Category: Daily Trust

A fierce debate over the allocation of Nigeria’s aviation revenue took centre stage at the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation on Thursday as the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) presented opposing arguments on the proposed review of the sharing formula for the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) and Cargo Sales Charge (CSC).

The public hearing, convened by the National Assembly, focused on proposed amendments to the Civil Aviation Act that could significantly alter the distribution of the statutory charges collected from airline ticket and cargo sales among aviation agencies.

While the NCAA urged lawmakers to retain and even increase its share of the fund to strengthen safety oversight, NAMA argued that its growing operational responsibilities and ageing infrastructure justify a larger allocation from the existing pool.

Daily Trust reports that the industry has been sharply divided since the National Assembly commenced a move to amend the Act.

Under the existing legislation, the NCAA collects five per cent TSC and shares among aviation agencies.

Under the extant sharing formula, the NCAA retains 56%; NAMA takes 22%; the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) gets 9%, NCAT receives 7% while the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) gets 6 %.

But the proposal before the National Assembly seeks to slash the NCAA’s share to 40 per cent while NAMA’s 22% is jerked up to 40 per cent.

NCAA demands restoration of 65% of ticket sales

At the public hearing organised by the House of Representatives yesterday, the NCAA demanded the restoration of its original 65 percent share of the 5 percent ticket sales charge (TSC) and cargo sales charge (CSC).

Director-General of Civil Aviation, Capt. Chris Najomo, warned that reducing the agency’s allocation would weaken Nigeria’s aviation safety oversight and place the country at odds with international standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Najomo stressed that the NCAA, as the nation’s independent aviation regulator, is responsible for certifying, inspecting and supervising airlines, airports, maintenance organisations, training schools, aviation personnel and the country’s air navigation service provider, NAMA.

According to him, unlike other aviation agencies, the NCAA does not generate significant commercial income because it performs sovereign regulatory functions aimed at ensuring public safety.

He disclosed that the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge accounts for about 83 per cent of the Authority’s funding, while all other regulatory fees contribute only 17 per cent.

‘The NCAA is Nigeria’s State Safety Oversight Authority. Our responsibility is to regulate every aviation service provider in the country in accordance with national laws and ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices,’ he said.

Najomo further revealed that Nigeria recently achieved an Effective Implementation score of 91.3 per cent during ICAO’s Coordinated Validation Mission, but recorded its weakest performance-just 50 per cent-in the area of financial resources available to support safety oversight.

He argued that cutting the NCAA’s funding would worsen the very deficiency identified by ICAO and undermine Nigeria’s ability to maintain global aviation safety standards.

The Director-General also cited increasing challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified aviation inspectors due to inadequate funding and poor remuneration, warning that safety oversight could be compromised if the Authority’s financial base is weakened.

He maintained that international best practice requires air navigation service providers such as NAMA to recover most of their operating costs through user charges paid by aircraft operators rather than passenger ticket charges.

According to him, NAMA already has about 16 statutory commercial revenue streams, including en-route navigation charges, terminal navigation charges, calibration fees, consultancy services and telecommunications services.

Others are over-flight and en-route international charges, domestic en-route charges, charges on Class B message charges, terminal navigation charges, sales of aeronautical information, among others.

He noted that these sources account for approximately 75 per cent of NAMA’s total revenue, while the Ticket Sales Charge contributes only about 25 per cent.

NAMA seeks 56%

However, Managing Director of NAMA, Engr. Farouk Ahmed Umar, presented a contrasting position, insisting that the current allocation no longer reflects the agency’s enormous operational responsibilities.

He explained that NAMA currently receives only 22 per cent of the statutory five per cent charge, translating to just N11 from every N50 generated through the levy on a N1,000 ticket or cargo sale.

Under the proposed amendment, the agency is seeking an increase to 56 per cent of the existing pool, insisting that the proposal would not raise ticket prices but merely redistribute the current revenue.

Umar said the agency’s operational costs have risen significantly over the years while navigation charges have remained largely unchanged since 2008 despite inflation, exchange rate volatility and increasing costs of maintaining modern air navigation systems.

He noted that NAMA is responsible for air traffic control, surveillance systems, navigation aids, communication infrastructure, aeronautical information services and continuous maintenance of safety-critical facilities across the country.

According to him, the agency also faces the urgent challenge of replacing ageing radar infrastructure under the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) programme and investing in digital airspace management technologies.

The NAMA boss further sought legislative backing for the agency to receive 90 per cent of fees generated from obstacle evaluation and WGS-84 aeronautical surveys, arguing that while the NCAA issues Aviation Height Clearance Certificates, NAMA undertakes the specialised technical assessments that determine whether proposed structures constitute hazards to aircraft operations.

He assured lawmakers that NAMA supports strict accountability measures, including automated revenue collection, quarterly financial disclosures, annual independent audits and transparent procurement processes.

Umar also called for harmonisation of conflicting provisions in the Civil Aviation Act and the NAMA Act regarding the agency’s statutory share of the Ticket Sales Charge.

Ojikutu seeks rational review

Retired Group Captain John Ojikutu in his presentation called for a comprehensive review of the formula.

Ojikutu, a respected aviation security expert and industry analyst, argued that the existing revenue-sharing arrangement among the NCAA, NAMA, NCAT, NSIB and NiMet lacks a rational basis and requires urgent reassessment.

According to him, the allocation of the 5 per cent charges collected from commercial aviation operators should be guided by objective operational realities rather than a fixed percentage formula that does not adequately reflect the responsibilities and resource demands of each agency.

Ojikutu said a more equitable approach should consider key factors such as the number of aeronautical personnel employed by each organisation, the volume and sophistication of equipment deployed, the number of operational locations across the country, hours of operation and other relevant service obligations.

He explained that the charges paid by non-aeronautical operators are designed to support the continuous provision of essential aeronautical safety services required for the smooth operation of Nigeria’s aviation industry.

‘These services are not optional. They are mandatory requirements under the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations and are also part of Nigeria’s obligations to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for both domestic and international air transportation,’ he noted.

Lasaco Assurance Plc has achieved a major milestone in Nigeria’s insurance industry after successfully raising N19.3 billion and meeting the recapitalisation requirements of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

The company has been approved among the recapitalised insurance firms authorised to continue operations in the country, following the successful completion of its landmark capital-raising exercise.

The amount raised exceeded Lasaco’s initial target of N18.47 billion by about 4.5 per cent, making it the largest capital raise by an insurance company in Nigeria to meet the new regulatory threshold.

The achievement represents a significant step in the company’s growth strategy and aligns with the objectives of the National Insurance Industry Roadmap to 2025 (NIIRA 2025), which seeks to strengthen the capacity, competitiveness and sustainability of the Nigerian insurance sector.

Lasaco said the successful fundraising reflects strong confidence from shareholders, institutional investors and the wider market in the company’s leadership, corporate governance framework and long-term business strategy.

The company’s ability to surpass its target despite challenging economic conditions, it noted, demonstrates its market strength and investors’ confidence in its capacity to create sustainable value.

The new capital base is expected to support Lasaco’s expansion plans, strengthen its financial position and enhance its ability to compete effectively in the evolving insurance market. The funds will be deployed towards improving operational capacity, accelerating digital transformation and expanding its range of insurance solutions.

The strengthened capital position will also enable the company to build a stronger solvency buffer, invest in technology-driven innovations and improve key processes, including underwriting and claims management, to deliver better customer experiences.

Beyond regulatory compliance, Lasaco said the recapitalisation provides a platform for pursuing new growth opportunities, reaching underserved markets and developing products tailored to the changing needs of individuals and businesses.

The company added that the milestone reinforces its commitment to policyholders by improving product reliability, service delivery and risk management solutions.

With the successful completion of the capital raise, Lasaco Assurance is positioned for the next phase of growth as it seeks to deepen its market presence, support financial inclusion and contribute to the continued development of Nigeria’s insurance industry.

The company said the achievement reflects its commitment to creating long-term value for customers, partners, employees and shareholders while setting a new benchmark for excellence in the sector.

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to vacate the order freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government.

In a statement he personally signed on Thursday, the president said while he was not opposed to the EFCC’s exercise of its statutory powers, the timing of the action raised some concerns.

The EFCC on Wednesday froze the account of the Osun State Government, citing alleged fraudulent handling of ecology funds, intervention funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) account to the tune of N11 billion.

The anti-graft agency took the action ten days to the state’s governorship election.

Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord party is contesting against two major candidates: Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Adeleke, who addressed journalists in Osogbo, the state capital, said the freezing of the account was unconstitutional because no court order was obtained before the directive was issued.

But the EFCC explained that the state government’s account was frozen to save public funds from being looted.

The commission, in a statement by its spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said some officials of the state had earlier been quizzed by investigators of the commission, saying what precipitated the freezing was the unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026.

I feel embarrassed – President

President Tinubu said he feels embarrassed by the EFCC action because the timing could create the impression that the Federal Government is interfering in the state’s forthcoming governorship election.

Tinubu said actions taken by federal institutions were often attributed to him as President, regardless of whether he had prior knowledge of them.

He said, ‘I must state that I feel deeply embarrassed not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate backed by a court order, but by the timing of the agency’s action.

‘This is so because every action taken by an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me, as the President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action.

‘Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference.

‘I have therefore deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC or any other investigative or prosecutorial agency because I firmly believe that strong democratic institutions, operating within the confines of the law, are indispensable to democratic good governance and the rule of law.

‘As President, I am committed to allowing institutions of State to function and take any action they consider necessary in the interest of proper governance without the need for any prior approval. Indeed, that is why institutions are set up by law with clearly defined powers.

‘While I am yet to be fully apprised of the facts which informed the action of EFCC in approaching the court to obtain the said order freezing the Osun State Government account, I am not in the slightest doubt that the timing of the action of EFCC is inauspicious, and therefore I feel compelled to intervene.

‘Osun State is only a few days away from its gubernatorial election. Therefore, nothing ought to be done to give an impression that the EFCC or indeed any other agency of the federal government is being used to interfere with the election.

‘Based on the foregoing premise, I am duty-bound to issue a directive on this issue in consonance with the overriding public interest in preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility, and fairness of our democratic process.

‘Accordingly, I have directed the EFCC to immediately proceed to the court to vacate the order and discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government in this regard.’

EFCC unfreezes account

Efforts to get an official update from the EFCC were futile as several calls to the spokesman of the anti-graft agency, Dele Oyewale, were not answered.

But a senior official at the commission confided in Daily Trust that another official letter has been sent to the management of the First Bank conveying the President’s directive to the bank.

The official, who did not want his name in print because he wasn’t authorised to speak, said: ‘A letter has been sent to the banker to remove the PND restriction on the state government’s account following Mr President’s directive. Nobody should view this from the perspective of the fact that EFCC is not independent.’

Lawyers, CSOs fault Tinubu’s directive

Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong said President Tinubu’s directive to the EFCC to unfreeze Osun State Government accounts undermined the commission’s independence and raised concerns about political interference.

‘Whatever decision the EFCC takes, they may have taken it as an independent arm of government. The President cannot be directing the unfreezing or freezing of accounts. Even though the EFCC is an agency of the executive arm of government, it is created as an independent agency under the law,’ Effiong said.

According to him, the EFCC Establishment Act does not confer supervisory authority on the President over the commission’s statutory responsibilities.

‘What this does is undermine the independence and integrity of the EFCC, and it speaks to political interference,’ he said.

Effiong questioned whether similar presidential directives had been issued in other investigations without public knowledge.

‘If the President is now giving directives in respect of the Osun matter, how many other cases has he given such directives that the public does not know about? We cannot simply trust the President to do what is right when he has a clear partisan interest in matters,’ he said.

Another lawyer, Victoria Adaji, urged the President to demonstrate impartiality by allowing the justice system to function without interference.

‘The President should prove to Nigerians that he is neutral by ensuring justice is served in matters that require so in the country,’ Adaji said.

She maintained that the EFCC’s statutory independence should have been respected.

‘The EFCC is an independent institution, and the President should have understood that better rather than interfering in the matter,’ she added.

Also reacting, Human Rights Lawyer, Udochukwu Onoh, questioned both the President’s authority to issue such a directive and the legal process through which the court granted the order freezing Osun State’s accounts.

Udochukwu also argued that the state government ought to have been given a fair hearing before the order was granted.

‘When we view it from the angle of infringement on fundamental human rights, how could a court grant such a motion without a fair hearing on both sides? The Osun State Government should have been invited to court and granted a fair hearing,’ he said.

He warned that even a temporary freeze on a state’s accounts could cripple governance and essential public services.

Describing the President’s intervention as political interference, Udochukwu said the EFCC should be allowed to discharge its statutory mandate without external influence.

‘Tinubu’s directive strange, eroding trust’

Also, a constitutional lawyer, Basil S. Kpenkpen, Esq., argued that the President’s directive has significant legal consequences for both the directing authority and the investigative Institution.

‘It’s very strange and undemocratic, the order constitutes a severe violation of the right to fair hearing under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, and it carries significant legal consequences for both the directing authority and the investigative institution.

‘What the Federal Government has done in law amounts to speculation, suspicion and doubt which cannot stand,’ the senior lawyer told one of our correspondents.

On his part, another senior lawyer, Peter Abang, called on the EFCC to put its boots on the ground and assure Nigerians of its independence and accountability in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

According to him, the directive may have tainted the independent image of the commission, arguing that anyone would, after this event and a series of other actions taken by the EFCC, be justified to hold the view that the commission cannot do anything except as directed by the Executive.

But Mustafa Adedibu, another constitutional lawyer, said the president should be commended for dousing the tension in the state.

Adedibu said, ‘The directive by Mr President for the EFCC to unfreeze Osun State Government’s account is, in my honest opinion, supposed to be a bit of relief to the nation as a whole.

‘The action of the EFCC to freeze the account of the state, however well-intended, is truly ill-timed, as the President rightly posited, and the President has just done the right thing.’

Also, civil society organisations criticised President Tinubu’s directive, warning that the intervention could undermine the anti-graft agency’s independence and public confidence in anti-corruption efforts.

The Country Director of Accountability Lab Nigeria, Friday Odeh, and the Chancellor of the International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights (ISSJHR), Jackson Omenazu, separately argued on Thursday that any concerns arising from the EFCC’s actions should be resolved through the courts rather than executive intervention.

Odeh, who spoke to Daily Trust, said Tinubu’s directive left Nigerians with ‘two readings,’ both of which, according to him, cast the EFCC in a negative light.

‘Nigerians are left with two readings, and both are bad. One, the EFCC acted on its own and is now overridden by Aso Rock, which means it has no operational independence. The second assumption is that the EFCC did not act on its own, and the reversal is damage control,’ he said.

He argued that the President’s intervention had weakened whatever case the commission intended to pursue over the alleged mismanagement of ecological funds in Osun State.

Odeh also called for reforms governing the freezing of government accounts, saying any post-no-debit order on a state’s statutory allocation account should require a publicly disclosed court order, a defined duration and safeguards to protect workers’ salaries and pensions.

Similarly, Omenazu said the President lacked constitutional authority to interfere in an ongoing EFCC investigation or direct the agency on matters already before it.

‘The President does not have the constitutional authority to interfere in an ongoing EFCC investigation or direct the agency on matters that are before it. He should allow the law to take its course and respect the independence of institutions established by the Constitution and the laws of Nigeria,’ Omenazu said.

He maintained that the EFCC, being a statutory body, was expected to discharge its responsibilities independently and without executive interference.

‘The EFCC is a creation of statute and is expected to discharge its responsibilities independently, without executive interference. The President can only exercise powers that are expressly conferred on him by the Constitution and other extant laws. He cannot override the law or substitute his personal directive for due legal process,’ he said.

Omenazu added that any dispute arising from the commission’s actions should be resolved through the courts.

Free El-Rufai too, Atiku challenges Tinubu

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Tinubu to direct the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to release former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, arguing that if the president could order the EFCC to vacate its freeze on Osun State’s government account, he has no basis to claim powerlessness over El-Rufai’s continued detention.

Atiku, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said: ‘Having now demonstrated that he can issue direct operational directives to anti-corruption agencies whenever he considers it expedient, President Tinubu owes Nigerians an explanation as to why he cannot exercise the same authority in the case of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai,’ Atiku said.

ADC: President’s directive on Osun curious, unusual

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) said the President’s admission that he directed the EFCC to discontinue the action undermines claims of the agency’s independence or neutrality, thereby confirming that the President actually directs the operational conduct of the anti-graft agencies.

In a statement signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, the party claimed that the reversal was a response to sustained public outrage rather than a voluntary act of restraint, noting that the anti-graft agency would not have acted so recklessly in the first place if it did not presume the authorisation of the federal government.

It said: ‘What we find most curious about the statement is the President’s repeated reference to an alleged court order authorising the freezing of the Osun State Government’s accounts. This is a remarkable new twist. In all of its public statements on this matter, the EFCC never once claimed that it had obtained a court order.

‘The Commission consistently defended its actions on the basis of its statutory powers and what it described as ‘preventive mandate.’ At no point did it inform Nigerians that a court had authorised its actions.’

An agricultural firm, Al-Qaryah Agro Allied Ltd has tabled a landmark $1.295 billion Public-Private Partnership (PPP) proposal to the Hadejia-Jama’are River Basin Development Authority (HJRBDA) to convert the Challawa Gorge Dam into Nigeria’s flagship agro-industrial hub.

The company’s management team, led by Chief Executive Officer Abubakar M. Nagwamatse, presented the plan at HJRBDA headquarters in Kano to Managing Director Engr. Rabiu Suleiman Bichi and his technical team.

Nagwamatse explained that the initiative seeks to deploy modern aquaculture and floating agriculture methods already in use across Asia to maximise the dam’s underutilised water body.

‘We plan to introduce crop production on water surfaces, alongside aquaculture and irrigation farming. This project will create at least 10,000 jobs and significantly boost food supply, which in turn will lower prices and open export opportunities,’ he said.

He lamented that the arrangement will help maximise the dam, which he said is presently not being put to its maximum capacity, leaving it only to subsistence small-scale farming.

He said the project is multi-dimensional and will integrate deep-water cage aquaculture, aquaponics, hydroponics, rice-fish farming, duck farming, aquatic plant cultivation, floodplain irrigation, and land-based infrastructure, including a 150,000 metric tonne per year feed mill and a 50-million-fry hatchery.

Al-Qaryah stressed that the investment aligns with national food security goals, the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme, and the Komadugu-Yobe Basin SAP.

Responding, Engr. Bichi welcomed the proposal, noting that the Authority had long awaited private sector participation in PPP ventures.

He described the plan as a major step toward unlocking the socioeconomic potential of Northern Nigeria’s water infrastructure.

Elite Football Club emerged as the winners of the fourth edition of the D’Royal Off-Season Football Tournament (DOFT 2026) after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over defending champions, Olukayode FC.

Themed ‘Akara Na Senior Burger,’ the grassroots tournament concluded before a fully packed crowd in Akure, Ondo State, with Ambassador Olaniboji Olatunbosun performing the ceremonial kick-off for the final.

For their triumph, champions Elite FC received a grand prize of N1,000,000 alongside gold medals, while runners-up Olukayode FC earned N500,000 and silver medals.

In the third-place match that preceded the grand finale, King City overcame Velocity FC 2-0 to take home N200,000 and bronze medals.

This year’s edition also marked the exciting debut of the DOFT Women’s Cup, featuring Onimarg FC, K.D.O. FC, and Havilah Queens.

Onimarg FC topped the table, winning N200,000. K.D.O. FC finished second to earn a N100,000 cash prize, while Havilah Queens received N50,000 for finishing third.

In a push for sports inclusivity, the D’Royal Inclusive Foundation (DRIF) hosted its first-ever para-table tennis championship.

The seven participating athletes played a novelty match and were jointly awarded N300,000 in recognition of their dedication and contributions to sports.

During his closing address, DOFT President Mr. Olaniboji Mathew (D’Royal) extended his heartfelt appreciation to the teams, referees, scouts, medical personnel, media, and supporters.

He thanked partners and sponsors for their unwavering belief in the vision and assured fans that the fifth edition would be even more remarkable.

The tournament officially wrapped up with a dazzling fireworks display, leaving an unforgettable impression on players and spectators alike.

Senator Abba Moro on Thursday condemned the destruction of campaign billboards in the Otukpo area of Benue State.

Condemning the act, Moro called for peaceful, issue-based electioneering campaigns.

The senator, who represents Benue South Senatorial District and serves as the Senate Minority Leader, expressed sadness over the destruction of the campaign billboards across parts of his district.

He alleged that the politically instigated destruction was both unfortunate and highly condemnable.

He noted that the district was already tense due to ongoing security challenges and appealed to political actors to guard their supporters against acts and utterances capable of unnecessarily heating up the polity, thereby making the area more vulnerable to attacks by external aggressors.

The senator stated that an election is not a do-or-die affair and enjoined his constituents to embrace peace and tolerance regardless of political differences.

Moro insisted that political violence remains alien to the Idoma people and urged candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns devoid of violence, anarchy, hate, and character assassination to ensure peaceful elections and preserve relationships.

The Ummah Zakat Foundation has launched the EasyZakat digital platform to simplify the payment and distribution of Zakat while appointing the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammad Mera, as chairman of its Board of Trustees (BOT).

The web and mobile platform is designed to connect Zakat payers with eligible beneficiaries, replacing manual processes with a transparent and accountable system.

Launching the platform in Abuja, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, described Zakat as one of the pillars of Islam and a vital tool for social justice, wealth redistribution and community welfare.

He said Islam had provided lasting mechanisms through Zakat, Sadaqah and Waqf to reduce poverty, support widows and orphans, care for the sick and preserve the dignity of the needy.

The Sultan said the foundation’s establishment reflects efforts to align Islamic obligations with modern technology.

‘Through the EasyZakat web and mobile platform, Muslims can now fulfil this important obligation with greater ease, transparency and confidence that their Zakat will reach those entitled to receive it,’ he said.

He stressed that technology should strengthen, rather than replace, Islamic values, and urged members of the foundation’s Board of Trustees to discharge their responsibilities with sincerity, fairness and accountability.

Speaking earlier, the BOT chairman, Emir Mera, said the foundation was established to ensure the proper collection, management and distribution of Zakat, Sadaqah and Waqf in line with Islamic principles.

He said the EasyZakat platform enables users to calculate their Zakat, make secure payments and track donations from payment to the final beneficiary through a dashboard that also provides downloadable records for documentation and reporting.

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s livestock sector have called for the integration of private veterinary laboratories into the country’s animal disease surveillance system to strengthen disease detection, improve reporting, and enhance preparedness for disease outbreaks.

The call was made on Thursday at a summit on the ‘Public-Private Laboratory Forum on Strengthening Poultry Disease Surveillance in Nigeria’ in Abuja.

Participants stressed the need for collaboration among federal, state, local government and private veterinary laboratories to improve surveillance data collection.

The Director of Infectious and Transboundary Animal Diseases at the National Veterinary Research Institute, Professor Clement Meseko, said effective disease surveillance could only be achieved through collaboration among all actors in the veterinary laboratory ecosystem.

‘It’s very interesting that at this time we are discussing the veterinary laboratory network, particularly with respect to how there can be collaboration between the government laboratories, the national laboratories, the state laboratories, and, more importantly, the private laboratory,’ he said.

Country Manager of the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines Nigeria, GAVmed, Moses Arokoyo, identified poor reporting and fragmented data collection as major weaknesses in Nigeria’s animal disease surveillance system.

‘So what we have seen as a gap is the fact that there is no integration of data. We say that if an event is not recorded, it means it didn’t happen,’ he said.

Arokoyo said harmonising data from public and private laboratories would improve Nigeria’s capacity to predict and respond to disease outbreaks.

Also speaking, the President of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, Matthew Adamu, called on the government to strengthen veterinary laboratory infrastructure at the state and local government levels.

‘We have the National Veterinary Science Institute involved as the top-most reference lab as far as this country is concerned. It is designated as a laboratory for some diseases by the World Organisation for Animal Health as a reference lab. However, we have a serious challenge at the sub-national level,’ he stated.

The Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, Dr Samuel Anzaku, called for an urgent shift in attitude towards disease data reporting, warning that fragmentation and under-reporting are undermining Nigeria’s ability to control poultry diseases.

Anzaku, who was represented by Dr Adeniyi Adedoyin, recalled that the same issue was raised 3-4 years ago.

‘Why do we have teaching hospitals and different labs – public and private – generating data, and everybody keeps to their own data?’ he asked.

He noted that the human health and pharmacy sectors have already harmonised their surveillance systems and are moving faster, while the veterinary sector is lagging.

Dr Onallo Akpa, Director General of the Poultry Association of Nigeria(PAN), called for increased investment in research and laboratory capacity to tackle Newcastle Disease and other endemic poultry diseases that continue to threaten Nigeria’s livestock.

The Director General of PAN, therefore, tasked participants to use the two-day deliberations to identify ‘missing gaps’ and develop strategies to reduce the endemic nature of poultry diseases and their economic impact.

The Ummah Zakat Foundation has launched the EasyZakat digital platform to simplify the payment and distribution of Zakat while appointing the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammad Mera, as chairman of its Board of Trustees (BOT).

The web and mobile platform is designed to connect Zakat payers with eligible beneficiaries, replacing manual processes with a transparent and accountable system.

Launching the platform in Abuja, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, described Zakat as one of the pillars of Islam and a vital tool for social justice, wealth redistribution and community welfare.

He said Islam had provided lasting mechanisms through Zakat, Sadaqah and Waqf to reduce poverty, support widows and orphans, care for the sick and preserve the dignity of the needy.

The Sultan said the foundation’s establishment reflects efforts to align Islamic obligations with modern technology.

‘Through the EasyZakat web and mobile platform, Muslims can now fulfil this important obligation with greater ease, transparency and confidence that their Zakat will reach those entitled to receive it,’ he said.

He stressed that technology should strengthen, rather than replace, Islamic values, and urged members of the foundation’s Board of Trustees to discharge their responsibilities with sincerity, fairness and accountability.

Speaking earlier, the BOT chairman, Emir Mera, said the foundation was established to ensure the proper collection, management and distribution of Zakat, Sadaqah and Waqf in line with Islamic principles.

He said the EasyZakat platform enables users to calculate their Zakat, make secure payments and track donations from payment to the final beneficiary through a dashboard that also provides downloadable records for documentation and reporting.

A former Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) Dr. Adamu Mohammed Fika, is dead.

He was 84.

Fika, who held the traditional title of Zarma Kura of Fika, died at a hospital in Abuja, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media to the Emir of Fika, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar (Chokalin Fika).

The statement said funeral prayers for the deceased would be held on Friday, August 7, at the National Mosque, Abuja.

The late Fika was the pioneer Director-General and Clerk Designate to the National Assembly, where he played a key role in laying the administrative foundation of Nigeria’s legislature at the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999.

He later served as Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), where he contributed to strengthening the administration and management of the National Assembly.

Until his death, he was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Council of Retired Clerks and Secretaries of the National Assembly.

Born in Fika, present-day Yobe State, in 1942, Dr Fika attended Primary School in Fika before proceeding to Provincial Senior Primary School.

He later studied at Barewa College, Zaria, and Government College, Keffi, where he obtained his Higher School Certificate.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from Makerere University Uganda in 1966 before pursuing postgraduate studies in History at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, where he obtained his doctorate.

He began his career as a lecturer in History at the Abdullahi Bayero College, then a campus of the Ahmadu Bello University, before joining the Civil Service in the former North-Eastern State in 1974.

During his public service career, he served in several strategic positions, including Permanent Secretary in different ministries in the former Borno State, where he was involved in public administration and policy implementation.

Dr Fika also served at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State, where he contributed to leadership development and public policy research.

Widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s foremost legislative administrators, he was respected for his contributions to institution-building, public sector reforms and legislative administration.

Beyond public service, he was a prominent traditional title holder in the Fika Emirate, serving as the Zarma Kura of Fika, and remained an influential voice on governance and national development.

His death has been described by associates as a huge loss to the Fika Emirate, Yobe State and the country.

Mourning his death, the Emir of Fika and Chairman of the Yobe State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Dr Muhammad Ibn Abali Muhammadu Idrisa, described Fika’s passing as a great loss to Yobe State and Nigeria.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Mohammed Abubakar (Chokalin Fika), the emir described the late Fika as a complete gentleman, humble and approachable, who related freely with people from all walks of life.

He said the deceased’s passing had created a huge vacuum in the Fika Emirate and Yobe State, noting that his contributions to public service and national development would be greatly missed.

The emir prayed for Allah to forgive the late elder statesman, grant him Aljannatul Firdaus and reward him abundantly for his good deeds.