Category: The Nation – Nigeria

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has signed two strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Service Compact with All Nigerians (SERVICOM) to enhance data-driven decision-making and improve service quality across Nigeria’s health insurance system.

The agency explained that the partnerships were necessary because it cannot function in isolation and must work closely with institutions that have complementary mandates.

‘This is the beginning of a long journey toward a more accountable and citizen-focused health insurance system. Our goal is to transform how health insurance works, using evidence, technology, and accountability to deliver the quality of care Nigerians deserve, the Director General (DG) of NHIA, Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, stressed.

Speaking during the signing ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, Dr. Ohiri said the partnerships reflect the government’s determination to make healthcare delivery more evidence-based, accountable, and responsive to citizens’ needs.

‘These are not just documents; they represent real commitments to improving the way we deliver healthcare. Our programmes must be guided by accurate data, clear accountability, and the lived experiences of Nigerians.’ Dr. Ohiri noted.

He explained that the partnership with the NBS would strengthen the national health data ecosystem by ensuring that reliable indicators, particularly those affecting the poor and vulnerable, are captured in national statistics.

Noting that it would also support capacity building and locally relevant research to shape sound policies and evaluate the impact of interventions, the DG said, ‘People often ask how we measure the impact of what we do.

‘This collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics ensures that we’re measuring the right things, especially those that truly matter to ordinary Nigerians.’

Dr. Ohiri added that the agreement reflects a shared commitment between NHIA and NBS to utilize credible data for informed decision-making, track outcomes, and identify areas requiring improvement in the nation’s healthcare system.

He further emphasized that the partnership with SERVICOM, which coincided with this year’s Customer Service Week, would focus on improving the quality of care for over 20 million Nigerians currently enrolled in various NHIA programmes.

‘For us, health insurance is not only about numbers, it’s about people’s experiences. Partnering with SERVICOM aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s vision for Universal Health Coverage’, he noted, adding that access alone is not enough; quality and accountability must go hand in hand.

According to him, the collaboration with SERVICOM will strengthen feedback mechanisms, ensure that enrollees are aware of their rights, and make it easier for them to report and resolve complaints at healthcare facilities.

Explaining that NHIA will deploy an Enrollee Charter, complete with QR codes to hospitals nationwide to guide users on service standards and complaint channels, Dr. Ohiri stressed, ‘When people go to a facility, if there are complaints, we want to hear them and resolve them.

‘We’ve already managed and resolved about 90 percent of over 2,000 complaints received in the past year.

‘Silence gives the impression that everything is fine when it’s not. Nigerians deserve to be heard, and we will make sure they are heard.’

He, however, affirmed that NHIA’s enforcement unit would continue to investigate complaints, impose sanctions where necessary, and reward facilities that deliver quality services.

‘Feedback should not only be about punishment; it should also recognize excellence. Those who perform well deserve encouragement, just as those who fail to meet standards must be held accountable,’ he said.

Ohiri added that the SERVICOM partnership would also involve training frontline health workers to improve empathy and responsiveness at the point of service.

‘When people are sick, they are at their most vulnerable. That’s when they need compassion and dignity. Working with SERVICOM helps us build that culture,’ he said.

Reacting, the acting National Coordinator of SERVICOM, Anthony Oshin, commended NHIA for initiating the collaboration and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to ensuring that public institutions uphold the highest standards of service delivery.

‘The partnership we are entering into today will be a lasting one. It will help us achieve greater heights in promoting excellence and ensure that Nigerians enjoy the quality of care they deserve,’ Oshin said.

He emphasized that SERVICOM’s role would be to strengthen feedback culture, monitor service delivery, and support NHIA in building a system that puts citizens first.

‘When patients visit hospitals, they should know what services to expect and have a voice when things go wrong. Our job is to ensure that complaints lead to corrections, and that quality service becomes the norm, not the exception,’ he said.

Similarly, the Statistician-General of the Federation, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, described the partnership as a timely step toward integrating health data into national planning and ensuring evidence-based decision-making.

He said the collaboration would help measure the impact of health insurance on poverty reduction, equity, and access to care, while both agencies will jointly produce research and surveys to track the sector’s role in improving health outcomes and economic growth.

He also announced that NHIA will join the Integrated System of Administrative Statistics (ISAS), a platform that enables real-time data exchange across more than 15 ministries, departments, and agencies for national planning.

Despite record-high cocoa prices, millions of smallholder farmers across West Africa remain trapped in poverty, according to findings from the Cocoa Barometer 2025, released on Wednesday.

The biennial report paints a complex picture of the global cocoa industry, describing a sector simultaneously facing ‘bad, better, and with a lot of room for improvement.’

Produced by a consortium of civil society organisations, the report revealed that while Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, which account for over 60 percent of global cocoa production, continue to shape market prices, and Nigeria emerged as a rising producer projected to deliver 350,000 tonnes in the 2024/25 season, the benefits of soaring prices have not reached most farmers.

‘Farmer poverty is at the root of virtually all problems in the cocoa sector, from deforestation to child labour and gender inequality,’ the report states.

‘Paying farmers fairly is both a moral and legal obligation, thanks to new human rights and environmental legislation. But political resistance in Europe is threatening the hard-won progress in regulation.’

The report noted that forward-selling mechanisms have delayed the impact of price increases for farmers, even as yields fall due to aging trees, crop diseases, and erratic rainfall linked to climate change.

According to the report, the situation is compounded by weak governance and a lack of supply management, which leaves producers exposed to market swings.

The Cocoa Barometer 2025 further warned that high prices are driving new waves of deforestation as farmers expand into untouched forests to maximise profits, a trend that could trigger oversupply and another price crash similar to 2016.

In addition, the report highlighted ongoing human rights abuses, with 1.5 million children still working in hazardous cocoa farming conditions in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, and women who perform the majority of farm labour largely excluded from profit-sharing and decision-making.

Farm workers and tenant farmers, it added, remain consistently overlooked despite being central to cocoa cultivation.

It, however, attributed much of the sector’s fragility to weak governance and policy gaps.

It stressed that the absence of transparent farmgate pricing systems and limited accountability mechanisms continues to undermine progress.

Despite these challenges, the report stated that change is possible.

It calls for collective action by governments, companies, farmers, and civil society to achieve systemic reform through fair pay and commitment to a living income for farmers.

Others are environmental protection through a global moratorium on deforestation linked to cocoa. Inclusive governance, which will ensure both men and women farmers are co-decision makers.

The Cocoa Barometer concludes that while new regulations and collaborative initiatives show that progress is achievable, the window for meaningful reform is closing fast.

Without decisive action, it warned that the cocoa industry risks repeating its historical cycle of exploitation, inequality, and environmental degradation

The House of Representatives yesterday swore in three new members – Omosede Igbinedion (Edo State), Felix Bagudu (Kaduna), and Murktar Rabiu (Jigawa).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Speaker Tajudeen Abbas announced the presence of the new members during plenary.

The three All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers were ushered into the Green Chambers by the Clerk of the House, under the Speaker’s watch.

NAN also reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Igbinedion the winner of the bye-election recently conducted in Ovia Federal Constituency of Edo State.

Igbinedion polled a total of 77,053 votes to win the election to fill the seat which became vacant in September 2024 following the election of Dennis Idahosa as Edo Stat deputy governor.

Also, Bagudu, who replaced the late Labour Party (LP) lawmaker, Ekene Adams from Chikun-Kajuru Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, polled a total of 34,580 votes to occupy the seat.

The third member, Rabiu, from Garki/Babura Federal Constituency of Jigawa State, polled 38,449 votes to emerge the winner of the by-election.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Ad Hoc Committee on rotation of statutory positions to uphold fairness and inclusivity among member-states.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu spoke at the opening of the committee’s meeting yesterday in Abuja.

The members of the committee were drawn from Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo.

The committee is mandated to review and consider proposals for the allocation of statutory positions within the ECOWAS institutions for the 2026 to 2030 term.

It has till December to turn in its report.

The current appointees’ tenure expired in June, having exhausted their four year non-renewable term.

Addressing members of the ad hoc committee, Odumegwu-Ojukwu stressed the need for them to be wary of the sensitivity of appointments.

She said: ‘We are fully aware that the appointment of statutory positions within ECOWAS institutions remains a matter of considerable importance and sensitivity among member-states. This issue has become even more delicate in recent times, given the reduction in the number of statutory positions available following the implementation of the ECOWAS institutional reforms.

‘In this context, our Committee must be mindful of the need to uphold fairness and inclusivity in the distribution of the statutory positions within the ECOWAS Institutions.’

Odumegwu-Ojukwu warned that aspirations of all member-states, particularly those with smaller populations or limited resources, should not be trampled upon.

She added: ‘It is also essential that the aspirations of all member-states, particularly those with smaller populations or limited resources but who have nonetheless demonstrated unflinching commitment to the organisation, are duly recognised and accommodated.

‘It is equally important to underscore that our membership of this ad hoc committee should not be construed as a pathway to positions of leadership within the ECOWAS institutions. Rather, our engagement should be guided by the principles of regional solidarity, prioritising the collective interest of the community above national aspirations. In doing so, we will contribute to fostering deeper unity, mutual trust, and a shared sense of purpose among our citizens.

‘As we prepare to commence deliberations on the memorandum before us, I encourage us all to approach our discussions with unflinching commitment, open-mindedness and a spirit of constructive dialogue. Let us remain focused on ensuring that the outcomes of our engagements are both meaningful and impactful for the future of our region.’

The minister also assured the gathering that Nigeria would, as a traditional leader, engage with all member-states to build consensus and ensure collective decisions for the future of the community.

‘We would also recall that Nigeria, as a long-standing and committed member-state, played a significant role in shaping and supporting the institutional reforms which culminated in the current and more streamlined structure.

‘Excellencies, these reforms were aimed at reducing operational costs, optimising administrative efficiency, and enhancing the effectiveness and impact of ECOWAS programmes across the region.

‘I want to, therefore, assure you that as part of our enduring commitment to the ideals of regional integration and solidarity, Nigeria will continue to assume its traditional leadership role by constructively engaging with all member-states to build consensus and ensure that our collective decisions reflect both equity and a shared vision for the future of our community.’

Odumegwu-Ojukwu praised the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, and his team for the comprehensive and well-prepared memorandum provided to guide the deliberations of the committee over the course of the two-day engagement.

‘The document thoughtfully reflects the relevant legal framework governing the allocation of statutory positions within the ECOWAS Institutions, and will no doubt serve as a valuable reference in facilitating our discussions,’ she said.

Touray urged the committee to do its work with broader interest of the community at heart.

He reminded the gathering that the Council of Ministers was informed at the 94th ordinary session of the impending end of the mandate of the current management of ECOWAS Institutions by July 14, 2026, in compliance with the 2012 Supplementary Act On the Modalities for the Allocation of Statutory Positions in ECOWAS Institutions.

This, the ECOWAS Commission President recalled, culminated in the setting up of the six-member ad hoc committee.

He stressed that ‘Article 14, paragraph 3 of the Supplementary Act mandated Council to recommend the allocation of the positions to the ECOWAS Authority based on a proposal to be submitted by the President of the Commission’.

Touray added: ‘To facilitate this process, Council, in June, established this six-member ad hoc committee, comprising the Republics of Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo, to review the proposed allocation of the commission and submit it to Council for consideration, and ultimately to the ECOWAS Authority for decision.

‘During this meeting, the commission will be presenting a memo setting out the framework for the allocation of the statutory positions for your consideration. The memo was prepared taking into account the provisions of the 2012 Supplementary Act and historical data on the allocations of the statutory positions of the institutions since 1975.

‘It is the expectation that the ad hoc Committee will review this proposal with the broader interest of the Community at heart.’

World soccer ruling body, FIFA, has injected over USD 1 billion into African football through its FIFA Forward Programme since it was started in 2016.

This much was revealed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino while speaking at the 47th CAF Ordinary General Assembly in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

He also spoke of football’s responsibility to give hope and dreams to the children of Africa as he addressed representatives of the continent’s 54 FIFA Member Associations (MAs).

CAF President Patrice Motsepe thanked FIFA for organising the FIFA Club World Cup 2025S where four African teams – Al Ahly FC, Espérance Sportive de Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns FC and Wydad AC – had the opportunity to play competitive matches against opponents from the rest of the world on a global stage.

Infantino added that players from 19 African nations had taken part in the FIFA Club World Cup, including nine which have never played at the FIFA World CupS – Burkina Faso, Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Uganda.

‘(It was a) huge success this summer with four African teams. But almost, I would say, more important, with African countries represented in the 32 clubs from all over the world,’ the FIFA President said.

FIFA embarked upon a new era of global football development when the FIFA Forward Programme was launched in 2016 to support the world football governing body’s 211 MAs and the confederations by funding infrastructure projects and competitions as well as operational costs.

The FIFA Forward investments in the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the African zonal/regional associations and the continent’s 54 MAs reached a total of USD 1.06 billion between the start of the programme in 2016 and the end of September 2025. From 2016 until the end of the current four-year cycle in 2026, the figures are estimated to reach USD 1.28 billion, including USD 1.08 billion for the 54 African MAs alone.

FIFA has also supported the development of African football by opening up more playing opportunities. An unprecedented nine, and possibly 10, African teams will play at the FIFA World Cup 26S, while 10 African teams will participate at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025S and five will play at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2025S, to be hosted in Morocco.

Motsepe added: ‘It’s very important that we had the FIFA Club World Cup, Gianni (Infantino), thank you for the FIFA Club World Cup. And those four football clubs that represented us did very well and we’re confident that (in) the next one, they will do even better. And thanks for the huge sacrifices on your part.’

FIFA planned to open between 20 and 30 FIFA Academies by 2027 as part of the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS), which aims to help all countries identify talented players and give them the coaching and facilities they need to shine, the FIFA President said. Meanwhile, the Football for Schools programme is now active in more than 40 African nations.

‘We would all love to become legends, like Samuel Eto’o, like (Emmanuel) Adebayor, or El Hadji Diouf, who are here, in the first row, Kalusha (Bwalya), all the others,’ Infantino added. ‘Not all of us have this talent and can make it, but all of us here in this room, we have the responsibility and the duty to work and to work hard, to give dreams, to give chances, and to give hope to all the children of Africa.’

He concluded: ‘I’m asking you all, as always, to be united, to continue to unite Africa, to continue to unite African football, because like this we will have a strong voice, all over the world, for a very, very bright future.’

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is now law in the United States and it carries with it not just a set of policy prescriptions but a vision of how the country sees immigrants. Signed on July 4, it arrived wrapped in patriotic symbolism yet its consequences for immigrants, both documented and undocumented are far from celebratory. Laws often read like dry text on paper, but their effects live in the daily struggles of people who work, raise families, and navigate the uncertainty of being welcome yet unwelcome, present yet provisional, necessary yet suspect. The bill does not simply adjust technical details of immigration. It reorders the relationship between immigrants and the state, deciding who counts as part of ‘us’ and who must pay more, wait longer, or do without.

One of the most striking features of this law is its enormous increase in funding for enforcement and detention. Tens of billions of dollars have been channelled toward expanding detention centres, hiring more agents, and building layers of surveillance along the border and inside communities. Enforcement is no longer limited to crossing points. It is embedded in workplaces, schools, health care spaces, neighbourhoods. When detention capacity grows, so too does the appetite to use it. What this means for immigrants is not a more orderly system but a more intimidating one, a system where fear of being stopped or detained shadows ordinary life.

Alongside enforcement, the law places a heavy financial burden on immigrants who are trying to do things the ‘right way.’ Filing fees for asylum, for temporary protected status, for humanitarian parole, and even for renewing work permits have risen sharply. In some cases, these fees are now non-waivable, which means that poverty is no excuse. For families living modestly, the choice between paying hundreds of dollars in legal fees and buying food or paying rent is no choice at all. These costs are not inconveniences. They are barriers that determine whether someone stays documented or slides into precarity. A single missed renewal, a single unpaid fee, can unravel years of effort to remain lawful. The law is structured in such a way that the poorest immigrants bear the heaviest costs, not because they have done wrong but because they cannot pay enough.

The law also cuts deep into access to essential services. Many lawfully present immigrants who are not yet green card holders will see their eligibility for Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, and food assistance vanish. For people who fled war or persecution, for survivors of trafficking, for refugees resettled with hope of safety, these changes are devastating. Health care and food are not luxuries. They are foundations of dignity and survival. When a law strips these away, it is not only shaping immigration policy, it is shaping human lives into cycles of hunger, untreated illness, and mounting debt. The cruelty lies not just in the denial of aid but in the indifference it signals: that suffering is permissible if your paperwork is incomplete, that survival is contingent on the timing of your status, that dignity has a price tag.

Proponents of the law argue that it restores fairness, prevents misuse of public benefits, and secures the border. They speak in the language of order, efficiency, and fiscal responsibility. There is, undeniably, a need for systems to be transparent and accountable, for legal migration to be prioritised, for budgets to be managed. But the balance of this law tilts so heavily toward restriction that it transforms fairness into exclusion. To tighten procedures is one thing. To make access to safety and health contingent on wealth is another.

The human consequences are already clear. Families fear applying for benefits they might still qualify for, unsure of whether it will put them at risk. Parents skip renewing work permits because the fees are too high. Children lose access to health care, which leads to untreated asthma or missed vaccinations. Adults delay routine care until the emergency room is the only option. Food insecurity grows in immigrant communities where SNAP has been cut off. These outcomes carry costs not just for immigrants but for society at large. Hospitals absorb unpaid medical bills, schools struggle with children too hungry to learn, public health suffers when preventive care is out of reach. The idea that denying immigrants benefits saves money ignores the fact that the costs simply shift into other corners of society, often in more expensive and less humane forms.

The law also reshapes perceptions. By embedding immigrants in a framework of costs and enforcement, it reinforces the idea that immigrants are primarily burdens rather than contributors. It suggests that belonging must be purchased, that humanitarian protection is conditional, that compassion is secondary to fees and forms. Laws do not just regulate behaviour. They send signals about who we are and what we value. The One Big Beautiful Bill signals that immigrants are to be tolerated, not welcomed, and that their worth is measured by financial capacity rather than human dignity.

It is important to acknowledge the counterarguments. Without strong enforcement, the immigration system can falter under backlogs and abuse. Without fiscal discipline, government programs can indeed be strained. There have been instances of fraud, and any system must guard against that. But to construct a law that sweeps so many into hardship in the name of preventing a few from exploiting loopholes is disproportionate. A just system could enforce borders and prevent fraud while still offering affordable pathways, humane treatment, and safeguards for the vulnerable. The problem with this bill is not that it seeks order, but that it achieves it by embracing exclusion.

The chilling effect is profound. When immigrants fear interaction with the state because it may lead to detention, high costs, or loss of services, they withdraw. They avoid health clinics, schools, legal systems. They hide rather than engage. This invisibility does not produce stronger communities or a stronger nation. It produces underground economies, unreported crimes, and neighbours living in silence and fear. A democracy should not cultivate invisible populations. A democracy should seek to integrate and protect, to bring people into the fold of shared responsibility and shared belonging.

What should have been done instead? A balanced approach that maintains the rule of law while keeping humanitarian values intact. That could mean offering fee waivers for those who cannot pay, streamlining legal pathways, providing adequate legal assistance, and ensuring that children and families do not lose access to food and health care. It could mean increasing oversight of enforcement so that detention is not abused and surveillance does not cross into intimidation. It could mean recognizing that immigrant health is national health, that immigrant labour is national labour, that immigrant dignity strengthens rather than weakens the social fabric.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act now defines the landscape of immigration in the United States. For some, it may be manageable, for others devastating, but for all it represents a narrowing of possibility. It replaces welcome with suspicion, compassion with calculation, fairness with fees. The promise of America has always been tested by how it treats those who arrive seeking a chance. Each generation has faced its own wave of newcomers and its own fears of change. History shows that immigrants enrich, build, and strengthen the country. Policy should be crafted to reflect that truth, not obscure it.

This, in the end, is not only about immigrants. It is about who Americans decide to be. Laws are mirrors as much as they are commands. The One Big Beautiful Bill reflects a nation more interested in exclusion than inclusion, in control than community, in cost than care. But laws can change, and voices can rise. The struggle over immigration has never been only about borders. It has always been about identity.

Will the United States define itself as a fortress or a refuge, as a land of opportunity or a land of fear? The answer will be written not just in acts of Congress but in how neighbours treat each other, how communities organise, how citizens and immigrants together demand fairness. The One Big Beautiful Bill is now the law, but it does not have to be the last word.

Team Nigeria’s para powerlifting contingent yesterday departed for the 11th World Para Powerlifting Championships slated to hold between October 9th and 18th in Cairo, Egypt.

The milestone event marks the first-ever World Championships to be hosted on African soil, symbolizing a new era for the sport on the continent.

The first batch of Team Nigeria athletes left the country yesterday amid cheers and well-wishes from officials, fans, and supporters. The second batch of the contingent is scheduled to leave today, from Lagos, completing the full team that will represent the nation at this landmark competition.

Speaking ahead of the departure, officials expressed confidence in the team’s readiness and determination to uphold Nigeria’s longstanding reputation as a force to be reckoned with, in global para powerlifting.

The National Sports Commission (NSC) reaffirmed its full support for the athletes, emphasizing the government’s commitment to promoting inclusivity and excellence in sports.

An Ikeja Special Offences Court yesterday heard that forensic examination ordered into WhatsApp messages on the phone of the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele did not go as planned.

This was because, the examination, intended to be conducted by experts from the defence and prosecution failed to agree on modalities.

The court had during the last sitting ordered the forensic examination of a phone and WhatsApp conversations, central to the alleged $4.5 billion fraud trial against Emefiele.

During resumed proceedings yesterday, Emefiele, through his counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN) raised concerns over the issue before the court.

Ojo alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on two separate occasions blocked the successful execution of the court’s order.

The trial judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi, had at last sitting of the court, ruled that the mobile device, marked ‘iPhone 2,’ and its WhatsApp contents, which were tendered by the EFCC as evidence, must be subjected to a scientific, forensic examination.

The judge issued the order following an application by Emefiele’s defence team who argued for the necessity of the examination in the interest of justice.

They had also pointed out that the exercise would require the presence of experts from both sides.

Ojo told the court that on September 24 and 25, the dates ordered by the court, nothing could be accomplished despite the presence of representatives from both parties and the court’s Registrar.

‘The first brick wall we faced was that the EFCC said the device cannot be exposed to the entire team,’ Ojo said.

He said same was raised by the EFCC team on the second day.

He said in spite of clarification by the Registrar that the court directed for the examination of the phone and WhatsApp, the EFCC representatives failed to produce the phone when the Apple expert demanded for it.

He said the EFCC team gave a ‘categorical No’ to the request.

He emphasised the need for what he termed as an unfettered access for the experts to perform their duty, insisting that the EFCC’s actions had blocked the process.

Ojo urged the court to issue a fresh directive to ensure proper access to the phone and its WhatsApp content.

Responding, the counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, (SAN) stated that the initial forensic examination conducted by the defence’s expert was flawed and non-compliant with forensic standards.

According to him, the expert in question had no physical laboratory, no verifiable office, and reportedly carried out parts of the examination via a live internet connection, risking data compromise.

He said: ‘the implication of their request is that Exhibit E may be altered. The data could auto-sync and change the integrity of the exhibit.’

Oyedepo confirmed that the iPhone remained in flight mode, ensuring it remains untampered with.

He assured the court of the prosecution’s commitment to transparency:

‘The prosecution has never, and will never, prevent the defence from accessing the facility. But handling of the exhibit must be done properly,’ he said.

However, in their responses, defence counsels to first and second defendant, Ojo (SAN) and Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN) urged the court to defer further testimony until the forensic analysis is completed.

They argued that the WhatsApp chats are central to their case and proceeding without the full report would be premature.

Justice Oshodi acknowledged their concerns and ruled that the prosecution must file the forensic report within 24 hours.

He allowed the continuation of the prosecution’s witness testimony, noting that the witness had travelled from Abuja for the hearing.

He also directed both parties to adopt electronic service of documents moving forward to prevent further delays.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Emefiele on 19 counts bordering on receiving gratification, corrupt practices, and abuse of office.

The co-defendant, Henry Omoile, on the other hand, is facing a separate three-count charge relating to unlawful acceptance of gifts.

Nigeria’s 2025 wet season farming was marred by a combination of pest infestations, erratic rainfall, and surging input costs that dampened production gains despite farmers’ resilience, according to the 2025 Agricultural Performance Survey (APS) released on Tuesday in Abuja.

The report, jointly conducted by the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), offers an in-depth evaluation of the country’s agricultural performance, highlighting both achievements and persistent challenges.

Presenting the findings, the Executive Director of NAERLS, Prof. Yusuf Sani Ahmad, revealed that over 19,358 hectares of farmland were affected by pests and diseases during the season, resulting in an estimated 22.5 percent yield loss in the impacted regions.

He listed fall armyworm, rice blast, bacterial blight, streak virus, cassava mosaic, yam nematodes, cocoa black pod, and cotton smut as the most prevalent threats, adding that nearly all agro-ecological zones in the country were affected.

‘Maize, rice, millet, cowpea, cassava, and tree crops were the most affected,’ Prof. Ahmad said, warning that the widespread nature of the infestations underscores the urgent need for stronger pest surveillance and early response systems.

The APS also highlighted the burden of rising production costs on farmers.

Despite improved fertiliser availability through government efforts, input prices surged. NPK fertilizer rose by 19.5 percent, from ?43,500 to ?52,000 per 50kg bag, while urea increased by 10.1 percent to ?43,500.

‘These increases, mostly recorded in the North-West, North-Central, and North-East, have placed smallholder farmers under severe cost pressure. Affordability, not availability, has become the core problem,’ he added.

Fuel prices, transportation costs, and general inflation compounded the challenge, pushing maize and soybean production costs up by 29.2 percent and 36.8 percent, respectively.

The report also revealed disparities in farm mechanization across the country.

While the North-West and North-Central zones recorded the highest number of functional tractors 808 and 793 units respectively several machines in the South-West and South-South were non-functional, limiting efficiency and widening regional gaps.

‘Mechanisation access remains uneven and heavily skewed toward certain regions,’ Prof. Ahmad noted, warning that postharvest losses, especially in the South-West and North-Central, continue to erode farmers’ incomes despite gains in crop output.

In addition, irregular rainfall, localised flooding, and climate shocks further disrupted farming activities. The APS reported a 35 percent decline in cultured fish production in the North-Central and North-East, where insecurity and environmental degradation also took a toll.

The South-South maintained relative stability due to its strong fisheries base, while the South-West recorded inconsistencies linked to volatile aquaculture conditions and weak data systems.

Reacting to the findings, Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, said the report presents both positive outcomes and warning signs for the sector.

‘The 2025 APS findings show encouraging growth in major staples and a welcome decline in food prices, but the persistent challenges from high input costs to pest outbreaks and postharvest losses demand renewed action,’ Kyari said.

He added that the government plans to institutionalize a Dry Season Agricultural Performance Survey to complement the wet season report, ensuring that agricultural planning becomes a year-round, data-driven process.

Kyari also outlined plans to boost local fertilizer production, promote climate-smart agriculture, modernize mechanization services, and recruit more extension agents to support farmers.

‘We are determined to ensure that Nigerian agriculture becomes more productive, inclusive, and resilient,’ the Minister stated.

Although rice and maize production recorded modest increases of 2.66 percent and 2.0 percent, respectively.

The APS further stated that Nigeria’s agriculture remains highly exposed to climate stress, price volatility, and infrastructure gaps yet capable of adapting through consistent data, coordinated policies, and sustained investment.

Big Brother Naija Season 10 second runner-up, Koyin has stated that he has no intention of pursuing a romantic relationship with Isabella outside the show.

Despite their romantic connection in the house, which sparked interest among fans, Koyin emphasised that their relationship was ‘just for fun’ and there’s no future between them.

This development comes after Isabella expressed openness to exploring a relationship with Koyin post-show, but she also mentioned feeling disappointed by her previous love interest, Kayikunmi, who she felt took her love for granted.

‘There is no future between me and Isabella. I mean, we were together in the house just for fun,’ he stated.