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Nigeria’s crude oil production is expected to hit a total of 1.8 million barrels per day in December, according to Bayo Ojulari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

Ojulari disclosed this while speaking with State House Journalists, in Lagos, after briefing President Bola Tinubu, at the State House, in Lagos, on Monday.

The NNPCL CEO, disclosed that he was at the State House to brief the President on developments in the oil sector, especially, on the progress in NNPC .

Ojulari said he briefed the President particularly, on crude oil production performance, as well as, progress being made in attracting investments into the sector.

‘As you recall the President gave us a clear mandate which is to grow production to at least 2 million bpd by 2027 and upto 3 million bpd by 2030 as well as grow gas production as well.

The NNPCL CEO who revealed that Nigeria is making good progress in crude oil production, recalled that ‘We recorded 1.68mbpd of oil production last month which was very good.

‘That was the first in about five years, in terms of milestone, we also recorded the highest gas production above 7BCF per day which is also the highest in recent times’

‘On the backdrop some turnaround maintenances, we have done in August and September, we are hoping that by the end of the year we should at least be clocking 1.8mbpd.’

He described the recent industrial dispute between the Dangote Group and members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers PENGASSAN, as ‘unfortunate’, as it affected vital sectors of the oil and gas industry

‘It was unfortunate because, whenever there is strike, critical staff manning critical facilities are not available is almost impossible.

‘In this particular case we actually lost significant production of over 200,000 bpd that was differed we also have Gas production that was differed we also have power generation that was impacted about 1.2mega watts of power that was affected by that strike’

‘I think I’m very pleased that the Federal Government through the leadership of Minister of Labour and full support of NSA we were able to get everyone to dialogue and agree.

‘ Now there is a communique that has been agreed on. We are all very hopeful that everyone will abide by the communique.

He disclosed that crude oil production had since resumed to status quo.

‘ There has been one or two areas that we are still trying to catch up with, but on overall, we are gradually back.to restore lost production and the deferment that we have as of today.

He also described the recent increase in prices of gas and petrol as largely artificial, resulting from the recent industrial dispute, but assured that they will be adjusted

‘So, the increase you saw was relatively artificial because for the period of the strike quiet movement and loading were delayed for about two to three days and because of that you see that impact and as things returns to normal it takes sometimes for distribution to fully return and with that delay.

‘My expectations is that now that things are back to normal, prices should return to what they were before the strike.’

Atiku Bagudu, minister of Budget and Economic Planning has said that the Dangote Refinery must be supported by government and Nigerians to succeed in its operations in Nigeria.

Badugu who spoke at the ongoing 13th edition of the Nigerian Economic Summit (NES#13) in Abuja, said that the private sector now drives the Nigerian economy and must get the necessary support required to succeed as it has become an engine of growth.

He explained that the Dangote refinery, being a private enterprise must be encouraged to succeed.

This follows the recent dispute between Dangote Refinery and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, which affected the activities of the refinery and as well as Nigeria’s oil and gas sector in general.

The minister stated that the nation’s development plan and policies acknowledges the place of private sector in Nigeria Economic development. ‘The Agenda 2050, which was approved in the year 2020, as well as the first of the six development plans that was anticipated in 2021-2025, made the private sector the key driver of the economy.

‘Indeed, it assigned as much as 86 percent of the plan size to the private sector. And this is not surprising, because even Chapter 2 of our Constitution, which guides the economic objectives of the country, have placed pride in a private sector-led economy.

The minister, speaking further stated that since inception, the Tinubu-led administration has been implementing bold, courageous reforms aimed at enhacing the economy, productivity and addressing insecurity.

He emphasized that these reforms were crucial to abating the fiscal crisis and laying the foundation for long-term, inclusive economic growth and development. ‘However, we recognize that reforms like this, not surprisingly, will come with short-term challenges for households as well as businesses. We are determined to stay the course and ensure that the challenges that hinder the achievement of our manifest destiny are confronted and addressed.

‘Our private sector has been a steady voice of support and synergy and interrogation.The government and private sector are partners in economic development. We no longer talk of the public sector dominating the commanding heights of the economy,’ he added.

Assessing the impact of the reforms, the Minister noted that positive trends have emerged in the economy, with real GDP has maintaining a steady growth trajectory, with the first quarter of 2024 recording a 2.98 percent increase, followed by 3.15 percent in the second quarter, 3.46 percent in the third quarter, and 3.48 percent in the fourth quarter.

The key implication of this result, he said, is the stabilisation of the macroeconomic environment, occasioned by the effectiveness and sustained policy implementation. He explained that higher GDP growth reflects rising domestic demand, increased business confidence and a more dynamic productive base.

Bagudu further explained that to build economic resilience, the government is prioritising job creation that drive productivity through improvement and support of different sectors, such as digital skills, creative economy skills, development of the blue and maritime sector, human capital development as well as agriculture, livestock and fisheries.

‘We are committed to a major and deliberate path forward, ensuring each step is meticulously assessed. We must therefore remain resolute in our current strategy.

‘Despite persistent inflationary pressures, recent data presents signs of moderation. Headline inflation measured year-on-year decreased to 20.12 percent in August 2025, a notable reduction from 32.15 percent in August 2023. This downward trend reflected in the newly rebased consumer price index, suggesting a gradual easing of cost of living.

‘Particularly significant is the deceleration in food inflation, which declined to 21.87 percent in August 2022, from a combination of measures in quotation to increase domestic production and the concern of Mr. President.

‘Mr. President has shown concern that having achieved lower food prices, we should invest more in domestic production to ensure that our farmers are rewarded without any further deceleration in inflation that comes from production gains. This trend will be sustained with deliberate policies to alleviate pressure on household budgets, stimulate consumer spending and create a more conducive environment for inclusive growth.

‘The reduction in inflationary pressure will also lead to a more predictable economic life and a higher chance of increased investment, both domestic and foreign,’ he said.

Abubakar Kyari, minister of Agriculture and Food Security, says Nigeria’s new climate-resilient rainfed wheat varieties will boost local production, reduce import costs, and strengthen food security.

Speaking at the Second National Rainfed Wheat Farmers’ Field Day in Kuru, Jos, Plateau State over the weekend, Kyari described the development as transformative, noting that wheat cultivation is no longer limited to irrigated areas.

He said farmers in Plateau, Taraba, and Cross River States can now grow wheat sustainably during the rainy season, a move that could help the country meet its domestic demand.

Kyari commended the Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI) for developing the varieties and reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to making agriculture central to Nigeria’s economic transformation.

He noted that the Federal Government is expanding mechanization, financing, and partnerships to scale up rainfed wheat farming across the country. Over 2,000 tractors have been deployed under the Renewed Hope Mechanization Initiative, while the recapitalized Bank of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Development Fund will provide financing for farmers.

Kyari urged stakeholders and private investors to support the expansion of rainfed wheat cultivation, reduce import dependence, and make Nigeria a future exporter of quality wheat, a statement by the ministry informed.

On Monday, just hours after unveiling his cabinet, Sébastien Lecornu, the 39-year-old prime minister walked out of the Hôtel de Matignon, coat buttoned, voice tight, and announced his resignation. In doing so, he became the shortest-serving prime minister in the history of France’s Fifth Republic.

Lecornu’s resignation capped one of the most turbulent political stretches France has seen in years. The country has burned through five prime ministers in less than two years, each undone by the same problem, a parliament too divided to govern and a presidency running out of allies. For president Emmanuel Macron, Lecornu’s sudden exit was a personal and political blow.

The French presidency said in a statement on Monday that Macron has accepted his close ally’s resignation.

Born in 1986 in Eaubonne, north of Paris, Lecornu’s story is not one of privilege but of early ambition. His father worked in aviation, his mother was a medical secretary. By 19, while most of his peers were still in university, he was already a parliamentary assistant-one of the youngest in the National Assembly. He studied law at the prestigious Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas, but his education was always secondary to his true classroom, politics.

Lecornu cut his teeth in Normandy’s rough-and-tumble world of local politics. At just 28, he became mayor of Vernon. Three years later, he was president of the Eure Departmental Council-the youngest in France at the time.

Those who worked with him describe him as meticulous, reserved, sometimes too serious, but utterly committed. His blend of technocratic skill and modest charisma made him a rising figure in the conservative party, Les Républicains.

But Lecornu was never an ideologue. WhenMacron burst onto the national scene in 2017, promising a centrist ‘new way’ of doing politics, Lecornu made the jump, abandoning the traditional right to join the president’s movement.

His loyalty was rewarded, he served successively as minister for local authorities, minister for overseas territories, and, eventually, minister for the armed forces-a post he handled with quiet competence during France’s recalibration of its military role in Africa and its support for Ukraine.

That steadiness, that soldierly composure, was precisely what Macron prized when he appointed Lecornu as prime minister last month. France had just seen the fall of François Bayrou’s government after parliament refused to back his austerity budget. The National Assembly was hung, its factions locked in ideological trench warfare. Lecornu was tasked with doing the impossible, uniting them.

He tried. Over his short weeks in office, Lecornu reached out across the aisle, meeting party leaders, pledging a new method of governance. He promised to end the use of Article 49.3-the constitutional shortcut that allows governments to bypass parliamentary votes-and to rely instead on compromise. He promised to form a government of ‘rupture’, signalling a break from the Macron loyalist circles that had dominated power for nearly a decade.

But when his cabinet list was released on Sunday evening, the rupture looked more like repetition. Of the fifteen ministers, ten were holdovers from previous governments. None came from the left or far right. Bruno Retailleau, interior minister and a senior figure on the right, expressed his dismay on X: ‘The composition of the government does not reflect the promised break.’ Within hours, opposition parties announced they would vote the cabinet down.

By Monday morning, Lecornu faced the inevitable. Standing outside Matignon, he spoke in a clipped, disappointed tone: ‘I was ready for compromise,’ he said. ‘But all parties behaved as if they held absolute majorities. It wouldn’t have taken much for this to work, but egos got in the way.’ His words captured both the exhaustion and futility of French politics today-a landscape fractured by mutual suspicion and pride.

Marine Le Pen, whose far-right National Rally now commands the largest single bloc in parliament, wasted no time. ‘The only wise thing to do now is to hold elections,’ she declared. ‘The joke’s gone on long enough.’ On the left, the message was similar: Macron had lost control; the government was no longer credible.

France’s financial markets reacted within minutes. Stocks tumbled on the Paris exchange. Investors feared that without a functioning government, France’s already precarious budget-its debt at 114 percent of GDP, deficit at 5.8 percent-would spiral further. Lecornu’s government, in theory, was to stabilise that. In practice, it had not even begun.

In political circles, Lecornu’s downfall has sparked sympathy as well as resignation. ‘He was the last loyalist,’ said one Macron adviser quoted anonymously in Le Monde. ‘If even he couldn’t survive, it means the system itself is breaking.’

France is a country where governing has become nearly impossible. The president’s centrist bloc lacks numbers; the far right and far left refuse to cooperate; and the middle ground-the space Lecornu tried to occupy-has all but vanished.

When he left Matignon, Lecornu’s final words were reflective, almost rueful. ‘You can’t be prime minister when the conditions simply aren’t t here,’ he said. ‘The country deserves better than endless gridlock.’

For Lecornu-once the youngest departmental president in the nation, once the steady hand at the defence ministry, now the shortest-serving premier in modern history-stands as both symbol and casualty of a political system that has forgotten how to govern itself.

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has said that Nigeria must begin to act urgently to transform ongoing economic reforms into sustainable growth and shared prosperity for citizens, warning that failure to consolidate the current phase could erode the hard gains made so far.

The Economic group highlighted a seven-point focus area at the ongoing Economic Summit in Abuja, on Monday, that must underpin the next stage of reforms, which includes a renewed focus on industrialisation and enterprise growth, infrastructure development and unlocking investments.

The group also highlighted fiscal sustainability, inclusion, strengthened institutions and improved security as critical drivers for the next phase of the reforms.

According to NESG, these reforms will not only bring gains for Nigerians but can also unlock the ambitious $1 trillion economy.

Olaniyi Yusuf, chairman, NESG, in his opening remarks, commended the government for taking ‘courageous steps’ to remove fuel subsidies, unify the foreign exchange market, and initiate tax reforms, but acknowledged that Nigerians are currently in grief for these changes. He stressed that the real test now lies in converting reform gains into tangible improvements in productivity, competitiveness, and inclusion.

‘If we stop here, we risk losing the progress that has been so courageously won. The challenge before us is to move decisively into the consolidation phase, embedding reforms in ways that drive jobs, growth, and inclusion, while laying the foundations for long-term transformation that will secure prosperity for every Nigerian’, he said.

He framed Nigeria’s reform journey around three distinct phases: stabilisation, consolidation, and acceleration, and called for deliberate policy action to move from the first to the second phase.

‘For the mother wondering how to stretch her infant, for the young breadwinner searching for opportunity, and for the small business trying to stay afloat, reforms must not only stabilise our economy, they must also translate into opportunity and prosperity.’ Yusuf said.

The NESG chairman said the country’s economic recovery remained fragile despite signs of improvement, as growth averaged 3.7 per cent in the first half of 2025, up from 2.9 per cent in the same period last year, while oil production has risen to 1.6 million barrels per day amid improved security in the Niger Delta. Yet, inflation at 20.1 per cent, weak capital inflows, and rising living costs continue to squeeze households and businesses.

He also warned against a narrow focus on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) at the expense of business growth, saying it will ‘will kill the goose that lays the golden egg’.

On industrialisation, he said, ‘We must build industries that will produce locally, anchor them to local value chains, output processing, renewable energy, and light manufacturing. SMEs that account for 96% of our businesses must have access to affordable finance, stable power, and technology.’

He said investment in infrastructure, especially transportation, renewable power, efficient logistics, and digital connectivity, will ensure competitiveness.

The NESG chairman said Nigeria must also ensure policy predictability, transparent regulations to attract and protect investment.

For fiscal sustainability. Nigeria must strengthen revenue generation, manage debt prudently, and align fiscal and monetary policies to foster growth while keeping inflation in check. Economic reforms must be felt through improved education, healthcare, food security, and jobs, especially for women and young people.

He urged Nigeria to strengthen its institutions, arguing that lasting reforms depend on systems, not personalities. Regulators, he added, must enable rather than stifle business growth.

Beyond consolidation, Yusuf said Nigeria must prepare for an ‘acceleration phase’ driven by structural transformation, human capital development, and global competitiveness. He stressed industrialisation, infrastructure, investment, inclusion, and institutions, the ‘five I’s’ – as the pillars that will anchor this long-term transformation.

He also urged collaboration between government and the private sector, describing the latter as a ‘co-driver of transformation, not merely a beneficiary.’

While acknowledging that vested interests, weak institutions, and governance gaps have slowed reform implementation, Yusuf reaffirmed the NESG’s commitment to act as a bridge between policy and execution.

Omoboyede Olusanya, Vice Chairman of NESG, speaking on the ambitious target for $1 trillion economy by 2030, said it is achievable but Nigeria ‘can’t continue to do the same thing and expect to have a different outcome’.

For him, one of the biggest things that must happen is industrialisation driven by agricultural production, noting that the yield is still low. In addition, he said Nigeria must build the infrastructure that would drive industrialisation.

According to him, attaining the target would mean moving a significant part of the citizens out of poverty.

He noted that Nigeria, currently at $225 billion, would need an additional $745 billion to the GDP in four years at 15% annual GDP growth. Thus, Olusanya said effort levels need to be unprecedented, urgent, immediate, and collaborative

‘If you think that China at its peak was doing 11%, that tells you the phenomenal work that needs to be done’, he said.

To accelerate progress, Olusanya urged sustained investment in technology, human capital development, and macroeconomic stability with favourable interest rates that would allow investment to thrive.

‘We cannot get pure macroeconomic stability in an environment where we keep seeing high interest rates. The interest rates today are to be tuned on to encourage investment’, he urged.

The World Bank Group has called on the Nigerian government to intensify efforts to bring down the inflation rate, in order for citizens to enjoy the benefits of reforms so far introduced.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria’s annual inflation rate eased to 20.12 per cent in August, a decline from 21.88 per cent recorded in July 2025.

However, speaking at the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES31) in Abuja, Mathew Verghis, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, said that Nigeria requires decisive policies to bring down inflation and interest rates to make the impacts of recent reforms felt by citizens, stimulate job creation and private investment.

Verghis, who commended the government’s reform strides over the past two years, described them as crucial steps that have repositioned the country for long-term growth.

‘The first priority is to bring inflation down so that people can start feeling the benefits of these reforms to a greater extent. This will also help reduce interest rates, which are critical for businesses to perform better. Once that is achieved, Nigeria can focus on actions that promote job creation, investments in people, and infrastructure,’ Verghis said.

He revealed that the World Bank’s upcoming Nigeria Economic Update, to be presented later in the week, would address these priorities in detail. According to him, the Bank is shifting its focus from growth alone to job-centred development, emphasising the need for strategic support to labour-intensive sectors such as agribusiness.

‘If you care about job creation, then you must identify the sectors that will create jobs and strategically support them. Agribusiness in Nigeria comes to mind very easily, but we must move beyond subsidies to policies that enhance competitiveness,’ he added.

Also speaking, Boye Olusanya, Group Managing Director/CEO of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, stressed that Nigeria’s industrialisation ambitions cannot succeed without addressing the twin challenges of infrastructure and power.

He warned that high production costs, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and weak export quality controls continue to undermine the competitiveness of Nigerian manufacturers.

‘Our cost to produce is too high compared to anywhere else in the world. Without fixing infrastructure and power, we cannot be competitive. We also need to streamline customs processes, enforce quality standards for exports, and strengthen institutions like the Bank of Industry (BOI) to mobilise more long-term capital,’ Olusanya said.

He called for practical and consistent policies that attract private investment into key sectors, urging government agencies to provide seed funding and an enabling environment for investors.

‘Private capital continues to look for investments that give long-term returns. The government needs to align with that horizon and provide stability,’ he said.

On his part, Gautier Mignot, Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s trade competitiveness, regional integration, and investment attraction.

He outlined ongoing EU initiatives such as a pound 200 million package for African market access and the Global Gateway Strategy, which mobilises investments in renewable energy, green economy, agriculture, and connectivity infrastructure, including the rollout of 90,000 kilometres of optic fibre across Nigeria.

‘We believe Nigeria has enormous untapped potential. Our partnership focuses on leveraging private investment, improving trade infrastructure, and harmonising standards to make the economy more competitive,’ he said

The EU envoy also encouraged Nigeria to sustain reform momentum through ‘big-bang’ policy actions that would reinforce investor confidence and accelerate integration into global value chains.

‘You need harmonisation or mutual recognition of rules and standards, you need strengthening of institutions, and finally, you need trade infrastructure and corridors,’

The 31st Nigerian Economic Summit, organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) in partnership with the Federal Government, brought together policymakers, international partners, and private sector leaders to discuss strategies for achieving inclusive and sustainable growth under the theme ‘Pathways for Economic Transformation and Shared Prosperity.’

Umo Eno, governor of Akwa Ibom, has signalled his government’s intention to partner with T2 to accelerate digital technology growth and innovation across the state.

He made this announcement at the opening ceremony of the Ibom Ignite Conference 2025, a youth-focused leadership and entrepreneurship gathering designed to equip participants with tools, networks, and insights to transform ideas into impact.

Akwa Ibom State is positioning itself as Nigeria’s next digital innovation hub as the state governor announced a partnership with T2 to accelerate the state’s technology and digital growth agenda.

Governor Eno’s announcement followed a keynote by Obafemi Banigbe, chief executive officer of T2, who outlined a bold vision for Akwa Ibom as a future leader in software development, artificial intelligence, and startup innovation.

‘Akwa Ibom is not just poised to birth the next big thing like Flutterwave or Paystack; it has the potential to emerge as a genuine digital goldmine for this region,’ Obafemi Banigbe, CEO of T2, stated.

Banigbe emphasised that achieving this vision requires prioritising investment in people and education. ‘The future is not built on oil. It is built on education, human capital, and digital skills. If we fail to develop the next generation, we risk wasting the immense talent of our youth.’

‘We are back in business. T2 is repositioning as a digital business and lifestyle partner – youth-friendly, tech-friendly, startup-friendly, and committed to enabling innovation and the creative economy,’ Banigbe added. ‘We are ready to work hand-in-hand with His Excellency to make Akwa Ibom the South-South’s digital powerhouse.’

Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has announced that an executive bill is before the State House of Assembly for the establishment of the State Teacher Development Agency, which will focus exclusively on teacher training, retraining, and professional capacity development.

Speaking at the 2025 World Teachers’ Day celebration held at the Nuhu Muhammad Sanusi Durbar Ground in Dutse on Sunday, the governor commended teachers for their hard work, resilience, and dedication to duty, describing teaching as the foundation of every other profession.

‘The objectives of the Bill, therefore, include, among others, enhancing the capacity of teaching and non-teaching staff at both the basic and post-basic levels, undertaking capacity-building programmes at the basic and post-basic levels, and enhancing teaching methodologies. Only through an agency established for this purpose would teacher development be given the actual attention it deserves.

‘This underscores our concerns towards professional teacher development to ensure that our children get the opportunity to receive quality teaching from high-quality teachers. The quality of our pupils and students is directly related to the quality of our teachers.’

The Governor also restated his administration’s commitment to teachers’ welfare, continuous professional training, and recruitment to further strengthen the education sector across the state.

While recognising the role teachers play in nation building, he described them as role models and mentors who provide moral guidance and inspiration to pupils and students alike.

Teachers play the role of parents and provide moral guidance and inspiration for pupils and students to grow up as functional and productive members of society. This is precisely why most often people say that the reward of teachers is in heaven, and this is true if teachers see what they are doing as service to humanity.’

Earlier, Abdulkadir Yunusa, Jigawa State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), lauded the State Government for its continuous support to the education sector, highlighting several achievements under Governor Namadi’s leadership, including the promotion of over 16,000 teachers, the implementation of a ?70,000 minimum wage, and the recruitment of more than 10,000 teachers across the state.

Yunusa also commended the governor for introducing digital reforms in schools, fencing off education facilities for safety, and establishing critical agencies such as the Jigawa State Senior Secondary School Education Board, Jigawa Education Resource Agency (JERA), Education Quality Assurance Agency (JISEQA), and the Teacher Training and Development Agency (JITDA).

He further acknowledged the government’s allocation of 32% of the state’s budget to education, exceeding UNESCO’s recommendation, and praised the reinstatement of the Best Teacher Award as motivation for excellence in the teaching profession.

Today, 6 October 2025, the Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Henry Dele Alake, clocks 69. For many in Nigeria, the name conjures memories of his decades as a journalist and public communicator. These days, it represents a new hope for sustainable reform in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector and Africa’s mining industry.

To understand the minister, you must know his father, Pa Michael Ojo Alake. He graduated in philosophy from Fourah Bay College, then West Africa’s most prestigious university. He later founded and ran the Benevolent High School in Lagos, where indigenes of his hometown, Ikoro-Ekiti, as well as indigent students, attended free of charge. His sacrifice was not ignored. The Ikoro people gave him the title ‘Eleyinmi of Ikoro-Ekiti’ to appreciate his benevolence.

Between 1979 and 1983, Alake Senior was one of the trusted advisers of Governor Lateef Jakande on the formulation and implementation of the free education programme, a scheme which scrapped the classroom shift system and built over 500 new schools to accommodate the pupils in one single shift within four years.

Being an educationist, Alake Senior knew the impact of good schools in forming the character of a civilised, confident and progressive child. He put his son in the best schools of the times – Surulere Baptist Primary School, Surulere, Lagos; Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti; Igbobi College, Yaba – and topped it with university education at the University of Lagos, where the minister studied political science and later earned a master’s in mass communication. But his exposure was not only academic. His inter-campus, extra-curricular engagements brought him under the influence of Professor Wole Soyinka, further raising his social consciousness and commitment to public good.

This pedigree set a high standard in morality, elocution, and public service for the minister. He is still determined to surpass it. His father excelled in education, but he chose communications. As soon as he enrolled in the National Youth Service Corps and was deployed to Ogun State Radio, his hard work and creativity were noticed. The organisation entrusted him with tasks of confirmed staffers. His work led to his engagement with Lagos State Radio and a quick elevation to Senior Sub-Editor-one of the fastest advancements in the organisation’s history.

The crusader

As a columnist, news manager, and editor, Alake made crusading for good governance the raison d’être of his career. His choice of stories and writings was deliberately crafted to conscientise the readers in the fashion of Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed. This required immense courage under military rule, and he was often the guest of the secret service. At such times, they would find him ready with his toilet bag. At one point, Concord Press of Nigeria, where he worked, was put under lock and key by the junta. But this didn’t deter the crusader, whose conviction that journalism must have social relevance made him even more determined to mobilise the people to resist bad governance. To Dele, the words of Frantz Fannon, that ‘the future will have no pity for those men who, possessing the exceptional privilege of being able to speak words of truth to their oppressors but have, instead, taken refuge in an attitude of passivity, of mute indifference, and sometimes, of cold complicity’, were a call to be an agent of change.

The annulment of the June 12, 1993 election won freely by the publisher of Concord Press, Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, thrust him into the epicentre of the struggle for the actualisation of this historic exercise of popular sovereignty by the Nigerian people. In that titanic struggle, he met and worked alongside Senator Bola Tinubu, who had given up his plan to be president of the Third Republic Senate to facilitate Abiola’s emergence. A comradeship that endures to date was forged in the furnace of that struggle, in Nigeria and in exile. Indeed, Tinubu’s plan to return to the Senate in 1998 was diverted to governorship by advisers such as Alake, who believed he had established the progressive profile and financial wizardry to execute Abiola’s manifesto, Farewell to Poverty, in Lagos State at a micro-level and later escalate to the national level. When Bola Tinubu became Governor of Lagos State in 1999, Alake became the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, a position he held till 2007. In that capacity, he was instrumental in shaping the communications strategy and public image of the Tinubu administration in Lagos. Beyond Lagos, Alake’s involvement in national politics deepened. In December 2014, he was appointed Director of Media and Communication for the Buhari Campaign Organisation during the 2015 presidential election. Over the years, he cultivated a reputation as a strategist, tactician, and loyal political confidant of President Tinubu.

The mining reformer

Only a man like Alake, who has established the mental agility for cracking difficult tasks and a record of standing up to the status quo, could have been assigned the herculean task of cleaning the Augean stable of the solid minerals sector. The risks were real: weak institutions, vested interests in illicit mining, and security challenges-all posed serious headwinds. Without strong follow-through, even well-intended policies can stall. Since his appointment as the Minister of Solid Minerals Development in August 2023, he has led efforts to reform a sector long considered underutilised, fragmented, and rife with regulatory inefficiencies.

Alake hit the ground running by applying the agenda-setting theory of journalism. He developed the Seven-Point Agenda for international competitiveness and local industrialisation of Nigeria’s mining sector through critical research and review of the literature and interviews with stakeholders. He identified the challenges, such as insecurity caused by illegal miners and bandits, speculation in licence administration, violations of the Minerals and Mining Act 2007, the corporate void caused by the winding down of the Nigerian Mining Corporation, low rates of royalties and administrative fees despite multi-million-dollar technological investment and the failure to establish statutory and regulatory bodies such as the Environmental Rehabilitation Fund. He was very passionate about reversing the export of raw minerals and ensuring that minerals were processed locally to provide jobs and attract higher prices in the international markets.

In 25 months, Alake put no one in doubt that a new sheriff is in charge in the solid minerals sector. He took many steps. He set up the Mining Marshals to combat illegal mining and banditry, revoked 3,974 titles for failure to pay the annual service fee or refusal to mine after obtaining licences, established the private sector-orientated Nigerian Solid Minerals Company and the Environmental Rehabilitation Fund, increased rates of administrative fees and royalties, and revolutionised mining communications. To top it all, the advocacy for value addition that he espoused for the first time at the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh in January 2024 won the hearts of ministers of mining in Africa. To maintain the momentum across the continent, they formed the Africa Minerals Strategy Group and made him the pioneer chairman. A year after, at the 2025 Future Minerals Forum, they poured encomiums on Alake for branding the one-year-old AMSG into a continental colossus!

The results of Alake’s reforms in the solid minerals sector form a major component of the achievements of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. These include an increase in revenue of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office from N6 billion in 2023 to N12.5 billion in 2024. It has reported N10 billion between January and April this year. Similarly, for the first time, royalties collected by the Mines Inspectorate department of the Ministry peaked at N6.4 billion as of December last year.

The advocacy for value addition has stimulated mineral processing and manufacturing projects such as Hasetin’s $400 million Rare Earth plant, the $60 million ASBA lithium processing plant, the $200 million Canmax Lithium plant, the $200 million New Energy Materials Company lithium plant, and new processing projects are in the pipeline. It has encouraged existing plants such as Segilola/Thor, Kursi, and Africa Industries Group to scale up operations. The Ministry, through SMDF, its funding agency, is also planning to invest in the $1.3 billion alumina and $96.8 million silica processing projects in collaboration with the Africa Finance Corporation.

The establishment of the Mining Marshals has led to the prosecution of over 300 suspected illegal miners by the Mining Marshals, the dislodgement of illegal miners from 90 licensed areas and the monitoring of 450 locations occupied by illegal miners. With more logistical resources, the enforcement of the mining laws will surely be intensified.

Transparency and accountability in licence administration have been achieved with the upgrade of the Electronic Mining Cadastre system, the launch of the mining decisions website and the improvement of content on the websites of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency and the ministry. Today, research for and applications for licences can be initiated 24 hours every day from anywhere on the earth.

Alake has also intervened in human capacity development. His deal with the Australian government, negotiated during the Africa Down Under in September 2023, was executed this year with the training of the first batch of Nigerian geologists in modern exploration practices at Murdoch University. Locally, over 250 youths have benefitted from workshops on gemology and jewellery making, and the Institute of Geosciences continues to produce fresh mining professionals yearly.

What no serious witness of the solid minerals sector won’t contest is Alake’s sterling achievement in ensuring better compliance with the law. Operators are now more alert to their responsibilities and religious in observing deadlines and the rules of engagement.

With these records, Alake continues the family tradition by devoting his life to the service of his fatherland. It is a daily grind of hard-work, creativity and persistence that may make him forget that another year has passed and today is his birthday. This article is a gentle reminder for him to take a day off and celebrate God’s grace. Happy birthday, sir!

Kehinde Bamigbetan, former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State, is the Special Adviser to Dr Dele Alake, the Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development.

George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on Monday, extended an invitation to members of the Council of State and Police Council to a hybrid strategic meeting scheduled for Thursday, October 9.

Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information and Public Relations, office of the SGF, in a statement on Monday, announced that the meeting is expected to take place at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Recall that the country had in recent times witnessed heightened insecurity, with attacks and extortion of innocent Nigerians, especially in states hitherto considered peaceful.

The meeting, which will be presided over by President Bola Tinubu, will be attended by all former Presidents, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Inspector General of Police and any other invited public officials.

BusinessDay gathered that all the Service Chiefs are also expected to attend the meeting summoned to discuss the current security situation in the country

Emanso Umobong, the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office, at the office of the SGF, disclosed that ‘ the meeting aims to discuss matters of national importance and key issues affecting national security and policing.’

The SGF said that while the meeting with the Council of State comes up at 1 pm, the Police Council will take place at 2:00 pm

According to the statement, ‘Members are requested to participate either physically or virtually.’

‘This high-level meeting underscores President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to addressing pressing national issues and ensuring the safety and security of citizens.’