Category: Auto Guid

Two of the parents of some of the abducted children of St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri in Agwara local government area have died.

One of the parents, identified as Anthony Musa, was said to have died from a heart attack while the cause of death for the second parent was yet to be ascertained.

Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, confirmed the parents’ demise yesterday.

Yohanna said: ‘The man, Anthony Musa died of heart attack but the female we don’t have the details yet because we couldn’t get the family.’

Over 300 people were kidnapped by armed terrorists who invaded the primary and secondary schools in Agwara. So far, 50 of the pupils have returned.

The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora on Monday released the names of the abducted children and teachers.

In the conference hall of the Sheraton Lagos Hotel, as Nigeria marked this year’s World Children’s Day, the 71st globally, the air carried an unusual mix of hope and urgency. Editors in crisp suits and Ankara sat shoulder to shoulder with schoolchildren in bright uniforms. A visually impaired teenager who had taught himself to code prepared to take the microphone. A diplomat from the Netherlands struggled to steady his voice. The UNICEF Country Representative declared that the real bosses in the room were the children. For one morning, almost everyone present seemed to agree.

The symposium, themed ‘Equipping the Nigerian Child for the Future: How Prepared Are We?’, was jointly organised by UNICEF, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, and the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence. While the event celebrated World Children’s Day, it felt less like a festival and more like a national reckoning. Mr Eze Anaba, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, did not mince words. ‘Nigeria is in a state of emergency,’ he said. ‘At no other time in our history, except during the civil war, has the condition of our children been this uncertain.’ He cited school abductions, 10 to 20 million out-of-school children-the highest number in any country-millions of zero-dose children who have never received a single vaccine, persistent malnutrition, and the recruitment of minors by armed groups. ‘What happens to our children happens to Nigeria,’ he added, and the line resonated across the room.

Ms Wafaa Saeed, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, presented the stark numbers. Under-five mortality, once near 200 per 1,000 live births in 1990, now sits around 100-still among the highest globally. Full immunization coverage has tripled in two decades, yet more than two million children remain unvaccinated annually. Birth registration has improved, but millions of children still do not legally exist. Three out of four children who reach age ten cannot read a simple text. Forty-eight million Nigerians still practice open defecation. ‘We have made progress,’ she said, measured but firm, ‘but if we continue at this pace, we will lose generations.’

The mood shifted when schoolchildren performed Unstoppable. As the last note faded, Tinafi Akawo, a seventeen-year-old visually impaired coder and child-rights activist, walked to the stage. ‘Thank you very much. Good to see you,’ he said, smiling at an audience he could only discern. Tinafi spoke of artificial intelligence and blockchain as the backbone of the child’s future. He outlined AI-based security systems capable of detecting anomalies and alerting authorities before school kidnappings occur. ‘Imagine a system that alerts authorities before any attempt happens,’ he said. ‘This could significantly reduce the number of kidnappings in our country.’

He also highlighted digital exclusion, urging policies that train young Nigerians in AI and machine learning to place the country on the global map. ‘I am visually impaired. I developed an app that lets blind people navigate using a smartphone camera. This is just me. There are thousands more children with ideas that never leave their rooms.’ He closed by urging the media to be the voice of children and push the government to nurture talent. As Cobhams Asuquo’s Unstoppable played again, Tinafi left the stage to sustained applause, crystallising the central theme: Nigerian children are unstoppable if given the opportunity.

A panel moderated by Dr Chinonso Egemba (Aproko Doctor) pressed duty bearers to account for daily gaps. Ronak Khan, UNICEF Deputy Representative, explained that interventions follow data, not sentiment. About 90% of Lagos households have clean water access, compared with less than 10% in Kebbi. ‘No child chooses where they are born. A child in Maiduguri deserves the same chance as a child in Lagos,’ he said.

Mrs Mariam Fitumi Shaibu, Deputy Director of Child Development at the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, highlighted initiatives with nationwide potential: the National Commission on Out-of-School Children, the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) in eighteen states, the Lumina Project linking maternal economic empowerment to girls’ education, and the forthcoming national policy on menstrual health and hygiene management.

Mr Henshaw Ogubuike, with editors Ehi Braimah and Ijeoma Popoola, reminded the room that political will and implementation, not policy, remain the biggest gaps. In 2025, some SS3 students still sit on bare floors. Laws alone cannot replace intentional parenting or combat poverty and cultural pressures pushing girls into early marriage. Michel Deelen, Consul General of the Netherlands, delivered a pointed message. ‘Macroeconomic numbers can look better,’ he said, ‘but as long as schools have no roofs, no water, no teachers, nothing goes better. That is a disgrace.’ He noted that part of the Netherlands’ UNICEF funding supports water, sanitation, hygiene, and adolescent entrepreneurship initiatives. ‘The future is bright. The future is you. But we must steer it in the right direction.’

By morning’s end, editors made public commitments. Mr Anaba vowed to keep child rights on the front burner. Mr Braimah pledged dedicated columns and investigative reporting. Beneath the pledges lay a sober truth: by 2050, Nigeria will have the third-largest child population globally. If today’s out-of-school children become tomorrow’s unemployed, traumatized, or radicalized adults, the consequences will extend far beyond Nigeria. The children have demonstrated talent and determination. The challenge now falls on adults to provide the policies, resources, and guidance that will ensure Nigerian children remain truly unstoppable. This version keeps the narrative, the voices of participants, and the statistics intact, while smoothing sentence structure, adding transitions, and keeping it around 800 words, making it suitable for publication. If you want, I can also create a more feature-style, emotionally compelling version that emphasizes the children’s voices and the sense of urgency even more, perfect for a newspaper or magazine audience. Do you want me to do that?

Quietly and without fanfare, the Nigerian Railway Corporation under Kayode Opeifa is showing early signs of renewal. Yet in a system long weighed down by bureaucracy, rust, and broken promises, the real challenge lies in keeping the wheels turning after the applause fades.

When Opeifa was appointed managing director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) early this year, the announcement barely stirred headlines. But among transport watchers, it drew attention. Here was a man once associated with Lagos traffic, an arena of daily chaos now handed the task of reviving a system meant to connect the whole country.

The Nigerian Railway Corporation once symbolised unity and progress, linking far-flung hamlets, communities, towns and feeding their local economies. Over time, it slipped into decay and nostalgia, a monument to what Nigeria once had and lost. Every new management promised revival; each left behind more rust and regret. Opeifa’s arrival came into that atmosphere of fatigue, one more technocrat stepping into a place heavy with expectations and history.

What has stood out so far is his visible, unceremonious style of engagement. Instead of remaining behind desks and memos, Opeifa has been out on the tracks inspecting stations, talking to workers, and listening to passengers. At the Lagos’ Iddo Terminal, he was reported to have seen the gap between reports and reality: dim platforms, faulty toilets, flickering lights, and weary coaches. His immediate instruction was to fix what could be fixed. Toilets were cleaned, lights repaired, and platforms tidied. It wasn’t dramatic, but it was symbolic a reminder that leadership sometimes begins with simple attention.

In other parts of the country, quiet attempts are underway to reconnect dormant lines and stir local economies back to life. The long silent Jos-Kuru corridor in Plateau State is reportedly being reconsidered for reopening. The Eastern line from Enugu to Port Harcourt has re-entered national conversation, with cautious optimism about renewed work. Freight services, too, are being repositioned as a growth engine. The Lagos-Ibadan cargo line, still evolving, could eventually ease the unbearable pressure on highways and cut logistics costs for manufacturers and traders.

That shift in focus is significant. For decades, discussions about Nigeria’s railways have revolved around passengers and comfort, often ignoring that rail systems across the world survive mainly on cargo. If the NRC succeeds in moving more goods efficiently, it will do far more for Nigeria’s economy than endless speeches about ‘modernisation.’

Inside the corporation, there’s a noticeable calm. Staff unions, once quick to challenge management, are reported to have pledged cooperation. That may not sound like much, but for an organisation long plagued by distrust and internal friction, it’s a big deal. Industrial peace doesn’t fix tracks or coaches, but it creates space for real work to happen.

Still, optimism must be measured. Nigeria’s railway story is littered with bright beginnings that fade into frustration. Chronic underfunding, sluggish procurement, weak maintenance, and a culture of secrecy remain major threats. There’s talk of acquiring new coaches and wagons a welcome plan, if executed transparently. But details are still hazy: no firm timelines, no public cost breakdowns, no delivery schedule. Nigerians deserve more than reports in newspapers; they deserve information. Transparency builds trust faster than announcements.

Beyond new equipment, the bigger challenge lies in maintenance. New coaches will not survive old habits. The NRC’s history is full of once proud assets left to rot after minor faults. Opeifa has warned against vandalism and theft, but punishment alone won’t change much. What’s needed is a working repair system, spares, workshops, and community ownership. Rail stations should not become scrapyards by neglect.

Another obstacle is the railway’s isolation from the rest of the transport ecosystem. Rail must connect meaningfully to ports, highways, and industrial clusters to make sense. The NRC has started engaging state governments and private players, but success will depend on how far these partnerships go beyond paper. A line that ends in the middle of nowhere serves no one.

In the months ahead, public judgment will rest not on rhetoric but on experience. Are trains cleaner? Are they more punctual? Are fares affordable? Has cargo movement between Lagos and Kano improved? These questions will tell Nigerians more about progress than any ribbon-cutting.

The truth is, the NRC doesn’t need miracles. It needs order, discipline, and continuity. Too often, its leadership has been caught between vision and bureaucracy: grand dreams swallowed by red tape. The real transformation lies not in mega projects but in the ordinary details: working lights, clean toilets, honest ticketing, and trains that simply leave and arrive on time.

If Opeifa can keep attention on those practical, almost boring things, he might quietly restore confidence in a system that once defined national unity. Each commuter who sits in a clean coach, each trader who moves goods safely, each town that hears the train whistle again that’s the measure of renewal.

Nigeria has seen this story before: a burst of reform energy followed by decline. Whether this chapter becomes another cycle or the start of something lasting will depend on management’s consistency after the noise dies down. Opeifa may not be seeking headlines, but his actions are being watched. And perhaps that’s for the best a railway system improving quietly, tested daily by a public that has learned to doubt promises but never quite stopped hoping for proof.

A United States-based environmental health professional, Omotolani Deborah Oyelade, has uncovered alarming levels of soil and groundwater contamination in Owode-Arepo, a fast-growing settlement located along the disputed border between Lagos and Ogun states.

According to her study, the community-largely dependent on untreated groundwater-shows the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of toxic chemicals associated with cancer, endocrine disruption and developmental complications.

The finding represents the first documented case of PFAS contamination in any Nigerian border community, drawing attention to an environmental health crisis that has remained invisible for years.

Oyelade’s assessment warns that the contamination poses significant public health risks to residents, especially given the absence of environmental monitoring and the region’s long-standing governance dispute, which has contributed to regulatory neglect.

According to her, the research seeks to determine what contaminants are present in the soil and groundwater, what are the associated public health risks and how does the governmental jurisdictional conflict contributes to the persistence of contamination.

‘This work fills a significant gap in Nigerian environmental health literature, where PFAS monitoring and regulatory frameworks are underdeveloped. It provides the first comprehensive case study integrating field sampling, laboratory chemical analysis, community interviews, and regulatory framework assessment.

‘Preliminary findings indicate the presence of PFAS compounds and other chemical pollutants in both soil and groundwater used by residents, suggesting chronic exposure risks. The jurisdictional dispute between Lagos and Ogun States is shown to have created a void in coordinated environmental oversight, exacerbating contamination and leaving residents without support,’ she said.

She pointed out that findings underscore the urgent need for strengthened regulatory systems, targeted monitoring, and coordinated governmental intervention to protect vulnerable populations, stressing that research provides evidence that environmental contamination in underserved border communities is a national public health concern and offers a model for broader environmental health reforms in Nigeria.

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has identified a strong public-private partnership, backed by reforms that reduce import dependence, ease pressure on the Naira, and support backward integration as vital to the full realisation of the Nigeria First Policy.

Its Director-General of NECA, Mr. Adewale Smatt Oyerinde, who spoke when NECA convened a high-level virtual Knowledge Sharing Session (KSS) for employers nationwide, with ‘Nigeria First Policy: Unlocking Opportunities for Businesses and the Economy’ as theme, reaffirmed the commitment of NECA to advancing enterprise competitiveness and national economic development through proactive policy advocacy.

He emphasized the need for a more competitive and business-friendly environment, while urging employers to proactively patronize Nigerian products and services.

The virtual engagement was designed to deepen understanding of the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy and explore its implications for private-sector growth.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Nura Abba Rimi who was represented by the Director, Industrial Development Department, Mrs. OlumuyiwaAjayiade, made a detailed presentation on the policy’s objectives and strategic priorities. She explained that the Nigeria First Policy prioritizes local goods and services in public procurement, enhances local content participation, and promotes economic growth through targeted government expenditure. She further stated that the initiative aligns directly with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, focused on industrialization, strengthening local production, and shielding the economy from global disruptions.

Also addressing the session, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, highlighted procurement and local content requirements under the policy. He assured stakeholders that the Nigeria First Policy aims to empower local enterprises, promote quality standards, and improve global competitiveness of Nigerian products. He disclosed that implementation guidelines are currently being finalized and will be shared with NECA for further stakeholder engagement.

Representing the business community, the Chairperson of NECA’s Committee on Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Experts, Ms. Victoria Uwadoka, stressed the importance of sustainable enterprise growth and outlined the strategic opportunities the policy presents for Nigerian companies.

The Knowledge Sharing Session recorded strong participation across sectors, with robust interaction and positive feedback from employers. Participants acknowledged the session as timely and expressed confidence in the policy’s potential to drive business expansion and national economic transformation.

NECA remains fully committed to working with government and the private sector to ensure successful implementation of the Nigeria First Policy and to champion initiatives that strengthen the Nigerian economy.

HIS GRUESOME KILLING shook the nation. Brigadier-General Musa Uba died in line of duty. An officer and a gentleman, he was leading his men and some members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) on a mission to hunt down the terrorists, bandits and insurgents troubling the nation when they were ambushed along the Damboa-Biu Road in Borno State.

The attack, which was carried out by the Islamic State – West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists happened on November 14. It was a black Friday, which presaged a week in which these elements went on the rampage in some states. They hit Borno, Kebbi, Kwara and Niger states, killing, kidnapping and looting in their characterisric style. Infants were not spared, as they abducted hundreds of nursery school kids in Niger, among others.

The General’s bludgeoning stinks. It rankles because of how it happened. He had managed to escape the ISWAP ambush in which some of his men were killed. He was in the forest trying to find his way back to base. He relayed his position to his colleagues through WhatsApp. Somehow, his message leaked and started trending in social media. The military did all it could to salvage the situation, to no avail.

The harm had been done. The terror group cashed in on that momentary lapse caused by the leaked message to comb the forest for Uba. They found and killed him, and in their typical way celebrated their bestial act in a video. Uba died a hero, as President Bola Tinubu said in a tribute. There is no gainsaying the fact that laying down one’s life for one’s country is the primary duty of a soldier, but the circumstances of Uba’s death are quite disturbing. Who did he send his message for help to?

What did the receiver do with it? Was it treated with the utmost secrecy and urgency it deserved in order to evacuate him out of danger? How did the message get to the social media many of whose practitioners are not professional journalists? Uba did not deserve to die the way he did? If those he messaged had done their jobs well, he might have been saved with the terrorists suffering a heavy loss.

What has happened to the area where he was gruesomely killed? Has it been levelled to send a message to ISWAP and others that no beast in human skin kills a soldier, a General for that matter, and lives to celebrate it? Uba’s death should not be in vain. One of the ways to memorialise him will be the routing of ISWAP, Boko Haram, ISIS, Lakurawa, Ansaru and other terror groups by whatever name called, to restore law and order in the north, where the past week was hell. Their renewed offensive on schools and a church was shattering and it affected the national psyche.

It came on the heels of the global efforts to change the narratives about our national image being pushed by American President Donald Trump. Trump had described the insecurity in Nigeria as ‘Christian genocide’, and vowed to come ‘guns-a-blazing’ to save ‘our beloved Christians’. It is thus difficult to dismiss the claim of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, that this ‘targeted killings’ statement might have emboldened the terrorists to unleash these fresh attacks.

Truly, such attacks had gone down until Trump spoke some weeks ago. The renewed attacks began 10 days ago, after they apparently took a cue from that remark. Their first target on November 17 was a girls school in Maga, Kebbi State, where they abducted 24 pupils after shooting dead the vice principal and injuring the principal. The 24 girls were freed on Tuesday.

Barely 24 hours later, they hit the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), in Eruku, Kwara State, taking away 38 worshippers, among them an elderly woman. The abductees regained their freedom on Sunday. Their story is intriguing. The worshippers were in church to thank God for the release of tbeir brethren who were earlier abducted when they too fell victims of the abductors. In the midst of these incidents, the government is waging war on the global front to change the Trump narrative about Nigeria.

The United States (U.S.) Congress which he is armtwisting to impose sanctions on Nigeria and back his plan to send troops to take out the terrorists beamed a searchlight on our country on Thursday. Nigeria was on trial of sorts before the world as the proceedings of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Africa were aired globally. Some members of the Congress led by two women, Sara Jacobs and Pamela Jayapal, argued against the classification of Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern’, while their counterparts, Riley Moore and Bill Huizenga, led those who insisted that there were ‘targeted killings’ in Nigeria.

Huizenga, who became emotional as he recalled going to ‘school with kids from Nigeria’ pointedly accused the Tinubu administration of doing nothing to stop the killings. In its defence, Nigeria admitted that it has security challenges, explaining that all it required was collaboration with the U.S. to address the issue. Although, it is painful that Nigeria has not overcome the problem, which reared its ugly head in 2009, with the killing of Boko Haram leader Muhammed Yusuf in police custody, it is wrong to say that the country has not done anything about it.

Past administrations fought it. The Tinubu administration intensified the campaign after assuming office over two years ago. Its efforts might have resulted in scorching the snake and not in killing it, though. Therefore, it will be insincere to accuse the government of folding its hands and doing nothing. More needs to be done, no doubt. So, the government must reawaken to the reality of the situation and do everything possible to kill this snake now, or continue to be the butt of cynical remarks by Trump, Moore, Huizenga and their local ilk.

It is in this frame that the Niger school abductions which followed the congressional hearing beggar belief. After the Kebbi and Eruku attacks, the security agencies should have been more alive to their responsibilities to nip in the bud any other fresh incidents. That the Catholic (Private) Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, Niger State, was hit just four days after the Kebbi attack, and in the wake of the congressional hearing, speaks volume about how prepared and serious we are to fight this scourge.

The government has given its die-hard critics the ammunition to fight it and say ‘see those who say they are fighting terrorism’. Papiri should not have happened at all, at least not at a time like this, or at any other time for that matter. The attack should be a challenge to the government to go all out and tame this scourge. There is no better time than now to break this yoke. It has festered for too long. Those nursery kids (just imagine their ages) are waiting (only God knows where they are being held) to be reunited with their parents and guardians. I can hear their cries in my ears as I type this.

A pro-citizens advocacy organisation has condemned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for what it described as an opportunistic and inflammatory commentary on Nigeria’s current security challenges.

The group said the opposition party was exploiting the grief of victims’ families and the anxieties of citizens to score cheap political points rather than contribute meaningfully to national security reforms.

The Citizens for Secure Nation (CSN), a civil society coalition focused on public safety and democratic accountability, issued the rebuttal in Kaduna on Thursday.

Its president, Alhaji Musa Danladi Maikawa, said the ADC’s latest remarks were designed to undermine public confidence in ongoing security operations and to cast the federal government as complicit in the violence affecting communities in parts of the country.

Maikawa said the ADC had crossed a troubling line by making sweeping allegations without evidence, adding that public discourse on security must be anchored on facts and national interest.

He noted that while Nigerians have legitimate frustrations about banditry, kidnapping and the protection of schools, no political actor should inflame tensions or erode trust in institutions at a time when security agencies are under intense pressure to stabilise affected regions.

‘We cannot allow a political party to weaponise the pain of grieving families for narrow advantage. Our country is going through a difficult period and what we need is constructive engagement, not reckless commentary that undermines the morale of security personnel risking their lives every day,’ Maikawa said.

He said the ADC’s portrayal of recent rescue operations was unfair to the military, police and intelligence services who have ‘intensified coordinated action across multiple theatres.’

The coalition added that attempts to portray government efforts as clandestine or conspiratorial were unhelpful and capable of discouraging local cooperation with authorities.

‘There is no justification for painting security forces as collaborators with terrorists. Such rhetoric is dangerous. It casts suspicion on agencies that citizens rely on for protection and gives oxygen to extremist propaganda. Even more worrisome is that these claims are being made without a shred of verifiable proof,’ Maikawa warned.

He also faulted the ADC’s criticism of school closure decisions, saying the measures were temporary safety steps taken after assessments by security and education authorities on specific high-risk areas.

He added that federal and state governments were implementing a phased security reinforcement plan around vulnerable schools to enable safe reopening.

‘It is irresponsible to suggest that government is surrendering to terrorists simply because it has taken precautionary action to prevent children from being harmed. Countries across the world shut down facilities when credible threats arise. What matters is that the closures are temporary and that security is being scaled up so teaching can resume,’ Maikawa declared.

Maikawa urged opposition parties to exercise restraint and demonstrate patriotic responsibility when commenting on national security.

He said Nigeria’s fight against violent groups demands unity, intelligence sharing, and a public communication environment free of misinformation and alarmism.

‘The lives of citizens should never be used as political currency. We call on the ADC and others to channel their energy into supporting reforms, strengthening community-security collaboration, and advancing serious proposals that help protect our people,’ he said.

Maikawa added that the coalition would continue to monitor public statements by political actors and challenge narratives that deepen fear or distort the complexity of security efforts.

Closed industrial automation systems are quietly eroding competitiveness, costing mid-sized organizations an average of 7.5per cent of their revenue through downtime, inefficiencies, and compliance retrofits every year, according to a new report released yesterday.

The new global research which was unveiled by Schneider Electric, the leader in energy technology, was titled: ‘Open vs. Closed: The $11.28 million Question for Industrial Leaders.’

The research, conducted by Global Analysts firm Omdia, highlights how these costs stem from operational inefficiencies, downtime, compliance retrofits, and delayed production, issues often masked by the perceived reliability of legacy automation systems.

For large enterprises, losses average $45.18 million, while smaller manufacturers face even steeper proportional impacts, losing up to 25 per cent of annual revenue.

Traditional, hardware-defined automation systems, built for static environments, struggle to meet today’s dynamic industrial demands. Their rigidity turns routine updates into costly technical projects, while proprietary architectures limit data access, reducing visibility and responsiveness.

At the core of the challenge is hardware complexity. Most companies operate across 2 to 10+ distinct platforms, each with unique maintenance needs. This fragmentation drives vendor dependency; 30% of issues require specialized support, and this strains workforce efficiency due to niche technical expertise required at a time when companies are facing workforce and skills shortages. Siloed systems also hinder predictive maintenance and fast issue resolution, leading to costly downtime and lost productivity. These inefficiencies scale across operations, limiting agility.

The research underscores an urgent need for transformation. Open, software-defined automation offers a scalable, future-ready solution that modernizes legacy systems, accelerates ROI, and strengthens industrial competitiveness and resilience.

By decoupling software from hardware, manufacturers gain the flexibility to integrate multi-vendor systems, adapt quickly to market shifts, produce small batches efficiently, and close engineering skill gaps. Real-time data becomes actionable, driving smarter decisions, boosting productivity, and reducing costs at scale.

Schneider Electric customers are already realizing these benefits. Many begin with pilot projects or asset-level trials, then expand to full-plant or multi-site deployments, unlocking full data ownership, improved quality control, and greater cost transparency, while protecting existing investments.

Executive Vice President, Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric, Gwenaëlle Avice Huet, said the research is an echo of the feedback from customers.

‘This research echoes what our customers tell us every day: industrial systems must adapt as fast as their markets. It’s particularly encouraging that smaller enterprises, the backbone of our economy, stand to gain the most in annual savings that can be reinvested in innovation and growth. Open, software-defined automation is a proven solution that empowers industrial players of all sizes build resilience, drive innovation, and thrive amid rapidly shifting consumer demands, regulatory pressure and market volatility,’ Huet said.

The report noted that key cost areas break down into four critical parts, annually. These are $6.1million in Operational Agility and Resilience losses. Inflexible hardware systems hinder responsiveness to market shifts, as 77.4per cent require physical modifications for functionality updates, while multiple vendor platforms create integration complexity. Modification costs range from $25K-$50K per hour, rising to $250K/hour for $1B+ companies.

Another cost element is $2.28million in Optimization and Efficiency costs. Maintenance burdens, downtime, and talent gaps as hardware complexity drives operational inefficiencies. Companies manage 2-10 different industrial systems on average; 29per cent deploy 10+ hardware platforms, each with unique management requirements.

There is also the $1.2million in Preventable Quality Failure and Costly Data maintenance. Proprietary systems create data silos and limit integration. Only 28per cent of companies access real-time insights; half report that 20-39per cent of critical data isn’t available in real time.

Finally, there is $1.7million in Sustainability and Compliance Costs. Regulatory changes demand costly hardware retrofits, driving up compliance expenses.

Principal analyst, Omdia, Anna Ahrens, added: ‘In response to mounting pressures, industrial leaders are deploying tactical solutions to sustain their core priorities of growth, competitiveness, and trust. In a world where product lifecycles shrink, supply chains fracture, and talent gaps widen, agility and flexibility aren’t optional. They are survival. Every quarter a business delays addressing the cost of closed automation ecosystems is another $1million+ in lost value: the money that could be reinvested in growth and innovation.’

It also showed that rigid infrastructure slows response, adding that 77per cent of systems need physical updates; fragmented platforms increase complexity and delay action.

Open, software-defined automation offers a way forward by decoupling software from hardware; it enables faster decisions, real-time insights, and competitive resilience.

A resolution urging the Federal Government to review the firearm laws to allow responsible citizens to own guns was yesterday passed by the Senate.

The Red Chamber’s decision was triggered by the escalating insecurity in Kwara, Kebbi and Niger states.

The resolution followed consideration and adoption of a motion titled: ‘Urgent need to address escalating insecurity in Kwara, Kebbi and Niger States.’

In his lead debate, Deputy Senate Leader Senator Lola Ashiru (APC, Kwara South), who sponsored the motion, highlighted recent attacks on schools, worship centres, and rural communities.

He noted the November 18 attack on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, where two worshippers were killed and 38 others abducted.

The worshippers were released on Sunday.

In their contributions, senators urged immediate action to curb the rising wave of banditry, kidnapping and violent crimes.

They warned that mass school abductions and persistent raids have forced closures of schools, including 47 unity schools, disrupting the education of thousands of children.

The lawmakers commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for cancelling foreign trips to coordinate security responses, which led to the release of 38 abductees in Kwara and the 24 Kebbi schoolgirls.

The Senate also called on communities in the affected states and across Nigeria to remain vigilant, united and supportive of security agencies while resisting internal collaborators who undermine national safety.

According to the senators, the firearm laws should reflect current security challenges, similar to over 175 countries where responsible citizens are permitted to legally own guns.

Expressing concern over the worsening insecurity across the land, they urged the executive to act decisively against terrorists, bandits and kidnappers, who continue to unleash terror on communities.

The lawmakers insisted that internal sabotage within security agencies must be investigated without delay.

Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) raised the alarm over alleged security failures, citing Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris’ revelation that troops were withdrawn from a community shortly before 24 schoolgirls were abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga.

‘What Nigerians want to know is – who ordered the withdrawal?’ Abaribe queried.

‘If I were the President, I would summon the commander immediately. Someone must account for that decision.’

Adams Oshiomhole, who hailed Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening the armed forces, warned that Nigeria must adopt fresh strategies.

He also demanded the disclosure of the identity of the officer who authorised the withdrawal of troops from the attacked Kebbi school.

Oshiomhole said: ‘Nigerians are entitled to know who issued that order. The President is doing his best, but we must do things differently.’

Henry Seriake Dickson lamented the killing of Brig.-Gen. Musa Uba by terrorists, describing it as evidence of internal compromise within security operations.

‘It is not ordinary to lose a Brigadier-General. Our country is losing prestige, and public trust in military operations is declining.’

Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, urged swift reforms of Nigeria security architecture, warning that time was running out.

‘Yes, we are relieved that 38 abducted victims from Kwara have been rescued, but we are not celebrating – the kidnappers are still roaming free,’ Bamidele said.

He added that the Senate must also review and reposition its Committee on Security and Intelligence for greater effectiveness.

Bamidele rejected suggestions that the National Assembly should shut down to signal seriousness, saying such an action would amount to abandoning responsibility.

‘This is no time for theatrics. Lives are at stake,’ the Senate leader said.

Barau drums up support for Tinubu

Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau commended the President’s decisive and sustained efforts toward curbing insecurity. He urged states, corporate bodies and citizens to actively support the ongoing fight.

Barau argued that the security challenges are not the responsibility of the Federal Government alone and require collective action to achieve lasting results.

He said: ‘Mr. President is doing extremely well. All his efforts should be complemented by all Nigerians – state governments, private organisations, even ordinary citizens.

‘This is an issue for every Nigerian to admit and confront. With the trend and effort the President is putting in, we shall surmount this problem.’

He particularly called on state governments to invest in surveillance infrastructure, intelligence channels and operational logistics to support federal security agencies.

According to him, insecurity can be defeated faster if every state builds systems to monitor forests and communities within their jurisdiction.

Barau said: ‘State governments should help with necessary hardware and surveillance. If each state creates facilities to monitor activities in forests and local areas, the military can respond more effectively.

‘When this is replicated nationwide, the results will come quickly.’

Describing Tinubu as ‘a leader working daily to secure the country,’ Barau referenced the President’s decision to shelve his trip to South Africa for the G20 Summit to focus on national security – an action he said contributed to the recent rescue of abducted victims in Kebbi State.

‘The President is serious about ending insecurity. He inherited this problem, but he is committed, and with collective support, this challenge will be addressed in a short time,’ he added.

On the Senate’s resolutions regarding national security, Barau said the leadership of the Senate would meet with the President to convey the urgency of the decisions taken.

He expressed confidence that Tinubu would give full attention to the recommendations.

Barau also weighed in on renewed calls for state police, stating that the priority should be funding, training and equipping security personnel rather than the label attached to the structure.

‘It is not about the nomenclature. Even the federal police need better training and funding – which the President has begun addressing. What matters is capacity, not just naming.’ he said.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has approved a $500 million loan to the Federal Government to finance the second phase of its economic governance and energy transition support programme (EGET-SP).

EGET-SP is an initiative aimed at accelerating the transformation of the country’s electricity infrastructure and improving access to cleaner sources of energy.

On August 24, 2022, the Federal Government launched Nigeria’s energy transition plan as a major pathway in achieving universal energy access by 2030 and a carbon-neutral economy by 2060.

The government said the plan was designed to tackle energy poverty and the climate change crisis, as well as deliver sustainable development goal seven (SDG7) by 2030 and net zero by 2060.

AfDB, on August 1, approved a loan of $500 million to Nigeria to finance the first phase of the energy transition programme.

In a statement yesterday, AfDB said the scheme’s policy-based operation is for fiscal years 2024 and 2025.

‘The second phase of the programme aims to stimulate inclusive growth by accelerating structural reforms in the energy sector, while supporting progressive reforms of fiscal policy to boost non-oil revenues and expand fiscal space,’ the bank said.

According to the lender, the programme will place emphasis on three core areas.

‘First, the programme will deepen fiscal policy reforms by strengthening public financial management systems and enhancing the transparency and efficiency of public spending,’ AfDB said.

‘Second, it will accelerate the reform of the power engineering sector to reduce energy poverty, expand access to energy, improve sector governance, and attract private investment.

‘Third, it will support implementation of the energy transition plan through measures that promote climate change adaptation and mitigation, including the introduction of energy-efficiency standards for electrical appliances.’

According to the financial institution, Nigeria’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) will also be updated for the 2026 to 2030 period.

‘The programme’s direct beneficiaries are the Federal Ministry of Power, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Office of the Auditor General, the Debt Management Office, the National Climate Change Council of Nigeria (NCCC), the Federal Ministry of the Environment, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and other bodies responsible for social and economic policies,’ the statement reads.

‘Benefits will also accrue to private businesses in the form of improved investment climate and opportunities in the energy sector at the level of individual states of the Federation, and from the creation of an environment more conducive to public-private partnerships.

‘As of 31 October 2025, the active portfolio of the African Development Bank Group in Nigeria comprised 52 projects with a total commitment of $5.1 billion.’

Commenting on the development, Director-General of the office of the AfDB in Nigeria, Abdul Kamara, said the new phase will reinforce and build on the achievements of the first phase.