The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Tantita constructs facilities for Army, reaffirms commitment to collaboration

    Tantita constructs facilities for Army, reaffirms commitment to collaboration

    • …projects symbolises strengthened operations

    Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) has reaffirmed its commitment to the highest standards of accountability, collaboration and service in support of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies with the commissioning of newly constructed and remodelled facilities at the 3 Battalion Headquarters in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.

    The facilities, built and furnished by Tantita as part of its corporate social responsibility, comprise 13 newly constructed offices embedded within the 3 Battalion Headquarters and the remodelling of 22 offices within Sector I Facilities of Operation Delta Safe.

    Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Wednesday, Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, High Chief (Engr.) Kestin Pondi, said the project reflected the company’s belief that sustainable security is driven by strong partnerships between public and private institutions.

    “All over the world, experience has shown that sustainable security cannot be delivered by one institution acting alone. It thrives where there is collaboration between public and private institutions,” Pondi said, noting that the principle formed the bedrock of Tantita’s engagement in protecting Nigeria’s critical energy infrastructure.

    He explained that since Tantita’s engagement by NNPC Limited in August 2022, the company has worked closely with government security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Army, to combat oil theft, pipeline vandalism and economic sabotage.

    “The professionalism, discipline, and operational leadership of the Nigerian Army have been indispensable to the progress recorded so far,” he said.

    According to Pondi, the commissioning went beyond physical infrastructure, describing it as an investment in people, operational capacity and effectiveness, adding that the facilities were designed to enhance coordination, operational readiness and the welfare of personnel.

    He noted that the project, which commenced in August 2025, was delivered in record time, demonstrating what could be achieved when public and private institutions work together.

    “As Nigeria continues to strengthen its energy security, partnerships such as this will remain essential. Tantita remains committed to upholding the highest standards of accountability, collaboration, and service in support of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies,” Pondi stated.

    In his speech, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army, and Land Component Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF) South South, Operation Delta Safe, Major-General Emmanuel Emekah, described the project as a clear demonstration of the value of partnership in addressing security challenges.

    While appreciating Tantita Security Services for its support to the Battalion and the Division, Emekah stressed that the intervention underscored the importance of collaboration between government institutions, the private sector and society at large.

    “Collectively, this intervention represents meaningful value addition and reflects our commitment to role of government and the role of society’s approach in addressing security challenges. It has also reinforced the understanding that security is a shared responsibility requiring the active involvement of government institutions with private sectors and the wider society,” the GOC said.

    He added that the project symbolised deeper trust and cooperation between stakeholders in the security architecture.

    “The project goes beyond bricks and metal. It symbolises trust, cooperation and a strong resolve to strengthen our security operations, while improving the welfare of those who stand in defence of our nation, critical infrastructure, particularly, within the oil and gas domain,” Emekah stated.

    Commander 63 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General M. A. Shonibare, also commended Tantita’s intervention, recalling the previously poor condition of the sector facilities and noting that the company’s support had contributed to improved pipeline security and increased crude oil output in Nigeria.

    In his welcome address, the outgoing Commanding Officer of 3 Battalion, Effurun Barracks, Major M. L. Salman, assured that the enhanced facilities would further strengthen operations, pledging that the unit would continue to support efforts to eradicate oil theft and criminality in the region.

    The commissioning ceremony drew key stakeholders from the security sector, including sister agencies and the energy industry.

  • Police uncover N7.7 billion telecom fraud

    Police uncover N7.7 billion telecom fraud

    • …arrests 6, recovers assets

    The Nigeria Police Force, through the National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC), has uncovered and dismantled a sophisticated cyber-enabled fraud syndicate.

    The syndicate, NPF said, was responsible for the illegal diversion of a telecommunications company’s airtime and data resources, resulting in an estimated financial loss of over ₦7.7 billion.

    The breakthrough followed a petition by a Nigerian telecommunications company, which reported suspicious and unauthorized activities within its billing and payments infrastructure.

    According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, investigations revealed that internal staff login credentials had been compromised, granting threat actors’ unlawful access to core systems.

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    Hundeyin said, “Following weeks of planning, coordinated enforcement operations were executed in October 2025 in Kano and Katsina States, with a follow-up arrest in the Federal Capital Territory. The operation led to the arrest of six suspects: Ahmad Bala, Karibu Mohammed Shehu, Umar Habib, Obinna Ananaba, Ibrahim Shehu, and Masa’ud Sa’ad.

    “Recovered items during the arrest include two residential houses in Kano, two mini-plazas, GSM and laptop retail outlets containing over 400 laptops, 1,000 mobile as well as a Toyota RAV4 vehicle – all proceeds of the crime. Substantial sums of money traced to the suspects’ accounts were also recovered. The suspects would be charged to court on the completion of the investigation.

    “Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has commended the officers involved in the investigation for their professionalism. He reiterates the unwavering resolve of the Nigeria Police Force, through the NPF–NCCC, to safeguard Nigeria’s digital and financial ecosystems, dismantle cyber-criminal networks, and ensure that offenders are held accountable regardless of position or affiliation.”

  • ADC tasks Oyegun, Utomi, Lukman with policy, manifesto

    ADC tasks Oyegun, Utomi, Lukman with policy, manifesto

    The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has assigned former All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Prof. Pat Utomi and former APC National Vice Chairman (North West), Salihu Lukman, to lead the development of its policy document and manifesto ahead of 2027 elections.

    The trio will head a 50-member Policy and Manifesto Committee approved by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and endorsed by the ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark.

    The party stated that the committee, scheduled for inauguration on Monday, is mandated to articulate a clear policy direction and produce a manifesto addressing key national issues, including governance, economic management, social development, security, and democratic reform.

    In a statement on Wednesday, the ADC, through its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said Odigie-Oyegun will serve as Chairman, with Utomi as Deputy Chairman and Lukman as Secretary.

    Other members of the committee include former Bauchi State APC governorship candidate, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar (rtd), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, Dr Usman Bugaje, Prof. Anthony Kila, Pastor Funke Awowolo, Madam Jumoke Olawuyi and Prof. Sam Amadi, among others.

    According to the party, committee members were drawn from diverse professional and political backgrounds, including former public office holders, academics, technocrats, policy experts and civil society leaders.

    The Nation reports that Abdullahi said earlier that the delay in the composition of the committee was due to internal political considerations.

    “You think it’s just about putting some names together, but people begin to look at how many Christians, how many Muslims, how many people from different regions,” he said, adding that the process reflected the political realities involved.

  • Ogoni leaders urge Tinubu to sustain ongoing dialogue process

    Ogoni leaders urge Tinubu to sustain ongoing dialogue process

    • …warns against sabotage

    The leaders and people of Ogoniland have urged President Bola Tinubu to protect and sustain the ongoing dialogue process to restore peace to the region.

    They said for the first time in many years, there is genuine hope that justice, peace, and development may finally come to our land.

    The leaders said this under the auspices of Conscience of Ogoni People (COOP, formerly known as Ken Saro Wiwa Associates), a collective of concerned Ogoni sons and daughters committed to peace, justice, and long-term stability in Ogoniland and the Nigerian state,

    The group expressed strong support for the ongoing Federal Government-Ogoni dialogue and peace process currently being facilitated by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

    In a statement signed by its Leader and Spokesman, Chief Gani Topba, COOP, the leaders warned of any attempt to sabotage the process.

    The leaders urged Tinubu to call the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike to order over alleged attempts to sabotage the ongoing dialogue aimed at resolving the decades-long Ogoni crisis.

    According to the statement, the roots of the alleged sabotage lies in a long-standing compensation dispute involving the Ejama Ebubu community in Ogoni and the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), arising from environmental devastation claims successfully litigated and won by the community.

    The Ogoni leaders noted that during Wike’s tenure as governor, the Rivers State Government became deeply involved in the matter, which has remained controversial and unresolved in the court of public opinion.

    In a petition, the COOP urged Tinubu to mandate relevant security and intelligence agencies to investigate the allegations and prevent any actions capable of destabilising Rivers State.

    They noted that the current dialogue process is worth salvaging because it “has been widely welcomed by the generality of Ogoni people as the most sincere, inclusive, and structured effort ever, which seeks to achieve: lasting peace in Ogoni, environmental remediation and restoration, economic reintegration of Ogoni into the national and gas economy, and the safe and legitimate resumption of oil production in OML II, which would significantly boost national revenue, foreign exchange earnings, energy security, and employment.”

    “We also appeal to the President to ensure that no individual, regardless of status, is allowed to undermine national interest for personal or sectional gain, and to continue to support a transparent, inclusive, and lawful pathway to the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland, for the benefit of all Nigerians,” the statement said.

    COOP expressed confidence that President Tinubu’s intervention at this critical moment would not only safeguard peace in Ogoniland but also reaffirm the authority of the Nigerian state and the President’s commitment to justice, national unity, and economic recovery.

  • Tinubu directs FG to ease tax burden on small businesses — Oyedele

    Tinubu directs FG to ease tax burden on small businesses — Oyedele

    Nigerian economist, accountant, and public policy expert Taiwo Oyedele has revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Federal Government to ease the tax burden on small businesses and stop policies that worsen poverty.

    Oyedele, who chairs the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, made the disclosure during a Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) town hall meeting with artisans and traders in Abuja.

    According to him, the President has instructed that all stakeholders must work together to ensure the success of nano, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, rather than stifling them with multiple taxes.

    “You cannot build a society where businesses are not allowed to breathe,” Oyedele said. “The secret to the success of any society is enabling its 35 million nano, micro, small, and medium businesses to grow. Supporting MSMEs positively is essential because that is the real Nigeria.”

    He added that the President has also ordered an end to taxing poverty, capital, and seed, urging instead that government policies should support investment and business growth so that small enterprises can thrive.

    “The President directed that we should stop taxing poverty, capital, and seed. We should invest with the people so that the seed can turn into fruit,” he said.

    Read Also: Tax: Banks can’t debit account without owner’s consent

    Oyedele noted that most businesses in Nigeria operate at the nano level, expressing optimism that many could grow into billion-naira enterprises annually if given the right support.

    He also acknowledged growing public concerns about tax reforms, attributing them to misinformation. “There is a lot of negative misinformation about tax reform. Instead of excitement, people are afraid,” he said.

    “We understand that some of these accountants and payroll managers may not understand how to do the calculation on this new tax reform, so we are organising a virtual platform to put them through, so far twelve thousand people have registered. If the twelve thousand get it right which I know they will, millions of Nigerian workers will benefit. Before now anything goes, but it is not going to be business as usual”.

    He said, under this reform all the categorization apart from high earners in millions will be exempted from corporate income tax, again this is part of the Corporate Affairs Commission and SMEDAN partnership where the CAC is registering small businesses for free, Presently, CAC received five thousand applications everyday for free registration.

    “This is one of the deliberate policies of the government to encourage formalization of businesses. Formalization makes your businesses organise as you keep records. If your business is registered with CAC you enjoy a corporate tax rate at zero percent, you will also not pay the 4% development levy.

    Whether you are registered with the CAC or not, if your business does not make more than one hundred million naira a year you don’t need to charge VAT, BAT when anyone is paying you, you are not allowed to charge withholding tax or hold on to withholding tax either. Your money must be complete when you are being paid.

    Under this new reform tax law, employees are completely exempted from all forms of tax.

    For big companies, there is a provision to reduce their corporate tax rate from 30% to 25%. There are companies making more than one billion a year, there is good news for them too,  if you pay VAT on business products like manufacturing machines, vehicles, mobile phones including airtime that is used for business, these can be claimed back with receipts.

    Speaking the Director General SMEDAN, Charles Odii said, current Small Medium Enterprise right now stand at 39million as President Tinubu earmarked two hundred billion naira for SMEs. It is for them to access it as a single digit business loan. We will keep encouraging our small businesses on production of made in Nigeria. 

  • Obasa, Tinubu-Ojo announce fundraising art exhibition for BATCAV

    Obasa, Tinubu-Ojo announce fundraising art exhibition for BATCAV

    The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, in collaboration with the Grand Host, Dr. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, has unveiled plans for a major fundraising art exhibition to support the establishment of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Centre for Arts and Vocations (BATCAV).

    The announcement was made on Tuesday at a press conference in Lagos, where stakeholders revealed details of the exhibition, scheduled for Thursday, February 5, at the Muson Centre, Victoria Island. The event will be curated by Artifact Galleries.

    BATCAV is envisioned as a national institution aimed at empowering more than 100,000 Nigerians through arts, crafts, and vocational training, while strengthening the country’s creative economy and preserving its cultural heritage.

    Addressing journalists, Obasa, who serves as the Official Host of the event, described the initiative as a strategic investment in youth empowerment and Nigeria’s creative ecosystem. He said the Centre would connect talent development with enterprise, enhance cultural preservation, and position Nigeria as a leading force in Africa’s creative industry.

    In her remarks, Dr. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo подчерк emphasized the broader national significance of the exhibition, noting that the initiative goes beyond showcasing art to driving long-term social and economic impact.

    “This is not merely an art event, but a collective commitment to legacy, opportunity, and the preservation of our cultural memory,” she said.

    She called on leaders, institutions, and philanthropists to rally behind the project to build a Centre that will serve future generations.

    The Event Chairman and Foundation Patron, Dr. Abbey Onas, reaffirmed his full support for the initiative, highlighting BATCAV’s practical and sustainable framework.

    According to him, the Centre will not only train participants but also link graduates with financial institutions to access start-up capital immediately after training, creating a direct pathway from skill acquisition to sustainable livelihoods.

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    Also acknowledged at the press conference was Otunba Muraina Olatunji Banjoko, the Major Supporter of the exhibition. Organisers noted that his backing has been instrumental in advancing preparations and mobilising key strategic partnerships for the event.

    The fundraising exhibition will feature the unveiling of hyper-realistic portrait paintings of prominent Nigerians, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; all state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory; selected senators and members of the House of Representatives; the Ooni of Ife and his wives; as well as notable business and public figures such as Rasaq Okoya, Folashade Okoya, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Seyi Tinubu, Layal Tinubu, Olu Okeowo, Lady Adejoke Okeowo, Esther Ajayi, Dr. Tunji Olowolafe, among others.

    According to the organisers, BATCAV’s objectives include training over 100,000 Nigerians in arts and vocational skills; housing 1,000 portrait paintings of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to document his journey from senator to president; preserving 5,000 artworks by Nigerian artists across all states; and showcasing 4,000 artworks by artists from across Africa, thereby positioning Nigeria as a continental cultural hub.

    The organisers further call on corporate organisations, cultural institutions, and members of the public to participate in the exhibition and support the establishment of BATCAV, which they described as “a living archive, a training ground, and a launchpad for the future of African creativity.”

  • Senate to debate Electoral Act report Thursday, backs electronic transmission of results

    Senate to debate Electoral Act report Thursday, backs electronic transmission of results

    The Senate will on Thursday consider and debate, clause by clause, the report of its committee on electoral matters, with electronic transmission of election results topping key recommendations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    One of the major proposals in the report is a provision mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically transmit results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) immediately after vote counting.

    The decision to schedule the report for consideration was taken at plenary on Wednesday following a motion by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti North), who informed lawmakers that copies of the report would be circulated in advance to allow for detailed scrutiny.

    Bamidele, with the approval of the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, also disclosed that a brief closed-door session would precede the general consideration of the report at the Committee of the Whole.

    A copy of the report obtained by The Nation shows that a new subsection (3) has been introduced on page 45 of the Electoral Act 2022 (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aimed at curbing result manipulation and ballot box snatching.

    The proposed provision states: “INEC shall electronically transmit election results from each polling unit to the IREV portal in real time, and such transmission shall be done simultaneously with the physical collation of results.”

    The committee further introduced a new subsection (2) to Section 77, making it an offence for presiding officers to fail to sign and stamp ballot papers and the results announced by them.

    In addition, Sections 47(2) and (3) were amended to replace the term “smart card reader” with “Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS),” in line with current electoral practice.

    To address abuse of the voting process involving persons with disabilities, the report amended Section 54(1) to bar political party agents, candidates or officials from accompanying visually impaired or incapacitated voters into the voting compartment.

    The committee also recommended stiffer penalties for the buying and selling of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), proposing an increase in the fine prescribed in Section 22 from N500,000 to N5 million.

    Describing the Electoral Act amendment as a sensitive and far-reaching legislation, Senate President Akpabio urged lawmakers to study the report thoroughly ahead of its final consideration.

    “Distinguished colleagues, as suggested by the Leader, please study the report very well ahead of tomorrow’s final consideration, first at the closed-door session and then at the Committee of the Whole,” Akpabio said.

  • Ilaje group faults Ogun over oil drilling, Olokola seaport claims

    Ilaje group faults Ogun over oil drilling, Olokola seaport claims

    The Ilaje socio-cultural organisation, Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide, has faulted claims by the Ogun State Government over alleged approval for oil drilling activities in Eba community and plans to develop a deep seaport under a renamed Olokola Free Trade Zone.

    The group described the claims as misleading and a direct encroachment on the territorial integrity of Ondo State, insisting that Eba is a riverine community located in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    In a statement on Wednesday signed by its President-General, Prince Iwamitigha Raphael Irowainu, Egbe Omo Ilaje stressed that Eba is an entirely Ilaje community and hosts one of Nigeria’s oldest forest reserves, which it said was acquired during the colonial era from Ilaje traditional rulers.

    The organisation recalled that evidence of bituminous oil surfacing in Ago-Alaja village, Eba, was first reported by residents in 2013. This, it said, prompted a joint investigation by the Ondo State Ministry of Environment and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).

    According to the group, samples taken from the site were analysed and later presented to officials of the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), after which the Ondo State Government restricted access to the area for security reasons.

    Egbe Omo Ilaje further alleged that land speculators later invaded the area with security personnel, claiming to be acting on the authority of the Ogun State Government.

    It said the development was formally reported to the Ondo State Government and condemned by Ilaje monarchs.

    On the proposed Olokola Deep Seaport, the group said Olokola was historically an Ilaje settlement designated during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo as a Free Trade Zone for major industrial projects, including a deep seaport and refinery.

    The group explained that Ogun State’s involvement in the Olokola project was merely a compromise aimed at resolving boundary disputes, adding that unresolved disagreements had earlier forced investor Aliko Dangote to relocate his refinery project to Lagos.

    “It is shocking and unacceptable for Ogun State to now unilaterally rename Olokola and claim exclusive rights over a deep seaport project in an area where it has no coastal territory,” the statement said.

    Egbe Omo Ilaje insisted that Ijebu land, which forms Ogun State’s southern boundary, has no coastline, stressing that only Lagos and Ilaje constitute the contiguous Yoruba coastal areas.

    It added that this fact is clearly documented in colonial records.

    The group accused the Ogun State Government of making the claims to mislead security authorities and provoke tension in the area, warning that any attempt to assert control over Ilaje ancestral land would be resisted.

    Egbe Omo Ilaje also called on President Bola Tinubu to reject or withdraw any approval allegedly granted through Ogun State for projects in Eba or Olokola.

    It also urged the Ondo state government to take firm steps to protect Ilaje territory in the interest of peace, justice and stability in the coastal region.

  • Shettima preaches peace, tolerance during visit to Gbong Gwom Jos

    Shettima preaches peace, tolerance during visit to Gbong Gwom Jos

    • …says Nigerians are bound by common heritage, urges unity beyond differences
    • …hails Plateau political realignment as pathway to peace and development

    Vice President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday called on Nigerians to embrace tolerance and peaceful coexistence, stressing that the country’s diversity should serve as a source of strength rather than division.

    Shettima said Nigeria has the potential to become one of the greatest nations in the world if citizens learn to live together in peace, noting that Nigerians are one people bound by a shared heritage that outweighs whatever differences may exist among them.

    The Vice President spoke in Jos, the Plateau State capital, during a courtesy visit to the palace of the Gbong Gwom Jos and Chairman of the Plateau State Council of Chiefs and Emirs, Jacob Gyang Buba.

    According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said, “We are all connected one way or the other. We must, therefore, continue to live together. What binds us together supersedes what separates us.”

    He was in Plateau State to attend the grand reception of Governor Caleb Mutfwang and other political leaders into the All Progressives Congress.

    During the palace visit, the Vice President described traditional rulers as critical stakeholders in nation-building, noting that beyond being custodians of culture, they play a vital role in promoting peace and stability within their domains.

    “They are not just the custodians of our cultural heritage. They help in upholding society by preaching peace among their subjects,” he said.

    Shettima lauded the improving relationship between the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and Governor Mutfwang, describing the political realignment as a positive development for Plateau State.

    According to him, their cooperation would translate into increased dividends of democracy for the people.

    Read Also: Mutfwang’s defection reaffirms APC as truly national party, says Shettima

    “The National Chairman was the opponent of the Governor at the last election, but today they have agreed to work together. There can be no development without peace,” he added, expressing confidence that the alliance would enhance peace and stability in the state and across the country.

    Earlier, Governor Mutfwang commended the cordial working relationship between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Shettima, saying it would continue to yield positive outcomes for the nation.

    In his remarks, the Gbong Gwom Jos appealed for strengthened security measures and genuine reconciliation efforts to address the challenges confronting Plateau State and other parts of the country.

    He urged Nigerians to respect one another, stressing that Islam and Christianity both reject violence and insurgency.

    The monarch thanked the Vice President, the APC National Chairman and the Plateau State Governor for the political realignment, describing it as a welcome development for both the state and the nation.

    The Vice President’s entourage included the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule; former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Idris Wase; members of the Plateau State Council of Chiefs and Emirs; and other prominent indigenes of the state.

  • FG, Japan, UNESCO sign arrangement letters to address flood impacts in Niger

    FG, Japan, UNESCO sign arrangement letters to address flood impacts in Niger

    • …Japan commits 53,000 dollars to project

    The federal government, the Japanese government and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, (UNESCO) on Wednesday signed letters of arrangement on a project designed to address the impacts of flood disasters in Niger state with specific attention to Mokwa local government.

    The letter of Arrangement which was signed at the United Nations Building in Abuja signalled the inauguration of the 12 months project aimed at addressing the impacts of climate-induced flooding in the state.

    The project proposal was titled “Strengthening Flood Resilience in Nigeria to foster long-term Societal Stability – Focus on Niger State.”  It is also expected to address parts of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) programmes.

    About five communities within the Mokwa axis in Niger state would benefit from the project which is expected to strengthen flood resilience within the area.

    According to the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Suzuki Hideo, the government of Japan would commit about 53,000 United States dollars to the project.

    Speaking at the event, Ambassador Hideo said the ceremony was not just a signature on paper, but a commitment to transforming vulnerability into strength and the crisis of flooding in Mokwa into opportunity.

    He recalled the 2025 flood disasters in Niger state which claimed about 500 human lives, displaced thousands of families and submerged critical infrastructures and farmlands, saying that his country is willing to support Nigeria and the people of Niger state to overcome the challenge of flooding.

    “In that incident, over 500 lives lost, thousands displaced, critical infrastructure and vast farmlands submerged, and these are not mere statistics but human stories of loss and hardship.

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    “Once again, I would like to express my heartfelt condolences for the loss. This is why the government of Japan is proud to support this UNESCO-led project with approximately 53,000 U.S. dollars,” Ambassador Hideo said.

    He called for a shift from a reactive disaster response to proactive climate resilient development, through capacity-building, youth engagement, and strengthening of early warning systems to address the challenges of flooding in the country.

    Providing details of the Project, the Ambassador of UNESCO to Nigeria, Dr Hajo Sani, said the proposal was developed to address the growing impact of climate-induced flooding in Nigeria, particularly in Niger State, by shifting from short-term emergency response to a more proactive, risk-informed, and climate-resilient development approach.

    He said, “The project aims to strengthen national and community capacities for flood preparedness and response through improved institutional coordination, climate-risk-informed decision-making, and targeted capacity development.

    “In full alignment with the priorities of the Japan Supplementary Budget on disaster risk reduction and human security, and Nigeria’s efforts to reduce loss of life, protect livelihoods, and safeguard critical infrastructure in flood-prone areas.”

    He said the Arrangement Letter Signing Ceremony marks the formalization of the partnership between the Government of Japan and UNESCO for the implementation of the project.

    The Permanent Secretary of Ecological project Office, Dr Aishetu Gogo Ndayako, commended the government of Japan for the project, saying that Japan had a history of collaboration with Nigeria to address critical challenges and offer assistance.