Category: Business Day

Zenith Bank Plc has reinforced its strong financial standing with a N51.3 billion interim dividend payout for the first half of 2025, equating to N1.25 per share, a 60% surge from the N31.4 billion distributed in H1 2024.

Announced on October 10, 2025, this substantial increase underscores the bank’s resilience and ability to deliver shareholder value even as the foreign exchange revaluation gains that buoyed bumper bank earnings fade.

The payout follows Zenith Bank’s audited H1 2025 financial results, released to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) in September, which revealed a 20% year-on-year rise in gross earnings to N2.5 trillion from N2.1 trillion. Interest income, a key driver, soared 60% to N1.8 trillion from N1.1 trillion, fueled by strategic repricing of risk assets and adept treasury management.

Total assets grew to N31 trillion by June 2025, up from N30 trillion in December 2024, while customer deposits increased 7% to N23 trillion, reflecting sustained confidence in the bank. Adaora Umeoji, the group managing director/CEO, emphasised the bank’s robust trajectory: ‘This significant dividend reflects our strong H1 performance and commitment to shareholders. We are confident in surpassing expectations for the full year, driven by our strategic focus and financial discipline.’ The Bank’s track record of excellent performance has continued to earn the brand numerous awards, including being recognised as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for the sixteenth consecutive year in the 2025 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking, published by The Banker and ‘Nigeria’s Best Bank’ at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025.

The Bank was also awarded Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards for 2020, 2022 and 2024; Best Bank in Nigeria from 2020 to 2022, 2024 and 2025, in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards; Best Bank for Digital Solutions in Nigeria in the Euromoney Awards 2023; and was listed in the World Finance Top 100 Global Companies in 2023.

Further recognitions include Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria for five consecutive years from 2021 to 2025 in the World Finance Banking Awards and Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria in the International Banker 2023 and 2024 Banking Awards. Additionally, Zenith Bank has been acknowledged as the Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria, in the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards for four consecutive years from 2022 to 2025 and ‘Best in Corporate Governance’ Financial Services’ Africa for four consecutive years from 2020 to 2023 by the Ethical Boardroom.

The Bank’s commitment to excellence saw it being named the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria in The Banker’s Top 500 Banking Brands for 2020 and 2021, Bank of the Year 2023 to 2025 at the BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, and Retail Bank of the Year for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022 and 2024 to 2025 at the BAFI Awards. The Bank also received the accolades of Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria and Best Innovation in Retail Banking, Nigeria, in the International Banker 2022 Banking Awards.

Zenith Bank was also named Most Responsible Organisation in Africa, Best Company in Transparency and Reporting and Best Company in Gender Equality and Women Empowerment at the SERAS CSR Awards Africa 2024; Bank of the Year 2024 by ThisDay Newspaper; Bank of the Year 2024 by New Telegraph Newspaper; and Best in MSME Trade Finance, 2023 by Nairametrics. The Bank’s Hybrid Offer was also adjudged ‘Rights Issue/ Public Offer of the Year’ at the Nairametrics Capital Market Choice Awards 2025.

The bank’s strong fundamentals, strategic asset management, and growing customer trust position it for continued growth, reinforcing its status as a leading financial institution in Nigeria.

Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, UN Tourism, has commended the Lagos State Government for positioning the city among the world’s elite destinations to host the E1 Series, the world’s first electric powerboat championship.

The landmark event, which was held from October 3-5, 2025, at the Black Diamond Hotel on Victoria Island, brought together E1 sports teams, business leaders, state officials, and global sporting icons for a thrilling weekend that marked the series’ debut on African waters.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Pololikashvili expressed pride in Africa’s growing presence on the global sports stage. ‘I am beyond proud to see Lagos and Nigeria host this historic event. From its announcement in Monaco earlier this year to witnessing it come to life here in Lagos is truly remarkable,’ he said.

He joined Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State and Didier Drogba, a sporting legend, at the event, praising the city’s strategic step in using sport as a vehicle to promote tourism and innovation.

‘This is a major milestone for Lagos and for Africa; a step forward in advancing marine innovation and unlocking tourism opportunities through global sport,’ he added.

Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, echoed Pololikashvili’s sentiment, underscoring the event’s role in elevating the nation’s profile on the global tourism map.

‘We have witnessed history unfold here in Lagos. The E1 Electric Powerboat Race not only marks Africa’s debut on this remarkable platform but also signals Nigeria’s readiness to lead in sustainable tourism, innovation, and the blue economy. Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we are demonstrating how sport can ignite global attention, investment, and pride in our creative and tourism sectors,’ she said.

The UN Tourism chief also paid tribute to Alejandro Agag, founder and chairman of the E1 Series, for his vision and commitment to Africa. He highlighted Agag’s understanding of how sport and tourism can work hand in hand to create economic opportunities and inspire sustainable growth.

Earlier this year, UN Tourism signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the E1 Series in Monaco, recognised as a global hub for sustainable marine mobility. The partnership underscores their shared commitment to promoting clean marine transport technologies and fostering sustainable sports tourism development worldwide.

When Oyin Olugbile’s debut novel Sanya won the 2025 Nigeria Prize for Literature – Africa’s most prestigious literary award – she summed up the moment with quiet power:

‘This prize declares that our stories are not footnotes; they are the main text.’

Her £100,000 victory was both unexpected and historic. Sanya had entered the shortlist as the least-known contender – a debut novel priced at ?10,000, well below the ?15,000 and ?17,000 tags on Chigozie Obioma’s The Road to the Country and Nikki May’s This Motherless Land. The other two finalists were already acclaimed writers with international profiles and prize pedigrees.

Yet, on Friday, 10 October 2025, the judging panel, with the approval of the Advisory Board, crowned Oyin Olugbile as Nigeria’s outstanding writer of the year, praising her meticulous research, bold reimagining of gendered history, and her imaginative world-building.

The Judges’ Verdict

The Advisory Board for the Prize, chaired by Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, cited Sanya for its exceptional literary quality and emotional resonance.

Key strengths of the winning novel:

Masterful Craftsmanship: The board praised Sanya’s elegant plotting, nuanced characterisation, and command of language that ‘transports readers into imagined worlds.’

Emotional and Societal Depth: The novel was described as ‘compelling in its beauty, stirring in its emotional resonance, and unflinching in its engagement with familiar yet urgent societal issues.’

Skilful Conflict Resolution: Judges commended the writer’s deft handling of conflict and resolution as evidence of mature literary artistry.

A Field of Many Women

Oyin Olugbile becomes the sixth woman to win the Nigeria Prize for Literature, joining Kaine Agary (Yellow Yellow, 2004), Mabel Segun (Reader’s Theatre, 2007), Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo (My Cousin Sammy, 2007), Chika Unigwe (On Black Sisters’ Street, 2012), and Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia (Son of the House, 2021).

The 2025 edition of the prize was notably dominated by women: seven of the eleven longlisted writers were female, and two of the three shortlisted authors were women – a milestone moment for gender representation in African literature.

About the Novel – Sanya

Rooted in Nigerian cultural heritage, Sanya is a sweeping fantasy set in a mythical empire that even the Òrìsà – deities in Yoruba mythology – find enchanting.

Plot:

Sanya, the titular character, grows up feeling different, marked by mystery and prophecy. After a tragedy forces her to flee home, she discovers her extraordinary powers. She must confront a dark destiny that could make her either ‘the saviour of her people or the destroyer of their world.’

Themes:

The novel explores love, loss, rediscovery, destiny, and identity – weaving together personal struggle and collective mythology in a story that bridges the ancient and the modern.

The Author – Oyindamola Olugbile

Oyindamola Olugbile is a Nigerian author, storyteller, and social impact consultant. She earned a degree in Creative Arts from the University of Lagos and an MSc from King’s College London, as well as postgraduate certificates from Lagos Business School, Harvard Business School Online, and the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG).

Beyond writing, she is the Chief Curator of The Experience Factory, an education and youth development initiative.

Her literary roots run deep. She is married into a family of writers: her father-in-law, Dr. Femi Olugbile, a renowned psychiatrist and columnist, won the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Prize for Prose Fiction in 1986 for Lonely Men – the same year Nigeria celebrated Wole Soyinka’s Nobel Prize in Literature.

The Night of the Win

At the award gala at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, Oyin Olugbile arrived with her husband and daughter, gracefully dressed in compliance with the NLNG’s ‘classic white’ dress code. A tender highlight of the evening was her embrace with fellow finalist Nikki May.

In her acceptance speech, Olugbile spoke with poetic conviction and emotional depth:

‘This story is not just mine; it belongs to every African who has had to piece themselves together across borders, across generations, across silences. It belongs to the daughter who holds her mother’s sadness in her bones, and to the son who can say ‘I love you’ in his father’s language.

To those of us who live between the ancient and the modern, writing is not an escape; it is a return. It is not entertainment, it is reclamation. It is not merely a craft, but a calling.

This prize declares that our stories are not footnotes; they are the main text. It affirms that we are no longer waiting to be discovered; we have arrived.’

She expressed gratitude to her husband – ‘my mirror, my courage, my calm’ – and to her late father, Tunji Adesina, ‘who handed down these stories like seeds.’

Olugbile also thanked her publisher, Masobe Books, and co-finalists Chigozie Obioma and Nikki May, adding:

‘To the NLNG, thank you for recognising that African literature is not charity; it is legacy.’

She dedicated the award to ‘the African child who is still trying to find herself on the page. She is not lost; she is simply waiting. And may this be her sign to begin.’

About the Prize

The Nigeria Prize for Literature, established in 2004 by the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), rotates annually among four genres – fiction, poetry, drama, and children’s literature – and remains the continent’s most prestigious literary award.

The 2025 edition focused on fiction, and Olugbile’s triumph over globally celebrated writers marks a significant moment for debut authors in African literature.

In line with its promise, NLNG brought all shortlisted writers to Lagos, an initiative that generated significant excitement and renewed focus on the importance of Nigerian writing.

Nigerbev Limited, the producer of BEST spirits in Nigeria, has unveiled a new packaging for its flagship BEST portfolio.

The unveiling introduced redesigned packaging for all seven variants in the BEST family, BEST Cream, BEST Whisky, BEST London Dry Gin, BEST Vodka, BEST Inferno, BEST Whisky VIP, and BEST Chocolate Vodka, featuring new labels, caps, and cartons. While the iconic bottle shapes remain unchanged, the refreshed labels, caps, and cartons present a bold, modern, and premium visual identity meant to reignite consumer pride and enhance shelf appeal.

Speaking at the event, Obinna Ike, Managing Director, Nigerbev, said in a statement that ‘The unveiling of the new BEST packaging affirms our commitment to staying ahead of evolving consumer expectations while reinforcing our position as a trusted name in the Nigerian spirits market. This unveiling is about our consumers, as well as the start of a redefined approach to engaging our market as a company. We are laying the foundation for stronger connection and broader reach across the market and region.’

Speaking on the brand’s plans for broader African market penetration, David Salmon, Group Managing Director, Westside Distillers and Vintners (the parent company of Nigerbev), said ‘BEST has been a strong and trusted brand in West Africa for many years, with its origin being South Africa.

‘What we are presently doing in Nigeria is setting the tone for how we intend to show up in new markets. As we expand our footprint beyond Nigeria, our long-term ambition is to scale the BEST brand across West and Central Africa with precision.’

The event gathered distributors, wholesalers, influencers, and brand team for an immersive brand experience that spotlighted the story behind the refresh, the design journey, and the brand’s evolution.

Speaking on the timing of the refresh, Akeem Audu, Marketing Manager at Nigerbev Limited, emphasized the brand’s commitment to listening to its audience:

‘For over fifteen years, the BEST portfolio carried a look that many Nigerians came to know and trust. But as times change, so do consumer expectations, and we believe brands must evolve with them. With a contemporary visual identity, we are ensuring that the BEST brand stays culturally relevant and continues to connect with consumers without losing sight of those who have been with us from the beginning.’

Yinka Adebayo, the chairman of The Peak Performer Festival (TPP Fest) 2025, says women on the continent hold the key to Africa’s global competitiveness, if harnessed properly.

‘Africa’s competitiveness in the global marketplace depends on how effectively we harness the intelligence, creativity, and resilience of our women,’ Adebayo said in a statement ahead of the TPP Fest 2025, scheduled for November 17 in Lagos.

According to him, women are strategically important in the economic evolution of Africa. ‘The women in leadership dinner provide a vital platform to connect corporate, civic, and creative powerhouses who are shaping the continent’s next phase of inclusive growth.’

The dinner, which will be held during TPP Fest 2025, will convene women leaders across Africa to redefine the intersection of power, creativity, and purpose-driven leadership.

Themed, ‘No More Shrinking – How Women Can Unleash Untapped Creativity and Market Growth with 21st-Century Intelligence.’

Headlining the dinner would be Olubukola Abdulrazaq, the first lady of Kwara State; Hadiza Bala Usman, former MD of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and Olatowun Candide-Johnson, a corporate leader.

‘No more shrinking is not just a slogan; it is a rallying cry for women who are ready to rise beyond fear, reclaim their power, and lead intelligently,’ Abiola Salami, convener, TPP Fest and founder, The Peak Performer Africa, stated.

Salami expressed his optimism that when women lead boldly, creativity expands, markets grow, and nations move forward; added that each of the headliner brings a distinct dimension of feminine excellence to the conversation.

‘Together, they represent the powerful blend of strategy, creativity, governance, and global influence that defines the next era of African female leadership,’ Salami stated.

The dinner will also unveil insights from Salami’s forthcoming book, ‘No More Shrinking: A Powerful Story for Women Who Are Done Playing Small.’ According to him, the women in leadership dinner was designed as a high-impact experience that blends storytelling, strategy, and sisterhood.

It is part of the larger TPP Fest 2025, a two-day festival celebrating peak performance, leadership excellence, and innovation across Africa.

The festival’s four flagship events include The CEO Forum – Taming the Invisible Toll of Leadership Expectations (TITLE); The Women in Leadership Dinner – No More Shrinking; The Emerging Leaders’ Summit – Grow, Rise, Innovate, Thrive (GRIT), and The Peak Performer awards gala, which recognizes Africa’s exemplary leaders across sectors.

Across Nigeria, the construction industry is facing a profound crisis of credibility. From collapsing buildings to poorly executed infrastructure, from unregulated artisanal practices to a dearth of technical competence, the sector reflects decades of neglect, under-skilling, and absence of standardised professional culture.

Construction sites across our cities are increasingly dominated by quackery and untrained hands, while our educational system still struggles to deliver the kind of practical, technology-driven training that modern construction demands.

It is against this backdrop that the British Council-funded project, ‘Leveraging Digital Technologies to Drive Sustainability, Inclusiveness, and Employability in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for Construction Education (DT4TVET)’ becomes a timely and transformative intervention.

The one-year collaboration between the University of Uyo (Nigeria) and Edinburgh Napier University (UK) marks a bold step toward redefining the future of construction education in Nigeria.

Led by Dr. Dubem Ikediashi (UK Principal Investigator)-a former colleague in the Department of Building, University of Uyo-and myself as the Nigerian Principal Investigator, this project is not just about technology; it is about rebuilding trust, standards, and professionalism in the construction industry.

At the heart of sustainable national development lies Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)-the backbone of skill formation, ethical professionalism, and technical innovation.

TVET provides the practical competencies needed to construct, maintain, and manage the physical infrastructure that defines national growth.

Unfortunately, in Nigeria, TVET has long been underappreciated, often viewed as inferior to ‘academic’ pathways.

This perception has starved the construction sector of well-trained artisans, technicians, and technologists.

The result? An industry saturated with poor workmanship, unqualified contractors, and recurrent structural failures.

To reverse this, consistent awareness must begin early-from elementary and secondary school levels-to promote the dignity of skill, the power of applied learning, and the importance of technical expertise in nation-building.

The DT4TVET project recognises that the future of construction is digital. Across the world, the sector is being reshaped by Artificial Intelligence (AI), Building Information Modelling (BIM), robotics, blockchain, and data science.

Yet, in much of Africa, construction education still relies on outdated lecture-based teaching and minimal exposure to digital tools.

This digital divide has created a dangerous gap between what graduates learn and what the industry actually demands.

Recent studies highlight that modern construction professionals require not only technical proficiency but also digital literacy, sustainability awareness, adaptability, communication, leadership, and critical thinking.

Through this project, we are working to close that gap-to modernize Nigeria’s construction education ecosystem and make it globally competitive.

A major strength of the DT4TVET initiative is its emphasis on multi-sectoral collaboration. Sustainable construction cannot be achieved in isolation; it requires coordination among planners, environmental scientists, engineers, builders, architects, policymakers, regulators, and legal experts.

The project therefore promotes dialogue and cooperation among these key stakeholders, ensuring that knowledge transfer, ethical practice, and digital competencies become integral to every level of the construction process.

It is a call for a new kind of professionalism-one that is technologically empowered, ethically grounded, and globally relevant.

At the University of Uyo, we are proud to play a central role in this transformative project. The initiative has benefited immensely from the support of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, whose vision for academic innovation and internationalization continues to inspire excellence.

We are equally grateful to the Head of Geography and Natural Resources Management, Professor Uwem Ituen, for providing access to the GIS facilities that are central to the University’s digital infrastructure. The integration of Geographic Information

Systems (GIS) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) offers an exciting opportunity to merge spatial analysis with structural design-creating a new paradigm for construction intelligence and urban planning.

Indeed, GIS and BIM are natural allies in developing digital elevation models and smart infrastructure systems, which will form an important frontier in our ongoing collaboration.

The DT4TVET project features several interconnected components designed to build lasting capacity. These include train-the-trainer workshops at both Edinburgh Napier University and the University of Uyo, exchange visits, and field-based activities.

The next milestone will be the University of Uyo Train-the-Trainer Workshop, scheduled for October 14-17, 2025, at the GIS Laboratory housed in the Centre for Computational Intelligence Building, Town Campus, University of Uyo. This workshop aims to equip Nigerian trainers and instructors with digital, pedagogical, and sustainability-oriented skills that can be cascaded through our TVET and higher education systems.

This project would not have been possible without the generous funding of the British Council under its Going Global Partnerships framework, and the steadfast support of our collaborators at Edinburgh Napier University.

Special appreciation goes to my colleague and friend, Dr. Dubem Ikediashi, the UK Principal Investigator, for his tireless facilitation of the partnership. I also commend our dedicated Nigerian project team members – Professors Anthony Ujene and Akaniyene Umoh; Dr. Jenny Ntamark; Dr. Chicheta Nissi; Builder Joy Solomon Umoh; and Dr. Christopher Belonwu – for their professionalism and commitment to excellence.

The DT4TVET project is not merely a research initiative-it is a movement for transformation. It signals a new era in which Nigeria’s construction industry will be driven by skills, sustainability, and digital intelligence rather than improvisation and quackery.

If sustained, this collaboration between the University of Uyo and Edinburgh Napier University will not only raise the quality of construction education in Nigeria but also redefine the nation’s image in the global built environment community.

In a time when buildings collapse almost daily, the message is clear: we cannot continue to build ignorance into our infrastructure.

The future of construction in Nigeria depends on how effectively we embrace digital technologies, strengthen TVET systems, and invest in the ethical and professional training of those who build our world.

Christian minority groups in Northern Nigeria have for years spoken of being marginalised in the political equation of the Nigerian state.

That cry of marginalisation gained global attention in the recent past when Ted Cruz, a US congressman raised an allegation of Christian genocide happening in Nigeria,

Cruz had on September 8 officially introduced the bill known as the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 in the US Senate. The bill is a concrete legislative action to address the alleged persecution of Christians in the northern part of Nigeria.

However, on Tuesday October 7 he made public statements, including a post on X (formerly Twitter) blaming Nigerian officials for the ‘mass murder’ of Christians and vowing to hold them accountable.

A day after Cruz alleged public call for accountability, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) through its president, Daniel Okoh, issued a statement clarifying the Association’s position on the matter.

CAN through a statement on Wednesday October 8, brought to public knowledge some of its earlier actions in addressing the situation.

‘The Association has established mechanisms for recording incidents of religiously motivated killings, engaged with international partners, written to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, and hosted global Christian organisations such as the World Evangelical Alliance and the Lausanne Movement.

‘These sustained efforts demonstrate CAN’s consistent advocacy for justice, peace, and the protection of Christian communities under threat,’ it stated, indicating that many Christian communities in some parts of Nigeria, especially in the North, have suffered severe attacks, loss of lives, and the destruction of places of worship.

According to CAN, these realities are painful reminders of the urgent need for the government and security agencies to act decisively in protecting every citizen, regardless of their region. The Christian umbrella body added that the pain of Christian families torn apart by violence must never be treated as mere statistics.

‘It is equally imperative that perpetrators of violence are brought swiftly and transparently to justice. We also appeal to all Christian leaders to continue to speak and act with wisdom, unity, and faith, knowing that peace is too fragile to be taken for granted,’ CAN stated.

According to CAN, Nigeria’s healing will not come from denial or blame, but from courage. ‘The courage to face our collective failures, to grieve together, and to rebuild trust within our communities. Only then can our nation rise from its wounds and embrace a future of genuine peace.’

While CAN statement cannot be said to be a direct acceptance of Ted Cruz’ allegation of ‘Christian genocide’ in Nigeria; the statement is however loaded with unspoken words that brings to reckoning what available data on killings say about Nigeria.

For years, international observers and advocacy groups have referenced the scale and targeting of these attacks as evidence of an attempt at ‘Christian Genocide,’ a term that the CAN statement sought to clarify as persecution experienced in the north.

While conflicts in the region are historically complex-often revolving around land, water scarcity, and political marginalisation between predominantly Muslim nomadic pastoralists and Christian farmers-the consistency of the attacks on Christian settlements and clergy lends credence to the notion of systematic ethno-religious targeting.

The problem of operational failure

The frustration expressed by CAN stems from a widespread belief that the government possesses adequate information but lacks the will or capability to act decisively. This point has been consistently validated by independent security analysts.

‘The tragedy we consistently document is the failure to translate specific, actionable warnings-which our data shows precedes the majority of major attacks-into decisive, timely interventions. The issue is less ‘intelligence failure’ and more operational failure rooted in accountability gaps,’ Kehinde Giwa, an analyst at SBM Intelligence, whose firm tracks conflict dynamics and security incidents across Nigeria, highlighting where the real failure lies.

According to Giwa, the tragedy is not that the state is blind, but that it is often paralyzed, allowing for what SBM Intelligence often calls a ‘Cycle of Carnage’ to repeat across vulnerable zones.

Targeting the clergy

This operational failure has had profound consequences on the Christian leadership itself. SBM Intelligence data confirms that Christian clergy are specifically targeted for kidnapping and extortion, disrupting the very fabric of community life and leadership.

According to data by SBM Intelligence, 21 Catholic priests were abducted in Nigeria between July 2022 and June 2023. Similarly, official data from the Catholic Church also indicated that about 145 priests were kidnapped over the last 10 years.

According to SBM data released in late 2023, the trend of kidnapped priests in Nigeria has been alarming, with dozens of Catholic priests and other clergy members abducted annually across different states, including those in the Middle Belt, over the past few years.

The targeting of these religious figures serves a dual purpose for criminal elements: they represent a high-value target (due to the assumed ability of the Church to pay ransom) and their removal creates a vacuum of moral and social authority in rural, besieged communities.

This strategy according to the report effectively hollows out local resilience, forcing displaced populations to remain in internal displacement camps.

However, Giwa is of the view that CAN’s concluding plea in the statement ‘courage to face our collective failures’-thus serves as both a moral appeal and a strategic warning. According to him, the CAN statement makes it clear that until the government moves beyond political denial and addresses the operational failures and accountability gaps that SBM Intelligence and others point to, the violence will continue to erode not only the faith and safety of its citizens but the very foundations of the Nigerian economy.

Olayemi Cardoso, the Governor of the Central Bank, will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Annual Meeting in Washington DC, which opens on Monday, October 13.

Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Sunday, said Cardoso, as the alternate Governor, replaces the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, who is indisposed.

The Nigerian team will also comprise the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anete.

According to the World Bank, key elements of the Annual Meetings include the Development Committee Plenary session on October 16 and the International Monetary and Financial Committee meetings on October 17. ‘Other featured events include regional briefings, press conferences, and fora focused on international development, the global economy, and financial markets’ the statement said.

Nigeria’s challenges in access, completion and quality of secondary school education has necessitated the need for stakeholders to help in bridging the widening gap between the government and society, John Momoh, chief executive officer of Channels Media Group and Trustee of BAOSA, has said.

Momoh said that rebuilding confidence in Nigeria’s secondary education requires a genuine social compact between government, educators, parents, alumni, and the private sector.

Speaking on the topic ‘Bridging the Gap – Restoring Trust Between Schools, Government and Society at the BAOSA 170th Anniversary lecture, Baptist Academy in Lagos, Momoh said that tackling these challenges will be possible when all stakeholders work in concert to reclaim the purpose and prestige of learning.

According to him, Nigeria need to restore the dignity of the teaching profession, as no reform will succeed if teachers remain undervalued and underpaid.

‘We cannot continue to demand excellence from classrooms where morale is broken and salaries are uncertain. We need deliberate investment in teacher training, incentives for rural service, and continuous professional development that rewards merit and integrity,’ he said.

Momoh said that there is a need to hold institutions accountable, not with hostility, but with patriotic engagement, adding that Alumni networks like BAOSA can play a bridging role, working with Ministries of Education, SUBEBs, and local school boards to track performance, mentor students, and monitor outcomes.

‘We must remember that education is the truest form of nation-building. Every classroom rebuilt, every teacher trained, every student mentored is an act of national renewal. Our nation’s moral compass and future prosperity depend on the kind of citizens our schools produce’.

He further said that as Baptist Academy celebrates 170 years, both old and future students need to know that the founders of the school built it on faith, discipline, and excellence – not because resources were abundant, but because conviction was strong.

‘Today, our calling is to rekindle that same conviction to make our schools once again temples of learning, truth, and transformation,’ he added.

Olumide Ajomale, president of Baptist Academy Old Students Association (BAOSA), earlier in his welcome address, said that the event presented an opportunity for the old students to stand together in gratitude, reflection and renewed commitment as they celebrate an institution whose light has shone brightly since October 24, 1855.

He said that as the institution marks its 170 years of truth and excellence, there is a need for old students to renew their collective resolve to uphold the ideals upon which the institution was founded.

On his part, Kesington Adebutu, chairman of the Board of Trustees of BAOSA, said that the transformative power of education that old students received from Baptist Academy not only moulded their character, sharpened their intellect, but it also prepared them for leadership in their various professions, communities and the nation.

Adebutu, who announced a 50 million naira donation as part of the old students’ move to kick start the physical and technological infrastructures development of their Alma mater.

According to him, the funds are about giving the students of today and tomorrow the tools, the environment, and the confidence to excel in the competitive world.

‘I call on every post-student, across generations, across professions, and across the world, to contribute financially, morally, and your professional expertise to this new initiative,’ he added.

The call for state police has continued in Nigeria following the security challenges bedeviling the country. Although the Federal Government seems to have favoured the arrangement as the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s body language shows a man that is supportive of state police, indications are that such an arrangement might not work out, at least, not in this first tenure.

It was gathered that part of the reasons it is not saleable now is the level of political brigandage which is feared may worsen with state police. At the moment many Nigerians feared it could be misused by political actors.

The fear also emanated from the fact that many states are not paying the Minimum Wage, and the question of how they would carry the weight of funding effective police has also become pertinent. The fear is that they could also turn it into an instrument of oppression against political foes.

Following the increasing rate of insecurity across the country – especially with the number of ungoverned places, President Tinubu had pushed the agenda of state police as a suitable solution to curb the menace of insecurity.

‘I am reviewing all the aspects of security; I have to create state police. We are looking at that holistically,’ Tinubu said while hosting a delegation of Katsina indigenes led by the governor, Dikko Radda, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja during a recent courtesy visit.

Tinubu recalled that in February 2024, the federal government inaugurated a committee to develop a framework for state policing.

The initiative has received wide support, although as of March, 20 states had yet to submit their reports, according to Vice-President Kashim Shettima.

Just last week, he convened a high-level strategic meeting with the council of state and police council, which underscores the President’s commitment to addressing pressing national issues and ensuring the safety and security of citizens.

Two weeks before the president’s strategic meeting with the Council of State and Police Council, the House of Representatives held a public hearing on the creation of state police, aligning the proposal with public interest that has generated discourse amid rising insecurity across the country.

Over the years, former and current Nigerian leaders, security experts and civil society groups, have argued that decentralising policing would enhance community safety and response to local security threats.

‘The creation of outfits like Amotekun and Ebube Agu shows there’s political will at subnational levels, but institutional capacity and professional standards remain uneven,’ said Ikemesit Effiong, a Lagos-based lawyer and partner at SBM Intelligence.

According to him, decentralising the policie system will test whether states can build competent, rights-respecting security institutions.

He added that the campaign for state policing looks politically strong at the federal level and among governors.

However, achieving the two-thirds of National Assembly votes already seems plausible. ‘Getting guaranteed ratification by 24 state assemblies is only moderately likely, not certain,’ Effiong said.

But the political will to push through a constitutional amendment for a decentralized police system have been hampered by the state governors, many of whom states are suffering from the menace of insecurity being carried out by non-state actors.

For instance, earlier this year, President Tinubu called for proposal on the modalities of state police – only about 12 states responded to the call by drafting their own proposals for a decentralised police system.

‘It can work if the governors want it to work. If LASTMA, Trace and Operation So Safe can work and serve the purpose of their creations, why won’t the State Police work?

‘In making it effective, the community should be carried along which will entrench the creation of community post and community policing,’ said Badru Saleh, a Lagos-based public commentator and doctoral student.

According to him, the governors hold the key to making ‘state police’ implementable. Saleh added that the officers that will be recruited into the scheme are Nigerians, who at one point or the other have also complained about the state of insecurity in the country.

Tope Ilesanmi, a Lagos-based cleric, told BusinessDay that many Nigerians are opposed to the creation of state police because of the excesses of the state governors, who they fear might personalise the scheme if created.

He however, added that the positives of state police far outweigh the fear being expressed in many quarters. ‘But then, the damage that they will cause will not be as much as the good.’

Ilesanmi also added that Nigeria is currently under-policed, hence, the call for the government to do more in strengthening the current system to cater to the security needs of Nigerians. According to him, the United Nations (UN) benchmark for policing is one police to 450 people.

‘200m divide by 450 = 444k. In other words, Nigeria Police Force ought to have staff strength of 444,000. I am not sure we have up to 100, 000,’ said Ilesanmi, indicating that the Federal Government is not even recruiting as many as they should.

Chukwudinma Okoji, communication expert, told BusinessDay that the lingering insecurity across the six geo-political zone of the country makes state police a matter of concern.

According to him, checkmating the excesses of state actors would be essential in making state policing effective.

‘A political office holder parades his or herself with several security personnel when attending functions leaving every citizen vulnerable simply because of the privilege given to serve the masses and further turns it to his/her own selfish interest wearing the garment of dictatorship. We must not forget that he who pays the piper dictates the tune. ‘

Okoji said that decentralising the policing system is never a bad idea if properly implemented. According to him, trust is no longer sacred in the country; the helm of affairs must first serve a corrupt free nation before the states can be seen as a well sanitised entity to welcome such initiative. ‘The state policing is never a bad idea, but the truth is the nation is not ripe for such developmental issues.’

A highly-placed government official recently expressed doubt over the possibility of having the state police in Nigeria in the Tinubu administration.

According to the official, ‘What you are calling for is a state of anarchy where state governors would be intimidating whoever they want to without allowing the rule of law take its proper place. It would mean that all those who perceived to be political foes of the governors in their states would not allow to visit their states by the state governors.’

He pointed to some instances in the states where there are always clashes between the supporters of the state governors and those of other politicians from the state residing in Abuja.

‘If for instance, today, such governors are in control of the police, the possibility is that there would always be blood shed with little or no provocation,’ he said.