Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Veteran Nollywood actor Musiliu Dasofunjo, popularly known as Baba Johunomi, has opened up about his battle with prostate cancer, urging people to pay closer attention to changes in their health and seek medical attention early.

Johunomi made the disclosure in a video shared on Facebook by fellow actor Kunle Afod, where he said his condition might have been different if he had recognised the warning signs earlier.

The veteran actor said his first indication was a change in his urine, particularly a splitting stream in which his urine sprayed in different directions instead of flowing normally.

He explained that he initially ignored the symptom, only seeking medical help after he later developed difficulty urinating.

‘it might not have gotten to this stage if I was aware of the symptoms earlier’.

‘I’m sharing this for people to learn and be informed because cancer is now on the rise.

‘I first noticed a change in my urine. I was having a splitting urine stream, my urine sprays into different directions instead of single flow. But I didn’t take it serious.

‘After some time, I started having trouble urinating before I was advised to visit the hospital. I have done many tests and scans. I was referred to UCH in Ibadan where the specialist said they needed to cut part of my flesh to do another cancer test,’ he said.

Johunomi said he had undergone several tests and scans before being referred to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, for further medical assessment.

According to him, specialists at the hospital proposed taking part of his tissue for an advanced cancer test, a development that has left him worried about the next stage of his treatment.

The actor said he was afraid of undergoing the procedure and expressed reluctance to allow doctors to cut parts of his body for the test.

His disclosure comes days after the death of another veteran actor, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, who died of cancer at the age of 66.

Residents of Ajogbo Akia, an agrarian community in Ado-Odo, Ogun State, have raised the alarm over what they describe as a violent invasion of their ancestral land by suspected land grabbers, alleging that the development has left families frightened and farmers unable to access their livelihoods.

The residents are calling on the Ogun State Government, security agencies and other relevant authorities to urgently intervene, warning that the situation could escalate if left unchecked.

According to the community, a group of land grabbers and impostors invaded portions of their ancestral land, destroyed farmlands and plantations, and allegedly threatened those who attempted to resist them.

Residents said the invasion had disrupted life in the once-peaceful farming community, with many families now living in fear and unable to freely access their farms.

Among the crops allegedly destroyed are cassava, yam, maize, okra and other farm produce.

The residents also alleged that several palm trees, some of which they said had stood for between 50 and 100 years, were cut down.

For a community whose livelihood depends heavily on agriculture, the alleged destruction has been devastating.

Baale and traditional ruler of Ajogbo Akia, Chief Dr Oluwasegun Adebiyi, described the situation as an assault on a community that had lived peacefully on the land for generations.

He said, ‘We have existed in peace and harmony for centuries in this area. We have always held and maintained peaceful possession of our ancestral land.

Suddenly, we are experiencing devastating violence and aggression against our people.’

The village head also continued that ‘The havoc caused to my people cannot be quantified in terms of emotional pain and psychological trauma, apart from the enormous financial losses.’

Dr Adebiyi further alleged that members of the community had received threats from those behind the reported invasion.

‘They have made heavy and direct threats to eliminate whoever stands in their way. Our people are now living in fear. We cannot go to our farms or conduct our normal activities,’ he said.

The community also expressed concern over reports that portions of the disputed land may have been sold to other individuals without the knowledge or consent of the community.

‘We have reasons to believe that part of our land has been sold to other individuals. This is deeply disturbing to us, especially as the people who have lived peacefully on this land for generations were never consulted,’ a community representative said.

The residents said they had reported the matter to the Ado-Odo Police Division and met with the Divisional Police Officer, identified by the community as Mr Oroshoki.

Efforts to speak with the image maker in charge of the state police command, DSP Oluseyi Banaseyi, failed, as his mobile phone line was not available at the time of filing this report.

Former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has alleged that the fight against terrorism in Nigeria has become an industry benefiting people in positions of power.

Ezekwesili made the allegation during an interview on News Central Television, where she questioned the government’s handling of insecurity and the trillions of naira allegedly spent to tackle terrorism.

She said those responsible for the country’s security, including the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and the military establishment, should explain what has been achieved with the funds allocated to fighting insecurity.

‘Fighting terrorism is now an industry from which people who have the levers of power, starting from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to the military establishment, are benefiting.

‘They need to be telling Nigerians what the performance is from the kind of trillions of naira that has been allegedly used to fight insecurity in the country. The results point to the fact of poor governance,’ she said.

Ezekwesili also criticised the government’s approach to the protection of citizens, saying failure to take their safety seriously could send a message to those attacking the country.

‘Joking with the life of your citizens is the way that you send a signal to the enemies that you cannot be bothered,’ she said.

On the establishment of state police, the former minister said she supported the idea but stressed the importance of clear mandates for security agencies.

‘Yes, but if we had good governance, the clarity of the mandates would be observed,’ she said.

She recalled a period when the Department of State Services was weakened and said efforts were later made to restore professionalism to the agency.

‘There was a time the DSS was degraded. A certain Adeola became the DG of the DSS and they began the reprofessionalization,’ she said.

Ezekwesili said the Nigeria Police Force has not been able to effectively perform its role, leading to increased military involvement in internal security operations.

‘The police is not able to be that institution. This has gone beyond their pay grade. That’s why the military has become involved in internal matters of this kind,’ she said.

Speaking on whether the 2027 election could become a turning point for Nigeria, Ezekwesili said significant changes could happen without being immediately obvious.

‘Sometimes turning points don’t announce themselves,’ she said.

She also criticised the National Assembly, accusing lawmakers of being more concerned about the next election than the welfare of citizens.

‘Look at the National Assembly, we consider them to be a bunch of people who don’t really care about the citizens.

‘They’re all interested in the next election. They say that statesmen think of the next generation, but lousy politicians only think about the next election,’ she said.

Ezekwesili further lamented what she described as the failure of the political system to fulfil the government’s constitutional responsibility to protect citizens and promote their welfare.

‘So, here they are, things are completely aground in terms of the functionality of the system of ensuring that what our Constitution places as a mandate of the government, that is, security and the welfare of the people is the primary responsibility of government, they don’t care to read that page,’ she said.

Yours is a private university located in Abuja. What is it like running such an institution where the cost of doing business is relatively high?

Baze University is centrally located in the Federal Capital Territory, which makes it accessible to people seeking university education from across the country. That was part of the vision of our founder and chancellor, Senator Datti Baba-Ahmed, when he established the university about 15 years ago. At the time, this area was relatively remote and could be described as the countryside. However, the cities surrounding it developed, and today the university is much closer to the city than it used to be. Beyond location, we have a very conducive environment. The greenery, serenity, planning, gardening, and maintenance culture you see around the university are deliberate. They are part of what we have developed over the years in line with the vision of the chancellor. Despite the fact that running the institution is capital-intensive, our fees are also competitive. As a private university, we do not receive government allocations, but our fees are not outrageous. Everything required to fund and sustain the university comes largely from tuition and other private resources, including support from the investor and, at times, bank credit. We, therefore, try to be fiscally responsible while ensuring that we do not compromise our responsibilities to our students and other stakeholders.

We also operate under the oversight of our regulatory agencies, including the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, the National Universities Commission, NUC, and the Federal Ministry of Education. We have consistently worked to meet their requirements, and this is not a one-off exercise. It is a continuous process. Ultimately, the idea behind Baze University is to redefine tertiary education in Nigeria at the university level and make it competitive with some of the best universities in the world. That cannot be achieved overnight. Some of the oldest universities in the world, such as Oxford and Cambridge, have existed for centuries. They grew through careful planning, deliberate policies, and consistent implementation. That is the approach Baze University is taking. Our vision is anchored on the belief that education is central to human capital development. When a society develops quality human capital, it has a greater capacity to advance from wherever it finds itself. There is always room for development, review, correction, and innovation. At Baze, we have a clear picture of where we want to be, and we are pursuing that vision painstakingly and methodically.

Many promoters of private universities in Nigeria have called for their inclusion as beneficiaries of Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, interventions. What is your view on this?

I do not think it would be a bad idea. We are all training people for the same labour market. When students graduate from private universities, they do not go into a different labour market from graduates of public universities. They work in the same economy and are citizens of the same country. Private universities also deserve consideration because it is not easy to fund a university. Anyone who thinks a university is simply a profit-making organisation is mistaken. Think of the requirements for establishing departments and faculties in a university. Consider what it takes to employ qualified staff, acquire facilities, and provide utilities. These are huge and capital-intensive undertakings. Apart from faith-based organisations, it is a Herculean task for individuals to establish and sustain universities. Therefore, if private universities receive government support, I do not think there is anything wrong with that. We are all citizens of Nigeria. This is the reason you see universities that obtained licences and later struggle, or even go under, because they cannot sustain their operations or pay salaries. It is difficult.

So, if TETFund wants to support private universities, I have no problem with that. That said, TETFund is also mindful of its mandate and has already introduced some programmes that include private institutions. There are initiatives they are beginning to implement, and the executive secretary of the commission deserves commendation for those steps. However, we are looking forward to more benefits and greater inclusion of private universities in appropriate TETFund interventions.

Is there anything the university is doing to attract foreign students, a challenge that is largely with most public universities in Nigeria?

The first thing is the environment. You can see how lush, green, and serene the university is. The planning, gardening, and maintenance culture are very deliberate here, and we continuously work to sustain them. We also have a careful recruitment culture. Many of our staff are selected from different parts of the world. We have foreign scholars working alongside Nigerian academics, creating a multicultural and international academic environment. In the coming weeks and months, we are also beginning a system of having external examiners from abroad to review what our faculties are doing. This will complement the oversight provided by our local regulatory agencies, including the NUC, JAMB, and the Ministry of Education.

The objective is to have external experts review our programmes, give us advice, and suggest ways through which we can continue to improve and align with global best practices. Our student population is also becoming increasingly diverse. We have students from across Africa, particularly West Africa, and, in some cases, from countries in the Far East. We are also collaborating with countries within the West African subregion, including Sierra Leone. Our postgraduate school is named after the president of Sierra Leone, which is one of the highlights of that collaboration and the beginning of several other initiatives we hope to develop with the country. We are also in discussions with stakeholders in East Africa, particularly Nairobi. We are growing at our own pace, but steadily and methodically, while remaining mindful of regulatory requirements. In all, our interest is in Nigeria, the subregion, and Africa, with the ultimate objective of contributing to the global community.

What is the place of research in Baze University’s development strategy?

Research is our hallmark of development because its essence is to provide new insights, perspectives, and dimensions beyond what we have been doing. The essence of a university is not only teaching but also research and community service. We have established several programmes, partnerships, and collaborations that are helping us to strengthen our research culture. Our personnel are also carefully recruited, and we deliberately look for people who are research-oriented. Without research, an institution can become jaded, antiquated, and dated. That is not acceptable in a world of continuous innovation and development, particularly with the ongoing revolution in communication technology. There are many areas where I can point to our research activities, but if I start listing them, we may not leave here today.

Nigeria is a country that is burdened by high graduate unemployment. Interestingly, your university is involved in the IDEAS programme, where you recently graduated over 928 Jigawa indigenes equipped with various skills. What lessons could be learnt from Baze University, and what is the impact of such collaboration?

At Baze University, we are conscious of the need to equip our students with skill sets that would not only make them self-reliant on graduation, but would also enable them to drive innovations and contribute meaningfully to the economic development of the country. We understand the importance of collaborations, which is why we are in partnership with several organisations. The IDEAS programme is one of the initiatives we are involved in. It is supported by the World Bank, and through the programme, we train people in various soft skills that can guarantee a level of independence. That process eventually culminated in the graduation of the beneficiaries. We have several other partnerships because we are not interested in graduating people who leave the university without knowing what to do with their education. We want to produce graduates who can not only become self-employed but can also drive innovation.

Take a look at our alumni. Many of them are doing very well. They occupy important positions, while others are entrepreneurs and business people. We have a dynamic multidisciplinary directorate responsible for general courses, and we have also started an entrepreneurship programme designed to teach basic skills across different disciplines. Today, graduates often find themselves working outside the specific areas in which they studied. The world has become increasingly interconnected and inter-disciplinary. Therefore, people who are multi-skilled have an advantage over those with only one skill set. We are conscious of this reality and are preparing our students not only to be excellent in their chosen fields but also to develop additional skills that will enable them to adapt and take on other opportunities when necessary.

There is a perception that Baze University is mainly a university for politicians and prominent personalities. How would you respond to that?

Well, there will always be perceptions around institutions and entities, but that perception is not accurate. We have graduated thousands of people, and while some prominent individuals may have attended the university, our student population is much more diverse. Apart from politicians, we have professionals and senior members of society studying here. We have had former ministers and managing directors among our students. Politicians and celebrities naturally attract public attention because of their positions and visibility. But does that make Baze University a university exclusively for politicians? No. We have a variety of students. There is also no reason to deny politicians the opportunity to learn, relearn, and, where necessary, unlearn. Learning is a continuous process throughout life.

The Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed that no fewer than four people were killed when suspected terrorists attacked Gorau community in Goronyo Local Government Area of the state, barely six days after a deadly boat mishap claimed scores of lives in the area.

The attackers, who invaded the community at about 9 p.m. on Wednesday, reportedly shot 11 residents, killing four of them and abducting four others, while several people sustained varying degrees of injuries.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufai, confirmed the incident to Arise News, saying the command was aware of the attack and had commenced efforts to establish the full circumstances surrounding it.

According to the village head of Gorau, Alhaji Aliyu Magaji Na-Batsami, the attackers went from house to house during the invasion, allegedly targeting families who lost loved ones in the recent boat tragedy.

He said 11 people were shot during the attack, adding that seven of the victims survived and were immediately rushed to a hospital for medical attention, while the other four died instantly.

Na-Batsami alleged that the attackers specifically targeted the families of victims of the boat accident over the ?1 million relief money recently donated by the Sokoto State Government to each bereaved family. He said the assailants searched several houses in the community for the money.

The latest attack has heightened tension in Gorau, coming barely six days after the boat tragedy that plunged the community into mourning. The mishap, which occurred on the Goronyo waterway, was reported to have claimed the lives of dozens of residents.

The member representing Gada/Goronyo Federal Constituency, Bashir Usman Gorau, also confirmed the attack and expressed condolences to the affected families, while calling for increased security measures to protect residents of the community.

Security personnel are expected to intensify operations in the area as efforts continue to locate the abducted residents and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN), Ibadan Chapter, has announced readiness to hold investiture for Mrs Adedipe Atinuke Victoria as its 9th Chairperson.

The investiture, scheduled to hold on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at 12 noon at Zonta Hall, beside FoodCo, Idi-Ishin, Ibadan, Oyo State, will also feature the inauguration of the chapter’s 2026/2028 Executive Committee.

Adedipe, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), holds B.Sc., MBA and M.Sc. qualifications.

According to the Investiture Planning Committee Chairman, Mrs Olabisi Akintunde, FCA, the investiture and inauguration will be conducted by Mrs Blessing Osakwe-Ogo, the 12th National Chairperson of the Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria, while Professor Muhammed Atanda Lawal, Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Ibadan, is expected to chair the occasion.

Otunba Wale Oladiti, Managing Director of Weel Drop Petroleum, is the Special Guest of Honour, while Dr Adeseye A. Idowu will serve as the Father of the Day.

Professor Adenike Osofisan is the Guest Speaker at the event with the programme expected to bring together members of SWAN, accounting professionals, business leaders, academics and other guests to witness the formal installation of the new chairperson and inauguration of the executive committee.

Mrs Adedipe is expected to lead the Ibadan Chapter for the 2026/2028 tenure, following her emergence as the chapter’s ninth chairperson.

Acting head, Department of School Library and Media Technology, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Dr Alice Adejoke Bamigbola, has advocated an eight-point agenda to accelerate digital transformation of academic knowledge.

The don made this known during the 20th Faculty of Education lecture tagged: ‘From Shelves to Servers: Digital Libraries and the Future of Academic Knowledge in Nigeria’, held at the Large Lecture Theatre of the Faculty, recently.

In the lecture, Bamigbola recommended expanding broadband access and digital literacy; stronger national standards for institutional repositories and open access; increasing government funding for research and digital knowledge infrastructure; investing in reliable electricity and internet connectivity; and secure servers.

The don also recommended institutionalising mandatory deposition of scholarly works; repositioning academic libraries as digital knowledge hubs; strengthening librarians’ capacity as digital architects; and rewarding open and responsible scholarship.

While stressing that transformation requires deliberate collaboration among government, universities, libraries, researchers, technology providers, and other relevant stakeholders, she said that physical libraries remain indispensable for heritage, preservation, and cultural memory.

She, however, said that digital platforms are critical for extending the reach and impact of Nigerian scholarship and called for the development of a national knowledge ecosystem in which Nigerian research is not only produced and preserved, but also visible, searchable, accessible, citable, reusable, and globally connected.

The don called for urgent and strategic transformation of the nation’s academic libraries from traditional repositories of printed materials into dynamic digital knowledge hubs capable of making Nigerian scholarship accessible, discoverable, and globally impactful.

While stressing the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in academic knowledge management and dissemination, she said AI is already transforming the organisation and retrieval of knowledge through automated indexing, metadata generation, classification, and intelligent tagging.

The don, however, said that the future survival, relevance, and global impact of Nigerian scholarship increasingly depend on the nation’s ability to move beyond the physical storage of knowledge to robust digital infrastructure.

China imported goods worth nearly $2.3 billion from Nigeria in the first half of 2026, representing an almost 80 per cent increase over the corresponding period in 2025, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Zhou Hongyou, has disclosed.

Zhou made the disclosure on Thursday at the Nigeria-China Food Festival held at the China Cultural Centre in Abuja, where he said expanding economic ties, alongside stronger cultural and people-to-people exchanges, would further strengthen relations between both countries.

He said total bilateral trade between Nigeria and China had also risen to $18 billion, representing a 75 per cent year-on-year increase.

According to him, the growth demonstrated the expanding economic relationship between the two countries, while China’s zero-tariff policy for African countries with diplomatic relations with Beijing offered Nigeria an opportunity to further increase its exports.

‘This is a great chance for Nigeria to expand exports to China,’ Zhou said.

The diplomat said the food festival provided more than an opportunity to taste different cuisines, describing it as a platform for Nigerians and Chinese to understand each other’s history, culture and way of life.

‘Today we are bringing Chinese and Nigerian cuisines together. It is not just a feast for our taste buds, but it is also a conversation and a meeting of all cultures,’ he said.

Zhou noted that 2026 marked the 55th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations between Nigeria and China, adding that the relationship had expanded over the years to cover trade, education, culture, technology and people-to-people exchanges.

He called for stronger exchanges in education, the arts, schools and youth affairs to consolidate the relationship and ensure that the friendship between both countries was sustained across generations.

‘Through deeper exchanges in education, culture, the arts, schools, and youth affairs, China and Nigeria can strengthen people-to-people connections and pass on friendship to the next generation,’ Zhou said.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, the Permanent Secretary, Abdulkarim Ozi Ibrahim, said the festival highlighted the economic potential of Nigeria’s culinary heritage.

He described food as an important component of cultural identity and a potential driver of tourism and job creation.

‘Food does not merely nourish the body. It tells stories, preserves heritage, creates livelihood, and brings people together,’ Ibrahim said.

He said the Federal Government had identified food and beverages as the largest subsector of Nigeria’s tourism economy, stressing the growing importance of gastronomy to domestic tourism.

‘Gastronomy is tourism. Nigeria’s recent tourism and creative industry market has identified food and beverages as the single largest subsector of Nigeria’s tourism economy,’ he said.

Ibrahim said the government was strengthening the creative economy through policy and financing frameworks, stakeholder engagement and institutional reforms designed to promote tourism, attract investment and create opportunities for young Nigerians.

He called for increased Nigeria-China collaboration in gastronomy, tourism, hospitality, culinary education and creative entrepreneurship.

‘Let us use food to open new doors of cooperation in gastronomy, tourism, hospitality, cultural exchanges, culinary education, and creative entrepreneurship,’ he said.

The Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Aare Abisoye Fagade, said the festival was designed to demonstrate the connection between food, culture and economic opportunity.

Fagade said the theme, ‘From Farm to Feast,’ represented the journey from farmers and producers to chefs and consumers, while highlighting the economic value embedded in Nigeria’s culinary traditions.

‘Today’s celebration is about food, but it’s also about culture, friendship, and opportunity,’ he said.

He said Nigeria possessed a rich culinary heritage capable of supporting a globally competitive food tourism industry if properly developed and commercialised.

‘Our task is to package, standardise, promote, and commercialise this heritage while preserving the authenticity,’ Fagade said.

Also speaking, the Director-General and Artistic Director/CEO of the National Troupe of Nigeria, Hajia Kaltume Bulama Gana, said cultural collaboration between Nigeria and China could deepen mutual understanding and respect.

She highlighted a joint performance by Nigerian and Chinese artistes, which combined traditional Nigerian drums with Chinese percussion instruments, as an example of how cultural diplomacy could bring the two peoples closer.

‘For the first time, the National Troupe has come into this partnership where there is a joint performance of the National Troupe of Nigeria performing with the Chinese percussions and our own indigenous drums,’ Gana said.

She expressed hope that the collaboration would expand to reciprocal cultural performances, including opportunities for Nigerian artistes to perform in China.

Former NIHOTOUR Director-General, Alhaji Munzali Dantata, also called for stronger Nigeria-China cooperation, particularly in education and cultural exchanges.

Dantata, who recalled studying in Beijing about four decades ago, said China’s transformation over the years demonstrated the value of sustained investment in education, development and international cooperation.

‘See how, within 30 years, the country has changed,’ he said.

The festival featured 14 Chinese dishes from seven regions of China alongside traditional Nigerian cuisines representing the country’s six geopolitical zones.

Nigerian dishes on display included jollof rice, pounded yam, tuwon shinkafa, masa, fura da nono, amala, Ofada rice, abacha and ugba, and eba with edikang-ikong soup.

The event also featured cultural performances, music, arts and crafts, with participants highlighting the potential of culinary diplomacy to promote tourism, hospitality, cultural understanding and stronger economic ties between Nigeria and China.

Details of the meeting between President Bola Tinubu and governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have emerged, with the governors agreeing to take immediate measures to reduce transportation costs in their respective states through the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electric vehicles.

Tinubu disclosed this shortly after the meeting with the APC governors on Thursday night.

According to him, the Federal Government and state governments had agreed to work together to ensure that the benefits of cheaper alternative fuels translate into lower transport fares for Nigerians.

A joint Federal and State committee, Tinubu said, will be established to begin implementing the measures, with the goal of reducing transportation costs from October 1.

‘I am pleased with my discussion with the Governors’ Forum this afternoon. The Governors have, on their own initiative, resolved to take immediate measures to bring down transportation costs in their states, with a strong focus on leveraging the cost benefits of CNG and electric vehicles.

‘The Federal Government is already investing significantly in this energy transition. Through the Presidential CNG Initiative, over 120,000 vehicles have been converted nationwide, with more than 100,000 additional conversion kits in the works. At the same time, we continue to expand conversion centres and refuelling infrastructure nationwide.

‘The Federal Government, through the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, is currently financing more than 100 gas projects across the country, including 15 CNG mother stations and 86 daughter stations.

‘In May, I commissioned four of these projects in Lagos, Abuja and Owerri, including a 15-station refuelling network in Lagos and an Abuja facility that can serve 1,000 cars and tricycles and 50 trucks and buses a day.’

Tinubu said he had also directed the rollout of an additional 500 CNG refuelling stations nationwide, in addition to the 500 stations earlier ordered by the Fund.

He said the development would bring the total number of CNG refuelling stations under the programme to 1,000 across the country.

The President said intra-state transportation was where Nigerians felt the impact of fuel costs most directly, adding that state governments had an important role to play in ensuring that the savings from cheaper fuel reached commuters.

‘Intra-state transport is where Nigerians feel the cost most directly, and it is where the states hold the levers. I am encouraged that our Governors are moving to bring these benefits closer to the people they serve.

‘We have agreed to set up a joint Federal and State committee to begin implementing these measures immediately. A vehicle running on CNG spends 60 to 80 per cent less on fuel than one running on petrol.

‘From October 1, our goal is that Nigerians begin to partake in those savings through lower transport fares.

‘We have agreed that cheaper fuel should result in cheaper fares!’

Tinubu urged all tiers of government to work together to ensure that the benefits of the energy transition were reflected in the daily lives of Nigerians.

‘Each tier of government must keep doing its part and work together for the benefit of every Nigerian,’ he added.

Sahara Power Enterprise Group (SPEG) has commenced the construction of a $12 million, 12MW Independent Power Plant (IPP) at the Ogba Undertaking of Ikeja Electric Plc in Lagos.

The project aims at advancing efforts to expand access to cleaner, reliable and sustainable electricity for businesses and communities.

The groundbreaking ceremony marks the commencement of construction of the 2MW x 6-unit gas-fired power plant, a strategic infrastructure project designed to improve electricity reliability across one of Lagos’ key commercial and industrial corridors.

Scheduled for completion in the first quarter (Q1) of 2027, the facility will serve industrial clusters, commercial centres, residential communities and public institutions across Ogba, Acme Road, Wemco Road and surrounding areas.

The investment underscores Sahara’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s energy transition agenda through practical solutions that strengthen electricity infrastructure, expand energy access and support economic growth.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Kola Adesina, Group Managing Director, Sahara Power Enterprise Group, said the project reflected Sahara’s determination to develop practical solutions to some of the most pressing challenges confronting Nigeria’s energy sector.

‘This initiative is about much more than breaking ground for a new power plant. It represents a bold commitment to Nigeria’s energy future and our determination to deliver dependable, efficient, and sustainable electricity to businesses and communities. Improving the availability and reliability of power will enhance productivity, growth, and value creation,’ he said.

Adesina said the project reflected Sahara Power’s continued investment in infrastructure that improves electricity reliability and supports economic growth.

The plant, according to him, will deploy modern gas-powered generation technology designed to meet environmental, operational and safety standards. ‘Its six-unit configuration includes standby capacity to support continuity of supply during maintenance periods,’ he said.

He commended the Federal Government, Lagos State Government, Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC), Ikeja Electric, Cummins and other stakeholders for their support in advancing the project.

The project is expected to improve electricity reliability across the Ogba Undertaking while supporting business productivity and community development in one of Lagos’ most vibrant commercial hubs.

Ogochukwu Onyelucheya, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Ikeja Electric Plc, said the project represented an important step in the company’s efforts to improve the quality, reliability and sustainability of electricity supply to its customers.

She said the plant would provide a more dependable and cost-effective source of electricity for businesses and communities within the designated areas while supporting economic activity and job creation.

Onyelucheya commended Sahara Power Enterprise Group (SPEG) for spearheading the development of the project, describing it as a strategic investment that will strengthen the reliability and sustainability of electricity supply to customers across the Ogba Undertaking.

‘At Ikeja Electric, our priority is to partner with forward-looking investors and developers such as SPEG to deliver innovative solutions that improve customer experience and reliable electricity supply across our network. SPEG’s investment in this IPP demonstrates the value of strategic collaboration in creating sustainable energy solutions for our customers.’

Construction will be undertaken by Cummins, leveraging global expertise in power generation and energy infrastructure delivery.

Mark Oni-Okeke, Managing Director, Cummins West Africa Limited, said the organisation was delighted to work with Sahara Power to ‘accelerate sustainable socio-economic development reliably and sustainably.’

Abdul-Ganiyu Obasa, Executive Chairman, Agege Local Government, commended Sahara for the initiative, adding that the project would stimulate business development and improve economic activity within the area.

He said: ‘Independent power projects such as this are essential to achieving energy security and sustainable development. Improved electricity supply will create an enabling environment for businesses to grow, attract investment and create employment opportunities for our people.’

HRM, Oba Egbeyemi Latif Oladimeji, Ologba of Ogbaland, thanked Sahara Power for making Ogba the beneficiary of the project, adding: ‘You have the support of the Palace and good people of Ogba and its environs. We are eagerly looking forward to the commissioning of the Plant and the positive impact on our community.’

The development reinforces Sahara Power’s commitment to expanding access to reliable electricity through strategic investments that support economic growth, improve energy outcomes, and strengthen Nigeria’s power infrastructure.