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Nigeria’s oil revenue prospects are under renewed threat as the country’s crude oil production slipped to its lowest level in 11 months, raising concerns over the country’s ability to meet fiscal targets for 2025.

Data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) revealed that the country’s production fell to 1.39 million barrels per day (bpd) in September, down from 1.43 million bpd recorded in August.

This development indicates a two-month straight decline after falling to 1.43 million bpd in August from 1.51 million bpd in July.

According to the Commission, the total crude oil and condensate production for September 2025 fell to an average of 1.581 million barrels per day, with total condensate at 191,373 million bpd.

NUPRC stated, ‘In September, the industry recorded total crude oil and condensate production of 47.43 million barrels, which reflects a modest 1.61% year-on-year increase in average daily crude oil and condensate production year on year.

‘This is a slight improvement over the 1.55 million bopd recorded in the same month of 2024, an uptick that suggests incremental progress.

‘However, when measured on a month-on-month basis, crude oil and condensate production slightly dropped by 3.09% in September 2025, compared to the 1.63 million bopd recorded in August 2025.’

Further analysis showed that the last time Nigeria’s crude production fell below the 1.4 million bpd mark was in October 2024, when the country’s oil output stood at 1.33 million bpd.

The decline highlights persistent challenges facing Africa’s biggest oil producer, including pipeline vandalism, oil theft, operational disruptions and maintenance in the Niger Delta and industrial actions by workers in the industry.

Despite ongoing efforts by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to curb losses and boost output, the figures remain well below the government’s benchmark production target of 1.78 million bpd set in the country’s budget.

Analysts say this shortfall could widen Nigeria’s fiscal deficit and limit the inflow of foreign exchange at a time when the naira continues to face severe pressure.

NUPRC attributed the development to the three-day industrial action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), which resulted in the shutdown of some production and export facilities.

The PENGASSAN strike began on Monday, September 29, 2025, in response to the alleged mass dismissal of workers at the Dangote Refinery.

The strike was officially directed to start at 12:01 AM on September 29, though some members were initially asked to withdraw services earlier for prayers starting on Sunday, September 28. The strike was later suspended on October 1, 2025, after a resolution with the Dangote Group.

In a statement signed by Eniola Akinkuotu, head, Media and Strategic Communication, the commission also noted that two strategic facilities had a scheduled turnaround maintenance, which led to a reduction in overall production.

NNPC has reportedly recorded a staggering consolidated revenue exceeding N25 trillion in the first eight months of the year, from January to August, according to figures released from the company’s financial summaries.

The figure quoted represents revenue made available by the state-owned oil company between April and August 2025.

Irrelevance today doesn’t look like failure anymore, it looks like business as usual.

Employees are still showing up, still delivering, still attending meetings.

However, in a world where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a trend but infrastructure, the baseline for what counts as valuable work has changed dramatically.

What used to take a department a week now takes an intelligent tool an hour. This is not theoretical, it’s already the norm in marketing, finance, legal operations, management, customer service, and even procurement. Relevance decay happens quietly. It is the product designer who hasn’t tested a generative AI tool for ideation, the Human Resource (HR) manager still scheduling interviews manually, and the team leader using slide decks while competitors are building interactive dashboards in minutes.

Contrary to many opinions, none of these employees are doing anything wrong, but the work they are doing is no longer aligned with what modern performance looks like in this age of speed, scale, and tech-integrated economy.

The hardest part is that these employees often look like your best people on paper. They meet deadlines, show up early, and know the company’s system inside out. But they are not learning new systems, questioning processes, or exploring more efficient alternatives. They have unknowingly become great at yesterday’s work, while tomorrow’s work is already here, and because they are not visibly underperforming, most companies do not see the risk until it is too late. According to the World Economic Forum (2025), the average skill today remains relevant for just 2.5 years, and generative AI is not just automating repetitive tasks anymore; it is redefining entire workflows, and employers expect 39 percent of workers’ core skills to change by 2030.

More strikingly, technical skills may now become obsolete in as little as 2.5 years, down from a previous average of five years. These figures make clear that skills are perishable, and staying still is a risk.

At the heart of the issue is a simple truth: Jobs haven’t vanished, but the value within them has shifted. Learning cycles have been compressed. The people you are paying to perform must now also be learning as fast as they execute. If they are not growing, they are quietly becoming irrelevant, even if they are still in the room.

Another contributing factor is that job expectations are evolving, but performance reviews are not. Most organizations still assess employees on historical key performance indicators (KPIs), without evaluating how well they’ve adapted to current tools or if they’ve redefined their role in light of industry change.

Some employees know this and are already adapting. KPMG found that over two-thirds of enterprise teams plan to spend between $50 and $250 million on GenAI in the next year. While others assume their experience is enough.

The difference? One remains in motion, while the other quietly slips behind, and in this context, staying still is moving backwards.

Leaders need to re-audit what roles require, re-scope jobs around AI-augmented workflows, and reset expectations across the board. This includes creating environments where employees are expected to experiment, integrate, and evolve, not once, but continuously.

The organizations that are winning in this era (2025) will be those that help their people adapt not once, but continuously, to unlock agility, engagement, and innovation, because what is useful today could be obsolete in six months.

This is not about job loss; it is about a value shift, and in 2025, relevance is your most important performance metric.

The Federal Government has finalised the implementation frameworks for a N4 trillion government-backed bond aimed at settling verified arrears owed to power Generation Companies (GenCos) and gas suppliers.

This was made known in a release signed by Senan Murray, Media and Communications Unit, Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, on Tuesday.

According to the statement, the Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Plan is an initiative approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address structural bottlenecks and lay the groundwork for large-scale private sector-led investment and sustained economic growth. The statement stated that the meeting concluded with a consensus on the next steps, including bilateral negotiations to finalise comprehensive settlement agreements that balance fiscal realities with the financial challenges facing the GenCos.

It read: ‘Approved by President Tinubu and endorsed by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in August 2025, the plan authorises the issuance of up to N4 trillion in government-backed bonds to settle verified arrears owed to generation companies and gas suppliers.

‘This intervention, the largest in over a decade, addresses a legacy debt overhang that has constrained investment, weakened utility balance sheets, and hindered reliable power delivery across the country.’ Generation Company (GenCo) owners commended President Tinubu’s intervention, citing a credible and systematic effort by the government to tackle the root liquidity challenges in the power sector.

Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings and Transcorp Power, said: ‘For the first time in years, we are seeing a credible and systematic effort by government to tackle the root liquidity challenges in the power sector. We commend President Tinubu and his economic team for this bold and transformative step.’

Also, Kola Adesina, Group Managing Director of Sahara Group, echoed this sentiment: ‘This initiative is significant in every respect. It gives us renewed confidence in the reform process and a clear signal that the government is serious about building a sustainable power sector.’

Olu Verheijen, Special Adviser to the President on Energy, said that the step would also help in closing metering gaps, aligning tariffs with efficient costs, improving subsidy targeting to support the poor and vulnerable, and restoring regulatory trust. ‘Our focus is on creating the right conditions for investment, from modernizing the grid and improving distribution to scaling embedded generation,’ she said. ‘By closing metering gaps, aligning tariffs with efficient costs, improving subsidy targeting to support the poor and vulnerable, and restoring regulatory trust, we are shifting from crisis response to sustained delivery and building the confidence needed to attract large-scale private capital.’

Shina Fakunle, medical doctor and consultant psychiatrist at Ring Road State Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, has decried fewer psychiatrists serving over 200 million population.

‘In Nigeria, fewer than 300 psychiatrists serve a population of over 200 million. We must integrate mental health into primary, secondary, and tertiary care to close the treatment gap’, he said.

Delivering the keynote lecture to commemorate the 2025 World Mental Health Day with the theme ‘Access to Services Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies’, Fakunle emphasised the urgent need for improved access to mental health services in Nigeria.

‘Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. There is no health without mental health,’ he said.

Fakunle identified stigma as one of the greatest barriers to mental health care, called for public awareness and policy reforms to make Oyo State a model for mental health reform in Nigeria.

Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, medical doctor and commissioner for Health speaking at the event held in Ibadan to commemorate the 2025 World Mental Health Day in conjunction with the Oyo State Government through the Ministry of Health, described mental health as an integral part of public health and human resilience, especially during disasters such as epidemics, flooding, conflict or economic shocks.

The commissioner spoke through the permanent secretary, Akintunde Ayinde, a medical doctor, who hinted that the event marked the first official State-level celebration of the global observance in Oyo State.

‘The burden in any disaster is not only on bodies but also on minds. The psychological wounds may linger far longer than the physical ones. Mental health must therefore form a core component of our emergency preparedness, resilience, and recovery strategies’, he said. She highlighted Governor Seyi Makinde’s commitment to improving mental healthcare, citing ongoing reforms such as the renovation of Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities to expand access to mental health services, deployment of psychiatrists to general hospitals, and the appointment of mental health focal persons across all 33 Local Government Areas.

The commissioner also announced plans to inaugurate a State Mental Health Technical Working Group (TWG) to coordinate mental health emergency protocols, rapid response teams, and psychological first-aid training in collaboration with civil society, academia, NGOs, and traditional institutions.

Ajetunmobi commended partners such as the Asido Foundation and New World Specialist Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for their technical and financial support, urging continued collaboration to expand access to mental healthcare across the state.

Mental health is the heartbeat of human resilience. ‘Under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, and with our partners and professionals working together, Oyo State is building a health system that heals both body and mind’, Ajetunmobi concluded.

Taiwo Okunade, guest speaker in his goodwill message, reflected on the impact of economic hardship on mental well-being, describing prolonged financial instability as a ‘quiet catastrophe.’

He lauded Governor Makinde’s consistent payment of salaries as a stabilising factor for civil servants’ mental well-being.

Jubril Abdulmalik, professor representing the Asido Foundation, stressed the need to integrate mental health into all aspects of healthcare, including maternal, child, and infectious disease services.

He commended the Ministry of Health for marking the day officially for the first time in Oyo State’s history.

When people think of online music streaming, the same names always come up first, Spotify and Apple Music.

These platforms have given fans access to millions of songs for one low monthly fee. But for independent artists across Africa, the story is very different.

On average, Spotify pays between $0.001 and $0.005 per stream. That means an artist would need millions of plays just to cover studio costs, let alone build a sustainable career.

For emerging African talents in Afrobeats, Amapiano, and Afro-House, this gap is even tougher to bridge.

That’s where Chune.xyz comes in

Unlike traditional streaming services, Chune is not here to compete with Spotify or Apple. Instead, it adds a powerful new income stream, one designed to give independent artists more control, fairer earnings, and deeper connections with their fans.

Why Chune exists

Music streaming is great for exposure but terrible for artist pay. Fewer than 5% of Spotify artists earn a sustainable living from their songs.

In Africa, where recording costs are high and infrastructure is limited, breaking even can feel impossible.

At the same time, fans also feel the gap. Streaming doesn’t give them a way to directly support the creators they love or to feel true ownership of the music.

Vinyl and CDs once filled that role, but they’re costly and impractical for many indie artists.

Chune.xyz solves both problems by turning music into limited digital editions, collectible, scarce, and easy to own.

Think of Chune as a modern twist on vinyl collecting, but every ‘record’ lives on the Ethereum blockchain instead of a shelf.

How Chune works

Chune is designed to be simple and accessible for both artists and fans.

For Artists

Create an account in minutes using your email, Fill the artist onboarding form and verify your account.

Create a Drop: Upload a track, add artwork, set the number of editions (100, 250, or 500), and add perks like lyric sheets, livestream invites, or even royalty shares.

Mint On-Chain: Chune handles all the blockchain details, no coding skills required.

Sell Directly to Fans: Payments go straight into your linked wallet instantly, not months later.

For Fans and Collectors

Easy Sign-In: Use email, MetaMask, or Trust Wallet.

Seamless Funding: Send ETH directly to the address tied to your account.

Real Ownership: Collect limited digital editions and showcase them on your dashboard.

Hold or Resell: Keep your edition as a ‘Day One’ badge or resell it, knowing the artist still benefits.

Chune spent six months testing on Ethereum’s Sepolia testnet. Over 1,000 digital editions were purchased by 50+ early adopters. Some drops even sold out in under 12 hours.

Now, Chune has officially launched in Beta on Ethereum mainnet, bringing real value and real ETH into every transaction.

To kick off, Chune has partnered with Amapiano Groove Records, a South African Recording Label blending human talent with AI-driven Afrobeats, Amapiano, and 3Step Afro-House tracks.

Their first project, Groove Genesis Vol. 1, will drop exclusively on Chune with just 100-250 editions per track. Once sold out, they’re gone forever, making them highly collectible pieces of African music history.

Chune is not a replacement for Spotify or Apple Music. Artists should still release their tracks on streaming platforms for reach and discovery.

But with Chune, they finally have a way to monetize directly and fairly.

Artists keep up to 90% of sales.

Fans gain verified ‘Day One’ status.

Producers, writers, and collaborators enjoy transparent royalty splits.

It’s the perfect complement to streaming, not a competitor.

Sign up today on beta.chune.xyz, check out early releases and mint a digital collectible from Africa’s next stars.

Tom Samson, the Presiding bishop of Christ Royal International Church, has called on the Federal Government (FG) and other State governors to be proactive in dealing with the growing insecurity in the country.

The clergyman also called on Nigerians to stop politicising the killings across the country along religious ground.

‘You see, there are issues of politics. All we are going to do is to be more proactive. They are politicising this,’ Samson said, indicating that the issue is being magnified by America.

Samson, who was a Guest Minister at the Zion mega convention 2025 of Calvary Kingdom Church (CKC) held in Lagos, also urged Nigerians never to give up hope about the country.

Themed, ‘The Culture of the Kingdom’, the convention was held between Sunday October 5 and Sunday October 12, 2025. According to him, Nigerians should not overrule the role of prayer in keeping the country together despite all the socioeconomic challenges. ‘We should never give up. That’s what we teach today; the culture of the kingdom is faith.

‘It’s the prayer that has sustained this country. Imagine there is a crisis; there is a war in Nigeria. Can we live in peace? We cannot,’ Samson said.

The cleric also urged the Government to implement people-friendly policies to align with the current economic trajectory of the country to cushion the effect of oil subsidy removal on the people.

Joseph Ojo, Presiding Archbishop, Calvary Kingdom Church (CKC) and convener, Zion mega convention 2025, said every kingdom has a behavioural pattern. ‘Culture of the kingdom, according to our theme and the scripture talks about how to behave oneself in the household.’

Ojo disclosed that the theme of the convention was influenced by the scripture. ‘We get our instructions from the word of God. The word of God stands out, as the main push for us to know what the gospel says about certain things; and that’s what influences our choice.’

This was disclosed in a statement by Mohammed Abatcha Geidam, the State’s Commissioner of Finance.

The statement added that the governor has further directed that going forward, the payment of gratuities must be integrated into the state’s monthly financial schedule.

‘This significant milestone underscores the administration’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of its dedicated civil servants who have served the state meritoriously.

‘This means that cleared gratuity payments will be made monthly, alongside the regular pension payments, ensuring that no future backlog of retirement benefits is allowed to accumulate’, the Commissioner said.

Geidam added that the approval of ?5.8 billion is a ‘clear demonstration of Governor Buni’s compassionate leadership and his administration’s deep appreciation for the years of service rendered by Yobe’s retirees. ‘By clearing this substantial backlog and institutionalizing a prompt, monthly payment system, the governor has provided much-needed financial relief and restored dignity to our senior citizens’, he added. The statement emphasised that the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Head of Service are working collaboratively to ensure the seamless and transparent disbursement of these funds to all affected retirees immediately.

‘This bold financial step is part of the Governor’s broader economic and social agenda to ensure fiscal responsibility and prioritize the welfare of Yobe State citizens, particularly those who have contributed immensely to its development’, the Commissioner added.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday secured a two-thirds majority in the Senate following the defection of Samaila Dahuwa Kaila from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

Kaila, who represents Bauchi North Senatorial District, announced his defection in a letter addressed to Godswill Akpabio, Senate President, and read during plenary.

In the letter, Kaila said his decision to leave the PDP took effect from October 11, 2025, after extensive consultations with political associates, stakeholders, and his constituents.

He attributed his defection to internal crises within the PDP, including ‘prolonged internal divisions, recurring factionalisation and loss of strategic direction,’ which he said had hindered his ability to effectively perform his legislative duties.

‘As one deeply committed to the service of our nation and the welfare of my people, I have found it necessary to realign my political engagements with a more progressive platform that embodies good governance, unity, progress, growth, and discipline,’ Kaila stated.

The lawmaker expressed his admiration for President Bola Tinubu’s ‘bold and transformative reforms,’ saying they reflect decisive leadership aimed at restoring economic stability and repositioning Nigeria for sustainable growth. ‘I have chosen to join the All Progressives Congress and lend my full commitment to the implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,’ he added. Kaila also commended Senate President Akpabio for his leadership style, which he said has fostered unity across party lines and inspired confidence in the 10th Senate.

With Kaila’s defection, the APC now has 73 members, making it a two-thirds majority in the 10th Senate, further consolidating its control of the upper chamber.

At the intersection of artificial intelligence, institutional capital, and human connection, a new movement is taking shape. From the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly to the upcoming World Bank Group-IMF Annual Meetings, global leaders across business, technology, and civil society are converging to redefine the future of work and development through what they call Redemptive Impact-a people-centered, AI-driven approach to solving the world’s grand challenges.

From UNGA to the World Bank: A Continuum of Action

Following the success of The American Exchange: Fire Festival, a high-level summit hosted by ConcordeApp, Cliqk, and the Semaform Foundation during the UN General Assembly, the same coalition will now lead a major policy session titled ‘Engineering Redemptive Impact: AI-Driven Solutions for Civil Society’s Grand Challenges’ at the 2025 Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF), held as part of the World Bank Group-IMF Annual Meetings.

Both gatherings underscore a shared mission-to turn conversation into commitment, and ideas into measurable outcomes.

The Fire Festival: Where AI Meets Human Capital

The Fire Festival, described by participants as ‘a movement, not just a meeting,’ brought together senior executives from Procter and Gamble (PandG), JPMorgan Chase, Google, MandT Bank, and Palo Alto Networks, alongside artists, policymakers, and social innovators. The event explored how AI and verifiable human relationships are reshaping global work systems.

UNGA President-elect Annalena Baerbock called for ‘global cooperation rooted in shared progress,’ while Dr. Temitope Iluyemi, Senior Director at PandG, urged global leaders to see Africa as ‘a hub of innovation ready to lead through governance, integration, and people-centered development.’

Speakers like Omotola Fawunmi, founder of The Rebirth Hub, and Pamilerin Adegoke, founder of Kamili Capital, emphasized that AI should enhance-not replace-the human spirit. Alexa Baranov of JPMorgan Chase highlighted the role of long-term community investments, while Rohan Gurram of Cliqk and Chaste Inegbedion of ConcordeApp showcased The Happiness Stack, an AI system converting event networking into actionable growth.

‘Relationships are the new capital, and AI is the engine that tracks it,’ said Inegbedion. ‘We’re building systems to transform ambiguous human connections into verifiable, fundable outcomes.’

Engineering Redemptive Impact: The Next Chapter at the World Bank

Building on this foundation, the Semaform Foundation, YEIDIS, ConcordeApp, and The Collaborative will host the Redemptive Impact session on Tuesday, October 14 (4:15 PM – 5:45 PM EST) at the World Bank CSPF 2-220. The session aims to present practical frameworks for applying AI to achieve measurable progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

‘The greatest barrier to achieving the SDGs isn’t just funding-it’s friction in the policy-to-impact pipeline,’ said Chaste Inegbedion, Head of Failure and Social Experiments at Semaform Foundation. ‘We are demonstrating how AI agents and data systems can eliminate that friction, converting high-level commitments into community outcomes.’ A Panel of Global Practitioners

The session will feature experts translating AI into real-world progress:

Dr. Letisha Malcolm, Founder, The Collaborative

Lyzianah Emakoua, Founder, Centre for Community Impact and Sustainability

Richard Ojuri, Vice President, MandT Bank

Winnie Mangeni, Founder, PAWA AI

Kome Igbogidi, Senior Product Manager, ServiceNow

These practitioners will explore how AI can enhance resource allocation, promote financial inclusion, and expand educational access-while ensuring ethical frameworks and local governance prevent exclusion.

Chief Rafiu Akinpelu Olaore, representing Western and Central Africa in the CSPF Working Group, framed the event’s significance:

‘Africa is not just a recipient of aid-it’s a pioneer in using AI for employment, entrepreneurship, and inclusive growth.’

From Global Conversations to Measurable Change

From New York to Washington D.C., the message remains consistent: AI and human capital are not opposing forces-they are partners in progress. Faith Kaminus of ConcordeApp emphasized that ‘when relationships are measurable, impact becomes inevitable.’

James Ladi Williams, producer of the World Bank session, summarized the global urgency:

‘Technology is not a silver bullet, but it is the accelerant we need. The task now is building intelligent systems-not just complex programs-to solve real problems.’

As both events demonstrate, this growing coalition-anchored by Semaform Foundation, ConcordeApp, YEIDIS, and The Collaborative-is shaping a new narrative where technology serves humanity, and capital serves community.

The journey from the Fire Festival to the World Bank CSPF reflects one powerful truth: the future of global development will be written by those who can turn connection into capital, and capital into compassion.

Babalakin and Co. hosted a special ceremony at its Lagos headquarters to celebrate Mr. Oluseun Awonuga’s elevation to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), marking another milestone in the firm’s tradition of nurturing legal excellence.

The event, held on Friday, October 10, 2025, brought together partners, associates, and well-wishers who described the achievement as a reflection of both Awonuga’s personal dedication and the firm’s long-standing mentorship culture.

In his welcome remarks, the Managing Partner, Mr. Wale Akoni, SAN, commended Awonuga’s rise to the Inner Bar, describing it as ‘a testament to dedication, perseverance, and the spirit of mentorship that defines our firm.’ He added that Awonuga embodies ‘outstanding intellect, humility, and professional discipline.’

Dr. Wale Babalakin SAN, Founder and Principal Partner, congratulated Awonuga and reaffirmed the firm’s commitment to developing legal talent that achieves national and international distinction.

‘Our firm has always been a fertile ground for excellence. With Awonuga’s elevation, we have now produced over ten Senior Advocates of Nigeria, with five SANs currently active within the firm,’ Babalakin noted. He added that the recognition underscored Babalakin and Co.’s enduring contribution to the growth of Nigeria’s legal profession. ‘This honour reflects not only individual brilliance but also our shared culture of hard work, integrity, and devotion to justice,’ he said.

Awonuga expressed gratitude to his mentors and colleagues for their support. ‘I am deeply honoured to have walked this journey surrounded by such inspiring minds. This rank is a call to greater responsibility, and I remain committed to upholding the highest ideals of the legal profession,’ he stated.

Colleagues described Awonuga as a lawyer of uncommon diligence and composure. ‘His rise to the Inner Bar is richly deserved-he’s a mentor to many of us,’ one associate remarked.

The evening ended with applause and a toast to the new Senior Advocate, marking another proud moment in Babalakin and Co.’s distinguished legacy of producing leaders in Nigeria’s legal community.