Category: PM News

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has invited young Nigerian innovators between the ages of 18 and 28 to submit innovative ideas capable of driving growth and transformation in Nigeria’s blue economy.

NIMASA made the appeal while announcing that the opening of the application portal for its Blue Economy Accelerator Programme (NIMASA-BEAP) will take place on Monday, October 5, 2026.

NIMASA, in a statement by Osagie Edward, its Deputy Director/Head, Public Relations, said the initiative, which includes a National Innovation Hackathon and a 12-week accelerator programme, is designed to identify, nurture and support young talents with innovative solutions that can unlock the vast economic opportunities in Nigeria’s maritime and blue economy sectors.

Speaking on the initiative, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, stated that the programme reflects the Agency’s commitment to positioning young Nigerians as active participants in the development of the nation’s blue economy through innovation, entrepreneurship and technology.

According to him, Nigeria’s maritime sector holds enormous potential for economic growth, job creation and national development, but unlocking this potential requires fresh ideas, technological innovation and the active participation of young people.

‘The future of Nigeria’s blue economy will be built on ideas, innovation, enterprise and collaboration. Through NIMASA-BEAP, we are creating a platform for young Nigerians to develop practical solutions, transform innovative ideas into viable enterprises and contribute meaningfully to the growth of our maritime sector,’ Mobereola stated.

The application portal will remain open from October 5 to November 13, 2026, after which submitted applications will undergo evaluation and due diligence from November 16 to December 2, 2026.

Successful applicants will proceed to the National Innovation Hackathon scheduled for December 8-10, 2026, where innovative ideas will be further developed and assessed as part of the programme’s selection process.

The selected innovators will subsequently participate in a 12-week accelerator programme in the first quarter of 2027, culminating in a National Demo Day in the second quarter of the year. The Demo Day will provide a platform for participants to showcase their solutions, demonstrate their progress and explore opportunities for collaboration and enterprise development.

NIMASA therefore encouraged eligible young Nigerians with innovative ideas and solutions relevant to the maritime and blue economy sectors to take advantage of the opportunity by submitting their applications through the programme portal once it opens.

The Agency also reiterated its commitment to fostering innovation, empowering the next generation of maritime entrepreneurs and supporting solutions that will strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global blue economy.

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) senatorial candidate for Oyo Central Senatorial District, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resign over what he described as worsening insecurity across the country.

Ajadi also urged Tinubu to abandon his 2027 re-election bid, arguing that the President should relinquish office if his administration could not adequately address the security challenges confronting Nigerians.

He made the call while reacting to the reported abduction of 19 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to their orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.

The prospective corps members were reportedly abducted when gunmen attacked two buses along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State, on Thursday.

Ajadi described the incident as unacceptable, particularly because the victims were young Nigerians travelling to serve their country under the NYSC scheme.

‘It is ridiculous and unreasonable that corps members who are travelling to serve their motherland should be kidnapped. These are young Nigerians who have completed their education and are being deployed to contribute to the development of their country,’ he said.

The APM candidate urged President Tinubu to direct security agencies to intensify efforts to locate and rescue the abducted corps members, stressing that their safe return should be treated as a matter of national urgency.

‘Mr President must make the immediate rescue of these corps members a priority. It is the responsibility of the government to protect Nigerians, particularly young people who are travelling across the country in the service of their nation,’ Ajadi said.

He expressed concern over reports that the abductors were demanding N50 million for each of the 19 victims, which would amount to N950 million, saying such a demand would place the affected families under severe financial and emotional pressure.

Ajadi called on the government to take decisive action to secure the victims’ release while strengthening security arrangements along major highways used by prospective corps members and other Nigerians travelling between states.

He said the persistent security challenges across the country showed that the Federal Government needed to adopt more decisive measures to protect lives and property.

‘If these corps members are unable to be rescued, then Mr President should resign. It is barbaric for the father of the nation to continue his duty as President while some of his children are in the den of kidnappers,’ Ajadi said.

He further urged Tinubu not to seek re-election in 2027 if his administration could not find effective solutions to the country’s security challenges.

According to Ajadi, the President should instead resign and allow another administration to take responsibility for addressing the insecurity confronting Nigerians.

‘Tinubu should resign because he has not been able to meet the responsibility of solving the insecurity in the nation. He should not bother to contest in the 2027 general election. He should rather resign now,’ he said.

Ajadi urged security agencies to sustain their search-and-rescue operations until all the abducted prospective corps members are safely reunited with their families.

He also appealed to Nigerians to remain vigilant and provide useful information to security agencies that could assist in rescuing the victims and preventing further attacks on people travelling across the country.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged Nigerians to give President Bola Tinubu credit for what he described as bold decisions that prevented the country’s economy from collapsing.

Shettima spoke after meeting with Tinubu at the President’s Lagos residence, where he also said the administration had remained in constant communication with the President during his time abroad.

‘We are quite thrilled that he is back on the beat, and we have been in regular contact throughout his sojourn abroad,’ Shettima said.

According to him, technological advances had made it possible for Tinubu to remain involved in governance despite his absence from the country.

‘Advances in science and technology have made it possible to really have impactful leadership wherever one might find himself. So we have been in regular contact. We speak almost every other day, and we are updating him,’ he said.

Shettima said Tinubu inherited an economy that was in serious distress, citing the country’s foreign reserves as evidence of the severity of the situation.

‘When we assumed the mantle of leadership, our foreign reserves was a staggeringly low 3.9 billion dollars, that was not enough to import oil for one month. He had the courage and the conviction to take far-reaching decisions,’ he said.

He specifically defended the removal of petrol subsidy and the unification of the country’s multiple exchange rates, describing both measures as difficult but necessary choices.

‘The withdrawal of the fuel subsidy, the realignment of the multiple exchange rates, were far-reaching decisions.’

The Vice President said the measures had helped prevent a deeper economic crisis.

‘He literally… the economy was actually teetering on the verge of collapse. He saved the economy. I want Nigerians to understand this fundamental truism.

‘We are on the road to Caracas. He saved our economy. He saved the nation from falling to pieces,’ Shettima added.

He appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the administration despite the hardship caused by the reforms.

‘As usual, impactful decision-making that will touch the lives of the Nigerian people. It’s absolutely essential that Nigerians need to be generous to this poor man,’ Shettima said.

‘We appreciate the pains Nigerians are going through, but tough times do not last forever. Tough people do,’ he added.

Shettima also outlined measures the Federal Government plans to introduce in the North-East to cushion the effects of the economic difficulties.

‘In the next couple of weeks, we are going to launch e-logistics in the North East, we are going to run 10,600 electric tricycles to ease the pains of the people in the North East, and 300 buses and taxis, e-taxis. All these were meant to ameliorate the sufferings of our people,’ he said.

He further praised the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, describing it as a major intervention for students from low-income backgrounds.

‘The president has empathy, a lot of empathy for the common man. The NELFUND is a masterstroke aimed at assisting students of limited means to have access to drink from the Western Spring. So be rest assured that we’ll come up with programmes and projects to ease the pains of the people,’ he said.

On the growing political activities ahead of the 2027 elections, Shettima said the administration would continue to focus on governance.

‘Politics is in the air, but we will combine politics and governance,’ he said.

Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued 15 kidnapped victims and arrested two suspected kidnappers during separate operations conducted across Edo, Kaduna, Benue and Kogi states.

The operations, carried out on October 1 and 2, were part of ongoing efforts by the military to disrupt kidnapping activities and protect communities and travellers, according to an operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

In Edo State, troops of the 195 Battalion rescued three kidnap victims after responding to an incident along the Ekor-Ikakumo road in Akoko-Edo. The soldiers reportedly traced the kidnappers’ withdrawal route and recovered the victims, including the driver of a passenger bus travelling from Makurdi to Ibadan.

Troops of Sector 7, Operation Enduring Peace, also foiled a kidnapping attempt along the Godogodo-Gidan Waya road in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The intervention forced the attackers to abandon a victim who had sustained gunshot wounds before fleeing the area. The victim was subsequently evacuated to the General Hospital, Gidan Waya, for medical treatment, while security personnel continued efforts to track down the fleeing suspects.

In another operation in Kaduna, troops arrested two suspected kidnappers at Makasa Village in Sanga Local Government Area.

Meanwhile, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke rescued six kidnapped victims during separate operations in Benue and Kogi states.

In Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue, troops responding to reports of kidnapping activities at Gbise engaged the criminals, forcing them to retreat and abandon three victims.

In Kogi State, troops working alongside local vigilantes rescued three kidnapped herders at Agbadu Bunu in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area. The attackers reportedly fled following the military intervention, leaving the victims and 21 cattle behind.

The military also recorded a separate recovery operation in Rivers State, where troops of the 16 Brigade, supported by the 5 Battalion, discovered 60 sacks containing approximately 3,000 litres of illegally refined petroleum products and a drum at Ogbogolo Community in Ahoada West Local Government Area.

The recovered items were handled in accordance with established regulations, according to the operational report.

The latest operations underscore the military’s continued deployment of troops and collaboration with local security networks to disrupt criminal activities, rescue victims and recover suspected proceeds or materials associated with illegal operations.

African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, stirred controversy on Friday after jokingly linking the death of his mother to President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies.

Amaechi made the remark during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, after the presenter asked him directly whether Tinubu’s policies were responsible for his mother’s death.

‘Is it Tinubu’s policy that killed your mother?’ the presenter asked.

Amaechi responded: ‘Of course, before Tinubu, my mother was healthy.’

He later made clear that the remark was a joke rather than a literal claim about the cause of his mother’s death.

The exchange came as Amaechi criticised the economic conditions facing Nigerians and argued that the effects of government policies were being felt across households.

When the presenter challenged him over his own responsibility for his mother’s welfare, Amaechi pushed back, saying he was responsible for supporting several people.

‘Do I have a choice? Do you know how many people I’m taking care of?’ he said.

Amaechi’s mother, Mary Amaechi, died in July 2026 at the age of 89 and was later buried in Ubima, Rivers State.

The former Rivers State governor has intensified his criticism of the Tinubu administration as political activity gathers momentum ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

During the same round of public engagements, Amaechi has argued that economic hardship remains a major issue for voters and has criticised the effects of higher fuel and living costs on ordinary Nigerians.

Amaechi, a former Minister of Transportation, is running alongside ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 election.

He has also repeatedly drawn on his years in public office while presenting himself as experienced in both state and federal government, having served as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, governor and federal minister.

Captain Smit Machchhar, the pilot who was stabbed during a terrifying mid-air struggle aboard a Flydubai passenger jet, has spoken publicly for the first time about the desperate moments inside the cockpit.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Machchhar revealed how he continued fighting despite being injured as the aircraft plunged during an alleged attempt by his co-pilot to take control of the flight.

The captain said he was lying wounded on the cockpit floor but realised he needed to make one final effort to open the cockpit door and allow others into the cabin.

‘I was lying on the floor injured but I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside,’ Machchhar said.

‘Others came in and also played a role.’

He said his immediate concern went beyond saving himself as he feared for the lives of everyone aboard the aircraft.

‘I was of course fighting for my own life but at the same time I knew I was not going to let others die,’ he said.

Machchhar suffered stab wounds during the confrontation with his unidentified co-pilot, who Israeli officials allege deliberately steered the Flydubai jet into a dramatic nosedive.

The aircraft was reported to have been travelling at high speed when the crisis erupted inside the cockpit.

Despite being wounded, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing other people aboard the aircraft to intervene and help bring the situation under control.

The suspected attacker was subsequently restrained and has been questioned by anti-terror investigators.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and the co-pilot’s motive.

Israeli officials have raised concerns that the attack may have been an attempt to deliberately crash the aircraft, although investigators have yet to announce a final conclusion.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Machchhar following the incident and praised his actions during the emergency.

Modi credited the captain’s courage, patience and quick decision-making with potentially saving the lives of those aboard the aircraft.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised Machchhar, describing him as a ‘true hero.’

Netanyahu said the incident could have ended in a major aviation tragedy had the captain and others aboard the aircraft failed to regain control.

Machchhar remains in hospital recovering from injuries sustained during the cockpit struggle, while investigations into the incident continue.

Veteran Nollywood actor, Pete Edochie, has given hints on the state of his health, saying he is not very well.

The actor said he is currently finding it difficult to walk and has been experiencing swelling in different parts of his body.

He made the disclosure while visiting ailing Ghanaian actor Emmanuel Armah in Accra, Ghana, on Thursday.

Edochie, who is in Ghana to launch the Pete Edochie Legacy Project, an initiative celebrating his contribution to African cinema and storytelling, visited Armah at his home.

A video of the visit online showed Edochie praying with Armah and offering him financial support.

Speaking about his own health, the veteran actor said he been experiencing difficulty in walking and swelling in parts of his body.

‘Sitting down here, I am not very well myself. Walking is a problem for me now, but I still have hope that I will recover.

‘Sometimes I wake up and parts of my body have swollen up. After some time, they go down again. My hand is swollen,’ he added.

The veteran actor, however, remained hopeful of recovering despite his current physical challenges, saying he relied on God and prayed not to become a burden to those around him.

‘I just keep asking God, you are the author of life. Whenever you feel it is time for me to go, just take me. Don’t let me bother the people who are around me,’ he said.

Edochie also expressed optimism about Armah’s recovery, saying, ‘Emma, I believe that you will recover someday, by the grace of God’.

The comments have generated concern among fans, with many expressing sympathy and praying for the veteran actor.

Edochie’s visit to Armah comes against the background of the latter prolonged absence from active screen work due to health challenges.

The CANs Park has opened applications for the first cohort of PHER, a free programme that supports women-led micro businesses in Abuja with digital adoption and stronger business and financial practices.

The programme is implemented by The CANs Park under the Digital Transformation Center (DTC) Nigeria programme, which is carried out by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and jointly funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

Women run a significant share of Nigeria’s small businesses, yet many micro-enterprises struggle to grow beyond their first two years due to limited digital adoption, weak financial systems and a lack of support tailored to their sectors. PHER is designed to address this gap by combining expert advice with practical digital skills.

Over the course of the programme, 40 women-led micro businesses across two cohorts in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and Lugbe will receive 10 one-on-one advisory sessions per business: five focused on business operations and five on finance, delivered by industry-specific experts.

Participants will also take part in a hands-on digitalisation workshop and receive digital business tools, support with business registration at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and brand identity support. They will also have access to a peer support network that will continue after the programme ends. Participation is free of charge.

‘Women in Abuja’s markets have already done the hardest part: they have built businesses that serve their communities,’ said Ashley Best, Project Manager of PHER at The CANs Park. ‘PHER is designed around what those businesses need to grow: the right digital tools, sound financial habits and expert advice built around each business, not generic training.’

The programme builds on earlier women-focused initiatives by The CANs Park. Women CAN supported 34 female impact entrepreneurs, while FEM-Money trained 41 female entrepreneurs. PHER held a virtual soft launch on August 27, 2026.

Applicants must be women aged 18 to 35 who own and operate a micro business in AMAC or Lugbe in one of the following sectors: beauty and cosmetics, catering, consumer products or fashion. The business must have been operating for between one and two years.

Applicants are also expected to have a smartphone, basic digital skills and a business page on Instagram, Facebook or WhatsApp.

Applications close on Friday, October 11, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. WAT. Interested entrepreneurs are required to complete the online application form and submit a short business plan of no more than two pages.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The CANs Park said it will not ask applicants for payment at any stage of the process.

The CANs Park was established in 2019 as an innovation support organisation in Abuja. It serves startups, small businesses and entrepreneurs through collaborative workspaces, business incubation, technology solutions, consulting and community-driven support.

Media contact:

Jennifer Ijeh

Communications Manager, The CANs Park

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has appointed a veteran journalist, Amos Dunia, as Special Adviser on Public Affairs for his 2027 campaign.

Makinde, the presidential candidate of Allied People’s Movement (APM), disclosed this in a statement in Abuja by Richard Ihediwa, Director, Strategic Communications for the Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation.

‘Dunia, a former Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) chieftain brings decades of extensive print and broadcast media experience from prominent outlets, including the Nigerian

Television Authority (NTA) and The Sun, to strengthen the Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation’s communications team.

‘The appointment took immediate effect as the campaign pushed its ‘Reset Nigeria’ message ahead of the upcoming election.

‘As a key spokesperson, Dunia would help drive the campaign’s central ‘Reset Nigeria’ message, working alongside other media professionals to secure victory for the party in the upcoming 2027 presidential election.’

According to him, Dunia brings his experience, capacity, skills and connections as a seasoned journalist, public commentator, communication expert and publisher to the Makinde-Daura presidential campaign organisation.

‘As a spokesperson, Dunia joins other professionals in the campaign in driving the Makinde-Daura reset Nigeria message towards ensuring the victory of the APM in the 2027 presidential election,’ he said.

He said following the announcement, Makinde urged all campaign members, party leaders, supporters, and citizens across the nation to remain steadfast in achieving economic prosperity, national cohesion, and political stability together.

‘I charge all members of the Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign, leaders, teeming members, supporters of the APM and indeed all Nigerians to remain steadfast in the collective quest to use the 2027 Presidential election to reset and put our nation back on the path of stability, national cohesion and economic prosperity,’ the campaign organisation stated.

Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarret Tenebe, has come under fire over comments in which he invoked ‘AK-47’ against opposition parties ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

In a viral video circulating on social media, Tenebe was seen speaking at one of the ongoing local government campaigns led by Governor Monday Okpebholo and the party leadership.

He threatened to deal with anyone who opposes the party’s plan to deliver 2.5 million votes to President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

According to him, the number of votes a state delivers to the Federal Government can influence its development, including the creation of more local government areas and states.

Tenebe claimed Governor Okpebholo had promised President Tinubu 2.5 million votes from Edo, a pledge which opposition figures and social media critics had dismissed as unrealistic.

He said the governor had previously proved critics wrong by mobilising over 2.1 million votes for the APC during the last local government elections in the state.

‘What we are trying to achieve now is the 2.5 million votes. Delivering the votes is crucial to securing more development opportunities for Edo State,’ he said.

‘The only person that can create a local government for us is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. If it is that alone, we will not sleep. We will work hard and make sure those votes are turned out,’ Tenebe added.

In the video, the APC chairman then offered what he called a ‘reversal prayer’ against those who would constitute an obstacle to achieving the target.

‘If you invoke Holy Ghost Fire it is heavier, but if you invoke General Purpose Machine Gun prayer it is lighter,’ he said.

‘So, as for anybody who refuses and wants to stand in our way, for us not to have those votes that we intend to give to Mr President – AK-47 fire. Thank you and God bless,’ he prayed.

However, critics have described Tenebe’s ‘AK-47 fire’ prayer as threats, voter intimidation, and potential incitement to electoral violence ahead of the 2027 elections.

For one, the Edo chapter of African Democratic Congress (ADC) accused Tenebe inciting election violence ahead of the election with his prayer.

Edo ADC spokesperson, Chris Ojeikere said this in a statement while alleging that similar remarks by Tenebe led to an attack on the the party’s secretariat.

Ojeikere added that the party would forward the video to appropriate authorities for action.

He also said Tenebe should to be held responsible for any resulting violence in the state.

Commentators on the X platform also called on the police and the Department of State Services, DSS to take action against Tenebe over the unusual prayer.