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Determined efforts by men and offices of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army to end oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and associated crimes in the Niger Delta, the Army has intensified its onslaught on the suspected criminals through ‘deactivation of eight artisanal refineries, the arrest of several suspected oil thieves, and the confiscation of over 18,000 litres of stolen crude oil.’

The efforts significantly led to the troops frustrating attempts at re-establishing previously dismantled illegal bunkering hubs and refineries.

Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, Lieutenant Colonel and Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, in release on Sunday, said the successful deactivation of the refineries, was as a result of the 6 Division scaling up ‘both kinetic and non-kinetic lines of operations across the region.’

He said the operations, which were conducted with other security agencies between 21 September and 5 October 2025, ‘have reinforced the Division’s quest to emplace a safer and more conducive atmosphere for legitimate socio-economic activities to thrive in the NDR (Niger Delta Region).’

Danjuma said, ‘The operations conducted in Rivers State, around Joinkrama 4 in Ahoada West LGA, resulted in a newly constructed illegal refining site dismantled by the troops. Other items destroyed comprised receivers, ovens, drums, pipes, as well as over 3,500 litres of stolen crude recovered.

‘Additionally, acting on credible intelligence, troops intercepted a red Mercedes-Benz vacuum truck. The truck, with registration number AHD 925 XA, was loaded with over 3,200 litres of stolen crude and was intercepted along Aba Road in Oyigbo LGA. The driver abandoned the vehicle and fled on sighting troops.

‘Similarly, clearance operations conducted along the fringes of Imo River resulted in the deactivation of an illegal refining site, with three drum pots, two drum receivers, and over 2,000 litres of stolen crude stockpiled in sacks recovered. Other seizures were made at Odogwa in Etche LGA, Obeama Uzomiri Waterside in Oyigbo LGA, and Obiafor Oil Field in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA.’

The 6 Division Public Relations boss noted that ‘In Akwa Ibom State, troops intercepted two Toyota Camry vehicles with registration numbers ANA 495 CK and AKD 233 EQ conveying 120 nylon bags filled with over 3,600 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) along Ikot Okoro, Abak LGA.

‘Two suspects were apprehended in connection with the seizures. While in Bayelsa State, around Biseni Community along Kemezia Road, at an abandoned House No 70 in Yenagoa LGA, troops uncovered over 950 litres of stolen petroleum products,’ he said.

Emmanuel Eric Emekah, Major General and General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, has however, commended the troops for their resilience.

He urged criminal elements in the Niger Delta to turn a new leaf and engage in legitimate businesses, adding that the Army Division under his command will ensure ‘our forest remains green and waters blue, with zero tolerance for any form of economic sabotage in the region.’

A new study by Surfshark has raised alarms about the future of privacy in messaging apps as the European Union pushes forward with its Child Sexual Abuse Regulation, dubbed ‘Chat Control.’

Set for a vote on October 14, 2025, the proposal aims to combat serious online crimes by requiring messaging platforms to scan private communications or provide lawful access to encrypted services.

However, privacy advocates warn that these measures could dismantle end-to-end encryption, a cornerstone of secure digital communication, putting users, vulnerable groups, and businesses at risk.

Surfshark’s analysis of 10 popular iOS messaging apps, including Apple’s Messages and the nine most downloaded apps in 2025, highlights the current state of privacy protections.

Nine of the 10 apps employ end-to-end encryption, with Signal and iMessage offering quantum-secure cryptography for enhanced security.

However, Apple’s Messages app falls short when messages are sent to Android devices, converting them to unencrypted SMS/MMS, which leaves them vulnerable to interception.

Discord stands alone as the only app studied that lacks end-to-end encryption for text-based messages.

The study underscores Signal’s leadership in privacy, scoring 0.99 out of 1 for its minimal data collection- only phone numbers for app functionality-and its avoidance of user tracking.

In contrast, apps like LINE, Discord, Rakuten Viber Messenger, and Meta’s Messenger scored below the average of 0.52, with LINE ranking lowest.

Notably, Messenger by Meta collects 30 out of 35 data types listed in the App Store, often for purposes like advertising and user behavior analysis, raising significant privacy concerns.

The EU’s Chat Control proposal has sparked widespread opposition. Eight member states currently oppose the regulation, while 12, including France with its 81 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), support it.

Seven countries, representing 36 percent of the EU population and 260 MEPs, remain undecided, with Germany’s 96 MEPs holding significant sway.

Critics argue that mandating message scanning would create vulnerabilities exploitable by malicious actors, undermining the trust in Europe’s digital infrastructure.

‘Having end-to-end encryption for communication and other digital services is just essential hygiene. Without it, all other efforts by apps to protect user privacy and security become largely meaningless. Proposals to introduce message scanning would inevitably create vulnerabilities that malicious actors could exploit. There is no such thing as partial encryption: either it is intact, or it is broken. Therefore, weakening encryption risks undermining trust in Europe’s digital infrastructure and setting a dangerous global precedent,’ says Vytautas Kaziukonis, CEO at Surfshark.

The study also flagged privacy risks from AI features, present in 90 percent of the analyzed apps. Features like conversation summarization or AI assistants could expose private data to app owners or third parties, further complicating the privacy landscape.

Lucky Iraboro, the former chief of defence staff (CDS), has described the March 2022 Abuja-Kaduna train terrorist attack as the most difficult and emotionally draining experience of his military career.

Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, on Monday, the retired general said the incident tested the limits of Nigeria’s security architecture and demanded the full weight of his experience as the nation’s top defence officer.

‘For me, during the time I was CDS, the security situation around the country was most troubling.

‘I think the most challenging was the incident involving the train abduction, which added to the dynamics of the challenges we were facing at the time. All the experiences one had prior to that time were deployed to ensure those who were abducted were rescued’, Irabor said.

The former defence chief recalled how the Defence Headquarters had to mobilise extensive resources, coordinate multiple security agencies, and devise complex rescue operations to secure the release of passengers kidnapped during the train attack.

Irabor said the experience not only tested the nation’s resolve but also deepened his appreciation for the courage of troops confronting insecurity in different parts of the country.

The March 28, 2022 attack shocked the nation when terrorists bombed the rail tracks and opened fire on passengers travelling from Abuja to Kaduna.

Dozens were killed, several others sustained injuries, and at least 61 passengers were abducted.

The victims were eventually released in batches, with the last group regaining freedom about seven months later.

Beyond the train attack, the retired general highlighted ongoing counter-insurgency efforts in the North-East and protection of oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta as other major priorities during his tenure.

‘Beyond that, the North-East operation was deep in my mind. Having served a greater part of my career there, I felt a need to return to ensure that operations were conducted effectively without losing our teams,’ he said.

He also stressed that safeguarding oil production was vital to sustaining the country’s economic stability.

Reflecting on life after active service, Irabor said retirement has offered him the freedom to pursue personal passions and intellectual work.

He noted that his experiences in uniform inspired his book, Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, which explores the country’s prolonged struggle with terrorism.

The 2022 train attack triggered widespread outrage and renewed calls for stronger intelligence coordination and enhanced railway security.

Two years later, in January 2024, the Nigeria Police Force announced the arrest of one Ibrahim Abdullahi, also known as ‘Mande,’ the alleged mastermind of the attack.

According to then police spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Abdullahi was arrested by the anti-kidnapping unit of the Kadu Chna State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) and confessed to leading a notorious kidnapping syndicate that had terrorised the Kaduna-Abuja highway.

Irabor served as Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff from January 2021 to June 2023 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Nigerian market is among the most competitive in the world, says Kingsley Onwukaeme, convener of Location Marketing Awards (LOMA) awards.

Speaking recently at the 2025 LOMA award event in Lagos, he regrets that Nigerian market is really doing better than many markets but ‘we are not telling our story enough and not amplifying it’, he said, according to a statement.

‘No matter how small our effort is, are you in logistics, operations, sales and pitching, you need to document your process and results an advertise it globally.

Kingsley Onwukaeme who spoke at the conference preceding the award which was attended by local and international delegates, tasked operators to tell their efforts to the world. ‘If you don’t tell your story yourself, no one will. Don’t short-change yourself, those loudest are not probably the finest. So, I charge you to showcase your efforts and works’.

The second day of the LOMA 2025 awards was climaxed with a glitzy night that celebrated the very best in the out-of-home, advertising and marketing industry.

Onwukaeme noted that the awards process remains one of the most rigorous, impartial, and transparent on the continent. He emphasised that fairness is at the heart of LOMA’s judging process, a quality that has positioned the event as a benchmark of excellence.

Further noting that it is not a night for unnecessary comparison, he added, ‘Let’s celebrate ourselves for working in the past 12 months as individuals, corporate workers and organizations. Because You Sef Don Try.’

The awards spotlighted excellence across categories. In the Agile in Static OOH Implementation category, Media Proximity clinched Gold, while Adpath Media and Leadway Advertising took Silver and Bronze respectively. TMKG Consulting was named OOH Audit Company of the Year, while Optimum Exposures was crowned OOH Adtech Innovation Company of the Year.

New Crystal Communications emerged one of the biggest winners of the night, bagging multiple recognitions including Excellence in PDOOH Execution, OOH Company of the Year, and individual wins for its staff such as Operations Personality (Bronze) for Sunday Adetunji and Sales Personality (Gold) for Onyinye Onyeubani. Media Proximity also earned another notable laurel as Customer Service Oriented Company of the Year.

The Nigerian beer industry is growing faster in valuation this year after the sector rebounded from the crushing blow of the foreign exchange crisis that hammered earnings and spooked investors’ sentiments.

All the beer manufacturers listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) maintained profitability in the first six months of 2025, with some achieving a record-setting period due to rising demand, aggressive pricing and stable macroeconomic conditions.

Analysts say the recovery of the sector from huge FX losses is restoring confidence of investors, which in turn led to a growing market sentiment with Nigerian Breweries leading the pack with a valuation of N2.35 trillion.

How the beer makers feared YtD (data as of 3rd Oct. 2025)

Nigerian Breweries – N2.35 trillion

Nigerian Breweries has had a great run this year after it rebounded from losses in 2024. Net profit at the Lagos-based brewer rose to N88.4 billion in the first half of 2025, reversing a N85.2 billion loss a year earlier, as the country’s largest brewer rode a sharp jump in sales and slashed finance costs after retiring its foreign currency debt.

Nigerian Breweries is currently the 12th most valuable stock on the NGX with a market valuation of N2.35 trillion, which makes about 2.58 percent of the country’s equity market.

Shares of Nigerian Breweries closed on Friday, October 3, 2025, at N76.00 per share, recording a 2.4 percent gain over its previous closing price of N74.25. The stock has more than doubled in value within nine months, gaining 138 percent in terms of year-to-date performance.

‘Shareholders can be optimistic about NB, knowing the stock has accrued 15 percent over the past four-week period-21st best on NGX,’ according to African Exchange.

International Breweries – N2.27 trillion

International Breweries, a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, is currently the 13th most valuable stock on the NGX with a market capitalisation of N2.27 trillion, which is about 2.49 percent of the Nigerian equity market.

The brewer, which had had its earnings crushed by foreign exchange pressures for the past seven years, began its profitability run this year with half-year profit surging to N41.29 billion, compared to a significant loss of N107.71 billion in the prior period.

That profit run has seen the stock accrue 21 percent over the past four-week period alone, making it the 15th best on the local bourse.

Shares of International Breweries have risen 143 percent since January to close trading on Friday, October 3, 2025, at N13.50. In terms of year-to-date performance, it is ranked 31st on the Exchange.

Guinness Nigeria – N402 billion

Guinness Nigeria has seen a total turnaround in profitability after Tolaram’s acquisition, as the beverage company posted a net profit of N16.2 billion for the financial year ended June 30, 2025, compared to a N54.8 billion loss reported in the previous year, a 130 percent swing that highlights the recent strategic shifts.

The company’s earnings performance saw the shares of the company, which began the year at N70.25, rise to N183.75 in nine months, gaining 162 percent on that price valuation.

The stock is ranked 25th on the NGX in terms of year-to-date performance, as the market cap stood at N402 billion.

For investors, it must be noted that Guinness has accrued 41 percent over the past four-week period alone on growing confidence in the company’s strategic positioning.

Champion Breweries – N142 billion

Champion Breweries’ turnaround story is by far the most impressive. The Uyo-based brewer is the smallest among the big four beer makers, yet it grew its profit by 692 percent in the first six months of 2025 to record N2.3 billion, reversing a N386 million loss in the previous period last year.

The company announced a deal to acquire Bullet, the ready-to-drink brand, where it’s seeking to raise N58 billion in equity and debt financing to finance the acquisition.

That deal will expand Champion Breweries’ market coverage, including export sales, as Bullet makers, EnJoycorp, already has footprints in 14 African countries. Management sees the acquisition growing revenue by fivefold.

In terms of stock performance, Champion Breweries leads as its shares have gained 316 percent since January, closing its last trading day at N15.85, a 5 percent gain over its previous closing price of N15.10.

The federal government said it would soon introduce a Guaranteed Minimum Price for agricultural produce for farmers and undertake large-scale offtake of farm harvests.

Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security, who announced this on Tuesday at a breakout session on ‘catalysing Agricultural Transformation: Capital, Innovation and Growth’ at the ongoing Nigeria Economic Summit said the measure aims to protect farmers and consumers amid price volatility.

‘We’re looking at how to balance the citizens’ welfare, and also the farmers welfare’, he said.

The minister explained that the move followed lessons from last year’s food price volatility and hoarding by commodity dealers, which worsened inflation and triggered widespread hunger protests in August. ‘There was a massive hoarding aspect. There was a farmee who said he will not sell his maize until price g gets to N150,000, but today, he’s begging to sell at 30,000″, Kyari said.

He also cited last year’s paddy rice market as an example, when farmers sold at N350,000 per tonne while market prices climbed to N800,000, highlighting inefficiencies between production costs and retail prices. ‘There was clearly a dislocation somewhere,’ he said.

The minister said government interventions also includes a 150-day window to release stored commodities, were among the measures introduced to ease supply shortages.

Kyari also said the government was revamping financing mechanisms for smallholder farmers, who form the bulk of Nigeria’s producers but lack access to capital and modern equipment. He disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had approved the recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture, with ?250 million already released to improve access to credit for smallholders.

He said government intends to support smallholder farmers to become largeholder farmers, and is currently developing a national register of smallholder farmers.

The minister added that soil mapping was underway in partnership with private firms to improve fertiliser formulation and crop yields, while decrying the rising cost of fertiliser from about ?35,000 to as high as ?60,000blaming it on supply bottlenecks and limited port capacity.

He also disclosed that the government was collaborating with the Renewable Infrastructure Fund to address logistics constraints and exploring the use of local potash deposits to reduce import dependence.

The minister acknowledged that insecurity, inadequate infrastructure and limited financing remain key barriers to productivity but expressed optimism that the ongoing reforms and investments would strengthen Nigeria’s food system. He informed that Preliminary findings from the 2025 National Agricultural Development (NAD)indicates that the country recorded a higher harvest this year than in 2024 suggesting that Nigeria is on the right trajectory despite ongoing challenges.

At the session, Segun Adaju, an entrepreneur, decried that worsening insecurity has forced many farmers like himself to abandon their farmlands. ‘Bandits are the problem we are tired of paying ransom’, he said.

For Okeke Chukwujekwu, co-founder ocattu Nigeria, noted that infrastructure remains a major problem.He said the lack of access roads to farms is also discouraging young people from engaging in agriculture, and urged greater collaboration among all tiers of government to address the problem.

Aisha Bashir, MD/CEO, Cam diary foods Ltd, lamented the lack of access to finance, including loans from banks which she said has severely affected the survival of her business.

Olapeju Ibekwe, chief executive kfficer of Sterling One Foundation, acknowledged that while insecurity continues to hamper productivity, Nigeria still has enormous potential to expand output. He pointed out that the country has between 35 and 37 million hectares of arable land, compared to the Netherlands’ two million hectares, yet the latter maintains a thriving agricultural industry.

‘As we deal with insecurity, the places we can secure can help quadrupple production’, he said.

Ibekwe further called for the regulation of intermediaries in the commodity market to curb distortions and improve transparency. He warned that without oversight of large-scale buyers, the government would remain reactive, intervening only after market disruptions occur.

Ibekwe further called for the regulation of intermediaries in the commodity market to curb distortions and improve transparency. She warned that without oversight of large-scale buyers, the government would remain reactive, intervening only after market disruptions occur.

‘That area is completely unregulated, and it’s huge area of the ecosystem, otherwise the government will continue to scamper, looking for warehouses to break in’, he said.

For Nigerians at home and in diaspora, rent is a big issue at the moment. Of all the countries of the world where Nigerians have taken residence, Canada seems to have the most challenging rent situation.

At a time, the country was always in the news for rent reason. Report had it then that immigrants in the country, including Nigerians, found homes in odd places.

‘Due largely to the rent crisis arising from low housing supply and affordability issues, some Nigerians who left Nigeria for Canada are now living in cemetery and streets-places that are odd and unimaginable under normal circumstances,’ the report says.

‘The streets of Canada and, in extreme cases, the cemetery has become top destinations for immigrants and refugees who run into tens of thousands; they are now pitching their tents in these places as their homes,’ the report adds.

It cites Quebec, one of the country’s largest cities, where one in two homeless people can be located in rural areas in odd places. This is explained by Julie Bourdon, the Mayor of Granby, who noted that, ‘visible homelessness did not exist three years ago in Granby,’ adding, however that ‘rents are very high now compared to two years ago.’

Another recent report, however, counters this position, saying that Nigerians do not inherently live in ‘odd places’ in Canada; that most reside in established communities in urban centers like Toronto, and many thrive in the country’s diverse society and economy.

However, recent reports do highlight an issue with some immigrants, including Nigerians, facing homelessness in places like cemeteries and streets due to Canada’s severe rent crisis and housing affordability issues, which force them to take drastic living situations.

The majority of Nigerians live in well-established communities in major cities, particularly in Ontario, such as the Greater Toronto Area.

The report points out that, in the most extreme situations, some Nigerians and other immigrants face homelessness and are forced to find shelter in places like cemeteries and streets, which are considered unusual and dire circumstances.

Like Canada, Nigeria is also facing extreme rent situation that is compelling some citizens to find homes in odd places. Unlike Canada, however, Nigerians have not taken to cemeteries and streets as homes. But some have rented shops as homes while many others have moved to impossible locations to find homes.

‘Nigerians now rent shop spaces as apartment. Many landlords increased rent by over 100 percent following the introduction of various policies by the government which affected the purchasing power of citizens,’ Kanayo Udeze, an estate manager, told our reporter.

According to him, living in a fancy-house has become a dream which, if it comes to pass, will make people give testimonies in over 100 churches, adding that the norm has worsened as landlords now increase rents almost every year, causing tenants to vacate the house for affordable apartments.

Udeze noted that rent has risen so high that even individuals with just one room apartment can hardly pay their rent, leading them to cut costs by renting shops as apartments. Some even had to send their families to their village while they remained in town to manage this uncomfortable shop apartment.

Despite efforts by most states in the country to create a conducive plan which allows tenants to escape huge rent burden, many individuals are on the brink of being evicted due to their inability to meet up with rent increase.

In most locations in Nigeria, rent has risen by well over 100 percent and this is no respecter of location or size of apartment. The situation seems to be worse in low-income neighbourhoods.

Processing of cocoa into finished products for export has been described as more profitable to Nigeria’s economy than exporting raw cocoa beans.

John Alamu, founder and Group Managing Director of CapitalSage Holdings, stated this while speaking on how he started his business, which has turned into a conglomerate, with a sum of N100,000 in 2014.

He disclosed that an exporter of raw cocoa would make $8000 per tonne, but if processed to finished products like chocolate, the exporter would make 30 times of exporting it raw.

According to him, ‘export raw cocoa and you make $8,000 per tonne. Turn it into butter and you earn six times more. Make chocolate, and the value rises up to 30 times.’

This philosophy, Alamu said, has been the driving force of the Group’s evolution into a fully integrated value chain company.

Alamu, who is driving value across several sectors, has as the company’s subsidiaries, Johnvents Group, which is currently a rising global integrated value chain participant.

It has become one of the leading supply chain participants and processors of sesame, cocoa, legumes, cashew, soya, edible nuts, rice and rubber, boasting millions of dollars in annual revenue.

He disclosed that with ten factories, including Johnvents Industries and Premium Cocoa Products (Ile-Oluji), one of Nigeria’s oldest cocoa plants, the Group possesses the capacity to process up to 48,000MT of cocoa annually for export to Europe, Asia, and the US.

Johnvents Group (CapitalSage Holdings’ agribusiness group) is, through its business units, building strength across multiple agri commodities and consumer markets.

He explained that its cocoa unit anchors global exports of butter, liquor, cake, and powder, while the sesame and legumes unit sources and supplies premium-grade sesame, soya, and grains from multiple origins across Africa and beyond.

According to him, cashew and edible nuts add further diversity to the company, expanding Africa’s presence in the global nut value chain.

The edible oil, feed and water unit powers agro-industrial complexes with oils feed, and bottled water, employing hundreds of women in the process.

Alamu disclosed that the rice and rubber unit contributes to food and industrial crop security, while the FMCG division delivers household-ready products such as cocoa powder, beverages, cereals, and seasoning cubes to a growing distributor network.

In a recent Forbes Africa Independence Day Edition, Alamu disclosed that with N100,000 in 2014, he began offering small loans to farmers and market women in rural areas in Nigeria.

This along the line evolved into CapitalSage Holdings, a diversified conglomerate spanning agribusiness, finance, technology, healthcare, and manufacturing.

He explained that ‘We started with N100,000, today, we’re building global businesses from Africa.

‘Today, CapitalSage Holdings employs over 2,000 people directly, supports more than 10,000 farmers, operating across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.’

Meanwhile, Kolomoni, which is the company’s fintech arm, claims thousands of point-of-sale agents, merchant and network managers, advancing financial inclusion in a country where nearly 40 percent of the population remains unbanked.

Ercas, another fintech, underpins digital transactions and back-end infrastructure for payments.

However, despite the successes recorded, Alamu said the mission is more than corporate success, but rather economic independence.

He said: ‘The next struggle, like independence, is economic freedom. ‘That requires courage, disruption, and African confidence.’

CapitalSage Holdings’ fintech arm, CapitalSage Technology, has recorded uncommon feat as it currently holds a BBB+ credit rating from all three Nigerian SEC-recognised agencies, GCR, Agusto and Co., and DataPro, which is a strong signal of governance, transparency, and fiscal discipline.

Likewise, Johnvents Group, the agribusiness and manufacturing subsidiary, maintains its own BBB+ rating, which further reinforced the Group’s credibility and performance strength in capital markets.

Recognising the contributions of Alamu to Nigeria and Africa’s economy, he recently received the Business Conglomerate Leadership Award at the Marketing Edge Awards.

This is to serve as impetus for his vision of building enduring businesses across Africa’s most critical sectors.

Nevertheless, Alamu’s giant stride shows that Africa’s economic future lies not in raw exports but in transformation, value addition, and bold leadership.

The Board of Trustees Edo Unity League has commended the Government of Edo State, the Federal Government and the entire facilitators of the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) for the vision in siting the monumental edifice in Benin City.

The Group said the monumental edifice, which in all intents and purposes, spotlights the indefatigability of the Benin cultural heritage in the comity of African cultural entities.

Akenuwa Obarogie, Professor and Coordinator General, Edo Unity League, who made the commendation in a statement, noted that the edifice confirmed that the Benin nation is the centre of a cultural microcosm in Africa, a truism that cannot be tainted.

According to Obarogie, arising from a Steering Committee meeting on the inauguration of a Cultural Renaissance Summit planning committee, the Board of Trustees of the Edo Unity League presented in an official statement of appreciation to the Government of Edo State, the Federal Government and the entire facilitators of the Museum of West African Arts, Benin City.

‘That the Benin nation is the centre of a cultural microcosm in Africa is a truism that cannot be tainted; therefore, the preservation as well as the commercial subscription to the Museum’s services is a sacred duty that the average Edo man and woman owes the world-class heritage viewing destination.

‘The recent endorsement of the Museum of West African Arts in a viral video by a worldwide Arts and Culture intellectual, High Priest Osemwengie Ebohon, is worthy of emulation, and this deserves commendation.

‘We respectfully call on all public and private tertiary institutions to make the Museum a point of reference in practicals and research explorations.

‘We also called on cultural and business entities in Nigeria and the diaspora to rally the Museum to succeed exceedingly, and to attract other multinational cultural heritage investments in our dear State,’ he declared.

Nigeria is positioning its agriculture sector for a decade-long transformation as it adopts the Kampala Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security (2026-2036) – a continental framework designed to drive sustainable food production, agro-industrialization, and regional trade growth.

Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security, announced the development during the Community of Practice Summit on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), themed ‘From Kampala to Abuja: Transforming Agrifood Systems in Nigeria,’ held in Abuja on Monday.

Kyari said the declaration would strengthen Nigeria’s agrifood systems by promoting climate-smart innovations, enhancing value chains, and reducing post-harvest losses that currently cost the country over ?3.5 trillion annually.

‘We must move beyond business-as-usual approaches and embrace bold reforms that make our food systems more productive, resilient, inclusive, and sustainable,’ the minister stated.

Kyari revealed that the Federal Government has already committed $538.05 million – in partnership with private investors – to establish Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) in Kaduna, Cross River, and Ogun States, with additional zones in the pipeline.

The initiative, he said, is expected to attract up to $1 billion in additional private sector investment by 2027, while creating jobs, strengthening local manufacturing, and expanding export potential for agro-products.

‘The SAPZs will serve as industrial hubs that promote value addition, enhance productivity, and boost farmers’ income,’ Kyari explained.

He also highlighted the Nigeria Postharvest Systems Transformation Programme (NiPHaST), a multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at minimizing storage losses, improving logistics, and optimizing value chains to enhance food security and profitability.

‘Our investment drive will create a more efficient, sustainable, and equitable food system – one that contributes directly to economic growth and livelihood improvement,’ he said.

The minister emphasized the importance of collaboration between federal and state governments to maximize investment impact and ensure long-term sustainability.

‘Synergy between all tiers of government is indispensable for achieving sustainable food security and the transformation envisioned by the Kampala Declaration,’ Kyari said, urging state commissioners of agriculture and rural development to align with national priorities and CAADP frameworks.

He added that the ministry had established an Agricultural Sector Working Group to serve as a governance mechanism, bringing together research institutions, private sector players, and civil society organizations to scale up best practices, monitor progress, and ensure accountability.

Marcus Ogunbiyi, permanent secretary, to the ministry, said the CAADP framework has already delivered tangible outcomes across Africa by aligning national agricultural policies with regional priorities.

Also speaking, Karen Yansen, head of German Cooperation, described the Kampala Declaration as ‘an evidence-based and inclusive framework that strengthens governance and promotes equity across Africa’s food systems.’

The summit brought together representatives from the Ministry of Livestock Development, German Development Cooperation (GIZ), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and State Commissioners of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries to explore strategies for scaling up investments in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

With the new commitments under the Kampala Declaration, Nigeria aims to reposition agriculture as a key driver of industrialization, job creation, and export diversification, strengthening its food system and contributing to Africa’s broader economic transformation agenda.