Category: Nigerian Tribune

President Bola Tinubu has said Northern Nigeria will emerge as the biggest beneficiary of his administration’s economic reforms, citing increased trade opportunities, infrastructure development and the region’s strategic position as a gateway to neighbouring countries.

Tinubu stated this on Tuesday in a speech delivered by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, who represented him at the second edition of the Policy Roundtable organised by the APC Professionals Forum.

The event, tagged the Asiwaju Scorecard Series, had the theme, ‘Dissecting the Renewed Hope Deliverables and Achievements.’

The President said his administration inherited a difficult economic situation when it assumed office on May 29, 2023, including ‘fuel subsidy distortions, multiple exchange-rate windows, weak revenue mobilisation, foreign-exchange shortages, rising debt-service pressures and years of inadequate investment in critical infrastructure.’

He, however, said the reforms implemented by his administration had begun to produce measurable results, noting that the country’s gross external reserves had risen to about $52.7 billion as of August 2026.

Tinubu added that consolidated non-oil revenue increased from approximately ?13.63 trillion in 2023 to ?16.4 trillion in the first two quarters of 2026.

According to him, Nigeria’s merchandise trade position also improved from a surplus of about ?44.8 billion recorded throughout 2023 to approximately ?7.54 trillion in the first quarter of 2026 alone.

He further said real Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, while inflation eased to about 15.4 per cent.

Tinubu linked the economic gains to his administration’s ambition of growing the Nigerian economy to $1 trillion by 2030.

He said major infrastructure projects would support the target, including an integrated five-port maritime and logistics corridor linking Lagos, Ondo, Ibom, Port Harcourt and Calabar, alongside major road and rail projects.

He listed the Lagos-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano corridor, Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway and proposed Calabar-Maiduguri Trans-Sahara Super Highway among the projects expected to expand economic activity and improve connectivity across the country.

Tinubu said Northern Nigeria, in particular, would benefit significantly from the improved infrastructure and trade networks because of its proximity to several countries in the Sahel and Central Africa.

He said: ‘The biggest beneficiaries of this economy will be the Northern part of Nigeria, because they will now be trading with countries, trading with Niger, trading with Chad, trading with Burkina Faso, trading with Southern Sudan, trading with Northern Cameroon, trading with Central African Republic… The North is the next business destination of Nigeria.’

The President also highlighted the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline, Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), technical and vocational training programmes and the CREDICORP credit initiative as measures designed to translate the gains of economic reforms into improved living standards.

‘These are investments meant to translate macroeconomic stability into microeconomic prosperity,’ he said.

Tinubu urged Nigerians to consider the choice before the country ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying the electorate would have to decide between consolidating the reforms or reversing them.

‘For the All Progressives Congress, the answer is clear. We choose progress, productivity, investment, infrastructure, innovation, Nigerian enterprise, exports, human capital, and we choose President Bola Tinubu,’ he said.

IKE a drama or movie in which the audience thinks the curtain has finally fallen, only for the actors to return to the stage for another unexpected act, the crisis in the Edo State House of Assembly has refused to end. What appeared to be the final chapter in the saga, with the resignation of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, on August 17, has suddenly become another dramatic episode, with the Assembly declaring that he did not resign after all, but was impeached.

It is a situation akin to a football match in which the referee had blown the final whistle, and the players were headed to the tunnel, only for the official to suddenly reverse himself and order a restart. The unfolding scenario is what stakeholders say has implications for Governor Okpebholo’s second-term aspiration in 2028 and other political calculations. To understand the latest development, however, the crisis must be viewed against the background of the political realignment that has taken place in Edo since the September 2024 governorship election. Agbebaku became Speaker in June 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at a time when the PDP enjoyed considerable influence in the 24-member Assembly.

The political equation changed dramatically after the APC won the governorship election. In March 2025, four lawmakers defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), giving the party 13 members against the PDP’s 11. Agbebaku himself later defected from the PDP to the APC in May 2025.

His defection enabled him to remain within the ruling political structure, but it did not eliminate the political opposition to his continued occupation of the Speaker’s seat. Indeed, calls for his removal had surfaced earlier, particularly among some APC stakeholders who wanted an APC lawmaker from Edo North to occupy the position.

There were already indications that Agbebaku’s political position was becoming vulnerable, as leaders of Owan West were said to have insisted in May that he would not receive an automatic third term ticket. If sustained, it would mean that Agbebaku’s political troubles did not begin with his removal from the speakership.

Agbebaku’s resignation

Agbebaku announced his resignation on August 17, 2026, and the lawmakers subsequently elected Yekini Idaiye as Speaker, giving the impression that the turbulent leadership crisis had finally been resolved. While the resignation appeared to have settled the leadership crisis, paving the way for the emergence of Rt. Hon. Yekini Idaiye as the new Speaker. Eight days later, further rumblings were said to have led to the rewriting of the political scoreboard as the assembly drama took a fresh turn when the lawmakers formally impeached Agbebaku as Speaker.

The lawmakers said that Agbebaku was impeached because he had been served an impeachment notice weeks earlier and that 17 of the 24 lawmakers had endorsed his removal. In effect, the House replaced the narrative of a voluntary exit with that of a forced political departure.

The new leadership of the House insisted that Agbebaku’s exit should not be recorded as a resignation, arguing that he had been served an impeachment notice weeks earlier.

Idaiye bluntly told the house that the former Speaker ‘was impeached and did not resign.’

As the drama played out, the impeachment motion was moved by the Majority Leader, Sunny Ojiezele, and seconded by the member representing Etsako Central Constituency, Ahmed Waziri. Idaiye also directed the former Speaker to return all government property in his possession, warning that security agencies could be invited to enforce the directive should he fail to comply. The immediate political question is therefore no longer simply why Agbebaku resigned, but why the new assembly leadership went ahead to impeach him.

Why The House insists on impeachment

The distinction between impeachment and resignation is well known in political circles. For politicians, one amounts to a peaceful exit, while the other refers to a chaotic removal, which could even carry legal implications.

Why Yekini Idaiye?

Sources said that the emergence of Hon. Idaiye is a deft political calculation that goes deeply into the matter of political balance in the assembly and the politics of the state. With Idaiye, a third-term lawmaker from Akoko-Edo Local Government Area in Edo North, a balance was said to have been struck. Governor Okpebholo is from Edo Central, while Idaiye is from Edo North.

In a state where political calculations often take into account the interests of Edo South, Edo Central and Edo North, that balance is significant.

Idaiye’s emergence therefore goes beyond the replacement of one Speaker with another. It creates a political arrangement in which the governor and the Speaker come from two different senatorial districts, while giving Edo North control of one of the most influential political offices in the state. Sources said that such calculation could become increasingly important in the march towards the 2028 governorship contest.

What does it mean for Governor Okpebholo?

Though there is no evidence out there to indicate that Governor Monday Okpebholo orchestrated Agbebaku’s removal, indications among a class of political analysts are that a man popularly referred to in the public space as the ‘de facto Governor of the state’ played some roles in the development in the assembly. Incidentally, the governor appears to be the immediate political beneficiary of the new arrangement.

Following Idaiye’s emergence, Okpebholo called for peace, dialogue, transparency and inclusiveness, urging lawmakers to resolve their disagreements internally. Idaiye, meanwhile, pledged the Assembly’s cooperation with the governor.

Such a relationship could make it easier for the administration to pursue legislation, budgets, appointments and other programmes requiring legislative approval.

Who gains, who loses?

Agbebaku is the obvious immediate loser. He has lost the Speakership and now faces an investigation into allegations surrounding his administration of the House. But his political career is not necessarily over.

He remains the lawmaker representing Owan West and an APC politician. His ability to remain politically relevant will depend largely on the outcome of the investigation, his relationship with the APC leadership, and his grassroots support.

For Governor Monday Okpebholo, the development presents an opportunity to work with a new Assembly leadership For the APC, it represents another stage in its consolidation of the political structures of the state.

For Edo North, Idaiye’s emergence provides a stronger institutional foothold in the state’s political architecture.

The 2027 connection

The next Edo governorship election is not due in 2027. Governor Okpebholo was elected in September 2024, meaning the next governorship election is expected in 2028

But 2027 is still politically critical. The presidential, National Assembly, and State House of Assembly elections will determine the political strength of the major parties and the individuals who control key political structures ahead of 2028.

Governor Okpebholo has already placed considerable emphasis on the 2027 elections, including his ambition for Edo to deliver substantial votes – 3.5 million – to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He has also urged members of the new Assembly leadership to take their constituencies seriously as the next elections approach.

The hidden battlefield: 2027 assembly elections

The current lawmakers also have significant political interests at stake. Some will seek re-election to the Assembly. Some may seek executive appointments, while others will seek to consolidate their influence within their constituencies.

The governor and the APC, in turn, need lawmakers capable of mobilising support in their constituencies during elections.

This creates a political dependency between the executive, legislature and party structure. The Speaker sits at the centre of that relationship.

A politically cooperative Speaker can facilitate coordination between the governor, lawmakers and party leaders. An independent Speaker, however, can emerge as a separate political centre capable of challenging the executive.

The bigger 2028 question

The real political battle may ultimately come after 2027. The outcome of the 2027 elections will help determine who controls the party structures, legislative caucuses and grassroots networks that will shape the 2028 governorship contest.

Three questions will eventually dominate the political conversation: Who controls the APC structure? Who controls the legislative caucus? Who controls the succession conversation?

The answers to those questions will determine who enters the 2028 governorship race with the strongest political machinery.

The Edo North factor

Idaiye’s emergence gives Edo North a stronger institutional foothold in the state’s political architecture.

With Okpebholo occupying the governorship from Edo Central and Idaiye now presiding over the Assembly from Edo North, the arrangement creates a form of geographical balance that could prove politically useful.

For Edo North stakeholders, the Speakership could become an important bargaining instrument ahead of future elections.

It also gives the region a greater voice in legislative and political negotiations involving the governor and the ruling party.

Four battles, one assembly

The unfolding crisis can ultimately be understood as four overlapping political battles.

First is the battle for control of the Assembly. Agbebaku has been removed and replaced by a Speaker acceptable to the majority.

Second is APC consolidation. The ruling party now has an opportunity to align the legislature more closely with the political reality created by Okpebholo’s governorship.

Third is the 2027 electoral battle. The APC needs a political structure capable of mobilising support across Edo for its candidates.

Fourth is the longer-term 2028 succession battle. The structures being built today could determine who has the strongest bargaining position when the next governorship contest begins.

While the fourth battle may still be in the early stages, it would be premature to conclude that Agbebaku’s removal was engineered specifically to influence the 2028 governorship One thing is increasingly clear: the crisis in the Edo State House of Assembly is no longer merely about one Speaker.

It is about who controls the legislature, who controls the ruling party’s machinery, who commands the lovalty of lawmakers, and who will ultimately have the strongest hand when Edo’s next great political battle begins. For Edo, the real test will be whether this latest realignment produces a more stable and productive legislature or merely opens another chapter in the state’s seemingly endless political drama.

The Chief Commercial Officer of United Nigeria Airlines, Adedayo Olawuyi, has urged the Federal Government to reduce aviation charges and taxes as an intervention to make air travel more affordable.

Speaking as a panelist at the AeroWest conference held in Lagos on Wednesday, with the topic, ‘The Real Cost of Running Aviation Business: Fixing Connectivity, Affordability, FX, Fuel and Border Friction,’ Olawuyi said domestic airlines require lower aviation charges because high charges increase the cost of tickets. He added that tax reduction is a critical intervention needed to improve air travel affordability.

Olawuyi explained that ticket prices reflect deep structural problems in the aviation industry, as airlines sell tickets in naira while their biggest expenses are in foreign currency. He said this mismatch forces airlines to absorb significant losses.

‘How many of you would take a loan of 30% to invest in a business that gives you less than 5% profit? That is a pressing issue for airlines in Africa, specifically in Nigeria, the cost of financing.

‘Consider the cost of training a pilot. Pilots today are in high demand and are not cheap to come by. We have airlines in this country with grounded aircraft because there are no pilots available,’ Olawuyi said.

The airline executive also said the absence of maintenance and repair facilities has led to additional foreign currency expenditures.

‘Consider maintenance: we have to send aircraft abroad because we do not have MROs in this region. We are also spending on simulator training for pilots, meaning we earn Naira but spend USD,’ Olawuyi explained.

On the issue of fuel prices, he said it represents another significant burden that airlines pass on to consumers. He said airlines went from buying fuel at N900 in December 2025 to N3,000 in 2026.

He added that this illustrates the cost of operations that airlines have absorbed.

He emphasised that these expenses cannot be cut without compromising safety.

‘All of that must be covered. Why? Because safety must be paramount. While we are discussing connectivity as a solution to the problems we see today, it is not just the airlines alone that can solve the problem. Government needs to create an enabling environment for us.

‘We all focus on making money from airlines. As my boss says, the airline is the goose that lays the golden egg, and everybody wants a piece of it. But at the end of the day, if the goose dies, everything is lost,’ he said.

Olawuyi stressed that no single entity can solve the challenges facing the aviation sector, saying: ‘There is not a single part of this puzzle that can be fixed by just one person. The government cannot fix it alone, the regulators cannot fix it alone, and the airlines themselves cannot fix it alone.

‘In the room today, we have tourism operators. You need connectivity to travel for business. So, all we are saying is that there has to be cooperation among all these stakeholders to improve connectivity within West and Central Africa.’

Addressing the financial realities facing carriers, he said: ‘Every airline is set up to make money. I would not operate a route today where I cannot sustain operations.

‘West Africa has many thin routes. Airlines must consider different aircraft sizes and types that will help them remain profitable on every sector they fly. It becomes challenging to operate on thin markets with an aircraft like a 737 when the maximum number of passengers available on that route is only four.’

A sudden job loss, medical bill, urgent home repair or unexpected family responsibility can wreck a carefully planned budget. In Nigeria, rising living costs can make the situation worse because the money saved months earlier may no longer cover the same expenses.

That is why building emergency fund Nigeria inflation strategies require more thought than simply putting money into a savings account.

An emergency fund is cash deliberately set aside for unexpected expenses or a loss of income. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recommended having money available for emergencies such as medical bills, repairs and income disruptions because even a relatively small financial shock can become expensive debt when there is no cash reserve.

The objective isn’t to predict every crisis. It is to make sure an unexpected problem does not immediately become a financial disaster.

Why inflation matters when building an emergency fund

A commonly used rule is to keep three to six months of essential expenses. That is a useful benchmark, but it should not be treated as a universal formula.

Your emergency fund should reflect your household’s actual financial position and the cost of maintaining your basic needs.

Nigeria’s current economic data also shows why this needs regular review.

Tribune Online reports that the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics reports an inflation rate of 15.43% and a Monetary Policy Rate of 26.5%.

When prices change, a reserve that once covered six months of expenses may eventually cover fewer months.

That does not mean putting emergency savings into risky investments simply to chase inflation-beating returns. An emergency fund has a different purpose from long-term wealth-building. Liquidity and preservation of capital should come first.

Calculate your target from essential expenses

Start with what your household needs to survive, not what you normally spend on everything.

Add up rent, food, utilities, transportation, essential insurance, debt obligations and other unavoidable expenses. Leave holidays, entertainment and other discretionary purchases outside the initial calculation.

For example, if essential expenses amount to N350,000 monthly, three months would equal N1.05 million, while six months would equal N2.1 million.

Those figures are not a recommendation for every household. A salaried employee with a stable income may need a different reserve from a freelancer, commission-based worker or business owner whose earnings fluctuate.

A single-income household may also want a larger cushion because the loss of that income can affect the entire family.

Similarly, the CFPB advises people to consider their personal circumstances and previous unexpected expenses when determining how much emergency savings they need.

Keep emergency money separate

An emergency fund becomes easier to spend when it sits in the same account used for everyday purchases.

Create a separate savings arrangement for emergencies. The purpose is not to make the money inaccessible; it is to make the distinction between ordinary spending and genuine emergencies clear.

The CFPB recommends keeping emergency savings somewhere safe and accessible, while also choosing a place where you are less tempted to spend the money unnecessarily.

For Nigerian savers, examine the account’s withdrawal conditions, fees, accessibility and applicable protections before choosing where to keep the reserve.

Don’t sacrifice liquidity for higher returns

An emergency fund should not be treated like an investment portfolio.

A financial product may advertise a better return, but that does not automatically make it suitable for emergency savings. If accessing the money takes too long, involves significant penalties or exposes your principal to substantial market risk, it may fail the most important test: being available when you need it.

The right question is simple: Can I access this money quickly if my income stops tomorrow?

This is why emergency savings are generally better suited to liquid arrangements than assets designed for long-term growth.

Understand deposit protection in Nigeria

Where you keep your emergency fund matters. The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) provides deposit insurance for eligible deposits in covered institutions, subject to applicable limits and conditions.

NDIC says maximum coverage was increased to N5 million for deposit money banks and N2 million for microfinance banks, while primary mortgage banks, payment service banks and certain mobile-money arrangements have their own applicable limits.

Do not assume that every financial product is covered simply because you purchased it through a financial institution. Deposit insurance applies according to the relevant rules and eligible deposit categories.

Before placing a large emergency reserve anywhere, confirm the institution’s regulatory status and understand what protection applies to the particular product.

Build the fund in stages

A six-month emergency fund can sound impossible if you are currently struggling to save N20,000.

Don’t let the final target prevent you from starting.

Build the reserve gradually. Your first goal might be a small buffer capable of handling an urgent expense without borrowing. From there, work toward one month of essential expenses, then three months and eventually a larger reserve if your income or family circumstances require it.

The CFPB notes that even small amounts can provide some financial security and recommends developing consistent savings habits.

The important thing is to create a system rather than waiting for a large amount of spare cash to appear.

Automate your contributions

If you earn a regular salary, transfer a fixed amount into your emergency savings shortly after payday.

People with irregular income can use a percentage instead. For instance, a freelancer might direct a predetermined share of every payment into the reserve.

The amount should be realistic enough to maintain. A savings target that forces you to borrow money before payday is not a sustainable strategy.

Windfalls can also accelerate the process. A bonus, unusually profitable month or other unexpected income can provide an opportunity to strengthen the fund without increasing your regular monthly burden.

Review the target as your expenses change

An emergency fund should evolve with your life. If your rent increases, your household grows or transportation costs rise, recalculate your essential monthly expenses. A reserve based on N250,000 monthly spending will not provide the same six-month cushion if essential expenses later reach N350,000.

Review the fund periodically rather than assuming the original target will remain adequate forever.

At the same time, don’t make the target so ambitious that you stop saving altogether. Financial resilience is built through consistency.

Set clear rules for using the money

An emergency fund needs boundaries. An unexpected medical expense, sudden loss of income, urgent essential repair or serious unplanned household cost can qualify. A new phone, vacation or impulse purchase does not become an emergency simply because you want it immediately.

The CFPB recommends establishing personal guidelines for what qualifies as an emergency and rebuilding the fund after it has been used.

And don’t be afraid to use it when a genuine crisis occurs. That is precisely why you saved it.

Once the emergency has passed, rebuilding the reserve should become a priority.

Balance emergency savings with expensive debt

Saving and debt repayment can compete for the same money. If you have high-interest debt, consider establishing a basic emergency buffer while directing significant attention toward reducing the expensive debt. Otherwise, an unexpected expense could force you to borrow again.

The right balance depends on your income stability, debt cost and household obligations. There is no need to choose between having zero emergency savings and saving indefinitely while costly debt continues accumulating.

Build financial breathing room

No emergency fund is completely bulletproof. A prolonged period without income or a major crisis can exhaust even a substantial reserve.

But a well-designed fund can prevent a temporary setback from becoming a long-term financial problem.

For Nigerian households facing changing prices, the strategy is straightforward: calculate the reserve from essential expenses, keep the money accessible, use appropriate regulated institutions, review the target as costs change and replenish the fund whenever you draw from it.

Most importantly, don’t wait until you can save millions. The first ?10,000 will not protect you from every crisis, but it begins something important: financial breathing room. With consistent contributions, that small reserve can eventually become the difference between handling an emergency and going into debt to survive it.

Stanbic IBTC Insurance has said its successful verification under the new N10 billion minimum capital requirement marks the beginning of a new phase of growth, as the company seeks to leverage its stronger financial position in an insurance industry undergoing major regulatory and structural changes.

Akinjide Orimolade, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Insurance, said the company’s compliance with the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 should not be viewed as the end of the recapitalisation process but as a new baseline for sustainable operations.

‘This confirmation is a moment worth marking, but it is not the finish line. NAICOM has set a new baseline for what it means to operate responsibly in this industry and meeting that baseline required real discipline across our organisation,’ Orimolade said.

His comments followed confirmation by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) that Stanbic IBTC Insurance had met and been verified as compliant with the new minimum capital requirement for life insurers.

Under NIIRA 2025, life insurance operators are required to maintain a minimum capital base of N10 billion, up from the previous N2 billion threshold. The new requirement forms part of the regulator’s wider recapitalisation exercise aimed at strengthening insurers’ financial capacity and improving their ability to underwrite larger risks and meet policyholder obligations.

Orimolade said the next stage of the industry’s development would be defined by operators’ ability to deploy their stronger capital positions effectively.

‘Nigeria’s insurance industry is entering a phase where scale, governance and financial strength will separate the operators built for the long term from those simply built for today,’ he said.

He added that Stanbic IBTC Insurance would focus on building an institution that customers and stakeholders could rely on as the sector continues to evolve.

The company’s compliance comes as NAICOM completes a major recapitalisation exercise that has already begun reshaping Nigeria’s insurance landscape. In August, the regulator confirmed that 43 insurance and reinsurance companies had met the new capital requirements, while additional operators remained subject to final verification.

The exercise is expected to produce a more capitalised and resilient insurance industry, with operators possessing greater capacity to absorb risks, honour claims and participate in financing large-scale economic activities.

Chuma Nwokocha, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, said the confirmation also demonstrated the wider group’s approach to capital planning and governance.

‘Across the Stanbic IBTC group, we take a long view of capital, one that puts our subsidiaries in a position to meet regulatory change from strength rather than scramble to catch up to it,’ Nwokocha said.

According to him, the insurance subsidiary’s compliance reflected the financial discipline and governance standards maintained across the group.

The development is particularly significant for life insurers, given the sharp increase in the regulatory capital threshold. Under NIIRA 2025, the minimum capital requirements are N10 billion for life insurers, N15 billion for non-life insurers, and N35 billion for reinsurers.

The higher thresholds are expected to intensify competition and accelerate consolidation as insurers reassess their scale, capital adequacy and long-term business models.

For Stanbic IBTC Insurance, the successful verification provides a stronger platform to pursue growth opportunities while maintaining its capacity to meet policyholder commitments.

The company said the recapitalisation should ultimately be viewed as a foundation for the next phase of the industry, rather than simply a regulatory hurdle, with stronger operators expected to play a greater role in expanding insurance penetration and supporting Nigeria’s economic development. This lead gives Stanbic’s reaction the first and strongest voice, while the second paragraph immediately establishes the regulatory news and the N10bn significance.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described Vice-President Kashim Shettima as ‘a trusted ally, a patriot whose life has been defined by service, commitment and sacrifice for worthy causes’.

Tinubu made the remarks in a congratulatory message he personally signed and issued to State House correspondents on the occasion of the Vice-President’s 60th Birthday.

Tinubu, who recalled his deputy’s life trajectory as a career banker, two-term governor of Borno, and presently as Vice-President of Nigeria, maintained that.

‘Kashim has demonstrated courage, diligence, compassion and an abiding commitment to improving the lives of the people.’

President Tinubu also acknowledged Senator Shettima’s support and partnership in the fulfillment of the party programmes to Nigerians as enshrined in its Renewed Hope blueprint.

The statement read: ‘Today, I warmly congratulate Vice President Kashim Shettima, my brother and partner in steering the ship of our state, on his 60th birthday on September 2. I rejoice with his wife, Nana, children, family, and political associates on this important milestone.

‘Kashim is not just a trusted ally or a valued colleague, but also a patriot whose life has been defined by service, commitment, and sacrifice for worthy causes.

‘In celebrating Kashim, we celebrate his distinguished banking career and exemplary record of service to Borno State and Nigeria.

‘Shettima’s unwavering commitment to our nation’s progress and unity is particularly worthy of mention.

‘I commend him for his years of dedicated public service, first as Governor of Borno State and subsequently as Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

‘In both capacities, Kashim has demonstrated courage, diligence, compassion and an abiding commitment to improving the lives of the people.

‘I acknowledge, in particular, Vice-President Shettima’s loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC), support for the administration and his unwavering dedication to the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

‘As Chairman of the National Economic Council, Shettima has provided purposeful leadership in coordinating economic policy and fostering collaboration among the Federal Government and the sub-nationals.

‘His respect for constitutional governance, democratic institutions, and dialogue and consultation has helped strengthen good governance.

‘As a trusted partner, his loyalty, wisdom, and sense of duty have remained invaluable to the administration.

‘I must thank Vice President Shettima for his steadfast support and partnership as we continue to join hands in delivering the promises of Renewed Hope to Nigerians.

‘I am confident that working together, we will continue to make meaningful progress in building the Nigeria of our dreams.

‘On behalf of the Federal Government, I again congratulate Vice President Shettima on this milestone, and I pray that Almighty Allah will continue to guide, protect, and strengthen him. May Munificent Allah grant him wisdom and good health, and bless him with many more years of purposeful service to Nigeria.’

The UK has been urged to lead global debt reform ahead of its 2027 G20 Presidency, with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) warning that the growing sovereign debt crisis is undermining health, education, social protection and economic stability across Commonwealth countries.

The call came ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), scheduled to hold in Antigua and Barbuda in November, as the UK prepares to assume the G20 Presidency next year.

AHF said the UK has a unique opportunity to drive concrete reforms in the international financial system, noting that one in three Commonwealth countries is currently in debt distress, while a majority of global debt contracts are governed by UK law.

The organisation further said 3.4 billion people globally live in countries that spend more on debt servicing than on health and education combined.

According to AHF, developing countries also face borrowing costs two to 10 times higher than those of wealthier nations, while 21 Commonwealth countries spend at least 14 per cent of their government revenue on debt repayments.

AHF President, Michael Weinstein, said the global debt crisis was sustained by an inequitable financial architecture that continues to disadvantage countries in the Global South.

‘The global debt crisis is upheld by a financial architecture that is inequitable, extractive, and rooted in colonial legacy,’ Weinstein said.

He urged the UK to demonstrate leadership by championing systemic reforms that would enable Commonwealth countries to achieve sustainable prosperity.

Weinstein also called on the British government to protect borrowing countries from private creditors who, he said, exploit the UK legal system to force repayments and undermine debt relief efforts.

He advocated legislation to curb predatory lending practices and prevent creditors from frustrating debt relief initiatives.

The call also follows the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s announcement of plans to slash UK aid funding by up to 90 per cent for some countries, including Malawi and Mozambique.

AHF said the proposed reductions could further deepen the fiscal pressures facing countries already struggling to finance social protection and essential public services.

AHF Executive Vice President, Dr Penninah Iutung, said the debt crisis had moved beyond being a purely financial concern, describing it as a major security and development challenge.

‘We cannot say we are a Commonwealth of Nations when many member states are trapped in a debt cycle that impoverishes them and destabilizes their economies,’ Iutung said.

She called for greater unity among countries of the Global South in sustaining pressure for comprehensive debt reform, drawing on the ideals of independence and anti-colonial movements.

In June, AHF and its partners launched the Freedom from Debt campaign, which seeks to mobilise global action to address structural problems in sovereign debt financing.

The campaign is calling for the acceleration of the Borrowers’ Forum to strengthen the collective negotiating position of countries in the Global South.

It is also advocating automatic, interest-free debt repayment pauses in lending agreements whenever countries face public health or climate crises.

Another proposal is a one per cent global AI Solidarity Levy on the capital investments and revenues of leading artificial intelligence companies, with the funds to be used for debt relief and essential public goods in developing countries.

AHF said bold action was required to reform the global financial system and ensure that countries were able to invest adequately in health, education and development.

The foundation urged the UK to use its forthcoming G20 Presidency to place debt reform firmly on the international agenda and translate its leadership role into concrete measures capable of delivering greater economic stability and prosperity for countries in the Global South.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has asked Nigerians to mark his 60th birthday with prayers and acts of kindness rather than gifts, advertisements or other material celebrations.

Shettima made the appeal in a statement shared on X on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, ahead of his 60th birthday on Wednesday.

The vice president urged friends, supporters, associates and well-wishers who intended to honour him to instead direct whatever money they planned to spend towards a charity, a cause or an individual in need anywhere in Nigeria.

He said reaching 60 had strengthened his resolve to discourage material celebrations around his birthday, stressing that the milestone should be a period for reflection, gratitude and consideration of what one has contributed to society.

According to him, acts of generosity towards people in need would be a meaningful way of honouring his birthday, particularly in a country where many people depend on the support and kindness of others.

Shettima also called on Nigerians to pray for him and the country, including for peace in communities, prosperity for citizens, wisdom among leaders and the realisation of Nigeria’s potential.

He described Nigeria as a country with an industrious population, strong entrepreneurial spirit and a youthful population whose talent, ambition and creativity remain important national assets.

The vice president said his journey to 60 had been shaped by the support and goodwill of family members, friends, teachers, colleagues, supporters, well-wishers and strangers.

He said he therefore considered extending kindness to others as a fitting way of reciprocating the goodwill he had received over the years.

Shettima also expressed appreciation to Nigerians for the loyalty, friendship, affection and prayers that had accompanied him throughout his life.

The statement reads, ‘What I Ask For at Sixty. Tomorrow, by the grace of God, I turn sixty.

‘I am aware that some of you already know this, and that this requires no announcement from me. Consider this, therefore, a reminder and, if you would permit me, a request made before the goodwill of tomorrow begins to arrive.

‘Over the years, I have been deeply humbled by the affection, prayers and goodwill that have accompanied my birthdays. Such occasions leave one grateful for the friendships, fellowships and bonds accumulated across the years. Yet there is one appeal I have consistently made to my friends, supporters, well-wishers, associates and admirers, far and near: please do not spend a kobo on a gift for me, nor undertake any venture of material consequence in my honour.

‘This year, as I turn sixty, I am even more resolute about that request. Sixty is an age at which our people expect a man to have exchanged impulse for reflection, vanity for gratitude, and the desire to accumulate for the wisdom to give. It is an age that asks fewer questions about what one has gathered and far more searching questions about what one has contributed. I therefore appeal once again to everyone who wishes me well not to spend money marking my day, but to channel whatever resources they may have intended for such gestures to a charity, cause or person of their choice anywhere in our country.

‘A nation is ennobled by the care it extends to those who need the strength of others. Our means may differ, but generosity is not measured only by the size of what we give. Sometimes the smallest kindness arrives at precisely the moment another person needs to be reminded that humanity has not forgotten them. For me, such an act is among the most eloquent prayers anyone can offer on my behalf.

‘None of us arrives at sixty, or indeed at any meaningful station in life, entirely by our own strength. We are all beneficiaries of the kindness of family, friends, teachers, colleagues, supporters, well-wishers and, sometimes, strangers who had nothing to gain from extending a hand to us. It is only fitting that we repay such debts in the currency in which they were incurred: by extending kindness to those who may never be in a position to repay us. Every hand that lifts another somewhere in Nigeria tomorrow will be a candle lit for me.

‘What I ask for, in place of advertisements, gifts and celebrations, is prayer. Pray for me, and pray for Nigeria. Pray for the peace of our communities, the prosperity of our people, the wisdom of our leaders and the fulfilment of the immense promise of this nation. Ours is a country blessed with an industrious people, an extraordinary instinct for enterprise, a generosity that travels easily across family and community, and a youthful population whose imagination, talent and ambition remain among our greatest national assets. Our diversity is a vast inheritance, our cultures are reservoirs of strength, and our capacity to find fellowship across difference is one of the enduring beauties of the Nigerian spirit.

‘Thank you for your understanding over the years, and for the loyalty, affection, friendship and prayers that have accompanied me this far. I wish you long life, good health, fulfilment in all that is noble, and the quiet joy of being useful to someone who may never be able to repay you.’

Born on September 2, 1966, Shettima is a former governor of Borno State and currently serves as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) has released the admission list for the 78th Regular Combatant Course (78RC), containing successful and reserve candidates selected for admission into the Academy.

The successful candidates are expected to report to the NDA Ribadu Campus (Old Site), Kaduna, on Saturday, September 12, 2026, after completing the Armed Forces Selection Board exercise conducted from July 4 to August 19, 2026.

The Academy announced the admission list in a statement signed by its Registrar, Brigadier General OA Ogunleye, and published on its X handle on Wednesday.

According to the NDA, only candidates who were offered admission are expected to report at the Drill Shed, NDA Old Site, Ribadu Cantonment.

Candidates must complete their reporting by Monday, September 14, 2026, as the Academy warned that anyone who fails to meet the deadline ‘will forfeit his or her place.’

Candidates placed on the reserve list will not report at this stage. The NDA said they ‘may be called as the need arises through their registered e-mails and phone numbers.’

Successful candidates are required to arrive with the original copies of their academic and personal documents.

The documents include the First School Leaving Certificate, Primary School Testimonial, WAEC/NECO results, Senior Secondary School Testimonial, Birth Certificate or Declaration of Age, and Letter of State of Origin.

Candidates must also present the ‘original copy of duly endorsed Parent/Guardian Consent Form.’ The Academy said photocopies of the required documents would not be accepted.

‘Any candidate who fails to present originals of the stated documents will not be accepted into the Academy,’ the notice stated.

The NDA has also directed successful candidates to report with specified clothing, footwear, sportswear, bedding and other personal items required for their training.

The items include black and white trousers, a dark-coloured lounge suit, national dress, black cover shoes, white and brown canvas shoes, football boots, a hockey stick, white shirts, socks, bed sheets and a pressing iron.

Female candidates are required to additionally bring black low-heel cover shoes, dark-coloured lounge skirts, black or blue short tights and trouser suits.

Before reporting to the Academy, all selected candidates must upload their O’Level results on the JAMB portal and accept their admission through the JAMB Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).

Candidates who were not offered their preferred academic department have also been directed to use the JAMB portal to make the necessary change.

The NDA further warned that successful candidates would not be permitted to receive visitors or leave the Academy during their first three months of training.

‘Selected candidates and their parents are to please note the above for strict compliance,’ the notice stated.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has officially launched an investigation into the recent severe flooding along the Airport Road axis and Lokogoma District to determine the root causes and implement lasting solutions.

Speaking during his routine media chat on Wednesday, the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, revealed that a high-level task force led by the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and the Director of Development Control was immediately dispatched to conduct on-the-ground assessments across affected communities, including Lugbe and Lokogoma.

‘When I heard of the incident, the Executive Secretary of the FCDA and the Director, Development Control had to go to the place, not only at the airport road but also in Lokogoma,’ the Minister stated.

‘The one that is man-made, we can solve the problem; the one that is natural, there is nothing we can do-it becomes a natural disaster. So, it’s something that we have to investigate’.

While acknowledging that recent torrential downpour in the nation’s capital has reached unprecedented levels, the Minister stressed that preliminary findings point to long-standing violations of the FCT masterplan, where structures have been erected across natural waterways and designated road corridors without valid approvals.

He vowed that the administration will take all necessary steps to correct abuse of the Abuja masterplan along the airport road axis and will not hesitate to bring down any structure found along waterways.

According to him, ‘From our studies, Lugbe has always been violating the Abuja masterplan… All over the years, you see people building without approval and blocking where is supposed to be a roadway. As an administration, we are not taking it lightly’.

Beyond structural enforcement, the Minister disclosed that the FCTA is also taking stern administrative action against officials within the administration who facilitate illegal encroachments into green areas and waterways.

He revealed that a government Director was recently suspended under civil service rules for issuing unauthorized ‘temporary approvals’ to commercial operators on designated green zones, while another official faced disciplinary sanctions for illegally reallocating park lands under the guise of security clearing.

On allegations that some of the structures marked for demolition held prior government approvals, the Minister reiterated that illegal approvals obtained through undue influence would not serve as a shield against enforcement.

‘You got approval to do something wrong, sometimes, it’s under influence. Government policy is that nobody should do anything on green areas. Now you go with the spirit that nothing will happen, and then when we come to enforce, you say you have approval. It is not going to be accepted,’ he clarified.