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The Federal Government has called for an urgent rebuilding of Nigeria’s agricultural extension system into a sustainable infrastructure capable of improving farm productivity and meeting the food needs of a rapidly growing population.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, made the call on Wednesday at the Africa Agribusiness Extension Summit 2026, held at the Ladi Kwali Hall of the Abuja Continental Hotel.

Kyari said the country could not depend on expanding farmland alone to feed its growing population, stressing that improved productivity would depend substantially on getting the right knowledge to farmers at the right time.

The summit, organised by Extension Africa under the theme, ‘Building Sustainable Agricultural Advisory Infrastructure for Africa,’ brought together government officials, agribusinesses, research institutions, technology providers, development partners and other stakeholders to deliberate on strengthening agricultural advisory systems across the continent.

The summit background document identified the central challenge as the fragmented and difficult-to-scale nature of agricultural advisory services, despite growing investments in agricultural productivity, food security and farmer resilience.

It said sustainable advisory infrastructure would require coordinated investment in four interconnected pillars: people, data, technology and partnerships.

Kyari, who traced the evolution of agricultural extension in Nigeria to the early 20th century, said extension had once been a highly respected and trusted presence in rural communities.

He recalled that during the period when Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) operated at scale with World Bank support, one extension agent served about 1,000 to 1,500 farm families.

According to him, the situation has changed considerably, with one extension agent now sometimes expected to serve between 5,000 and 10,000 farmers.

‘No field officer, however committed, can meaningfully serve that number through physical visits alone,’ he said.

The minister therefore advocated a transition from extension as a conventional government service to an enduring infrastructure capable of combining professional expertise, technology, data and partnerships.

He said Nigeria had already begun deploying digital tools to bridge the widening gap between extension agents and farmers.

According to him, more than 100,000 farmers in six states currently receive weekly text messages through the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and private partners on expected rainfall and measures to protect their crops.

He added that the Federal Government was rolling out a digital agricultural extension platform capable of providing advice through text and voice in Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba and Pidgin.

The minister also disclosed that more than 1,000 digital extension agents equipped with tablets had been deployed with the support of the National Agricultural Development Fund, while 774 agricultural desk officers were serving across the country’s local government areas.

Kyari said he had approved a steering committee to harmonise the Ministry’s extension initiatives, involving relevant departments and agencies, including the National Agricultural Research and Extension Liaison Services (NAERLS), National Agricultural Quarantine Service and Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, with NiMet providing climate information.

He stressed that farmers should receive coordinated advice rather than competing messages from different government agencies and programmes.

The minister also cited recent investments by some state governments, including Jigawa, Kano and Oyo, in strengthening agricultural extension.

He said Jigawa had recruited and trained more than 1,500 additional extension agents and approved 1,185 motorcycles to improve their mobility, while Kano recruited 1,038 agricultural extension agents and related field workers in 2025.

Oyo, he added, had combined physical extension services with digital capability by training extension agents in digital farmland measurement and improved mapping applications.

Kyari further called for deliberate efforts to make agricultural extension attractive to young professionals, arguing that the sector could provide opportunities for young graduates to combine scientific knowledge, technology and enterprise without necessarily owning farmland.

He also stressed the need to ensure that women farmers were directly reached by advisory services, noting that women play important roles in planting, harvesting, processing and marketing.

The minister linked the urgency of strengthening extension services to Africa’s rapidly growing population, saying the continent’s projected population of about 2.5 billion by 2050 would place greater pressure on its agricultural systems.

For Nigeria, he said the challenge was even more immediate, with the country’s population projected to approach 400 million by 2050.

‘Agriculture accounts for approximately 34 per cent of total employment in Nigeria, meaning roughly one in every three working Nigerians earn a living from that sector,’ Kyari said.

He cited research which, according to him, showed that access to extension services was associated with improved household welfare and reduced food insecurity among Nigerian farming households.

Kyari also referred to a review of mobile agricultural advisory trials in sub-Saharan Africa and India, which he said found that digital advice increased yields by about four per cent and improved the likelihood of farmers adopting recommended inputs.

He maintained that the figures demonstrated why agricultural extension should be regarded as infrastructure rather than a series of short-term projects.

‘Extension must be treated as infrastructure,’ he said, adding that Africa could not build the food system required for its future population through disconnected projects that disappeared when funding ended.

He said farmer registries and extension services should also be integrated so that advisory messages could be tailored to individual farmers, crops and locations.

‘A registry tells us who the farmer is, where the farm lies and what grows on it. Extension tells the farmer what to do next,’ he said.

On artificial intelligence, Kyari urged African countries to embrace the technology while maintaining safeguards around accuracy, professional oversight and farmer data.

He said AI-powered advisory systems could provide farmers with information at any time and in languages they understood, but warned that inaccurate information delivered at scale could affect thousands of farms simultaneously. ‘Technology should extend professional advice, not replace the professional,’ he said.

The Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Extension Africa, Tajudeen Yahaya, said the event was designed to change the conversation around agricultural extension from merely discussing services to building the infrastructure, partnerships and systems required to sustain those services.

He identified people, technology, data and partnerships as the four pillars around which sustainable agricultural advisory infrastructure should be built.

Yahaya said the summit was intended to provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss the future of extension services and develop practical approaches to strengthening advisory infrastructure across Africa.

One of the objectives of the summit is to promote investment in the four pillars and facilitate dialogue on the policies, institutions and collaborative business models required to strengthen agricultural advisory systems.

The summit also advocates for infrastructure labs focused on the shared advisory workforce, trusted data systems, technology-enabled advisory infrastructure and commercially viable advisory models.

The Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Extension Africa, Isa Abdulsamad, said greater adoption of AI and digital extension advisory services was necessary not only for farmers but also for businesses to ensure the sustainability of agricultural programmes and solutions.

He said the summit brought businesses and regulators together to develop an ‘orchestration platform’ capable of integrating research outputs and tailoring them to farmers’ circumstances.

Abdulsamad said Extension Africa’s Iroko AI had been designed to allow farmers using both basic phones and smartphones to access advisory information through interactive voice response systems and applications.

He said farmers could also escalate complex issues to extension agents through existing farmer helplines and decentralised agricultural development structures.

According to him, one of the major challenges facing agricultural advisory systems across Africa was the proliferation of siloed solutions.

He said the goal was therefore to develop an interoperable system through which different platforms could integrate rather than reproduce existing solutions independently.

In a goodwill message delivered on behalf of the Director, Federal Department of Agricultural Extension Services, Dr Samaila Tehinshe, the Deputy Director, Dr Christiana Joseph Malgwi, said strengthening extension delivery was central to achieving food security, higher productivity, employment creation and resilient food systems.

She said the department was working with state ministries of agriculture, ADPs, research institutions, universities, development partners, the private sector and farmer organisations to improve extension delivery through policy, institutional collaboration, capacity development and digital innovation.

Malgwi said digital platforms, learning tools and climate information services were already expanding farmers’ access to timely agricultural information.

She also disclosed that the Ministry, in partnership with relevant stakeholders including the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN), was working towards the passage of an agricultural extension bill currently before the National Assembly.

The summit is expected to provide a platform for stakeholders to develop a shared framework for sustainable agricultural advisory infrastructure and strengthen coordination across government, industry, research, technology, and development institutions.

The Secretary to the Zamfara State Government (SSG), Mallam Abubakar Nakwada, has acknowledged the sacrifices of officers and men of conventional security agencies in the state, saying the security challenge is not yet over.

Nakwada made this known on Wednesday while briefing newsmen on activities marking Zamfara State’s 30th anniversary at his office in the J.B. Yakubu Secretariat, Gusau.

He said Zamfara would mark 30 years since its creation on Thursday, October 1, 2026, describing the anniversary as three decades of history, sacrifice, resilience, institution-building, and the collective aspiration of the people for a peaceful and prosperous state.

He said, ‘Tomorrow, 1st October 2026, Zamfara State will mark 30 years since its creation-three decades of history, sacrifice, resilience, institution-building, and the collective aspiration of our people for a peaceful and prosperous state.’

Nakwada said the state’s 30-year history belonged to successive administrations, institutions, traditional leaders, public servants, and citizens who had contributed to its development since its creation in 1996.

He said the anniversary provided an opportunity to reflect on what he described as the accelerated transformation recorded in the last three years under Governor Dauda Lawal.

He said, ‘Our 30-year story belongs to every administration, institution, traditional leader, public servant, and citizen who has contributed to the development of Zamfara since its creation in 1996.

‘This anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the accelerated transformation of the last three years under the leadership of His Excellency, Dr. Dauda Lawal, Executive Governor of Zamfara State, and how this period is contributing a new chapter to 30-year development journey.’

According to the SSG, the present administration recognized that meaningful and sustainable development could not be achieved without security.

He said, ‘For a state that has endured years of banditry, kidnapping, and disruption of rural livelihoods, restoring security remains fundamental to rebuilding communities.’

Nakwada said the state government had continued to provide support to the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other conventional security agencies operating in Zamfara.

He said the government used the anniversary to appreciate security personnel for their courage, professionalism, and sacrifices.

He said, ‘We use the occasion of Zamfara at 30 to particularly appreciate the officers and men of our conventional security agencies for their courage, professionalism, and sacrifices.’

The SSG noted that many security personnel had served under difficult circumstances, while some had lost their lives in the defense of communities.

He said, ‘Many have served under extremely difficult circumstances, while some have paid the ultimate price in defense of our communities. Their sacrifices will not be forgotten.’

Nakwada acknowledged that the security situation in the state remained a challenge and assured residents that the government would continue to support security agencies within its capacity.

He said, ‘We recognize that the security challenge is not yet over.

‘Government therefore remains resolute in providing every legitimate support within its capacity until our communities are safer, livelihoods are restored, and our people can pursue their daily activities without fear.’

The FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES) has clarified that a viral social media claim linking an alleged diphtheria case in the FCT to sliced watermelon could not be substantiated following a field verification visit.

The claim was contained in a social media post by Ivan Eagle Lawson, which included a photograph purportedly showing a man identified as Mr Simeon Okoh and alleged that he was a victim of diphtheria in Abuja.

A statement by the media aide to the FCT Mandate Secretary on Health and Environment, Bola Ajao, however, said that field verification by the FCT Public Health Department and the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) found no evidence to establish the identity of the person in the photograph, the alleged address or the reported diphtheria case.

The photograph and the details accompanying the post could not be verified as genuine or linked to any confirmed diphtheria case in the FCT.

The Mandate Secretary, FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, made the clarification in a statement issued from her office on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, following concerns raised by the circulating post.

She said a multidisciplinary Rapid Response Team from the FCT Public Health Department and AMAC visited the location described in the post on 28 September 2026 to investigate the claim.

Enquiries with the estate management and the team’s physical observations established that the alleged address was inconsistent with the estate’s road designations. Estate management could not identify a resident matching the details provided and reported no knowledge of the alleged incident.

Dr Fasawe added that checks of the FCT diphtheria line list and records at the National Reference Laboratory in Gaduwa did not identify a corresponding record. The team did not locate the person described, and the investigation did not establish evidence supporting the alleged diagnosis or its claimed link to watermelon.

She commended the residents’ association for cooperating with the verification team and helping to address community concerns.

The Mandate Secretary emphasised that these findings relate to the specific claim circulating online.

The ongoing diphtheria response in the FCT continues, and residents should remain vigilant and report suspected illness promptly.

She explained that diphtheria is a serious, vaccine-preventable bacterial infection, usually caused by toxin-producing Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

It spreads mainly through respiratory droplets and direct contact with infected respiratory secretions or skin lesions. The investigation did not establish that watermelon caused the alleged illness.

Dr Fasawe noted that most cases recorded during the current FCT outbreak have been among children, particularly those aged five to nine years, many of whom were unvaccinated.

She urged parents and caregivers to ensure that children receive all vaccinations recommended for their age, including the three primary doses of the diphtheria-containing pentavalent vaccine provided through routine childhood immunisation.

Children with missed doses or uncertain vaccination histories should be taken to the nearest primary healthcare facility for assessment and appropriate catch-up vaccination.

Residents experiencing fever, sore throat, neck swelling or difficulty swallowing should seek medical assessment promptly. Difficulty breathing requires urgent medical attention.

Healthcare workers should immediately notify the appropriate Area Council Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer of suspected cases.

The Mandate Secretary urged the public to respect privacy and avoid stigmatising residents, communities or food vendors. She advised against forwarding the unverified post, including names, photographs and alleged addresses, stressing that a photograph alone cannot confirm diphtheria.

She urged anyone with information that may assist in verifying such claims to share it privately with the FCT Public Health Department or AMAC health authorities rather than circulating unverified information online.

Dr Fasawe said the FCT is continuing its surveillance, awareness and community engagement activities, including door-to-door sensitisation, radio jingles and the distribution of information, education and communication materials.

She urged residents to remain calm, follow verified health advice and support the ongoing response.

She also cautioned against sharing unverified social media claims of Ebola outbreaks and advised residents to rely on official updates from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

The Mandate Secretary warned that circulating unverified health claims can heighten anxiety and distract from response activities. She nevertheless encouraged residents to report suspected illness and public health concerns promptly so that they can be assessed.

Residents seeking clarification should contact the FCT Public Health Department or the NCDC. Public health enquiries and alerts may also be directed to the NCDC toll-free line, 6232.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State has urged Nigerians to embrace unity, tolerance and brotherly love as the country marks its 66th Independence Anniversary.

Spokesman of the party, Prince Christopher Odianarewo, on Thursday, said the anniversary provided an opportunity for Nigerians to reflect on the country’s journey since independence and reaffirm their commitment to building a better nation.

The Lagos PDP commended Nigerians for what it described as their resilience, courage and determination in the face of economic and social difficulties confronting the country.

It said many citizens were currently grappling with rising living costs, declining purchasing power and other economic pressures, which it attributed to policies of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal and Lagos State governments.

The party, however, said the anniversary should not be defined solely by the challenges facing the country, stressing the need for Nigerians to focus on their shared identity and common destiny.

It called on citizens to promote tolerance, compassion and responsible citizenship, while rejecting hatred, division and attempts to exploit ethnic, religious, regional or political differences.

‘Nigeria belongs to all of us. Our diversity should be a source of strength, not division,’ the party said.

The opposition party also called for a society in which justice, democratic values, economic opportunities, security and human dignity would be accessible to all Nigerians.

It urged citizens to remain peaceful and actively participate in the democratic process, saying the future of the country should be shaped by Nigerians through their voices, participation and constitutional rights.

The Lagos PDP reaffirmed its faith in the Nigerian people and the country’s future, while expressing hope that Nigeria would continue to prosper as ‘one indivisible nation, united in brotherly love and under the guidance of Almighty God.’

The member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Dumnamene Dekor, has called on the Federal and Rivers State governments to declare Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State a disaster zone over persistent gas leaks and environmental degradation.

Dekor, who made the call at the 2026 National Extractives Dialogue (NED) in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to establish immediate medical camps, distribute relief materials and develop evacuation plans for residents in high-risk areas of the community.

The dialogue, organised by Spaces for Change (S4C), had the theme, ‘Remediation Before Divestment and Energy Transition: Amplifying the Bille Environmental Crisis.’

The lawmaker said the scale of environmental degradation in Bille required urgent government intervention, stressing that residents would have been evacuated if the crisis were occurring in countries with stronger emergency response mechanisms.

He also called on community leaders, civil society organisations, regulatory agencies and industry stakeholders to set aside political differences and work together to save Bille Kingdom from further environmental devastation.

‘We must put politics aside to save Bille Kingdom. We will not stand by and watch Bille Kingdom sink into an environmental abyss.

‘The people of Bille deserve clean air, safe water, and a secure future, and we will not rest until this gets done,’ he said.

Dekor further urged the Rivers State Government to intensify its intervention, saying the state had a greater responsibility to protect citizens affected by the crisis.

‘As Chairman of the House Committee on those communities, I wish to affirm that my committee stands fully ready to act as that bridge, facilitating open dialogue, supporting necessary policy frameworks, and ensuring that our agreements here are translated into lasting relief on the ground,’ he said.

Meanwhile, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) have called for the identification, disclosure and remediation of environmental liabilities before oil and gas assets are divested or transferred to new operators.

Representing the Director-General of NOSDRA, Engr. Chukwuemeka Woke, the agency’s Director of ICT/GIS, Dr Yusuf Rigasa, said NOSDRA had conducted several technical investigations into the Bille crisis in collaboration with relevant government agencies.

Rigasa assured the community that the agency remained committed to transparently sharing the findings of its investigations and ensuring that appropriate remediation measures were undertaken.

He said environmental responsibilities should not disappear merely because ownership of an oil asset had changed.

According to him, NOSDRA’s mandate covers oil spill preparedness, detection, response coordination, environmental monitoring, technical investigation, remediation and restoration oversight.

He stressed that the agency’s responsibilities remained relevant during divestment, adding that changes in ownership and the energy transition should not become avenues for escaping environmental accountability.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar, represented by the Director, Energy and Mining, Sa’ad Balarabe, said the dialogue was taking place at a time when the ownership structure of Nigeria’s onshore and shallow-water petroleum assets had undergone significant changes.

Adar said while investors had the right to enter or exit markets, environmental liabilities attached to the assets must be addressed before ownership changed.

He warned that environmental liabilities could be transferred from well-capitalised international operators to successor companies with different financial and technical capacities, leaving host communities and the Nigerian government to bear the consequences.

‘Those environmental liabilities must be fully identified, valued and disclosed before a divestment is approved, and not reconstructed afterwards through litigation,’ he said.

He stressed that remediation should be a condition precedent to exit rather than an issue left for courts to resolve years after an asset had changed hands.

Adar also highlighted the importance of emissions disclosure in Nigeria’s energy transition, noting that NEITI had incorporated greenhouse gas and methane emissions disclosure requirements into its 2022 and 2023 oil, gas and mining audit processes.

He said credible data on environmental performance, remediation spending, community payments and the social and economic impacts of the energy transition would be critical to effective planning and accountability.

He added that NEITI would work with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), NOSDRA and the Federal Ministry of Environment to improve public disclosure of environmental payments, decommissioning contributions and remediation fund flows.

Adar recommended a comprehensive and independently verified audit of environmental liabilities, abandoned wells and ageing infrastructure across divested and divesting assets.

Earlier, the Executive Director of Spaces for Change, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, said the Bille crisis raised broader questions about how Nigeria manages environmental liabilities when oil and gas assets change hands.

She said residents had, for months, reported persistent gas emissions, contamination and threats to water sources and livelihoods, stressing that the situation was beyond a technical issue as it directly affected the safety, health and economic wellbeing of the people.

Ibezim-Ohaeri said regulators had acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and commenced empirical, scientific, environmental and technical investigations to establish the causes of the gas leaks and bubbling water sources reported in the community.

She said the Bille experience provided an opportunity to examine how environmental liabilities could be identified, documented and enforced before ownership or operatorship changed.

She added that the forum would examine investigations and technical assessments relating to Bille, emissions data and operators’ compliance, pre-divestment liabilities, corporate accountability, and the health, economic and social burdens of legacy pollution.

The dialogue also considered the impact of environmental degradation on women and children, as well as challenges relating to remediation, compensation and accountability across the Niger Delta.

A former Senate President and National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has felicitated with Nigerians as the nation marks its 66th Independence Anniversary, urging renewed commitment to unity, peace, stability and development.

In a goodwill message, Mark described independence from British colonial rule as a defining milestone and testament to the resilience, courage and enduring aspirations of the Nigerian people.

He said 66 years after independence, the occasion should not merely be a celebration of the past but an opportunity for sober reflection and renewed determination to build a Nigeria where justice, equity, security and prosperity are accessible to all.

According to him, Nigeria possesses enormous human and material resources capable of transforming the country into a prosperous and globally respected nation, stressing that the challenge is to harness the resources responsibly for the common good.

‘At 66, our nation has every reason to celebrate, but we must also reflect deeply on our journey as a people. Independence was not simply the termination of colonial rule; it was the beginning of our collective responsibility to build a nation founded on justice, unity, peace and shared prosperity.

‘Nigeria belongs to all of us. Our diversity should remain a source of strength, not division. We must continue to promote national unity, mutual respect and inclusion, while ensuring that every citizen, regardless of ethnic, religious, political or geographical background, has a sense of belonging.

‘The Nigeria of our dream is possible if we place national interest above personal and sectional considerations. We must strengthen our democratic institutions, uphold the rule of law and create an environment where our young people can live, work and realise their potential in their own country,’ he said.

Senator Mark acknowledged the sacrifices of the founding fathers, past leaders, members of the armed forces, security agencies and millions of ordinary Nigerians who have contributed to the survival and growth of the country over the decades.

He called on political leaders to see public office as a solemn trust and an opportunity to serve rather than a platform for personal enrichment, urging all Nigerians to remain committed to democratic values and peaceful coexistence.

The ADC National Chairman urged Nigerians not to lose faith in the country despite the challenges confronting the nation, stressing that the strength of Nigeria ultimately lies in the resilience and determination of its people.

He expressed optimism that with visionary leadership, responsible citizenship, institutional reforms and a renewed spirit of patriotism, Nigeria could overcome its present difficulties and fulfil its enormous potential.

He congratulated Nigerians at home and abroad on the 66th Independence Anniversary and prayed for peace, stability, prosperity and greater unity.

‘As we celebrate Nigeria at 66, let us renew our faith in our country and recommit ourselves to the task of building the Nigeria we desire and deserve. The journey may be challenging, but together, with courage, sacrifice and sincerity of purpose, we can build a nation that future generations will be proud to inherit. Happy Independence Anniversary to all Nigerians. May God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’ he said.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, has said the far-reaching reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration since 2023 were necessary to save Nigeria from imminent economic collapse.

Akume, who stated that the reforms were beginning to yield positive results, spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the 66th Independence Anniversary Lecture organised as part of activities marking Nigeria’s Independence Anniversary.

The lecture was held under the theme, ‘Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress’, according to a statement by the Special Adviser to the SGF on Media and Publicity, Mr Yomi Odunuga.

The SGF said Nigeria had survived the civil war, decades of military rule and several national challenges in its 66 years as an independent nation, noting that the faith and resilience of Nigerians had sustained the country.

According to him, the Tinubu administration took difficult decisions at the beginning of its tenure, including the removal of the petrol subsidy, unification of the foreign exchange market and fiscal reforms, to restore economic stability.

‘This administration took office in 2023 and immediately took bold decisions needed to save the nation from imminent collapse.

‘Such decisions include the removal of the petrol subsidy, unification of the foreign-exchange market, tax and other fiscal reforms. These were difficult decisions, but necessary to rebuild stability and we have started enjoying the results,’ he said.

Akume cited World Bank data indicating that Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.2 per cent in the first half of 2026, compared with 3.9 per cent recorded a year earlier.

He, however, said the challenge before the government was to ensure that economic growth translated into jobs and improved incomes for Nigerians.

The SGF also listed infrastructure development as another area where the administration had recorded progress, citing investments in major road, rail and port projects.

He mentioned the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Abuja-Kano Highway, East-West Road, rail modernisation projects and port reforms as initiatives expected to improve connectivity, trade and economic activity.

On the power sector, Akume said the government was addressing challenges through the clearance of legacy debts, increased investment, improvements in transmission and billing, as well as greater utilisation of the country’s natural gas resources.

He said more than 120,000 vehicles had been converted to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), with over 400 conversion centres and 90 fuelling stations established nationwide.

According to him, the CNG initiative was helping to reduce transportation costs, while CNG buses were providing cheaper transportation for millions of passengers.

‘We will not return to the ruinous petroleum subsidy regime of the past,’ he declared.

On agriculture and food security, Akume said the administration remained committed to increasing domestic food production through mechanisation, irrigation, improved seeds, fertiliser, storage facilities and local processing.

He disclosed that the World Bank had approved a $500 million credit for the Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth (AGROW) project, which he said would improve smallholder productivity, strengthen agricultural value chains and enhance food and nutrition security.

The SGF also highlighted youth empowerment as a key component of the administration’s development agenda, noting that more than 60 per cent of Nigerians were below the age of 25.

He said the government had expanded the Nigeria Education Loan Fund to enable more students to access university and vocational education, while efforts were also being made to strengthen technical and vocational institutions to provide skills required by industry.

‘Our young people are not just leaders of tomorrow – they are partners in building Nigeria today,’ he said.

Akume further urged Nigerians in the diaspora to invest in the country, stressing that their contribution went beyond remittances to include ideas, investments and national pride.

On healthcare and social protection, he said the government was equipping thousands of primary healthcare centres under the IMPACT initiative and expanding social protection programmes, including NG-CARES Additional Financing, SOLID and HOPE, with support from the World Bank and the Federal Government.

According to him, the programmes were designed to provide cash transfers and essential services to vulnerable households.

On security, the SGF commended the armed forces for their sacrifices and said the government was strengthening security through improved equipment, intelligence and inter-agency coordination.

He cited the development of a new National Threat Assessment and a five-year Strategic Defence Plan as part of efforts to improve national security.

‘Security and welfare of the people is the responsibility of government. Nothing matters more than the safety of our people,’ Akume said.

He added that development and security were interconnected, stressing that communities with greater economic opportunities and confidence in justice were less vulnerable to crime and violence.

The SGF said the Independence Anniversary Lecture should serve as a renewed call to duty for leaders and citizens, expressing the vision of a Nigeria where graduates could become employers of labour, farmers could feed their families and sell their surplus, entrepreneurs could grow their businesses, and every child could access quality education and healthcare.

‘We know the path will not be easy but our goal is clear: shared prosperity for all Nigerians,’ he added.

Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, has charged the newly sworn-in chairmen of the 17 local government areas in the state to immediately commence work, stressing that the local government system is not a passive arm of government in the state, but an active partner in the development agenda of the state government.

Mbah gave the charge following the swearing-in of the newly elected local government chairmen and vice chairmen at Government House, Enugu.

The Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) had on Sunday declared candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winners of the 17 chairmanship and 260 councillorship seats in the council election conducted across the state on Saturday.

The chairmen and their council areas are John Ogbodo, Nkanu West; Mike Ogbuekwe, Nkanu East; Ugochukwu Nwanjoku, Aninri; Jude Chinedu Asogwa, Nsukka; Caleb Ani, Enugu South; Ugo Ferdinand Ukwueze, Igboeze South; Brendan Emeka Ani, Isi-Uzo; Ibenaku Onoh, Enugu North; Martin Amadieze, Igbo-Etiti; and Innocent Ezeoha, Udenu.

Others are Chris Onyekachi Simon, Igboeze North; Chijioke Ezeugwu, Uzo Uwani; Hyginus Agu, Udi; Uche Okolo, Awgu; Beloved Dan Anike, Enugu East; Greg Anyaegbudike, Oji River; and Vitals Ndu, Ezeagu.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the governor reminded the chairmen that the promises they made during the electioneering period had now become obligations to the electorate, describing the relationship between elected officials and the people as a social contract.

‘In the last few weeks, you went around the communities, meeting our people, soliciting their votes. They have done you that honour of giving you their mandates to serve them and it is now your turn to discharge those commitments.

‘So, what you have just done here today is beyond symbolism. It is quite significant because it means that you have just sealed the social contract you have with the people.

‘I would, therefore, imagine that you are going to hit the ground running because there is really no honeymoon when we have quite a whole number of tasks ahead of us at this point,’ he asserted.

Mbah stressed the strategic importance of the local government system, describing it as the tier of government closest to the people and a critical partner in the state’s development agenda.

He said the government’s objective to eradicate poverty could not be achieved without addressing poverty in rural communities where there is a prevalence of poverty.

He, therefore, urged them to align their programmes and priorities with the broader development agenda of his administration, particularly in education, healthcare, sanitation, agriculture and poverty reduction.

Mbah further charged them to make themselves accessible and accountable to the people.

‘You must be accessible to the people that elected you. You must be accountable to them. And you must spend their resources responsibly,’ Mbah stressed.

On education, the governor urged the chairmen to go beyond physical infrastructure and focus on measurable outcomes, including literacy, numeracy and school enrolment.

‘It should equally interest you to have the statistics of those kids that are of school age that are not in school in your local government and to be actively working to ensure that you have zero – and I mean zero – not even one child who is of school age should be out of school,’ he said.

He urged the chairmen to make the welfare of poor and vulnerable residents a priority, saying poverty eradication would require deliberate measurement of progress rather than mere political declarations.

Responding on behalf of the chairmen, the re-elected Chairman of Igboeze South Local Government Area and Deputy Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Enugu State, Barr. Ugo Ferdinand Ukwueze, expressed appreciation to the people of the state and Mbah for giving them the privilege to serve.

He said some of them, who had previously served under Mbah, had acquired valuable experience during the period and pledged the commitment of the chairmen to good governance and expressed confidence that, at the end of their tenure, they would be proud of their contributions to the development of Enugu State.

‘For those of us that were privileged to serve under your leadership in the past two years, I can tell you that the knowledge gained, experience acquired cannot be measured in words.

‘We want to sincerely commit and recommit ourselves to the course of your good governance so that at the end of our tenure, we will be proud that Enugu State gave you the opportunity to groom us to what we are actually becoming,’ he said.

The event was witnessed by the Deputy Governor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai; members representing Nkanu East and West, as well as Igboeze North and South Federal Constituencies, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji and Hon. Dennis Agbo, respectively; Deputy National Chairman (South) of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Ben Nwoye; State APC Chairman, Dr. Martin Chukwunweike; Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia; Chief of Staff, Barr. Victor Udeh, among several other dignitaries and senior government officials.

The House of Representatives has unveiled plans to investigate alleged job racketeering in Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS).

The resolution was passed during plenary, which was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu.

In his lead debate on the motion of urgent national importance, Hon. Abdullahi Halims expressed grave concern over the allegation leveled against Federal Government Agency created by the Act of Parliament to serve, meet the needs and aspirations of greater majority of the Nigerian people including job opportunities for qualified Nigerians.

He specifically expressed grief over the crisis bedeviling the ‘current recruitment exercise which is ongoing in the Agency is allegedly shrouded in secrecy and racketeering with the highest bidders clinching job slots.

‘The House is worried that his alleged dubious practice is against the spirit of our federal character principle and portends the danger of depriving and denying qualified Nigerians of getting employed into the Agency to contribute their quota to national development.’

While noting that the Parliament is the only constitutional safeguard to checkmate such unwholesome practice and an act of deprivation, Hon. Halims solicited for the House intervention with a view to being the alleged dubious process to a halt.

To this end, the House resolved to setup an Ad-hoc Committee that will investigate the alleged job racketeering with a view to prescribe appropriate sanctions to the culprits.

Hence, the House resolved to summon NAQS management to appear before the House Committee on Federal Character chaired by Hon. Ahmed Wase for a review of the staff disposition list.

Similarly, Hon. Kalu mandated the House Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure adherence.

Cross River State has won eight awards at the 2026 Nigeria eGovernment Excellence Awards, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

The awards recognised the state government’s digital policy initiatives, eGovernment service delivery, mobile government solutions, digital innovation and technology-driven revenue administration.

Among those recognised were Governor Bassey Otu; Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Associate Professor Justin Beshel; Cross River State Government; MyCross River App; and the state’s technology partner, Nugi Technologies Nigeria Limited.

Otu received the Governor of the Year Award for Digital Revenue and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Innovation.

Beshel was also honoured as the state Digital Policy Leader of the Year, while the state government received the Best State Mobile Government Initiative Award and the Most Improved State eGovernment Service Deployment Award.

The MyCross River App won two awards – GovTech Innovation of the Year and Best Government Payment Solution Award.

Nugi Technologies Nigeria Limited, the state’s technology partner, was recognised as E-Government Technology Partner of the Year and E-Government Startup of the Year.

The awards, according to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, reflected the administration’s efforts to deploy technology in governance, revenue administration, payment systems and public service delivery.

The ministry said the recognition of Governor Otu for Digital Revenue and IGR Innovation was an acknowledgement of the administration’s use of technology to strengthen revenue administration and improve the ease of doing business in the state.

It added that the award to Beshel as State Digital Policy Leader of the Year recognised his efforts towards providing policy direction and institutional support for the state’s digital transformation agenda.

The ministry said the awards for mobile government and eGovernment service deployment also highlighted the state’s efforts to use technology to improve access to public services.

At the centre of the state’s digital transformation programme is the MyCross River App, which provides digital platforms for government services and payment-related transactions.

The ministry said its partnership with Nugi Technologies had also contributed to the development and deployment of digital solutions for government operations and citizen engagement.

The state government said it would continue to expand digital public services in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), while strengthening technology-driven systems for efficiency, transparency and sustainable development.

The Commissioner for Science and Technology, Justin Beshel, congratulated Governor Otu on the recognitions, saying the awards reflected the administration’s determination to place technology at the centre of governance and development in Cross River State.