Category: The Nation – Nigeria

American rapper Offset has opened up about his separation from Cardi B, admitting that infidelity and bad decisions significantly contributed to their marriage ending.

‘I messed up, and it cost me my marriage,’ Offset revealed during a podcast interview with Keke Palmer.

Despite their split, he expressed deep respect for Cardi B, referring to her affectionately as ‘bro,’ and clarified that their divorce has not yet been finalised.

The rapper also reflected on his journey toward self-improvement and healing, sharing how he has been dealing with grief following the 2022 death of his cousin and Migos bandmate, Takeoff.

Offset credited therapy and faith for helping him overcome addiction and find peace, adding, ‘I’m focused on becoming a better man now.’

Addressing long-standing rumours about an alleged affair with rapper Saweetie, Offset firmly denied the claims, describing them as ‘completely false and unnecessary.’

‘That whole Saweetie thing was just weird,’ he said.

The Managing Director of FirstBank Group, Olusegun Alebiosu, says the bank is committed to bridging financing gaps and leveraging digital solutions to tackle business challenges across key sectors of the economy.

Alebiosu stated this at a breakfast session during the 31st Nigeria Economic Summit, themed ‘Expanding Access to Finance and Driving Growth Across Middle Market and Emerging Corporate Segments,’ held in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said that a prosperous nation is built on the backbone of its real sector, adding that access to finance remains fundamental to unlocking the sector’s full potential.

‘That is why we have placed this subject at the heart of our discussion – to catalyse sustainable growth and inclusion where it matters most,’ he said.

According to him, FirstBank empowers Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and emerging corporates through tailored products and services designed to stimulate growth across their value chains and support Nigeria’s economic evolution.

He stressed that collaboration among policymakers, industry players, and technology partners was vital to achieving lasting impact.

‘By forging partnerships across policy, industry, and technology, we can create an enabling environment that unlocks new opportunities for businesses to thrive. That is the driving purpose of today’s session,’ Alebiosu said.

He highlighted that with a legacy spanning 131 years, FirstBank remains a trusted partner to SMEs and large corporates, offering comprehensive banking solutions that enhance innovation, resilience, and diversification in the economy.

Also speaking, the Group Executive, Commercial Banking, North Division, Mrs. Aishatu Bubaram, said the middle market and emerging corporates are central to Nigeria’s future prosperity.

She described these enterprises as vibrant drivers of job creation, innovation, and diversification across key sectors such as agribusiness, healthcare, digital services, and light manufacturing.

Bubaram noted that despite their potential, these businesses face persistent challenges, including limited access to finance, inadequate advisory support, and fragile operational ecosystems.

‘FirstBank recognises that addressing these barriers is not just a banking imperative; it is a national imperative,’ she said.

According to her, the bank has continued to support enterprise growth and resilience over its 131-year history, reaffirming its commitment to expanding access to financial solutions, deploying technology to unlock opportunities, and forging partnerships that empower businesses.

‘This session is not merely about banking; it is about reimagining how finance can accelerate inclusion, how policy can create enabling environments, and how collective action can turn Nigeria’s vast entrepreneurial energy into shared prosperity,’ Bubaram added.

Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) has said building long term security in retirement is not quick fix as it mirrors life of a retiree without pension.

While identifying the two faces of retirement, PenOp considered the story of two hypothetical retirees, both of whom left service with N20 million.

According to PenOp, Madam Okeke for instance decided to withdraw everything and invest in a family business. For a while, it seemed promising. But within three years, inflation, currency depreciation, and unforeseen costs left her with nothing. By her early seventies, she had become dependent on relatives for basic needs.

Her colleague, Mr. Ade, opted to remain under the CPS.

His monthly pension was modest but consistent. Each month, without fail, his payment arrived. At 80, he still enjoys independence, secure in the knowledge that his pension will not dry up.

Both individuals worked hard; both sought security. But their choices determined whether retirement meant stability or vulnerability.

Stating why structure matters, the operators said some critics argue that restricting lump-sum withdrawals treats retirees like children.

PenOp said: ‘In reality, the principle is protective, not paternalistic. Across the world, pension systems are structured to spread income across retirement years because experience shows that without safeguards, many retirees exhaust savings too quickly. Family obligations, health crises, or speculative investments often erode lump sums, leaving individuals vulnerable at the exact stage of life when they are least able to recover financially.

‘The Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) prevents this outcome by ensuring that pensions last as long as life itself. For retirees who live beyond expectations, payments continue through programmed withdrawals or annuities arranged with insurance companies. The notion that payments ‘end’ at 75 is a misconception; in truth, actuarial science only uses life expectancy as a guide for planning, not a cut-off point.

‘Few issues stir as much passion as pensions. After all, retirement is not some distant concept; it is the very moment when decades of work are meant to translate into dignity, stability, and peace of mind. For Nigerian workers, the CPS is the system designed to ensure that this promise is kept.

Yet, as public debates grow louder, it is important to separate emotion from fact, and quick fixes from sustainable solutions.

‘At the heart of the pension conversation lies a simple question: should retirees be allowed to withdraw their savings in full, or should access remain structured? The former offers instant gratification; the latter seeks to protect long-term security. The choice is not trivial-it is one that determines whether our elders live their final years in comfort or in poverty’, the operators said.

The Hidden Risks of ‘Take-It-All’

The operators further said: ‘Imagine that a retiree with N20 million saved up over a career. It may seem logical to withdraw the entire sum and invest it independently. Some might argue that by chasing attractive interest rates or putting the money into a family business, higher returns can be secured. But this perspective often ignores three hard realities.

‘The first is longevity risk-the possibility of outliving one’s savings. A lump sum might look substantial at 60, but what happens if life stretches to 85 or 90? Of which many are praying for. The CPS is deliberately structured to provide income for life, ensuring that retirees do not face destitution in their later years.

‘The second is market volatility. Treasury bill yields and bond rates do not remain at 15 elevated levels (double digits) indefinitely. They fluctuate sometimes falling to single digits. A retiree who counts on fixed high returns may quickly discover that returns are unpredictable and insufficient, especially during downturns.

‘The third is investment risk. Stories abound of pensioners who withdraw funds to finance ventures that collapse under inflationary pressures or poor management. The intention may be noble, but the outcome is often tragic: savings vanish, while bills remain’.

Building Trust in the System

Trust is the lifeblood of any pension system, said PenOp.

‘Workers must believe that their savings are safe and that administrators are acting in their best interests. Under Nigerian CPS, pension assets are not even held by the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs). Instead, they are kept with independent Pension Fund Custodians under the strict oversight of the National Pension Commission (PenCom). This three-tiered structure: Saver, Administrator, Custodian provides layers of security that safeguard against mismanagement.

‘Since the scheme’s inception in 2004, pension assets have grown to over ?24 trillion. These funds are invested in government securities, infrastructure, corporate bonds, and housing, supporting not just individual retirees but also the broader Nigerian economy. PFAs earn regulated fees among the lowest in Africa while all investment returns accrue to contributors. Far from exploiting workers, the system has built a sustainable pool of capital that benefits both retirees and national development.

The Temptation of Oversimplification

PenOp maintained that it is easy to believe that giving retirees unrestricted access to their funds is the ‘fair’ solution.

‘But pensions are not simple savings accounts. They are insurance against the twin uncertainties of longevity and economic shocks. Psychologists call it the Dunning-Kruger effect: when complex issues are oversimplified by those who do not fully understand them. In the pension context, what looks like empowerment today may translate into widespread elderly poverty tomorrow’.

The Real Struggle

Ultimately, the true enemy is not the pension structure it is poverty, PenOp noted.

‘A nation that fails to protect its elders condemns itself to cycles of dependency and despair. Justice in pensions is not about short-term payouts but about ensuring that workers who devoted decades to the economy are not left helpless in their later years.

‘The CPS was designed precisely for this: to move Nigeria away from the inefficiencies and corruption of the old Defined Benefit Scheme, and toward a sustainable system that outlasts political and economic turbulence’.

A Call for Balance

PenOp submitted that: ‘Nigeria must pursue a balanced path one that recognizes retirees’ genuine frustrations while preserving the safeguards that protect them. Quick fixes may win applause in the moment, but true dignity in retirement comes from careful, compassionate, and sustainable reform. Our elders deserve nothing less’, the operators stressed.

House of Representatives member, Raheem Olawuyi, has called on traditional rulers, community leaders and residents of Kwara State to remain vigilant and cooperate with security operatives by providing timely and credible information in the face of spate of insecurity in the state.

Olawuyi is representing Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency.

The lawmaker said the fight against insecurity required collective responsibility.

‘Security is everyone’s business. We cannot afford to leave the safety of our communities solely to government agencies. Every citizen must be involved in safeguarding our environment and ensuring peace prevails,’ he said.

The lawmaker condemned the recent attack in Idofin Odo-Ashe, Oke-Ero Local Government, describing it as a cowardly act that seeks to disrupt the peace and stability of the community.

He expressed concern about the unfortunate incident and sympathised with the victims, their families and the entire community affected by the attack.

Sir: Former Interior Minister and National Secretary, African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rauf Aregbesola, recently stirred controversy when he suggested that political parties be allowed to nominate officials into the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Speaking at a panel session on electoral innovation hosted by the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership in Abuja, Aregbesola argued that the current method of appointing the INEC Chairperson, National Commissioners, and Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) is ‘deeply flawed.’

According to him, parties with at least five members in the National Assembly should be empowered to nominate individuals to lead INEC, claiming that such a model would ‘solve all the issues’ of bias and manipulation in Nigeria’s electoral system. In his words: ‘If the parties now betray themselves to allow one of them to run away with it, fine.’

There is no credible democracy in the world where political parties directly nominate election officials. The logic is simple: an election management body must be insulated from partisan influence to maintain neutrality, fairness, and credibility. Allowing political parties – the very contestants in elections – to nominate INEC officials would be akin to letting football teams select the referees to officiate their matches. It violates the principle of impartiality that underpins democratic elections.

If anything, Aregbesola’s statement reflects the frustration many Nigerians feel about INEC’s recent credibility challenges, particularly after the 2023 general elections. However, the answer lies not in politicizing the commission further but in strengthening its institutional independence.

What Nigeria needs is not partisan control of INEC, but transparent and accountable appointment processes. Civil society organisations, professional bodies, and judicial councils should play greater roles in screening and recommending nominees, while the National Assembly’s confirmation hearings must be made more open and rigorous. The president should no longer have unilateral power to appoint the INEC chair and commissioners without meaningful checks.

Furthermore, INEC’s funding and administrative autonomy must be constitutionally guaranteed and practically enforced. An electoral body that depends on political goodwill to function can never be fully independent.

Nigeria must not trade independence for convenience. The credibility of elections rests on the impartiality of those who conduct them – and that impartiality must never be up for negotiation.

The path forward is clear: reform INEC, yes, but do so through constitutional safeguards, institutional transparency, and public accountability – not through political capture disguised as innovation.

Nigeria’s democracy cannot thrive if the lines between player and referee are blurred. Aregbesola’s proposal may ignite debate, but it should be firmly rejected as both impractical and dangerous to the survival of electoral integrity.

Echowords, a creative platform founded by singer, songwriter and author, Elu Emina, has launched the maiden edition of its Spoken Word Contest to amplify youth voices and empower young Nigerians through poetry and performance.

The competition attracted more than 103 contestants, with stage voting narrowing the field to 30 before the final winners emerged. Iyenemi Muriel Ogbole claimed the first prize of N500,000 with her piece Life. Ogbu Joy Chiamaka came second with To those things hurting childhood, winning N150,000, while Favour Chinaza Basil’s Struggle of the Girl Child secured third place with N50,000.

Founder Echowords, Elu Emina, said that the contest was designed to give young Nigerians a platform for self-expression, healing and empowerment.

‘In a country where more than 60 per cent of the population is under 25, too many young people still feel unseen, unheard and undervalued. With youth unemployment hovering around 40 per cent, countless bright voices are left on the sidelines, their stories silenced before they’re ever told. That’s where Echowords comes in. A movement created to amplify youth voices, celebrate their stories and turn their words into power,’ he said.

He noted that the initiative will not end with the contest, as plans are in place to extend spoken word performances to schools, local communities and end-of-year events.

‘Our goal is simple: to amplify youth voices, nurture creativity, and make spoken word a force for social change,’ he added.

Ogbole, who won the contest, described her journey as one of resilience and creativity. She urged other young Nigerians to embrace spoken word as a medium of expression and self-discovery.

Author and musician, Emina, also published Night Market, a book that tells the story of a young girl navigating a world of witches, gods and phantoms. His music equally experiments with culture and sound, with his Afrobeat single Oya blending Hausa, English and the Chinese Guzheng. He is also set to release a song in the ancient Coptic language later this month.

Nigeria’s pension assets under the management of Pension Fund Administration (PFA) and supervision of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) has grown by N97.88 billion between July and August 2025, reaching N25.895 trillion, or about 0.38per cent month-on-month.

The total net asset value of pension funds stood at N25.895 trillion in August, up modestly from N25.797 trillion recorded in July, with pension sector demonstrating both resilience and strategic progress.

Key insights from PenCom Monthly Industry Summary August 2025 shows that while the gain signals continuity, it masks stress as Fund I and Fund II of the asset both posted declines of N10.185 billion and N8.104 billion respectively.

These figures confirm that even the more conservative portions of pension portfolios are susceptible to market volatility.

Meanwhile, dominant exposure to FGN securities, and rising allocations in infrastructure, real estate, and private equity, reflect a cautious yet diversified strategy.

Going by the report, this incremental growth of N97.9 billion signals that the system remains resilient even as macroeconomic headwinds and regulatory demands press upon it.

Moreover, the Retirement Savings Account (RSA) membership at 10,882,661 contributors seems to testify that Nigerians are embracing the scheme daily.

Yet, the report also reveals pressure points. In several fund tiers, there were negative movements in value as Fund I shrank by N10.185 billion and Fund II decreased by N8.104 billion

The August 2025 summary suggests that Nigeria’s pension industry is not collapsing-it’s adapting. The system shows resilience, but with cracks that need repair.

As we move deeper into 2025 and beyond, performance alone won’t win trust-*consistency, transparency, and accountability* will. If the industry delivers also where data is now scarce, the pension ecosystem stands to become a pillar of financial stability rather than just a safety net.

A closer look at asset class allocations showed that FGN Securities remain the backbone of pension portfolios, with holdings amounting to over N15.8 trillion across all funds.

Domestic equities holdings, while significant at N3.607 trillion), reflect careful balance.

On the other hand, Corporate debt, money market instruments, and real estate also feature meaningfully in portfolios.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has criticized what it described as the anti-masses stance of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and denounced the alleged forced unionization of workers at the Dangote Refinery.

The student body also declared its unwavering support for the Dangote Refinery, warning against actions capable of sabotaging Nigeria’s economic growth and discouraging indigenous investment in the oil and gas sector.

During a peaceful protest at Oworo Berger, Lagos, students and youths carried placards bearing messages such as ‘Dangote Refinery-Pride of Africa,’ ‘Stop the Sabotage,’ and ‘Support Indigenous Industries, Not Monopoly.’ The demonstration, held under the supervision of officers of the Nigerian Police, called on stakeholders to protect local enterprises driving national development.

NANS President, Comrade Olusola Oladoja-represented by the association’s National Public Relations Officer, Comrade Adeyemi Ajasa-said the demonstration served as a national warning to both the government and industry stakeholders that Nigerian students and youths would not tolerate economic sabotage.

Oladoja cautioned international saboteurs and their local collaborators against frustrating operations at Dangote Refinery and other emerging private refineries, drawing parallels with the collapse of Nigeria’s once-thriving textile industry due to policy neglect and unfair competition.

He alleged that importers of petroleum products, international oil companies (IOCs), and certain trade unions were conspiring to undermine private refineries through undue pressure and regulatory manipulation.

Reacting to reports of PENGASSAN’s attempts to compel Dangote Refinery workers to join its union, Oladoja described the move as unconstitutional and a violation of Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of association.

‘Private refinery workers have every right to decide whether or not to join any union,’ he said. ‘Just as lecturers in private universities are not forced to join ASUU, and teachers in private schools are not under COEASU, refinery workers must not be coerced into union membership.’

Oladoja outlined four key demands from the federal government: ‘Prioritize crude oil supply to all Nigerian refineries, including private ones; end crude under-valuation and the practice of selling cheaper crude to foreign refineries; incentivize local refineries to strengthen domestic production and reduce dependence on petroleum importation in favor of supporting indigenous refining capacity.’

He reaffirmed that Nigerian students stand firmly for industrial growth, job creation, and economic independence, declaring that NANS would resist any attempt to sabotage private investments in the oil and gas sector.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed into law the Nigeria Police Training Institutions (Establishment) Bill, 2024, a landmark legislation that provides statutory backing for 48 police training institutions across the country.

The new Act, sponsored by Senator Ahmed Abdulhamid Malam-Madori, is designed to institutionalise police education, promote continuous professional development, and align Nigeria’s law enforcement standards with global best practices.

The law categorises the nation’s police training infrastructure into five major groups – Police Colleges, Police Training Schools, Police Tactical Schools, Police Technical Training Schools, and other specialised institutions – all strategically distributed across the six geopolitical zones.

Among the foremost institutions now formally recognised by law are the Police Colleges in Ikeja (Lagos), Kaduna (Kaduna), Maiduguri (Borno) and Oji River (Enugu), as well as the Police Staff College in Jos (Plateau) and the Police Detective College in Enugu.

Also listed are several Police Training Schools in Bauchi, Minna, Sokoto, Benin, Wanune, Calabar, Ilorin, Ibadan, Iperu, Jos, Owerri, Nonwa-Tai, Oyin-Akoko, Ekiti, Gwaram, Malabu-Fufore and Bende, among others, aimed at strengthening capacity building across all levels of the force.

The Act further establishes elite Police Tactical Schools such as the Mobile Training Schools in Gwoza (Borno), Ila-Orangun (Osun), and Ende-Hill (Nasarawa); the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) Schools in Nonwa-Tai (Rivers) and Gombe; the Special Protection Unit (SPU) School in Kafin Hausa (Jigawa); and other specialised centres including the K9 Training School in Bukuru-Jos, the Mounted Troop Training School in Jos, the Marine Training School in Toru-Orua (Bayelsa), and the Police Pre-Retirement Training School in Kudan (Kaduna).

Under the Police Technical Training framework, the law recognises the Police Public Relations School in Lafia (Nasarawa) and its Abuja campus, the Central Planning and Training Unit in Jos, the Police School of Intelligence in Shere (Kwara), the Schools of Communication in Kudan and Ikeja, the Police School of Music and Driving School (Ikeja), and the Police Veterinary Training School (Abuja).

Other specialised institutions now enjoying legal recognition include the Police Institute of Digital Studies and Cyber Security in Abeokuta (Ogun), the Police School of Nursing and Midwifery in Ezimo (Enugu), the National Institute of Police Studies in Life Camp (Abuja), the Police Short Service Training Institute in Ikot Ekpene (Akwa Ibom), and the Police School of Finance and Administration in Umueri (Anambra).

Senator Malam-Madori described the presidential assent as ‘a transformative moment in Nigeria’s internal security architecture,’ noting that the new Act would ‘professionalise police training, deepen research in security management, and align Nigeria’s policing culture with international standards.’

Security analysts have also hailed the development as one of the most comprehensive legislative reforms in Nigeria’s policing history, positioning the force for better service delivery, accountability, and operational efficiency.

The federal government has appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to shelve its planned strike which is expected to start next week.

The government said there was no need for the union to embark on strike as it was committed to addressing all outstanding demands raised by the union.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa made the appeal in Abuja on Wednesday while briefing journalists on the progress of ongoing negotiations between the Federal Government and university-based unions.

ASUU has threatened to go on strike at the end of its 14-day ultimatum which it issued on September 28.

The ultimatum will end on Oct 12.

Alausa highlighted several steps already taken by the government to demonstrate commitment, including the release of N50 billion for earned academic allowances and the provision of N150 billion in the 2025 budget for the revitalisation of tertiary institutions.

He said, ‘The President has kept his promises. We have addressed promotional arrears, and the issues of wage awards and allowances have been resolved. By next year, all arrears will be fully cleared, including the 2025 wage award. The government is sincere and committed.’

Alausa said that the Mahmud Yayale Ahmed Federal Government Tertiary Institutions Expanded Negotiation Committee had been reconstituted and inaugurated to fast-track talks with both academic and non-academic unions in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

He stated, ‘We are finalising the components of the condition of service that ASUU has proposed. Our counterpart committee is also working to conclude its response, and hopefully, by the end of today or tomorrow, the Mahmud Yayale Ahmed Committee will present the Federal Government’s counter-offer to ASUU.’

He explained that President Bola Tinubu had given clear directives that all efforts must be made to avoid another disruption in the nation’s tertiary institutions.

Alausa said, ‘The President has mandated us to do everything humanly possible to avoid a strike. People at the highest level of government have been working several hours behind the scenes to come up with a robust but affordable response to the unions’ demands. These issues have dragged on for over 10 to 15 years, but this administration is determined to resolve them once and for all.’

The minister stated that, unlike in the past where separate committees handled negotiations for universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, the government had now adopted a unified approach to ensure efficiency and coherence in the process.

The minister added, ‘In the past, we had three different committees working, one for universities, one for polytechnics, and one for colleges of education. But that was not an efficient way to negotiate.

‘Now, we have one expanded negotiating committee that engages all tertiary institutions and all unions, both academic and non-academic, to ensure a holistic understanding of their needs.’

According to Alausa, about 80 per cent of the unions’ requests are similar across the tertiary subsectors, while the remaining 20 per cent relate to peculiar career and institutional needs.

‘We have seen all the requests, and we understand their peculiarities. The new committee has started work already and will continue to engage the unions expeditiously to reach a mutually beneficial agreement,’ he said.

The minister also urged ASUU and other unions to embrace dialogue as a first option rather than resorting to industrial action.

He said, ‘We know you have been patient, but please don’t use strike as your first resort. These are issues that have lingered for decades. President Tinubu has shown genuine political will and benevolence towards education. We will resolve this matter comprehensively, respectfully, and in a way the government can afford.’

He assured that discussions on the new conditions of service would soon be concluded, noting that this was the final component of the ongoing negotiation process.

The minister said, ‘We have resolved most of the concerns raised by the unions, and we are now at the final stage of the conditions of service.

‘We are pleading for patience. The government is truthful and genuinely interested in resolving this crisis once and for all.’

ASUU has already begun full mobilisation of its members in preparation for a possible nationwide warning strike ahead of its 14-day ultimatum, which is set to expire on Sunday this week.