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Nigeria must move beyond consuming scientific knowledge produced elsewhere and take its place as an equal partner in the global research enterprise, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Kayode Oyebode Adebowale, has said.

Adebowale, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Juwon Arotiba, spoke at the 4th Nigerian Society for Pharmacological Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics (NISPET) Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting at the University of Ibadan.

Speaking on the theme ‘Pharmacology Beyond Boundaries: Innovation and Translational Science for Sustainable Health,’ he urged Nigerian pharmacologists to participate more actively in global research consortia, contribute to international scientific databases and strengthen partnerships with researchers across Africa and beyond.

‘No single institution, no single nation, and no single discipline can hope to address these challenges in isolation,’ he said.

Adebowale said emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, non-communicable diseases, and challenges of drug affordability and access required closer collaboration among researchers, universities, industry, regulators and healthcare institutions.

He identified the gap between laboratory discoveries and clinical application as a major obstacle to drug development, urging researchers to strengthen expertise in regulatory science, health economics and implementation science.

The Vice-Chancellor said the University of Ibadan was investing in research infrastructure, interdisciplinary collaboration and postgraduate training while strengthening partnerships with industry and regulatory agencies to translate research findings into health products and policies.

He stressed that sustainable healthcare required more than discovering new therapies, noting that medicines must also be accessible, affordable, safe and appropriately used.

Adebowale charged young researchers to build networks and pursue collaborations capable of producing solutions to Nigeria’s health challenges.

Also speaking, the President of NISPET, Prof. Omoniyi Yemitan, called for urgent strengthening of Africa’s capacity in drug discovery, development and regulation to close the continent’s drug-development gap.

Yemitan said Africa bears a disproportionate disease burden but remains underrepresented in global drug-development pipelines, stressing the need to bridge the gap between laboratory research, clinical application and community impact.

He said research must ultimately translate into better patient care, affordable medicines and sustainable health systems. He identified antimicrobial resistance, emerging infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases and health inequalities as challenges requiring stronger scientific capacity.

Yemitan urged African researchers to deepen global collaborations while investing in local research, training and regulatory capacity.

The Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Prof. Temidayo Ogundiran, called for stronger collaboration among researchers, clinicians, industry and policymakers to translate pharmacological research into practical healthcare solutions.

He stressed that pharmacology links basic science, clinical medicine, drug discovery and public health, urging participants to forge collaborations and develop innovative approaches to improving healthcare in Nigeria and beyond.

The Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Prof. Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, represented by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. Bukola Adesina, also called for greater focus on safe, effective and affordable therapies.

Otegbayo identified rising healthcare costs and limited access to innovative medicines as challenges requiring increased research investment and collaboration. He urged participants to keep patients at the centre of innovation and build partnerships that bridge scientific discovery and improved health outcomes.

The Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Ibadan, Prof. Oluwatosin Adaramoye, said the conference was designed to equip participants with practical tools, fresh perspectives and actionable knowledge for addressing emerging challenges in their fields.

He urged participants to engage actively in discussions, challenge conventional approaches and apply lessons from the conference to improve research and professional practice.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen George Akume, has said that the security of lives and property of Nigerians is not solely the responsibility of the security agencies.

He said that security rather requires the active participation and cooperation of communities, traditional rulers, religious bodies, civil society organisations, the private sector and other relevant sectors.

Sen Akume, represented at the South East Peace and Stability Summit held in Owerri by a management staff of the Political and Economic Affairs Office of the SGF, Mrs Olisa Stella Marries, said that sustainable peace can only be achieved through collective action and inclusive dialogue.

He said that the office, as the coordinating arm of the Federal Government, has remained committed to facilitating inter-agency collaboration and supporting initiatives that contribute to national peace, security, stability and development.

The SGF expressed optimism for continued engagement with relevant stakeholders towards building a more peaceful, secure South East.

While commending the organisers of the programme for convening such an important summit towards the promotion of peace and stability, Akume said that the theme, ‘Building Sustainable Peace for a Prosperous Future’, and the objective of the summit, were relevant at a time when peace and security remain critical to the socio-economic development of the country.

According to him, the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President lays strong emphasis on strengthening national security, promoting economic development, creating opportunities for young Nigerians and fostering an environment in which all citizens can contribute meaningfully to national development.

He recalled that the South East geopolitical zone occupies an important position in the socio-economic development of Nigeria, adding that a peaceful and stable South East is critical to the prosperity of the people of the region and for the overall development and stability of the country.

Earlier in his keynote address, the Executive Director of Orlu Progressive Initiative (OPI), Ikechukwu Nwabueze, advocated for the creation of the South East Peace Commission (SEPC).

He said that the South East needs a permanent, credible and professionally structured regional peace institution.

He described the commission as a practical institution dedicated to conflict prevention, early warning, peacebuilding, mediation, social cohesion, community reconciliation and peace education across the South East zone.

According to him, the South East Commission would work collaboratively with the South East Development Commission, the Federal Government, the South East state governments, local government authorities, security agencies and traditional institutions, among others.

The Executive Director said that the SEPC, when established, would develop a regional early warning and early response system that should support community peacebuilding structures and facilitate dialogue between conflict communities, among others.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Building Sustainable Peace for a Prosperous Future’, Nwabueze said that its purpose was to foster dialogue, unity, peace and actionable solutions to the challenges facing the South East region.

He said that the gathering would enable stakeholders, irrespective of political, ethnic or social affiliation, to come together, think and reflect on the history and chart a sustainable course for the future of their region.

While acknowledging the enormous sacrifices being made by security agencies, he frowned at the security situation confronting the region.

He lamented that insecurity has actually destroyed livelihoods, displaced families, disrupted education, weakened local economies and created fear in communities.

He said: ‘We must equally recognise that security cannot be achieved through military and law-enforcement measures alone.’

The Executive Director appealed to all non-state actors, armed groups and other actors operating outside the formal structures of government, adding that the future of their people cannot be built on perpetual confrontation.

He said: ‘Whatever grievances exist, whatever injustices have been experienced, whatever historical wounds remain, we must create peaceful avenues for dialogue and negotiation.’

Ikechukwu Nwabueze called on government, as part of its primary responsibility, to protect lives, uphold the rule of law and create an environment in which citizens can live and prosper.

Mrs Olisa Stella Marries had also represented the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office of the SGF, Mrs Augusta William, at the event.

Other dignitaries present to honour the summit included traditional rulers, religious leaders, leaders of youth body organisations, members of civil society organisations and members of the media, among others.

Presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Dr Gbenga Hashim, has revealed the extraordinary family secret behind why his Hausa and royal identity remained concealed from him for almost three decades.

Hashim, grandson of the 40th Sarki Yauri, said his late father, Alhaji Hashim Abdullahi Yauri, deliberately kept his royal heritage away from him as a child after receiving a warning from an Islamic cleric about possible dangers within the royal family.

According to him, the cleric advised his father against exposing the child’s identity prematurely, prompting him to take what was ultimately a life-changing decision to protect his son by keeping his identity secret.

‘He chose protection over inheritance,’ Hashim said.

As a result, Hashim was relocated and raised in the Borgu Emirate under a different identity.

Although he was named Abdulmalik at birth, he grew up within a Yoruba cultural environment, largely removed from the Hausa traditions, royal connections and family history of his paternal lineage.

For almost 27 years, he said, he lived without knowing the full circumstances surrounding his identity.

The extraordinary story is detailed in Chapter 13 of his forthcoming autobiography, Sunrise At Midnight, scheduled for publication soon.

The chapter provides an account of his childhood, his father’s decision and the eventual discovery of the heritage that had been deliberately kept from him.

Hashim has previously spoken publicly about his unusual childhood. In an interview with THISDAY, he disclosed that he was born in Yelwa, Yauri, in 1969, while his father was a young police officer. He subsequently grew up with the family of his stepfather, Julius Bamidele Olawepo.

Hashim also paid tribute to his late father, whom he described as a highly influential police officer who rose to become a Police Commissioner and Commandant of the Police College, Kaduna.

Popularly known as ‘Zaki’ the Lion, Alhaji Hashim Abdullahi Yauri was widely respected across Northern Nigeria.

Hashim said the nickname reflected his father’s courage, discipline, strength and commanding personality.

Hashim and his siblings recently marked the 30th anniversary of their father’s passing with commemorative advertisements in major Nigerian newspapers.

For Hashim, the story of his father is inseparable from the story of his own identity.

The father who kept his royal lineage secret was also a man who, in Hashim’s account, carried a formidable reputation in public service.

Hashim’s account also takes him further back into the history of his paternal family, to his grandfather, Seriki Abdullahi Jibril, popularly known as Maiy Yauri.

He described his grandfather as one of the prominent traditional rulers of Northern Nigeria in his era and part of a generation of educated Northern royals who combined traditional authority with modern education, administration and commerce.

According to Hashim, Seriki Jibril, the 40th ruler of Yauri, was particularly distinguished by his knowledge of finance and trade, financial prudence, transparency and commitment to education.

He described him as a prominent royal of Hausa ancestry who was honoured with the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) during the colonial period.

Hashim further recalled that British records portrayed his grandfather as an unusually independent traditional ruler who, during the Second World War, exercised a degree of administrative autonomy that distinguished him from many of his contemporaries.

But for Hashim, the story is ultimately bigger than royalty.

It is the story of a father who chose secrecy as an act of protection; a child who grew up between cultures without knowing the full story of his origins; and a family history that eventually returned to him decades later.

‘For 27 years, I lived without knowing the full story of who I was,’ Hashim said.

He said discovering his Hausa and Yauri heritage did not diminish the Yoruba cultural environment in which he was raised. Rather, it gave him a deeper understanding of the different cultural and historical strands that shaped his identity.

His story, he said, is ultimately about family, sacrifice, identity, heritage and the strange ways in which history can remain hidden for decades before finding its way back into a person’s life.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a Nigerian-Mexican drug cartel operating a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Eziama community, Obeagu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Two kingpins, 45-year-old Chukwu Obumneme Christopher, alias Brown, and 60-year-old Chukwu Georginus Monday, alias George, were arrested in connection with the operation of the meth lab in partnership with a notorious Mexican drug cartel member, Rodriguez Villanueva, based in Mexico City, Mexico, after several months of intelligence gathering and surveillance of the syndicate.

The spokesman for the NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, said in a statement on Thursday that the two kingpins were arraigned before Justice Mabel Taiye Segun-Bello of the Federal High Court, Enugu Judicial Division, on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, the organisation, management and financing of a drug trafficking organisation, and unlawful possession of precursor chemicals used in methamphetamine production, contrary to the NDLEA Act.

After they pleaded to the charges, Justice Segun-Bello adjourned their trial until October 21, 2026, following an application by the agency for an accelerated hearing.

Also named in the charge and currently at large are Uchenna, alias Uche; Celestine Ikemefuna Iwuchukwu; and Rodriguez Villanueva, who is a notorious member of a Mexican drug cartel.

Investigations by a Special Operations Unit (SOU) of the NDLEA revealed a sophisticated, transnational operation by the Nigerian-Mexican cartel. Surveillance activities by the NDLEA between December 1 and 4, 2025, tracked Brown’s movements between Lagos, Enugu and Anambra states, ultimately leading operatives to a compound in Obeagu, where a clandestine laboratory capable of producing methamphetamine in commercial quantities was uncovered.

The lab, fitted with improvised reactors and distillation apparatus, mirrored similar facilities recently dismantled in Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi states.

A search of the premises led to the recovery of vast quantities of precursor chemicals, including 690 litres of methylamine, 1,000 litres of isopropyl alcohol, 300 litres of hydrochloric acid, 290 litres each of toluene and acetone, 400 litres of liquid sodium hydroxide, 125 kilograms of N-phenylacetamide, 414 kilograms of lead acetate, and 769.6 kilograms of tartaric acid, among other controlled substances. The haul was consistent with a high-potency, P2P-based methamphetamine manufacturing operation.

A related search of George’s family residence yielded eight large fuel tanks, four commercial gas burners, four dehydrators, and 11 kilograms of ephedrine, further underscoring the scale of the cartel’s operations.

Reacting to the development, the Chairman and Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), reaffirmed the agency’s unwavering resolve to track down every fleeing suspect connected to the cartel and ensure that they all face the full weight of the law.

He commended all NDLEA officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and doggedness in cracking yet another international drug syndicate.

Marwa described the Enugu lab bust as further proof that Nigeria will not be allowed to become a haven for transnational drug cartels, warning that the agency’s intelligence-driven operations and international partnerships would continue to close every loophole exploited by drug barons, whether local or foreign.

He reiterated his charge to all NDLEA personnel to sustain the momentum of relentless enforcement until the nation is rid of the scourge of illicit drug production and trafficking.

The Federal Government has said Nigeria’s global standing depends largely on effective grassroots governance and development, stressing that the country’s domestic policies have direct implications for its foreign policy and international image.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, stated this in Abuja at the 2026 maiden National Conference of the 774 Local Government Chairmen and Chairmen of Traditional Rulers’ Councils, held at the State House Banquet Hall.

The conference, convened by the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, was themed, ‘Cascading President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to the Grassroots.’

Enikanolaiye, who delivered a goodwill message at the conference, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was interested in developments at the local level because of their implications for Nigeria’s international relations.

‘For us in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we believe that every aspect of our government policy at home has implications for foreign policy and Nigeria’s international relations.

‘Which is why we are interested in everything that goes on domestically because foreign policy is also a projection of domestic policy. And in this context, grassroots mobilisation and development is critical to what we do abroad,’ he said.

The minister said inclusive governance must be bottom-up rather than top-down, describing traditional rulers as a critical component of Nigeria’s governance architecture.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for approving the conference and for anchoring the roles of local governments and traditional rulers in the ongoing constitutional amendment process.

Enikanolaiye said the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda would ultimately be determined at the grassroots, linking local government development to the administration’s four-D foreign policy doctrine of demography, development, democracy and diaspora.

On demography, he described Nigeria’s youth population across the 774 local government areas as a major global asset, saying empowering local governments would help translate the country’s population into economic strength.

He said the administration’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy could not be achieved without productive local governments, citing agriculture, mineral resources and major infrastructure projects as areas with the potential to attract foreign direct investment.

On democracy, Enikanolaiye said empowering local governments and traditional rulers would demonstrate Nigeria’s commitment to bottom-up governance.

He added that when communities were secure and economically productive, members of the Nigerian diaspora would be more encouraged to invest in the country and promote its image abroad.

The minister said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would drive the foreign policy component of grassroots development through investment matchmaking via Nigeria’s 110 diplomatic missions, partnerships with friends of Nigeria, and the use of traditional rulers’ community intelligence to support national security.

Also speaking, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Olumuyiwa Enitan Abel, represented by Dr Vitalis Obi, said local governments were closest to the people and central to effective service delivery.

He also described traditional rulers as important partners in peacebuilding and reaffirmed the commitment of the civil service to accountability and measurable results.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Dr Onwusoro Maduka Ihemelandu, said the government had faced challenges obtaining timely and verifiable data on interventions at the local government level.

He said the ministry had therefore developed an E-Tracking Framework to monitor projects based on their locations, value, timelines and verification status.

After more than five decades of lying undeveloped, the long-abandoned Ima gas field has finally received an $800 million Final Investment Decision (FID) from AMNI International and TotalEnergies, opening the way for one of Nigeria’s major offshore gas developments.

The project, located in OMLs 112 and 117 off the coast of Rivers State, is expected to deliver up to 350 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (MMscfd) at plateau and produce first gas by the end of 2028.

The development is also expected to supply about one-third of the feedgas required for Nigeria LNG’s Train 7 expansion, strengthening the country’s gas supply outlook and creating a new stream of economic activity around the project.

The Federal Government and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) yesterday described the FID as a major demonstration of the impact of recent reforms in the oil and gas industry and a fresh vote of confidence in Nigeria’s investment environment.

The Ima field was discovered in 1973, but despite its significant gas resources, remained undeveloped for over 50 years.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, reacting to the FID, said the development showed that Nigeria could convert its enormous natural gas resources into investments, jobs and economic opportunities when the right commercial environment was created.

‘For more than 50 years, the gas beneath Ima remained a resource with enormous potential, but potential alone doesn’t create jobs, finance businesses or improve the lives of the people,’ Tinubu said in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

‘Our responsibility has been to create the conditions that turn Nigeria’s natural resources into productive investments and economic opportunities.’

The President said his administration would continue to unlock the country’s gas resources to power industries, expand exports, create jobs and support economic growth.

The Ima FID becomes the fourth major gas project to reach investment decision under the Tinubu administration, following the Iseni, Ubeta and HI gas projects.

The development is being positioned by the government as evidence that the policy and fiscal reforms introduced in the oil and gas sector are beginning to revive projects that had remained commercially stalled.

Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, said the history of the Ima field illustrated the difference between having resources underground and creating the conditions required to develop them.

‘Nigeria has never lacked resources. The challenge has been creating the commercial and investment conditions required to move those resources from beneath the ground into projects that employ Nigerians, create opportunities for Nigerian businesses, generate revenues and support economic growth,’ she said.

According to her, the project also reflects the increasing capacity of indigenous companies to participate in large-scale upstream developments.

AMNI, a Nigerian independent exploration and production company, holds 60 per cent of the project, while TotalEnergies holds 40 per cent and is the operator.

The project is also expected to have significant local economic impact, with about 60 per cent of its workforce projected to come from host communities, including Bonny, Finima and Andoni in Rivers State.

Adding to the significance of the investment, Nigerian financial institutions are providing about 77 per cent of the project financing, demonstrating increased participation by domestic banks in financing major oil and gas developments.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, described the FID as a major milestone for Nigeria’s gas sector and a strong vote of confidence in the country’s energy investment potential.

He attributed the development to reforms and Executive Orders approved by President Tinubu to improve competitiveness, strengthen the investment climate and accelerate project delivery.

Ekpo said the project would add substantially to Nigeria’s gas production capacity and support the government’s objective of using natural gas as a catalyst for industrialisation, energy security and economic growth.

At the FID ceremony in Abuja, NUPRC Chief Executive Officer, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the development was a product of consistent policy direction and committed partnerships.

‘Today’s success is attributable to His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu,’ Eyesan said.

He pledged that the upstream regulator would continue to remove regulatory bottlenecks confronting investors.

‘As the chief regulator in the industry, we will enable business, we will unplug obstacles. The President has set the path for us, and we are determined to follow through,’ he said.

The Ima field lies in 8-10 metres of water offshore Rivers State.

TotalEnergies Managing Director, Mathieu Bouyer, said the company’s investment of more than $600 million represented confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

He projected that the project could generate between $2 billion and $4 billion in value over its lifetime, depending on international gas prices.

All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have commenced discussions on strengthening cooperation between the two political parties and deepening relations between Nigeria and China.

The development followed a courtesy visit by representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, led by Chancellor Wan Ji and the Director-General of the China Centre for Contemporary Studies, to the APC National Secretariat on Thursday.

The delegation was received by the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, alongside other members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

According to a post on the ruling party’s official X handle, the meeting focused on ways to enhance cooperation between the APC and the Chinese Communist Party, as well as strengthen bilateral relations between the Nigerian and Chinese governments.

The engagement also provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on areas of mutual interest and explore avenues for closer ties.

Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has urged Enugu voters, especially members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and supporters of his administration, to vote for the party’s candidates across all positions in the forthcoming local government elections in the state and the 2027 general election.

Mbah cautioned voters against what he described as attempts by some political actors to persuade them to split their votes by supporting APC candidates in some positions and candidates of other parties in others, insisting it must be APC from top to bottom.

The governor gave the charge on Thursday at Amagunze, headquarters of Nkanu East Local Government Area, during a well-attended APC grand rally jointly organised by Nkanu East and Nkanu West councils ahead of Saturday’s September 26 local government council election in the state.

‘Let no one lie to you. Let no one deceive you about splitting your votes by voting different candidates of different political parties for different positions. It is all lies. Vote APC all the way, from top to bottom. There is no room for vote sharing,’ Mbah said.

He urged APC supporters to turn out en masse on Saturday and support the party’s candidates, saying the performance of the APC-led administration in the state and those of the local government councils were made possible to a large extent by the support and reforms of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government.

‘You have to vote in the coming local government elections because of what you see around you. If our opponents ask you why you should vote APC, tell them to look around. It is as clear as daylight.

‘Remember, don’t take anything for granted. It is not over until it is over. Come out on Saturday and thumbprint for APC,’ he stated.

The governor said his administration recognised that rural communities remained a critical area requiring greater attention, stressing that sustainable poverty reduction must begin at the grassroots.

‘We recognise that our weakest link is our rural areas and that is why we are paying serious attention to providing infrastructure in our rural areas – roads, Smart Green Schools and Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres, among others,’ he said.

According to him, local government chairmen have been encouraged to compete in delivering projects such as boreholes, rural roads and health facilities to their communities.

He said increased funding to states and local governments had created greater fiscal space for the implementation of development projects, adding that some of the projects would not have been possible without federal support.

The Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, who is also the Council Chairman of Nkanu East Local Government Area, Hon. Sydney Okechukwu Edeh, welcomed the governor to his local government area and pledged the continued support of the people to the APC and Mbah’s administration.

Edeh described the forthcoming council election as an opportunity for the people to demonstrate their support for the APC and all its candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Similarly, the Chairman of Nkanu West Local Government Area, Chief John Ogbodo, commended Mbah for the Smart Green Schools and other development projects across the council.

The member representing Nkanu East/Nkanu West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Nnoli Nnaji, also commended Mbah for his development initiatives.

Nnaji said federal lawmakers from Enugu East Senatorial District had been working to complement the efforts of the state government, citing the provision of electricity transformers to each of the 14 wards in Nkanu East Local Government Area, as well as mobility support (vehicles) for party officials and the Neighbourhood Watch in the Federal Constituency.

The rally was attended by the Senator representing Enugu East Senatorial District, Senator Kevin Chukwunwike; APC Deputy National Chairman, South, Dr Ben Nwonye; South East APC Zonal Woman Leader, Dr. Oby Ajih; APC Enugu State Chairman, Dr Martin Chukwunwike; members of the National and State Assemblies, among other party leaders and supporters.

The Nigerian naira depreciated slightly against the United States (US) dollar, trading at N1,328.4974 at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) official foreign exchange (FX) window on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.

The data shared on the CBN’s official platform shows that the naira traded at the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) rate of N1,328.4974 per dollar and closed at N1,328.0000 per dollar.

The currency, which traded at an NFEM rate of N1,327.7784 on September 22, 2026, depreciated slightly by at least N0.72 after trading activities on Wednesday.

At the parallel market, the buying rate remained the same while the selling rate increased by N2, when compared to the previous trading rate on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.

According to Aboki FX , the Naira-to-dollar exchange rate at the black market on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, was N1,382 and N1,387 per dollar for buying and selling rates, respectively.

A Lagos-based trader, Elwah Chigbogu, and two companies, Profile and Well Pharmaceutical Limited and God of Elijah Nigeria Limited, were on Thursday convicted over the unlawful possession, importation, and distribution of fake and unregistered drugs.

They were convicted by Justice Musa Kakaki-led Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos after pleading guilty to a four-count charge initiated by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

In arriving at its decision, Justice Kakaki considered a plea bargain agreement presented by the prosecution and, after reviewing its terms, adopted the agreement in convicting the defendants.

The judge specifically sentenced the first defendant, Chigbogu, to a fine of N1.5 million, according to the plea-bargain proceedings supplied.

It would be recalled that the defendants had earlier been arraigned before the court on four counts bordering on the possession and display of fake drugs, as well as the importation and distribution of unregistered pharmaceutical products.

In the charge, Chigbogu, Profile and Well Pharmaceutical Limited and God of Elijah Nigeria Limited were allegedly found in possession of several pharmaceutical products described by NAFDAC as fake drugs.

The products listed in the charge included Zanza Cyprodine, Calpol 200ml Suspension, Zirtek Allergy Relief, Candesartan 4mg Tablets, Nicorette 4 mg, Lisinopril 10 mg Tablets, Canesten Thrush 20 mg, Anusol Ointment, Gaviscon Double Action, Prolife vitamin C, Gliclazide 80 mg Tablets, Amitriptyline 25 mg Tablets, Allopurinol 300 mg Tablets, Levothyroxine 50 mg Tablets and Doxazosin 2 mg Tablets.

The anti-narcotics agency particularly alleged that the defendants committed the offences on or about July 28, 2025, in Idumota, Lagos Island, and Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos.

According to the first count, it was alleged by NAFDAC that the defendants were found in possession of fake drugs, contrary to Section 1(a) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap. C34, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under Section 3(1) of the Act.

In the second count, the defendants were accused of displaying the products for the purpose of sale, allegedly contrary to Section 1(b) of the same Act and punishable under Section 3(1).

The third count revealed that the defendants were accused of importing unregistered drugs contrary to Section 1(1) of the Food, Drugs and Related Products (Registration, etc.) Act, Cap. F33, LFN 2004, and punishable under Sections 6(1)(a) and 8 of the Act.

In the fourth count, the defendants were alleged to have distributed the unregistered drugs, contrary to Section 1(1) of the Food, Drugs and Related Products (Registration, etc.) Act and punishable under Sections 6(1)(a) and 8.

While proceedings lasted, the counsel for NAFDAC, Anita Madu, told the trial judge that the prosecution had filed a four-count charge and urged the court to direct that the charges be read to the defendants for their pleas to be taken.

Upon the reading of the charge to the defendants, they pleaded guilty to all four counts.

As a result, Madu notified the court that the prosecution and the defendants had entered into a plea bargain agreement.

She prayed to the court to adopt the terms of the agreement and enter judgment accordingly.

After reviewing the plea bargain agreement, Justice Kakaki convicted the defendants.

The court thereafter imposed a fine of N1.5 million on Chigbogu.