The Nation Newspaper

Category: Commentaries

  • When being a girl becomes a risk

    When being a girl becomes a risk

    Sir: I write with a broken heart. A heart so bruised it feels shattered. For weeks now, it has been one tragedy after another. One kidnapping case replaced by the next. Little girls taken from their schools. Families plunged into fear. We have reached a point where people whisper painful prayers like “may Nigeria never happen to me”, because we have watched the nation turn against its own.

    Only last week, schoolgirls in Kebbi were abducted. And even though news has just broken that they have been freed, the joy of their return cannot erase the trauma of their ordeal or the deeper truth it exposes about our country. In that same week, more than 300 students were taken from a Catholic school. These were girls who simply wanted to learn, to grow, to dream, and to build a life. Their only “fault” was the desire to be educated.

    There is no way to describe the agony of sending your child to school and then seeing on the news that she has been taken by ruthless, faceless men. You do not know whether she has eaten, whether she is being harmed, what fears she is battling, what pain she is enduring. Is it a crime to be a girl-child in this country? Why must she carry so much suffering on her small shoulders?

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    The rate of insecurity in Nigeria today is beyond alarming. Those who lead us, those who hold authority, are meant to use every tool within their reach to protect citizens. Yet what do we see? Is ordering schools to vacate the answer?

    Sending students home is not a solution. It strips these girls of their right to education. And then what happens when they resume? Will the cycle of fear, evacuation and abduction continue? What truly is the way forward?

    Our leaders must seek real, practical solutions to these recurring horrors. They must rise to their duties and be held accountable. Our girls are suffering. They are far too young to bear this kind of trauma. No girl, no child, no human being deserves this. No parent deserves the torment of knowing that their daughter is in the hands of men who may do only God knows what to her.

    We thank God for the safe return of the abducted Kebbi schoolgirls, but we refuse to let that relief distract us from the painful truth that no child should ever have been taken in the first place.

    •Rabi Ummi Umar, rabiumar058@gmail.com.

  • Where is your proof, Malam

    Where is your proof, Malam

    Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El Rufai thought he had put his successor under fire by alleging that Governor Uba Sani is paying ransom to bandits to keep the peace. The governor fired back through his aide, and asked the fellow who barked around as chief executive to prove his allegations.

    He made the allegation recently on Channels Television where he often goes to weep in public. The commissioner for internal security and home affairs, Sule Shu’aibu was unsparing as he described the former governor’s contention as “reckless, baseless and deliberately misleading.”

    Taking another swipe at El-Rufai, he said the APC defector was “weaponising a sensitive security issue for political grandstanding.”

    Shu’aibu noted as Governor Sani had done several times, that the present chief executive has never authorised, negotiated, or paid any money to the hoodlums. “Not one naira. Not one kobo,” the commissioner said.

    Now, the shoe is on the other foot. Let him who charges, prove. He was even given a deadline: one week. This is an unfamiliar territory for El Rufai who has a knack for raising the stakes.

    But he was not properly interrogated when he made that claim. A reporter ought to make a man answer for his own sins when he commits it in public. Was it not this same El Rufai who boasted that he was paying ransom, and that there was nothing wrong with it? So, why was he angry if, for the sake of argument, the present governor is paying ransom?

    We must note that he paid ransom for nothing because he left the state in a state of violence like neighbouring Katsina State today. He did not understand his own contradiction when he spoke. Places like Birnin Gwari were no-go areas for regular folks. There were no markets or businesses there throughout his tenure as governor. The bandits were in charge of their areas just as he was in charge of the state house in Kaduna.

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    The governor has said he is not just using carrots but also sticks. Carrots in terms of providing platforms for engaging the idle like the 2.5 million citizens who now have bank accounts. To be idle is to do havoc.

    In Southern Kaduna, the nation heard news as though a routine about kidnappings, house and village burnings, and killings. He declared states of emergency without security and the emergencies were invitation to fatal treats.

    If he is alleging with evidence, let the world see it. Any man who wants to play hardball must have hard evidence. If he does not provide evidence, he would be seen as mere rabble rouser and bellyaching over the successes of his successor. It would be regarded then, not just as bellyaching, but also an act of envy. It is an open advertisement of his failure in eight years.

    Not long ago, he was roundly defeated in local elections in which the governor said elections are not won on social media posts. He and his son are adept at superficial posts and meretricious claims, just as the one he is being challenged to provide proof.

    Even the national security adviser Nuhu Ribadu has said no bandit was paid. If El Rufai paid ransom and it did not work, why would he expect that ransoms would be responsible for peace in Kaduna? We have seen that ransoms only bring respites and not enduring peace. Ransoms don’t pay forward. The people return for more ransoms. And to do that, they foment violence. We have not seen such rhythm of violence and peace in the state. Over to you, Malam. Where is your proof? Time is ticking.

  • How Umahi is delivering legacy road projects that align with Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda

    How Umahi is delivering legacy road projects that align with Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda

    • By Precious Ine

    In the evolving story of Nigeria’s democratic journey, only a few leaders distinguish themselves with the rare combination of vision, courage, competence, and commitment to nation-building. Senator David Umahi, former two-term governor of Ebonyi State and minister of Works, stands among this class.

    At a time Nigeria is undergoing one of the most ambitious infrastructure transformations in its history, Umahi has emerged as the defining force setting a new national standard. As someone who observes performance across zones in my role as Southeast zonal coordinator of PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, I can assert that the minister’s work ethic and accomplishments are a source of regional pride and national admiration.

    Intervention in Ebonyi

    Davild Umahi’s political journey did not begin at the national stage, it was built from the ground up, forged through a determination to transform his people. As governor of Ebonyi State, he inherited one of the least developed states in the federation. Yet, in eight years, he turned Ebonyi into a model of modern governance and infrastructure delivery.

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    He transformed the state capital, Abakaliki, into a thriving urban centre with world-class roads, flyovers, medical facilities, and landmark projects. Ebonyi Ring Road project, Margaret Umahi International Market, Virology Centre, King David University of Medical Sciences, and his network of concrete roads are enduring testaments to his innovative leadership.

    It takes more than political power to achieve such a transformation, it takes intelligence, courage, and vision.

    Master engineer as minister

    President Bola Tinubu’s decision to appoint Umahi as minister of Works is regarded as one of the most strategic choices of this administration. Under this portfolio, he has become the face of Nigeria’s new infrastructure revolution, and he has approached this responsibility with unmatched expertise.

    Today, from Lagos to Sokoto, from Kano to Port Harcourt, and from Abuja to the remotest corners of the country, Umahi’s impact is visible. The reconstruction of Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, Abuja–Keffi–Lafia Road, Benin–Warri–East-West Road, and other federal road rehabilitation projects have placed Nigeria on a path of modernisation.

    Unlike many in public service, he does not manage infrastructure on paper; he is physically on site, inspecting projects at all hours, ensuring accountability, quality, and speed. His trademark concrete road technology, previously a signature of his work in Ebonyi, has become a standard for federal projects due to its durability and low maintenance cost.

    This is not just public service; this is patriotic engineering.

    Respected across regions

    Beyond politics, Umahi is a unifying figure. His loyalty to national interest, his respect for the President, and his humility have endeared him to citizens. As minister, he has shown that leadership is not rhetoric but deliverables.

    Even in Southeast where political tensions sometimes shape public perception, Umahi remains a respected symbol of competence and pride. He represents what the zone can contribute to national development when excellence is placed above sentiment.

    Support for Renewed Hope

    In my capacity as Southeast zonal coordinator of PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, I have observed firsthand the transformational impact of the Tinubu administration, especially through Ministry of Works. Umahi’s execution of key projects is a major backbone of Renewed Hope Agenda.

    His performance has strengthened confidence in the administration and demonstrated that Tinubu appoints individuals on merit, capacity, and proven record, not political convenience.

    The minister Nigeria needs

    Great nations are built by great men, and  David Umahi is one such man. His brilliance in engineering, his discipline in governance, and his clarity of purpose continue to shape Nigeria’s infrastructural destiny.

    Nigeria needs men like Umahi, who think beyond today’s politics, men who understand the science of development, and men who put results before applause. To the younger generation, his journey is a powerful lesson that competence can never be hidden. Excellence speaks for itself, and when it does, it announces the leader before the title.

    Builder worth celebrating

     David Umahi is more than a minister, he is a national builder, a transformational leader, and one of the most accomplished engineers ever to serve in government. His legacy in Ebonyi remains indelible, and his achievements in the Federal Ministry of Works will define an era.

    As an admirer of quality leadership and as a patriotic Nigerian committed to President Tinubu’s success, I celebrate Umahi not just for what he has done, but for what he continues to represent for this nation: excellence, innovation, and dedication to Nigeria’s progress. Nigeria needs more of his kind.

    • Ine is Southeast zonal coordinator of PBAT Door-to-Door Movement

  • Failed doomsday displaced Persons

    Failed doomsday displaced Persons

    In crisis situations, there are Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). These are hapless victims of whatever crisis befell their communities and forced them to leave; they are usually the responsibility of government to care for till peace returns to their troubled homesteads and they get resettled back. Not so with Failed Doomsday Displaced Persons (FDDPs). These are people who chose to believe a lie and self-dislocated their own lives – not because of external aggression but from inner delusion. Anyone in this category cannot hope for government to rehabilitate them. They are on their own.

    It is one week now since the failed prediction of a date for the biblical ‘rapture,’ and those taken in are ruing their self-dispossession in gullible anticipation of an escape from the earth. Rapture is an end-time event by which believers in the Christian faith expect to be supernaturally translocated from the terrestrial plane ahead of a coming period of intense suffering, known as the Tribulation, by those left behind. This event in biblical narrative will mark the second coming of Jesus Christ.

    Read Also: Tinubu orders 24-hour aerial surveillance, tightens security cordon over Kwara, Kebbi forests

    South African preacher, Pastor Joshua Mhlakela, recently gained worldwide attention after he claimed Jesus appeared to him in a vision and said he would return during the Jewish Feast of Trumpets, also known as Rosh Hashanah, which held between 22nd and 24th September. “The rapture is upon us, whether you are ready or not, the rapture will happen in 14 days from now,” Mhlakela had told a YouTube channel, adding: “I’m a billion percent sure that we are going to see the Lord, the rapture is going to happen. I don’t know how to assure you, but I give you a billion percent that it is going to happen. The date of the 23rd, which is going to be the rapture of the church, is irrefutable and final.”

    On the day predicted by Mhlakela, videos showed hundreds of people gathered in woods, waiting to be taken up. The preacher himself went live online, joined by some followers, declaring with confidence that the rapture was imminent. After several hours passed without anything happening, Mhlakela said, “I wonder how God works this out. What I know is that it will happen within these two days, but I cannot tell how He arranges the minutes and the seconds, because at any moment something could happen.” He urged his followers to be patient and hopeful.

    Those who believed Mhlakela had taken steps to sign out from planet earth. Social media platforms were flooded with videos from devastated persons who were so convinced doomsday was coming they resigned their jobs and gave away prized possessions. Tilahun Desalegn, an Australian, shared a clip of his car being towed away, saying: “I won’t need her beyond September, because I’m going home.” Kingsalem Igwe, a self-identified Nigerian prophet, said in a video shared on TikTok: “I’m here with all humility to apologise to everyone. I only believed a man who claimed Jesus told him.” Others were seen sobbing over the failed prediction, lamenting that they now had to go back to work. Well, they’re in good time to wake up to the smell of coffee!

    •This article was first published on

    September 30, 2025

  • Save ARMTI Staff School, Ilorin from air and noise pollution

    Save ARMTI Staff School, Ilorin from air and noise pollution

    • By Owolabi Carter

    Sir: For over three decades, ARMTI Staff School situated at Jimba-Oja, Ilorin, Kwara State has been a beacon of learning and growth for generations of students. However, the recent establishment of a heavy industry beside the school has turned this haven into a toxic environment, threatening the health and well-being of students, teachers, and staff. Nigerians need to appreciate the dangers of air and noise pollution emanating from the industry and its devastating impact on the school community.

    The industry in question emits a cocktail of hazardous air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These pollutants can cause respiratory problems, such as asthma and bronchitis, cardiovascular disease and stroke, neurological damage and cognitive impairment as ell as cancer and other long-term health hazards.

    The industry’s operations also generate high levels of noise pollution, which can lead to hearing loss and tinnitus, stress, anxiety, and sleep disturbances, decreased cognitive performance and academic achievement while increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

    Read Also: Tinubu orders 24-hour aerial surveillance, tightens security cordon over Kwara, Kebbi forests

    The proximity of the industry to ARMTI Staff School has created a toxic environment that jeopardizes the health and well-being of students, teachers, and staff. The school’s long history in the area, predating the industry by over 30 years, makes this situation even more egregious. The industry’s presence has compromised the school’s air quality, putting students and staff at risk, disrupted the learning environment, making it difficult for students to focus, created a sense of uncertainty and fear among parents, students, and staff, and caused a significant reduction in the population of students with parents having to withdraw there children from the school.

    The establishment of the industry near ARMTI Staff School has had a devastating impact on the school community. We urge policymakers, regulatory agencies, and industry leaders to take immediate action to mitigate the effects of air and noise pollution. This includes implementing stricter regulations and enforcement, investing in pollution-reducing technologies, and providing support and resources to affected communities.

    It is important for government to conduct regular air and noise monitoring to ensure compliance with regulatory standards, cause the company to implement measures to reduce pollution, such as cleaner production technologies, provide health screenings and support services for students and staff, while developing a comprehensive plan to mitigate the impact of the industry on the school community.

    By working together, we can protect the health and well-being of students, teachers, and staff at ARMTI Staff School, Ilorin and ensure that they can thrive in a safe and healthy environment.

    •Owolabi Carter,

    ARMTI, Ilorin, Kwara State.

  • As insecurity threatens the real estate sector

    As insecurity threatens the real estate sector

    • By ESV Adekunle Ishaq Olalekan

    Sir: The security challenge in Nigeria today, to say the least is worrisome. From the intractable Boko-Haram insurgency which has claimed thousands of lives and condemned several others to Internal Displaced Person Camps,  banditry in the northwest, agitations in the southeast and calls for secession, violent clashes between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers all over the country, renewed surge in kidnapping in major cities of Benue, Adamawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Plateau states, and villages among others, Nigeria is now one of the hotbeds of conflict in Africa.

    There are fresh concerns  that insecurity may worsen with the recent abduction of no fewer than 25 girls during a deadly attack on the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary in Maga, Kebbi State, abduction of unspecified number of students and teachers in St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abduction of 38 Christian worshipers from the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku community in Kwara State and several other cases across the country.

    It is more worrisome that insecurity is spreading to hitherto peaceful parts of the country, such as Abuja, and the southwest, especially Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Lagos and Osun where there had been resurgence of kidnappings. There were also similar cases in the south-south and southeast regions. Coupled with an intersection with poverty as a result of rising food prices which can be linked clearly to inaccessibility of farmlands taken over by criminal herdsmen and rampaging bandits, no doubt, we have reasons for serious concern.

    The rising insecurity has resulted in loss of lives and destruction of properties, with huge economic implications on housing and real estate business. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that the number of people forced to flee their homes has increased every year over the past decade. And this is a country that is already bedeviled with housing challenge, with housing shortage running into several millions. Many people, who are already housed, had their house razed down, while those displaced from their communities are left without homes, thereby worsening the overall deficit.

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    It should be noted that insurgency across the country hinder investments in the real estate sector, a significant contributor to employment. Real estate developers are moving out of construction sites, as insecurity escalates.

    I urge the government to take proactive, decisive, swift and a well coordinated approach to address the security challenge in the interest of real estate development and the economy as a whole. A new, and concerted push towards peacemaking is urgently required to reverse the trend, otherwise the real estate sector of the economy may soon be grounded.

    Government should reinvent and rearrange the entire security architecture and apparatus. There is urgent need for improved intelligence gathering, mobilize requisite law enforcement and security agents to critical locations in the territory, equip the security organs adequately to curb the challenges

    All stakeholders in security matters must be involved. I call on the new service chiefs to see their appointments as pure service to the nation, and employ all legitimate tactics to resolve the insecurity situation in the country. They should up their game in securing the country, otherwise it will adversely affect the real estate sector, and the economy if the current rate of insecurity continues.

    •ESV Adekunle Ishaq Olalekan,

    Lagos.

  • Southwest governors have spoken, but will anything change?

    Southwest governors have spoken, but will anything change?

    • By Ogungbile Emmanuel Oludotun

    Sir: The emergency meeting of the South West Governors’ Forum in Ibadan on November 24, did not happen by coincidence. It was triggered by the thick wave of alarming attacks in other parts of the country that sent shockwaves across the federation. The abductions at Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi; the attack on St. Mary’s Catholic institution in Papiri, Agwara LGA of Niger State; and the kidnapping incident at the CAC Church in Eruku, Kwara State, all exposed once again how fragile security remains across Nigeria. Although these tragedies occurred outside the Southwest, they served as a “time bomb” reminder, insecurity anywhere is insecurity everywhere.

    Fearing that similar patterns could sweep into their own states, the governors convened urgently, determined to reassess the region’s defences. However, despite the gravity of the moment and the strong declarations that followed, a familiar question shadows the communiqué, the governors have spoken, but will anything really change?

    The communiqué opened with formal commendations for President Tinubu’s response to the recent kidnappings, especially the rescue efforts in Kwara and Niger. However, behind the diplomacy was an unmistakable undertone, the Southwest knows that it cannot rely solely on the federal structure to safeguard its millions of residents.

    Criminal groups are evolving faster than Nigeria’s national security architecture.

    Banditry, kidnapping, forest invasions, illegal mining, and unregulated migration are stretching federal resources thin. The governors recognise this reality more clearly than ever, and the tone of their resolutions reflects a region preparing to shoulder responsibility for its own survival.

    Read Also: Tinubu orders 24-hour aerial surveillance, tightens security cordon over Kwara, Kebbi forests

    One of the most ambitious initiatives unveiled was the creation of a Southwest Security Fund under the DAWN Commission, a collective financing pool intended to strengthen regional security operations. In theory, it could finally give Amotekun the resources, training, and technology it has lacked for years. However, history offers a warning; the Southwest has launched bold security ideas before, only for enthusiasm to fade once political distractions set in. Will this fund survive the familiar cycle of loud beginnings and quiet endings?

    Yes, the plan to establish a real-time digital intelligence-sharing platform across the six states is equally significant. Today, speed and information determine who wins against criminal networks. But intelligence in Nigeria is often treated as political capital, not a shared asset. Technology alone will not solve this. Can the region overcome entrenched habits of secrecy, rivalry, and bureaucratic territorialism?

    Dense forest belts across the Southwest have silently transformed into ungoverned zones, hideouts for kidnappers, illegal loggers, migrant criminal cells, and mining syndicates. The governors called on the federal government to deploy forest guards, with states providing personnel, signalling a recognition that reclaiming these forests is now a matter of regional survival. However, securing thousands of hectares demands more than manpower; it requires coordinated aerial surveillance, intelligence-led operations, and the political courage to dismantle long-protected criminal networks.

    Interstate migration, another escalating concern, was addressed with unusual firmness. The region’s openness has always been part of its strength, but weak identification systems and porous borders have created vulnerabilities. The call for tighter collaboration with NIMC to track and verify movement is pragmatic. But it must be implemented with constitutional sensitivity to avoid ethnic profiling or unnecessary tension. How does the region strike a balance between security vigilance and national cohesion? That is the real test.

    Illegal mining, one of the hidden engines of violence in the region, was also highlighted. Mining syndicates, often protected by powerful interests, have been linked to environmental destruction, extortion networks, and armed criminality. The governors’ demand for stricter licensing and enforcement is welcome, but the real question is whether any state is prepared to confront the political and financial cartels benefiting from the chaos. Without that courage, illegal mining will continue to flourish under the same old excuses.

    Perhaps the most politically charged statement was the reaffirmation of the call for state police. For years, the Southwest has advocated decentralised policing, insisting that no federal force can adequately manage the unique challenges of every Nigerian state. The declaration that “the time is now” is bold, but familiar.

    This demand has echoed for over two decades, only to be stalled by politics, constitutional delays, or fears of misuse by state actors. Will this renewed push finally break the cycle, or is it another momentary surge of resolve?

    The attacks in Kebbi, Niger, and Kwara have served as a wake-up call. Whether the Southwest truly wakes up or slips back into complacency will shape the region’s destiny in the months ahead. The question is not whether change is possible; it is whether the political will to pursue it will outlast the headlines.

    •Ogungbile Emmanuel Oludotun,

    thedreamchaser65@gmail.com

  • NERC appointment options and need for urgency

    NERC appointment options and need for urgency

    By Michael Nwadike

    There is uncertainty among top officials of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission following expiration of the tenure of the chairman in June and indications that the tenure of the vice chairman of NERC will lapse on December 8. But that should not be the way forward.

    President Bola Tinubu has since nominated Abdullahi Ramat, a former local government chairman, as head of the agency and two commissioners; Mr Abubakar Yusuf, commissioner of Consumer Affairs, and Dr Fouad Animashun, commissioner of Finance and Management Services, subject to Senate confirmation.

    However, the skirmishes in NERC have grown more unsettling. All eyes are on the 10th Senate, led by Senator Godswill Akpabio, given importance of the sector to Nigeria’s growth.

    NERC is an independent body, established by Electric Power Sector Reform Act of 2005 (repealed), now Electricity Act of 2023, to undertake technical and economic regulation of Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.

    The commission is to, among others, license operators, determine operating codes and standards, establish customer rights and obligations, and set cost-reflective industry tariffs.

    Since its inception, NERC has recorded significant achievements, including expansion of capacity and network by issuance of licences for electricity generation, transmission, distribution, and trading, as well as development of industry codes and standards, market rules, and a multi-year tariff order. In addition, the commission has issued regulations and orders that created an attractive and stable electricity market in Nigeria.

    These achievements have been made possible by ensuring that market transactions are rule-based and regulatory interventions are preceded by robust consultative and stakeholder engagement processes to ensure transparency, fairness, and accountability.

    Transparency, fairness, and accountability are critical to NERC, Nigeria’s independent apex regulator. The Electricity Act was thorough in ensuring this independence.

    The Act gave statutory recognition to, and enshrined the principle of regulatory independence, by providing for creation of the apex regulator of the NESI by an Act of the National Assembly rather than by subsidiary legislation.

    Section 33(3) states: “The commission shall be the apex regulator of the NESI and shall be an independent body in the performance of its functions and exercise of its powers under this Act”.

    Regulatory decisions are to be taken by a board of commissioners under Section 35 (1), which states that the commission shall consist of seven full-time commissioners appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Senate.” These commissioners, under Section 226, may make regulations on which the commission has powers.

    Funding from internally generated revenue, as well as government subsidies. Section 53 deals with funding for the commission: “The funds of the commission shall consist of: (a) fees, charges and other income accruing to the commission from licensees and other things done by it in terms of this Act, excluding any fines or penalties recovered under this Act; (b) funds allocated to the commission by the National Assembly, under a request by the commission for additional funds required to meet its expenditure; and (c) such other moneys as may vest in or accrue to the commission, whether in the course of its operations or otherwise, among others.

    It is indeed, in view of the above, that experts have argued that appointing seasoned professionals who have grown through the ranks in the commission would bring far more stability and technical competence to the commission and sector than bringing on board those to start afresh to understudy workings of NERC.

    While National Assembly is debating NERC nominations, industry experts are reminding President Tinubu that there is a need for speed in the appointment of a merit-driven NERC chief on time because of importance of the energy sector in the development objectives of the government.

    Furthermore, complementing the incoming NERC chief with seasoned commissioners with legacy knowledge will do NERC a world of good.

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    The experts said Tinubu needs to act fast and look inwards into the commission to source for qualified and technically sound experts for the board, especially as the chair and vice chair will soon be vacant.

    As we move into 2026, energy experts believe President Tinubu must, sort out the leadership of NERC to enable the country to derive the maximum benefits for which NERC was established in the first place.

    In doing so, experts and insiders are calling on the President to act before the house of NERC, which is looking like a Fuji House of Commotion, crashes down on us. They said NERC has top officials with legacy knowledge of how to move the organisation forward. Presently, NERC has six commissioners:

    • Musiliu Oseni – vice chair and commissioner for Economic Regulations. Appointed in February 2017, he is serving his second term, which will expire on December 8.

    • Aisha Mahmud – commissioner for Stakeholder Management. A former head of Tariff and Rates at NERC, she has served the commission for years and contributed to its development. In recognition of her expertise and impact in the power sector, she was appointed commissioner in December 2020. She led the establishment of NERC Contact Centre, developed the Customer Protection Regulation, and oversaw 33 Forum Offices, among others. She is the only woman commissioner and remains eligible for reappointment.

    • Shatti Nathan Rogers – commissioner for Corporate Services. Appointed in February 2017 and reappointed in February 2022, his second term will expire in February 2027.

    • Dafe Akpeneye – commissioner for Legal, Licensing and Compliance. First appointed in February 2017 and reappointed in February 2022, his second term will expire February 2027.

    • Chidi Ike – commissioner for Technical Regulation. Appointed in February 2022, his first term will expire in February 2027.

    • Yusuf Ali – commissioner for Research and Data Analytics. Appointed in February 2022, his first term will expire in February 2027.

    To ensure continuity, it is essential  Federal Government decides on the future leadership structure of NERC ahead of the vice chairman’s tenure expiration in December.

  • NASENI and the new era of Nigerian innovation

    NASENI and the new era of Nigerian innovation

    By Godwin Ogwuche

    In just two years under the leadership of Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), has transitioned from a policy-driven institution into an action-oriented engine of innovation.

    Between September 2023 and September 2025, the agency has undergone institutional transformation, redefining how Nigeria deploys indigenous technology to drive industrialisation, job creation, and promotion of homegrown solutions. At a time when national institutions struggle with bureaucracy and inefficiency, NASENI’s reforms under Khalil’s stewardship is a model for public-sector innovation and accountability.

    Reforms and policy overhaul

    The first step in NASENI’s transformation was a restructuring of its institutional framework. His administration introduced Project and Implementation Management Offices (PIMOs) to ensure all projects are delivered in scope, time, and budget. This was followed by a 100 per cent budget reorientation, ensuring that every allocation is tied to measurable deliverables, a shift that has improved fiscal discipline and transparency.

    To promote accountability and efficiency, NASENI deployed a comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that integrates finance, procurement, and project monitoring in all departments and units. This digitisation move has not only reduced wastage but also improved real-time oversight of public spending.

    Policy-wise, the agency introduced strategic frameworks to guide Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem: the Accelerated Technology Transfer Programme, Green Economy Roadmap, 3Cs Blueprint (Collaboration, Creation, Commercialisation), and an Innovation-to-Commercialisation Framework that bridges the gap between research and market-ready products. These initiatives have positioned NASENI as a hub for translating ideas into impactful technologies.

    Turning ideas into impact

    Under the guidance of Halilu, NASENI has complemented its reforms with visible, large-scale projects that have direct social and economic benefits. A major highlight is the 40-hectare Solar Industrial Park in Nasarawa State, an investment in renewable energy projected on completion to create 4,000 jobs and strengthen Nigeria’s clean energy value chain.

     Complementing this is CNC Reverse Engineering Centre in Abuja, which has trained over 300 engineers to build local capacity for precision manufacturing. In agriculture, Irrigate Nigeria Project in Bauchi and Jigawa states leverages smart irrigation technologies to support farmers, improve yields, and reduce reliance on rain-fed farming.

    Meanwhile, National Asset Restoration Programme has restored over 1,000 tractors, returning idle machinery to farms and supporting food security goals. The agency also made progress in health technology. Its NASENI-TROMENT Rapid Diagnostics Factory was set up to produce indigenous diagnostic kits.

    Its NASCAV Technologies, a collaboration with Caverton, has birthed Nigeria’s first UAV School, advanced aircraft recovery systems, and helicopter design projects. In defence, NASENI’s partnership with Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria and Ministry of Defence is strengthening local capacity for defence equipment manufacturing, aligning with national security priorities.

    Technology transfer

    Recognising that innovation thrives on collaboration, NASENI has built a portfolio of over 50 Memoranda of Understanding with local and international partners. On the local front, it has partnered Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Police, DICON, Bayero University Kano, Imose Technologies, MECA, and Galaxy Backbone.

    Internationally, the agency has sealed partnerships with global technology giants, such as Haier, Chery, Yingli Solar, Caverton, Dongfeng, Z-Park, Shanghai Launch Automotive, and Aftrade. These collaborations cut across key growth sectors, such as electric vehicles (EVs), solar energy, biotechnology, ICT, agritech, defence manufacturing, and fertiliser production, signalling Nigeria’s readiness to be a serious player in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

    To ensure inclusiveness and reach, Halilu has expanded the agency’s presence with 18 Development Institutes and R&D centres, six Centres of Excellence (CoE) and Skill Labs, and six Agritech Parks (notably in Lafia).

     In addition, it has established a UAV Centre in Kaduna, NASENI Campus, and Showrooms of Excellence to showcase innovations. This expansion strategy is more than just physical, it demonstrates the agency’s commitment to decentralising innovation and making technology accessible to every part of Nigeria.

    Commercialisation

    A defining achievement of the Khalil administration is the commercialisation of 44 indigenous products, proving that Nigerian ingenuity can meet local and international standards. In energy, NASENI has produced solar irrigation pumps, clean cookstoves, panels, and smart meters. In mobility, it has unveiled electric tricycles, pickup EVs, electric motorcycles, and CNG conversion centres to support green transportation.

    In ICT, NASENI produces tablets, laptops, smartphones, and even home appliances, such as televisions, air conditioners, microwaves, and water dispensers. Its health innovations include rapid diagnostic kits and assistive technologies, while STEM education is being strengthened through initiatives like HatchBox Labs, Android tablets, and STEM mobile kits to inspire new innovators.

    Human capital empowerment

    The agency’s approach to innovation also centres on inclusion and empowerment. The SheFly Programme trains rural women farmers in drone technology for agricultural monitoring, while DELT-Her Fund supports women in engineering. Through NASENI Research Commercialisation Grant Programme (NRCGP) and DELTA-2 Programme (a joint R&D initiative with Czech Republic), the agency is funding university-based researchers to commercialise innovations. The Reverse Japa Initiative seeks to harness Nigerian diaspora expertise for national development.

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    The NASENI Innovation Hub and InnovateNaija Challenge provide platforms for startups to pitch and scale their ideas, while Tech Roadshows in the 36 states have brought innovation closer to the grassroots. Through its Clean Cookstove Deployment Initiative, over 10,000 women have been empowered with sustainable energy solutions.

    Outcomes and national impact

    Two years on, Halilu’s record at NASENI speaks for itself: 44 products commercialised, 55 national projects executed, 30,000 direct jobs created and over two million indirect jobs targeted, 1,000 tractors restored under National Asset Recovery Programme, five national policy frameworks enacted, over 50 partnerships across local and international spheres, 7,500 women and youth empowered directly, nationwide reach in 36 states and FCT. These figures aren’t just statistics, they represent a shift in Nigeria’s technological narrative, from dependency to self-reliance.

    Sustainability

    By championing domestication, adapting global technology, NASENI is demonstrating Nigeria can lead in clean mobility, renewable energy, and green manufacturing. Its ZeCo Initiative (Zero Carbon by NASENI) will make Nigeria a hub for sustainable production and circular-economy solutions.

    Leadership and blueprint

    Halilu’s leadership offers an instructive case study in public-sector innovation. Under his visionary leadership, NASENI has proven that government institutions can be efficient and innovative. The agency’s transformation from policy to action exemplifies how strategic leadership, accountability, and collaboration can deliver real results.

    As NASENI continues to bridge research with industry, empower women and youths, and deepen Nigeria’s technological independence, it stands today as a symbol of what a reformed public institution can achieve when vision meets execution. Every generation produces a few institutions that redefine what governance can achieve. NASENI, under Halilu, is becoming one of them.

    By combining policy reform with enterprise-grade execution, the agency has proven government can work and work efficiently. The path from policy to action is visible in solar parks, irrigation pumps, diagnostic factories, electric vehicles, and empowered innovators.

    If Nigeria is to be a global industrial power, vision must be backed by accountability, innovation driven by inclusion, and leadership anchored in result. NASENI’s journey shows with right leadership, right policy, made-in-Nigeria can truly mean Built for the World.

  • Nigeria fighting for survival and United States must not stand aside

    Nigeria fighting for survival and United States must not stand aside

    By Olufemi Soneye

    The United States’ designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern has reignited conversation across diplomatic, security, and human rights circles. The CPC mechanism under the International Religious Freedom Act is vital, but its application must be precise. In Nigeria’s case, the designation misidentifies the problem and risks damaging a crucial partnership at a time when global security threats are escalating.

    Nigeria is not a state persecuting its own religious minorities. It is a state fighting for its survival against some of the world’s deadliest extremist organizations. Boko Haram, ISWAP, violent bandit networks, and other non-state armed groups have terrorized communities for over a decade, burning villages, abducting schoolchildren, attacking churches, mosques, and markets, and targeting Muslims, Christians, and anyone who refuses their ideology. These actors are not agents of Nigerian policy. They are enemies of the Nigerian state and of humanity.

    To understand why Nigeria’s CPC status is an error, it is useful to look at countries previously designated and later removed. Vietnam was removed after pursuing structured engagement with Washington. Iraq’s designation ended only after the fall of its repressive regime. Uzbekistan spent more than a decade under CPC status until it implemented sweeping religious reforms. Sudan emerged from the list following major political change and strong commitments to protect religious diversity. These cases share one feature: government-directed persecution. Nigeria does not fall into that category.

    The Nigerian government continues to invest enormous resources in fighting extremist and terrorist groups determined to fracture the country along religious lines. These groups kill Muslims in prayer, Christians in worship, travelers on highways, and farmers on their land. Their strategy is to turn Nigeria’s diversity into a battlefield. Despite real structural and operational challenges, Nigeria has taken meaningful steps, including large-scale military operations against terror groups. These actions reflect commitment, not complicity.

    Nigeria must also strengthen coordination on religious issues. A Presidential Envoy on Religion, working with a fully empowered interfaith advisory council, could help harmonize government responses, reduce tensions, and more clearly communicate Nigeria’s efforts to international partners. This role should leverage the influence of prominent religious leaders who can help reduce tension, counter extremist narratives, and build trust across communities. A coordinated national framework is essential in a country as diverse and complex as Nigeria.

    To correct misperceptions and build stronger partnerships, the Nigerian government should pursue several strategic steps immediately. It should send a high-level delegation to Washington that includes respected religious leaders, especially Christian leaders from northern Nigeria. Such a delegation would brief United States officials, lawmakers, and think tanks on the realities on the ground, counter misleading narratives, and demonstrate unity across Nigeria’s religious spectrum. Nigeria should engage directly with international religious freedom institutions, including the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom and the Office of International Religious Freedom at the State Department. These meetings would strengthen Nigeria’s case and establish permanent channels for dialogue.

    The government should also invite bipartisan United States Congressional delegations to visit Nigeria. Seeing affected communities firsthand, including churches rebuilt, mosques attacked, and families displaced, helps United States lawmakers understand that the threat Nigeria faces is terrorism, not state-sponsored persecution. At the same time, Nigeria should use this moment to reset broader United States and Nigeria economic and development cooperation. Having lived in the Washington area for over 20 years, multiple sources across Washington have voiced concerns to me about the sharp decline in United States business engagement in Nigeria. This diplomatic moment can and should be leveraged to revive trade, investment, and development initiatives. Greater economic cooperation strengthens stability, reduces extremist recruitment, and benefits both nations.

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    Nigeria is a longstanding strategic partner of the United States, but the complexity of today’s security landscape, from Sahelian insurgencies to arms trafficking and climate-driven displacement, requires deeper collaboration, not punitive labels. Nigeria needs the United States to work closely with its security agencies to help eradicate terrorist threats by expanding intelligence cooperation, providing advanced counterterrorism training and equipment, supporting justice sector and police reforms, assisting displaced and traumatized communities, and implementing joint programs that promote interfaith dialogue and community peacebuilding. Helping Nigeria succeed is not charity. It is strategic. A stable Nigeria anchors West Africa, strengthens global counterterrorism defenses, and supports international economic stability.

    CPC status should target governments that persecute their own people, not governments fighting extremist forces determined to destroy religious coexistence. Nigeria’s situation demands nuance, accuracy, and partnership. By sending a unified interfaith delegation to Washington, welcoming United States lawmakers to Nigeria, strengthening direct engagement with religious freedom institutions, and revitalizing trade and development ties, Nigeria can reset the narrative and chart a more constructive path forward.

    The United States should reassess Nigeria’s designation with clear-eyed realism. Nigeria is not the problem. Nigeria is a frontline nation confronting a global threat, and the world, especially the United States, should stand with it.

    •Soneye, previously served as the Chief Corporate Communications Officer (CCCO) of NNPC Ltd