Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Lagos State University (LASU) is set to graduate 20,604 students at its 29th and 30th Combined Convocation Ceremonies for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, disclosed this on Wednesday at a press conference held at the Senate Chamber of the Babatunde Raji Fashola Senate Building, LASU Main Campus, Ojo.

The combined convocation, scheduled for August 14 to 23, will mark the final convocation ceremony presided over by Olatunji-Bello, who is completing her five-year tenure as Vice-Chancellor.

According to her, the graduating students comprise diploma, first-degree and postgraduate students from the two academic sessions.

For the 2024/2025 session, she said 947 students graduated from diploma programmes, while 7,621 students completed first-degree programmes.

Of the first-degree graduates, 262 obtained First Class honours, 3,155 finished with Second Class Upper Division, 3,439 with Second Class Lower Division, 622 with Third Class and 37 with Pass degrees. Another 106 students graduated with unclassified MBBS/BDS degrees.

Ayilara Lawal Olawale of the Department of Project Management emerged as the overall best graduating student for the session, with a CGPA of 4.96.

For the 2025/2026 session, Olatunji-Bello said 44 students graduated from diploma programmes, while 8,653 students completed first-degree programmes.

She said 232 of the first-degree graduates obtained First Class honours, 3,545 earned Second Class Upper Division, 4,157 obtained Second Class Lower Division, 678 finished with Third Class and 31 with Pass degrees.

Adebanjo Samuel Oluolamide of the Department of Aerospace Engineering emerged as the overall best graduating student for the session, recording a CGPA of 4.97.

The Vice-Chancellor added that 3,383 postgraduate students would also graduate from the two sessions, comprising 618 Postgraduate Diploma graduates, 1,508 academic Master’s degree holders, 900 professional Master’s degree holders, 238 PhD graduates and 119 professional doctorate graduates.

Olatunji-Bello said the convocation would feature a series of academic, cultural and social activities, beginning with the staff sports competition on Wednesday.

She said Thursday would be observed as Staff Celebration Day, while the formal convocation programme would begin on Friday with the Coconut Breaking and Cultural Day, followed by a Jumat service.

On Monday, August 17, diplomas, first degrees, postgraduate diplomas and master’s degrees in Engineering and Agricultural Sciences will be conferred at the Olatunji Bello Auditorium, Epe Campus.

The university will also confer the rank of Distinguished Professor on Prof. Rafiu Olaoluwa Okuneye and Olatunji-Bello.

The convocation lecture, titled ‘From LASU to the World: Harnessing the Nigerian Diaspora as the 7th Region for National Development,’ will be delivered on Tuesday by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

The university will also confer honorary doctorate degrees on businessman Aliko Dangote, Akin Kekere-Ekun and Bola Adesola for their contributions to entrepreneurship, finance, governance, industrial development and humanity.

Reflecting on her tenure, Olatunji-Bello said the university had recorded significant progress in academic development, research, innovation, infrastructure, digital transformation, international collaborations and student success.

She said LASU had secured approval for 17 new academic programmes from the National Universities Commission, while several other programmes had obtained full accreditation.

The Vice-Chancellor also said LASU had emerged as Nigeria’s most subscribed university for the second consecutive year, attracting more than 84,000 first-choice applications in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

She noted that the university had retained its position as the Best University in West Africa in the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings for the fourth consecutive year.

Olatunji-Bello highlighted other milestones, including the commissioning of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu Library Complex, which she described as the largest and most digitalised university library in West Africa.

She also disclosed that the university had secured approval for a ?3 billion TETFund Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Cyber Sciences, which she said would be the only centre of its kind in South-West Nigeria.

According to her, construction has commenced on a 1,500-bed student hostel under a TETFund-facilitated public-private partnership valued at about ?4 billion.

The university has also secured Federal Government approval for a 15-megawatt Independent Power Project aimed at improving electricity supply, reducing energy costs and enhancing operational efficiency.

On research and innovation, she said two LASU students had won consecutive ?50 million venture capital grants in 2026 from a highly competitive national programme that attracted more than 30,000 applicants.

Olatunji-Bello further disclosed that LASU athletes recorded their best-ever outing at the Nigerian Universities Games, winning 10 gold, 14 silver and 15 bronze medals.

She said the achievements recorded during her tenure demonstrated the university’s commitment to excellence, innovation and institutional resilience.

‘This combined convocation is particularly historic for me. It is the final convocation ceremony over which I will preside as Vice-Chancellor of this great University,’ she said.

Olatunji-Bello expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Governor and Visitor to the university, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governing Council, Senate, staff, students, alumni, development partners and the media for their support throughout her tenure.

She urged the graduating students to deploy their knowledge and character in ways that would positively impact their communities, Nigeria and the global society.

The ceremonies will formally end on August 23 with a Special Convocation Thanksgiving Service at the University Chapel, Chapel of Light, Ojo Campus.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his running mate for next year’s presidential election, Rotimi Amaechi, have sworn to oaths not to misuse public funds or abuse public trust.

They also pledged that all elected and appointed officials on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) would be required to take the same oath and submit to the party’s code of ethics.

The undertaking, contained in the party’s ‘Orange Book,’ which was unveiled in Abuja yesterday, requires ADC office holders to accept the supremacy of the party’s ethical rules in the discharge of their public responsibilities, with sanctions prescribed for violations and automatic forfeiture of elected or appointed positions secured on the party’s platform by officials who resign or defect.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said Atiku, Amaechi, and the other presidential aspirants had signed the document and sworn to its provisions, adding that every person elected on the ADC platform would be subjected to the same requirement.

‘All the presidential aspirants, we got them to sign. But you know, the candidates (governorship and legislative) came from the states. They’re not in Abuja, and that’s why we say all of them will sign; all of them. Anybody elected on the platform of the ADC will sign this document. They will not only sign, but will also swear to an affidavit to be held accountable to this document,’ Abdullahi said.

Under the personal oath in the ‘Orange Book,’ ADC officials swear before the party, Nigerian citizens and God that public office is not for ‘power, privilege, wealth, or self-promotion,’ but for service to Nigerians.

They swear to uphold honesty, transparency and justice, demonstrate ethical courage, and commit to the ethical and lawful use of public funds while fighting corruption, waste and abuse at all levels of government.

The oath also requires officeholders to accept full accountability to the party, Nigerian law and the Nigerian people and not obstruct or delay disciplinary or judicial proceedings where credible findings of abuse of office are made against them.

An ADC official who violates any provision of the code or abuses public trust is required to accept sanctions imposed by the party and under Nigerian law.

The oath also provides that an official who resigns from or defects from the party automatically forfeits any elected or appointed position obtained on the ADC platform.

The provisions effectively place the conduct of ADC office holders under an enforceable party framework, rather than leaving adherence to ethical standards to individual discretion.

Abdullahi said the arrangement was developed from the coalition’s conviction that Nigeria’s governance crisis was linked to the way politics was practised and that addressing the problem required a different political culture.

‘When the coalition movement started, there was no fundamental realisation of where we were headed. Where are we in this coalition? Where are we trying to build a new political party? And the answer was very clear. Nigeria is in the mess we are in because of the kind of politics we are playing. And if we must solve the problem that Nigeria is facing, we have to play a different kind of politics,’ he said.

The ‘Orange Book’ also prohibits ADC officials from soliciting or accepting bribes, kickbacks or improper benefits linked to government contracts, approvals or appointments, while requiring them to declare qualifying gifts received in office.

Its governance principles propose the abolition of opaque single-line ‘security votes’ and subjecting all security-related expenditure to legislative approval, oversight and audit.

The party also proposes restricting official domestic and foreign travel to essential, mission-driven engagements, banning bloated delegations and the inclusion of family members or political associates, and limiting per diem and estacode payments to approved rates.

Public assets assigned to elected and appointed officials, including vehicles, residences, aircraft, offices and other government facilities, would be restricted to official purposes.

The ADC further pledged to protect the independence of the judiciary, legislature and other democratic institutions, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), while strengthening whistleblower protections through secure reporting channels and safeguards against retaliation.

Abdullahi said the objective was to turn ethical conduct from a matter of personal principle into an organisational obligation binding on everyone elected on the party’s platform.

‘We are saying that you must go beyond personal principle. It’s now become an organisational principle that you will not do it,’ he said.

The party also seeks to curb political godfatherism by prohibiting officials from entering covert arrangements with political financiers in exchange for electoral sponsorship, contracts, influence or protection.

According to Abdullahi, the provisions are reinforced by the ADC constitution, which rejects godfatherism and seeks to prevent wealthy individuals from hijacking the party.

The Orange Book will apply to the president, governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives and other elected or appointed officials who emerge on the ADC platform.

The Federal Fire Service (FFS) has confirmed that the fire involving a petroleum tanker at AYM Shafa Filling Station, beside the FCT Internal Revenue Service office on Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti Way, Area 3, Garki, Abuja, has been successfully extinguished.

The Controller-General of the Federal Fire Service, Olumode Samuel Adeyemi, who served as the Incident Commander, personally coordinated response operations at the scene.

According to the Service’s Public Relations Officer, Paul Abraham, the Controller-General remained at the scene until the early hours of Friday to ensure the incident was completely brought under control.

Abraham said the incident involved a tanker carrying about 60,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) during product discharge.

The fire spread to part of an adjoining three-storey building occupied by the FCT Internal Revenue Service before it was contained through the coordinated efforts of firefighters using multiple firefighting appliances, medium water jets and foam compounds.

Four people sustained varying degrees of injuries in the incident.

The victims were evacuated by a National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) ambulance to a nearby hospital, where they received treatment and were subsequently discharged.

‘Following a thorough inspection of the scene, firefighters confirmed that there was no further fire or casualty, and all responding personnel and appliances have safely returned to their respective stations,’ Abraham said.

The Federal Fire Service thanked residents, motorists and members of the public for their patience, cooperation and compliance with safety directives throughout the emergency operation.

The Service also commended sister emergency response agencies, including the Federal Capital Territory Fire Service, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Nigeria Police Force and other supporting organisations for their collaboration in successfully managing the incident.

The Controller-General commended all firefighters and emergency responders for their courage, professionalism, discipline and unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property.

Nigeria’s state-owned refineries were shut down because they were making losses, not because they could no longer refine crude oil, the outgoing President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo, has said.

Addressing Labour Writers in Lagos, Osifo explained that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had to stop the refineries from operating after it became clear that the cost of processing crude exceeded the value of the products.

‘So, the refineries were actually shut down, not that they were not functioning,’ he said.

According to him, the facilities were still producing some petroleum products, but their operations were not commercially viable. Continuing to process crude under those conditions, he said, would only lead to more losses.

He illustrated the situation with a simple example, saying: ‘If you put, let’s say, $5 million worth of crude, you feed it through, when the product comes out, you are supposed to get the product of, let’s say, $6 million worth.

‘But when you feed in that crude, what you now get at the end will not be like $4 million. So, you are losing money.’

Osifo said the experience showed that Nigeria needed to focus on making its refineries commercially viable rather than simply keeping them open.

He also supported plans to bring a Chinese company into the refineries’ ownership structure, arguing that increased private-sector participation could reduce government interference and improve efficiency.

According to him, PENGASSAN is advocating that private investors should acquire up to 51 per cent of the refineries, while the government retains 49 per cent, similar to the ownership structure of Nigeria LNG Limited.

‘They are going to buy some shares of the government from this refinery. So, for us, we are advocating that, because the company is a 3-in-1 company, let them buy up to 51 per cent. Let the government retain 49 per cent as it is in NLNG,’ he said.

He said private majority ownership would allow the refineries to take important operational and maintenance decisions without having to seek government approval.

‘What that is going to do is that the decision-making is going to leave the hands of government, so that if you want to do any maintenance, you don’t need to discuss it in federal council meetings anymore,’ he said.

Osifo argued that private investors were more likely to make decisions based on business realities and profitability rather than political considerations.

‘And because they are private people, they take business decisions, not decisions made from sentiment, emotions, or political leanings, but decisions that will grow the business,’ he said.

On the wider oil and gas sector, Osifo said the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) had introduced important reforms but warned that frequent policy changes could create uncertainty and discourage investment.

He noted that the PIA established the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), provided for the midstream and downstream regulatory framework and transformed NNPCL into a limited liability company.

It also introduced frameworks for host community development and frontier exploration.

However, he expressed concern about subsequent changes to some of the fiscal provisions of the PIA and the use of an executive order to alter provisions of the law.

‘For us, one of the ways to attract investment is for you to have some level of certainty,’ Osifo said.

He said investors needed to know the taxes, royalties and other financial obligations they would face before committing money to oil and gas projects.

‘But if I’m investing today and I’m doubtful that tomorrow the laws will change and the laws might not favour me, I will be a bit worried about how I carry out my investment,’ he said.

Osifo urged the government to allow the PIA and its regulatory framework to operate for a reasonable period before making major changes, noting that oil and gas projects require long-term investments.

‘In the oil and gas business, you don’t just invest today, and you think you will reap tomorrow. At times, for this investment, you start reaping even after the 30th year,’ he said.a

The Kogi State House of Assembly has condemned killings in Kupa District, Lokoja Local Government Area, that claimed at least 12 lives, calling on the National Security Adviser (NSA) to disband hybrid vigilante groups and recover their arms.

The Assembly acted on a motion moved by Speaker Aliyu Umar Yusuf, who said the violence stemmed from a clash between the Kupa Community Vigilante Group and a hybrid vigilante group after a member of the latter allegedly resisted a stop-and-search order, and opened fire. The hybrid vigilante member killed in that exchange was reportedly followed by a reprisal attack in Eguchidan, bringing the toll to three deaths in Eguchidan, six in Emiku and two in Abugi, alongside the initial fatality.

Yusuf said the Kogi State Vigilante Service, established under former Governor Yahaya Bello with Assembly backing to complement conventional security agencies, had seen its groups exceed their mandate and turn on one another. He said the Chief Imam of Kupa, Alhaji Gimba Aliyu, was among several people receiving treatment for gunshot injuries.

The Speaker commended Governor Usman Ododo for directing the deployment of security personnel to the affected communities, and noted the incident was the third major violent episode in Kupa, after the 2014 Ekpan-Abugi invasion and the 2015 Gugurugi mamassacre.

He urged the governor to disband existing vigilante structures in Kupa, recover all arms, and deploy forest guards recruited from trusted, terrain-familiar indigenes of the area.

The Assembly commended the Commander of 12 Brigade, Chari Megumeri Barracks, Lokoja, and the Kogi State Commissioner of Police for their response, and called for additional police deployment to the Abugi Divisional Police Office.

Other lawmakers, including Olawumi Jacob, Ebaiya Shehu Tijjani, Enefola, Abu Onoru-Oiza Jibrin and Aliyu Maikudi, backed the motion, calling for stronger security measures. Idowu Ibikunle alleged that some hybrid vigilante members were collaborating with kidnappers terrorising communities in the state.

Presiding, Deputy Speaker Comfort Egwaba commended Governor Ododo’s prompt intervention in the Kupa crisis and in a separate kidnapping incident along the Itobe-Anyigba Road, in which victims were rescued, and thanked security agencies for their efforts.

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has said that his recent appointment of 4,800 Special Assistants from across the 195 political wards was to create opportunities for young people to participate in public service and grassroots governance.

He said it was part of his administration’s means to pursue youth engagement and employment initiatives,

The Edo Governor urged young people in the state to reject criminality, cultism, and violent acts

Governor Okpebholo, who urged the youths to embrace education, skills development, and entrepreneurship, said his administration was committed to creating opportunities for young people through investments in education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, security, and skills development.

He spoke in an address on the occasion of International Youth Day 2026.

Governor Okpebholo acknowledged challenges faced by young people, including unemployment, the rising cost of education, limited access to capital and the uncertainties associated with early adulthood.

Okpebholo tasked the youths not to allow the challenges to determine their future, saying, ‘Your present circumstances do not have to determine your future.

‘Youth can complement government efforts with determination, discipline, and a commitment to legitimate means of livelihood.

‘The government cannot do this alone. The future of Edo must be built with our young people, not merely for them.

‘There is honour in honest work. There is dignity in learning a trade. There is power in education, and there is lasting success in integrity,’ he said.

Governor Okpebholo said his administration was promoting youth employment through infrastructure projects, agricultural initiatives, and technology-driven ventures under its five development pillars of security, health, infrastructure, natural resources and agriculture, and education.

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has removed Ebanehita Omonzane as chairman of Edo State Universal Basic Education Board.

No official statement has been released why she was removed, but a letter by Secretary to the State Government, Musa Ikhilor, said Governor Okpebholo has nominated Ayewoh Oyakhilome as the new chairman of SUBEB.

Government sources said Ebanehita was removed two months ago.

She was reportedly asked not to resume.

Ayewoh is the fourth person to be named chairman of Edo SUBEB within two years of Okpebholo’s administration.

The governor first appointed Dr. Paddy Iyamu as SUBEB chairman, but later redeployed him as commissioner for Education.

In January last year, Okpebholo sworn in Onomen Briggs as SUBEB chairman.

Six months later, the governor replaced Briggs with Ebanehita as SUBEB boss, while Briggs was moved to head Board for Technical and Vocational Education (BTVE).

The letter nominating Ayewoh described him as a dedicated politician and a public administrator with passion for effective leadership.

It said Ayewoh served as executive chairman of Edo State Rural Access Roads Agency (RARA), ‘where he contributed to the administration and implementation of government programmes aimed at improving rural connectivity and infrastructure.

‘Accordingly, his name will be forwarded to the House of Assembly for consideration and confirmation.’

The Theatre Command, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), has said sustained military operations by troops have led to a 213 per cent increase in the number of terrorists and their associates surrendering in the North East Theatre of Operations.

The Command said the number of terrorists who surrendered in the past week rose by 213 per cent compared with the preceding week.

In a statement on Wednesday by its Acting Military Information Officer, Capt. Mohammed Goni, the Command said the surge followed sustained ground operations against terrorist positions and logistics networks across the theatre.

It added that intensified attacks and disruption of supply routes were weakening the terrorists’ operational capacity and cohesion.

‘In a further manifestation of this emerging trend, two high-profile terrorist members surrendered to troops today, bringing with them arms, ammunition and other military items,’ the statement said.

‘The recovery of these weapons and ammunition further reinforces indications that sustained military pressure is having a significant effect on the cohesion, morale and operational sustainability of terrorist elements.’

The Command said the increasing defections suggested that terrorist groups were finding it increasingly difficult to retain fighters and maintain their operational structures.

The development came days after another group of terrorists surrendered to troops of 202 Battalion in Bama, Borno State.

The terrorists surrendered on August 7 at New Abaram following sustained military operations and internal disagreements within their enclave.

The military said the group was screened, while mobile phones and other items were recovered before they were handed over for further action in line with established procedures.

The Command attributed the rising number of surrenders to its multidimensional approach, combining offensive ground operations, precision engagements and the disruption of terrorist logistics and supply networks.

‘The increasing frequency of surrenders underscores the effectiveness of the Theatre’s multi-dimensional approach, which combines offensive ground operations, precision engagements and systematic disruption of terrorist logistics and supply networks,’ the statement said.

‘By denying terrorists the opportunity to freely maneuver, regroup and replenish, troops continue to restrict their operational options and undermine their ability to sustain terrorist activities.’

The Command said the development represented more than isolated individual decisions, describing it as ‘the cumulative impact of sustained pressure and the gradual erosion of terrorist capability, cohesion and willingness to continue the fight.’

It reiterated its commitment to maintaining military pressure on terrorist groups while providing channels for fighters and their associates willing to surrender.

The Command also urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, while encouraging terrorists and their associates to abandon violence and take advantage of available surrender channels.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved another landmark policy shift in the nation’s oil and gas industry with the new reform expected to unlock $50 billion in deep offshore investments.

The reform under Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Projects Incentives (Tax Remission) Order, 2026, which replaces project-by-project negotiations with a transparent, rules-based investment framework was designed to restart Nigeria’s large, capital-intensive offshore developments that have remained stalled for decades.

The Presidency, which announced the approval yesterday, stated that the new transparent, rules-based investment framework would support next generation of deep offshore developments, beginning with the $10 billion Bonga South West project.

President Tinubu yesterday said the reform reflected his government’s commitment to attracting foreign and domestic investments by creating enabling environment for private sector development.

He said: ‘The countries that attract long-term investment are not necessarily those with the greatest natural resources. They are the ones that provide the greatest certainty. This reform reflects our determination to build an investment environment defined by clear rules, strong institutions and enduring partnerships.

‘We are creating the conditions for capital to flow, for Nigerian businesses to grow, for our people to prosper and for our natural resources to deliver lasting national value’.

He commended all stakeholders, including Federal Ministry of Justice, Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigeria Revenue Service, NNPC Limited, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, investing partners and others whose collaboration, technical expertise and commitment helped shape the framework.

The new framework followed President Tinubu’s engagement with Chief Executive Officer of Shell Plc, Mr. Wael Sawan, during which the President directed government to develop the next wave of measures required to unlock Nigeria’s deep offshore investment pipeline.

Rather than pursuing project-specific solutions, government transformed that directive into a comprehensive investment framework applicable across multiple categories of qualifying developments.

The Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Projects Incentives (Tax Remission) Order, 2026, provides transparent eligibility criteria, clear implementation processes and a durable investment architecture that provides greater certainty for investors while safeguarding long-term national value.

The approval also enables NNPC Limited, as government’s nominated counterparty under the Production Sharing Contracts, to proceed with the necessary amendments to eligible Production Sharing Contracts required to implement the framework.

A defining feature of the policy shift is its emphasis on Nigerian industrial capability with projects under the framework expected to maximise commercial and technical execution within Nigeria, thus strengthening domestic engineering, fabrication, marine logistics, technical services and project management.

‘The objective is not only to increase investment and production, but also to create skilled jobs, deepen local supply chains and position Nigeria as Africa’s regional hub for deep offshore project execution,’ the Presidency stated.

Outlining the underlying philosophy for his reforms, President Tinubu, who spoke at the Second West African refined Fuel Market Conference in Abuja, said his government has undertaken difficult but necessary reforms to create a more competitive energy market, strengthen the investment environment and reposition energy as an engine for economic growth.

Represented by his Special Adviser on Oil and Gas, Olu Arowolo-Verheijen, President Tinubu underlined the importance of transparency, collaboration, commercial pragmatism and constructive engagement with industry in order to build a competitive energy sector.

‘Strong regulation is not measured by the number of obstacles placed in the path of investment. It is measured by the clarity of the rules, the consistency of their application, the quality and timeliness of regulatory decisions, and the confidence the regulator inspires in citizens and investors alike.

‘Investor confidence is not built by lowering standards. It is built by establishing clear standards, enforcing them fairly and ensuring that credible investors can make long-term decisions with certainty. The task now is to institutionalise this approach and ensure that the market experiences it consistently,’ Tinubu said.

He described the conference as timely noting that West Africa’s energy challenge is entering a new phase.

The President said his ambition was to see Nigeria serving as a dependable anchor for a deeper, more competitive and increasingly integrated West African energy market.

‘In order to achieve this, every stakeholder represented here has a role. Financial institutions must develop funding structures that recognise the long-term value of energy infrastructure and support credible projects across the distribution chain.

‘Industry must invest, execute and provide the reliable transaction data required to build confidence in regional price benchmarks. Governments must create predictable policies and remove unnecessary barriers to cross-border trade. And regulators must protect the public interest while enabling investment, innovation and competition,’ Tinubu said.

According to him, the question now is no longer simply whether the region has the resources or refining capacity to meet its energy needs, the more important question is whether West Africa can build the infrastructure, financing systems, regulatory institutions and transparent markets required to move energy efficiently from where it is produced to where it is needed.

‘That is why the theme of this conference is so important. West Africa is not short of demand. We are not short of resources. What has constrained us is the fragmentation of our markets and the absence of sufficient infrastructure to connect supply, demand and capital across the region.

‘Refining capacity alone does not create energy security. A refined product only delivers economic value when it can be financed, stored, transported and distributed reliably. Without infrastructure, supply remains stranded. Without transparent pricing, investors price uncertainty rather than opportunity. Without regulatory coordination, borders become bottlenecks rather than gateways to trade.

‘Price transparency is therefore not simply a reporting exercise. It is essential market infrastructure. A credible regional benchmark cannot be declared into existence. It must be built on actual transactions, reliable data, sufficient market liquidity and confidence in the institutions that support it.

‘Our ambition should be that a product refined in West Africa should not have to leave West Africa before the market can credibly determine its value. Today, Nigeria refines the majority of the petrol we consume domestically. Imports have fallen significantly, while refined products produced in Nigeria are increasingly reaching markets across Africa and beyond.

‘But increased refining capacity also creates a new responsibility. We must build the pipelines, ports, storage facilities, coastal vessels, trucking networks and trading platforms required to move products safely and efficiently. We must expand access to trade and infrastructure finance. We must establish common product standards and strengthen cooperation between regulators, customs authorities and market participants,’ Tinubu said.

The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof. Ahmed Audi, has ordered the deployment of 10,210 personnel to reinforce security operations across Osun State ahead of the election.

According to a statement signed by the Corps’ Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, the deployment began on Monday and includes personnel drawn from 10 State Commands, as well as specialised tactical and operational units.

The statement noted that the measure was part of the Corps’ commitment to ensuring that voters, electoral officials, observers, journalists, and residents participate in the electoral process without fear or intimidation.

Babawale explained that about 1,000 personnel each from the Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Kwara, Edo, Kogi, Delta, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commands were deployed to Osun to reinforce the command-and-control structures already in place.

He added that specialised formations tailored to election security needs-including the CG’s Special Intelligence Squad (SIS), Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit, Female Squad, Mining Marshals, Special Strike Force, Crack Squad, and the K9 Unit-would complement regular deployment through intelligence gathering, crime prevention, crowd control, and protection of critical assets.

For effective coordination, the Deputy Commandant General in charge of Operations, DCG Ayuba Phillip, along with designated Assistant Commandants General (ACGs) and other senior officers, will relocate to Osun State to oversee the Corps’ operations.

Prof. Audi assured residents that the NSCDC would remain professional, impartial, and respectful of citizens’ rights throughout the electoral process.

‘As an agency responsible for protecting critical infrastructure and national assets, the safety and security of election materials, officials, and voters are paramount. Our personnel have been properly briefed to act professionally, neutrally, and respectfully. Any attempt to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the election will be met with the full force of the law as prescribed in the Electoral Act,’ he said.

The NSCDC appealed to political parties, candidates, supporters, and residents to conduct themselves peacefully and allow the democratic process to run its course.