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Leading economist Bismarck Rewane is not given to easy optimism, which is precisely why his assertion that Nigeria’s economic recovery is now ‘tangible’ demands serious attention.

The numbers, as presented to the Lagos Business School this month, are indeed compelling. Fiscal consolidation is gaining traction after the government’s shock therapy package of fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate liberalisation. The gigantic Dangote refinery is up and running and has transformed Nigeria from a net importer of petroleum products to a net exporter. Exporting petrol from Nigeria to the United States is no small feat.

‘Credit is due to the current administration for demonstrating the political spine required to undertake politically painful structural reforms.’

GDP growth is also ticking up. The 4.23 percent expansion in second-quarter GDP is not only the fastest rate in four years but also the first time in the same period that growth has exceeded population growth.

Economic momentum is accelerating, validated by the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), which has posted a strong, sustained expansion for three consecutive months through September. The index peaked at 54.2 in August, following 52.7 in July, and settled at 53.4 in the final month, a performance that robustly signals a faster pace of economic growth is expected to materialise in the third quarter.

The naira has also found stability, helped by a record trade surplus in the first half of the year ($8.15 billion / N12.64 trillion) and rising external reserves, which are expected to close the year at $44 billion from a current $42 billion. At under N1500 per US dollar, Rewane estimates that the naira is undervalued by 21.86% and the fair value should be N1,430. According to him, the currency is expected to trade toward its fair value within 2-3 years, if there are no distortions.

The relentless creep of inflation is also slowing its march, cooling to 18.02 percent in September, with food prices easing. Food inflation dropped to 16.87 percent from 21.87 percent in August, following a rapid decline in maize and grain prices.

Credit is due to the current administration for demonstrating the political spine required to undertake politically painful structural reforms.

For a nation long accustomed to false dawns, this moment feels different. It is a shift, as Rewane notes, rooted not just in growth but in changing economic fundamentals. Yet, hope is a notoriously fickle commodity in the corridors of power, and one need only glance at the global historical ledger to see how swiftly such promising trajectories can be undone by familiar, self-inflicted wounds.

The success of this nascent recovery hinges less on market dynamics and more on whether Abuja heeds the three ancient warnings Rewane astutely flags: high governance costs, oil volatility, and the paralysing power deficit. These are not mere risks; they are structural malignancies that have historically brought nations to their knees.

The governance bloat and the Hellenic lesson

The most insidious threat is the ballooning cost of governance and the resulting debt pile, which has expanded exponentially from $28 billion to nearly $100 billion (N152 trillion) in a generation.

Nigeria’s spiralling cost of governance, which has surged from just N27.7 billion in 1998 to an estimated N54.99 trillion today, demonstrates an alarming governmental appetite for consumption. This financial expansion acts as a perpetual drain on national resources, systematically diverting crucial capital away from productive investments needed to sustain the country’s economic recovery.

If we require a cautionary tale, look to Greece before the 2010 financial crisis. The Hellenic Republic’s debt spiral was not simply a factor of global markets; it was the direct result of a political establishment’s systematic failure to curb patronage, civil service bloat, and unsustainable pension liabilities. Every euro of tax revenue was swallowed by a sclerotic bureaucracy designed to serve political ends rather than market efficiency. Greece had a ‘recovery’ period in the early 2000s, but because it could not shrink the state or curtail the cost of its political class, it remained structurally fragile. When the tide went out, the nation was left bankrupt, forcing a decade of humiliating, externally mandated austerity. Nigeria must realise that a government that is too expensive to run is ultimately a government that the nation cannot afford to keep.

The oil windfall trap of Caracas

Rewane rightly cautions against a sharp drop in oil prices. This is not a geopolitical risk; it is a structural dependency. Every Nigerian finance minister has fought the ghost of the ‘Dutch Disease’, which is the phenomenon where resource revenue strengthens the currency, renders local manufacturing uncompetitive, and makes the state lethargic in its pursuit of non-oil tax revenue.

But for the starkest warning, consider Venezuela. Despite holding the world’s largest oil reserves, its catastrophic economic collapse was engineered by an almost total reliance on crude exports to fund government spending. When oil prices collapsed in 2014, the state had no diversified tax base, no competitive manufacturing sector, and no fiscal buffer. The result was hyperinflation, mass exodus, and the shredding of the social contract. The Naira’s recent stability and rising reserves are excellent, but they are a shield, not an engine. Until Nigeria’s economy is structurally indifferent to the price of Bonny Light crude, its recovery will remain fundamentally fragile.

Nigeria is, however, aggressively restructuring its fiscal foundation, reducing reliance on crude oil revenue. This year, non-oil revenues have already surpassed oil receipts to account for the bulk of government income. Furthermore, forthcoming tax reforms are poised to deliver an estimated N1 trillion to the government’s coffers next year, significantly reinforcing this critical shift toward a more diversified and sustainable revenue base. Efforts to grow non-oil revenues should be sustained with more reforms like privatisation or concession of redundant government assets.

The South African stranglehold

Finally, there is the power sector deficit. No amount of fiscal prudence or foreign portfolio investment will secure sustainable growth if factories cannot run, logistics chains seize up, and small businesses cannot power their computers.

The most proximate and painful global example is South Africa’s Eskom crisis. Chronic corruption, poor maintenance, and political interference at the state power utility have institutionalised ‘load shedding’, crippling the continent’s most industrialised economy.

The resulting energy insecurity has directly capped South Africa’s GDP growth potential for over a decade.

In the current Nigerian context, the power deficit is not a regulatory hurdle; it is a hard ceiling on economic ambition. The recommendations for debt forbearance and asset sales in the power sector are critical, as they are the emergency surgery needed to remove this ceiling before it crushes the economy’s new momentum.

The good news, as Rewane notes, is empirically sound. The groundwork has been laid. But the hard work, as the adage goes, begins when the initial applause ends. If this administration fails to aggressively cut the cost of governance and reform the critical infrastructure that empowers the real economy, then the historical precedent is clear: no amount of external reserve growth can outrun internal decay.

Indeed, as more ‘fish’ are netted in the tax dragnet, the reciprocal demand for accountability and prudence will surely become deafening. The Nigerian public, now paying the full cost of the currency and fuel market reforms, will demand a visible return on their sacrifice. If the cost of governance is not slashed to match the renewed fiscal discipline, this recovery will not just be derailed; it will be deemed yet another spectacular failure of stewardship.

The administration has earned its applause, but now is the time to don the work boots, not the laurels.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has announced the clearance of a significant portion of its drivers licence backlog ahead of the 2025 Ember Months public enlightenment and sensitisation campaign, signaling a major step toward improving service delivery and road safety management across the country.

FRSC disclosed that the backlog of drivers licences had been reduced from 800,000 to 400,000, following round-the-clock operations at the Corps’ printing facilities.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja to flag off the 2025 Ember Months Campaign themed ‘Take Responsibility for Your Safety: Stop Distracted Driving,’ Shehu Mohammed the Corps Marshal, disclosed that FRSC’s upgraded printing infrastructure can now produce an average of 15,000 licences daily, with plans to completely clear the remaining backlog by the second week of November 2025.

‘We have activated plans to overcome the perennial challenges associated with delays in obtaining the drivers licence and number plates. Our printing facility has been upgraded to print an average of 15,000 drivers licences daily. This production average will be increased to clear the backlog before the second week of November 2025,’ he said

According to him, this milestone marks a significant improvement in efficiency and responsiveness to public demand.

The FRSC also announced the introduction of a contactless biometric capture and instant printing system for drivers licences, which will eliminate the use of temporary licenses and allow applicants to receive their cards immediately after processing.

Mohammed explained that the new system integrates FRSC’s database with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) for real-time identity verification, similar to the Nigerian passport system. The enhanced drivers licence will also come with embedded security codes and a digital copy, ensuring authenticity and convenience.

The Corps highlighted other upcoming features, including a penalty point system that ties traffic offences to individual licences. Under the system, offenders will receive progressive warnings and face suspension or revocation once they reach specified thresholds.

To simplify renewals, FRSC will deploy self-service kiosks at major locations such as transport terminals and shopping malls, enabling motorists to renew and print their licences instantly.

On the broader campaign, Mohammed stated that FRSC will deploy personnel and Special Marshals nationwide, conduct free vehicle checks, organise motor park rallies, and hold town hall meetings with transport unions and security agencies.

These initiatives, he said, aim to curb reckless driving, reduce crashes, and promote safer highways during the high-travel Ember Months period.

While appreciating the federal government’s continuous support, Mohammed called on Nigerians to embrace the campaign message and take responsibility for their safety. ‘Together, we can change our road use culture for safer roads and fuller lives,’ he concluded.

The Oyo State Government has called on young adults and students to embrace modern agricultural practices which is now driven by innovation, technology, and professionalism.

Olasunkanmi Olaleye, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, made the call at a Symposium for Agricultural Students and Youths, held at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan, as part of activities commemorating the 2025 World Food Day celebration.

Olaleye noted that agricultural practices had evolved from the traditional hoe-and-cutlass system to a more advanced, mechanised and technology-driven methods that can guarantee productivity and sustainability.

‘Agriculture today is fundamentally different from what it used to be decades ago. Until our youths and students have a change of mindset towards agriculture, there can be no meaningful progress,’ the Commissioner stated.

He identified climate change, post-harvest losses, food inflation, and unemployment as major challenges confronting the agricultural sector, stressing that young people and students represent the future of the food system.

Olaleye therefore encouraged participants to take farming as a business venture and complement government efforts towards achieving food security in the State.

‘You are the generation of advanced agriculture the generation of digital agriculture where every aspect, from cultivation to processing, is technologically driven,’ he added.

Debo Akande, Director General, Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Kola Badmus in his goodwill message commended the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for organising the symposium, describing it as timely and strategic.

He stated that the role of youths and students in reshaping the agricultural landscape couldn’t be overemphasised, adding that OYSADA remains committed to creating an enabling environment for agribusiness growth across the state.

Abosede Owoeye, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, explained that the symposium was part of activities marking the 2025 World Food Day, themed ‘Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future.’

She stated that the programme aimed to open the eyes of young people to the limitless opportunities in agriculture, highlighting that modern agriculture focuses on innovation, agritech, sustainability, and employment creation.

‘We are here because we recognise that the future of agriculture, our state, and our nation rests in the hands of our youths,’ she said.

Owoeye added that bringing together both young and old future agricultural leaders and experienced farmers, reflects unity and a shared purpose in driving agricultural transformation.

She therefore urged participants, particularly students, to view agriculture not as a last resort, but as a field rich with opportunity.

The symposium featured lectures and interactive sessions, where students and participants engaged experts with diverse questions on modern agricultural practices.

Nigerian startup founders should focus on value creation and sustainability rather than chasing trends, according to experts at the Nigeria Fintech Week 2025 hosted by Fintech Association of Nigeria (FintechNGR).

The 2025 edition of Nigeria Fintech Week (NFW), under the theme ‘The Fintech Ecosystem Symphony: Orchestrating Nigeria’s Digital Future, ‘ spotlighted startups as key drivers of the country’s digital transformation, with industry leaders urging founders to focus on value creation, make compliance a priority, and ensure sustainability rather than trends for rapid expansion.

Stanley Jacob, President of FintechNGR and host of Nigeria Fintech Week, said the association’s vision was to go beyond observation and actively lead innovation across the ecosystem. ‘The vision was not just to have an organisation that sits back and watches what happens in the ecosystem, but one that drives digital transformation in our financial landscape.

‘No single person can whistle a symphony; you need an orchestra. That’s what we are demonstrating at Nigeria Fintech Week,’ he stated. ‘This is no longer about individuals or isolated startups-it’s about the entire ecosystem playing in harmony to orchestrate Nigeria’s digital future.’

Jacob noted that FintechNGR’s transformation is anchored on a ‘PIE’ framework-Participation, Innovation, and Expansion-which, he said, remains the foundation of the sector’s growth.

‘We are no longer just an association; we are now a movement,’ he said. Nigeria Fintech Week, hosted by Fintech Association of Nigeria (FintechNGR), ran simultaneously across Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt for the first time, marking a milestone in its evolution from a trade body to what its organisers now call ‘a movement’

Experts noted how fintech startups can build real, lasting value in Nigeria’s volatile economic environment as Tolulope Adeyinka, manager, Fintech Business Development (West Africa) at Mastercard, urged founders to put compliance at the centre of their innovation process.

‘You can’t capitalise on the economic volatility of a country to make a product. If you are trying to solve real problems, engage regulators and build on compliance. Compliance should be your number one priority,’ Adeyinka said.

John Akoji, Nigerian country lead at Innovate UK Business Connect, stated that pricing and trust are make-or-break factors for startups in Nigeria’s cost-sensitive market.

‘Nigerians are very sensitive to pricing. To win them over, prioritise real-time problem-solving, build trust-because trust is a scarce currency in Nigeria-and give people access to try your product,’ Akoji said. ‘When users test your product, you don’t have to convince them to pay for it.’

Investors also cautioned against the rush to expand. Tosin Faniru, partner at Breega, warned that many founders fall into the trap of ‘premature scaling’

‘Don’t try to scale geographically without scaling well at home,’ Faniru said. ‘Weak financial discipline is another pitfall-remember, a raise is not revenue. Revenue comes from your customers. Retain the ones you have and acquire new ones responsibly.’

Rasaq Ahmed, CEO of Cowrywise, highlighted the importance of building Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) based on real needs rather than fleeting trends.

‘An MVP should be built around a genuine need, not a trend,’ Ahmed said. ‘Trends evaporate. If your idea is tied to a temporary macroeconomic problem, scaling will be difficult because the foundation isn’t stable.’

Since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, few political moments have been as bewildering for the electorate as the current wave of defections sweeping through the political landscape. What used to be occasional acts of political realignment have now become a torrent of opportunistic crossings that blur ideological boundaries, mock internal democracy, and erode public trust in the Nigerian political process.

In recent months, the defections from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have intensified, reshaping the political map ahead of the 2027 general elections. From governors to lawmakers and key party figures, the move has become both strategic and symbolic, an open confession that political survival, rather than conviction or ideology, remains the dominant belief in Nigerian politics.

The latest defections of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State and Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, coming in quick succession, stunned even the most disinterested observers. Their speeches, hidden in vague appeals to ‘align with the centre for development’ and ‘ensure continuity of progress,’ offered no substantive justification. Their followers, including state assembly members and local government chairmen, dutifully followed, as if political conscience had been outsourced. To many Nigerians, it all felt like watching a well-scripted scene in a movie where the audience already knows the ending: those in power will always find a way to stay close to power.

Defection, by itself, is not new to democracy. It can be legitimate when driven by principle, when political ideals clash irreconcilably, or when a party deviates from its founding philosophy. But in Nigeria, defections are rarely about personal ideology or reform. They are about political convenience, protection, and access to state resources. The actors, rather than being guided by conviction, are motivated by the calculation that proximity to federal power guarantees political survival and economic benefits.

What makes this wave especially troubling is the sense of inevitability with which it is being conducted. Politicians speak as though the electorate no longer matters, as if their loyalty can be purchased or taken for granted. In the public statements accompanying these defections, the recurring undertone is that ‘our people will understand’ or ‘we are aligning for the good of our state.’ But the electorate, tired, disillusioned, and economically burdened, is neither consulted nor persuaded. They are simply expected to applaud and follow.

This assumption betrays a deeper democratic decay. When politicians begin to act as though elections are mere formalities and the people’s will is a negligible factor, democracy is in danger. The electorate, stripped of their role as the ultimate judge, become mere spectators in a game played by elites. The governors’ loyalists in state assemblies, who defect en masse without public explanation, only deepen the tragedy. Their silence reveals the extent to which internal party democracy has collapsed and how political institutions have been reduced to instruments of personal ambition.

Sadly, this is happening under a president who, as an opposition leader two decades ago, warned that Nigeria must never become a one-party state. Yet, the current gale of defections suggests a slow drift toward political monopoly, where dissenting voices are weakened, opposition structures dismantled, and governance becomes an echo chamber. A healthy democracy thrives on competition, debate, and ideological alternatives; when all that remains is the quest for self-preservation, governance becomes an act of consolidation rather than service.

For the Nigerian electorate, the implications are profound. Every defection that is not anchored on principle further erodes trust in the system. It reinforces suspicion and voter apathy. Why vote, many ask, when politicians change sides without shame or accountability? Why participate when loyalty to the people means nothing compared to loyalty to power? The electorate’s confidence is the oxygen of democracy; without it, the entire system suffocates.

The way forward must therefore begin with a return to political ethics and institutional reform. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the judiciary must strictly enforce constitutional provisions on defection, especially the clauses that require lawmakers to vacate their seats when they defect without a division in their party. Political parties, for their part, must strengthen internal democracy and make loyalty to principles more rewarding than loyalty to personalities.

Civil society and the media also have a crucial role: to call out opportunism and amplify the voices of ordinary citizens who feel betrayed. Democracy cannot thrive where accountability is selective or where political betrayal is normalised as a strategy.

Most importantly, the electorate themselves must rise above resignation. Nigerians must learn to reward integrity and punish inconsistency at the polls. Every vote should become a statement against political impunity. The idea that the people will always follow must be confronted and defeated at the ballot box.

Defection should be a tool for ideological realignment, not a shortcut to power. The politicians may believe they have mastered the game, but history shows that no political elite can permanently outsmart the people. When citizens finally awaken to the power of their vote, no gale of defections will be strong enough to subvert their will.

Until then, the current political drama will continue to play out like a bad movie, one in which the audience is forced to watch but never asked to choose the ending.

The National Single Window (NSW) Secretariat in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has deepened understanding and support for the ongoing implementation of the NSW project among stakeholders in the South East and South-South region.

The National Single Window project, according to the organisers, which is expected to be operational by first quarter (Q1) of 2026 as directed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is aimed at achieving the $1 trillion economy by year 2030 in line with world economic growth projections for countries.

In his welcome address, Tola Fakolade, Director of the NSW Secretariat, emphasised the government’s commitment to simplifying trade processes and improving transparency across Nigeria’s ports.

Fakolade applauded the efforts of the Nigeria customs service, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and others for their pioneering roles in digitisation of trade processes, while he also provided a project update, sharing key milestones and next steps in the NSW rollout.

Fakolade assured the stakeholders of Federal Governments full commitment towards deploying the NSW to enable the country become a new business destination, while hoping that all bureaucratic bottlenecks hindering trade would be drastically reduced.

‘It will ensure transparency in the system and enthrone predictability when transacting business, eventually reducing cost of doing Business and person to person contacts in the trade ecosystem,’ he stated.

In his keynote address, Kingsley Igwe, Registrars, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), highlighted the NSW’s benefits to traders, noting that importers and exporters stand to gain from reduced bottlenecks, faster clearance and improved competitiveness.

He urged stakeholders to take advantage of the system and leverage it in their businesses, describing it as a one -Stop Shop platform that houses all government related revenue collection agencies, importers and exporters as well as other regulatory agencies, granting them a single access for declarations.

In his opening remarks, Bashir Adeniyi, Comptroller General of Customs, represented by the Zonal Coordinator, Customs Zone C, Headquarters Port Harcourt, Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, Kamal Mohammed, welcomed the stakeholders, insisting that the event was a defining moment for trade facilitation.

The Customs boss called for collaboration of all stakeholders to make the project work, emphasising that no single organisation can achieve meaningful success in isolation but through collaboration.

He stated that with National Single Window, clearance process and procedures as well as documentation would be easier and faster, thereby reducing cost of trade even as he said that collective purpose was the watchword.

Also present at the event, the President of the Association of Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Emeka Nwokeoji and the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Shippers Council, Pius Akutah, applauded the initiative and called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to ensure its success

Evidence emerging from the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has revealed that Samuel Anyanwu, the party’s National Secretary, co-signed the PDP’s letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during its 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

According to multiple reports from the meeting, the letter to INEC was co-signed by the National Chairman of the Party, Iliya Damagum, including Samuel Anyanwu.

An official of the party told BusinessDay that ‘Anyanwu did not deny or contest the signing when PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, publicly announced during the same NEC meeting that ‘all communication to INEC has been signed by our National Working Committee (NWC).’

‘The document in question emanated from the party’s 102 NEC meeting and Governor Bala Mohammed’s speech was never disputed by Anyanwu or any other person.’

According to him, ‘Mohammed’s statement was made in front of party leaders, stakeholders, including Anyanwu and INEC observers.’

The source who did not want his name in print, emphasised that ‘the NWC’s in their collective action, agreed to maintain party unity and proceed with the Ibadan 2025 national convention process.

‘Anyanwu was present at the meeting and remained silent on the matter, allowing the announcement to stand without objection.’

The reaction followed reports that the party’s National Secretary has petitioned INEC, the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS), claiming that his signature was forged.

Our sources dismissed the allegations, adding that ‘Anyanwu and his cohorts may have resorted to this when they noticed that their plans to use state Chairmen to scuttle the planned Ibadan convention has failed.’

Despite the growing threats, our source insisted that the convention will proceed as planned.

For instance, as part of the plans, several subcommittees, including those of ‘Special Duties and Accommodation sub Committees’ will meet on Monday to consolidate their plans.

‘As you heard from Governor Seyi Makinde last week, whoever is working against this convention is planning suicide.

‘It is a moving train and you cannot stand against a moving train, otherwise such a person will be crushed.’

Lifemate Furniture opened a new showroom in Lekki on Saturday, responding to the growing demand for quality homes and furniture in Lagos’s expanding residential and commercial corridors.

The furniture maker recently celebrated 19 years of operation in Nigeria, becoming one of the country’s most recognizable furniture brands, known for its mix of locally and internationally sourced products. The new outlet, situated along the Lekki-Ajah Expressway, is designed to bring the brand closer to the growing number of customers moving into the area.

‘Many of our customers have moved to this area and wanted us to open closer to them,’ said Emeka Shao, area manager at Lifemate Furniture. ‘The Lekki corridor is growing fast, and we’re positioning to serve that growth.’

The showroom will also introduce Lifemate’s expanded business model, which shifts from display-only sales to personalized design and customization. Showroom manager, Merry Nwigwe, said this new model gives customers greater flexibility.

‘Before now, customers could only buy what was on display. Now, customers can bring their own designs. Here, we’re focusing on customization; allowing customers to bring their own designs. Whatever they imagine, we can build. From living rooms and kitchens to wardrobes and office furniture, we’ll help them bring their ideas to life.’

For long-time customer Omoleni Hassan, who recently moved to the area, expansion brings convenience.

‘I used to live on the mainland and was a regular at their Ikeja branch,’ she said. ‘Now I can walk here from home. Their furniture is sturdy, affordable, and beautiful. And their services – from packaging to setup – are excellent.’

The new showroom offers design consultations, 3D layout planning, custom furniture production, and professional installation. The company described it as part of a broader plan to make Lifemate a ‘one-stop solution for whole-house customization’ in Nigeria’s competitive home décor market.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the schedule for the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and the conduct of a mock accreditation exercise ahead of the 2025 Anambra State Governorship Election.

In a statement signed by Victoria Eta-Messi, Director of Voter Education and Publicity, the Commission said PVC collection for voters who registered during the recent Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise would hold from Wednesday, 22nd to Sunday, 26th October 2025.

INEC advised all eligible voters who participated in the CVR to visit the Registration Areas where they initially registered to collect their PVCs within the stipulated period. It emphasised that PVC collection would be strictly in person as collection by proxy would not be allowed under any circumstances.

The Commission noted that the exercise is crucial for voters who intend to participate in the forthcoming Governorship election in Anambra State, urging all registered voters to make use of the opportunity to collect their cards.

As part of its preparations, INEC will also conduct a Mock Accreditation Exercise on Saturday, 25th October 2025 in selected polling units across the three Senatorial Districts of the State.

The exercise, according to the Commission, will test the upgraded Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), assess its response time, and evaluate the process of uploading results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) Portal ahead of the main election.

The mock accreditation will take place in the following polling units:

Senatorial District LGA Registration Area Polling Unit

Anambra Central Awka South Amawbia II (03) Igwédimma Primary School I and II (006, 007)

Anambra Central Idemili North Nkpor II (06) Ububa Village Square (035), Ifeadigo Hall (063)

Anambra North Oyi Nteje III (07), Nteje IV (08) Girls Secondary School (005), State Primary School (002)

Anambra North Anambra East Aguleri II (02) Central School (001), Umunoke Public Square I (002)

Anambra South Aguata Ekwulobia I (06), Ekwulobia II (07) Central School (003), Urban Girls Secondary School (009)

Anambra South Orumba North Ajalli I (01) Primary School (007), RCM KDT School (011)

INEC encouraged voters in these selected polling units to participate actively in the exercise, noting that their involvement would assist the Commission in fine-tuning its operational and technological processes before the election.

Reiterating its commitment to operational efficiency, transparency, and stakeholder confidence, the Commission assured that all necessary measures are being put in place to ensure a smooth and credible governorship election in Anambra State.

The social media was alive last week with the news that one Adebayo Ogunlesi has described Nigeria as an ‘exciting’ investment destination and, by implication, tacitly endorsed Tinubu’s economic reforms. ‘Nigeria is now an exciting place to invest in. Many more opportunities have opened up.’ So declared Adebayo Ogunlesi.

For those who might be living on Mars or don’t know much about international investment, Bayo Ogunlesi is almost as big as they come. Now in his early 70s, he has spent the better part of his life packaging investments around the world, mainly in ports – air and sea – and in energy.

Although he has been a silent but effective global player, he came into public awareness when he led a consortium to buy one of the biggest and busiest airports in Europe. He had invested in Africa before and, by his own admission, had come as near as Cotonou, but he had never until now touched Nigeria with a long pole. This makes his current decision to invest in Nigeria a big deal because of its likely domino effect, especially since he also has the ears of some Western economic and political leaders.

I sent the video clip of his tacit endorsement to a close friend of mine who is also Ogunlesi’s friend. Not only were they classmates at Kings College Lagos, but they also both took the same course at the prestigious Oxford University in the UK on Federal Government scholarships. Thereafter, they both went to the US for higher education. Both were obviously academically proficient, if not actually brilliant.

While my friend came back to Nigeria after obtaining his master’s from another Ivy League university in the US, Bayo Ogunlesi stayed put in America. And the tale of these two gentlemen from a similar background – Yoruba and Ijebu – took a slightly different turn. One became a global player, the other a local one. Although my friend often lamented his decision to come back to Nigeria, citing Ogunlesi’ achievements, I know he has done well for himself. At least, better than most. It now gets interesting.

While Ogunlesi has now embraced Tinubu’s reforms, and he is urging others to do the same, my friend does not and cannot be made to see anything good in Bola Tinubu. Yet, I first heard of Bola Tinubu’s gubernatorial ambition, years back, through my friend. They had worked together to effect this ambition, and he was to take a prominent position in the cabinet. Then they had a massive fallout. More than 25 years later, he has neither forgotten nor forgiven Tinubu. So now, while one gentleman is a new convert to Tinubu, the other was an erstwhile convert who has distanced himself completely.

The tale of these two gentlemen can be extended to Nigeria’s larger society. Over the years, I have met many people who stood by Tinubu and swore by him in the past, especially during the Chicago University palaver, who have now distanced themselves. Some are bitter at the way they felt they were ‘used and dumped’. Many have simply moved on. It can’t all be the fault of Asiwaju Tinubu, however, as no relationship is ever one-sided. Besides, twenty children cannot play together for twenty years, according to a Yoruba adage.

It is simply not easy to manage the expectations of so many people for twenty-five years and more. Especially political expectations. Many in today’s opposition fall into the category of erstwhile political colleagues who had dined and wined with the President while in the trenches but have now fallen out largely due to unfulfilled political expectations. It is easy, human even, to exaggerate one’s contributions to a cause or a relationship. It is perhaps worse in politics, where ego plays a major role. After all, permanent interests, as opposed to permanent friendships, are what politicians live by.

Where I draw the line, however, is with people who de-market the country because of their soured relationship with its leadership. Those who discourage foreign investments and capital flow and yet go ahead to lament insecurity and unemployment in the country. Those who rejoice at bad news but discount or completely ignore good news about the country. These are people who will expect patriotism and unity if they get to power and yet are the chief architects of disunity and unpatriotic attitudes in the polity. Among them are sponsors of banditry and terror.

Among them are amplifiers of all that is bad with the country just because they want to make the current leadership look bad. I am not against opposition, as it keeps leadership on its toes and could prevent a country from sliding into fascism. But there is a daylight difference between a country and its current leadership. One is permanent; the other temporary. The preachers of hatred should listen to and heed what Hakeem Belo-Osagie, another global investor and another King’s College Old Boy, said: ‘If Nigerians, including those in the diaspora, don’t invest in the country, we should not expect others to do it.’ In other words, if Nigerians give up on their country, they should not expect foreigners to salvage it for them.

Meanwhile, to hear these people talk at different fora during Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary celebrations, one would think this government has done nothing positive since it came to power despite the positive turn in the economy and attendant favourable comments from international organisations. Worse, one would think Nigeria at 65 is a massive failure, forgetting the roles each played in Nigeria becoming what it is today. It is true that Nigeria has not fulfilled its massive potential. It is true that leadership has been a problem, and that includes many of those decrying the country today. But it is not all gloom and doom with the country, as some people would want us to believe.

This same country has produced a Nobel Laureate and several literary giants. This same country has produced a Commonwealth Secretary General and many continental leaders in ECA and ADB. The country has produced a WTO top boss and many in the World Bank and the UN. Our doctors and engineers are making waves all over the world. International investors like Ogunlesi and Belo-Osagie abound. These are people who have risen above limitations and barriers. They are people who have not allowed themselves to be swayed by naysayers from achieving personal goals. They are people who have blossomed where they have been planted by God. It is not an accident that God planted you in Nigeria. Dig deep and find your niche.

There are people like Ogunlesi who believe that exciting opportunities have opened up in the country. There are people like his friend and classmate, who believe the country has taken a turn for the worse. The side you join and the choices you make can determine where you will be in a few years’ time. Make no mistake, new billionaires, entrepreneurs and technocrats will continue to be made in the next few years. You can envision yourself as one of them, or you can choose to wallow in negativity. Either way, the world – and Nigeria – will move on.