Category: Nigerian Tribune

The Coalition for Good Governance in Nigeria (CGGN) has reaffirmed the importance of NAICOM’s regulatory role in Nigeria’s insurance sector and retracted its earlier call for the removal of the Commission’s Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Olusegun Ayo Omosehin.

In a statement dated 29 September 2026 and signed by Salisu Mohammed, the group withdrew its earlier demand for Omosehin’s resignation or suspension, admitting that the allegations on which the demand was based were inaccurate, incomplete and unsupported by verifiable evidence.

The Coalition also retracted its characterisation of NAICOM’s regulatory actions during the recapitalisation exercise as unlawful.

‘Upon rigorous internal review, further engagement with relevant documents, and careful consideration of additional facts that have since come to light, the Coalition has determined that the assertions contained in that earlier statement were inaccurate, incomplete, and not supported by verifiable evidence,’ CGGN said.

‘We therefore withdraw the statement in its entirety.’

The group withdrew claims that NAICOM made unlawful demands, forced insurers to transfer capital into Central Bank of Nigeria escrow accounts or collected funds for consultants who were never engaged.

It also abandoned its earlier assertion that Omosehin’s continued stay in office constituted a ‘clear and present danger’ to the insurance sector or an affront to accountability.

According to the Coalition, its earlier description of NAICOM’s regulatory actions as unlawful or lacking legal foundation was based on incomplete information and a misunderstanding of the applicable legal and regulatory framework.

‘The characterisation of NAICOM’s regulatory actions during the ongoing recapitalisation exercise as unlawful or lacking legal foundation was erroneous,’ it said.

CGGN expressed regret over any distress, reputational harm or public anxiety its earlier statement may have caused Omosehin, NAICOM’s management and staff, insurance operators, policyholders and the general public.

It also offered an unreserved apology for publishing claims that subsequent scrutiny had shown to be incorrect.

‘Good governance requires not only the courage to speak when concerns arise, but also the integrity to correct the record when those concerns are shown to be misplaced,’ the Coalition said.

The group formally withdrew its demand for Omosehin’s immediate resignation or suspension, as well as its suggestion that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy should take disciplinary action against him on the basis of the earlier petition.

‘We therefore retract, without reservation, every demand for the immediate resignation or suspension of the Commissioner for Insurance,’ CGGN stated.

‘We further withdraw any suggestion that the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy should take disciplinary action against him on the basis of the earlier petition narrative.’

The Coalition, however, said the retraction did not diminish its interest in the orderly and lawful conduct of the recapitalisation exercise.

It reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and the strengthening of Nigeria’s financial services sector, while recognising the importance of an independent and professional insurance regulator.

CGGN urged stakeholders to allow the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Federal Ministry of Finance and NAICOM to discharge their statutory responsibilities without distraction from unsubstantiated public campaigns.

It said the retraction was issued in the public interest and in the spirit of fairness and accuracy that should guide civic advocacy.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that Nigeria’s ’emergency treatment’ is over, saying his administration’s next priority is to bring down the cost of living by reducing the cost of producing and transporting goods.

Tinubu made the declaration in his Independence Day address to Nigerians on Thursday, as the country marked its 66th anniversary, saying the government had moved from correcting the economy’s fundamental weaknesses to pursuing ‘shared and widespread prosperity.’

According to the president, the reforms implemented by his administration over the past three years were necessary to correct economic distortions that had accumulated over generations.

‘My fellow Nigerians, we have reached a turning point. The emergency treatment is over. The foundation has been repaired. The central economic task before us has changed,’ Tinubu said.

He said the government’s focus would now shift from correcting the country’s economic direction to improving living standards and making essential goods and services more affordable.

‘Our priority is to bring down the cost of living. We will achieve this by lowering the cost of producing and moving the things Nigerians consume,’ he said.

Tinubu said the government would pursue the objective through increased agricultural production, mechanised irrigation and dry-season farming, improved access to seeds and fertiliser, and greater investment in mechanisation, storage and transportation.

He also pointed to ongoing investments in roads, railways and ports as part of efforts to improve the movement of goods from farms and factories to markets.

The president explained that reducing production and transportation costs would eventually affect the prices consumers pay.

‘When a farmer produces more cheaply, when fewer crops are lost between the farm and the market, when a manufacturer spends less on electricity, when a truck reaches its destination faster, and when the business environment fosters fair competition, all those savings will ultimately find their way into the price of goods in the market,’ he said.

Tinubu also said the government was prioritising jobs, enterprise and industrial growth, with plans to use gas to power new industries, support businesses, expand digital connectivity and invest in skills required by employers.

He acknowledged that millions of Nigerians continue to struggle with food, school fees, medical bills and transportation costs.

However, he argued that the hardship predates his administration and is the accumulated result of decades of low productivity, inadequate infrastructure, limited opportunities and institutional weaknesses.

‘We cannot erase in four years what accumulated over generations. But we can change its course,’ Tinubu said.

The president said his administration would continue strengthening support for vulnerable households, improving the National Social Register and expanding access to education through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.

He also highlighted the role of CREDICORP in providing consumer credit for working Nigerians seeking to acquire vehicles, solar systems, digital devices and other essential assets.

Tinubu said the government would continue working with state and local governments to strengthen primary healthcare, basic education and other essential public services.

He maintained that the programmes were intended to support Nigerians while the economy moves towards broader prosperity.

‘These programmes are not substitutes for prosperity. They are a bridge to aid our nation’s citizens on their path towards it. Our objective is not to manage poverty more efficiently. We will defeat it,’ he said.

Tinubu said achieving that goal would require sustained economic growth, discipline and the creation of millions of productive opportunities.

He declared that the government had laid the foundation for what he described as an ‘age of prosperity’ after the difficult period of economic reforms.

‘The age of reform has done its work. Now begins the age of prosperity,’ the president said.

Dr Moses Paul, popularly known as Dr Mo or MadMo, has emerged as the new National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, bringing to the role a background spanning entrepreneurship, social activism, creativity, scholarship and grassroots organising.

Paul is a serial entrepreneur, social activist, creativity manager, performer, scholar, organiser and thought leader with experience in developing and executing initiatives focused on human capital development.

His work has centred largely on capacity building, coaching, creative discourse and interventions aimed at promoting human ingenuity and expanding opportunities for emerging leaders.

The Abuja-based politician has also been involved in thought-leadership circles, where he engages with emerging youth leaders on approaches to public engagement, leadership and civic participation.

Beyond his professional activities, Paul is the convener of the Free Nigeria Movement, a coalition of civil society organisations, youth and women groups focused on good governance, responsible citizenship and social activism.

Through the movement, he has been involved in advocacy and programmes addressing social challenges, with emphasis on creative programming, capacity building and citizen engagement.

Paul’s emergence as National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement followed a virtual meeting of national leaders and state coordinators of the movement with the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, on September 30, 2026.

He succeeds Dr Yunusa Tanko, who previously served as National Coordinator and was subsequently appointed Special Adviser to Obi on Northern Nigeria.

Tanko’s tenure saw the movement establish offices across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, alongside regional and grassroots structures across the country.

With Paul now at the helm, he is expected to coordinate the movement’s existing structures and activities as it continues its engagement ahead of the 2027 general election.

The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has said President Bola Tinubu is only in the Presidential Villa to amass wealth and not to govern Nigeria.

Adebayo stated this on Thursday in Ibadan during the public presentation of his presidential blueprint titled Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity.

According to him, President Tinubu has no interest in the real job of the presidency, including supervising ministers, talking to citizens and providing basic amenities.

‘Tinubu doesn’t want to be your president. He doesn’t care. He doesn’t like the job of president. Tinubu doesn’t want to stay in the Aso Rock and serve the people. He doesn’t want to talk to you. He doesn’t want to supervise ministers.

‘Tinubu is only around because he wants to pack money. That is why he is not struggling for anything. He doesn’t even like the job of president. And he doesn’t want to talk like a president or behave like a president. He is only there because he wants to pack money,’ Adebayo said.

He alleged that Tinubu’s original political business was to sponsor candidates into offices and take profit from them, but later decided to contest himself when the profit was not enough.

‘Tinubu’s business plan before was, ‘I will be sponsoring people to office and I will make profit out of it.’ Am I worried? Look, these people I am sponsoring, not enough money is coming back. Let me go and do this by myself.

‘But to listen to you, to give you education, to give you healthcare, if you die, Tinubu doesn’t care. He will make money from your funeral,’ he alleged.

Adebayo said Nigerians must take responsibility for their leadership choices, questioning why the country keeps electing leaders who fail.

‘If you have one president who is a thief, you have a second president who is a thief, you have a third president who is a thief, something is wrong with you. Why are you always choosing thieves? What kind of bad luck is that?’ he asked.

He warned that if Tinubu is allowed to continue, petrol may rise to N5,000 per litre and the economy may collapse.

‘Tinubu, if you allow him just four more years, if you allow him just one more year, four things are going to happen. You will buy fuel, petrol at N5,000 per litre. Because I predicted four years ago that you will buy it at N2,000 per litre. It is getting there.

‘The second thing that will happen, your economy will grind to a halt. You will see millionaires who cannot buy bread. All of you will become Manchester millionaires when Tinubu goes back because you will need one million naira to buy one loaf of bread. So you will be a millionaire in poverty,’ he said.

He described Nigeria’s 66 years of independence as meaningless for citizens who are hungry, sick, unemployed and homeless.

‘When you have independence on a piece of paper for 66 years and you are hungry, you are sick, you are unemployed, you are without housing and there is no prospect for your child that you are carrying in your hand, your independence is a lie,’ he said.

Adebayo compared Nigeria’s development with the University of Ibadan, which was built in the colonial era, saying the country should have done far better since independence.

He said his blueprint presentation was not for lamentation but to mobilise Nigerians to reclaim their country.

‘I don’t want to come here and do lamentations. I want to congratulate you that you have decided to take back your country. You have decided to build a country for your children and children’s children.

‘I congratulate you that you have seen lies and you decided to follow the truth. And I will challenge all of us. Nobody can use mere wishes, sweet words, to crack a palm kernel. To crack a palm kernel, you have to take action. Very tough actions,’ he said.

He said bad governance persists because many Nigerians compromise for money and benefits from politicians.

‘The reason why the government is cheating you, robbing you, enslaving you, depriving you, subjecting you and ridiculing you, and all your prayers on the mountain, in the mosque, in the churches, everywhere, have not caught up with them is because God is a God of justice. He cannot help you to punish your collaborators.

‘If we stop cooperating with evil and injustice, we stop pretending to be confused, because we think that the thing to gain from politics is money from the politician, that the thing to gain from politics is an opportunity to join them to loot, that the thing to gain from politics is to help them to spread their lies. If we believe in truth, God will answer our prayers,’ he said.

He insisted that any government that cannot provide free education, healthcare, housing, food and employment is not a government.

Using his farm as an example, he said: ‘When my cow is sick, I use my money to treat the cow. The cow doesn’t pay for it. How can I value my cow more than the government values you?

‘We have dogs in the family. When the dog is not feeling well, we call the vet. Come and treat this dog. The dog does not speak English, doesn’t go to school, doesn’t pay salary. But we treat the dog. How can I love my dog more than I love you?’ he asked.

On power supply, he proposed rooftop solar panels for households nationwide and recalled advising former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2001 to adopt solar.

He questioned why government provides free facilities for office holders but claims lack of funds for citizens.

‘How can somebody who doesn’t pay for what you pay help you lower the price?’ he asked.

He described his manifesto as a social contract with Nigerians.

‘This manifesto, Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity, is not a book for entertainment and it is not a book of decoration. It is an agreement between you and your creator that the resources that God has given to Nigeria, we will use it for the people of Nigeria,’ he said.

He warned that children out of school risk being recruited by criminals, while patients who cannot afford treatment risk death, and urged Nigerians not to wait endlessly.

‘Any government that will not give you housing, education, healthcare, food and employment is not a government. It has nothing to do with them. And don’t wait. Because you have waited for 66 years,’ he said.

He identified lack of organisation as Nigeria’s major problem and called for organised democracy to defeat organised crime in government.

‘The greatest problem of Nigeria is that we don’t know how to organise. Individually, it would make sense, but we need to learn to organise. Because what we are facing in government is armed robbery, organised crime. And if you want to defeat organised crime, you have to have an organised democracy,’ he said.

He urged Nigerians to stop allowing politicians to divide them along religious and ethnic lines.

As part of his five-point message for the Independence anniversary, Adebayo urged Nigerians to ignore President Tinubu and focus on organising their immediate communities.

‘Rule Tinubu completely out of your life. Do not listen to Tinubu and his ‘bala blue’. Do not talk about him. Do not even laugh at him. Just remove him from your brain. Just forget about him. Don’t consider Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a presidential candidate. Just keep him out of your economy.

‘Focus on how to build your country from your street. There is no reason for you to watch television and do analysis about Nigeria, and you wake up in the morning, you have your neighbour by your next door by the right, you have your neighbour by the next door by the left. You just ask them, what do you think about Nigeria? Are you going to vote? What do we do? We need to start from the street level,’ he said.

More than 20 civil society organisations (CSOs) in Kaduna State have suspended their planned October 1 peaceful protest, citing concerns that criminal elements could hijack the demonstration and trigger confrontation between protesters and security agencies.

The groups, operating under the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), said the decision followed consultations with relevant stakeholders and an assessment of the security situation in the state.

Addressing journalists in Kaduna on Thursday, the convener of the coalition, Aminu Haruna, said the suspension was not an abandonment of the groups’ responsibility to hold government accountable, but a measure aimed at preventing the demonstration from degenerating into violence.

Haruna said the coalition had considered the security measures being implemented by the Federal and Kaduna State governments, as well as security agencies, before opting for structured dialogue.

‘We don’t want the protest to cause chaos,’ he said.

According to him, consultations with stakeholders showed that some individuals could exploit the protest for purposes unrelated to the organisers’ demands.

‘We realise that people are ready to take advantage of today’s protest. And then, we don’t want this protest to cause chaos,’ Haruna said.

He said the coalition weighed the advantages and disadvantages of proceeding with the demonstration and concluded that the potential consequences could outweigh its immediate objectives.

‘Instead of having a peaceful demonstration to demand what is right, at the end of the day it will end up with a conflict between citizens and the security personnel. And you know it will never go well,’ he said.

The coalition stressed that the suspension did not mean it had abandoned peaceful protests as a legitimate means of expressing citizens’ grievances.

It said its demands concerning the welfare of Nigerians, particularly Kaduna residents, had been documented and would be conveyed to the executive arm of government through the security agencies.

Following its decision to suspend the protest, the groups commended the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Adeola Ajayi, for what they described as operational support and leadership.

They also praised the Kaduna State Police Command and the Kaduna State DSS for their proactive engagement, swift action and open dialogue during their engagements with the organisations.

The coalition also commended the Kaduna State Government under Governor Uba Sani for its efforts to strengthen security in the state.

Turning to the issue of the death penalty for convicted kidnappers, particularly following a recent death sentence in Edo State, the coalition expressed support for the execution of prisoners whose sentences had been lawfully handed down by competent courts.

Haruna, however, urged state governors to exercise their constitutional responsibilities concerning inmates on death row, saying many condemned prisoners had remained in custody for years because governors were reluctant to approve their execution.

‘We wish to use today, the first of October, to appeal to all governors in this country that anybody on death row in your state should be executed,’ Haruna said.

Vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi, has pledged to resign from office if Nigeria does not begin to experience significant changes within one year of the party taking power in 2027.

Amaechi made the commitment during an interview on AIT’s Democracy Today on Wednesday, where he outlined security, education and the economy as the key areas an ADC administration would focus on.

He also identified corruption as a major obstacle to addressing the country’s challenges, arguing that public resources meant for critical sectors were being diverted for personal use.

‘We must deal with three things. We must deal with security; we must deal with education; we must deal with the economy. And to do all that, corruption will have to come down because there’s no money for anybody to steal,’ Amaechi said.

According to him, an ADC government would seek to tackle the problems affecting Nigerians by addressing both insecurity and the misuse of public funds.

Amaechi also criticised the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, questioning the benefits Nigerians have received from the policy.

‘President Tinubu remove subsidy, what are the benefits of subsidy? Subsidy money is in private pockets and they are celebrating,’ he said.

The ADC candidate further raised concerns about the contrast between the level of poverty in Nigeria and the lavish spending he said he had witnessed at some social events.

He said he sometimes stayed only briefly at such gatherings because he questioned how attendees were able to spend large sums of money amid widespread economic hardship.

‘I sit down and ask myself, where are these people getting this money from, going by how high poverty is in Nigeria?’ he said.

On the state of the economy, Amaechi argued that Nigeria’s dependence on imported finished products was another indication of the country’s economic difficulties.

‘Who are those importing? Nigeria is in trouble,’ he said.

Amaechi also referenced reports of Nigerians booing Tinubu as the president arrived at the Lagos International Airport, saying such a situation would not occur under an ADC administration if the party succeeds in 2027.

‘I watched people hoot at Tinubu from the Lagos International Airport to his house. If we become President, nobody will do that, they will be clapping for us because we will change Nigeria,’ he said.

His pledge came shortly after his political rival, Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, challenged Tinubu to remove him from office if he fails to deliver the FCT to the president in the 2027 election.

Amaechi said he was similarly willing to tie his position to the performance of an ADC government, insisting that Nigerians should hold him accountable if the country does not begin to change within its first year in office.

‘This time, I will say it. If Nigeria does not begin to change one year after we’ve come to office, come to me, I will resign,’ he said.

What is the objective of the Clean-Up Nigeria Inland Waterways Initiative under parts central?

The objective is very simple, but very important. We all have a stake in protecting our waterways, and we must make sure that we preserve them for ourselves and for future generations. We cannot continue doing things the way we have always done them and expect a different result. Anything that causes pollution must become a thing of the past.

This initiative is about bringing all the relevant stakeholders together and putting in place a structured system for managing waste across our inland waterways. We are working with NIWA because we believe that government alone cannot solve the problem. The private sector has a major role to play. Our commitment at Parts Central is to deploy technology, manpower and appropriate waste-management systems to ensure that our waterways are clean, safe, productive and sustainable.

What specific measures is Parts Central introducing under this initiative?

We are deploying different technologies that will enable us to identify and capture information from different areas, waterfronts, landing ports and jetties. One of the things we are going to do is ensure that every boat and watercraft operating on Nigeria’s inland waterways has an NIWA-and Parts Central-approved waste bin.

At the jetties, we will provide what we call mother bins. When boats come in and dock, the waste collected from the boats can be transferred into these larger collection points. This is important because we don’t want people dumping waste directly into the waterways. We are also looking at sorting, recycling and proper evacuation of the waste. So, it is not just about picking waste from the water. We want to establish a complete waste-management chain.

How did Parts Central arrive at this initiative?

We spent more than seven months studying the problem and trying to understand the sources of waste pollution. We wanted to know: What are the sources of the waste? What are the major causes? Who are the people contributing to the pollution? Where are these wastes coming from?

We didn’t want to come up with a solution based on assumptions. We wanted to understand the problem properly. That is why we have also deployed technology to identify some of the areas where waste is coming from. We are using the information gathered to develop a system that can identify the different jetties, communities, waterfront properties and landing ports. So, this initiative is based on research, data and proper identification of the problem.

Lagos has a very vast waterfront. Where exactly will the initiative begin?

The first step is identification and mapping. We need to know who owns the jetties, who operates in the communities, where the waterfront properties are located and who the stakeholders are in each area. Once we put these locations on our radar and map them, we will know exactly who the stakeholders are and where the waste-management challenges are located. We are not approaching Lagos waterfront as one large, undefined area. We want to break it down into identifiable locations and communities so that the intervention can be targeted. We also want to know who is responsible for different aspects of waste removal in each location.

What types of waste are you targeting?

We are looking at different forms of waste. People usually talk about debris, plastic bottles and other solid waste, but the problem is much bigger than that. We are talking about biodegradable waste and other forms of waste generated by waterfront communities and water transport operators. We also have to address human waste. What happens when people throw excreta into the water? What happens when sewage is discharged into the waterways? These are serious issues that cannot be ignored. So, when we say clean-up, we are talking about a comprehensive approach to waste and pollution management, not just removing visible plastics from the surface of the water.

What role will jetties play in the programme?

Jetties are very important because they are major points where people and boats interact with the waterways. That is why we are mapping the jetties and identifying their owners and operators. We want every jetty to have a proper waste-collection system. The mother bins will serve as collection points where waste from boats can be deposited. The idea is to make it easier for boat operators to do the right thing. If you tell a boat operator not to dump waste in the water but you don’t provide an alternative, enforcement becomes difficult. We want to provide that alternative.

How will the waste collected from the waterways eventually be disposed of?

There are different methods of evacuation, depending on the type and volume of waste. Once we establish the collection points, we will have a system for sorting the waste and moving it through the appropriate channels. The objective is not to simply move waste from the water to another location where it becomes another environmental problem. We want to sort the waste, identify materials that can be recycled and ensure that the different categories are handled appropriately. That is why we describe the initiative as a waste-to-wealth programme.

How will you ensure that the initiative is sustained beyond the launch?

Sustainability is very important to us. This is not a one-day clean-up exercise. It is not something we are doing today and abandoning tomorrow. We have spent more than seven months preparing for this, and we are looking at a long-term partnership with NIWA. The technology we are deploying will help us continuously monitor the situation and identify areas where waste is being generated. We also need the communities to take ownership. The traditional rulers, community leaders, boat operators and residents must understand that this initiative is not just about helping government. We are helping them. If we have cleaner waterways, we will have cleaner communities. If we reduce pollution, we improve the environment in which these communities live and operate.

Is this a one-off partnership between Parts Central and NIWA?

No. This is going to be a long-term partnership, by God’s grace. It is a 10-year contract and it is renewable upon expiration. We understand that the problem cannot be solved in one day. It requires continuous monitoring, collection, enforcement, education and community participation. Our intention is to work with NIWA and other stakeholders over the long term to create a system that can be sustained.

What role do you expect government agencies such as LAWMA to play?

Every agency has a role to play. For instance, in Lagos State, the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has responsibilities relating to waste management, including waste on the waterways. But sometimes, the volume of work can be overwhelming. That is where the private sector can come in to support government. We are not coming to take over the responsibilities of existing agencies. We are coming to complement their efforts. We need to work together because this is a very large problem.

Will there be enforcement against indiscriminate dumping?

There has to be enforcement, but enforcement must be supported by a proper system. You cannot simply tell people not to dump waste without giving them a practical alternative. That is why we are providing waste bins on boats and mother bins at jetties. Once those systems are in place, there will be greater accountability. Our enforcement approach will also be different because we have information about the different locations and stakeholders. Technology will help us know where the problems are coming from and where intervention is required.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), through its retail arm, NNPC Retail, has announced a ?66-per-litre discount on petrol purchases at its stations across Nigeria to mark the country’s 66th Independence anniversary.

The company disclosed this in a post on its verified social media page on Wednesday.

The promotion will run from October 1 to October 7, 2026, and customers can access the discount when they purchase Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) through the NNPC Fuel App.

Under the offer, motorists will receive ?66 off every litre of petrol purchased at NNPC Retail stations during the seven-day promotional period.

To qualify, customers are required to download and use the NNPC Fuel App when purchasing petrol.

The company announced the development as part of its activities to commemorate Nigeria’s Independence Day, with the initiative offering motorists a direct reduction in the cost of petrol during the anniversary period.

The statement reads, ‘In celebration of Nigeria’s Independence, we are giving out N66/litre on every PMS purchase across NNPC Retail stations via the NNPC Fuel App.

‘Download the NNPC Fuel App via this link https://onelink.to/nnpcfuelapp to qualify for the discount.

Promo lasts from Oct 1-Oct 7, 2026. Happy Independence Day Naija!’

The National Association of Scraps and Waste Dealers and Employers of Nigeria (NASWDEN) has commenced a 15-day nationwide warning strike over alleged price manipulation, substandard steel production and other practices by foreign-owned iron-smelting companies operating in Nigeria.

The association said the strike, which began on Thursday, October 1, 2026, involved a total cut-off of scrap metal supplies to the affected companies.

Speaking at a press conference, Deputy National President of NASWDEN, Comrade Amin Hassan Soja, said the strike would be suspended if the Federal Government and the companies addressed their grievances.

He, however, warned that the action could become indefinite if no reconciliation was reached within the 15-day warning period.

According to him, scrap dealers were suffering huge financial losses as a result of what he described as arbitrary depreciation of the prices paid for scrap metals by the steel companies.

‘Soja said dealers could lose between N3 million and N4 million on a single truckload as a result of the frequent reduction in prices.

He also accused some steel manufacturers of producing substandard iron rods by manipulating the sizes and quantities of products made from scrap metals supplied to them.

He alleged that some manufacturers convert 12mm iron rods to smaller sizes, adding that the weight of finished products supplied to customers could be significantly lower than the quantity of scrap metal purchased from dealers.

The NASWDEN leader further accused the companies of manipulating weighing scales and deducting between one and five per cent from the weight of scrap supplied to them under what he described as an ‘extra dose’ arrangement.

He linked some of the recent price reductions to global geopolitical developments, saying disruptions in international trade had resulted in large quantities of steel-related materials being purchased cheaply from some countries and imported into Nigeria.

Soja also raised concerns over the establishment of dump sites by foreign companies, alleging that the practice was driving indigenous scrap dealers out of business because they could not compete with the companies on price.

He called for Federal Government intervention, arguing that foreign steel companies should focus on manufacturing rather than directly competing with local scrap dealers for collection and supply.

According to him, the scrap industry employs millions of Nigerians, particularly youths, and should be formally integrated into the Nigerian economy.

‘We want the Federal Government to come in and formalise the sector and collaborate with us. The government should also provide intervention funds to scrap traders so that indigenous Nigerians can establish companies similar to those being established by foreign investors,’ he said.

Soja disclosed that the Federal Government had already initiated discussions with the association through the Executive Secretary of the National Steel Council, Ambassador Abdelkader Fadi.

He said the association had presented its grievances in writing and was awaiting further action from the relevant ministry.

The NASWDEN leader said members across the country had complied with the directive, claiming that trucks conveying scrap metals had been parked in several locations as the strike took effect.

He stressed that the industrial action was peaceful and that members had not engaged in any activity capable of disrupting public order.

The association urged the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the dispute, regulate the operations of steel manufacturers and protect the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians involved in the scrap and waste trade.

The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has said President Bola Tinubu is only in the Presidential Villa to amass wealth and not to govern Nigeria.

Adebayo stated this on Thursday in Ibadan during the public presentation of his presidential blueprint titled Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity.

According to him, President Tinubu has no interest in the real job of the presidency, including supervising ministers, talking to citizens and providing basic amenities.

‘Tinubu doesn’t want to be your president. He doesn’t care. He doesn’t like the job of president. Tinubu doesn’t want to stay in the Aso Rock and serve the people. He doesn’t want to talk to you. He doesn’t want to supervise ministers.

‘Tinubu is only around because he wants to pack money. That is why he is not struggling for anything. He doesn’t even like the job of president. And he doesn’t want to talk like a president or behave like a president. He is only there because he wants to pack money,’ Adebayo said.

He alleged that Tinubu’s original political business was to sponsor candidates into offices and take profit from them, but later decided to contest himself when the profit was not enough.

‘Tinubu’s business plan before was, ‘I will be sponsoring people to office and I will make profit out of it.’ Am I worried? Look, these people I am sponsoring, not enough money is coming back. Let me go and do this by myself.

‘But to listen to you, to give you education, to give you healthcare, if you die, Tinubu doesn’t care. He will make money from your funeral,’ he alleged.

Adebayo said Nigerians must take responsibility for their leadership choices, questioning why the country keeps electing leaders who fail.

‘If you have one president who is a thief, you have a second president who is a thief, you have a third president who is a thief, something is wrong with you. Why are you always choosing thieves? What kind of bad luck is that?’ he asked.

He warned that if Tinubu is allowed to continue, petrol may rise to N5,000 per litre and the economy may collapse.

‘Tinubu, if you allow him just four more years, if you allow him just one more year, four things are going to happen. You will buy fuel, petrol at N5,000 per litre. Because I predicted four years ago that you will buy it at N2,000 per litre. It is getting there.

‘The second thing that will happen, your economy will grind to a halt. You will see millionaires who cannot buy bread. All of you will become Manchester millionaires when Tinubu goes back because you will need one million naira to buy one loaf of bread. So you will be a millionaire in poverty,’ he said.

He described Nigeria’s 66 years of independence as meaningless for citizens who are hungry, sick, unemployed and homeless.

‘When you have independence on a piece of paper for 66 years and you are hungry, you are sick, you are unemployed, you are without housing and there is no prospect for your child that you are carrying in your hand, your independence is a lie,’ he said.

Adebayo compared Nigeria’s development with the University of Ibadan, which was built in the colonial era, saying the country should have done far better since independence.

He said his blueprint presentation was not for lamentation but to mobilise Nigerians to reclaim their country.

‘I don’t want to come here and do lamentations. I want to congratulate you that you have decided to take back your country. You have decided to build a country for your children and children’s children.

‘I congratulate you that you have seen lies and you decided to follow the truth. And I will challenge all of us. Nobody can use mere wishes, sweet words, to crack a palm kernel. To crack a palm kernel, you have to take action. Very tough actions,’ he said.

He said bad governance persists because many Nigerians compromise for money and benefits from politicians.

‘The reason why the government is cheating you, robbing you, enslaving you, depriving you, subjecting you and ridiculing you, and all your prayers on the mountain, in the mosque, in the churches, everywhere, have not caught up with them is because God is a God of justice. He cannot help you to punish your collaborators.

‘If we stop cooperating with evil and injustice, we stop pretending to be confused, because we think that the thing to gain from politics is money from the politician, that the thing to gain from politics is an opportunity to join them to loot, that the thing to gain from politics is to help them to spread their lies. If we believe in truth, God will answer our prayers,’ he said.

He insisted that any government that cannot provide free education, healthcare, housing, food and employment is not a government.

Using his farm as an example, he said: ‘When my cow is sick, I use my money to treat the cow. The cow doesn’t pay for it. How can I value my cow more than the government values you?

‘We have dogs in the family. When the dog is not feeling well, we call the vet. Come and treat this dog. The dog does not speak English, doesn’t go to school, doesn’t pay salary. But we treat the dog. How can I love my dog more than I love you?’ he asked.

On power supply, he proposed rooftop solar panels for households nationwide and recalled advising former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2001 to adopt solar.

He questioned why government provides free facilities for office holders but claims lack of funds for citizens.

‘How can somebody who doesn’t pay for what you pay help you lower the price?’ he asked.

He described his manifesto as a social contract with Nigerians.

‘This manifesto, Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity, is not a book for entertainment and it is not a book of decoration. It is an agreement between you and your creator that the resources that God has given to Nigeria, we will use it for the people of Nigeria,’ he said.

He warned that children out of school risk being recruited by criminals, while patients who cannot afford treatment risk death, and urged Nigerians not to wait endlessly.

‘Any government that will not give you housing, education, healthcare, food and employment is not a government. It has nothing to do with them. And don’t wait. Because you have waited for 66 years,’ he said.

He identified lack of organisation as Nigeria’s major problem and called for organised democracy to defeat organised crime in government.

‘The greatest problem of Nigeria is that we don’t know how to organise. Individually, it would make sense, but we need to learn to organise. Because what we are facing in government is armed robbery, organised crime. And if you want to defeat organised crime, you have to have an organised democracy,’ he said.

He urged Nigerians to stop allowing politicians to divide them along religious and ethnic lines.

As part of his five-point message for the Independence anniversary, Adebayo urged Nigerians to ignore President Tinubu and focus on organising their immediate communities.

‘Rule Tinubu completely out of your life. Do not listen to Tinubu and his ‘bala blue’. Do not talk about him. Do not even laugh at him. Just remove him from your brain. Just forget about him. Don’t consider Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a presidential candidate. Just keep him out of your economy.

‘Focus on how to build your country from your street. There is no reason for you to watch television and do analysis about Nigeria, and you wake up in the morning, you have your neighbour by your next door by the right, you have your neighbour by the next door by the left. You just ask them, what do you think about Nigeria? Are you going to vote? What do we do? We need to start from the street level,’ he said.