Category: Business Day

The Oyo State Government has reiterated its unwavering commitment to safeguarding the legacies of individuals who devoted their lives to promoting African culture and Yoruba heritage.

Wasiu Olatunbosun, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, on Wednesday gave the assurance during the third edition of the World Sango Festival and the Duro Ladipo Memorial Symposium, held at the Cultural Centre, Mokola, Ibadan.

Olatubosun called on governments at all levels to consider converting the residence of the late cultural icon, Duro Ladipo, into a monument or museum.

He noted that the first two editions of the symposium were hosted at Ladipo’s residence, adding that transforming it into a cultural site would serve as a lasting tribute to his invaluable contributions to Yoruba heritage.

A key highlight of the event was the official unveiling of a new cultural anthem. The Commissioner announced that the anthem would henceforth be played at all cultural and Isese-related programmes in the state, immediately after the state anthem. He described the initiative as a deliberate step towards strengthening and sustaining Yoruba traditions.

Speaking on the significance of Sango, Fayemi Ifakayode, president of the International Council of Ifa Religion, explained that the Sango worshipped in Yoruba traditional religion is Sango Ayilegbe-orun, one of the messengers of Olodumare, who descended from the celestial realm.

He clarified that the third Alaafin of Oyo, also known as Sango, should not be mistaken for the deity, noting that the Alaafin was regarded as an incarnation of the divine figure.

Also addressing the gathering, Yoruba culture and arts advocate, Tunde Odunlade, emphasized the importance of preserving ancestral heritage. He urged Yoruba people to uphold the values and traditions handed down by their forefathers, rather than abandoning their cultural identity.

The event had in attendance the widow of Duro Ladipo, Biodun Duro-Ladipo; devotees of traditional religions from across the 33 local government areas of the state, as well as dignitaries and cultural stakeholders.

Africa grows about 70 percent of global cocoa yet it captures only a fraction of the value of $150 billion chocolate market.

Experts who spoke during the LEAF AFRICA webinar, highlighted the opportunities and structural gaps across Africa’s cocoa value chain.

They also noted that the continent can move beyond exporting raw beans to building globally competitive value chains to benefit from the potential of the commodity.

Uzoamaka Igweike, founder of Loom Craft Chocolate, identified weak infrastructure as one of the major constraints limiting value addition.

‘A batch of chocolate can take anywhere between 18 hours to 60 hours of stable electricity to run effectively,’ she said. She also emphasised the lack of developed cold-chain logistics for distribution.

Poor power supply is a major challenge to Africa manufacturers and this has forced them to rely heavily on diesel and gas to power their factories, and the prices of both commodities have surged over 100 percent in recent months owing to the Iran war.

Energy accounts for 30-40 per of production costs for manufacturers like cement, steel, and food processing. That makes African goods more expensive than imports from Asia, the U.S., and Europe.

Nigerian manufacturers spent N1.4 trillion on power generation in 2025, underscoring the heavy cost burden it continues to impose on the sector.

Nkechi Amangbo, CEO of Thamani Invest Limited, said low quality beans and high cost of capital are other constraints Africa’s chocolate makers battle with. She added that interest rates of between 30-40 percent make manufacturing projects difficult to finance across the continent.

She also stressed that processors cannot afford interruptions caused by unreliable supply of quality beans.

Speaking on opportunities, Amangbo pointed that the challenges highlighted by operators creates opportunities for investors and entrepreneurs.

‘These are outright business opportunities,’ she said. ‘I would be willing to finance businesses that impacts the real sector and creates employment,’ she said

She also identified equipment leasing as a viable model. ‘Instead of requiring processors to purchase every machine, specialised firms could acquire and lease equipment, with financiers structuring the capital around proven demand.’

Speaking on the shifting demands of the international market, Ahmed Adeagbo,managing director of Rosad Nigeria Limited noted that buyers now want clear information on the origin of cocoa and the conditions under which it was produced.

‘Global buyers are placing greater emphasis on traceability. They want to know where it’s coming from. They want to know how sustainable it is,’ he said.

‘The European Union has introduced a regulation known as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Under this rule, cocoa that comes from land deforested after 2020 would be rejected.’He explained.

‘About 90 per cent of Nigeria’s cocoa is sold to the European market, exporters must now prove that their beans meet these requirements.’

‘This means they have to map the farms, collect data on each plot, and provide a statement confirming that the cocoa was produced without deforestation.’

He added that the cost of mapping farms and meeting these requirements currently falls largely on the exporters.

China is scaling up coal-to-gas production as part of a strategy to reduce its exposure to geopolitical disruptions in global gas markets, a move that could constrain future demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) and reshape competition among major exporters.

Rystad Energy estimates that China’s coal-to-gas (CTG) capacity will reach 9.4 billion cubic metres (Bcm) per year by the end of 2026, before rising to 28 Bcm annually by 2030.

The expansion makes China the only country operating a large-scale CTG industry and gives Beijing another domestic source of gas that can serve as a buffer when LNG supply chains or pipeline routes are disrupted.

No other country has developed synthetic gas from coal at any meaningful scale.

‘China’s coal-to-gas program is a direct expression of its energy security doctrine,’ Wei Xiong, vice president, Gas and LNG Markets at Rystad Energy, said.

‘In a world where LNG supply chains and pipeline routes are increasingly affected by geopolitics, China is investing in molecules it can produce, store and move without reference to any foreign supplier.’

The shift is being reinforced by China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, covering 2026 to 2030, which strengthens CTG’s role in the country’s domestic gas supply architecture.

For LNG producers, the expansion is significant because it creates another source of gas that can compete with imported supplies. At 28 Bcm per year, CTG would remain a supplement to LNG rather than replace imports, but its growth could slow the pace of Chinese LNG demand growth.

The economics are already supporting the expansion.

Xinjiang has emerged as the centre of China’s CTG development because of its low-cost coal. Mine-mouth coal prices in the province averaged about 214 yuan ($30) per tonne between April 2025 and May 2026, less than 40 percent of the equivalent price in Inner Mongolia.

That advantage translates into lower synthetic gas costs. CTG produced in Xinjiang can reach eastern China at about $9.1-$9.6 per million British thermal units (MMBtu), generally below China’s average LNG import price.

Existing CTG facilities are operating at more than 90 percent utilisation, indicating that the plants are benefiting from demand and can compete with imported gas under current market conditions.

The expansion is also moving quickly. About 20 Bcm of additional CTG capacity per year is under development, much of it in Xinjiang. Rystad said project approval timelines in the region have fallen from three years or more to less than 12 months in several recent cases.

China is, however, attempting to balance energy security with the environmental costs of converting coal into gas.

New projects are facing project-specific carbon and environmental requirements. The CHN Energy Zhundong development, for instance, is designed to produce 2 Bcm of gas annually from 2027 and incorporates electrolytic hydrogen, wastewater recycling and planned carbon capture capacity of 550,000 tonnes per year.

The environmental challenge remains substantial. CTG production is carbon-intensive, while water availability is a constraint for projects concentrated in northwestern China. China has also yet to establish a uniform nationwide decarbonisation standard for new CTG projects.

The economics of carbon capture remain another uncertainty. While China has an established market for carbon capture utilisation, the commercial case for permanent geological storage is less developed.

‘Whether the economics of decarbonised CTG will prove bankable over the long term remains an open question, but for now the global security imperative is diminishing hesitation,’ said Eryu Wang, a CCUS analyst at Rystad Energy.

The implications extend beyond China’s domestic gas market.

As CTG capacity expands, LNG suppliers targeting China may face a slower growth trajectory in one of the world’s largest gas markets. The impact could extend to LNG pricing, long-term supply contracts and investment decisions by producers in Australia, Qatar and the United States.

‘CTG is one of China’s many hedges against a world where LNG supply is finite and politically sensitive,’ Xiong said.

‘At 28 Bcm per year by 2030 it remains a supplemental source, not a replacement for imports, but its steady growth means every LNG exporter targeting China should model it as a structural dampener on demand, not a footnote.’

The Federal Government’s decision to deploy soldiers in a part of Kwara South to strengthen security and give the residents of the area a greater sense of safety, has attracted commendation from the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group (BAT-IG).

The group’s commendation comes as a battalion of the Nigerian Army, comprising over 1,000 soldiers have since arrived in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. This development is seen as significant step in the effort to restore lasting peace, security and confidence across Kwara South.

Bamidele Atoyebi, the national convener of BAT-IG, said on Sunday, that the military deployment was ‘gratifying because the group, on 13 May 2026, formally appealed to President Tinubu for the establishment of either an Army/Nigerian Defence Academy or Police Academy training centre in Oke-Ode, Kwara South, ‘as a strategic intervention to strengthen security, restore normalcy and facilitate the safe return of displaced residents to their ancestral communities’.

‘In his responsive leadership, President Tinubu has gone beyond our immediate request by approving, on 23rd July 2026, about 11 weeks after our letter, the deployment of a full Army battalion to Omu-Aran, a location which, in our considered view, is even more strategic for providing effective security coverage across Kwara South and surrounding communities. We commend the president for listening to the concerns of the people and for translating security concerns into concrete action’ he noted.

The group also lauded Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, the Nigerian Army; Major General Yakubu Yahaya, the General Officer Commanding 9 Division/Joint Task Force Operation Savannah Shield, among other topics officers for their roles in ensuring the swift deployment of the troops.

BAT-IG believes the intervention will strengthen the security architecture of Kwara South, boost the confidence of displaced communities, encourage the gradual return of the people to their ancestral homes and create a safer environment for economic and social activities to thrive.

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Vice-Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), says his decision to become Peter Obi’s running mate in the 2027 Presidential election is driven by national interest, equity, regional balance and the need for democratic change.

Kwankwaso, a former Governor of Kano State and former Minister of Defence, stated this on Sunday during the News Agency of Nigeria Personality Interview Series in Abuja.

He said his experience after the 2023 general elections had helped him to understand Obi better and convinced him that both politicians could work together to address Nigeria’s challenges.

According to him, the decision was taken after extensive consultations with members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, supporters of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and the Obidient Movement.

Kwankwaso said the groups agreed that the country needed a balanced political ticket capable of attracting support from both the North and the South.

‘People learn every day and that is why experience is very important. In 2023, we attempted to work together and at that particular point, I knew little about Peter Obi.

‘But over these last four years, I was able to learn a lot and realised that Peter is somebody that I could work together with,’ he said.

The former governor explained that the alliance was also based on the understanding that the South would retain the presidency for one term after the completion of the eight-year tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari, after which power would return to the North.

He said Nigeria’s worsening security challenges, declining agricultural productivity, economic hardship and deteriorating infrastructure further reinforced his decision to support the alliance.

Kwankwaso expressed particular concern about the difficulties facing farmers in Northern Nigeria, noting that insecurity and other challenges had made agricultural production increasingly difficult and unprofitable.

He also decried the State of infrastructure across much of the country, observing that only a few areas, including Lagos, had witnessed significant improvements.

The former senator said Nigerians were in need of the type of democratic change they sought in 2015, adding that the demand for such change had become even greater.

He described the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket as a combination of regional balance, competence and credibility.

‘Nobody, no ticket can beat our own in terms of credibility, in terms of capacity and of course, in terms of love for the country; even in terms of empathy for the poor that are suffering across the country today,’ he said.

Kwankwaso also rejected suggestions that accepting the vice-presidential slot represented a political setback, despite having previously served as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, governor, minister and senator.

‘I have never been the vice-president. I think it is a step forward despite all the things you counted,’ he stated.

He stressed that his political decisions were guided by a desire to serve the national interest and ensure good governance for all Nigerians.

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.

Sam Ohuabunwa, Chairman of the Board of Enyimba Economic City Development Company (EECDC), has described the proposed Enyimba Economic City, as a project of strategic importance to Abia, the South-East geopolitical zone and Nigeria, and expressed the board’s readiness to work with the State Government to achieve its objectives.

He urged that nothing should be allowed to interrupt the development process already initiated, saying that the board was committed to finding a way forward in the interest of the project and the region.

Ohuabunwa, who led members of the reconstituted Board of the Enyimba Economic City Development Company, on a courtesy visit to Governor Alex Otti at his Nvosi country home, in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of the State, said that the visit was primarily to introduce the newly constituted board to Governor Alex Otti.

He described Governor Otti-led administration, as a demonstration of the dividends of democracy, saying that residents could now see tangible improvements in infrastructure and other sectors of the state.

He said that the board had examined the disagreement between the company and the Abia Government and described the dispute as puzzling, given the State Government’s position, as a partner in the Enyimba Economic City project.

According to him, the board was not interested in reopening old wounds, but was seeking forgiveness and an opportunity to rebuild its relationship with the State Government.

‘Our critical request is to ask for your forgiveness and forbearance in all the ways that things did not happen the way they ought to have happened.

‘We should begin to see how we can walk back, repair the relationship, rebuild it and move forward together’, Ohuabunwa said.

Governor Alex Otti in his response, noted that his administration is not opposed to the Enyimba Economic City project, but insisted that all processes concerning the development must be transparent and properly executed.

He said that his administration remains pro-business and will continue to support genuine investments that would comply with due process and protect the interests of the State, communities and other stakeholders.

‘I’m not against any Enyimba Economic City, but I believe that there are things that were not properly done and they should be done properly.

‘But having said that, since the matter is subjudice, I’ll leave it at that’, Governor Otti said.

The governor explained that the land originally associated with the project covered about 9,803 hectares across parts of Ugwunagbo, Ukwa East and Ukwa West Local Government Areas.

According to him, the State Government had initially sought to retain about 1,000 hectares of the land for the development of the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park.

‘About how we got here, when we had our meeting, it was about the company ceding just about a thousand hectares out of the close to ten thousand hectares.

‘I think it’s about 9,803 hectares of land spanning through Ugwunagbo, Ukwa East and Ukwa West and we were setting up the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park.

‘So after the meeting, the company agreed only to renege later and asked us to go to the Federal Government.

‘So, what we did was to; since the land belongs to us as a government, and since we couldn’t take only one thousand, we revoked the entire CofO and took the one thousand that we required,’ he said.

Governor Otti said that the State Government’s action was also informed by concerns over the processes through which the land had been acquired and the absence of relevant documentation.

He noted that the dispute subsequently went to arbitration, where, according to him, some monetary awards were made in favour of the State Government.

The governor, however, cautioned that the matter was now before the courts and said he would not make extensive comments that could prejudice the judicial process.

‘I’m just going into this out of respect and this matter is now before the court, so ordinarily I would say it’s sub-judice until the court finishes with this matter.

‘But because of the caliber of people, who have joined the board, that’s why I’m discussing it’ .

Governor Otti also questioned the equity arrangement reflected in documents available to his administration, saying the state was entitled to only 6% equity in the company despite the substantial size of the land associated with the project.

‘Even the documents I have shown you say that the government has 6% of the equity.

‘I was just asking myself, so you give 10,000 hectares of land in Abia and you have 6% equity? I would not do that kind of deal’, he said.

The governor further expressed concern over claims that some original landowners had not received compensation, noting that the issue had contributed to multiple legal disputes.

He said that the State Government had no objection to investors acquiring land for the economic city, if the affected communities were properly compensated and appropriate agreements reached.

‘If Enyimba Economic City goes and acquires those lands, pays the people, and they have an agreement, you should come and I will give them Certificate of Occupancy or title documents. I don’t have a problem.

‘I support businesses. People are acquiring land, once you do the right thing, I have no problem’, Governor Otti added.

He said that his administration would continue to encourage genuine investment, insisting on transparency, fairness and accountability in transactions involving public assets.

Governor Otti also congratulated members of the reconstituted board and expressed confidence that their experience would help address outstanding issues surrounding the project.

He said that leadership must prioritise the welfare and security of the people, adding that any departure from those responsibilities amounted to selfish leadership.

The governor thanked the board members for the visit and expressed confidence that their intervention would contribute to resolving the issues surrounding the project within the ambit of the law.

Nigerian consumers have raised the alarm over declining product quality and quantity amid rising prices, warning that it is worsening the cost of living crisis.

They described the trend as ‘shrinkflation’, the practice of reducing product quantity and quality while prices remain the same or increase.

The consumers stated this in an interview with Consumer Watch, lamenting that brands are now offering smaller sizes and lower-grade products while charging more.

Several shoppers who voiced their minds said that such products include: sachet beverages, canned foods, tomato paste, milk, noodles, and soap, among others, adding that they no longer get value for their money.

Speaking on the same issue, a Lagos-based consumer, Chinwe Uzoma, decried the situation, stressing that it is becoming unbearable.

According to her, ‘Before now, when you bought a sachet of Milo and milk, you were sure of a good cup of tea. But today, it is no longer the same. The tea tastes bland and watery.

‘We, the consumers, are no longer getting value for our money,’ she lamented.

Another consumer who spoke with Consumer Watch described the situation as intolerable.

According to her, ‘In the past, one sachet of Milo and milk was enough for a rich, tasty tea. Now, the same combination produces tea that is tasteless and weak.

Speaking in the same vein, Vivian Onyebukwa said: ‘It’s unfortunate that consumers are experiencing a reduction in both the quality and quantity of some consumer goods, especially sachet goods.

‘Take, for instance, beverages such as milk, drinks, and even tomatoes. These items are supposedly meant to nourish the body; instead, they have become a source of illness to the consumers. Some sachet tomatoes are allegedly manufactured with flour and colour, and they call it tomatoes.

‘Sachet milk is now chaff and tasteless. Most sachet drinks are now sending consumers to their early graves.

‘However, despite reduction in quality and quantity, their prices are going up every day. Government should look into this. We have a government agency in charge of quality control. Manufacturers should not be allowed to take consumers’ health for granted.

On her part, a trader, Aisha Bello, said: ‘I used to buy a medium size of sachet Milo for my children, and it would last for the week . Now the sachet is smaller, and we finish it in 3 days, but the price is even higher .”

Another consumer, Chinedu Okoro, said manufacturers are quietly cheating Nigerians and added that they change the packaging but keep the price.

‘If you don’t pay attention, you won’t notice. Government needs to step in,’ he said.

Speaking also, another Lagos-based consumer, Blessing Ikechi, had the trend as ‘evil’, blaming manufacturing firms for being unfair to Nigerian consumers.

‘Take, for instance, when you buy any tinned product. As soon as you open the tin, you discover that the content is only half, unlike before when it would fill up the container.

‘The annoying part is that the price of such products has gone higher. It is a serious issue that should be urgently addressed by the regulatory agencies.”

She added that if manufacturing firms must reduce the quantity of a product, they should also reduce the price.

‘When you buy a tinned product now, once you open it, the content is just half. Before, it used to fill the container,’ she said. ‘But the price has even increased. This is unfair to Nigerians, and the regulators need to act urgently.

Reacting to the development in a report, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, said it has commenced investigations into cases of ‘shrinkflation’ across markets nationwide.

A director at the Commission in the report stated that manufacturers are obligated to disclose any changes in product weight or quality to consumers.

‘We will not allow consumers to be shortchanged. Companies must be transparent, and where there are violations, appropriate sanctions will be applied,’ the official stated.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, also urged consumers to report substandard products through its consumer safety channels.

Analysts described ‘shrinkflation’ as a common response by manufacturers to rising costs of raw materials. But consumer rights groups argue that failing to clearly label such changes amounts to deceptive practice.

Barely 48 hours to the commencement of campaigns for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections, major political parties are yet to fully constitute and unveil their campaign councils, amid internal intrigues, consultations and legal disputes.

The development implies that President Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and other presidential candidates could enter the formal campaign period without clearly defined campaign structures unless last-minute decisions are reached.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed August 19, 2026, for the commencement of presidential and National Assembly campaigns, while governorship and State Assembly campaigns will begin on September 9.

APC, ADC, NDC intensify consultations

Alhaji Bala Ibrahim, APC National Director of Publicity, told BusinessDay that the party’s campaign council would be announced by the National Working Committee (NWC), adding that attention had recently been focused on the Osun governorship election which was held last Saturday.

He said the August 19 date only opens the campaign window and does not compel parties to begin activities that day. Ibrahim said the APC would unveil its council once the NWC concludes its deliberations.

Another senior APC official who craved anonymity said the party was balancing the interests of governors, former governors, lawmakers, party leaders and the five legacy parties that formed the APC. He added that some aggrieved aspirants who lost in the recent primaries would be compensated to preserve party unity.

Our correspondent gathered from party insiders that the APC’s loss in the Osun governorship election has also complicated discussions over key campaign positions, with some members questioning whether Hope Uzodimma, Imo State governor, and other Osun campaign leaders should receive prominent roles in President Tinubu’s campaign organisation.

Meanwhile, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, former Sokoto State governor, and Liyel Imoke, former Cross River State governor, are among those being considered to lead the African Democratic Congress (ADC) campaign organisation, sources told BusinessDay.

With Atiku as its presidential candidate, the party is weighing political experience and regional balance as consultations continue.

An ADC chieftain said there was no cause for alarm, adding that aggressively campaigning too early could impose high financial costs on candidates and supporters.

However, Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC National Publicity Secretary, was yet to respond to enquiries from our correspondent as of press time on why the party continued to delay the unveiling of its campaign council.

However, Peter Obi, NDC presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, his running mate, and other party leaders have intensified consultations over the campaign council, our correspondent learnt.

Habibu Sale Mohammed, spokesman for the Kwankwasiyya Movement, has dismissed reports of disagreement between the Obi and Kwankwaso camps over the campaign council formation.

‘There is no fighting in the NDC over the campaign council. Everyone is working hand in hand to ensure that a credible structure is produced,’ he said.

Chief Peter Ameh, NDC senatorial candidate and former National Chairman of the defunct Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA), said the absence of a formally unveiled council did not mean the party was unprepared.

‘The campaign council is not really a problem. The important thing is that someone has already put himself on the ballot and he wants to win,’ Ameh told our correspondent in a telephone interview.

Ameh told BusinessDay that the NDC campaign would be ‘rigorous and robust’ to deliver victory to Obi on January 16, 2027.

PRP, LP, Accord, PDP others face legal complexities

Donald Duke, PRP presidential candidate, is facing a legal challenge from Yakubu Kingsley, an aspirant, over his nomination, with the Federal High Court in Abuja fixing November 2 for judgment.

Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim is also challenging his exclusion as Accord’s presidential candidate. Sam Okpala, Labour Party’s Secretary in Lagos State, said the party would commence full mobilisation after judgment in its leadership dispute.

The PDP is also dealing with a lingering leadership dispute in court, while the SDP faces a separate legal case involving former party officials.

Political analysts say the coming days could witness a flurry of announcements as parties race to settle outstanding disputes and unveil their campaign councils and Directors-General ahead of the 2027 elections.

Ashoka Africa has hosted its pilot programme, the Educator Innovation Showcase 2026.

It said it was in its determination to inspire public school teachers in Lagos State to develop scalable ideas that can transform their classrooms and surrounding communities,

According to the organisation, the initiative also aims to shift traditional educational paradigms by funding public school teachers who are actively instilling crucial ‘changemaking’ skills in their students.

The programme culminated in a dynamic pitch event where five finalist teachers presented evidence-backed initiatives to secure substantial implementation grants.

At the end of the pitch, Adeyanju Adeyoola, a teacher from Lagos State Model Junior College, Kankon, Badagry, emerged the first-place winner with the project BKind, an Anti-Bullying Game Initiative for Health, Well-being and Inclusion. He was awarded a cash prize of N3.5 million for the implementation of the project.

Felix Alabi, a teacher from Abule-Eko Community Junior Grammar School, emerged second for his project, the ClassSync Education Innovation (Mathematics Education/Peer Learning. He received a cash prize of N3 million, while Abraham Lawal, Lagos Progressive Junior Secondary School, came 3rd and received a cash prize of N2.5 million to implement his project, Student Leadership for Future of Work Student Agency and Future Skills.

Fourth place: Abiola Alabi, Aguda Junior Grammar School, Surulere, with the project Waste to Worth Environmental Sustainability and fifth-place finalist Aderinoye Temitope, a teacher in Reservation Junior Secondary School, Tolu Schools Complex, Ajegunle, Lagos, with the project Transforming Basic Science into Entrepreneurship: Empowering Students Through Petroleum Jelly and Liquid Soap Production. Student Agency and Future Skills also received

Three outstanding ideas from the broader pool of candidates also received consolation prizes and recognition.

Angelou Ezeilo, co-president of Ashoka Africa and CTEACH director, while speaking to journalists, said that the ultimate goal of the challenge was a fundamental mindset shift for both educators and youth.

Ezeilo noted that Ashoka previously hosted student-focused ‘pitch-a-thons,’ but shifted to empowering teachers after realising educators were bubbling with scalable ideas to change their classrooms and surrounding communities.

Olamide Christianah Adeboye, Project Lead, CTEACH Changemaker Teachers Challenge, while commenting on the multiplier effect of the initiative, said if one teacher is empowered, this can inspire hundreds of students.

Adeboye said that the programme moves beyond traditional academics to teach four core changemaking skills: conscious empathy, shared leadership, changemaking practice, and collaboration.

She noted that rather than applying temporary charitable fixes, Ashoka focuses on addressing root causes. The funded classroom projects reflect this ethos. Standout ideas included ‘Be Kind,’ an engaging anti-bullying game that fosters teamwork, and an innovative basic science curriculum that teaches students how to manufacture Vaseline, effectively bridging the gap between classroom theory and real-world entrepreneurial skills.

To ensure long-term impact, all funded ideas must be highly replicable and scalable. Winners will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ashoka Africa, requiring them to provide strict accountability reports detailing their budgeting, supply purchases, and classroom impact. Furthermore, successful teachers will be expected to train other educators both within and outside their schools to adopt these methodologies.

Looking ahead, Ashoka Africa plans to leverage the data gathered from this pilot to advocate for widespread policy changes. The organisation is actively engaging with the Ministry of Education and global funders with the ultimate ambition of integrating this changemaker framework directly into the national curriculum.

The challenge was specifically targeted at teachers from the six education districts in Lagos State, with a strategic focus on underserved public schools. Beginning with an initial pool of over one hundred applications, the programme narrowed the field down to 20 semifinalists. These educators were tasked with implementing their innovative ideas in their classrooms over four weeks to gather concrete, evidence-backed data proving their concepts worked before the final five were selected.