Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Zacuten Technologies says it is seeking resolution of an outstanding balance arising from a cross-border commercial transaction valued at approximately $13.07 million involving Plaude Technologies Limited and Plaude Inc.

According to Zacuten, approximately $8.95 million has been transferred in connection with the transaction, leaving an outstanding balance estimated at between $4.1 million and $4.2 million.

The company said it is seeking a clear accounting of the transaction, independent verification of payments reportedly made, supporting documentation concerning the outstanding balance and a verifiable timeline for settlement.

‘This is fundamentally a commercial matter that requires transparency, documentation and resolution,’ said Godsreal Ojinaka, CEO of Zacuten Technologies.

‘Our priority is to establish the status of the transaction, reconcile the amounts involved and secure payment of the outstanding balance through appropriate channels.’

Zacuten said Plaude has attributed the delay in completing the transaction to banking restrictions, enhanced due diligence requirements, payment-corridor challenges and other operational issues.

The company said these explanations have not resolved the outstanding balance and that it continues to seek documentary evidence that would enable the parties to reconcile the transaction and establish a clear path towards settlement.

The Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR) has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his alleged reliance on ‘surrogates’ for political engagements ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election, demanding that the President present himself directly to the electorate.

In a statement signed by Idris Zekeri Jnr on behalf of the media office, POMR alleged that President Tinubu is positioning himself for a second term without directly engaging voters, accusing his administration of planning a campaign driven by proxy representatives.

The media office highlighted the President’s recent absence from high-profile national gatherings, including the signing of the National Peace Accord organized by the National Peace Committee, led by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.

POMR noted that the President was similarly absent from other major national platforms, such as the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) annual conference.

‘President Tinubu can deploy surrogates to speak for him, sign documents on his behalf, or represent him at some public events, but he cannot send a surrogate to meet the Nigerian people on his behalf,’ the statement read. ‘The 2027 election is not a ceremony to be performed by representatives. It is a contest for the leadership of more than 200 million Nigerians.’

POMR argued that an administration seeking a second mandate must account for its performance over the past four years, specifically urging the President to address citizens directly on the state of the economy, household hardship, and policy outcomes since 2023.

‘A President asking Nigerians for another four years cannot permanently hide behind ministers, party officials, media aides, governors, or other political surrogates. The office belongs to the people; the mandate belongs to the people; and the accountability must be directly to the people,’ the statement added.

Challenging both the President and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to alter their strategy, the media office emphasized that the upcoming election should focus on competence, track records, and direct debate rather than surrogate messaging.

‘We are electing a servant of the people, not a demigod. No more proxy campaigns. No more presidential hide-and-seek. If President Tinubu wants a second term, let him come to the people,’ POMR stated.

Presidential Candidate of the Accord Party, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has said Nigerians should not have to pay more than ?605 per litre for petrol under an Accord administration, arguing that the price could eventually fall to as low as ?200 per litre if Nigeria gets its production costs and exchange rate right.

Hashim said the proposed price would represent a starting sustainable price, not an artificially subsidised price, and insisted that the reduction would not come at the expense of government revenue or Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) revenues.

‘?605 per litre is our starting sustainable price for petrol. Nobody will buy petrol above ?610 under our government. It could be as low as ?200.’

He said the key to achieving the price was not another opaque subsidy regime but a fundamental correction of what he described as Nigeria’s distorted petroleum cost and accounting structure.

Hashim, who has consistently opposed the removal of petroleum subsidy, described the previous justification for subsidy removal as ‘accounting magic’, arguing that Nigeria must first establish the genuine cost of producing, refining, transporting and distributing petrol before declaring that government is subsidising consumers.

‘Any time you sell a product above its legitimate cost of production, refining, transportation and insurance, you cannot call the difference between that price and an international benchmark a subsidy loss. That is opportunity cost.’

According to him, Nigeria has often approached petroleum pricing by comparing the domestic value of crude or refined products with international market prices, rather than determining what it actually costs Nigeria to produce and deliver the product to Nigerian consumers.

He said this creates a misleading impression that government is necessarily making a loss whenever Nigerians receive petroleum products below an international benchmark.

‘A country does not subsidise itself simply because it chooses to use its own resources to provide affordable energy to its citizens.’

Hashim called for an independent forensic audit of Nigeria’s petroleum cost structure, covering crude production, contracting, procurement, refining, transportation, storage, insurance, pipeline operations and distribution.

He said the audit should establish the actual cost of producing and delivering every litre of petrol to the Nigerian market.

‘Show Nigerians the books. Publish the production cost. Publish refinery cost. Publish transportation. Publish insurance. Publish every margin. Let the data speak.’

The Accord candidate argued that Nigeria’s high petroleum costs cannot simply be passed on to consumers without examining the reasons behind them.

He questioned the country’s relatively high production costs compared with major oil-producing economies, arguing that contracting, procurement, insecurity, operational inefficiency and possible cost inflation deserve closer scrutiny.

‘Before asking Nigerians to pay more, government must first explain why it costs so much to produce our own oil. If the cost is genuine, show us the evidence. If it is inefficiency, corruption or inflated contracting, fix it.’

Hashim said Nigerians were effectively paying twice for the weaknesses of the petroleum sector: first through inefficient and inflated production costs, and again through higher prices at the pump.

‘The Nigerian people should not pay for inefficiency twice. They should not pay for inflated costs inside the system and then be told that the resulting high price is the inevitable consequence of subsidy removal.’

He said his proposed pricing framework would be based on two fundamental variables, an appropriate production cost and an appropriate exchange rate.

Hashim said his administration would target an exchange rate of between ?525 and ?700 to the US dollar, arguing that exchange-rate stability would substantially affect the naira cost of petroleum-sector inputs and the wider economy.

‘We will achieve this strictly by ensuring appropriate production cost and appropriate exchange rate.’

He stressed that the proposed reduction would not be financed by reducing government revenue.

‘The reduction will not be at the detriment of government revenue or below current FAAC. We are not going to make petrol cheaper by making government poorer.’

According to Hashim, the objective is to reduce the underlying cost of production rather than simply transfer the cost from government accounts to consumers or vice versa.

He argued that lower energy costs could also stimulate production, reduce transportation and manufacturing costs, increase household purchasing power and expand the economic base from which government generates revenue.

‘Our objective is not simply cheap petrol. Our objective is a productive Nigerian economy in which affordable energy, stronger production and stronger government revenue reinforce one another.’

Hashim said the proposed ?200-?300 per litre price should therefore be understood as a potential medium-term outcome of correcting the country’s economic fundamentals, rather than an arbitrary political promise.

‘?605 is the starting sustainable price. If we get production costs right and achieve the exchange-rate target, the price could come down to ?200 or ?300.’

He said the policy would also be accompanied by accelerated domestic refining, greater transparency in the petroleum value chain and measures to eliminate waste and leakages.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged the Tinubu administration and its supporters to produce evidence of wrongdoing against him and invite him for investigation rather than recycle decades-old allegations whenever uncomfortable questions are raised about the management of Nigeria’s resources.

Atiku said the sudden resurrection of allegations concerning the power sector, privatisation and public assets is a predictable attempt to divert attention from the question confronting the Tinubu administration: where is the money accruing to government after subsidy was removed from ordinary Nigerians?

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said Nigerians should recognise the coordinated attempt to change the subject from the economic hardship confronting millions of families to allegations that have been repeatedly thrown around without prosecution.

‘The National Assembly investigated the power projects. I was never invited to answer any allegation of wrongdoing.

‘Yes, I chaired the National Council on Privatisation as Vice President. But on the power project, I disagreed with its concept and did not preside over its implementation. The responsible minister did. The same applies to the Aluminium Smelter matter.

‘I have repeatedly asked to be investigated. I left office in 2007 and have spent much of the period since then opposing governments in power. If there is evidence that I stole public money, why has no government produced it before a court?

‘It is still not too late. Investigate me. Invite me. Produce the evidence. Prosecute me if you have a case. But propaganda cannot substitute for evidence.’

Atiku said the attempt to resurrect old accusations intensified because his demand for accountability over the proceeds of subsidy removal strikes at the heart of the Tinubu administration’s economic narrative.

‘They removed subsidy from the poor and promised that the sacrifice would free resources for development. Nigerians accepted extraordinary pain on that promise.

‘Today, petrol is more expensive, transportation is more expensive, food is more expensive and the purchasing power of the Nigerian worker has been devastated.

‘Meanwhile, government revenues have increased, while fiscal incentives, waivers, tax credits and concessions continue to be available to powerful economic interests.

‘So our question remains brutally simple: WHERE IS THE PEOPLE’S MONEY?

‘You cannot take relief away from the poor, celebrate the resulting revenue and then tell the same impoverished citizens that government intervention on their behalf is economically irresponsible while interventions benefiting powerful interests are called incentives. That hypocrisy is precisely what we are challenging.’

Atiku said no amount of sponsored social-media mudslinging would make him retreat from demanding accountability or from proposing economic policies that restore purchasing power to Nigerians.

‘The people who removed subsidy from the poor cannot frighten us into silence by resurrecting allegations that governments with all the investigative machinery of the Nigerian state have had nearly two decades to establish.’

‘If you have evidence against Atiku, bring it. If you have a case, prosecute it. But if you have neither, stop manufacturing distractions and answer Nigerians: You removed the subsidy. You collected the savings. Where is the money?’

It was a night of tributes and testimonies at the Transcorp Event Centre in Abuja on Tuesday as prominent Nigerians gathered to celebrate popular aviator and politician, Comrade Isaac Balami, on his 43rd birthday.

The event, which attracted more than 4,000 guests, brought together politicians, family members, friends, business associates, mentees and well-wishers of the celebrant.

Among the dignitaries in attendance were the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; former National President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and governorship candidate, Olumide Akpata; a representative of Seyi Tinubu; captains of industry and other government officials.

The celebration also featured performances by popular musicians and comedians, who entertained the large gathering.

Speaking at the event, Akpata, who chaired the occasion, described Balami as a man whose extensive network of friends, associates and partners reflected his remarkable journey and accomplishments.

Akpata said he was particularly impressed by Balami’s account of his humble beginnings and the challenges he overcame to establish himself in the aviation industry.

He said, ‘Despite his humble beginning, the young man established himself in the aviation industry, a sector we all know for excellence. That tells you who Isaac is.

‘Not only has he established himself in that sector, he also established a university. That tells you who Isaac is. With people like Isaac, we don’t need to worry too much about our country. Even in politics, he is giving it his all.

‘I urge all of us to continue to pray for Isaac.’

Also speaking, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, attributed the massive turnout and traffic congestion around the venue to Balami’s popularity and his connection with the people.

She described him as ‘a man of the people, for the people and by the people,’ expressing confidence that Nigerians would see more of his contributions in the years ahead.

‘Balami is a man of the people, for the people and by the people, and it’s only a matter of time before we see more of him. Balami just turned 42, and I’m sure we will all wonder at the level he has reached at this age,’ she said.

The minister urged Nigerians and Balami’s well-wishers to continue praying for him and giving him the support needed to sustain his contributions to nation-building.

Balami’s father, Chief Balami, also paid tribute to his son, recounting his journey from humble beginnings to prominence and urging Nigerians to continue to pray for him.

The celebration later featured a panel discussion moderated by veteran journalist Cyril Stober and Seun Okimbaloye.

The discussion focused on mentorship, with the panellists sharing different perspectives on the subject and drawing a distinction between political godfatherism and genuine mentorship.

Balami also spoke during the session, explaining the rationale behind the selection of 42 personalities to serve as inductors into the Fellowship of Mentors.

He recounted his own journey from humble beginnings, including his experience working as a soakaway evacuator, before eventually rising to become an aviator, entrepreneur, politician and mentor to others.

His remarks drew applause from the audience as he emphasised the importance of mentorship and the need to create opportunities for others to succeed.

Nigeria has achieved significant macroeconomic stability following the removal of fuel subsidy and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market, but the gains have come at the cost of declining living standards, rising poverty and inequality, Economist, Professor Bongo Adi has said.

Adi, a professor of economics, made the assessment in an interview while reviewing the economic policies implemented by the Federal Government over the past three years, especially regarding the fuel subsidy removal.

Daily Trust reports that the debate over fuel subsidy removal and the deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry has resurfaced ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has vowed to return fuel subsidy if elected in the next election, clarifying however that it would not be a wholesale return of the old subsidy model.

But in an interview on Arise TV on Monday, Adi of the Lagos Business School, said while the twin policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration were appropriate when introduced and have delivered some of their intended objectives, the government must now reassess their impact on the broader economy and the welfare of citizens.

‘I think it’s time for us to reassess the policy direction. So these policies were quite appropriate, if you ask me, at the point in time when they were installed,’ he said.

He explained that there was considerable consensus among economists and policymakers at the time that fuel subsidy had to be removed and that the foreign exchange market required greater price discovery.

‘Those were done, they were carefully implemented, and they have yielded the anticipated results, which is macroeconomic stabilisation,’ Adi said.

However, he argued that the government must now consider the cost of achieving that stability, particularly its effects on household incomes and living conditions.

‘Now that we have got there, we now begin to look at it, so at the cost of what? So we achieved macroeconomic stability at the cost of a declining living standard situation, rising poverty at multidimensional levels, and also rising inequality. And beyond that also, we’ve seen rising de-industrialisation,’ he said.

The economist said Nigeria’s current economic growth rate was insufficient to rapidly improve living standards, noting that an average growth rate of about four per cent would require many years before citizens experienced a significant increase in income.

Using the ‘rule of 70’, he explained that an economy growing at four per cent annually would take about 15 years for incomes to double.

‘If this economy were to grow at 4%, as it is, it will take 15 good years, if you use the rule of 70, for incomes to double. Per capital income presently is somewhere around $1000, it means that we will wait for another 15 years for our income to go to $2000,’ he said.

Adi contrasted Nigeria’s income position with Ghana, noting that Ghana’s per capita income was already significantly higher, while Nigeria’s income level had fallen from levels recorded during the years of fuel subsidy.

‘Ghana is already at $2.5. And we were over $2,000 in the years we paid subsidy,’ he said.

The economist also raised concerns about the high level of inequality in the country, warning that excessive concentration of wealth could result in the underutilisation of assets and weaken economic growth.

Adi also called for a more flexible approach to policy making, saying the government should be prepared to change course when evidence shows that existing policies are not delivering the desired outcomes.

He advocated a problem-driven, iterative approach in which policymakers continuously evaluate the effectiveness of their decisions and make adjustments where necessary.

According to him, governance should ultimately be about achieving ‘the largest good for the largest number of people.’

While acknowledging improvements in Nigeria’s external reserves and other macroeconomic indicators, Adi maintained that the government must now focus on translating those gains into improved welfare, stronger domestic production and reduced inequality.

He therefore urged policymakers to reassess the current policy direction and adopt measures capable of restoring confidence at the microeconomic level while sustaining the gains recorded in macroeconomic stability.

Nigeria’s financial system has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade. From cash-dominated transactions to instant transfers, mobile banking, digital wallets and fintech-driven financial services, the country has steadily built one of Africa’s most dynamic digital payments ecosystems.

But as digital transactions continue to surge, the question is no longer simply how quickly money can move. The bigger question is whether the infrastructure supporting that movement can become smarter, safer, more interconnected and capable of supporting the next phase of economic growth.

That is where the National Payment Stack (NPS) comes into focus. Developed by the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS), the NPS represents one of the most significant developments in Nigeria’s payments infrastructure in recent years.

Its early commercial performance is already impressive. Within its initial operational phase, the platform has processed 26.55 million transactions valued at N1.4 trillion across 48 participating institutions.

Those figures tell an important story about adoption. But beyond the numbers lies an even bigger story about infrastructure, innovation and the changing role of NIBSS in Nigeria’s digital economy.

The NPS is not simply another payment platform. It represents NIBSS’ attempt to build the infrastructure for what payments in Nigeria will look like tomorrow.

*From Moving Money To Making Payments Smarter*

For many years, the primary measure of a successful payment system was straightforward: could it move money from one account to another quickly and reliably?

Nigeria’s rapidly evolving financial ecosystem has changed that equation. Businesses now expect automated reconciliation. Merchants require more efficient collection systems.

Financial institutions need better fraud detection and risk management. Fintechs require interoperable infrastructure on which they can build innovative services.

Customers, meanwhile, increasingly expect payments to be instantaneous, secure and seamless.

The National Payment Stack has been designed around these changing expectations. Its architecture brings together transaction processing and payment intelligence, while consolidating payments, identity and data capabilities onto a unified infrastructure.

At the heart of the NPS is an ISO 20022-compliant data architecture, an important feature that enables richer and more structured information to travel with transactions.

For the average consumer, the technical significance may not be immediately obvious. For banks, fintechs and businesses, however, the implications are substantial.

Richer transaction information can support automated corporate reconciliation, more efficient merchant collections and request-to-pay invoicing. It can also help businesses reduce the manual processes associated with matching payments to invoices, tracking collections and managing large volumes of transactions.

For a country with millions of businesses increasingly dependent on digital payments, such efficiency gains can translate into significant economic value.

This is one of the areas where NIBSS deserves particular recognition: the organisation is not merely responding to the rapid growth of digital payments but anticipating the infrastructure requirements that will accompany the next stage of that growth.

*A Platform The Industry Is Already Embracing*

The strongest endorsement of a national digital infrastructure often comes not from publicity but from adoption. In the case of the NPS, the early response from the financial services industry has been significant.

First Bank of Nigeria currently leads in total transaction volume processed on the platform, while Fidelity Bank ranks highest in overall transaction value. Other major early adopters driving network activity include Guaranty Trust Bank, Sterling Bank, Access Bank and Moniepoint.

The participation of both established banks and major fintech players is particularly important. It demonstrates that the NPS is being embraced across different segments of Nigeria’s financial ecosystem and is already supporting meaningful commercial activity.

The 26.55 million transactions recorded so far are therefore more than a performance statistic. They represent millions of instances in which the industry is beginning to test, use and validate a new generation of payment infrastructure.

And at ?1.4 trillion in transaction value, the platform is already demonstrating considerable capacity.

*Premier Oiwoh And A Vision Beyond Transactions*

The strategic thinking behind the National Payment Stack has been articulated by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NIBSS, Premier Oiwoh, who sees the platform as an important catalyst for transforming the country’s financial infrastructure.

According to Oiwoh: ‘The National Payment Stack represents an economic catalyst moving our financial infrastructure from basic transaction processing to comprehensive payment intelligence.’

That description captures the central idea behind the project. The NPS is designed to make Nigeria’s payment infrastructure more intelligent, rather than simply more efficient.

Oiwoh also highlighted the platform’s wider potential, saying: ‘By delivering an ISO 20022-compliant, multi-currency rail, we are laying the groundwork for unprecedented interoperability, heightened security, and seamless regional trade.’

*NIBSS: Building The Backbone, Not Just Another Platform*

The significance of the National Payment Stack becomes clearer when viewed against NIBSS’ broader role in Nigeria’s financial system. NIBSS has historically operated behind the scenes, providing critical infrastructure that enables financial institutions to connect and Nigerians to conduct electronic transactions.

That role is changing. As financial services become increasingly digital, infrastructure providers are no longer simply supporting the industry. They are helping determine how the industry evolves. NIBSS is effectively building a new layer upon which banks, fintechs, businesses and other financial service providers can develop future products and services.

The design of the NPS suggests that NIBSS is thinking precisely along those lines.

Nigeria’s position as Africa’s largest economy means that the strength of its financial infrastructure has implications beyond its domestic market. As African economies become more interconnected and businesses increasingly engage in cross-border commerce, payment systems must evolve accordingly.

For Nigerian businesses looking beyond the domestic market, efficient and secure payment infrastructure will be increasingly important. The same applies to foreign businesses seeking to participate in Nigeria’s enormous consumer and commercial market.

By building interoperability and multi-currency functionality into the architecture, NIBSS is creating infrastructure with the potential to support deeper economic integration. This is where the NPS becomes more than a banking project. It becomes part of the broader infrastructure required to support Nigeria’s digital economy and its participation in the emerging African digital marketplace

*The Future Is Already Being Built*

Nigeria’s digital payments story has been one of remarkable growth. The next chapter will be defined not only by how many transactions Nigerians conduct electronically, but by how intelligent, secure, interconnected and economically useful those transactions become.

NIBSS has responded by making security an integral part of the NPS architecture. The platform incorporates automated sanction screening, account validation, end-to-end encryption and in-flight risk scoring designed to detect potential risks before transactions are completed.

For NIBSS, the NPS is a demonstration of technological leadership by Premier Oiwoh. For financial institutions, it offers a modern foundation for innovation. For businesses, it promises greater efficiency. For regulators, it strengthens the architecture supporting a rapidly digitising financial system. And for Nigeria, it represents an important investment in the infrastructure of its digital future.

The National Payment Stack is, ultimately, about much more than moving money. It is about making money move intelligently, securely and efficiently – and giving Nigeria the infrastructure it needs to compete in the next era of digital finance.

That is the story of NIBSS’ latest digital leap under the leadership of Premier Oiwoh, and potentially one of the most consequential steps yet in Nigeria’s journey towards a truly intelligent payments economy.

After preparing his farmland in Birniwa Local Government Area of Jigawa State and planting about six mudus of beans, Abdullahi was looking forward to a harvest of more than 20 bags enough, he hoped, to feed his family, meet household needs and earn income from the sale of the surplus.

But that expectation has now been shattered by an armyworm infestation locally known in Hausa as ‘Maremare.’

The destructive caterpillars have swept through farms in parts of Birniwa, leaving behind damaged crops, financial losses and worried farmers who say they have few alternatives to agriculture for their livelihoods.

Abdullahi told Daily Trust that the pest destroyed more than 90 per cent of his bean crop, turning what he had expected to be a productive season into a season of uncertainty.

‘I planted about six mudus of beans and expected to harvest more than 20 bags, but the armyworm destroyed the farm,’ he said.

The loss is not only about the crops already destroyed. For farmers like Abdullahi, every damaged plant represents money spent on seeds, land preparation, labour, fertiliser and other inputs.

He said the Birniwa Local Government Council had responded by providing pesticides and giving farmers advice on how to manage the infestation.

According to him, the state government has also dispatched a technical team to assess the level of damage suffered by farmers.

The farmers are now waiting for possible intervention, hoping that the assessment will translate into assistance that can help them recover from the losses.

Other farmers across Birniwa also had similar experiences.

Abba Ibrahim, another farmer, said he lost more than 25 bags of beans and 12 bags of sesame to the armyworm infestation.

Ibrahim appealed to the government and other relevant organisations to come to the assistance of affected farmers, saying they had no other means of replacing what they had lost.

Beans and sesame are not merely crops grown for household consumption. They are sources of income for rural families and help farmers pay school fees, medical bills, food expenses and other household costs.

For Alhaji Kadai Yarda, the loss was comparatively smaller, but still painful. He said he lost about six bags of beans as a result of the infestation.

Yarda confirmed that the local government had assisted farmers with pesticides, an intervention he said was important in controlling the pest.

Sama’ila Muhammad Dalari also narrated how the armyworm invaded his farm, destroying his beans and causing him to lose about 15 bags of expected produce.

Another farmer, Haruna Maidugu, estimated his loss at seven bags of beans. Maidugu explained that farming was the foundation of his household’s survival.

He said he normally relied on what he produced from his farm, buying only a few other necessities with cash. He would eat part of his harvest and sell the remainder to obtain money for household expenses.

‘But the armyworm has destroyed the farm,’ he said.

For farmers like Maidugu, the damage therefore goes beyond a reduction in agricultural income. It threatens the food supply of families that depend on their own farms to survive.

Adamu Aminu Malindi said the infestation destroyed crops equivalent to about 16 bags of beans.

Like several other affected farmers, Malindi said they were now waiting for government intervention because they had limited options.

Iliyasu Abdullahi Gomari said he expected about 20 bags of beans from his farm, with much of the produce intended to support family responsibilities, including preparations for his children’s weddings.

Instead, he said, the armyworm has consumed a substantial portion of his investment.

The affected farmers therefore called for assistance ranging from agricultural inputs and pesticides to other forms of support that could enable them to recover and return to production.

Govt’s intervention

The Jigawa State Agricultural Transformation Agency (JATA) said the government became aware of the outbreak after receiving reports from its field extension agents and the district head.

The Director-General of JATA, Dr Saifullahi Umar, told Daily Trust that the agency responded by sending a technical team to assess the situation.

According to him, the team conducted a rapid assessment of the affected farms and profiled the farmers who suffered losses.

Umar said the government had also provided immediate agrochemicals and technical advice to affected farmers to help them control the pest and minimise further damage.

The JATA director-general linked the increasing risk of pest outbreaks to changing weather patterns.

He explained that periods of high temperatures followed by prolonged interruptions in rainfall could create conditions favourable for pests and diseases.

According to him, climate change has become an important factor that agricultural authorities must consider when preparing farmers for emerging threats.

Farmers need to be educated on how to identify pests and diseases early, while agricultural authorities need rapid-response mechanisms capable of intervening before infestations become widespread, he said.

Experts warn of wider agricultural consequences

An agricultural expert at the Federal University Dutse, Prof. Ado Garba Jangargari, said armyworms are highly destructive moth larvae capable of causing rapid damage to crops.

He explained that the pests commonly attack cereal crops such as maize, rice, sorghum and wheat, as well as grasses and some vegetables.

Armyworms can spread rapidly across farmland, feeding heavily on vegetation and leaving plants severely defoliated.

According to Jangargari, younger larvae scrape the surface of leaves, producing a characteristic ‘windowpane’ appearance, while older larvae can consume entire leaves, leaving behind only damaged midribs.

In crops such as maize, the larvae can penetrate the plant’s whorl and destroy its central growing point.

The consequences can be severe when infestation occurs during critical stages of crop development.

‘When feeding is severe, the plant loses its ability to produce sufficient food through photosynthesis, resulting in stunted growth and potentially complete crop failure,’ he explained.

The expert said the pests could also attack grain-producing parts of plants, creating openings through which fungal and bacterial infections could develop.

The result is a combination of lower yields, poor-quality produce and financial losses for farmers.

Jangargari said farmers should not wait until armyworms have spread across their farms before taking action.

He recommended regular monitoring of farms and early identification of suspicious signs.

Among the measures he recommended is early planting, combined with regular removal of weeds, particularly wild grasses that can provide breeding grounds for pests.

He also advocated intercropping with crops that are less attractive to the pest as part of an integrated approach to pest management.

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has described former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s promise to restore fuel subsidy if elected president in 2027 as ‘deception,’ arguing that such a policy would be impracticable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.

Sani, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja, said Nigeria could not afford to return to a subsidy regime that he said had previously cost the country trillions of naira and contributed to corruption and fuel smuggling.

He said rather than restoring subsidy, political leaders should focus on revamping Nigeria’s refineries and ensuring that the country refines its crude oil locally.

According to him, Nigeria had spent between N3 trillion and N4 trillion subsidising petroleum products, describing the situation as economically unsustainable for an oil-producing country.

‘I don’t think any candidate that is worthy of leadership should pull us back to that era,’ Sani said.

He alleged that the subsidy regime had also been abused by some individuals who diverted public funds under the guise of importing petroleum products.

Sani further said subsidised petroleum products were smuggled into neighbouring countries where fuel was sold at higher prices, thereby depriving Nigeria of the benefits of the policy.

He questioned the rationale behind Nigeria continuing to export crude oil, import refined petroleum products and then spend scarce foreign exchange subsidising the imported products.

‘If any politician makes pledges of revamping our refineries so that we can be able to refine our own crude oil, then he’s making sense,’ he said.

‘But a politician that has been in the economic field for a very long time telling us that the way forward for us as an oil-producing country is to continue to import all petroleum products and again use our own foreign currency to subsidise it for our people to consume, for how long can we continue to do that?’

Sani acknowledged that the removal of fuel subsidy had imposed significant hardship on Nigerians, but maintained that the solution should not be a return to the previous system.

‘The return of subsidy will not bring down the prices of commodities. It will simply distort the economic stability of our country,’ he said.

He urged the Federal Government to give the ongoing economic reforms a ‘human face,’ saying Nigerians should not be expected to bear the burden of reforms while political leaders continue to enjoy extravagant lifestyles.

According to him, reducing the size and cost of government and making sacrifices at the executive and legislative levels were necessary to demonstrate that the burden of economic reforms was being shared.

Sani also called for greater investment in domestic refining, citing the Dangote Refinery as an example of the potential benefits of refining petroleum products locally.

He questioned why Nigeria would continue importing refined petroleum products when private investment had established a major refinery in the country.

‘We should not just talk about importing petroleum products,’ he said, stressing that Nigeria could not achieve meaningful economic independence while continuing to export raw materials and import finished products.

The former senator also used the occasion to comment on the 2027 general elections, urging political parties and candidates to campaign on issues, policies and programmes rather than ethnic, religious or sectional sentiments.

He warned that the use of ethnicity and religion to attack political opponents could undermine national unity and stability.

‘At this time of our country’s life, we should assess, analyse, and elect leaders based on what they stand for and what they can deliver for us as a country,’ he said.

Sani also criticised opposition politicians for seeking foreign support or intervention in Nigeria’s political affairs, saying political parties should convince Nigerian voters rather than seek validation from foreign governments and institutions.

He said Nigeria’s democratic system had survived several periods of crisis and expressed optimism that the 2027 election could be transparent and credible.

The former senator, however, expressed concern over what he described as negative predictions about Nigeria’s future ahead of the election, urging political actors to prioritise the unity and stability of the country over their individual political ambitions.

In the 2027 presidential contest, Sani said he supported the emergence of a southern presidential candidate, arguing that political power should rotate among the different regions of the country.

He said this was necessary to respect Nigeria’s diversity and promote political balance, while adding that the issue was not a constitutional requirement but a matter of political understanding and national stability.

Sani also expressed support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid, while urging opposition parties to consider a southern candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

He warned politicians against treating elections as a matter of life and death, saying Nigeria should remain united regardless of the outcome.

‘The country doesn’t have to fall because you lose elections. The country doesn’t have to scatter into pieces because you lose elections,’ he said.

Sani said political leaders should recognise that Nigeria, with its large population and diverse ethnic and religious groups, had a responsibility to manage political disagreements carefully and avoid actions that could threaten peace and stability.

Former Senator representing Ogun Central, Iyabo Obasanjo, has explained why she returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and is seeking to return to the National Assembly 15 years after leaving the Senate.

Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, said her decision was driven by a desire to restore Ogun Central Senatorial District to the level of development and representation it enjoyed when she previously represented the district.

She spoke on Wednesday in Abeokuta during the official flag-off of the PDP campaign for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections in Ogun State.

Obasanjo, who served as senator between 2007 and 2011, said she was concerned that the achievements recorded during her tenure had been eroded by successive representatives.

According to her, returning to the Senate is part of her determination to reclaim the district’s lost glory and provide effective representation.

‘My desire to take back our senatorial district to where it was when I represented it is the reason why I came back to the PDP, and take up the challenge of restoring our lost glories,’ she said.

The PDP senatorial candidate had earlier spent a short period in the All Progressives Congress (APC) before returning to the opposition party.

She said her decision to seek another term in the Senate was therefore motivated by the need to address what she described as the decline in the fortunes of the senatorial district.

The campaign flag-off, which attracted thousands of PDP members and supporters, was held across the three Federal Constituencies in Ogun Central Senatorial District.

Earlier, the Chairman of the campaign committee and PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, expressed optimism that the party would return to power and improve the living conditions of Nigerians.

Adebutu said the PDP’s priority would include tackling poverty, adding that ‘happy days’ were coming again.

He urged party supporters to remain committed and ensure that their votes count during the elections.

Similarly, Adebutu’s running mate, Lateefat Sowunmi-Kolapo, urged voters not to be intimidated before, during or after voting.

She advised voters to remain at their polling units after casting their ballots, monitor the counting process and follow the results to the collation centre.

‘After voting, don’t say that you are done and leave. Cast your vote and stay with it at the polling unit. Stand by your vote, follow them to the collation centre,’ she said.

She also urged residents to exercise their franchise and vote for PDP candidates across all levels.