Govt tightens rules on land evictions

The Ministry of Lands has barred government officials, security agencies, surveyors and private actors from intervening in disputed land matters unless they follow a coordinated and documented legal process, warning that anyone who carries out an unlawful eviction or demolition will face punitive action.

The directive is contained in a circular issued by Ms Judith Nabakooba, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, which took effect on Thursday. The circular requires evictions and demolition of structures on contested land to be based only on a verifiable court order issued through due process and implemented in accordance with applicable safeguards, including Presidential Executive Order No. 2 of 2022.

Ms Nabakooba said the measures are intended to curb violence, destruction of property, intimidation, insecurity and disorder associated with land disputes, which she said are also putting unnecessary pressure on courts and law enforcement agencies.

‘From today, no government officer, security agency, surveyor or private actor should intervene in a disputed land matter outside a lawful, coordinated and documented process,’ she said yesterday.

‘Under this circular, I direct as follows: No person may be evicted or structure demolished based on influence, verbal instructions, administrative letters or unverified documents,’ she added.

The minister said the ministry had observed cases in which security personnel were deployed, people threatened with eviction or taken to police, and occupants removed while court cases were still pending.

‘We have been finding challenges where the court processes are still ongoing, meanwhile on ground there is uncoordinated troop movement, people are threatening to evict others, they are taking others to police to make statements, they are evicting people before court has made its final pronouncement and that’s why we are saying we must respect that process,’ Ms Nabakooba said.

Security deployments

Ms Nabakooba said security forces must not be deployed to influence possession or ownership of contested land. Instead, where violence, destruction or threats to life occur, police and other competent agencies should intervene to protect life and property and preserve evidence.

‘Security personnel must not be moved or deployed to influence possession or ownership of disputed land. Where violence, destruction or threats to life occur, police and other competent agencies must intervene promptly and lawfully, protect life and property and preserve evidence,’ she said.

The minister also directed that government officials, political leaders and security officers should not visit disputed land without prior coordination through district or city security committees.

She further restricted non-court-authorised locus visits and surveys.

According to the circular, a locus visit that is not ordered by court requires prior written approval from the Minister of State for Lands or clearance from the district or city security committee acting collectively.

This means that an individual Resident District Commissioner or Resident City Commissioner cannot, on their own, authorise such an intervention.

‘Control locus visits and surveys except where expressly sanctioned by a court. Non-court locus visits require the Minister of State for Lands’ prior written approval or clearance from the district or city security committee as a committee, not the RDC or RCC as a single person,’ Ms Nabakooba said.

She added that survey activities on disputed land must be traceable and coordinated and should not be used to confuse, dispossess or prejudice occupants.

Private security guards and other private actors were also barred from enforcing disputed land claims.

Rising complaints

The directive comes amid a steady stream of complaints received by the Ministry of Lands over alleged land grabbing and unlawful evictions.

Mr Joseph Ssembatya, the Commissioner for Land Administration at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, said the ministry receives between 20 and 30 complaints related to land grabbing and evictions every week.

‘Internally, we have structures that are dealing with disputes that keep emerging every other day. Of course, there are some notorious ones that we’ve kind of resolved, and there are yet more that we’re yet to resolve,’ Mr Ssembatya said.

Ms Nabakooba said the ministry will establish a dispute resolution desk to receive and coordinate eligible complaints, prevent duplication and refer cases to the agencies best placed to investigate or act.

She said every intervention under the new arrangement must produce a verifiable report.

Investigations assigned by the minister will have to be completed within three months unless an extension is given in writing.

Agents unable to execute an assignment must return it within two weeks and explain why they cannot act.

Where necessary and permitted by law, the commissioner may lodge a caveat to protect disputed land while an inquiry or determination is pending.

The minister also directed that information received under the circular be centrally recorded and treated as confidential for the official purpose for which it was provided.

Special certificates suspended

In a separate measure, the minister has suspended for three months the issuance of special certificates of title to people whose duplicate land titles have been lost, destroyed or damaged.

Ms Nabakooba said the suspension follows concerns over fraud, corruption and manipulation in the process of obtaining replacement titles.

She said the three-month suspension would give the ministry time to investigate the reported abuses, strengthen verification procedures and introduce additional safeguards.

Ms Nabakooba said the ministry would work with investigative agencies during the review.

She said the suspension should not be interpreted as a withdrawal of land registration services, adding that the Office of Titles had been directed to notify courts about the measure.

‘I have also instructed the Office of Titles to notify courts of law about this development so that when clients and stakeholders take it as refusal to provide land services during these three months, they are aware of what is going on,’ she added.

How replacement titles are issued

A special certificate of title is issued by the registrar of titles when the duplicate certificate has been lost, destroyed or damaged to the extent that it can no longer be used.

Under the existing procedure, an applicant submits an application for a special certificate, a statutory declaration duly completed and witnessed by a Commissioner for Oaths, and two passport photographs.

The applicant is also required to pay Shs15,000 in registration fees and Shs10,000 in stamp duty.

The application and supporting documents are submitted to the Department of Land Registration, where the documents are processed and a copy stamped ‘Received’ is returned to the applicant.

After five working days, the applicant checks with the department for a letter to the Uganda Gazette notifying the public of the proposed issuance of the special certificate.

The public notification runs for 30 days. After publication, the applicant presents proof of the Gazette notice to the Department of Land Registration for verification.

The ministry then proceeds with issuance of the special certificate, which is collected after a further 10 days.

Ms Nabakooba said the technical team to be constituted during the suspension will examine the entire process and recommend measures to protect registered landowners and strengthen the integrity of the land register.

She said the government recognises certificates of title as critical legal documents relied upon by citizens, courts, financial institutions, investors and property buyers.

Abuja floods: Expert advocates shift to climate-resilient urban planning

An environmental expert and Chief Executive Officer of Engineering and Environmental Management Services Limited (EEMS Limited), Dr Mamoud Bello Abubakar, has called on the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to move beyond reactive emergency response and adopt a more anticipatory, climate-resilient approach to managing recurring floods in the capital.

In a press statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, Dr Abubakar, a chemical engineer and environmental and social safeguards specialist, said the flooding currently affecting parts of the FCT should not be viewed simply as a rainfall problem, but as the result of a convergence of factors including climate change, rapid urbanisation, encroachment on natural drainage corridors, poor waste disposal, and weaknesses in development control and infrastructure maintenance.

‘Abuja’s continuing expansion and changing climate require us to move progressively from a predominantly reactive approach towards anticipatory, risk-informed and climate-resilient urban management,’ he said, while commending the FCTA, the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) and other agencies for their ongoing flood sensitisation and emergency preparedness efforts.

He identified development on floodplains and waterways, inadequate drainage capacity in fast-growing districts, blocked drains, rising impervious surfaces from urban construction, and poor coordination among planning, environmental and emergency agencies as key drivers of the city’s vulnerability to flooding.

He proposed a six-point programme for the FCTA, beginning with comprehensive flood-risk and drainage assessments using hydrological modelling and GIS mapping to identify high-risk areas.

Other recommendations include mapping and protecting floodplains, natural waterways, green areas and drainage corridors; enforcing development-control regulations consistently; upgrading drainage infrastructure on a catchment-wide basis; mandating hydrological assessments for major development approvals; and strengthening community-level early-warning and evacuation systems.

Dr Abubakar also appealed to residents and businesses to stop dumping waste into drains and waterways, while developers must comply strictly with approved planning and environmental requirements, stressing that flood resilience ‘requires shared responsibility’ between government, developers and the public.

He described the FCTA’s ongoing infrastructure renewal programme as an opportunity to embed climate resilience into the city’s development, saying the goal should be to prevent flooding where possible and manage it ‘without catastrophic consequences’ where it cannot be avoided.

Sokoto gov’s wife calls for prayers to end insecurity

The Wife of the Sokoto State Governor, Hajiya Fatima Ahmed Aliyu, has urged residents of the state to intensify prayers for an end to insecurity and the restoration of lasting peace and stability in the State.

Hajiya Fatima made the call on Wednesday in Wurno and Rabah Local Government Areas while flagging off the distribution of relief items and financial assistance to women displaced by insecurity.

She said the visit was aimed at identifying with women and families affected by insecurity, reassuring them of the government’s concern and support, and strengthening their morale during the difficult period.

According to her, the affected people remained an important part of the wider community, stressing that the government was aware of the challenges they faced and would continue to support them within its capacity.

She emphasised the importance of unity, patience and mutual support among communities affected by insecurity, urging the people not to lose hope despite the difficulties they were experiencing.

The First Lady said addressing the challenges posed by insecurity required collective prayers, compassion and cooperation among government, traditional leaders, community members and other stakeholders.

She assured the affected women that the government remained committed to supporting vulnerable families and providing interventions to cushion the impact of displacement and hardship.

Hajiya Fatima said the assistance was not only intended to address immediate needs but also to give the beneficiaries hope and reassurance that they remained valued members of society.

‘We want you to understand that we are with you throughout this difficult period. You are always part of our community, and we are aware of the situation you are going through,’ she said.

She urged the beneficiaries to use the assistance judiciously and continue supporting one another, particularly women and children who are often more vulnerable during periods of displacement and hardship.

Hajiya Fatima called on the people to remain steadfast in prayer, asking Almighty Allah to protect them, bring relief to those affected and put an end to insecurity.

She also prayed for divine guidance for state and national leaders and for lasting solutions to the challenges confronting Sokoto State and Nigeria as a whole.

In Wurno Local Government Area, 250 bags of rice, 200 pieces of atamfa, 50 cartons of spaghetti and ?3 million were distributed to the affected women.

Similarly, beneficiaries in Rabah Local Government Area received 250 bags of rice, 200 pieces of atamfa, 50 cartons of spaghetti and ?3 million.

Speaking at the two occasions, the Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Hajiya Hadiza Ahmed Shagari, commended the state government for its continued efforts to address challenges confronting women and children across the state.

She said the ministry would continue to support programmes and policies aimed at protecting vulnerable women and children, particularly those facing difficult circumstances, while working with relevant stakeholders to promote their welfare and improve their living conditions.

Hajiya Hadiza also appreciated the First Lady for her continued concern for vulnerable women and children, noting that interventions of this nature would help alleviate hardship and restore hope among beneficiaries.

In their separate remarks, the wives of the Wurno and Rabah Local Government Chairmen, Hajiya Nafisa Abba Isa Sadik and Hajiya Aishatu Abdullahi Rabah, respectively, expressed appreciation to the First Lady for the gesture.

They described the intervention as timely and significant, saying it would provide much-needed relief to women affected by insecurity and ease some of the hardship they were experiencing.

Also, the wife of the member representing the Rabah/Wurno Federal Constituency, Hajiya Aisha Ibrahim Rabah, commended the First Lady for the gesture, describing it as a timely and compassionate response to the plight of women affected by insecurity.

The intervention is part of the state government’s broader efforts to support vulnerable women and families affected by insecurity and help them cope with the challenges arising from displacement.

Red lines in the corruption of Nigeria’s political, electoral system

The essence of Nigeria politics is driven by a political economy model in which the formal economy of the country has a separate existence that is subordinated to a second more significant economic model in which the real drivers of are the political actors who inject and subsequently extract liquidity into and from the system. My good friend S. A. Ndanusa explains it in the following manner. Nigeria has two economies. There is the official economy monitored by the National Bureau of Statistics. That is where we find inflation, GDP, unemployment, exchange rates and enough decimal points to persuade us that our suffering has been carefully calculated. Then there is the economy of politics. This second economy is not fully captured in official statistics, although it may be one of the fastest growing sectors in the country. It has investors, brokers, wholesalers, retailers, consultants, apprentices and professional praise singers. Its branches extend from Abuja to every state capital, local government, ward and WhatsApp group.

He adds that it is the only sector in which nobody complains about a shortage of liquidity during an election year. He concludes that the political economy asks how power distributes wealth. The economy of politics asks how wealth acquires power and what it expects after making the acquisition. There is no element of the economy or society that is today not dictated by the interests and desires of those who have monopolised the country’s wealth. The tragedy of the system is that no economic operator can survive outside the system of political corruption. The system has today reached its zenith and even the ordinary voter is being boxed into exchanging their vote for a monetary payment. This has emptied the electoral system of issues, principles and values as the mandate becomes an ordinary commodity.

In the recently concluded Osun governorship election, the two leading parties were estimated to have spent over N100 billion naira each buying votes. This prompted the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) ‘to urgently, jointly and transparently investigate reported cases of vote-buying, financial inducement, illegal election financing, voter intimidation, violence, misuse of public resources and other electoral offences in connection with the 2026 Osun State governorship election.’ These oversight organisations have however watched previous vote buying episodes without punishing guilty parties.

The problem is that in practice, the Nigerian state is deeply implicated and supports corruption in the electoral system. Of course, I am aware that the law does not formally support it. Sections 125, 131 and 132 of the Electoral Act 2026 criminalises bribery, undue influence and the use or threat of violence to influence voting. The Act also establishes political-finance safeguards, including contribution and expenditure limits and post-election disclosure requirements under sections 91-94. In addition, Section 138(1) permits an election to be questioned where it was invalid by reason of ‘corrupt practices or non-compliance with the provisions of this Act’, while section 139 addresses non-compliance that may substantially affect an election result.’ The allegations of corruption preceding election day, electoral bribery and other offences also raise concerns under sections 14(2)(a), 15(5), 17(2)(a), 117 and 178 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), which underpin democratic participation and the right to free, fair and legitimate elections free from corruption. The problem is that the law is useless if the State refuses to prosecute those who violate its provisions.

In a situation in which the majority of the people voted into office go in on the basis of corrupt acts, the entire society is sucked into the system. The individuals who bribe for votes do so to reap the financial rewards expected in the office. Those who have voted them in have pocketed their own cash for their labour. The religious leaders who prayed for victory in the elections have also received their pay knowing fully well that the religion they preach condemns corruption. Their communities, states, zones and regions also support the corrupt political class. No one stands for moral and ethical values. That is the contemporary tragedy of Nigerian society. We have lost our moral compass.

I am fearful of the 2027 general elections. It is preparing to become the highest manifestation of corrupt politics in the history of Nigeria. The State, its resources and its agencies are all being mobilised to ensure victory for corruption. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is fully mobilising the State to deliver his desired outcome. In the process, all the red lines are being crossed. His campaign council not only has the major political office holders such as governors and ministers. It has also incorporated the top technicians of the State machine. For example, Dr. Abisoye, the DG of NIMC and guardian of the data of all Nigerians is in the council. She controls the biometric fingerprints, the NINs identity, the photos and the addresses of over 136 million Nigerians. That same woman is now the Director of Data Management for the APC Presidential Campaign Council. In election administration, the appearance of neutrality of officialdom is fundamental. Why should the person that controls official data of all Nigerians be given the opportunity to be able to use such data for the interest of one candidate in the election who also happens to be the sitting president of the country. The woman sworn to protect our privacy as citizens is now working for a political party. It is a flagrant conflict of interest and a threat to the identity of every Nigerian citizen.

We also have in the APC Campaign Council Zacheus Adedeji, the Chairman of the Nigerian Revenue Service. In his day job, he is charged with collecting tax from all Nigerian workers, traders, companies and businesses. He controls the revenue inflow for Nigerian government projects and central to his collection strategy is investigating who is wealthy in Nigeria and should be made to pay more tax. The same person is now the Deputy Director of fund raising for President Tinubu’s campaign. The risk of using the official data he has been collecting for the campaign is very real. The distinction between public interest and the personal campaign of President Tinubu has essentially disappeared as the tax collector is transformed into the campaign collector.

If the repositories of official data of the country are being dragged into the campaign, the danger is that the law enforcement agencies such as the police, army and DSS can be dragged in as well. In that case, will they not add the judiciary, and indeed the entire State machine. Citizens have a huge responsibility of monitoring and resisting this incorporation of the machinery of the state into election corruption even in the context of the already disturbing commodification of the electoral mandate.

COSASE rejects Microfinance Support Centre responses over lack of evidence

The Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has rejected responses by Microfinance Support Centre Limited officials to audit queries, accusing them of failing to back up their explanations with substantive evidence.

The officials led by the Accounting Officer Mr Edward Sengonzi Damulira, Under Secretary and Accounting Officer Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Mr John Peter Mujuni, the Executive Director, Uganda Microfinance Support Centre and board members had appeared on August 28, days after COSASE issued arrest warrants against them for failing to honour an earlier summons without any formal communication.

They had appeared to respond to queries raised in the Auditor General report of 2025 and apologised for their failure to honour the previous summons.

The committee chaired by Mr Muwada Nkunyingi then accorded them time to submit their responses before they were interjected to table substantive evidence to back up their explanations.

“Your issues are substantive, but we want you to submit your response formally with any enabling evidence, which will give the committee good time in thoroughly interrogating your matter,” Mr Nkunyingi said.

He added: “We cannot imagine that these figures are not backed up by substantive evidence.”

The committee’s deputy chairperson and Kira Municipality MP, George Musisi told the officials that the committee needed evidence of the actions they claimed to have taken in response to the highlighted concerns.

“We want you to help us understand by indicating something that you have done. We prefer to deal with some bit of evidence than just verbal. If your document would be backed up by evidence, it would be helpful to you and the committee,” he said.

The officials had been summoned to respond to a number of concerns raised by the Auditor General, including the write-off of loans amounting to Shs63.57 billion.

The audit also reported an expansion of loans worth Shs48.61 billion in conventional loans and Shs14.96 billion in investment financing receivables.

The transactions, according to the Auditor General, affected the entity’s reported financial performance for the year ended June 2025 and contributed to a loss of Shs22.67 billion.

The Auditor General further found that 17 loans worth Shs7.78 billion disbursed during the financial year exceeded the maximum processing period prescribed by the Microfinance Support Centre’s Credit and Procedure Manual of 2022.The manual provides that the entire loan processing period, from application to disbursement, should not exceed 31 working days.

However, the audit found that some applications took more than a year to process.

The Auditor General warned that such delays could negatively affect clients’ businesses, expose the institution to reputational risks and increase the possibility of loan diversion because borrowers could receive funds long after the purpose for which they applied had changed.

The audit also questioned the continued use of outdated collateral values in calculating expected credit losses.Collateral values for loans worth Shs6.52 billion had not been updated, with some securities having been valued as far back as nine years ago.

The Auditor General further raised concern over the low utilisation of conventional funds intended for on-lending.

Of the Shs44.7 billion planned for disbursement during the financial year, only Shs23.42 billion had been disbursed by June 30, 2025.

COSASE adjourned the meeting to a further date next week and directed the Microfinance Support Centre officials to prepare detailed responses and provide supporting documentation before returning to the committee for further interrogation of the audit queries.

INEC’s lawyer: Suswam won APC’s Benue Northeast senatorial district primary

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has claimed that former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam won the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary for the Benue Northeast Senatorial District.

The commission’s lawyer, Anthony Malik (SAN), stated this at the hearing of a suit filed by Suswam on Wednesday.

In the suit, the former governor challenged the APC’s decision to hand over the ticket to Senator Emmanuel Udenbe.

Suswam, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1470/2026, claimed to have won the primary and urged the court to, among others, compel the APC to accord him the necessary recognition.

Listed as defendants in the suit are the APC, Udenbe and INEC.

Making his final submission , Malik urged the court to do justice in the case and affirm the result of the primary election, which shows that the plaintiff won .

The senior lawyer added that copies of INEC’s report of the primary election and its result have been exhibited before the court.

Earlier, Suswam’s lawyer, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) prayed the court to grant all the reliefs as sought by the plaintiff in the suit.

Okutepa urged the court to dismiss the preliminary objections by APC and Udenbe, arguing that they are without merit.

Lawyer to the APC, A. G. Yirvoms, urged the court to uphold the objection his client filed and dismiss the suit.

Udenbe’s lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), spoke similarly and prayed the court to dismiss the suit.

After listening to the lawyers, Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned till October 12 for judgment.

Justice Ekwo said parties would be notified if the judgment becomes ready before the October date.

Dangote deploys technology to curb truck crashes

Dangote Cement has deployed advanced safety technology, including cameras and monitoring devices, across its truck fleet to improve driver behaviour and reduce road crashes.

The company said the technology, which enables real-time monitoring of trucks and drivers, is complemented by intensive training, strict safety protocols and incentives for accident-free driving.

The Head of Operations, Dangote Cement Ibese, Ogun State, David Idiege, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the company’s road safety measures.

He said the initiative was designed to give the company greater control over its vehicles and help detect unsafe driving practices.

With more than 4,000 trucks operating from the Ibese plant, he said the company had invested in state-of-the-art technology to monitor its fleet in real time.

‘That is why we have cameras in our trucks and state-of-the-art technologies that make us see in real time what is happening in any of our trucks at every material time,’ Idiege said.

He identified speeding and proxy driving, where authorised drivers hand trucks to unauthorised persons, as major concerns. He said the company applied stringent sanctions against drivers found engaging in the practice.

Idiege added that environmental conditions, including bad weather, could also contribute to road incidents, making driver vigilance and real-time monitoring essential.

Beyond technology, he said the company was strengthening driver competence by using some of its best-performing drivers as safety ambassadors to train their colleagues.

‘We also have a very good rewards system for those who drive diligently without getting involved in accidents,’ he said, adding that outstanding drivers receive rewards and certificates and are selected to train others.

The Head of Human Resources, Muhammed Al-Hassan, said only properly trained drivers were permitted to operate the company’s trucks. He added that accident-free drivers were recognised monthly and annually.

He disclosed that more than 250 drivers had been sanctioned for various safety violations between 2025 and 2026, stressing that enforcement was combined with training, monitoring and incentives.

At the Ibese Plant Control Room, the company’s Head of Control, Ifeanyi Eziri, demonstrated to journalists how trucks and drivers are monitored remotely and how vehicles can be demobilised when safety violations are detected.

Idiege also clarified that some trucks bearing the Dangote brand were no longer under the company’s direct control, as they had been leased to customers and subsequently de-branded.

He said the combination of technology, training, surveillance and incentives was aimed at strengthening safety culture and reducing truck-related crashes on Nigerian roads.

Eight teachers arrested in Mityana over holiday coaching

Police in Mityana District are holding eight teachers for allegedly defying the Ministry of Education and Sports’ directive banning teaching during school holidays.

The suspects were arrested on August 25 during an operation targeting holiday coaching at Glorious Junior School in Mityana District.

Mityana Deputy Resident District Commissioner Prossy Mwanjuzi, who ordered the operation, said the teachers had gathered learners from different schools at the institution for holiday classes.

‘We received a tip-off that students were being taught at that school in disregard of the ban on holiday coaching,’ she said in an interview on Thursday.

The suspects are being held at Mityana Central Police Station as investigations continue.

Ms Mwanjuzi warned teachers and school proprietors against conducting holiday coaching, saying security-led operations would continue across the district.

‘Holidays are designed to enable teachers and learners to get some break; so, let us utilise this period well by helping learners to get life skills outside the classroom. School proprietors should use holidays to fix things which got damaged during the course of the term or do repairs on the entire infrastructure,’ she said.

The operation comes amid renewed enforcement of the government directive prohibiting schools from conducting academic lessons during holidays.

The Ministry of Education says the holiday period is intended to give learners time to rest, interact with their families and participate in activities outside the classroom.

Similar operations have been extended to Masaka City, where education authorities have warned schools and teachers against conducting holiday classes.

Stephen Kakeeto, the Masaka City Education Officer, said the education department was working with security agencies to enforce the directive.

‘We are in touch with the security authorities and we are going to conduct an operation to arrest any teacher who will be found teaching during holidays,’ he said.

The warning follows an incident in which Masaka City Resident Commissioner Ahmada Washaki ordered secondary school students found at Universal Nursery and Primary School waiting for teachers to conduct holiday classes to return home.

Authorities have urged school proprietors and teachers to comply with the official academic calendar and use the school term more effectively to complete the curriculum.

Economic reforms: Experts weigh gains, costs, prospects

Three years into the administration of President Bola Tinubu, economists and policy experts have offered mixed assessments of his economic reforms, acknowledging that the policies have changed the direction of the Nigerian economy, while warning that the social costs remain high.

The experts commenting on the Capital Markets Academics of Nigeria’s platform agree that the reforms have addressed some long-standing problems, including fuel subsidies, multiple exchange rates, weak government revenue and inadequate capital in the banking sector.

However, they argue that the real test is whether the changes will eventually improve the living standards of ordinary Nigerians.

In an analysis titled: ‘Tinubu’s Impact: What Changed, What It Cost and How History May Judge It,’ economist, lawyer and public policy scholar, S. A. Ndanusa, said Tinubu confronted problems that previous governments had identified, but were reluctant to tackle.

The petrol subsidy was removed on May 29, 2023, while the foreign exchange market was liberalised shortly afterwards. The Central Bank of Nigeria also moved away from some forms of development financing, while the government introduced a major bank recapitalisation programme and advanced tax reforms. The Nigerian Education Loan Fund was also established to provide financing for students.

Ndanusa said the President acted decisively because the subsidy had become expensive and vulnerable to abuse, while multiple exchange rates encouraged arbitrage and government revenue was inadequate.

However, he noted that the reforms came with significant costs. Subsidy removal and exchange-rate liberalisation created a major shock for an economy heavily dependent on imports. Transport, food, production and household expenses increased, while social protection and public transport alternatives were slow to respond.

According to Ndanusa, there are signs of improvement in some key economic indicators. The Central Bank has cleared verified foreign exchange backlogs and taken steps towards a more unified market and stronger reserves.

He said the tax reforms could become one of the administration’s most lasting achievements if they succeed in expanding government revenue without placing excessive pressure on compliant businesses.

He also noted that increased allocations from the Federation Account have provided more funds to states and local governments. However, he said citizens must be able to see the impact of the increased revenue through better services and infrastructure.

Ndanusa said major infrastructure projects, including highways and coastal corridors, show government ambition, but their success should be measured by transparent procurement, proper financing and clear results.

He identified insecurity as another major challenge, stressing that citizens judge government performance by whether they can travel, farm, conduct business and sleep safely.

Citing the IMF’s 2026 assessment, Ndanusa said the reforms had improved macroeconomic stability and strengthened economic resilience, but poverty remained a serious concern.

He noted that poverty was estimated at 63 percent, while about 27 million Nigerians faced food insecurity in late 2025.

Dr Ayinde O. Ayinde, a researcher at Covenant University, Ota, described the analysis as a balanced assessment of the reforms.

He said Nigeria must now move beyond stabilising the economy to achieving structural transformation.

According to him, success should be measured through higher productivity, increased purchasing power, job creation, improved human capital and greater social mobility.

Professor Akpan Michael offered a stronger criticism of the impact on households. He said high inflation had reduced real incomes and weakened consumer purchasing power, contributing to rising poverty.

Michael, however, opposed reversing the removal of the fuel subsidy. Instead, he called for higher incomes to restore purchasing power. He suggested that wages should be increased across income groups and urged state governors to use their increased allocations to improve workers’ incomes.

Similarly, Professor Frank Ozoh stressed the importance of balancing government revenue measures with policies that support economic activity.

Using the circulation of blood in the human body as an analogy, Ozoh said the economy requires sufficient money supply and public spending to function effectively.

He argued that subsidy removal and tax increases were not necessarily wrong, but should be accompanied by higher wages, better rewards for producers and targeted investment in infrastructure and social services.

Taken together, the experts believe Tinubu has made major changes to Nigeria’s economic system faster than many previous administrations.

They agree that the first phase of the reforms was largely about removing distortions. The next phase, they said, must focus on increasing production, restoring purchasing power, creating jobs, improving security and ensuring that government revenue translates into better public services.

Ultimately, they said, history will judge the reforms not only by the courage behind the initial decisions, but by whether Nigerians experience better living standards and can afford to benefit from the economic changes.

Security operatives kill bandits, recover cattle in Sokoto

Security forces in Sokoto State have neutralised an unspecified number of suspected bandits and recovered cattle during an ambush operation in Rabah Local Government Area of the state.

The operation was carried out at about 5am on Friday by a combined team comprising military personnel from FOB Sokoto, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Vigilance Community Rescue Unit (VCRU), personnel of the Nigeria Police Force from Rabah Division, Police Mobile Force (PMF), and the Counter-Terrorism/Criminal Investigation personnel.

According to security sources, the operatives laid an ambush for the suspected bandits at Gadan Maikujera in Rabah LGA after the criminals reportedly rustled cattle from parts of Dange Shuni and Tureta local government areas.

During the encounter, an unspecified number of the suspected bandits were neutralised, while some firearms and cattle were recovered by the security forces.

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Faulty traffic lights trigger gridlocks, crashes

The sources said efforts were ongoing to trace and apprehend other suspects believed to have escaped from the scene.

The latest operation is part of ongoing security efforts by the authorities to curb banditry, cattle rustling and other criminal activities across communities in Sokoto State.