Category: Business Day

It is two years since you took over as chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). How has the journey been and what would you give as your achievements in the agency?

When we set out on this journey, our mind was set on reforming the fiscal landscape of Nigeria and consequently changing the revenue structure of the Federation. To the glory of God, two years on, the figures are justifying that the reforms we embarked upon were the right steps to take. Let me start from the latest evidence, for the first time the three tiers of government shared a record monthly allocation in excess of N2 trillion. States and local government councils are now more empowered to carry out their responsibilities to Nigerians in their domains.

Nearly 70 percent of what the three tiers of government gather every month to share comes from tax revenue collected by FIRS. This is an eloquent testimony to the reforms spearheaded by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. So, all credits must go to the president for the courage he has demonstrated in leadership by setting the economic fundamentals right in order for the reforms to bring plenty fruits and gains for the federation. By removing subsidy on petrol and collapsing the hitherto dual exchange rate windows, floating the naira consequently, the health of the Federation account has blossomed greatly, as there are no bogus subsidy claims that would naturally have depleted the accruals into the pool.

In addition to these, the president in his inaugural speech, promised to make his industrial and economic policy one that will remove hurdles in the way of businesses. As a follow up to that, he set up a committee which worked so hard with other stakeholders to bring about the new tax laws that will go into effect from January next year. This is the best thing that has happened to Nigeria’s fiscal ecosystem since independence in 1960. The president has fulfilled his promise to make businesses flourish by removing all burdens and hurdles. This has been done with the new tax laws which will eliminate multiple taxes.

The president said we should not have more than single digit tax types and that has been achieved now. The various tax laws which are scattered in several legislations have now been consolidated and streamlined into a single document. Tax is not easy to collect anywhere in the world and it will be made more difficult if taxpayers go through unnecessary hurdles before they can pay taxes. The fact that these laws were scattered in various legislations gives room for different applications and make compliance cumbersome. But all that is history now.

Perhaps the biggest deal for Nigerians is that food, education, shared transportation, agriculture are going to be VAT-free. This will have positive effect on more than 80 percent of Nigerians. This is in addition to the tax adjustment of personal income of those in the low-income brackets. Small businesses with turnover of N50 million will not pay tax. All these go to show that President Tinubu is a compassionate leader who knows there the shoes pinch for businesses. A more business-friendly environment has now been created with these new laws.

As an agency, FIRS has grown in leaps and bounds in the last two years. Carrying out the president’s mandate, we re-structured our internal operations from the functional tax typologies to a customer-centric approach. Now, all tax types are paid at a one-stop shop. How do I mean? We put the taxpayers into the emerging tax, medium and government tax as well as large tax buckets. The categorisation is done according to the turnover thresholds of the companies, with those having turnover of N5 billion and above in the large taxpayers’ bucket.

What this means is that these companies pay all the tax types they need to pay at a single tax office which caters for their categories. We no longer have a situation where several offices or units are writing to the same company and asking for different things about the VAT or CIT and so on. This has engendered a shift in the mental geography of our staff and has seen a transition to a Federal Inland Revenue Service that is customer-focused. We are service providers to the taxpayers rather than coming across to them as a tax law enforcement agency.

Non-oil tax revenue has grown exponentially and for the first time in a long while, we met and surpassed our oil and gas tax revenue target for this year, thanks to the improved security situation in the country which has energised the oil companies to grow and make profits.

Do you think the economy has really turned the corner? Critics say much has really not changed for the country and its citizens since the president took over in 2023.

Even you journalists know that it will be inaccurate for anyone to come with such claims. Yes, the removal of subsidy on petrol created some disruptions in the living conditions of most Nigerians. Transportation costs went up, as did prices of goods and services. The disruptions can be likened to the pain of a woman in labour. After she is delivered of the baby, comfort and bliss will follow.

To cushion the effect, President Tinubu came up with the compressed natural gas initiative which has seen millions of vehicles converted from petrol to CNG. CNG buses were also procured and distributed to states. From the height that it went earlier in the year, petrol price is coming down. Don’t forget that we also came up with the crude-for-naira initiative which is helping local refiners get access to crude oil in naira. The exchange rate that went up is also coming down.

The FX market has navigated away from arbitrage which used to be the order of the day.

Foreign airlines and others were owed $7 billion by Nigeria. President Tinubu came and cleared the debt. About 90% of revenue was devoted to servicing debt, but the rate has gone down to about 50% in two years. The tax-to-GDP ratio was 10% when we took over, now it is 13.5%. But that is not where we are going. We are aiming to beat Africa’s average of 15% and achieve 18% by 2027. External reserves have climbed up to $41 billion. The Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) created by President Tinubu has seen almost N90 billion disbursed to over 450, 000 students across the country.

There are many road projects going on and some completed across the country, covering all the six geo-political zones. These roads are opening up economic corridors across the country.

Federal allocations to state have grown by almost 70%, enabling them to enjoy a great level of fiscal stability and debt management. According to the figures from DMO, about 30 states repaid N1.85trillion in debt over 18 months. We should keep these figures in perspective when x-raying this administration.

What is the truth about this 5% surcharge on petrol?

The problem with the people bandying this about is either that they don’t read or they read but do not understand. In my earlier comments, I said there were many laws about taxes which were scattered in various legislations, making compliance difficult for taxpayers. To remove the burden, we harmonised these laws into a single document and one of such laws is the petrol tax. The law had existed under the FERMA Act 2007 and the purpose was to use the money therefrom for road maintenance. The new law lays down the procedure for this provision to come into effect. There must be a commencement order from the minister of finance which will be publicly announced and also gazetted. So, it does not automatically mean that this provision will go into effect from January next year.

Remember, one of the first set of reliefs President Tinubu brought to Nigerians was to remove 7.5% VAT on diesel. Is it that same president that will now impose additional cost on petrol for the citizens at this time?

Why was FIRS changed to Nigeria Revenue Service and what should taxpayers expect from the agency when it goes full throttle next year?

Let me start from what the taxpayers should expect from us. They should expect a fair tax administration that will also come without hassles. Our core mandate is simple: assess, collect and account for revenue accruing to the Federation. In doing this, we will be fairer as a tax authority and continue to provide quality service to our only customers, that is, the taxpayers. The president has done a lot in bringing reliefs to Nigerians and businesses with the new tax laws. Compliance should be easier now and of course our advocacy has been on voluntary compliance. Do the right thing at all times and don’t wait till our tax people visit your premises. If they have any issue, they should get in touch with us. With the new tax laws, evasion will be pretty difficult. Companies should be diligent in their tax planning. Those who still think they can find a way to game the system will find out that evasion or trying to cut corners will be costlier than being compliant and honest.

There is one proverb in my language, ‘If the main course is not satisfying, there is nothing anybody can give you as a gift that will be enough.’ So, if within, we cannot develop Nigeria, nobody will come and develop it for us.

President Tinubu’s mantra has always been: ‘I’m not here to tax poverty; I’m here to tax prosperity. My government will tax the fruits of your investments and not the seeds.’ When companies are doing well and are making profits and are expanding their operations, we will benefit from their doing well.

The tax rate is simple. If the base is 10, we will have three. If the base increases to 20, we will have six. If the base increases to 30, we will have nine. So, if I want to have more, it’s not by going on an aggressive revenue drive. It is to help the companies to do well and that is when I will do well too. So, that is why, for us at Nigeria Revenue Service, we are here to remove all the hurdles in the way of our taxpayers. This is what President Tinubu has done with the new tax laws. He has fulfilled his electoral promise and we should all commend him for being a promise keeper.

On why we are changing from Federal Inland Revenue Service to the Nigeria Revenue Service, the word federal in the name of the agency gives the erroneous impression that we are only collecting tax revenue for the federal government. When you say ‘Inland’, it wrongly means we are only collecting money from Nigeria, which is not what we are doing. I will give you examples. We collect VAT, 90% of which is for states. When you therefore say ‘federal’, it means we are not representing what we do. The new name, NRS, shows we are the sole tax authority for all revenue collection for the Nigerian federation according to our laws.

Jose Mourinho was beaten on his return to Stamford Bridge as his Benfica side lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Richard Rios’ first-half own goal ruined Mourinho’s hopes of a dream comeback against the club where he enjoyed his greatest success.

The 62-year-old, who won three Premier League titles and seven major trophies across two spells at Chelsea, was warmly welcomed back by fans who repeatedly chanted his name.

However, his poor record at the Bridge since leaving in 2015 continued, with no wins in seven visits as manager of Manchester United, Tottenham, and now Benfica.

Despite the defeat, Mourinho praised his players’ effort.

‘A defeat is always a defeat, but this one can be a start for us. It was a stable performance,’ he said.

Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez denied Vangelis Pavlidis and Dodi Lukebakio in a strong Benfica spell, but the own goal proved decisive.

The Senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, has commended Nigerians for their resilience and steadfastness as the nation marks its 65th Independence Anniversary.

In his Independence Day message, Senator Abiru emphasized that Nigeria’s rich diversity must continue to serve as a source of unity and strength, rather than division. He urged citizens to reject divisive rhetoric, intolerance, and actions capable of undermining national cohesion, stressing that the country’s future rests on the collective resolve of its people to work together in peace and progress.

Abiru, who chairs both the Southern Senators’ Forum and the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, also called for increased support for the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He noted that the President’s bold reforms are gradually yielding the desired outcomes.

The Senator’s statement reads: ‘Today, as we mark the 65th Independence Anniversary of our beloved nation, I join millions of compatriots in celebrating Nigeria’s resilience and enduring spirit. Despite the economic, social, and political hurdles before us, our dear nation remains a beacon of hope on the African continent. ‘Our diversity – with over 250 ethnic groups and more than 500 languages – is our greatest asset. Under the green-and-white flag, we must continue to strengthen our unity, guard against actions that deepen our national fault lines, and renew our collective commitment to nation-building.

‘I equally appeal to all Nigerians to continue to stand solidly with our esteemed leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as he provides bold and focused leadership that is clearly redirecting our country toward enduring sustainable development and economic growth.

‘The administration’s major policies have already begun to yield positive results. The harmonization of the foreign exchange market, among other laudable reforms, has helped to curb spiraling inflation, boost investor confidence, and lay the groundwork for a stable economic environment where enterprises can thrive – ultimately leading to shared prosperity.

‘This is not the time to give up on Nigeria. It is precisely at moments like this that our unity, resilience, and patriotism matter most. With determination and a shared sense of purpose, I am confident that we will emerge as a stronger and more prosperous nation – not just for ourselves, but for generations to come.’

Men from various sectors have stepped forward to take an active role in the fight against gender-based violence, as the Male Feminist Nigeria (MFN) Project was launched in Pankshin, Plateau State, on Tuesday.

The event, organised by the Kozaki Transformation and Development Foundation, brought together stakeholders including traditional rulers, religious leaders, transport union executives, barbers, and other key actors united in the mission of promoting male engagement in ending gender-based violence.

The stakeholders’ engagement meeting, which marks the advancement of the MFN Project across North Central Nigeria, focused on engaging men as allies in promoting gender justice and challenging harmful societal norms.

In his address, Akighir Caleb Akighir, Communication Officer of the MFN Project, emphasised the need to confront entrenched patriarchal ideologies.

He warned that negative masculinity is damaging not only to women and girls but also to men, who are often confined by unrealistic and harmful gender expectations. Expanding on this, Manfred Akpen, Program Officer of the MFN Project, delivered a keynote presentation titled ‘Becoming a Male Ally: From Conviction to Consistency.’ He called on men to go beyond symbolic gestures and instead demonstrate consistent action in advancing gender equity within their communities.

The participants embraced the message, expressing readiness to become ambassadors of male feminism in their communities. Representatives from transport unions, barbers, local academic institutions, religious and traditional councils, and community-based groups pledged to actively promote positive masculinity and help dismantle violence-supportive norms.

Kashim Basil, a Catholic priest and the Coordinator of JDPC Caritas, welcomed participants on behalf of Isaiah Ter, also a Catholic priest and a lawyer who is the Executive Director of the Kozaki Foundation, while prayers were offered by Fr. Gogwim to open the session.

The engagement marks a significant milestone for the MFN Project in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria and sets the tone for further expansion across the region. As the initiative gains ground, Pankshin now serves as a critical hub in a growing movement for male-led advocacy against gender-based violence.

Nigeria is a sinking ship whose occupants are swimming to safety on the pieces of lifebuoy thrown to them. Are Nigerians not leaving in droves for foreign countries? And are they not serving as food to the famished sharks and whales in foreign seas?

The fact is that Nigeria, a well-endowed country, has become an unlivable geographical space from which her citizens are fleeing. Daily, in Nigeria, hundreds of people are needlessly killed by bandits, terrorists, kidnappers, and the killer herdsmen. The nightmarish security challenges in our country seem to be unending. And millions of Nigerians, who have been reduced to subhumans through our political leaders’ mismanagement of our economy, are living below the breadline now.

Nigeria’s sad and bad condition is attributable to the leadership crisis, which has affected the country over the years. Since our country’s attainment of political sovereignty in 1960, good political leadership has continued to elude her.

Until 1999, dictatorial military regimes, which alternated with corrupt political leaderships, stunted our economic development, stymied our technological advancement, worsened our infrastructural rot and deficit, and caused the deepening of our religious and ethnic fissures.

In 1960, six years after we had achieved political emancipation, the Nigeria-Biafra civil war raged with its calamitous and disastrous effects. The fratricidal civil war caused the depredation of our economy, the destruction of our national infrastructure, and the decimation of our population. Thereafter, we experienced a military interregnum, which culminated in the birth of the second republic in 1979.

The second republic was truncated by the coup d’état executed by Muhammadu Buhari. It took place on December 31, 1983. Before the execution of the coup by the beret boys, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, a political dark horse, had piloted the affairs of Nigeria from 1979 to 1983. His government was toppled because it was alleged to be corrupt.

And between 1983 and 1998, save the brief period when Chief Ernest Shonekan held the reins of power, military officers took turns to rule Nigeria. While Muhammadu Buhari, who was known for his Spartan lifestyle, enacted draconian and retroactive decrees to rule Nigeria, Ibrahim Babangida institutionalised corruption in the country. And he took Nigeria on a transition to civilian rule rigmarole that landed us in a political cul-de-sac. But in the midst of the political quagmire into which Nigeria was thrown owing to the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election, the vampiric Sani Abacha shoved aside the interim government of Ernest Shonekan to take the saddle of power. Sani Abacha was a blend of thieving tendencies and sanguinary proclivities.

Not only did he steal Nigeria blind, but he also liquidated some democracy activists, who were agitating for the revalidation of the late MKO Abiola’s stolen political mandate.

Happily, Nigeria transitioned to democratic rule upon Sani Abacha’s demise in 1998. And since 1999 and until now, we have enjoyed twenty-six years of unbroken democratic governance with one political leader handing over political power to another political leader without the country descending into an anarchic situation. That in itself is a milestone achievement considering Nigeria’s deep-seated disunity, which is caused by the existence of ethnic animosity and religious intolerance among Nigerians. However, the fact is that the elections that produced our past successive national leaders in the Fourth Republic were marred and marked by election malpractices. For example, in 1999, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was helped to become the president of Nigeria to placate the indignant Yoruba people regarding the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election. Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua, who succeeded Chief Obasanjo as the president of Nigeria, confessed that the election that brought him to office was deeply flawed.

And the declaration of Ahmed Bola Tinubu as the president-elect in 2023 was hotly contested in the court then.

It is a known fact that when the electoral processes that bring a politician to power are flawed, the political will and choices of the people will be subverted. And that situation negates the political axiom, which says that political sovereignty belongs to the people. And a national leader who enters the saddle of power via electoral malpractice will not be accountable to the people.

So, not surprisingly, corrupt political leadership has become endemic and pervasive in our country. Now, our political leaders who hold sway at different governmental strata perceive their occupation of exalted political offices as opportunities for them to acquire money by dipping their fingers into our exchequer.

Consequently, our country’s economy oscillates between slipping into recession and exiting from it. So millions of young Nigerian graduates pound the streets daily in search of the non-existent white- and blue-collar jobs. And innumerable Nigerian workers, who are not paid living wages, live below the breadline. They scrounge for food, which they will eat, sacrificing their dignity in the process.

Again, Nigeria suffers from an infrastructural deficit and rot. Long stretches of some federal roads have fallen into a state of disrepair. And the healthcare delivery system in Nigeria is comatose. Consequently, rich Nigerians, who are ailing, embark on health tourism in foreign countries for the treatment of their various health conditions. And the dysfunctionality of our educational system, which is caused by decades of governmental neglect, is at the root of our universities’ production of unemployable graduates, who are found wanting in character and learning.

Worse still, Nigeria is ravaged by grave security challenges, which have returned her to the Hobbesian state of nature where life is short, brutish, and nasty. Is the north not still in the firm grip of Boko Haram insurgency, terrorism, banditry, and the killer-herdsmen menace? And in the southern part of Nigeria, kidnapping rich people for ransom has become a lucrative business venture for kidnappers.

Nigeria, as she is now, is a rudderless ship cut adrift on the tempestuous sea of political, technological, economic, and educational uncertainties. As it is on autopilot, it is being tossed about on the choppy water by the pitiless currents.

But the solution to our many hydra-headed problems lies in our electing patriotic leaders who possess probity and leadership qualities. It is only they who can fix our national problems and entrench unity among us. And it is only they who can give Nigeria a people’s constitution, which will transform Nigeria into a true federal state.

Uba Sani, the executive Governor of Kaduna State, has approved the 100 per cent implementation of the revised 2024 CONMESS and CONHESS, worth over ?518 million monthly and ?6.2 billion annually, a move that ended more than a decade of stagnation in health workers’ pay and restored dignity to medical practice.

Health sector unions in Kaduna State, through a joint press conference, have commended Governor Uba Sani for what they described as historic reforms that have transformed the state’s healthcare system. These were the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (AMLSN), and the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU).

The unions hailed directives for local councils to begin payment of 60 per cent CONHESS for primary healthcare staff, automatic employment of 2025 Kaduna State University medical graduates as House Officers, and the reintroduction of a three-year bond system for state-sponsored medical students and resident doctors. They also praised infrastructural strides, including a new 300-bed specialist hospital, renovation of 15 general hospitals, revitalisation of 200 primary healthcare centres, construction of oxygen plants and baby-care units across senatorial zones, procurement of advanced equipment and ambulances, and annual recruitment of 1,800 health workers.

‘Governor Sani has restored confidence, strengthened retention, and positioned Kaduna as a model for others to emulate,’ the unions declared.

Irrespective of the time of the year, the social media in Nigeria is abuzz with conversations about the housing conditions in the country. From complaints about the rising cost of house rents across the country, to many sharing some sour experiences in the hands of shylock landlords, and greedy agents.

When the rainy season arrives, as it has already, another question arises. How does the money paid for rents translate into security from the impact of the rains and their attendant floods? BusinessDay’s September TalkExchange Poll aims to capture the reality behind the social media conversations around housing in Nigeria. What is the real cost of housing in Nigeria, and what are the biggest challenges to housing in Nigeria?

Nigeria’s U20 side, the Flying Eagles, will take on Saudi Arabia in their second match of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Talca on Thursday night.

After a 1-0 defeat to Norway in their Group F opener, the seven-time African champions are eager to bounce back and keep their hopes of advancing alive.

Despite dominating possession and creating several chances in the match against Norway,

Nigeria was unfortunate not to find the equalizer in the second half. The Flying Eagles were denied two penalty appeals by the referee, leaving them frustrated in what was otherwise a promising performance. A win against Saudi Arabia will boost Nigeria’s chances of progressing to the Round of 16, especially with a tough match against Colombia coming up on Sunday.

Head coach, Aliyu Zubair, remains confident that his team has recovered from the disappointment of the Norway defeat.

His focus now is on ensuring the squad delivers the right result against Saudi Arabia. With all key players available,

Zubair is expected to stick with his preferred 4-3-3 formation, emphasizing attacking play and ball possession.

Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited (MESL), in a bid to advance the Nigerian energy landscape, has signed an agreement with Granville Energy (PTY) Limited to design, build, finance, and operate a 100 megawatt (MW) floating solar power plant at the Kainji hydro power plant.

Speaking during the signing ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, Sani Bello, Chairman, Board of Directors, Mainstream Energy Solutions, said that the project is a significant step forward in the company’s mission to transform Nigeria’s energy landscape.

He explained that when fully operational, the project will provide thousands of Nigerian homes and businesses with clean, reliable energy, supporting economic development while minimising environmental impact.

‘We are proud to partner with Granville Energy (PTY) Limited to design, build, finance, and operate a 100MW floating solar power plant at the Kainji hydro power plant. This pioneer project embodies our unwavering commitment to increasing power generation in Nigeria while promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions.

‘As an organisation. We have consistently demonstrated our commitment to renewable energy, aligning this with our mission statement and the focus areas of our Corporate Social Responsibility interventions. This MOU signing is a testament to our resolve to drive positive change and contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth.

‘This aligns perfectly with our core objective: powering Nigeria’s economic growth in an environmentally responsible manner,’ he said.

In his remarks, Abba Aliyu, Managing Director, Rural Electrification Agency (REA) noted that Nigeria currently have the highest number of people without electricity, with most of these people located in the rural and urban areas of the country.

For him, the most economically viable means of providing them with electricity is through distributed renewable energy, through the deployment of renewable sources.

‘For us to have an opportunity where 100 megawatts of renewable energy can be injected into the grid, for us, this is a huge and significant increase in the renewable mix of the country. I will say that apart from the Azura, which was 450 megawatts that was added as a Greenfield, and Zungeru, which mainstream is very much active in managing that, there is no significant renewable capacity that has been added to the grid.

‘Initially, the Rural Electrification Agency is currently working on injecting about 188.4 megawatts through interconnected mini-grids, one of which we intend to be the first to will do the floating solar in the University of Lagos, where we will put the panels by the side of the lagoon to power the University of Lagos.

‘But definitely, the commitment of the mainstream and the partners, Granville Energy, is something that the federal government will always have pleasure in and will always key into it.

He said that Nigeria needs to increase the generation capacity, hence the need to deploy more renewable resources and an innovative model like this that harnesses the space around the hydro and creates a floating solar.

He also advised the companies that the project should come with its own distribution network, SCADA system, and full meters to enhance the commercial viability of the project, adding that without these, the commercial viability of the renewable project can never be sustained.

‘This is an ingenious, complex framework that must be encouraged, and for the Rural Electrification Agency, we would like to be part of this initiative, key into it, support it, and in any way also learn from how we will do that, how we will deploy it at this level of capacity,’ he added.

Also speaking, Tabi T. Tabi, Chief Executive Officer, Granville Energy, said that the MOU commits both parties to the development of the Kainji Floating Solar Plant, which is intended to reach a total capacity of 1,000 megawatts (1 Gigawatt).

He explained that the immediate focus is the rapid deployment of phase one, which will add 100 MW of hybrid renewable power to the grid. ‘This multi-gigawatt vision is a testament to what is possible when two African giants-Nigeria and South Africa-collaborate,’ he said.

Tabi noted that by deploying high-efficiency solar panels directly onto the surface of the Kainji reservoir, the project will deliver a powerful hybrid system. This synergy, he said, ensures that when the sun shines brightest, it generates solar power; and when it sets, or when water flow fluctuates, the stabilised output of the hydro plant and the power from the battery energy storage systems step in, providing consistent, reliable power to the national grid.

‘Floating solar is a win for water management. By covering a section of the reservoir, we drastically reduce water evaporation-a critical benefit for a nation balancing energy production with agricultural and domestic water needs.

‘This first 100 MW phase is the down payment on a larger vision that will, upon completion, provide 1,000 MW of new, clean capacity, dramatically cutting carbon emissions and cementing Nigeria’s commitment to the goals of the Paris Agreement and its long-term climate targets,’ he said

Peter Obi, Labour Party (LP) candidate in the 2023 general election, has urged governments at all levels to act with compassion, fairness, and a deep sense of justice when dealing with issues affecting the people, especially at this difficult time.

Obi stated this on Wednesday after visiting the Lagos International Trade Fair site that was recently affected by demolition in Lagos

Obi, writing on his X handle, noted that many of the affected traders invested heavily – often through loans – in the hope of securing their livelihoods and contributing to the wider economy.

‘To destroy such legitimate investments without due process is not only unjust but also economically destructive.

‘Today, alongside Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe, Victor Umeh, Col. Austin Akobundu, Tony Nwoye, Honourable Members of the House of Representatives, Segun Sowonmi, George Adegeye, Labour Party Lagos State Gubernatorial candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and coordinator of the Obidient Movement Tanko Yunusa, we visited the site of the demolished ASPAMDA Market at the Trade Fair in Lagos, where plazas were pulled down despite traders having obtained the requisite approvals.’ He commended the traders for their remarkable restraint and calm in the face of such painful loss.

This is as he equally commended the senators and the House of Representatives members who pledged to investigate this matter thoroughly and bring to light the circumstances that led to the development, and most importantly, ensure that the situation does not occur in the future.

Obi noted that ‘a society that seeks to make progress must protect enterprise, encourage productivity, and defend the dignity of its citizens.’

According to him, ‘Incidents like this should have no place in a nation that aspires to fairness, stability, and shared prosperity.’