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A 23-year-old woman has been arrested over alleged involvement in abduction and robbery of a businessman of ?24 million and his Toyota Highlander SUV in Nkwelle-Ezunaka in Umuoji in Idemili North local government area of Anambra state.

Police Spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga who disclosed this on Wednesday, said Okonkwo Onyinye, was arrested by Police operatives in collaboration with members of Agunechemba Security outfit.

He said the victim was forced into the boot of his vehicle after his abduction and driven to a bush and dumped after being dispossessed of the ?24 million.

Ikenga however revealed that the stolen vehicle with registration number RBC 649 CN was recovered while the suspect was assisting assisting with credible information to arrest her accomplices.

He said: ‘Anambra State Police Command operatives attached to the 3-3 Police Station, in collaboration with Agunechemba Security, Nkwelle-Ezunaka Unit, in the early hours of October 27, 2025, arrested one Okonkwo Onyinye, aged 23 years, a female accomplice in a reported case of armed robbery and kidnap incident.

‘The team also recovered a snatched Toyota Highlander SUV of the victim in Ogidi.

‘Preliminary information revealed that the victim was double-crossed by five armed men operating in a Toyota Corolla car at Nkwelle GRA Gate.

‘The suspects forcefully placed the victim in the boot of his vehicle and drove off to a bush in Umuoji Town, where they dispossessed him of his phone and transferred the sum of ?24,000,000 from his account before abandoning him and escaping with the vehicle.

‘Following the report, the Joint Security Team, acting on technologically driven intelligence, traced the movement of the suspects to Nawfia and subsequently to Ogidi, where the armed hoodlums engaged the operatives in sporadic gunfire before fleeing the scene.

‘Meanwhile, the Toyota Highlander, white in colour with registration number RBC 649 CN, was recovered and the female accomplice, Okonkwo Onyinye, was later arrested at the scene.

‘She is currently assisting Police detectives with credible information that will aid in the arrest of other fleeing gang members.

‘Furthermore, the Police have intensified patrols within the State, ahead of the Anambra State Governorship Election scheduled for November 8, 2025. Further developments will be communicated accordingly.’

The Presidency through the Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado, has expressed happiness on the smooth screening and confirmation of appointments of the Service Chiefs by the Senate .

Senator Lado in a statement said: ‘As the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, I facilitated this crucial interface to ensure a smooth and coordinated engagement between the Executive and the Legislature, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to effective governance and national security.

‘The appointment of Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede (Chief of Defence Staff), Major Gen. Waidi Shaibu (Chief of Army Staff), AVM Sunday K. Aneke (Chief of Air Staff), and Rear Admiral Idi Abbas (Chief of Naval Staff) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, represents a strategic step towards strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and fostering synergy among the Armed Forces for the protection of our nation’s sovereignty and citizens.

‘I extend my profound appreciation to the President of the Senate, the Senate Leadership, and Distinguished Senators for the prompt and thorough consideration that led to the confirmation of the new Service Chiefs.

‘Their commitment underscores the strong collaboration between the Executive and the Legislature in advancing the national interest and ensuring the security and stability of our dear nation’

Ordinarily, the phrase ‘red letter’ is used to describe something, such as a day or an event, of special significance. For example, October 1 every year is a red letter day in Nigeria, because the country attained independence on that date in 1960. That was a joyous and memorable event. However, not all red letter days are joyous moments. The day misfortune fell on New York City by way of a terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001, was a red letter day too.

If you wish to understand how The Red Letter issued on October 22, 2025, by the Coordinating Minister, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammed Ali Pate, has elements of both types of red letter and more, please follow me through the following semiotic analysis of the letter.

It was Roland Barthes (1915-1980), the French philosopher, literary theorist, and semiotician, who popularised an interesting rubric for analysing sign systems from a variety of perspectives. He found semiotics, the study of signs, a useful way of exposing contradictions and revealing hidden meanings. For example, Barthes showed how a simple advertisement, that of Panzani, a brand of pasta (spaghetti), could be analysed from multiple levels to reveal iconic and symbolic signs as well as surface (denotative) and hidden (connotative) meanings at the same time (see Rhetoric of the Image in his book, Image Music Text, London, Fontana, 1977, pages 32-51). In the following analysis, I juxtapose the various levels of meaning as I go along.

At the iconic level, Pate’s letter is set against a red background in its digital representation. Although the print of the digital copy is white, the red background captures attention much more than the white print. It literally makes the letter red. However, we begin to get the meat of the letter once we begin to decipher the white print.

But what does the white print say? Many things, some direct, others indirect. First, the words confirm the disbursement of N32.9 billion to the commercial bank accounts of ‘primary care facilities in every ward across the country.’ Wait! There are 8,809 wards across the country. That means that there are 8,809 primary care facilities across the country. And how much does each ward get from this pot of money? You do the math. But remember to multiply your answer by three, since the minister says this is ‘the third round this year.’

Second, the letter is presented as an invitation from the federal government to the various communities to help safeguard the spending of the fund by ensuring that it is monitored. There is a much deeper meaning here. Here is a government promoting participatory democracy, by appealing to the people not to ‘stand aside,’ at a time when some cheeky politicians are screaming the death of democracy.

Nevertheless, there is a sense in which the people’s lethargy makes room for the perceived death of democracy: They are not participating as they should, and the letter is very explicit about the problem: ‘Our community members and institutions do not ask how the money is used, or if it reaches the people it was meant for’.

Hence the government’s direct appeal in The Red Letter:

‘Stand up and take ownership

Go to your health facility

Join the committee

Review the plan

Demand openness

Celebrate progress

And above all, make sure the fund truly protects the health of your people.’

Third, there is an indirect appeal to the elite and those who are literate enough to be able to read The Red Letter to disseminate the information: ‘Let this Red Letter reach every community, every ward, and every home. Let it remind us that the health of Nigeria lives in the hands of Nigerians.’ I am doing my own bit here by reproducing The Red Letter and analysing it. You should do your own bit too, by sharing this article with as many people as possible. Make it a point of duty to tell at least ten people to find the primary health care facility in their ward and follow the money by taking part in ward activities and making enquiries about funding.

It must be emphasised, however, that this Red Letter carries far-reaching implications for accountability and citizen engagement beyond wards. Since the return to democracy in 1999, state governments have not been sufficiently accountable to those they were elected to serve. Local government councils and their wards have been shut out of their funds by their respective state governors. It has been reported numerous times since the inception of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration that states have been receiving increased allocations from the Federal Account Allocation Committee, compared to previous years due to the economic reforms by the administration.

Indeed, in the last few months, states have been receiving more funds than the federal government. For example, in September 2025, FAAC’s disbursements were as follows: federal government N711.314 billion; state governments N727.170 billion; and local government councils N529.954 billion. On top of their allocations, oil producing states also received a total of N134.956 billion as 13 percent derivation. These past few months would be the first time in over two decades that states would receive a larger share of FAAC allocation than the federal government. Yet, there is little to show for the increased allocations in many states of the federation. This led me to raise the alarm in September (see Your governor has your money, ask him for it, The Nation, September 3, 2025).

This situation also led the present administration to approach the Supreme Court to seek the loophole in the constitution in granting financial autonomy to local councils. Even then not much development has happened in the councils. It is alleged that some governors had their local council chairmen swear to an oath of secrecy or sign a fund sharing agreement on their council’s funds!

The Red Letter now shows that the ministry of health has even bypassed the councils by going directly to wards and calling on citizens to seize the opportunity by participating in the oversight of their health care facilities. But this is not the first time the federal government would target wards directly. Early in August, President Tinubu approved a ward-level development strategy designed to drive grassroots economic growth and address poverty across Nigeria’s 8,809 wards. It is the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme (RHWDP), which is integral to the Renewed Hope Agenda that targets a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

Just as Minister Pate appealed to citizens to participate in the affairs of primary health care facilities in their wards, so did President Tinubu appeal to state governors to prioritise the welfare of their citizens at the local level: ‘I want to appeal to you; let us change the story of our people in the rural areas. The economy is working. We are on the path of recovery, but we need to stimulate growth in the rural areas.’

At the end of the day, The Red Letter and the President’s appeal to governors are coded messages: governors should perform and citizens should hold them to account through participation and oversight.

British Council, in collaboration with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, and support from Investment Climate Reform (ICR) facility, has launched Impact Advisory Group (IAG) to strengthen access to finance for MSMEs and bridge the N3 trillion funding gap hindering their growth in Nigeria.

This was unveiled at the National Roundtable on MSME Financing: ‘Sustaining Impact: Achieving N3 Trillion Inclusive Financing Options for MSMEs in Nigeria,’ in Lagos.

It brought together government representatives, development partners, financial institutions, and private sector leaders to chart coordinated strategies for inclusive MSME financing and policy reforms.

Country Director of British Council, Donna McGowan, said the partnership reflects the council’s commitment to deepening Nigeria’s reform ecosystem and promoting inclusive economic growth.

‘As ICR programme winds down, sustaining outcomes are a priority,’ McGowan said. ‘IAG is a platform to sustain business environment reforms, promote access to finance for women-owned businesses, and establish mechanisms for accountability and coordination among stakeholders.’

Convener of IAG and Chief Executive of Octovio Development, Nelson Okwonna, said the group was set up to harmonise efforts of government, private sector, and donor actors in the MSME ecosystem.

‘We realised interventions for MSMEs operate in silos.’The IAG seeks to connect those efforts, close the funding gap, and ensure impact is scaled beyond donor cycles.’

Representing SMEDAN’s chief, a director, Dabureje Onesi-Lawani, stressed the agency’s resolve to improving MSME competitiveness through data-driven policy and public-private collaboration.

He said: ‘SMEDAN has benefited from ICR facility in initiatives as National MSME Policy (2021-2025) and studies on women’s access to finance, but sustaining the impact requires a platform like IAG.

‘The collective effort that begins today is aimed at closing the N3 trillion funding gap, and every stakeholder must be part of that process.’

National Escrow Member of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Chief Kola Akosile, emphasized the private sector’s role in formalizing and supporting MSMEs.

‘MSMEs make up the backbone of our economy but remain grossly underfunded,’ he said. ‘At NACCIMA, we are collaborating with SMEDAN and the CAC to onboard one million MSMEs into the formal sector within a year, offering free chamber memberships to support growth and accountability.’

Similarly, Mr. Iliya Anthony, Managing Director of the Kaduna State Enterprise Development Agency, shared insights from the Kaduna model, where the government has disbursed over ?3 billion to small businesses.

‘Kaduna is leading by example,’ Anthony said. ‘We believe access to finance, markets, and training must go hand in hand. Another ?1 billion will be rolled out next month to support more SMEs and promote financial inclusion for women in rural areas.’

A key highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SMEDAN and IAG’s implementing partners, EFInA, FATE Foundation, Sterling One Foundation, Africa Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA), Impact Investors Foundation (IIF), and Octovio Development Company, to sustain and scale inclusive financing reforms nationwide.

During the roundtable, Okwonna delivered a lead presentation titled ‘Achieving ?3 Trillion Inclusive Financing for MSMEs in Nigeria,’ describing what he called the ‘MSME financing paradox.’

‘Private sector loans have grown to ?77 trillion, yet less than two percent reaches MSMEs,’ he said. ‘Only about 25.9 percent of women entrepreneurs have accessed formal financing despite MSMEs contributing 46 percent to GDP and 87.9 percent to employment.’

Participants later engaged in breakout sessions on Asset Financing, Trade Finance, Agricultural Finance, and Start-up Equity Financing. Recommendations included creating state-level matching funds and de-risking instruments for MSMEs, promoting blended finance, expanding equity and impact investment, and strengthening digital trade finance infrastructure.

In his closing remarks, Director of Programmes at the British Council, Mr. Chikodi Onyemerela, praised the collaboration between government and private partners.

‘This launch represents more than an event it is a movement toward sustainable MSME growth, we must continue this collective effort beyond donor cycles to ensure financing reforms reach every level of Nigeria’s economy’, Onyemerela said.

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has said Abuja’s ‘Smart City Vision’ is being driven by strategic investments across five key areas.

He named the areas as Urban Mobility, Sustainability, Public Safety, Digital Governance and Economic Empowerment.

Wike, who spoke at this year’s edition of Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), also announced that Abuja was actively collaborating with international agencies and private sector actors.

The minister named the projects in which international agencies and private sector actors are partnering, including JICA on smart water metering, Chinese support for intelligent traffic lights, and ongoing ventures such as the Abuja City Walk and the Abuja Industrial Park.

These, he stressed, reflected Abuja’s commitment to leveraging public-private partnerships and city-to-city exchanges to accelerate innovation.

Wike had met with the UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, who also oversees the Political Affairs Office of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

A statement yesterday in Dubai by the minister’s Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, said Wike joined global mayors and city leaders at the event to highlight ‘Abuja’s bold steps toward becoming a world-class smart city’.

Apart from the FCT Minister, other speakers at the forum, which was moderated by the Lead of the Sustainable Urban Development Portfolio, UNESCWA, Dr. Sukaina Al Nasrawi, were: the Director of Data and Statistics Planning and Governance, Digital Dubai Authority, Sara Al Zarooni; the Executive Director of Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Dubai Future Foundation, Saeed Al Falasi; the Deputy CEO and Head of Investments, Crescent Enterprises, UAE, Tushar Singh Singhvi, and Chief Sales Officer, Asia, Middle East and Africa of Wilo Group, Lyman Tu.

Wike was accompanied to the event by the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Legal and Multilateral Cooperation, Benedict Daudu; the Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, Richard Yunana Dauda; the Director, Department of Development and Control, Mukhtar Galadima; the Director of Engineering Services, Chuks Udeh, and the Director of Protocol, Sani Musa Daura.

The minister underscored Abuja’s unique status as ‘a purpose-built and ever-evolving capital with a clear master plan, vision, and mission anchored on service delivery to citizens’.

He said under the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Abuja’s ‘Smart City Vision’ was being driven by strategic investments in five key areas.

Expatiating the key areas, Wike said: ‘Urban mobility is about the expansion of transportation networks, intelligent traffic systems, and public transport solutions to reduce congestion and enhance accessibility.

‘Sustainability is about smart waste management, renewable energy adoption, and waste-to-wealth initiatives aimed at a cleaner, greener environment.

‘Public Safety entails deployment of smart solar streetlights, CCTV surveillance, and rapid emergency response systems to improve security.

‘Digital Governance involves the creation of platforms like the FCT Call Centre and digitised land registry to promote citizen engagement, transparency, and efficiency in service delivery.

‘Economic Empowerment revolves on creating jobs and attracting tech companies by expanding Abuja’s digital environment.’

The minister stressed the essence of data in shaping opportunities for Abuja’s youths.

He alluded to Nigeria’s upcoming National Employment Database in partnership with global development partners.

‘This system will match skills with job opportunities, guide targeted training, and support entrepreneurship programs led by the Abuja Enterprise Agency,’ he said.

The minister stressed that ‘Abuja’s transformation into a smart and sustainable city was not only about technology, but about placing citizens at the center of development – building a safer, more inclusive, and prosperous environment for all’.

Rapper Odumodublvck has addressed the backlash trailing his recent interview with BET Network, where he was quoted as referring to female artists like Bloody Civilian and Smur Lee as ‘Z-list artists.’

During the interview, Odumodublvck spoke on supporting upcoming talents without demanding anything in return.

‘I can help you without taking anything from you, same thing with the girls. I want to be able to give girls deals without having to compromise themselves.

‘The last time a Nigerian girl was number one on the chart, I think it was probably me. I’ve gone number one with two girls, Smur Lee and Bloody Civilian, and they were not A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H artists – they were Z artists. But yes, they went number one. That’s to show you that girls out there, you can do your thing without compromising,’ he said.

His remark sparked widespread criticism online, with many calling him out for seemingly belittling the mentioned female artists.

In response, Odumodublvck clarified the statement on X, explaining that his words were exaggerated and not meant to discredit anyone.

‘BLOODY IS NOT A Z LIST ARTIST. NEITHER ARE THE NAMES I CALLED.

Z WAS JUST AN EXAGGERATION TO AMAZING FEMALE ARTISTS LIKE SMUR LEE, KENKÉ and VALENTINO, WHO ARE MAKING A NAME FOR THEMSELVES. – THE MACHINE.’

Pan-African Economic Reformer and Founder of the Compassionate Capitalism Economic System, King Charles Lambert, has premiered a groundbreaking African traditional theatre masterpiece titled Wait Until Dawn – a sweeping tragedy that fuses myth, politics, and morality to illuminate the timeless struggle between ambition and truth.

In Wait Until Dawn, Lambert rekindles the soul of traditional African drama, using theatre as a mirror for society’s moral crisis and a beacon for its ethical revival

Lambert, known for merging ideology with artistic expression, uses literature and theatre as tools for African moral and economic awakening. Wait Until Dawn reflects his conviction that financial liberation must be grounded in ethical and spiritual renewal.

Set in the fictional precolonial kingdom of Ameke, the play unravels a gripping tale of royal betrayal, murder, and divine justice. It opens with the shocking assassination of Eze Kalu Ibi, Ameke’s revered king, which triggers a storm of suspicion among his council of elders.

At the heart of the crisis is Akaike, a power-hungry elder whose deceit leads to the tragic downfall of Dike Ugwuala, a proud rival wrongly accused of regicide. Dike’s suicide, borne out of humiliation, exposes the devastating cost of falsehood and moral decay.

‘The house is now on fire. There is no hiding place for the rat anymore,’ says Akaike in one of the play’s most haunting lines – a chilling echo of the corruption and moral tension that drives the drama.

As chaos deepens, the women of Ameke emerge as spiritual anchors. Ogonna, the widowed queen, invokes ancestral spirits in search of truth, while Ugonma, Akaike’s wife, becomes the voice of conscience. In a climactic moment of revelation, Ugonma confronts her husband: ‘Akaike! Akaike! So, you killed my father?’

Her courage pierces the veil of deceit and restores the kingdom’s moral order, affirming the ancient African belief that truth, like dawn, can never be hidden forever.

Rich in proverbs, chants, and traditional symbolism, Wait Until Dawn captures the rhythm and depth of African oral heritage. From lines like ‘The widow’s cat would never leave the rat that stole her fish,’ to ‘When a child cries and points in one direction, if the father is not there, the mother must be,’ Lambert invokes the timeless wisdom of the continent’s moral code.

Critics have likened Wait Until Dawn to the grandeur of Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame and Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman, yet Lambert’s storytelling remains distinct – lyrical, direct, and charged with philosophical and spiritual energy.

Each act of the play builds toward the metaphorical dawn – the inevitable triumph of truth over deceit. From the queen’s incense-filled invocation to Akaike’s blood-soaked confession, the production is designed for visual richness and emotional intensity.

Lambert describes the play as more than art – ‘a cultural statement and moral call to Africa.’

‘The gods may wait, the people may suffer, but justice never sleeps,’ he declares.

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has said energy sent out to the 11 electricity Distribution Companies ( DisCos) rose to 4,871MW on Monday 27th October, 2025 from 4,783MW of Sunday, 26th October, 2025.

This was made known in the Grid Performance Dashboard of the NISO.

Similarly, the document said total energy generated rose to 4,923MW on 27th October, 2025 from 4,783MW of 26th October, 2025.

Meanwhile, as at 16:00 hour on 28th October, 2025, NISO sent out 4,783MW to the 11 DisCos.

According to the load distribution profile of the NISO, 732MW was allocated to Abuja DisCo while 390MW was sent to Benin DisCo.

The document said Eko DisCo got 613MW as Enugu DisCo got 372MW and Ibadan DisCo received 573MW.

NISO added that Ikeja DisCo got 732MW, Jos DisCo 270MW as Kaduna received 309MW.

Kano, said the document, received 321MW, Port Harcourt DisCo got 339MW as Yola DisCo got 139MW.

At 16:00 hours on 28th October, 2025 energy generated by 16 plants was N3,141.58MW.

The Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has said the agency recorded 45,853 arrests of drug traffickers and users, secured 9,263 convictions, and seized over 8.5 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs in the past 30 months.

He added that 26,613 drug users were counselled and rehabilitated in the agency’s treatment facilities nationwide.

Marwa said that the agency’s unwavering commitment to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda has yielded remarkable results in the ongoing war against drug abuse and trafficking.

He said said this on Wednesday, when he presented commendation letters and awards to 220 personnel for outstanding performance in the discharge of their duties while 15 senior officers were decorated with their new ranks.

Marwa further revealed that the agency carried out 9,848 sensitisation activities under its flagship War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, reaching schools, workplaces, markets, motor parks, worship centres, and communities across Nigeria.

‘These figures are not just numbers; they reflect the growing impact of our renewed intelligence-driven operations and the collective national resolve to make Nigeria a drug-free nation,’ Marwa stated.

He reaffirmed the NDLEA’s resolve to sustain the momentum, noting that the agency’s efforts are aligned with the Tinubu administration’s drive for a more secure, productive, and healthy society.

‘The fight against drugs is a fight for the soul of our nation,’ he said. ‘Our commitment remains total, and our results so far show that Nigeria is winning this battle, one community at a time.’

He commended operatives of the NDLEA for raising the momentum of the fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking across the country in the past two and a half years of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has decried the failure of most states to adopt and implement the Urban and Regional Planning Law (Decree 88 of 1992, Cap. 138 LFN 2004) more than 30 years after its passage, calling it a major setback to the nation’s quest for orderly and sustainable urban growth.

Speaking at the National Colloquium on the Implementation of the Urban and Regional Planning Law, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) in Abuja, he expressed concern that only two States, including Katsina, have domesticated the landmark legislation since its enactment in 1992.

‘It is regrettable that more than three decades after the promulgation of this progressive law, only two States, including my home State of Katsina, have adopted and operationalised it. This has contributed to the uncoordinated growth of our cities, the proliferation of informal settlements, and widening gaps between planning ideals and urban realities,’ Dangiwa stated.

He commended the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners for convening the colloquium, describing it as timely and essential for national reflection on how to revitalise planning practice as a tool for sustainable development.

The Minister explained that the 1992 Urban and Regional Planning Law was a bold reform that replaced the obsolete 1946 Town and Country Planning Law – providing, for the first time, a comprehensive framework for land use and physical development across all tiers of government. However, he lamented that weak institutional capacity, inadequate manpower, poor intergovernmental coordination, and low public awareness have hindered its implementation.

Dangiwa noted that the realities of rapid urbanisation, climate change, and technological advancement have further outpaced the provisions of the law, making its review and update both urgent and necessary.

Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to driving the nationwide adoption, domestication, and effective implementation of the law. He added that the Ministry is also working to review and modernise the legislation to align with current realities and emerging global standards in spatial and physical planning.

‘We are determined to ensure that every state of the federation adopts and operationalises this law; urban and regional planning is not a theoretical exercise – it is the backbone of sustainable growth, efficient infrastructure, and social well-being,’ he said.

Dangiwa disclosed that as part of its reform agenda, the Ministry has completed the review of the National Urban Development Policy, approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), and is finalising the National Physical Planning Standards and the National Policy on Rural Settlements Planning and Development to promote balanced regional development and reduce migration pressures on urban centres.

He further cited the Renewed Hope Housing Programme as a practical demonstration of integrated land use and planning principles envisioned under the law, with each housing project reflecting proper spatial planning and environmental sustainability.

‘Through the Renewed Hope Housing Programme, we are showing that effective planning leads to better, more liveable, and inclusive communities,’ he noted.

The Minister urged State Governments, professional bodies, and development partners to work collectively to reposition urban and regional planning as a strategic instrument for economic transformation, social equity, and environmental resilience.