Category: Nigerian Tribune

Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has said that the process for the appointment of judicial officers in the country now enjoys greater transparency.

Justice Kekere-Ekun, who is also the Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC), said this while presenting a paper, titled: ‘Innovations in judicial practice: Embracing change for a better future,’ at the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges’ Association Triennial Conference held in Banjul, The Gambia.

A statement by the media aide to the CJN, Mr Tobi Soniyi on Thursday, said the NJC, at its 108th meeting held between April 29 and 30 approved a landmark policy to publish the names of candidates under consideration for appointment as judicial officers and to invite public input.

The CJN, in her presentation, explained that, the policy adopted by the NJC was to introduce an additional layer of transparency into the process of appointing judges by ensuring that members of the public and other relevant stakeholders can raise objections, provide information, or endorse nominees before appointments are finalized.

According to her, it is a deliberate effort to strengthen accountability, enhance public trust, and align Nigeria’s appointment procedures more closely with international best practices, including those recommended in the Constitution Hill Guidelines.

The Constitution Hill Global Guidelines on Apex Court Appointments, published in September 2024, provide globally for a set of baseline principles tailored to the singular role of apex courts as the final arbiters of constitutional interpretation and guardians of democratic governance.

Justice Kekere-Ekun noted that, members of the public are already taking advantage of the initiative as shown in the last exercise for the appointment of judicial officers conducted by the NJC.

In her words, ‘In a plural society such as Nigeria, with over 200 million citizens across different ethnic, religious, and linguistic identities, the visibility of diversity on the Supreme Court bench strengthens public confidence and assures citizens that the judiciary reflects the society it serves.’

The CJN noted that despite several efforts to strengthen appointment of judicial officers, challenges still remain, some of the challenges she said, include executive delays in acting on recommendations for appointments made by the NJC, which could impair the court’s capacity to sit at full strength.

Other challenges, she added, include the requirement for security vetting and the interpretation of federal character requirements, which often sparks debate about whether merit is being compromised for inclusivity.

The CJN however, assured the audience, among whom were Chief Justices of Commonwealth countries, that Nigeria will continue to appoint to the Bench only people who satisfy constitutional, professional, and ethical standards.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Abuja after representing President Bola Tinubu at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States.

This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday in Abuja by his spokesperson, Mr Stanley Nkwocha.

According to Nkwocha, Shettima delivered President Tinubu’s national statement at the UNGA, where he called for comprehensive reforms of the United Nations, advocated for Africa’s sovereignty over its estimated 700 billion dollars’ worth of mineral resources, and advanced strategic partnerships with the United Kingdom, the Gates Foundation, and other international stakeholders.

He added that the Vice President also met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who commended Nigeria’s bid for a permanent seat on the Security Council.

‘The Vice-President also showcased the country’s 200 billion dollars energy transition opportunity to global investors. He also assured the Nigerian diaspora community of robust engagement in the President Tinubu administration’s policies and programmes before his engagements in Germany,’ Nkwocha said.

A crisis is looming at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), as members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) threatened to embark on an indefinite strike over alleged unpaid salaries and arrears.

The union said it would join the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which has been on strike since August over similar grievances, a development that has already halted academic activities on campus.

The Chairman of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) in AAUA, Comrade Olutayo Ogungbeni, who addressed journalists on Thursday, accused the Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa-led administration of failing to honour its June 2025 promise to clear salary arrears and increase subventions to state-owned universities.

Ogungbemi warned that ‘The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), AAUA, may commence industrial action if all outstanding salaries are not paid.

‘The last salary collected was in July, and now we are in October. Our members have been patient enough. We cannot continue to work without being paid.’

He lamented that the current subvention to the institution is ‘grossly inadequate,’ making it impossible to implement the 2024 National Minimum Wage for university workers.

Ogungbeni further accused the state government of neglecting the university, saying the institution had been starved of funds for years.

According to him, SSANU’s outstanding demands include the payment of 54 months’ arrears dating back to 2019, 18 months’ arrears of the 25% and 35% salary increment, two months’ arrears of the 2024 minimum wage, as well as promotion arrears for 2022, 2023, and 2024.

He also demanded the immediate release of the August and September 2025 salaries, insisting that workers can no longer survive under the burden of unpaid entitlements.

‘This government promised to intervene, but we are still battling with old arrears, unpaid increments, and withheld promotion benefits. Staff are losing hope, and we are now left with no choice but to prepare for a showdown,’ he said.

The union leader stressed that while ASUU’s strike had crippled lectures and research, the looming SSANU action would shut down the heart of the university system.

‘If SSANU withdraws its services, all administrative and support operations, from the bursary to the registry and from health to security, will be grounded. Nothing will function,’ he declared.

Efforts to get the state government’s reaction were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages sent to the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, went unanswered at the time of filing this report.

Stakeholders have observed that Nigeria’s education sector has shown gradual improvements in literacy and enrollment rates over the last 65 years, but still faces significant challenges.

Some of these challenges as listed by stakeholders include inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, teachers’ shortages and quality, high number of out-of-school children and low completion rates and limited access to quality learning materials.

An educationist, Professor Linus Amuta, said that though Nigeria has recorded modest achievements in terms of creation more institutions as stated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his 65th Independence Anniversary broadcast to the nation, the major challenges remain inadequate funding and decline in the quality of the products from the system.

According to him, the fact that Nigeria on an annual basis allocates around seven per cent of its budget to the education sector means that this is far below the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recommended 20 per cent.

He noted that the education sector has a yearly funding shortfall of approximately $1 billion, while about 60 percent of school infrastructures are in disrepair, affecting learning quality.

Amuta further revealed that there is an estimated deficit of over 20,000 classrooms nationwide, adding that only 10 percent of Nigerian teachers are considered highly trained.

‘Around 60 per cent of teachers lack adequate training, and there›s a teacher-student ratio of 1:40 in primary schools. The primary school completion rate is around 85 per cent, but the dropout rates increase significantly after primary school education, with over 40 per cent, not proceeding to secondary education,» he stated.

President Tinubu in his broadcast on Wednesday noted that Nigeria had made significant progress and that today Nigerians have access to better education and healthcare than in 1960.

He recalled that at Independence, Nigeria had 120 secondary schools with a student population of about 130,000.

‘Available data indicates that, as of 2024, there were more than 23,000 secondary schools in our country. At Independence, we had only the University of Ibadan and Yaba College of Technology as the two tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

‘By the end of last year, there were 274 universities, 183 Polytechnics, and 236 Colleges of Education in Nigeria, comprising Federal, State, and private institutions. We have experienced a significant surge in growth across every sector of our national life since Independence – in healthcare, infrastructure, financial services, manufacturing, telecommunications, information technology, aviation and defence, among others,’ Tinubu stated.

Professor Amuta, however, insisted that to address the myriad of challenges in the education sector, Nigeria needs to prioritise education funding, improve teacher training and infrastructure, and increase access to quality learning materials.

He added that the government at all levels should also focus on reducing dropout rates and improving completion rates, especially at secondary education level.

Also, speaking, the National President, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Dr Smart Olugbeko, expressed mixed feelings regarding the education sector, especially teacher›s education in the last 65 years of Nigeria’s political independence.

According to him, though, the country’s education sector is sickly, it isn’t a write-off.

He said the poor state Nigeria is in today is as a result of its level of education, as education defines development of any economy.

‘So, whichever way we look at the matter, Nigeria has not been able to make much impact. This is known to everyone, including the government officials that education is the bedrock of development.

‘However, in Nigeria, it is just a lip service that is being paid to the sector because a country that takes education seriously would definitely not treat teachers the way the Nigerian government is treating them.

‘Until we take this aspect seriously, we will continue to grope in the dark because the teacher›s role is crucial in a nation’s development.

‘Thus, governments at all levels need to give adequate priority to education and also treat teachers very well. Teachers deserve good salaries, welfare and condition of service.

‘Governments also need to address infrastructure deficits in schools across all levels and create an enabling environment for the non-state actors to thrive too.’

Olugbeko, however, pointed out that some of the steps taken by the current government in the sector, particularly the technical education will change the narrative, if well implemented.

Also speaking, the National President of League of Muslims School Proprietors (LEAMSP), Mr Abdulwahid Obalakun, said it was the failure of the government from the mid 80s that the private school operators took advantage of to take the centre stage of the country’s education sector.

According to him, all was good at independence and got better by the day up to the mid 80s when the successive government began to give lip service to the education sector and that action really affected government schools.

‘However, appears that the current government wants to change the narrative by putting the sector in the right direction with some of its policies and programmes, but they must be well-implemented,’ he stressed.

Obalakun, however, urged the government not only to create an enabling environment for private school owners to thrive but also to intensify its support to them.

He said the education sector now deserves to have a specialised bank just as there is the Bank of Industry and the Bank of Agriculture, where school owners can access free or one-digit interest loans for their operations.

Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, however, acknowledged the unwavering leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose Renewed Hope Agenda has made education one of the cornerstones of national development.

He noted that under President Tinubu’s guidance, Nigeria has witnessed an unprecedented budgetary allocation to the education sector, the highest in the history of the country.

‘This historic investment has enabled us to upgrade infrastructure across schools and tertiary institutions, expand access to teacher professional development, and launch groundbreaking reforms such as the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI),’ he said.

He said the President has insisted that ‘no Nigerian child should be left behind because of poverty or geography’ and that this has been the driving force behind every programme launched by the Ministry of Education.

The Vice Chancellor of the African School of Economics (The Pan-African University of Excellence), Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji, has urged Nigerians and the world at large to embrace hope despite the chaos that is increasingly becoming the order of the day.

He stressed that, as dark as the horizon may be, human beings cannot afford to lose hope that one day, there will be peace and justice in the world and that good will replace evil on the planet.

Prof. Adedimeji, a Fellow of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice, made this submission in his address, ‘A World Without War’, delivered on the occasion of the Special Lecture organised by the University on Monday as part of the activities marking the 2025 International Day of Peace.

The Vice Chancellor noted that the significance of Peace Day has gained more resonance in today’s world, which is being devastated and divided by war. According to him, ‘We are living witnesses to racism and genocide committed with impunity as the world pretends that human lives only matter on the basis of their skin pigmentation and religious beliefs. And as the United Nations Secretary General, António Gutterres, said in his message to commemorate this year’s edition, ‘We must silence the guns. End suffering. Build bridges. And create stability and prosperity.”

The Fellow of the World Institute for Peace stressed that Nigerians should remain purposeful and peaceful because the entire water in the ocean cannot sink a ship and until the ship allows the water inside it. Accordingly, the prevalence of negativity in the world won’t change individuals who refuse to allow hubris and hatred inside them.

He illustrated his point with the scenario that unfolded during the Cold War when the East Berliners threw trash across the Berlin Wall, but the West Berliners returned their action with sweets and candies thrown across the wall, with a note, ‘Each one gives what they have.’ He encouraged Nigerians to have and keep peace so that they can give it. ‘Let’s have compassion and light so that we can illuminate the world,’ he added.

In his lecture delivered on the occasion, a former Nigerian ambassador to Mozambique, with concurrent accreditation to Swaziland, Madagascar and Mauritius, Albert Omotayo, decried the state of the world, which he said is full of complexities, paradoxes and the unknown saying that the world itself has not really changed much except that man has progressed in evil, increasingly becoming less human and more brutish in his ways.

Ambassador Omotayo described how various philosophers have described the concept of God, citing authorities like Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, St. Augustine, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Immanuel Kant and others, pointing out that the divergence of their views shows how the idea of God has remained central to humanity’s search for meaning, truth and moral grounding.

While advocating forgiveness as a means of coping with the complexities of this world at a personal level, he traced the challenges that confront humanity regarding conflict and war to the beginning of creation, stressing that the world still has a lot of work to do now to achieve world peace in future.

Highlights of the occasion included the presentation of an award to Ambassador Omotayo by the Vice Chancellor of African School of Economics, assisted by the Registrar, Mrs Emilomo Ogunboye, and goodwill messages by guests, including the Assistant Director of Corps, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Raymond Yusuf and the Founder, Path to Peace Foundation, Mr Abubakar Akande.

The Basel Convention Coordinating Centre for the African Region (BCCC-Africa) has organised a workshop for students of the University of Ibadan to train them on how to create awareness on the dangers of plastic waste and solutions to the menace when they proceed to their compulsory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme across the country, and for serving corps member currently enrolled in the scheme.

The workshop tagged, ‘Accelerating Community Awareness on Plastic Waste through Interventions with Students and Graduates of Tertiary Institutions in Ibadan, Nigeria,’ is a continuation of a project which commenced earlier this year. Earlier on June 18, BCCC-Africa held a one-day Inception Workshop for a project titled: ‘Accelerating community awareness on plastic waste through interventions with students and graduates of tertiary educational institutions in Ibadan, Nigeria,’ on the campus of the University of Ibadan (UI), Ibadan, Oyo State.

The BCCC-Africa Executive Director, Professor Percy Onianwa, at the project inception, noted that ‘Nigerian students and youth corps members have never before been utilised in this manner for any community awareness raising programme. The scheme has a high potential for a wide reach within the country. The trainees are also likely to carry on with awareness-building activities even beyond the lifespan of this project.’

He added, ‘The project is being executed by the BCCC-Africa, with funding provided by the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions through its third Small Grants Programme (SGP-3) on Plastic Wastes.’

The project aims to engage about 450 final-year students of the University of Ibadan (UI), and 450 final-year students of The Polytechnic Ibadan, and also work with National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members that are already deployed to serve in the metropolitan city of Ibadan.

The project will also develop educational materials that are suitable for awareness raising and outreach programmes on plastic waste in Nigeria and build the capacities of higher academic institutions’ students and NYSC members for the purpose of engaging them in community awareness through advocating activities on plastic waste and management.

The intensive full day programme held on Saturday, September 20, for students of UI could be broadly divided into two parts, namely ‘problems’ and ‘solutions’ to the plastic waste challenge in Nigeria. The first part with the broad topic of ‘Plastics, Plastic Wastes, Plastic Pollution,’ took them through sub-topics including: ‘Nature of Plastics/Plastic Waste/Single-Use Plastics’, ‘Microplastics and Chemicals in Plastics’, ‘Plastic Pollution: Health Hazards of Plastic Wastes’.

The second part of the session on ‘Managing Plastic Wastes’ dealt with sub-topics including Sorting, Collection and Recycling. Mr Victor Okunola, a recycler from Plastic Edge, said that recycling can become a viable source of income. Professors Adie and Ipeaiyeda spoke on ‘Alternatives to Plastics’ that are less harmful to the environment, such as bamboo, liquid wood and substances that can be added to make plastic biodegradable.

Mr Rafiu Akorede of the Oyo State Ministry of Environment, who spoke on the topic: ‘Managing Plastics in Ibadan,’ mentioned strategies the state government is using for waste management, including decentralised waste collection through waste management consultants, public awareness and advocacy and promoting reusable items.

The ‘Role of Extended Producer Responsibility in Managing Plastic Waste in Nigeria’ was handled by Agharese Onaghise of the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA).

Before she spoke, Prof Onianwa noted that the economics of waste management has changed with the increase in the cost of managing dumpsites. He added that one of the ways to cope with this challenge is the extended producer responsibility.

Onaghise said FBRA, established in 2018, with just four members, now has about 47, adding that the organisation empowers Nigerian industries to manage plastic waste effectively.

Speaking about their experiences, Happiness Abiodun, a 400-level student in the Department of Chemistry, said the workshop was indeed insightful, as she not only learned about the activities of BCCC-Africa but also discovered how plastics can be harmful to the environment, despite their usefulness.

She added, ‘I am grateful to BCCC-Africa and all the speakers for teaching us how to enlighten secondary school students and market women on plastics recycling.’

She said she planned to use her upcoming national service year (NYSC) to initiate a group of corps members that would embark on an enlightenment campaign to students and market women. ‘I also plan to introduce clubs in secondary schools that will focus on plastic recycling, and also bring in resource persons to teach them. Secondary school students are well-exposed these days, and I believe they will catch the message quickly,’ she added.

David Adewale, a Geology student of the university, said he was now fully aware of the need to reduce the usage of plastics due to its impact on the environment. ‘I understand that there are alternatives to plastics.

BCCC-Africa also conducted another session of the same workshop on Thursday, September 25, for corps members currently enrolled in the NYSC scheme for the same purpose of creating awareness on the dangers of plastic waste and how to manage it.

After the session, Babalola Sunday, a corps member serving in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, described the session as educative. ‘I understood what BCCC-Africa stands for and its functions. I now understand the dangers of plastic pollution, and we can help to save the situation.’

Ayomide Hannah, another corps member, thanked BCCC-Africa for the opportunity to attend training on plastic waste. ‘I learned about the history and objectives of BCCC-Africa, particularly its role in protecting human health from hazardous waste.

‘The sessions emphasised the hazards of plastic pollution on land and in aquatic environments, supported with statistics, and also explored existing policies and management strategies. I was especially encouraged to create awareness by communicating plastic waste issues to people of all ages.’

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), has revealed that 166 people have died from Lassa fever between January 1 and September 14, 2025.

The Case Fatality Rate is now 18.5 per cent, higher than the 16.9 per cent recorded during the same period in 2024.

By epidemiological Week 37, the country had reported 7,673 suspected cases and 895 confirmed cases across 21 states and 106 Local Government Areas.

According to the World Health Organisation, Lassa fever is an acute viral illness caused by the Lassa virus. It is endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, but likely exists in other West African countries.

The WHO explained that the virus is mainly transmitted to humans through food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces, while person-to-person transmission can also occur, particularly in health care settings without proper infection prevention and control measures.

The NCDC, in a report, revealed that ‘in week 37, the number of new confirmed cases decreased from 13 in week 36 of 2025 to 11. These were reported in Ondo, Bauchi, Kogi, and Anambra states.’

‘Cumulatively, as at week 37, 2025, 166 deaths have been reported with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.5 per cent, which is higher than the CFR for the same period in 2024 (16.9 per cent).

‘In total for 2025, 21 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 106 Local Government Areas.’

The agency said 90 per cent of confirmed cases were from Ondo (33 per cent), Bauchi (23 per cent), Edo (18 per cent), Taraba (13 per cent), and Ebonyi (3 per cent), while the remaining 10 per cent came from 16 other states.

‘The predominant age group affected is 21-30 years (Range: 1 to 96 years, Median Age: 30 years). The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.8,’ the report added.

The report further noted that no new healthcare worker was affected in the reporting week, and that suspected and confirmed cases declined compared to the same period in 2024.

The NCDC said the National Lassa Fever Technical Working Group continues to coordinate response activities at all levels.

The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has stressed the need to strengthen the security measures across the Southwest and parts of Kwara and Kogi states to prevent recurring bandit attacks and loss of lives, describing the massacre, which recently took place in Kwara, as deeply tragic and condemnable.

The Yoruba generalissimo made the call on Thursday in a statement, in reaction to the recent killings in Oke Ode area of Kwara State, urging for increased security patrols, intelligence gathering, and community engagement to stem the tide of mindless killings of helpless citizens.

Iba Adams quickly recalled that no fewer than 12 persons, including the Baale of Ogbayo, were killed on Sunday morning when armed bandits attacked Oke-Ode community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Besides, he also recalled that many communities in Kwara and Kogi states had, in recent times, been under incessant attacks from armed bandits, resulting in loss of lives and property, saying that they include Babanla, Bororo, Osi, Oro in Kwara State, and Ejiba, Egbe, Okoloke, Okunran, Odo-Ape, and Ole-bunu in Kogi State.

Adams extended his heartfelt condolences to the families and communities affected by the senseless violence and killings, and also to the state government, even as he charged all government agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police and other security operatives, to intensify efforts in securing the lives and properties of citizens in Oke Ode and its environs.

He also called on relevant authorities to act swiftly and decisively to bring perpetrators of the massacre to justice, and to provide support to the victims.

The Yoruba generalissimo said he was particularly pained that such mindless killings were still taking place in spite of the repeated calls he had made for heightened security alertness across the Southwest and parts of Kogi and Kwara states based on intelligence reports that the region had a heavy presence of terrorists masquerading as bandits.

Adams, however, urged the people of Oke Ode and neighbouring communities, and other Yoruba-speaking areas in Kwara and Kogi, to remain vigilant and cooperate fully with security agencies by providing timely information on suspicious activities.

The Yoruba generalissimo, while making the call, noted that security is a shared responsibility, maintaining that community partnership was s essential in combating crime and ensuring lasting peace.

Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, on Thursday, flagged off the Light Up Abuja programme, encompassing Lots I and II.

Lot 1 will take care of Maitama, Central Area, Wuse, Asokoro and Airport Expressway while Lot 2 is comprised of Katampe, Katampe Extension, Jabi, Garki, Gudu, Mabushi.

The Light Up Abuja Project, includes supply and installation (retrofitting) of integrated Hybrid Solar Street lighting fittings of 300W Zolar Powered lights luminous flux ranging from 7,500lm to 17,500lm ongoing Streets and Expressways with necessary accessories. The project is to be completed within six months.

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, the Minister stated that the light-up project was the most challenging one he has ever embarked upon.

He stated that there was, however, enormous sabotage against achieving a well-lit Abuja, stressing that many vested interests were constituting a front against the programme, vowing he would ensure the initiative worked. Wike revealed that some of the interests sabotaging efforts to keep Abuja well illuminated at night stemmed from criminals who prefer darkness, dealers in vandalized streetlight installation parts, contractors, and others who push files for the maintenance of streetlights, claiming huge sums of money.

The Minister explained that the streetlights to be installed are embedded with security features that will send signals to security agencies whenever tampered with, thereby preventing vandalism.

He also stated that the new streetlight project includes a five-year maintenance plan, which will be handled by the contractors.

His words: ‘Today’s event is a very difficult one -difficult in the sense that this is a very important project but has given us a lot of headache. Headache not in the conceptualization, but headache in how it will work, knowing that in this country, people are always sabotaging government efforts.

‘It has been a source of concern for me and my team. But we felt that we must take up the challenge. When we came on board in August 2023, one thing anybody who visits Abuja or resides in Abuja will identify is that almost 80 per cent of the entire city was in darkness.

‘Secondly, there was this issue of insecurity when we came on board. So, we are trying to see how we can tackle this issue. If we continue to leave Abuja in darkness, obviously, insecurity will increase.

‘So, we decided to do what we can with what was available. Every time, you will hear of sabotage -cables have been removed, poles have been vandalized. Every time, you see papers coming in for the maintenance of streetlights, making us keep spending money.’

The Minister decried that sometimes, while rushing to receive the President at the airport at night, everywhere would be dark.

According to the Minister, as one responsible for solving the problems, it became a nightmare, and he started having minor migraines thinking about the way out.

He revealed that the solution was arrived at when he accompanied the President to Beijing, where he entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CGC and CCECC to provide not only streetlights but also water supply.

Earlier, in a vote of thanks, the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, appreciated the FCT Minister for his ‘unwavering leadership and vision,’ saying it continues to drive sustainable infrastructural development across the Territory.

Dr. Mahmoud stated that the project was not just about lighting up Abuja streets but also ‘about safety, security, sustainability, and service to the residents.’

She added: ‘It will promote clean and renewable energy, thereby reducing the city’s carbon footprint. More importantly, it will support the Administration’s Smart City Agenda, making Abuja a model for sustainable urban living.’

The Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Richard Dauda, while providing an overview of the project, stated that it would provide integrated and hybrid solar streetlights in the districts and expressways.

He also stated that the programme would ensure uninterrupted lighting to enhance navigation at night, surveillance to guard against theft, reduced electricity bills, improved aesthetics, and job creation for the people.

Bello Tukur, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) and Vice Chairman of its Nigerian Chapter, has built his career in the commercial shipping industry where he currently works with River Lake Shipping, a firm involved in tanker, dry bulk, and offshore services. In this interview with selected newsmen, he speaks on the role of shipbrokers in global trade, the opportunities and challenges in Nigeria’s maritime industry. TOLA ADENUBI brings the excerpts.

MANY people may not be familiar with the work of a shipbroker. How would you describe the profession and its relevance?

A shipbroker is essentially an intermediary who connects charterers with ship owners. We facilitate transactions-whether it is the sale and purchase of vessels, arranging chartering for tankers and bulk carriers, or providing offshore support services. Globally, shipbroking is a critical pillar of commercial shipping because it ensures that cargo and vessels meet efficiently in the marketplace.

The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers has been around for more than a century. What role has it played in shaping global maritime education?

The Institute has set the standard for commercial shipping education worldwide. For over 100 years, it has provided structured learning for professionals, and its members today are spread across major shipping lines, oil companies, and global commodity houses. For newcomers, the Institute offers a range of subjects that can be tailored to individual interests-whether in chartering, operations, or shipping law. It gives aspiring professionals a solid springboard into a global career in maritime commerce.

Let’s talk about Nigeria. From your perspective, what are the major issues confronting the Nigerian maritime sector today?

The most glaring challenge is infrastructure. Our ports were originally designed for about 50 million metric tonnes of cargo, yet they are handling over 100 million tonnes. That overstretches facilities and slows down cargo clearance. The new deep-sea ports with automated cargo handling are easing some of this pressure, but we still record delays in certain terminals. Security has improved, but insurance premiums remain high, and Nigeria has not yet been removed from the global piracy list. Beyond that, regulatory inconsistencies and overlapping agencies often complicate operations. The high cost of logistics-23% of GDP compared to a global average of 12%-is also a drag on competitiveness. The ICS contributes by developing skilled professionals who can help manage these issues more efficiently and by promoting best practices across the industry.

How can shipbroking support Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement?

Nigeria currently has fewer than 40 qualified shipbrokers, and many unqualified individuals are filling the gap. This limits our ability to influence and expand intra-African trade. Take liner services, for example-shipping goods to Europe is often cheaper than moving them to a nearby African port, like Abidjan. That happens because of poor scheduling, irregular services, and limited capacity. With proper shipbroking structures, we can pool investments, set up coastal shipping services, arrange voyage or time charters, and build regional trade corridors. If done right, goods will no longer need to pass through Europe or Asia before reaching African destinations.

The government has introduced the Marine and Blue Economy Policy. Do you think it can transform the sector?

It is a commendable policy. It seeks to unlock the potential of our oceans by improving port efficiency, encouraging aquaculture, promoting shipbuilding, and investing in marine renewable energy. The target is to grow the maritime sector’s contribution to GDP from less than 1% to over 6% by 2030, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. However, the policy leaves out port and coastal clusters, which could help regions specialise, create jobs, and fully exploit marine potentials. To succeed, implementation must be backed by strong public-private partnerships. Only then will it move from being a good plan to an excellent outcome.

How do you see shipbroking evolving in Nigeria in the years ahead?

Globally, shipbroking is a billion-dollar business. In Nigeria, it is still developing, but it holds promise as a driver of local participation. Many indigenous operators depend on waivers because they can’t afford specialized vessels. Shipbroking offers an alternative through chartering. While NIMASA’s attempt to involve banks in vessel financing is laudable, many locals still can’t meet the requirements. Shipbroking can bridge these gaps by standardizing agreements, easing access to vessels, and building technical expertise. It is a tool that can significantly boost indigenous presence in tanker, bulk, and offshore markets.

Beyond NIMASA’s policies, what regulatory changes would you like to see?

The key issue is fragmentation. For instance, waivers are not issued by NIMASA but by the Ministry, when there is no local capacity. Instead of making waivers the default option, regulators should insist on chartering first. There is no vessel-whether rigs, offshore craft, or cargo ships-that cannot be accessed through time or voyage chartering. Making chartering compulsory before granting waivers will encourage local operators to build capacity sustainably.

What are your thoughts on how the government can grow maritime revenue?

The government must commit to full implementation of the Marine and Blue Economy Policy. This includes stronger regulation, proper monitoring of both public and private players, and a clear focus on capacity building. If this is done, Nigeria’s maritime sector could increase its GDP contribution to between 7-10% by 2030. That growth will translate into new jobs, industrial expansion, and greater export capacity.

What opportunities does the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers provide for capacity building in Nigeria?

We run three main programmes: Professional Qualifying Examinations (PQE): Covering Diploma and Advanced Diploma stages. The other one is Dissertation Route, which is a two-year programme for seasoned professionals who want to become full members. Then there is Certificate and Short Courses: Such as ‘Understanding Shipping,’ CPD programmes, and customized training for companies. We also admit students as members, giving them access to international-standard exams and resources that prepare them for careers in commercial shipping.

How does ICS link Nigerian shipbrokers to global best practices?

Our headquarters in London connects us to the global hub of shipping. We collaborate with BIMCO, the IMO, the Baltic Exchange, and the World Maritime University. Our training modules are aligned with international trade standards. We are also working to deepen partnerships with Nigerian universities-over 20 of them already run maritime programmes. Through exchange programmes and hands-on training, we hope to expose students to the realities of the global maritime marketplace.

The Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund has been a subject of debate. Why has it been so difficult to disburse, and what is your advice to the government?

The truth is that, unless shipping development becomes a true priority, the CVFF will never achieve its purpose. A framework has now been developed to guide disbursement, but the challenge lies in ensuring transparency and proper targeting. The fund must be released to operators with proven expertise, entrepreneurial ability, and genuine involvement in shipping-not just politically-connected individuals. Only then can it serve its purpose of building indigenous fleet capacity and contributing to the growth of the blue economy.