Category: The Nation – Nigeria

The Association of Former Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), in collaboration with Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria, has called on the Federal Government to urgently increase funding for the National Youth Service Corps and rehabilitate its orientation camps across the country.

The groups, operating under the auspices of the Reform NYSC Campaign (RNC), said improved funding and the comprehensive rehabilitation and upgrading of NYSC orientation camps should constitute the immediate priorities of government if the Scheme must continue to deliver effectively on its mandate of youth development, national integration and peaceful coexistence.

In a statement jointly signed by the Coordinator of the Reform NYSC Campaign, Comrade Godsown Aigbe, and its Spokesperson, Princess Mariam Idris, the groups said the welfare and safety of serving corps members must take precedence over what they described as proposed reforms that could impose additional financial burdens on the Federal Government.

According to the RNC, many NYSC orientation camps across the country are in urgent need of rehabilitation, with some lacking adequate accommodation, water supply, healthcare facilities, sanitation, recreational infrastructure and other basic amenities required to provide corps members with a safe and conducive environment during the orientation programme.

The groups therefore urged the Federal Government to embark on a comprehensive assessment of all NYSC orientation camps and develop a phased rehabilitation programme that would bring the facilities up to acceptable national standards.

They also called for improved annual budgetary provisions for the Scheme to enable the NYSC management to meet its responsibilities to corps members, particularly in the areas of allowances, insurance, healthcare, transportation, security and general welfare.

The RNC maintained that the NYSC remains one of Nigeria’s most important national integration institutions, bringing young Nigerians from different ethnic, religious and geographical backgrounds together and deploying them to communities outside their states of origin.

The groups said the Federal Government should therefore concentrate on strengthening the existing structure of the Scheme rather than introducing reforms that could significantly increase its annual operating expenditure without adequately addressing its present challenges.

‘The immediate reforms required in the NYSC are clear: government must improve funding and rebuild and modernise the orientation camps. These are the pressing issues that directly affect the welfare, safety and experience of corps members’, the groups said.

The statement added: ‘Any reform that does not address these fundamental challenges but instead creates additional layers of expenditure risks turning the NYSC into an increasingly expensive bureaucracy without necessarily improving its core objectives.’

They stressed that this was not a call against reform, but a demand for responsible, sustainable and properly prioritised reform.

The groups further appealed to the National Assembly to strengthen its oversight of NYSC funding and ensure that appropriations to the Scheme are adequately implemented.

They also urged state governments, corporate organisations and development partners to explore public-private partnerships with the NYSC for the rehabilitation of camps and provision of critical infrastructure.

The RNC reaffirmed its support for the continued existence and strengthening of the NYSC, saying the Scheme remains a vital instrument for promoting national unity, civic responsibility, cultural exchange and peaceful coexistence among Nigerian youths.

It called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government to make the welfare of corps members and the rehabilitation of NYSC infrastructure a priority in the ongoing efforts to reform and reposition the Scheme.

The Rivers State Government has dismissed reports suggesting a disagreement between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly over the state’s 2026 Appropriation Bill.

The government, in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Onwuka Nzeshi, on Wednesday, said the governor was working closely with the lawmakers in the interest of the people of the state.

The statement was issued in reaction to reports that the executive and legislative arms of government were at loggerheads over the 2026 budget.

There were indications that fresh agreements between the Rivers State House of Assembly members and the state Governor, Fubara, were the reason behind the delay in the passage of the 2026 Appropriation Bill, a month after its presentation.

It was gathered that the lawmakers reached some undisclosed agreements with the governor before they allowed for the late presentation of the appropriation bill.

Fubara on June 10, about a month ago, presented his N1.854tn 2026 appropriation bill to the House of Assembly amid complaints by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, that the presentation was done behind schedule.

Fubara presented the fiscal documents after the expiration of the budget approved for the former Sole Administrator, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, and the closure of the six-month grace window allowed by the constitution.

Most stakeholders were said to be disappointed that the bill they had expected the lawmakers to expeditiously consider and pass to arrest a looming constitutional crisis had been delayed for over a month.

A source from the Assembly, who spoke in confidence, insisted that fresh agreements between Fubara and the lawmakers were the reason for the delay.

But the government, in a statement, said, ‘We wish to make it abundantly clear that His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, is not at loggerheads with members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, but rather working closely with them to serve the good people of Rivers State.’

It explained that the N1.854trn 2026 Budget proposal presented by Fubara to the Assembly was currently undergoing the normal legislative process.

‘The 2026 Budget proposal has been presented to the House of Assembly; it is going through the normal legislative process, and we strongly believe that once the process is completed, it will be passed by the lawmakers,’ the statement said.

The government also appealed to political actors and other stakeholders to avoid narratives capable of reopening political wounds in the state.

‘The Rivers State Government has gone through difficult times in the past and is not prepared to be dragged into another round of controversies’, it said.

It urged those promoting what it described as negative narratives to desist, stressing that peace and harmony were necessary for the continued development of the state.

‘We therefore advise all those bent on promoting negative narratives to desist from such actions forthwith, as we need peace and harmony to ensure steady development of Rivers State,’ the government said.

The Federal Government yesterday inaugurated the Advertising Offences Tribunal.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, inaugurated and swore in members of the tribunal as part of the government’s efforts at strengthening regulation, promoting professionalism and ensuring greater integrity in Nigeria’s advertising and marketing communications industry.

Speaking during the ceremony, Idris described the development as an important step towards building a more professional and responsible advertising industry.

‘Let us build an advertising industry that commands creativity, earns trust, and upholds responsibility,’ he said.

The minister said the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) Act Number 23 of 2022 expanded the council’s regulatory powers and provided for the establishment of the Tribunal to adjudicate offences under the Act and relevant advertising regulations and codes.

He urged the Honourable Justice Cecilia M. A. Olatoregun-led panel to carry out its duties with integrity, independence and fairness.

‘Every matter that comes before you should be considered on its merits, without fear or favour, affection or ill will. The tribunal must be, and must be seen to be, a fair and impartial institution,’ he said.

The minister congratulated the Chairman and members of the tribunal, assuring them of the ministry’s continued support for ARCON and efforts to build a globally competitive advertising industry.

Earlier, the Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Dr. Olalekan Olumuyiwa Fadolapo, said: ‘The Advertising Offences Tribunal is a big opportunity for the Nigerian advertising industry. It is the first of its kind in the world because Nigeria has taken a proactive step not only to legislate on advertising, but also to put structures and frameworks in place,’ he said.

The Chairman of the Advertising Offences Tribunal, Honourable Justice Cecilia M. A. Olatoregun, pledged that the new panel would discharge its responsibilities with integrity, fairness and professionalism.

‘It is a great honour to be called upon to serve our country, and we take this responsibility very seriously. You have asked us to work with integrity, and that is what we are going to do,’ she said.

Members of the tribunal are: Musa Ahmed Attah (SAN), Merga Tyowanan Kachina, Dr. Ken Onyeali Ikpe, and Hajia Sa’a Ibrahim.

Dignitaries at the event included the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Dr. Binyerem Ukaire; the Director, Public Communication and National Orientation, Henshaw Ogubike; the Director, Public Relations and Protocol, Suleiman Haruna, PhD; the Special Assistant (Admin.) to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Dr. Sunday Baba, among other dignitaries.

The Grooming Endowment Trust (GET) which is focused on strengthening early-stage Nigerian businesses, has disbursed N50.5 million in direct grants to successful entrepreneurs over the past four years, with a similar amount spent on contingencies.

It has also given grants to 60 small and medium-scale business owners, who have so far emerged beneficiaries of its non-repayable grants.

The latest development came as GET opened applications for the fifth edition of its grant programme, with more than 7,000 entrepreneurs already submitting applications ahead of the August 20 deadline.

Chief Operations Associate of GET Compass, Chike Ugwu, at a briefing in Lagos, explained that the initiative was established to help promising entrepreneurs overcome one of the major obstacles confronting small businesses-access to finance.

Ugwu said the beneficiaries cut across five key areas: education, healthcare, enterprise and community development, humanitarian services and social entrepreneurship.

He said the initiative, a flagship Corporate Social Responsibility programme of Grooming Centre, a microfinance institution, was designed to promote businesses providing products and services capable of improving community welfare while contributing to economic development.

According to him, applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a business registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and have operated for less than three years.

Applicants are also required to provide detailed records of their business operations and undergo a compulsory intensive two-week training programme in Lagos.

Ugwu said the growing number of applications reflected the increasing demand for support among Nigeria’s emerging entrepreneurs.

‘Over 7,000 entrepreneurs have already applied nationwide ahead of the August 20 deadline for this year,’ he said.

He added that the selection process would be rigorous, with all business proposals subjected to multi-stage screening by a technical team comprising industry experts.

From the applicants, 100 entrepreneurs would be longlisted, while 15 finalists would eventually emerge.

Of the finalists, Ugwu said five would receive N2 million each, while the remaining 10 would receive N300,000 each, bringing the total cash prizes for the 2026 edition to N13 million.

Beyond the financial grants, he said all finalists would benefit from an exclusive mentorship programme designed to equip them with the skills and guidance required to build sustainable businesses.

Ugwu stressed that the programme was not merely about handing out money but about identifying entrepreneurs with viable ideas and helping them build businesses capable of surviving and scaling.

He said the Trust’s interventions were targeted at entrepreneurs who possess viable business ideas but lack the financial capacity to take their enterprises to the next level.

Also speaking, Chief Operating Officer of Creme Consulting, the firm managing the grant, Clifford Onyeike, said evidence from previous beneficiaries showed that the intervention was producing measurable results.

Onyeike said beneficiaries had demonstrated strong business acumen and recorded significant progress after receiving the grants and mentorship.

He said the ultimate objective was to ensure that supported businesses did not merely survive the grant cycle but achieved sustained growth and became capable of contributing meaningfully to the economy.

Describing SMEs as ‘the soul of Nigeria’s economy,’ Onyeike said strengthening small businesses remained critical to job creation, innovation and broader economic development.

The successful applicants for the 2026 cohort are expected to be unveiled and presented with their cheques at an event scheduled for October 30 in Lagos.

Former South-East spokesperson of President Bola Tinubu, Denge. Josef Onoh, has commended Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State for what he described as a deliberate and results-driven transformation of the state, particularly in the areas of security, healthcare, industrial revival and job creation.

Onoh said the direction of the Mbah administration was increasingly aligning with the broader policy vision of President Bola Tinubu, especially in the areas of strengthening security, expanding access to healthcare and repositioning Nigeria for production, investment and industrial growth.

According to him, the significance of Mbah’s administration lies not only in the scale of its projects but also in its focus on building systems capable of producing sustainable economic and social outcomes for the people.

‘From what I’ve seen in Enugu state under Governor Mbah administration, I will report to Mr. President about Governor’s alliance to his vision and I urge every citizen of Enugu State to vote for President Tinubu and Governor Peter Mbah in the 2027 elections to continue the good works they have just started,’ Onoh said.

On Security, Onoh said that Governor Mbah has excelled exceedingly in the deployment of technology, intelligence and public safety.

He praised the Mbah administration for establishing a modern Security Command and Control Centre designed to support real-time surveillance, intelligence gathering and emergency response.

He also highlighted the deployment of 150 artificial intelligence-enabled patrol vehicles equipped with cameras to support security agencies and the state’s Distress Response Squad.

‘The vehicles, according to the state government, form part of a technology-driven security architecture aimed at improving surveillance, response time and crime prevention,’ Onoh said.

Onoh further commended the establishment of the Enugu State Security Trust Fund as a sustainable financing mechanism for security operations, noting that the fund had reportedly raised over ?3 billion, noting that the approach was consistent with President Tinubu’s broader emphasis on strengthening the operational capacity of Nigeria’s armed forces and security agencies through improved funding, equipment, intelligence and inter-agency coordination.

The former South-East spokesperson of the President also cited the Mbah administration’s campaign to end the illegal Monday sit-at-home order as a major security and economic intervention.

‘The restoration of Mondays as normal working and commercial days in Enugu state had helped to revive economic activities and restore confidence across the state. Violent crimes have declined by more than 80 per cent following the deployment of surveillance technology and intensified enforcement,’ Onoh stated.

On Healthcare, Onoh, the Chairman of Forum of Former Members of Enugu State House of Assembly, noted particularly the construction of 260 Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres across the state’s 260 wards and described the initiative as a strategic investment in grassroots healthcare.

He said that the centres are designed to provide modern medical equipment, staff accommodation, renewable-energy systems and water infrastructure.

‘The administration’s healthcare programme also includes the upgrading of 51 secondary healthcare facilities and the completion of the 300-bed Enugu International Hospital, which is now ready to provide specialised referral medical services that make medical tourism uninteresting for the entire country.

‘This approach mirrors President Tinubu’s emphasis on strengthening primary healthcare and expanding access to essential health services at the grassroots.

The Tinubu’s health policy places significant emphasis on revitalising primary healthcare facilities, improving the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and ensuring wider access to functional healthcare infrastructure,’ he emphasized.

According to Onoh, the convergence between Enugu’s 260-ward healthcare strategy and the Federal Government’s objective of expanding functional primary healthcare facilities nationwide demonstrates the importance of investing in healthcare from the grassroots upward.

On industrial development, Onoh described Mbah’s efforts to revive dormant state-owned industries as one of the most significant components of the administration’s economic strategy of turning abandoned assets to productive enterprises.

He singled out the revival of Nigergas Company Limited in Emene, a facility that had remained dormant for more than three decades.

The revived plant has a production capacity of approximately 100 cubic metres of oxygen per hour and 45 cubic metres of acetylene per hour, supplying medical oxygen to hospitals and industrial gases to manufacturers, welders and agro-processors.

Onoh said that the plant has already created more than 100 direct jobs, with thousands of additional indirect employment opportunities expected across transportation, distribution, fabrication and other parts of the supply chain.

He further cited the ongoing efforts to revive Sunrise Flour Mills and United Palm Products Limited through private-sector partnerships, noting that the strategy demonstrates that government could turn abandoned public assets into productive enterprises capable of generating employment, supporting local production and strengthening value chains.

He further pointed to the administration’s land-bank and farm-estate initiatives across the state’s 260 wards, describing them as part of an emerging agro-industrial model designed to connect agriculture with processing and manufacturing.

‘The industrial direction of Enugu State is particularly consistent with President Tinubu’s economic philosophy of moving Nigeria from a predominantly consumption-driven economy to one based on production, value addition, manufacturing and exports.

‘The Federal Government places emphasis on productivity, competitiveness, local value addition, infrastructure, skills development, standards and regulatory stability. Therefore, the revival of industries such as Nigergas and the planned revitalisation of other moribund enterprises in Enugu reflect the same philosophy at the state level.

‘You cannot successfully industrialise Nigeria if the cost of producing in Nigeria is substantially higher than the cost of importing. Industrialisation must therefore go beyond announcing incentives; it requires deliberate investment in infrastructure, skills, production capacity and value chains.’

‘Governor Mbah’s approach clearly shows how state governments could complement the Federal Government’s economic reforms by creating an environment where industries can reopen, businesses can expand and young people can find employment and that is a Complementary vision elucidating the synergy between Enugu’s development agenda and the Federal Government’s policy direction which should be encouraged rather than politicised.

‘Security, healthcare and industrialization are not isolated sectors, but interconnected pillars of development. A secured environment encourages investment; a healthy population provides the human capital required for productivity; while functional industries create jobs, generate wealth and strengthen the tax base needed to finance public services.

‘I therefore urge other states in Nigeria to study the Enugu’s emerging model of combining security investment, grassroots healthcare delivery and industrial revival with private-sector participation. The ultimate test of governance should be measurable improvement in the lives of citizens, and the achievements recorded in Enugu state under Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah demonstrate how state-level initiatives can complement the national vision being pursued by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which the greatest beneficiaries are Nigerians.’

Muslim scholars, Imams, and members of the Persons With Disabilities (PWD) community have declared their support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Osun State, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), ahead of Saturday’s election.

The endorsement was made at the Osogbo House of Asiwaju Musulumi, where stakeholders said their decision was based on Oyebamiji’s commitment to Islam and his longstanding relationship with Muslim communities.

The meeting drew Muslim leaders and representatives from across the Southwest, as well as Edo and Delta States. It was attended by members of the Qadiriyyah movement and a large number of PWDs.

Speaking at the gathering, Chairman of Zumuratul Muhmineenah, Alhaji Abdul Ganiy Olaoye, said the event was convened to thank God for Oyebamiji’s emergence as APC candidate and to rally support for his victory.

‘We are all endorsing Oyebamiji because he is a dedicated Muslim who has consistently supported Islam. We are confident that he will be victorious,’ Olaoye said.

The Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Tunde Badmus, also addressed the gathering, urging Muslim communities to give ‘unshaken support’ to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC.

Badmus, who has held the title of Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland for nearly four decades, said he had reached out to Muslim leaders in Osun to emphasise the need for unity ahead of the election.

‘The party of Mr President, APC, is the party to support. All Muslim societies here have endorsed the candidate, and that is the direction I ask them to go,’ he said.

He disclosed that about 500 deaf and hard-of-hearing persons attended the meeting with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), stressing that they were determined to vote for Oyebamiji and would not sell their votes.

The Qadiriyyah movement of Nigeria, led by Khaleefah Abdulqodri, also formally endorsed Oyebamiji’s candidacy, following consultations with Muslim leadership.

Badmus expressed optimism that Oyebamiji would emerge as the next governor of Osun State and offered prayers for his victory at the polls.

The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has given Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Chris Nkwonta 14 days to publicly apologise over comments the party considers anti-party, or face possible disciplinary action.

The State Working Committee (SWC), led by chairman Chijioke Chukwu, took the decision at a meeting in Umuahia after Kalu claimed on national television that Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party (LP) would win re-election in 2027, while Nkwonta, at a reception for the President’s wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in Ukwa East, said he would vote for Otti.

According to a statement by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Uche Aguoru, the SWC unanimously described both statements as unstatesmanlike, embarrassing and inimical to the party’s cohesion and electoral prospects ahead of 2027. The committee said the conduct violated Article 21.2(11) of the APC Constitution, which allows disciplinary action against members whose conduct undermines the party.

The SWC demanded that both lawmakers tender unreserved public apologies demonstrating commitment to the party and its 2027 candidates within the stipulated period, warning that failure to comply would result in a disciplinary committee being constituted to recommend sanctions. It further resolved that political support and privileges could be withdrawn from either lawmaker if their conduct was established to be inimical to the party’s interest.

The APC in Abia said it remained committed to party unity and to winning the governorship and all legislative seats in the state in 2027.

The Federal Government has directed the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mrs Kemi Nanna Nandap, to immediately deploy a dedicated team to the United Kingdom to ease the issuance of passports to Nigerians.

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, issued the directive as part of ongoing efforts to further ease and streamline passport applications for Nigerians in the diaspora.

The Minister, in a statement from the NIS Public Relations Department in Abuja, said the team should be selected from the Service’s headquarters.

‘The Intervention Team is scheduled to arrive in the United Kingdom on 10th August, 2026, and will work in collaboration with the Nigerian High Commission to facilitate the processing and issuance of pending, new and renewal passport applications.

‘As part of the exercise, the intervention team will visit designated cities across the United Kingdom to conduct passport enrolment and processing, thereby enabling eligible applicants in different parts of the country to access the exercise.

‘This intervention is open to applicants with pending passport applications, new applicants, and holders of passports with less than one year remaining before expiry who wish to apply for renewal.

‘Applicants are to present their completed application forms and proof of payment during enrolment,’ the NIS said.

It added that the detailed schedule for the intervention, including the designated cities, dates, venues, enrolment times and other arrangements, will be announced separately.

It advised applicants not to attend any location until the relevant schedule has been officially communicated, and to monitor the official communication channels of the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom for further details.

‘For enquiries or complaints, please contact [email protected] or via the WhatsApp-only line: +234 916 087 8000.

‘All NIS digital passport application channels, including the Contactless Passport Application System, remain fully operational during the intervention exercise. The home delivery service also remains available to applicants.

‘The Nigeria Immigration Service remains committed to efficient, transparent and responsive passport service delivery to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora,’ the Service said.

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to end recurring clashes between farmers and herders.

It plans to rehabilitate grazing reserves and establish modern ranching settlements in six areas identified as major conflict flashpoints.

Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, identified Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Adamawa states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as priority areas for the intervention because of their history of farmers-herders conflicts.

He spoke with reporters after briefing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on the ministry’s activities and implementation of the National Ranching Policy.

Farmer-herder conflict has become a major source of insecurity in Nigeria, particularly across the Middle Belt and Northwest.

Maiha said the government had identified 417 grazing reserves nationwide and had begun a pilot scheme in Plateau State, which would serve as a proof of concept for a new livestock production model designed to reduce the movement of cattle and address one of the major triggers of rural conflicts.

According to the minister, the government has also opened consultations with pastoral communities, engaging about 34 organisations as part of efforts to secure their support for the transition from nomadic livestock production to ranching.

Maiha said the ministry met pastoralists under the leadership of the Grand Patron of Miyetti Allah and Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, with another round of engagement scheduled within two weeks.

He said the government’s assessment showed that the traditional system of moving large herds across the country had become increasingly unsustainable because grazing routes had disappeared due to expansion of farms, rapid urbanisation and growing demand for land for infrastructure.

‘A large number of cattle on the move is crisis-prone because, number one, the grazing routes have disappeared.

‘Farms, large farms have come up, aggressive urbanisation, demand for land for infrastructure development, so many other things have made nomadism not sustainable,’ Maiha said.

He explained that nomadism had largely survived as a means of moving livestock from areas where feed and water were scarce to locations where they were available, adding that providing those resources within designated settlements would remove the need for constant cattle movement.

‘Why don’t you provide these resources in situ and stop these animals from moving? Human beings can move; they don’t cause crisis. It’s the animals’ movement that normally generates this crisis,’ he said.

Maiha said the government was promoting commercial pasture cultivation and a model under which grass could either be grown around livestock settlements or harvested elsewhere and transported to the animals.

He added that breed improvement would enable pastoralists to keep fewer but more productive animals, reducing pressure on land while improving milk and meat production.

The minister said the ranching model would go beyond restricting cattle to designated areas, as the government plans to turn grazing reserves into integrated economic communities equipped with housing, veterinary clinics, primary schools, primary healthcare facilities, solar power and earth dams for irrigating pasture fields.

According to him, concentrating livestock in properly developed reserves could also attract milk processors, modular abattoirs, biodigesters and other businesses along the livestock value chain.

‘At the end of the day, each of those grazing reserves will become an economic hub. Imagine what you are going to have if you have 30,000 head of cattle in one area. The milk collection alone will attract milk processors.

‘They will attract modular abattoirs. They will attract biodigesters. They will attract so many things that will come there. That is our concept, and that’s what we have been selling to them’, he said.

Maiha said consultations so far had not encountered resistance from pastoralists, who, according to him, increasingly recognise that the old nomadic system could no longer be sustained.

‘So far, we have not seen resistance from anybody because the reality on the ground is that nomadism, as it were, is no longer sustainable, and we need a different concept’, he said.

He said another major component of the government’s strategy was the introduction of radio frequency identification for livestock, under which four-legged animals would be fitted with ear tags for identification, geolocation and proof of ownership.

The initiative, he explained, would enable the government to develop a national livestock database while making it easier to track animals that stray or are stolen through cattle rustling.

Maiha described the initiative as part of the non-kinetic measures being deployed to stabilise rural communities and reduce farmers-herders clashes.

On the broader livestock economy, the minister said the government was also focusing on modern abattoirs, dairy production, commercial fodder cultivation, veterinary services, vaccine storage infrastructure and poultry production.

He said at least seven model veterinary clinics had been built, while the government’s long-term objective was to establish at least one model veterinary hospital in every state and extend veterinary clinics to underserved communities.

The ministry, he added, was developing off-grid cold-chain vaccine storage facilities across the country to ensure animal vaccines could be transported and preserved at the required temperatures.

Maiha said the government was also encouraging investment in modern abattoirs to replace open slaughter facilities, which he described as inadequate from a public health perspective.

He disclosed that discussions were underway with local investors and development partners on the establishment of large-scale dairy projects, while commercial fodder cultivation was being promoted for domestic consumption and export.

The government, he said, was also considering large-scale importation of hatchable eggs to stabilise the poultry industry and shorten the waiting period for day-old chicks for local producers.

Maiha said he updated Tinubu on the ministry’s activities since its creation in July 2024 as part of the President’s strategy to mainstream livestock into the national economy.

He said the ministry was established to modernise the sector and make it sustainable, profitable and globally competitive, adding that about 20 states had since established similar ministries or agencies.

The development, he said, had strengthened prospects for collaboration between the Federal Government and states, particularly because land and much of the country’s livestock resources fall within the states.

Maiha said Tinubu was supportive of the ministry’s programmes and demonstrated detailed knowledge of developments in the sector during their discussion.

He quoted the President as saying: ‘The value chains in the livestock sector are fantastic,’ while urging Nigerians to take advantage of opportunities across the industry.

‘The President has been very supportive, and we are very grateful for that political support and for the understanding we are getting from Mr President.

‘For us, actually, we need not ask for more, but to go back and deliver,’ Maiha said.

The wife of Anambra State Governor, Dr Nonye Soludo, has called for the continued creation of spaces and an enabling environment for Nigerian youths to learn, build, lead and thrive.

In a message marking International Youth Day on Wednesday, Soludo said every youth deserves the opportunity to discover their potential and turn their dreams into meaningful impact.

Describing youths as not merely leaders of tomorrow but real changemakers, innovators and entrepreneurs, the governor’s wife urged them to believe in themselves and never underestimate the difference they could make.

She said, ‘Young people are not merely the leaders of tomorrow; they are the real changemakers, innovators, entrepreneurs, creators and problem-solvers shaping our world today.

‘As we celebrate International Youth Day, let’s continue to create spaces where our young people can learn, build, lead and thrive.

‘Every young person deserves the opportunity to discover their potential and turn their dreams into meaningful impact. The world owes them that.

‘To every young person in Anambra and beyond, believe in yourself, keep learning, stay healthy, and never underestimate the difference you can make.

‘Your ideas, energy and courage are needed in building the future we all truly desire. Happy International Youth Day!’