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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.

The Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), Abeokuta Chapter, has called for closer collaboration among academia, government, industry and professional bodies to leverage geosciences for sustainable development, economic diversification and environmental safety.

The call was made on Tuesday, September 16, 2026, during the Society’s Third Quarterly Meeting held at the Green Chamber, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), which also featured the inauguration of the FUNAAB Chapter of the NMGS.

The meeting was attended by the NMGS Chairman, Prof. Adewole Gbadebo; Vice Chairman, Prof. Stephen Ariyo; General Secretary, Mr Agboyinu Sogo; lecturers from FUNAAB’s Department of Geology, government officials, industry partners and students.

In his welcome address, the Chapter Chairman said the quarterly meeting provides a vital platform for knowledge sharing, professional engagement and partnership building within the geosciences community. He thanked the management of FUNAAB for hosting the event and for its support to the Department of Geology.

He explained that geology goes beyond the study of rocks, with critical applications in water supply, food production, infrastructure development and environmental management.

He disclosed that the Department has introduced five new areas of specialisation – Urban Geology, Medical Geology, Geo-Terrorism, Geo-Archaeology and Agrogeology – to expand the frontiers of geoscience education and research in Nigeria. He noted that FUNAAB’s Department of Geology is the first in the country to offer Agrogeology.

According to him, geosciences hold huge potential for addressing national challenges in economic diversification, environmental security, public health and food security.

He said solid minerals exploration and mining could boost economic diversification, while geoscientific expertise remains crucial in tackling flooding, erosion and climate change adaptation. He added that Medical Geology and Agrogeology are key to improving public health and food security.

The chairman further stated that the NMGS is contributing to national development by providing professional advice and geological data to government, raising public awareness on the relevance of geology to everyday life, and mentoring young geoscientists to focus research on local and national problems.

He urged stakeholders to deepen partnerships and strengthen the role of geologists in advancing Nigeria’s development agenda, especially in economic prosperity and environmental sustainability.

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has said the pension industry has committed ?241 billion to mobilise long-term capital for infrastructure development, with the amount expected to rise to nearly ?300 billion as additional commitments come in.

PenCom Director-General, Omolola Oloworaran, disclosed this on Thursday at a press briefing following the commission’s meeting, saying the commitment represented the first major step in efforts to channel pension funds into infrastructure projects capable of delivering long-term returns to contributors.

She said the initiative was being implemented through the Pension Industry Infrastructure Consortium, established in partnership with FSD Africa, with the first tranche of funds expected to be deployed by the second quarter of 2027.

According to her, the industry is working towards completing the necessary processes, including the signing of a memorandum of understanding with FSD Africa and the appointment of a fund manager.

‘The pension industry has committed a total of ?241 billion, and we expect that to touch almost ?300 billion very soon, as soon as we get all the commitments in,’ Oloworaran said.

She added that the commission had set a timeline for concluding the process, with the first deployment targeted for the second quarter of 2027.

‘This is just the first step we are taking as an industry, and this is just the beginning, because this is a sector we are committed to,’ she said.

The PenCom boss stressed that the ?241 billion was a commitment and not yet an investment, noting that discussions were ongoing with other development partners who could potentially match the amount committed by the pension industry.

She said the specific infrastructure projects to receive the funds had not been determined, as the process was still at the mobilisation and structuring stage.

‘We haven’t invested any money just yet. This is just a commitment in terms of what the industry will do,’ she said.

Oloworaran explained that infrastructure investments were attractive to pension funds because of their long-term nature and potential to provide returns that could serve as a hedge against inflation.

She, however, stressed that PenCom would not compel Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) to invest in specific projects, as investment decisions remained subject to the interests of pension contributors and applicable regulatory requirements.

‘It’s out of the free will of everyone to look at what is in the best interest of contributors who they need to deliver the best outcomes to, and then on that basis take their decision,’ she said.

The commission also approved an independent global benchmark maturity assessment for the pension industry as part of efforts to align its operations with international standards and best practices.

Oloworaran said PenCom was also working with industry stakeholders on a Pensions 2030 Transformation Agenda, designed to consolidate ongoing reforms and establish a longer-term vision for the industry.

She said the agenda remained at the conceptual stage, with further engagements planned with regulators, development partners and other stakeholders before its formalisation.

On the government’s outstanding pension obligations, Oloworaran said an enrolment exercise was ongoing for employees who were in service before 2004 to enable the government to determine the number of affected workers and the financial value of its obligations.

She said the exercise would provide the basis for funding the outstanding obligations and enabling affected Retirement Savings Account holders to begin earning returns on their funds ahead of retirement.

The Federal Government has acknowledged that Nigerians are still grappling with poverty, insecurity and infrastructure deficits, but said the country has made significant progress in the 66 years since independence.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, stated this on Thursday in Abuja at a world press conference to flag off activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary on October 1, 2026.

Akume said Nigeria had, despite its challenges, maintained its sovereignty and territorial integrity, sustained 27 years of uninterrupted constitutional democracy, diversified its economy and developed a strong pool of human capital.

The SGF, who spoke on the theme, ‘From Reforms to Stability: Consolidating Nigeria’s Renewed Hope for Shared Prosperity,’ said the anniversary provided an opportunity to reflect on the country’s achievements, challenges and responsibilities for the future.

According to him, Nigeria has evolved from a colonial economy largely dependent on agriculture to a major oil-producing nation with growing telecommunications, banking, manufacturing and services sectors.

He added that the country’s economy now ranks among the top 20 globally, while Nigerian entrepreneurs, professionals, scientists, artists and athletes continue to make contributions on the international stage.

Akume, however, acknowledged that poverty remained a major challenge, stressing that ‘many Nigerians still face hardships in their daily lives and experiences.’

He also identified terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of violence as major security challenges in parts of the country, while noting that infrastructure deficits in power, roads, ports, rail, health and education continued to constrain national development.

He said the government was committed to addressing the challenges through consistent policies, stronger institutions and sustained investment.

On the reforms of the President Bola Tinubu administration, Akume said the government had, since 2023, undertaken what he described as difficult but necessary structural reforms, including the removal of the fuel subsidy, unification of foreign exchange windows and tighter fiscal and monetary policies.

He said the reforms were aimed at restoring fiscal balance and creating the foundation for investment and economic growth.

The SGF said the next phase was to consolidate the gains of the reforms and ensure that improved economic stability translated into better opportunities for Nigerians.

He said the Federal Government was mobilising additional revenues, improving public finances, accelerating non-oil revenue collection and attracting new investments.

Akume also highlighted infrastructure development as a priority, saying the government was investing in roads, railways, airports, seaports, electricity generation and transmission, as well as digital connectivity.

He said the investments were designed to reduce the cost of doing business, connect farmers to markets and stimulate industrial activity.

On agriculture, the SGF said the government was supporting farmers with improved seeds, fertilisers, irrigation, storage and processing facilities, while the National Agricultural Development Fund had also been established to support the sector.

He said the administration was equally expanding access to education and improving the quality of schools and teachers.

Akume noted that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund Act, signed into law in May 2024, established a student loan programme designed to enable more young Nigerians to access tertiary education.

He also listed social protection interventions, including conditional cash transfers, NG-CARES, school feeding and vocational training programmes, as measures aimed at supporting vulnerable Nigerians during the economic adjustment.

On security, the SGF said the armed forces and security agencies were intensifying operations against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and oil theft.

He said the government was improving intelligence gathering, modernising security equipment and strengthening coordination among the military, police and local communities.

According to him, President Tinubu had also approved the development of a new National Threat Assessment and a five-year Defence Plan to provide a coherent national security strategy.

Akume said the ultimate objective was to create a Nigeria where parents could send their children to school without fear, markets could operate safely, and communities could thrive.

He further stressed the need for the benefits of economic growth to reach communities across the country, particularly through the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, which he said would support grassroots projects in agriculture, trade, mining and other sectors.

The SGF called on the private sector to play a leading role in investment, innovation and job creation, while government would provide a stable policy environment, transparent regulation and strong institutions.

He also urged Nigerians to uphold democratic values, noting that the media had a constitutional responsibility to inform the public and hold leaders accountable.

Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said Nigeria was moving from the reform and stabilisation phase towards growth, production and shared prosperity.

Idris said economic indicators were showing improvements, including strengthening GDP growth, an improved external position, expanded domestic refining capacity and increased investment and productive activity.

He said the next phase was to translate the gains into tangible improvements in the lives of Nigerians through more jobs, higher incomes, improved access to education and credit, lower costs and wider economic opportunities.

The minister said the Renewed Hope Agenda was targeting these objectives through investments in infrastructure, agriculture, education, consumer credit, digital skills, energy and enterprise.

He said the administration’s guiding principle was that Nigeria should increasingly produce what it consumes, process what it extracts and create opportunities from its human and natural resources.

Idris also stressed the importance of security, justice and national cohesion to sustaining economic progress.

He urged the media to uphold accuracy, fairness, balance and verification, while citizens should have access to reliable information to enable them to make informed democratic choices.

He said the 66th anniversary should serve as an opportunity to renew the country’s commitment to building a more prosperous, secure and united Nigeria.

Former Ondo State governorship candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Eyitayo Jegede, on Thursday formally joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), declaring that the opposition party has begun mobilising to take control of the country in the 2027 general election.

Jegede, who joined ADC with his political associates and loyalists in Akure, said his decision to leave the PDP for the ADC followed the worsening economic situation, unemployment, insecurity, and hardship in the country, which made political change imperative.

He said, ‘There is unemployment in Nigeria; you can all see that. There is hardship; you can all see that. The suffering is too much. The journey has begun. We want a democratic government. We are going to mobilise and unite to win come 2027.’

The two- time PDP governorship candidate said the ADC would mobilise across Ondo and the country to secure victories for its candidates in the presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives elections.

He said, ‘All the PDP members loyal to me have moved to ADC. We are going to let everyone know that ADC is the boss when we vote in January and February.’

Jegede also urged party supporters to ensure that their votes translated into electoral strength for the ADC, saying the party would need massive support from voters to achieve its political objectives.

‘It is our votes that will determine the strength of our political party. As we have come out today, let us vote ADC massively,’ he said.

He lamented the rising cost of food and other essential commodities, saying the party would seek to address the economic pressures confronting Nigerians if elected.

The ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, while addressing the crowd, said the ADC would seek to reverse some of the policies which he attributed to the worsening economic hardship in the country, saying the party was committed to restoring a petrol subsidy arrangement if elected, as well as strengthening security across the country.

‘We are committed to restoring subsidy. We are committed to restoring security all over this country. If we are elected, no part of this country would feel insecure anymore.’

Atiku, who reflected on Nigeria’s economic performance between 1999 and 2007 when he served as Vice President, said the country had witnessed a reversal of fortunes in subsequent years.

He attributed the worsening economic and social conditions to the policies of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), urging Nigerians to use the 2027 general election to vote for the ADC.

‘You know what we did between 1999 and 2007. We took Nigeria to be the first finest economy in Africa. Today we are number five. Who are responsible for taking us down and backward? Is it not APC? This is the moment for us to vote them out.’

Atiku also cited the recent electoral experience in Osun, where strong voter turnout and protection of votes demonstrated the importance of electoral participation and vigilance.

He urged ADC members across the country to replicate such mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections, noting

Jegede’s entry into the ADC would further strengthen the party’s political structure in Ondo.

‘You can see our brother Eyitayo and his associates have joined us. We are winning,’ he said.

The ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, said the party was prepared to take over the administration of Nigeria in 2027, citing the economic hardship, unemployment, insecurity and rising cost of living confronting Nigerians.

Represented by the National Secretary of the party, Rauf Aregbesola, Mark noted that the challenges had heightened the need for Nigerians to consider a change of government.

He added that the ADC was positioning itself as an alternative platform capable of addressing the concerns of ordinary Nigerians and said the party would continue to strengthen its structures and mobilise Nigerians across the country ahead of the 2027 general election.

Another speaker, the ADC governorship candidate in Oyo, Oloye Adegoke Adegboyega, said the country was facing serious challenges ranging from hunger and high food and fuel prices to poor electricity supply and insecurity.

He described ADC as a party for ordinary Nigerians and called for support for the party in the 2027 elections, saying: ‘It is time to send the ruling party packing’.

Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, on Thursday said no country, including Nigeria, can meaningfully realise its full potential when a significant proportion of its population is unable to contribute fully to governance, diplomacy, economic development and public leadership.

The Senate Leader noted that women’s participation in public governance and leadership should be viewed as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s human capital and institutional strength, rather than an act of favour.

Bamidele spoke at the presentation of the book, ‘The Female Diplomat: Navigating Power, Ambition and Identity’, held at Nigeria House, New York, United States, according to his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs.

The event was attended by prominent dignitaries and diplomats, including the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ms Amina Mohammed; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim; Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Kayode Are; and the President/CEO of Montefiore Einstein.

Bamidele, who chaired the book presentation, said Nigeria’s democracy could only be strengthened when citizens were adequately represented in institutions established to serve them.

The Leader told the session that the administration of President Bola Tinubu, through the Renewed Hope Agenda, had recognised that the country’s development must draw on the abilities and contributions of all its citizens, including women and young people.

According to him, the President has consistently affirmed that women and young people must not be relegated to the background in the political, economic and national life of the country, but should be given front seats.

Bamidele stressed, however, that having women occupy positions in public institutions was not enough, arguing that they must have genuine opportunities to participate in decision-making, exercise responsibility and contribute to public policy.

Senator Bamidele explained, ‘Gender inclusion is not an act of favour. It is a strategic investment in Nigeria’s human capital and institutional strength.

*No nation can realise its full potential if a significant proportion of its population is unable to contribute fully to governance, diplomacy, economic development and public leadership.’

Bamidele added that Nigeria’s foreign relations would be enriched when the country was represented by capable professionals whose knowledge, judgment and experience reflected the breadth of its national talent.

He pointed out that the National Assembly had a vital role to play through legislation, representation and oversight, particularly by helping to create an environment where competence was recognised, and opportunities were broadened.

Bamidele said the responsibility extended beyond government to political institutions, the diplomatic service, private sector, academic institutions and civil society.

‘Progress will require deliberate policies, supportive institutions and a collective willingness to recognise talent wherever it is found,’ he further stated.

Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau have called for stronger laws, institutions and sustainable financing to confront Africa’s growing waste-management crisis and accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

The call was made in Abuja at the Final Regional Closing Workshop of the ‘Environmentally Sounder and Safer Waste Management Frameworks in Africa’ project, which brought together policymakers, regulators, development partners and representatives of participating countries to review the project’s findings and agree on pathways for implementation.

Hosted by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the workshop was held under a United Nations Development Account (UNDA)-funded initiative led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with other UN agencies.

The project, which covered Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau, was designed to strengthen national and regional systems for environmentally sound and safer waste management.

Speaking at the workshop, NESREA Director-General, Professor Innocent Barikor, said Africa could no longer afford to treat waste management as a peripheral environmental issue, given its implications for development and public wellbeing.

He said the workshop provided an opportunity to validate the project’s findings, legislative proposals and recommendations, while developing practical roadmaps for implementation, resource mobilisation and sustainability beyond the project’s closure.

According to Barikor, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient funding and limited public awareness remained major obstacles to effective waste management across many African countries.

He said the project recommendations would help strengthen legislative and institutional frameworks while promoting the inclusion and protection of informal waste workers.

‘Together we shall produce a set of concrete post-project implementation and sustainability roadmaps that will inform policy and legislative reforms, strengthen institutional capacity, ensure gender inclusion, protect the rights of children and improve overall waste management outcomes,’ he said.

The NESREA boss said the initiative was consistent with Nigeria’s drive towards a circular economy and resource efficiency, stressing that improved waste management could deliver economic, social and environmental benefits simultaneously.

He urged participants to ensure that the project’s recommendations translated into concrete and sustainable actions rather than remaining policy proposals.

Representing the Government of Sierra Leone, Deputy Minister of Environment, Mrs Yeama-Mimi Sobba-Stephens, said the workshop provided an opportunity to assess the project’s achievements and determine how the gains could be sustained after its formal conclusion.

She commended UNEP for its technical leadership and support, as well as the Nigerian Government and NESREA for hosting the regional event.

The Deputy Minister said the project was particularly relevant to Sierra Leone, where rapid urbanisation, population growth, changing consumption patterns and inadequate infrastructure were putting increasing pressure on waste-management services in Freetown and other growing municipalities.

She said the initiative had enabled Sierra Leone to examine waste management as part of an integrated waste-governance system.

According to her, the country had identified the need for a comprehensive and harmonised legal framework covering the entire waste hierarchy – prevention, reduction, reuse, recycling, recovery and environmentally sound disposal as a last resort.

She said this approach would help shift African countries from systems largely centred on waste collection and dumping towards circular economies in which materials could remain in productive use for as long as possible.

Sobba-Stephens also highlighted the role of informal waste workers in collection, sorting, recycling and maintaining community cleanliness.

However, she noted that many of the workers continued to operate without adequate recognition, occupational health and safety protection, social protection and appropriate equipment.

She called on UNEP and regional partners to sustain technical exchanges, peer learning and resource mobilisation to support implementation of the project’s recommendations.

Also speaking, Legal Specialist, UNEP Law Division, Valentina Ricca, said the initiative was designed to help participating countries strengthen their waste-management systems and address challenges confronting informal workers.

Ricca said the project began in 2023 and was being concluded this year, adding that it was implemented by UNEP’s Law Division in partnership with the UN-Habitat waste-management team, with a focus on Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

She explained that the initiative was developed in response to requests from the three countries through their national focal points under UNEP’s Fifth Montevideo Environmental Law Programme.

The project’s recommendations are expected to provide a basis for participating countries to strengthen their legal and institutional systems, improve protection for waste workers and build more sustainable approaches to managing waste across the region.

The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Oyo State, Olooye Adegboyega Adegoke, has promised to construct a rail line from Moniya to Saki to aid easy transportation of farm produce from Oke-Ogun to Ibadan and other areas of the South-West geopolitical zone.

Adegoke stated this on Wednesday while featuring on the ‘Good Morning Show’ programme on Arise News Television in Lagos.

In a statement issued by the Adegoke Campaign Media Team on Thursday, he said the rail line, to be constructed from Moniya in Ibadan to Saki, would ease the transportation of farm produce to markets across the region.

The ADC candidate explained that the proposed project, which is a Standard Single Gauge Rail Line of about 100 kilometres, would cost the state US$3 million per kilometre.

The statement quoted Adegoke as saying, ‘I am going to build a Standard Single Gauge Rail Line at circa US$3M per Kilometer for economic viability and feasibility we don’t need a Standard Double Gauge Rail Line which cost circa US$6M to US$6.9M per Kilometer.

‘It will be in three phases of Moniya to Iseyin; Iseyin to Okeho; and Okeho to Saki. Projects like these attract development partners and agencies. So, the entire burden will not be on the Oyo State government alone. Similar thing is being done with the ongoing Muritala Mohammed International Airport reconstruction in Lagos’.

He said the rail line project was becoming necessary and would be a top priority for his government because Oke-Ogun was the food basket of Oyo State, noting that the easy transportation of farm produce from the area to the market would be a win-win situation for farmers and the urban populace in Ibadan and other states, who were the major consumers.

Adegoke, a graduate of Agricultural Economics from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, said he would do everything possible to assist farmers in the state when he assumed power in 2027.

Speaking on his economic blueprint, the ADC governorship candidate stated that it was embedded in his political slogan, ‘SOLUTIONS 2027’, which comprised security of lives and property; organic development of agriculture; let there be jobs; urban renewal of major cities; and turning around of the health and education sectors.

Others are industrial revolution and infrastructure development; on-the-job training for teachers and special schemes/status for them; and the deployment of new technologies in every area of government business, in addition to socio-economic development.

Speaking on his candidature, Adegoke maintained that he was the best among the candidates of the three popular parties, without any blemishes, noting that the APM candidate was an extension of the current government, going by their slogan of Omituntun 3.0, while the issue of godfatherism was hanging on the neck of the APC candidate.

According to him, ‘out of the three popular candidates of the three major parties the APM, APC and ADC, I’m the beautiful bride, not tainted with no God Father but God Almighty is my father’.