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Some industry stakeholders who are also the organisers of the National Advertising Conference (NAC) 2025 have announced plans for this year’s edition, scheduled to hold at the Abuja Continental Hotel from November 12 to 14, recognised as the country’s premier gathering of marketing communications professionals, innovators, regulators, and business leaders.

The conference has built a reputation as a key platform for intellectual engagement, professional networking, and policy-shaping dialogue in Nigeria’s marketing ecosystem. It has consistently provided opportunities for participants to share ideas, exchange insights, and collectively design roadmaps for advancing both the industry and the national economy.

This year’s edition is expected to deepen those engagements, with over 50 distinguished speakers drawn from diverse sectors of the economy, including advertising, media, technology, and business leadership. Discussions will span sub-themes such as ‘Different Generations, Different Industry’ and ‘Destination Branding,’ alongside other critical issues affecting the marketing and communications landscape.

In his reaction to issues around the feedback from the previous editions, the Director General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Dr. Lekan Fadolapo said the cooperation of the Federal Government on the conference through the office of the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, has helped the organisers to achieve their aims as well as showcasing advertising as a catalyst for national development.

He said, ‘With the open door policy of the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, we have been able to share our thoughts on national development, and the industry has enjoyed necessary attention. As a thoroughbred professional, the minister is committed to industry growth and he has consistently encouraged the practitioners to use their expertise to promote Nigeria and her brands. He sees our annual conference as a gathering of intellectuals and professionals whose contributions would enhance the effective communication of the government.’

He further stressed that the 2025 edition of the conference will focus on pragmatic solutions to transform and grow the business of advertising and marketing in Nigeria, particularly in light of economic challenges and global shifts.

In his remarks, Mr. Tunji Adeyinka, Chairman of the Conference Organising Committee, described the event as a ‘meeting point for industry leaders, young professionals, innovators, and visionaries who are shaping the future of marketing and advertising in Nigeria.’

He said that beyond learning and networking, the conference will serve as an epicenter for thought leadership, innovation, and collaboration.

As part of preparations toward the conference, the organisers have introduced incentives to encourage early participation for early bird registration which is set at ?250,000 until October 31, 2025, after which the ticket price will increase to ?350,000 from November 1.

In addition, the committee has partnered with Ibom Air to provide discounted flights for delegates who register early, further easing access to the nation’s capital for participants

The 2025 edition is set to host high-level panel sessions, exhibitions showcasing the latest industry innovations, and networking platforms designed to foster meaningful connections among participants. Leaders of key sectoral bodies – including Dozie Okafor, President of the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN); Tolulope Medebem, President of the Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN); Lanre Adisa, President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN); Sola Akinsiku, President of the Outdoor Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (OAAN); and Greg Odutayo, representing the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) – have all pledged their full support, assuring that their members will be mobilised to participate actively.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said the National Assembly will not allow any lawmaker to hold the legislature ‘hostage,’ stressing that discipline and adherence to institutional rules are vital for the survival of Nigeria’s democracy.

Akpabio made this known in a statement yesterday by his media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, titled ‘The Trials and Triumphs of a Resilient Nigeria’s 10th Senate.’

He explained that the Senate’s resolve to uphold its standing orders was not aimed at stifling dissent but rather to preserve order and protect the sanctity of democratic institutions.

‘Without a doubt, Nigeria’s Senate belongs in that global fellowship of parliaments that recognise chaos as the heart of anarchy and order as the soul of democracy.

‘Its insistence on upholding internal discipline and protecting the authority of its leadership is, therefore, neither personal nor punitive. It is institutional self-preservation,’ Akpabio said.

He noted that the Upper Chamber’s determination not to be swayed by any individual was a reaffirmation of collective responsibility over ‘individual grandstanding.’

‘When the chamber asserts that it will not be held hostage by the disruptive instincts of any single member, it is affirming the primacy of collective responsibility over individual grandstanding. This is how strong legislatures endure: not by silencing dissent, but by ensuring that dissent respects the bounds of procedure,’ he stated.

Akpabio further emphasized that parliamentary discipline is a universal principle in democratic governance, citing examples from established democracies.

‘The discipline of parliamentary conduct is a universal marker of political civilisation. In the United Kingdom’s House of Commons, the authority of the Speaker is absolute and unchallenged, ensuring that debates proceed with respect and precision. No member, regardless of party or popularity, may openly defy the Speaker’s ruling without consequences.

‘In Canada’s Parliament, even the fiercest partisans understand that procedure is sacred. Heated disagreements are channelled through decorum, not chaos. Similarly, in Australia, the Senate’s ability to hold the executive accountable depends not on the whims of politics but on the meticulous enforcement of rules that keep legislative integrity intact,’ Akpabio said.

He maintained that strong democracies thrive not by avoiding dissent but by managing it within the limits of procedure and respect for institutional order.

‘In any democracy, the question is never whether there will be dissent. Instead, it is always about how it will be handled. The real measure of a democratic institution is how it handles internal turbulence.

‘The Tenth Senate has faced its fair share of provocations and personality clashes, yet it has consistently chosen the path of principle over populism. When it insists that rules must be followed and that leadership must be respected, it is not acting out of pride but out of duty. Every time the Senate enforces its Standing Orders, it sends a message that Nigeria’s democracy is strong enough to discipline itself,’ the statement added.

Long before refined petroleum products began pouring out of the Dangote refinery, I was sure that whenever that happened, the Nigerian economy was going to receive a massive shot in the arm. I was sure that the refinery was going to change Nigeria, permanently and profoundly. After all, the planned scale of the enterprise was so large that it could take care of local demands. Not only that, it was large enough to have a great deal left over for export. If that was not a game changer, nothing else was going to clinch it. The reality of what has happened in the last two years has however clipped the wings of my soaring expectations, bringing me back to reality with a massive bump.

What I failed to add to my calculation of reality was that whilst opening the refinery was a positive, life changing event for the vast majority of Nigerians, it was bound to be seen in a negative and altogether unwelcome light. After all, a small but all powerful minority were profiting from the chaos which had governed our fuel supply mechanisms for half a century and counting. It is now clear that not taking their reaction into consideration was going to fatally screw up the equation of fuel supply in the country, even as high grade fuel was being produced right here on our shores.

The first indication of reality was that long after the refinery was commissioned, its promised products were not available on the fuel thirsty streets of Nigeria. This was not a spontaneous reaction but a contrived response to the potential availability of enough fuel to drive the nation’s economy. The actors in that area of our economy had decided to deprive our nubile waist of decorative beads in favour of total strangers.

The largest single train refinery in the world stood ready for business but crude oil, its basic raw material, was conspicuously missing. And this was, at least on paper, in a country which was still one of the largest producers of crude oil in the world. One would have thought that all that was required was to allot the required amount of fuel to Dangote in a move that was going to replace the subsidy that we had been told was being paid on every litre of petrol that was consumed in the land. It was soon clear that the NNPC had mortgaged our oil reserves and was in no position to sell oil to Dangote. The refinery was open for business but there was no local crude available, tantamount to our farmers sending their yams to Lagos to earn hard cash whilst subsisting on part of their scraggy cocoyam harvest. Dangote had to go halfway round the world to bring in the crude, large quantities of which were available in his backyard. What economic sense did it make to source for crude in turgid dollars but sell the refined products in flaccid Naira? None at all is the right answer. The Dangote refinery got going at last but the cost of buying petrol in Nigeria was hardly dented as it competed with rotten dollar denominated fuel which was still being bought in strange lands and imported into Nigeria. The leeches which had been sucking us dry for several decades, ignoring the evidence of their eyes, were insistent in their desire to ensure that it was to be business as usual. They were able to do this because they had friends in high places. After Dangote was denied the benefit of access to local crude, some standards organisation, without the benefit of any analytical instrumentation declared with faux authority that the fuel produced by Dangote was laden with high concentrations. of sulphur. This was a clear attempt to play on the fears of Nigerians that locally produced materials of any kind were inferior to imported varieties. Dangote, who had the authority of a fully functional laboratory behind him proved them wrong. These difficulties notwithstanding, Dangote began to eat away at the cost of fuel purchased from our forecourts. Availability was also increased to such an extent that fuel queues were consigned to the past. For the first time in fifty years fuel was even available over the Christmas period. To be sure, petrol was still close to five times more expensive in Naira terms than before but the cost was coming down perceptibly in what was turning out to be a win – win situation or, could be if properly managed.

But, the situation could not be properly managed. When it became apparent that Dangote was getting on top of the situation, news began to filter out that the government owned refineries which had been silently rotting away for a couple of decades, had in the miraculous manner of the deceased Lazarus been brought back to life after the injection of massive amounts of dollars. We were informed that the refineries had undergone various tests which confirmed that they were so close to resuming their functions as to make no difference. It was to be only a matter of a few months or even weeks before Dangote was presented with a worthy competitor thereby preempting the creation of an unwanted Dangote monopoly in the oil sector. A year after these cheering news were received, the refineries are as silent as the sepulchres from which they were said to have been delivered and Dangote is still the only refinery left standing.

I was sure that a decisive corner had been turned when a year ago, it was announced that Dangote could pay for his crude supplies in Naira. True, the volume of crude supplied under this arrangement was substantially short of capacity, it was however a giant step in the right direction but the mode of this transaction was not transparent as as some dollars were smuggled into the prevailing equation but still it was better than nothing and in any case, the cost of fuel at the pump continued to inch downwards. Hope in the bright future of fuel availability broke out like a rash, to the evident satisfaction of a lot of us. That outbreak has however been shown to be premature as other challenges were raised against Mr. Dangote and his massive and ambitious project.

In the dark winter of our fuel discontent, a group of people had risen to insert themselves into the fuel supply chain. They had built massive storage facilities which received imported fuel for subsequent distribution throughout the country. They did not add a jot of value to the supply chain but were nevertheless indispensable. They were like the slave traders of old who took advantage of being situated on the coast to buy slaves from the interior to sell them on to the Europeans at great profit to themselves. Their descendants still exist among us for all they are now worth. The direction of trade has now been reversed with fuel being moved from the ports to the hinterland. Unfortunately, the reasoning remains the same, the only difference is the nature of the merchandise. Then, it was live human beings. Now, it is refined petroleum.

To pursue the slave trade analogy to its logical conclusion. Slaves were assembled at depots all along the coasts from where the slaves were loaded into ships reeking of human misery and taken across the Atlantic Ocean, to slavery in the Americas and the Caribbean region. Now, old and old ricketty petrol tankers drive up to be loaded with fuel for transport to all parts of the country. These rent seeking middlemen, llike their forefathers who resisted the abolition of the slave trade with all their might are also determined to protect their privileges to the detriment of the rest of us.

Nigeria, as a country, has only 300 psychiatrists to attend to its over 200million populace.

This was the stark revelation by Professor Modupe Akinyinka, HOD, Community Health, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LAUTH.

She spoke at the weekend, at a public forum to commemorate the World Mental Health Day2025.

Represented by another senior official of the department, Prof. Yinka Adeniran, Prof. Akinyinka said this is as a result of brain drain, otherwise known as japa syndrome, currently ravaging the health sector.

This would later be corroborated by Professor Olayinla Atilola, who spoke on the topic: ‘Nigeria as a Catastrophe and Emergency Hub.’

The Chairman of the occasion, Professor Olurotimi Coker, gave a historical background of the annual commemoration, explaining that World Mental Health Day was first observed in the institution on October 10, 1992.

He highlighted this year’s theme: Access to services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies, noting that many people develop mental health issues as a result of conflicts, natural disasters, displacement, and economic instability.

Speaking with The Nation on the sideline of the event, Professor Coker said ‘The essence of the Day is to tell Nigerians that they can have access to mental healthcare, and that it’s not okay to be okay. When you have mental health issues, you need to talk about it. It is no longer a thing of shame to have depression or anxiety.’

On the spirituality attached to mental health issues, Coker said ‘Mental disorders are disorders of the brain, and are like every other disorders, such as disorders of the kidney, of the heart, of the liver; so why should we say that disorders of the brain are caused by machinations of the devilish minds, village people and all of that. This is why we are here to psycho-educate the people, so that they stop taking patients to spiritual homes and religious people.

‘We have a very depressed economy and people are being affected by the economy, and there is a high correlation between poverty and mental disorders. Should we then say that it was caused by village people?’

He emphasised that mental health disorders are hundred percent treatable when presented early.

Aside Pro. Atilola, Prof. Leonard Okonkwo, a clinical psychologist at the institution also gave a talk on Psychological first aid.

Nigeria’s total public debt stock has climbed to N152.39 trillion as of June 30, 2025, according to the latest figures released by the Debt Management Office (DMO).

The new figure marks an increase of N3.01 trillion or 2.01 per cent from the N149.39 trillion recorded at the end of March 2025. In dollar terms, the debt profile rose from $97.24 billion to $99.66 billion, representing a 2.49 per cent increase within the three-month period.

Nigeria’s external debt stock increased to $46.98 billion (N71.85 trillion) in June 2025, compared to $45.98 billion (N70.63 trillion) in March.

According to the report, the World Bank remains Nigeria’s largest external creditor, with $18.04 billion in outstanding loans – mostly from the International Development Association (IDA). This accounts for about 38 per cent of the country’s total external obligations.

Overall, multilateral lenders accounted for $23.19 billion, representing 49.4 per cent of the external portfolio. Other multilateral partners include the African Development Bank (AfDB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

Bilateral loans totalled $6.20 billion, led by the Export-Import Bank of China (Exim Bank) with $4.91 billion, while smaller exposures were owed to France, Japan, India, and Germany.

Commercial borrowings, mostly through Eurobonds, amounted to $17.32 billion, accounting for 36.9 per cent of Nigeria’s total external debt. The country also owed $268.9 million under syndicated facilities and commercial bank loans.

On the domestic front, total debt rose to N80.55 trillion in June, up from N78.76 trillion in March – an increase of N1.79 trillion or 2.27 per cent.

The report stated that N680,424,712,094.99 of FGN bonds issued to restructure States’ commercial debts is excluded from that amount. Also included under FGN Bonds was a securitized component of Ways and Means financing amounting to N22,719,000,000,000.00. A portion of FGN Bonds issued in foreign currency (converted to naira) accounted for N1,402,905,358,752.50; this figure corresponds to a domestic US Dollar bond of USD 917.405 million, which the DMO notes was converted using a rate of N1,529.2105 per dollar.

Treasury Bills were the second largest instrument, amounting to N12,764,078,815,000.00, which is 16.67 percent of the domestic debt stock.

Other instruments recorded in the DMO report include FGN Sukuk (N1,292,557,000,000.00, or 1.69 percent), FGN Savings Bonds (N91,533,172,000.00, or 0.12 percent), and FGN Green Bond (N62,355,000,000.00, or 0.08 percent).

Promissory Notes (Pnotes), which are non-interest bearing, were reported at N1,731,358,298,643.85, forming 2.26 percent of total domestic debt. Of this amount, the naira-denominated portion was N431,216,797,437.00, while the foreign currency denominated portion (converted to naira) was N1,300,141,501,206.86. The foreign currency portion is composed of USD and GBP elements, converted at the rates of N1,529.2105 per dollar and N2,093.9479 per pound.

Specifically, the DMO noted that the FGN Naira Bonds figures include part of the N7.3 trillion Ways and Means restructured in the first half (H1) of 2025, and that the FGN US Dollar Bond of USD 917,405,000 issued on September 6, 2024 and outstanding as at June 2025 was converted to naira using the Central Bank of Nigeria official exchange rate of 1 USD = N1,529.2105 as at June 30, 2025.

The DMO stated that Promissory Notes which are non-interest bearing instruments and that the foreign-denominated Promissory Notes outstanding (USD 850,069,492 and £98,526 as at June 2025) were converted to naira using the CBN official exchange rates of 1 USD = N1,529.2105 and 1 GBP = N2,093.9479 as at June 30, 2025.

According to the DMO, the Federal Government accounted for N141.08 trillion, representing 92.6 per cent of the total public debt stock. This figure includes N64.49 trillion in external obligations and N76.59 trillion in domestic liabilities.

Subnational governments – comprising the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – owed a combined N11.32 trillion, or 7.4 per cent of the total debt. Of this amount, $4.81 billion (N7.36 trillion) was external, while N3.96 trillion was domestic.

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) is deeply perturbed by the escalating insecurity across various regions of Nigeria. In a statement signed by the president of ANA, Oladipo Akanbi and the secretary Dame Joan Oji, the authors makes it clear that Nigeria needs security to forge ahead. ‘From the Borno, Adamawa axis to Zamfara, Katsina, Benue, Plateau, Oyo, Kogi, Niger, and Kwara in the North, to the kidnapping and sporadic killings in the South, the situation demands immediate government attention and response.

The proliferation of arms, insecurity-induced displacements, loss of legitimate livelihood, kidnapping, and the rise of conflict profiteers amongst military and political elites of the country have turned Nigeria into a theatre of guerilla warfare on a scale hitherto unknown.

ANA is hereby calling upon the government at all levels to engage requisite technology and collaborative foreign intelligence to stem the tide, and to demonstrate the political will necessary in addressing this ugly development. We must prioritise the safety and well-being of all Nigerians regardless of where they dwell.

As custodians of the nation’s literary heritage, We in ANA urge the federal government to take urgent and decisive steps to restore peace and stability in the country.

Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, yesterday hit back at Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde over his comment regarding the cost of the Lagos-Calabar Highway.

The minister asked Makinde to seek clarification where necessary, reminding him that he (Umahi) is his senior in engineering practice and governance.

Makinde had faulted the minister’s response during a heated exchange with Arise TV presenter Rufai Oseni last week.

During the live interview on Tuesday, Oseni had asked the minister to provide a breakdown of the project’s cost per kilometre. However, Umahi dismissed the question describing himself as a ‘professor of practice’ in engineering and insisting that the costs vary across sections of the road, making it too complex for the journalist to comprehend.’

Reacting to Umahi’s handling of the question , Makinde sided with Rufai stating that the public deserves clear information about how taxpayers’ money is being spent.

‘They asked a minister how much the coastal road is, and he started dancing around,’ Makinde said. ‘Even if the cost per kilometre varies, there should still be an average figure.’

Umahi took a swipe at Makinde yesterday when he embarked on an inspection visit to the ongoing expansion of the Abuja-Keffi expressway.

He said he would not join issues with Makinde but urged the governor to seek clarification where necessary.

‘When I heard that somebody, my brother and friend, Governor Makinde, said. I don’t want to join issue with him. I think he is an engineer, an electrician, they call it Elect-Elect. This road construction, Elect-Elect no reach there.

‘I am his senior in governance and his senior in engineering practice. So, anything he doesn’t understand, he should call me and ask.

‘I have respect for him as my friend and brother, but he should withdraw the word that I’m dancing around. I never danced around, and if he insists, he should come for debate, that is very important.’

The Minister maintained that his explanations on project costing were based on standard engineering principles, ‘There is no ambiguity in cost per kilometer, but I’m teaching them that cost per kilometer could be divided into estimated cost, which has elements of variance, and average cost, which is definitive,’ he said.

Umahi also berated critics who sought explanations from artificial intelligence platforms, ‘When somebody that is dangling without knowledge goes asking AI what is the difference between cost per kilometer and average cost, I’m happy that AI told him what I told him,’ he remarked.

He added that his competence and expertise in the field of engineering are not in question, stressing, ‘You can become a professor by reason of your practice, and I think God has made me one when it comes to field engineering. That is what it is, you can’t take that back.’

The Minister reaffirmed his Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that the Abuja-Keffi road expansion is completed efficiently, with improved carriageways and reduced congestion for commuters.

The Minister went on to explain the rationale behind the cost variation and ongoing expansion of the Abuja-Keffi expressway, assuring motorists that the Federal Government is working with the Nasarawa State government to eliminate traffic bottlenecks caused by roadside trading.

Umahi said the ministry had identified several trading points along the highway that impede traffic flow.

He, however, disclosed that additional carriageways would be constructed once the affected areas are cleared.

‘We have market trading on the road in a number of locations. Our inspection today, we are going with the Governor of Nasarawa State. If the Governor will do the demolition to create additional carriageway, we will fix additional carriageway in those locations, and there will be no more traffic in those locations,’ he said.

On the ongoing public debate about the cost per kilometer of a road project, Umahi described the controversy as mischievous and based on a misunderstanding of technical and financial processes involved in road construction.

‘This controversy about cost per kilometer, I have told you that this project is about 43 kilometers, but we have increased it to utilize the money given for the project by the last administration, which was ?73 billion. We have increased it to about 45 kilometers,’ he explained.

According to the minister, the project’s cost depends on several technical factors. ‘If we are doing surface tracing on the shoulder, the cost will be different. If we are using asphalt on the shoulders, the cost will be different. If we are using concrete as we are using, the cost will be different,’ he said.

He further clarified that any meaningful computation of road project cost must factor in contingencies and the Variation of Price (VoP) components, which may not eventually be used.

‘It is being mischievous when you ask for the cost of a length of road. But by professional information, you can ask for cost per kilometer, it could be estimated, it could be divided into sections.

‘The estimated cost of this project is ?73 billion over 45 kilometers and with the element of contingency and variation of price. When you finish and remove the VoP and unused contingency, and perhaps you have done 50 kilometers, then you can divide and have an average cost.’

For years, Nigeria’s livestock industry has languished under the heavy weight of neglect. The vast potential of livestock sector from cattle and goats to poultry, pigs, and dairy has been left to waste away.

The country spends billions of naira each year importing milk, frozen meats, and animal products that should have been produced locally. While many families often struggle to afford protein-rich diets, outbreak of animal diseases often wipe out smallholders’ herds with devastating consequences.

Nigeria treated the livestock sector like a forbidden child with attention on crop farming such as cocoa, groundnut, cassava, and rice, leaving the livestock infrastructures to rot.

The ugly story of neglect runs deep. The veterinary services collapsed, grazing reserves were abandoned, and herders were left to roam in search of pasture, sparking deadly conflicts with farmers. Productivity fell, and the dream of self-sufficiency in dairy and meat drastically faded.

While countries like Kenya, South Africa, and Ethiopia built thriving livestock economies by exporting meat, milk, and hides, Nigeria remains a net importer of livestock products.

However, a silent revolution is unfolding in the rolling farmlands of Ekiti State, a small landlocked state in Southwest Nigeria, with a view to changing the ugly narrative.

Through the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Enhancement Scheme (L-PRES), a World Bank-assisted project implemented in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Ekiti, under Governor Biodun Oyebanji is fast turning what was once an overlooked sector into a cornerstone of agricultural renaissance and economic renewal.

From inception, the Governor Oyebanji’s administration identified agriculture as the backbone of its economic strategy, positioning it, not just as a social policy, but as an engine of economic growth. Livestock, in particular, has been singled out for revival as part of a broader push for food security and prosperity.

His emphasis on self-sufficiency, rural wealth creation, and food security aligns with L-PRES objectives. The state is not merely implementing the project’s goals but also setting the pace, thus, becoming a model for how a neglected sector can be revived as a driver of jobs, wealth, and sustainable food systems.

The livestock transformation unfolding in Ekiti is part of a much broader national agenda. The L-PRES project is being implemented in 20 states including Kogi, Kano, Kaduna, Adamawa, Ondo among others; with the backing of the Federal Government and the funding support of the World Bank.

Designed to address structural problems in Nigeria’s livestock ecosystem such as weak animal health systems, inadequate veterinary infrastructure, low productivity, and reoccurring herders-farmers clashes, L-PRES was envisioned as a major step toward revitalising a forgotten but vital component of the Nigeria’s agricultural economy.

However, while a good number of the 20 state-beneficiaries are still grappling with preliminary activities and non-completion of paperwork due to bureaucratic bottlenecks, lack of political drive or counterpart funding issues, Ekiti has distinguished itself by turning policy into action.

The results are already manifesting in the state. Livestock farmers are gaining access to improved breeds; quality feed systems, and veterinary care. Extension workers are being retrained to provide real-time support, while the value-chain linkages are being formed between rural producers and commercial processors.

‘We’re not treating L-PRES project as just another donor-sponsored project. For us, it’s a strategic platform to commercialise livestock, boost productivity, as well as strengthen the resilience of our farmers. What you are seeing today in Ekiti is the product of that commitment,’ Olayinka Adedipe, the State Project Coordinator said.

The project revolves around three key pillars- commercialisation, productivity, and resilience-building with components covering conflict mitigation, institutional strengthening, livestock enhancement as well as emergency response. To date, over 45,000 livestock farmers have been profiled across poultry, pig, goat, sheep, and dairy value chains.

Hundreds of livestock farmers have also been trained in animal husbandry, artificial insemination, feed formulation and use of crop residues for livestock feed. To deepen the reach of this training, the state has also deployed livestock extension and service providers across all the 16 local governments, with each equipped with motorcycles to reach the remotest communities.

To institutionalise learning, Ekiti has also established three ultra-modern Livestock Farmers’ Schools, one in each senatorial district, located in Ikere, Ado-Ekiti, and Ikole.

‘These schools are more than ordinance classrooms. They are community hubs where modern livestock practices are taught continuously. We bring in experts to step down what we’ve learned from the World Bank and federal partners,’ Adedipe said.

The schools run training sessions on the rudiments of climate-smart livestock production, processing hygiene, and animal disease prevention. Butchers, feed processors, and veterinary aides have also benefited from capacity-building sessions.

The state’s most ambitious intervention is the construction of an ultra-modern abattoir, approved by the World Bank. ‘We’re finalising contracts. This facility will redefine meat processing and end unhygienic slaughtering,’ Adedipe said. The abattoir will feature traceability systems in line with global food safety standards.

Ekiti has also upgraded the veterinary hospital in Ijero-Ekiti with diagnostic equipment and CCTV-based disease surveillance. This year, the state administered 100,000 anthrax vaccine doses, preventing potential outbreaks. ‘We even handled a case of monkey pox swiftly with the Health and Environment ministries. That synergy is saving lives,’ Adedipe added.

While other sub-nationals in the country continue to grapple with farmer-herder headache, Ekiti is addressing the root causes of conflict. Six strategic water points have been constructed across the state to reduce animal migration, with more planned.

The government is also rehabilitating the Irele grazing reserve and plans to establish modern cattle markets in Ado-Ekiti and Omuo-Ekiti, alongside the pig villages and a goat village in Otun-Ekiti, a traditional goat-trading hub.

Under the project, the World Bank has also approved construction of modern commercial poultry houses in different locations, including Ado, Ikole and Emure; for a large-scale production while semi-automated chicken processing plant is underway at the Erifun Livestock Hub to enable Ekiti to process and distribute frozen chicken to Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Abuja.

For Titilope Faseluka, a poultry farmer from Oye-Ekiti, the project has been life-changing. ‘Before this training, I didn’t know how to use crop waste as feed,’ she said, smiling as she checked her birds. Now my production cost has dropped, and my chickens are healthier. I wish this knowledge came years ago’, Joseph added.

Sola Akinyemi, a goat rearer in Ikole-Ekiti shared a similar story. ‘Before now, no one told us about goat diseases or how to feed them properly. We just guessed. But after the training, our goats are healthier and we earn more. I’ve even started teaching my neighbours what I learned.’

Before, I was feeding my goats anyhow,’ said Mrs. Janet Aladesuru, a goat rearer from Otun-Ekiti. ‘But now I know how to mix feed from maize chaff and cassava peel. My animals are fatter, and buyers now come from as far as Ilorin.’

Lydia Omoyajowo, a poultry farmer from Oye-Ekiti, agrees. ‘Before this training, I didn’t know how to turn crop waste into feed. My costs are down and my birds are healthier,’ she said. ‘Now I’m thinking of expanding because demand is rising.’

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The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade, said the remarkable progress recorded in the livestock value chain would not have been possible without the support of Governor Biodun Oyebanji.

According to him, Governor Oyebanji’s prompt release of counterpart funding and his insistence on transparency have positioned Ekiti State as one of the best-performing states under the World Bank-supported L-PRES programme.

‘Governor Oyebanji’s leadership is the real game changer. He understood from the onset that livestock productivity can drive inclusive growth in rural areas, and he backed that conviction with action through prompt funding, policy direction, and hands-on supervision. That’s why you’re seeing visible positive impacts across communities today.’

He noted that the L-PRES project has significantly boosted farmers’ income, improved animal health and boost food security in the state.

Boluwade emphasized that the Oyebanji administration’s approach to agricultural development in the state is holistic and people-oriented, saying his commitment has been instrumental to the success of the project.

‘We’re not just talking about agriculture; we are seeing results. From the poultry clusters in Ikere-Ekiti and Oye-Ekiti to goat production in Ikole and Otun; the stories are the same. Farmers are smiling again. The governor has given us the political backing to deliver,’ he said.

For the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Ojo, the ongoing livestock revolution in Ekiti is not just a development project but an audacious economic agenda designed to lift rural communities out of poverty.

He explained that the Governor Oyebanji-led administration has mainstreamed livestock nto the state’s agricultural roadmap, saying ‘ Farmers who once struggled to sustain their herds are now running profitable livestock ventures’.

‘That turnaround story is only possible because Governor Oyebanji has been intentional about supporting the project with timely counterpart funding and institutional backing.’

Ojo explained that the project’s success stems from the synergy between the Ekiti state and its development partners, noting that ‘the World Bank provides the framework, but the real results depend on the state’s commitment. Mr Governor has provided that commitment and that’s why Ekiti is excelling.

The Chancellor of Covenant University, Dr. David O. Oyedepo, has charged Nigerian youths to take responsibility for their destinies through discipline, godly living, integrity, and capacity building.

He gave the charge yesterday at the 20th Convocation Ceremony of the 2025 Graduating Class, tagged ‘The 20th Release of Eagles,’ held at the university chapel in Ota, Ogun State.

A total of 1,646 students graduated, including 1,413 undergraduates and 233 postgraduates across various disciplines. Of these, 357 bagged First Class honours, 841 Second Class Upper, 410 Second Class Lower, and 38 Third Class. At the postgraduate level, the university awarded 45 PhDs, 148 MSc, 18 MEng, 3 MA, and 19 MBA degrees.

Miss Duru Chidera Emmanuella from the Department of Computer Engineering emerged as the Best Graduating Student with a 4.97 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA), while Sanmi Rilwan Oluwademilade, a graduate of Industrial Mathematics, also distinguished himself with a 4.99 CGPA in an earlier academic session.

The event attracted prominent dignitaries, including university chancellors, diplomats, government representatives, traditional rulers, and parents of the graduating students.

In his convocation address titled ‘Golden Rules for a Life of Meaning and Relevance,’ Dr. Oyedepo emphasized the power of personal choices and godly discipline in shaping a successful destiny.

He said ‘Not making a choice is a choice. If you fail, it’s your fault, and if you succeed, it’s your fault. You may first appear mad before you emerge as a celebrity like Paul in Acts 26:24. You may be branded a fanatic like Joseph, or seem unreasonable like Isaac, but in the end, sacrifice and integrity always produce stars.’

Oyedepo listed six key life principles for graduates, a choice to go the extra mile, pursue God as a lifestyle, build faith, uphold integrity, develop capacity, and embrace discipline.

‘There is no star without a scar, and the scar of every star is sacrifice, integrity defines value; nothing devalues a man like lack of character. Capacity must be cultivated, it cannot be imparted,’ he declared.

He explained that Covenant University’s success rests on helping students build solid spiritual and moral foundations through its signature programmes. The Total Man Concept (TMC), Entrepreneurial Development Studies (EDS), Towards a Total Graduate (TTG), and Diploma in Leadership Development (DLD).

‘The life span of every building depends on its foundation,’ he said. ‘At Covenant, we are helping students build lives anchored on character, positive attitude, and discipline. Only positive thinkers become great builders.’

Reaffirming the institution’s vision, Oyedepo said the university is committed to raising a new generation of African leaders through education rooted in godliness, knowledge, and integrity.

In his address, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Timothy Anake, described education as ‘the passport to the future,’ quoting Malcolm X.

‘Our mission has never been to merely confer degrees,’ he said. ‘It is to produce graduates who are intellectually capable, spiritually grounded, ethically sound, and socially relevant.’

In her goodwill message, the Chairperson of the Student Council, Miss Chidera Emmanuella Duru, representing the graduating class, thanked parents, staff, and colleagues for their support and resilience through challenging academic years.

‘We have endured online semesters, post-pandemic restructuring, Wi-Fi droughts, and countless late nights,’ she said. ‘But through it all, we learned perseverance, faith, and excellence. We are not just graduates – we are solutions.’

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has admonished Nigerian youths not to despair about the future of Nigeria but have faith and be positive about their country.

Akpabio said with the ongoing reforms of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Government, things would change for the better.

Akpabio made the remarks on Friday at an interactive session with the All Progressives Congress (APC) Youths tagged: ‘An Uncommon Evening With President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.’

The event which held at the APC Youth House in Abuja, was organised by the APC National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel, according to a statement by the office of the Senate President in Abuja.

The Senate President told the youths: ‘The world was not built in a day. If you feel discouraged about Nigeria’s future, do something about it. As a young person, you can change Nigeria by doing the right thing. Start first by cleaning your environment. Start first by sharing what you have with others. Start first by showing love to one another.

‘Don’t mind the situation you find today. The evil you see today, you shall see them no more. The poverty around you today, you shall see them no more. Just believe strongly and have faith in your country. That your time will come and Nigeria will change.

‘So do not despair. Do not feel discouraged about this country. Just believe in this country. I am here to encourage you. The mind is stronger than the body. Ensure that your mind is stronger than your body.

‘What l will say to the Nigerian child is for the child to have a mindset, to have faith in Nigeria and to ensure that he thinks positively about this country because what he thinks in his mind is what will happen to Nigeria.’

Akpabio also tasked the board and management of the South South Development Commission (SSDC) on carrying out developmental projects that will impact on the living standard of the people of the region while furthering the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Senator Akpabio gave the charge when the board of the new Commission paid him a courtesy visit on Thursday in Abuja.

He urged the Commission to rise up to its responsibilities to develop the South South and contribute to the economic development of the six States of the region.

The Chairman of the board of the Commission, Prince Chibudom Nwuche, thanked President Bola Tinubu, the Senate President and the National Assembly for their efforts in passing the SSDC bill into law despite the challenges and difficulties. He said with the caliber of persons appointed into the management and board the SSDC will add value to the nation.

‘Under my leadership as Chairman, I assure you that we shall keep faith in executing the core mandate of this Commission. We will work closely with you and the Senate and listen to guidance from our stakeholders. We will avoid the mistakes of the past and make sure our people feel the impact of governance,’ he said.