Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

The Federal Government has intensified its drive to implement a National Single Window system at Nigeria’s ports by 2026, in a move expected to drastically cut cargo clearance time and enhance transparency in maritime trade processes.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, speaking yesterday at the second meeting of the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee at the State House, Abuja, said the digital platform-set for rollout in the first quarter of 2026-will harmonise documentation, reduce human contact, and improve efficiency across the ports ecosystem.

‘Our goal is to reduce the average cargo clearance time in Nigeria to under seven days by the end of 2026 and to position our ports among the top three most efficient trade gateways on the continent. The National Single Window will be a game changer’, Shettima said.

He expressed concern over the current clearance delays, noting that cargo dwell time in Nigeria averages 18 to 21 days, compared to five to seven days in Ghana and as little as four days in Cotonou, Benin Republic. According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications Office of the Vice President Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima added that clearance costs in Nigeria are estimated to be 30 per cent higher than in peer economies.

‘These inefficiencies are not just statistics; they are symptoms of an economic ailment that costs us investments, drives up consumer prices, and weakens our export competitiveness.

We simply cannot afford to continue down this path’, he said.

The Vice President also announced that a draft Executive Order mandating joint physical inspections of cargoes-aimed at eliminating multiple examinations and bureaucratic overlap-is with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and will soon be approved.

Shettima directed the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Immigration Service, NAFDAC and other key agencies to produce a roadmap for strengthening the national weights and measures system to ensure consumer protection and fair trade practices.

‘The era of siloed operations must end. Inter-agency rivalry must give way to inter-agency synergy. We are only as efficient as our collaboration allows’, he warned.

Senior officials at the meeting underscored the urgency of reforms. Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Princess Zahrah Audu, lamented the cost of delays to the economy and stressed the need for unified action to improve the business climate.

NPA Managing Director, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, highlighted ongoing efforts including joint inspections and infrastructure upgrades, but said deeper collaboration, technology adoption, equipment improvement, and capacity building remain critical.

‘Until there is partnership, you cannot achieve efficiency at the ports,’ he said.

What worries me most is our attitude, both leaders and followers. A shift in mindset is necessary for Nigeria to advance. Otherwise, we’ll keep going in circles.

People often blame our leaders for everything, but the truth is that the followers are not any better. The same attitudes we condemn in our leaders exist in our homes, offices, churches, and communities.

Whenever I visit Nigeria, I hear people say, ‘Our leaders are corrupt.’ But who are these leaders? They came from among us. They were once followers before they became leaders. They learned their behaviour from the same society we all live in.

If you put many of the people complaining in positions of power today, most would probably do worse. That’s the painful truth.

We all have to look in the mirror. The country will not change until we change – how we think, how we act, how we treat one another, and how we see public service.

Are you saying that both the leaders and the people have the wrong attitude toward politics and governance?

Exactly. For most politicians, politics has become a business; a route to power and wealth, rather than a call to serve.

The moment someone wins an election or gets an appointment, the expectation from family and friends is that money will start flowing through inflated contracts, handouts, or patronage.

And for the average citizen, the mindset isn’t much better. During elections, people demand money before they vote, saying, ‘At least let’s collect something now, because once they win, we won’t see them again.’

That’s a transactional view of politics. No nation can progress with such thinking. Politics must be about accountability and service, not money and connections.

Service to the nation isn’t a favour; it’s a responsibility. If you take a public job, do it well and take pride in it. If you think your salary is too small, look for another job – don’t use public office as a place to extort people.

How does this attitude affect ordinary services and the economy?

You can see it everywhere: at airports, in ministries, in police stations, even in small businesses. People act like they are doing you a favour by simply doing their job. That’s not service; that’s arrogance.

In many countries, business thrives because people understand that service creates trust, and trust brings profit. Here, it’s the opposite. Nigerians want to make all their profit in one day.

During festive seasons, instead of prices going down, they go up. In developed economies, they reduce prices to drive sales and increase turnover. That’s how wealth is built – through consistency and integrity, not greed.

Until we change that mindset, Nigeria will remain ‘potentially great’ but never truly open for business or tourism, despite all our natural advantages.

You’ve also spoken about the lack of national unity. What exactly do you mean?

We don’t think of ourselves as Nigerians first. It’s always, ‘I’m Yoruba,’ ‘I’m Igbo,’ ‘I’m Hausa.’ Even in politics, we talk about zoning – ‘It’s the turn of this region or that tribe.’

Leadership should never be about where someone comes from, but what they can offer. This obsession with ethnicity has destroyed our sense of nationhood.

We must build a Nigeria where competence matters more than tribe or religion. That’s the only way forward.

What particular mental shifts do you want Nigerians to adopt as we approach another election cycle?

We need to institutionalise our political system. Former President Goodluck Jonathan once said we must build institutions, not individuals – and he was right.

Today, everything revolves around personalities. Once a leader leaves, all their projects and ideas die with them. We must build systems that survive leadership changes.

Second, we must end money politics. Elections have become investments for the rich. People buy votes and see political office as a way to recover their ‘investment.’ That’s why honest, capable Nigerians stay away from politics.

Until we separate money from politics, nothing will change.

Third – and this is very important – we must choose service over materialism. Nigerians equate success with possessions. A man thinks he’s made it because he owns cars or builds a mansion.

There’s nothing wrong with ambition or comfort, but when that’s all a person aspires to, it distorts our values. True success is when your community benefits from your work – when you contribute to education, build a clinic, support agriculture, or create jobs.

We must start redefining success and celebrate the teachers, innovators, and quiet reformers who make life better for others. Those are the heroes we should honour.

Nigerians must also renew patriotism and cultural pride. Many of us no longer believe in Nigeria. We glorify foreign goods, send our children abroad, and boast about not using local hospitals.

We must start believing in ourselves again – buy Nigerian, use Nigerian services, and invest in Nigerian institutions. A country that despises itself cannot grow.

You’ve often spoken about restructuring. Why do you think it’s so essential?

Without restructuring, Nigeria will never reach its full potential. The moment we abandoned the regional system that worked so well in the 1960s, we lost our balance.

Back then, each region developed at its own pace, driven by agriculture and local resources. We can’t return to the exact system of the past, but we can reorganise around the current six geopolitical zones.

Each zone should manage its resources, develop its industries, and contribute to the centre. That’s how federalism should work.

Today, many states depend on Abuja for survival. That dependency kills initiative. Restructuring would compel every region to innovate, produce, and engage in healthy competition.

When the military entered politics, Nigeria’s democratic journey was derailed. Successive coups dismantled regional autonomy and replaced a system built on competition and productivity with one built on control and dependency.

Even when General Ibrahim Babangida attempted to create a homegrown democratic model in the late 1980s and early 1990s, his efforts collapsed under political manipulation.

The annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election – widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest – destroyed public confidence and set the nation back decades.

Nigeria must now learn from those missteps and develop a democratic model that reflects its own culture, values, and realities, rather than copying the West wholesale.

Insecurity remains a huge concern – banditry, kidnapping, terrorism. How do we address this?

The current centralised policing system is outdated and ineffective. We need community and state policing that fits within a restructured regional framework.

Local people understand their terrain; they know who belongs and who doesn’t. During the First Republic, regional governments handled internal security more effectively.

People collaborate with law enforcement when they feel responsible for their own safety. That’s how to restore peace – by making security everyone’s business, not just a federal command from Abuja.

A restructured system with empowered regional governments and local police would drastically reduce insecurity and help rebuild trust in governance.

You seem passionate about cultural renewal. What exactly are you advocating?

I want Nigerians to be proud of who they are and what they produce. Today, we crave foreign things – clothes, food, accents, even validation. We look down on local products as inferior. That mentality has to die.

We need a cultural revival – to celebrate Nigerian creativity, values, and resilience. If we don’t value our own culture, no one else will.

Every Nigerian should be an ambassador of the country wherever they go – dignified, hardworking, and proud. That’s the kind of attitude that attracts respect globally.

You’ve also suggested new laws for public officials. Could you explain that?

Yes. I believe there should be a law that makes it compulsory for public officers to use Nigerian hospitals when they’re sick, and to educate their children in Nigerian schools.

Once those at the top are forced to experience the same systems the rest of us use, they will fix them.

Why should a minister of health fly abroad for treatment? Or a commissioner of education send his children overseas? If they must use what they govern, the system will change overnight.

You once mentioned the problem of how political parties are funded. Could you elaborate?

During the First Republic, political parties were funded by members who paid dues regularly. That gave them a sense of ownership.

Party leaders were accountable to the people because they provided the funds for running those platforms.

Today, parties depend on moneybags – wealthy individuals or those already in government. These sponsors often use public funds to bankroll their parties.

That’s why there’s no internal democracy. Candidates are handpicked, primaries are manipulated, and loyalty is bought.

Until we return to member-based funding and transparency, no party will truly serve the people. Our democracy will remain an illusion controlled by a few.

What’s your assessment of the current leadership in Nigeria?

Leadership is one of the few things you cannot fake. You can study it, but greatness in leadership is a gift. You either have it in your bones or you don’t.

A great leader inspires without trying. Even as a cleaner or market woman, you can see leadership in how they carry themselves.

President Tinubu, for instance, is a good leader in many respects. But I want to see greatness – leadership that dares to make hard decisions, that restructures the country even if it’s politically risky. That’s what true leaders do.

If you could design the Nigeria of your dreams, what would it look like?

A Nigeria where every citizen takes pride in being Nigerian. A nation where people work hard, respect one another, and believe that service to the country is the highest honour.

I dream of a day when foreigners will pay huge sums to become Nigerian citizens – not because of oil or money, but because of the opportunities, culture, and stability we’ve created.

It’s possible. But it starts with us changing our attitude: from entitlement to responsibility, from greed to service, from division to unity.

Until we fix our mindset, no system, policy, or leader can save Nigeria. The real change begins with the Nigerian in the mirror.

Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, has called on individuals blackmailing and threatening him to stop the distraction, stating that he will not succumb to any form of intimidation or blackmail of corruption from anyone, advising those sending threats to forward their complaints to appropriate quarters.

In a statement signed by the Corporate Affairs Commission Management, it stated that, ‘the attention of the Corporate Affairs Commission has been drawn to recent acts of intimidation and baseless allegations targeted at the Registrar-General.

The management noted that the threat are baseless, and if the individuals are not satisfied with services provided by the commission they have a right to report to appropriate government agencies.

‘Let it be clearly stated that the RG will not succumb to any form of blackmail, distraction, or pressure in the discharge of his lawful responsibilities. If anyone has credible evidence of corruption or wrongdoing against him, they are advised to forward such petitions to the relevant anti-corruption agencies for proper investigation and prosecution, rather than resorting to falsehood and smear campaigns’.

The Commission remains focused on transparency, reform, and service to Nigerians under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Former Senate Leade Ali Ndume has urged the new Chief of Defence Staff, Lt-General Olufemi Oluyede and the Service Chiefs to push for better remuneration for members of the Nigerian Armed Forces to boost their motivation.

The lawmaker gave the advice on in a statement in Abuja following the decoration of the new service chiefs with their new ranks by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

General Oluyede and three other service chiefs were screened and confirmed for appointment by the Senate on Wednesday.

Aside the new Chief of Defence Staff, others confirmed by the Senate were Major General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff, and Air Vice Marshal Kennedy Aneke as Chief of Air Staff.

The Senator representing Borno South, who incidentally was former Chairman Senate Committee on Army in the Ninth Senate, maintained that better remuneration is key in boosting the morale of the military in the fight against insurgency, banditry and other threats, inimical to security of lives and property of Nigerians.

Ndume said: ‘I have identified four pillars that would make our military formidable at all times and keep security threats at bay.

‘This is what I have tagged as TEAM. The first is Training, second is Equipment, Ammunitions and Motivations in that order.’

The lawmaker also advocated that the present administration should ensure that the military budget be accorded priority by being placed in the First Line Charge.

‘The annual budget of the Armed Forces and Other Security forces should be in the First Line Charge and it shouldn’t be discretionary. They should be front loaded,’he said.

The former Senate Leader noted the salary and allowances of officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces are nothing to write home about compared with their counterparts in neighboring West African states.

Ndume said: ‘In Ghana, the entry-level pay for a private soldier is equivalent to about ?180,000 per month; in South Africa, the basic pay for enlisted personnel starts at about ?250,000 monthly (when converted).

‘In Egypt, junior enlisted officers earn the equivalent of ?230,000-?280,000 monthly; and in Kenya, a private earns about ?200,000, excluding operational allowances.

‘In Nigeria, the average private soldier earns significantly less despite higher deployment frequency and operational demands.

‘The current remuneration and minimum entry-level wage for many personnel across these services have been outpaced by rising living costs, with knock-on effects on morale, recruitment, retention, and operational effectiveness, particularly for personnel deployed in high-risk theatres and remote locations.’

When the Ogun State government launched the Ogun Land Administration and Revenue Management System (OLARMS), it was rightly hailed as a landmark in governance reform, a digital leap designed to make land registration faster, more transparent, and less vulnerable to human interference. In a state celebrated as Nigeria’s industrial capital and gateway to Western civilization, where land is the lifeblood of industrial and urban expansion, this initiative was both necessary and visionary.

Yet as digital innovation meets legal tradition, a crucial question emerges: how can Ogun State ensure that its march toward efficiency does not trample upon professional ethics, the rule of law, and the sanctity of property rights?

No one disputes that OLARMS and the Bureau of Lands’ digitization efforts are progressive.

Digitization reduces red tape, curtails corruption, improves accessibility, and accelerates service delivery. However, a worrying operational practice has emerged.

The platform and Stamp Duties Office currently permit the upload and processing of payment receipts, commonly described as family land receipts, as part of the documentary requirements for issuing a Certificate of Occupancy. While convenient, this practice is legally and professionally problematic.

A receipt is evidence of payment, it is not a land instrument. The statutory and professional framework that governs land transactions, including Section 22(1) of the Legal Practitioners Act and Rule 10 of the Rules of Professional Conduct 2007, reserves the preparation and attestation of instruments affecting land to qualified legal practitioners and requires that documents intended for registration bear the appropriate legal formalities, including franking, proper execution and where applicable, professional stamps and seals. Substituting properly prepared conveyances, assignments, leases or deeds with mere receipts undermines those protections and in practice is chasing legal practitioners out of the vital role of drafting, vetting and preparing land instruments.

The courts have consistently reminded us that formal requirements are not empty technicalities. In Okafor v. Nweke, the Supreme Court held that processes signed by unqualified persons are fundamentally defective.

By logical extension, documents that do not meet the formal criteria for registrable instruments cannot safely or legitimately be made the principal evidence of title. Treating receipts as equivalent to instruments increases the risk of fraud, fosters uncertainty of title, and sets the stage for future litigation.

That said, the reality of general practice must be acknowledged.

Families will continue to issue receipts. The remedy is not to criminalize private receipts but to ensure they are not elevated into mandatory or determinative documentary requirements for registration.

At a minimum, receipts should be optional supplementary evidence of payment, admissible to show consideration where relevant, but never a substitute for properly executed legal instruments or for the professional due diligence that lawyers provide, including searches at the Lands Registry, the Surveyor General’s Office, CAC checks, compliance with Governor’s Consent requirements, correct stamping and other statutory compliance. In short, digitization should improve access to services without displacing the legal safeguards that protect property rights and preserve the role of legal practitioners in land conveyancing.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, land and property disputes account for nearly 65% of civil litigation in many states’ high courts, while the Bureau of Lands in Ogun has publicly acknowledged significant backlogs in title regularization caused by defective documentation.

A digital platform that does not integrate professional safeguards risks amplifying these problems rather than solving them.

For this reason, the Bureau of Lands must adopt a firm policy of rejecting informal instruments such as handwritten receipts, unsealed agreements, or ‘acknowledgment’ notes as evidence of ownership or as the basis for processing a C of O. Such documents, often prepared by non-lawyers, lack legal validity under the LPA and established case law. A receipt merely acknowledges payment; it does not convey legal title.

A valid conveyance or assignment, properly drafted, stamped, and registered, remains the only legal instrument that can transfer an interest in land. When registries accept informal documents, they inadvertently encourage quackery, enable fraud, and generate a flood of disputes that clog both the courts and administrative systems.

Speaking of instruments, The Land Instruments Registration Law of Ogun State provides in Section 2 that: ‘Instrument’ means a document affecting land in the State whereby one party confers, transfers, limits, charges or extinguishes in favour of another any right or title to or interest in land in the State and includes (a) an estate contract, (b) a certificate of purchase, (c) a power of attorney under which any instrument may be executed, and (d) a deed of appointment or discharge of trustees containing expressly or impliedly a vesting declaration and affecting any land to which section 27 of the Trustee Law extends, but does not include a will. By this definition, a receipt does not and cannot qualify as a registrable instrument.

It merely acknowledges payment; it does not confer or transfer an interest in land. The continued collection or upload of land purchase receipts as registrable documents, even during preliminary assessment at the Bureau of Lands or Stamp Duties Office, is inconsistent with the spirit and letter of this law. The practice not only trivializes land documentation but also invites abuse, fraud, and title disputes.

Global best practices reinforce this approach. In the United Kingdom, the HM Land Registry operates a highly digitized land registration system that enhances public access to property information. However, only solicitors and licensed conveyancers are authorized to prepare and lodge instruments electronically. The reasoning is clear: conveyancing is a legal process, not a clerical one, and professional accountability ensures the integrity of the register.

Similarly, in Ontario, Canada, the Teraview electronic registration system grants the public access to property data but allows only accredited lawyers and licensed conveyancers to submit instruments. In Kenya, the Ardhisasa digital platform, widely regarded as a model for African innovation, lets the public monitor transactions and verify ownership, but restricts the preparation and uploading of instruments to registered advocates, surveyors, and licensed professionals. Across these jurisdictions, a consistent pattern emerges: public transparency and professional control are complementary pillars of trust.

A system that opens its windows to the public while keeping its doors safeguarded by professionals achieves both accessibility and accountability.

Closer to home, Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) provides a useful domestic analogy. While the CAC portal allows anyone to search the company register, only accredited professionals, lawyers, accountants, and chartered secretaries, are permitted to make filings or effect company registrations. This dual structure protects the integrity of the corporate register. It is therefore both logical and necessary that land documentation, an area even more prone to fraud and disputes, should maintain similar professional safeguards within OLARMS. By ensuring that only duly verified, lawyer-prepared instruments enter the system, Ogun State can prevent the digitization process from becoming a breeding ground for future litigation.

Ultimately, the reform of OLARMS is not a struggle for dominance among professions but a defence of institutional integrity. Land documentation and registration lie at the intersection of law, governance, and economic development. When handled by unqualified persons, they breed fraud, litigation, and public distrust. But when managed by trained professionals under a transparent, digital framework, they foster investor confidence, protect state revenue, and promote justice.

Ogun State stands at a defining moment. Its digital transformation efforts can set a national benchmark for transparent and efficient governance if implemented with precision and respect for professional boundaries. A system that accepts only lawyer-prepared and duly verified instruments, rejects informal documents, operates under professional oversight, and provides predictable, transparent processing timelines will not only streamline registration but will secure the very foundation of property rights in the state. That is what true transparency means, not a portal open to all hands, but a process anchored on legality, professionalism, accountability, and trust.

A new breeze is blowing through Nigeria’s sports administration following the recently concluded elections into 18 national sports federations – a process widely hailed as one of the most transparent and peaceful in recent memory. Conducted by the National Sports Commission (NSC), the elections have ushered in a crop of distinguished personalities – from captains of industry to seasoned technocrats and career administrators – all promising to bring renewed hope and direction to their respective sports.

From boxing to shooting, from aquatic sports to tennis, weightlifting to wrestling, the fresh leadership landscape signals a shift towards accountability, innovation and partnership-driven growth. For many stakeholders, it is the first time in years that the governance of Nigerian sports appears to be infused with both experience and professionalism. Therefore, Saturday, 25th October 2025, will surely go down as a watershed in the annals of Nigeria’s sporting calendar as it were.

Addressing the newly elected presidents and board members at the inauguration ceremony held at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, the NSC Chairman, Mallam Dikko , challenged them to view their emergence not as a reward but as a responsibility.

‘This is a call to serve, to innovate and to contribute to the nation’s economic and social development through sports,’ Dikko, the erstwhile 2nd Vice-President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) , said. ‘We expect leaders who will translate investments into tangible outcomes such as competitive athletes, good governance, youth engagement, and infrastructure development.’

Echoing same sentiment, the Director General of the NSC, Hon. Bukola Olopade, praised the credibility of the elections, urging the new leaders to prioritize integrity and transparency.

‘Our focus has been to restore confidence in the system,’ Olopade said. ‘These elections are a testament to our resolve to reposition Nigerian sports as a beacon of integrity and innovation.’

Indeed, many observers see this election cycle as a turning point. For years, sports governance in Nigeria was marred by internal wrangling, lack of accountability and the appointment of disinterested figures. This time, however, the NSC’s deliberately encouraged participation of heavyweight personalities in government as well as some storied professionals and philanthropists all in the bid to clean the augean stables of sports in Nigeria.

Of course, there is nothing new under the earth and indeed in the twists and turns of sporting administration in Nigeria and what the Dikko-led NSC has done was to borrow a leaf from the days of late Pa Isaac Akioye-led NSC which is often regarded as the best regime Nigeria ever had.

In a file interview with our correspondent in March 2003 , the late Akioye enthused how the NSC was able to set the compass of Nigerian sports on the right course and he was of the few that an ignoramus should never be allowed in the administration of sports if there are going to be successes than failures.

‘We changed the face of Nigerian sports while I was at the NSC,’ Akioye said in what was his last major interview before his demise in 2007.’ During our time at the NSC, we brought credible people from outside the civil service to contribute to supports development .

‘ The NSC then was able to attract a lot of good people; people like Alhaji Fashola who was the manager of Barclays Bank at Ojuelegba then. We brought the likes of late Mobolaji-Bank Anthony to support our programme.

‘But how many credible people today would want to go to the ministry to identify with sports all because they have turned administration of sports to personal gains rather than services?’

Offering panacea to Nigerian sporting problems and administration, the respected late technocrat who first made sporting headlines as a teacher at both Wesley College in Ibadan and Government College in Ughelli, said government should return to the old and tested route by resuscitating the NSC.

‘ What I want is for government to revert to NSC than having in place the Ministry of Sports,’ Akioye further said.’ A commission is an elastic administration which could accommodate credible people outside the civil service into sports administration.

‘ I’ve repeatedly suggested this to government because that was what can move our sports forward.’

Indeed, Akioye’s life-long dream for a new direction for Nigerian sports was partly answered with the scrapping of the Ministry of Sports Development and resuscitating of the National Sports Commission in October 2024 by the forward-looking President Bola Ahmed Tinubu under his Renewed Hope Agenda for Sports.

In fact, One of the gains of the bold moves by President Tinubu was evidently the successful elections across 18 federations at the Indoor Hall of the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja last Saturday.

The ‘new kids’ on the block

Among the most talked-about winners in last Saturday’s electoral process is Commodore Mohammed Shettima (rtd.), the newly elected President of the Nigeria Shooting Sports Federation (NSSF). His victory over incumbent Captain Ayoade Bamidele was as narrow as it was symbolic – eight votes to six – ending a prolonged internal stalemate that had paralysed the federation’s activities for weeks.

Shettima wasted no time outlining his reform agenda: ‘As I speak to you right now, we don’t have 100 percent accurate records of our members. We need a mechanism to ensure that every member and every weapon is properly documented. That can only be achieved through a constitutional review.’

The retired Commodore also spoke passionately about expanding the sport’s visibility through corporate partnerships, particularly with the defence and security sectors.

‘Every institution faces funding challenges,’ he noted. ‘We are already engaging foreign stakeholders who are willing to come in. We expect support from companies involved in the arms and defence sector as part of their corporate social responsibility.’

Despite a tense campaign, Shettima remains magnanimous in victory, describing his opponent as a worthy challenger and pledging to reunite the federation.

‘There must be people that will support A and people that will support B,’ he said. ‘We are not divided. We only had preferred candidates.’

Edun returns with magic wand to boxing

Perhaps, the most high-profile of the new sports leaders is Mr. Wale Edun, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, who emerged as President of the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF).

Mr. Edun is not new to pugilism at all . As the former Chairman of the Lagos Boxing Hall of Fame, he has championed youth empowerment through boxing. His election is seen as a strategic move to reinvigorate the sport’s finances and global competitiveness.

‘The leadership of the NSC has shown professionalism in these elections,’ Mr. Edun said after his victory. ‘It’s now our responsibility to ensure a new dawn for Nigerian boxing.’

His presence in the federation brings credibility and importantly, the potential to attract corporate investment – a resource the sport desperately needs.

Corporate minds and sporting spirit

Another prominent figure joining the fray is Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, now President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF). Known for his discipline and strategic thinking, Adeniyi is expected to bring the same organizational acumen that has defined his tenure in public service. Highly regarded by stakeholders within and outside the wrestling federation, Adeniyi is regarded as one of the unseen hands behind the successful regime of his immediate predecessor, Honourable Daniel Igali.

Meanwhile in the cerebral arena of chess, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, former Governor of Gombe State, is now at the helms of the Nigeria Chess Federation. A chartered accountant and former Accountant-General of the Federation, Dankwambo’s background in financial prudence could help institutionalize chess development and competitions nationwide.

Equally notable is Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, who now heads the Nigeria Tennis Federation. Ochei, known for his corporate background and passion for youth empowerment, pledged to align tennis development with the NSC’s broader economic vision.

‘I am proud that Nigerian sports are in the hands of astute administrators,’ Ochei said. ‘I am committed to complementing the commission’s efforts in building a sustainable sports economy through tennis.’

Yet if one federation embodies the grassroots vision of the NSC’s new era, it is the Nigeria Aquatic Federation (NAqF), where Dr. Dunkwu Chamberlain Nnamdi emerged unopposed as President.

An advocate for riverine community development, Dr. Dunkwu’s election is viewed as an opportunity to transform Nigeria’s natural water resources into a talent pipeline for aquatic sports.

‘We are blessed as a nation with enormous aquatic potential – from the riverine areas of the Niger Delta to the lakes and coastlines of the North and West,’ he said. ‘Our mission is to harness that natural advantage, nurture raw talent, and attract sponsors who share our dream of making Nigeria a continental and global force in aquatic sports.’

Stakeholders at the inauguration hailed the diversity and competence of the new board, which includes regional and institutional representatives. With an eye on international competition and infrastructure development, Dr. Dunkwu’s leadership promises to bridge talent discovery with opportunity creation.

Mixed Reactions from stakeholders

While the elections have been widely celebrated, not everyone is convinced that the inclusion of high-ranking government officials as well as ‘money bags’ can translate into effective management if the sporting landscape is still the way it is right now.

Veteran journalist and former Sports Editor of the Nigerian Tribune Newspapers, Mr. Ade Somefun, voiced scepticism.

‘Haven’t we followed this kind of path before?’ he asked. ‘Most of these top government personalities may not have the time to devote fully to sports development. The NSC should have gone for passionate technocrats who understand the sports deeply.’

Somefun feared that political appointments could side-line true sports reformers. However, he admits that time will tell whether the new crop delivers on their promises.

‘I would have wished that the NSC went for people who were experienced enough and passionate about the sports they’ve been involved with over the years and I mean technocrat who can come up with good sporting policies and drive it well to get the necessary results by way of identifying local talents that abound around the country and nurturing them to stardom.

Anyway, I don’t want to cry more than the bereaved, time will tell,’ he added.

Another respected voice, Honourable Frank Ilaboya, former Chairman of Owan West Local Government Area in Edo State, offered a more optimistic take.

‘To me, whoever gets the opportunity to serve should do so with diligence,’ he said. ‘We saw what Uyi Akpata did with cricket while still in corporate service. The key word is passion. What Nigerians want to see is impact, not titles?’

Ilaboya commended the NSC for conducting transparent elections, describing the process as ‘a big improvement from the past.’

‘What Nigerians are expecting is the impact of those given the opportunity to serve, whether big government appointees or not,’ offered Ilaboya, the Executive Director, Sports Business Development, Marketing and Sponsorship at the Edo Sports Commission.

‘Most of the Federations that didn’t perform in the past were not led by government appointees, so the catch word here is the determination to add value.

What I would not personally want to hear is that because of government work, such federation is lagging behind or suffering.

‘ I want to congratulate the National Sports Commission for conducting a fairly transparent and rancour-free elections. There were pockets of dissent here and there but the processes leading to this year’s elections are a big improvement from the past.

‘It’s now left for those elected to brace for the big task ahead,’ he added.

Furthermore, an Olympian and former Nigeria’s 110m Hurdle Champion, Dr. Godwin Obasogie, equally shared Ilaboya’s sentiments.

‘ If anyone elected have sports knowledge, that is ok,’ the US-based Obasogie stated. ‘But for anyone who haven’t been to any sporting arena to manage sports is taking sports back.

‘It’s hard to take politics out of sports but for better results , we need sports’ knowledgeable people. One thing we found going on is appointing politicians to run sports and the politician bringing somebody who is supposed to hold that seat to work under him.

‘In the past and present, we have seen former sports men and women being used by these politicians to do their job. What can a politician who knows nothing about sports contribute in the world of sports meetings?

‘Look at a country like Jamaica who runs sports. Even in Senegal, see who is running the 2026 Youths Olympics. He is a former sports man. I don’t know if that will happen in Nigeria,’ he noted.

The road ahead amid Renewed Hope

Beyond personalities, what distinguishes this election cycle is the NSC’s reform-oriented approach. By emphasizing good governance, financial transparency and grassroots engagement, the Commission appears determined to shift Nigerian sports from a welfare model to a performance-driven ecosystem.

The NSC’s promise to enforce accountability through periodic evaluations and fiscal audits has also sent a clear message that sports leadership is no longer a ceremonial title.

As the new presidents settle into their roles, expectations are sky-high. With Nigeria’s sports sector increasingly viewed as a potential driver of economic diversification, this new leadership era carries both symbolic and practical weight.

If the words of Hon. Olopade are anything to go by, the NSC intends to hold all federations accountable for measurable progress.

‘We are not just inaugurating leaders; we are inaugurating a movement,’ he said. ‘A movement that will redefine how sports are run in Nigeria – through vision, integrity and impact.’

From Commodore Shettima’s bold reforms in shooting to Dr. Dunkwu’s grassroots aquatic mission, and from Mr. Wale Edun’s financial insight in boxing to Ochei’s corporate touch in tennis, a common thread runs through this new wave of leadership: a belief that Nigerian sports can – and must – do better.

Whether these new faces will translate renewed hope into sustainable change remains to be seen. But for now, at least, optimism is back on the field – and in the pool, the ring and the courts.

The Federal Government and the European Union (EU) have signed three landmark agreements to boost local pharmaceutical manufacturing, attract investments, and strengthen reproductive health across West Africa.

The deals, under the EU’s Global Gateway Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies (MAV+) initiative and SRHR flagships, aim to build a resilient health ecosystem by empowering local producers and innovators.

The projects – Enabling Local Manufacturing of Health, Immunisation and Nutrition Commodities in Nigeria (ELM-N), Quality Uplift for Advancing Local Industry in Medicine Standards (Qualimeds Nigeria), and Strengthening Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in West Africa – were announced at the Nigeria-EU Health Investment Forum in Abuja yesterday.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Health, Dr. Uju Rochas, said the agreements reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to a sustainable, innovation-driven health economy.

He cited the Executive Order on local production of pharmaceuticals as a turning point, explaining that the government was strengthening governance, attracting investment, and promoting local manufacturing.

‘Our message is clear: Nigeria is open for health investment, innovation, and impact. The President has made it clear that our health transformation will rely on government-led ownership and innovation, made in Nigeria, for Nigerians, and by Nigerians,’ Shettima said.

EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, described the forum as a demonstration of Team Europe’s commitment to strengthening health systems through strategic investment. He reaffirmed the EU’s long-standing partnership with Nigeria and ECOWAS, highlighting ongoing health projects worth pound 45 million in Nigeria and pound 25 million across West Africa, supported by partners including the Agence Française de Développement and the Gates Foundation.

Budget and Economic Planning Minister, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, hailed the agreements as timely.

He said they aligned with Nigeria’s reform efforts to expand access to quality and affordable healthcare.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, who was represented by Dr. Olubunmi Aribeana, said the Renewed Hope Health Agenda focuses on strengthening local production, expanding access to essential medicines and vaccines, and advancing reproductive health.

‘Local production is not just an economic choice but a strategic health security priority,’ he stated.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, yesterday said that over N30 billion was generated from mining fees and approvals for private mineral-buying centres across the country between January and September.

He said the region contributed N7.2 billion to the total revenue, making it the highest contributor to the mining income.

Alake said it is a significant leap in investor confidence and sectoral growth.

He spoke on the activities of his ministry on the second day of the two-day Southwest Stakeholders Dialogue organised by Afenifere, Southwest governors and the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) held in Akure, capital of Ondo State.

He said: ‘It is with pride that I announce authoritatively here today that between January and September this year, we have recorded over N30 billion as total revenue, and the South-West contributed N7.2 billion, making it the highest contributor to mining revenues of the federal government.’

The minister attributed the revenue boost to reforms and awareness campaigns designed to attract investors into the solid minerals sector, adding that the Southwest is strategically positioned to reap economic dividends from the reforms.

Alake said: ‘The Southwest has the most successful gold mining project in Nigeria – the Segilola Gold Project – which in 2024 declared a turnover of $193 million at its international headquarters.

‘The Segilola Gold Mining Project in Osun State employs over 2,000 workers, 80 percent of whom are youths below 40 years of age.’

Alake said the project pays the highest taxes and royalties in the gold sub-sector, significantly boosting Nigeria’s presence in the global gold market.

He added: ‘This success is credited to Sheikh Horos, the Managing Director and CEO of Segilola Gold in Washington. The project is key to marketing Nigeria at various international forums.’

Highlighting the mineral wealth of the region, Alake described the Southwest as being richly endowed with gold, lithium, limestone, granite, clay, silica, salt, feldspar, kaolin, laterite, quartz, manganese, beryllium, and gemstones.

He said: ‘Our records show that South-West companies hold 1,801 mineral titles, including 630 exploration licenses, 51 mining leases, 284 quarry leases, and 836 small-scale mining licenses.

‘As of October 15, Ondo State had the highest number of titles at 481, followed by Oyo (441) and Osun (374). The South-West’s large concentration of quarry leases also explains the cluster of mining explosives manufacturing companies in the region.’

The minister disclosed that government had licensed 46 private mineral buying centres and registered 369 mining cooperatives with over 5,000 members.

He said the cooperative model serves as a non-kinetic strategy to combat illegal mining.

Alake said the introduction of higher royalties and fees has boosted government revenue and encouraged mergers and acquisitions among mining firms, thereby improving their financial capacity and access to funding.

He stressed: ‘Previously, individuals held as many as 35 mining licenses without operating any. Meanwhile, investors with capital lacked licenses. The review of fees forced consolidation and improved financial discipline in the sector.’

Alake also said that revenues from the Mining Cadastral Office doubled from N6 billion in 2023 to N12.2 billion in 2024, and by last week had climbed by 110 percent to N26.7 billion in 2025.

He added: ‘As we approach the year’s end, we expect even greater achievements.’

Alake said the implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda is bearing fruits.

He said: ‘The Renewed Hope Agenda of your son, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the contract with the Nigerian people. It seeks to revive the hope that Nigerians voted for on June 12, 1993, encapsulated in the manifesto of President Moshood Kashimawo Abiola of blessed memory, the welfarist manifesto aptly titled, Farewell to Poverty.

‘The Renewed Hope Agenda is a potent declaration that those who conspired to murder the hope of the oppressed that MKO symbolized only killed the body. They could not kill the mission and the vision of the man who gave hope to the hopeless and brought smiles to homes and communities all over the world. It is a stoic acknowledgment that the struggle for the development of the Nigerian State as a country whose immense resources have positioned to be the giant of Africa, must continue.

‘All of us in the Federal Executive Council are privileged to be led by a man of vision, a workaholic who thinks on his feet, the financial genius who constantly innovates the economy, the political titan whose grasp of the logistics and permutations of power has no equal.’

He added: ‘At the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, we followed the path of the President by developing the Seven Point Agenda to position the Solid MInerals Sector for domestic consolidation and international competiveness. This entailed reforms designed to clean the sector’s Augean stable of inefficiencies and dysfunctional values and processes.We brought to bear the values of Omoluabi, the values of probity and integrity, compliance with the law and consequences for violation, inclusion and fairness, to the art and craft of governing the mining sector.’

Alake said although there is still much to be done, the trajectory is progressive and even, in several ccases, revolutionary.

He added: ‘Insecurity was a major headache. In Niger, Kebbi and Kogi states, artisanal miners clashed with bandits as farmer-herder confrontations ensued. In Zamfara state, recurrent bandit attacks on gold mining communities, targeting of miners for kidnapping, extortion and raids were so prevalent that the Buhari administration banned mining .

‘ In collaboration with my brother, the Minister of Interior, Dr. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, we established the Mining Marshals from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps. The Mining Marshals has restored over 90 mining sites, illegally occupied by bandits to the legitimate licensees and is prosecuting over 300 violators of the Nigerian Mining and Minerals Act. The restoration of relative order in the sector is evident in the decision of President Tinubu to lift the ban on mining in Zamfara State after the five-year ban.

‘We are putting in place the mines satellite monitoring project. This project, approved by the Federal Executive Council, with an initial take-off fund of N2.5 billion, has captured all the mineral licences and co-ordinates in the country and will monitor movement of persons and trucks in the minerals areas to detect unlicensed, illegal operations and report revenue accruable to the Federal Government from minerals transported from one place to another.

‘The gradual restoration of security, law and order, also supported by the bold conquest of invaders and destruction of insurrectionists by the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force has encouraged miners to return to their sites. The resumption of legal extraction and operations has increased the number of persons employed, the royalties and fees paid and boosted government revenue.’

Against the paltry figure of N8.6 billion collected by the Federal Government from mining in 2022, as soon as we rolled out our reforms on assumption of office, the figure rose to N14.9 billion in 2023. As we introduced more measures, it rose to N38 billion in 2024. And it is with pride that I announce authoritatively that, between January and September, this year, we have recorded over N30 billion as total revenue and South-West contributed N7.2 billion, making it the highest contributor to mining revenues of the Federal Government.

The South- West region is well-positioned to benefit from these reforms. First, it has the most successful gold mining project in Nigeria: the Segilola/Thor project, that in 2024, declared a turnover of $193 million dollars at its international headquarters. It employs, over 2,000 workers and 80 percent of them are youths below 40 years. Segilola pays the highest tax and royalties in the gold mining subsector. And much of this credit for growing Nigeria’s face in the global gold sector goes to your son, Segun Lawson, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Second, with massive mineral deposits given by Olodumare, South West has gold, lithium, limestone, granite, clay, silica sand, feldspar, kaolin, laterite, quartz, mica, beryllium and the world’s best gemstones. Our people are showing interest and are active in the mining sector. Our records show that companies from the South-west hold 1,801 mineral titles out of the 9,592 nationwide. These include 630 exploration licences, 51 mining leases, 284 quarry leases and 836 small scale mining leases. As at October 15, this year Ogun has the highest number of titles with 481, followed by Oyo, 440 and Osun, 374.

The fact that the South West has the largest concentration of quarry leases in the country also explains the concentration of companies manufacturing mining explosives. The Solar Niga Chem and Intrachem operate from Ogun State and feed the mining sector through dealer firms such as Dynatrach and Tuntise.

I am glad that our people are fully involved in the mining value chain. We have issued licences for 46 private mineral buying centres centres and 369 co-operatives with 5,734 members. I must emphasize that establishing co-operatives is the non-kinetic component of our strategy to secure the sector by reducing illegal mining. Osun has the highest number of co-operatives with 158 comprising 1,648 members followed by Lagos, (77) and Oyo (47). Currently, we digitising the register of co-operatives by taking their co-operatives. Not less than 80 has been captured in the South-West so far.

While we encourage more investment in the country, we insist that our people should not be cheated. We encourage all communities on mineral bearing land in Nigeria to set up committees that can engage investors to negotiate the compulsory Community Development Agreement, CDA. The law is very clear: a mining company must sign a CDA, stating in clear terms, how it intends to impact the development of the mining community before commencing mining.

From our records, 99 CDAs have been signed in South West till date. Significantly, not less than 45 communities in the South-West signed CDA between September 2023 and now, indicating the aggressiveness with we have implemented the policy by doubling the CDA record of over 15 years in just two years!

As part of the Seven Point Agenda, we set up the Nigerian Solid Minerals Company as successor in title to the defunct Nigerian Mining Corporation. The company, currently under the Ministry of Finance Incorporated, is expected to have a private sector orientation by having 50 per cent shares of mega mining companies, 25 per cent of the Federal Government and 25 percent of Nigerian shares by IPO.

This company will engage in joint venture projects with local and international investors on brown and green fields, encourage skills transfer and promote gainful employment of Nigerians to create the capital formation necessary to reposition the sector as Nigeria’s next major revenue earner.

Our reforms of the rates regime in licences and royalties have accelerated sectoral stability and boosted revenue. The revocation of 3,794 titles of defaulting and dormant companies have reduced speculation and attracted serious investors. The increase in administration of licence fees and royalties have raised the bar of industrial consciousness by encouraging mergers and acquisitions.

Again, the results are evident in the revenues of the Mining Cadastral Office, that, in one year doubled from N6billion in 2023 to N12.5 billion in 2024. In fact, from January to last week, the figure increased again by about 110 per cent with the record of N26.7 billion revenue. As we approach the end of the year, we are confident that we shall achieve more.

Ladies and gentlemen, our progress at home has been matched with renewed vigour and creativity in attracting investors to Nigeria abroad. Our campaign for value addition, first articulated at the Future Minerals Forum in January, 2024, inspired Ministers of Mining in Africa to set up the Africa Minerals Strategy Group and I was unanimously elected the pioneer Chairman of the AMSG. The gospel of value addition is spreading like wild fire across Africa as more countries abandon the unprofitable and devastating raw minerals export policy for the industrial, job -creating, skills -transferring value addition.

The implementation of this policy by our administration has produced new start-up projects in processing. These include the impending groundbreaking of the $400 million Africa’s largest rare earth plant, the lithium processing plants of Asba Company, Canmax Technology, Avatar New Energy Nigeria Company, totaling $1.7 billion Foreign Direct Investment.

When we consider the multiplier effects of these numerous developments, we will not be surprised by the recent reports of statistical agencies and economic monitors such as the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, NBS and the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, NEITI. The NBS reported that overall growth of the sector rose from 2.84 per cent in 2023 when we took over to 4.85 per cent in 2024. It added that contribution to aggregate GDP moved from 5.56 to 5.64 percent in the period.

I wish to conclude by appealing to the local traditional and modern authorities in Nigeria generally and South West in particular to join our campaign against illegal mining, support for co-operatives and value addition. As it is said, our past is a story already told, our future shall be written in gold.

The Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof. Ahmed Audi, has ordered the deployment of 10,250 personnel to Anambra State ahead of the November 8, 2025, governorship election.

Prof. Audi said the deployment was aimed at ensuring a peaceful, credible, and orderly election, warning that anyone found violating electoral laws would face the full weight of the law.

He explained that the personnel were drawn from tactical units at the Corps’ national headquarters and various state commands across the federation.

Addressing state commandants and heads of tactical squads at the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja, Audi emphasised that the deployment aligns with the Corps’ mandate to collaborate with the Nigeria Police, which is the lead agency in election security management.

‘With effective coordination, cooperation, and collaboration among security agencies, there will be violence-free elections,’ he assured.

The NSCDC boss cautioned politicians and their supporters against making inciting statements or engaging in actions that could trigger unrest before, during, or after the polls.

‘The Anambra election is slated for Saturday, November 8. All intelligence and undercover personnel are to proceed immediately to man identified flashpoints,’ he directed.

‘Tactical forces are to commence round-the-clock patrols, while operatives deployed to polling units and collation centres must adhere strictly to the posting order.’

Prof. Audi reaffirmed the Corps’ commitment to professionalism and respect for citizens’ fundamental human rights, in line with the resolution of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

‘The NSCDC, alongside other security agencies, will monitor the election process and provide adequate protection for election materials and officials on duty,’ he said.

He further disclosed that the deployed operatives were drawn from the National Headquarters Tactical Squad, Zone 13 in Awka, and the state commands of Edo, Kogi, Imo, Abia, Delta, Rivers, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Bayelsa, among others.

One person has been confirmed dead, while eight others were rescued after a three-storey building with a penthouse collapsed at 28 Baale Alayabiagba Street, Ajegunle, Lagos.

The building, which was said to be undergoing manual demolition, caved in around 11:09am yesterday, trapping some of the workers under the rubble.

According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), eight adult male workers were rescued while one man was recovered dead from the debris.

Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed the incident, said emergency responders swiftly moved to the scene following a distress call.

He said: ‘Upon arrival, it was observed that a three-storey building with a penthouse undergoing manual demolition collapsed, trapping some workers under the rubble. Eight adult males were rescued alive, while one adult male was recovered dead’.

Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu added that the injured victims were treated on-site by officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) before being taken to Ajeromi General Hospital for further medical attention.

Responders at the scene included LASEMA, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), LASAMBUS, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Nigeria Police.

Also, multiple accidents on the Kara Bridge axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway causede major traffic congestions across the state. The accident, which occurred barely hours after a fatal crash on the bridge left several people dead, was said to have injured at least one person. it halted movements from Otedola Bridge into Alausa; Eko Bridge, Third Mainland and the Oshodi-Oworonshoki Expressway for several hours.