The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • Costs of hosting Nigeria’s data abroad

    Costs of hosting Nigeria’s data abroad

    • By Shuaib S. Agaka

    Sir: Nigeria is undergoing a digital revolution, with businesses, government agencies, and individuals generating vast amounts of data daily. However, much of this data is stored in foreign servers managed by global tech giants like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. While offshore data hosting offers scalability and efficiency, it comes with significant hidden costs that could hinder Nigeria’s economic growth, digital sovereignty, and national security.

    In today’s digital economy, data is often referred to as “the new oil” because of its value in driving innovation, decision-making, and economic growth. Companies and governments use data for various purposes, such as improving services, predicting trends, enhancing security, and personalizing user experiences. However, where data is stored and how it is managed has significant implications for privacy, security, and national sovereignty, making local data hosting a crucial consideration for countries envisioning growth.

    Nigeria’s reliance on foreign data hosting services has significant economic drawbacks, particularly in the areas of capital flight, job creation, and local tech industry growth. The dependence on cloud service providers such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure results in billions of naira flowing out of the country each year. Instead of reinvesting in local infrastructure, businesses and government agencies continue to pay substantial fees to international companies, weakening Nigeria’s digital economy.

    According to Statista, Nigeria is projected to spend around $1.11 billion on public cloud services in 2025, with this figure expected to grow significantly over the next few years due to increasing digital transformation initiatives in the country. This rising expenditure underscores the urgent need to develop a strong local cloud infrastructure to retain wealth and stimulate economic growth.

    The lack of local data hosting infrastructure also limits job creation, particularly in the IT sector. Skilled professionals such as cloud engineers, cybersecurity experts, and data analysts often seek opportunities abroad or settle for jobs that do not fully utilize their expertise. Furthermore, Nigeria’s dependence on foreign data centres stunts the growth of its local tech ecosystem. Home-grown cloud service providers struggle to compete against well-established global corporations, leading to a lack of investment in domestic data solutions. Without a competitive local ecosystem, Nigerian start-ups and enterprises remain reliant on external infrastructure, which not only increases operational costs but also limits their ability to scale.

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    Nigeria’s reliance on foreign data hosting services extends beyond economic implications to critical security and sovereignty risks. Storing vast amounts of sensitive data outside the country exposes Nigeria to external regulations, potential surveillance, and service disruptions that could have far-reaching consequences.

    One major concern is data privacy. When Nigerian user data is stored on foreign servers, it becomes subject to the laws of the host country. For instance, the U.S. CLOUD Act allows American authorities to access data stored by U.S.-based companies, regardless of where the data is physically located. This raises concerns about the confidentiality of personal, corporate, and government information, as Nigeria has limited control over how its data is accessed and used by foreign entities. Without robust local data hosting policies, citizens’ privacy remains vulnerable to external interference.

    Many Nigerian government agencies and financial institutions rely on offshore data storage, creating significant vulnerabilities. Dependence on foreign cloud providers means critical information is subject to external control, leaving the country exposed to potential disruptions. In the event of cyberattacks, diplomatic disputes, or sanctions, access to essential data could be restricted, affecting governance, financial stability, and public services.

    Regulatory enforcement also becomes more challenging when data is stored outside the country. Nigerian laws on data privacy, cybersecurity, and digital transactions are difficult to impose on foreign-hosted platforms, as compliance is subject to the legal frameworks of other nations. This weakens the government’s ability to protect citizens’ data, monitor cyber threats, and ensure digital sovereignty.

    These challenges highlight the urgency of local data hosting as a crucial step toward Nigeria’s digital growth. To secure the country’s digital future, Nigeria must prioritize local data hosting by investing in domestic cloud infrastructure and enacting policies that encourage data localization. The government should provide incentives for private sector investments in data centres, including tax breaks and funding support for local cloud providers. Strengthening Nigeria’s data infrastructure will not only reduce reliance on foreign platforms but also create a competitive digital ecosystem that attracts global technology firms. Implementing strict data protection laws that mandate local storage for sensitive government, financial, and corporate data will enhance security and sovereignty.

    •Shuaib S. Agaka,

    Kano State

  • Healthcare, business & AI: A revolution that must start now

    Healthcare, business & AI: A revolution that must start now

    • By Phebe Ejinkeonye-Christian

    Sir: Globally, the healthcare Artificial Intelligence (AI) market is exploding, projected to hit a staggering $102.7 billion by 2028, according to Fortune Business Insights. Medical diagnostics alone is expected to take a big bite out of that, with AI-driven tools transforming how diseases are detected and treated.

    How much of this booming future does Nigeria realistically want to capture? Will we sit back and keep importing expensive diagnostic services or will we build home-grown AI-powered systems that work for us?

    In leading countries, AI is no longer some futuristic dream — it’s real, present, and working right now inside hospitals and labs. Nigeria needs to wake up and catch this train before it leaves us behind.

    In Imaging and Radiology, tools like Google’s DeepMind, PathAI, and Arterys are analyzing X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs faster and more accurately than human radiologists. These systems detect cancers, fractures, and other abnormalities with precision that leaves even the best radiologists wide-eyed.

    In Predictive Diagnostics, AI now predicts diseases before symptoms even show up. By combining genetic data, lifestyle habits, and lab results, AI can flag individuals at risk for diabetes, heart disease, or even certain cancers — giving doctors a rare chance to intervene early.

    In Histopathology, AI tools are analysing tissue and blood samples to detect cell abnormalities. What used to take hours of manual labour can now be done in minutes, with higher accuracy.

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    And then there’s Point-of-Care AI Diagnostics — a true game-changer for Nigeria. Picture this: a handheld AI-powered device that can run advanced tests right beside a patient’s hospital bed or even in a remote village where there’s no lab in sight. That’s the future already unfolding globally!

    According to PwC, AI could contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, with healthcare being one of the biggest beneficiaries. This is not just a medical trend — it’s a massive business wave, and Nigeria must either ride it or get swept aside.

    Let’s talk hard truth: Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure isn’t ready for this AI explosion. Our diagnostic centres still suffer from erratic power supply, poor internet connectivity, and outdated equipment. Add to that, our medical professionals are under-trained in AI usage, meaning even if you dropped advanced AI tools into their laps today, many wouldn’t know how to use them effectively.

    But here’s the flip side — this is also a massive opportunity for Nigeria to leapfrog decades of slow progress. Instead of building step-by-step, we can jump straight into AI-powered diagnostics if we move smartly. If we sit back, we risk being left behind, importing expensive diagnostic services from abroad, and widening the already dangerous health gap in our country. To fully harness the potential of AI in medical diagnostics, three urgent steps must be taken.

    The government and private sector must invest in modern healthcare infrastructure, including internet connectivity, electricity, and modern data management systems, which are prerequisites for AI adoption.

    We must prioritize training healthcare professionals to work with AI technologies. AI is not coming to replace lab scientists, radiologists, or doctors – it’s coming to assist them. Therefore, they must be AI-literate. For that to work, our healthcare curricula in medical schools must be upgraded to now include AI literacy, data science, and digital health courses.

    AI relies heavily on data, and managing patient data comes with privacy concerns, and so the government must establish clear data protection laws and ethical guidelines for AI use in healthcare.

    AI is not optional anymore. AI will touch every field and every career, whether one likes it or not. Healthcare, education, media, manufacturing — none will be spared.

    For Nigerian healthcare, AI in diagnostics isn’t just a tech upgrade; it’s a lifesaving necessity. It’s how we’ll cut diagnostic errors, shorten diagnosis times, and make healthcare affordable for millions.

    This revolution must start now — or we’ll pay for our delay with both our purses and our lives.

    •Phebe Ejinkeonye-Christian,

    Nsukka, Enugu State.

  • Natasha vs Akpabio and the under currents of power

    Natasha vs Akpabio and the under currents of power

    Sir: The political landscape in Nigeria is often a theatre of high drama, where personal interests frequently overshadow the public good. The ongoing feud between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is a stark reminder of how the “house of cards” that is Nigerian politics thrives on personal vendettas, power struggles, and allegations that often scuttle the overall public interest causing a broader implications for governance and public trust.

    The feud is not just about allegations of misconduct; it is also a reflection of the power dynamics within the Nigerian political system. Akpabio, as Senate President, wields significant influence, and his position makes him a target for both legitimate scrutiny and political manoeuvring. Akpoti-Uduaghan, on the other hand, is a relatively new entrant into the senate, and her allegations could be seen as an attempt to challenge the status quo and assert her presence in a male-dominated arena.

    However, the timing and nature of these allegations raise questions about the motivations behind them. Are they driven by a genuine desire for justice and accountability, or are they part of a broader political strategy to undermine Akpabio’s authority and position?

    That similar allegations have been made against Akpabio in the past adds weight to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims, but it also highlights the need for a thorough and impartial investigation.

    In fact, it is also important to consider the context in which they are being made. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s decision to go public with her allegations, rather than pursuing them through official channels at the time it occurred raises questions about her motives. Is she seeking justice, or is she using the allegations as a tool to gain political leverage?

    Given the seriousness of the allegations and the potential impact on public trust in the senate, it is imperative that a thorough and independent investigation be conducted into the matter. This investigation should be conducted by an impartial body with the authority to subpoena witnesses, gather evidence, and make recommendations based on the findings.

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    That would not only ensure that the investigation is conducted without interference but also send a strong message that no one is above the law. It would demonstrate a commitment to accountability and transparency, and help restore public confidence in the senate and the broader political system.

    If the investigation finds that the allegations against Akpabio are true, he should face the full consequences of his actions. Similarly, if Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations are found to be baseless or politically motivated, she should also face consequences for making false accusations.

    However, regardless of the outcome of the investigation, this feud highlights the need for systemic reforms within the Nigerian political system. The culture of impunity, where personal interests often take precedence over the public good, must be addressed. This requires not only stronger institutions and stricter enforcement of the law but also a shift in the political culture, where accountability and transparency are valued over power and personal gain.

    The feud is a microcosm of the broader challenges facing Nigerian politics. It underscores the need for accountability, transparency, and a commitment to the public good over personal interests. By conducting a thorough and independent investigation, the senate can take a significant step towards restoring public trust and ensuring that those in positions of power are held accountable for their actions. Only then can Nigeria move towards a political system that truly serves the interests of its people.

    •Dahiru M Lawal, Abuja.

  • Making Ekiti airport a worthy investment

    Making Ekiti airport a worthy investment

    Sir: Skepticism is a commonplace in Ekiti State. At its creation in 1996, one of its egregious sons and then governor of Ondo State, Bamidele Olumilua, virulently castigated Ekiti State agitators as potential losers. In his mind-set, a proposed Ekiti State lacked resourcefulness for its survival. But Chief Afe Babalola took up the gauntlet and in cahoots with un-daunting individuals trudged on in the struggle and eventually got the state created.

    Twenty six years (1996 – 2025) Ekiti State is standing firm on its feet among its compatriot states and the antagonist of yore, Olumilua, has since benefited with a university named after him. The same scepticism seems to be trailing the current airport project as some doubters have dubbed Ekiti State as a landlocked state with no worthwhile stake for an airport.

    Many Ekiti State scholars have at several fora dismissed as a ruse the insinuation that Ekiti State is a landlocked state lacking the potential for optimal development. The debacle of Ekiti State arose from the poor mind-set and limited vision of the first set of military rulers who as non-indigenes merely parried their stay and failed to take the development of the state at its jugular and earnessed its real potentials.

    Statistically, Ekiti State has one of the highest population of professors and academic experts who are scattered in and around Nigeria, and even globally. What have been the contributions of these highly educated individuals to the development of the state?

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    It is time for the Ekiti State government to start to compel these groups of highly qualified indigenes to make contributions in cash and kind for the development of the state. At its apogee, the Iree clay industry ran in collaboration with Odu’a Investments Company was the pride of the state. But due to political interference coupled with mismanagement, the project collapsed.

    The government must revive the Iree clay bricks industry which at its zenith had customers scattered throughout the state of the federation. The time for the investment to prosper is now when people from all and around Nigeria can reach Ekiti State at their beck and call. Ekiti State is home to several tourist centres and monuments but many are not yet developed into international standards.

    The Ikogosi Waterfall and Erin Water Spring are wonderful natural occurrences which people from all walks of life will marvel to see and watch. The state government must boost all the socio-cultural centres to act as sources income and of yearly attractions to the state.

    Ekiti State should be ready to partner with the states that are contiguous to it like Ondo, Osun, Kwara, Kogi based on the principle of law of comparative advantages among them. From the fellers from the Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo that the airport compares favourably with those globally, for a fuller operation of their airport, more states in the Southwest must be encouraged to patronize the Ekiti Airport to make it more profitable and sustainable.

    As a linear State, Ekiti State has network of roads that traverse the nook and crannies of the state, but most of these roads are not maintained and with the advent of the rain, the roads will become impassable for motorists. The old Ilesha – Efon – Aramoko – Igede-Ado roads have been abandoned for lack of maintenance for a long time. Travelers from Lagos and Ibadan now have to pass through the Akure-Igbara Oke road to link Ilawe and Ado Ekiti, a route almost twice longer than the Aramoko – Ado Ekiti road.

    In the past couple of years the economic life of the towns along these bad and abandoned road axis have become paralyzed. With the airport, these roads the government must repair and re-activate to add perks and values to the operations of the airport.

    Finally, the Ekiti Airport at its completion will put the state on the radar of global watch and it is important for both the government and the indigenes of the state to be prepared for the upsurge and the luminous advantages the completion of the airport will confer on Ekiti State and its indigenes.

    With the successful accomplishment of the airport project, Ekiti State is on the threshold of global development and this will further keep at bay all would-be presumptuous sceptics.

    •Sunday Olagunju Ibadan, Oyo State

  • Strengthening drug law enforcement in Nigeria

    Strengthening drug law enforcement in Nigeria

    Sir: One of last week’s significant developments in Nigerian law enforcement was the commissioning of barracks for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Yola, Adamawa State. This federal government initiative to strengthen drug law enforcement could not have come at a more crucial time.

    The recent mob killing of an NDLEA officer in Kaduna shocked the nation, alongside reports of officers being tracked to their homes and murdered by members of drug cartels. If the government is serious about tackling the country’s escalating illicit drug problem, it must ensure the safety of those on the frontline. Providing NDLEA officers with secure barracks, similar to those available to other security personnel, is a necessary step in this direction.

    For over 35 years, NDLEA officers have lacked dedicated housing, often living in unsafe and challenging conditions. Secure accommodation is essential for morale and operational effectiveness, fostering greater commitment and focus in the execution of their duties. Given the high-risk nature of their work, access to safe living conditions is not a luxury but a necessity.

    Addressing this long-standing issue reinforces the government’s commitment to combating drug abuse. The Yola barracks, featuring 80 one-bedroom terrace flats, 120 two-bedroom semi-detached flats, and 60 three-bedroom semi-detached flats, marks the beginning of a broader national initiative.

    This initiative also highlights the leadership acumen of Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.), chairman and chief executive of the NDLEA. Since his appointment in 2021, Marwa has spearheaded reforms that have significantly enhanced the agency’s operations, leading to increased arrests and drug seizures. His dual focus on supply reduction and demand prevention has fostered a more coordinated and effective approach to tackling drug-related issues.

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     The construction of barracks further demonstrates his ability to drive meaningful change and his commitment to strengthening the agency while prioritising officers’ welfare.

    While this investment is commendable, it should form part of a broader strategy. Additional barracks should be constructed in strategic locations nationwide, alongside sustained investments in training, modern equipment, and technology to counter the evolving drug trade.

    This initiative is a welcome development, but it must be accompanied by comprehensive reforms and sustained efforts to create a drug-free society. Strengthening the NDLEA, prioritising officers’ welfare, and enhancing community engagement are crucial to overcoming this national challenge.

    •Tosin Damola, Lokoja, Kogi State

  • Bandit diplomacy

    Bandit diplomacy

    It was framed as a glorious(?) occasion, cresting in a press conference to announce a “deal” — to Donald Trump, everything is a deal — for Ukraine to sign off a chunk of its rich minerals, as “gratitude” for America’s past support; and “guarantee” for future security, so long as Trump and co could sink their snout into Ukraine’s wealth.

    But it ended as a shooting bout, in which Donald Trump and his Vice — and trust Hardball, that one is a real vice! — J. D. Vance, tried to bully President Volodymyr Zelensky into submission.  Big mistake! 

    Zelensky held his own against America’s Top 2; and it all ended in a frightful stalemate — that sounded like a loss to the bully, and a win to the bullied!  Moral victory, military peril?  Ha!

    Still, that message seemed clear — and only America’s MAGA fanatics appear not to have got it — that if Donald Trump could bully Americans into re-electing him, he couldn’t bully the rest of the world into some sort of stupor.

    That Zelensky stood up to Trump and Vance, right there on their home turf in the White House, symbolized some outrage against the regnant gracelessness of Trump’s America!

    Across the Atlantic, on the British Isles, tempers ran riot — but not against underdog Zelensky.  To Trump’s appeal to fear — that Kyiv was “gambling with World War 3” — British Conservative and Shadow Secretary for Justice, Robert Jenrick — huffed that Winston Churchill, World War 2 hero, whose bust adorns the Oval Office where the spat took place, would be “turning in his grave.”

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    That laconic put down, perhaps only the British could manage in English! With sparse verbiage, Jenrick contrasted Churchill to Trump.  Churchill spurned the conventional folly of his day to appease Hitler, called Hitler’s bluff and spurred global opposition to his bullying.  Now,  Trump tries to appease Vladimir Putin at Ukraine’s expense.

    Why, even Kemi Badenoch took a leave from her favourite pastime of kicking Nigeria to roast Putin.  She reminded all that the “villain is the war criminal, President Putin, who illegally invaded another sovereign country — Ukraine.”  Trump, in one of his reflex lies, had told the world that Ukraine — which Russia invaded — started the war, only to claim he didn’t remember ever saying that!

    Ed Davey, the Liberal Democratic leader, was even more ruthless.  He called trying to bully Zelensky “thuggery from Trump and Vance, plain and simple”!  To underscore Trump and co — powerful they might be — might be on their own, Zelensky received a carnival-like hero’s welcome in Britain on Saturday.

    Indeed, it’s the ugly face of America’s new bandit diplomacy — or how else do you explain Trump schmoozing with the aggressor, pressuring the victim to a so-called “peace”; and ogling Ukraine’s mineral wealth as “guarantee” for a future peace?  Stark!

    Yet, that’s America’s new conventional wisdom — but clear folly to many others across the globe.  Trump believes might is right.  But it’s doubtful if he can drag the traditional western alliance with him in what the new German Chancellor calls the “new infamy”.

    Interesting times!

  • A long overdue repatriation

    A long overdue repatriation

    Sir: Recently, the Museum Volkenkunde in Leiden, or folk art museum, Netherlands reached an agreement with Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments to facilitate the repatriation of about 112 bronze artefacts looted from Benin, Edo State.

    The repatriation when it happens will be the latest instalment in a long line of efforts made by the Nigerian government to recover priceless artefacts looted from the country during colonial times. Already, dozens of artefacts have been recovered by the country. But such was the scale of plunder of a people’s material culture that many more artefacts lying loose in European museums are yet to be recovered.

    Nigeria was not the only victim of this theft of epic and historic proportions. Many other countries which were victims of such colonial heists have been vocal in demanding that what they lost be returned to them. It is noteworthy that other Dutch Museums have also been busy repatriating artefacts looted during colonial times from the Dutch East India Company’s holding in Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

     In total, the repatriations include the ‘Lombok treasure’, consisting of 335 objects from Lombok in the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia, four statues from the Javan Hindu kingdom of Singasari, 132 objects of modern art from Bali, and from Sri Lanka—a cache of ceremonial weapons from the city-states of Kandy and others including a royal canon made of gold, silver, and rubies.

    While it is almost impossible to describe colonialism in a few words, there is no doubt that colonialism was by a large an unprecedented spree of looting and plunder against people that were at the mercy of ruthless occupiers.

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    These occupiers as savage as they were, cared little about the welfare of the people they occupied in the short and long run. What was uppermost in their twisted minds was access to the resources that were abundant in their colonies, which meant that even the most vicious forms of exploitation were permissible as a means to an end.

    Colonialism was a vicious attack on the culture of the colonized. This culture often found expression in intangible resources like language and material resources like artefacts and artwork. Their presence in the museums of colonizers around the world remains an ongoing insult to the sensibilities of people who suffered unimaginable injustice under colonialism.

    Each of those artefacts must be returned. Nothing will make up for the atrocities of colonialism or measure the loss it occasioned but returning what is left of the loot will be a tiny but consequential first step.

    •Kene Obiezu,keneobiezu@gmail.com

  • Sanwo-Olu, please abolish the ‘bond’ system

    Sanwo-Olu, please abolish the ‘bond’ system

    Sir: I implore Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos State, to abolish the bond system in Lagos State, especially with doctors, nurses, and other categories of workers in the state. The bond system in Lagos State as it is today is unfair and draconian and may have outlived its usefulness.

    The way bonds are meant to work is for an employer (Lagos State Health Service Commission) to send its employees for further studies with another employer, where the first employer foots the bill regarding their training. The employee, after their training, is supposed to render service back to their employer for a period or pay back the money used in their training.

    For Lagos State, this is not the case. Instead the staff have a contract of employment that requires that they be paid salaries. Lagos State now trains its staffers in its hospital facilities. Some remain in the same hospital and the same department. In other words, the training is with their employer and not another employer. So, the staff is doing what is called in-service training and writing professional examinations. If an employee decides to leave before completing the required bond years, they should only be responsible for repaying the costs associated with their training, such as course fees or examination expenses. But Lagos State wants employees to pay back all the salary they earned while they were rendering service! Some staff have been handed hefty bills of about N50m to pay back with no way to verify its accuracy.

    It is important to note that this policy does not exist in the Federal Civil Service. In the federal, it is only when the employee goes overseas that this obtains and even then, they are only required to pay back the money involved in their training and not their salary.

    The maximum time allowed for completing the programme is six years. If an employee finishes the programme in five years and contributes a few years back to the government, overzealous official mistakenly calculates the amount “owed” to be paid back for the entire six years, including the period the employee returned to the Lagos State government. While the state officials pursue these dedicated employees, those who have embezzled billions of naira remain undisturbed.

    There are many factors that are not considered in the bond system in Lagos State. Some have been bonded for five years; others have bonded for seven years. This is too long and has discouraged many from joining the in-service training programme, causing doctor shortages as the few doctors who stayed back are overworked with patients ultimately the ones to bear the brunt. If it were even a bond for a year, it would probably encourage more doctors to come in and ensure a steady supply of doctors.

    In addition, any doctor who has practised in Nigeria for up to 10 years, when he is allowed to retire voluntarily, should not be tied down. But there are doctors who have given 15 years of their lives and more to the country who are also being tied down. This is unfair. A man or woman who is married may also decide to move closer to their family by going outside Lagos to maintain family unity and keep their marriage. These things need to be factored in. There was a particular doctor who left everything and fled Nigeria because his life was in danger. Would it be fair to force that person to stay back? Can any state government guarantee the safety of such a person? These bonds do not factor in things like that.

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    To keep doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers in Nigeria goes beyond bonds. It requires welfare packages that take care of individuals and their families, especially their children. Some of the countries these doctors go to abroad have a welcoming approach. They pay for their relocation, their postgraduate “re-training” and support them and their dependants without bonding them.

    The bond system in Lagos State, which sets the pace for other states, should be abolished considering the realities of Nigeria today and a welfare package with a human face be put in place. As a stakeholder and a senior citizen of Lagos State, I am deeply concerned about this issue and trust that His Excellency would look into it.

    •Cosmas Odoemena,Lagos

  • Excessive ATM charges: Why FCCPC must act now

    Excessive ATM charges: Why FCCPC must act now

    Sir: The recent circular issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) (Ref: FPR/DIR/GEN/CIR/001 /002, dated February 10) has sparked outrage among millions of Nigerian consumers. The revised structure for Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transaction fees, scheduled to take effect from tomorrow, March 1, introduces steep charges that will disproportionately impact low-income earners who depend on ATMs for their everyday financial needs.

    The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has a clear and broad statutory mandate under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) to intervene in matters that adversely affect consumer interests. Sections 17, especially 17(l)(a), 17(1)(b), and 17(1)(c) of the FCCPA empower the commission to review economic activities, identify anti-consumer practices, and take necessary actions to protect Nigerians from exploitation. The FCCPC must act decisively, as this policy is not a monetary or fiscal policy decision but a business decision by the CBN that is in favour of bank profitability over consumer protection.

    The misconception that every action of the CBN is insulated from regulatory scrutiny under the guise of its monetary policy powers must be corrected. Where the CBN acts in a manner that clearly prioritizes the profitability of banks over consumer protection, the FCCPC has the authority—and indeed the responsibility—to intervene. The FCCPC is vested with broad powers to check anti-consumer practices, whether they originate from private businesses or government institutions. In this case, the commission has both the legal mandate and the moral responsibility to intervene

    The anti-consumer nature of the recent policy is evident in several ways. First, the policy places a disproportionate burden on consumers withdrawing of another bank’s ATM by introducing a N100 charge per N20,000 withdrawal at on-site and  a charge of N100 at off-site ATMs and an additional surcharge of up to N500 per N20,000 withdrawal at off-site ATMs. These new charges are separate and distinct from other numerous charges that financial consumers are mandated to pay. This effectively forces people to pay extra just to access their own money.

    The removal of the three free monthly withdrawals for “Not-On-Us” transactions worsens the financial strain on ordinary Nigerians, making it even more expensive to use banking services.

    The CBN argues that these charges are meant to accelerate ATM efficiency and ensure appropriate pricing. However, there is no evidence to support this claim. Past increases in banking fees have not led to any significant expansion of ATM infrastructure. Instead, banks have simply profited from the additional charges without improving service delivery. As a result, while the total number of ATMs may not have decreased, the existing infrastructure remains inadequate to meet consumer demand, leading to  higher withdrawal expenses by forcing many consumers to rely on even more pricey POS vendors.

    On a closer scrutiny, this policy represents a violation of consumer protection principles. The CBN’s new fee structure will only widen the financial exclusion gap by making banking services more expensive and less accessible to consumers, especially for those in rural and underserved areas. When bank charges gets too much and expensive, such policy undermines financial inclusion rather than promoting it; thereby undermining the CBN’s own stated goals.

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    To protect Nigerian consumers, the FCCPC must take the following immediate actions:

    Conduct an urgent review to assess its impact on consumers and determine whether it constitutes an anti-consumer practice.

     The FCCPC should press for the suspension of the new ATM fees until a thorough review and meaningful stakeholder engagement takes place, ensuring no consumer is subjected to unfair charges until a full review is completed. Also, it should initiate direct consultations with the CBN, advocating for consumer-friendly banking policies that do not impose undue financial burdens on Nigerians. 

    Finally, the commission should recommend necessary corrective measures to the federal government, as empowered under Section 17(1)(c) of the FCCPA, ensuring that any future adjustments to banking fees prioritize consumer protection alongside financial sector profitability.

     This is an opportunity for the commission to exercise its broad statutory mandate and take a firm stance in defence of Nigerian consumers. We urge the FCCPC to intervene decisively and set a precedent that consumer interests must always be a consideration.

    •Opatola Victor Esq,victor@lacivler.org

  • El-Rufai’s ‘area boy’ outburst

    El-Rufai’s ‘area boy’ outburst

    Nasir El-Rufai is an angry man. From the last interview he had on Arise News, it was obvious he had been bottling up his frustrations for over a year. Before his frustrations, he had been poohpoohed as a would minister after his exaggerated performance as a nominee ended up in a fiasco. With flowing babaringa and showy perorations, he came as though to conquer.

    Now that the post was a mythical tantalus hanging elusively on a tree, he is blaming everybody. He is fighting with the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the governor of Kaduna State, Comrade Uba Sani, the appointees of the president because he said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed incompetent people. Then he threw an insult on the president himself, implying that the president is an “Area Boy.”

    From the lips of a man who was minister? A man who was head of a major agency like the Bureau of Public Enterprises? A man who governed a major state in the country, that is Kaduna, for eight years?

    Speaking on the appointments, he said Nigerians should not blame Yorubas because Yorubas have omoluabis and area boys. And he implied that the president was not omoluabi. This is the sort of thing that can happen to a man who has lost his capacity for reasoned discourse. He had capsized intelligence. He fell flat before logic.

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    This is the man wants to divert attention from his shoddy handling of Kaduna resources as the state’s chief steward. Rather than say the truth, he fights his successor. He said Governor Uba Sani is no longer his friend. His successor has routinely ignored him, just as the EFCC and ICPC are looking into the allegations of over N400 billion unaccounted for. He said the money is not missing. But the projects are missing. Yet the money has been allocated and paid but not to government projects. So, how can he account for the discrepancies? How can he account for the roads, the agricultural projects, the power projects, etc? How can he say that he did well when he could not reconcile absence of projects with absence of money spent?

    Governor Sani had to do what he had to do when workers wanted to shut down the state because the state executive could not meet its financial obligations. He had to show them the books, and that is why the governor also called all stakeholders of the state to look at the books and see why he had to let them know the state of things.

    The man Nasir El-Rufai said he did not support the president during the campaigns. He speaks with such bare-faced braggadocio as though no one else but him was in the country during the campaigns. He is denying himself. We heard what we heard from him. We knew what we knew from him. He wanted a southerner but he wanted to be vice president. He was one of the few who went to Buhari to complain about the pick of Kashim Shettima. He forgets that everyone knew he wanted to be vice president to any of Tinubu’s opponents for the party primary.

    He did not support Tinubu during the campaigns but he went to court to challenge Buhari in the Supreme Court with other governors over the former president’s financial policies to strangulate the APC candidate?

    He says the president’s policy are good but the people he put in charge are in competent. Maybe he is the only competent person in the world. It is what psychologists call megalomania.

    Maybe he will change if the president makes him quiet with an appointment. Don’t bet on it, though.