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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for his efforts at unlocking Nigeria’s maritime potential and positioning the sector as a major driver of economic growth, investment and employment.

The President, who felicitated with the former Osun State governor on his 72nd birthday, said initiatives being pursued under Oyetola’s leadership had improved efficiency in the maritime sector, attracted investment and strengthened Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global maritime industry.

President Tinubu also felicitated his Senior Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, on her 67th birthday.

He also congratulated former Jigawa State governor and erstwhile Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, on his 64th birthday.

The trio celebrated their birthdays yesterday.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu said Oyetola’s stewardship of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy was contributing to the implementation of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He described the minister as a renowned technocrat, shrewd administrator and committed patriot whose experience spanning the private and public sectors had continued to benefit the country.

‘Your years of service to our country as an insurance icon, public servant and political leader demonstrate your commitment to the development and prosperity of Nigeria.

‘As Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, you brought experience and dedication to the task of transforming our maritime sector into a major driver of economic growth, investment and employment.

‘I commend your contributions to the Renewed Hope Agenda, and I encourage you to remain steadfast in the service of our nation,’ the President said.

Before joining public service, Oyetola had a career in the insurance industry. He later served as Chief of Staff to the governor of Osun State before being elected governor of the state.

President Tinubu said the minister’s record in public administration and governance reflected his commitment to national development and prosperity.

The President prayed for Oyetola’s continued good health and wisdom, wishing him many more years of service to Nigeria and humanity.

President Tinubu applauded Princess Orelope-Adefulire for her contributions to Nigeria’s drive for inclusive and sustainable development.

In another statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu described the former Lagos State deputy governor as a dedicated public servant and development advocate, commending her commitment to implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly initiatives aimed at improving the welfare and living conditions of vulnerable Nigerians and communities.

‘I commend Princess Orelope-Adefulire’s efforts in the creation of the Presidential Council on SDGs and other advocacy groups to accelerate Nigeria’s progress towards the achievement of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda with a focus on ‘Leaving No One Behind’,’ President Tinubu said.

He expressed confidence that Orelope-Adefulire would continue to deploy her experience and commitment in support of his administration’s development priorities and Nigeria’s aspirations for sustainable growth.

‘I believe she will continue to bring her experience, passion and commitment to bear in supporting the administration’s development agenda and Nigeria’s broader aspirations for sustainable growth.

‘I wish her good health, wisdom, strength and many more years of purposeful service to our nation and humanity,’ the President said.

Also, in a statement by Onanuga, the President joined Badaru’s family, friends and associates in celebrating what he described as the former governor’s record as an administrator, industrialist and statesman.

President Tinubu recalled Badaru’s eight-year tenure as Governor of Jigawa State between 2015 and 2023, noting his interventions in agriculture, infrastructure and social development.

He also praised Badaru’s service as Minister of Defence from August 2023 to December 2025, saying the former minister discharged his responsibilities with patriotism and commitment to the country.

The President described Badaru, who holds the traditional title of Sardaunan Ringim, as an embodiment of humility, discipline and enterprise.

He noted that the former governor successfully transitioned from the private sector, where he founded the Talamiz Group, into public service and politics.

President Tinubu also praised Badaru for his loyalty and contributions to the All Progressives Congress (APC), including his current assignment as Director-General of the Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A) campaign group.

The President prayed that Almighty Allah would grant the former Jigawa governor many more years in good health, renewed strength and continued service to Nigeria.

The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has described the Oyo State governor and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, as clueless and an embarrassment to the people of the state.

The organisation stated that ‘for failing to address hunger in Oyo State despite increased funds from the Federation Account, Makinde has shown that he is more than clueless’.

In a statement yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by its Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, the campaign organisation said Governor Makinde’s admission of more money from the Federation Account to Oyo State was a confirmation of the success of the economic reform policies of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Makinde had admitted on Monday in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, that Oyo State received more money from the Federation Account, but added that he has not been able to reduce hunger in the state.

The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation described Makinde’s statement, though a function of his level of capacity, as a sad and clear reality of what Oyo State has been going through in terms of purposeful governance in the last seven years.

The campaign organisation said: ‘If through the ingenuity and purposeful leadership of President Tinubu, Oyo State allocation has increased tremendously, should it also be the duty of the President to ensure judicious use of the money?

‘If you have acknowledged that, monthly, you have been getting more money from the Federation Account, who are you expecting to come and help you to fight hunger in your state? Is it President Tinubu?

Most importantly, this same Governor Makinde has deliberately refused to allow local governments in Oyo State to function. He has criminally been everywhere, opposing local government autonomy to continue to spend both the state and local council funds.

‘Therefore, for the people of Oyo State, waiting a day longer to stop the extension of Makinde’s cluelessness beyond 2027 is what must not be allowed to happen, and on February 6, 2027, the governor and the man through whom he desires to extend his clueless government will be rejected by the people.’

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Oyo State, is to commence the distribution of newly printed Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) across all 33 INEC Local Government Area offices in the state from Friday, 9th October 2026, ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

In a press release issued by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Prof Adeniran Tella, the Commission said it would distribute new PVCs from 9.00 am to 3.00pm daily, excluding weekends and public holidays.

It added that the exercise is for newly registered registrants, those who have recently transferred their Polling Units, and those whose PVCs were lost or damaged in the last Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

The REC noted that PVC collection would be strictly personal, not by proxy, and said the Commission has made adequate arrangements, in collaboration with Security Agents across the State, to ensure the exercise remains transparent, orderly, and peaceful.

Prof Tella enjoined members of the public, including all relevant and key stakeholders in the electioneering process, to cooperate with the Commission by ensuring prompt collection of the newly printed PVCs, noting that the Commission still has quite a number of uncollected old PVCs from the last held 2023 general election in the state.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, says the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu since May 2023 have reshaped Nigeria’s economic direction.

Oyintiloye said the policies had recorded gains in some key areas, but continued to exert pressure on household welfare, purchasing power and the cost of living.

The APC chieftain said this while speaking with newsmen ahead of Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary on Wednesday in Osogbo.

Oyintiloye said that as Nigeria marks the anniversary, a fair assessment of the economy requires comparing the situation inherited in 2023 with developments under the Tinubu administration’s reform programmes.

He said the administration inherited an economy facing foreign exchange shortages, weak crude oil production, the financial burden of petrol subsidy, low government revenue, heavy debt-service obligations, infrastructure deficits and widespread poverty.

According to him, the removal of petrol subsidy and reforms in the foreign exchange market represented major policy shifts, complemented by efforts to strengthen revenue mobilisation, investment and production.

Oyintiloye said social intervention programmes had also provided support to vulnerable Nigerians, with the Federal Government reporting substantial disbursements to millions of households.

He, however, said such interventions must remain transparent, targeted and measurable to ensure that assistance translated into meaningful improvements in household welfare.

‘Subsidy removal addressed a major fiscal burden but also triggered significant adjustment costs, with higher petrol prices affecting transportation, food distribution, production and household expenditure.

‘Similarly, foreign exchange reforms sought to reduce distortions associated with multiple exchange-rate windows, but the subsequent naira depreciation increased the cost of imports, machinery, medicines and industrial inputs,’ he said.

Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker, said the reforms had been credited with improving the country’s trade balance, unifying the exchange-rate system and rebuilding foreign exchange reserves, among others.

He added that efforts to boost oil and gas production, improve the investment climate, address inflationary pressures and strengthen public financial management were also important components of the reform agenda.

Oyintiloye said available figures presented a mixed but important economic picture, with improvements reported in inflation, external reserves and real GDP growth, even as the naira exchange rate and cost of living remained major concerns.

He said Nigeria’s economic situation since May 2023 could therefore be described as one characterised by major policy changes and gains in several macroeconomic areas, alongside continuing pressures on household welfare.

‘The ultimate test of reform is what it does to production, jobs, investment, household income and the standard of living.

‘Nigeria needs to move from stabilisation to stronger productivity and broad-based prosperity.

‘We acknowledge the hardship Nigerians are experiencing, but returning to the old system without addressing its fundamental problems would only postpone the crisis.

‘The answer is to ensure that the resources freed from subsidy are converted into tangible benefits for the people, and the Tinubu administration has been doing that,’ he said.

Oyintiloye appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the reforms, saying their full benefits would become clearer as the policies matured.

The Federal Government has declared Thursday October 1, as public holiday to mark the nation’s 66th Independence anniversary celebration.

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government.

He congratulated all Nigerians at home and abroad on this year’s celebration of the 66th Independence anniversary of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Dr. Tunji-Ojo stated that our warmth, welcoming spirit and love as well as the abundant wealth inherent in our human capital and the richness of our land, makes Nigeria unarguably the most prosperous black nation in the world being African’s pride and beacon of hope for the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Magdalene Ajani, the Minister said peace and stability are necessary condition for the development of any nation.

He therefore, called on Nigerians to emulate the nation’s founding fathers in their love for fatherland and build a Nigeria of our dreams that our children will be proud of, that a new Nigeria is achievable.

‘As we celebrate 66th years of our independence, we should always remember that there is hope for our country and our diversity is our strength, and our collective determination remains the foundation upon which a stronger and more prosperous nation will be built’, he said.

The Minister reassured that this administration through the Renewed Hope Agenda will ensure a better Nigeria for all citizens, as a befitting tribute to our heroes past.

He urged citizens to use the Independence celebration as an opportunity to demonstrate the values of unity, patriotism, peaceful co-existence and mutual respect.

The Minister assured Nigerians that the Federal Government remains committed to strengthen national security, improving public safety and creating an environment where citizens can live, work and pursue their legitimate aspirations with confidence.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is set to intensify its supervision of banks, with greater attention to corporate governance, asset quality, liquidity, large exposures and the ability of lenders to withstand operational and cyber disruptions.

The move is part of the next phase of banking-sector reforms following the completion of the two-year recapitalisation programme, which saw 33 banks meet the revised minimum capital requirements and raise a combined N4.65 trillion.

The CBN said the stronger capital base would only deliver lasting benefits if banks improve the way they are governed and manage risks.

Speaking at the 38th Seminar for Finance Correspondents and Business Editors in Abuja yesterday, the Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, CBN, Dr. Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, said the banking industry must now move beyond the issue of raising capital to ensuring that the new capital is protected and deployed responsibly.

He said: ‘Capital, however, is a starting point. Boards and management must maintain sound controls, recognise risks early and lend on the strength of viable projects.’

According to him, corporate governance must support the stronger capital position of banks, with boards and management expected to operate with integrity, accountability and transparency while strengthening internal controls and avoiding excessive risk-taking.

He said the decisions taken by bank boards and management must protect the interests of depositors, investors and other stakeholders.

The Deputy Governor said the CBN would continue to monitor governance, asset quality, liquidity and large exposures as banks enter the post-recapitalisation era.

He added that banks would also be expected to protect customer data, maintain reliable payment services and recover quickly when their systems are disrupted.

The CBN’s position reflects a shift in focus from the size of banks’ balance sheets to the quality of their management and their ability to withstand shocks.

The banking regulator said risk management must no longer be restricted to traditional credit risks, but must cover market and liquidity risks, operational failures, cybersecurity, dependence on third-party service providers and climate-related financial risks.

Abdullahi said banks needed systems capable of identifying such risks early and allowing management to act before they threaten the stability of individual institutions.

‘As more financial services move to digital channels, banks must invest continuously in cybersecurity, data protection, disaster recovery and business continuity,’ he said.

The CBN official said the importance of these safeguards had increased as banks adopt more technology in delivering financial services.

He said customers must be able to transact securely and access their funds even when banks experience technical or operational difficulties.

The Bank’s supervisory framework will also continue to rely on risk-based supervision, macroprudential monitoring and stress testing.

The CBN said financial-sector coordination, consumer protection, fintech regulation, responsible innovation, crisis preparedness and resolution planning would remain part of its supervisory priorities.

The new approach comes as the banking industry emerges from a recapitalisation programme announced in March 2024.

Under the programme, banks were given two years to raise capital appropriate to their respective licences.

Abdullahi said the exercise was designed to strengthen the capacity of banks to support the economy as wider monetary and financial reforms took effect.

He said the recapitalised banks would be expected to provide more financing for infrastructure, industrial expansion, international trade and other productive activities as Nigeria pursues its ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

But the CBN said the success of the exercise should not be measured simply by the amount of money raised by banks.

According to Abdullahi, the real benefit should be reflected in the quality of banking services and the volume of productive lending available to businesses and households.

‘Agriculture, manufacturing, services and infrastructure need finance suited to their cash flows and investment horizons,’ he said.

He added that smaller businesses and households should have access to dependable payment systems, appropriate financial products and fair treatment.

The CBN also wants the benefits of stronger banks to extend to rural communities, women and young entrepreneurs, saying financial inclusion and consumer protection are important parts of a resilient financial system.

Abdullahi said stronger bank balance sheets should eventually translate into wider access to finance and better services for customers.

The post-recapitalisation phase is also expected to place greater responsibility on businesses seeking bank financing.

The CBN urged business leaders to improve corporate transparency, governance and sustainability, noting that these factors increasingly influence how banks assess borrowers.

The Deputy Governor said businesses must be prepared to use the additional financing capacity of banks for productive investment in areas such as technology, energy, transportation, power, agriculture, manufacturing and services.

The CBN’s latest position was reinforced by the Director, Banking Supervision Department, Dr. Olubukola Akinwunmi, who said recapitalisation should be seen as the beginning of a new phase rather than the final objective of banking reform.

Akinwunmi said a bank could have adequate capital and still be exposed to serious weaknesses arising from poor governance, weak risk management, deteriorating loan quality, liquidity pressures, operational failures, cyber threats and excessive risk-taking.

He said this was why capital adequacy alone could not guarantee financial resilience.

The banking supervisor placed particular importance on corporate governance, saying poor governance could trigger a chain of problems beginning with weak lending decisions and ending with losses that erode bank capital.

The presentation linked poor governance with weak underwriting, deteriorating asset quality, declining confidence and liquidity pressure.

Akinwunmi also drew attention to insider lending, which the CBN has been monitoring more closely under its strengthened supervisory framework.

He referred to the insider-credit circular issued in February 2025, saying the regulator’s approach was intended to prevent transactions involving insiders from creating risks capable of weakening banks.

He said the CBN’s position was that corporate governance was central to the resilience of the banking system.

The banking regulator has also been strengthening its corporate-governance framework.

Akinwunmi said the current framework is anchored on the CBN’s 2023 corporate-governance guidelines covering commercial banks, merchant banks, non-interest banks, payment service banks and financial holding companies.

The guidelines, which took effect on August 1, 2023, provide requirements covering board composition and independence, risk governance, internal controls, ethical conduct, accountability and the responsibilities of directors and senior management.

The CBN is also paying greater attention to the suitability of individuals moving into senior management positions in banks.

Akinwunmi said the quality of people occupying senior positions matters because their decisions can affect the ability of a bank to remain a viable institution.

He said weak appointments could result in poor risk management, inappropriate lending and decisions capable of eroding shareholders’ and depositors’ funds.

Beyond governance, the CBN is introducing a more risk-sensitive approach to capital requirements.

Under the risk-based capital framework issued in March 2026, banks are expected to maintain capital that reflects the risks associated with their individual business models and activities.

This means that the capital requirement of one bank may differ from that of another where their risk exposures are different.

Banks with higher levels of concentration risk, foreign exchange exposure, governance weaknesses or complex business activities are expected to maintain higher capital buffers.

The framework is intended to ensure that banks hold not merely more capital, but sufficient capital for the risks they undertake.

The CBN is also using stress testing to assess how banks would perform under difficult economic and financial conditions.

The tests cover possible shocks such as high inflation, exchange-rate depreciation, economic recession, rising interest rates, higher loan defaults, cyberattacks and market disruptions.

The purpose is to identify weaknesses early and determine whether banks have sufficient capital, liquidity and risk-management systems to withstand severe but plausible shocks.

The CBN is also moving away from prolonged regulatory forbearance that was introduced during periods of severe economic stress.

Akinwunmi said the temporary relief had played a role in protecting financial stability and sustaining credit during difficult periods, but was never intended to become a permanent feature of banking regulation.

The regulator’s withdrawal of forbearance is intended to ensure that banks recognise problem loans promptly, maintain adequate capital and present a more accurate picture of their financial condition.

The CBN said the return to normal prudential standards, combined with recapitalisation, stronger governance and risk-based supervision, would help create a banking system better prepared to withstand future shocks.

Eti-Osa Local Government has renovated and commissioned the Primary Healthcare Centre, Lafiaji, to improve access to healthcare services in the community.

The facility was commissioned by the council chairman, Adeola Adetoro, as part of activities marking her administration’s first year in office.

Adetoro said the project fulfilled her administration’s promise to prioritise infrastructure and quality healthcare.

‘Exactly a year ago when we assumed office, we promised that infrastructural development and quality healthcare would be paramount in the agenda of our administration. What we are witnessing today is a fulfilment of that promise,’ she said.

She said the centre would provide accessible and affordable healthcare, particularly maternal and child health services and emergency response.

Adetoro added that the council was working on other projects, including roads, schools, primary healthcare centres and empowerment programmes.

The military has postponed the ruling of the General Court Martial (GCM) sitting over the alleged coup plot case involving some military officers accused of attempting to overthrow the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The ruling, which was earlier scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2026, has now been rescheduled for Monday, October 5, 2026.

A notice issued by the Liaison Officer, Major M.U. Ardo, to members of the court and other concerned parties, said the sitting earlier adjourned to Wednesday had been postponed.

The notice did not give any reason for the postponement but expressed regret over any inconvenience caused by the change in schedule.

‘The GCM sitting earlier adjourned to Wednesday, 30 September, 2026, has now been postponed to Monday, 5 October, 2026,’ the notice stated.

It said the new sitting would commence at 10am at the Scorpion Officers’ Mess, Asokoro, Abuja.

The National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has donated N52 million to the families of 37 artisanal miners who died in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Niger State Command, and to those who sustained injury in the incident.

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, disclosed this yesterday during a condolence visit by the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to Government House, Minna. Families of deceased suspects got N1 million each while the injured received N500,000 each.

The donation came amid appeals by civil society groups in the state to political parties and actors to avoid turning the miners’ death into partisan battle.

Yilwatda, who led the delegation, described the deaths as saddening and extended the party’s condolences to the government and people of Niger State and all Nigerians.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for setting up a committee to investigate the circumstances of the deaths, pledging the party’s continued support for Bago’s administration.

Bago thanked the party leadership, calling the visit a significant show of solidarity. He said the circumstances of the deaths remained a matter of serious concern, adding that the committees already set up were working to establish the facts. The delegation later visited the Emir’s palace to convey the party’s condolences.

The governor said a committee led by the Deputy Governor, working with the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umaru Faruk Bahago, would disburse the funds.

The CSOs, in a joint position paper, described the deaths as an institutional tragedy that should be treated as a matter of justice, human rights and institutional reform. They asked political actors to allow the investigations to proceed without interference or premature media trials. The paper was issued by the Open Government Partnership Non-State Actors, Coalition of Civil Society, Resource Justice Network, Society for Peace Studies and Practice, and Open Alliance.

On the inquiry, the civil society groups asked political actors to urge their constituents to submit credible memoranda to the nine-member Judicial Commission of Inquiry inaugurated by the governor. They also asked that survivors, eyewitnesses and bereaved families be given the opportunity to testify on alleged overcrowding and poor ventilation at the NSCDC facility.

The coalition commended Bago for his handling of the crisis, including the declaration of three days of mourning. It urged vigilance to ensure that the findings of the Judicial Commission and the federal investigative committee lead to concrete reforms in detention facilities.

The groups also called on stakeholders to address the socioeconomic conditions that drive young people into unsafe and unregulated artisanal mining, saying force and partisan finger-pointing could not resolve the problem. They advocated safe, regulated and humane community-based solid mineral governance.

They said the deaths of the ‘Minna 37’ should become a catalyst for a more humane justice system and a safer Niger State, not a source of partisan division.

A Port Harcourt-based lawyer, Fun-ororo Narebor, has said Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s tenure will end on May 29, 2027, unless a court ruled otherwise.

Narebor said the argument that the six months Fubara spent out of office during the 2025 State of Emergency should be added to his tenure was not automatic and needed judicial validation.

In a legal opinion posted on his Facebook page, he cited Section 180 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides a four-year tenure from the date a governor takes the oath of office. Fubara was sworn in on May 29, 2023.

‘The constitutional clock does not automatically stop because of a State of Emergency,’ he said.

He noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed February 6, 2027 for the Rivers governorship election, which he said was consistent with Section 178(2).

Narebor acknowledged a legal argument for excluding the suspension period. Its proponents said Section 305, which provides for emergency powers, does not expressly authorise the suspension of an elected governor. They therefore contend that the suspension was unconstitutional and the period should be restored to his tenure.

Narebor said the argument alone could not confer an extra six months. He said Fubara would have to seek declaratory reliefs from the Federal High Court that the suspension was unconstitutional, and an order that his tenure be computed without the suspension, ending on November 29, 2027.

He cited Supreme Court decisions in Peter Obi v. INEC (2007), Ladoja v. INEC (2007) and Marwa v. Nyako (2012). He said they support the principle that a guaranteed tenure cannot be unlawfully cut short, but that applying it to Rivers would require a court ruling.

‘Without such judicial pronouncement, any attempt to remain in office beyond May 29, 2027 will be unconstitutional and will create a constitutional crisis,’ he said.