Category: The Nation – Nigeria

…Weyinmi Oritsejafor, Managing Director of Passport Legacy Nigeria, welcomed Mr. Thomas Anthony, CEO of Grenada’s Investment Migration Agency, for an evening of conversations on second citizenship, global mobility and investment opportunities.

Passport Legacy, a Swiss-owned investment migration and advisory firm, hosted an evening cocktail in Lagos on October 20, bringing together clients, investors and partners for conversations around second citizenship, international mobility and investment opportunities, with special guest Mr. Thomas Anthony, Chief Executive Officer of Grenada’s Investment Migration Agency (IMA).

The event provided an opportunity for guests to engage directly with Grenada’s investment migration leadership and gain insights into the country’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program, its international mobility benefits and the investment opportunities available to prospective applicants. The evening also created a platform for clients, partners and the Passport Legacy team to connect and explore the wider role of investment migration in long-term family and wealth planning.

In her opening address, Ms. Weyinmi Oritsejafor, Managing Director of Passport Legacy Nigeria, highlighted the firm’s wider advisory offering beyond citizenship and passport acquisition. She explained that Passport Legacy operates under PL Group, which also encompasses real estate, government advisory and private client services, supporting clients with a range of international investment and lifestyle needs.

‘We are not simply a passport company; we do so much more than passports. Investment migration is just one facet of the services we provide,’ Oritsejafor said, emphasising the firm’s commitment to providing solutions that extend beyond the initial citizenship process. She noted that many clients continue to work with the firm after completing their citizenship programmes, seeking assistance with other personal, investment and international advisory needs.

Oritsejafor also highlighted the group’s real estate presence across Cyprus, Greece, Thailand, Bali and Dubai, alongside its government advisory work with Argentina and São Tomé and Príncipe. As Managing Director, she oversees Passport Legacy’s Nigerian operations across its Lagos and Abuja offices, supported by a team focused on client advisory and application processing.

The evening’s special guest, Mr. Thomas Anthony, CEO of Grenada’s Investment Migration Agency, delivered an address outlining Grenada’s position as an investment and citizenship destination. He discussed the country’s economic landscape, international market access, investment opportunities and the benefits of its Citizenship by Investment programme for individuals and families considering greater global mobility.

Anthony highlighted Grenada’s access to international markets through regional economic arrangements, including the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and discussed the opportunities available to investors considering business activity in the country. He also explained the potential relevance of Grenadian citizenship to individuals exploring the United States’ E-2 Treaty Investor visa route, which is available to eligible Grenadian nationals who meet the applicable investment and business requirements.

Addressing the programme’s processing timeline, Mr Anthony stated that decisions on clean applications could be made within approximately six to eight months of submission, depending on the circumstances of each application. He also discussed the real estate investment route, noting that investment performance and completion timelines should be considered alongside the broader benefits of the programme.

A key point of discussion was the distinction between the duration of an investment and the permanence of citizenship. Responding to questions from guests about exiting a real estate investment after the prescribed holding period, Mr Anthony explained that the subsequent disposal of an eligible investment does not, in itself, terminate citizenship once it has been lawfully granted, subject to the applicable laws and programme requirements.

He further highlighted the intergenerational implications of citizenship, explaining that Grenadian citizenship may be passed to eligible subsequent generations in accordance with the country’s citizenship laws and registration requirements. This, he noted, makes citizenship planning a consideration that can extend beyond the immediate applicant to future family generations.

The interactive session allowed guests to gain clarification on investment requirements, potential returns, citizenship rights and the practical considerations involved in choosing an investment migration programme. The discussions reinforced the importance of understanding both the immediate benefits and long-term responsibilities associated with international citizenship and investment decisions.

The formal program concluded with a networking session, allowing guests to engage with Mr Anthony, the Passport Legacy team and fellow attendees. The gathering emphasised the firm’s commitment to building lasting client relationships and creating opportunities for informed conversations between investors, advisers and program representatives.

Through engagements such as the cocktail evening, Passport Legacy continues to position investment migration within a broader conversation about international opportunities, private client advisory and legacy planning, helping individuals and families consider solutions aligned with their long-term ambitions.

About Passport Legacy

Passport Legacy is a Swiss-owned investment migration advisory firm operating under PL Group. Beyond citizenship and residency advisory, the group offers services in real estate, government advisory and private client services. Passport Legacy Nigeria operates from offices in Lagos and Abuja, supporting clients as they navigate international mobility and investment opportunities.

CHRISTIAN APPOLOS examines the warning by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Chief Economist, Sangheon Lee, that rising productivity is not translating into better wages for millions of workers, leaving many struggling with high living costs. Lee spoke on the ILO’s Future of Work podcast on the sidelines of the recent International Monetary Fund and World Bank Annual Meetings, in Bangkok, Thailand.

ECONOMIC growth and rising productivity do not always translate into better wages and improved living standards, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) recently said, identifying a cycle of low pay and low productivity that leaves millions trapped in jobs offering little opportunity for advancement.

Speaking on why rising productivity still does not translate into better wage for millions of workers years after COVID 19 pandemic, ILO’s Chief Economist, Sangheon Lee, said the disconnect between productivity and workers’ incomes had become a major concern, particularly as essential goods and services remained expensive despite moderating inflation in many countries.

The disconnect raises a fundamental question about whether economic growth is delivering meaningful improvements in workers’ living standards. ‘The fundamental question for us is whether workers’ incomes are growing sufficiently to improve their living standards,’ Lee said.

Why falling inflation has not eased pressure

For many households, the difference between slower inflation and falling prices remains critical. Lee explained that a decline in inflation does not mean prices have returned to previous levels. It means prices are increasing more slowly, while essentials such as food, housing and energy may remain considerably more expensive than before the pandemic.

Where wages have failed to keep pace with these increases, workers can continue to experience financial pressure even after inflation moderates. ‘Wage growth has been relatively weak,’ Lee said, adding that wage increases in many countries had failed to match inflation during the recent period of rising prices.

This is particularly significant for low-income households, which spend a larger proportion of their earnings on necessities and have less room to absorb further price increases. The challenge is not simply to bring inflation down, but to ensure that workers’ earnings recover sufficiently to improve their living standards.

Productivity gains not reaching workers

A central part of Lee’s argument is that productivity growth has not consistently translated into proportionate wage increases.

Productivity broadly refers to how much output is produced from the labour and other resources used in an economic activity. Higher productivity can help businesses expand, improve efficiency and generate additional income. However, those gains do not automatically result in higher wages.

Lee said the relationship between productivity and workers’ incomes appeared to have weakened, with gains not fully translated into higher wages, particularly for workers in the middle and lower parts of the income distribution. One indication, he explained, was the decline in labour’s share of global income.

‘Globally speaking, the share of incomes going to labour declined from around 54 per cent in 2004 to 52.6 per cent in 2025,’ he said.

Labour income share measures the proportion of economic income accruing to workers through their labour, rather than to capital and other sources.

Lee attributed the trend to factors, including technological change, globalisation, changes in labour-market institutions and weakened collective bargaining power in many countries. He also identified market concentration as a concern, with a relatively small number of large firms becoming increasingly dominant in some sectors.

Such concentration can influence how productivity gains are shared between businesses and workers, and between large and small enterprises. Where smaller businesses struggle to compete, invest and expand, their ability to create productive jobs and improve earnings may also be constrained.

Nigeria’s informal employment challenge

The argument has particular relevance to Nigeria, where informal employment accounts for a substantial proportion of the workforce. The National Bureau of Statistics reported that informal employment represented 93 percent of total employment in the second quarter of 2024, up from 92.7 percent in the first quarter.

The figure does not mean that 93 percent of Nigerian workers earn low wages. It highlights the scale of informal employment, where secure earnings and social protection may be limited.

A World Bank analysis published in March 2024 found that more than three-quarters of employed Nigerians worked in establishments engaging fewer than five people. It identified limited access to finance and infrastructure as constraints on small-business growth, noting that small size can restrict specialisation, demand for higher-skilled labour and the creation of more advanced jobs.

These conditions show why employment numbers alone cannot explain the labour market: people may be working but still struggle to meet their needs, while small businesses operate with limited capital and technology.

The challenge is not simply to create more jobs, but to help workers and enterprises move towards more productive activities offering better earnings and working conditions.

Low-pay, low-productivity trap

Lee described the relationship between low productivity and low pay as a cycle that can reinforce itself. A small informal business, for example, may lack finance, modern technology, infrastructure and skills development. These constraints can keep output low and limit its capacity to pay higher wages.

But the relationship also works in the opposite direction. Where workers receive low pay and face poor conditions, businesses may struggle to attract, retain and develop skilled employees. Workers themselves may lack the resources to acquire new skills or improve their employment prospects.

Low earnings and limited profits can consequently restrict investment in the improvements needed to raise productivity. ‘The causality runs really both ways,’ Lee explained. ‘Low productivity contributes to low pay, while low pay also can itself become an obstacle to productivity growth.’

The ILO’s Employment and Social Trends 2026 report estimates that approximately 2.1 billion workers worldwide remain in informal employment, representing about 58 percent of the global workforce. Many face limited access to basic rights, social protection and income security.

Lee argued that improving workers’ conditions is not solely a social policy objective. Better jobs can also support growth by strengthening household purchasing power, increasing demand and encouraging investment.

Low and insecure incomes constrain spending, while weak demand can discourage investment and reinforce the cycle. Better productivity and wages can support stronger demand and economic activity.

AI could widen existing inequalities

Artificial intelligence presents another challenge to the distribution of productivity gains. Although AI tools can help workers perform some tasks more efficiently, the benefits are unlikely to be distributed evenly without the necessary skills, infrastructure and investment.

Lee warned that AI could widen divisions between advanced and developing economies, large and small businesses, and workers with different levels of access to technology and training.

Advanced economies generally have better access to digital infrastructure, AI technologies, investment and specialised skills. Many developing countries face greater constraints, potentially widening productivity and income gaps. Large companies may have resources to adopt AI and reorganise their operations, while smaller enterprises may struggle with the costs of technology, training and implementation.

Workers, who can use AI effectively, may improve their productivity and employment prospects, while those without access to the necessary tools and skills risk being left behind.

An ILO research brief published in May 2026 also highlighted the uneven distribution of AI-related productivity gains. It found that improvements observed at task and individual-worker levels had not yet translated into clear productivity growth across entire firms, sectors or economies. The research identified wider technology adoption, investment in skills and workplace reorganisation, and effective competition policies as important conditions for spreading gains.

Technology alone will not determine who benefits; how AI is introduced, worker training and the distribution of gains also matter.

For Nigeria, where many businesses operate with limited resources, helping smaller enterprises access appropriate technology, finance and skills development will be important to ensure that technological change does not deepen existing inequalities.

NLC seeks a fairer transition for workers

The question of who benefits from technological change has also become a concern for Nigeria’s organised labour movement, which has called for workers to receive the training and support needed to adapt to automation and artificial intelligence.

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president, Joe Ajaero, called in October 2025 for comprehensive retraining and upskilling programmes to prepare workers for changes associated with artificial intelligence and automation.

Speaking at the Labour Writers Association of Nigeria’s conference in Ibadan, Ajaero proposed that the programmes be funded through a tax on the profits of technology giants and automated industries.

‘We must bargain for comprehensive retraining and upskilling programmes, funded by a tax on the excessive profits of the tech giants and automated industries,’ he said.

Retraining must be relevant to available jobs, and employers need the capacity to invest in workers. Improved skills should lead to better opportunities and appropriate compensation.

ILO demands investment in better jobs

The ILO has urged governments and development institutions to place job quality and workers’ incomes at the centre of economic policy. In a statement to the IMF and World Bank Group Annual Meetings on October 12, ILO Director-General, Gilbert F. Houngbo, called for policies to ensure that productivity gains, including those generated by AI, are more widely shared. The statement highlighted workers’ incomes, job quality and social protection, while identifying market concentration, weak collective bargaining and constraints facing small and medium-sized enterprises as factors that can prevent productivity gains from reaching workers.

The ILO proposes stronger collective bargaining, evidence-based minimum wages, social dialogue and support for smaller businesses to access finance, skills and technology.

For Nigeria, this means combining wage policy and social protection with support for small enterprises to access finance, infrastructure, technology and training.

Workers need skills development, fair conditions and institutions that enable them to negotiate wages. Social protection can also help people facing illness, unemployment or old age avoid poverty.

Lee argued that policymakers should move beyond focusing only on investment that creates jobs to investing directly in improving the jobs themselves. He identified workers’ skills, working conditions, wage policies, labour-market institutions and social dialogue as important areas for investment, alongside social protection and measures to ensure that productivity gains are more widely shared.

Growth must improve people’s lives

The debate over productivity ultimately concerns the purpose of economic growth.

Higher output and more efficient production can create the resources needed to improve living standards. But where workers’ incomes remain weak, the benefits may not be felt in their daily lives.

For workers, meaningful progress means affording housing, food, education and healthcare, with greater security during unemployment, illness and old age.

Lee’s central argument is that productivity and job quality should not be treated as competing priorities. Better jobs can themselves help drive productivity by strengthening skills, household demand and investment. Without these measures, growth can coexist with insecurity, leaving workers excluded from the gains their labour helps generate over time.

The task facing policymakers, employers and workers’ organisations is to build an economic environment in which rising productivity translates into improved earnings, better working conditions and greater economic security.

Economic performance should ultimately be judged not only by how much an economy produces, but also by how much people’s lives improve.

The Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) has demonstrated how crowdfunding and community-based savings can improve agricultural extension delivery with the provision of 15 Volkswagen Golf vehicles to super trainers implementing its ICON2 project in Kano and Jigawa states.

Under the financing arrangement, beneficiaries contributed 50 per cent of the cost of the vehicles, while WOFAN provided the remaining half through its revolving support model, giving extension workers improved mobility to reach farming communities, access markets and generate additional income.

The initiative seeks to address transportation challenges that often limit the reach of agricultural extension services, particularly in rural communities where farmers depend on extension workers for technical guidance, training and information on improved farming practices.

WOFAN Founder and Global Advocate, Dr Salamatu Garba, said the intervention was designed to equip super trainers, extension workers and community leaders with the means to reach more farmers and improve agricultural service delivery.

‘We are commissioning batch one of logistic vehicles for our super trainers, extension workers and community leaders.

Through their own savings and our complementary support, they now have the mobility needed to reduce the gap farmers face at harvest, move produce to markets, and carry out their extension work more effectively,’ Garba said.

She explained that the vehicles would serve both operational and commercial purposes, enabling beneficiaries to discharge their extension responsibilities while generating additional income through the transportation of goods and passengers.

According to her, improved mobility would ease the difficulties associated with reaching remote farming settlements and reduce beneficiaries’ dependence on commercial transportation when moving between farms, communities and markets.

The crowdfunding model requires super trainers to organise themselves into groups, typically comprising seven or eight members, and save half the cost of the vehicles over an agreed period. WOFAN then provides the balance through its revolving support arrangement.

The scheme builds on the organisation’s experience in providing productive assets, including tractors, threshers and other equipment, to women farmers, youths and agricultural marketers under the WOFAN ICON2 project.

By combining beneficiaries’ contributions with institutional support, the model promotes financial discipline, collective responsibility and ownership while expanding access to productive assets that individual rural workers might otherwise struggle to afford.

The initiative also reinforces the role of super trainers in agricultural extension delivery. Having progressed from the ranks of extension workers through commitment and performance, they train other extension personnel, community leaders and cluster leaders, who subsequently replicate the training in their communities.

Their responsibilities include promoting financial inclusion and encouraging savings among rural households, making the vehicle scheme an opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of the financial practices they teach.

The additional mobility is expected to strengthen this training network, improve the frequency of community engagements and facilitate the transfer of agricultural knowledge between extension personnel and farmers.

Chairman of WOFAN’s Technical Board, Professor Sani Miko, described the initiative as a demonstration of how collective savings and shared responsibility could expand economic opportunities for vulnerable groups.

He urged the beneficiaries to use the vehicles responsibly and serve as good ambassadors of the organisation, while commending WOFAN’s crowdfunding approach to productive asset ownership.

The vehicles will complement existing transportation options used by beneficiaries, including two-wheel and three-wheel tricycles, tauraruwa pickups and other vehicles supporting agricultural and value-chain activities.

Beneficiaries, including Sadiya Ibrahim, Hajiya Bilkisu from Jigawa State and Isyaku Yahaya from Garun Mallam in Kano State, expressed appreciation for the intervention, describing it as a boost to their work and the services they provide to farming communities.

They said the vehicles would improve their ability to reach farmers, conduct training activities and explore additional income-generating opportunities.

WOFAN said it planned further distributions of vehicles and pickups to extend the scheme to more participating clusters.

The commissioning of the first 15 vehicles in Kano and Jigawa states highlights the potential of crowdfunding and community savings as alternative mechanisms for financing agricultural development, particularly when beneficiaries’ contributions are matched with institutional support.

Beyond addressing transportation constraints, the initiative places agricultural extension workers at the centre of efforts to improve farmers’ access to knowledge, technical assistance and improved farming practices.

WOFAN is a Nigerian non-governmental organisation working in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation to empower women farmers, youths and persons with disabilities through agricultural training, capacity building, financial inclusion and community-based livelihood initiatives.

Nigeria’s housing policies have failed to deliver the desired results over several decades because of weak political will, inadequate funding, corruption and poor continuity between successive administrations, a built environment expert, Mr. Olufemi Oyedele, has said.

Oyedele, who said he reviewed the country’s housing policies from 1928 to 2024, argued that many government interventions were introduced as political promises or responses to international expectations, rather than products of rigorous research, strategic planning and sustainable implementation frameworks.

He identified the absence of effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms as another major factor responsible for the persistent failure of housing programmes, warning that the country would continue to struggle with its housing deficit unless governments addressed the structural weaknesses undermining policy delivery.

He said, housing policies often suffer from poor implementation because governments lack the commitment required to translate policy objectives into tangible results for Nigerians.

He said inadequate financing also undermined housing delivery, noting that policies were frequently announced without proper funding arrangements or a comprehensive framework for execution.

Oyedele further blamed corruption for the poor outcomes of some housing programmes, alleging that houses developed with public resources were sometimes allocated to politically connected individuals or people who already had accommodation, instead of being made accessible to those who needed them most.

He cited the mass housing programme associated with a former Lagos State governor, Lateef Jakande, as a contrast to situations in which political connections allegedly influenced the allocation of publicly funded housing.

Oyedele, who doubles as the Managing Director/CEO, Fame Oyster and Co., also identified discontinuity in government policies as a major obstacle to sustainable housing development, noting that successive administrations often abandoned programmes initiated by their predecessors.

He expressed concern over the apparent loss of momentum surrounding plans to establish building materials manufacturing hubs across the six geopolitical zones, saying land had reportedly been secured in Lagos for one of the proposed facilities.

According to him, abandoning such initiatives undermines long-term planning, wastes resources and prevents the country from building on lessons learned from previous housing interventions.

To address the challenges, Oyedele called for the establishment of independent monitoring and evaluation teams to assess the implementation of housing policies, identify obstacles and document lessons for future programmes.

He proposed that such teams should comprise housing advocates from civil society organisations, academic housing experts, real estate developers, representatives of built environment professional bodies and officials of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

He argued that independent oversight would strengthen accountability, improve implementation and ensure that housing policies were evaluated against measurable outcomes rather than political announcements.

Beyond policy implementation, Oyedele called for strategic urban planning and the systematic review of land use to address the pressures created by rapid population growth and unplanned urban expansion.

He observed that new communities were emerging across Lagos State without adequate government provision of essential infrastructure, including public schools, waste management facilities, tarred roads and public health centres.

The situation, he said, highlighted the need for governments to coordinate housing development with transportation, infrastructure and social services to create functional and liveable communities.

Oyedele also drew attention to the paradox of vacant plots in prime locations, completed but unoccupied properties and abandoned construction projects existing alongside a substantial housing deficit.

He put Lagos State’s housing deficit at 3.4 million units, compared with an estimated 1.8 million units for Ghana, arguing that the scale of the challenge required more deliberate planning and effective land management.

The expert further warned that excessive commuting times could have adverse implications for public health and the environment, stressing the need to organise cities in ways that bring homes, workplaces and essential services closer together.

He suggested that Nigerian cities could draw lessons from established urban planning models, including the Burgess Concentric Zone Theory and the Hoyt Sector Model, while adapting them to local conditions.

According to him, regular planning and replanning of urban land use would help governments manage population growth, reduce commuting pressures and improve residents’ quality of life.

Oyedele maintained that tackling Nigeria’s housing crisis required more than the introduction of new policies, insisting that the priority should be to ensure that existing and future programmes are properly funded, transparently implemented, monitored and sustained across successive administrations.

He said that a combination of political commitment, accountability, strategic urban planning and continuity in government programmes was essential to translating housing policies into affordable homes and better living conditions for Nigerians.

Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has called on the incoming president of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Professor Kingsley Ogboi, to make building collapse prevention, development control, and professional accountability the central pillars of his administration.

The group made the call, following a building collapse in Lagos, October 23, which left one person dead and three construction workers injured, adding to a long history of structural failures in Nigeria, including the 2021 Ikoyi collapse (46 deaths), the 2014 Synagogue Church disaster, and the 2024 school building collapse in Jos, Plateau State (22 deaths).

In a statement by HDAN’s Executive Director, Festus Adebayo, the group outlined critical areas requiring immediate action following the Institute’s 57th International Conference and Annual General Meeting in Lagos.

It wants the professional body to implement a risk-based audit targeting distressed buildings, aging structures, unauthorized high-rise developments, and properties undergoing major modifications.

Besides, it asked the body to establish clear, standardized processes spanning development approvals, structural certification, construction-stage inspections, enforcement, and occupation permits.

‘Roll out public-facing digital approval portals allowing property buyers and citizens to verify the legal status, approved specifications, and regulatory certifications of any project.

‘Spearhead collaboration with key industry bodies, including the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NIStructE), and the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON).

‘Mandate the publication of all post-collapse investigation findings and enforce strict legal and professional penalties for regulatory violations, negligence, or misconduct,’ the statement read.

HDAN emphasised that building safety extends beyond technical construction metrics to encompass public safety, governance, and national economic security.

According to the group, unsafe construction undermines investor confidence, destroys wealth, and jeopardizes lives.

To break the cycle of recurring tragedies, HDAN urged the new NITP leadership to demand clear answers to three fundamental questions after every incident: Who approved the building design and site plans? Who was responsible for monitoring compliance during active construction? What specific reforms will be enacted to ensure a similar failure never happens again?

‘Building safety should not be treated merely as a technical concern of engineers and contractors. It is a governance issue, a public safety issue, an investment protection issue, and an essential component of sustainable housing development. The time to prevent the next building collapse is now-not after another life has been lost,’ the group said.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate Prince Adewole Adebayo said opposition parties can collaborate to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections without necessarily fielding a single consensus candidate.

Adebayo spoke during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja amid ongoing discussions among opposition parties on possible collaboration ahead of the polls scheduled for January 16 2027.

Six parties – the SDP African Democratic Congress (ADC) Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) – are reportedly discussing the possibility of presenting a consensus candidate against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Addressing the discussions Adebayo said opposition cooperation should focus on shared democratic principles rather than merely negotiating power-sharing arrangements.

He identified strengthening the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) curbing vote-buying and preventing electoral fraud as key priorities.

‘The attitude of the SDP is that cooperation is very important particularly in the area of working together to ensure that nobody is rigging anybody out’ he said.

On how the parties could work together at the grassroots Adebayo pointed to the need for joint vigilance at polling stations across the country on election day.

‘If for example there are nine political parties present all the nine different agents they have in the voting unit each one will not only defend the votes for his party but will also defend the entire process’ he explained stressing that protecting the credibility of the ballot box serves every democratic contender.

While acknowledging calls from certain political quarters for a unified opposition front to challenge President Tinubu at the polls Adebayo expressed reservations about treating a merger or single candidate as a magic bullet.

‘For those who feel who believe that we will only succeed if we have a single candidate well I don’t agree with them’ he asserted.

He reiterated that the SDP remains open to strategic cooperation with any political entity genuinely committed to free fair and credible elections insisting that the primary focus must remain on ensuring the 2027 elections are transparent and unmanipulated.

Turning to his party’s ideological foundation and national platform Adebayo said the SDP’s roadmap for governance is anchored in Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which mandates that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.

He highlighted the widespread hardship and security challenges facing the nation pointing out that addressing poverty and insecurity remains central to the SDP’s vision for Nigeria.

To bridge the gap between policy and citizens Adebayo said the SDP has translated its national manifesto into major Nigerian languages including Hausa Igbo and Yoruba as well as other indigenous dialects. He urged media practitioners and the general electorate to critically examine the document and judge political parties based on substance and solutions rather than rhetoric.

Concluding on an optimistic note regarding Nigeria’s democratic journey the SDP presidential candidate reaffirmed his party’s resolve to remain an unwavering voice for governance reform and popular welfare.

‘Our confidence in the future of Nigeria is unshakable. Our commitment to seeing through this democratic process is unshakable’ Adebayo declared.

A US-based pastor Israel Ford of LifeWorks Church in Wickliffe Ohio has announced his marriage to a second wife.

Ford made the announcement via his Facebook page sharing a video recorded in church where he appeared alongside his first wife Lydia Ford and his new wife Shakayla Ford.

Introducing his second wife to the public he wrote: ‘I would like to introduce to the world my second wife Shakayla Ford!!!’

The cleric argued that monogamy as the only acceptable form of marriage is not rooted in the Bible.

‘As a nation we have been taught that a man should have one wife only. This is unbiblical’ he said.

He disclosed that a full sermon explaining his position would be uploaded later in the week and noted that many pastors avoid preaching about the subject because it is unpopular.

‘I understand that this is an unpopular truth that we have gotten away from and many Pastors will not preach’ he added.

Ford maintained that he would stand by what he believes God revealed to him rather than seek public approval.

‘I have no plans to choose pleasing man over what God has revealed’ he stated.

He further said he respects the decision of anyone who chooses to distance themselves from him over the matter.

‘People may not accept this and choose to disconnect and that is ok! This life will be over soon and we can all laugh about it in Heaven. Until then God bless’ he wrote.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu has proposed a 200 per cent gratuity for retired police officers as part of efforts to resolve longstanding pension challenges in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The proposal is before a Presidential committee mandated to examine the concerns of serving and retired personnel and recommend a sustainable framework for improved retirement benefits.

The committee comprises representatives of the Ministry of Finance the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF) and the National Pension Commission (PenCom).

Under the proposed arrangement eligible officers could receive enhanced gratuity and pension benefits linked to their last salaries.

The initiative also seeks to address the demands of serving police personnel to exit the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

The agitation over police pensions has persisted for years with retirees complaining of inadequate payments delays in accessing their entitlements and administrative bottlenecks.

Rising living costs have further heightened concerns over the ability of pensioners to meet household expenses and medical bills.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s intervention in the crisis has raised hopes of a lasting resolution.

The Federal Government has reportedly cleared outstanding pension payment backlogs that left some retirees waiting for up to two years while some beneficiaries have received increased payments said to be nearly double their previous amounts.

A key issue before the committee is whether or not any approved changes should also benefit officers who retired before the new framework takes effect.

Its recommendations are expected to address outstanding liabilities funding arrangements eligibility and the administration of benefits.

Disu’s engagement with the Presidency and relevant institutions is aimed at advancing discussions on the proposed reforms and improving coordination among agencies responsible for police retirement benefits.

But the 200 per cent gratuity and proposed pension structure are yet to receive final approval. Their adoption will depend on the committee’s recommendations government decisions and the availability of funds.

Until formal approval and implementation guidelines are issued the proposed benefits remain under consideration and are not existing entitlements.

The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place at the London Palladium Theatre on Monday October 26 at 8 pm GMT (9 pm Nigerian time).

The event marks the award’s 70th anniversary with football’s biggest stars competing for its most prestigious individual honour.

Harry Kane Lamine Yamal Kylian Mbappé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are among the leading contenders. However with several players making compelling cases who has done enough to emerge as the world’s best?

Kane’s case rests on a remarkable scoring season. He scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country last season and helped Bayern Munich win the German league and cup double.

However Bayern’s Champions League exit could count against the striker.

Yamal has also strengthened his case with his performances for Barcelona. The Spanish winger recorded 24 goals and 17 assists in all competitions for 41 goal contributions in the 2025/26 club season.

Mbappé is another contender after a prolific campaign with Real Madrid. He scored 42 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions including 25 in La Liga and 15 in the Champions League.

He then scored 10 goals at the 2026 World Cup to claim the Golden Boot further strengthening his case for individual recognition.

Kvaratskhelia also enters the conversation after playing a key role in Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League triumph.

The Georgian winger recorded 19 goals and 10 assists in the 2025/26 season achieving a personal best for goals in a single club campaign. His European performances have strengthened his case for individual recognition.

The nominees also include reigning winner Ousmane Dembélé eight-time winner Lionel Messi and 2024 recipient Rodri. Their presence adds further intrigue to an already competitive race.

London will host the ceremony for the first time coinciding with the award’s 70th anniversary. The event also honours Stanley Matthews who became the inaugural winner in 1956.

Oyo State Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal Speaker of the House of Assembly Adebo Ogundoyin and the state governorship candidate of Allied Peoples Movement (APM) Bimbo Adekanmbi have rallied party leaders and stakeholders across Ibarapa to strengthen unity intensify grassroots mobilisation and consolidate the party’s political structure ahead of the 2027 general election.

Leaders and stakeholders of APM in Ibarapa land have also pledged unity collective action and stronger grassroots mobilisation as the party intensifies preparations for the general election.

The pledge was made at Ibarapa APM zonal stakeholders’ meeting in Lanlate Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State where party leaders political office-holders candidates and grassroots mobilisers from the three local governments in Ibarapa resolved to work together towards achieving the party’s electoral objectives.

The meeting was led by Lawal and attended by Ogundoyin Peter Ojedokun representing Ibarapa North/Central State Constituency Adekambi and APM Presidential and Governorship Campaign Council Director-General Dr. Nureni Adeniran.

Others at the meeting were Dhikrullah Stanley popularly known as Odidiomo APM candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District Anthony Adepoju popularly known as IbarapaKan the party’s candidate for Ibarapa North/Ibarapa Central Federal Constituency and Adedeji Sheu APM candidate for Ido/Ibarapa Federal Constituency.

Also in attendance were members of Oyo State Executive Council including Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters Ademola Ojo popularly known as Ijaiya and the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Wasilat Adegoke.

The meeting attracted representatives from each of the 10 wards across the three local government areas as well as local government and ward executive members women leaders and other party faithful.

Addressing the gathering Lawal called on party leaders candidates and members to close ranks strengthen their relationships and work to advance APM’s political interests ahead of the 2027 elections.

He emphasised the importance of unity discipline and sustained engagement with the electorate urging stakeholders to complement one another’s efforts in building a formidable political structure across Ibarapa.

The deputy governor disclosed that some of the demands and requests presented by stakeholders had been noted assuring them that necessary action would be taken urgently.

Ogundoyin said APM was growing stronger and becoming firmly rooted in Ibarapa expressing confidence in the party’s expanding political presence across the zone.

The Speaker stressed that sustained unity cooperation and effective grassroots mobilisation would be essential to consolidating the party’s growing influence and positioning its candidates for success in the 2027 general election.

Adekanmbi called for a united front among party leaders candidates and members stressing that collective determination and cooperation would be crucial to the party’s success in 2027.

He said the current administration in Oyo State had laid a solid foundation for the state’s all-round development adding that he would build on the achievements and legacy of the administration.