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  • Dubious advocacy

    Dubious advocacy

    Sachet alcohol lobby prioritises profit over public health

    Distillers joined forces with food and beverages industry workers last week to resist the ban by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and  Control (NAFDAC) on alcohol in sachets and PET bottles less than 200ml in size. NAFDAC commenced enforcement of the ban on January 21, this year, after a five-year grace period allowed producers to phase out those packagings.

    Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) led a civil society coalition,  including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and workers from various food and beverages firms, to stage a protest at the Lagos office of NAFDAC, arguing that the decision to ban small size container alcohol would cripple  investments and lead to job losses. They urged NAFDAC to reconsider its ban in the interest of the economy and local investors.

    The protesters, who converged on the regulatory agency’s office as early as 8:30a.m., held aloft placards with various inscriptions as they warned of unsavoury consequence of the ban on Nigerians whose means of livelihood is connected with the sector. Some of the inscriptions on their placards read: ‘Local manufacturers deserve protection, not frustration’, ‘Stop destroying local manufacturers’, ‘N2trillion investment deserves protection’, ‘5.5million Nigerians cannot be pushed to the streets’ and ‘Renewed Hope Agenda must work for all Nigerians’.

    Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (AFBTE) Senior Staff Association is a union affiliated with TUC. Its Executive Secretary, Solomon Adebosin, told journalists that the protest was necessitated by NAFDAC’s decision to enforce the ban despite an advice by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation that all measures related to the policy be suspended pending the outcome of further consultations and final directive.

    A week earlier, NAFDAC announced that it had begun enforcement of the ban on the production and sale of the products across the country.

    “At this period of our economy, throwing over five million people out of their jobs and putting at least  N3 trillion investment at risk will not augur well for our country. We appreciate our President for his various proactive measures to strengthen the economy. Killing local investments and throwing people out of jobs will definitely frustrate his commitment to boost the economy,” Adebosin said.

    He argued that the ban on sachet alcohol seemed targeted at indigenous producers, as they are the most affected by this policy. “Unfortunately, this will have multiple negative effects on the economy as all the people engaged in the value chain of sales and production would be affected.” he stated.

    Other lobbyists for retention of alcohol in sachets and mini PET bottles plied similar narratives. Among them, a representative of a civil society coalition claiming to protect consumer rights, Declan Ihekaire, who argued that the ban would worsen economic hardship because millions of Nigerians are employed across the value chain of sachet alcohol production, distribution, and sales. He accused government of using regulatory agencies to impose policies that disadvantage low-income earners, saying: “Millions of Nigerians have decided to go low-key by consuming those products because of their income level. It’s not everybody that is rich enough to afford… big drinks. So when you now say we shouldn’t take such a drink, it’s as good as saying don’t take sachet water but only take bottled water.”

    The lobbyists argued that regulatory action should focus on moderation and enforcement rather than product prohibition. They even canvassed sachet and small-size PET bottles as being in themselves supportive of moderate consumption, “because when you just have it in bits, you take it and then you are okay; you are not compelled to take more than is necessary.”

    They advised control of access to the products rather than a ban on the product lines. Adebosin, for instance, urged NAFDAC and other relevant authorities to explore alternative regulatory measures such as stricter age enforcement, improved labelling, controlled distribution channels and sustained public education, rather than an outright ban.

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    But NAFDAC’s enforcement of the ban is a culmination of many years of back-and-forth between the agency and the alcohol industry over implementation. The industry operators had, in December 2018, signed an agreement with the Ministry of Health and NAFDAC to phase out the controversial product lines by January 31, 2024. At the expiration of the deadline, a further extension was given to enable members adequately prepare for the ban.

    The lobby also misses the point of the public health factor involved in availability of sachet alcohol. NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, said the products were being banned mainly because they were being consumed by young school children as they could easily be concealed.

    In an interview on national television, she explained: “AFBTE, the association of food and beverage group, and DIBAN, the distillers’ association, went to the ministry of health in 2018 to complain that we’re planning to ban the use or stop registration of alcohol in sachets, and we had several meetings. At the end of it all, there was a document that was generated, and an agreement that was signed by AFBTE and DIBAN that we should consider that they have machinery and people in the industry producing these alcoholic beverages in sachets and less than 200ml bottles, that we should give them time.”

    According to her, the producers signed an agreement for a five-year phase-out in 2018, that by the end of January 2024, they would not produce sachet alcohol again, and that they should have slowly phased out the product lines during the given time.

    Adeyeye said the Federal Ministry of Trade and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) were co-signers of the agreement, and that NAFDAC was just implementing the agreement, not that it wants businesses to fail. Asked why NAFDAC seeks to take out alcoholic beverages in sachets, she said: “Children in primary schools and secondary schools are drinking alcohol in sachets or less than 200ml pet bottles. Beer has four to eight percent alcohol. The alcohol content in this sachet is 30 percent – six to seven times the amount of alcohol in beer. We did not ban alcohol in bigger containers, we are not against trade. We are banning alcohol as implementing agency under ministry of health in conjunction with ministry of trade. We are banning alcohol in sachets and pet bottles less than 200ml because these packages can be easily concealed.”

    Speaking on dangers of the products in question, the NAFDAC boss said: “It is harmful because it can be easily concealed. You can imagine your child, a primary school child, concealing the sachet in his pocket. I was talking with a principal two days ago, and she said that they normally seize those sachet packages with alcohol inside them from children, that sometimes, a child may consume up to seven during the day, during school hours.” Commercial transporters are also known to abuse sachet alcohol, such that they constitute danger to other road users.

    According to Adeyeye, it has been documented by international agencies that children who start drinking alcohol at a young age will very likely abuse substances, and that alcohol can cause over two hundred types of diseases. “We gave five-year notice. If an association did not disseminate that information to the groups in their association, then that’s a problem. We gave five-year notice: please phase these out because our children will have liver cirrhosis, because our children, by the time they get to twenty-something, they may be having cancers. Which one do we want? We want children to die, or we want money?”

    We totally align with the case made by the NAFDAC D-G, because the lobbyists now protesting the ban implementation had all the time in the world to rework their machinery in line with approved packaging, and away from the packaging that is hazardous to public health. The arguments they have plied for their lobby amount to scare mongering and emotional blackmailing. You do not allow dangerous items like guns to freely circulate simply because producers of those items could be thrown out of business, do you?

    We urge NAFDAC to stay course in placing public health above profit motives and not be fazed by scaremongers.

  • Olaopa makes Oyo honours’ list

    Olaopa makes Oyo honours’ list

    •FCSC chair pledges more excellent service

    The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Prof. Tunji Olaopa, has promised to offer more excellent service to the public.

    Olaopa spoke yesterday when the Oyo State government gave him the state’s Merit Award.

    In a letter conveying his nomination as a recipient of the award to mark the golden jubilee of the state’s creation, the government said he was being honoured for his “selfless service to the growth and development of Oyo State and for ably representing the state on the world stage”.

    In his acceptance of the award, which was conferred at an event hosted by Governor Seyi Makinde at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, Olaopa acknowledged what he called the subtext of the recognition of his modest accomplishments.

    These, the FCSC chairman said, were meant to keep up his “unfailing efforts in pushing the boundaries of institutional and governance reforms that will connect, for example, the Oyo State public administration system to the larger federal system in terms of delivering the dividends of democratic development that the citizens of Oyo State need so badly, to make life better for them”.

    On behalf of himself, the Afijio and Awe community and the Olaopa family, the FCSC chairman expressed appreciation to “our leader, the indefatigable Governor Seyi Makinde” and his team for considering him worthy of the recognition.

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    Expressing his determination to be of more service to the state and be a source of inspiration for its development, Olaopa offered what he called a “solemn promise to you, dear Excellency, that I will not stop working to keep pushing Oyo State ahead in the frontier of excellence”.

    The FCSC chairman said he had every reason to be proud of his origin as an indigene of Oyo State.

    He said: “No matter what one has gone on to achieve in life, one has every reason to be proud to have come from Oyo State for many reasons.”

    Listing his reasons for showing gratitude for the award, the former Federal Permanent Secretary and professor of Public Administration noted that Oyo State “is a land of historical legacies, cultural heritage, and sociopolitical dynamics that stand it out as a formidable context of development in the whole of the Southwest Nigeria”.

  • Relief, gratitude, lingering questions as CPS pensioners thank Tinubu

    Relief, gratitude, lingering questions as CPS pensioners thank Tinubu

    • Seek clarity from PenCom

    It was a day of thanksgiving, relief and unresolved questions for members of the Contributory Pensioners Union of Nigeria (CPUN), Eleyele branch Ibadan, as retirees gathered in Ibadan last week to celebrate the payment of long-awaited pension arrears while demanding transparency on how their entitlements were calculated.

    At the thanksgiving ceremony, pensioners who are under the CPUN Oyo State Chapter praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the clearance of arrears owed under the CPS, describing the intervention as unprecedented since the scheme was established.

    They also acknowledged the role of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) in facilitating the payments but stated that the struggle was far from over.

    Chairman of the association, Chief Comrade, Mathew Amao Shittu, in his welcome address, said the payments brought relief but also confusion, as many retirees were unsure how the figures credited to them were arrived at.

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    He said: “We appreciate the Federal Government for its good intentions towards retirees, but the implementation has been poor. Some people have been paid, some have not, and those who have received money do not understand what exactly they were paid for.”

    He explained that the arrears were split into multiple categories including the 20 and 28 per cent increases, consequential adjustments of 9 and 59 per cent, a 33 per cent category applicable only to those who retired between specific years, a 15 per cent component, and the N32,000 wage award approved by the Federal Government.

    According to him, retirees were never formally informed whether the percentages were calculated based on their salaries while in service or on their current monthly pensions.

    “How can you pay someone and not explain how you arrived at the figure?” he asked.

    “If PenCom does not personally inform us and continue to remain silent, we will be forced to ask anti-corruption agencies to intervene. If there is nothing to hide, why leave retirees in the dark?”

    Shittu shared his personal experience, noting discrepancies between expected and actual payments, and said repeated enquiries to Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) yielded no clear explanations.

    Despite the concerns, the mood at the event was largely one of gratitude.

    Dr.  Oloyede Oyinloye, an Ibadan-based pensioner, described President Tinubu’s intervention as a turning point in the history of the CPS.

    “This is the first time since the establishment of the contributory pension scheme that arrears are being addressed comprehensively. Today, retirees receive their pension within weeks of retirement. That was unthinkable before now”, he said.

    He credited sustained advocacy by pensioners’ groups and the media for drawing attention to the hardship faced by CPS retirees over the years.

    “We started this struggle because people were retiring and waiting endlessly for their money. Many died before enjoying the fruits of their labour,” he said. “Now, we are seeing progress.”

    Also speaking, Secretary of the Contributory Pensioners Union of Nigeria (CPUN), Southwest zone, Comrade Idowu Ogunjinrin, traced the agitation to 2011, describing the journey as painful but historic.

    “I retired in 2010 and what I received as pension was a fraction of my last salary,” he recalled. “Those under the old defined benefit scheme were getting close to 80 per cent of their final pay, while CPS retirees were left with crumbs.”

    He said the recent payment of arrears, funded partly through the N758 billion bond issued by the Federal Government, marked the first real acknowledgement of CPS pensioners’ plight.

    “President Tinubu has done what past administrations failed to do,” Ogunjinrin said. “He listened and acted. This bond, which we were promised years ago, has finally been paid.”

    However, he stressed that key demands remain unresolved particularly the issue of gratuity, which CPS retirees insist is distinct from their contributory lump sum.

    He maintained that what they received is largely what they contributed, alongside government contributions, noting that gratuity is a reward for years of service, and it is still outstanding.

    He added that legal representations made to PenCom in the past were never answered.

    The pensioners also rejected moves to limit the N32,000 wage award to a one-off payment, insisting that CPS retirees should receive it monthly, just like those under the defined benefit scheme.

    In addition, the pensioners called for health insurance coverage for pensioners, noting that many retirees cannot afford medical care.

    As prayers were offered and songs of thanksgiving filled the hall, the pensioners were united in cautious optimism, grateful for progress made, but determined to continue pressing for full transparency, gratuity payments and equitable treatment under Nigeria’s pension system.

    “We thank God we are alive to witness this moment,” Ogunjinrin said. “But the struggle continues.”

  • Paga and Leadway Assurance partner to Safeguard Doroki Merchants

    Paga and Leadway Assurance partner to Safeguard Doroki Merchants

    Paga, the fintech company behind the Doroki merchant platform, has entered into a strategic partnership with Leadway Assurance, one of Nigeria’s foremost insurance providers, to deliver comprehensive insurance solutions designed specifically for Doroki merchants.

    The collaboration aims to help merchants safeguard their businesses against everyday risks and recover quickly from unforeseen events.

    Under this partnership, Doroki merchants will gain access to tailored insurance solutions designed to protect the critical components of their day-to-day operations thereby safeguarding their income, assets, and continuity of operations.

    Beyond offering coverage, this initiative is built on a holistic approach to risk resilience.

    Doroki and Leadway will equip merchants with clear guidance on what each product covers, how to file a claim, and best practices for risk management—empowering them with knowledge that strengthens decision-making and builds confidence in handling uncertainties.

    The General Manager of Doroki Merchants, Arike Okwunowo said: “At Doroki, we see our merchants as partners in driving economic activity across Nigeria’s retail landscape.

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    “This partnership with Leadway, an insurer with decades of experience and a strong reputation for reliability—means our merchants can focus on growing their businesses with the peace of mind that they’re protected,” he noted.

    Commenting on the development, Head of Digital Business, Leadway, Diana Mulili reiterated Leadway’s commitment to expanding access to financial security for every Nigerian.

    “At Leadway, we believe insurance should integrate seamlessly into the everyday realities of people and businesses. By partnering with Doroki, we are embedding practical, easy-to-understand insurance solutions into platform merchants already trust—helping them to protect their income, assets, and livelihoods while continuing to grow with confidence.

    “This collaboration not only provides financial protection for Doroki merchants but also fosters a culture of preparedness, awareness, and informed decision-making—key pillars for sustainable business growth in an unpredictable environment”, he added.

  • Why your pension was stopped, short-paid or delayed, PTAD explains

    Why your pension was stopped, short-paid or delayed, PTAD explains

    I was informed that my pension was stopped because I am operating Joint Account. What is the reason behind that?

    It is because the payment of pension should only be made directly to individual pensioners.  A second or third party is not allowed to have access to your pension. Secondly, in the event that a pensioner dies, the pension should be stopped and having a joint account will mean continuous payment and withdrawal of the pension.

    I am a downsized Pensioner and my Gratuity was short paid. Where can I lay my complaint?

    Downsized pensioners who were short paid should direct their complaint to the Bureau of Public Service Reform (BPSR) or the Account General’s Office

    I have been verified since 2015, I have never received pension, when will I be paid?

    If you have been verified since 2015 and have not been enrolled into the monthly pension payroll, you may contact us through any of our various channels so we can find out the reason for your non – enrolment.

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    I was employed same year with a colleague and retired same year but he earns more than I am earning, why?

    There are several variables that determines what a pensioner earns at retirement, e.g. length of service, step at retirement, rank at retirement, date of retirement. If a pensioner feels he is being short paid, he/she should fill out our complaint form in any of our Zonal offices.

    I have Federal Share of pension in my computation sheet but, your office said because I started work in Primary School I am therefore not entitled to Federal Share. How do I get my Federal Share?

    Primary School Teachers who began work with local authorities are referred to the Local Government Pension Board for their federal share of pension. However primary school teachers that began working with missions are entitled to receive their federal share of pension from PTAD.

    Some people do call that we should pay money into their Account before they can process our file. Are they really from your office?

    No. No staff of the Directorate will demand for payment before processing your retirement benefit. Such request should be reported immediately to the office.

    What are the cut off dates for Pure Federal Pensioners and State with Federal Share pensioners?

    The cut-off date for the pure federal pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme is 30th June, 2007 while the cut of date for the State pensioners with Federal share is 31st March, 2011. Also the State Pensioners with Federal Share must have started work on or before 31st March, 1976.

    When are you paying our pension increase since the Salaries of workers have been increased?

    The Federal Government has not approved any increase in pension as at today. Once it is approved and funds are released for the payment, the Directorate will implement the increase for the Pensioners without delay.

  • National convention: APC pegs national chairmanship nomination form at N10m

    National convention: APC pegs national chairmanship nomination form at N10m

    Ahead of next month’s National Convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the party has pegged the price of its nomination and expression of interest forms for the national chairmanship aspirants at N10.1 million.

    In the adjusted schedule for the party’s Congresses and the National Convention issued on Monday in Abuja by the National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, the nomination form for National Chairman goes for N10 million, while the expression of interest form for the National Working Committee (NWC) positions attracts N100,000.

    Aspirants for the offices of Deputy National Chairman (North and South) and National Secretary will pay N7.5 million each, while other national offices attract a nomination fee of N5 million.

    The National Executive Committee (NEC) members will pay N250,000.

    The nomination form for State Chairman is pegged at N1 million, while aspirants for State Vice Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer will pay N500,000. Other state offices also attract N500,000, in addition to the N50,000 for the expression of interest form for all positions.

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    For zonal offices, aspirants are to pay N200,000 for nomination forms, while the expression of interest form is N100,000.

    At the local government level, the nomination form for local government chairman is fixed at N100,000, with other positions attracting N50,000, while the expression of interest form is picked for N10,000 by all aspirants.

    The ward chairman nomination form costs N20,000, while aspirants for other ward offices are to pick their forms for N15,000 and N5,000 for the expression of interest form.

    In line with the party’s inclusivity policy, female aspirants, youths, and persons with disabilities vying for any of the offices are required to pay the expression of interest fee and 50 per cent of the prescribed fee for the nomination form for each position.

    Arugungu announced that all forms will be filled online, and access will only be granted after verification of payment and validation by the national secretariat.

    Payments are to be made directly into designated APC bank accounts, he added.

  • Why we’re revolutionising road infrastructure, by Tinubu

    Why we’re revolutionising road infrastructure, by Tinubu

    • Fed Govt seeks focus on road abuse, maintenance, sustainability

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has explained why his administration is revolutionising road infrastructure across the country.

    He said the sector plays a critical role in linking farms, industries, and citizens to economic opportunities nationwide.

    The President noted that the road infrastructure revolution is inevitable as the sector is the backbone of Nigeria’s socio-economic life, with over 90 per cent of passenger and freight movement in the country relying on roads.

    “The condition, reliability, and sustainability of our federal road network, therefore, have a direct bearing on economic productivity, national integration, road safety, and the overall quality of life of Nigerians,” President Tinubu said.

    The President spoke yesterday in Abuja during this year’s FERMA Roads Summit, with theme: Sustainable Road Infrastructure for National Growth, highlighting a few flagship interventions that reflect his administration’s renewed focus.

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    “The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, spanning approximately 750 kilometres, is designed to unlock Nigeria’s blue economy, enhance connectivity along our coastal corridor, and stimulate tourism, trade, and industrial development.

    “Complementing this is the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, a historic 1,068-kilometre North-South corridor that will connect the far Northwest of our country to the Atlantic coast, opening new economic frontiers and strengthening national integration.

    “Those that are currently being driven are: Abuja-Kaduna, Zaria-Kano Road, Abuja-Lokoja-Benin road, Benin-Asaba Superhighway, and Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe.

    “Those that have been completed or nearing completion include the Lagos-Ibadan expressway; Bodo-Bony road; Oyo-Ogbomoso Road; Ninth Mile- Oturpo-Makurdi Road; and Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway.

    “Together, these highways redefine Nigeria’s road transport architecture and symbolise our determination to build infrastructure that unites and grows the nation.

    “In addition, the completion of major bridges, most notably the Second Niger Bridge and the rehabilitation of critical assets, such as the Third Mainland Bridge, Eko Bridge, and Carter Bridge in Lagos, as well as strategic links across the Niger Delta and other regions, demonstrate this administration’s resolve to close connectivity gaps and preserve existing assets.

    “Importantly, these projects are being executed with a new emphasis on engineering excellence, climate resilience, and long-term service life, with design lives of 50 to 100 years in mind,” President Tinubu said.

    Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, the President stressed that building new roads is half of the task, while maintaining them is also important.

    “Sustainable road maintenance is not an option; it is a compelling necessity. Without it, today’s investments become tomorrow’s liabilities,” the President said.

    He emphasised FERMA’s mandate in routine audits, post-failure assessments, and data-driven maintenance.

    President Tinubu noted that a comprehensive, geo-referenced database of federal roads was being developed to track failures, causes, and interventions.

    The President said this would enable Nigeria to shift from emergency repairs to predictive and preventive maintenance.

    He outlined key pillars for sustainable road governance, including clear institutional mandates, predictable funding, enforcement of axle-load regulations, use of durable, climate-resilient materials, and public-private partnerships.

    “This administration has demonstrated immense political will to achieve the desired objectives,” he said

    The Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, who represented Works Minister David Umahi, said road abuse, such as overloading, reckless driving, and unauthorised use, shorten the lifespan of federal roads and drain public resources.

    The minister called for stronger measures to protect infrastructure investments.

    He noted that while the government continued to invest heavily in road construction and maintenance, misuse of roads undermined those efforts.

    Goronyo said: “Road abuse remains a critical challenge. Practices, such as overloading, reckless driving, and unauthorised road use shorten the lifespan of our investments. The consequence is a heavy drain on lean government resources, forcing repeated repairs instead of allowing us to expand and modernise our network.”

    The minister hailed President Tinubu for prioritising road infrastructure and backing FERMA’s mandate.

    He stressed that the current administration had repositioned infrastructure as a pillar of economic stability and national security.

    “Mr. President’s mandate is clear: we are building a $1 trillion economy, and that economy cannot run on failed roads,” Goronyo said.

    The minister said the administration was pursuing reforms in infrastructure financing, despite fiscal constraints, including a shift from annual budget dependence to alternative models.

    “This administration has made bold choices, despite fiscal constraints. We are accelerating legacy projects, focusing on vital corridors, and moving beyond annual budgets toward Public Private Partnerships, life cycle costing, and innovative resource management,” Goronyo said.

    He added that the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund was being used to close funding gaps, stressing that there would be “zero tolerance for waste”.

    Outlining the government’s approach to sustainability, Goronyo said it rested on modern construction standards, technology-driven maintenance and climate resilience.

    “Sustainability today means three things: adopting modern construction standards, including concrete pavement technology to extend road life; transitioning to technology-driven maintenance, with FERMA leading a proactive, data-driven model; and building climate resilience and local capacity, using materials that withstand changing rainfall patterns while empowering indigenous contractors and Nigerian professionals,” he said.

    Goronyo added that sustainability also required institutional and behavioural changes, including predictable funding, stronger coordination among agencies and the private sector, and a shift in attitude towards routine road maintenance.

    “Our roads represent a social contract with the Nigerian people. When we build sustainably, we lower food prices, improve healthcare delivery, enhance competitiveness, and unite our nation,” he said.

    Goron­yo also hailed the National Assembly Committees on FERMA for what he called sustained oversight and budgetary support, as well as Senator Umahi for guiding the sector.

    The FERMA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Emeka Agbasi, stated that deteriorating road assets, funding constraints, climate-related damage and safety risks are major threats to Nigeria’s economic growth.

    He said Nigeria’s dependence on road transport made the challenges urgent, noting that roads carry most passenger and freight movement nationwide.

    “Despite their importance, we are all aware of the persistent challenges facing our road sector: deteriorating assets, maintenance backlogs, climate-induced damage, funding constraints, and road safety concerns,” Agbasi said.

    The FERMA boss warned that the problems increase transport costs, lengthen travel time, reduce competitiveness and endanger lives.

    He said sustainable road infrastructure required a shift from short-term repairs to long-term, lifecycle-based planning, backed by data-driven asset management, predictable maintenance funding and stronger institutional coordination.

    He said the summit was timely, stressing that well-maintained roads were critical to trade, job creation, rural development and national cohesion.

  • NECO releases 2025 SSCE External results, records 71.63% pass rate

    NECO releases 2025 SSCE External results, records 71.63% pass rate

    • Exam body blacklists supervisors, centres over alleged malpractice

    The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of its 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) for External candidates.

    The board blacklisted five examination supervisors and recommended four centres for derecognition over examination malpractice.

    NECO’s Registrar and Chief Executive, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, announced this yesterday while announcing the release of the results at the council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State.

    Wushishi said the affected supervisors include two from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and one each from Kano, Adamawa, and Ondo states, who were found to have aided and abetted examination malpractice.

    The NECO registrar also said four centres, two in Niger State, and one each in Yobe, and Kano states, were recommended for derecognition for their involvement in whole-centre malpractice.

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    He announced that a total of 9,016 malpractice cases were recorded during the examination, compared to 6,160 cases in 2024, representing an increase of about 31 per cent.

    Despite the challenges, Wushishi said, NECO maintained strict standards and upheld its zero tolerance for malpractice throughout the conduct of the examination and the release of the results.

    On candidates’ performance, th registrar said 96,979 candidates registered for the November/December 2025 SSCE External examination, out of which 95,160 sat for the papers. The number included 50,785 males, representing 53.36 per cent, and 44,375 females, representing 46.63 per cent.

    Wushishi stated that 93,425 candidates sat for English Language, with 73,167 candidates, representing 78.32 per cent, obtaining Credit passes and above. For Mathematics, 93,330 candidates sat for the subject, and 85,256 candidates, representing 91.36 per cent, made Credit passes and above.

    Overall, the registrar said 68,166 candidates, representing 71.63 per cent, obtained five Credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

    He added that 82,082 candidates, representing 86.26 per cent, secured five Credits and above irrespective of English Language and Mathematics.

    The registrar explained that the results were released 52 days after the last paper, reaffirming NECO’s commitment to timely processing and credible examinations.

    He announced that NECO was owed about N2 billion by some state governments, calling for improved support to enable the examination council sustain quality examinations across the country.

  • NLC, TUC shelve planned protest

    NLC, TUC shelve planned protest

    • Unions direct FCTA workers to resume work

    Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has brokered a late-night truce with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), ending the strike that paralysed parts of Abuja.

    The development has now paved the way for the workers to return to their duty posts immediately.

    The parties reached the agreement around 3.50 a.m. yesterday after over three hours of negotiations chaired by the Senate Committee on the FCT, led by Senator Mohammed Bomoi.

    The meeting, which started a few minutes before midnight on Monday, ended around 3.50 a.m. yesterday.

    Key figures at the meeting with Wike included NLC President Joe Ajaero and TUC President Festus Osifo.

    The secretaries of both labour centres, as well as other key stakeholders, were also present.

    The Nation reports that organised labour, comprising the two labour unions, had on Monday insisted that there would be no going back on the planned massive protest to press home the demands of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) workers.

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    Police authorities in the FCT had cautioned the unions to reschedule their action in the “interest of safety”.

    They added that there were plots by the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN/Shi’ites) and other non-state actors to infiltrate and hijack the planned protest for purposes inimical to public peace and security.  

    Wike had also obtained an interim court order restraining the NLC and the TUC from embarking on the action.

    A statement issued after the meeting and signed by NLC and TUC revealed that the parties agreed that, arising from the strike, no worker would be victimised in any way.

    TUC’s Secretary Nuhu Toro and other labour leaders also announced that all outstanding cases at the National Industrial Court (NIC) would be withdrawn immediately.

    He added: “All affiliates are hereby informed that a conciliatory meeting was held between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, at the instance of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT, Senator Mohammed Bomoi.

    “At the conclusion of the meeting, the following resolutions were reached: All complaints presented by JUAC members were taken one after the other and fully addressed.

    “The honourable minister assured organised labour of mutual respect and sustained engagement going forward.”

    He announced that all workers in the FCT had been directed to resume duties immediately.

    “Consequently, all JUAC members and all affiliates of the TUC and NLC working in the Ministry of the FCT (MFCT) are hereby directed to resume work immediately.

    “All affiliates are enjoined to comply strictly with this directive in the interest of industrial peace and harmony, in good faith,” Toro said.

  • Senate okays Justice Oyewole for Supreme Court

    Senate okays Justice Oyewole for Supreme Court

    The Senate yesterday approved the nomination of Justice Joseph Olubunmi Kayode Oyewole for appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court.

    The Red Chamber’s resolution followed its consideration of the report of its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, which screened the nominee, and the approval of its recommendation.

    The report was presented by the Chairman of the committee, Adeniyi Ayodele Adegbonmire (APC, Ondo Central).

    “The committee did do the screening on Thursday, January 29, 2026. Questions were asked of the nominee, which he answered intelligently and accurately.

    “The Senate Committee on the issue of Human Rights and Legal Matters has scrutinised the curriculum vitae (CV) and other documents of the nominee.

    “We recommend that the Senate do approve the confirmation of the nomination of Honorable Justice Joseph Olubunmi Olukayode Oyewole, JCA, for appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria,” Adegbonmire said.

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    Senators approved the nomination of Justice Oyewole for appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court when the committee’s recommendation was put to a voice vote by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

    Wishing Justice Oyewole luck in his new endeavour, Akpabio also prayed God to grant him “the wisdom to do justice to all and sundry irrespective of status”.

    He added: “I further congratulate Mr. President for finding a square peg in a square hole that had no issues, which made it possible for the Senate to collectively and unanimously endorse his nomination as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

    “I pray that through him and others already there, justice will be served to the commonest man in this country, and justice will be served even to the senators. I so pray.” She insisted that her brief of argument was properly filed before the lower court and procedurally compliant and, therefore, was never formally challenged during the proceedings.

    The Kogi Central senator said at the heart of the dispute is an alleged breach of the Court of Appeal Rules, 2021, which prescribe a maximum of 35 pages for briefs of argument.

    She contended that while the legal teams representing her, the Clerk to the National Assembly, and another respondent complied with the page limit, the Senate President filed a brief running well beyond the prescribed limit.

    Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that the appellant failed to regularise the defect within the timeframe allowed by the Rules.

    She said, consequently, the Court of Appeal declined to admit the over-lengthy brief and proceeded to hear the appeal based on the valid and properly filed processes before it.

    On the substantive legal issues, she argued that the grounds of appeal that Akpabo relied upon raised issues of mixed law and fact.

    Akpoti-Uduaghan insisted that prior leave of court was mandatory before such grounds could be competently filed, maintaining that no such leave was sought or obtained, rendering the appeal incompetent ab initio.

    The counter-affidavit also addressed the complaints on the adjournment and fair hearing, stating that the grant or refusal of an adjournment lies within the discretionary powers of the court.

    The Kogi Central senator submitted that the Court of Appeal exercised its discretion judicially and judiciously and that the appellant was not denied a fair hearing at any stage of the proceedings.

    Urging the Supreme Court to dismiss the application, Akpoti-Uduaghan described the appeal as an attempt to stall or frustrate the delivery of judgment by the Court of Appeal.