Category: The Nation – Nigeria

The Rivers State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has inaugurated 600-member Governorship Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general election in the state.

The party said it would embark on a non-violent issue-based campaign to mobilise voters across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State promising to promote inclusive governance and respect for the independence of the executive legislature and judiciary.

The Chairman of the ADC Governorship Campaign Council Senator Andrew Uchendu spoke on Monday in Port Harcourt during the inauguration of the 600-member council.

Uchendu who described the state as being held back by political conflicts among its elite alleged that the ongoing political crisis had undermined governance and deprived residents of essential public services.

He said: ‘While Godfathers wage private wars of ego in Abuja and Port Harcourt governance in Rivers State has been completely abandoned. An elected government has been decapitated by legislative rascality. Healthcare has collapsed.

‘Hospital built by previous administrations have been left to rot leaving ordinary mothers and infants without access to basic medicine. Schools are abandoned. Our children sit on the floor.

‘While neighboring states build for the future our state is paralyzed by executive/legislative drama and godfatherism. Our state is rich but our people are poor. We produce oil that feeds the nation but we have no light no good roads no clean water.

According to him the party’s objective is to restore stability rebuild public institutions and ensure that elected officials discharge their constitutional responsibilities in the interest of the people.

‘That is why ADC is here. We want a state where the legislature will do their work the executive will do their work the judiciary will do their work. On behalf of the people not on behalf of themselves’ Uchendu said.

He added: ‘Our task is clear. We must rescue what we have before that has been lost. We must recover and rebuild our state for ourselves and our children yet more. And take it to where we believe it should be. Our task is very clear. Take our rescue message to all the 23 local government areas of River State.

‘Run an issue-based campaign. Non-violent campaign. Unite all tribes. We are one people. We will need to unite our people and fight as a common front. And therefore run a government that is fair inclusive.’

Uchendu said the party would focus on issues affecting residents rather than violence or divisive political rhetoric adding that every vote in the forthcoming election must count.

He also called on members of the campaign council to take the party’s message to communities across the state and mobilise support around its proposed governance agenda.

Earlier the Rivers State ADC Chairman Dr Chukwudi Dimkpa formally inaugurated the campaign council and charged its members to discharge their responsibilities with diligence discipline and a strong sense of accountability.

Dimkpa said the council comprised its leadership directorates departments and other members adding that its activities must comply with the party’s constitution approved terms of reference and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He said: ‘Having duly presented the leadership directorates departments and membership of the River States 2027 Governorship Campaign Council and acting in my capacity as the state chairman of the ADC River States I hereby formally inaugurate the campaign council.

‘I charge every member to discharge his or her responsibilities faithfully diligently and in accordance with the constitution of our party the approved terms of reference and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’

The party chairman formally handed over responsibility for coordinating and executing the ADC’s governorship campaign in Rivers State to the council under the leadership of Uchendu as chairman and Chimbiko Akarolo as Director-General.

He however stated that the council would operate under the overall authority and policy direction of the state party leadership.

Dimkpa said: ‘I now formally hand over the responsibility for the coordination and execution of our governorship campaign to the campaign council under the leadership of distinguished Senator Andrew Uchendu as chairman and Honorable Chimbiko Akarolo as Director-General subject to the overall authority and policy direction of the state party leadership.

‘I expect this council to operate as one united disciplined and result-oriented team. By this declaration the River States ADC 2027 Campaign Council is hereby formally inaugurated.’

The Yayi Progressives Movement (YPM) has announced plans to mobilise about 30000 members for its Ogun-East Mega Rally scheduled for Wednesday October 28 2026 at the Otunba Dipo Dina Stadium Ijebu-Ode Ogun State.

YPM said the event would demonstrate the organisation’s strength and mobilisation capacity while reaffirming its support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking in Abeokuta during a press conference unveiling activities lined up for the rally Co-Convener and Director-General of the movement Rt. Hon. Kehinde Odeneye said YPM currently has over 90600 documented members across Ogun State adding that about 30000 members are expected to participate in the Ogun-East rally.

According to him the rally would mark the beginning of a wider mobilisation exercise that would subsequently move to the Ogun Central and Ogun West Senatorial Districts.

He said ‘We have deliberately chosen Ogun-East as the starting point of this campaign to demonstrate our organisational strength unity and readiness to support our party and its candidates.’

He noted that the movement would use the rally to mobilise support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Governor Dapo Abiodun the APC candidate for the Ogun-East Senatorial District Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola popularly known as Yayi and other APC candidates contesting legislative seats in the district.

Odeneye added that the rally would also feature the inauguration of specialised structures including the YPM Artisans Ambassadors Students’ Wing Youth Wing and Women’s Wing.

He explained that the structures were designed to deepen grassroots participation and ensure that different segments of society were effectively integrated into the movement.

The YPM Director-General said the movement had continued to strengthen its grassroots network through constituency coordinators polling-unit canvassers and other organised groups across the state.

He said participants would embark on a solidarity trek from Mobalufon to the Otunba Dipo Dina Stadium at 7:00 a.m. while the main rally would begin at 11:00 a.m.

According to him the event would feature performances by Fuji musicians King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal popularly known as K1 De Ultimate and Alhaji Wasiu Alabi Pasuma while comedian and compere Gbenga Adeyinka would anchor the programme.

Odeneye assured participants and residents of adequate security arrangements saying the Nigeria Police Force Department of State Services Ogun State Amotekun Corps Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other relevant agencies would be involved in security and traffic management.

Meanwhile the President of the Artisan Association of Nigeria Ogun State Comrade Anthony Ayodele disclosed that the rally would inaugurate 1180 YPM Artisans Ambassadors and Grassroots Mobilisers.

Ayodele said the initiative aimed to strengthen YPM’s grassroots structures across communities wards and local government areas.

He said the ambassadors and mobilisers would bridge the movement and the people by engaging residents communicating its programmes listening to community concerns and encouraging peaceful participation in the democratic process.

The artisan leader stressed the importance of artisans to economic development employment generation and skills acquisition saying the initiative would give artisans greater representation and visibility in the political process.

He called on artisans community leaders youths women students market associations party members and other stakeholders to participate in the rally.

Ayodele urged participants to maintain peace respect public facilities obey traffic and safety regulations and cooperate with security personnel and event officials.

The organisers said the mega rally would strengthen cooperation among YPM structures and reaffirm the movement’s commitment to peaceful and democratic participation ahead of the 2027 elections.

The rally will be held at the Otunba Dipo Dina Stadium Ijebu-Ode on Wednesday October 28 with the solidarity trek from Mobalufon commencing at 7:00 a.m.

The Federal Government has proposed a national economic policy framework to ensure consistent economic decision-making across successive administrations reduce uncertainty for businesses and investors and make job creation rising incomes and poverty reduction the main measures of economic progress.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Mr Taiwo Oyedele said the proposed Nigeria Economic Policy Framework would establish lasting principles for economic policymaking replacing frequent policy changes and ad hoc decisions with a more predictable system of governance.

Speaking at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit Oyedele said Nigeria has produced numerous economic blueprints development plans and reform programmes over the past four decades without achieving the prosperity expected from such efforts.

He attributed the problem not to a lack of ideas or ambition but to the failure to maintain a consistent economic direction and implement policies with discipline.

‘Our challenge has never been a shortage of ambition or good ideas. It has been the absence of an enduring economic philosophy consistent policymaking and disciplined implementation’ he said.

He said progress made through one reform is often undermined by another policy and successive administrations frequently shift the country’s economic direction.

The minister said the proposed framework aimed to address this problem by establishing principles to guide economic decisions regardless of changes in political leadership.

He explained that the document was not a conventional development plan or a list of government projects but a national economic doctrine that would define how Nigeria makes economic decisions and measures their impact.

‘Governments will come governments will go but Nigeria’s economic horizon must outlive every electoral calendar’ Oyedele said.

He said the Federal Government is seeking to build a productive competitive diversified and inclusive economy capable of creating quality jobs increasing household incomes and delivering shared prosperity.

Under the proposal economic performance would be assessed not only by growth in gross domestic product (GDP) but also by improvements in the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians.

Oyedele said a graduate securing productive employment a farmer increasing output while reducing post-harvest losses and a small business expanding without being overwhelmed by multiple taxes and arbitrary regulations were examples of the outcomes the country should pursue.

‘GDP growth matters but per capita income matters even more’ he said adding that actual investment in productive capacity was more important than announcements of investment commitments that might not translate into economic activity.

The minister’s proposal comes as the Federal Government seeks to establish a more predictable policy environment in which businesses can plan investments expand operations and create jobs with greater confidence.

He identified uncertainty around government policies as a major obstacle to investment and economic growth warning that frequent regulatory changes could impose substantial costs on businesses.

Oyedele said regulators sometimes introduced major policies without sufficient evidence proper assessment of their likely effects or meaningful consultation with the businesses expected to comply.

He also criticised the practice of announcing rules for immediate implementation without giving affected companies enough time to adjust their operations.

According to him policies driven by personal preferences and anecdotal impressions rather than credible data make it difficult for businesses to plan for the future.

‘Policy uncertainty is an invisible tax on enterprise and unlike most taxes it generates no revenue for government. It only destroys value and discourages investment’ he said.

He explained that unpredictable policies could make investors hesitant increase the cost of capital reduce business opportunities and prevent job creation.

To address these concerns the proposed framework would require policy impact assessments before major economic interventions.

Oyedele said significant measures including tax adjustments tariff changes regulatory restrictions and incentives should be supported by documented evidence showing the problems they are intended to solve and their likely consequences.

Policymakers would be expected to explain the evidence behind a proposed measure identify who would benefit and who would bear the cost and specify the conditions under which the policy would expire.

The minister said this approach aimed to replace arbitrary decision-making with transparent predictable governance.

The proposal could have significant implications for businesses across different sectors particularly manufacturers and other investors whose decisions depend on the stability of tax rules trade policies regulations and government incentives.

Oyedele also called for greater coordination among ministries departments and agencies arguing that businesses experience the combined effect of government policies rather than the actions of individual institutions in isolation.

He said every government institution should consider how its decisions affect the overall economy instead of concentrating solely on its own responsibilities or expanding its bureaucratic requirements.

According to him the framework would promote a whole-of-government approach that coordinates economic policies to improve national productivity and competitiveness.

Another major proposal is to introduce an annual National Economic Scorecard to measure the country’s economic performance against outcomes that directly affect Nigerians.

Oyedele said the scorecard would be published every year on or before Independence Day October 1 to publicly assess whether real wages were increasing productive jobs were being created and poverty was declining.

He said the purpose was to make economic performance more transparent and strengthen accountability for the results of government policies.

‘What gets publicly measured cannot be quietly ignored’ the minister said.

The proposed scorecard would focus more on the effects of economic policies on households and businesses rather than relying solely on aggregate economic indicators.

Oyedele said the framework would organise the country’s economic priorities around seven interconnected systems: stability productivity enterprise capital people markets and institutions.

He explained that one area’s performance depended on the strength of the others noting that Nigeria could not build competitive industries without adequate infrastructure and efficient logistics.

He also said sustained economic growth would require substantial investment in education healthcare and human capital.

The minister identified private enterprise as the principal driver of production investment and employment under the proposed economic doctrine.

He said government’s role should include providing public goods maintaining the rule of law correcting genuine market failures and protecting vulnerable people.

On industrial policy Oyedele said the government could support local industries but should not allow protective measures to become permanent shelters for inefficient businesses.

‘A tariff must serve as a runway for local industry to take off never a permanent shelter from competition’ he said.

The proposed approach suggests that trade protection should help domestic industries develop the capacity to compete rather than shield them indefinitely from market pressures.

Oyedele said the framework would also guide decisions on taxation investment subsidies and other economic interventions to ensure that policies in one area did not undermine progress in another.

He argued that the ultimate objective was to create an economy in which businesses could expand workers could earn better incomes and economic growth could generate wider benefits for the population.

The minister however stressed that the proposed framework had not yet been adopted as government policy and was being presented for public consultation.

He said the consultation would remain open until November 27 2026 with Nigerians invited to examine the document and respond to 17 core questions through the Ministry of Finance’s website finance.gov.ng.

He called on the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) private-sector organisations and other stakeholders to scrutinise the proposals offer alternative views and provide evidence to improve the document.

Following the consultation and validation process the framework is expected to proceed to the Federal Executive Council for approval and the National Economic Council for endorsement according to the minister.

Oyedele said the government wanted the framework to emerge from a broad national consensus rather than be imposed without adequate consultation.

He argued that policies should be developed with the participation of those affected implemented transparently and corrected when evidence shows that changes are necessary.

He warned that even well-intentioned reforms could produce poor results if they lacked consistent principles and effective implementation.

The minister also suggested that national agreement on economic policy could change the nature of political debate with parties focusing more on implementing an agreed economic direction than on presenting competing policy manifestos.

He said Nigeria’s long-term prosperity would depend on its ability to make sound decisions and sustain them across generations.

‘Nigeria has the talent. We have the enterprise. What we must now build together is policy certainty’ he said.

Oyedele urged summit participants and other stakeholders to support the consultation process describing the proposed framework as an opportunity to replace unpredictable economic decisions with a lasting national agreement on how to manage the economy.

He said the initiative’s success would depend on Nigerians’ willingness to contribute evidence challenge proposals where necessary and support policies that deliver lasting economic benefits.

Spain’s head coach Luis De La Fuentes has won the men’s coach of the year award in the 2026 Ballon d’or ceremony.

Fuentes led Spain to the World Cup title earlier this year after beating Argentina in the final.

He won the award over four of the game’s biggest names to land the prize: Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain) Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) Unai Emery (Aston Villa) and Vincent Kompany (Bayern Munich).

Spain were fantastic in the 2026 World Cup and it was down to De La Fuentes’ man management and tactics.

Anambra State Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has challenged Nigeria to raise its annual economic growth to at least nine per cent warning that the current pace of expansion is insufficient to lift millions of people out of poverty and provide jobs for the country’s growing population.

He said Nigeria would need to achieve growth of about 12 per cent annually to build a $1 trillion economy by 2030 or 2040 depending on the timeframe pursued arguing that the country must invest far more in productive activities to reach that ambition.

Soludo spoke at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja where government officials and business leaders met to discuss how economic growth could generate jobs improve productivity and raise living standards.

Nigeria’s economy has continued to expand but growth of about four per cent remains below the pace Soludo considers necessary to make a substantial difference to poverty and employment. He said the country must move beyond modest expansion and create the conditions for faster investment-driven growth.

The governor identified low investment as one of the major obstacles to achieving that objective. With investment estimated at between 17 and 20 per cent of economic output he said Nigeria needed to commit substantially more resources to productive assets if businesses were to expand and generate jobs on the scale required.

For Soludo the challenge is not simply to spend more money but to ensure that available funds produce economic value. He cautioned that large government budgets could give a misleading impression of the resources available to meet the country’s enormous development needs.

He argued that the combined spending of the Federal Government state governments and local councils amounted to less than one dollar per person daily when spread across Nigeria’s population.

The implication he said is that public resources must be used more carefully while national savings should be directed towards investments capable of increasing production supporting businesses and creating employment.

Soludo also called for closer cooperation among the three tiers of government. Since a significant share of public expenditure occurs at the state and local government levels he said development efforts would achieve more if policies and spending plans were coordinated rather than pursued separately.

He pointed to Anambra’s education programme as an example of the social gains that can follow targeted public intervention. The state provides free education from kindergarten to secondary school a policy he said had helped reduce its out-of-school children rate from 2.5 per cent to 0.25 per cent.

The governor also cited a report by Oxford and the United Nations Development Programme which according to him put Anambra’s multidimensional poverty rate at 9.6 per cent.

He used these figures to argue that people should judge economic and social policies by the improvements they deliver not merely by the amount of money allocated to them.

Soludo said reducing food prices would require changes to how agricultural produce is stored transported and delivered to consumers.

He estimated that Nigeria loses about 43 per cent of agricultural output after harvest leaving farmers unable to sell a substantial portion of what they produce and reducing the volume of food available in markets.

He called for investment in storage facilities transport and distribution networks to help preserve farm produce and move it efficiently to urban centres. He argued that reducing these losses would increase the quantity of food reaching consumers and help ease price pressures.

The governor also urged policymakers to support exports encourage local processing and strengthen domestic supply chains. He said Nigeria should direct investment towards sectors where it has competitive strengths allowing businesses to produce more goods locally and compete in foreign markets.

He maintained that private businesses would have to play a larger role in expanding productive capacity adding that sustained investment was essential to creating jobs that could support households over the long term.

Soludo said annual growth of between seven and nine per cent or more was necessary to make meaningful progress against poverty. His call for a higher investment rate reflects the scale of the task facing policymakers as they seek to increase output while improving the distribution of economic opportunities.

At the same summit the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Senator Abubakar Bagudu defended the Tinubu administration’s economic reform programme saying the government would not abandon its current direction despite the hardship still facing many Nigerians.

His position comes as opposition politicians including African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar have promised to restore the petrol subsidy to reduce the cost of living.

Bagudu argued that bringing back the subsidy would reverse the government’s efforts to correct longstanding economic problems. He said the administration intended to retain the reforms while making changes where necessary to improve their effects on households and businesses. ‘For those of us serving under the President and Vice President the instruction has been clear: we must stay the course’ he said.

The minister said continuing with the reforms did not mean ignoring the difficulties Nigerians face. Instead he said the government needed to improve how it carried out its policies and ensure economic progress translated into better opportunities and living conditions.

He was particularly firm on the question of petrol subsidy saying the administration had no intention of returning to the previous arrangement. ‘There will be no return to the fuel subsidy and the economic distortions associated with the previous system’ Bagudu said.

He recalled that the President had raised the question of sustaining the reforms at a National Economic Council meeting in October 2025 where discussions included differing views on the changes and the need to establish a framework for their continuation

Bagudu said the government remained open to adjustments that respond to changing economic conditions provided they improved implementation rather than reversed the reform programme.

He said the next phase must focus on expanding productive activities and ensuring that the economy’s performance creates more jobs improves business conditions and benefits a wider section of the population.

The administration intends to support agriculture manufacturing infrastructure digital technology and human capital as part of its strategy for more inclusive growth.

Bagudu said the Renewed Hope Agenda was designed to address structural weaknesses that had limited investment and economic activity for years. He said the government’s objective was to build an economy that could withstand shocks while creating more opportunities for citizens.

The minister also pointed to increased revenue for the Federal Government states and local governments as well as improvements in key economic indicators.

He said the additional funds available to state and local authorities could support infrastructure development and improve public services but stressed that cooperation across the three levels of government would be important to achieving these results.

Russia has pledged to deepen its economic partnership with African countries through increased investment technology transfer and capacity building in strategic sectors including energy agriculture artificial intelligence (AI) food security and digital infrastructure. The Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian Presidential Executive Office Dr Maxim Oreshkin made the commitment at the Russia-Africa Forum Partners Hub meeting in Moscow ahead of the third Russia-Africa Summit scheduled for October 28 and 29.

Oreshkin said Moscow was seeking long-term partnerships to strengthen African economies promote national sovereignty develop local industries and unlock the continent’s economic potential through mutually beneficial projects. He explained that Russia’s proposed cooperation would extend beyond infrastructure construction to include workforce development local manufacturing knowledge transfer and greater participation by African companies in strategic investments.

According to him sustainable economic partnerships must reflect the priorities cultural realities and development aspirations of participating countries rather than rely on externally imposed solutions. He maintained that this approach would enable African countries to build productive capacity strengthen technological expertise and gain greater economic benefits from their natural and human resources. Oreshkin said Russia remained committed to expanding trade and investment relations with Africa despite the challenges arising from Western sanctions against Moscow.

He identified Africa and South Asia as key regions in Russia’s efforts to diversify its international economic relationships expressing confidence that stronger cooperation could open new markets attract investment and help solve shared development challenges. On energy development Oreshkin described access to affordable reliable electricity as fundamental to industrialisation digital transformation and improved living standards. ‘Affordable and reliable energy are the foundation of industrialisation digitisation and a higher quality of life which Russia has’ he said.

He said Russia was prepared to work with African governments and relevant institutions to develop long-term energy strategies tailored to their resources infrastructure and growing electricity demand. He explained that the proposed partnerships would cover conventional energy sources liquefied natural gas hydropower renewable energy and nuclear power with an emphasis on building local expertise and supporting domestic industries.

Oreshkin stressed that energy cooperation should not be limited to delivering standalone infrastructure projects but should also strengthen national institutions develop skilled personnel and create opportunities for local companies. He cited Russia’s involvement in Egypt’s nuclear power development valued at approximately $25 billion as an example of an investment model that includes infrastructure construction workforce training scientific research and related industries including nuclear medicine.

Highlighting Africa’s persistent electricity deficit he noted that about 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa still lacked access to electricity. He said addressing the challenge would require sustained investment in generation transmission and distribution infrastructure to support industrial development economic growth and access to essential services. Turning to agriculture and food security Oreshkin advocated comprehensive cooperation to increase agricultural productivity improve fisheries and livestock production and strengthen logistics and supply chains.

He said Russia was willing to share agricultural technologies and expertise in crop cultivation livestock management and the application of mineral fertilisers to help African countries increase domestic food production. He added that Russian businesses were also interested in investing in Africa’s agricultural sector through joint ventures and partnerships that would support local production processing and international trade. Beyond helping African countries increase production Oreshkin identified significant opportunities for expanding agricultural exports to the Russian market. He listed fruits nuts vegetables coffee cocoa tea spices vegetable oils oilseeds fish and seafood among products African countries could supply to Russia.

Citing figures from his address he said Russia’s food imports were valued at about $43 billion in 2025 with African countries accounting for about eight per cent of the market. He said the relatively small share indicated opportunities for African producers to increase their presence through improved productivity stronger supply chains and investment partnerships with Russian companies. Oreshkin maintained that Russia was prepared to support balanced agricultural trade arrangements that would provide greater market access for African products while strengthening food security and domestic agricultural industries.

He also identified effective water-resource management as a key component of agricultural development saying Russian technologies could help African countries identify water resources monitor water quality and improve their use for farming and other productive activities. On artificial intelligence and digital technology the Russian official called for partnerships that would enable African countries to develop technological solutions that reflect their languages cultures and historical experiences.

He cited Yandex a Russian technology company and its AI assistant Alice as examples of locally adapted digital technologies capable of responding to specific linguistic and cultural needs. He said similar innovations could be developed across Africa through collaboration among domestic technology companies universities researchers and other specialists. Oreshkin also emphasised digital sovereignty arguing that African countries should strengthen their capacity to manage national data information systems and digital platforms. He warned that excessive reliance on foreign-owned technological platforms could expose countries to economic vulnerabilities including the transfer of valuable data and digital revenues beyond their jurisdictions.

He said Russia was willing to collaborate with African partners to develop domestic digital capabilities improve cybersecurity and train professionals equipped to manage emerging technologies. The Russian official reiterated that knowledge transfer local participation and developing skilled personnel should remain central to cooperation across sectors. However African participants at the meeting stressed that the success of the proposed partnerships would depend largely on their ability to deliver practical benefits particularly in education youth development and institutional capacity building.

Speaking during the discussions the Chancellor of the University of Limpopo and former Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma urged Russia to place greater emphasis on developing the skills and capabilities of Africa’s young population. She said youth empowerment and capacity building were essential to preparing the continent’s future workforce to participate meaningfully in economic transformation and emerging industries. Dlamini-Zuma maintained that Africa could realise its development ambitions only if young people had relevant knowledge technical expertise and opportunities to contribute to productive economic activities. She therefore called for stronger educational and professional development programmes within the proposed Russia-Africa cooperation framework.

Similarly Kaduna University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Abdullahi Musa called for a clear action plan to translate commitments into measurable development outcomes. Musa argued that education must be central to the partnership particularly to advance cooperation in agriculture artificial intelligence human rights and security. ‘If we are to move forward in terms of agriculture artificial intelligence human rights and security you have to prioritise education’ he said.

He expressed concern that the proposed areas of cooperation did not sufficiently address the role of universities and other educational institutions in driving research innovation and skills development. ‘You have not mentioned the role of education and the part universities can play in line with global development plan’ he added. Musa stressed that meaningful technological cooperation would require sustained collaboration among universities research institutions industries and governments to build the expertise needed to implement agreed projects. He maintained that educational institutions should be directly involved in designing and executing programmes relating to agriculture digital technology security and other development priorities.

The meeting also featured a panel discussion on developing cooperation in the modern era with participants examining new platforms and approaches for strengthening economic and institutional relationships between Russia and African countries. Discussions centred on expanding investment opportunities promoting technology transfer strengthening institutional collaboration and developing practical mechanisms to implement proposed agreements.

While Russia outlined opportunities for deeper engagement across key sectors African participants stressed the need to ensure these partnerships move beyond diplomatic declarations and deliver measurable economic and social benefits. As the third Russia-Africa Summit approaches attention is expected to focus on whether the proposed cooperation can produce concrete investment commitments and strengthen local productive capacity and create sustainable opportunities for Africa’s growing population. The broader challenge for both sides will be to establish partnerships that not only expand trade and investment but also strengthen African institutions develop domestic expertise and support long-term economic transformation.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday declared that his administration is steadily rewriting Nigeria’s decades-long history of economic underperformance insisting that the difficult reforms undertaken since he assumed office are beginning to yield results in economic growth investment inflows manufacturing and diversification.

The President said his administration had begun the difficult task of dismantling longstanding structural barriers that prevented Nigeria from realising its enormous economic potential stressing that the reforms were restoring investor confidence strengthening the country’s economic foundations and creating opportunities for sustainable growth productive employment and shared prosperity.

Speaking at the opening of the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja where he was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima Tinubu maintained that the administration’s decision to undertake far-reaching economic reforms was informed by the understanding that Nigeria could not achieve sustainable prosperity without first addressing the structural weaknesses that had constrained its development for decades.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications Office of the Vice President Stanley Nkwocha Tinubu acknowledged that the reforms began with difficult decisions but insisted that there was no shortcut to economic recovery explaining that stabilising the economy was a necessary foundation for creating jobs attracting investment and improving the livelihoods of Nigerians.

‘Distinguished ladies and gentlemen we came to rewrite the story of a nation that has performed below its potential for far too long. But there is no shortcut to economic growth. This is why we began with a difficult reset. For us rescuing the economy means rescuing livelihoods and transforming the fortunes of young jobseekers farmers manufacturers entrepreneurs and innovators.

‘We cannot harness the immense opportunities offered by our growing population without first stabilising the economy. We must also create the conditions for the public and private sectors to invest expand and generate productive employment’ he said.

The President noted that the summit’s theme ‘Growth That Works: Delivering Jobs Productivity and Shared Prosperity’ reflected his administration’s determination to translate economic reforms into tangible improvements in the living conditions of Nigerians.

According to him the government had initiated reforms to remove structural impediments that had prevented the country’s abundant human and natural resources from producing commensurate economic prosperity.

‘These reforms are restoring confidence strengthening our economic foundations and laying the groundwork for sustainable growth’ Tinubu declared.

Assessing the administration’s economic performance the President cited figures from the National Bureau of Statistics showing that Nigeria’s inflation-adjusted Gross Domestic Product grew by 3.89 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 up from 3.13 per cent in the corresponding period of 2025.

He said the non-oil sector accounted for 96.08 per cent of GDP during the period while manufacturing expanded by 3.29 per cent and the oil sector recorded 2.57 per cent growth describing the figures as evidence of progress in the administration’s economic recovery and diversification efforts.

Tinubu also disclosed that capital importation into Nigeria rose significantly to $10.37 billion in the first quarter of 2026 up 83.83 per cent from the same period last year.

He said the inflows comprising portfolio investments and foreign direct investment demonstrated renewed confidence in the Nigerian economy and the government’s policy direction.

‘In the first quarter of 2026 our capital importation reached $10.37 billion an increase of 83.83% over the corresponding period in 2025. This comprised both portfolio and foreign direct investment. We will therefore continue to ease regulatory burdens strengthen transparency and policy predictability and expand access to finance’ he said.

The President however cautioned that the administration’s economic programme must ultimately be measured beyond favourable economic statistics stressing that growth must translate into better jobs increased productivity and improved living standards.

He observed that creating employment opportunities was only part of the challenge noting that Nigeria must also improve job quality reduce underemployment and fully harness the potential of its largely underutilised workforce.

‘Our pursuit of prosperity demands greater productivity from every worker enterprise and investment. We must judge infrastructure by the economic activity it generates and education by the skills and productivity it delivers.

‘We must judge industrial policy by the competitiveness of our firms and investment incentives by the capital technology exports and jobs they attract’ he stated.

Tinubu explained that the administration’s tax reforms were designed to establish a modern equitable and predictable system that can finance development while giving businesses the certainty needed for long-term investment.

He said the same policy discipline was guiding interventions in critical sectors including electricity agriculture energy and solid minerals.

In the electricity sector the President said the government was restructuring the market to improve power supply and attract investment across generation transmission distribution and alternative energy.

On agriculture he said efforts were intensifying to connect farms with storage facilities processing centres and markets while expanding irrigation mechanisation agricultural financing and rural infrastructure.

He added that the administration was equally determined to transform the solid minerals sector from its traditional dependence on raw material extraction into a competitive industry driven by domestic processing manufacturing and exports.

Tinubu acknowledged that considerable work remained despite the progress recorded expressing confidence that young Nigerians’ creativity and global competitiveness in technology financial services and the creative industries could be harnessed to accelerate national development.

Speaking at the summit United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Amina Mohammed acknowledged the gains recorded under the administration’s economic reforms but urged the government to consolidate and stabilise the progress while effectively managing public expectations.

She also commended the African Development Bank for its emerging development financing architecture particularly its emphasis on programmes capable of producing measurable development outcomes across the continent.

In his presentation the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Dr. Taiwo Oyedele unveiled the proposed Nigerian Economic Policy Framework describing it as a national economic doctrine intended to guide economic decision-making and establish credible standards for measuring progress.

Oyedele invited members of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and other private sector experts to rigorously scrutinise the proposed framework using facts and evidence to strengthen its provisions.

He identified enterprise development open but fair markets and whole-of-government policy coherence as guiding principles while listing economic stability human capital development and productivity among its major priorities.

Earlier the Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group Mr. Olaniyi Yusuf commended the Federal Government’s efforts to improve the business environment noting that the administration’s reforms had fundamentally altered important aspects of the country’s economic structure.

He argued that the priority should now be to stabilise and consolidate the reforms rather than reverse them challenging participants to develop practical solutions that would translate policy consensus into employment creation higher productivity and shared prosperity.

Also speaking BUA Group Chairman and Founder Abdul Samad Rabiu praised Tinubu’s economic reforms saying they were beginning to resolve longstanding difficulties businesses in Nigeria face.

While acknowledging the economic hardship ordinary Nigerians face Rabiu highlighted improvements in access to foreign exchange which he said have brought greater predictability to business operations.

‘For many years one of the greatest challenges facing businesses was access to foreign exchange. You could have all the naira but be unable to obtain the foreign exchange needed to buy raw materials and machinery’ he recalled.

The summit attracted prominent government officials development partners and private sector leaders including Governors Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Senator Abubakar Bagudu; Minister of Industry Trade and Investment Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Livestock Development Idi Mukhtar Maiha; and Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite.

The 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit focuses on practical strategies to translate economic growth and policy reforms into productive employment greater national competitiveness and shared prosperity for Nigerians.

Actress and filmmaker Wumi Toriola has urged schools and parents to take extra precautions amid the intense heat currently experienced in parts of the country.

Toriola made the call in a post shared via her Instagram page on Monday.

The actress speaking as a concerned mother appealed to schools to put measures in place to protect pupils from the harsh weather.

She also advised parents to increase the amount of water in their children’s water bottles and to remind them to stay hydrated and dress lightly.

She wrote: ‘As a concerned mother I appeal to our schools to take extra precautions during this period of intense heat.

‘And parents increase their water bottles add extra water remind them to hydrate well and dress light.

‘Just a reminder as we enter a new week.’

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has urged African nations to aggressively prioritise investment in research-intensive universities science and technology to unlock sustainable economic growth and achieve true economic sovereignty across the continent.

?Speaking on Sunday during the closing panel of the 12th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa held in Bahir Dar Ethiopia Jonathan warned that Africa can no longer afford to remain a passive consumer of foreign technologies. Instead he argued the continent must position itself as an active producer and exporter of knowledge and innovation.

?Addressing African leaders policymakers and international stakeholders the former president stressed that the continent’s ability to create productive jobs for its rapidly growing youth population hinges on its capacity to translate academic research into viable industrial and commercial ventures.

?Jonathan described research-intensive universities as critical engines of national development highlighting their pivotal role in generating knowledge conducting scientific research and training advanced skills

?’Africa’s transformation and economic sovereignty must be built on African knowledge driven by African ingenuity and sustained by African enterprise’ Jonathan declared during the panel discussion.

?He pointed to Asian and global economic success stories-specifically India Singapore and South Korea-as clear evidence that sustained state investment in scientific and technological infrastructure can transform developing economies into global industrial powerhouses.

?He said African governments must learn from these nations by channelling dedicated funding into science engineering digital technologies and applied research.

He advocated for a stronger formalised synergy between universities government agencies and the private sector.

?He noted that closer ties between higher institutions and industry would ensure research findings directly yield homegrown solutions spur new commercial enterprises and generate employment opportunities tailored to Africa’s unique socio-economic challenges.

?Highlighting the continent’s demographic advantage Jonathan emphasised that Africa’s large youth population is its most valuable resource for long-term transformation. However he cautioned that this potential can only be realised if governments deliberately create the enabling environment for young people to acquire advanced technical skills and pursue entrepreneurial innovation.

?He called on leaders to equip the younger generation with the tools needed not only to participate in the evolving global economy but to influence its direction actively

?The Tana High-Level Forum is an annual platform that brings together African heads of state experts and civil society leaders to address pressing security governance and development challenges facing the continent. Jonathan’s submission firmly placed educational reform and scientific sovereignty at the heart of Africa’s security and economic agenda.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will release the final voter register to political parties on December 15 it was learnt yesterday.

A source said the commission had begun cleaning up the register following feedback from members of the public.

INEC displayed the register at Registration Area Centres (RACs) across the country 92 days before next year’s election in accordance with the Electoral Act.

The law stipulates that the register must be displayed not later than 90 days before the election.

The source said: ‘INEC had pasted the register for claims and objections.’

The source added that the feedback had been substantial.

The source said: ‘The voter register was pasted at the Registration Area Centres for people to check for discrepancies make comments and identify dead voters those who have relocated and possibly detect those who may be underage voters.

‘It was done for seven days. The discrepancies also involved minor mistakes such as those who are male but were recorded as female.

‘INEC conducted its findings made corrections and expunged the names that should not be there.’

The source said some people had continued to complain about the method used to display the register.

While some expected the register to be published on INEC’s website the commission displayed it at the RACs.

The source clarified that ‘not posting it on the INEC website does not invalidate what we have done’.

The source added: ‘Nigerians want perfection. There is no perfect electoral system in the world.’

Following the removal of some names after claims and objections across the country the final register may fall slightly below the 103 million voters announced by INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan.