Category: The Nation – Nigeria

The Debt Management Office (DMO) has disclosed that as of June 30, 2025, the Federal Government’s total domestic debt stock stood at N76,587,098,868,988.40.

This figure represents the sum of all debt instruments issued by the Federal Government within the domestic market.

In the breakdown by instrument, FGN Bonds accounted for the largest share of domestic debt, totaling N60,645,216,583,344.50, representing 79.18 percent of the total. Within this category, naira-denominated bonds (excluding the component used in restructuring states’ commercial debt) made up N36,523,311,224,592.00.

The report stated that N680,424,712,094.99 of FGN bonds issued to restructure States’ commercial debts is excluded from that amount. Also included under FGN Bonds was a securitized component of Ways and Means financing amounting to N22,719,000,000,000.00. A portion of FGN Bonds issued in foreign currency (converted to naira) accounted for N1,402,905,358,752.50; this figure corresponds to a domestic US Dollar bond of USD 917.405 million, which the DMO notes was converted using a rate of N1,529.2105 per dollar.

Treasury Bills were the second largest instrument, amounting to N12,764,078,815,000.00, which is 16.67 percent of the domestic debt stock.

Other instruments recorded in the DMO report include FGN Sukuk (N1,292,557,000,000.00, or 1.69 percent), FGN Savings Bonds (N91,533,172,000.00, or 0.12 percent), and FGN Green Bond (N62,355,000,000.00, or 0.08 percent).

Promissory Notes (PNotes), which are non-interest bearing, were reported at N1,731,358,298,643.85, forming 2.26 percent of total domestic debt. Of this amount, the naira-denominated portion was N431,216,797,437.00, while the foreign currency denominated portion (converted to naira) was N1,300,141,501,206.86. The foreign currency portion is composed of USD and GBP elements, converted at the rates of N1,529.2105 per dollar and N2,093.9479 per pound.

Specifically, the DMO noted that the FGN Naira Bonds figures include part of the N7.3 trillion Ways and Means restructured in the first half (H1) of 2025, and that the FGN US Dollar Bond of USD 917,405,000 issued on September 6, 2024 and outstanding as at June 2025 was converted to naira using the Central Bank of Nigeria official exchange rate of 1 USD = N1,529.2105 as at June 30, 2025.

The DMO stated that Promissory Notes which are non-interest bearing instruments and that the foreign-denominated Promissory Notes outstanding (USD 850,069,492 and £98,526 as at June 2025) were converted to naira using the CBN official exchange rates of 1 USD = N1,529.2105 and 1 GBP = N2,093.9479 as at June 30, 2025.

These figures, as disclosed by the Debt Management Office, provide a detailed snapshot of how the Federal Government’s domestic liabilities are structured across different instruments as of the mid-2025 period.

Afrobeats singer and songwriter Johnny Drille, has opened up about his musical journey and how he struggled to find his place in the church community despite starting out there.

Speaking during a recent podcast appearance, the singer revealed that although he once served as a music director in church, he never truly felt his style of music belonged there.

‘I didn’t feel like my music was predominantly in church. Every now and then, I get invited to churches to sing, which is kind of interesting,’ he said.

Johnny Drille also admitted that his transition from gospel to mainstream music came with backlash from some members of the Christian community.

‘I’ve gotten a bit of backlash from my Christian community every now and then when they invite me to churches. But at the end of the day, the music is positive. It speaks to good things that sometimes the church doesn’t want to talk about,’ he explained.

He went on to criticise how churches often shy away from expressing love through music.

‘The church shies away from talking about love. A lot of times you go for some Christian weddings and you hear Davido and Wizkid. What if the church decides that we want to start doing our own Christian love songs?’ he said.

Reflecting on his early days, Johnny Drille said his time as a choir director helped shape his skills as a musician, even though he didn’t perform much at the time.

‘There’s a place for worship music, right? But there’s also music about so much more that the church could be singing about. I was a music director, directing the choir, but I never really sang in front of the church. I think it helped me become the musician I am today in terms of my musicianship and performances,’ he added.

For generations, the story of the Niger Delta has been told in two powerful, conflicting images. One is the constant, angry glow of gas flares, a symbol of wasted wealth and a damaged environment. The other is the quiet, fading green of the mangrove forests, a symbol of life and resilience that we have too long taken for granted.

Our national discussion on climate change keeps circling back to the technical challenge of capturing those flares. But in doing so, we are missing the most powerful solution we have. It is a solution that lies not in complex machinery, but in the rich, muddy soil of our coast.

The mangrove, our true ‘green gold,’ offers us a clear path. It is a plan that turns ecological restoration into a guaranteed source of revenue, creating a valuable financial asset while delivering the profound community renewal our people deserve.

The argument for mangroves begins with a powerful and simple economic truth. While the national project to capture flared gas remains bogged down by immense costs, estimated at over three billion dollars, and endless delays, planting mangroves is stunningly affordable and can begin today. Think of what we could do with a strategic investment of just three hundred million dollars. That fraction of the gas capture budget could restore three quarters of a million hectares of these life-giving forests.

This investment unlocks what experts call ‘blue carbon.’ A single hectare of healthy mangrove can absorb a thousand tonnes of carbon, storing it safely in its roots and soil for centuries. This is not just about cleaning the air; it is about building a natural bank account. A growing mangrove forest is a financial asset that appreciates in value every single year, providing long term revenue assurance that is not tied to the volatile price of oil.

This is not just a hopeful idea. It is a reality that is already transforming lives in other parts of Africa, showing us exactly what is possible. In Senegal, local villagers have led one of the most ambitious mangrove restoration projects on the planet, planting over one hundred and fifty million seedlings. The results have been miraculous for the communities. The fish and oysters have returned in abundance, restoring the primary source of food and income for countless families.

The restored forests now protect their villages from the sea itself, acting as a natural barrier against erosion and storm surges. In Kenya, the pioneering Mikoko Pamoja project, which means ‘Mangroves Together,’ goes even further. They sell the carbon credits from their protected mangroves and pump every dollar of that revenue directly back into the community. This money builds new classrooms, provides clean water, and supports local clinics.

This creates a beautiful, self-sustaining cycle: a healthy ecosystem funds community renewal, and a renewed community becomes the proud guardian of its environment. This is the living proof that the Niger Delta can and should emulate.

This is where our state governments in the South-South have a historic opportunity to lead. For Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, and Cross River, this is a call to action. The vision is a regional green revolution, launched in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Environment. It can start with practical, state led pilot projects.

Imagine designating and restoring ten thousand hectares in each state, employing local men and women to nurture and plant the mangroves. The success of these initial projects would be the catalyst for the most crucial step: filling the national carbon registry.

By carefully measuring the carbon captured by our new forests, we can formally register these credits. This transforms our green gold into a solid, tradable financial asset, guaranteeing revenue assurance for future development. This effort will require all of us: international partners for technical support, our own universities for research, and the oil and gas companies operating here, who can invest in this green legacy as a core part of their social responsibility.

But the true magic of this plan is not found in spreadsheets or carbon reports. It is found in the tangible benefits that flow directly to the people who need them most. A restored mangrove forest means the return of the fishing grounds that once sustained entire villages, putting food on the table and money in pockets.

It means the next generation can see a future for themselves in their ancestral home, not having to leave in search of opportunity. It means mothers can watch their children play without fear of the next flood, because the mangroves stand as a mighty shield against storm surges. It means thousands of new, dignified jobs for our young people in nursery management, planting, patrolling, and eco-tourism.

This is the heart of community renewal: restoring not just the land, but the hope, health, and economic vitality of the people.

We must continue to push for the advanced technology and regulatory will needed to finally stop gas flaring at the source. But we cannot wait. The states of the South- South, hand in hand with the Federal Government, now have the chance to write a new, hopeful chapter for the Niger Delta.

Let us shift our gaze from the complicated, expensive task of capturing wasted gas to the simple, profound act of growing our natural wealth. Let us choose to invest in our green gold. Let us build a future where communities that have lived for decades in the shadow of flares can now thrive in the shelter of lush, carbon rich forests.

This is our blueprint for a future that is ecologically whole, economically secure, and deeply rooted in the renewal of our communities. Our green gold is waiting to be rediscovered.

Influencer and fashion entrepreneur Laura Ikeji-Kanu has argued that many non-working girls live better and earn more than hardworking women simply because they are beautiful.

In a video on Instagram, Laura expressed concerns about how society seems to reward beauty over genuine hard work.

She noted that girls who don’t work often get more financial rewards and attention than those who put in real effort to build a career or business.

According to her: ‘We are in a country where girls who do not work earn more than girls who work hard, all because they are beautiful. Girls who are fine make so much money’.

Laura encouraged people to support hardworking girls, saying, ‘Please, if you see any hard working girls, always try to support them, no matter what.’

The statement has received mixed reactions, with some praising Laura for speaking the truth and others arguing that beauty and influence have become new forms of work in the digital age.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo has faulted the policy of disposing of critical government enterprises under the guise of privatisation, stressing that privatisation of government enterprises is wrong.

The former SDP presidential candidate blamed the massive infrastructure challenge in Nigeria today on the sale of public assets between 1999 and today.

He particularly blamed the Olusegun Obasanjo administration for selling such public assets as the then National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), the Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), the National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria (NICON), and the Nigerian Hotels Limited, among others.

He argued that what the government should have done was to privatise the industry or the sector, but not the enterprise.

‘What you privatise is the industry, the sector, not the enterprises. Privatisation of government enterprises is wrong. What you need is to open the sector; that’s all,’ he said.

He lamented that the ripple effects of that singular policy have been massive infrastructure challenges, massive savings challenges, massive unemployment and a lack of where to train people.

‘This is because in those days, if you finished school, you could join NEPA and they would train you. Many engineers in Nigeria today were produced there; many people who are great engineers today are products of NEPA.

‘So, you have somewhere to go and work, but we have destroyed the public works department. So if you see any state government in front of the camera trying to commission or start a 10km road, you will see one Lebanese person standing in front of them. Even simple work that they could do with the public works department, they will not.

He argued that even with the privatisation of NITEL, there was still a telecommunication problem because most of the telecom companies still rely on the NITEL exchange to function optimally. ‘We also have a telecommunication problem because most of the carriers are still relying on NITEL; they are still relying on the NITEL exchange and all of that.’ he said.

He also queried the rationale behind the privatisation of the power company when the operators lack the capacity to run it efficiently and effectively. ‘People are now generating electricity, but what has happened is that many of these investments will rely on consumers to buy their own transformers,’ he said.

He promised that his party, the SDP, has a better idea, saying, ‘The idea is to reconstitute and raise new Nigerians who are going to now man these enterprises and then grow industries out of them.’

The District 404B3 of Lions Clubs International has organized a workshop as part of activities to raise awareness about mental health and wellness which has become global issues.

The workshop was held at PGG Yinka Bolarinwa House, Oyinola Street in Akowonjo, Lagos.

The one-week programme with the theme: ‘Caring for the carer: Mental wellness health for humanitarian volunteers,’ had in attendance Lions across the clubs under the District, and it featured distribution of mental health advocacy fliers, visitation to hospitals, trainings/workshops among others.

The speakers include: Global Trainer/Project Manager, Global Initiative on substance abuse, Dr Adetola Isaac Olatunde; Deputy Commander of Narcotics/Lagos State Coordinator of ISUUP, Titilope Ogunluyi; Rtd Commander of Narcotics, Mrs Felicia Ikechukwu and Founder, Phenomenal Strides Foundation, Lion Ibiba Odidi.

In his welcoming address, the District Governor, Lion Adelaja Adeleye, said the exercise focused on educating communities, breaking stigma, and promoting wellbeing through activities like online discussions and in-person events.

‘These campaigns align with Lions’ mission to address both visible and invisible needs within their communities and promote holistic health through their motto, ‘We Serve’.

‘Mental health initiative is an expansion of service to include areas that advocate for positive change and connect with those in need, such as the elderly and youth.

‘Lions International promotes mental health awareness because they see it as a critical and often overlooked part of overall community well-being, aiming to combat the stigma around mental illness, support those in need, provide resources for resilience, and create more compassionate communities worldwide,’ Lion Adelaja.

In his paper presentation, Dr Adetola said: ‘Mental wellness is a state of your mind being in order and functioning in your best interest. A situation where you are able to think, feel and act in ways that create a positive impact on your physical and social well-being.

‘The state of our mind affects the effectiveness of our body and vice

versa. Sometimes, in the process of our daily activities, we may experience circumstantial changes, our mind needs to adjust to adopt new practices or strategies to handle the appearing stress, improve resilience, and deal with the adversity. Otherwise, those stress factors may affect productivity and fruitfulness.

‘Caring for Carers’ Mental Wellness for Humanitarian Volunteers, is about prioritizing the wellbeing of those who give help, their time, energy and compassion to others. They show empathy and offer practical solutions to those who are in distress.

‘They care for others, but often neglect themselves or nobody cares or

have the thought that they also need to be cared for. As a matter of fact, people erroneously have the feeling that the medical professionals are immune to medical challenges and so don’t need help or care.’

Abia State is one of the states in the country that are yet to implement the Local Government financial autonomy.

The Nation reports that despite the election of local government chairmen which should have constitutionally granted them unhindered access to the local government funds, the state governor still determines how much the 17 local government chairmen get monthly.

The action of the state governor, our correspondent learnt, stifles pace of work and development in the council areas, as some local government chairmen claim that they don’t have the funds that they would need to execute projects in their council areas.

It was gathered that both payment of local government staff and teachers were still being done by the governor through the office of the Accountant General of the state.

Efforts to speak with members of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) at the time of the report failed as none of the members could be reached for comments.

An Oyo State High Court 5, sitting in Ibadan, on Friday adjourned for ruling on the applications by the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and other defendants in the suit instituted by the Attorney General of Osun State and one other person as claimants.

The matter with suit No. 1/1149/2025 between the Attorney-General of Osun State, the Osun State Local Government Service Commission, and UBA Plc.

The ruling, slated for Tuesday, October 14th, 2025 is to determine whether the case should be adjourned sine die as put before the court by Counsel to UBA, Mr Mutalib Adebayo Ojo (SAN), to await the outcome of Supreme Court decision, or whether the court should take the other applications.

The other applications before the court bothering on jurisdiction, applied for by counsel to the court-sacked APC council chairmen, led by Kazeem Gbadamosi (SAN), as well as the one on participating to be joined by other parties.

Giving the ruling, the Presiding Judge, Justice Ladiran Akintola, said the ruling was given after due consultation with all parties so as to have enough time to write a considered ruling on the matter.

The court also extended till October 14th, its Order of Interim Injunction against UBA, maintaining a no-debit restriction on 30 bank accounts into which withheld Osun State local government allocations were paid by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

In court on Friday, Counsel to UBA, Adebayo Ojo (SAN) reminded the Court of his application that the matter be adjourned sine die until the Supreme Court will deliver its judgment.

He noted that the suit upon which the case was filed had been heard at the Supreme Court and judgment reserved, adding that the fact cannot be controverted by any of the parties before the Court.

While asking for the case to be adjourned indefinitely, he told the court that the local government funds in contention were still in its safe custody and untouched by any party.

He noted that, ‘if the High Court proceeds to hear the suit, there is the likelihood or 50-50 chance that whatever the court does may be in conflict with the decision of the apex court.’

He added that what the court should look at has to do with the hierarchy of the courts, which might result in time wasting of the lower court, noting that once the matter is decided by the Supreme Court, there will be nothing left for any of the parties to do.

He urged the Court to adjourn the matter sine die to await the Supreme Court judgement.

Reacting, Gbadamosi while urging the court not to grant the application until it addresses the issue of jurisdiction told the court that the application is an anomaly and not something that should be before the court.

He said, ‘In view of the fact that from the defendants and originating summons, there is a suit before the Supreme Court which this current suit and reliefs being sought is predicated on. This suit was filed subsequently after the Supreme Court case was filed, that in itself constitutes an abuse of court process which this court must not grant.’

However, counsel to the plaintiffs, Musibau Adetunmbi (SAN), countered the submissions of Gbadamosi noting that his client ran to the court when it observed that despite awaiting the judgement of the Supreme Court, agencies of the Federal government including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Accountant General still wet ahead to deposit the fund in question into UBA.

‘If the money was not moved from the CBN, we will not come before the Court. There is no argument, two parties are disputing over the rest. But, we all know that the Supreme Court does not have jurisdiction over UBA, but this court does, hence our decision to approach this court.

‘The suit is not an abuse of processes as it was filed when the money was moved to UBA by government agencies. Agents of the FG including the CBN, Accountant General of Federation without recourse to the law violated the law and moved the money to UBA.’

After taking a series of arguments and counter arguments, the Judge retired to the Chamber to write the ruling but emerged about ten minutes later to adjourn for the ruling to be read next week, Tuesday.

In the shadowed corridors of the Lagos State Rehabilitation and Vocational Training Centre in Owutu, Ikorodu, where hope often struggles to rise above the heavyweight of reality, The Nation correspondent approached a quiet woman named Flora Iwulegi. Her story, though told with composed voice and tired eyes, speaks of a life journey marked by dreams deferred, survival and a longing for dignity in the midst of neglect.

‘I am Flora Iwulegi from Delta State,’ she said as if reaffirming her identity to herself.

‘I was living in Lagos and was working. But the job stopped and I could not pay my rent. My landlord threw my things out and somehow, I found myself here.’

Once employed at a now-defunct organisation called SBA Research, lwulegi studied Secretarial Studies at Lagos State Polytechnic; a course she believed at the time would open the door to a stable life. But she would later realise that stability can be painfully fragile as the roof over her head vanished as soon as her job did.

Between 2009 and 2016, Flora shuttled between Lagos and her village as she tried unsuccessfully to find her footing again. ‘But things just did not work out,’ she said.

Unfortunately, she had no one to share her plight with as her parents were long gone. They died while she was still very young, leaving her to face life all alone. Hence she found herself begging on the streets of Lagos. In the process, the Lagos State rescue team found her and took her to the rehabilitation centre after telling her that the governor wanted to meet her.

‘I believed them when they told me that the governor wanted to see me. I hoped I was going to see him, but I never did. My first month in the centre was full of anticipation and hope that l would see the governor’.

Life inside the centre

Arriving at the rehabilitation centre in 2016, lwulegi has lived in it for nearly a decade. Asked what life had been like at the centre, she said: ‘It is terrible; really terrible.’

She noted that inmates are packed into large halls with shared bed spaces. ‘Some have mattresses, others make do with the wrappers they spread on the floor. That becomes yours space whether it is comfortable or not,’ she said.

Iwulegi also said there was inconsistency in the feeding arrangement. She said although meals are served twice or thrice a day, the quality is barely tolerable. ‘You eat what they give you not because you like it, but because you must survive.’

Despite the presence of a vocational training centre offering courses in tailoring, shoemaking, and hairdressing, lwulegi was yet to learn a skill. Instead, she found solace teaching children in the centre’s makeshift classroom.

The correspondent sighted the classroom which had old benches and a chalk board that was not placed on the wall well. ‘I joined myself with the children’s section and became a teacher to them,’ she said.

A mother apart

Iwulegi has a child, though the two have lived apart for many years.

‘Someone offered to take care of him, so he did not come here with me,’ she said as her voice trailed off at the mention of motherhood. There was no bitterness; only the fatigue of someone who has had to make peace with absence.

Asked what she hoped for, lwulegi’s answer was disarmingly honest: ‘As soon as I get accommodation, I will leave. I will find a teaching job, maybe. But more than anything, I just want to face my God.’

Her words are not despairing; they are resolute. After years of hardship, the idea of finding meaning in faith feels like the only certain destination left. Now in her mid-fifties, lwulegi is not concerned about remarrying or acquiring material things. ‘At my age? Well, if God wills,’ she said in response to a question about remarrying.

Hers is the story of a once-educated and gainfully employed woman swallowed by an unkind system; a story of how easily life can unravel, and how difficult it is to rebuild when the system forgets to follow through.

‘Living in this environment makes me feel bad. It is like one is living in the past and one is not progressing,’ Iwulegi lamented. Yet, within her is a strength not easily erased; a woman who though rattled by circumstance refuses to let go of her humanity.

Faith, loss, survival: the story of Prophetess Oluwakemi Osikoya

On that humid afternoon at the centre in Owutu, Ikorodu, a soft-spoken woman walked smartly, her bag clutched firmly in her hands. ‘My name is Oluwakemi Osikoya. I am from Ijebu Ode,’ she said.

While Osikoya spoke with disarming calmness, her life story was anything but simple. Behind the calm voice of the Ibadan-based prophetess is a life defined by faith, betrayal and a mother’s enduring pain.

She recalled her early days in Ibadan, where she built a church ‘with God’s help’ as a prophetess of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church. She spoke of a vibrant ministry and a congregation she nurtured with prayers and resources but it was not long before cracks began to form.

She said: ‘Some people came to me. They wanted me to join their lodge. They said the lodge members include Muslims, traditionalists, herbalists and prophetesses, but I told them that with my Jesus I would not hold another god.’

Her response, she said, sparked resentment and hostility. Soon, things began to spiral. ‘They tried to block my people from entering my house. If I locked my door and went out, they would break the door and take everything I had at home.’

In all this, she said, her husband offered no support. ‘People called him. Church members called him. They wanted to contribute money for me to buy land, but he told them he could not support them because he is a salaried man,’ she said regretfully.

In the midst of the resultant tension, riots broke out against her. ‘They called me a liar. They said, ‘Come and see Jesus. She is Jesus.” She said she was wounded in the attacks.

With her life in danger, Oluwakemi fled Ibadan for Shomolu, Lagos, taking her two young children aged seven and five with her. But tragedy struck again.

She said: ‘I first took them (the children) to their father’s family house. I don’t know who called him. He came and snatched the children and ran away.

‘When he came around, l told my children not to go and see him. But my eldest child said Mummy, let us go and greet him, it is not fair. As the children came out to see him, he took them away in his car to lbadan. Since then, I have not seen them.’

That was in 2004. Twenty-one years later, she still hasn’t seen her children. ‘I know where they are,’ she said quietly. ‘If I get to Idiarere in Ibadan, I will see them. But I have not heard about them-schooling, work, anything.’

Her voice trailed off. It is the kind of loss that lingers; heavy and unspoken.

From Church founder to sleeping under bridges

When she arrived in Shomolu, she discovered that their family house had been sold. With no home, no children and no income, Oluwakemi was forced to sleep outside-sometimes under bridges, sometimes anywhere the night caught her.

‘It was terrible,’ she recalled. ‘Rain will beat you, sun will beat you. You have no clothes, no water to drink, no water to bathe. By dirt, you will go into madness,’ she said.

In 2017, she was brought to the Lagos State Rehabilitation Centre, where she has lived since.

Today, Oluwakemi is learning horticulture at the centre. For the first time in years, she has a skill she believes can help her to rebuild her life.

‘I am ready to face life as a horticulturist. That is what I am going to do.’

Yet, even as she learns, her faith remains her anchor. ‘If God sends me, I will still do His work,’ she says of her role as a prophetess. ‘I’m not the one forcing myself.

A place of refuge with gaps to fill

Unlike some other residents, Oluwakemi speaks positively of the centre. ‘This place is beautiful. It is good for somebody who has nowhere to sleep, who rain is beating, sun is beating. It helps us,’ she said.

But she also believes there is more that can be done. ‘Government should help us with more food and they should give us more training. Those who gave us training last time-they are Life Foundation. They brought materials for us. Government should do more,’ she said.

Asked if she would ever reconcile with her husband, Oluwakemi shook her head in the negative. ‘Somebody who could not help me to survive, how am I going to cope? I can’t.’

What about remarriage?

She hesitates, then answers: ‘No.’

Born in 1965, she has learned to lean on herself and her faith. ‘I am my own esteem here,’ she said, a quiet pride in her voice.

Despite everything, loss, betrayal, poverty, she radiates resilience.

Osikoya’s story is one of many inside Lagos’s rehabilitation centres. It is a story of how life can change overnight, how a person of faith and influence can be pushed to the margins, and how government interventions can make the difference between despair and survival.

Her dream now is simple: to leave the centre, earn a living through horticulture, and-if it is God’s will-to continue her ministry.

‘I thank God for today,’ she said softly, clutching her bag again. ‘This place has helped me. But I am ready to start life again.

Agboche fights for life beyond addiction

Called at the verge of having his first meal at about 1pm, 35-year-old Romeo Agboche looked many years older than his age. His eyes were weary, his voice fragile, but there was a quiet determination behind every word.

Agboche hails from Edo State, but it was the streets of Ikorodu, Lagos that shaped much of his adult life-both the rise and the fall.

‘I started smoking at the age of 20,’ Agboche admits, staring into the distance. ‘Now I am in this place for the third time.

‘The first time, my mother came to pick me. The second time, I didn’t take my medications and I broke down again. This third time, they brought me back.’

This time, he says, might be different.

His descent into substance abuse began in his early adulthood. His drug of choice? ‘Smoking,’ he says, with an air of shame and resignation. He refers to himself as an ‘addict smoker,’ but insists he has now stopped.

‘I don’t smoke anymore. I don’t drink. I have been clean for 10 months,’ he said. The credit, he said, goes to the rehabilitation programme, where they are given psychotropic medications and occasional treatment for illnesses like malaria.

‘The main reason we are here is to take psych drugs so that our brain would be corrected,’ Agboche explained.

His story isn’t just one of addiction; it’s also about lost opportunities.

‘I went to school in Ikorodu,’ he said. ‘I finished secondary school but did not go further after that because I used to go for football training morning and evening. I was a grassroots footballer.’

He wanted to become a professional footballer, but lack of sponsorship and support derailed his dream. ‘That is why I did not go to school,’ he said, repeating the sentence like a painful refrain.

Agboche said before coming to the centre, he worked as a stylist for a lady in Ikorodu-a small but significant step towards stability.

Now, with his football dreams dimmed, he has his eyes set on something more grounded: learning a handwork-barbing.

‘I would like to open a shop. When I leave here, I want to practice my barbing skills and look for a job.

Harsh realities of rehab life

While Agboche speaks with hope, he does not sugarcoat life inside the rehabilitation centre. ‘The food here is nothing to write home about. We are fed once or twice daily, and the nutrition in the food is appalling,’ he said.

Perhaps more heartbreaking is his lack of visitors. ‘It’s been 10 months. My family hasn’t visited me once. It is what I see here that I eat. I don’t have any money.’

Asked what advice he would give to young people like him, Agboche did not hesitate in offering one: ‘They should stop smoking. They should stay away from bad friends.’

He blamed much of his past on peer pressure. ‘The friends I was moving with led me into it. Anything they want to do, it is friends that allow them. That was how I started. So they should focus on themselves and on God.

‘They should just leave friends on one side and focus on their future dreams and goals.’

Calls for compassion, support

Agboche’s story is not unique. Across Nigeria, thousands of young people battle addiction, mental illness, and abandonment. And while centres like the one in Owutu offer a lifeline, they are often underfunded, overcrowded and in need of reforms.

‘We really need support and care so that the reforms here can stay long,’ Agboche said.

As the sun set over the courtyard, Agboche sat back, his expression unreadable. Is he hopeful? Is he afraid? Perhaps both. But one thing is clear: he wants a better life. Whether the third time will be the charm remains to be seen.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) said owing to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) strike, crude oil production and condensate production dipped by 50,432 barrels per day in September 2025.

The output declined to 1.58million per day in September 2025 from 1.63mb/d in September 2025.

In the period under review, crude oil production alone was 1.38mb/d while condensate production was 191,373.

This was contained in the NUPRC September crude oil production report, which disclosed that the average crude oil production was 93 per cent of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

The statement by the NUPRC Head, Media and Strategic Communication, Mr. Eniola Akinkuotu, explained: ‘Crude Oil and condensates production for the month of September 2025 fell to an average of 1.581 million barrels per day, according to official statistics released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) on Saturday, October 11.

‘The 1.581 million barrels per day average production in September comprises 1.39 million bopd of crude oil and 191,373 bopd of condensate.

‘The NUPRC attributed the development to the three-day industrial action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), which resulted in the shutdown of some production and export facilities.’

The statement said that the Commission also noted that two strategic facilities had a scheduled turnaround maintenance which led to a reduction in overall production.’

It recalled that in September, the industry recorded total crude oil and condensate production of 47.43 million barrels which reflects a modest 1.61% year-on-year increase in average daily crude oil and condensate production year on year.

This is a slight improvement over the 1.55 million bpd recorded in the same month of 2024, an uptick that suggests incremental progress.

However, when measured on a month-on-month basis, crude oil and condensate production slightly dropped by 3.09% in September 2025, compared to the 1.63 million bopd recorded in August 2025.

Despite the glitches experienced during the period, average crude oil production in September stood at 93% of the OPEC quota of 1.5 million bopd.

During the review month, peak combined crude oil and condensate production hit 1.81 million bopd, while the lowest was 1.35 million bopd.

Analysis of production by the top eight streams shows Forcados Blend accounted for 15.86% of total production, while Bonny Light accounted for 13.31% of September production.

QUA IBOE was third accounting for 9.88%; ESCRAVOS Light contributed 8.96%, while BONGA Crude delivered 6.83% of production in the review month.

AGBAMI Condensate accounted for 4.94%; ERHA Crude accounted for 4.55%, while Amenam Blend accounted for 4 2% of production.