Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Moses Simon is on the verge of joining Nigeria’s exclusive international century club when the Super Eagles begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Madagascar in Uyo on Friday.

The Paris FC winger has made 99 senior appearances for Nigeria and will earn his 100th cap if selected by head coach Éric Chelle against the Barea at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.

The Nigeria Football Federation has already concluded arrangements to honour Simon for the landmark, which would make him the fifth Nigerian player to reach 100 senior international appearances.

Simon would follow Joseph Yobo, Vincent Enyeama, Ahmed Musa and Alex Iwobi into Nigeria’s century club. Iwobi became the country’s fourth centurion when he made his 100th appearance in Nigeria’s 2-1 friendly defeat to Portugal in Leiria in June.

Simon potential milestone would cap more than a decade of service to the national team since making his Super Eagles debut against Uganda on March 25, 2015.

The winger has since established himself as one of Nigeria’s most dependable attacking players, remaining a regular presence across different generations of the national team and under successive coaches.

Simon has scored 12 goals in his 99 appearances for Nigeria, with the NFF recording 64 competitive matches and 35 friendlies during his international career. The Super Eagles have won 49 of the matches in which he has featured, drawn 30 and lost 20.

His international career has also taken him to major tournaments, including the Africa Cup of Nations finals and the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Simon has featured in 23 AFCON finals matches and 22 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixtures, highlighting his longevity and importance to the Super Eagles over the past decade.

One of the memorable moments of his early international career came during Nigeria’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign against Swaziland, now Eswatini.

After the first leg ended goalless in Mbabane, the Super Eagles needed a victory in the return fixture in Port Harcourt to progress in the qualifying race.

With the match approaching its final stages, Simon produced the breakthrough by scoring directly from a 22-yard free-kick as Nigeria secured a 2-0 victory.

His journey from that early contribution to the brink of 100 caps has seen him become one of the more experienced players in Chelle’s current squad.

The 31-year-old is part of the 24-man squad selected for Nigeria’s opening AFCON 2027 qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.

Simon’s potential landmark comes at an important point for Nigeria, with the Super Eagles looking to begin their qualifying campaign with a victory.

The Super Eagles will host Madagascar in Uyo on Friday before travelling to Bissau for their second Group L fixture on September 29.

Chelle has emphasised the importance of collecting points early in the campaign, with Nigeria aiming to establish a strong position in Group L from the opening fixtures.

The NFF’s Acting General Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, praised Simon’s contribution to Nigerian football and described him as a committed servant of the national team.

‘I can testify that Moses Simon is an incredible player and a wonderful human being, having related with him at close quarters for several years. He is a patriot to the core, and forever passionate and dedicated to the Nigeria cause,’ Ikpeme said. ‘The NFF celebrates him on this special occasion and wish him many more caps with the Super Eagles.’

If Simon features against Madagascar, he will join Iwobi as the latest member of Nigeria’s century club, with the pair having progressed through the national team ranks during the same era.

Simon’s milestone would represent more than a numerical landmark. From his debut in 2015 to 99 appearances and 12 goals, reaching 100 caps would mark a decade of service to the Super Eagles.

With the NFF preparing to celebrate him and Nigeria beginning another AFCON qualification campaign, Simon now stands one appearance away from becoming the fifth Nigerian centurion.

Activities at the premises of the Edo State Ministry of Power were temporarily disrupted on Friday following protest by youths from several communities of Ososo, Ojah and Ijiranmi in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area over prolonged power outage.

The protesters said they have not had power supply for the past eight months and demanded an alternative power distribution company if the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) could no longer supply power.

They carried placards with various inscriptions,, saying the prolonged power outage has crippled economic activities and stalled development in the affected communities.

Spokesman of the protesters, Mr. Bernard Gomina, said the protest was to draw attention to hardship in the affected communities.

Gomina alleged that the communities contributed money for repair of faulty equipment but the problems persisted.

He said the BEDC continued to slam them with what he termed outrageous estimated bills.

The lawmaker representing Akoko-Edo II in the Edo State House of Assembly, Donald Okogbe, who joined the protesters, said the people were frustrated by the prolonged outage.

Hon. Okogbe called on relevant agencies to give license to an alternative firm that would ensure steady power supply.

He said, ‘It has become necessary to consider an alternative arrangement if the BEDC can no longer provide reliable power.

‘We urged the Edo Electricity Regulatory Commission to explore the possibility of removing the affected communities from BEDC’s coverage.

‘Steady power supply is essential for economic growth and the wellbeing of the people. We call on the authorities to treat the matter as an emergency.’

Chairman of the Edo State Electricity Regulatory Commission, Dr. Shittu Shaibu, assured the protesters that the Commission was aware of the situation and was working to resolve it.

Edo Commissioner for Power, Hon. Paul Osenbo, ueged the protesters to submit a memo detailing their complaints.

Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Deputy Governor Kingsley Moghalu has disowned his inclusion in the policy team of African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar for the 2027 election.

Moghalu, in a statement posted on his X handle on Thursday, said he was neither consulted nor asked to give his consent before his name was listed as a member of Atiku’s campaign policy team.

His reaction came hours after Atiku’s campaign unveiled its Presidential Campaign Council, with Moghalu named among members of the Policy Team.

The team is chaired by economist and banker Mohammed Hayatudeen, while Professor Mohammed Sagagi serves as deputy chairman.

‘I am surprised to see a statement from @atiku and @ADCNig campaign team including my name as a member of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s policy team for the 2027 presidential campaign.

‘For the record: I was not consulted and did not give my consent to my name being published as a member of the ADC candidate’s policy team.

‘I am NOT, in fact a member of Atiku’s policy team, even unofficially or in any advisory capacity,’ Moghalu said.

Moghalu, who was a presidential candidate of the Young Progressives Party in the 2019 election, said he had quit partisan politics in Nigeria in 2022.

‘I have quit partisan politics in Nigeria since 2022. I have maintained, and continue to maintain, my non-partisan posture in our country’s national affairs.

‘I am not a member or sympathiser of any political party in Nigeria,’ he said.

He said his current engagements included serving as president of the Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation, IGET Africa, which he described as a non-partisan public policy think tank and executive education academy, as well as Chief Executive Officer of Sogato Strategies, a geopolitical risk and regulatory strategy advisory firm.

Moghalu said his decision to remain outside partisan politics did not mean he was disengaged from national affairs.

‘I remain committed to my country, Nigeria and its progress, but such commitment does not have to entail ANY partisan alignment.

‘I have adopted the path of statesmanship, not partisanship,’ he said.

The development followed the unveiling of Atiku’s campaign structure on Thursday, with Kashim Ibrahim-Imam appointed chairman, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as deputy chairman, and Senator Austin Akobundu as Director-General and Campaign Manager.

The campaign said the Policy Team would formulate proposals aimed at tackling key challenges, including the rising cost of living, unemployment, insecurity and declining purchasing power.

The Acting General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, has charged the Super Eagles to go all out and earn victory for Nigerians in Friday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against the Barea of Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

‘We are back to the familiar surroundings of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State for another qualifying race. It was here in Uyo that the Super Eagles won the tickets to the 2019 and 2025 AFCON finals. The NFF has absolute confidence in the team to run another good race and win the ticket with matches to spare.

‘Surely, the only way we can do that is to start with the maximum three points tomorrow, and then with another three points in Bissau on Tuesday. However, since we are taking it one match at a time, the focus now is on Madagascar on Friday. Nigerians are looking forward to victory tomorrow and I know the Super Eagles will give them joy.’

Ikpeme assured that the NFF, with great support of the National Sports Commission, has concluded arrangements for a hitch-free game, as well as seamless movement of the team to Guinea Bissau and back to Nigeria after the Day 2 encounter with the Wild Dogs on Tuesday, 29th September.

To qualify for the 2019 AFCON finals staged in Egypt, Uyo served as the home ground for the Super Eagles as they shot past South Africa, Libya and Lesotho. Ahead of the 2025 finals staged in Morocco, the three-time winners overcame hurdles mounted by Libya, Rwanda and Benin Republic to qualify with a match to spare.

Today’s encounter will kick off at 5pm.

Olaopa canvasses varsity governance, funding models

In view of the multi-faceted challenges public universities are faced with, it is imperative for them to embrace new models of governance and funding, according to Prof. Tunji Olaopa.

Olaopa, who is the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission canvassed this position in Abuja yesterday,

It was at the Federal University of Lokoja and Research Enterprise System’s Conference on ‘University Governance and the Corporate World: Towards an All-of-People Approach to Financing University Education in Nigeria’.

According to Olaopa in his address as the chairman of the occasion, university education governance in Nigeria stands at a critical juncture, as it continues to be constrained by systemic and structural bottlenecks, chief of which is the funding challenge.

To him, this lingering challenge has in turn distorted and complicated the required reform that traditional university’s governance structure needs as it struggles to reconcile the conflicting associated reform imperatives of academic and administrative autonomy, operational viability, and industry relevance.

He noted that budget to education remains well below UNESCO acclaimed benchmark of 15-20% of public expenditure, even as Nigeria’s NPE itself targets 26%

Nigerian university’s severe funding challenge reflects profoundly in a research funding level accounting for less than 0.3% of annual GDP; a level that is substantially lower than the African average (0.45%) and global benchmark (1.7%).

He said: ‘Indeed, to break the barrier and to position higher education to take its place as a critical propeller of growth it still requires significant investment.

‘ For sustainable and inclusive national economic growth in equal breath, there is also an urgent need to rethink how the universities are governed, funded, and connected to society.

Indeed, to build their long-term resilience, university management must replace rigid administrative silos with a unified, inclusive, all-of-people governance model, one that directly links financial planning with collaborative strategy’

For him, this will require that universities completely change how they operate. He noted how in traditional universities, the strategic plan is a wish-list, created by university’s many committees, while budget is managed separately by bursars or financial administrators in silo which also implies that the admission department does not talk to academic affairs, and IT does not talk to student life, leading to duplicated efforts and waste.

Consequently, Olaopa called for a collaborative strategy transforming the institution from a collection of isolated departments competing for resources into an integrated system where budget decisions directly fund strategic goals .

He said that this

would then mean that no new academic programme, building, or hiring initiative can be approved unless it directly aligns with a specific KPI in the university’s strategic plan

While condemning what he called the excessive centralization of university governance, he stressed the need for a shift to an ‘all-of-people partnership model’.

He urged the universities in Nigeria to transcend the traditional shared governance system where the Council and Senate carry out oversight on academic standards and institutional fiduciary.

Olaopa explained the ‘all-of-people partnership model’ as what puts governance in the hands of the stakeholders (those beyond internal university community constituents and government appointed representatives) and those that the university serves; those its decisions directly affect, namely, industry partners, community representatives, alumni, trade union leaders, among others..

‘Within this framework, it means that university governance decisions will be evaluated not only by internal performance metrics, but also by public relevance, community integration, civic responsibility, and therefore the principles of shared governance and co-determination

The all-of-people funding ecosystem that this participatory and inclusive model will create, will therefore move the Nigerian higher education funding beyond reliance on unstable government budgetary allocations and static students’ tuition and other equity-restrained recovered costs, towards an integrated outcome-driven funding architecture.

‘This financing model then aligns capital generation, resource allocation, and accountability directly, to create a balance between the interests of internal and external stakeholders. It thus builds financial resilience while ensuring transparent, impact-linked governance’.

He also proposed a community-backed equity-rooted endowment fund

that would entail restructuring the traditional endowment into a participatory, community-owned asset fund, into which alumni, local enterprise networks, and other CSO contribute capital.

‘Such capital is targeted at university growth poles such as renewable energy micro-grids, digital infrastructure, agricultural research centres, etc. In return, investors and community co-owners receive fractional equity of structured revenue-sharing returns generated by university ventures and enterprises.

This model invariably transforms endowment into an active investment pool which embed communities directly into the economic success of the university.’

He added that to achieve the proposed governance and funding models would require the collaboration of

the National Assembly, Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission to amend the existing university establishment Acts to grant full operational and academic autonomy to universities.

An independent panel has reportedly found Manchester City guilty on most of the 115 charges brought against the club by the Premier League, following an eight-year investigation into alleged breaches of financial regulations.

Premier League clubs have been informed of the ruling, according to reports, with Manchester City expected to appeal the decision.

Potential sanctions could include fines, suspended punishments, points deductions or expulsion from the Premier League. Some penalties could potentially be imposed while an appeal is ongoing.

However, the process remains subject to further proceedings and confidentiality requirements.

A Manchester City spokesman said: ‘The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality. As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the club’s statement of February 2023.’

The club has consistently denied wrongdoing in relation to the charges and has maintained its position since the Premier League announced the charges in February 2023.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday reassured investors of his commitment to providing enabling environment for long-term investments as Ogun State Government and DP World MEA FZE signed a $7 billion deal for the development of Gateway Deep Sea Port and Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone.

At the signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Paris, France, President Tinubu said the Federal Government remains committed to providing regulatory clarity, policy stability and a predictable business environment to support long-term investment in Nigeria.

He said the Federal Government would continue to support states across the federation to unlock their immense potential, describing the Ogun State-DP World MoU as evidence of such collaboration and a reaffirmation of his government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said: ‘These agreements envisage an initial investment of more than $7 billion in the Nigerian economy. At full development, the projects are projected to create more than 50,000 direct jobs and many additional indirect opportunities, while generating substantial non-oil export earnings from Nigerians’ creativity and productivity across the value chain. This is economic diversification made tangible. This is industrialisation made visible. This is Renewed Hope in action’.

President Tinubu assured investors that the Federal Government would provide the necessary regulatory and institutional support to move the projects seamlessly from agreements to implementation.

‘This is cooperative federalism as envisaged by our Constitution: subnational vision supported by federal facilitation.

‘We will facilitate road, rail and power connectivity; strengthen investment security and our maritime domain; and remove unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles,’ President Tinubu said.

He highlighted the strategic importance of the Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone, noting that the zone has already started attracting interest from leading global manufacturing and industrial companies.

He said: ‘Within the zone, imported inputs will be transformed into finished goods, Nigerian raw materials will be processed for export and, most importantly, our young men and women will find dignified, productive and sustainable employment.

‘The Gateway Deep Seaport is the critical infrastructure that will support the zone’s viability. A port moves cargo; a port integrated with a special economic zone helps to build an economy. Each reinforces the other’.

He said the Federal Government would continue to work with Ogun State and other subnational governments to remove unnecessary bottlenecks and facilitate investments that create value for Nigerians, while respecting the country’s laws and regulatory requirements.

According to him, strengthening the maritime economy remained a key part of the Federal Government’s broader economic diversification strategy as Nigeria strives to position itself as the continental hub for global trades and investments.

The Chairman Eti-Osa Local Government, Lagos State Omo’oba Adeola Alimot Adetoro, has inaugurated three roads as part of activities to mark her one year in office.

The roads are Ogunyemi Road, Itedo; Ibrahim Atere Road, Gbara and Murphy Adetoro Road, Igbo-Efon.

At the ceremony, which attracted All Progressives Congress (APC) Apex Leaders, councillors, traditional rulers, community leaders, party faithful and residents, the chairman expressed joy and fulfilment at delivering on her campaign promises.

‘We thank Almighty Allah (SWT) for this glorious achievement. A year ago, we promised that infrastructural development would be paramount. Roads are not just pathways; they are lifelines of commerce, access to healthcare, education and community development. What we are witnessing today is a fulfilment of that promise,’ she said.

Adetoro noted that the projects were driven by her administration’s HEYIGA Agenda – a commitment to Holistic development, Empowerment, Infrastructure, Grassroots governance and Accountability.

According to her, the completion of the three roads will ease vehicular traffic, boost local businesses, improve property values, and enhance the quality of life for residents of Itedo, Gbara and Igbo-Efon.

She assured residents that the commissioning marks the beginning of more developmental projects, pledging more roads, schools, primary healthcare centres and empowerment programmes in the second year of her administration.

The Chairman expressed sincere gratitude to her Vice Chairman, the Executive and Legislative Arms, Supervisors, Special Advisers, the Council Manager, management, staff, and the good people of Eti-Osa for their support, patience and cooperation.

‘It is now my honour to officially commission these roads for public use, to the glory of God, for the benefit of mankind and in particular the good people of Eti-Osa,’ she declared.

The event ended with jubilation by residents who commended the Chairman for her people-oriented leadership.

The United States government has announced a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign citizens who travel to the country to give birth to secure automatic U.S. citizenship for their children, as well as individuals and entities that facilitate the practice.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the policy, stating that the restrictions are being invoked pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

He added that certain immediate family members of individuals targeted under the policy may also be subject to the visa restrictions.

The policy specifically targets owners, operators, and managers of commercial birth tourism operations, as well as visa ‘fixers’ and facilitators who coach applicants to submit fraudulent documents or misrepresent their travel intentions.

Foreign medical providers who knowingly aid such travel schemes and any other individuals supporting commercial birth tourism networks are also covered under the rules.

The announcement comes after recent operations by U.S. authorities that dismantled international birth tourism networks operating across West Africa, North Africa, and Europe, resulting in the revocation of hundreds of visas.

In one instance, a U.S. embassy in West Africa uncovered a network involving over 100 foreign nationals using fraudulent documents and fixers to obtain U.S. citizenship for their children.

The State Department confirmed that the newly established Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force, working alongside the Department of Homeland Security, will continue to analyse records worldwide to revoke visas and dismantle commercial operations profiting from immigration fraud.

Official statements emphasised that the policy aims to protect the integrity of the U.S. immigration system and prevent the exploitation of American citizenship.

Nigeria and Mali have discussed security challenges in the Sahel and West Africa, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and regional cooperation.

The discussions took place during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81) in New York.

Nigeria’s delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, while Mali’s delegation was led by its Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdoulaye Diop.

In a statement by the minister’s media aide, Magnus Eze, the meeting provided an opportunity for both countries to hold political consultations and exchange views on security developments in Mali, the Sahel and the wider West African region.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed Nigeria’s longstanding ties with Mali and said Nigeria had a strong interest in a stable, peaceful and prosperous Sahel.

She noted that the security challenges confronting the region required sustained cooperation among neighbouring countries.

The minister identified terrorism, violent extremism, organised crime, human trafficking, proliferation of small arms and illicit financial flows as cross-border challenges requiring stronger regional mechanisms.

She also stressed the importance of African ownership in addressing the continent’s peace and security challenges and encouraged continued dialogue among Mali, West African countries and regional institutions.

The discussions also covered Mali’s evolving relationship with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the political dynamics of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), African Union peace and security mechanisms, as well as bilateral trade, economic and energy cooperation.

Other areas discussed included regional integration, mobility and people-to-people contacts.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to maintain constructive bilateral consultations with Mali and expressed interest in continued multilateral cooperation, including mutual support for diplomatic candidatures.

The meeting came against the backdrop of efforts by Nigeria to strengthen regional dialogue, peace, security and integration.

In July 2026, Nigeria and Mali agreed to revitalise their Joint Commission, with security, trade, energy, irregular migration, human trafficking and the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) identified as priority areas for cooperation.