Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Everton have completed the signing of Brennan Johnson from Crystal Palace in a rare player-swap deal that sees Dwight McNeil move to Selhurst Park.

The deal was reportedly confirmed on Monday, with Johnson signing a four-year contract at Everton.

The Wales international joined Palace from Tottenham in January for £35 million but struggled to make the desired impact.

The 25-year-old previously enjoyed a productive spell at Nottingham Forest, and his move to Everton offers him the chance to make a fresh start and rediscover the form that made him one of England’s most sought-after attacking players.

McNeil, meanwhile, is heading to Palace after spending four years with Everton.

Both players have agreed four-year contracts, and the unusual swap gives Everton and Palace the opportunity to reshape their attacking options ahead of the new Premier League season.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has said crude oil producers surpassed Dangote Petroleum Refinery by 5.1 million barrels (mb) in the second quarter of this year (Q2 2026).

The request followed the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation (DCSO) in accordance with the provisions of Section 109 of the Petroleum Industry Act.

In the period under review, whereas the refinery sought 63mb, the crude oil producers offered 68.1mb and accepted 52.6mb. This is an indication that the refinery rejected 5.5mb in the period under review.

The NUPRC’s Q2 2026 statistics on the enforcement of the DCSO, which quoted the figures, stated that the refinery accepted 52.6mb of the offered feedstock.

A statement yesterday in Abuja by NUPRC’s Head of Media and Corporate Communications, Mr. Eniola Akinkuotu, said: ‘At the level of refinery participation, the statistics show that the Dangote Refinery required 63 million barrels in Q2 but the producers offered higher volumes of 68.1 million barrels.

‘The 68.1 million barrels offered to the Dangote Refinery by producers represents 98 per cent of all offered volumes.

‘Eventually, 52.6 million barrels were accepted by Dangote Refinery. This implies that the refinery only accepted 78 per cent of what it was offered.’

According to the statement, a total of 53.7 million barrels of crude oil and condensate was supplied to local refiners between April and June, showing an overall performance of 97.4 per cent for Q2 2026.

The statistics show that DCSO was being actively administered and enforced by the NUPRC.

Every month, the commission meets with stakeholders, including crude oil producers and local licensed refineries, after which the producers are allocated a specific volume of their crude oil and condensate, which should be offered to local licensed refineries.

But in line with the PIA, the framework operates on a ‘willing buyer, willing seller’ basis, which shapes eventual outcomes.

In April, following consultations with stakeholders, 18,127,638 barrels were allocated to producers. However, the producers exceeded expectations, offering 19,312,476 barrels to refiners. Eventually, 20,879,381 barrels were supplied to local refiners, meaning the producers met 114.9 per cent of their allocation.

In May, the commission, in enforcing its DCSO, allocated 18,778,392 barrels of crude oil to the producers but the producers, exceeding their expectation once again, offered 23,187,893 barrels to the local refiners.

But the producers’ actual supply to the refiners by the end of the month stood at 14,228,865 barrels, representing 75.8 per cent compliance.

In June, the commission allocated 18,172,638 barrels to the producers.

The producers offered 26,835,119 barrels to refiners, which in turn took 18,606,026 barrels, representing a 102.4 per cent performance.

The commission observed that the improvement in DCSO coincided with an increase in local oil production and the signing of the long-term crude supply agreement supported by a bankable Sales and Purchase Agreement between the Producers and Domestic refiners.

The commission reaffirmed its commitment to achieving the government’s objective of energy sufficiency. Leveraging the framework of the PIA, 2021, the commission said it aimed to sustain recent gains in crude oil production while continuously enforcing the DCSO.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is set to mobilise its senior officers and policing experts to develop a comprehensive security roadmap for the 2027 general elections.

The initiative will form the centrepiece of the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers (CARSPO 2026), scheduled to be held from September 21 to 23 in Owerri, Imo State.

Organised by the Nigeria Police Force in conjunction with Lenders Consult International, the three-day conference will bring together officers at the rank of Commissioner of Police and above, policing experts and other key stakeholders to review emerging electoral security threats and develop practical strategies for peaceful and credible elections.

The conference is themed ‘Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections.’

According to a statement on Tuesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, deliberations at the conference will focus on intelligence-led policing, police-community partnerships, digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI), among other contemporary approaches to policing.

The Force said the gathering would provide an opportunity for senior police officers to engage in strategic discussions on strengthening the police’s capacity to manage security before, during and after elections.

It said the outcome of the conference would include actionable strategies for protecting voters, electoral officials, candidates, election materials and members of the public during the 2027 elections.

The opening ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Monday, September 21, in Owerri.

The move comes as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections continue to gather momentum, with security agencies expected to play a critical role in maintaining law and order throughout the electoral process.

Election security has remained a major concern in Nigeria, particularly because of the risks posed by political violence, vote-buying, intimidation, misinformation, attacks on electoral infrastructure and other forms of electoral malpractice.

The police, as the lead agency responsible for maintaining internal security during elections, are expected to provide security for voters, candidates, electoral personnel and materials while ensuring that citizens are able to exercise their franchise without intimidation.

The CARSPO 2026 deliberations are therefore expected to provide a platform for senior police officers to assess lessons from previous elections and incorporate emerging technologies and intelligence-gathering methods into the Force’s operational planning for 2027.

The Force said it remained committed to strengthening strategic leadership, professionalism and operational preparedness to ensure a peaceful, safe and secure environment for the 2027 general elections.

The conference is expected to conclude with a strategic framework to guide police preparations and operations for election security ahead of the 2027 polls.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has received a battalion of Nigerian Army troops deployed to Omu Aran in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.

AbdulRazaq received the troops at the 22 Armoured Brigade, Sobi Barracks, Ilorin, on Tuesday, alongside the new General Officer Commanding (GOC), Nigerian Army 2 Division, Major General Auwalu Mahmuda, and the Commander, 22 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Nicholas Rume.

The governor commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the swift deployment of the troops to the state.

‘We are here to welcome the troops. Our coming here is truly significant because when the Chief of Army Staff announced the deployment of brigades in Kwara, we thought it was something that would take some time.

‘We can see that they are now here, hitting the ground running. Another team went to Pategi yesterday to make sure that they locate the new base there for the battalion in Pategi,’ AbdulRazaq said.

He said the troops deployed to Omu Aran would strengthen security operations in the area, adding that the state government welcomed and appreciated their presence.

‘These troops are going to Omu Aran. We welcome them to Kwara and appreciate what they are doing. We also appreciate the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,’ he said.

AbdulRazaq also commended the President for approving improved salaries and welfare packages for soldiers, saying the measure would boost the morale of military personnel.

‘Obviously, we came here with a welfare package to settle, but most significant is the approval by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in increasing their salaries and welfare packages. That is the major thing,’ the governor said.

The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) says the Nigeria economy is showing strong signs of full recovery and accelerated growth following a series of ‘painful’ reforms by President Bola Tinubu.

‘The Nigerian economy has moved decisively from acute macroeconomic distress toward a more stable and increasingly resilient footing,’ the revenue service said in an internal report.

This, it explained, is as a result of Tinubu’s economic management acumen and doggedness in implementing his reforms as part of his Renewed Hope Agenda for the country.

The NRS explained that the Tinubu administration inherited ‘four mutually reinforcing distortions’: a fiscally unsustainable fuel subsidy regime, an opaque forex system that discouraged investment, a non-performing oil sector, and a tax base ‘far below its potential’.

But with the reforms and after the initial economic pains, the NRS said, all indices now point to a significant recovery as evident in retreating inflation rates, balance of payments swinging from deficit to surplus, first-ever net petrol export, doubling of tax collections in nominal terms, and the reshaping of the country’s productive base.

Minimum wage has also doubled between 2023 and 2026, the report said, while policies and incentives introduced by the government have reduced out-of-school children from 20 million to 18.3 million, according to estimates by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

It also noted that the government’s naira-for-crude arrangement with Dangote Refinery and other local refineries has ensured that Nigeria has become a net exporter of petroleum products after decades of being net importers. Ghana recently decided to pursue a similar policy in its oil sector.

From approximately 1.2-1.3 million barrels per day in 2023, production has risen to 1.73 million barrels per day by July 2026, equivalent to 104% of the country’s OPEC quota.

Listing the benefits of economic stability, the revenue authority said the NGX has grown from a market capitalisation of N30.36 trillion in 2023 to N161 trillion in 2026, creating wealth for millions of Nigerians who invest in the stock market.

The report attributes the rally partly to improved macroeconomic credibility, banking-sector recapitalisation and the growing pool of domestic institutional investment.

Tax collections more than doubled from N12.3 trillion in 2023 to N27.1 trillion as of July 2026 with the ‘digitisation of tax systems, four new tax reform laws, the transformation of the revenue service and an executive order that closed loopholes in the system’.

Nigeria’s debt-to-GDP ratio that was rising for years is now falling as result of economic growth, which has moved from 2.74% in 2023 to 3.8% in the first half of 2026, while external reserves moved from an unrestricted $3.99 billion in 2023 to a 17-year high $51.9 billion as of July 2026.

At the same time, the country’s balance of payments moved from a $3.34 billion deficit to a S$2.38 billion surplus in the first quarter of 2026, according to the report.

Nigeria’s trade position has undergone an equally striking turnaround.

?e country moved from a marginal trade surplus of about N44.7 billion to a N7.55 trillion surplus in the first quarter of 2026.

?e composition of exports is also beginning to change. Crude oil remains dominant, but exports of other oil products rose 51 per cent year-on-year to N6.78 trillion in Q1 2026.

Annual capital importation increased from US$3.9 billion in 2023 to US$23.22 billion in 2025. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, inflows reached US$10.37 billion, the report highlights.

Foreign portfolio investment has been particularly strong, while foreign direct investment has also improved.

Three years ago, Nigeria had no large-scale CNG programme and depended overwhelmingly on imported petrol and diesel.

By 2026, more than 100,000 vehicles had reportedly been converted, with more than $2 billion in investment mobilised and over 10,000 jobs created.

The report estimates that CNG running costs can be 40-60 per cent cheaper than petrol. For commercial drivers, some monthly fuel bills have reportedly fallen from around N50,000 to N18,000 following conversion.

The government has also significantly increased its policy focus on food security.

Following the declaration of a state of emergency on food security in July 2023, measures included the release of strategic grain reserves, a N100 billion National Agricultural Development Fund, fertiliser distribution and an agricultural mechanisation programme.

Federal agricultural allocation rose from N228.4 billion in 2023 to N826.5 billion in the 2025 budget.

?e report said food prices had fallen by about 50 per cent by March 2026, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, although it also cautions that agriculture requires several planting seasons for increased policy support to translate fully into higher output.

At first glance, Nigeria’s debt stock appears to have worsened, rising from N87.4 trillion in 2023 to N159.28 trillion in late 2025.

But the more meaningful measure – debt relative to the size of the economy – has moved in the opposite direction.

The debt-to-GDP ratio fell from 38% in 2023 to 35.5% in 2025 and then to 32.3% in 2026.

The report described this as the first sustained decline in more than a decade.

Debt servicing as a share of revenue has also fallen from 68% to an IMF-projected 53%.

eTranzact International Plc has partnered with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to improve financial inclusion across the country.

The company reiterated its commitment at the SMEDAN/eTranzact Town Hall Engagement with the theme, ‘Financial Literacy and Inclusion for MSMEs Leveraging on Fintech Innovation,’ held in Lagos.

Divisional Head, Merchant Services, eTranzact, Mrs. Abimbola Reis, described MSMEs as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, noting that the country has almost 40 million SMEs that contribute significantly to economic growth and job creation.

She said despite their importance, many businesses continue to struggle with access to finance, inefficient payment systems, poor financial reporting, cash flow challenges and limited digital platforms.

According to her, trust issues also hinder access to finance, while cash-based transactions expose businesses to theft and make payment reconciliation difficult.

She explained that eTranzact had developed customised digital infrastructure to address these challenges and support business growth.

‘At eTranzact, we build infrastructure to help businesses grow. A lot of our products are customised solutions because we look at the specific challenges businesses are facing. We innovate because we believe small businesses are accelerators of the economy,’ she said.

She highlighted the company’s digital payment gateway, Credo by eTranzact, describing it as a business toolkit that enables merchants, SMEs and operators in the informal sector to accept and process payments seamlessly.

Reis also showcased PocketMoni, eTranzact’s mobile money platform licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, which allows users to send and receive money, purchase airtime and data, and pay utility bills through their mobile devices.

Representing the Director-General of SMEDAN, Prof. Yinka Fisher said the town hall meeting was organised to generate ideas and practical solutions that would move MSMEs to the next level.

‘The essence of this engagement is to share ideas and concepts that will help MSMEs thrive and expand. Our partnership with eTranzact is about expanding the frontiers of MSMEs and ensuring they continue to grow,’ he said.

Also speaking, Dr. Praise Adedigba, who represented the Director-General of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), said businesses can no longer rely solely on hard work but must embrace digital capabilities and strategic partnerships.

He said the success of MSMEs would translate into increased productivity, more employment opportunities and shared national prosperity.

The United Nations Children’s Fund has called on the state government to sustain birth registration to build on the successes recorded so far.

This is as it called on the federal government to decentralised to the local government level to improve access and ensure that more Nigerian children acquire legal identity.

UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, Denis Onoise, made the call on Tuesday at a Birth Registration Media Dialogue organised for journalists in Lagos.

Onoise, disclosed that about 24.8 million children under five had been registered across Nigeria.

He stressed that state and local government services must be decentralised to ensure that children, particularly those in underserved communities, could easily obtain birth certificates.

He noted that legal identity was essential for generating official records, establishing a child’s right to recognition before the law and providing continuous data for planning, monitoring and evaluating government programmes.

Onoise added that reliable birth registration data is also critical to the implementation of social protection, healthcare, education and housing programmes.

He identified limited access to civil registration, inadequate registration centres, inefficient registration processes and insufficient financial, human and material resources as some of the challenges hampering birth registration in Nigeria.

He also cited the direct and indirect costs associated with registration and obtaining birth certificates as barriers preventing some families from registering their children.

The UNICEF specialist said that the absence of birth registration could expose children to exclusion from education, healthcare and other essential services as well as increase their vulnerability to child labour, trafficking, abuse and exploitation.

Onoise, however, stressed the need for the federal government to reform existing laws and regulatory framework, decentralise birth registration to the local government level and digitise the registration process.

He also called for interoperability and sharing of data among government agencies, integration of birth registration with primary healthcare services and increased social mobilisation to raise awareness about its benefits.

UNICEF Chief of Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, citing statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, said about 3.5 million children across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Edo states lack birth certificates and legal identity.

She said, ‘Right now, across your various states, some babies born even this morning will end this day with no name on any government record. This translates to 3.5 million children with no birth certificate, no legal identity, and no proof on any record that they were ever born across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Edo states.’

‘A birth certificate is not a piece of paper. It is a child’s ticket into school. It is what allows a doctor to put a name on a patient file. It is how a family proves their child is theirs. Without it, a child cannot vote when they grow up, cannot get a passport or inherit land. They go through life having to prove they exist over and over again.’

The UNICEF boss said that Lagos State, in collaboration with the National Population Commission was among the states that had launched birth registration for children under one, adding that the birth certificate issued under the initiative now comes with a National Identification Number.

She, however, said the registration gap remained wide across the region, noting that many parents were unaware that birth registration was free and could be done at health facilities and through digital platforms.

The UNICEF boss called for greater media support to increase public awareness and encourage parents to register their children, urging journalists to use their platforms to promote birth registration.

Earlier, the National Population Commission Director, Lagos State Kekere Ekun Sherifdeen, said the commission had commenced full digitisation of birth registration in the country.

He said that the commission had previously operated a manual system before gradually adopting both manual and digital methods as part of efforts to modernise the registration process.

Sherifdeen noted that NPC had now moved to full digitisation, describing the development as a major step towards improving birth registration and strengthening Nigeria’s civil registration system.

He stressed the importance of birth registration to national growth and development, saying accurate birth records were critical for effective government planning, formulation and implementation of policies and programmes.

A total of 53.7 million barrels of crude oil and condensate were supplied to local refiners between April and June, under the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation (DCSO). The figure translates to an overall performance of 97.4 per cent for the second quarter (Q2) of 2026.

The Domestic Crude Supply Obligation (DCSO) is a statutory requirement under Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) of 2021. It compels upstream oil producers to allocate a specific portion of their crude oil production to local, licensed refineries before they can export the rest. This policy aims to guarantee energy security, reduce heavy reliance on imported petroleum products and shield the domestic economy from foreign exchange volatility.

This was contained in the latest report released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) on the enforcement of the DCSO in accordance with the provisions of Section 109 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). In line with the PIA, the framework operates on a ‘willing buyer, willing seller’ basis, which shapes eventual outcomes.

In the period under review, on refinery supply basis, he report showed that the Dangote Refinery, which required 63 million barrels in Q2, was offered higher volumes of 68.1 million barrels by the producers. The 68.1 million barrels offered to the Dangote Refinery by producers, the report said, represents 98 per cent of all offered volumes. Dangote Refinery however accepted 52.6 million barrels, representing 78 per cent of the quantity offered her.

The remaining 1.1 million barrels of crude oil supplied were shared by Aradel, Waltersmith, Edo, and another refinery.

According to the report, in the month of April, following consultations with stakeholders, 18, 127, 638 barrels were allocated to producers. It noted that the producers exceeded expectation, offering19, 312, 476 barrels to refiners. Eventually, 20, 879, 381 barrels were supplied to local refiners, meaning the producers met 114.9 per cent of their allocation.

In May, the Commission, in enforcing its DCSO, allocated 18,778, 392 barrels of crude oil to the producers but the producers exceeding their expectation once again, offered 23,187,893 barrels to the local refiners. However, the producers’ actual supply to the refiners by the end of the month stood at 14, 228, 865 barrels representing 75.8 per cent compliance.

NUPRC, in June allocated 18, 172,638 barrels to the producers, while the producers offered 26, 835, 119 barrels to refiners which in turn took 18, 606, 026 barrels representing a 102.4 per cent performance.

In a statement signed by the NUPRC’s Head, Media and Corporate Communications, Eniola Akinkuotu, stated that the improvement in DCSO coincided with an increase in local oil production and the signing of the long term crude supply agreement supported by bankable Sales and Purchase agreement between the Producers and Domestic refiners.

The Commission reaffirms its commitment to achieving the government’s objective of energy sufficiency. Leveraging the framework of the PIA, 2021, the Commission aims to sustain recent gains in crude oil production while continuously enforcing the DCSO.

Akinkuotu in the statement said the statistics shows that DCSO is being actively administered and enforced by the NUPRC. It explained that on a monthly basis, the Commission meets with stakeholders including crude oil producers and local licensed refineries after which the producers are allocated a specific volume of their crude oil and condensate which should be offered to local licensed refineries.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) branch, has declared a total and indefinite strike, effective yesterday.

The decision was taken at a branch congress held on Sunday, following the non-implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement and other unresolved local issues affecting academic staff of the university.

Speaking at a press briefing after the meeting in Keffi, the branch chairperson, Dr Zubairu Abdulmumin Loko, said the union had exhausted several avenues of dialogue with relevant authorities without securing satisfactory implementation of the agreement or resolution of the outstanding issues.

He said the branch obtained approval from the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU before proceeding with the industrial action, adding that the decision was not taken lightly and followed considerable restraint and repeated efforts at dialogue.

‘Agreements freely reached must be respected, honoured and implemented,’ Loko said, calling on the Federal Government, the Nasarawa State Government, the Governing Council and management of NSUK, and other stakeholders to urgently resolve the issues in contention.

He said the union was open to genuine dialogue and that the strike would end once there was demonstrable commitment and concrete action toward implementing the agreements and resolving outstanding local issues.

ASUU NSUK regretted the inconvenience the strike would cause students, parents and other stakeholders, but said responsibility for restoring industrial harmony rested on the urgent resolution of the issues that necessitated the action.

Loko urged members to remain calm, disciplined and resolute, and to adhere strictly to union directives, saying the failure to implement agreements had left the union with no reasonable alternative.

The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Reverend Dr. Ignatius Kaigama, has urged Nigerians to reject vengeance and embrace forgiveness, peace and reconciliation as indispensable pillars for national development.

He gave the advice on Sunday at the 2026 National Feast Celebration of the Pious Union of Saint Rita of Cascia in Abuja with the theme: ‘Cultivating Peace, Faith and Hope: Emulating Saint Rita’s Virtues.’

Represented by the National Chaplain of the Pious Union, Rev. Fr. Richard Igyor, Archbishop Kaigama said the virtues of forgiveness, perseverance and peace were needed as Nigeria grappled with escalating insecurity, political tension and social polarisation.

He cautioned against transactional faith, urging citizens to focus on spiritual transformation over routine favour-seeking.

‘Nigerians should move beyond seeking miracles and instead build a genuine relationship with God that will reflect in their conduct towards others,’ Fr. Igyor said on behalf of the Archbishop.

He added: ‘True devotion to a saint should be demonstrated by emulating the virtues of the saint, rather than merely seeking favours through prayers.’

He said true national progress relied on citizens permitting the values of peace and reconciliation to guide their conduct across homes, workplaces, communities and leadership positions.

Concurring with the Archbishop, the Abuja Archdiocese National Grand Patron of the Union and former Auditor-General of the Federation, Dr. Ukura Samuel, challenged Nigerian political leaders to adopt selfless service and forgiveness to defuse escalating electoral hostilities.

‘If the politicians imitate the life of Saint Rita, you will see Nigeria will be a better place to live,’ Samuel said, stressing that leaders who valued fairness would refrain from victimising political opponents and subordinates as another election cycle drew near.

Reinforcing the message of national harmony, the Abuja Archdiocesan Coordinator, Bro. Celestine Makwe, warned against allowing personal and political animosities to fracture the country.

‘We must strive to build a nation where peaceful coexistence and forgiveness thrive,’ Makwe said. ‘We should not allow a spirit of vengeance, enmity, or animosity to exist among us because these attitudes can only divide the country and hinder development.’

Focusing on the domestic front, the Prior General of the Pious Union in Nigeria, Mrs. Cecilia Oyakhire, identified women as essential drivers of peace and nation-building.

‘Women are nation builders. Women are supposed to have a soft heart, to always make peace, show love and care,’ Oyakhire said, advising mothers to raise children equipped with high moral standards and a commitment to peaceful coexistence.

She said the Union has continued to uphold Saint Rita’s spirit through charitable outreach, including paying medical bills for vulnerable patients during hospital visits.

The event, organised by a committee led by Lady Idowu Jokpeyibo at Cor Mariae College, attracted over 1,000 Catholic faithful nationwide for prayers, reflections and community welfare initiatives.