Category: Nigerian Tribune

The ongoing construction of the 700-to-750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a $13 billion infrastructure project, is set to fundamentally reshape southern Nigeria’s economic footprint. What started as virgin land along the Gulf of Guinea is fast turning into one of West Africa’s most sought-after investment zones.

As the project is progressing, real estate investors and practitioners are already betting on various investments opportunities provided by the expanded infrastructure.

The importance of the project to Nigerians and the economy formed the core discussion at a Webnar hosted by the real estate firm of Ubosi Eleh and Co., in Lagos.

Speaking during the forum, the former President of African Chapter of the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI), Mr Chudi Ubosi, called on investors to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the infrastructure to double their wealth. He talked about how the coastal highway could influence property values, investment decisions and new growth corridors.

Apart from reshaping economic footprint, he said the infrastructure would drastically cut transit times, reduce massive agricultural post-harvest losses, and trigger a high-yield real estate boom across nine coastal states.

Conceived over four decades ago, he pointed out that the long-awaited project is moving beyond political debate as active civil works progress at multiple points along the corridor, including completed stretches along the Lekki axis in Lagos State and early sections starting from Calabar, Cross River State, and Ondo State.

The theme of the conversation was: ‘The Coastal Road Effect: Is the Lagos-Calabar Corridor the Next Real Estate Goldmine?’ Ubosi, who doubles as the Principal Partner, Ubosi Eleh and Co., emphasised that the infrastructure would act as the ultimate catalyst for land value growth, positioning the highway as a primary destination for immediate capital deployment. Describing the corridor as a new frontier for real estate and private capital, he said it would serve as strategic land banking for would-be investors. According to him, investor can secure undeveloped land parcels in the emerging hinterland coastal districts, such as Ondo, Edo, and Delta, where prices remain low and sell at higher prices in the future.

Besides, he said the corridor would provide opportunities for mass and satellite housing. According to him, developing affordable housing communities outside major city would reduce housing shortage, high rental payment and uncontrolled urbanisation in the city centres and central business districts.

Aside from housing opportunity, Ubosi pointed out that the corridor would provide opportunities for investors interested in commercial and industrial logistics.

‘It will serve as a new frontier for establishing industrial parks, warehousing hubs, and cold-storage facilities near major interchanges to service coastal ports and regional freight distribution,’ he said.

He emphasised that coastal corridor offered direct market access, prompting manufacturers to lease large plots for central distribution hubs.

‘For those interested in industrial estates, the expert explained that developers have started acquiring vast land parcels to build privately managed industrial parks, offering ready-made power, security, and access for manufacturers seeking to bypass municipal bottlenecks.

‘Land within 10 kilometres of the coast is commanding premium valuations as developers acquire beachfront acreage for resorts, lounges, and hospitality services,’ he said.

While real estate values along the Lagos-Epe axis have already priced in the development, he stated that speculative capital is flowing further east into Ondo, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River.

For early-stage investors, he advised that financial equation favoured low-entry land acquisitions in emerging sections over saturated urban markets.

Land values in these secondary nodes, he said, have been projected to experience exponential growth as paving equipment advances.

Contributing to the discussion when contacted, the Managing Director/ CEO, Fame Oyster and Co., Olufemi Oyedele, described Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road corridor as ‘really the next real estate goldmine’ in Nigeria. In the last two years, he pointed out that the corridor has experienced about 133 per cent increase in value.

‘The increase in the value of Lakowe properties between 2024 to 2026 ranges between 66 per cent and 133 percent for building and plots, while the rental market has experienced an average 25 percent uptick within the same 24-month period.

‘Though the increase is also due to the influence of presence of industries like Dangote Petroleum Refinery, the Lekki Free Trade Zone and Lekki Deep Sea Port and Dangote Fertiliser also contributed to the increase in the value of properties,’ Oyedele said.

He explained that the coastal highway is already influencing property values, investment decisions and new growth corridors like gated estates because property procurement decisions are influenced by ‘location’.

According to him, the presence of industries coupled with infrastructure like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway would continue to influence the interest of property investors and, of course, increase the value of the properties in that corridor.

Olusanjo Fawole, partner, Ubosi Eleh and Co, advised early-stage investors looking to build land-banking portfolios to secure legal titles immediately, maintain clear site boundaries, and acquire properties situated directly near planned inter-state junctions and expressway interchanges.

Lagos – Calabar Coastal Road is designed parallel to the Atlantic coastline, expected to traverse Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states.

The primary economic impacts include drastic travel reductions with transit times between Lagos and Calabar projected to drop from an unpredictable 12 to 14 hours to approximately six to seven hours.

Fawole raised concerns about government expansions, buffer zones, and route changes taking land from early buyers.

A notable example includes shifting alignment further inland in Ondo State to avoid costly swamp piling.

One of the panelists warned against repeating the unplanned development of the Lekki corridor, suggesting that a cohesive government master plan designating specific commercial, industrial, residential, and hospitality zones is necessary to prevent chaotic land grabs and protect investor capital.

Former President, Association of Town Planners Consultants of Nigeria, Dr. Moses Ogunleye, said that as a national infrastructure, the Lagos-Calabar Highway will certainly affect investment decisions, particularly around the completed sections.

‘Already, many decisions by investors are tied to it. Similarly, businesses are making plans that will synchronise with the sections of the Highway between Ogun and Ondo States.

‘ Its critical advantage is that it opens up many parts of the otherwise locked corridor. With its difficult terrain it development requires bold decision by government, as it is capital intensive,’, he said.

He noted that tourism industry will be driven to improved growth by the Highway.

‘I also foresee considerable investment in the associated sectors of hospitality and entertainment. Majorly, the beaches and other destinations will have more patronage. Generally, residential and commercial real estate investment that will complement others will also blossom in the corridor,’ he said.

Although, the development of the Highway has altered some development plans, its real estate value lies in stirring the making of other plans,’ Ogunleye said

The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has rejected the privatisation-driven approach to solving Africa’s energy crisis, as the continent cannot achieve meaningful industrialisation without public control of electricity.

ITUC-Africa General Secretary, Comrade Akhator Joel Odigie, who spoke journalist at a recent meeting of over 60 African climate-change experts, focal persons and specialists, said the World Bank and African Development Bank-backed Mission 300 initiative could not effectively address Africa’s energy poverty through privatised electricity.

Odigie said Africa should be able to point to at least one industrialised society that achieved industrialisation on the back of privately controlled electricity.

‘Africa should point to one industrialised society that has industrialised on the back of private electricity. One. They should point to one. There is none,’ he said.

Mission 300 is aimed at expanding electricity access across Africa, where about 600 million people, according to Odigie, remain without access to electricity.

But the ITUC-Africa chief said the initiative’s privatisation pathway could worsen exclusion, particularly for rural communities and low-income households.

‘A privatised effort cannot give people electricity. It is not possible, especially those that are in rural areas,’ he said.

Using Nigeria as an example, Odigie said electricity privatisation had failed to guarantee reliable access, while rising tariffs were making power increasingly unaffordable.

‘They are privatised. Do you have electricity? And the popular saying is that you pay for darkness,’ he said.

He also warned that further increases in electricity costs could undermine industrial production and job creation, arguing that electricity remains a strategic component of economic development that requires strong government intervention.

According to him, ‘It is a commanding height of the economy, and any commanding height of the economy must be state-led if it has to have any meaning in pushing society towards industrialisation.’

Odigie said ITUC-Africa was therefore pushing its ‘Restore and Reclaim’ campaign, which seeks to return electricity to public control and promote greater access for communities and rural populations.

On just transition, he said Africa’s transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy should not sacrifice the continent’s development aspirations or leave workers and vulnerable communities behind.

‘We should transit in a way that does not leave people behind,’ he said, insisting that countries responsible for much of global pollution should provide the resources needed to finance a just energy transition in Africa.

Odigie also faulted what he described as growing inequality across the continent, warning that the working poor were expanding despite being employed.

‘They are working, but their pay cannot take them home,’ he said, blaming widening inequality on factors including state capture, plutocracy, illicit financial flows and weak social protection.

He called for stronger investment in social protection and social safety

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State has replaced its governorship candidate for the 2027 election, saying the party’s ticket is not available for political negotiation.

At a substitution plenary held in Ibadan on Tuesday, the party ratified the replacement of Mr Michael Okunlade with Mogaji Olusegun Agboola as its governorship candidate.

The party also charged Agboola to unite its members, strengthen its structures and mobilise support across the 33 local government areas of the state ahead of the election.

Speaking with journalists after his emergence, Agboola said the SDP was not seeking political bargaining but was determined to win the governorship election and provide what he described as a new approach to governance.

He said the party would move away from what he called ‘pedestrian thinking’ and embrace a system-based approach to governance.

Agboola said, ‘The last time we declared our intent, we said pedestrian thinking has to stop and system-based thinking should now be the case. We should stop business as usual and bring new ideas to the table.’

He said his administration, if elected, would focus on developing the people and creating systems that would convert their skills, abilities and resources into sustainable economic opportunities.

According to him, Oyo State must move beyond conventional approaches to governance and develop policies that would empower its people to contribute more meaningfully to the state’s economy.

The SDP candidate also ruled out any possibility of using the party’s governorship ticket for political bargaining ahead of the 2027 election.

He said, ‘The SDP is here to stay and our intention is to take over this state, especially as we see the crop of candidates in all the other parties, whom we all know their antecedents.

‘We are here to go to the State House in our own goodness. There’s no negotiation on the table as far as we are concerned.’

Agboola also expressed readiness to debate other governorship candidates on their policy proposals, saying the SDP was prepared to subject its ideas and plans for the state to public scrutiny.

On possible reconciliation with aggrieved members, he promised an open-door policy, urging those who had left or were dissatisfied with developments in the party to return.

‘Anyone that is aggrieved out there, the door is open. Come back home. SDP is the home of true democrats, true progressives,’ he said.

Earlier, Okunlade, whose name was replaced on the party’s governorship ticket, congratulated Agboola, describing his emergence as an important development in the party’s preparations for the 2027 election.

He commended party members for their peaceful conduct during the substitution process and appreciated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for monitoring the exercise.

Okunlade said the party’s immediate task was to strengthen its presence across the 33 local government areas and wards of the state.

He urged the new candidate to remain committed to the party and work with its members towards securing victory in the 2027 election.

‘We want victory, not negotiation. We want commitment, not abandonment. We want unity, not division,’ Okunlade said.

He cautioned against a situation where candidates use a political party’s platform to contest elections and later distance themselves from its structures and members.

According to him, candidates must remain committed to the party and its structures, stressing that unity, commitment and effective grassroots mobilisation would be critical to the SDP’s chances in 2027.

Okunlade also responded to allegations raised by another governorship aspirant, Chief Saheed Oladele, over the substitution process and his integrity.

He warned that he would seek legal redress if statements made against him amounted to defamation, while urging party members to accept the outcome of the democratic process.

He advised members and aspirants with grievances to pursue them through appropriate democratic and legal channels instead of allowing internal disagreements to weaken the party ahead of the 2027 election.

The party leadership subsequently tasked Agboola with consolidating its structures, reconciling aggrieved members and taking the SDP’s campaign message to communities across the state.

LITERACY should grow with the individual. A child’s literacy journey does not begin when the child enters school, nor does it end when formal education is completed. From the earliest years of childhood, through schooling and into adulthood, literacy develops alongside the individual’s capacity to learn, communicate, participate and make informed choices. This is why literacy is much more than the ability to read and write. The ability to read and write is fundamental to becoming literate. But literacy acquires its real meaning when people can apply reading and writing to learn, communicate and function effectively in different dimensions of life – in the home, in school, in the workplace, in community life, and in participatory development and governance. As the world marks International Literacy Day 2026 under the theme ‘Literacy for People, the Planet and Prosperity’, Nigeria has an opportunity to reflect not only on how many people can read and write, but on what literacy enables people to do with their lives.

For the Literacy Promotion Association, Nigeria (LiPAN), literacy has never been merely a school subject. It is a foundation for life. A child begins developing literacy long before formal schooling. Listening to stories, talking with parents and caregivers, looking at pictures, handling books and discovering that marks and symbols carry meaning are all part of the early journey towards literacy. Strong literacy foundations in these formative years can profoundly influence later learning. But literacy does not stop developing in childhood. Literacy should grow with the individual. As young people develop, literacy gives them greater opportunities to learn, participate and make informed choices. In adulthood, it enables people to navigate an increasingly complex world, continue learning and contribute meaningfully to their families, workplaces and communities.

This broader understanding has important implications for Nigeria. Confining literacy to the classroom has limited the attention given to its development and application by families, communities and government. Literacy is not the responsibility of schools alone. Parents can make reading and meaningful language use part of everyday family life. Teachers can make reading and writing meaningful rather than reducing literacy to examination preparation. Schools can build cultures in which books are accessible and reading is valued. Communities, civil-society organisations and the private sector can help create environments where reading and learning are visible and supported. Government, too, has a critical responsibility. Strong literacy foundations require sustained attention to the quality of teaching, learning materials, teacher preparation and educational policy. Literacy deserves deliberate attention at every level of education.

It is also important to recognise that literacy is more than reading. Reading, writing, speaking, listening, thinking and evaluating are interconnected dimensions of effective language use. In a world of rapidly changing information and expanding digital technologies, people must not only read and write but also understand, question, evaluate and use information responsibly. Read. Learn. Thrive. At LiPAN, we see literacy not as an end in itself but as part of a continuing process. We read, we learn, and through learning we are better equipped to thrive. For a child, this may mean acquiring the foundations needed to learn successfully in school. For a young person, it may mean gaining the knowledge and confidence to participate and make informed choices. For an adult, it may mean continuing to learn, adapt, work, contribute and navigate an increasingly complex world. This perspective is central to the theme ‘Literacy for People, the Planet and Prosperity.’ Literacy empowers people to learn, communicate, participate and respond to the challenges and opportunities around them. When individuals are empowered in this way, families and communities are strengthened, and societies are better positioned to prosper.

LiPAN’s commitment to this broader understanding of literacy will also be reflected in its 20th Biennial Conference, to be held from 13-15 October 2026 at the University of Ibadan, under the theme ‘Early Literacy Development in Nigeria: Strengthening Foundations for Learning and National Development’. The conference will engage issues of literacy development through panel discussions and plenary sessions, bringing together educators, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders to consider the challenges and actions needed to strengthen literacy foundations in Nigeria. But advocacy must be accompanied by action. One simple action is DEAR: Drop Everything And Read. Reading does not have to wait for the classroom. Families can read together. Parents can read to children. Children can read to one another. Young people and adults can set aside time to read something meaningful. A book, newspaper, magazine, story or other worthwhile text can become an opportunity to learn, reflect and connect.

Sometimes, meaningful change begins with something as simple as picking up a book and reading. As Nigeria joins the global community to mark International Literacy Day, LiPAN calls on parents, teachers, schools, communities, government, organisations and individuals to renew their commitment to literacy. Let us create homes where children see people reading. Let us build schools where reading and writing are valued. Let us create communities where books and meaningful texts are accessible. Let us support children, young people and adults in becoming confident, capable and lifelong readers and learners. And let us recognise that literacy is not merely preparation for life. Literacy is life. Read. Learn. Thrive.

The former senator and member of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Engineer Abdullahi Ibrahim Gobir, has backed the renewed military and security offensive against terrorists, bandits, and other criminal elements operating in Sokoto East and other parts of Sokoto State.

Gobir, popularly known as Sardaunan Gobir, said sustained attacks on rural communities had become a threat to lives, livelihoods, agriculture, and economic activities across the state.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the former lawmaker said the renewed operations by the Nigerian Army and other security agencies provided an opportunity to dismantle criminal networks responsible for killings, abductions, displacement, and destruction of property.

‘The people of Sokoto have endured enough. Terrorists and bandits must not be allowed to dictate the future of our communities or hold innocent citizens hostage through fear and violence,’ he said.

Gobir commended the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Community Guards Corps for intensifying operations against criminal elements.

He said the deployment of additional personnel and military equipment to vulnerable areas showed a renewed effort to reclaim territories where terrorists and bandits had operated with increasing audacity.

According to him, sustained pressure on the criminals would weaken their operational capacity and restore confidence among residents of Sabon Birni, Isa, and neighboring communities affected by insecurity.

However, Gobir stressed that military operations must be supported by credible intelligence from local communities.

‘Intelligence is the eyes of every successful security operation, and communities must become the eyes and ears of our security agencies,’ he said.

He urged residents to provide security agencies with credible and timely information on suspicious movements, criminal activities, hideouts, and other developments that could help prevent attacks and dismantle criminal networks.

The former senator also warned individuals who harbor, finance, shield, or provide logistical support to terrorists and bandits, saying such acts contribute to the suffering of innocent citizens.

He particularly condemned alleged informants who leak information about the movements and deployment of security personnel to criminal groups.

‘That is a dangerous betrayal that can cost the lives of brave security personnel and expose entire communities to devastating attacks,’ Gobir warned.

He called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, community heads, youth organizations, and other stakeholders to strengthen cooperation with security agencies and develop effective community-based intelligence networks.

Gobir also appealed to residents of affected communities to remain calm, vigilant, and resilient, saying lasting peace would allow farmers, traders, and other residents to return to their normal economic activities.

‘There can be no meaningful development where people are forced to abandon their farms, markets, and homes because of fear,’ he said.

He urged the people of Sokoto East and other parts of the state to support legitimate security operations and deny criminal elements the local support needed to sustain their activities.

Gobir expressed optimism that sustained military pressure, improved intelligence gathering, community cooperation, and coordination among security agencies would lead to a decisive turning point in the fight against terrorism and banditry in Sokoto State.

The study, published in Neurosurgical Review, found that despite major advances in the treatment of childhood hydrocephalus globally, Nigerian children continue to face serious barriers to timely and effective care, including high medical costs, shortages of neurosurgeons, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and poor long-term follow-up.

The researchers, including Chidera Stanley Anthony, Nwamaka Chidera Bob-Ume, Ikponmwosa Jude Ogieuhi, and Victor Oluwatomiwa Ajekiigbe, analysed 10 hospital-based studies involving 1,127 children treated at tertiary hospitals across several geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

They identified delayed presentation, financial hardship, inadequate healthcare facilities, and unequal access to specialist neurosurgical services as major obstacles to successful treatment.

According to the review, congenital hydrocephalus, a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up in a baby’s brain before or shortly after birth, was the most common form among infants and young children. It was frequently associated with birth defects, while infections were a more common cause among older children.

Many affected children were not brought to the hospital until they were between one and 12 months old, the researchers found. Such delays can reduce the chances of early treatment and increase the risk of permanent neurological damage.

The study found that ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting remains the most widely performed surgical treatment for hydrocephalus in Nigeria.oscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), a more advanced procedure, is available mainly in a limited number of specialist centres because of inadequate equipment, funding constraints, and a shortage of trained neurosurgeons.

One major concern highlighted by the researchers was the rate of complications following surgery. Shunt infections occurred in between 11 and 28 per cent of patients across the studies reviewed.

Such infections can lead to repeated operations, longer hospital stays, and additional financial pressure on already struggling families.

Beyond the medical challenges, the review highlighted the heavy economic burden placed on parents and caregivers.

Most families continue to pay out of pocket for diagnosis, surgery, and follow-up care, while inadequate health insurance coverage further limits access to treatment.

The researchers also identified limited access to CT and MRI scans, poor referral systems, and sociocultural beliefs that can delay hospital visits as major barriers to timely treatment, warning that many of these obstacles are preventable.

The researchers called on governments at all levels to decentralise neurosurgical services, expand health insurance coverage, invest in specialist training and modern diagnostic facilities, and introduce nationwide awareness campaigns to help parents recognise the early signs of hydrocephalus and seek medical attention promptly.

Without urgent reforms, they warned, many Nigerian children with hydrocephalus will continue to suffer avoidable complications and lifelong disabilities from a condition that can often be successfully treated when detected early.

House of Representatives, on Tuesday, unveiled plans to flag off an investigation into the outstanding indebtedness of oil companies and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), with the liabilities rising to N432,072,557,867.17.

The investigation initiated by House Committee on Public Accounts, chaired by Rep. Bamidele Salam, follows findings contained in the Auditor-General’s annual audit reports on the indebtedness arising from various regulatory and petroleum-related obligations.

According to the Auditor-General’s 2023 Annual Audit Report, the NNPCL and oil companies operating under the umbrella of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), Major Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) were indebted to NMDPRA to the tune of N392,725,541,038.24.

The audit report indicated that the debt comprised obligations arising from Balancing Allowance, National Transport Average, 1% Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, as well as legacy debts associated with imports, coastal and credit transactions.

A breakdown of the 2023 statistics showed that NNPCL owed N162,456,750,832.47, while the oil companies owed N230,268,790,205.77, bringing the combined indebtedness to N392,725,541,038.24.

However, the Auditor-General’s 2024 report indicated that the outstanding debt had increased to N432,072,557,867.17, excluding the indebtedness of NNPCL.

Further review of submissions made by the NMDPRA to the Public Accounts Committee showed that 146 oil companies operating under DAPPMAN, MEMAN and MOMAN owed the Authority N327,525,987,255.67 as at 2025.

The Committee also noted that the indebtedness covers the period 2017 to 2023 and has largely remained unpaid as of the date of the review.

Rep. Salam assured that the Committee would ensure that all relevant entities account for their obligations and provide the necessary records to enable Parliament to establish the circumstances surrounding the outstanding debts.

Rep. Salam stressed that companies and institutions summoned by the Committee must accord the National Assembly the respect it deserves by responding appropriately to parliamentary invitations.

He said: ‘Any company invited by this Committee must respect the people’s Parliament of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by honouring the summons with appropriate representation and all relevant documents.

‘We are not here to witch-hunt anybody; our responsibility is to establish the facts, protect public revenue and ensure that every naira due to government is properly accounted for.’

Rep. Salam said the Committee would scrutinise the relevant records, including the basis of the outstanding liabilities, the period covered, payments made, amounts still outstanding and the actions taken by the regulatory authorities to recover the debts.

He added that the Committee’s investigation was aimed at strengthening accountability in the management of public revenue and ensuring that statutory obligations owed to government agencies were not allowed to accumulate without appropriate recovery measures.

To this end, he reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to exercising its constitutional oversight mandate by ensuring that public revenue is properly accounted for and that government agencies take appropriate steps to recover outstanding liabilities.

Certain signings in Premier League history have changed the fortunes of their teams, shifted the balance of power and, in some cases, helped redefine the competition itself.

From record-breaking deals to inspired bargains, the Premier League has produced some of the most influential transfers in football history.

10 best bargain signings in Premier League history.

Petr Cech – Rennes to Chelsea, £7m, 2004

Chelsea made several major moves during the early years of the Roman Abramovich era, but Petr Cech proved to be one of the most important.

The goalkeeper quickly established himself as one of the league’s finest after arriving from Rennes.

Cech conceded just 15 goals in his first Premier League season and went 1,025 minutes without being beaten, while also keeping a record 24 clean sheets.

He spent 11 seasons at Stamford Bridge, winning four Premier League titles and the Champions League.

Cech’s arrival provided Chelsea with the defensive foundation on which their first period of dominance was built.

Alan Shearer – Southampton to Blackburn Rovers, £3.6m, 1992

Alan Shearer’s move to Blackburn Rovers was a statement of intent from a newly promoted club backed by ambitious owner Jack Walker.

The striker scored 16 goals in his first 21 Premier League appearances before injury interrupted his debut campaign.

He then scored 31 goals as Blackburn finished runners-up before finding the net 34 times in 1994-95 as Rovers won the title for the first time since 1914.

Shearer finished as the Premier League’s top scorer that season and became the first player to score 30 or more goals in three consecutive campaigns.

The convoy of Peter Obi, the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has reportedly been attacked by suspected political thugs who attempted to block his entry into Benue State.

According to reports, suspected thugs intercepted the convoy along the Airport-Boko road.

The attackers reportedly mounted a blockade, insisting that the NDC presidential flagbearer must not be allowed to step foot into the state.

Speaking at the scene in a video posted by News Central Television via its X page on Tuesday, Obi said he had travelled to Benue to condole with victims of killings in the state but was stopped on the orders of a government aide.

‘I was told that youths, led by an SA (Special Assistant) to the government, have decided to block the road and make sure I don’t go there,’ he said.

He described the blockade as unacceptable and accused those behind it of exploiting hungry, insecure youths for political ends.

‘The rascality they are bringing into this country is totally unacceptable. People are being killed every day in Benue. People want to show that they are with them, and I came here all the way this morning, a long distance, only to be told what you are seeing here,’ he said.

Obi said the protesters had been mobilised without regard for the consequences.

Nigeria’s efforts to deepen foreign participation in its capital market received a fresh boost following a strategic distribution arrangement between Daba Markets Inc., Coronation Securities Limited and Coronation Asset Management Limited aimed at giving eligible international investors digital access to Nigerian investment opportunities.

The arrangement, announced on Monday, brings together Daba Finance’s global digital investment platform and Coronation’s Nigerian market expertise, research and investment products in a structure designed to make the country’s capital market more accessible to investors outside Nigeria.

Under the arrangement, Daba Finance will operate as Coronation’s corporate client through a trust structure, with eligible users able to access Nigerian capital-market products made available by Coronation through the Daba platform.

The initiative is particularly significant for Nigerians and other Africans in the diaspora, as well as international investors seeking exposure to Nigeria, by addressing some of the traditional barriers associated with obtaining market information, understanding local investment structures and accessing Nigerian securities remotely.

Daba Finance said the arrangement rests on three pillars: market intelligence, investor education and digital access.

Through the partnership, Daba’s platform will feature Nigerian market news, data, analysis and research publications supported by Coronation’s research and market expertise. The companies said this is intended to give international investors more credible and accessible information for understanding the Nigerian market.

The second component is investor education, with courses to be offered through Daba Academy and Coronation Investment Academy, alongside joint webinars focusing on Nigeria’s capital market, investment instruments, risks, safeguards and opportunities.

The third pillar provides eligible users with digital access to Nigerian capital-market products made available by Coronation. The functionality, which the companies said is already live on the Daba platform, supports digital onboarding, multi-currency funding, investment requests or trade placement and investment reporting.

Daba Finance said eligible users can fund investments in multiple currencies, potentially reducing some of the operational hurdles faced by investors outside Nigeria.

Chief Executive Officer of Daba Finance, Boum III; Jr, said the partnership was designed to bridge the gap between growing global interest in African markets and the practical difficulties of investing from abroad.

‘Millions of Africans in the diaspora and investors around the world follow African markets closely but find it hard to participate from a distance because accessing credible information and navigating local market structures can be challenging,’ he said.

He added that the arrangement combines Coronation’s Nigerian market expertise with Daba’s technology and international reach, allowing eligible investors to move from market education and information to participation through a digital platform.

Chief Product Officer of Daba Finance, Anthony Miclet, said the partnership would integrate Coronation’s Nigerian market research, expertise and investment products into Daba’s digital investment experience.

According to him, the objective is to enable users to progress from ‘insight and education to informed participation’ through a single platform.

For Coronation Securities, the partnership provides an avenue to extend the reach of Nigerian market information and investment products beyond the domestic market at a time when attracting foreign capital remains critical to market development.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Coronation Securities Limited, Jibola Odedina, said access alone was insufficient to expand participation, stressing the importance of credible information and investor confidence.

‘Through this arrangement, we are combining Coronation’s deep market expertise with Daba’s digital reach to make the Nigerian capital market more visible, understandable and accessible to a broader international investor audience,’ he said.

Similarly, Managing Director of Coronation Asset Management Limited, Aigbovbioise Aig-Imoukhuede, said investor education was central to building a sustainable capital market.

‘Our objective is not simply to broaden access to investment products, but to help investors understand the opportunities, risks and principles that should inform their decisions,’ she said.

The arrangement comes as Nigeria seeks to strengthen its connection with international investors and improve the attractiveness and accessibility of its capital market.

Daba Finance, headquartered in Miami, United States, said it has more than 250,000 customers globally and provides access to African stocks, bonds, funds and private-market investments.

Its investment-adviser subsidiary, Daba Advisors LLC, is registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, while Coronation Securities Limited and Coronation Asset Management Limited operate under Nigeria’s regulatory framework.

The companies stressed that while Daba manages the user journey on its platform, the underlying Nigerian capital-market services will continue to be provided by locally regulated entities.

The partnership therefore represents not only a technology-driven distribution channel but also an attempt to combine global investor reach with locally regulated market infrastructure, potentially widening the pool of international investors able to access Nigerian securities.