Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Africa’s automotive industry is rapidly gaining momentum, with several indigenous brands producing vehicles tailored for the continent’s unique terrains – and increasingly penetrating export markets.

From Nigeria’s Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing to Ghana’s Kantanka and Kenya’s Mobius, local automakers are redefining innovation, engineering, and industrial expansion across the continent.

South Africa continues to serve as Africa’s automotive powerhouse, assembling vehicles for major global manufacturers including Volkswagen, BMW, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and Ford, further solidifying the continent’s growing presence in the global automobile market.

Here are the top cars made in Africa:

1. Innoson (Nigeria) – Manufactures sedans, SUVs, pickups, and buses.

Popular Models: Innoson Umu Sedan, Innoson Pickup, Innoson Bus.

2. Kantanka (Ghana) – Produces locally inspired SUVs and pickups.

Popular Models: Kantanka Omama Pickup, Kantanka Onantefo 4×4.

3. Mobius Motors (Kenya) – Builds rugged, affordable SUVs for African terrains.

Popular Model: Mobius II.

4. Volkswagen South Africa – Produces and exports the Volkswagen Polo.

Popular Model: VW Polo.

5. BMW South Africa – Manufactures and exports the BMW 3 Series.

Popular Model: BMW 3 Series.

6. Mercedes-Benz South Africa – Assembles the globally exported C-Class.

Popular Model: Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

7. Toyota South Africa – Produces Africa’s best-sellers, the Hilux and Corolla.

Popular Models: Toyota Hilux, Toyota Corolla.

8. Ford South Africa – Manufactures the tough, export-ready Ford Ranger.

Popular Model: Ford Ranger.

Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, has disbursed N44.5 million to 81 outstanding farmers across Ekiti State under the Afe Babalola Agric Expo and Youth Empowerment Programme (ABA-EX).

According to the breakdown, in each of the 16 local government areas, the top five farmers received N200,000, N150,000, N100,000, N75,000, and N50,000, respectively, while the overall best farmer in the state, Chief Sunday Boboye Babalola from Ado Local Government, took home the N2 million star prize.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2025 ABA-EX edition in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, Chief Babalola said the annual initiative aims to make farming more attractive and support government efforts to rejuvenate the agricultural sector.

He noted that since its inception in 2015, the programme has disbursed over N170 million in cash awards and start-up grants to boost food production, empower farmers, and encourage youth participation in agriculture.

The legal luminary lamented Nigerians’ increasing reliance on government palliatives and handouts, warning that such dependence fosters laziness and threatens national productivity and dignity.

‘It is lamentable that many Nigerians, especially the youth, no longer want to work. Instead, they prefer to queue for bags of rice and beans distributed as palliatives.

‘The question is: are they truly entitled to eat without working? The Constitution does not empower the government to feed citizens; it only mandates the government to provide an enabling environment for productivity,’ he said.

He described the practice of distributing food items to able-bodied citizens as ‘unconstitutional, wasteful, and counter-productive,’ arguing that it encourages laziness instead of fostering the spirit of self-reliance.

Babalola noted that his intervention in the agriculture sector over the years had been motivated by his desire to restore the country’s economic self-sufficiency through food production, create jobs, and empower communities.

He commended the Federal Government for adopting some of his long-standing proposals on agricultural mechanisation, appealing that these mechanized tools should be distributed directly to local governments, not state governments, to ensure they reach real farmers at the grassroots.

He reaffirmed his belief that Nigeria’s surest path to prosperity and economic breakthrough lies in agriculture, not oil, politics, or foreign aid.

‘If properly managed, agriculture can sustain this nation, create employment, reduce crime, and restore dignity to our people. Nigeria’s future is on the farm, not in the streets,’ he said.

The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Prof. Abiodun Ojo, described ABA-EX’s 10th anniversary as ‘a decade of impact, innovation, and hope.’

He recalled that the flagship agricultural project began modestly in 2015 with N7 million in rewards but had since grown exponentially to N44.5 million in 2025.

While appreciating ABUAD Founder for his unalloyed commitment to agriculture, Ojo lamented the growing neglect of farming among Nigerians despite rising food insecurity and population pressure.

He noted that Babalola’s investment in agriculture was a clear example of how individual initiative could inspire national transformation.

ABUAD Vice Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, hailed Babalola’s consistency in driving self-reliance through agriculture and education, describing him as ‘a man whose philanthropy continues to shape Nigeria’s development narrative.’

In his remarks, Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, praised the legal icon for using his resources to complement the government’s agricultural and job creation initiatives.

Represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade, the governor described Babalola’s strategic interventions as vital to the state’s agricultural growth.

‘We are proud of Aare Afe Babalola for his vision and patriotism. The state government will continue to provide land, inputs, and incentives to farmers as part of our commitment to agricultural transformation,’ the governor said.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, held a closed-door meeting in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Saturday night.

Also in attendance were members of the Rivers State Elders Council, led by Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, and the Rivers caucus in the National Assembly.

The meeting, described as the full unification of Wike’s political family in Rivers, was seen as a major step toward ending the long-standing political rift in the state.

Pictures from the meeting were shared on Facebook by the Media Aide to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, who, however, did not disclose details of the discussions.

Olayinka simply noted that the gathering signified that the political family in Rivers State is now fully united.

He wrote, ‘FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, Chairman of the Rivers State Elders Council, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule and other leaders in a meeting in Port Harcourt yesterday. The Political Family is fully united.’

Investment in arts and culture always brings great benefits to domestic economies. That explains why the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)-led Bankers’ Committee’s commitment to the creative economy has never been in doubt.

That commitment was brought to fore when the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts (National Arts Theatre) was reopened in Iganmu, Lagos.

The event, attended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was opportunity to highlight CBN’s commitment to private sector-led investment in the arts and culture space.

Cardoso had lauded the role of the Bankers’ Committee in bringing back the moribund national edifice back to life.

President Tinubu further directed Cardoso to float National Arts Theatre Endowment Fund that would ensure continuous maintenance of the national edifice.

He promised to contribute to the fund to ensure the edifice is continuously maintained.

The event was attended by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; the Honourable Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa and other dignitaries.

President Tinubu said there was no controversy in the National Theatre renaming Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, adding that he considered Prof. Wole Soyinka’s contributions to the arts and culture.

‘Prof. Wole Soyinka is one of the greatest assets of the world. So, the renaming could not have gone to anyone else,’ he said.

President Tinubu advised that Nigerians stop talking about Nigeria in a negative way. ‘Let us all come together to rebuild Nigeria. The youths should also renew their hope in Nigeria and work together for her continued greatness,’ he said.

Funding commitment from Bankers’ Committee Cardoso said the Bankers’ Committee committed N68 billion into the remodeling of the National Arts Theatre.

‘The Central Bank of Nigeria, the Bankers’ Committee, the Lagos State Government, and the Ministry of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy came together with a shared purpose to deliver this national project, with the Bankers’ Committee alone committing approximately N68 billion, not as corporate social responsibility but as a deliberate investment in Nigeria’s cultural future,’ Cardoso said.

He said that the project stands as proof that when the public and private sectors unite behind a shared national purpose, there is no limit to what Nigeria can achieve.

He disclosed that 65 years after our nation’s founding, Nigeria’s creative spirit remains alive, pervasive, and shaping global culture.

‘This edifice has stood for nearly half a century as a proud symbol of our heritage. Completed in 1976 and inaugurated at FESTAC ’77, it became a beacon of African creativity and a repository of our shared history,’ he said.

He said that in 2020, the Federal Government approved a landmark public-private collaboration: the transfer of the Theatre and its estate into a special partnership with the Central Bank, on behalf of the Bankers’ Committee.

‘What began as an ambitious vision to reimagine an aging monument as a world-class creative hub has today become a stunning reality. The journey was not without challenges. Structural complexities, contractual issues, and even the global pandemic extended the timeline far beyond expectations,’ he said.

‘ This was a project especially close to the President’s heart, and it was his vision that transformed it from a restoration into a symbol of national renewal. By renaming the National Arts Theatre as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts in July 2024, President Tinubu charted a bold course to place creativity at the heart of Nigeria’s renaissance,’ he said.

Cardoso explained that the Wole Soyinka Centre is more than a renovation; it is a rebirth.

‘Its iconic silhouette has been preserved while delivering world-class performance halls, cinema spaces, exhibition galleries, an African literature library, rehearsal rooms, media and medical facilities, and fully modernised infrastructure. The surrounding grounds now offer gardens, outdoor exhibition areas, upgraded access, and seamless integration with the Lagos Blue Line rail, placing culture at the heart of city life,’ he said.

Nobel Laurette, Prof. Wole Soyinka, said that before the renovation of the edifice, he thought it was irredeemable but the Bankers’ Committee made me to eat my words.

He said the Bankers’ Committee had done a great job, and brought the edifice to global standards.

He said that with the recreation of the edifice, Nigerians can now watch Africa Theatre at home instead of travelling abroad,’ he said.

The journey so far

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the handing over of the National Arts Theatre to the Bankers’ Committee by the Federal Government was signed in February 2021, and had initial completion timeline of 15 months, and estimated cost of N21.3 billion

Themed the ‘Lagos Creative and Entertainment Centre’, the project is expected to restore the glory of an iconic building by aligning most of the fabric and equipment and facilities in the building with the aesthetics of the 21st century.

Cardoso had earlier commended the work done and the vision that has repositioned the Theatre to a world class status.

He said: ‘Well, firstly, it is highly commendable what we are seeing here today. One has to commend the vision and resources of the Bankers’ Committee for doing this. It has been a long, hard road, and if it was not for the belief and the commitment of those sponsors, this would never be realized.’He explained that it would have been a great disservice to the country if this was not achieved, because embedded in the theatre is a lot of the history and culture of the Nigerian people.

He said the Bankers’ Committee had a vision, and were determined to surmount all the obstacles in getting the theatre to where it is today.

‘For me as a Lagosian, I grew up here, and saw this in 1977 when we had FESTAC and subsequent times, we used to come here to have different events and activities and we were very proud of what we had as Lagosians. Sadly, the edifice, which was iconic at a time, fell into a state of abandonment,’ he said.

‘So, to have been able to live today, to see this massive transformation to a world class structure is again a testimony to the Nigerian spirit. For those who are going to be using the edifice and those whom it is home to their profession, it is a giant step forward. It is something that we all as Nigerians should be extremely proud of,’ he added.

He said the difficult work on the theatre has already been done, adding that not just the Bankers’ Committee, but all Nigerians should take pride in defending the Theatre.

‘This is a very, very, very major reflection. And when you go around and you see, and some of you have toured already, you will see that a lot of our culture is embedded in the structures here. So, it is beyond just an edifice. It is what it represents.’

‘Going forward, I am very certain that the partnership that has taken place between the private sector and public sector that has resulted in this, that spirit, in conjunction with the Nigerian people, will take us to the next level,’ he said.

The Bankers’ Committee also, funded the prototype cluster located to the north of the National Arts Theatre, labelled the ‘Signature Cluster’ consisting of a building each for Music, Film, Fashion and Information Technology verticals.

The main contractor for the project is Cappa and D’Alberto Limited while the Electrical Sub Contractor is being handled by Nairda Limited, and VACC Limited is in charge of the Mechanical Sub Contractor.

The aim is to deliver a successful Creative and Entertainment city that will encourage additional investment into Nigeria’s creative industry.

According to the Bankers’ Committee, a portion of the site was earmarked for the construction of the ‘Signature Cluster’, which consists of one building each for Fashion, Music, Film and IT.

The committee, said each structure was uniquely designed to function independently, yet providing the opportunity for extensive collaborations between the different creative communities.

The 44-hectare site adjourning the National Theatre will be developed and utilised for the development of purpose-built creative hubs for the Fashion Industry, Music and Film as well as Information Technology (IT).

The Bankers Committee said the project will deliver a successful Creative and Entertainment city that will encourage additional investment into Nigeria’s creative industry.

National Arts Theatre in brief

The National Arts Theatre stands as one of Nigeria’s most iconic landmarks. Analysts believe the project will open financing opportunities for commercial banks when activities fully commence after the renovation.

On October 5, 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the reconstruction of the National Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos, into a world-class convention center for the development of the creative sector in diverse areas, including entertainment, movies, music, fashion, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

As the initial investment in the creative industry, the government expects to create at least 1 million jobs when the project begins operations.

In 2022, the CBN and the Bankers’ Committee collectively agreed to invest over N65 billion to rehabilitate the National Arts Theatre and restore it to its former glory. This effort has been carried out in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (FMIC), the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, and the Lagos State Government.

Analysts said banks have opportunity to finance activities at the National Theatre but that depends how it is managed. According to them, there would be a lot of activities such as cultural, training schools, events, and skill development, among other activities that will require banks involvement.

According to the analyst, the reopening of Nigeria’s National Theatre (now the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts) is economically significant by potentially generating billions in foreign exchange and jobs for the creative sector, acting as a powerful signal for public-private collaboration, boosting tourism, creating infrastructure for global conferences, and stimulating associated businesses through increased audience and visitor activity.

Interestingly, they cited the economic impact and revenue generation opportunities it portends.

In terms of foreign exchange inflows, the revitalised creative industry has the potential to generate $25 billion, with the National Theatre serving as a catalyst for this growth and foreign exchange.

They said the expanded role of the creative sector, supported by the theatre, is projected to create millions of jobs, just as the facility will serve as a major cultural hub, attracting national and international tourists, boosting the local economy through accommodation, dining, and shopping.

In the area of infrastructure, the theatre has been upgraded with modern audio-visual technology, enhanced safety systems, and world-class performance and conference spaces, attracting high-profile events and festivals.

The project is a model for successful public-private collaboration, where the CBN and the Bankers’ Committee invested significantly thus proving that unified national efforts can achieve major outcomes.

The centre will serve as a physical space to nurture and elevate the skills of young creatives and artists, enabling them to compete globally.

As a catalyst for growth, its offshoots such as productions and events at the theatre will draw large audiences, leading to increased business for hotels, restaurants, and local shops, thereby fostering overall community prosperity.

The cinema halls and large main hall are expected to host Nollywood premieres, global film showcases, and international conferences, positioning Nigeria as a cultural powerhouse.

The project represents more than just a building; it is a symbol of Nigeria’s cultural revival and a powerful signal of the nation’s potential for economic growth, inspiring further investments in the sector.

Former chairman of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chapter, Dr. Ifeanyi Ogbu, has been killed by suspected kidnappers, who abducted his three children afterward.

It was gathered that the gunmen stormed the deceased’s residence in Kubwa district, along the Kubwa-Kaduna road, on Friday night and abducted Ogbu alongside his three children.

They subsequently killed him and dumped his body by the roadside.

Dr Ogbu’s death was confirmed by one Andrew Gabriel Ikechukwu, via his Facebook page.

He wrote: ‘Dr. Ifeanyi Ogbu, the immediate past chairman of the NVMA FCT chapter, who was kidnapped alongside his three children from his home in Kubwa Abuja, was found dead.

‘The three children are yet to be released. May God please intervene.’

The late Ogbu, described as a dedicated professional, leaves behind a nursing wife among other bereaved family members.

Ogbu’s relatives remain distressed amid efforts to locate and rescue his three abducted children.

Colleagues and friends have expressed shock at the killing, describing it as a devastating loss to both his family and the veterinary profession.

The attack comes just a week after the killing of Somtochukwu Maduagwu, a journalist with Arise TV, who died during a robbery in Katampe, another area of Abuja.

Police authorities have yet to issue an official statement.

All calls and messages sent to the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh were not responded to.

One person lost his life while four sustained varying degrees of injury in a fatal auto crash in Ihiala, Anambra state.

The crash which occurred on Saturday along Ihiala-Owerri Road involved six vehicles.

According to an eyewitness, the trailer was on top speed when the driver suddenly lost control over brake failure, colliding with the other five vehicles.

Confirming the incident, Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Bridget Asekhauno said the injured were rushed to the hospital for medical attention.

‘The incident involved six vehicles, resulting in one fatality (1 male) and four injuries (4 males). A total of eight individuals (all males).

‘The vehicles involved in the crash included: Mack trailer, a Lexus 350 SUV with registration number YAB-131-DA, an Iveco truck with registration number ABC-693-XD, a Mitsubishi L300 truck with registration number JJJ-488-SQ, a Toyota Camry with registration number MKA-331-AA, an Inveco tipper with registration number HAL-604-ZX.

‘Tragically, one of the victims, the driver of the Lexus, was pronounced dead and has been deposited in the hospital’s morgue,’ she added.

Asekhauno sympathised with the deceased family and wished the injured quick recovery.

She emphasised the importance of defensive driving techniques and adherence to traffic regulations.

Her words, ‘We urge all drivers to exercise caution, drive within the designated speed limit, and maintain maximum concentration while driving.

‘The FRSC rescue team from RS5.34 Ihiala responded promptly, evacuating the injured victims to the hospital. They are also working to clear the scene and restore normal traffic flow.

‘The FRSC Anambra State Command appeals to motorists to be cautious and patient while driving, especially on highways.

‘We also encourage witnesses to report crashes promptly to our Command centers or through our toll-free number 122 for any road emergencies.’

Stakeholders in Africa’s modern retail sector have been urged to prioritise digitisation, capacity building, skills exchange, and policy advocacy as critical levers for driving sustainable growth across the continent.

This charge was made by Ade Sun-Basorun, Chief Executive Officer of FoodCo Nigeria – a top-five retailer and operator of the largest supermarket chain brand in South-West Nigeria – during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Africa Retail Academy (ARA), Africa’s largest community of retail experts and practitioners, to FoodCo’s head office in Ibadan.

Represented by Funmi Aiyepeku, Chief Commercial Officer, Sun-Basorun expressed optimism about the prospects of formal retail in Africa and commended ARA for galvanising stakeholders to advance the sector’s growth.

He said: ‘While modern retail is undergoing different stages of evolution across Africa, what we can all agree on is that there are huge opportunities to scale the sector. If critical players can leverage technology, innovation, and local intelligence to bridge existing gaps, we will begin to see the formal retail sector unlock its full potential and make meaningful contributions to the economy.’

Reaffirming FoodCo’s commitment to delivering world-class retail services across the value chain, Sun-Basorun pledged that the company would deepen collaboration with ARA, particularly in talent acquisition, development, and advocacy.

In his remarks, Prof. Nzegwu, Head of Marketing at the Lagos Business School and Chairman of the 2026 ARA Congress, applauded FoodCo for over four decades of contributions to modern retail in Nigeria.

He also praised the company’s commitment to gender inclusivity, innovation, and customer service excellence, while stressing the importance of sustainable stakeholder collaboration to deepen local penetration and make the African retail market globally competitive.

Founded in 1982, FoodCo is a diversified consumer goods company with interests in retail, restaurants, manufacturing, and entertainment.

With 23 outlets and over 1,200 employees across Ibadan, Lagos, and Abeokuta, the company is a major contributor to the South-West Nigerian economy and a critical access-to-market channel for SMEs in the region.

FoodCo has also been listed in the Financial Times ranking of Africa’s Fastest Growing Companies in 2021, 2023, and 2024.

The Africa Retail Academy, an initiative of the Lagos Business School, hosts the annual Africa Retail Congress – an event that attracts over 5,000 retail stakeholders, including operators, academics, and investors, to deliberate on topical issues shaping the retail landscape in Africa.

In the next few days, Ekiti State governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, will clock three years in office. How would you assess the administration so far?

It has been one transformative step after another in Ekiti State since October 16, 2022. Over the past three years, the state has witnessed a lot of transformational strides in infrastructure, health education, agriculture particularly, and even in governance. If I were to score Governor Biodun Oyebanji, I would give him 90% because when you talk about the social contract with Ekiti people; his manifesto that he declared, which was broken down into programmes and projects at the inception and what he promised to deliver to Ekiti people, he has done well.

Is it in the area of tourism development or infrastructure? The results are visible. Of course not everything has been done, there are still rooms for improvement, but it is clear that he has touched lives and impacted the state significantly.

Some opposition figures claim Oyebanji is intolerant to criticism, despite being widely regarded as a humble and liberal leader. How would you describe his leadership style?

I think such claims do not dignify the person or position of Governor Oyebanji. People should understand that he is a scholar of political science. He understands the nuances of governance, having served in various capacities under past administrations for decades. He has come to understand something many past leaders did not, and some even now do not-that it is better to multiply your friends, regardless of party platforms.

So, he has distinguished between the time of politicking, when you are looking for votes, and the time of governance, when you are governor of all Ekiti. With that, he bent backwards to people like former governors Ayodele Fayose and Segun Oni, who took him to the Supreme Court, and many other people. He has also reached out to people outside politics like Baba Afe Babalola (SAN), Chief Wale Olanipekun (SAN), Femi Falana (SAN0, among others.

Reaching out to a wide spectrum of Ekiti people, whether partisan or not has been his style. Like he said recently, he has tried to make peace with everybody that is available. There is a person known to everybody who didn’t make himself available for peace. It is not that he is intolerant of opposition. He always says: when politics is gone, now is governance.

For me, I see him as a reincarnation of the grand master of politics without bitterness, Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim of the then Great Nigeria People’s Party. I see Oyebanji in that mould of politics without bitterness. It is not about being intolerant of opposition; he wants, as much as possible, to court many people and bring them to a common term. For us in Ekiti, it is a win-win because we have peace. If he had not done that, with the election of June 2026 approaching, the tension would have been high. But today, there is peace everywhere across the three senatorial districts.

Ekiti State reportedly receives significant monthly allocations from the federation account. How has the administration ensured these funds are translated into tangible improvements for Ekiti people?

The impacts are visible in several sectors. On road infrastructure, this government has awarded projects worth N200 billion within three years, covering about 350 kilometers of roads across all local governments. Of these, 126 kilometers have been completed with many set for commissioning during the third year anniversary.

Major roads like Ara-Ikole-Isinbode, Ikere-Igbara Odo, Ikere-Ilawe, Igbara Odo-Ikogosi are among them. Phase one of the ring road, which is a masterpiece, will also be commissioned, along with many other infrastructures. The overhead bridge is ongoing, nearing about 70% completion, and will be completed by February 2026. The Indoor Sports Hall is ongoing, the Revenue House has been completed and will also be commissioned. The Ekiti state House of Assembly is undergoing remodelling as we speak. There was also the construction of a 100-bed hostel at Command Secondary School in Isan.

In educational development, 203 secondary schools and technical colleges have been renovated. These are on the Ekiti Dashboard, which the Office of Transformation and Service Delivery procured and delivered. There are photographs and video clips to verify this. In the health sector, five General Hospitals will be commissioned this October in Efon Alaaye, Okemesi, Ayede, and Ifaki. They are fully equipped with state-of-the-art facilities that can be found anywhere. They can carry out operations in all these General Hospitals.

Members of the National Assembly, the governor told us, cooperated with him to ensure that the hospitals are well staffed with personnel so that whatever is needed is available. These are the things the government is putting up. While some have already been completed, some are waiting commissioning, and others are ongoing. These are things that people can verify because we always tell them to visit the dashboard.

There are other interventions apart from infrastructure. Take Internally Generated Revenue (IGR): from the onset, Ekiti State was averaging around N650 million as at October 2022 per month. Today, as at June 2025, the IGR per month has risen to N2.3 billion. A lot has also come in because the governor allowed autonomy for the Ekiti Internal Revenue Service starting from when the Chairman was appointed which was rigorous. He assembled his team and was given a free hand.

A lot of reforms were carried out and here we are today. Right now, this government has approved and is implementing eGIS. With that, people can get their Certificates of Occupancy without any problem, people can acquire land, the incidences of land grabbing will be eliminated, and a lot will come in for the state through that. Citizens-professionals like land surveyors, town planners, engineers, and architects-will benefit from all these. These are areas of intervention of the state.

About 250 health workers, nurses, and midwives were recruited, and up to 103 Primary Healthcare Centres all across the state were renovated with modern equipment, water, electricity, and fencing. When you talk about gratuities, it has been massive. In total, the government of Ekiti State has paid pensions up to date from October 2022 to September 2025 to the tune of N25.97 billion, and gratuities of up to N7.6 billion since inception.

This has outpaced all other previous governments in Ekiti State. For example, during the Segun Oni era, people lauded him for paying pensions. That was one of the things used against Oyebanji, with claims he might not pay pensions and gratuities like Oni did. But the record today shows that Governor Oyebanji’s administration has surpassed that achievement.

In agricultural interventions, as we speak, up to 40,000 hectares of land have been cleared for farmers for free, and that is why Ekiti, now in the Southwest, is in the news.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Ekiti State has the lowest price index for food stuffs in the South west. About 5,000 youths are currently engaged with the Bring Back Youths in Agriculture program. This has helped the agriculture development pillar of this administration. 160,000 broilers are being raised and produced by the youths in poultry farming across the state.

The government has also established the Ilu Eye Aggregation Hub. They bought tons of maize, rice, garri, and other foodstuffs, preserved and stored them. From there, they now have the Ounje Ekiti Retail Outlet, a new initiative where food prices are sold at lower rates than in the markets. Seedlings, cassava stems, and so on are being subsidized at 50%. Fertilizers are given out to farmers. There is support for rice farmers all across the state.

Ekiti has also encouraged cluster farming. This is ongoing in my own town, and I have visited some farm settlements in the state. Dormitories are being built for them and three will be commissioned this October. Farm settlements, like in the days of Late Obafemi Awolowo, will be commissioned with mattresses and beds in Ikere, Iyemero, and Eporo. It’s amazing to go round these places and see the transformation going on.

This is the first time we are having the State House of Assembly in harmony with the government, passing the necessary laws and supporting the governor. Ekiti has never had it so good in terms of harmony and peace. This is what some people don’t like, which is why they accuse the governor of being intolerant of opposition.

The governor has received overwhelming endorsement from various stakeholders in the state including traditional rulers, market women, traders, union leaders, and some opposition leaders. But critics say the endorsements are transactional. Are they genuine?

They are genuine. When you look across party lines whether among youths or women, who are the greatest voting blocs, or among market men and women, artisans, and even labour unions you see real support. For example, Ekiti currently pays one of the highest minimum wage in Nigeria, second only to Lagos State, which explains labour’s support and endorsement.

Party leaders and elders also do. This is the first time we are seeing harmony and peace in the state like never before. The PDP used to be the main opposition, but today, where is the opposition? Most of the noise is only on social, print, or electronic media. On the streets of Ado-Ekiti or any town, have you seen any posters announcing the candidacy of anybody?

By and large, these endorsements are worthwhile and come out of people’s hearts, not because they were bought. I have read on social media claims that the state government sponsored them. No, some of us who are players tasked ourselves, because I am part of the players. The governor didn’t even get involved. Not just at the state level even at senatorial and local government levels.

Even in Abuja, for the governor to submit his expression of interest forms, some of us went there. Nobody paid for airfare. It was out of love and affection for the governor and the government’s stellar performance. Even the National Working Committee of the party said they had never seen anything like it before, just for a governor to submit his form. It had never happened before for any APC candidate, whether returning to office or contesting anew.

But there are claims that the governor is focusing much of his energy and state resources on his re-election. How does he balance politics with the demands of governance?

Not at all. Governance is very much on course. The governor was involved in the 3rd Anniversary Committee meeting, and we have given him feedback. I am in charge of the 3rd Anniversary Project Sub-Committee and I gave my report. There is still going to be another round of project monitoring and inspection. Others in education and agriculture are doing the same. Governance is not distracted at any level as we speak. It is fully on course.

You see, sometimes I just laugh at how some politicians think. For me, I only recently came into politics. I used to be an analyst, analyzing situations on the national scene. Now I am in Ekiti State and have been living here for the past two years, in my hometown in Ido-Ekiti. The Senator representing Ekiti North, Cyril Fasuyi, had a meeting with us just this Saturday. I was there as one of the party leaders. It was to prepare us for the scheduled primary election. Likewise, every local government is holding meetings.

There are teams going from local government to local government. Virtually everywhere, ward by ward, you are getting 95-97% of people with Oyebanji and the President on the second term endorsements. From the submission of forms to the screening, Governor Oyebanji presented all the names he was to present. For two other candidates, whose names I won’t mention so I won’t be misquoted, either their names were not submitted enough or most of the names were not genuine. Even meeting the required numbers was a problem. All these are in the news and have not been denied.

From the Appeals Committee, the matter was forwarded to the National Working Committee of the party to decide, so as not to lay a bad precedent. I don’t want to preempt the outcome of the NWC, but it is there for everyone to see.

One of the APC aspirants, Engr. Kayode Ojo, has expressed confidence that Governor Oyebanji can be defeated in a free and fair primary. Do you share this view?

No. To suggest the governor is facing stiff opposition is far from the truth. What exists are only pockets of opposition, mostly loud on social media but insignificant on the ground.

Across the 177 wards in Ekiti, the reality is overwhelming support for Governor Oyebanji’s second term bid. The streets, the markets, and the grassroots are solidly with him. They are also with President Bola Tinubu for a second term. That is the reality on the ground in Ekiti State.

Some aspirants claim that names of their loyalists were deliberately omitted from the APC membership register to weaken their chances. What’s your response?

I heard of such claims for the first time and I responded. Even in my constituency, someone was online making noise. You can be very loud online but not carry political weight. This person was causing trouble on social media. I interjected because I knew him-we attended the same primary school. The last time I checked, he was in the SDP. I asked: how come? He said, ‘I am free to belong to any association.’ I kept quiet. That is just a tip of the iceberg.

The truth is some people left the APC when former Governor Segun Oni contested under SDP. Maybe they forgot to return. They are not in the APC register. Some of them tried to come back and asked for identity cards, but party leaders rightly question their membership status. That is exactly what happened. It is not a case of exclusion. It’s simply the consequence of their earlier decisions. Politics has rules, and one cannot eat their cake and still expect to have it.

What are Governor Oyebanji’s chances in both the APC primary and the 2026 general election?

The chances are very high. For party core and critical stakeholders, we are looking beyond the scheduled primary of October 27 because that is a done deal. We are already looking towards June 2026. Governor Oyebanji will fly the APC flag for a second term, and he will not only win, but win massively, in a record-breaking way.

I did research about Governor Babatunde Fashola in Lagos for my PhD in 2012. Part of the findings was that in that election, he scored over 80%, one of the widest margins in Nigerian history. Based on current realities, Governor Oyebanji has the goodwill, the performance record, and the support base to surpass that record. I see him scoring up to 90% in that election.

I pen this article with a humble sense of responsibility hoping to contribute to this critical national discourse of proffering actionable insights to nation building. This article is informed by insights gleaned from my engagements with more than 1,000 leaders globally in the past year and close to a gross of this number fifteen years after I founded These Executive Minds (TEXEM) in the UK.

Sixty-five years after independence, Nigeria stands at a crossroads that is both sobering and promising. The sobering part is familiar. Too many citizens experience public services that arrive late or not up to par. Firms face a cocktail of inflation, logistics friction, and regulatory uncertainty. Civil society carries heavy loads where formal systems falter. The promising part is quieter but powerful. In the past year I have sat with more than a thousand leaders in ministries, agencies, boardrooms, factories, start-ups, cooperatives, and classrooms from Kano to Lagos to Abuja and cities in other emerging and developed countries. The appetite I have encountered is not for new slogans. It is for practices that produce compounding improvements citizens can feel. My contention is that the leaders who will move Nigeria forward in the next decade will practise three disciplines with rigour: reflection that rebuilds trust and sharpens judgement, reinvention that converts constraints into design choices, and winning that scales what works and protects it from erosion.

Reflection must come first because progress without trust rarely survives the news cycle and more importantly does not lead to sustainable inclusive impact. In many of our institutions there is an inherited deficit of confidence. People discount statements before they hear them. Officials are assumed to be evasive until proven otherwise. In this context, the most strategic act a leader can take is to make the logic of decisions visible and testable. I have watched permanent secretaries and chief executives shift the temperature in a room by explaining the trade-offs behind a policy or a pivot in two pages of plain English, then inviting challenge before the implementation plan is final. That small ritual does more than inform. It signals that citizens and staff are not audiences but partners in judgement. Rwanda’s experience with public performance contracts for officials is instructive because it illustrates how visible targets and steady follow-through can change the relationship between leaders and citizens. Nigeria does not need to copy the mechanism to embrace the principle. We can begin with published choice notes that state priorities, the reasons for those priorities, and the measures by which success will be judged.

Reflection also requires safety for truth. In utilities, hospitals, and agencies I often meet talented professionals who knew trouble was coming but said nothing because it did not feel safe to do so. The cost of that silence is measured in failed projects, service outages, and avoidable controversy. A modest institutional habit can reverse this dynamic. Start formal meetings by asking for the pieces of bad news that no one has voiced. Reward the messenger rather than the fixer. In a northern water board I watched how this practice reduced the number of last-minute crises and improved relationships with suppliers who were finally hearing about risks early enough to help. Psychological safety is not a fashionable idea. It is a governance advantage.

Strategy is the next frontier of reflection. Plans that attempt to please everyone end up straining everyone. Strategy is not an inventory of hopes but the courage to choose. What distinguishes Ethiopia’s early industrial zones, despite all the imperfections, is not simply the infrastructure but the choice to concentrate on a small number of sectors where jobs could be created quickly and learning could compound. Nigeria has too often pursued breadth without depth. A commissioner who commits to a two-page statement of where the state will compete in transport or health, how it will win there, and what will be left aside this year, has already advanced execution. The power of this clarity lies in how it enables other actors to align. Suppliers, investors, and civil society can only complement a public agenda they can see.

Foresight completes reflective leadership. Oil shocks, currency swings, (though the latter two have been quite stable in the past six months) import disruptions, and climate stress are not surprises. They are conditions of the game. The organisations that navigate them well do not predict the future. They rehearse it. In Vietnam, which has climbed the manufacturing ladder over the past two decades, routine scenario exercises allowed managers and officials to pre-commit to responses when supply chains wobbled. In our context the same discipline means agreeing on three or four numbers that, if breached, trigger specific actions within a week. It means deciding in advance which contracts can be slowed without losing capability, which social programmes must be protected under any scenario, and which suppliers or ports will be used if a route closes. When senior teams practise these drills quarterly, they do not eliminate volatility. They convert volatility from a reason to panic into a reason to act calmly and quickly.

Once reflection has cleared the fog, reinvention can proceed with precision. Reinvention in Nigeria must start with an unflinching acceptance of constraints. Capital is tight. Power is unreliable in too many places. The skills we most need are scarce and globally mobile. Rules sometimes move mid-stream. These constraints do not forbid innovation. They shape it. The leaders who make headway begin by asking what job the citizen or customer is hiring the service to do. In one health programme I observed, teams stopped designing features and started listening to mothers who simply wanted certainty about vaccination days. A low-cost text system that reminded families and local clinics of fixed days in each ward lifted attendance without expensive infrastructure. India’s Aadhaar system, whatever one thinks of it in the round, succeeded because it focused on a minimal identity layer that others could build upon. Kenya’s M-Pesa was born because the banking system ignored the unbanked. Both cases show the pay-off from designing to the job, not to the institution.

Reinvention demands learning before scale. In too many Nigerian settings pilots are a performance rather than a process. They lack a falsifiable question, a clear owner, and a path to either stop or scale. The fix is not complicated. Any initiative expected to touch a large population should be tested in two locations, with one sharp question set in advance and a date by which a scale or stop decision will be made. The results should be published in language citizens understand. Failure then becomes an investment rather than a secret. I saw a state education agency kill three shiny ideas quickly and redirect funds into a teacher coaching model that improved learning outcomes because it treated the pilot as an experiment rather than an announcement.

Reinvention gains momentum when public institutions become conveners of ecosystems rather than providers of every function. Big problems yield when government, private firms, and civic actors share accountability for outcomes that citizens feel. Bangladesh offered a vivid lesson. Partnerships between government, a major telecom, microfinance institutions, and social enterprises created rural digital kiosks run by women that offered identity, market information, and payments. The result was a commercial model that advanced connectivity and income at the same time. There was no philanthropic afterthought. Incentives were aligned at the design stage. Nigeria’s agriculture and health sectors can embrace the same logic. Shared cold chain investment for vaccines, joint platforms for farmer data, and managed marketplaces for produce are all areas where no single actor can win alone, yet every actor can win if the rules of cooperation are clear.

The final discipline is winning. By winning I do not mean a one-off success that makes good copy. I mean the craft of scaling what works, protecting it from erosion, and compounding advantage. The first move is to pick a narrow transformation where citizens will feel the difference within months, ‘a low hanging fruit’. A permit workflow, a claims process, a land registry, or a targeted procurement system are good candidates. The rule is simple. The process must be completed end to end in a single digital flow. A named leader must own service levels. The model that drives decisions must be monitored so that it does not drift. Small wins matter because they change expectations. Once a citizen experiences a permit that takes days rather than months, tolerance for delay declines across the board. Indonesia’s progress on e-procurement and tax administration, while uneven, shows how patient systems work can raise revenue and trust at the same time. We should be stubborn about this kind of boring progress because it pays compound interest.

Winning also requires decision-making that treats a downturn as a time to prune and plant rather than to freeze. The instinct in a crisis is to cut across the board. The better move is to cut visible waste, protect muscle, and pre-fund two moves that will pay off when others are distracted. When India’s Tata Group bought Jaguar Land Rover in the depths of the 2008 crisis, it was not a gamble on prestige. It was a calculated bet on future capability. In Nigeria the equivalent in the public sphere could be a state securing a long-term power arrangement for critical social infrastructure when prices soften. In the private sphere it may look like acquiring a distressed logistics asset that reduces cost to serve for essential goods. These are not headline moments. They are compounding moves.

The strongest fosses in emerging economies are often social and institutional as much as technological. A company that ties its profit engine to a farmer’s gain by reducing post-harvest losses creates an affinity that is difficult to copy. A ministry that becomes the trusted orchestrator of identity or payments in a sector makes duplication wasteful for others and partnership sensible. Vietnam’s rise in manufacturing is instructive here. Once clusters matured and supplier development programmes took root, firms preferred to deepen rather than exit. In Nigeria we can replicate the principle if not the exact model by choosing the lever we will own, whether identity rails for SMEs, last-mile logistics in a large state, or a vocational pipeline that gives investors’ confidence.

Every serious proposal invites counterarguments. The first is that our constraints are too severe. It is true that power, security challenges, still high inflation and undervalued Naira shape the feasible frontier. Yet they rarely block the first disciplined step. Narrowing focus, publishing choices, and testing cheaply are possible even in tough conditions. The second counterargument is that pilots never scale here. That is not a law of nature. Pilots fail to scale when ownership is vague and money is episodic. Tie each pilot to a named leader with a budget gate and an adoption target. If the target is met by a stated date, the next release triggers automatically. If not, the idea is retired without controversy because the condition was agreed up front. The third objection is that openness hands advantage to rivals or invites misuse. Opacity is more expensive. Clear interfaces, shared dashboards, and pre-agreed escalation channels protect the public interest while letting private actors bring energy and ingenuity. The fourth objection is that our context is unique and therefore resistant to lessons from elsewhere. Culture and politics matter. So does execution. The underlying disciplines of reflection, reinvention, and winning have travelled across Asia, Africa, and Latin America because they are grounded in human behaviour and institutional incentives rather than in fashion.

Actionable suggestions matter most when they become routine. A practical rhythm helps leaders avoid performative announcements. Each quarter, senior teams should meet for a candid review of trust, choices, and scenarios. The output should be three objectives with dates and owners that are shared with staff and, where appropriate, with citizens. Each month, the organisation should pilot two new practices and retire one legacy habit that no longer serves. A one-page learning note in plain English should capture what moved, what did not, and what will be changed as a result. Each week, leaders should review a single measure that protects their moat, whether adoption, cost to serve, or ecosystem leverage, and then remove one blocker that slows progress. This cadence is not a ritual for its own sake. It is the mechanism through which reflection feeds reinvention and reinvention feeds winning.

The independence anniversary invites a final reflection. Nations and subnational do not become trustworthy because they declare it. Companies do not become competitive because they wish it. NGOs do not become impactful because they are earnest. Trust grows when leaders expose their logic to scrutiny and follow through. Competitiveness grows when organisations choose a place to compete and then refine how they win there through fast learning. Impact grows when coalitions form around measurable outcomes that citizens experience in hours saved, income gained, and safety improved. I have seen these habits in pockets across Nigeria. A cooperative that became a disciplined buyer and seller on behalf of its members and cut their losses. A state-owned entity that digitised a creaking process and recovered weeks of time for small businesses. A private firm that opened its platform to complementary services and grew by letting others create value. These are not miracles. They are crafts. Crafts improve with practice.

Examples from other emerging economies are not medals to hang on a wall. They are reminders that the work is doable. Rwanda’s visible performance contracts demonstrate how public accountability can reset expectations after trauma. Aadhaar in India shows that a minimal, interoperable public good can unlock many private innovations when designed with restraint. Kenya’s mobile money revolution proves that leapfrogging can occur when a clear job is served on a platform people already use. Vietnam’s steady climb through manufacturing illustrates how clusters, supplier development, and predictability attract commitment. Indonesia’s progress on tax administration and procurement shows how patient system building raises revenue and trust together. Bangladesh’s rural digital models illustrate the power of aligned incentives across public, private, and social actors. None of these examples is a blueprint. Each is a provocation to ask what the Nigerian equivalent would look like under our constraints and with our strengths.

As we enter the sixty-fifth year of independence, the choice before Nigerian leaders is not between idealism and realism. It is between a loud cycle of fresh promises and a quieter craft of institutional improvement that compounds. The second path is less dramatic, yet it is how countries change without fanfare. It begins with leaders who listen before they speak and who effectively communicate the reasons that informed their choices. It gains speed with teams who test efficiently, measure honestly, and stop what does not work. It consolidates with organisations that scale what works, protect their edge, and reinvest in capability in good times and bad. I wrote earlier that the mood is sober and promising. It will remain promising only if it becomes disciplined.

The most powerful sentence I have heard in the past year came from a nurse in a secondary hospital who said that the only thing that had changed her day was a new process that meant a critical drug arrived on Wednesday without fail. It made her sound less like a hero and more like a professional. That sentence is the heart of development. When essential functions become reliable, professionals emerge, and citizens begin to trust. The path to that sentence is neither glamorous nor impossible. It asks us to reflect with candour, to reinvent with humility, and to win with patience. If we make those verbs our habit in the year ahead, the country we will write about at seventy will look less like a set of crises to manage and more like a system that works. That would be an independence worth celebrating.

A wanted terror kingpin, Kachalla Maidawa, and 35 others, have met their Waterloo during a series of coordinated joint operations by the security forces.

The operations, which involved the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Department of State Service (DSS), the Police, and highbred forces, were conducted between September 29 and October 4.

The coordinated operations also led to the arrest of 32 criminal suspects, the rescue of 22 kidnap victims, and the recovery of a substantial cache of arms, ammunition, and logistics supplies.

A highly placed military source, who confirmed Maidawa’s death to The Nation on Sunday, stated that the terrorist kingpin and 11 of his foot soldiers were killed in Kogi State.

According to the source, during the onslaught that eliminated Maidawa and his cohort, troops under Operation EGWU EKE ATITE III, in collaboration with personnel of the Nigerian Navy, DSS, Police, and Hybrid Forces, thwarted Maidawa’s plan to attack at Isanlu, in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.

‘During the fierce firefight, troops overpowered the extremists, neutralizing over twelve terrorists, including the dreaded Kachalla Maidawa, who had long terrorized communities across Kogi East and Kwara State,’ the source revealed.

‘Items recovered after the operation include one AK-47 rifle, 400 rounds of mixed ammunition, four motorcycles, three Dane guns, a fragmentation jacket, mobile phones, and other sundry items.’

The source said 34 Artillery Brigade and Operation UDO KA raided Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network (IPOB/ESN) hideouts in Abia and Imo States, arresting several suspects, including the abductor and killer of the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Afikpo.

Revealing successes recorded in other theaters of operation between September 29 and October 4, the source said 1 Brigade in Kebbi State ambushed terrorists along the Salka-Kinke-Makurdi road in Ngaski Local Government Area, killing two and rescuing eight kidnap victims. The troops also recovered seven AK-47 magazines, 180 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and two motorcycles.

The source said, ‘Similarly, in Kaduna State, 11 Field Engineer Regiment and CSI Battalion intercepted several criminal activities, including a ?3 million ransom delivery attempt involving brand-new motorcycles meant for terrorists. Troops rescued the five kidnap victims and neutralized several fleeing bandits during the operations in Giwa and Birnin Gwari Local Government Area.

‘In a related development, two suspected kidnappers were intercepted at Damakasuwa checkpoint in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area with ?1.3 million, while follow-up operations led to the neutralization of two other members of the syndicate who tried to escape during arrest.’

In the North East, the source said, 151 Task Force Battalion killed five ISWAP/JAS terrorists during an ambush at Dipchari in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State. Additionally, 3 Battalion and 24 Task Force Brigade arrested suspected ISWAP logistics and drug suppliers along the Gamboru-Wulgo road, recovering illicit items. Another operation in Monguno led to the arrest of 12 suspects, including a terrorist tax collector, effectively crippling the terrorist intelligence network in the region.

On other military successes in the South East, the source said 34 Artillery Brigade neutralized a notorious foot soldier of an IPOB/ESN commander and recovered one AK-47 rifle, two magazines, and 14 rounds of ammunition.

‘Operations in the South South under Operation DELTA SAFE uncovered and destroyed multiple illegal oil refining sites in Rivers and Bayelsa States, recovering over 2,000 litres of stolen crude oil. Additionally, 14 drug peddlers were arrested by troops in conjunction with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA,’ he said.

In the North Central, the source said troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE neutralized an armed suspect in Benue State and rescued six kidnapped victims in Taraba State.

‘Further arrests of arms suppliers and suspected collaborators were made in Sokoto and Kano States, reinforcing the Army’s proactive stance against insecurity,’ the source said.