses housing delivery system to tackle deficit at scale.

Mixta Africa has canvassed a housing delivery system to tackle Nigeria’s widening deficit at scale, arguing that housing interventions must shift to building the delivery system.

The company, which opened for business over 20 years ago, is a leading pan-African real estate developer with over 30,000 home units delivered across Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco and Côte d’Ivoire.

Tola Akinsulire, its Group Chief Commercial Officer, lamented recently that Nigeria has treated housing as isolated interventions focused on mortgages, without addressing the underlying delivery ecosystem.

‘What has worked elsewhere is a system that addresses both the supply and demand sides. In Morocco, we delivered 4,393 units on a single site because the government created that system,’ he said.

Tola spoke at the Africa PropTech Priority Summit (APPSUMMIT 2026) organised by Proptech Roundup with the theme, ‘Public-Private Partnerships for Large-Scale Housing Delivery: Unlocking Housing at Scale Through Collaboration.’

He recalled that in 2010, under Morocco’s housing programme, participating developers who committed to building at 250,000 Dirhams and meeting a target of 500 units in five years were offered tax credits across the value chain, including cement and company income tax.

‘On the demand side, buyers of qualifying homes were exempted from VAT and supported by a government-backed guarantee scheme that covered up to 70 percent of the lender’s credit risk that kicks in after default. That made banks willing to lend and buyers able to buy. That is how you create a market – engineered on both the supply and demand sides,’ Akinsulire explained.

On PPPs in Nigeria, Akinsulire said governments must be clear if a PPP is a monetisation or intervention strategy, noting: ‘if it is primarily a monetisation strategy, the private developer will ordinarily be expected to bear more of the commercial risk.

But if it is an intervention intended to deliver affordable housing for civil servants, for example, government must be prepared to absorb some of the cost – through infrastructure, land or other support – and agree on a realistic price point’

He stressed that for PPPs to deliver at scale, three things are critical: trust, buyer affordability, and developer capability. ‘The Federal Ministry of Housing’s Housing Delivery Framework in January and its subsequent policy framework later in the year address trust and affordability, but we are not addressing how to enhance developer delivery capacity. If people have money and there are no houses to buy, we still have the same problem,’ he said.

Akinsulire welcomed innovators into the real estate value chain, affirming that: ‘Technology must either reduce friction or reduce risk, from land titling, to approvals, construction monitoring, sales and off-plan finance.

Olajumoke Akinwunmi of Alitheia Capital highlighted lack of structured engagement, framework and trust as the biggest missing links in PPPs. ‘We need collaboration among ourselves and ready projects, not just land banks.

Often, after the handshake, you get to site and still deal with Omo Onile, compensation, and unbuildable portions. That is not a ready project. We also need transparent procurement and to build a local industrial base.

We are dealing with a housing challenge affecting roughly 30 million units – comprising a deficit of about 15 million homes and more than 15 million existing homes that are structurally inadequate or substandard,’ she said.

Odunayo Ojo, UPDC’s CEO, described housing as fundamentally an economics problem: rising government rates, low-income levels and the need for incentives. ‘Rates and charges have tripled this year, yet we say we want cheaper housing.

We need tax breaks and pioneer status incentives for housing like other industries. In the interim, we must encourage build-to-rent because many Nigerians cannot afford to buy, even on zero-interest mortgages, due to low incomes. And we must collaborate to cut overheads,’ he advised.

Nigeria courts solar capital as Africa’s investors gather in Lagos

The Renewable Energy Forum Africa (REFA) runs 25-26 November at the Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel. The Africa Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) organises it, with support from SolarPower Europe. It follows editions in Cape Town, Nairobi and Accra.

The forum is under the patronage of Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA). Abba Aliyu, managing director of REA, will give the keynote at the opening plenary on 25 November.

A market that has grown quickly

Nigeria is West Africa’s largest solar market, with about 618 MWp of operational capacity. That ranks first in the region and eighth in Africa. It leads the continent in mini-grids with 132 MWp, more than double second-placed Angola. It is fourth in Africa for commercial and industrial solar, with roughly 385 MWp tracked by AFSIA. About 76% of operational capacity was commissioned from 2022 onwards.

Policy and money are following. REA’s $750 million World Bank-backed DARES programme targets 1,350 solar mini-grids and better electricity access for 17.5 million people. Construction has started in several states, helped by new NERC Mini-Grid Regulations issued in April.

The $300 million Nigeria Distributed Renewable Energy Fund, run by NSIA and Africa50, launched commercially in September. It will finance mini-grids, standalone solar and other distributed projects.

On manufacturing, Nigeria’s first privately owned 100 MW module assembly plant is operating in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. REA, InfraCorp and Solarge are developing a 1 GW factory. REA has committed to buying at least 200 MW of its modules a year for five years.

Under NERC’s Net Billing Regulations 2026, eligible solar customers can export surplus power to the grid and earn credits. Oversight of electricity markets has also passed to 16 states, Lagos among them. For single-state projects, licences and tariffs now come from state commissions.

What’s on the agenda

Sessions will cover why permitted, contracted utility-scale projects are still waiting for financial close, and how productive-use loads improve mini-grid returns. They will also look at corporate power purchase agreements and storage, and at why telecoms, mining and data centres are becoming bankable power customers. Other streams cover e-mobility fleets, blended finance structures for currency and offtake risk, and counterfeit solar products. B2B matchmaking runs on both days alongside an exhibition.

REFA says earlier editions drew 325 attendees, 41 speakers and 25 partners, and led to 972 B2B meetings. Developers and financiers made up more than half of 2025 attendees.

On the evening of 25 November, the AFSIA Awards will honour projects and companies across 14 categories.

Industry voices

‘Nigeria’s clean energy ecosystem is growing at an unprecedented pace,’ Aliyu said. ‘The nation’s transition to a sustainable energy future requires more than ambition; it requires investment, strong partnerships, and the development of our local manufacturing ecosystem.’

Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe, called Nigeria ‘one of West Africa’s most dynamic markets for renewable energy development,’ with momentum around solar, storage and local value creation.

Olamide Niyi-Afuye, CEO of the Africa Minigrid Developers Association, said distributed renewables are increasingly positioned to power productive enterprises and support Africa’s industrialisation ambitions.

Equipment makers are also backing the event. Jinko Solar is Diamond Partner. JA Solar, AIKO, Zimmermann PV-Steel Group, AlphaESS, KUKA Cable and Sungrow are also partners. Max Luo, regional manager at AlphaESS, said storage can help businesses ‘get more from solar while using less diesel.’

Nigeria’s digital economy faces DNS security risks as cyberattacks hit 4,361 weekly

Nigeria’s digital economy faces growing cybersecurity risks as organisations experience an average of 4,361 attempted cyberattacks weekly, exposing weaknesses in the country’s internet infrastructure and strengthening calls for tougher protection of the systems that direct users to government, financial and business websites.

The warning comes as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) moves to make Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) implementation part of its cybersecurity assessment of all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), in a bid to prevent attackers from exploiting weaknesses in the internet’s domain-name infrastructure.

Speaking at a cybersecurity awareness webinar organised by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director-general of NITDA, said the agency would include DNS security in its cybersecurity assessment protocol and push for government-owned .gov.ng domains to adopt DNSSEC.

Represented by Oluwasegun Falayan, the NITDA chief said having a government domain was no longer sufficient without security mechanisms to protect it against manipulation and other cyber threats.

‘So we must lead, we must ensure that every .gov.ng is signed as much as possible, and we provide DNS as an inclusion in every security assessment that we do. So it’s not enough to just have a domain, but it must be secured and must be signed,’ he said.

The directive highlights a less visible but increasingly important vulnerability in Nigeria’s digital transformation: the security of the infrastructure that connects internet users to online services.

The Domain Name System (DNS) functions as the internet’s address book, translating website names into numerical internet addresses that computers use to communicate. When attackers manipulate this process, users can be redirected to fraudulent websites even when they enter what appears to be a legitimate web address.

DNSSEC adds a layer of protection through digital signatures that allow internet resolvers to verify whether DNS responses are authentic and have not been altered.

However, its adoption remains a challenge across Nigeria’s digital ecosystem, where government institutions, businesses, internet providers and domain registrars have different responsibilities for securing the infrastructure.

Adesola Akinsanya, president of NiRA, said Check Point Research reported that the average Nigerian organisation faced about 4,361 attempted attacks weekly in June, compared with a global average of approximately 2,270.

The figures underscore the pressure on organisations as digital services expand and cybercriminals increasingly exploit vulnerabilities in online systems.

Akinsanya also cited Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) figures showing that digital-payment fraud amounted to N25.85 billion in 2025, despite a decline in reported incidents. He cautioned that the reduction could reflect under-reporting rather than an improvement in security.

‘DNS security is not a technical hobby. It is an economic question,’ he said.

The economic implications extend beyond the theft of funds. Compromised domain infrastructure can undermine trust in digital payment platforms, expose customers to phishing attacks, disrupt access to essential services and damage the credibility of Nigerian businesses operating online.

For a country seeking to expand digital financial services, electronic government platforms and technology-driven businesses, weaknesses in the internet’s naming infrastructure could create risks that extend across multiple sectors.

Akinsanya, however, cautioned against treating DNSSEC adoption as a standalone solution, noting that the technology does not encrypt internet traffic, prevent distributed denial-of-service attacks or protect against compromised domain registrar credentials.

He warned that improperly configured DNSSEC could also make domains inaccessible to users whose internet resolvers validate digital signatures.

This means that adoption must be accompanied by technical competence, proper implementation and coordination among the organisations responsible for managing domain records and internet infrastructure.

NiRA operates Nigeria’s .ng domain registry, but individual organisations remain responsible for managing their DNS infrastructure, registrar accounts and service providers.

Akinsanya disclosed that only 15 of Nigeria’s 164 accredited registrars had adopted DNSSEC, describing the figure as inadequate and calling for stronger implementation across the ecosystem.

He urged government institutions to review who controls their domain credentials, activate multi-factor authentication and establish clear procedures for responding to unauthorised changes to domain records.

He also called on internet service providers to enable DNSSEC validation, while urging regulators to incorporate the naming layer into Nigeria’s forthcoming cybersecurity framework and critical infrastructure planning.

The concerns received further attention during a panel session where Daniel Onyekpeze, head of incident handling at the Nigeria Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT), operating under the Office of the National Security Adviser, proposed an Executive Order to give DNSSEC Critical National Information Infrastructure status.

He argued that implementation should extend beyond government institutions to include the financial sector, given the importance of secure internet infrastructure to digital transactions and national resilience.

Other participants highlighted the changing nature of cyber threats. SP Kuma Ikyereve of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre identified phishing as the leading category of cybersecurity cases, while Lateef Hamzat, founder and chief executive officer of CyberPlural, said attacks were gradually shifting from individuals towards systems.

The shift raises the stakes for organisations whose digital infrastructure supports large numbers of customers and interconnected services. A vulnerability in a central system can potentially affect more users than an attack directed at an individual account.

For Nigeria, the challenge is therefore not simply to increase the number of secured domain names but to ensure that the underlying infrastructure is properly configured, monitored and protected.

NiRA has maintained that expanding the .ng domain should not come at the expense of security. Akinsanya said Nigeria had roughly one registered .ng domain for every 1,000 citizens, compared with approximately two per 1,000 in Kenya and 20 per 1,000 in South Africa.

He said the association was targeting 30 percent growth but would not pursue expansion without adequate security standards.

The broader policy challenge is ensuring that NITDA’s new assessment requirement translates into measurable improvements rather than another compliance exercise.

DNSSEC can help prevent attackers from manipulating DNS responses, but its effectiveness depends on organisations securing their registrar credentials, maintaining their systems, enabling validation and responding quickly to incidents.

As cyberattacks become more sophisticated and Nigeria’s economy becomes increasingly dependent on digital infrastructure, securing the internet’s underlying systems is emerging as an important part of protecting financial transactions, public services and business confidence.

Electricity pledge: ADC-PCC says Tinubu failed to deliver, faults APC defence

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has said the attempt by the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council to explain President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 electricity pledge amounts to rewriting his commitment.

In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the council reacted to comments by the spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Dele Alake, and maintained that President Tinubu was clear when he said Nigerians should not vote for him for a second term if he failed to deliver electricity.

According to the ADC-PCC, Nigerians have not forgotten the President’s words.

‘His commitment was clear and unambiguous: ‘Don’t vote for me for second term if I fail to deliver electricity.’ That was the pledge made by candidate Tinubu in 2023, ahead of the presidential election,’ the council said.

The council said no amount of selective editing could erase the commitment from the consciousness of Nigerians.

It said that, rather than end estimated billing, the Tinubu administration presided over increased electricity bills, leaving many households struggling to afford power supply.

The ADC-PCC said businesses, including hospitality facilities, have been forced to ration electricity by switching off power for guests during the daytime to contain operating costs.

It also criticised the introduction of tariff classifications under Bands A, B, C and others, arguing that consumers continue to pay more without receiving reliable supply.

The council said more than three years after the promise was made, Nigerians were still grappling with persistent outages, repeated national grid collapses and inadequate supply.

It also questioned the effectiveness of the Presidential Metering Initiative, saying its implementation had fallen short of expectations while electricity distribution companies continued to impose estimated bills on consumers.

According to the ADC-PCC, the APC’s reliance on the Electricity Act and bond programmes in defending the administration’s record does not address the fundamental question of whether Nigerians enjoy reliable and affordable electricity.

‘An Act is not electricity. A bond prospectus does not power homes and factories. What Nigerians need is electricity that works, not another round of explanations,’ the council said.

The council argued that electricity tariffs have increased substantially while supply remains unreliable, placing additional pressure on households, manufacturers and small businesses already battling rising operating costs.

It maintained that the President’s own condition for seeking a second term was straightforward: deliver electricity or not ask Nigerians for another mandate.

The ADC-PCC called on the APC to address the electricity question directly rather than attempt to dilute the public commitment made by its presidential candidate.

It said the 16 January 2027 election would provide Nigerians with an opportunity to assess the administration’s performance against its promises.

NASENI empowers 300 Ondo residents with locally made products

Over 300 residents of Ondo State have benefited from the Federal Government’s distribution of locally manufactured solar home systems and clean cooking stoves under its National Sustainable Empowerment Programme (NSEP).

The beneficiaries, drawn from the three senatorial districts of the state, received the items at an empowerment programme organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) at the Dr Olusegun Mimiko Event Centre, Akure.

The intervention is aimed at improving access to clean energy, reducing household health risks, promoting indigenous technology and supporting small-scale businesses.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said the programme was part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its commitment to economic self-reliance, local production and youth-centred development.

Olawande said the initiative was designed not only to provide immediate relief to vulnerable households but also to stimulate local industries, create employment opportunities and encourage Nigerians to embrace homegrown technological solutions.

He stressed that the selection of beneficiaries was not based on political affiliation, adding that the government was determined to ensure that its interventions reached ordinary Nigerians in need of support.

According to him, beneficiaries would also receive stipends to support the establishment and expansion of micro-businesses, making the intervention more sustainable.

He said: ‘Over 300 beneficiaries in Ondo State are receiving these items, irrespective of political affiliation.

‘This is not a political strategy but a demonstration of President Tinubu’s commitment to fulfilling his promises and making government interventions beneficial to ordinary Nigerians.’

The minister explained that the clean cooking stoves would reduce health risks associated with prolonged exposure to smoke from firewood, particularly among women and children, while the solar systems would provide electricity for students and small-scale business operators.

He said the programme had been extended to several states, including Kano, Katsina, Lagos and Oyo, adding that Ondo was selected as part of efforts to expand its nationwide coverage.

Olawande also announced that the Nigeria Youth Academy (NYA) would be launched on November 9, with a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, offering grants ranging from N5 million to N20 million to support promising young entrepreneurs.

He urged the beneficiaries to make productive use of the items, describing the intervention as an opportunity to improve their livelihoods.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Khalil Halilu, said the agency was focused on converting research and development into practical products that address the needs of Nigerians.

Halilu said the locally manufactured solar systems and clean cooking stoves were part of efforts to promote indigenous technology, generate employment and provide solutions to challenges confronting communities.

He said: ‘Our clean cooking stoves make cooking healthier and more efficient, while the home solar systems help small businesses have electricity throughout the day and ensure that children can do their assignments even when there is no public power supply.’

He explained that the initiative was also intended to strengthen local manufacturing and create employment opportunities through the production of Nigerian-made equipment.

‘In a nutshell, it is about translating research and development into actual products that will impact people’s lives and, most importantly, make the intervention sustainable,’ he said.

The NASENI chief executive expressed satisfaction with the agency’s collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development, describing the partnership as an important step towards sustainable development.

He assured that more empowerment initiatives would be introduced to improve living conditions, promote local manufacturing and create opportunities for economic advancement.