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Super Eagles defender Felix Agu could miss Nigeria’s upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers next week, as he suffered an injury in Werder Bremen’s 1-0 win over St. Pauli on Saturday, Soccernet.ng reports.

On Friday, Agu was one of the 23 players called up to the Super Eagles squad ahead of the World Cup Qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin next week.

The 26-year-old left-back has been a regular for Werder Bremen this season, and he started for them once more in their Bundesliga fixture against St. Pauli at the Weserstadion.

Agu had a really good showing in the first half, but he had to be helped off just before halftime, as he sustained an injury and could not continue.

Although the extent of the injury has not been confirmed, it is highly unlikely that Agu will be available for the Super Eagles by next week.

The former Osnabruck man has a bad injury history, so for him to have to leave a game, it must have been a serious problem.

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the members of the Urhobo Third Phase Ex-Agitators, under the leadership of Onoriode Diyo, have thrown their support behind the door-to-door campaign championed by High Chief, Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, for the re-election of President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and Delta State governor, Sheriff Oborevwori.

The ex-agitators disclosed this to the newsmen at the weekend in Warri, promising to mobilise grassroots support across the Niger Delta for Mr President and the Delta State governor.

They expressed confidence in the leadership of Tompolo and his vision for regional and national development.

He called on all Urhobo leaders, both at home and in the diaspora, to actively participate in Tompolo’s door-to-door campaign and expressed a vote of confidence in President Tinubu and Governor Oborevwori.

Speaking, the National Secretary of the Urhobo Third Phase Ex-Agitators, Avwebor Jeff Nyerhovwo applauded Dr Otuaro’s efforts in rebranding the Presidential Amnesty Programme, particularly in the area of education.

Avwebor highlighted the successful completion of the First Batch of leadership training, which focused on leadership, alternative dispute resolution and mediation.

He urged Otuaro to prioritise the inclusion of more Urhobo Third Phase leaders in the next batch of leadership training programmes to further enhance their capacity to contribute to the region’s progress.

Also speaking, Mr Bush Prince Efe, the State Chairman of the Urhobo Third Phase Ex-Agitators, expressed a vote of confidence in Chief Kestin Pondi, the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited and lauded Chief Pondi’s exceptional management skills, and his security consciousness in securing the oil facilities in Niger Delta region and high rate of employment/empowerment to Niger Delta region which have brought significant development and empowerment opportunities to the indigenes of the Niger Delta.

‘He encouraged Chief Pondi to continue his impactful work and to consider including Urhobo Third Phase ex-agitator leaders in his future initiatives, stating that ‘the sky is his limit.’

Also, the National Spokesman, General Ikas Marine, extended a vote of confidence in Engr. Mathew Tonlagha, commended his exemplary leadership and philanthropic support for the youth of the Niger Delta and its environs.

He described Engr. Tonlagha’s contributions are a testament to his commitment to the region’s development, inspiring others to follow his example.

Other prominent leaders, Mr Brume Orade and publicity secretary of the Third- Phase Amnesty programme, who spoke during an interview, praised ‘the Warlord, Elaye Slabor Dollars, the National Chairman of the Third-Phase Presidential Amnesty Programme, and the coordinator TANTITA security Service, Bayelsa State Chapter,’ for his visionary and inclusive leadership.

Noting that,’ Mr Slabor Dollars runs an inclusive government, earns the full support of all Urhobo Third Phase ex-agitators, for his efforts in advancing the collective interests of the group with great enthusiasm and unity.’

They reaffirmed his belief in the clear vision of High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), and declared their total commitment to his door-to-door campaign in support of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Elder Sheriff Oborevwori as the 2027 elections approach.

One of the inspiring gospel music ministers, Tomi Favored has released a powerful new song featuring one of Nigeria’s most respected gospel voices, Minister Dunsin Oyekan.

The collaboration, which was birthed in the place of personal worship, is already being described as a Spirit-led masterpiece.

Speaking on how the collaboration came about, Tomi revealed that the inspiration for the song came during one of her quiet times with God.

She said; ‘In my personal time of worship some time ago, I got the inspiration for the song and started writing it. While singing it to myself, I felt I could hear Minister Dunsin’s sound in the song.

‘After prayer, encouragement from others and building the courage, I reached out to him,’ she shared.

Describing the experience of working alongside Minister Dunsin, she called it nothing short of miraculous. ‘Working with Minister Dunsin on stage, one of Gospel’s leading voices, not only in Nigeria but all over the world, was surreal. Only God could make it happen and I’m forever grateful,’ she said.

The new release is a message anchored in Psalm 19, a scripture that greatly inspired the song’s lyrics.

Tomi explained that the project is not just another musical offering, but a spiritual call to worship: ‘I hope listeners will get lost and found in worship and praise to God. I pray they have a sincere acknowledgement of His triune nature and discover His joy.’

While Tomi has released several impactful songs in the past, she notes that each project carries its own unique dynamic.

This particular song, however, stands out because it merges what she describes as Minister Dunsin’s ‘special apostolic sound and anointing’ with her own passion for worship.

On the wider impact of gospel music in Nigeria, Tomi is confident that the genre is breaking barriers: ‘Gospel music is affecting the Nigerian music industry more boldly and unapologetically. It’s not just another genre; it’s the message of Jesus Christ with increasingly better music.’

One of the highlights of the first, so-called, civilian government after our painful dealings with military rulers was the selling off of many of our joint assets to the friends, cronies and surrogates of the government that was soon to reluctantly vacate the corridors of power. In the process of gathering where they did not sow, they had injured each other severely. And so, by the time they were leaving office, the most powerful members of that government, together with their gangs of hangers-on were no longer on speaking terms. So deep were the antiparthies within and between them that today, two decades after the great falling apart, they are still in the habit of taking pot shots at each from deeply entrenched but hardly concealed positions.

On the eve of their departure from office, they somehow contrived to sell the four government owned crude oil refineries at a price which for its paltryness, does not deserve to be mentioned at this time. The buyer then was none other than Aliko Dangote, now the proud owner of the largest single train crude oil refinery in the world. This sale was,for any number of reasons, prevented from being consummated by the incoming government and the deal fell through. What has happened to those refineries since then is a catalogue of sorry history. In the end, the ownership of the refineries reverted to the NNPC for further mismanagement and twenty years later they are still swallowing huge chunks of dollars for nothing. In the meantime, the country has been suffering from an energy deficit that is wholly incompatible with development.

Ever since 1974 when in the wake of the Yom Kippur war, the Arabs wrapped their fingers tightly around their oil pipelines, crude oil has figured prominently in global discussion about the future of the world. The immediate consequence of the Arab control of their oil was to send the price of crude oil into a steep upward trajectory. Whilst the rest of the world groaned under pressure of increased oil prices, Nigeria and other oil producing countries were floundering under the weight of the petrodollars which poured into their coffers in what appeared to be a never ending stream. Prominent among these countries was Nigeria. So much money was coming into the country that the military head of state at the time declared that money was no longer our problem but how to spend it. And how badly we spent it on all manner of baubles that caught our fancy. We spent that money with so much ferocity that it was gone within no more than five glorious years. And then, we became poor but not before we picked up a slew of intolerably bad habits which since then we have found impossible to shake off. Chief among these habits was corruption and following very closely behind was our disdain for work of any kind, not to talk about work of the hard variety. Money was to be had in government coffers and many people had unfettered access to government money, in and out of government owned facilities. True, the governments of the day made some attempt to provide some facilities for public use, it was soon apparent that government spending was no more than a smoke screen under which a lot of money was simply diverted into private pockets, to be used for the purchase of their very own domestic comfort. The result of the confluence of those effects is that the government has become an avenue for the provision of loot on a grand scale for all those who had access to it. Nowhere was this more glaring than in the oil and gas sector of what passes for the Nigerian economy. A class or entire corps of players in our economy has arisen to feed on the rest of us. These people have become so used to enjoying their criminal privileges that they will stop at nothing to protect their interests.

Throughout the period of endemic fuel shortages, the mechanisms of the oil market were under the control of the NNPC. It is the largest government owned oil company in Africa and with assets north of $150 billion, it is a powerful player in the global oil industry. Since its formation in 1977, the NNPC has assumed the role of a government within the government of Nigeria. It is that powerful and whoever is in charge of it is most certainly a person of distinction within the Nigerian power structure. To put it bluntly, this company gradually but purposefully acquired enough clout to become a law unto itself.

It is a company whose accounts were not, or indeed could not be audited for years. It operated behind a screen of opacity so that the harder you looked, the less you could see or discern. Given this situation, this company can be compared to the mafia. Everyone knew they existed but hiding under a corporate fog, their existence could not be proven. Their final cloak was provided by successive Presidents who also retained the post of Minister of Petroleum Resources. After all, with the sale of crude oil providing all the fuel that powered the economy, keeping direct control of the NNPC was crucial to the health of that economy. However this has not enhanced the performance of this company and the consequence of this has been seen in the endless queues at petrol stations all over the land, a phenomenon that had become endemic over a period of fifty years.

The last straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back was when the authorities of the Central Bank, joined in the operation to sabotage the national economy. To be fair, no collusion between the bank and NNPC has been discovered but between the two bodies, the nation was brought to its knees around Christmas in 2022. As usual, there was an acute shortage of fuel but even if there was fuel, there was no money in circulation to buy the fuel with. And this because the Central Bank had withdrawn all currency notes from circulation even as new notes were being printed to replace them. A humongous sum of money was set aside for this purpose, money that could and should have been set aside for more productive ventures. This was at a time when the NNPC had contracted debts the servicing of which included money from the sale of crude oil which was not due to be pumped out of the ground for many months into the future. The country was flat broke even though political parties were campaigning seriously for support in the imminent general elections for which hopeful politicians were burning off billions of Naira as they wooed a shell shocked electorate. The government that was eventually elected rewarded the bemused electorate with the double whammy of a near five times increase in the price of petrol and the exposure of the fragile Naira to the gale force winds of the unforgiving market place. The good people of Nigeria were caught in a vicious bind from which escape has been impossible since then.

Throughout this period of discomfiture, the only light from the East was the persistent rumour of the imminence of the commencement of a refinery that was being built in Lagos by Aliko Dangote. But there was little room for hope because the building, equipping and commissioning of that refinery appeared to have taken forever to become reality. In the midst of our vast desert, it was becoming apparent that it was at best a mirage and at worst a giant hoax. After all, the project was first mooted in 2013 and due for completion in 2016. Seven years later, petrol was yet to come out of the refinery and our collective hearts sank when the NNPC, broke and broken as it was, announced that it was going to take a 20% stake in the refinery. Finally, in September of 2024, the news broke that petrol was finally coming out of the refinery and we heaved a collective sigh of relief. Little did we know at the time that the struggle for home refined fuel was only just beginning.

Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State has announced plans by his administration to construct new Islamiyya schools and renovate existing ones across the state beginning next year, as part of efforts to strengthen Islamic education and moral upbringing among children.

The Governor made the disclosure during the commissioning of the remodelled Kirare Jumu’at Mosque and a block of classrooms in Goronyo Local Government Area.

Aliyu said the initiative is aimed at deepening access to quality Islamic education and instilling sound moral values that would help young people become responsible members of society.

‘For us to correct the wrong perceptions some non-Muslims have about Islam, we must educate our people on the true teachings of the religion. Islamiyya schools are critical in raising a morally sound society,’ the Governor stated.

Governor Aliyu also announced that graveyard attendants across the state would soon be placed on the government payroll in recognition of their service to society.

On mosque renovation, he revealed that his administration has awarded contracts for the remodeling of 65 mosques, noting that the Kirare Jumu’at Mosque is the 16th to be commissioned under the ongoing programme.

The Governor urged benefiting communities to take ownership of the projects, maintain the facilities, and keep them clean at all times.

In his goodwill message, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, commended Governor Aliyu for his continued investment in religious and moral infrastructure. He also called on residents to maintain the mosques and pray for lasting peace and security in Sokoto State and across the country.

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Works, Barrister Bello Goronyo, praised the Governor’s focus on people-oriented projects, noting that the state is witnessing remarkable progress in key sectors such as infrastructure, water supply, agriculture, and security.

The commissioning ceremony drew several dignitaries, including Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, former Governor Malam Yahaya, Deputy Governor Idris Muhammed Gobir, Minister of Labour and Employment Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, Speaker of the State House of Assembly Tukur Bala Bodinga, members of the National and State Assemblies, commissioners, and other senior government officials.

He prayed for divine wisdom and strength for Yilwatda to navigate the challenges ahead and lead the party to new heights.

In his October 1 broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was flush with good tidings. ‘The worst is over, I say,’ he gushed. ‘Yesterday’s pains are giving way to relief. I support your endurance, support and understanding.’

The alluring statistics, which he reeled out, simply walked that cheery talk.

In second quarter 2025, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.25%, well above the 3.4 % the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had projected. Inflation, another critical economic monitor, fell to 20.12% in August. Though still two-digit, which points that it’s not yet checkmate on the inflationary front, it’s the lowest in three years. That shows how far the administration’s economic reforms have gone.

Jarring inflation was the clearest sign of the harsh combination of oil subsidy removal and floating the Naira against foreign currencies. The Naira devalued, jacking up cross-sectoral costs. So, if inflation is moderating, even while these twin-triggers are still on, it logically reflects an economy structurally re-adjusting – and improving. That supports the president’s claim that the worst is over.

Still on cheering statistics. For a near-mono economy that relies on crude oil sales, non-oil exports have virtually torn through the roof. Latest numbers show that non-oil export revenue now accounts for 48% of the total, though oil and gas still dominate at 52%: with Nigeria now exporting refined products: diesel, petrol, aviation fuel, etc.

Despite that, non-oil exports have closed the gap to this almost 50:50 – and that from virtual nowhere! In just more than two years, non-oil revenue is boosting Nigeria’s trade surplus. Indeed, non-oil earnings for September – which was N3.65 trillion – towered above May earnings by 411%, a feat the president called ‘record-breaking’. Export of made-in-Nigeria manufactured goods soared by 173%!

On debt capital – crucial to accessing quality loans: borrowed cash to build critical physical and social infrastructure – the improvements are no less impressive. Debt service-to-revenue ratio has improved from 97% in 2023 to less than 50% now. That ways-and-means advances are now history underscore the booming fiscal health of the economy.

From more secure debt capital, to improved tax revenue. From less than 10% in 2023, tax-to-GDP ratio has crested at 13.5% in 2025. But that is still lower than the African average of 15%. By 2027, the government projects an 18% tax-to-GDP ratio, well past the African average. With the revamped tax laws debuting from January 2026, this target appears very much attainable.

Aside the fiscal and monetary plain, the numbers from infrastructure, the hard core economic driver, are no less heart-warming. Rail infrastructure, from the president’s statistics, has grown by 40%; water transportation, by 27%.

The 284-km Kano-Katsina-Maradi standard gauge rail is powering to completion. When it is completed, linking Ibadan to Abuja would complete the Lagos-Ibadan-Kano standard gauge rail. That African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA)-friendly rail, modelled after the old trans-Sahara trade route, should gift Nigeria huge coast freight business, heading into land-locked neighbours.

The Lagos-Ibadan corridor is already adding great value to mass passengers and freight. Work goes on, on the Port-Harcourt-Aba-Maiduguri narrow-gauge eastern rail network too, for which the Federal Executive Council (FEC) just released US$ 3 billion. This rail rebirth will truly rebirth and expand the Nigerian economy.

Expansion and repair of decayed road stock go on apace: the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, just to list two legacy road projects.

Indeed, this strong infrastructural push cannot be belittled. Unlike previous reforms under President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan that delivered collapsed infrastructure, despite relatively higher crude oil earnings, the current reforms tick with infrastructural expansion. The Tinubu administration has earned due praise for continuing with the infrastructure reset of the Buhari years.

On infrastructure, the president was insistent: ‘We must build the roads we need, repair the ones that have become decrepit and construct the schools our children will attend, and the hospitals that will care for our people,’ he stressed. Reforms that deliver big on infrastructure, physical and social, should be lauded and encouraged.

Now, with all of these statistical glad tidings, does it mean the country has arrived that comfort zone? Not by a mile! The president himself admitted that much.

The sweet-sour oil subsidy removal may have opened the spigot for far more cash into Nigeria’s three governmental tiers. But it hasn’t quite translated into a welfare boom for most. Indeed, the masses that received ‘little or nothing’ – in the president’s exact words – from oil subsidy have not exactly enjoyed a boom from the new non-subsidy regime.

Therein then lies the gravest challenge for the government – with its foes ever ready to weaponise the pains in the land; and demonise its gains with unending shrieks and anguish. While the opposition must play its politics – the government itself would have acted same in their shoes – President Tinubu must buckle down to further taming inflation, at least on food items and transport costs.

In fairness, food inflation is climbing down. But in many areas, it’s still higher than wages. That means the wage of many – if not most workers – can’t really take them home. Whoever listens to tales – no matter how sweet! – on rumbling tummy!

That grim reality may have prompted a N330 billion safety net conditional cash transfer to eight million poorest Nigerian households – very laudable! But until the cash ease is felt by those at the top of the poverty scale and the vanishing middle class, the government will still stay condemned to serenading its glorious statistics, with not a few looking askance.

Other areas the government can do far better are electricity – and security. But first, this presidential admission: ‘We do not have enough electricity to power our industries and homes today’ – candid!

Yet, it must be admitted: power appears generally more stable but not at that level that should sustainably power an economy to heights never seen. President Tinubu should take power as a personal challenge. The economy can’t hit US$ 1 trillion by 2031 with shambolic electricity.

On security, there have also been significant improvements. But such is the asymmetrical warfare of terror that it takes one terror hit, in one month, to rubbish the security progress of the last three years. The government should therefore keep pressing hard to root out these mindless felons.

Federalising the Police is critical to the new security beginning. The president, to be sure, has shown doughty commitment to state police. But he should use his bully pulpit to push state houses of assembly beyond the finishing line.

Across the board, the fundamentals are changing for the better. So, organised Labour, instead of ‘Aluta’ fixation with wage increases, should closely follow the numbers, galvanise their members to mega-productivity, in concert with the emerging better fundamentals. If, for instance, the economy expands four-fold, no government can dispute doubling wages as of right, citing the bogey of inflation. If they do, Labour can butt them down with clinical numbers. Now, is the time to start tracking and acting. As it is now, sans the political aristocrats, about everyone is underpaid in this economy.

As the president said, Nigeria since 1960 has gone through good and bad times. But for once, from these reform pains, a promising window appears opening to get it right. We – the government and the people – must ensure we don’t clap that window shut.

Eight more bodies have been recovered from last Tuesday’s boat accident at Ibaji, Kogi State.

The recovery followed the ongoing search and rescue mounted by personnel of the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency.

Its Executive Secretary, Alhaji Muktar Atima, confirmed the recovery of the eight bodies, adding that further search was ongoing at the scene of the mishap.

The State government had in a condolence message to the people of the state on Wednesday revealed that no fewer than 26 lives were lost in the mishap.

The incident, which occurred at about 4.30 pm on Tuesday, involved mainly traders travelling from Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State to Ilushi Market in Edo State.

The state Commissioner of Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwoon, confirmed the incident in a condolence message on behalf of Governor Ahmed Ododo.

The statement reads in part: ‘The Government and people of Kogi State received with deep sadness the news of the boat mishap which occurred on the River Niger, involving traders travelling from Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State to Ilushi Market in Edo State.

‘Reports indicate that the unfortunate incident has allegedly claimed the lives of no fewer than 26 passengers.

‘This is a heartbreaking loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased, as well as the entire Ibaji Local Government Area, in this moment of grief.

‘His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, has expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families and has directed relevant agencies, including the State Emergency Management Agency, to work with local authorities to provide immediate support and relief to those affected.

‘The Governor further assured that the state government will intensify ongoing efforts in collaboration with federal agencies to improve safety measures on our waterways in order to prevent a reoccurrence of such a tragedy.

‘We call on our people, especially in the riverine communities, to always prioritise safety by avoiding overloading and by using life jackets and other precautionary measures whenever they travel by water.’

Mishap raises concerns about safety of passengers on inland water ways

The state has been in mourning mood since the Tuesday accident, which claimed no fewer than 32 lives. According to the state government, the mishap involved mainly traders who were travelling from Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State to Ilushi Market in Edo State.

Some residents said that the accident occurred on the River Niger between Onugwa Village in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State and Ilushi (Ojigono) in Edo State.

The state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), through its Executive Secretary, Alhaji Mouktar Atimah, also disclosed that 80 passengers boarded the boat while 68 were rescued.

Search and rescue were still on as at press time.

Of particular concern was the report of a family in Onugwa community losing eight members in the accident.

While the result of the investigation into the cause of the mishap is being awaited, it is apparent that it has once again brought up the need to secure the lives of passengers on inland waterways in Nigeria.

To be sure, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has in recent times taken several steps to ensure the safety of waterways travellers. For instance, in August, NIWA commenced the enforcement of the law anyone travelling on Nigeria’s waterways must wear life jackets.

NIWA had launched the enforcement at Niger-Kwara Area Office, insisting that any passenger boarding a commercial canoe or boat across its waterways must wear a life jacket. The Area Manager, Mr Akapo Adeboye, flagged off the 2025 sensitization campaign on safety of lives and property in line with inland waterways regulations at Gabgibo community.

The campaign was tagged ‘Safety and Safe Trip: Zero Tolerance to Boat Mishap – No Life Jacket, No Boarding.’ The enforcement, which began at the Gabgibo waterfront in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, is part of the authority’s efforts to reduce boat accidents and ensure safety on waterways.

NIWA has also introduced various other initiatives including recruitment of personnel who patrol the various Inland waterways across Nigeria to ensure that commercial boats and canoes do not embark on night trips on the waterways.

It will be recalled that NIWA also arraigned two boat operators, namely Alhaji Musa Dangana and Yakubu Dangana before a Lokoja Chief Magistrate Court over a November 2024 boat disaster on Niger River, which claimed no fewer than 19 lives.

The Kogi State Police Command, through its wing of the National Inland Waterways Authority ( NIWA), arraigned the errant men. The duo were the owner and the operator of the wooden boat loaded with 60 passengers from Cupa area of Lokoja to Kacha Market in Niger State.

The two men were arraigned over three count charge of criminal conspiracy, negligent conduct and ‘failure to observe general obligation to exercise vigilance contrary to sections 97(2),196 of Kogi State penal code and section 7 of Inland Waterways transportation regulation.’

The duo however pleaded not guilty to the three charges.

NIWA has also been imploring boat operators not to take hard drugs while operating the boats and shun overloading. The boat operators have also been advised to ensure that canoes and boats being used for operation are in good shape and properly maintained.

The lesson from last Tuesday’s boat incident was that no matter the extent of safety measures put in place by the NIWA, passengers patronising commercial canoes and boats themselves need to accord priority to the safety of their lives and be ready to embrace measures put in place to achieve this by authorities.

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, has however assured of his government’s continuous support for whatever safety measures are put in place by the Federal Government and its agencies to ensure safety on the waterways.

In the same vein, Kogi State former Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba, in his condolences over the mishap, enjoined engine boat owners to always put safety measures first in their day-to-day running of their engine boats.

Achuba also implored the state government ‘to listen to the cry of Ibaji people and construct their road for easy access to neighbouring communities, and for commercial activities.’

From all indications and more than ever before, there is still a need for intensive and continuous enlightenment on the various measures being put in place by government to ensure the safety of passengers patronising Nigeria’s waterways.

Sixty-five years ago, on October 1, 1960, the green-white-green flag was hoisted in Lagos amidst jubilation and boundless hope. With pride Nigeria stood at the threshold of greatness, a giant awakening from its colonial bonds. The air was thick with promise-promises of prosperity, unity, and continental leadership. Recently, as we marked another independence anniversary, those promises still ring hollow, echoing through the years a collective disappointment, like a dirge for dreams deferred.

The indices tell a story our patriotic songs and anthems cannot drown out. A nation blessed with abundant crude oil reserves remains trapped in fuel queues. A country with some of Africa’s most fertile lands cannot feed its people. A populace that produces some of the world’s brightest minds watches helplessly as millions of its youth flee in waves of desperation, seeking dignity in foreign lands. This is not the Nigeria our founding fathers envisioned. This is not the beacon of black excellence that Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, Nelson Mandela and millions across the African diaspora looked toward with anticipation.

The most painful indictment of post-independence Nigeria lies squarely at the feet of our political elite and leadership class-a brotherhood that has consistently chosen self-enrichment over nation-building. From military dictators to civilian kleptocrats, Nigeria’s leadership has exhibited a breathtaking capacity for plunder and an equally stunning deficit of vision.

Our leaders inherited institutions, infrastructure, and an economy that, while nascent, held promise. What have they bequeathed to succeeding generations? An educational system in ruins, where universities are shuttered for months due to strikes while politicians’ children study abroad. A healthcare sector so decrepit that those who govern it flee to foreign hospitals at the first sign of illness. An infrastructure deficit so profound that businesses generate their own electricity, build their own roads, and provide their own security-essentially paying taxes for services never rendered.

The political elite have perfected the art of primitive accumulation. They loot treasuries with impunity, stash billions in foreign accounts, and when caught, receive mere slaps on the wrist. They weaponize ethnicity and religion to divide the populace, ensuring that Nigerians fight each other rather than demand accountability from those who govern. They have transformed public service into private enterprise, viewing political office not as a call to duty but as an opportunity for wealth extraction.

Sixty-five years ago, on October 1, 1960, the green-white-green flag was hoisted in Lagos amidst jubilation and boundless hope. With pride Nigeria stood at the threshold of greatness, a giant awakening from its colonial bonds. The air was thick with promise-promises of prosperity, unity, and continental leadership. Recently, as we marked another independence anniversary, those promises still ring hollow, echoing through the years a collective disappointment, like a dirge for dreams deferred.

The indices tell a story our patriotic songs and anthems cannot drown out. A nation blessed with abundant crude oil reserves remains trapped in fuel queues. A country with some of Africa’s most fertile lands cannot feed its people. A populace that produces some of the world’s brightest minds watches helplessly as millions of its youth flee in waves of desperation, seeking dignity in foreign lands. This is not the Nigeria our founding fathers envisioned. This is not the beacon of black excellence that Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, Nelson Mandela and millions across the African diaspora looked toward with anticipation.

The most painful indictment of post-independence Nigeria lies squarely at the feet of our political elite and leadership class-a brotherhood that has consistently chosen self-enrichment over nation-building. From military dictators to civilian kleptocrats, Nigeria’s leadership has exhibited a breathtaking capacity for plunder and an equally stunning deficit of vision.

Our leaders inherited institutions, infrastructure, and an economy that, while nascent, held promise. What have they bequeathed to succeeding generations? An educational system in ruins, where universities are shuttered for months due to strikes while politicians’ children study abroad. A healthcare sector so decrepit that those who govern it flee to foreign hospitals at the first sign of illness. An infrastructure deficit so profound that businesses generate their own electricity, build their own roads, and provide their own security-essentially paying taxes for services never rendered.

The political elite have perfected the art of primitive accumulation. They loot treasuries with impunity, stash billions in foreign accounts, and when caught, receive mere slaps on the wrist. They weaponize ethnicity and religion to divide the populace, ensuring that Nigerians fight each other rather than demand accountability from those who govern. They have transformed public service into private enterprise, viewing political office not as a call to duty but as an opportunity for wealth extraction.

Our tolerance for dysfunction has become legendary. We have normalized the abnormal. We celebrate citizens who provide basic amenities in their communities-water, roads, electricity-things that governments should provide as a matter of course. We have become so accustomed to failure that we praise minimal competence as extraordinary achievement. We have set the bar so low that it now lies buried underground.

Furthermore, too many Nigerians have become complicit in the system of exploitation. From the civil servant who demands bribes to process legitimate documents, to the police officer who extorts motorists at checkpoints, to the lecturer who demands gratification for grades-corruption has metastasized from the political class into the social fabric. We have created a society where cutting corners is celebrated as smartness, and integrity is dismissed as foolishness.

But Nigeria need not remain trapped in this cycle of mediocrity and failure. The dreams of our founding fathers-Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, and others-were not foolish fantasies, nor were they tales of Sugar Candy land. They were achievable visions grounded in Nigeria’s enormous potential. What we lack is not resources or capability, but the political will and moral courage to build the nation we deserve.

The founding fathers believed in Nigeria. Marcus Garvey dreamed of it. W.E.B. Du Bois anticipated its greatness. Millions of black people worldwide once looked to Nigeria as proof that black self-governance could succeed, that we could build nations rivaling any in the world. That faith, though battered, is not dead. But it requires resurrection through action.

This resurrection demands transformative leadership that prioritizes education, healthcare, infrastructure, and security. It requires leaders who understand that development is not about white-elephant projects but about creating systems that work for ordinary citizens. It demands an end to impunity and the establishment of true accountability. Most fundamentally, it requires a commitment to building a genuine nation where every citizen, regardless of ethnicity or religion, feels valued and protected.

Sixty-five years of failure is enough. Nigerians deserve better. Africa deserves a Nigeria that fulfills its promise. The world deserves a black nation that will raise it’s brows at the maltreatment of any black man in any part of the world. The question is whether those in positions of power and influence-political leaders, business elites, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and every citizen-have the courage to make it happen.

The independence blues need not be our permanent state. But changing the tune requires each Nigerian to demand more from our leaders and from ourselves. The giant of Africa must finally awaken, not to rhetoric and empty promises, but to purposeful action and genuine transformation. Our founding fathers lit a torch sixty-five years ago. It is time we stopped letting it flicker and instead let it blaze, illuminating a path to the Nigeria that was promised, the Nigeria that is possible, the Nigeria that must be.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Saturday reassured residents that Abuja is a safe and secure city, while also highlighting significant progress on key infrastructure projects in the Wuye District and Kuje Area Council.

The Minister said this following a routine inspection of ongoing work on the Wuye District Infrastructure and the Federal Highway 105 from the Umar Musa Yar’Adua Expressway to Kuje township.

Responding to a question about security concerns in the nation’s capital, Wike, emphasised that there is improved security in the FCT, compared to what obtained in the past, stressing that isolated incidents of insecurity do not define the city’s overall safety.

‘If there is one safe city in this country, I think Abuja is that city,’ the Minister stated, noting that the ‘Light Up Abuja’ program, which involves installing solar streetlights across districts and expressways, is also a strategic initiative to further enhance security.

He said: ‘The problem we have here is that when one incident happens, we forget that three months ago, nothing happened. You should give us and the security agencies credit that we are doing quite a lot to make Abuja safe, and Abuja has been safe.

‘We do agree that something may happen but that does not mean that Abuja is not safe.I don’t want us to take that to mean that the city is not safe. If there is one safe city in this country, I think Abuja is that city’, Wike added.

The Minister expressed satisfaction with the pace and progress of ongoing projects, noting that Arab Contractors, the firm handling the Wuye District infrastructure, has assured that the project is nearing completion, with the road expected to be finished within 10 days.

Wike also praised the work on the Airport Road to Kuje dual carriageway, which he had visited multiple times.

The Minister noted that the 8-lane road will significantly reduce travel time, allowing Kuje residents to reach the city center in just 15 to 20 minutes.

He assured that the road will be inaugurated during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s third anniversary celebration.

He said: ‘For a regular passerby who knows this area very well, if you come here now, you will give it to them; Arab Contractor has done a good job. You can see how beautiful the landscape is. We believe that, God willing, just as they have promised, with our support, and we will continue to support. Latest, during the third anniversary of Mr. President, we believe that this road will be one of the roads that will be inaugurated to the delight of residents of Kuje and the entire people of Abuja, and of course to the happiness of all Nigerians.

‘The level of infrastructure is such that we have not seen before, and everybody will attest to the fact that if you are living in Kuje, you don’t need to go and find a house in the city to live. By the time this road is commissioned, which is not less than 8-lane dual carriageway, in about 15 or 20 minutes, you are already in the city centre and that’s what development is all about. That’s what the Renewed Hope Agenda is all about. So, we are happy’, the Minister stated.

Addressing sanitation challenges, Wike also confirmed that the FCT Administration is actively removing indiscriminately dumped refuse, particularly along Airport Road and in the Nyanya/Karshi area. He revealed plans to award new contracts for refuse disposal within the next two weeks, promising to select only competent contractors with the capacity to ensure that the city remains clean.

‘We believe that in the next two weeks, the contract will be formally awarded for refuse disposal. That, I can tell you, will help us quite a lot,’ he said.

In Nigeria, both domestic and international airfares are significantly higher compared to other countries due to a variety of internal and external economic and operational challenges.

Unlike in many other parts of the world, these elevated costs are driven by factors like currency depreciation, high operational costs, taxes, and limited competition.

Investigation by The Nation revealed the disparity around price in Nigeria compared to elsewhere.

Passengers flying out of Nigeria often pay substantially more for international routes than those departing from neighboring West African countries like Ghana or Benin Republic.

For instance, a flight from Lagos to London can cost over three times more than a flight on the same airline from Cotonou to London.

In 2019, a study noted that the average fare per passenger flight hour on a popular Lagos-Abuja route was about $83.3, whereas similar flights on a Boeing 737-700 in Western countries averaged just $33.33.

The significant and rapid depreciation of the Nigerian Naira against major foreign currencies, particularly the US dollar, is a primary driver.

This devaluation makes it prohibitively expensive for Nigerian airlines to cover costs that are priced in foreign currency, including aircraft maintenance, spare parts, and lease payments.

Airlines also face difficulties repatriating revenue earned in Nigeria in foreign currency, further limiting their operational cash flow.

Nigeria’s airlines spend a significant portion of their operational budget on aviation fuel, which is imported. Global oil price volatility and the poor state of domestic refineries make this a major and unstable cost.

The combined effect of these challenges is a volatile and expensive air travel market in Nigeria. While an airline’s price planning is influenced by multiple factors, including distance, time, and demand, the overriding structural issues in Nigeria make air travel far more expensive and prone to sharp, sudden price increases compared to other regions.

For example, between November 2021 and November 2022, the average domestic airfare in Nigeria surged by over 97%. Similarly, between September 2023 and September 2024, the fare jumped by 57.81%. These rapid escalations highlight the profound impact of exchange rate fluctuations and fuel costs on the industry.

Nigerian airfare affordability is currently challenged by several factors, including currency volatility, high operational costs (especially for aviation fuel and maintenance), taxes, and infrastructure limitations. This situation has led to declining air passenger travel and reduced spending on foreign travel.

Aviation fuel, which is largely imported, can account for 40-50% of an airline’s operating costs in Nigeria, compared to a global average of 25%. Maintenance, insurance, and capital costs are also higher than global averages.

Airlines face numerous government charges, levies, and high airport fees, which contribute to higher ticket prices. There is currently a debate over NAMA’s N11,000 per-flight charge, which remains unchanged since 2008 despite ticket prices soaring from N16,000 to between N150,000 and N200,000.

Limited airport operating hours due to a lack of airfield lighting restrict aircraft utilisation and can increase operational costs.

Increased competition on some international routes, such as the Lagos-London route following Air Peace’s entry, has led to price reductions by other airlines. However, domestic routes still show signs of ‘shadow pricing’ where airlines tend to match fares rather than undercut competitors, indicating limited price competition.

In Nigeria, both domestic and international airfares are significantly higher compared to other countries due to a variety of internal and external economic and operational challenges. Unlike in many other parts of the world, these elevated costs are driven by factors like currency depreciation, high operational costs, taxes, and limited competition.

The Nigerian aviation industry lacks sufficient local capacity for major aircraft maintenance (C-checks), forcing airlines to perform maintenance abroad at a high foreign exchange cost.

Both domestic and international airlines operating in Nigeria face a multitude of government-related charges, levies, and high airport fees. These costs are often passed on to the customer, inflating ticket prices.

In some instances, major airlines have formed cartels to determine pricing, limiting competition and driving up ticket prices.

On key international routes, high demand is not met by sufficient capacity, particularly from domestic carriers. This allows foreign airlines to charge a premium for tickets.

While airfares are high, the average disposable income of many Nigerians is relatively low.

Despite high costs, the demand for air travel on some routes remains relatively inelastic, particularly for business travelers or those with limited alternatives.

The combined effect of these challenges is a volatile and expensive air travel market in Nigeria. While an airline’s price planning is influenced by multiple factors, including distance, time, and demand, the overriding structural issues in Nigeria make air travel far more expensive and prone to sharp, sudden price increases compared to other regions.

This increase has been attributed to fluctuations in aviation fuel prices and exchange rate volatility, leading to rising operational costs.

Higher airfares in Nigeria have several implications: elevated travel costs for consumers, decreased demand for air travel, adverse effects on tourism, increased operational costs for businesses that depend on air transport and inflationary pressures on related sectors such as hospitality and logistics.

Across Africa, a similar trend is evident in the demand and aeroplane seat availability data. Overall, the number of aeroplane seats in Africa decreased by 3.58%, suggesting a reduction in available flights.

Demand for aeroplane seats varies across Africa, with significant drops reported in Eastern and North Africa, while Southern Africa saw an increase in seat capacity.

The ‘Seats by Region’ metric represents the number of seats available to, from, and within each African subregion for the specified period.

Uneven seat distribution could be due to factors like demand elasticity, operational challenges, and regional economic conditions, which airlines are addressing by strategically adjusting capacities to align with market demand.

Data between September 2023 and March 2024 indicate a 71% correlation between airfare charges and aviation fuel costs.

This shows that there is a moderate to strong positive connection between the two variables, indicating that domestic flight costs tend to climb in tandem with increases in aviation fuel prices, as airlines likely pass some of these increased expenses onto consumers.

The depreciation of the Naira against major foreign currencies was another reason stated to have led to the increase in airfares in Nigeria.

However, data shows that Nigeria’s exchange rate volatility is moderately linked to changes in airfares.

The Naira to Dollar exchange rate is 69% correlated to airfare charges for a single journey between September 2023 to September 2024.

The World Bank emphasises that countries that rely significantly on imported items, such as aviation fuel and aircraft parts, which are valued in foreign currency, are significantly impacted by exchange rate depreciation.

According to an analysis by the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), three sectors underperformed in the rebased GDP.

The CPPE said, ‘Top-performing sectors included financial services [15.3%], oil refining [11.51%], transportation [14.08], ICT [7.4%], and metal ores [25%].

‘The following sectors contracted: Livestock [-16.7%], fishing [-0.21%], Textiles [-1.63], Coal Mining [-22.3%], Quarry and Minerals [-21.55%], Plastics and Rubber [-3.2%], Iron and Steel [-0.35%], Air Transport [-0.81%].’

Sectors in recession include air transport, textiles, and coal mining. This follows their consistent contraction over the past few quarters.

With increasing prices of tickets, the passenger numbers have dropped significantly according to airline operators.

Also the acting Managing Director of Ibom Air, George Uriesi recently raised an alarm over depleting passenger figures, saying this is a major cause for concern.

The Ibom Air boss confirmed that traffic has been dwindling since 2022, saying the situation is getting worse and efforts must be made to attract more passengers to fly.

‘We are down by 27% from 2024. We are in trouble, we have to find a way to get people flying again,’ he said.

The Airline operator said airports must work with airlines to survive, saying, ‘In Aviation ecosystem, the driver is the airline. Nobody will earn kobo if airlines do not fly. Everybody talks about money because airlines are flying.’

While commenting on the troubling phenomenon, the Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors, Capt. Ado Sanusi in a chat with newsmen said, ‘The passenger traffic has been declining in Nigeria. It’s been declining and we know the reason for the decline of the passenger traffic. I have mentioned it in several interviews. There are factors affecting the decline in passenger traffic. The movement of passengers reflects the economic activities of any country. If the economic activities of the country have slowed down, the movement will slow down.’

Sanusi however believes the economy is picking up gradually and said the federal government must work with the airlines to streamline the taxes.

‘The economy is going in the right direction. But the problem, or the challenge that we are faced with is the taxations that are a bit high and so for the tickets. That makes the tickets a bit high in so many ways, meaning that the people that are buying tickets are very few in Nigeria.’

Stanley Opubeh, another aviation stakeholder, blamed the underperformance of the sector on the depletion of disposable income of Nigerians.

‘There is no disposable income again. People are really tightening their belts now. To travel by air is now a luxury more or less,’ he said.

However, President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), Yinka Folami however disagreed that the aviation sector is in a recession.

‘From my experience and what I observe, there is nothing that points to that significant drop so much as classified as a recession. Nothing points that to me. IATA figures are bouncing back. Load factor is reasonably high,’ he said.

Aviation analyst and General Secretary of Aviation Roundtable and Safety Initiative, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo said the sector was recovering well from the shutdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic until the progress was slowed by naira devaluation.

Ohunayo said, ‘Air Transport was the sector that was most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was predicted that it would take three years for air transport to get back to the pre-COVID era. I think that prediction has only been reverted by two or three countries that have got back to the 2019 era.

‘In our own case as we are about recovering, there came the paucity of funds most especially the dollar which is the main currency of operation in the industry. That affected the capacity and because it affected the capacity, the airlines did not post a lot, they cancelled some routes and passengers were looking at options.

‘The dollar-to-naira ticket fare skyrocketed. And due to the skyrocketing, passengers also abandoned air transportation. The airlines do not have the kind of capacity they had in the beginning, that reduced and this affected frequency and routes and also affected available capacity in the market.

‘The rate of dollar to naira that skyrocketed along with the inflation that followed it also made tickets a bit high for passengers.

‘Again, the disposable income that was there for Nigerians before was lowered considerably by inflation. So people are not travelling for things that are not important anymore. So it must be extremely important for people to travel.

‘With all these conditions, it was the air transport that suffered the most because it is a luxurious travel and it is very expensive.

‘Again remember they also clamped down on private jets. Remember as of 2019, we had more private jets than even scheduled flights. With the clamp down on private jet operations and asking them to regularise their papers, that also took some aircraft out of the country while some were grounded and that also affected aviation contribution to the economy.’

Experts have divided opinions on the outlook for 2025 and 2026. Some are optimistic about potential improvements due to relative stability in the foreign exchange market and local production of aviation fuel. Others predict a continued decline unless the underlying issues of currency instability and economic hardship are addressed.

However, the government is exploring ways to address high airfares, including potentially enhancing airport security and addressing challenges related to aircraft leasing and trapped funds.

Recent tax law changes have removed waivers for airline tickets, aircraft, engines, and spare parts, which industry stakeholders warn could further increase costs. However, a recent suspension of a 4% FOB levy on imports was lauded by airline operators as a positive intervention.

In the view of experts, overall, the outlook for airfare affordability in Nigeria remains challenging due to persistent economic and structural issues. While some government interventions and private sector initiatives offer glimmers of hope, significant improvements are likely dependent on greater currency stability, reduced operational costs, and supportive government policies.