Category: Nigerian Tribune

The Oyo State Government has intensified its crackdown on street trading and illegal occupation of public spaces at Gate, Bodija and Ojoo markets in Ibadan.

The enforcement exercise was carried out by the Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority (OYRLEA), in collaboration with security operatives, as part of efforts to enforce laws regulating trading activities and the use of roads, walkways and other public spaces.

OYRLEA, in a statement issued on Thursday by the state Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said the operation became necessary following observations that some traders continued to display and sell goods on roads, walkways, drainage channels and road setbacks despite the availability of government-provided market facilities.

The authority said the continued occupation of public spaces by traders was capable of affecting the free movement of motorists and pedestrians.

OYRLEA said, ‘Many traders still display and sell goods on roads, walkways, drainage channels and road setbacks, despite the provision of adequate market facilities by the Oyo State Government.’

According to the authority, the designated markets were provided to enable traders to conduct legitimate businesses without encroaching on public infrastructure.

During the exercise, substantial quantities of both perishable and non-perishable goods were impounded from locations where trading activities were found to be in violation of the law.

The authority, however, said the enforcement was not targeted at legitimate business owners but was aimed at ensuring compliance with the law.

OYRLEA stated, ‘The exercise is not intended to frustrate legitimate business owners, but to ensure that traders operate within legal boundaries while safeguarding the rights of motorists, pedestrians and the general public.’

The authority consequently urged market men and women to stop trading on roads, walkways, drainage channels and road setbacks, advising them to make use of designated spaces provided for commercial activities.

It warned that the enforcement would be sustained across the affected markets and other parts of the state until significant compliance with relevant Oyo State laws was achieved.

OYRLEA further appealed to traders and members of the public to cooperate with enforcement personnel, stressing that maintaining orderly markets and accessible public spaces remained a collective responsibility.

The authority said, ‘Market men and women are advised to desist from trading on roads, walkways, drainage channels and setbacks, and to utilise the designated spaces provided for commercial activities.’

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has approved an increase in the remuneration of traditional rulers across the state, covering paramount rulers such as Emirs and Chiefs, as well as district and village heads.

The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kaduna State chapter, disclosed this in a statement by its chairman, Sheikh Jamilu Abubakar Albani, describing the gesture as a major boost for the state’s traditional institution and its role in sustaining peace, security and grassroots development.

ALGON said the pay increase would strengthen the capacity of traditional rulers to support intelligence gathering, conflict resolution, peaceful coexistence and community mobilisation, noting that they remained indispensable partners in governance and a vital link between government and the people.

The association added that improved welfare for traditional rulers would help address security challenges and deepen peace and harmony across the state’s 23 local government areas.

ALGON further commended the governor for reinforcing the relevance of traditional institutions as key partners in his administration’s peace-building and development agenda.

On behalf of the 23 local government councils, the association pledged continued collaboration with the state government and other stakeholders to consolidate peace, security, good governance and sustainable grassroots development.

It also called on traditional rulers to reciprocate the gesture by deepening their cooperation with local government councils and relevant agencies in promoting peaceful coexistence, security and overall development in the state.

Nigeria and the International Energy Agency (IEA) have signed an agreement for a Joint Work Programme to strengthen strategic partnership in the development of data for energy policy and investment across the value chain for economic growth and energy security.

This is just as the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has said Nigeria’s formal admission into the IEA as an Association Country is a significant milestone for the country and another testament to the gains of the economic reforms of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Senator Shettima stated this on Thursday during the signing of the agreement for the Joint Work Programme between Nigeria and the IEA, signalling the formal commencement of the partnership.

Speaking on behalf of President Tinubu, the Vice President noted that Nigeria’s formal entry into the fold of the Paris-based non-governmental organisation justifies his administration’s policy choices and efforts aimed at leveraging the country’s abundant energy resources scattered across the nation.

Commending the IEA for the important role it is playing in shaping the global energy landscape, he said the effort of the agency in the global energy conversation and in supporting countries to navigate the challenges of energy security, affordability, sustainability and economic development cannot be overstated.

His words: ‘Nigeria’s admission as an association country with the IEA is a significant milestone for our country and it reflects Nigeria’s strategic importance in the global energy landscape and the confidence that IEA has placed in our commitment to constructive international energy cooperation.’

VP Shettima added that given Nigeria’s potential, ‘the country will benefit from IEA’s institutional knowledge, the intellectual resources, the reach and expertise to support our nation’s ambitions in this sector.’

He acknowledged Nigeria’s abundant renewable energy resources and his commitment to repositioning the economy by leveraging available resources, which are already manifesting across different sectors of the economy.

The Vice President assured the IEA team of his administration’s commitment to continue partnering with other stakeholders within the setting to contribute to the global energy debate on a fair and just energy transition.

Earlier, leader of the IEA delegation, Dr Fatih Birol, explained that his organisation is an organisation of governments that covers all technological fields, including oil, gas, solar, nuclear power, artificial intelligence and electric cars, based in Paris.

Working with the top 500 energy experts in the world in giving policy advice and sharing data and expertise, he said that being a member of the IEA family is not an easy task, as it requires a lot of consideration and testing.

According to Dr Birol, after detailed discussions with the Minister of State for Petroleum and Gas, Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, the Board, comprising the governments of the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy and the UK, voted and accepted Nigeria unanimously as a member.

‘The IEA will accompany the Nigerian energy sector for the next few years to come for a much better energy future. We will provide policy advice from clean cooking to gas markets, from gas markets to training Nigerian experts at the IEA on our own,’ he assured.

Earlier, Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, stressed that Nigeria’s admittance into the IEA was based on the performance of the Tinubu administration, reflected in the reforms undertaken in the economy.

He said the signing of the Joint Work Programme portends the involvement of the technical team of the IEA with Nigeria in the development of data for energy policy and investment across the value chain, targeted at economic growth and energy security.

On his part, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanoaiye, described the IEA’s partnership with Nigeria as strategically important, noting that the Nigerian Mission in Paris played a critical role in ensuring its success.

Pledging the commitment of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, towards the process, ‘Our role is to ensure that whatever government does at home is projected effectively in advancing and promoting the interest of Nigeria.

‘We take this as a critical component of our national interest and we will not fail in ensuring that we assist, as facilitators and coordinators, in ensuring that the maximum benefit of this endeavor is derived for the benefit of the Nigerian people.’

Also, the Director General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, said the Commission’s relationship with the IEA led to the joint sponsorship of Nigeria’s last National Energy Master Plan, even though there was no structure to their relationship.

He expressed optimism that Nigeria’s formal joining of the IEA and the agreement will strengthen the Commission’s relationship with the organisation.

The Afokang Correctional Centre in Calabar, Cross River, is holding 784 inmates, 334 above its designed capacity of 450, with awaiting-trial inmates accounting for about 68 per cent of the prison population.

This was disclosed during an educational excursion to the facility by scholars of Rights Academy as part of efforts to expose them to the practical realities of human rights, justice administration and correctional services.

Figures made available to the scholars during the visit showed that the facility has 756 male and 28 female inmates.

Of the total population, 531 inmates are awaiting trial, comprising 520 males and 11 females, while 170 have been convicted, including 154 males and 16 females.

The facility also has 48 inmates on death row, comprising 47 males and one female, while 35 male inmates are serving life sentences.

The figures raised concerns over overcrowding and the large proportion of inmates who have not been convicted, with scholars questioning the impact of prolonged detention on access to justice and the rights of persons deprived of their liberty.

Tribune Online reports that the high awaiting-trial population underscored the need for greater attention to delays in the criminal justice system.

While showing the scholars around the facility, Chief Superintendent of Corrections, A.E. Edet, emphasized that extended periods of pre-trial detention can impact inmates’ job prospects, educational opportunities, family connections, mental health, and their capacity to engage fully in society.

The scholars were also informed that the Judiciary and the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) are among the key institutions whose processes could affect the length of time suspects remain in custody.

Worries were also expressed regarding how often judicial oversight occurs, with scholars mentioning that the Chief Judge of the state last conducted a jail delivery exercise in September 2025.

They stressed that regular jail delivery exercises were important for identifying inmates who might qualify for bail, those whose cases had stalled, and persons who had remained in custody for unnecessarily long periods.

The scholars also visited the female correctional unit, clinic, identified as the C.H.E.W facility, and rehabilitation hall.

During the visit, they were informed that the clinic was facing shortages of drugs, wound-treatment materials, hygiene items, and toiletries.

At the female unit, the scholars were informed that menstrual hygiene materials were being provided through government intervention and support from non-governmental organisations.

On rehabilitation, the scholars were introduced to programmes designed to help inmates acquire skills and prepare for reintegration into society after serving their sentences.

Meanwhile, another observation arising from the excursion questioned the gender imbalance in the correctional population and the way correctional facilities were designed.

The observer noted that the overwhelming male population at Afokang raised questions about whether the physical structures and broader criminal justice system had been designed around assumptions about gender and offending patterns.

The observation, however, stressed that the issue was not about portraying one gender as more prone to crime than the other, but about understanding the social, economic, cultural, educational and institutional factors behind the pattern.

It argued that ‘crime does not belong to a gender’, adding that justice should be responsive to the realities of society rather than assumptions.

The Rights Academy excursion also highlighted the importance of human rights education beyond the classroom, particularly the rights to dignity, humane treatment, healthcare, fair trial and timely justice.

The scholars recommended regular judicial reviews and jail delivery exercises, reduction of delays in criminal proceedings, improved coordination among law enforcement agencies, the DPP, Judiciary, legal practitioners and correctional authorities.

They also called for improved healthcare funding, consistent provision of hygiene materials, stronger rehabilitation programmes and measures to address overcrowding, particularly the large awaiting-trial population.

The scholars further urged greater civil society engagement in healthcare, legal assistance, hygiene, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes.

The excursion concluded with a call for stronger accountability across the criminal justice system to ensure that administrative and procedural delays do not unnecessarily deprive people of their liberty.

The Vice-Chancellor of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, Prof. Abel Olajide Olorunnisola, has called on Nigerian universities to adapt their teaching methods to the realities of artificial intelligence, saying lecturers can no longer rely solely on traditional approaches to impart knowledge.

The immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Dominion University, Ibadan, said the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, as well as online learning platforms, had fundamentally changed the relationship between students and knowledge.

According to him, students can now obtain information, generate learning materials, and seek explanations of difficult concepts through digital platforms without necessarily relying exclusively on classroom lectures.

He, therefore, urged lecturers to rethink their approaches and develop more interactive classrooms that would enable students to participate actively in the learning process.

‘We have to develop ways of meeting the students of today halfway,’ he said.

The Vice-Chancellor said lecturers could no longer operate on the assumption that they were the sole repositories of knowledge, noting that students could readily verify information presented in the classroom through the internet.

He explained that he had adopted a more interactive approach to teaching, distinguishing between merely delivering lectures and engaging students in classroom discussions and activities.

‘When you make the classes interesting, then they will be willing to come. If the classes are boring, they would rather go and stay in their rooms and have ChatGPT or watch videos,’ he said.

Olorunnisola, however, stressed that the adoption of technology should not eliminate the classroom or undermine academic discipline.

He said universities must find a balance between physical classroom engagement and the responsible use of technology, as they seek to prepare students for examinations and the world of work.

He also called for stronger digital infrastructure in Nigerian universities, particularly public institutions, saying inadequate infrastructure had made it difficult for many institutions to sustain teaching and learning during disruptions such as industrial actions and the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, universities with robust digital systems would be better positioned to continue academic activities when students and lecturers could not physically access campuses.

The Bells University of Technology VC also linked the transformation of university education to increased funding, stating that adequate investment was essential if Nigerian universities were to compete effectively with institutions globally.

He identified inadequate funding as one of the major impediments to the development of the nation’s public higher education sector.

He said government must recognise universities as strategic institutions critical to national development and provide resources for infrastructure, research, human capital development, and digital learning.

Olorunnisola noted that producing globally competitive professionals required substantial investment, including modern infrastructure, competitive remuneration, and conducive working environments capable of attracting and retaining quality academics.

He said despite the challenges, Nigerian universities had demonstrated their capacity to produce professionals who compete successfully on the global stage.

The Vice-Chancellor cited Nigerian doctors, engineers, software developers, and other professionals working across the world as evidence of the quality of talent produced by the country’s higher education system.

He, however, said the government and other stakeholders needed to create an enabling environment for universities to maximise their potential.

Olorunnisola also expressed concern over the welfare of university academics, saying stagnant salaries had significantly reduced the purchasing power of lecturers amid rising inflation and living costs.

He argued that improving the welfare of academics was crucial to sustaining quality teaching, research, and international engagement.

The Vice-Chancellor also noted that the economic situation had placed enormous pressure on students and their parents, particularly those attending private universities.

He said the challenge went beyond tuition fees to the overall cost of maintaining students, including feeding, accommodation, and other daily expenses.

Olorunnisola disclosed that while serving as Vice-Chancellor of Dominion University, Ibadan, the institution introduced flexible payment arrangements to reduce the financial pressure on students and their parents.

On his agenda at Bells University, the Vice-Chancellor said his administration would focus on strengthening the institution’s reputation, developing human capital, improving infrastructure, and identifying areas that would distinguish the university from its competitors.

He said no two universities could be exactly the same, stressing that each institution must determine what it wants to be known for.

‘Reputation is number one. If the reputation is bad, students will not want to go, staff will not want to come, and parents will not want to send their children,’ he said.

Olorunnisola said Nigerian universities must, therefore, combine academic excellence with innovation, technology, sound leadership, and institutional integrity if they are to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive global education environment.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has directed the transfer of the inland dry port (IDP) functions of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), in a move aimed at creating a clear separation between port economic regulation, development and operations.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser Dr. Bolaji Akinola in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister also directed the immediate constitution of a ministerial committee to oversee the transition of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council into the newly established Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the NPERA Act, 2026.

The directives are part of measures to establish a clear institutional framework for the new port economic regulatory regime, eliminate overlapping responsibilities and ensure that agencies under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy operate within clearly defined mandates.

The NPERA Act, signed by President Tinubu in August, formally establishes a substantive economic regulator for Nigeria’s port sector, bringing to an end a two-decade wait for a dedicated statutory port economic regulator.

With the enactment of the law, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, which had operated as the country’s interim port economic regulator since 2014, transmutes into NPERA.

Under the new framework, NPERA is expected to focus primarily on its core economic regulatory responsibilities, including the regulation of tariffs and charges, promotion of competition, licensing, service standards, commercial dispute resolution and protection of port users.

Oyetola said the transition from NSC to NPERA provides an opportunity to establish a regulatory institution that is clearly separated from operational, developmental and promotional responsibilities.

‘We must get the transition right. The establishment of NPERA is a landmark reform, and the process of moving from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency must be carefully managed.

The ministerial committee will provide the necessary oversight to ensure that the transition is seamless and that every function is domiciled in the appropriate institution,’ he said.

The Minister stressed that the credibility and effectiveness of an economic regulator depend, in part, on its ability to function as an impartial referee without being encumbered by responsibilities that could create actual or perceived conflicts of interest.

According to him, the Federal Government’s objective is to ensure that NPERA is allowed to concentrate fully on its statutory regulatory mandate, while functions that are operational, developmental or promotional in nature are transferred to agencies with the appropriate mandates and institutional capacity.

‘The emergence of NPERA marks a new chapter in the governance of Nigeria’s port sector. It is therefore important that the new economic regulator is freed from functions that are not compatible with economic regulation. A regulator cannot function as an operator and, at the same time, be expected to be perceived as an unbiased referee,’ Oyetola said.

He added that a clear separation of responsibilities would strengthen confidence in the regulatory framework, enhance transparency and create a more predictable operating environment for port users, investors, terminal operators, shipping companies and other stakeholders.

The Minister assured stakeholders that the transfer should not be interpreted as a reduction in the Federal Government’s commitment to the development of inland dry ports across the country. Rather, he said, the objective is to strengthen the IDP programme by placing its promotion within an institution better positioned to integrate the facilities into the nation’s wider port infrastructure and operational network.

‘We are committed to strengthening the development of the Inland Dry Ports by placing their promotion within the agency with the appropriate operational and infrastructure mandate. The ultimate objective is to create a more efficient and integrated port system that serves the entire country,’ Oyetola added.

Following its participation in the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SB 64) climate sessions in Bonn, Germany, the Animal Protection Organisation of Nigeria (APON) has announced a comprehensive national roadmap to scale climate action through sustainable agriculture, wildlife conservation, and green food systems.

APON, according to a statement issued after the event, is urging the Nigerian government to urgently pivot toward agroecological farming practices and financial frameworks that support plant-based businesses to meet national climate adaptation goals.

Industrial agricultural expansion remains a primary driver of deforestation and biodiversity loss in Nigeria. APON’s post-conference strategy emphasises that safeguarding Nigeria’s endangered wildlife requires an immediate shift away from destructive land-use practices. By protecting natural ecosystems from industrial livestock encroachment, Nigeria can preserve vital carbon sinks and protect vulnerable animal species from extinction.

To combat land degradation, APON is launching a nationwide advocacy campaign promoting organic compost application as a direct replacement for chemical fertilisers.

A critical takeaway from the Bonn climate talks is the necessity of shifting financial flows toward low-emission food systems. APON is calling on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to establish dedicated financial support pipelines, including grants and tax incentives, for: plant-based food businesses that will accelerate the growth of sustainable, local meat alternatives, as well as eco-conscious farmers – subsidizing smallholders who transition from intensive livestock rearing to climate-resilient crop cultivation.

‘Climate adaptation in Nigeria cannot succeed without transforming how we treat our land and our animals. By subsidising plant-based food systems and adopting organic soil management, Nigeria can lead Africa in humane, climate-smart agriculture that protects both our wildlife and our food security,’ the statement from APON concluded.

Rivers Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has signed the state’s ?1.8 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill into law, following its passage by the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The bill was unanimously passed by 26 lawmakers during the House’s resumed sitting in Port Harcourt and will now be transmitted to Governor Siminalayi Fubara for assent.

According to the Assembly, the approved budget is expected to cover the fiscal year ending on September 2, 2027.

Long before ‘government has no business in business’ became an article of faith in Nigerian public life, the people of the Old Western region had answered it in concrete. They took the proceeds of cocoa, gathered through public institutions, and built roads, schools, industries and estates. In 1965, Cocoa House rose above Ibadan as West Africa’s first skyscraper. It was more than a tall building. It was confidence given height: proof that a people could turn the sweat of farmers into capital, and capital into an inheritance for generations yet unborn.

That inheritance survives in Odu’a Investment Company Limited, jointly owned by the six South-West states. Its recent renewal challenges a stubborn orthodoxy: that the state must retreat, the market must advance effectively on autopilot, and development will somehow emerge.

In 2017, I reviewed Ha-Joon Chang’s Bad Samaritans, which exposed the gap between the economic sermons of rich countries and their own history. Many prosperous nations protected infant industries, directed credit, financed research, used public procurement and gave domestic firms room to grow. Having climbed the ladder, some became energetic lecturers on the virtues of climbing without one.

The free market remains one of humanity’s most productive inventions. Competition can punish laziness, reward innovation and allocate resources better than a room full of civil servants. But the market is an engine, not an oracle. It can reveal where profit is available today. It cannot, by itself, decide what kind of country we should become tomorrow.

Nigerian suspicion of state enterprise did not fall from the sky. We have seen public companies turned into feeding troughs, warehouses of abandoned assets and retirement homes for political loyalists. When Nigerians say government has no business in business, they are often speaking from the bitter evidence of government in business without discipline.

Odu’a also suffered a period of decline, long and costly. When Adewale Raji became Group Managing Director in 2014, the Odu’a Group had gone six years without paying a dividend. Assets estimated above ?80 billion generated barely ?1 billion, while Nigeria Wire and Cable, Askar Paints, Epe Plywood and Cocoa Industries had become moribund. Stakes in major companies had been heavily diluted, sometimes to keep the group afloat. Odu’a had drifted from industrial ambition into rent collection: rich in property, poor in productive motion. Raji began the climb back. That valley is the measure of its recovery.

But failure does not settle the argument. Otherwise, collapsed private banks, airlines and factories would also prove that private enterprise should be abolished. The harder questions are who governs, who appoints, who measures performance, who bears consequences and whether political owners can let professionals work.

Odu’a gives us a serious answer. The reform journey gathered momentum under Chief Segun Aina, whose board helped establish a new governance framework and the SRC 2025 strategy: Sweat, Revive and Create. Odu’a possessed a celebrated inheritance, but heritage can become a comfortable chair in which institutions sit until they fall asleep. Its assets had to work again.

Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, who became Group Chairman in June 2022, inherited that direction and drove it forward. Independent directors joined subsidiary boards and oversight was strengthened. For the first time in Odu’a’s history, a Group Managing Director emerged from within: Abdulrahman Yinusa, previously Executive Director of Finance, succeeded Adewale Raji. Institutions become durable when they can reproduce leadership rather than begin life again after every change of guard.

Odu’a declared dividends of ?428 million for 2022, another ?428 million for 2023 and ?518 million for 2024, returning ?1.374 billion to its owners in three years. Agusto and Co raised its corporate rating from A in 2023 to A+, and then to Aa- with a stable outlook in July 2025, citing stronger income and cash flow, increased rental earnings and the disposal of underperforming assets.

The portfolio is also moving beyond inherited property. The South West Agriculture Company entered partnerships worth nearly ?10 billion, covering cocoa cultivation, integrated farming, maize production and smallholder support. Odu’a activated a technology subsidiary, advanced the redevelopment of Premier Hotel and committed one per cent of profit after tax to its charitable foundation. By 2026, the foundation’s DEFINED programme had introduced more than 4,000 pupils to digital literacy and coding, and launched a cascaded train the trainer programme for thousands of school teachers in the public sector.

Odu’a is not beyond scrutiny, of course. A corporate compendium is not an independent audit, announced partnerships are not completed projects, and a groundbreaking ceremony does not pay a dividend. The next board must turn today’s promise into productive capacity. Yet the direction is difficult to deny. Chief Segun Aina helped lay the institutional rails; Otunba Bimbo Ashiru and his team moved the train considerably farther. Their strongest achievement may be that Odu’a’s renewal looks less like the performance of one man and more like the recovery of an institution.

There is a larger African lesson. ‘Government has no business in business’ may sound sophisticated, but repeated as universal truth, it becomes an act of epistemic surrender: a people lowering the flag of its own judgement before the altar of laissez-faire. Epistemic freedom is not hostility to ideas from elsewhere or a retreat into wounded nationalism. Knowledge has no tribe. We must remain open-minded without becoming empty-minded: willing to borrow ideas, never judgement.

The West itself has never spoken with one economic voice. Paul Krugman’s work on increasing returns and economies of scale challenged the idea that countries prosper simply by specialising in whatever nature initially gave them. In industries with enormous start-up costs, early entrants accumulate skills, capital and markets that make it harder for latecomers to compete. Comparative advantage is not always discovered like crude oil beneath the soil. It can be built.

In his 1987 essay, ‘Is Free Trade Passé?’, Krugman reduced free trade from an unquestionable optimum to a ‘reasonable rule of thumb’. A rule of thumb is useful; it is not holy writ. He also warned that industrial policy can be captured by vested interests. Nigeria knows that danger intimately. But the possibility of state failure is not an argument for state disappearance. An activist state must never become a busybody state. Industrial policy without discipline is patronage wearing a laboratory coat.

Artificial intelligence now gives the argument fierce urgency. Countries will not become serious AI powers through conferences, motivational speeches and the brilliance of isolated young people. AI requires vast computing capacity, stable electricity, specialised talent, patient finance, research universities, secure data infrastructure and governments capable of using procurement to create markets. We cannot code our way around the absence of power, capital and computing capacity.

The evidence is plain. The United States backs chips and frontier research; the European Union finances AI factories; China directs investment; Gulf states deploy sovereign wealth. These systems differ sharply, but all reject the false choice between dynamic enterprise and an active state. No serious power leaves its future entirely to the invisible hand.

Nigeria should not ask government to manage every start-up or write every algorithm. The state should expand reliable energy, finance shared computing infrastructure, support research, use procurement to give credible Nigerian firms a first market, invest in Nigerian-language technologies and provide patient capital tied to performance. Beneficiaries must face transparent selection, independent oversight and the withdrawal of support when promises fail. The choice is between a capable state that enlarges enterprise and a weak one that leaves its citizens competing on a field built by others.

Odu’a does not prove that every state enterprise will succeed. It proves something more useful and consequential: public ownership is not a sentence of death. Political owners can exercise restraint. Professional boards can impose discipline. Public capital can work with private expertise. One generation can build upon the institutional gains of another. That is the creative confidence Africa must recover.

The generation that turned cocoa into Cocoa House did not wait for foreign permission to imagine at scale. Our generation’s raw materials include data, talent, language and human ingenuity. We can organise them into productive power or export them cheaply and import their finished value at great cost. The next Cocoa House may be the computing infrastructure, research institution or technology company from which a new generation looks confidently upon the world.

The question is no longer whether the state has a place in the future. Every successful state has already answered that question. The question is whether Nigeria will enter that future as a builder, or arrive once again as a customer.

Gift card trading has become one of the easiest ways to make quick cash in Nigeria. But with more people trading every day, scammers have also found new ways to take advantage of unsuspecting sellers. In this blog, we will break down the real risks and show you how to trade safely without losing money to fraud.

Why Gift Card Trading Scams Are So Common in Nigeria?

Gift card trading is fast, flexible, and does not require a lot of paperwork. That convenience is exactly why scammers love it too.

A few reasons scams keep happening:

High demand for quick cash means sellers often skip proper checks just to close a deal fast.

Social media and WhatsApp deals make it easy for fake buyers to approach sellers directly, outside any secure platform.

Low awareness of how card verification works leaves many first-time sellers exposed.

No accountability exists once a private deal goes wrong, since there is no platform to report to.

There is also the issue of platform hopping. Many traders switch between different apps and social media groups looking for the best rate, and this constant movement makes it hard to build a track record with any single trusted source. Scammers exploit this by posing as buyers on multiple platforms at once, knowing that a seller chasing a better deal is less likely to slow down and verify who they are dealing with.

Once you understand why scams thrive, it becomes easier to spot the warning signs before they cost you money.

The Most Common Gift Card Trading Scams to Watch Out For

Scammers do not always use the same trick twice. Knowing the common patterns helps you catch red flags early, no matter how the scam is dressed up.

Fake Payment Proof Scams

This is one of the oldest tricks in the book. A buyer sends a screenshot claiming payment has been made, then pressures you to release the gift card code immediately.

Always confirm the money has actually landed in your account before sending any card details.

Never trust a screenshot as proof of payment. Screenshots can be edited in seconds.

If someone is rushing you to ‘hurry up,’ that urgency alone is a red flag.

Undervaluation and Rate Manipulation

Some buyers deliberately quote rates far below market value, hoping desperate sellers will accept without checking. Others agree to a rate, then claim the card is ‘damaged’ or ‘used’ after you have already sent the code, so they can pay less.

Compare rates across a few sources first, and only send card details once a rate is agreed and confirmed in writing.

Used or Invalid Card Codes

This scam works both ways. Some sellers list cards that are already partially used or invalid, and unsuspecting buyers pay full price before checking the balance.

If you are selling, always verify your own card balance first so you can defend your claim if a dispute comes up.

Phishing Links Disguised as Trading Platforms

Fake websites and links that look almost identical to real trading platforms are designed to steal your card details or login information the moment you enter them.

Before entering any card details, double check the website address carefully. One extra letter or a slightly different domain name is often the only clue that something is off.

Impersonation of Trusted Traders or Support Agents

Some scammers copy the profile picture and name of a well-known trader or claim to be ‘customer support’ reaching out first. They rely on the trust built by the real account or platform to convince you to skip your usual checks.

Genuine support teams rarely reach out to you first asking for card details.

If someone claims to represent a platform, verify through the platform’s official channel before responding.

A slightly altered username or handle is often the only difference between a real account and a fake one.

How to Verify a Gift Card Trading Platform in Nigeria Is Legit?

Not every platform that promises fast payment is trustworthy. A few checks can save you from a bad experience.

Check for real user reviews. Look beyond the platform’s own website. Search social media and review sites for genuine feedback from people who have actually traded there.

Confirm the platform has visible, transparent rates. A trustworthy platform shows its rates upfront, not after you have already committed to a trade.

Test customer support before you trade. Send a message and see how fast and how helpful the response is. Slow or vague replies are a warning sign.

Look for a payment history you can verify. Platforms with a long track record of successful payouts are generally safer than newer, unverified ones.

If you are still comparing options, it helps to go with Tbay, the best gift card trading app rather than risking a private deal with a stranger online.

Read the terms before you commit. Legitimate platforms are upfront about how long payment takes, what happens if a card is flagged, and how disputes get resolved. If a platform avoids answering these questions clearly, treat that as a warning sign rather than an inconvenience.

Notice how the platform handles first-time users. A platform that walks new sellers through the process, rather than rushing them into a trade, is usually more invested in getting the transaction right than in closing it quickly.

Safety Tips Before You Trade Gift Card in Nigeria

A little caution before you trade goes a long way. Keep these steps in mind every time:

Verify your card balance before selling it, so you know exactly what it is worth.

Stick to trusted platforms instead of random individuals on social media.

Avoid moving conversations off-platform, since that removes any protection you might have.

Keep screenshots of every conversation, rate agreement, and payment confirmation.

Never share your card code until payment is fully confirmed in your account.

Be wary of deals that sound too good to be true, since they usually are.

Following these steps consistently on a platform like Tbay, is the easiest way to sell gift cards in Nigeria without falling into a trap.

It also helps to trade during reasonable hours when you can respond quickly if something feels off, rather than late at night when you are more likely to rush through checks just to be done with it. Building this habit takes a little discipline at first, but it quickly becomes second nature once you have done it a few times.

What to Do If You’ve Been Scammed on Gift Card Trading?

If a gift card trade has already gone wrong, acting fast matters.

Report the incident to the platform immediately, if you traded through one.

Gather all your evidence, including screenshots, chat history, and transaction details.

Warn others in trading communities, so the same scammer does not target someone else.

Avoid trying to ‘get even’ through another risky trade. It usually leads to more loss, not less.

Learning from a bad experience is how most experienced traders eventually build safer habits.

Do not blame yourself into silence. Many people who get scammed stay quiet out of embarrassment, which only allows the same scammer to keep operating. Speaking up, even just within a trusted trading community, helps protect the next person.

Update your own process afterward. Every scam attempt, whether it succeeded or not, teaches you something about what to check next time. Treat it as a lesson rather than a reason to stop trading altogether.

Final Thoughts on Trading Gift Cards Safely

The gift card trading space in Nigeria is not going anywhere, and neither are the people trying to exploit it. The good news is that most scams follow familiar patterns, and once you know what to look for, they become easy to avoid.

Take your time with every trade. Verify before you trust, and choose a platform like Tbay over a private deal whenever you can. That single habit will save you far more money over time than chasing a slightly better rate ever could.