Author: user user

The Federal Government has launched an online discount shop designed to ease financial pressures on personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, veterans and their families by providing access to essential goods at discounted prices.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, who launched the platform in Abuja, on Thursday, September 24, said the initiative was part of the Federal Government’s broader welfare framework for serving and retired military personnel.

‘The welfare of those who serve the nation is a responsibility that extends beyond the provision of operational capabilities,’ Akume said.

‘A motivated and resilient Armed Forces is sustained by the assurance of the wellbeing of its personnel and their families.’

The SGF said the Federal Government recognised that initiatives aimed at improving access to essential goods and services and easing financial pressures were important components of a comprehensive welfare programme.

According to him, the Armed Forces of Nigeria Personnel Online Discount Shop, powered through the Zino platform, would leverage digital technology to give eligible serving and retired personnel convenient access to a range of goods at discounted prices.

Akume described the initiative as an example of how technology and strategic partnerships could be used to deliver practical benefits to citizens who had dedicated themselves to the service and security of the country.

‘The inclusion of veterans in this initiative, therefore, reflects an important principle of continuity in our responsibility to the Armed Forces family,’ he said.

The SGF commended Defence Headquarters and Zino Group for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), describing it as an ‘important framework for cooperation between the Armed Forces and the private sector in delivering a sustainable welfare intervention.’

‘As we launch this platform, I encourage Defence Headquarters and all stakeholders to ensure that its implementation remains transparent, reliable and responsive to the needs of the beneficiaries,’ Akume said.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, said the initiative was an important component of the military’s welfare efforts.

He added that it was only the beginning of efforts to improve the welfare of military personnel, veterans and their families.

‘We are partnering with Zino, but we intend to bring other vendors on board. We are trying to interface with companies such as Dangote Cement so that personnel can have access to building materials and other essential goods that can make their lives better,’ the CDS said.

‘We also, at some point, intend to have physical shops where soldiers can walk in and access goods and services at highly discounted prices.’

The CDS urged personnel and veterans to make judicious use of the platform and called on those managing the scheme to continually improve its services.

He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support for efforts to improve the welfare of the Armed Forces.

The Chairman of Zinox Group, Chief Leo Stan Ekeh, described its partnership with the Armed Forces of Nigeria as its ‘contribution towards appreciating their sacrifices and dedication to national service.’

Represented by Zinox Group General Manager, Corporate Governance, Konga, Reginald Obiako, Ekeh said the online discount shop would enable personnel and their families to access a range of products at discounted prices.

‘We believe that those who serve and protect our nation deserve our support and appreciation. We are therefore pleased to partner in this initiative and look forward to its continued success,’ he said.

Ekeh congratulated the Armed Forces on the launch and expressed the company’s commitment to the success of the initiative.

The 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) generated a combined ?5.15 trillion in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in 2025, representing a 40.93 per cent increase from the ?3.65 trillion recorded in 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The figures are contained in the NBS report on Internally Generated Revenue at State Level for 2025.

Lagos State recorded the highest IGR in 2025 with ?1.77 trillion, followed by Rivers State with ?428.42 billion and Enugu State with ?406.77 billion.

The FCT ranked fourth with ?356.34 billion, while Ogun State came fifth with ?252.36 billion.

Here is a list of the 36 states and the FCT by IGR in 2025:

Lagos – ?1.77 trillion

Rivers – ?428.42 billion

Enugu – ?406.77 billion

FCT – ?356.34 billion

Ogun – ?252.36 billion

Delta – ?202.49 billion

Edo – ?132.21 billion

Oyo – ?103.25 billion

Kano – ?102.26 billion

Akwa Ibom – ?100.80 billion

Kwara – ?95.36 billion

Kaduna – ?86.75 billion

Abia – ?70.41 billion

Jigawa – ?66.73 billion

Niger – ?66.37 billion

Katsina – ?64.29 billion

Ondo – ?60.32 billion

Cross River – ?58.64 billion

Ekiti – ?57.09 billion

Anambra – ?57.03 billion

Osun – ?56.84 billion

Bauchi – ?52.79 billion

Bayelsa – ?50.30 billion

Plateau – ?45.10 billion

Gombe – ?43.96 billion

Kogi – ?43.94 billion

Imo – ?43.65 billion

Borno – ?36.36 billion

Adamawa – ?33.76 billion

Nasarawa – ?32.57 billion

Kebbi – ?31.23 billion

Zamfara – ?30.07 billion

Benue – ?29.57 billion

Taraba – ?28.16 billion

Sokoto – ?20.48 billion

Ebonyi – ?17.18 billion

Yobe – ?16.01 billion

The Museum for West African Arts (MOWAA) is now a property of the Edo State Government, the state’s Arts, Culture and Creative Economy Commissioner, Chris Okaeben, has revealed.

Okaeben also announced that MOWAA would be renamed Edo Museum for West African Arts (EMOWAA).

He added during a news conference in Benin yesterday that the state has started discussions with investors for the takeover of cultural sites in the state.

The investors, according to him, will beautify the sites in order to make them attractive to tourists.

Okaeben explained that reports of the committee on MOWAA, headed by former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, recommended that MOWAA be handed over to the Oba of Benin.

The commissioner described the museum’s name as a strong policy decision by Governor Monday Okpebholo.

He said his interaction with the German Consulate in Nigeria showed that the German government gave a grant to support the project. He added that the state government provided the land and invested N3.8 billion without any equity.

Okaeben stated that the coming of Governor Okpebholo restored the state’s traditional and cultural values due to cultism and kidnapping.

‘We are partnering with investors on heritage sites. Benin Moat is one of the state’s most important heritage sites for tourists to visit’, Okaeben added.

The pre-opening exhibition of MOWAA last November was trailed by protests that led to its suspension.

Oba Ewuare II had, prior to the botched opening, said that he planned to showcase the returned bronzes, none of which are yet on public display, in a museum of his own.

Critics of MOWAA say the museum is a provocation to the Oba and a ploy to take the Benin bronzes away from him.

The museum, since its inception five years ago, has sparked intense political tension over its ownership.

According to reports, part of the original premise of MOWAA when it was launched in 2020 was to house the Benin bronzes, an ambition that was abandoned by the administration of Godwin Obaseki

The museum construction cost about $25 million, and it attracted significant support from international governments and private institutions.

Germany, France and Denmark, the British Museum, the Getty Foundation and the Ford Foundation were among those that supported the project.

The Eburu of Iba, Oba Prof. Adekunle Adeogun Okunoye, has praised President Bola Tinubu for the victory his All Progressives Congress (APC) recorded in the by-elections held last weekend in five constituencies across Gombe, Kano, Bauchi, and Delta states.

Oba Okunoye, a Professor of Business Analytics and Information Systems at Xavier University, Ohio, USA, stated that the results indicated acceptance of Tinubu and pointed to the victory awaiting him in the scheduled presidential elections in January 2027. He added that the president has since taken the country out of the woods and set the nation on the right track for real growth.

The traditional ruler, the current Pro-chancellor of Atiba University, Oyo, urged all Nigerians to be understanding and patient, saying no gain can be achieved without pain.

He appreciated the sacrifices Nigerians make due to the administration’s ongoing economic reforms and admonished them to see the bigger picture of the policies ultimately.

‘We need to know that it takes sacrifice and patriotism to reap the dividends of these reforms embarked upon by the administration in the past three years. I am positive that Mr President would not let Nigerians down because he has demonstrated capacity which reflects his full grasp of the situation,’ he said.

Oba Okunoye expressed dismay at the low voter turnout usually recorded at elections despite a series of awareness campaigns by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and advocacy bodies, lamenting that minorities choose the nation’s leadership at every election. However, he acknowledged INEC’s constraints in sensitising and mobilising voters, noting that most of its efforts are usually channelled to urban areas.

‘Also, the reach of the campaigns by these bodies is not wide, and the effort has not been able to significantly affect voter turnout in the rural communities, especially among youth of voting age and women demography. Government interest in civic education, especially on voting, is very low and mostly in the form of radio campaigns and television programs, which are usually out of reach of most residents of small towns and rural areas,’ he revealed.

The traditional ruler also said that after carefully analysing voting rates since 1999, results have averaged below 50 per cent, implying that only a minority of the populace votes and chooses representatives in government, while the majority sits back and criticises officials elected by that minority.

‘Maybe, if our representatives were elected by a majority, the best would have emerged with better representation, services and governance,’ he noted.

Oba Okunoye emphasised that elections are not free and fair without full citizen participation, calling on relevant bodies to focus on getting more people to exercise their franchise and challenging traditional and community leaders to rise up and be more active participants in the democratic process.

‘Addressing voters’ apathy at the community level can increase the voting rate, and that falls squarely under what community leaders can do successfully. We remain the most plausible solution to many of our socio-political challenges, but unfortunately, a lack of adequate resources is significantly limiting us,’ he said.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday said the proposed Gateway Deep Seaport and Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone will attract more than $7 billion in initial investment and create over 50,000 direct jobs, as Nigeria intensifies efforts to expand its maritime economy and non-oil exports.

According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu spoke in Paris, France, at the signing of Memoranda of Understanding between the Ogun State Government and DP World, one of the world’s leading port and logistics operators, for the development of the two projects.

The President assured domestic and foreign investors that the Federal Government would provide regulatory clarity, policy stability and a predictable business environment necessary to support long-term investments, while removing bureaucratic obstacles capable of delaying implementation.

‘These agreements envisage an initial investment of more than $7 billion in the Nigerian economy. At full development, the projects are projected to create more than 50,000 direct jobs and many additional indirect opportunities, while generating substantial non-oil export earnings from Nigerians’ creativity and productivity across the value chain’, Tinubu said.

He described the agreements as a major milestone in the administration’s drive to attract foreign direct investment, expand productive capacity and position Nigeria as a major hub for maritime trade, logistics, manufacturing and exports.

‘This is economic diversification made tangible. This is industrialisation made visible. This is Renewed Hope in action’, the President said.

According to the project plan, the Gateway Deep Seaport, to be located at Ogun Waterside, will have a four-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft, enabling it to accommodate larger, deeper-draft vessels used in modern global commerce.

The port is expected to ease pressure on the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports in Lagos, reduce congestion along the Lagos port corridor and cut costs and delays faced by importers, exporters and consumers.

It is also expected to provide a competitive logistics gateway into the African Continental Free Trade Area, giving Nigeria stronger access to a continental market of about 1.4 billion people.

Ogun deep seaport

The accompanying Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone is proposed to occupy 10,000 hectares and host manufacturing and industrial activities linked directly to the new port.

Tinubu said the combination of the port and special economic zone would enable imported inputs to be converted into finished products within Nigeria while domestic raw materials would be processed for export.

‘Within the zone, imported inputs will be transformed into finished goods, Nigerian raw materials will be processed for export and, most importantly, our young men and women will find dignified, productive and sustainable employment.

‘The Gateway Deep Seaport is the critical infrastructure that will support the zone’s viability. A port moves cargo; a port integrated with a special economic zone helps to build an economy. Each reinforces the other’, he said.

The President said the Federal Government would provide the regulatory and institutional support required to move the projects from agreements to implementation, adding that all parties would also be held accountable for their commitments.

‘We will facilitate road, rail and power connectivity; strengthen investment security and our maritime domain; and remove unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles’, he said.

Tinubu commended Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and his administration for securing the land, structuring the investment framework and reducing risks for prospective global investors, describing the partnership between the federal and state governments as an example of cooperative federalism.

He said the Federal Government would continue to work with Ogun and other states to remove investment bottlenecks and facilitate projects capable of creating economic value and employment while ensuring compliance with the country’s laws and regulatory requirements.

The President said the projects were particularly significant because Nigeria’s strategic location at the heart of West African trade had for years been undermined by congestion, inadequate port draft capacity and logistics bottlenecks that raised the cost of doing business.

‘Nigeria lies at the heart of West African trade. Yet, our strategic advantage has been constrained by port congestion, inadequate draft capacity and logistics bottlenecks that increase the cost of doing business. These projects respond directly to those constraints.

‘This is how modern infrastructure should be delivered: as an integrated ecosystem, operated to world-class standards and supported by a serious and responsible government. This is nation-building in its most practical form’, Tinubu said.

Tinubu identified the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a critical component of the emerging economic corridor, saying the 28-kilometre Ogun section of the 700-kilometre highway was scheduled for completion before the end of 2026.

According to him, the highway will connect the port and economic zone more effectively with Lagos, Nigeria’s hinterland and markets across the African continent.

‘Without it, the coastline would have remained rich in potential but without access. With it, the zone and port will connect more effectively to Lagos, the Nigerian hinterland and markets across the African continent’, he said.

The President said the projects would also anchor a wider strategic corridor around the proposed Nigerian Navy Operating Base and Dockyard and the OK LNG Project, linking the emerging industrial cluster with Nigeria’s energy and gas-export ambitions.

He urged Ogun State and the investors to sustain the momentum generated by the agreements and proceed expeditiously to implementation.

Governor Abiodun led the Ogun State delegation to the ceremony, accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, commissioners responsible for finance, works, industry, trade and investment and transport, as well as a representative of the host community.

Also present were the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola; Nigeria’s Ambassador to France, Emmanuel Ayodele Oke; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho; Group Chief Executive Officer of DP World, Yuvraj Narayan; Managing Director of SkyKapital, Karim Noujaim; and DP World’s Senior Vice President for Business Development, Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Office, Mohammed Rashid Ismail.

‘The agreements before us bring together vision, expertise, capital and execution capacity. I particularly welcome DP World, one of the world’s leading port and logistics operators’, Tinubu said.

He added that strengthening Nigeria’s maritime economy remained central to the administration’s broader economic diversification strategy, with the government determined to turn the country’s geographical advantage into increased manufacturing, exports, jobs and investment.