Category: Nigerian Tribune

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

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

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

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

Why high humidity and sweat trigger severe itching

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

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

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

Step 1: Cleanse the skin gently without harsh soaps

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

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

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

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

Step 2: Cool down and pat dry thoroughly

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

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

Step 3: Apply doctor-prescribed medicating creams first

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

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

Step 4: Lock in protection with lightweight barrier creams

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

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

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

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

Step 5: Wear loose, breathable fabrics and stay hydrated

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Federal Government has donated N250 million to the families of the 37 illegal artisanal miners who died while in the custody of the Niger State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the donation when he visited Niger State to commiserate with the government and people of the state over the incident in Minna.

Tinubu, who was represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, said although no amount of money could compensate for the lives lost, the donation was intended to cushion the hardship being experienced by the bereaved families.

According to him, his administration would not rest until those responsible for the deaths were brought to justice, noting that the Federal Government had constituted an independent panel to investigate the incident.

He assured that anyone found culpable, irrespective of how highly placed, would face the full wrath of the law.

The President also reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to protecting the lives and property of Nigerians at all times.

In his remarks, the Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, thanked the Federal Government for identifying with the state at a period of grief.

Bago noted that the President’s visit coincided with the day the committee constituted by the state government to investigate the cause of the tragedy was expected to submit its report.

THE Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has said its technology-driven tax reforms are designed to simplify compliance, reduce revenue leakages and create a fairer and more predictable operating environment for businesses.

Executive Chairman of the NRS, Dr Zacch Adedeji, stated this at the 21st Abuja International Trade Fair (AITF) in Abuja last week, stressing that the reforms were aimed at promoting prosperity and economic growth rather than imposing additional hardship on businesses.

The trade fair, organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), was held under the theme: ‘Resilience: Trade, Taxation and the Economy.’

Adedeji said the theme was timely, given the need for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector to build a resilient economy.

He said the NRS was focused on making taxation simpler, fairer, more transparent and easier to comply with, particularly for businesses that create jobs, invest and contribute to economic activity.

‘The technology-driven tax reforms will make compliance easier and create a fairer environment for businesses.

‘The NRS wants businesses to grow, invest, create jobs and generate value. Their success contributes to Nigeria’s economic development,’ he said.

The NRS chairman also called for simplified taxation and deeper engagement with the business community, saying effective dialogue was critical to ensuring that tax policies supported rather than constrained economic activity.

He said technology was transforming tax administration through platforms such as Rev360 and electronic invoicing, which were designed to make taxpayer registration, filing and payment more seamless.

Adedeji urged businesses to engage directly with the NRS on challenges affecting their operations, assuring them that the service was prepared to listen, provide clarity and improve processes.

He said the reforms would strengthen tax administration systems, reduce leakages and promote a level playing field, while supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and sustainable economic growth.

The Second Deputy President of the ACCI, Dr Aliyu Hong, called for sustained dialogue between the NRS and the business community to create a transparent and predictable operating environment.

Hong said closer engagement between government revenue agencies and businesses was necessary to support investment, enterprise growth and job creation.

He said the chamber remained committed to protecting the interests of businesses and promoting an enabling environment for trade, investment and enterprise development.

According to him, the trade fair provided opportunities for networking, market access, partnerships and policy discussions, including on taxation and trade.

He described the participation of the NRS as significant because it would enable businesses and members of the public to better understand tax administration, compliance requirements and available services.

Hong said productive relations between tax authorities and the business community were essential for sustainable economic growth, adding that direct engagement could improve transparency, understanding and voluntary compliance.

Also speaking, ACCI Director-General, Mr Agbaidu Jideani, said the participation of the NRS was important because constructive engagement with businesses could improve tax compliance and create a more predictable business environment.

Jideani said the chamber’s four centres provide services to entrepreneurs, businesses, policymakers and other stakeholders across the business community.

He listed the Business Entrepreneurship Skills and Technology Centre as supporting businesses through skills development, training and enterprise support, while the National Policy Advocacy Centre promotes engagement between the private sector and policymakers on issues affecting the business environment.

He reaffirmed the chamber’s commitment to entrepreneurship, policy advocacy, dispute resolution, trade promotion and business development.

The Director-General of the Asiwaju Mandate Group (AMG), Olumuyiwa Asagunla, has expressed optimism that the group can secure one million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Ondo State in the 2027 general elections.

Asagunla said the re-election of Tinubu was necessary to enable the President to continue with what he described as efforts to restore the country to prosperity.

He also said the group was determined to ensure that Ondo State was among the states that would contribute to Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

‘In the 2023 presidential election in Ondo State, President Bola Tinubu received a total of 369,924 votes (67.14% of the total valid votes) to win the state.

‘For the 2027 election, work has begun early enough to ensure a bigger number of votes for the President. It is no surprise that, unlike the 2023 election, several support groups have sprung up in support of Mr President in Ondo State, courtesy of Hon Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the nation’s Minister of Interior, all with one mission to ensure a wider number of votes for Tinubu in 2027,’ he added.

Asagunla described AMG as a well-known group with structures across the state’s 18 local government areas, 203 political wards and 3,933 polling units.

He said the group’s support base among youths, students, artisans, transporters, Okada riders, people living with disabilities, labour unions, market women and grassroots residents would help it pursue the target.

According to him, the group’s strategies would enable it to achieve the one million votes target set by the Interior Minister.

Asagunla also appreciated the United Artisan Groups for identifying with the movement and recognising what he described as opportunities created through the platform.

‘According to the last official figures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), there are 2,053,061 registered voters in Ondo state. Of this total number of registered voters, 1,757,205 collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

‘If we have almost two million registered voters with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Ondo State, I strongly believe that with the mass mobilisation that we have embarked upon, and the responses that we have seen so far, we are very hopeful of delivering more than one million votes for President Tinubu,’ Asagunla said.

Earlier, labour leaders in Ondo State under the aegis of Labour for Good Governance, led by former President of the Amalgamated Union, Prince Solomon Adelegan, and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) leader, Bosede Daramola, led thousands of affiliate labour groups across the state to declare their support for the project.

They attributed their support to what they described as improved workers’ welfare, infrastructure development and the administration’s decision to remove the fuel subsidy.

Asagunla commended professional groups in the state for their dedication and efforts towards achieving the one million-vote target.

He also appreciated the Interior Minister for initiating the project.

Organisers of the Consumers Value Awards (CVA) said the platform has recorded over 38,000 votes and engagements, with more than 500 brands nominated, since its inception, five years ago.

Disclosing this at this year’s edition of the awards, held in Lagos, convener of the awards, Mr Akonte Ekine, described the figures as representing the increasing confidence of the public, especially the consumers, in the Awards, since it allows them pick and recognise the brands of their choices.

He explained that the awards, organised by BrandXchange, a consumer-focused brand and reputation platform, were founded on the belief that consumers and citizens deserve a stronger voice in the marketplace and in the delivery of public services.

Speaking at the event, the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwoolu, congratulated the organisers for creating a platform that allows consumers pick the brands that have earned their trusts over the year.

Sanwoolu, who was represented by the General Manager, General Manager, Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), Afolabi Solebo, who also stood in for the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, described customer satisfaction as no longer sufficient, stressing the importance of trust, empathy, accessibility and sustainability in defining value.

He stated that today’s consumer represents a buyer and curator, whose choices are increasingly shaped by access to information, social media and economic realities.

A major highlight of this year’s awards is the Citizens’ Scorecard, through which participating citizens assessed selected government institutions on their service delivery, responsiveness and public impact.

Another major highlight of the evening was the introduction of the Sola Salako- Ajulo Award for Consumer Reporting Journalism, won by the Brand Editor of the Nigerian Tribune, Akin Adewakun.

The award , named after Sola Salako Ajulo, a prominent consumer rights advocate and long-standing mentor to the Consumers Value Awards, recognises journalism that contributes to consumer awareness and strengthens the voice of consumers in the marketplace.