Category: Business Day

CIG Motors Group has donated 10 vehicles worth over N300 million to the Lagos State Security Trust Fund to support the movement of personnel, logistics and field operations by security agencies across the state.

The company, Nigeria’s leading automobile conglomerate and exclusive distributor of GAC Motor, Wuling and JMC vehicles, said the fleet comprises four Wuling N111 vehicles, three Wuling XC250 vehicles and three JMC Vigus pickup trucks.

The JMC Vigus provides the strength and versatility required for demanding field assignments, while the Wuling N111 and XC250 provide practical mobility support for personnel and logistics.

Speaking at the handover ceremony held recently at CIG Motors International Headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos, Diana Chen, chairman and CEO, CIG Motors Group and GAC Motor Nigeria, described security as the foundation for investment, enterprise and sustainable development, noting that the donation of the vehicles to the Lagos State Security Trust Fund is in support of the men and women working every day to keep Lagos safe.

‘At CIG Motors, we believe that security is the first infrastructure of prosperity. Before businesses can grow, investments can flourish, and communities can prosper, people must feel safe in their homes, on the roads and in their places of work.

‘Lagos is Nigeria’s commercial capital and one of Africa’s most important economic centres. Protecting Lagos means protecting livelihoods, enterprise, opportunity and the economic future of our nation,’ Chen said.

She added that the donation is an investment in faster response, stronger security operations and greater confidence in the institutions responsible for protecting Lagos and its people.

‘Our investments in local vehicle assembly, public transportation, employment, mobility and security support reflect our commitment to the continued development of the state,’ Chen said.

The vehicles were presented by Chen and received by Ayodele Ogunsan, executive secretary and CEO of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund.

Also present at the ceremony were Adegbola Lewis, administrative director, Lagos State Security Trust Fund; Adaobi Nwankwo, executive assistant, Lagos State Security Trust Fund; Ifeanyi Abraham, director of PR and marketing, CIG Motors; Manyo Pan, general manager, operations, CIG Motors; and Chukwunonso Inoma, general manager, sales, CIG Motors.

According to the company, the donation underscored CIG Motors’ continued commitment to supporting initiatives that enhance public safety, strengthen security operations, and protect communities across Lagos State.

It also continues a long-standing tradition of security and humanitarian support by CIG Motors and the Chief Diana Chen Foundation.

‘Our previous interventions and today’s donation reflect our commitment to the security and prosperity of Lagos State. When Lagos is safer, businesses can grow, jobs are protected, and communities prosper.

‘Supporting security is an investment in the future of the state and everyone who lives or conducts business here,’ Chen said.

Ogunsan commended CIG Motors for supporting the state’s security architecture, saying, ‘The Lagos State Security Trust Fund mobilises resources to strengthen the operational capabilities of security agencies across the state.

‘These vehicles will enhance mobility, response capacity, logistics and field operations. This is not the Group’s first intervention, and that consistency distinguishes CIG Motors as a dependable private-sector partner,’ he said.

The company also stated that CIG Motors’ partnership with the Lagos State Government extends beyond security, noting that through investments in local automobile assembly and its partnership with the state on LAGRIDE, the Group has supported modern transportation, employment creation, driver empowerment and more efficient urban mobility.

CIG Motors reaffirmed its commitment to working with the Lagos State Government across security, transportation, local vehicle assembly, electric mobility, logistics, and other areas of economic development.

The Federal Government is targeting the establishment of 41 University Innovation Pods (UniPods) across tertiary institutions to commercialise research, create jobs and attract investment as part of efforts to transition Nigeria from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy.

Maruf Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, said the initiative was aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy by using education, technology, research and innovation to drive economic growth.

Speaking during a meeting with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and seven vice-chancellors on the sustainability of the UNDP Innovation Hubs in Abuja, Alausa said the success of the UniPods would be measured by the economic value and solutions generated rather than the buildings and equipment provided.

He said eight UniPods had either been commissioned or were ready for commissioning, with three already operational at the University of Lagos, Nasarawa State University and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.

Other specialised centres include the Blue Economy UniPod in Akwa Ibom, AgroTech at Benue State University, Resilience Tech in Borno State, GovTech at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Industrial Tech in Plateau State.

The minister said the Federal Ministry of Education, in partnership with UNDP and Tech4Dev, was working towards establishing about 41 UniPods over the coming years.

According to him, the government’s objective is to move university research beyond academic publications and into the marketplace, where innovations can generate businesses, investment and employment.

‘We must move beyond research conducted largely for academic promotion to a system where research is taken from the laboratory to the market and ultimately to real impact,’ Alausa said.

He cited the MineTech UniPod at Nasarawa State University as an example of how university research could generate commercially valuable information.

According to him, researchers at the centre have developed geospatial maps identifying deposits of lithium, gold and bauxite, including information on their locations and depths.

Alausa said such discoveries could create significant economic opportunities if researchers were connected to investors and given clear pathways to commercialise their innovations.

He added that the government had already reduced some of the initial risks by providing infrastructure, equipment and technical capacity, making private-sector investment and commercialisation the next critical steps.

The minister said the innovation centres must not remain permanently dependent on government grants or donor funding but should develop sustainable revenue models that allow them to support their operations, host universities and attract talent.

He explained that the Ministry and UNDP were developing an appropriate governance framework for the UniPods, while eligible centres would be able to establish commercial accounts in line with existing government guidelines for university research centres.

Part of the revenue generated, he said, could be retained by the UniPods to sustain their operations, while another portion could support targeted technological development within their host universities.

The approach is intended to shift the centres from being primarily infrastructure projects to commercially oriented innovation platforms capable of connecting research with industry.

On her part, Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, Minister of State for Education, said the UniPods should be viewed as instruments for accelerating Nigeria’s industrialisation rather than simply as academic facilities.

She urged universities to expose students and researchers to industrialisation and commercialisation so that innovative ideas could be transformed into products, services and businesses.

‘The focus should shift from asking only how much knowledge research would generate to determining how much value and economic opportunity it could create,’ she said.

Ahmad also stressed that the benefits of the UniPods should not be restricted to students and researchers in host institutions.

She said students and researchers from other universities should be able to access the facilities, subject to appropriate procedures, describing the centres as a national opportunity for young Nigerians with innovative ideas.

Elsie Attafuah, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria, commended the education minister for positioning education as a driver of jobs, competitiveness and innovation.

She said the changing global development landscape required countries to build their own wealth and competitiveness, describing the UniPods as potential instruments for advancing Nigeria’s reform agenda and helping citizens realise their economic potential.

Attafuah said UNDP was prepared to support South-South cooperation, including possible collaboration with India, while strengthening the emerging network among the UniPods.

She also said the development agency would support efforts around governance, financing and sustainability of the innovation centres.

Alausa assured that the Ministry would continue working with UNDP, Tech4Dev, universities and other development partners to establish sustainable centres of innovation, enterprise and economic opportunity.

He said effective governance and financing arrangements would be pursued to enable the centres to generate and responsibly manage revenue, attract private investment and support their host institutions.

Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has married his longtime partner, model and influencer Georgina Rodríguez, in a private civil ceremony in Portugal after nearly a decade together.

The couple tied the knot on August 11, 2026, in Cascais, a coastal resort town about 20 miles west of Lisbon, according to reports. Their five children and close family members attended the ceremony.

Ronaldo, 41, and Rodríguez, 32, confirmed their marriage on social media by sharing a photograph of their hands wearing wedding rings.

The Portuguese forward posted the image on Instagram, while the couple’s announcement quickly attracted millions of reactions from fans around the world.

Ronaldo and Rodríguez began their relationship in 2016 after meeting at a Gucci store in Madrid, where Rodríguez was working while Ronaldo was playing for Real Madrid.

After years together, the couple announced their engagement on August 11, 2025, when Rodríguez shared a photograph of her engagement ring.

The couple have built a family together, raising five children, while Rodríguez has remained a prominent figure in Ronaldo’s life and has developed her own career as a model, influencer and entrepreneur.

The wedding came just four days before Ronaldo’s Saudi Arabian club, Al-Nassr, is scheduled to begin its 2026/27 Saudi Pro League campaign.

Ronaldo remains one of football’s most decorated and recognisable figures, having played for Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al Nassr, as well as the Portugal national team.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored close to 1,000 career goals and recently featured at his sixth FIFA World Cup, matching Argentina captain Lionel Messi’s record for appearances at the men’s tournament.

Nigeria’s crude oil production fell by 37,000 barrels per day (bpd) in July, interrupting a recovery in output recorded in the second quarter of 2026, according to the latest report by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

OPEC’s August Monthly Oil Market Report showed that Nigeria’s crude production declined to 1.546 million bpd in July, from 1.583 million bpd in June, representing a 2.3 percent month-on-month fall.

The decline came after production had risen from an average of 1.453 million bpd in the first quarter to 1.552 million bpd in the second quarter. Output also increased from 1.554 million bpd in May to 1.583 million bpd in June before retreating in July.

Despite the July decline, Nigeria’s output remained above its 2025 average of 1.510 million bpd. July production was about 36,000 bpd higher than the previous year’s average.

‘Nigeria’s near-term outlook remains positive, supported by oil production, progress on reforms, infrastructure investment, and stronger business activity,’ OPEC stated.

Meanwhile, the setback came as crude production across countries participating in the OPEC-led Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) increased in July.

According to OPEC, total DoC crude production rose by 1.42 million bpd month-on-month to 37.66 million bpd in July, based on secondary-source estimates.

Nigeria’s decline contrasted with increases recorded by some major OPEC producers. Iraq’s production rose by 665,000 bpd in July, while Saudi Arabia added 590,000 bpd and Kuwait increased output by 393,000 bpd. Libya also recorded a 40,000 bpd increase.

The latest figures showed that Nigeria’s production recovery has not been consistent. The country recorded a 99,000 bpd increase between its first and second quarter averages, but July output fell below the June level.

The July production figure also leaves Nigeria below the 1.8 million bpd production level targeted by the Federal Government, highlighting the gap between current output and its ambition to raise crude production.

For Nigeria, higher crude production is central to increasing export earnings and government revenue, while sustained output growth is also critical to attracting investment into the upstream sector.

The Enugu State Government has set a target of reducing medical tourism by Nigerians by as much as 40% within one year of the commencement of operations at the Enugu State International Hospital.

Sam Agwu, the Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital, stated this during an inspection tour of projects executed by the Governor Peter Mbah administration for members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council.

Agwu said the hospital was established to transform and standardise the State’s healthcare system to be comparable with what is obtainable in developed countries.

He lamented the huge amount of money Nigerians spend annually seeking medical treatment abroad, putting the figure at about $2 million.

According to him, the Enugu State International Hospital will operate as a quaternary health care center, rather than a tertiary institution, because of the sophistication of its facilities and the range of specialised medical services it will provide.

He said the hospital would comprise several specialised departments and centres of excellence, including cancer care, cardiac and vascular medicine, neurosciences, renal medicine and nuclear medicine.

Agwu said, ‘We are going to have a cancer centre, and within the cancer centre, we are going to have medical, surgical and radiology treatment for cancers.

‘Then we are going to have the cardiac and vascular centre, where we can carry out open-heart surgery and treat all problems associated with the vascular system.’

He disclosed that a renowned cardiothoracic surgeon from the United Kingdom would join the hospital as its Chief Medical Officer.

According to him, the appointment would not only strengthen the hospital’s specialist services but also provide opportunities for training and developing cardiac surgeons within the region.

‘Indeed, a top-notch cardiothoracic surgeon is coming in from the UK to be the Chief Medical Officer of this place. That will give us a double edge because he will not only run the medical outfit here, he is also going to help us train a lot of cardiac surgeons in this vicinity,’ he said.

On nuclear medicine, Agwu said the hospital would be equipped with a modern Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan facility, while a cyclotron would also be installed to produce the radioactive materials required for advanced diagnosis and cancer treatment.

‘We are going to have nuclear medicine capability. We are going to have one of the most modern, state-of-the-art pieces of equipment for nuclear medicine, called a PET scan,’ he said.

He added that the hospital would produce nuclear materials through a cyclotron on site, describing the facility as a major innovation in Nigeria’s nuclear medicine and cancer treatment.

Explaining the significance of molecular medicine, Agwu said modern cancer management had moved beyond examining only organs to detecting changes at the cellular and molecular levels.

He explained that while conventional CT scans primarily examine organs, PET scans can identify abnormal activity at the cellular level, thereby enabling doctors to detect diseases earlier and monitor patients’ response to treatment.

The hospital, he said, would also have a neuroscience centre to handle conditions affecting the brain and nervous system, as well as a renal specialist centre and a combined cardio-renal centre.

He added that other conventional medical services, including maternal and child healthcare and general surgery, would also be available.

‘Maternal and child care; those are bread-and-butter services. General surgery and all those will be here,’ he said, stressing that the major focus of the hospital would be its specialised centres of excellence.

On when the hospital would commence operations, Agwu said the decision rested with Governor Peter Mbah, but assured that the management is working round the clock to ensure that the facility was ready whenever the governor decided to commission it.

‘Whenever His Excellency wants to commission, we’ll be ready,’ he said.

Enforcing a level playing field in the Nigerian Insurance Industry and supporting Statutory regulatory mandates

Dear Honourable Minister,

I write this as an open letter to you, deliberately choosing a public medium in the interest of total transparency. The matters surrounding regulatory compliance, market capitalisation, and financial stability in the Nigerian insurance sector affect not just a few boardroom executives, but the entire economic architecture of our nation. By placing these arguments in the public domain, it is my intention to ensure that National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) as the statutory regulator, the broad community of insurance operators, international reinsurers, and most importantly, the insuring public are fully aware of the principles at stake. Transparency is the bedrock of market discipline, and public scrutiny remains the best antidote to regulatory compromise.

I have had the unique privilege of serving as Managing Director of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation (Nigeria Re.), Managing Director of NICON Insurance (NICON) and subsequently as the Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive of NAICOM. Having sat on both sides of the table; first leading these two flagship institutions and later regulating the entire sector; I possess a unique, deep, and unbiased vantage point on the structural mechanics of Nigerian insurance. It is precisely because of this singular background, free from commercial bias or political expedience, that I feel duty-bound as a deeply concerned stakeholder to address you directly on what the Insurance industry needs most: a truly level playing field.

If Nigeria is to refine and strengthen its insurance sector to compete globally, it needs more than just passing a piece of legislation, the market must operate under fair, transparent, and equal rules for every player. Regrettably, the current landscape is being distorted once more by a troubling and re-occurring pattern. As NAICOM enforces critical statutory reforms to strengthen the industry’s financial bedrock, NICON and Nigeria Re have once again approached your Ministry seeking political intervention to bypass regulatory requirements.

This resort to executive lobbying creates an uneven playing field. It penalises law-abiding operators while granting preferential exceptions to legacy institutions that have failed to adapt.

From pillars of capacity to a divided playing field

To understand why a fair market structure is essential, one must look at how these entities began. Established by the Federal Government in 1969 and 1977 respectively, NICON and Nigeria Re were created as the bedrock for domestic capacity. They were mandated to retain premium capital within Nigeria, underwrite public assets, build local expertise, and cushion the economy against systemic risk, which they did effectively.

Indeed, virtually most of the first, second, and third generations of insurance practitioners in Nigeria and to a large extent West Africa, either worked in these pioneer organisations or were directly trained by them. They served as the premier institutions of excellence and professional development for the entire industry. It is precisely because of this glorious legacy that it pains the industry so deeply today to watch these same organisations continue to retard the progress of the Nigerian Insurance industry.

Following the privatisation exercise of the mid-2000s, this proud heritage was severely eroded. Transferred under controversial circumstances to core investors associated with weak governance and excessive leverage, both entities gradually lost their market leadership. Over time, persistent governance failures, balance-sheet overhangs and unpaid claims fractured their operations, which required intervention at various intervals by NAICOM and Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON),

Rather than allowing the market to refine itself through equal competition, legacy status has repeatedly been used as a shield against the very standards required of everyone else.

Equal rules for a maturing industry

Building a self-reliant, highly capitalised Nigerian insurance market requires consistent standards. Under the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 and NAICOM’s Minimum Capital Requirement Guidelines, the regulator established a framework to ensure all operators hold genuine financial backing to protect policyholders.

?The central issue here is not whether statutory requirements feel inconvenient or demanding to any individual operator; financial regulations, by their very nature, impose rigorous demands. The fundamental question is simply this: are the rules applicable to everybody??

In a healthy market, the answer must be an unequivocal yes. The response from the broader industry demonstrates that compliance is achievable. Over 90% of operators have diligently followed the statutory process raising fresh capital, depositing required reserves in the Central Bank on Nigeria (CBN), undergoing verification, and settling regulatory fees, as required by the law. These institutions did not seek special exemptions; they invested heavy resources to comply with the law and earn their place in a modern financial sector.

?In contrast, NICON and Nigeria Re continue to seek special dispensation through political channels, petitioning your Ministry to suspend regulatory directives, capital checks, and escrow requirements. When compliance is treated as mandatory for 90% of the market but optional for a selective few, the concept of statutory regulation collapses into favouritism. Allowing a handful of operators to play by a separate set of rules undermines the principles of fair competition and discourages the very investment needed to refine the market.

What obtains in other sectors: The precedent of regulatory discipline

Honourable Minister, one must ask a fundamental question: where else in Nigeria’s financial ecosystem does this happen? At no time do we witness such unhealthy behaviour in other regulated sub-sectors. When the CBN or the Pension Commission (PENCOM) announces recapitalisation deadlines or statutory capital increases for their regulated entities, we never see their executives running to the Federal Ministry of Finance to lodge complaints or seek political interventions to weaken the regulator’s hand. Those operators understand that financial discipline is non-negotiable and that statutory requirements are enforced by the regulatory authority established by law, not negotiated through political patronage. Those models are best for financial regulation.

Why then should insurance operators treat regulatory compliance as a matter open to political lobbying? Why should the Ministry of Finance be patronised to intervene in pure regulatory enforcement? Allowing insurance companies to treat the Ministry as an informal court of appeal against NAICOM degrades the stature of Commission, promotes regulatory arbitrage, and projects an image of an industry that refuses to mature. This is one reason why I felt in the Insurance industry had been short-changed, by giving the Ministry a regulatory role in the previous insurance laws.

Honourable Minister, the NIIRA 2025 has provided very clearly in Section 8(6) and (9) the procedure to follows if an operator’s license is cancelled, and no mention of the Ministry of Finance is made, so why should the Ministry breach the law of the Federal Republic by entertaining such overture and even overruling the regulator?

Why executive intervention harms fair competition

Honourable Minister, despite the section referred to above, it is globally accepted that a government may occasionally intervene to rescue or support a consequential player in the financial sector, strictly where its distress poses a genuine ‘too big to fail’ systemic risk whose collapse would trigger a wider economic catastrophe.

However, one must examine the reality of the two institutions in question today. These are no longer the market giants they once were decades ago. Having suffered years of steep decline, loss of market share, and severe operational shrinkage, their current market footprint is virtually insignificant. Their failure or strict regulatory discipline poses absolutely zero systemic risk to the

Nigerian financial system or the broader economy.

?Why then should government intervene to shield operators whose distress carries no systemic consequence whatsoever? Rescuing or granting regulatory concessions to insignificant, chronic defaulters cannot be justified under any sound macroeconomic policy.

When political intervention steps in to shield such non-systemic entities from standard regulatory checks, the equilibrium of the market breaks down:

It creates unfair advantage: Operators that meet compliance targets, carry the full cost of regulatory fidelity, while non-compliant firms that secure political exemptions operate with an artificial cost advantage.

It disincentivises real capacity building: When political lobbying becomes an alternative to recapitalisation, companies are discouraged from making the hard structural choices necessary to refine their balance sheets and operations.

It distorts investor confidence: Both domestic and international investors look for predictable, transparent environments. A playing field where rules can be bent for select players frightens away patient capital.

It weakens policyholder protection: Regulatory standards exist primarily to guarantee that when disaster strikes, claims are paid promptly. Shielding insolvent entities directly exposes policyholders to unmitigated risk.

The path forward: Restoring global confidence

Honourable Minister, Nigeria’s insurance sector has enormous untapped potential, but it can only realise that potential if the government allows a level playing field to flourish. The Federal Government must resist the urge to grant special carve-outs or act as an informal court of appeal for failing operators. NAICOM is the state’s empowered regulator; it must be permitted to apply the law equally to every company, whether privately owned, historically state-created, or under asset management control.

I trust that it is through this uncompromising stance that the Federal Ministry of Finance, which bears the ultimate responsibility for managing Nigeria’s economy, will give the right impression to investors, insurers, and reinsurers the world over. By upholding regulatory integrity and refusing to shield non-compliant operators, your Ministry will demonstrate that Nigeria is serious about financial discipline, thereby building lasting global confidence in the Nigerian insurance sector.

Please accept this as a plea from many that can not voice their frustrations.

Yours sincerely,

Alh. Mohamed Kari (Wazirin Bauchi)

Former Managing Director, Nigeria Re,

Former Managing Director, NICON,

Former Commissioner for Insurance / CEO, NAICOM

The Newspapers/Magazines Distributors’ Association of Nigeria (NDAN), Lagos Island Zone, has lost a pioneer member and founding figure, Babatunde Olabisi, who died in Lagos, after a brief illness at the age of 69.

Late Olabisi, popularly known among colleagues as J.O. Bamishe, hailed from Esie in Kwara State, and was a dedicated member and secretary of the NDAN’s Elders Forum.

In a statement signed by Musibau Oloyede, chairman of NDAN, Lagos Island Zone, and Emenimadu Blessing, secretary of NDAN, the association said the deceased contributions to NDAN would be greatly remembered.

Late Olabisi died on July 31, 2026, and a service of songs was held yesterday at his church, Cherubim and Seraphim Movement, St. Joseph, located at 47D Moshalasi Lane, behind 50/52 Moshalasi Street, Bale Bus Stop, Sari Iganmu, Lagos.

Another service of songs has been scheduled for today August 12, at his residence at No. 6 Ayo Afolabi Street, Aboru, Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos.

His remains will leave Lagos for Esie, Kwara State, on Thursday, August 13, ahead of the funeral service and interment at his family compound on Friday, August 14.

The association expressed grief over the loss and prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul.

John-Davis Chukwuemeka Oyedum, a communication network researcher, says characterizing machine-induced impulsive noise could accelerate the transition to fifth-generation (5G) enabled smart manufacturing in Nigeria and other emerging economies.

Oyedum, a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) student in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rutgers University, New Jersey, said the approach could help manufacturers overcome severe wireless communication challenges caused by existing industrial machinery.

He said his research focuses on developing ultra-reliable, next-generation wireless networks for automated smart manufacturing at the Wireless Information Network Laboratory (WINLAB), a premier research facility at Rutgers University.

He noted that industrial environments pose unique challenges to wireless networks because heavy machinery generates sudden, high-power bursts of electromagnetic interference.

‘Standard 5G networks were designed under the assumption that factory noise is soft and continuous, like a gentle background hum,’ Oyedum explained.

‘However, real-world empirical measurements across sub-6 gigahertz (GHz) frequencies and the Frequency Range 3 (FR3) spectrum inside active factories showed the exact opposite. Heavy machinery such as electric welders and industrial motors generate sudden, high-power bursts of electrical static, known as machine-induced impulsive noise,’ he said.

He explained that these noise bursts severely disrupt wireless signals used to control automated machinery and industrial robots, causing data loss, signal drops, and critical communication delays.

This challenge is increasingly vital as industries adopt wireless sensors, robotics, and automated production systems. Consequently, his research seeks to model the behavior of impulsive noise and develop software-driven physical-layer solutions to mitigate its disruptive effects.

Oyedum highlighted that his research team has also engineered a physical-layer digital twin framework to simulate wireless communication within industrial environments.

‘A digital twin is essentially a virtual 3D replica of a real factory running on a computer,’ he said. ‘Most existing digital twins map physical machines and routers but overlook what happens to invisible radio waves in the air. Our framework allows engineers to simulate actual radio signals in real time and stress-test wireless networks before installing expensive physical infrastructure.’

This work was presented at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Future Networks World Forum (FNWF) 2025.

He added that findings presented at the IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM) 2025 revealed that as networks transition toward sixth-generation (6G) spectrums with higher subcarrier spacing, wireless links become even more vulnerable to impulsive noise.

‘Next-generation 5G and 6G networks use shorter signals to transmit information more rapidly,’ Oyedum noted. ‘This means a single, split-second burst of machine noise can completely wipe out an entire message. As networks become faster, they require stronger, targeted noise protection rather than relying on speed alone.’

To classify this dynamic interference in real time, the research team employed a statistical framework known as a Hidden Markov Model (HMM), parameterized using the Baum-Welch algorithm to identify underlying noise burst patterns.

Oyedum likened the HMM framework to a smart weather forecasting system for radio waves that continuously monitors changing conditions and predicts when sudden static ‘storms’ are about to strike, enabling wireless receivers to dynamically adjust and protect incoming data from corruption.

The researcher proposed a two-part defense system combining advanced Forward Error Correction (FEC) codes with spatially separated receiving antennas.

He explained that error-correcting codes-such as Reed-Solomon (RS), Polar, and Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) codes-attach redundant data to allow damaged information to automatically repair itself.

‘Multiple receiving antennas can also be positioned across the factory floor,’ he noted. ‘If a machine burst disrupts one antenna, another antenna located a few feet away can still capture a clean signal.’

By integrating this setup with Software-Defined Networking (SDN), a central controller can automatically detect noise bursts and instantly route data through a clean antenna while applying backup error-correction coding.

Oyedum noted that findings across research at WINLAB and the New Jersey Advanced Manufacturing Institute (NJAMI) identified four critical physical parameters that digital models must capture to accurately reflect industrial wireless environments: burst timing, energy spikes, state switching, and spatial spread.

‘Burst timing measures how long each noise burst lasts and how frequently it recurs,’ Oyedum explained. ‘Energy spikes capture the exact power surges across sub-6 GHz and FR3 frequencies. State switching tracks how rapidly an environment flips from quiet conditions to heavy interference, and spatial spread determines how noise travels across metal-heavy factory floors.’

Accurately modeling these four parameters allows engineers to construct virtual simulations that mirror real physical factories. Oyedum emphasized that these insights hold immense promise for accelerating industrial digitalization in Nigeria and other emerging economies.

‘Manufacturers in Nigeria and similar developing hubs are eager to adopt modern 5G sensors, but many still depend on older, heavy machinery that generates massive electrical static,’ he said. ‘Replacing all that equipment or constructing extensive physical shielding is prohibitively expensive. My research offers a practical, software-driven solution that enables factories to run reliable 5G and Beyond 5G (B5G) automation on top of existing machinery.’

He concluded that combining impulsive noise prediction models with strategic antenna placement, higher signal power, and advanced error-correction algorithms will lower the cost barrier to smart manufacturing, ensuring emerging economies can fully leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven robotics, connected Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and real-time industrial automation.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has opened applications for the second cohort of its Regulatory Sandbox Programme, expanding the initiative to include virtual asset service providers (VASPs), stablecoin businesses and other emerging financial technology companies.

Applications for the new cohort open on August 12, 2026, and close on August 31, 2026. The programme is designed to allow innovators to test new financial products, services and technologies under the supervision of the apex bank before wider market deployment.

The second cohort introduces two dedicated testing tracks, which are the Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) Track and the Data-Enabled Financial Services (Non-VASP) Track.

The VASP Track covers virtual assets, stablecoins, payments, settlement, custody, wallets, and related financial infrastructure solutions that require supervised live testing.

The Data-Enabled Financial Services Track, meanwhile, targets non-VASP innovations that use secure digital infrastructure and permission-based data sharing to improve financial inclusion, payments, credit, risk management, operational efficiency and consumer outcomes.

According to the CBN, the sandbox will provide a controlled environment where innovators can test their products under regulatory oversight while allowing the regulator to better understand emerging technologies and their potential risks.

The move marks a significant expansion of the CBN’s approach to fintech regulation, particularly as virtual assets and stablecoins become relevant to payments, remittances and financial infrastructure in Nigeria.

The regulator said the programme is intended to support responsible innovation while maintaining consumer protection, financial stability and market integrity.

The CBN first opened applications for its Regulatory Sandbox in December 2022, receiving more than 1,000 applications before the window closed in February 2023.

The latest cohort therefore represents an attempt to create a more structured pathway for emerging financial technologies to be tested in real-market conditions without exposing consumers or the wider financial system to unnecessary risks.

For fintech and crypto startups, participation in the sandbox could also provide an opportunity to engage directly with the regulator as they develop products that may fall outside existing regulatory frameworks.

The expansion comes as Nigerian regulators increasingly seek to balance innovation with tighter oversight of the country’s rapidly evolving digital financial ecosystem.

Aliyu Bin Abbas, 44, is a Nigerian political strategist and the consensus presidential candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) for the 2027 general election. In this interview with AKOMBO AONDONA and GIFT WADA, he spoke about his journey from an Almajiri in Kano to a presidential candidate, his vision for Nigeria, youth participation in politics, his relationship with Atiku, the 2027 election and the need for Nigerians to rise above tribal and religious sentiments. Abbas, a former political aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, insisted that governance should be about service, not sharing the ‘national cake.’ Excerpts:

Campaigns are expected to begin soon, precisely on August 19. Your emergence as the ADP consensus candidate has been described as a ‘miracle.’ What strategic shifts within the ADP made this breakthrough possible ahead of the campaign?

The party is what I refer to as the ‘tsunami in the making.’ You asked me about strategy, but unfortunately, I think I will run away from giving you a direct answer because, as you mentioned, the campaign will begin on August 19 or 18, while our presidential campaign council has not yet been established. I am not the director of the campaign, so we have to wait. We are going to have a very serious campaign team because it is all about Nigeria.

For the first time, we want to focus and concentrate on the country called Nigeria. We are tired of these recycled old politicians who keep recycling themselves every four years. We want to have very deep thinking and critical analysis about this country.

The 2027 presidential campaign is going to be something different. The strategy is also going to be something very unique, something Nigerians have never seen before.

As we have always said, the speed of the world today is higher than the speed of these ageing politicians. The speed is too high, and they may not be able to withstand it. But we are not coming to fight them. We are coming as a solution because it is long overdue. Nigeria needs to be transformed. Nigeria needs to be taken first.

We say Nigeria first before anything else. The campaign strategy is going to be very unique. One important thing is that young people and women will be directly involved. It is going to be a campaign for, and by, young people and women. By the time you bring young people and women together, definitely, the outcome will be something great.

As soon as we establish our campaign council, our strategies, manifesto, blueprint and everything else will be clearly presented. But I don’t want to run faster than my shadow and go against some of the principles or norms of INEC or even my political party. So, I suggest we keep quiet for now. By the time we establish our campaign council, the strategy will be out for everybody to know.

You have described your journey from being an Almajiri to studying globally. How will your personal story shape the policies of your administration, if you win?

It may interest you to know that I have never contested even for councillorship, not to talk of the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate or governorship. I did not just wake up one day and say I wanted to run for president of this country.

I think this is because of my background. I came from an extremely poor background and suffered a lot in life before I could even go to school.

I remember telling my father that I wanted to go to school. I was lucky because my father sponsored my primary education. But after primary school, there was nothing for me to continue my education with.

I was passionate about education, just as I love my country passionately. I had no option but to leave my parents. I am from Borno State, precisely Southern Borno. I travelled to Kano at night. I knew nobody there. I went there as an Almajiri – the usual Almajiri experience from northern Nigeria. I became an Almajiri. We begged for food, read the Qur’an and did all sorts of things. I was a complete street boy. As time went on, I started looking for money so I could return to school. I was telling my vice-presidential candidate this story today.

I later became a ‘mai shayi,’ selling tea on the streets of Kano. After two or three years, the government of the day embarked on an expansion project that affected my business, so I had to quit.

I later became a shoe shiner for years. I quit that and ventured into nail cutting. I was cutting people’s nails. The last business I did was working as a conductor. I became a conductor, saved some money and eventually went back to school.

Ordinarily, I should not have passed through those experiences because my country is blessed with natural resources. Nigeria is one of the richest countries, not only in Africa but in the entire world. So, I believe education was my constitutional right, and government should have been able to provide it. But I survived by the grace of God.

I knew many young people with whom I started that journey. Some died along the way. Some became drug addicts because there was no guidance, no parents and nobody to help them. But, to the glory of God, I survived. Sometimes I engage myself in question-and-answer sessions about Nigeria. I believe that God Almighty strategically placed Nigeria as the heart and soul of the entire black race – not just Africa, but the entire black race. Wise people always say that whenever Nigeria gets it right, the entire African continent and the black race will get it right. Unfortunately, we have continued to produce leaders who cannot effectively manage the affairs of our country. They concentrate on their personal and selfish interests. I think they don’t have Nigeria at heart.

That is why we began to think critically about what we could do differently. I worked closely with His Excellency, the former Vice President. I don’t want to mention his name because I am no longer there and I am no longer a believer in his political ideology.

Remember, our slogan is ‘Building a New Nigeria.’ We want to build a new Nigeria where every citizen will feel that there is a new man in charge.

However, a lot of people started talking and asking questions. Some called me depressed. Some said I was mad. Some said I didn’t know what I was doing by running for president.

But I strongly believe that power and authority belong to God Almighty. They are not in the hands of anybody. They are in the hands of God.

We don’t have the resources. We don’t have the power. We don’t have the military, police or judiciary. We don’t have the structures that the existing politicians have.

But we are leveraging the power and strength of God Almighty because power belongs to Him. I believe that with that conviction, things are already beginning to work.

Let me give you an example. When I left Atiku Abubakar in 2023, I intentionally refused to join the APC. I am not against Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President, as a person. I am not against Atiku Abubakar as a person. I am not against Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai or Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as individuals. I am against the system.

The system has been favouring nobody. So, if we truly believe in this country, we have to change the entire system. I don’t believe any of those people I mentioned has a plan that can fundamentally change the country. They want to continue with the existing system. You call it the status quo, right?

In the next 10, 15 or 20 years, you may look for many of these politicians and may not find them. What happens to Nigeria tomorrow? They don’t seem to care enough.

Whenever there is an opportunity, the first people that come to their minds are their relatives and those close to them. They don’t care enough about the village boys or the street boys.

There are a lot of things happening that I believe we have to go back to the drawing board and address.

Let’s remember that Nigerian leaders in the past sacrificed their lives and time to build this country. Today, nobody is talking enough about the development of Nigeria. I understand that many politicians are involved in competition. Someone becomes governor, and I say I must become minister. Someone becomes minister, and I say I must become governor. Someone becomes president, and I say I must become president – without a clear plan.

Nigeria is bleeding. Nigeria is collapsing. Nigeria is disintegrating. We must not forget the sacrifices of our founding fathers.

People call me names and say I am mad or that I don’t know what I am doing. But I believe in what I am doing.

You previously attempted to register another political movement. What happened?

We tried our best to register our movement, which we called the United Nations Alliance and Separatist Party, but our constitutional rights were denied by INEC. We nearly lost hope. I called my team members. There were 9 of us. Five were Christians and four were Muslims. I said, ‘Okay, I think we have to embark on fasting and prayers for seven days for God to give us direction.’

I didn’t want to lose hope in this country.

Our initial hope was that INEC would register our association as a political party so that we could participate in the 2027 elections. But that did not happen. After our prayers, we moved on and joined the Action Democratic Party. At that time, I didn’t know anybody in the ADP. Nobody knew me in the party. The only person I knew was the National Chairman Yabagi Sani Yusuf, because we had once invited him to one of our programmes in Kano.

I joined the Action Democratic Party on May 5 this year, and I emerged as the presidential candidate of the party on May 31 – just 26 days later. Against all odds. Thank God you were there. You saw what happened that day. But you saw only what happened on that day. You did not see what happened before or after. That is why I speak with confidence.

My life, my death, my health, my work – everything is in the hands of God Almighty. If God can stand by us, give us victory during the primary election and give us victory again, then we are grateful. Our name is already on the INEC portal, and we are set for the 2027 presidential race.

What qualifies you to become President of Nigeria?

My experience. I have worked with potential presidents, former presidents and former vice presidents. I have gathered a lot of experience.

One of the things I have learnt is that in Africa, not only in Nigeria, when your opponents begin to understand your good intentions, they may try to use those intentions against you. That is why I believe this election is going to be different. We are not looking up to anybody. We are looking up to God. It is not necessary for us to follow the same path that previous politicians have followed. Do we have billions of naira to sponsor our campaign? Why did I choose my vice-presidential candidate from a poor but humble background? We have a lot of big people who have called me and pledged to sponsor my presidential campaign, but I cannot agree to their terms. That is the beginning of the problem.

If you give me billions of naira to support my campaign and then give me conditions, that means I am not serving my country. I will be serving you. So let us leave the pocket politicians aside. It is not our strength. It is not our power. It is not our knowledge. It is not our money.

Many Nigerians are losing interest in voting. Some have completely lost their appetite for participating in elections. What is your message to them?

That is why I say we have to speak to the inner minds of Nigerians.

You were a close political aide to Atiku Abubakar until you emerged as the ADP presidential candidate. Critics say you are simply holding the seat warm for him. How do you convince Nigerians that your candidacy is authentic and not a placeholder script written by Atiku?

I really don’t want to go too deep into that because I am very direct and open. Whenever I speak, I speak with confidence. I speak as if God sent me directly to come and salvage this country. So, I don’t give a damn about what anybody says.

But I know the truth, and the God we serve knows the truth. Of course, I served Atiku for almost 14 years. I am the kind of person who cannot come out and deceive people because I hate being deceived, and I will never deceive you. But you can ask people in our party what happened before and after I emerged as the presidential candidate. I don’t want it to come from me. I want it to come from some of the people who participated in the battle. That battle was beyond what many people imagined. I know they will be shocked and surprised. How did our name even appear on the ballot? If I were a placeholder for somebody, I would have signed the voluntary withdrawal form that I was allegedly being pressured to sign. But I declined.

So, when the time comes for me to speak, I will speak.

In the first three days after assuming office as President of Nigeria, what are the first three executive orders you would sign to address the economic hardship Nigerians are facing?

When the time comes, Nigerians will see it. For now, the only thing I can say is that when I was working with one of my former principals, I had very serious conversations with my team members. Some are in Nigeria and some are in the diaspora. Is it even necessary for me to reveal the details? I think it is part of my strategy. It is something I will use, so I don’t think it is important to mention it now.

But all I want to say is that Nigerians will produce a President they have never produced before.

Look at people like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa and Ahmadu Bello. These were people who tried their best to build Nigeria and secure independence. They wrote their names in gold. That is why their names will not be forgotten in the history of this country. By the time we emerge as President of Nigeria, within the first six months of our administration, Nigerians will feel that, yes, we truly have a country called Nigeria. It will be a shocker to everybody. And it will not be us alone doing it. It is God Almighty. It is the power of God.

Nigeria is facing serious regional and political polarisation. How will your campaign bridge the widening geopolitical and ethnic gaps between the North and South?

Nigeria has never been divided in its history the way it is today. We have a lot of strategies. When we sat down and critically examined how our policies should look, we studied former presidents – both those who are alive and those who are no longer with us. I looked at former President Musa Yar’Adua. I will take his seven-point agenda and adopt it, but I am going to add one more point to make it eight – national unity. That’s all.

If you want to know more about our policies, go and read the seven-point agenda of Musa Yar’Adua and then add national unity. It may sound crazy or stupid to some people, but it is reality. We need continuity. We will continue from where some leaders stopped. We can do this for our country.

There are widespread security challenges, particularly in Borno, Benue and other parts of the country. What structural security reforms do you propose to restore public safety?

Insecurity is not only in Borno State. We have a very good strategy that we are going to apply within the first six months of our administration, by the grace of God. We should be able to tackle it. It will cost us a lot. I am not talking about the monetary aspect. It will cost us many things. It may even cost some lives. The policies we are going to introduce will be firm. Anybody who tries to sabotage them, whoever that person may be, will not be tolerated. I may have come from a very poor background, but God Almighty raised me from the lowest point to where I am today. There must be a purpose for that. I have some things to put in place. It is a divine responsibility, so I have to do it. Nobody can take me back to my mother’s womb. I can only be stopped if God permits it. So, by the time we emerge as the democratically elected President of this great country, Nigeria, we will tackle insecurity.

Can I say it? Yes, I will. Since God Almighty has chosen us, we are on the ballot.

Since you don’t want to reveal some of your strategic campaign plans, what should Nigerians expect?

I have been told that you journalists are part of our problem in this country. If I mention something small now, you will go and coin it into something big. You begin to do what the Nigerian economy does – take it this way and take it in another direction – instead of going straight to the point.

So, you people are actually playing a role in bringing us backwards. I think it is time the media understood that Nigeria is our country and we don’t have another country like this. We have to serve this country. The country has served us for over 60 years. Let’s serve the country now. Wherever you are and whatever work you are doing, let part of your responsibility be to serve your country. Always go in the right direction. I understand that, but I am talking about the media in general. Stop all this propaganda. If media personnel are given money and they know something is black, they paint it white and begin to prove that it is white. Let’s work for this country so that all of us will be happy.

I was there on the day you emerged as the ADP presidential candidate, including the crisis of interest surrounding your emergence. How do you plan to unite the ADP ahead of the campaigns, particularly with those who contested against you?

Who are the people who contested with me? There were three people who contested. One has gone back to where he came from. He was sent to deny some people the ADP presidential ticket and, after succeeding, he went back to the party he belonged to. The other has also gone to run for president under another party.

So, nobody?

You can ask both of them to provide their receipts for payment of the nomination forms. What are we talking about? You know. And that is why I say there are things that should not come from me as a leader. Whenever people begin to think about age, previous experience and qualifications – ‘You are not this, you are not that, so you cannot become this’ – that is a big mistake. Leadership is given by God. God cannot come down directly to rule nations. That is why, throughout history, prophets were sent by God Almighty. So, when people remain rigid and continue to fight because they cannot accept the outcome, they are making a mistake. They are not fighting us. They are fighting God. I don’t want to mention their names, but if you know, you know. We have tried everything within our power. We have reached out to them, but it seems their doors are not open. If their doors are not open, we cannot force them open.

But anytime they say, ‘Okay, we now agree that God has chosen you. Despite your age, despite the fact that you have never been a councillor, senator or held any other elective office, let’s come together, build our party and save Nigeria,’ I will be glad.

Everything will go well. But even if they don’t, I believe you were part of the process from day one and you know what transpired before my emergence as the ADP presidential candidate. Against all odds, God decided to choose me among a few people.

If they don’t agree, they are not fighting us. They are fighting God. We will leave them with God.

This 2027 election is not going to be about political parties. It is a movement. It is about Nigeria. That is why I want to use this opportunity, as the ‘poor boy’ from Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, to urge Nigerians that if they truly believe in this country, they should keep sentiments and differences aside. Keep tribal and religious considerations aside.

Let’s concentrate on the country called Nigeria, at least for once. This is my message to all Nigerians. If not, all of us will cry. We are already crying. We will cry more.

INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan recently promised that every lawful vote will count in 2027. Some opposition figures have dismissed such assurances as ‘lip service.’ Do you personally have confidence in his leadership?

With what we saw on August 1, when the first INEC list of candidates was released, my name was even second on the list. Against all odds, some people went the extra mile to prevent INEC from publishing my name. The reason is best known to them. But whatever their plans are, whoever they may be, even when we are not at INEC, the God we serve is always there. God is always ahead of them.

With what we saw on August 1, we are confident and optimistic that INEC will continue to do the right thing. Our name is already there on the ballot.

Let me tell you, we are not desperate. We are not saying we must be President of Nigeria. If eventually something happens and our name is withdrawn, that means God did not approve that we should not become President of Nigeria. We are not desperate and we are not fighting anybody. We believe strongly in God. Maybe it is not the best thing for me to be President. Maybe that is what God has chosen for me and my vice president. So, we are not fighting these people. Even information we receive about plans to do this or that does not bother me. We can only succeed with the permission of God Almighty. God created us. Whether we like it or not, we will die one day. When you die, people may eventually forget everything you have done in this world. There will be a day of judgment when God Almighty will ask you about your deeds. So, we are not desperate to rule Nigeria. We are not fighting anybody. We are just trying. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I look at myself and ask, ‘What is this? Who is pushing me? Where am I getting this strength from?’ Sometimes an inspiration just comes to me, almost like a prophecy, and I go and do it. Later, I ask someone else, ‘How did I even do this?’

That shows that God’s hand is definitely in what we are doing. Otherwise, who are we to be presidential candidates at this age? I am not trying to preach violence or anything like that. But it is time.

I have said it: it is my turn now as a youth to be the next President of Nigeria. Please, our fathers, come and hold our hands, even if you want to continue.

We will not be voted into office to enjoy the comfort, eat the national cake or travel abroad. We have chosen to serve. We were elected to serve. We will be in the Villa to serve. It is high time we faced reality, no matter how bitter or difficult it may be. Let’s save this country.

You have spoken about the need for a generational transition in leadership. What exactly do you mean?

You just came to my office, right? I accepted you, and we started this interview. After some time, you might turn around and say, ‘How can we move you out of your office? How can we push ourselves in front of you and take ownership of your office?’

Maybe you use all kinds of techniques to take over my position. This is exactly what is happening with Nigeria’s leadership. It is our country, but we are not in charge. For instance, imagine that this is my phone, and then somebody else has to tell me how to operate my own phone. Nigeria is in a very deep situation that not every politician can come out and talk about openly. But at the appropriate time, we will tell Nigerians. I am calling on Nigerian youths and women. Our government will not be for youths alone. It will be for everybody. But young people and women have to fight for their future so that Nigeria will continue to remain one indivisible country – the giant of Africa that we used to know.

If you are a young person and you say, ‘You must give me money before I vote for you,’ you are selling your right. If I give you money, it means I have bought your right. By the time I get into office, I may have spent trillions or billions of naira. How do I recover my money? I will not care about you.

You don’t know how I got the money. Maybe I went to the bank and collected loans that I now have to repay. But if you say, ‘This is a vibrant young person like us. He understands us. Let’s support him,’ that is different. We have social media, and it works. If you go on TikTok and say, ‘Hey, my candidate is very young,’ before you know it, people will begin asking, ‘Who is this guy?’ They will start calling you. But perhaps you may not do it because I don’t have money to pay you. Yes. With God, all things are possible because God controls the hearts of human beings wherever they are. Even if you don’t believe it now, as time goes on, God can change hearts. These things will happen in the next two or three months of our administration.

Even you who interviewed me today will be surprised. You will ask, ‘Is this the same person I interviewed in his office?’ It is long overdue.

Like I said, we are not fighting our elders. We are not fighting them. We are trying to provide a safe landing for Nigeria’s prosperity. But if they say they are going to deploy all their strength to crush their children, it doesn’t make sense. If you crush your children today, in a few years, who will bury you? Who will take care of you in old age? This is very serious. You cannot crush your children. They represent the future of your country.

Unless perhaps you are an agent of darkness or have been deployed to scatter your country. Of course, it will not work.