Category: Nigerian Tribune

THE exit of French banking group, Société Générale from Ghana is creating fresh opportunities for indigenous and other African banks to deepen their presence in the country, as global lenders increasingly restructure their African operations and focus on markets and businesses where they see greater scale and returns.

Société Générale Group has agreed to sell its entire 60.22 percent stake in Société Générale Ghana to Morocco-based Attijariwafa Bank and Ghana’s Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).

Under the transaction announced on October 1, Attijariwafa Bank will acquire 55.22 percent, while SSNIT will take an additional five percent, increasing its holding in the Ghanaian lender from 19.36 percent to 24.36 percent. The transaction remains subject to the required conditions and regulatory approvals.

The deal marks the end of Société Générale’s ownership of the Ghanaian subsidiary and gives Attijariwafa Bank control of the bank’s operations, including its customer portfolios and employees. Société Générale Ghana operates about 40 branches and outlets and serves retail and corporate customers.

The development is particularly significant because it follows years of uncertainty over the French lender’s future in Ghana.

In May 2024, then Managing Director of Société Générale Ghana, Hakim Ouzzani, dismissed reports that the bank was preparing to leave the country, saying no exit had been announced. A day later, however, the Ghanaian subsidiary disclosed that Société Générale Group had initiated a strategic review of its operations in the country, according to Ghana News Agency.

The eventual sale points to the broader restructuring of international banking operations across Africa, with global lenders increasingly reassessing businesses that do not fit their strategic priorities.

Standard Chartered, for instance, announced in June 2026 that it was exploring the sale of its Wealth and Retail Banking business in Ghana. The bank said the review was part of its strategy to concentrate on businesses and client segments, where it has greater scale and differentiated capabilities, while retaining its Corporate and Investment Banking operations in the country.

For Nigerian banks, the developments underline the opportunity to acquire established franchises, customer bases and distribution networks as international lenders reduce their exposure to parts of the African market.

Nigerian banks have already demonstrated an appetite for such transactions. Access Bank completed the acquisition of Standard Chartered Bank Angola and Standard Chartered Bank Sierra Leone in 2024, expanding its corporate and SME banking operations in both markets.

The Ghanaian market could therefore become another battleground for African lenders seeking regional scale.

Nigerian banks have an advantage in terms of capital, technology, digital banking capabilities and experience operating across multiple African markets, while Ghanaian lenders possess local market knowledge, established customer relationships and familiarity with the regulatory environment.

The combination could support more cross-border partnerships, acquisitions and financial-service platforms across West Africa.

The significance extends beyond ownership of individual banks. A continued shift from European-controlled subsidiaries to African-owned or African-led institutions could increase the role of locally headquartered banks in mobilising savings, financing businesses, facilitating trade and providing payment and investment services across the continent.

However, the opportunity also comes with challenges. Acquiring a bank does not automatically guarantee improved returns, while regulatory requirements, asset quality, funding costs, technology investment and competition from fintech companies could determine whether new owners can translate expanded footprints into sustainable earnings.

The completion of the Société Générale transaction and the eventual outcome of Standard Chartered’s Ghana retail-business review will therefore provide important signals on the next phase of consolidation and ownership changes in Ghana’s banking industry.

For Nigerian banks, the developments could provide another opening to deepen their West African franchises at a time when some international lenders are reassessing the scale and profitability of their African operations.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said Nigeria’s national register of voters has risen to more than 103 million ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Monday at a strategic workshop for editors organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in collaboration with the commission in Abuja.

Amupitan said the figure followed the completion of the three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise conducted in line with Section 10 of the Electoral Act 2026.

According to him, the first phase of the exercise, which ran from August 25 to December 10, 2025, recorded 2,611,266 new registrations.

He said a further 4,121,835 voters were registered during the second phase, held between January 5 and April, while the third phase, conducted from May 11 to July 26, produced 3,867,997 new registrations.

‘The total new registration stands at 10,772,421, subject to the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) verification currently being concluded,’ he said.

Amupitan said the commission introduced an Online Registration Portal during the third phase to address challenges associated with distance and time.

He added that INEC also introduced printable Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in line with Section 18(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, with the aim of reducing delays in obtaining voter cards.

‘Following the conclusion of our three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which captured over 10.6 million new applicants, and the completion of the public display of the Preliminary Register for claims and objections, our Voter Register Department has completed the final Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) cleanup.

‘Nigeria’s National Register of Voters is now more than 103 million,’ Amupitan said.

The INEC chairman said the commission remained committed to preventing the disenfranchisement of eligible voters.

He cited the theft of PVCs in some wards in Osun State as an example, saying the commission deployed technology to replace the affected cards and enable registered voters to participate in the election.

‘I want to place on record that during the Osun election, when PVCs of some wards in some local government were stolen, people thought they would be completely disenfranchised. Instantly, we used this technology to print, not to disable, those PVCs that were stolen.

‘We also implemented the downloadable PVCs, which the electorate used and cast their votes, just to ensure inclusivity and that nobody was disenfranchised,’ he said.

Amupitan announced that nationwide collection of PVCs would begin on October 9 and urged registered voters to collect their cards.

‘We have completed the processing and distribution of Phase 1 PVCs to all local government centres.

‘We appeal to the Nigerian Guild of Editors and all media executives present to leverage your platforms to inform the public, explain collection locations and encourage the registered voters to collect their cards promptly,’ he said.

THE Office of the Tax Ombud, in collaboration with key stakeholders from the public and private sectors across the North-West geopolitical zone, recommitted to addressing taxpayers’ grievances and promoting trust in tax and revenue authorities in the country.

The resolution was made at the end of a landmark stakeholder engagement programme in Kaduna focused on promoting fairness, protecting taxpayers’ rights, and advancing effective revenue administration in Nigeria.

The two-day engagement held between 28 and 29, September, was attended by representatives of the seven state governments in the zone, members of the organised private sector, business owners and professional bodies, provided a platform for strategic dialogue and collaboration between taxpayers and tax and revenue authorities.

In his welcome address, the Tax Ombud/Chief Executive of the Office of the Tax Ombud, Dr John Nwabueze, highlighted the institution’s mandate as an independent, impartial and non-judicial body dedicated to addressing operational, procedural and administrative grievances in tax and revenue administration.

‘Our focus is not only on the rights of taxpayers but also on their responsibilities and those of the relevant authorities. Our services, which are offered free of charge, are designed to resolve disputes, mediate complaints, and promote a transparent, fair and consistent tax administration system,’ Dr Nwabueze stated.

The Tax Ombud added that: ‘It is important to clarify what we do not do. The Tax Ombud is not a mechanism for cancelling legitimate tax liabilities merely because the taxpayer does not wish to pay. We do not make tax policy. We do not encourage non-compliance. We do not shield taxpayers from their lawful obligations and we are certainly not the courts.’

Dr Nwabueze said the engagement in the North-West included a roadshow across Kaduna metropolis to sensitise taxpayers and business owners on their rights and responsibilities, as well as the role of the Tax Ombud.

He said: ‘This direct outreach provided an opportunity for taxpayers to interact with officials and lodge complaints on the spot, reinforcing the Ombud’s commitment to transparency and accessibility.’

In his speech, Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, emphasised the importance of increased taxpayer compliance in boosting tax revenue to fund the state’s developmental projects and social services, which are among the statutory responsibilities of government.

The Governor said that since the inception of his administration, the Kaduna State Government had improved its tax collection processes through the use of technology and regular engagement with taxpayers to enhance revenue generation.

He stressed the important role the Office of the Tax Ombud could play in deepening tax revenue in the state, noting that its free mediation services were expected to strengthen taxpayer confidence and encourage greater compliance.

The Governor, who was represented by the Commissioner of Finance, Hon. Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed, appealed to the Tax Ombud to consider Kaduna State as the North-West Regional Headquarters of the Office, pledging to provide an enabling environment for the immediate take-off of the office in Kaduna.

For Sokoto State, Governor Dr Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto described the establishment of the Office of the Tax Ombud as timely and commendable, particularly at a time when subnational governments are seeking to deepen internally generated revenue to provide infrastructure and social services for their people.

Represented by the Special Adviser on Revenue and Taxation, Hon. Isah Mu’azu, the Governor expressed confidence that the Tax Ombud would strengthen taxpayer trust in Nigeria by promoting fairness in tax administration and providing an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.

He said the Ombud’s intervention would help address gaps in the tax administration ecosystem by providing taxpayers with an accessible mechanism for resolving complaints and disputes.

The Governor said: ‘Our support for the Tax Ombud’s work will help ensure equitable treatment and address long-standing challenges in tax collection and administration.’

In his goodwill message, the Acting Chairman of the Kaduna Internal Revenue Service, Dr Muhammad Lawal, said: ‘This engagement strengthens our shared objective to build trust in the tax system and support taxpayers through transparent processes.’

In his remarks, the representative of the Nigerian Revenue Service, Falalu Yahya, described the establishment of the Office of the Tax Ombud as a commendable regulatory initiative that would provide relief to taxpayers who may otherwise face slow and costly litigation processes that are not easily accessible, particularly for low-income taxpayers.

He urged the Tax Ombud to protect the rights of all parties that may appear before the Office, noting that tax authorities could also approach the Ombud with complaints against taxpayers over alleged unfair treatment and other grievances requiring mediation.

The North-West Zonal Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Kabir Kassim, said: ‘The private sector welcomes this partnership as a path to creating a fairer environment for businesses across the region.’

The Chairman of the ICAN Kaduna District, AbdulAzeez Olagunju, said: ‘Upholding fairness in revenue administration is critical for economic growth, and we are fully committed to this initiative.’

The stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to active participation, continuous dialogue and collaborative efforts towards building a fair, transparent and accountable tax ecosystem in Nigeria’s North-West region and beyond.

It is one of the most profitable small-scale manufacturing businesses in the country today. A simple food packaging enterprise can grow from a small room into a venture that supplies major supermarkets in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, and Port Harcourt.

However, many well-meaning business owners hit a brick wall early. You package your goods nicely, deliver them to a big departmental store, and the manager immediately asks for your regulatory approval number. Without it, standard retail stores and major distributors will reject your goods outright, and regulatory enforcement task forces could seize your inventory off street shelves.

In this article, Tribune Online examines the exact, practical steps required to secure your NAFDAC registration for a food packaging business, outlining how to prepare your premises, assemble your documents, pass site inspections, and secure your registration number without unnecessary delays.

Why getting official regulatory approval is compulsory

Operating a food packaging venture without regulatory clearance exposes you to legal trouble.

Food is consumed directly into the body, so the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) treats any unpackaged or repacked consumable with serious caution. Under Nigerian law, distributing packaged edible items without a valid registration number is a punishable offence that attracts heavy penalties, product confiscation, or factory seal-offs.

Securing regulatory certification transforms your venture from a roadside hustle into a trusted commercial brand. Big supermarket chains, major shopping malls, and reputable wholesalers do not accept unregistered packaged consumables because they cannot risk their corporate licenses. With certification, customers trust that your food product is prepared under clean conditions and is safe for family consumption.

According to regulatory advisory reports published by the corporate legal firm Strachan Partners, registering processed and packaged foods with NAFDAC is not merely a formality, but a statutory requirement under the Food, Drugs and Related Products Registration Act that shields SMEs from arbitrary business shutdowns and costly product seizures.

Setting up your packaging space to pass inspectionn

You must prepare your operational space before applying for inspection. The agency does not permit packaging food inside an active home kitchen or an open backyard. You do not need to lease an enormous industrial warehouse, but you must designate a separate, dedicated facility solely for this operation.

Your building structure must follow a clean, one-way operational workflow. This layout means that raw ingredients enter through an intake area, move forward into the cleaning and preparation room, progress into the final packaging room, and end in the finished goods store. This flow ensures dirty raw materials never cross paths with finished, sealed packets.

The production floors, walls, and tabletops must be smooth, waterproof, and easy to wash with disinfectant. Windows must be fully fitted with insect-proof netting, and doors must close tightly to keep out rodents, flies, and dust. The agency requires a steady supply of potable water, dedicated washing sinks, proper drainage channels, and adequate lighting throughout the entire work area.

Gather your foundational corporate documents

Before you fill out registration forms, assemble all essential legal and company documents. You must register your business name or limited liability company with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). NAFDAC will not process applications for unregistered business entities.

You also need a trademark certificate or an official trademark acceptance letter from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. This step confirms that you own the exclusive right to your brand name and packaging logo, protecting you from having another producer duplicate your identity.

In addition, your enterprise needs a clean medical fitness certificate for every production staff member who touches the food items. These medical examinations must be conducted by a recognized government hospital and must specifically test for communicable diseases like hepatitis, tuberculosis, and typhoid to prevent food contamination.

Formulate standard operating procedures and product labelling

Every packaging outfit must provide written guidelines showing how tasks are handled on-site. These documents are called Standard Operating Procedures, commonly known as SOPs. They explain your daily sanitation routine, personal hygiene protocols for food handlers, raw material sourcing, waste disposal, and pest management.

Your packaging label must strictly satisfy mandatory standards before you print thousands of units. The artwork must state the genuine product name, brand name, net weight, batch number, production date, and best-before date. It must also list all ingredients in order of quantity, carry your company’s physical factory address, and display a blank space reserved for the NAFDAC registration number.

Your label must never claim that your food cures diseases, illnesses, or infections. Claiming that a spice blend or herbal flour cures diabetes or hypertension turns the product into a drug under regulatory classification, which triggers a much more expensive, clinical registration process that will cause an immediate rejection of your packaging application.

Submit your application on the automated portal

All product registration filings are handled digitally through the automated NAFDAC Automated Product Administration and Monitoring System portal, popularly known as NAPAMS. You begin by creating a business profile on the portal, uploading your CAC paperwork, trademark documents, and staff health certificates.

After submitting your corporate credentials, you will generate an electronic payment invoice through the official Remita platform. The exact tariff depends on the size of your enterprise and whether your business qualifies under the federal government’s discounted micro, small, and medium enterprise schemes.

Once your payment clears online, the portal assigns an official application number to your file. You can then submit your factory floor layout, SOP manuals, and draft label artwork directly through the digital dashboard for preliminary review by regulatory vetting officers.

Undergo the good manufacturing practice facility inspection

After desk officers scrutinize and endorse your online documentation, the agency will schedule an on-site physical visit known as the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) inspection. Regulatory inspectors visit your packaging unit to confirm that the facility looks exactly like the layout you submitted online.

On inspection day, the officers will inspect personal protective equipment, including hairnets, clean aprons, hand gloves, and dedicated factory footwear. They examine your pest traps, verify that no raw items sit directly on bare floors, and confirm that all materials rest on elevated plastic or wooden pallets.

If the inspectors notice minor structural problems or procedural lapses, they will not fail you immediately. Instead, they will issue a formal compliance directive listing the specific corrections you must make. You will rectify these issues and invite them back for verification. If your facility satisfies all hygiene standards, the inspectors take random product samples and seal them for laboratory assessment.

Laboratory analysis and final issuance of your registration number

The sealed product samples collected from your facility undergo detailed laboratory testing at an official agency laboratory. Scientific officers analyze the food to check for bacterial contamination, mould, excessive moisture, unauthorized synthetic colourants, or heavy metal residues.

When your samples successfully pass microbiological and physical testing, your application advances to the final regulatory review committee for statutory approval. Upon successful confirmation, the agency officially issues a Certificate of Registration and your unique NAFDAC registration number.

Once this approval is handed over, you can print the official registration number onto your commercial packaging pouches, boxes, and bottles. With your certificate in hand, you can walk into retail supermarket networks, supply major distribution channels nationwide, or export your processed packaged foods across borders with complete legal confidence.

The constant moisture trapped on the body brings unbearable itching, redness, darkening of the skin, and painful open sores that refuse to heal quickly.

When your skin itches uncontrollably while you are out in the sun or caught in traffic, scratching becomes almost impossible to resist.

Unfortunately, this friction tears the already fragile surface of the body, allowing germs to enter freely. Managing this condition requires a clear routine tailored to high-moisture air rather than standard advice meant for cold regions.

In this article, Tribune Online examines the primary reasons why severe eczema flares up so violently during warm, humid conditions, along with dermatologist-backed medical steps to calm the irritation, repair the skin barrier, and prevent recurring infections.

Why high humidity and sweat trigger severe itching

Living in a humid coastal or rainforest belt means the air is constantly saturated with moisture, making it hard for sweat to evaporate off your forehead, neck, inner elbows, and behind the knees. When sweat sits on the skin for hours, the natural salts, urea, and trace minerals inside it dry down into a stinging crust. For an individual with atopic dermatitis, this salty deposit immediately irritates exposed nerve endings beneath the weakened outer skin layer.

According to clinical reports published by the National Eczema Association, sweat is one of the most widespread environmental triggers for atopic dermatitis flare-ups.

The organisation notes that high humidity encourages the rapid growth of bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus and common fungal organisms on the skin surface. When heat opens up the pores and sweat pools in skin folds, these microbes multiply rapidly, transforming an ordinary itch into an agonizing, inflamed rash.

Step 1: Cleanse the skin gently without harsh soaps

The first step in treating severe flare-ups in humid weather involves washing away trapped sweat and bacteria immediately after exposure to heat. You should take a brief bath with cool or lukewarm water twice a day, especially after returning from work or engaging in physical tasks.

Hot water strips away the protective natural oils that keep your skin intact, so it must be avoided completely.

Do not use medicated black soaps, scouring sponges, or heavily scented antiseptic bath liquids that claim to wash away germs.

Dermatologists warn that strong antibacterial cleansers destroy the natural lipid barrier of the body, leaving it cracked and defenseless. Instead, opt for a mild, fragrance-free cleanser, apply it softly using only your bare hands, and rinse thoroughly without rubbing your skin roughly.

Step 2: Cool down and pat dry thoroughly

After bathing, the way you dry your body determines whether the next flare-up happens within hours. Rubbing your body vigorously with a rough towel creates microscopic tears on inflamed patches and reignites intense itching spells. The friction also increases skin surface temperature, which signals your brain to scratch even more.

Use a clean, soft cotton towel to gently pat your skin dry until it remains slightly damp to the touch. Pay special attention to hidden skin folds such as the armpits, the groin, under the breasts, and behind the knees where trapped moisture triggers fungal complications. Staying in a well-ventilated room with an electric fan or air conditioning during this stage allows body heat to dissipate naturally before you apply any topical creams.

Step 3: Apply doctor-prescribed medicating creams first

When managing severe eczema, ordinary moisturisers alone cannot extinguish active, burning inflammation. You must apply your prescribed medicated treatments, such as topical corticosteroids or non-steroidal calcineurin inhibitors, straight onto the affected areas while the skin is still slightly damp. These medications work by turning off the immune system’s overactive inflammatory response directly inside the skin tissue.

Stress that medicated ointments and creams should be applied strictly as directed by a qualified physician. Use only a thin film over the active red or dark patches, smoothing it in gently in the direction of hair growth. Never mix random over-the-counter triple-action tubes with unknown steroid strengths, as doing so permanently thins the skin and causes stubborn bacterial resistance.

Step 4: Lock in protection with lightweight barrier creams

Once your medicated cream has absorbed for about five minutes, you must seal your skin barrier with a dedicated moisturizer. Many people mistakenly think they should skip moisturizing altogether because the weather is humid and sticky.

However, severe eczema means your skin loses internal water rapidly, leaving the surface exposed to environmental toxins regardless of the humidity outside.

Avoid extremely heavy, suffocating petrolatum jellies during the peak daytime heat, as they trap body warmth and sweat inside the sweat ducts, causing prickly heat on top of eczema.

Instead, reach for fragrance-free barrier creams containing ceramides, glycerin, or colloidal oatmeal that absorb cleanly into the skin. If your skin becomes excessively parched overnight in an air-conditioned bedroom, that is the safest time to use a thicker ointment over problem areas.

Step 5: Wear loose, breathable fabrics and stay hydrated

Your daily clothing choices directly influence how well your skin tolerates high humidity throughout the day. Synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon, and tight spandex trap body heat and rub raw against active eczema patches, creating continuous friction. When these fibers trap sweat against the skin, an intense stinging episode quickly follows.

Choose loose-fitting garments made from 100 percent natural cotton or linen that allow fresh air to circulate around your body.

Wash these clothes using mild, fragrance-free laundry detergents, and skip harsh fabric softeners that leave chemical residues on clothing fibers.

Drink plenty of fresh water throughout the day to support overall hydration, and keep a clean cotton handkerchief on hand to dab sweat away gently whenever the heat rises.

Seplat Energy Plc has called for increased investment across Nigeria’s gas value chain to unlock the country’s vast natural gas resources, strengthen energy security, drive industrialisation, and position Nigeria as Africa’s leading gas powerhouse.

Speaking at the Gas Investment Forum (GIF) 2026 in Lagos, Seplat Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Effiong Okon, represented by Mr Okechukwu Mba, Director of Gas and New Energy at Seplat Energy, said while Nigeria possesses more than 215 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, the true value of those resources can only be realised through sustained investments in production, processing, transportation and utilisation infrastructure.

Addressing the conference themed: ‘Positioning Nigeria as Africa’s Global Gas Powerhouse’, Okon noted that energy poverty remains a major challenge across Africa, with an estimated 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa still lacking access to electricity.

‘Gas reserves in the ground do not power homes or factories. Gas creates value only when it is produced and reliably delivered to consumers. The task before us is to convert Nigeria’s vast gas endowment into tangible economic growth, industrial development and energy access for millions of people,’ he said.

The Seplat Energy CEO commended the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to improve investment conditions in the gas sector, particularly initiatives aimed at addressing legacy debts in the gas-to-power value chain, which are helping to improve the bankability of gas projects.

He also welcomed recent final investment decisions on major energy projects and described the commencement of operations on the OB3 gas pipeline as a significant milestone for Nigeria’s gas industry.

Okon highlighted the role of policy reforms, especially the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), in creating a more transparent and investor-friendly environment for gas investments. He noted that institutions such as the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF) are helping to strengthen regulatory certainty and close infrastructure gaps across the sector.

Speaking on Nigeria’s global competitiveness, he said the country’s strategic location in the Gulf of Guinea gives it a unique advantage in serving both regional and international gas markets, including Europe, while also supporting growing energy demand across Africa.

Okon also outlined the company’s significant investments in gas infrastructure over the past decade, including the 375 MMscfd Oben Gas Plant, the 90 MMscfd Sapele Gas Plant, and the flagship 300 MMscfd ANOH Gas Plant, which together reinforce the company’s position as one of Nigeria’s leading domestic gas suppliers.

According to him, Seplat currently supplies gas directly to six power stations and supports numerous industrial customers through gas distribution networks. Through the ANOH Gas Plant, the company also supplies gas to fertilizer manufacturers, contributing to Nigeria’s food security objectives.

He further noted that Seplat’s acquisition of ExxonMobil’s onshore and offshore assets has significantly increased domestic supplies of butane and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), while ongoing investments in compressed natural gas (CNG) infrastructure are expanding access to cleaner, more affordable energy for consumers not connected to pipeline networks.

‘Together, these investments demonstrate Seplat Energy’s commitment to supporting government efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s energy security and accelerate gas-led economic growth,’ he said.

Okon also reaffirmed the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability, noting that Seplat successfully ended routine flaring across its onshore operations at the end of 2025, resulting in a significant reduction in operational emissions intensity.

Concluding his address, he called on stakeholders across government, industry and the financial sector to work together to unlock projects capable of converting ‘gas molecules into electrons’ that will power Nigeria’s industrial future.

‘Nigerians cannot wait any longer. We must move from discussions to implementation and create the partnerships and investments necessary to fully realise the promise of our gas resources,’ he said.

The Gas Investment Forum provides a platform for policymakers, regulators, investors and industry leaders to explore opportunities for accelerating gas development and strengthening Nigeria’s position in regional and global energy markets.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has confirmed that 25 passengers and seven crew members were on board a military aircraft that crashed near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ondo State.

Keyamo disclosed this in a statement on his personal X account on Monday following information from Air Traffic Controllers about the disappearance of the aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, which was en route to Lagos from Benin.

According to the minister, the aircraft disappeared from radar at about 9:13 a.m. on Monday, with efforts to establish radio contact proving unsuccessful.

He said subsequent information confirmed that the aircraft had crashed close to the Naval Base in Igbokoda, adding that the wreckage had been located while search and rescue operations were ongoing.

‘Preliminary information suggests that there were 25 passengers and 7 crew members on board,’ Keyamo said.

The minister noted that the control and regulation of military aircraft were outside the authority of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

He, however, said he had spoken with the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and pledged the ministry’s cooperation and assistance in the ongoing search and rescue efforts.

‘I regret to inform the general public that Air Traffic Controllers have informed me of the disappearance of a military aircraft with tail number NGR 931, enroute Lagos from Benin at 0913 hours earlier today. All efforts to raise the aircraft on radio proved abortive,’ he said.

Keyamo added that further information on the incident would be made available as it became available.

Meanwhile, Tribune Online reports that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has activated an immediate search and rescue operation following an aircraft accident in the Igbokoda area of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The NAF, in a statement issued by its Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the accident involving an ATR-42 aircraft occurred on Monday, October 5, 2026.

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has paid tribute to teachers across Nigeria on the occasion of World Teachers’ Day.

Reacting on Monday through Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said he appreciated Nigerian teachers and acknowledged the role they played in his education.

He said he still remembered the names and faces of his early teachers in Jada who taught him and helped shape his future.

Atiku said teachers continue to face challenges arising from the high cost of living, including food, transport, rent and electricity.

‘When I hear of a teacher forced to walk miles because transport fares consume so much of their salary, or borrowing food on credit to feed their family before going to teach our children, my heart breaks. No nation can rise above the level of its teachers,’ he said.

He said the government should match its praise for teachers with policies that improve their welfare and make life more affordable.

‘Government cannot praise teachers on this day and leave them to face hardship for the rest of year. A commemorative message cannot pay teacher’s bills. Respect must be reflected in fair conditions, reliable support and policies that make life affordable,’ he said.

Atiku, who is an educationist and founder of American University of Nigeria, described teachers as builders of confidence, knowledge and opportunity.

He said Nigeria cannot secure its future while neglecting those who educate its children.

‘My promise is clear: I will work to make life affordable again. Teachers and families should not have to watch their incomes disappear on food, transport, rent and electricity,’ he said.

He thanked teachers across Nigeria for their service and urged the country to support them with meaningful policies.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has expressed shock and profound sadness over the crash of a military jet in Igbokoda, Ondo State, on Monday, which reportedly claimed the lives of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel and crew members on board.

In a condolence message, Hon. Kalu commiserated with President Bola Tinubu, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, the officers, airmen and airwomen of the Nigerian Air Force, and the families of the victims.

He described the incident as a national tragedy and extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.

While calling for a comprehensive investigation to determine the cause of the crash, the Deputy Speaker pledged the support of the Parliament in strengthening measures to prevent future air disasters.

Hon. Kalu prayed for the repose of the souls of the departed.

President Bola Tinubu is a very lucky strongman who has die-hard supporters, even among his victims. One of my friends mounted the rooftop on Tuesday last week and joyfully announced to the president’s critics: ‘The man you wished would not return is back at his duty post.’ He did not end his celebratory message without crowning it with ‘yegede’, the Yoruba triumphant equivalent of ‘shame on you!’

But did Tinubu’s critics really wish him away forever? Whoever wishes the sick dead is not a critic; the person is an enemy in the dark mode of ultra-wicked Fadeyi Oloro. But, the truth is, the president himself is the king who took his orí adé abroad to sleep outside the palace gates and who only returned, apparently reluctantly, following an uproar.

The president finally came back last Tuesday, ending a four-week stay in Europe and dousing the palpable anxiety over the fate of his presidency. He arrived in Lagos from Paris at about 6.22 p.m.

Although we have no visual of his coming down from the plane, Tinubu landed and told journalists of his one-month, two-nation life in Britain and France: ‘I enjoyed myself; ready to kick, ready to walk. There’s nothing wrong. Well, rumour will always be emanating from politics. But the fact remains, I’m here healthy, sound, and ready to go.’

His return and the assurance from him above were very reassuring, but they have not stilled the question: Did the man return strong, truly hale and hearty? Whatever the answer, it does not matter here. The man has his destiny to fulfil in whatever way, and as God directs. Between the day he left and the day he returned, more Nigerians were born and many others died, some of them apparently healthy until death struck. Sometimes, the dry tree remains standing while the green one falls. That is fate.

The presidential election holds on January 16, 2027; 103 days away. That is a long journey along life’s unpredictable arc. Between now and then, who knows who among us will live to vote and which contestants will remain in the race? Appearance of the moment will not answer that question. There is the trending video of the old man moving with tremulous tenacity in or out of the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, for the premiere of a film on MKO Abiola. In presidential health matters, all Nigerians are doctors. Offline and online, many who watched the video paused to listen to the lub-dub rhythm of the heart of the shaky master. The butterfly is labalábá in Yoruba. It flies with a wobbly, tentative motion, as though it would fall with every flap of its wings. Yet that is how its Maker fashioned it, and with that seemingly precarious flight, it journeys safely into the bush. Is that the case with our president?

Two days after his return, Tinubu addressed the nation to mark Nigeria’s 66th independence anniversary. He spoke of the promise Nigeria held at independence, its manifest ‘destiny’ for greatness, and the trials, travails and tribulations of its journey. He concluded by suggesting that he was the Moses who had led the country out of captivity and across the Red Sea. His speechwriter painted the challenge of failure with dripping optimism.

That broadcast of hope in Nigeria’s unsteady destiny, and the scary speculations on Tinubu’s health which preceded his return from abroad, lead me to the concept of kádàrá, the Yoruba word for ‘destiny’, derived ultimately from the Arabic qadar, meaning fate or divine decree.

The Yoruba word for the head is orí, the spiritual vessel of destiny. When football superstar, Kylian Mbappé, or Lamine Yamal, misses a goal and instinctively clutches his head, what he holds is more than the physical object perched on his neck. As it is with individuals, so it is with villages, towns and nations. Nigeria came into being with a great head and an excellent blueprint; immense human and material potential, but its good head has been repeatedly betrayed by bad character. Where I come from, we say character is destiny: ìwà l’?`wà; we say no good head can indefinitely rescue a life governed by bad conduct.

We agonise over the apparent ‘abortive’ destiny of the Giant of Africa while we argue over the wobbly physical and moral gait of our leaders. We choose leaders in total surrender to kádàrá, as though destiny teaches that life need not obey the biology or physics of appearances. We pad our choice with dubious philosophy: the apparently strong may fall; the visibly frail may endure. But a butterfly is strong because it knows the limit of its strength. It survives not by emerging as strong or flying as swiftly as the eagle, but by remaining within the peculiar orbit of its own existence. We choose our pilots; we do not think character matters. Pause and reflect on the Omani co-pilot aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv last Wednesday, September 30, 2026. The co-pilot, a man entrusted with 181 lives, attacked the captain with a crash axe and attempted to seize control of the aircraft in order to crash it. Some political leaders are like that: they enter the cockpit for purposes other than a safe flight; the lives entrusted to them are secondary. In choosing drivers, choose also character.

American folklorist and specialist in the art and culture of the Yoruba, William R. Bascom, discusses this way back in 1951. Bascom lists kádàrá and àyànm?´ among the Yoruba terms for fate or destiny and thoroughly explores their implications on human existence. If you are the ever hungry one like me, you would go further from Bascom and approach Professor Segun Gbadegesin, who supplies a fuller philosophical treatment in ‘An Outline of a Theory of Destiny,’ a chapter in Lee M. Brown’s edited volume: ‘African Philosophy: New and Traditional Perspectives,’ published in 2004. Gbadegesin identifies àyànm?´, that which is chosen and affixed to one; àkúnlèyàn, that which one kneels down to choose; and àkúnlègbà, that which is received while kneeling, as distinct accounts of destiny. Then he brings in character as a decisive factor in the success or otherwise of this journey. ‘In the final analysis,’ he wrote, ‘a person is what she is in virtue of her destiny, her character…’

Nigeria is blessed with the best of destiny. What it lacks is not a good head; it was born great. Its affliction, and albatross, is the character of its choices. Those choices have made its promise as abortive as the Dimka coup.

In his Independence Day broadcast on Thursday, President Tinubu recalled that independence carried the promise that Nigerians ‘would have the freedom to shape their own destiny.’ Sixty-six years later, what has become of that promise, and of the destiny we were supposedly free to shape? I said earlier that destiny is not shaped by promise alone. Character is its decisive instrument. Nigeria’s tragedy is not that it was apportioned a poor kádàrá; it is that, through repeatedly poor choices and ruinous leadership, it has fashioned for itself a miserable àtub?`tán. Àtub?`tán is the final outcome, how life’s entire story eventually turns out, the destination at which the wandering roads of existence finally meet.

Professor Wande Abimbola explains the metaphysics behind this: In the Yoruba conception of life and living, every person selects an orí (a head) before entering the world and, in making that choice, chooses the broad direction of his destiny. Abimbola stresses that a good head is just a potential; it is not an automatic certificate of success. It is his thesis, validated by the science of his faith and scholarship, that human exertion, character, sacrifice and the activities of other forces operate within the unfolding of destiny.

The father of Nigerian theatre, Hubert Ogunde, carried the same philosophy from sacred verse and scholarship into popular theatre. In his song on orí, he counsels: If you would take a wife, ask your orí; if you would build a house, consult your orí. To all this, add good character, and the road to success opens. Nigeria, however, repeatedly makes uninformed choices which negate its promise and erase its place on the map of global development. It is the reason why it is left behind.

This country became independent on October 1, 1960. India gained independence from Britain just 13 years earlier, on August 15, 1947. The Federation of Malaysia became independent from the same colonial power on August 31, 1957; the larger Malaysian federation came into being on September 16, 1963. All three countries stepped into nationhood with promising heads, rich in human and material possibilities.

But look at what character, choices and leadership have made of those heads.

World Bank data says Nigeria’s current average life expectancy at birth is 54.6 years; an Indian can expect to live 17 years longer than a Nigerian; a Malaysian, 22 years longer. Malaysia has reached 100 percent electricity access, India stands at 99.9 percent; approximately 39 percent of Nigeria remains without it.

A further check of the World Bank’s current records: Malaysia reduced absolute poverty from 49 percent in 1970 to about one percent in 2014. Extreme poverty is now virtually zero in Malaysia; it is 41.8 percent in Nigeria. Malaysia worked hard and transformed its agricultural and commodity-based economy; it is now powered by manufacturing and services. Malaysia built production; Nigeria built a distributive politics around oil, an elaborate system for raiding and sharing the spoils. But the system is not working. It cannot work. Whoever does not own a kola-nut tree cannot claim its fruit. That is how Yoruba proverb authority, the late Professor Oyekan Owomoyela, renders a saying whose lesson is that a people cannot sustainably take and share what they do not produce.

So, between Nigeria on this side, India and Malaysia on the other side, the difference is not kádàrá. It is not geography. It is certainly not colonialism which did not spare India or Malaysia. The three countries were colonies of the same overlord, Britain. Nor is the issue ethnic and religious plurality; India has even more complicated variants of both. The decisive difference lies in what each country repeatedly did with what it inherited. It lies in the choices made by its people and in the character of its leadership. A promising head can be ruined by bad character; a great national destiny can be squandered by those entrusted with shaping it.

‘I enjoyed myself’ was the Eureka that our leader brought from France. Now, after thoroughly enjoying himself in Paris, President Tinubu is back in a country wracked by unimaginable suffering. How his presidency will ultimately end, what history will write beside his name, and whether his return marks renewal or merely another turn in a troubled journey, belong not simply to kádàrá but ultimately to àtub?`tán.

The eagle is a bird of sight, speed and strength. Shaky-shaky labalábá cannot serve as a symbol of effective leadership. Butterfly or eagle, Tinubu’s flight is still in progress.