Category: Business Day

Unicloud Africa is reshaping the cloud computing landscape across the continent by launching a sovereign cloud platform that combines local currency billing with cutting-edge AI infrastructure, offering African enterprises and governments a cost-effective alternative to high-latency offshore providers.

The pan-African cloud platform, dedicated to advancing digital sovereignty, unveiled its enterprise-grade Sovereign Cloud and Artificial Intelligence infrastructure on Monday, in Lagos, making it immediately available in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Zambia, Senegal, and Mozambique.

Powered by the mission of ‘One Cloud, One Africa,’ the launch stems from a strategic partnership with TouchNet, a leading Africa technology services provider whose expertise ensures the platform’s robust, scalable foundation tailored to the continent’s unique needs.

Ladi Okuneye, Unicloud Africa CEO declared that the platform is the foundation for Africa’s true Digital and Financial Independence.

The initiative addresses longstanding challenges for African businesses, delivering world-class, highly certified, financially optimized, and fully compliant cloud services that eliminate the burdens of expensive offshore options. Central to this redefinition is the platform’s emphasis on financial sovereignty and predictable costs. Enterprises can now pay for services in their local currency, shielding them from foreign exchange volatility and unpredictable expenses.

Complementing this is the elimination of data egress fees, which guarantees no charges for retrieving data and enables straightforward, predictable monthly billing. The pay-per-use operational expenditure model further frees up capital by removing the need for heavy upfront investments in IT infrastructure.

Security and resilience form another cornerstone, with sovereign data compliance ensuring all sensitive information, especially for AI, machine learning, and big data, is hosted and processed entirely in-country to meet regulatory demands in sectors like finance, healthcare, and government.

The architecture features two active-active availability zones and a contractual 99.999% service level agreement on storage, providing unmatched uptime for mission-critical workloads. Global certifications, including ISO 27001 for information security and ISO 22301 for business continuity, underscore the platform’s adherence to the highest standards of trust.

Driving innovation at its core is the AI acceleration capabilities, particularly through GPU-as-a-Service, which delivers high-performance, on-demand GPU-enabled cloud servers for running complex AI models and large-scale applications. This empowers use cases from real-time fraud detection in financial services to AI-driven analytics in medical research. Developer compatibility aligns with familiar features from leading global cloud environments, facilitating rapid adoption by local and international teams and democratizing access to the computing power needed for the next wave of continental innovation.

‘A Strategic Shift for African Competitiveness’

‘For too long, African enterprises have been held back by the financial burden and compliance risks of offshore cloud platforms. This is a strategic shift. We are providing world-class infrastructure, backed by local currency billing, zero egress fees, and the peace of mind of ISO-certified, in-country data management. Unicloud Africa is the definitive foundation for Africa’s true digital and financial independence,’ Okuneye revealed.

‘By partnering with Unicloud Africa, TouchNet is directly accelerating Africa’s digital transformation. We are delivering secure, scalable, and locally optimised AI Cloud infrastructure that empowers businesses and governments to modernise operations, drive innovation, and secure their data locally. This platform is a testament to our commitment to a connected and sovereign Africa’, said Mr Charly Bahous, CEO of TouchNet.

Dr Ayotunde Coker, CEO of OADC, also added, ‘We firmly believe that fully localised cloud infrastructure is critical for economic growth and Africa’s digital future. This is why OADC is fully committed to collaborating with and providing all needed support to partners like UniCloud Africa, who are key to realising a truly unified African digital ecosystem.’

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has been elected as the new President of the Nigerian Boxing Federation (NBF).

A renowned economist and passionate boxing supporter, Edun secured all twelve (12) delegate votes unopposed at the federation’s elections held on Saturday at the Package B Indoor Sports Hall of the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

In his acceptance speech, Edun pledged to introduce sweeping reforms and structural adjustments aimed at revitalising boxing development across Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the contest for the vice presidency proved more competitive, as the Southwest representative, Hon. Omonlei Imadu, triumphed over his North Central counterpart, Mighty Mike, by eight votes to four in a tightly fought race.

Imadu, celebrated for his grassroots contributions to the sport, described Edun’s victory as a turning point for Nigerian boxing.

‘I make bold to say it’s a new dawn for boxing in the country. The Honorable Minister is very passionate about the sport, and this he has shown over the years with a plethora of grassroots initiatives across the nation,’ Imadu said.

He further assured collaboration among board members to actualise Edun’s vision for the federation.

‘I and the other board members will work closely with the Hon. Minister Wale Edun to achieve his vision for Nigerian boxing,’ he added.

The newly elected vice president also commended the National Sports Commission, led by Chairman Shehu Dikko and Director General Hon. Bukola Olopade, for conducting a transparent, fair, and credible electoral process that upheld the integrity of the commission.

George Elombi, the new president and chairman of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), has revealed that Aliko Dangote is seeking an additional $5 billion to expand his refinery in Lagos.

During his inaugural address at Afreximbank’s investiture ceremony in Cairo, Elombi stated that Dangote had personally disclosed the plan earlier and assured the bank would explore all possible financing options.

‘Alhaji Dangote indicated to me this morning that he will be coming for an additional $5bn to expand the refinery. We have agreed to look for the money wherever it is, including in Afreximbank and your individual accounts. We believe it has to be done.

‘If it is done, it will double his production and cut prices by 50 per cent, maybe for Nigeria and for all the countries along this West African coast. This will be a significant change,’ he told the gathering.

The $20 billion Dangote Refinery, largely financed by Afreximbank, has been described as a transformative project for Nigeria’s energy landscape. Elombi said the planned expansion could reshape fuel supply across West Africa, easing costs and boosting regional trade.

He also paid tribute to his predecessor, Benedict Oramah, whose tenure saw the bank’s assets grow eightfold to $43.5 billion and revenues climb to $3.24 billion.

Elombi pledged to build on these achievements, focusing on value addition in minerals, implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, infrastructure investment, and digital integration.

Warning against external interference in Africa’s financial sovereignty, Elombi reaffirmed Afreximbank’s mandate to finance production and industrial transformation.

‘How can Africa trade unless it produces? And how can it produce without transforming the very structure of its trade? This structural transformation is not mission drift; it is mission delivery,’ he said.

He added that shareholders had tasked him with growing the bank’s balance sheet to $250 billion within a decade, with some African leaders urging a $350 billion target, all while ensuring every dollar translates into tangible impact.

In his goodwill message, Dangote congratulated Elombi on his appointment, praising his leadership during Afreximbank’s COVID-19 response and his role in expanding the bank’s assets from $6 billion to $44 billion.

Dangote highlighted the importance of protecting African trade and production for the continent’s economic security, noting, ‘At the WTO, our Vision 2030 Strategic Plan projects that we will be a $100bn organisation in the next five years. However, having you now at the leadership of this great institution, I am sure our targets will be met much sooner based on our existing great partnership.’

He pledged the Dangote Group’s continued support for Afreximbank, saying, ‘You have my personal support and assurances that, as Dangote Group, we shall be by your side as you lead this new success of our future plan.’

In August 2025, Afreximbank announced a $1.35 billion facility for Dangote Industries Limited as part of a $4 billion syndicated financing deal to refinance the construction of the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery and petrochemical complex, the largest single-train refinery in the world.

The bank contributed the largest share, underscoring its commitment to Africa’s industrialisation, energy security, and trade growth.

Eko Electricity Distribution Company (Eko DisCo) has commenced the second phase of its free Prepaid Meter Roll-out under the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), financed through the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) Tranche B, aimed at closing the metering gap within its franchise area.

Under this phase, Band A and Band B customers are eligible to receive prepaid meters at no cost in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to promote transparency, eliminate estimated billing, and improve customer confidence in the electricity value chain.

According to the company’s release, eligible customers can apply through the Eko DisCo online portal.

‘New customers seeking connection may visit the New Connection section, while existing customers who wish to migrate from postpaid to prepaid or replace damaged or obsolete meters can do so by registering (for first-time users) or logging into their existing account,’ the statement read.

According to the DiCo, applications are open until November 30, 2025, with installation scheduled to run from November 6 to December 31, 2025, completely free of charge.

‘At Eko DisCo, we remain committed to improving customer experience and service transparency. This tranche-B rollout under the Presidential Metering Initiative ensures that more of our customers enjoy the benefits of accurate billing and greater control over their electricity consumption,’ said Babatunde Lasaki, GM, Corporate Communications and Strategy, Eko DisCo.

‘We appreciate the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Federal Government for sustaining this initiative and for their continued efforts to address Nigeria’s metering gap. Initiatives like this reflect a shared commitment to advancing a fair and accountable power distribution system,’ Lasaki added.

The Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF) is a key financing mechanism within the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Under Order No: NERC/2025/107, effective 6 October 2025, NERC approved N28 billion for Distribution Companies (DisCos) to procure and install meters for unmetered Band A and B customers nationwide.

The scheme is designed to close Nigeria’s metering gap of over seven million customers, enhance billing credibility, and ensure transparency across the electricity distribution sector.

The appointment of new service chiefs is seen as a major step towards reducing the rising spate of terrorism in the nation.

President Bola Tinubu, last week, appointed Olufemi Oluyede as the new chief of defence staff, sacking Christopher Musa.

Oluyede will now oversee the coordination of all military operations across the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

He also appointed Waidi Shuaibu as the new chief of army staff. While Sunday Kelvin Aneke is the new chief of air staff, Idi Abbas is the chief of naval staff.

The appointments have attracted mixed feelings from security chiefs, with some saying that the new officers have the capacity to quell the growing spate of terrorism in the country, and others sensing politics.

Shehu Sadeeq, a retired military officer, said the president’s decision to keep changing military leadership appears to be a continuous effort to find capable hands who can deliver results.

‘What the president is doing is to continue searching until he finds people that can complete the job,’ Sadeeq said, noting that the new appointees should be given time to prove themselves.

Sadeeq stressed that genuine progress against insecurity requires honest communication between the armed forces and the nation’s political leadership.

He accused some military officers of being too diplomatic when briefing the president, instead of presenting the true picture of operational realities.

‘A soldier is not a politician. When you meet the President and Commander-in-Chief, tell him what you need. You are not a magician. Stop giving false hope,’ he said.

He noted that Nigeria’s armed forces remain grossly under-resourced both in manpower and equipment, describing the current troop strength as ‘far from adequate.’

Sadeeq criticised the long-standing practice of redeploying soldiers from one hotspot to another, saying it only shifts insecurity rather than addressing it.

‘If they attack Zamfara, troops are moved there from Zaria or Borno. But when Zaria is attacked, where will they move troops from again? We’re just chasing shadows,’ he said.

Ishaq Monguno, a retired naval officer, said he trusts the president’s capacity to appoint men who can deliver results.

‘No matter what the reasons are, you cannot keep doing one thing over and over and expect a different result. The president was right in changing them at this time. With new people come new strength, new desires and new methodologies to fight terrorism and rising insecurity in the nation.’

Politics is paramount

However, Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), warned that Nigeria’s growing tendency to retire well-trained and experienced military officers for political reasons is undermining the strength, discipline, and professionalism of the armed forces.

Rafsanjani, who spoke with BusinessDay while assessing recent changes in the nation’s security leadership, said politically-motivated retirements erode institutional memory, waste years of investment in training, and weaken the country’s overall defence capability.

He urged the government to prioritise merit, competence, and continuity over political considerations in future military appointments, stressing that such arbitrary decisions are detrimental to national security.

‘We cannot keep wasting billions training officers only to retire them for political reasons. The younger recruits cannot replace that level of experience overnight,’ he warned.

On the recent appointment of new service chiefs, the CISLAC boss said President Bola Tinubu acted within his constitutional powers, explaining that military appointments typically run for two to three years.

However, he cautioned that mass retirements driven by politics, rather than performance, weaken institutional capacity and disrupt command stability.

Rafsanjani noted that Nigeria’s insecurity will persist unless the government addresses deep-rooted issues such as corruption in defence procurement, poor military welfare, and lack of coordination among security agencies.

He criticised the persistent corruption in defence spending, saying that despite huge budgetary allocations, there is little evidence of modern equipment, adequate logistics, or improved operational readiness among troops.

‘The alleged corruption in defence procurements has not been addressed. The provision for modern equipment and facilities to confront insecurity has not been met despite the military allocations,’ he said.

The CISLAC chief also decried the poor welfare and motivation of security personnel, pointing to unresolved issues around promotions, training, and retraining.

He warned that neglecting troop welfare undermines morale and operational effectiveness.

He called for a clearer definition of roles among security agencies and stronger cooperation, coordination, and intelligence-sharing frameworks.

Beyond structural overlaps, Rafsanjani expressed concern over weak border management and rising oil theft, accusing relevant agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service of failing to stop the smuggling of arms and crude oil.

Emmanuel Onwubiko, national coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), accused the president of removing the former service chiefs for political and personal reasons.

He claimed the shake-up was more about self-preservation than tackling insecurity.

‘I don’t believe the president changed the service chiefs because of insecurity. He did it for selfish interests, out of fear of a possible coup,’ Onwubiko alleged.

He argued that if the decision were truly about improving national security, the president would have also sacked the Inspector-General of Police, whom he described as ineffective.

He argued that Nigeria’s security challenges remain complex, requiring not just leadership changes but also deeper reforms, particularly in funding, manpower, and strategic coordination, across the nation’s security institutions.

At 92, Paul Biya has been declared the winner of Cameroon’s October 12 election, securing a rare eighth term in office after more than forty years in power. This consolidates the president’s position as the world’s oldest president alive.

The victory announcement came from Clément Atangana, president of the Constitutional Council in Yaounde, who praised the electoral process as peaceful and legitimate. He warned candidates and supporters that any concerns about the vote must be handled through official appeals rather than public accusations.

Biya, who first took office in 1982, is now set to govern until 2032, extending one of the longest presidencies in the world.

Mixed results across the country

Regional tallies revealed deep political division. Issa Tchiroma Bakary, Biya’s main challenger, performed strongly in several key areas, including Littoral, one of the country’s most populous regions, where he won 64.5 percent of votes. He also claimed victory in Adamawa and the North region.

Biya maintained firm control in his traditional strongholds. The South region, his home base, delivered his strongest result with more than 90 percent of votes. The ruling party leader also led in the Centre, East, Far North, and North West regions.

Turnout varied sharply. Conflict and separatist tensions weighed heavily on participation in the Anglophone areas. Over half of registered voters in both the North West and South West regions abstained.

Diaspora support shifts to the opposition

Cameroon’s large diaspora showed a different political mood. More than half of overseas voters stayed away from polling, although those who participated largely backed Tchiroma. He won 54.99 percent of votes cast across African countries, and enjoyed commanding support in Europe, the Americas, and across Asia and the Middle East.

Despite those gains, the overall total electorate vote count placed Biya ahead.

Opposition complaints dismissed

The Constitutional Council rejected at least ten petitions alleging misconduct and irregularities in the election. Critics of the process argue that the state’s dominance over electoral structures leaves little room for meaningful challenge. Atangana insisted that the results reflected legitimate voter choice.

Over the past few years, Nigeria’s subnational governments have made one of the quietest but most consequential gains in fiscal governance – the near-universal publication of Budget Implementation Reports (BIRs).

At BudgIT, we monitor and analyse these reports through our Open States platform, and the trend is striking: nearly all 36 States now publish quarterly BIRs that reflect the Administrative, Economic, Functional, Programme, Project, and Geographical classifications of the National Chart of Accounts (NCoA).

States aim to release these documents on time (not more than 60 days after the end of the quarter in question) and BudgIT also ensures to measure how that activity is carried out (among other things), through a ranking system called the State Fiscal Transparency League ranking.[1]

To return to the key point, these BIRs provide a quarterly snapshot of how much the state has earned and how much it has spent, according to its fiscal plan, or budget. Out of more than thirty reports reviewed recently, only Akwa Ibom (Q2 2025) and Edo (Q4 2024) did not publish comprehensive, fully coded reports.

To reiterate, the present context marks a significant leap from the opacity that once characterised Nigeria’s subnational public finance system. In the very recent past, access to even hard copy versions of the budget was unheard of.

Today, citizens, civil society, think tanks, academia and policymakers can track how states allocate funds to education, health, agriculture, or infrastructure, and even see the balance between personnel, overhead, and capital costs.

Yet, as transparency deepens, a new question arises: how do we ensure that the quality and consistency of reporting match the progress in access?

Beyond access: The challenge of consistency

Under the NCoA (a framework introduced as part of the IPSAS reform), each budget and expenditure item is expected to be classified across five (sometimes six) key dimensions: Administrative, Economic, Functional, Programme, and Geographic.

This structure enables comparisons across states, sectors, and fiscal years. While most states now use the first four classifications, few include the Geographic segment, which specifies where spending occurs within the state.

This limits spatial equity analysis, for instance, by distinguishing between funds allocated to rural communities and urban centres.

In addition, timeliness and completeness remain sporadic and non-sequential. Some states delay publication, while others release reports that cover only part of the fourth quarter, such as October to November, instead of the full October to December period.

Analysts and citizens then have to wait for the Audited Financial Statements (AFS), typically released around July of the following year, to get the full picture.

This lag reduces the usefulness of BIRs for real-time monitoring, policy response, and citizen engagement. These residual gaps may seem minor, but they carry real analytical costs.

Inconsistencies in timing or format make it difficult to build reliable cross-state comparisons, track sectoral spending efficiency, or assess compliance with policy benchmarks such as the Abuja Declaration or UNESCO education funding targets. Transparency must evolve from data availability to data standardisation.

Why Standardisation Matters

The difference between ‘open data’ and ‘usable data’ is structure. When states apply budget classifications unevenly, each effectively speaks a different fiscal dialect.

Analysts cannot accurately compare how much of Osun’s education spending goes into personnel versus how much of Gombe’s does. Policymakers cannot benchmark efficiency. Citizens cannot ask precise questions about regional imbalances. Donors cannot plan and properly structure their interventions.

Uniform reporting is not about bureaucracy: it’s about building a shared language for accountability. This shared language would ensure that transparency and accountability can be assessed, encouraged and supported by anyone, from any state.

At BudgIT, this issue is not abstract. For instance, our flagship publication, the State of States report, relies heavily on data extracted from the Q4 Budget Implementation Reports, especially the Expenditure by Function tables.

These datasets form the foundation for our fiscal performance and sustainability rankings. When a state delays its BIR, omits certain classification levels, or stops reporting in November, it directly constrains the depth and comparability of our analysis.

In such cases, our team must often defer to the AFS released months later: a necessary but less timely source. The lesson is clear: even as transparency improves, timely, complete, and fully classified BIRs are the foundation of credible fiscal analysis.

Sustaining progress: The next reform frontier

It is clear that we are not where we used to be. However, it is incumbent on the states not to lose the momentum and push forward.

In our view, to sustain this progress, three actions are essential. The first is to institutionalise uniform reporting standards. In pursuance of this, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) should make adherence to all NCoA classifications, including the Geographic segment, mandatory and compulsory across all states.

Secondly, states must embed consistency in technology. As such, states should adopt digital reporting templates that automatically apply these classifications and allow for open-data exports (Comma Separated Values, Excel, API).

This will make data machine-readable, comparable, and accessible for citizens, researchers, and development partners.

Finally, States must aim to build technical and analytical capacity. As a capacity and skill enhancement issue, state Budget and Planning officers need continuous training to understand and apply the NCoA as a management tool, not just a compliance checklist. Whether this is in the form of capacity building or routine training, the skills of Budget officers require constant and consistent training.

Reform incentives also matter. As the State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme demonstrated, performance-based rewards drive transparency compliance. A Budget Data Quality Index could extend that kind of thinking, ranking states not just on whether they publish BIRs, but on how complete, timely, and structured those reports are. The gains and benefits would be visible for all interested stakeholders.

Conclusion

Nigeria’s States have come a long way from the era of opaque budget documents and hidden spending patterns. This is obviously due to the concerted efforts of activists, the media, donor organisations, committed Civil Servants and political appointees.

The culmination of actions and pressures has shown that fiscal transparency is achievable and that when states lead, governance improves.

The next step is to lock in that progress by ensuring that all states speak the same fiscal language with precision and consistency. This is vital because reforms are fragile things and can be rolled back with surprising ease.

We must note that transparency starts with access, but it matures through accuracy and improved reporting. It is critical that the competencies and efforts be redoubled to a new stage of subnational reporting.

This will open up new vistas for analysis, conversation and engagement with the government. The time for the new phase is now and in this new phase of Nigeria’s fiscal reform journey, consistency is not just a technical goal, it is the grammar, syntax and style of accountability.

Sule Lamido, former Jigawa State governor, has threatened legal action against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if he is denied the opportunity to contest for the position of National Chairman of the party.

This comes as the PDP announced the postponement of the screening of aspirants for various positions, earlier scheduled to begin on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.

Umaru Fintiri, the chairman of the National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) and Governor of Adamawa State, attributed the postponement to what he described as ‘unforeseen circumstances.’

Responding to questions about his next line of action should he be unable to obtain the nomination form, Lamido said: ‘If I don’t get the form, I’ll go to court. Simple.’

His threat comes at a time when the party has already concluded the sale of forms for elective positions ahead of its November 15-16 convention. The PDP, however, fixed Monday, October 27, as the deadline for the submission of completed forms for all elective offices.

When reminded that the party had earlier released a timetable indicating that the sale of forms ended on September 3, Lamido said he was unaware of such an expiration.

‘No, it has been extended – the extension of the date. In any case, all decisions of the party must be done by the NEC. Any change of date or time must be approved by the NEC. But somehow, I think the entire function of the NEC has been taken over by individuals. We’ll find out how it’s going to work out.’

Lamido, however, expressed optimism that the issue would be resolved amicably.

‘You know, it’s a family thing. We’ll never fight, no matter what, because we want to win the election. If we fight, we’ll lose. Our opponents are outside – the APC and their evil system. If you don’t have an organised house with a united front, how do you fight it out? So, please bear with us. Yes, it’s a family problem.’

He criticised what he described as underhand tactics within the party, saying: ‘We have a procedure in our system of doing things. Why the rush? Why this kind of ‘cunny-cunny’ thing? It’s a family matter, for God’s sake. I can only contest if I buy the form, but the form, which should be sold by the NOS, is locked up.’

Narrating his failed attempt to obtain the form on Monday, Lamido said: ‘I went to the Secretary of the Party, and they said they had no idea where the forms were being sold. I was told they are now under the control of the Governor of Adamawa. So, for me to buy the form, I have to go to Adamawa?’

He continued: ‘By the party’s constitution, the sale of forms for conventions normally takes place at the party headquarters. I came here to purchase mine. I went to the office of the National Organising Secretary, which is normally where the forms are sold, but the office was locked. I think it was officially locked because of his position.

‘I met him with the Secretary of the Party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu. I told them I was there to buy the form. Both of them said they had no idea where the forms were – not even how they were printed or the kind of forms they are. I found it strange that the custodian of the process, the National Organising Secretary, was also locked out.’

When reminded that the party’s 102nd NEC had mandated the NCOC to take over organisational activities and operate from the Legacy House in Maitama, Lamido said he was unaware of the development.

‘I am not aware of this announcement. It’s a family affair – there is no controversy, no division, no hassle. If you don’t get organised, how will you run a political party? I should know where the forms are sold; that’s why I came to Wadata Plaza.

‘If they are being sold somewhere else, then I’ll find out. Fintiri is now holding the forms, so I’ll have to go to Adamawa to buy one.’

Lamido also faulted the decision by some northern governors and stakeholders to adopt a consensus approach, saying there had been no proper consultations.

‘Consensus? If there are consultations, there can be consensus. But if there are no consultations, then we are not united. The zone I came from never met. We were supposed to meet on Wednesday – the Governor of Zamfara even booked a hall at the Hilton for our meeting – but they fixed another meeting for Tuesday to pre-empt ours. So, we never met as a zone. That’s the problem.’

He added: ‘PDP is a family of wonderful Nigerians committed to democracy. They all met me in the PDP. Where were they in 1998 when we fought for the party? So, let’s not bring divisive issues. The PDP must run according to its constitution and procedures if we hope to win elections and save Nigeria from the APC.’

Meanwhile, the party confirmed the postponement of all screening activities.

‘The National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) has put on hold the screening of aspirants for the 2025 Elective National Convention, earlier scheduled for Tuesday, October 28, 2025, due to unforeseen circumstances. A new date will be communicated once fixed,’ the statement said.

The committee expressed regret for any inconvenience caused, adding: ‘All aspirants and members of our party should note the foregoing and be guided accordingly. The NCOC remains committed to delivering a credible, hitch-free 2025 Elective National Convention, scheduled for Saturday, November 15 to Sunday, November 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.’

Margaret Obi, the Honourable Ms Justice Obi, has become the first African-born person appointed as a High Court Judge in England and Wales. Her elevation marks a milestone in a judicial system that has long faced calls for greater diversity.

She took up her appointment in the King’s Bench Division from October 3 2025, bringing 27 years of legal practice and seven years of judicial experience to one of the most senior courts in the United Kingdom.

Her path to the high bench has been defined by hard work, social commitment and a deep regard for justice. Born and raised in North London to Nigerian parents who arrived in Britain as international students in the 1960s, she attended local state schools before studying law at university. Her parents originally planned to return to Nigeria, but the outbreak of the Biafran war in 1967 persuaded them to remain in the United Kingdom, where they eventually settled and built a life. Obi often describes this family history as a quiet foundation of her public service values.

Her early legal journey was far from smooth. As a young graduate, she sent hundreds of applications for work experience without success. A chance opportunity in the accounts department of a law firm changed everything. It led to work in Crown Courts across London and the South East, then a training contract, and qualification as a solicitor in 1998. She became a partner just four years later.

Criminal defence shaped her early career and her principles. She has spoken passionately about the lawyers who inspired her, praising their belief that everyone, no matter their background or accusation, is entitled to a fair trial. That dedication to fairness has remained constant even as her work expanded into public international law and some of the most complex matters of human rights and war crimes.

Her portfolio career since 2014 has included advisory work for defence teams and international organisations, and several prominent regulatory roles. She has been Deputy Chair of the Financial Conduct Authority decisions committee, the first Service Police Complaints Commissioner, and a House of Lords standards commissioner. In 202,3, she served as an Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of the British Indian Ocean Territory and issued a notable ruling on asylum seekers in Diego Garcia that attracted national attention.

Within the judiciary, she has risen through key appointments as a Deputy High Court Judge, a Deputy Upper Tribunal Judge, and Chair of the Competition Appeal Tribunal. She is now one of only a handful of High Court judges who previously practised as solicitors. That background, she says, gives her a grounded perspective.

‘First, I am a solicitor judge which is relatively uncommon especially on the High Court bench,’ Obi once remarked.

‘What may appear to be worthless experience will turn out to be unbelievably valuable so take the opportunities that come your way. Hard work, determination and resilience will pay off but to be successful in your chosen career path you also need allies, mentors and sponsors as well as a little bit of luck.’

Warm congratulations have poured in from across the legal community. Oba Nsugbe, KC, head of Pump Court Chambers, described her as ‘naturally low key and entirely grounded; never once forgetting her Nigerian roots.’

Richard Atkinson, the outgoing president of the Law Society, praised her elevation as ‘a significant step towards a more inclusive judiciary’ at a time when Black judges make up just 1 per cent of the bench in England and Wales.

This appointment fills a vacancy created by recent elevations and confirmed retirements. It also delivers a profound message of possibility. Her story begins with immigrants who stayed out of necessity, a young woman told no again and again, and a lawyer driven by fairness. It now stands in one of the most respected courts in the country.

Obi arrives not only as a pioneering judge but also as an example to future generations of lawyers who can now see their own journeys reflected more clearly in the system they serve.

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has destroyed expired and substandard consumables valued at about N25 million in Kaduna State as part of efforts to protect public health and uphold product quality standards.

The items, which included 230 bags of expired sugar, soft drinks, milk, tomato paste, and insecticides, were destroyed at a designated site outside the state capital on Friday.

Speaking during the exercise, Adamu Ahmed, SON’s deputy director for the North-West Region, said the products failed to meet the agency’s quality and safety benchmarks.

‘We are here to destroy substandard products that did not comply with required standards. This is to ensure consumers do not unknowingly use items that could endanger their health,’ Ahmed said.

He explained that all 230 bags of sugar had expired and failed laboratory conformity tests, rendering them unsafe for consumption. Ahmed noted that the destruction exercise aligns with SON’s mandate to safeguard lives through standardisation and quality assurance.

‘This sends a strong message to manufacturers, importers, and distributors that SON will not compromise on quality. Substandard products pose clear danger to consumers,’ he added.

Ahmed said the confiscation followed SON’s rigorous conformity assessment process, which identified the products as health risks. He added that such enforcement actions were designed to build consumer confidence and ensure only quality goods reach Nigerian markets.

The SON official commended compliant manufacturers and importers while urging others to align with national standards. He also acknowledged the collaboration of agencies including the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Kaduna Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA), and the Kaduna State Government.

‘This destruction serves as a warning to those dealing in substandard goods. We will not relent in enforcing quality compliance,’ Ahmed said.

Also speaking, Hena Dangari, NESREA’s State Coordinator, praised SON for its consistency in safeguarding consumers from unsafe products, describing the exercise as evidence of effective inter-agency cooperation.

‘We are glad to witness this disposal of seized substandard items. It shows SON’s dedication to consumer protection,’ he said.

Dangari advised Nigerians to report suspicious products to regulatory agencies, stressing that public vigilance was key to reducing health and environmental risks. He also cautioned against the use of single-use plastics, noting that NESREA is working with other agencies to enforce the national ban on such materials in public and private institutions.

In his remarks, Yahya Victor, general manager of KEPA, represented by Thelma Peters, director of Pollution Control and Laboratory Services, commended SON for its collaboration with state agencies.

‘We share a common goal of protecting public health and promoting environmental sustainability, and KEPA will continue to support SON’s efforts,’ he said.