Category: Business Day

Terra Industries, the Nigerian autonomous systems company, has raised another $18 million to close a $52 million seed round, giving the two-year-old startup fresh capital to expand manufacturing in Ghana and take its African defence-tech business into major global markets.

The new funding is significant not only because of its size, but because of where Terra is going next.

The company plans to open its first international office in London, establish a presence in Washington DC to support US government and industry engagement, and open an office in San Francisco. That gives Terra a footprint spanning its African manufacturing base and three of the world’s most important centres for defence, technology and venture capital.

The latest investment came from existing backers 8VC, Silent Ventures, Nova Global, Belief Capital and SV Angel, with Norleo Space Investments joining as a new investor.

Terra did not disclose its latest valuation. Chief executive officer Nathan Nwachuku said the company had reached a nine-figure valuation after a $22 million seed extension led by Lux Capital in February.

The funding marks another rapid step for a company founded in 2024 by Nwachuku and Chief Technology Officer Maxwell Maduka.

Terra initially raised $11.75 million in January from 8VC and other investors, before the $22 million extension. The latest $18 million takes total seed funding to about $52 million.

From African factory to global offices

The most important part of the latest round may be what Terra is building around the money.

The company is expanding its Pax-2 manufacturing facility in Ghana, a 34,000-square-foot site that Terra describes as Africa’s largest drone factory. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to have capacity for as many as 50,000 autonomous systems a year.

That creates an unusual structure for an African technology company: manufacturing and much of the operational base remain in Africa, while commercial and government-facing operations are being developed in the US and Europe.

Terra says the additional funding will help it scale into other markets across the Global South and develop businesses alongside its defence deployments.

The strategy effectively puts Africa at the centre of Terra’s production plans while London, Washington and San Francisco become gateways to customers, partnerships, capital and government relationships.

That is a different ambition from building a Nigerian startup and later seeking foreign buyers. Terra is trying to build an African defence company with international reach from the start.

Washington is the strategic move

The planned Washington presence could prove particularly important.

The US remains the world’s largest defence market, while Washington is also home to the government agencies, policymakers and contractors that influence defence procurement and partnerships.

Terra says the DC presence will support US partnerships and government engagement. Its San Francisco office will place the company closer to the technology and venture-capital ecosystem that has helped drive investment in autonomous systems.

The London office provides a similar bridge into European markets. For Terra, the three-city expansion therefore appears designed less around traditional geographic growth and more around access to the institutions that can help turn an African defence manufacturer into a global company.

Building more than drones

Terra is also trying to avoid being defined as a drone maker. Its portfolio includes Archer, a vertical take-off and landing aircraft designed for long-range surveillance; Iroko, a smaller quadcopter; Kama, a high-speed interceptor; Kallon, a solar-powered surveillance tower; and Druma, an autonomous ground system.

Its ArtemisOS software is designed to coordinate operations across its hardware.

The company says its systems already protect about $11 billion in assets, mainly in the energy and mining sectors. It also says it is on track to record more than $100 million in contract bookings by the end of 2026, with revenue in the eight-figure range.

The immediate demand is largely for persistent monitoring and autonomous surveillance of critical infrastructure and high-value sites. That gives Terra a commercial market outside military procurement, while its counter-drone and interceptor products give it a route deeper into defence.

Africa’s defence gap is the opening

Terra’s expansion is built around a wider argument: African countries should have greater control over the technology used to protect their borders, infrastructure and strategic assets.

The company has argued that governments across Africa have historically relied on foreign defence systems from China, Europe and elsewhere, creating dependence on equipment that may be difficult to maintain locally and raising questions about control of sensitive data.

Its vertically integrated model, which is combining hardware, software and manufacturing, is intended to address that problem.

The company has already moved beyond Nigeria. Its Ghana factory is its first manufacturing operation outside the country, while a joint venture signed with Middle Eastern infrastructure contractor AIC Steel has opened a route into Saudi Arabia.

The significance of that expansion is that Terra is no longer selling only the idea of an African defence startup. It is testing whether African-built defence technology can become an export business.

The next test is execution

The $52 million gives Terra substantial capital for a company founded only two years ago, but the funding also raises expectations.

The company now needs to complete and scale Pax-2, turn its contract pipeline into actual deliveries and revenue, and demonstrate that its autonomous systems can perform reliably across difficult operating environments.

It also has to compete with established defence suppliers from China, Russia, Europe and the US, many of which have far deeper manufacturing capacity and government relationships.

That makes the London, Washington and San Francisco offices more than a symbol of global ambition.

They are part of Terra’s attempt to connect an African defence manufacturing base with the capital, technology, partnerships and government relationships needed to compete internationally.

If the strategy works, Terra’s biggest achievement may not be raising $52 million. It may be proving that a defence technology company can be built in Africa, manufactured in Africa and still compete for business in the world’s biggest defence markets.

The commencement of onion harvesting across Northern Nigeria is once again drawing attention to the region’s huge agricultural potential, but Kano is increasingly at risk of remaining a supplier of raw materials while Lagos captures a larger share of the value generated from processing them.

Despite Kano’s strategic position as one of Nigeria’s major agricultural commodity centres and its hosting of the Dawanu International Grain Market, regarded as the largest commodity market in West Africa, an increasing number of agro-commodity companies are moving their cleaning and processing operations from the state to Lagos.

The development means that commodities produced or purchased in Kano are increasingly being transported to Lagos for cleaning, grading, packaging and other forms of value addition before reaching consumers or export markets.

For Kano, the concern is not simply the movement of equipment out of the state. It is the potential loss of jobs, investment, industrial activity and the wider economic opportunities that come with processing agricultural commodities close to their source.

Mohammed Umar, a commodity trader at Dawanu International Grain Market, told BusinessDay over the weekend that at least five companies had relocated their commodity-cleaning machines and related processing facilities from Kano to Lagos while continuing to source substantial quantities of agricultural commodities from Kano.

According to Umar, the companies collectively employ more than 600 Kano indigenes and purchase commodities worth more than N70 billion, underscoring the scale of the economic activity potentially being shifted out of the state.

‘The issue is bigger than individual businesses. It is about jobs, investment, value addition and the future of Kano’s agro-commodity industry,’ Umar said.

He urged the Kano State Government and governments across northern Nigeria to examine why Lagos is attracting and retaining processing investments that northern states are struggling to keep.

Umar identified infrastructure, electricity, logistics, industrial facilities, storage and access to finance as areas that require greater attention if Kano is to compete effectively for agro-processing investments.

‘The government needs to find out what Lagos is doing that Kano is not doing,’ he said.

The emerging pattern is creating a sharp contrast between the roles played by Kano and Lagos in the agricultural value chain.

Kano and other northern states have the farms, traders, commodity markets and raw materials, while Lagos increasingly appears to be positioning itself to capture activities further down the value chain, including processing, packaging, distribution and access to wider consumer and export markets.

As the onion harvest begins, the difference becomes more evident.

Northern farmers produce large quantities of onions, while traders aggregate the produce and move it through established markets. But without sufficient modern facilities for cleaning, sorting, storage, packaging and processing, the region has limited capacity to retain the additional value created after the commodities leave the farms.

Lagos, meanwhile, offers investors access to a broader commercial ecosystem that combines industrial activity with major transport and distribution networks, financial services, consumer markets and proximity to maritime export infrastructure.

For companies processing agricultural commodities, such advantages can influence where they choose to locate their plants, even when the raw materials are sourced from hundreds of kilometres away.

Umar said Kano could not rely on the strength of its commodity markets alone to retain processors.

‘Having the raw materials is not enough. We need to ask why investors are taking their machines to Lagos while continuing to buy their commodities here,’ he said.

The relocation of processing equipment could gradually redefine Kano’s role in the agricultural economy from an integrated production and processing centre to primarily a raw-material and trading hub.

That shift could have direct consequences for employment.

Processing plants generate jobs not only for machine operators and technicians but also for transporters, warehouse workers, packaging suppliers, artisans, maintenance contractors, food vendors and other service providers.

When the plants move, a significant portion of that economic activity also moves with them.

Tukur Yahya, Chief Executive Officer of Ayisla Nigeria Limited, a commodity dealing firm based in Kano, said the development reflected a wider challenge in the state’s investment environment.

Yahya said Kano had the agricultural production base, large consumer market and established trading networks needed to support a much stronger agro-processing industry, but investors required reliable infrastructure and a predictable operating environment before committing large amounts of capital.

‘Kano has not failed, but it has been left behind,’ Yahya said.

He said the issue was no longer whether Kano had enough commodities to support agro-processing businesses, but whether the state was providing the conditions required for investors to establish and maintain processing operations.

According to him, large agro-industrial projects require substantial capital, meaning investors are unlikely to commit resources to facilities where essential infrastructure and supporting services are inadequate.

This is where Lagos appears to be gaining an advantage.

While Kano and other northern states derive much of their economic strength from agricultural production and commodity trading, Lagos has developed a more extensive ecosystem around logistics, distribution, finance, industrial activity and access to large consumer and export markets.

For processors, locating close to such infrastructure can make it easier to move finished products to consumers and export destinations.

The consequence is that Kano could continue to supply the raw materials while Lagos captures an increasing share of the processing income and employment generated from them.

Yahya said Kano needed to develop modern infrastructure across several agricultural value chains, particularly onions, other perishables, livestock, meat and dairy.

The absence of modern abattoirs, cold-chain facilities, dairy-processing plants, warehouses and dedicated markets for perishable commodities, he said, represented a major missed opportunity for a state with a large livestock population and extensive agricultural hinterland.

The onion sector illustrates the challenge.

Without adequate storage and processing facilities, farmers and traders can face significant post-harvest losses and price fluctuations. Processors, on the other hand, may prefer locations where infrastructure allows them to handle, preserve, package and distribute products more efficiently.

This creates a situation where Kano can continue to record high volumes of agricultural production without experiencing a corresponding expansion in industrial output.

The implications extend beyond Kano.

Northern Nigeria remains a major producer of grains, onions, livestock and other agricultural commodities, yet a substantial portion of its raw agricultural output is transported to other parts of the country for processing.

In effect, the region risks exporting raw materials while importing the economic value generated from processing them.

If the trend continues, northern states could struggle to create sufficient industrial employment for their growing populations, particularly young people seeking opportunities beyond farming and informal trading.

The movement of processing plants southwards could also add to logistics costs, as commodities must travel from northern production centres to southern processing locations before reaching consumers or export markets.

Umar said Kano needed to engage companies that had already relocated their processing equipment to determine precisely why they left and what interventions could encourage them to return or attract new investors.

He said the objective should not simply be to persuade existing businesses to remain but to create an environment in which new processing companies would naturally consider Kano an attractive investment destination.

For Kano to reverse the trend, stakeholders say the state must compete for more than commodity traders.

It must also compete for processors, manufacturers, logistics firms and investors willing to establish businesses around agricultural value chains.

Its proximity to major production areas, established commodity networks and the Dawanu market provide a strong foundation. But these advantages must be supported by reliable electricity, roads, storage, water, industrial land, financing and other infrastructure.

Yahya said modern agro-markets, abattoirs, cold-storage facilities and dedicated processing clusters could help Kano retain more of the value generated by its agricultural sector.

He acknowledged that such projects would require substantial investment, but said government could help create the conditions for private capital to flow into them through infrastructure provision, incentives, land availability, utilities and investment facilitation.

As the onion harvest gathers momentum across northern Nigeria, the issue is therefore becoming more than a question of agricultural production.

For farmers, the harvest means income. For traders, it means renewed commercial activity. But for Kano, it is also a reminder of the need to build industries capable of transforming agricultural commodities into higher-value products within the state.

Kano has the farmers, commodities, traders and one of West Africa’s largest commodity markets.

What it increasingly lacks is the industrial ecosystem needed to ensure that the value generated from those commodities remains within the state.

Unless the gap is addressed, Kano and the wider North risk remaining the starting point of an agricultural value chain whose most lucrative stages are increasingly being captured elsewhere.

The challenge is therefore not merely to produce more onions, grains or livestock. It is to ensure that more of what northern Nigeria produces is cleaned, processed, packaged, manufactured and marketed as higher-value products within the region.

Without that shift, Kano may continue to be known for what it supplies to industry, while Lagos becomes increasingly known for what it creates from those supplies.

Nigeria’s food inflation accelerated in July, rising to 20.31 percent month-on-month from 17.52 percent in June, marking the sixth straight monthly rise, even as the country’s headline inflation rate slowed during the month.

The latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that food inflation increased by 2.79 percentage points in July, driven by higher average prices of items including crayfish, fresh pepper, onions, carrots, rice, water yam, tomatoes, garri, plantain, beef, and eggs.

On a year-on-year basis, however, food inflation stood at 20.31 percent in July, down from 26.20 percent recorded in July 2025.

The increase in monthly food inflation highlights continued pressure on consumers despite the broader moderation in inflation. The headline inflation rate fell to 15.43 percent in July from 15.91 percent in June, while month-on-month headline inflation eased slightly to 1.57 percent from 1.66 percent.

Food prices varied sharply across states. Adamawa recorded the highest year-on-year food inflation at 51.36 percent, followed by Katsina at 30.84 percent and Zamfara at 30.65 percent, while Borno declined by -0.31 percent, Nasarawa (6.88 percent), and Kebbi (12.50 percent) recorded the slowest rise in food inflation on a Year-on-Year basis.

On a Month-on-Month basis, however, July 2026 Food inflation was highest in Adamawa (17.02 percent), Lagos (13.48 percent), and Borno (13.26 percent), while Jigawa (-3.68 percent), Kebbi (-3.67 percent), and Bauchi (-1.85 percent) recorded the slowest rise in food inflation on a Month-on-Month basis

At the other end of the scale, Borno recorded a negative food inflation rate of -0.31 percent, while Nasarawa and Kebbi recorded 6.88 percent and 12.50 percent, respectively.

The monthly figures were even more pronounced in some states. Adamawa recorded the highest month-on-month food inflation at 17.02 percent, followed by Lagos at 13.48 percent and Borno at 13.26 percent.

Jigawa, Kebbi, and Bauchi, meanwhile, recorded declines of 3.68 percent, 3.67 percent, and 1.85 percent, respectively.

The NBS said the average annual food inflation rate for the 12 months ending July 2026 stood at 16.06 percent, 14.79 percentage points lower than the 30.85 percent recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.

The figures suggest that while the annual pace of food price increases has moderated significantly from a year earlier, short-term food price pressures remain uneven and can be particularly severe in some states.

For households, this means the national easing of inflation may not translate into uniform lower food bills, as the cost of staples continues to vary across regions.

Niger Gas, one of the leading gas companies in the eastern region, has resumed production after 35 years of inactivity.

Amos Ejisi, chief executive officer and managing director of the renovated company, located at the Emene Industrial Layout in Enugu State, disclosed this during an inspection tour of Governor Peter Mbah’s projects by members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Correspondents’ Chapel, Enugu State.

Ejisi said the company was now better positioned to produce a wider range of industrial and medical gases, attributing the development to the state government’s determination to revive the company and ensure adequate gas supply to various industries.

According to him, Niger Gas is currently producing three types of gas, with plans to expand production as operations become fully established.

‘What we are producing as of today is acetylene, which welders use. We are also producing oxygen, which welders use, as well as another special type of oxygen called medical oxygen,’ Ejisi said.

He explained that medical oxygen was used in hospitals to support patients requiring respiratory assistance, adding that the company had the facilities and capacity to produce other gases, including argon, nitrous oxide and hydrogen.

‘We have the potential to produce other gases-argon, nitrous oxide and hydrogen. We have the facilities to do that, but we are starting one step at a time,’ he said.

Ejisi further disclosed that the company would soon expand its operations to include cooking gas and other products as part of its growth plans.

He said the revival of Niger Gas would also create significant employment opportunities for residents of Enugu State and the wider region, noting that the company had the capacity to employ more than 1,500 workers when operating at full capacity.

The development, he said, is expected to boost industrial activities in the state, improve access to locally produced industrial and medical gases, and contribute to the economic development of the South-East.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Sunday, said it had arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Nwankwo Onyebuchi who liquidated all his assets to chase a dream of quick riches in the illicit drug trade

Onyebuchi was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos, while heading to New Delhi, India, with 1.550 kilograms of cocaine cleverly concealed within the side walls and railings of his bag.

Femi Babafemi, in a statement, on Sunday, said Nwankwo, who dealed in marbles in Lagos, was arrested at the Departure Hall of terminal II of the Lagos airport while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi, India.

According to him, ‘a search of his check-in bag uncovered 1.550 kilograms of cocaine factory-fitted in the walls and railings of his bag

‘In a candid confession that lays bare the desperation that fuels the drug trade, Nwankwo said he had sold off his marble business and every asset he owned to raise the N23 million he paid for the consignment, with the expectation of selling it in India for as much as N100 million.

‘With his assets gone, and Nwankwo’s dream of transiting from a marble trader to a drug kingpin effectively shattered following his arrest, the suspect remains in custody awaiting prosecution and likely time in jail’, Babafemi stated

In another operation, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence raided a warehouse within a residential compound at 20 Hakeem Dosumu street Ago Palace area of Okota, Lagos, where a massive stockpile of codeine-based syrup was discovered.

The NDLEA said, ‘A total of 3,776 cartons, comprising 377,600 bottles of the controlled substance, valued at over N2.6 billion, were recovered between Friday 7th and Saturday 8th August 2026.’

In yet another intelligence-led operation, Babafemi said the ‘NDLEA operatives raided the residence of a 55-year-old kingpin Shoremi Kayode, at 37 Ogundare street, Ipaja estate, Ipaja area of Lagos, recovering 324 kilograms of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, with a street value of Nine Hundred and Seventy-Two Million Naira (N972,000,000)’

The anti-nacortic agency said it also recovered a Mercedes-Benz car and a Toyota Corolla car, from the suspect

‘In Kwara, two suspects: Abubakar Adamu, 50, and Bilyaminu Nuhu, 30, were arrested at Kam Wire area of Ilorin with 55.96kg skunk in a truck marked DKA 350 XL recovered, while two other suspects: 70-year-old grandpa Abdulfatai Oyelaran and Abdulrauf Ajadi, 50, were nabbed by NDLEA officers on patrol along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Ibadan, Oyo State

‘Recovered from their Toyota Sienna vehicle marked FFA-115KA, include: 52,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 6,000 ampoules of tramadol injection’, NDLEA said.

Babafemi revealed that a’ total of 124,100 pills of tramadol; 786 bottles of codeine syrup; 2,598 tablets of rohypnol; 4,800 tablets of diazepam; 470 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 200 ampoules of tramadol injection were recovered from two suspects: Osaro Ikpoba, 43, and Samuel Godbless, 18, along Onitsha/Asaba expressway

‘Another suspect, Emeka Tony, 50, was nabbed with 1,244 pieces of cartridges and monetary exhibit of eight million naira (N8,000,000) only along Kwale/Ozoro expressway

‘A Toyota Corolla car with registration number MKD 341 EA was intercepted by NDLEA operatives along Riyom/Jos road, Jos Plateau state where 239,490 caps of tramaforce, a brand of tramadol were recovered and a suspect Kasum Sherif arrested’, Babafemi noted.

Also in Kano, six suspects were arrested by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Zaria-Kano road.

‘ They include: Okodili Ibeabuchi, 60; Onyeka Vincent, 47; Nwanko Wisdom, 36; Success Chigozie, 30; Emmanuel Jude, 27; and Chinedu Peter, 39. Large consignments of opioids were recovered from them include 728,958 pills of tramadol, rohypnol, and others as well as 360 grams of cocaine, 99.8 grams of methamphetamine, 50 bottles of codeine syrup and and 2.7 kilograms of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis.

‘Also in Kano, NDLEA operatives raided the Zawaciki Gida Dubu, Kumbotso LGA, where they recovered 171 blocks of skunk weighing 106.8kg and arrested two suspects: Mustapha Iliya, 30, and Abdulwahab Abdulrashid, 24 in connection with the seizure.

‘A total of 4,628.9775kg skunk was destroyed on two cannabis farms that measured 1.851591 hectares at Ugboku/Igbanke forest, Orhionmwon LGA, Edo state where a suspect Agholor Elebojie, 40, was arrested in one of the farms during a raid by NDLEA operatives

‘Another suspect, Kingsley Anigala, 28, was nabbed with 25.857kg Loud and 93 grams of meth during a raid of drug joints at Oluku area of Benin city on Friday 14th August’, Babafemi added.

ýUnited Nigeria Airlines has pledged N20 million to sponsor the prestigious annual Chinua Achebe Prize for Fiction, administered by the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) for the next 10 years.

ýThe sponsorship deal was disclosed today by the executive chairman of the airline, Obiora Okonkwo, following a discussion with Usman Akanbi, the ANA president.

Under the arrangement, the airline will provide N2 million every year for the next 10 years to ANA, bringing the total sponsorship to N20 million, a commitment the association says would guarantee the continuation of the prize regardless of the change in the state government.

The yearly award which was initiated by the Anambra State government in 2021 in conjunction with the ANA leadership, has faced financial constraints in the last three years following the failure of the present state administration to continue its sponsorship.

Though the Governor Willie Obiano administration began the sponsorship with one million naira, the Governor Chukwuma Soludo administration that succeeded it in 2022 continued the sponsorship and agreed to ANA’s request to double it in consideration of inflation and administrative costs like payments to judges.

However, after two years, the organisers say the state government appears to have lost interest in continuing with the sponsorship despite several letters reminding it of its promise.

The apparent lack of commitment caused United Nigeria Airlines to intervenee and rescue the prize from uncertainty.

Announcing the airline’s decision to step in, Akanbi quoted Prof Okonkwo as saying: ‘Achebe is too precious in our consciousness for the award to continue to suffer the current epileptic funding.’

ýSpeaking on why the airline made the decision to take over the sponsorship, Okonkwo said that Achebe’s legacy demands this level of commitment.

‘Very few men and women of letters and culture in recent history’, he stated, ‘have brought as much attention and honour to the black race and the African world as the great Achebe through his writings, lectures, speeches, intellectual activism, ethical conduct, and intermittent interventions in political affairs which has made him an authentic conscience of the Nigerian people.

Reacting to the sponsorship, the ANA president, who is a senior academic at the University of Ilorin in Kwara State said: ‘We are immensely grateful to Okonkwo and his airline for their patriotic intervention. Prof was not just a world-class raconteur and essayist, but also the ANA founder who started our association in 1981 at the University of Nigeria at Nsukka and accepted to serve as its first president, thus giving it the credibility and platform that has made the association highly respected beyond Nigeria’s shores.’

ý

ýAkanbi also highlighted Okonkwo’s consistent record of honouring Achebe, stating that Okonkwo has for some been hard to preserve the late author’s legacy.

For instance, he was solely responsible for financing the erection of a statue of the late Prof. Achebe which was unveiled in July by Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State at the Ugwunwasike Roundabout in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area, Achebe’s own hometown.

ýThe prize sponsorship is the latest effort made by Prof. Okonkwo and United Nigeria Airlines to cement Achebe’s legacy.

In June, one of the two Boeing 737-800NG aircraft purchased by United Nigeria Airlines was named after the late author, while the other was named after Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha.

Naming these two aircraft after both men is in line with Okonkwo’s determination to uphold their values.

Geregu Power Plc has appointed Mohammed Sani Jaoji as its new Acting Chief Executive Officer.

This leadership change represents the company’s second major executive shakeup in just seven months, as the power producer navigates a challenging landscape and struggles to position itself for growth.

Jaoji served as Technical Assistant to the Minister of Power between 2019 and 2023, before returning to Geregu Power Plc.

Geregu had in January 2026 tapped Siemens Energy’s Sean Manley as interim CEO to also spearhead its new growth strategy.

Manley became the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective February 2, 2026 and his tenure ended on August 14, 2026, according to Geregu.

On Monday August 17, the Board of Geregu Power Plc said Jaoji appointment is subject to the approval of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Jaoji holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and is a registered member of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).

‘He brings over three decades of experience in the power sector, spanning technical and leadership roles at the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) and Geregu Power Plc, where he served as Head, Maintenance Planning and Performance between 2007 and 2019.

The Board is confident that the appointment will strengthen the governance structure and strategic direction of the Company pending the appointment of a substantive Chief Executive Officer.

‘This appointment is following the non-renewal of the term of the Interim Chief Executive Officer, Sean Manley which end on August 14, 2026.

‘The Board also expresses its sincere appreciation to Mr. Manley for his service and contributions to the Company during his tenure and wishes him success in his future endeavours,’ Geregu said.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has dismissed allegations of ghost and hired voters in the August 15 Osun State governorship election, insisting that the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, made such practices impossible.

Dayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, stated this while speaking on ARISE NEWS on Monday, two days after the election.

Oketola cautioned Nigerians against relying on unverified claims, photographs and videos circulating on social media in the aftermath of the poll.

‘We are in an age of AI, misinformation and disinformation. Not everything you see is true,’ he said.

According to him, voters could only participate after being duly registered and accredited at their designated polling units, a process he said BVAS has fully secured.

Adeleke wins with 511,067 votes. The election was won by the incumbent governor and candidate of the Accord Party, Ademola Adeleke, who polled 511,067 votes.

He defeated his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who scored 444,815 votes.

Oketola disclosed that the election recorded a 50.116 percent voter turnout, a figure he described as higher than those recorded in several recent off-cycle elections.

He explained that the figure was based on the number of Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, collected and voters accredited during the exercise.

While acknowledging that voter apathy remains a major challenge in Nigeria, he said the Osun election showed that effective preparation could encourage greater participation.

‘According to our records, we had a 50.116 per cent voter turnout in that election. It is better than other off-cycle elections that have been conducted,’ he said.

The INEC spokesman also described the peaceful conclusion of the election as a sign of growing maturity in Nigeria’s democratic process, despite tensions and fears raised during the campaign period.

He reiterated that INEC’s responsibility is to conduct elections in accordance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the commission’s regulations.

He added that candidates dissatisfied with the outcome are free to seek legal redress as provided by law.

Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Oketola described recent off-cycle elections as important tests of INEC’s preparedness.

He said the commission is ready to deliver free, fair and credible elections but stressed that it requires the cooperation of all stakeholders.

He called on political parties to desist from vote-buying and other practices capable of undermining the electoral process, and urged security agencies to effectively manage threats and allow INEC to carry out its duties without unnecessary interference.

‘INEC is prepared to deliver free and fair elections, but we require the cooperation of all stakeholders,’ he said.

Residents and motorists were stranded in some parts of Abuja on Saturday after heavy rainfall caused flooding in several communities of the nation’s capital.

Flooding was reported in Wuse 2, including Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, around Delight Event Centre in Gudu, and parts of Efab Estate in Lokogoma.

The bridge linking Gaduwa and Durumi was also flooded, preventing motorists from crossing.

The Ebeano-Gudu road and its connecting bridge were also affected.

A video shared by a resident showed motorists and pedestrians unable to cross the flooded road.

‘Dear Honourable Minister of the FCT, please come to our rescue. This is the current situation of Ebeano/Gudu Road. The bridge is flooded,’ the resident said.

‘People coming from Gudu junction can’t cross, and people coming from Ebeano can’t get to Gudu.’

The flooding has raised fresh concerns about Abuja’s ability to cope with heavy rainfall, especially as the rainy season continues.

The Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) have warned of a high risk of flooding this rainy season.

The Federal Capital Territory is among the areas identified as vulnerable.

NiHSA also warned that the risk of flooding could increase between August and September and advised residents in vulnerable areas to take precautions.

Environmental experts say heavy rainfall is not the only reason for Abuja’s flooding.

They blame the city’s rapid growth, construction on waterways and the loss of natural drainage channels.

Kenneth Iyamu, a retired Air Vice Marshal and president of the Association of Environmental Protection and Climate Change Practitioners, told BusinessDay that Abuja was originally planned with green areas and natural water channels to reduce the risk of flooding.

He said many of these areas have since been built over for homes, businesses and roads.

‘Water channels and green areas have been built over, so floodwaters are now being redirected into communities that were previously considered safe,’ he said.

He added that the loss of these natural drainage routes has made more communities vulnerable to flooding.

Several parts of Abuja, including Trademore Estate, Karimu, Galadimawa and Idu, have experienced repeated flooding after heavy rainfall.

Iyamu said the flooding of areas that were previously considered safe shows that Abuja’s natural flood protection has been reduced.

He also called for better plans to help people who are forced to leave their homes because of flooding.

According to him, government should provide temporary shelters, food, security and support for affected residents, including arrangements for their livelihoods and children’s education.

‘You cannot simply tell people to vacate without providing shelters, food support, security and arrangements for livelihoods and education,’ he said.

Abuja’s repeated flooding shows that the problem goes beyond heavy rainfall. Blocked drains, poor waste disposal, development on waterways and weak enforcement of planning rules are also contributing to the problem.

Experts say government needs to improve drainage, protect natural water channels and enforce planning rules before more heavy rainfall causes further disruption across the capital.

Abdulrahman Mohammed, acting director-general of the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD),said the agency had increased its preparations after receiving flood warnings from NiHSA and NiMet.

He said FEMD had started public awareness campaigns in vulnerable communities and was monitoring water levels around rivers, drainage channels and areas prone to flooding.

Mohammed admitted that many of the flash floods within the city were caused by blocked drainage channels and poor waste disposal.

‘The flash floods we are seeing within the city are mainly because drainage channels are blocked,’ he said.

He said FEMD had informed relevant government agencies before the rainy season that drainage channels needed to be cleared.

When asked whether this pointed to failures by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Mohammed said, ‘I think so.’

The repeated flooding has led to calls for stronger enforcement of Abuja’s planning and environmental rules.

Stakeholders want government to identify flood-prone areas, remove structures built on waterways and clear blocked drainage channels.

They also want better planning to prevent people from building on flood plains and natural drainage routes.

FEMD is monitoring several vulnerable communities across the six area councils, including Yangoji, Lugbe, parts of Kwali, Gwagwalada, Bwari, Wuse and areas around Trademore Estate.

The agency has also warned that people who build illegally on flood plains may not qualify for government compensation or relocation if their land was not legally allocated.

Mohammed said residents with valid land allocations could be considered for compensation or relocation, while those who built without the required approvals could face a different situation.

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has reportedly cancelled the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) electoral congress scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State, paving the way for a major leadership overhaul and structural reorganisation of Nigerian football.

According to OwnGoalNigeria, the intervention has halted the re-election bid of NFF President Ibrahim Gusau and his executive committee, whose four-year tenure has come under increasing scrutiny amid growing concerns over the performance of Nigeria’s national teams.

The NSC is reportedly planning to appoint a three-month normalisation committee to oversee the affairs of the NFF while a broader restructuring of the federation takes place.

NSC moves to restructure NFF

The decision follows mounting calls from football stakeholders for changes in the administration of Nigerian football following a series of disappointing results involving the country’s national teams.

The Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has intensified pressure on the NFF leadership, with Nigeria set to miss the tournament for a second consecutive edition.

The situation was further compounded by the Super Falcons’ failure to secure an automatic qualification spot for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup after losing to South Africa in the African play-off in Morocco.

Nigeria’s women’s team had featured at every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup since the tournament’s inaugural edition in 1991.

The NSC’s reported decision to suspend the NFF electoral process came shortly after the Super Falcons’ elimination, fuelling speculation that the federal sports authorities are seeking a new direction for the country’s football administration.

FIFA, CAF consultations

The proposed intervention is expected to require close coordination with FIFA and CAF, given FIFA’s long-standing position against government interference in the administration of its member associations.

Reports indicate that the NSC has engaged FIFA President Gianni Infantino over the proposed process and secured the world governing body’s approval.

The commission is also said to have contacted CAF President Patrice Motsepe as part of efforts to secure continental support for the restructuring of Nigerian football.

If implemented, the proposed normalisation committee would temporarily oversee the NFF’s affairs before a fresh electoral process is conducted.

The development could therefore usher in one of the most significant leadership changes in Nigerian football in recent years, with the future of the Gusau-led administration now hanging in the balance.