Category: The Nation – Nigeria

The All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries for the National Assembly seats in Ondo State may have come and gone. Still, the controversies that greeted the outcome of the exercise remain unabated.

No doubt, the results of APC primary polls sent from the state to the national Secretariat of the party were overturned by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party when they were eventually released.

Several members of the party, who were declared winners of the primaries in the state but later dropped by the NWC, have approached the court to seek redress, while some have defected to other political parties to pursue their ambitions.

It is obvious in the state that the party is divided between those who were winners at the state level and those declared winners by the NWC. The aggrieved contestants are not in agreement with the decision of the party’s leadership, as they insisted that the conduct of the primary polls followed due process.

One of the constituencies that is currently under legal contention is the Akoko South-East/South-West Federal Constituency, where the incumbent member of the House of Representatives, Adegboyega Adefarati, Dr. Victor Olusegun Ategbole, and Ajongbolo Seun contested for the ticket of APC to be able to contest in the general elections.

One of the contestants in the primaries, Dr. Victor Olusegun Ategbole, who participated in the May 16, 2026 APC primaries for Akoko South-East/ Akoko South-West Federal Constituency, has approached the court seeking redress on the final decision of the party’s national leadership on the result of the election.

In Suit No: FHC/A79/CS/59/2026 filed at the Federal High Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital, by Ategbole, he is interested in the interpretation and application of Sections 84, 85 and 86 of the Electoral Act 2026 as well as other relevant laws for the determination of whether the party’s NWC has power to replace the initial results with another.

Also, Ategbole faulted the claim that he was disqualified from participating in the primary, as he was screened and cleared to contest the primary election. In the report from the National leadership, his name is on number 45, just as his name was sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He insisted that there was no time he was disqualified from participating in the party’s primary as Ategbole’s name was reflected on the APC documents forwarded to INEC for the conduct of the primary election for the Federal Constituency on 16 May 2026 Relevant documents had been duly certified by INEC to confirm the eligibility of Ategbole for the primary election.Ategbole lawfully participated in the election on 16 May,2026 as declared the winner by the Returning Officer having scored 1,2011 valid votes .

The respondents in the suit filed by Ategbole through his team of lawyers led by Dr Remi Peter Olatubora included the All Progressives Congress (APC), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Gboyega Adefarati.

In the originating summons Ategbole, raised four questions for determination, which included whether having regard to the provisions of sections 84, 85, 86 and 88 of the Electoral Act 2026, Articles 19.6, 20.1, 20.3 and 20.4 constitution of All Progressives Congress (APC) and the first respondent’s guidelines for the nomination of candidates for the 2027 general elections, the first respondent’s National Assembly Primary Election Committee has the power to make a second result declaration, superseding the declaration and return of the plaintiff, by the APC’s Federal Constituency Returning Officer, as the winner of the House of Representatives Primary Election held on May 16, 2026 in Akoko South-East/Akoko South-West Federal Constituency as declared by Hon Akin Aibinuomo, the returning officer.

Likewise, with reference to the same sections of the Electoral Act and Articles of his party, Ategbole is asking the court whether his party’s NWC has the power to make Adefarati, who came second as the party’s candidate.

His third question is whether, as the winner of the primary, he ought not to have been returned as the party’s candidate.

Lastly, he wants to know whether the declaration of third respondent, Gboyega Adefarati, as the winner of the primary election is ‘not illegal, unlawful and contrary to the provisions of Section 36 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and sections of the Electoral Act and the Articles of the party.

Consequently, Ategbole sought five reliefs from the court. He wants the court to make a declaration that he is the winner of the House of Representatives Primary Election for Akoko South-East/Akoko South-West Federal Constituency.

Also, he is also seeking an order directing his party, APC, to issue a Certificate of Return to him as the winner of the primary election for the federal constituency, just as prayed for an order restraining his party, APC, from forwarding Gboyega Adefarati’s name to INEC.

Alternatively, Ategbole sought an order directing his party, APC, to retrieve the name of Adefarati from INEC and submit his name as the candidate of APC for the 2027 House of Representatives election in the federal constituency.

In proving his case beyond reasonable doubt, Ategbole had approached INEC to obtain certified true copies of the results as declared at the federal constituency collation centre, Saint Patrick Secondary School, Oka-Akoko. In a true certified copy of the INEC report signed by G.D. Dung on the conduct of the primary election stated that INEC staff went out to monitor the primary election and filed reports. INEC further confirmed that the primary election took place in all 26 RA/Wards Collation Centres in the federal constituency on Saturday, 16th May 2026, and that the party’s primaries commenced as scheduled in the federal constituency.

In the same report, INEC stated that ‘Accreditation of party faithfuls was done by checking party membership registration cards while in queue. A copy of the party’s area register had earlier been submitted to the state office. In the declaration of results, according to the INEC report at the end of the collation exercise at St. Patrick’s College.

It further stated that the exercise came to a close amidst jubilation by party members. In its conclusion, INEC wrote that ‘The Party Primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was successfully conducted in all the Registration Areas within Akoko South-West Local Government Area without any controversy.’

One of the documents obtained from INEC showed a list of the Local Government Planning Committee to include Hon. Agbede Sunday (chairman), Hon. Ibitayo Olusegun (Secretary) and Barr. Felix Alonge (member). The INEC Registration Area monitor for the local government is Akeredolu Adewale.

In a separate document, which contained the INEC report on the same APC primary election in Akoko South-East Local Government Area, a true certified copy of which was signed by Dimas F. Emmanuel, at INEC headquarters, Abuja, on July 7, 2026, the commission stated that ‘The primary election was conducted through direct primaries using Option A4 at the Registration Areas level.

Results from the various RAs were collated at the Local Government level before being forwarded for constituency collation. The primary election was well organised and conducted in accordance with the party’s guidelines.’

In the declaration of results, according to the INEC report, ‘At the end of the collation exercise at St. Patrick’s College, the votes scored by each of the contestants are as follows: Mr. Ajongbolo Segun scored 74 votes, Mr. Adegboyega Adefarati scored 1,965 votes, and Dr. Olugbenga Victor Ategbole scored 12,011 votes as declared by the returning officer for the federal constituency.

The Anambra State Government has challenged former Governor Peter Obi’s argument that the $156 million he left in investments was sufficient to offset any other liabilities allegedly incurred during his tenure.

The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Chukwukadibia Okoye, in a reaction on Friday, said Obi still had questions to answer over the financial position of the state when he left office in 2014.

Okoye said Obi was ‘slowly drifting away from the facts’ of the controversy, which centres on the completeness of the financial records presented at the end of his administration.

He said, ‘In public accounting and generally accepted accounting principles, nobody refuses to account for a valid liability, and when it is brought to his attention, his defence becomes that the assets are sufficient to pay undisclosed liability.

‘At the minimum, such accounting records are withdrawn and restated. This is the globally accepted standard.’

The commissioner said the more fundamental issue was whether Obi’s claim that he left no liability other than the N5 billion disclosed in his handover note was accurate.

‘The Anambra State Government has presented records indicating that there were indeed external debts and other financial obligations that remained unsettled as at the date he left office,’ he said.

Okoye said the controversy was not simply about whether the state had assets capable of covering some liabilities, but whether the handover statement provided a complete and accurate picture of the state’s assets and liabilities as of March 17, 2014.

He also questioned the nature and valuation of some of the assets described as investments.

‘Not everything described as an investment necessarily represents cash or a readily realisable financial asset. For instance, an uncompleted project cannot ordinarily be treated in the same manner as cash or a liquid financial investment,’ he said.

According to him, such an asset should be regarded as work in progress, with its value independently established.

He also questioned the valuation of equity investments, citing the reported investment in Intafact, which he said had subsequently suffered a significant decline in value.

‘This raises an important accounting question: what was the basis of the valuation assigned to such investments at the point of handover, and were those valuations realistic, independently verifiable and realisable?’ he asked.

Obi’s 2014 handover document, which has been made public amid the dispute, listed $156 million in foreign-currency investments, N27 billion in local investments and other balances, with an estimated N5 billion liability deducted to arrive at a net balance of about N86.67 billion.

The Anambra government, however, has maintained that external loans and other financial obligations remained outstanding from the period of Obi’s administration.

It has cited records showing eight external loan facilities and an outstanding balance it puts at $92.35 million as of June 30, 2026.

Obi has rejected the government’s claims and maintained that he left office without outstanding salaries, pensions, gratuities or liabilities to contractors for duly executed and certified projects.

Okoye said the $156 million investment argument therefore did not, by itself, resolve the controversy.

‘The questions that need to be answered are much broader. What were the state’s complete liabilities and commitments on that same date? Have they been properly and fully disclosed? Does that report represent the true and fair position of the assets and liabilities of the state at handover date?

‘The real issue is the completeness and accuracy of the 2014 handover position,’ he told The Nation.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a Nigerian-Mexican drug cartel operating a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Eziama community, Obeagu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

In a statement, the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said two kingpins, Chukwu Obumneme Christopher, 45, alias Brown, and Chukwu Georginus Monday, 60, alias George, were arrested in connection with the operation of the lab, in partnership with Rodriguez Villanueva, a Mexican drug cartel member based in Mexico City, Mexico.

Babafemi said the arrests followed months of intelligence gathering and surveillance on the syndicate.

The two suspects were subsequently arraigned before Justice Mabel Taiye Segun-Bello of the Federal High Court, Enugu Judicial Division, on a five-count charge on conspiracy, organisation, management and financing of a drug trafficking organisation, as well as unlawful possession of precursor chemicals used in methamphetamine production, contrary to the NDLEA Act.

He said following their pleas, Justice Segun-Bello scheduled the trial for October 21, this year, following an application by the agency for an accelerated hearing.

Also named in the charge and currently at large are Uchenna, alias Uche; Celestine Ikemefuna Iwuchukwu; and Rodriguez Villanueva, described by the agency as a notorious member of a Mexican drug cartel.

Investigations by a Special Operations Unit of the NDLEA showed what the agency described as a sophisticated transnational operation by the Nigerian-Mexican cartel.

Babafemi said surveillance by the agency between last December 1 and 4, tracked Brown’s movements between Lagos, Enugu and Anambra states, leading operatives to a compound in Obeagu where a clandestine lab that could produce methamphetamine in commercial quantities was uncovered.

The lab was fitted with improvised reactors and distillation apparatus, which the agency said mirrored similar facilities recently dismantled in Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi states.

A search of the premises led to the recovery of large quantities of precursor chemicals, including 690 litres of methylamine, 1,000 litres of isopropyl alcohol, 300 litres of hydrochloric acid, 290 litres each of toluene and acetone, 400 litres of liquid sodium hydroxide, 125 kilogrammes of N-phenylacetamide, 414 kilogrammes of lead acetate and 769.6 kilogrammes of tartaric acid, among other controlled substances.

The agency said the recovered chemicals were consistent with a high-potency, P2P-based methamphetamine manufacturing operation.

A related search of George’s family residence also led to the recovery of eight large fuel tanks, four commercial gas burners, four dehydrators and 11 kilogrammes of ephedrine.

NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), said the agency remained determined to track down every fleeing suspect connected to the cartel and ensure that they faced the full weight of the law.

Marwa commended the NDLEA officers for their professionalism and doggedness in dismantling the international drug syndicate

He described the Enugu lab bust as further proof that Nigeria would not be allowed to become a haven for transnational drug cartels.

Marwa warned that the agency’s intelligence-driven operations and international partnerships would continue to close every loophole exploited by drug barons, whether local or foreign.

He charged NDLEA personnel to sustain the momentum of enforcement until the country was rid of illicit drug production and trafficking.

Nigeria begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Madagascar in Uyo today, knowing there is little room for error in Group L. With co-hosts Tanzania already guaranteed a place at the finals, the Super Eagles, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau are effectively battling for the remaining ticket, writes TUNDE LIADI

Nigeria begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Madagascar today in Uyo, knowing there is very little room for error in Group L.

With co-hosts Tanzania already guaranteed a place at the finals, the Super Eagles, Madagascar, and Guinea-Bissau are effectively battling for the single remaining qualification ticket. Coach Eric Chelle’s men must negotiate this opener without injured star striker Victor Osimhen, placing greater responsibility on Nigeria’s other attacking options.

Madagascar’s famous 2-0 victory over Nigeria at AFCON 2019 serves as a clear reminder that the Barea cannot be taken lightly. For the Super Eagles, securing a home win provides the ideal platform before Tuesday’s away trip to Guinea-Bissau.

The match takes place at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo, with kick-off fixed for 5pm Nigerian time. Ordinarily, the opening game of a qualifying series allows some margin for recovery, but the unique dynamics of Group L change that dynamic completely. For Chelle’s side, securing three points at home represents much more than a positive beginning, especially with another fixture scheduled just four days later.

Nigeria enter this continental campaign still dealing with the disappointment of missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, the team has remained competitive at the AFCON level in recent years, reaching the final of the 2023 tournament in Côte d’Ivoire and finishing third behind Senegal and Morocco at the 2025 edition. Consequently, qualification for 2027 is regarded as a basic requirement. Chelle’s primary task is to ensure Nigeria establish immediate control of the group rather than leaving themselves chasing results later in the campaign.

Madagascar present an opponent Nigeria cannot afford to underestimate. The Barea famously defeated the Super Eagles 2-0 at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt, which remains their only victory in five head-to-head meetings between the two nations, alongside three Nigerian victories and one draw. Prior to that setback, Nigeria recorded a 1-0 win in 2001, followed by 2-0 victories in 2010 and 2011. Seven years after the Egyptian shock, the teams meet once again with critical qualifying points on the line.

The major tactical talking point for Nigeria is the absence of Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, who was initially named in the squad but failed to recover from a muscle injury. Taiwo Awoniyi was called up as a replacement. Despite Osimhen’s absence, Chelle has plenty of attacking power available. Akor Adams, Tolu Arokodare, and George Ilenikhena offer distinct focal points through the middle, while Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, and Samuel Chukwueze provide established quality on the wings. Ilenikhena is among those hoping to make his senior international debut, alongside potential debuts for Isaac James and Moses Usor.

Without Osimhen acting as the central target man, Nigeria’s attacking dynamics will likely shift toward collective creativity. Ademola Lookman’s form will be vital, while Alex Iwobi’s distribution from midfield will be crucial for breaking down Madagascar’s structure.

Defensively, Ola Aina returns to strengthen the squad after a lengthy absence. With Zaidu Sanusi unavailable, Bruno Onyemaechi is expected to operate on the left, alongside Calvin Bassey and Semi Ajayi in central defense. In goal, Stanley Nwabali remains a strong candidate to start despite this being his first call-up of the year. The midfield offers ample depth with Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, and Iwobi, giving Chelle tactical flexibility depending on Madagascar’s defensive setup. Nigeria expect to dominate possession, meaning ball retention, patience, and wide play will be essential if Madagascar choose to sit deep.

Madagascar arrived in Uyo early in the week, giving head coach Corentin Martins adequate time to adjust to local conditions. While their recent form has been mixed-featuring victories over Kyrgyzstan, Equatorial Guinea, and Comoros alongside losses to Morocco and Mali-they possess enough experience to be dangerous. Key figures such as Marco Ilaimaharitra, Rayan Raveloson, Loïc Lapoussin, Warren Caddy, Thomas Fontaine, and Hakim Abdallah form the core of the visiting squad, with Raveloson posing a specific goal threat from midfield.

Madagascar’s most realistic route to a result involves frustrating Nigeria, keeping the match goalless for as long as possible, and exploiting open space on the counter-attack. An early Nigerian goal would break that strategy, whereas a scoreless stretch could increase pressure from the home crowd.

This opener represents a key test for Chelle as he balances squad rotation between today’s match and Tuesday’s contest in Guinea-Bissau. Ultimately, Nigeria possess superior individual quality, but the tight format of Group L means securing three points is the absolute priority over performance style.

POSSIBLE LINE UPS:

Nigeria: Stanley Nwabali; Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey, Bruno Onyemaechi; Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi; Ademola Lookman, Akor Adams, Moses Simon.

Madagascar: Geordan Dupire; Andy Pelmard, Thomas Fontaine, Rado Rabemanantsoa, Mathieu Acapandié; Marco Ilaimaharitra, Rayan Raveloson, Loïc Lapoussin; Warren Caddy, Hakim Abdallah, Arnaud Randrianantenaina.

The Kebbi State Government has pledged financial support for the construction of the National Secretariat of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in Abuja.

Governor Nasir Idris made the pledge on Thursday while declaring open the 2026 National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of NAWOJ, tagged ‘Kebbi 2026’, at the Presidential Banquet Hall, Birnin Kebbi.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Senator Umar Abubakar-Tafida, said the administration recognised the media as a strategic partner in promoting good governance, accountability and peaceful coexistence.

He commended NAWOJ for its contributions to journalism and national development, stressing the importance of responsible and professional journalism to sustainable development.

Idris specifically pledged financial assistance towards the construction of NAWOJ’s permanent national secretariat and urged the association to sustain advocacy on issues affecting women, children and vulnerable groups, particularly education, healthcare and economic empowerment.

He also said his administration prioritised inclusive governance, pointing to the appointment of women to various administrative and political positions.

The NEC meeting brought together members of the national executive council and delegates from across the 36 states.

Before the opening ceremony, members of the NEC toured major projects executed by the Kebbi State Government as part of activities showcasing the administration’s development projects.

In her remarks, NAWOJ National President, Hajiya A’isha Ibrahim, described unity as the strength of the association and thanked the Kebbi State Government for hosting the meeting.

She said the hosting demonstrated the administration’s commitment to women’s empowerment and commended Zone A for hosting two consecutive NEC meetings.

Ibrahim said the acquisition of land for NAWOJ’s permanent secretariat was a significant milestone and appealed to the Kebbi Government and other stakeholders to support the construction of the facility.

She also pledged to continue advocating greater opportunities for women in leadership and urged members to place the collective interest above personal interests.

The meeting featured two paper presentations. The first, titled ‘From the Margins to the Mainstream: Empowering Women and Youth Development’, was delivered by Dr Zainab Hasan Baba of Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi.

The second paper, ‘From Radicalism to Resilience: Harnessing the Soft Power Approach for Youth Empowerment and Community Transformation’, was presented by Hajiya Rafatu Garba Hammani, former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Kebbi State.

The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed-BK, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Salihu Gunabi, urged NAWOJ members to sustain professionalism.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Halima Hassan-Kamba, described Kebbi as a gender-friendly state, while the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kebbi State Council, Alhaji Bello Abubakar-Sarki, said women remained important partners in the development of journalism.

The Chairperson of NAWOJ, Kebbi State Chapter, Hajiya Hassana Abubakar-Koko, expressed delight that the state was hosting the national NEC meeting for the first time.

She thanked Governor Idris for approving the hosting and appreciated his wife, Hajiya Zainab Nasare Nasir-Idris, for her support.

Highlights of the event included the presentation of Awards of Excellence to Governor Idris, the Commissioner for Information and Culture and other distinguished personalities for their contributions to media development and women’s empowerment.

The Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has said the importation of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) petrol declined by 26 per cent to 14.6million litres per day (ML/D) in August 2026.

The importation fell from the 19.7 ML/D recorded in the preceding month, according to the NMDPRA Statistics for August that was released yesterday.

Receipt from the domestic refinery, said the statistics, rose by 39 percent to 35.9ML/D from the 25.8ML/D of July.

In the period under review, the Authority said daily reciept soared by 11 per cent to 50.5ML from the 45.5MLD in preceding month.

NMDPRA said petrol stock efficiency decreased by 2 per cent to 22.4 days in the period under review from the 22.9 days sufficiency in July.

In August, NMDPRA said aggregate of 137.98 million barrels of crude oil were received by the refineries, stressing that 109.88MB were from domestic sources while 28.10MB were imported.

On crude oil receipt by domestic refinery in the month under review, the Authourity said, the local plants recorded increased 683,000 barrels per day, rising 17 per cent from the 585,000b/d received in the preceding month.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals, according to the statistics supplied 35.87ML/D of petrol to the domestic market in August. The indigenous plant which produced 41.94ML/D, exported 9.73MLD.

In August, NMDPRA said 50.5ML/D of petrol were received in the country.

The production status of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company refineries: Warri Refinery, Kaduna Refinery and Port Harcourt Refinery were all zero in the month under review.

Aside from Dangote, the modular refineries such as Waltersmith, Edo Refinery and OPAC restricted their production to diesel.

The statistics also shows that a daily average of 14.5ML of diesel was received in Nigeria in August while 3.1 ML/D of aviation fuel and 4.3KT/day of LPG were received.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has set September 24, 2028 target for Nigeria’s domestic gas market to transition to a fully established willing buyer, willing seller framework.

The Authority also tasked industry stakeholders to develop clear markers and deliver on their promise to ensure Nigeria grows its gas production and consumption.

The Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Mallam Rabiu Umar, made this known yesterday at the Gas Market Maturity Workshop, organised under the Decade of Gas initiative at the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Abuja.

He noted that gas must be affordable for Nigerians while supporting President Bola Tinubu’s investment reforms. This transition, he further explained, is in line with the Nigeria decade of gas goal to become a gas powered economy by 2030.

Umar said the transition would be based on measurable conditions that demonstrate the maturity of different segments of the gas market, in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

‘Invariably, this is the first time that we have been bold enough to set a clear target for our gas market transition’ he noted

According to him, the PIA envisages a shift from a market largely coordinated through regulation to one driven increasingly by commercial contracts between willing buyers and willing sellers. He said Section 167 of the Act provides for the gradual movement of the domestic gas market towards a point where price regulation can step back as commercial contracting and competition become stronger.

‘The journey we are starting should lead us to a place where we should target a 24-month at best period within which we will be able to declare the market to be truly a willing buyer, willing seller market,’ he said.

The NMDPRA boss stressed that the transition must not be based on broad statements of intent but on clearly defined indicators, thresholds and safeguards. He identified supply availability and diversity, the number and quality of buyers and sellers, access to transportation infrastructure, strength of contracts, payment reliability, delivery obligations, market information and credible price signals as key indicators of market maturity.

Umar noted that Nigeria’s domestic gas supply remained tight, despite the country’s vast gas resources, stressing that infrastructure development must be matched by sufficient gas molecules to utilise the infrastructure. He also stressed the need to ensure that major gas infrastructure projects, including the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline, have sufficient gas supply to make them commercially useful.

‘If you look at supply, for example, on the domestic side, it is still tight, no matter how you look at it. We have a lot of work to do in our infrastructure space. The focus right now is not just delivering the infrastructure, but ensuring that we have enough molecules to fill the pipeline,’ he said.

He assured that the role of the regulator would also evolve as the market develops, with greater emphasis on establishing market rules, ensuring fair access, protecting competition and monitoring market conduct.

Consequently, the Authority, he said, has commenced consultations on draft regulations on anti-competitive practices, aimed at translating the competition provisions of the PIA into enforceable regulatory rules.

The NMDPRA chief executive also called for a realistic assessment of the different segments of the Nigerian gas market, noting that they were at different stages of development.

He said the sequencing of the transition would require determining which market segments were ready to move first, the thresholds they must meet and the safeguards required before liberalisation.

Umar further disclosed that the authority was nearing the conclusion of the process for the issuance of gas distribution licences, with the exercise expected to be completed in the coming weeks. He said qualified companies would be issued gas distribution licences in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The NMDPRA boss also said the authority was working to deepen the domestic utilisation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG), stressing that increased domestic utilisation of the country’s gas resources would be an important indicator of economic growth.

He said the government was also seeking to expand the use of compressed natural gas (CNG), while several LNG and gas-to-power projects were being developed across the country.

According to him, greater domestic gas utilisation could support power generation, reduce dependence on imports and minimise transmission losses associated with moving electricity over long distances.

He added that the authority was committed to creating a predictable, coherent and transparent regulatory environment capable of attracting long-term investment into the gas sector.

Umar said gas projects required substantial upfront investment and long-term contracts before investors and financiers could commit capital.

‘For you to take an FID in a gas investment, you need to have a long-term contract,’ he said, adding that the authority was willing to engage with individual projects to identify regulatory measures that could support their development.

Also speaking, the Coordinating Director of the Decade of Gas Secretariat, Ed Ubong, said Nigeria could achieve a willing buyer, willing seller gas market before the end of the first horizon of the Decade of Gas programme in 2030.

Ubong said the programme had identified clear markers for achieving the target, including increasing gas supply to 12.6 billion cubic feet per day by 2030.

He said 16 key infrastructure projects were expected to support the growth of the gas market, while more than 60 projects capable of creating about 15 billion cubic feet per day of gas demand had been identified on the demand side.

He noted that a mature gas market would also require the development of a successful gas-to-power market and greater access to cooking gas.

In her speech, the President of the Nigerian Gas Association, Mrs. Yetunde Taiwo, an engineer, said the transition to a willing buyer, willing seller market must be driven by clearly defined milestones.

Taiwo said the NGA had consistently advocated for a commercially driven gas market but stressed that the transition must be properly sequenced to avoid moving either prematurely or too slowly.

She said, ‘As NGA, what we would like to see really is to see those goalposts, those milestones that have been set, that makes it a realistic journey for us to say we have achieved a willing buyer, willing seller status.’

According to her, Nigeria had made significant progress in the gas industry over the past decade, but substantial work remained to be done.

She called for stronger collaboration between government, regulators and industry, with government providing clear policy direction, regulators establishing predictable rules, and industry continuing to invest, innovate and execute projects.

Taiwo said the ultimate objective should be a gas market capable of attracting investment, encouraging greater participation and delivering reliable gas to industries, businesses and consumers.

Former Big Brother Naija housemates Khafi Kareem and Gedoni Ekpata are celebrating their sixth wedding anniversary.

Khafi celebrated the milestone on Friday with a heartfelt message to her husband on her Instagram page, @acupofkhafi.

She wrote, ‘6 whole years. 6 whole years! Married to this wonderful man @Gedoni. God is so good, and I can’t help but feel so proud of how we have allowed God to shape us, mould us and surrender to Him in our marriage. We have loved, we have fought, we have laughed, we have cried, and most of all, we have tried! Through it all, God has held us, and I am so incredibly grateful’.

Khafi admitted she is often hesitant to discuss marriage publicly due to scrutiny, adding that she does not consider herself an expert.

She, however, described marriage as one of her favourite subjects, noting that it requires humility, growth and unconditional love.

‘I always feel nervous to talk about marriage online because it opens you up to scrutiny and I don’t feel I know enough. I certainly don’t feel I am an expert of any sort with our 6 years compared to the many 30-, 40-, 50-year-plus married couples that exist (where we are headed in Jesus name!).

‘But marriage is definitely one of my favourite subjects. I do know that it takes two people willing to humble themselves, willing to grow, willing to stretch and willing to love always. Plus, I do think I have been blessed with whom I get to be married to; as a lover, you really do make it easy (now hehe).

‘Gedoni, I am grateful for your life, grateful for your good, good love, and grateful that we get to create and curate the beautiful family God has given us. Thank you for steering our family aright, thank you for loving me like Christ loves the church and thank you for allowing yourself to be led by God. You are so tolerant, patient and just an all-round blessing. May this be year 6 of 100, onwards and upwards, my very own Emmanuel (God with me). Happy anniversary, my love; I love you! God is so good, loving, and has given us’, she added.

Khafi and Gedoni met during the 2019 edition of Big Brother Naija and began a relationship on the show.

They married afterwards and have since built a family together.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has called for stronger partnerships and increased access to affordable, long-term financing for states, regions and other subnational governments to accelerate climate action.

Sanwo-Olu made the call while addressing world leaders at the United Nations High-level Meeting on Climate Action and the Just Transition during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The meeting, convened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, focused on accelerating the energy transition, strengthening climate adaptation and mobilising finance for climate action.

Sanwo-Olu addressed the meeting as a representative of the Under2 Coalition, a global network of state and regional governments committed to climate action.

‘For Lagos, climate action is about turning ambition into opportunity: protecting our people, strengthening our economy and building a more resilient and prosperous state for generations to come. Climate action is not separate from development. It is central to how we build our future,’ the governor said.

He highlighted Lagos’ efforts to address climate challenges associated with rapid urban growth, including moves towards cleaner transportation and initiatives to derive economic value from more than 5,000 tonnes of solid waste generated daily through recycling, circular economy approaches and clean energy.

‘These are not abstract climate policies. They are decisions that can create jobs, improve services, strengthen resilience and make everyday life better for millions of people,’ he said.

The governor also stressed the role of subnational governments in implementing climate policies, saying stronger cooperation among states and regions would help accelerate climate action.

Sanwo-Olu, who appeared alongside California Governor Gavin Newsom, said Lagos’ participation in the Under2 Coalition provided an opportunity to exchange experience with other jurisdictions and develop partnerships.

He also called for greater access to affordable, long-term financing to enable subnational governments to translate climate plans into infrastructure and other projects.

‘States and regions need access to affordable, long-term finance that can help turn strong plans into infrastructure on the ground. We need development finance institutions, investors and the private sector to see the opportunity in climate investment in emerging markets. Because the opportunity is enormous.

‘Our message from Lagos is simple: states, regions and subnational governments are ready to deliver. We have ambition. We have the responsibility. And increasingly, we have the solutions. Now we need to build the partnerships and mobilise the investment that will allow us to deliver them at scale,’ he said.

The governor’s intervention comes as Lagos prepares the next phase of its climate strategy through the Office of Climate Change and Circular Economy (OCCE).

The office, led by the Special Adviser to the governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Titilayo Oshodi, is working to translate the state’s climate priorities under its State-Determined Contributions (SDCs) Framework into projects and implementation plans.

Oshodi said the state was also focusing on creating investment opportunities around its climate priorities.

‘The SDC Framework gives us the policy direction, but policy ambition alone does not move capital. Our focus now is on building the bridge between climate ambition and investment – developing investable opportunities, strengthening the data and measurement systems around them and creating pathways for investors, financial institutions, development finance institutions and businesses to participate,’ she said.

Lagos is also developing a Lagos Climate Finance and Investment Platform to connect the state’s climate priorities with capital, technology, financial institutions and implementation partners.

The platform is expected to focus on areas including climate finance, deal-making, Article 6 and climate assets, digital measurement and verification, as well as international partnerships.

Sanwo-Olu’s UN engagement forms part of Lagos’ wider international climate programme ahead of COP31 in Antalya, Trkiye, where the state plans to engage investors, development finance institutions, financial institutions, project developers and technology partners on its climate investment priorities.

A social media user on X, Enori, has issued a public apology after admitting she fabricated an image of an exploded Itel Power Tank using artificial intelligence.

The image, posted on X earlier in the week, claimed the product exploded due to overcharging.

The post was later deleted after attracting widespread attention, with Enori admitting the incident never occurred.

In a video shared on X, Enori said the claim and the accompanying image were AI-generated.

‘Hi, good morning, everybody. I made a post three days ago claiming that an Itel solar fan exploded and that it was overcharging, which I created using AI. It didn’t happen, and I’m very, very sorry to the Itel team and to the Itel customers,’ she said.

She also apologised to members of the public who were misled by the post.

‘I’m very, very sorry. I know what it feels like to have a brand and for someone to just try to bring it down, and it was never my intention. I didn’t know it would go this far. I didn’t even think of it, and I’ll never do it again,’ she said.

Enori further clarified that the picture in circulation was not from a real incident.

‘To the incoming customers that may have felt deceived, or angry, or felt like or believed that it was real, it was not real. It was AI, and I deleted it,’ she said.

Her apology came shortly after Itel issued a disclaimer on Wednesday addressing the viral image, which purportedly showed an Itel Power Tank after an explosion allegedly triggered by overcharging.

The electronics company described the image as fabricated and warned that it would take legal action against individuals who intentionally circulate AI-generated images or false content to discredit its products.

In a disclaimer posted on X, Itel said it would not condone attempts to tarnish its brand or mislead customers with false claims.

According to the company, deliberate attempts to misrepresent its brand through fabricated content, manipulated materials, or false claims would attract appropriate legal action, and it would explore all legal remedies available to safeguard its reputation, customers, and brand integrity.

Itel promotes the Power Tank as a portable power station designed as a backup during power outages.

The company said the product uses lithium iron phosphate batteries and includes multiple safety features, including a battery management system and over-temperature, over-voltage, overload, and short-circuit protection.

No verified report links an Itel Power Tank to the explosion depicted in the AI-generated image.