The Nation Newspaper

Category: Editorial

  • Malami and terror

    Malami and terror

    • All we want are the facts and adherence to the rule of law

    There is nothing new about a former public officer falling into the net of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged abuse of office and misuse of official funds. Yet when it happens, it reinforces public worry that high office is a window on high crimes of the official fraud variety.

    Two persons are in the news for alleged money-related crimes. They are former labour minister Dr Chris Ngige and former attorney general and minister of justice Abubakar Malami. Both served in the Buhari administration.

    But what is potent in this story, for all the worry about financial fraud, is the inclusion of terrorism financing in the 18 charges against the former attorney general. It is not in court yet, and the investigation, according to the EFCC, is still ongoing.

    That a former chief law officer of the federation would even be tarred with such a charge is a huge cause for concern. The only cheering thing about it is that a sliver of hope may exist in some quarters that we still have to get into the court of law and gauge the evidence before any conclusion can be made on the matter.

    Such a sliver of hope is not necessarily good hope for the country if the facts are proven, especially given the upsurge in terror incidents in parts of the country. The north is the hotbed of fear.

    Of late, we witnessed the kidnapping of hundreds of students from a Catholic institution, St. Mary’s Catholic School, in Papiri, Niger State, just after two major acts of abduction. One of them was in Kebbi State at the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga. The other was at the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Eruku in Kwara State. The Papiri students’ saga is still a horror story because over 100 students are still in the hands of the bandits. Just after that, another one happened in Kogi State at the ECWA church at Aiyetoro-Kiri, in which the gunmen killed about four people and went away with at least 20 worshippers.

    So, the idea of prosecuting a major person for terror financing is significant. We just hope that this is not a flim-flam matter in the end. For years, the public has been flaying the state, especially during the Buhari era, that there was no seriousness in the hunt for the hoodlums in the area of prosecution.

    However, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), announced that 860 persons have been convicted in the last seven years. This brought some cheer to the concerned that some work has actually been going on.

    The AGF said: “What this demonstrates clearly is that we do not operate a system of arbitrary arrests or indefinite detention.

    “Persons arrested in connection with terrorism and extremism are properly profiled and investigated. Those found not to have credible links are discharged, while those against whom evidence is established are prosecuted in court.”

    Read Also: EFCC uncovers $3.43m, €280,000 fake currency, arrests five-man syndicate in Ibadan Zone

    If these words are anything to go by, then we are compelled to believe that the case against the former attorney general is credible.  He will be the first major person of recognisable pedigree to the public to be so charged.

    The other charges are also grave. Some of them pertain to the so-called Abacha loot and the Paris Club loan saga. They are of public questions of integrity in public office. He has to address those charges.

    Malami has charged back that his detention and investigation reek of political victimisation. He said he was picked up not because he was guilty but because he attended a meeting of an opposition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The party also issued a statement that the federal government is weaponising the charge to tar him politically and put him out of commission as a threat. He is believed to nurture an ambition to run for governor in his home state of Kebbi.

    We must acknowledge that such weaponisation is possible because it has been done in the country before. It is also possible that the party and Malami himself are following a familiar preemptive trope in weaponising the idea of such weaponising to detract from the essential charges against him.

    For particular note is the five-term bail instituted against Malami, and he did not meet any of them. “Administrative bail is a discretionary temporary reprieve that allows a suspect to be released on stated conditions pending the conclusion of investigation and arraignment in court,” said EFCC in a statement.

    “The commission compassionately granted his plea even while his bail conditions had not been met,” it said. “The EFCC cannot allow the latitude granted the former minister on health grounds to stand in the way of investigations,” EFCC spokesman Ayo Oyewale said.

    If he lied about his health concern as the EFCC states, then we must worry about whatever facts he is not forthcoming with. So, the issue is to set aside politics and look deeply into whatever the charges are against the former top law officer of the country. A terror charge is too important a matter to be tainted with partisan drivel.

    “Trials are still ongoing, and we continue to improve our prosecutorial processes in line with global best practices,” said Fagbemi on the federal government’s attitude to this scourge in the country.

    In 2022, the United States named persons that it discovered as terror financiers in its cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The six men, Abdurrahman Ado Musa, Salihu Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Ali Yusuf, Muhammed Ibrahim Isa, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, and Surajo Abubakar Muhammad were accused of using their stay in the UAE “to move funds intended to support Boko Haram’s violent campaign in Nigeria.”

    That action by the U.S. shows that the fear about big men who back these acts of brigandage is real. We would want more of that not only by the U.S. but also in Nigeria. But we need to see more of such in the country. Hence, the Malami investigation ought not be trivialised.

    We cannot ascertain the authenticity of the claims about the names of possible terror financiers in the country currently circulating online. Evidence is the only counterfoil to wild speculation. In the past few weeks, two other prominent Nigerians from the army top brass have denied in public along with Malami that they had any links with terror. Both are former chiefs of army staff under President Buhari.

    One of them, Lt. Gen.Tukur Buratai (retd.), stated his case and denied. “No security institution, intelligence agency, judicial panel, diplomatic mission, oversight mechanism, or administrative body has ever linked me with terrorism financing in any form,” he said.

    The other general is Lt. Gen. Faruk Yahaya (retd.), who described it as political vendetta. “These allegations run contrary to Gen. Yahaya’s impeccable service record, professional integrity and lifelong commitment to the defence of Nigeria,” he said in a statement.

    We continue to see reports and pictures of terror miscreants, many of them are on the low rung of the operation. They are hirelings while the those who finance them hide in high offices and in the shadows.

    The financiers are the jugular, and they have built a nefarious economy based on blood money to rack the north and cripple the lives of parts of the country.

    The EFCC must get to the bottom of the issues, and they must adhere to facts. Ultimately, prosecution in the open arena is what will assure Nigerians that justice is not only done but is seen to be done.

  • ECOWAS identity card

    ECOWAS identity card

    •Nigeria’s launch is a positive development

     President Bola Tinubu received praise for accelerating the process that culminated in the November launch of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) in Nigeria. The initiative was conceived by ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in 2014.   Senegal was the first country to launch it in 2016. Ghana, Benin, Sierra-Leone, The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau have also have officially deployed the ENBIC.

    The Federal Government’s release of the card, 11 years after its conception, marked a significant milestone for the region due to Nigeria’s large population.

    During the ceremony at Transcorp Hotel, Abuja, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said it is “the foundation for identity management and authentication.” According to him, “We have, by the deployment of this project, taken pressure off our passport systems, and it will provide a foundation for the regional database. With these cards, you don’t need to travel within ECOWAS countries with passports.”

    Designed to strengthen regional integration, security, and economic prosperity across West Africa, the card integrates secure biometric technology (like facial and fingerprint data) for reliable identification and verification. This is compliant with international standards.

    Also, it is designed to replace the old paper-based ECOWAS Travel Certificate. Citizens of ECOWAS member states, like Nigeria, who possess the ENBIC will generally not need an international passport for travel within the ECOWAS region.

    Read Also: NGF names Yobe best performing state in primary health care delivery

    The secure biometric system and advanced cryptographic features aim to: Strengthen border management and accurately identify travellers; reduce document fraud and irregular migration; and support intelligence gathering against trans-border crimes. It serves as a secure and verifiable means of identification and authentication for citizens accessing various public and private sector services.

    Another key objective of the card is to foster the ease of doing business, promote regional trade, boost tourism, and support financial inclusion across the sub-region.

    The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, represented by Dr Kalilou Sylla, the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, ECOWAS Commission, lauded Nigeria’s leadership in implementing the ECOWAS Heads of State decision on harmonised regional identity documents, describing it as a significant step towards strengthening regional integration in the ECOWAS community.

    As the most populous nation in the bloc, Nigeria’s role is crucial for giving momentum to the ENBIC project and encouraging faster adoption across the remaining member states. Based on the current 12 member states of ECOWAS, the five countries that have not yet publicly launched or fully deployed the ENBIC are Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Togo.

    There is no doubt that this is a transformative project, and its implementation across a diverse region like West Africa presents several complex challenges, including technical and interoperability hurdles, regional and political obstacles, financial and logistical constraints, and security and trust issues.

    Indeed, the slow pace of implementation, as shown in its delayed Nigerian launch, hinders the card’s effectiveness as a truly regional travel document.

    Crucially, there is also the question of political will and coordination necessary for successful implementation.    Achieving a fully unified system requires sustained political commitment and coordination among all heads of state and their respective immigration and interior ministries.

    The formal withdrawal of three member states from ECOWAS – Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger – creates uncertainty regarding the use and acceptance of the ENBIC along those specific borders, potentially complicating the regional free movement mandate.

    The ECOWAS Commission and member states must actively work to overcome the challenges and realise the card’s potential for enhancing regional security and economic prosperity.

    Achieving the full intended success of the card requires a comprehensive and sustained effort across all member states, moving beyond the card issuance itself to create a truly integrated digital ecosystem. Also, extensive public campaigns are needed to educate citizens on the card’s benefits, and how to apply, increasing demand and promoting trust in the new system.

    The ultimate goal of building a secure, integrated, and trusted digital identity ecosystem that is fully embraced and seamlessly utilised by ECOWAS member states requires far more than rolling out the card or, indeed, issuing the physical card.

  • A vote for competence

    A vote for competence

    •There must be renewed effort against insecurity

    The recent changing of the guard at the Ministry of Defence didn’t come as a surprise to many, considering the resurgence of terrorism and insecurity in the past few weeks. Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who had been the Minister of Defence, tendered his resignation citing ill-health. Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), 58, on December 25, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), was appointed to replace him. President Bola Tinubu expressed confidence in Musa’s ability to lead the Ministry of Defence and further strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.

    The weeks leading to the change had witnessed major kidnapping incidents in Kwara, Kebbi and Niger states. Indeed, 38 worshippers at Eruku, Kwara State, were kidnapped and released a few days after. Also, 25 girls were abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State; they were later released.

     The abduction of 303 students and 12 staff from St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Niger State, on November 21, was particularly disturbing. About 50 students managed to escape in the hours immediately following the attack. The Federal Government secured the release of 100 pupils, who were received by the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, in Minna.  An estimated 165 individuals (students and staff) are still being held captive as of the most recent reports.

     Tragically, Brig. Gen. Musa Uba was killed by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in November following an ambush along the Damboa-Biu axis in Borno State. He reportedly escaped the initial ambush but was later tracked, captured, and executed by the terrorists.

    These incidents showed that our country is still bleeding. So, when Badaru resigned, many were relieved that President Tinubu had a chance to appoint someone with fresh ideas to combat the resurgent insecurity. He had notably attracted public criticism following a BBC Hausa interview in which he claimed some terrorists were difficult to target because their forest hideouts were “too dense for bombs to reach.” We commend the speed with which the new minister was appointed, screened by the Senate, and sworn in by the President.

    Read Also: NGF names Yobe best performing state in primary health care delivery

     Musa should immediately impact insecurity, given his background and experience as a former CDS. He is expected to reimagine the war on terror and achieve significant results.  During his screening, Senate President Godwill Akpabio had insisted that he must tell the lawmakers and Nigerians his plans to tackle insecurity in the country. Musa emphasised the need for national unity, teamwork, and decisive action against terrorists, calling them “evil forces.”

    He is considered well equipped for his new position. He was Commander, Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF): From 2019 to 2021, he commanded joint military efforts with neighbouring countries in the Lake Chad region. As Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, from 2021 to 2022, he led counter-terrorism operations against Boko Haram in Northeast Nigeria. He served as the 18th Chief of Defence Staff, the highest military post in Nigeria, from June 2023 until his retirement on October 30, 2025.

    Importantly, considering the allegation of Christian genocide in Nigeria by some members of the international community, the appointment of a Christian as Minister of Defence is a strong counterpoint.   He also comes from a minority tribe in the predominantly Hausa/Fulani/Muslim region. Having served creditably in his immediate past position, he is expected to transition smoothly from the pinnacle of military command to a high political office.  It is commendable that President Tinubu showed preference for competence over tribal and religious sentiments.

    All Nigerians must cooperate with the national security system to rescue our country from criminals who are bent on destroying it. We support the demand by the international community that the names of financiers of the insurgency and terrorism in our country should be made public. They should not only be named and shamed; they should be prosecuted, no matter how highly placed.

    The theme of competence, professionalism, and decisive action has been central to every major statement Musa has made since his appointment as Minister of Defence. We urge him to walk the talk. 

  • Refining inadequacy

    Refining inadequacy

    • More needs to be done to boost domestic oil refining capacity

    Some Nigerians may have been taken aback by the postponement of the implementation of the 15 percent import duty on petrol and diesel until the first quarter of 2026, coming shortly after an earlier approval by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on October 21. Yet, there appears to be a pragmatic basis for the government’s decision to tarry awhile.

    Indeed, while the decision may have generated disquiet in some quarters, the letter, requesting the deferment by the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr Zacch Adedeji, and which was approved by the president, was strikingly shorn of ambiguity: The earlier measure “was conceived as a corrective policy tool to strengthen local refining capacity, stabilise downstream market prices, and promote competitive parity between imported and domestically produced fuels in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda for energy and fiscal sustainability.”  However, a “thorough assessment of market conditions and the agreed strategic implementation roadmap…to allow for a smoother and more efficient rollout” … had made it necessary to put things on hold, albeit temporarily.

    In other words: the market was neither ready, nor the government eager, to administer the tax without the right things being firmly in place.

    To FIRS chairman Adedeji: “This adjustment will provide adequate time for stakeholders to complete alignment on technical templates, public communication frameworks, and import scheduling, thereby minimising disruption to the supply chain and ensuring that the reform achieves its intended stabilising impact.”

    “The deferment,” he particularly noted, “would also create a window for government agencies to monitor local refining performance in the first quarter of 2026 and align the tariff’s rollout with verified production data and consumer price trends.”

    Dangote Refinery, the main local crude processor, would naturally not agree that this deferment was necessary. Anthony Chiejina, spokesman for the Dangote Group, considers it “unpatriotic” that anyone would dare to criticise the 15 percent tariff designed to protect domestic industries from unfair competition and safeguard local production at this time.

    He was just as unequivocal on the capacity issue: “the refinery now loads 45 million litres of PMS and 25 million litres of diesel daily, which exceeds Nigeria’s demand” – hence, no need for importation.

    He had told Bloomberg, in November: “This significant production capacity not only guarantees local supply, but also enhances energy security and reduces dependence on imports.” The refinery has since requested the on-site team of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to collaborate in publishing the refinery’s daily output, perhaps to allay any doubts about the capacity of the local refiner.

    Read Also: We’ll mobilise all military assets against insecurity, says Tinubu

    Interestingly, a month earlier, Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive Officer of NMDPRA, had put the contribution of Dangote Refinery at an average of 20 million litres as against the 50 million litres per day requirement of the local market.

    According to the October fact sheet published by the regulator, the midstream and downstream petroleum sector remains hampered by low refinery utilisation. The country’s installed refining capacity, the document noted, stands at 1.125 million barrels per day with operational utilisation at 61.58 percent. Four private and modular refineries – Dangote, Aradel, Edo, and Waltersmith combined, it noted, refined 467,000 bpd. Dangote Refinery is said to have averaged 449,000bpd for the period.

    The overall picture, according to the Business Insider Africa magazine, is that the country has remained a major importer: “Despite rising domestic output, imports continue to supplement supply, with reconciled data (August 2024 to September 2025) showing that imports from Oil Marketing Companies ranged from 24 – 44 million litres/day across the months.”

    So much for the divergence of perspectives; we think the issues are not quite complicated or less straight-forward as they are often presented. It comes to the basic question of how much crude the country currently refines and how much is consumed, and the question of whether the former is sufficient to meet domestic requirements. NMDPRA, from all indications, appears to believe that the country is nowhere yet, in terms of the adequacy of local supply.

    Yet, if there was ever any time that this disputation, which has lingered for decades and which has long remained at the heart of the nation’s fuel demand/supply conundrum, needed firm resolution, it is now. To the extent that we consider that aspect of the problem the easiest to solve, we expect the NMDPRA to immediately set up the infrastructure, assuming that it does not yet have it in place.

    However, the bigger problem, by far, is the inadequacy of local refining. While there is no doubt that the country has recorded appreciable progress in the midstream and downstream sectors, the truth, however, is that the country still has a long way to go. Indeed, one of the highlights of the NMDPRA fact sheet is that some 47 Licences to Establish (refineries) with a cumulative capacity of 1.75 million barrels per day have been issued since 2000. And that is separate from the 31 Licences to Construct granted for facilities representing 1.228 million barrels per day of planned capacity of which only three are currently under active construction, with a total expected capacity of 47,000bpd, including Waltersmith’s Train 2 expansion of 5,000bpd.

    No doubt, a lot of progress has been made. Dangote Refinery, and indeed a few modular refineries, are up and running. Even at that, more than four years after the Petroleum Industry Act, leading operators continue to hint at some lacunas requiring further fine-tuning. A particularly sticky issue that keeps popping up is the issue of crude supply to the local refiners. This is probably the best time, if any, for the government to address them permanently.

    The challenge for the government is to ensure that the various factors impeding the optimal utilisation of the existing refineries are removed to enable the local refineries enjoy the full benefit of being wholly Nigerian entities.

    To us, however, the biggest challenge by far is for the government to push for an early completion of those refineries under construction to boost the overall domestic refining capacity.

  • Dangote’s homily

    Dangote’s homily

    •Words of reason for misdirected prosperity

    Africa’s richest man and ace industrialist Aliko Dangote has admonished wealthy Nigerians against wasteful consumerism. He advised them to channel funds spent on luxury cars and private jets into establishing industries that can create employment opportunities and drive sustainable economic growth.

    Dangote decried extravagant living that benefits only the rich consumer, noting that Nigeria’s development hinges heavily on local investors ploughing their resources into the economy, not on foreign investors coming from offshore.

    Speaking with some journalists in Abuja as documented in a clip that circulated online, the mega investor voiced concern over what he described as an expanding culture of lavish spending among the elite. He warned that such priorities do little to address the country’s growing need for development. “If you have money to buy a Rolls-Royce, you should take that money and put up an industry in your locality or any part of the country where there is need,” the Dangote Group chairman enjoined.

    He said he was often troubled by the number of private jets he saw parked at Nigerian airports. “It pains me sometimes when I go to the local airport, whether here or in Lagos. You find a parking lot – everybody has a private jet. Those private jets could be in industries, creating jobs,” he stated.

    The mogul insinuated that the trend proliferated with the civilian era of Nigeria’s political history. “If you look at Nigerian policy before and during the military (era), everybody from the president downwards used Peugeot 504. That was the highest. So, when a president is using 504, you cannot come as a commoner, as a businessman or whoever you are, to be using Rolls-Royce,” he said.

    According to Dangote, national development requires a strong attention to manufacturing and agriculture, supported by a robust banking system. He also stressed the imperative of creating jobs. “Some people may not know the position of the country as we speak. Population growth is 8.7million babies every year. So, we need to deliver power, infrastructure, and other essentials,” he stated.

    Dangote further argued that the task of growing Nigeria’s economy is for local investors as no foreign investor would commit to the country without strong domestic participation. He, therefore, cautioned against over-reliance on foreign capital, insisting that domestic investors remain the key to unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential. He argued: “We should stop calling for foreign investors. No foreign investor will come here unless domestic investors are active. Good policies, good governance and rule of law will attract local investors, and foreign investors will follow to partner or establish their own operations.”

    He also stressed that industrialisation must be led by Nigerians: “We must industrialise our own country. Nobody will do it but us. Once we industrialise, foreigners will partner with us or invest in Nigeria. We must remove both real and perceived risks to investment.”

    The billionaire – in United States dollars – framed tax compliance as both a civic duty and a partnership with the government. He acknowledged that taxes are heavy, but insisted that businesses must yet fulfil their obligations. “When you have a company, the number one shareholder is the government. We need an enabling environment from the government, and as corporate citizens, we must pay our taxes. I cannot cheat my partner. If I pay tax, children can go to school and hospitals can function. The government has huge demands, and we must do our part,” he admonished.

    Dangote stands on solid ground. He is by no means of modest means: Africa’s richest man, with recent estimated net worth of $30.6billion as of November 3, 2025, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, and $26.2billion according to Forbes. He could easily afford idle luxuries that catch his fancy. But he is rather an investor with mammoth commitments in refinery, cement and sugar businesses, among others.

    His refinery, at 650,000-barrel-per-day capacity, is currently the seventh-largest refinery globally but the world’s largest single-train refinery. With proposed expansion to 1.4million barrels per day, it promises to become the world’s largest refinery overall in due course.

    Dangote Group is estimated to have a combined workforce of nearly 200,000 and is often cited as the second-largest employer in Nigeria after the Federal Government.

    So, the mogul should know what he was talking about. And he spoke against a backdrop of the Nigeria market’s reputation for lavish luxuries. Although the exact real-time figure is in flux, Nigeria has a significant private jet ownership profile that makes the country the leading African market for private aviation. According to reports, the number of private aircraft operating in Nigeria as of 2024 ranged between 150 and 160 jets, owned by politicians, tycoons, celebrities and other private personalities, including religious leaders. Meanwhile, governing authorities have often complained about owners of many of these jets defaulting on statutory fees, with some converting their private facility to illegal charter operations.

    Read Also: Akinnadewo urges Christian, Nigerian leaders to deepen humanitarian efforts

    Likewise, Nigeria is Africa’s biggest market for Rolls-Royce (RR), with estimates putting the number of units operated in the country at about 230 as of early 2025. And this figure is reported to be trending upwards, owing to growing demand from wealthy individuals and celebrities. The fact that Rolls-Royce has a dedicated franchise in Nigeria, with a team of expatriates managing the after-sales service department, illustrates the premium the manufacturers place on the country.

    The catch is that for many of these owners, the luxury machine is a trophy item that only serves the purpose of exhibition as status symbol, not an all-season utility facility. The dilapidated condition of the Nigerian road network and security considerations complicate the picture. 

    Idle consumerism rather than investment would hamper the development of any society. And so, it helped that Dangote called attention to this reality of our nationhood lest anyone pretended not to be aware.

    The unhealthy trend is, indeed, a function of economic illiteracy of deep purses: a syndrome described as ‘money miss road’ in street lingo.  It also betrays shallow vanity on the part of persons involved as opposed to deep reflection on posterity and legacy that typically underpins national growth. Besides, the trend is largely informed by a self-centred rapacity for acquisition to gratify cheap ego, whereas it is higher order reasoning that is more society-focused that propels nationhood.

    Part of the problem is a warped societal value system that celebrates unexplained wealth above modest returns from honest labour. Society must, thus, reorientate its value system from celebrating lavish wealth to honouring diligent enterprise.

    Meanwhile, it won’t be out of place to impose high vanity tax on idle consumerism. That is what is done in many developed countries. At least, society can derive some benefit from the lavish taste of deep purses.

  • Education upgrade

    Education upgrade

    All stakeholders must recognise that improved funding remains essential for growth

    Citing chronic underfunding relative to the problems plaguing the sector as the critical challenge of education in Nigeria, critics have persistently pointed out that budgetary allocations to education by the federal and state governments over the years have always fallen far short of the 26 per cent recommended by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

    Such failure to meet the ideal set by the UN organisation may be true but does not indicate an insensitivity by successive governments to the need to properly fund education as a necessary condition for meeting the country’s developmental objectives.

    Despite the fiscal constraints making it impossible to meet the appropriate levels of funding required by diverse sectors including education, for instance, the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, recently pointed out that the President Bola Tinubu administration has significantly raised the budgetary allocation to education over the last two years.

    Speaking at the 2025 Nigeria Education Forum (NEF) organised by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education and other stakeholders in the sector, Shettima stated that allocations to education in annual budgets rose from N1.54 trillion in 2023 to N3.52 trillion in 2025.

    He gave specific examples of areas impacted by this increased funding through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the newly established National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). To enable more Nigerians access tertiary education, the NELFUND has disbursed over N86.3 billion as loans for tuition fees and monthly upkeep allowances to over 450,000 students spanning 218 institutions. Through the UBEC, the sum of N92.4 billion has been allocated in this period to facilitate state-level grants, teacher training and community development projects in 25 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In the same vein, the budgetary allocation to TETFUND now stands at N1.6 trillion having grown from N320.3 billion in 2023 to N683.4 billion in 2024.

    READ ALSO: Benin Republic demons

    Reinforcing the submission of the Vice President, Chairman of the NGF and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq stated that state authorities have recorded significant improvements in this regard.  His words: “Across the states… we are seeing a promising shift. States spent N1 trillion, that is, 12 percent of their total expenditure on education in 2022. In 2023, N1.6 trillion was provided for in the budgets of the states for education. In 2024, states committed N2.4 trillion for education.”

    Continuing, AbdulRazaq noted that “in 2025, state governments collectively increased education budgets by 53 percent, from N2.4 trillion to N3.6 trillion driven largely by a 69 percent rise in capital allocations.” 

    Shettima hit the nail on the head when he stressed that, despite the substantially increased government investments in education, the funding gaps in the sector remain too huge for the government alone to bridge. He cited the alarming number of millions of out-of-school children in the country, which he rightly noted has become a national emergency needing urgent reversal.

    This aptly illustrates the continued funding crisis in education which obviously cannot mop up an additional near-18 million out-of-school children when the larger number of those currently in school are inadequately catered for.

    One reason the substantial increase in funding is not having the desired impact in terms of  qualitative infrastructure, including well-equipped libraries and laboratories, decent classrooms and hostels and a dignifying environment across the various levels of education, is the sheer number of school children to be provided for. This is a natural function of the country’s large population of over 230 million people, which ought to be an asset with the requisite investment in developing human potential.

    World Bank data indicate, for instance, that the country had about 30 million primary school pupils as at 2021 while the records of the UBEC indicate that the number had risen to an estimated 45 million by 2023. World Bank statistics showed that the number of junior and senior secondary school students grew from about 8.5 million in the 2018/19 academic year to 13.9 million as of 2021.

    According to estimates of the National Universities Commission (NUC), there were approximately 1.8 million undergraduates in Nigerian universities in the 2018/19 academic year; and by 2022, there were about 2.1 million students enrolled in the country’s universities with the majority in the public universities. There would naturally be considerable increases in these numbers now.

    Such a large number of school children would require consistent and continuous investment in school infrastructure at all levels over the years. Unfortunately, a huge deficit has been allowed to accrue in this regard over the years and a country just gradually emerging from a severe and protracted economic crisis cannot minimise the resources to fill the gap at the requisite speed.

    The number of students requiring education also raises questions about the adequate number and quality of teachers to meet this need at different levels. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data shows that the number of registered primary school teachers rose from 1,408,511 in 2020 to 1,445,480 in 2021 and to 1,469,528 in 2022. The records of the National Teachers Institute (NTI) put the number of registered secondary school teachers at 546,681 in 2020, 573,670 in 2021 and 590,261 in 2022. The number of tertiary institutions’ teachers was put at 24,538 and 29,075 in 2021 and 2022.

    It is obvious that humongous amounts must be budgeted for recruiting the required numbers of additional teachers to provide for healthy teacher-student ratios at all levels while also ensuring constant training and re-training of both new and older staff to ensure qualitative teaching.

    Another crucial issue is that of adequate remuneration of teachers to enable the necessary motivation and commitment on the part of this critical section of the workforce. When teachers are demotivated due to poor salaries and allowances and little attention is paid to other welfare packages such as decent accommodation, affordable healthcare and transportation subsidy, the result is low self-esteem, decline in productivity with the children as the most negatively affected. Public tertiary institutions are the ones most hard hit in this regard with the resultant incessant strikes of academic and non-academic staff over welfare issues as well as the consequent frequent disruption of academic calendars to the detriment of students and parents.

    No less critical is the need for the provision of funds for the constant review, modernisation and upgrading of curricular to ensure that the content of education meets the needs of a constantly changing and ever increasingly competitive, globalised world.

    This is why we agree with the Vice President that building a resilient education system requires co-investment from the private sector, industry leaders, alumni associations and communities. 

    It has also become evident that the budget for the education sector must have its own security component as the safety of children, teachers and school infrastructure has become a key factor in many terror-prone parts of the country.

    The establishment of the Nigeria Education Forum demonstrates an awareness of the seriousness of the problem and the body should be properly funded and effectively and innovatively managed to play a lead role in coordinating stakeholders towards finding solutions.

  • Modern dirt

    Modern dirt

    • Lagos State’s plan to decommission dumpsites is laudable, but…

    Landfills have always served as plagues in a modern city, seen for a long time as inconveniences that cannot be avoided.

    Not anymore. That is what is informing the decision of the Lagos State government to begin the decommissioning of two major landfills in the metropolis.

    “Conversations around the future of the Olusosun and Solous 3 sites have featured consistently at various levels, including meetings with the governor and deliberations at the Executive Council,” announced the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab.

    These two landfills have been eyesores to the residents for long. When they were commissioned, they sat away from the epicentre of activity. It was seen as an acceptable nuisance. The city grew into them a long time ago, and they have posed dangers to health and safety, as well as the aesthetics of a modern environment.

    It is a constant scene of scavengers who are seen there foraging for “diamonds in the rough,” a stark metaphor of urban poverty and desperation.

    Because of the piles of death, they emit odours that engender discomfort. More importantly, they spread germs and viruses into the air and lungs of locals. That means a constant visit to hospitals for those who live and work in the vicinity. This is a cost to manpower and welfare of citizens.

    Occasionally they have to be burned and this sends fumes that compromise clean air quality and discolour the environment, depositing unwanted toxins, which is one of the industrial society’s complaints about encroachment in the ozone layer.

    Read Also: Ex-NDLEA directors pledge support for Marwa on drug war

    The locations of these sites have created traffic problems with the parking of trucks. “This place is clean, and we must maintain order. The alternative exit route previously used will also be reconsidered to ease traffic flow until the full decommissioning is completed,” Wahab said.

    “It has become necessary for us to come here and conduct a physical assessment, especially as we prepare to open new landfill locations in Badagry, Ikorodu, and Epe,” he added.

    The proposed new sites are regarded as out of the city centre, but so were the present ones now set for decommissioning. Part of the reason is the ballooning population of Nigeria’s biggest city. Lagos continues to welcome new settlers every day, and that has an implication for more waste. This will task the facilities and especially the imaginations of policy makers.

    “Part of our agreement is that once operations begin at the material recovery facility, the decommissioning and capping of the Olusosun site will start immediately, following global standards,” he explained. 

    Global standards call for new technologies. The commissioner has promised that the new landfills will not be as stark as the old. “Only a very small fraction of the waste stream will eventually reach the landfill,” he assured. “The new facilities will operate with modern safeguards to prevent the problems of the past.”

    Whatever the vision of the government, it should be a well-calibrated decision, including a waste-to-wealth programme. The commissioner said decommissioning the landfills will be done with a private firm, known as Zoom Lion, and that suggests that a lot of thought is going into it.

    Eighteen months is not a long time, but the sooner the better. The great danger is the number of citizens who must have suffered from and still grapple with the fumes and dirt of the landfills.

    Lagos generates 6,500 tonnes of waste a day; according to the Lagos State government, Olusosun gets 2,500 a day and Solous III accommodates 1,500 a day. It is modern dirt, and it requires a modern solution.

  • Adult conspiracy

    Adult conspiracy

    • A 13-year-old girl at the centre of a child marriage in Enugu deserves justice

    For 13-year-old Amarachi of Amufie village in Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, the state government has saved her from what would have been a traumatic future as a child-bride. She was recently rescued through the power of social media, after an alleged whistle-blower posted details of her illegal marriage, which quickly went viral.

    The outrage expressed online about this ill-fated marriage to a 30-year-old man prompted the state government, through the Commissioner for Gender, Women and Children Affairs, Ngozi Eni, to order the arrest of the parents of the bride and groom, the groom and the alleged match-maker who is described as a native doctor, one Mrs Patience.

    We commend the state government for acting expeditiously to rescue the girl from this adult conspiracy. We are, however, outraged that this obnoxious act of marrying out a minor to a 30-year-old man was justified by the groom’s mother who said he is her only son.

    According to the Child Rights Act signed by Nigeria and many other UN member countries, a child is defined as anyone younger than 18 years of age. The law protects children’s rights across Nigeria. Every child has rights that must not be violated: rights to life, basic education, freedom of religion. The law prohibits child marriage, child labour, any form of discrimination, harm and exploitation. 

    The fact that Amarachi has no basic education must be interrogated because education at the basic level is free. Why did the parents not put her in school? Already, Nigeria has a huge number of out-of-school children, possibly one of the highest in the world. The parents must be held accountable for such negligence. We commend the state government, which will henceforth take care of her. 

    We recognise that it is a national issue.  Child marriage, especially in the Northern region, is a developmental problem and UN agencies and other development agencies across the world have all been pointing to the serious effects of child marriage on national development. Child marriage is generally seen as one of the road blocks to development in any country that allows it.

    Child marriage stunts the development of girls. They miss out on education in a 21st century world where technology and ideas rule. Countries that value human development set age limits below which a girl should not be forced or coerced into marriage. When there are child marriages, distortions to reproductive systems occur, for instance.

    Read Also: Rivers Assembly faults Fubara’s claims on peace meeting

    Many diseases and disabilities afflict child brides if they survive. Nigeria has the world’s highest victims of Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) and most of the victims are child brides. Many child brides develop cervical cancer and psychological trauma because of experiences they are forced into. In most cases, there are no healthcare facilities to handle these problems which often result in the victims being abandoned to suffer while the so-called male partners go on to marry more child brides and the cycle continues.

    While we commend the Enugu State government for weighing in, annulling the marriage and arresting the perpetrators of this illegality, we must point out that implementation and accountability make laws functional. Gender development issues lack the requisite attention from governments. Child marriages and illiteracy across the country are not treated as priorities by all tiers of government.

    The Amarachi case is a mere metaphor for what many girls go through in the country. Many rape and incest cases are often handled poorly by law enforcement agencies who often persuade victims to go and settle as ‘family matters.’

    Being signatories and domesticating laws, UN Treaties and Acts are good but countries and states must ensure strict implementation. That is the only deterrent. Addressing single case issues cannot solve problems like child marriage and other issues that affect girl child development. The case in view is child marriage but the education ministry is silent on the fact that a 13-year-old is completely illiterate.

    We expect that all aspects of this illegality will be addressed to deter future perpetrators.

  • Under the jackboot

    Under the jackboot

    •A new wave of military coups is spreading in West Africa

    For the ninth time, a coup or coup attempt has berthed in Guinea Bissau. As Nigeria’s former President Goodluck Jonathan who headed a mission to observe the country’s election last month observed, what emerged appeared to be a ceremonial coup arranged by President Umaro Emballo who was reluctant to relinquish power to the winner. The opposition appeared to have won, and President Jonathan called on the umpires to release the result.

    As the Nigerian former leader said, the results were available to all observers and could have been declared by the election commission if it so chose. The coup leader was the head of the presidential guard who had always professed his loyalty to the deposed President.

    The international community has a duty to assist the growth of democracy in the country by ensuring that the people’s will prevails. If this is done, it will bolster the confidence of Guineans in democracy, faith in the ballot box would be rekindled, and future putchists would be deterred. Already, the junta has published a 12-month transition plan that ousts the right of the military leader installed on November 26 from contesting for the office at the expiration of the period. Not many people in the former Portuguese colony and outside trust Major General Horta Inta-a and his men to keep to the pledges in the 29-item charter of transition.

    Unfortunately, the West Africa sub region has become a belt of military coup leadership. At a time when the world believed that military coup has become unfashionable, it has been reintroduced to the West African political space. In 2023, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso brought back military dictatorship in the guise of the civilians being too soft on rebels who have wreaked havoc in their countries. The fallout, when the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) insisted that the tanks should be rolled back into the barracks, was that they pulled out from the sub regional body. Today, the three have formed the Alliance of Sahel States. This is to the advantage of neither ECOWAS nor the Allies.

    While ECOWAS was still grappling with the split and the development in Guinea Bissau, the attempted coup last Sunday in Benin Republic reared its head. It took the intervention of Nigeria to put out the fire. Yet, it has left its tell tale and the tame response that could come from ECOWAS and the African Union is not enough to assure anyone that no other country could travel the infamous path.

    The countries violently showed disregard for the ECOWAS protocols and apparently dared the body to do its worst. The formation of a standby force may not be enough to do the job given the level of insecurity in the region. It is time that countries of the region began to do serious peer review with a view to getting democracy entrenched in the area. This is one thing that would help the people trust their governments and serve as the bulwark against military adventurists.

    Under no circumstances should the world powers be encouraged to dig into the countries of the region again. The centuries of colonial plundering of resources are largely responsible for the underdevelopment of countries of the South. Recent events have shown that they have the intention of returning for the solid minerals while at the same time promoting discord and conflicts. As founding fathers of progressive Africa such as Kwame Nkrumah and Patrice Lumumba championed, the future of Africa lies in the rise of patriots in the political leadership. Unless this is done, Africans will remain hewers of wood and drawers of water in the international system. Young ideologues in the guise of military messiahs are not the way to look. Elected leaders owe the people the task of strengthening institutions and sanitising the electoral system.

    Read Also: Niger Delta powers Nigeria but suffers neglect, stakeholders warn

    The starting point is to insist that the adventurists, presumed to be backed by the ousted President of Guinea Bissau, should be pushed out. The lame excuse that the results were destroyed in the wake of the coup is unacceptable. All multilateral organisations, especially those represented in the country to monitor the election should insist that the minimum acceptable condition is that the winner of the election be sworn in even if he has to form a broad coalition.

    It’s about 50 years that Murtala Muhammed came up with the ‘Africa has come of age’ speech. It appears that the continent has regressed since then economically and politically. Without unity of purpose, there may be no way forward.

    Nigeria remains the giant of Africa, having intervened to save Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia, among others. It will continue to play its role, but it must be secured at home, too. When political leaders are partisan in their assessment of every issue, when the national interest is not distilled and accepted as the way to go as is the situation in the developed word, it will be difficult to help the region.

    All eyes should be on the future now. But the present is the pathway to the future.Africa remains at the bottom of the development ladder of the world. By all indices, Africa remains far from others, and military rule is one of the reasons for this. All the current leaders should realise that they have a duty to pull the continent out of the woods. China and Japan have directly or indirectly impacted Asia. Today, Singapore, South Korea and other Asian Tigers are far ahead of all African States. Brazil in Latin America is pulling its weight and they have all put the possibility of military coups far behind them. Africa must follow suit.

  • All for all

    All for all

    • Present Tinubu’s security measures call for the cooperation of all citizens

    Almost immediately after President Donald Trump’s threat, early in November, to stop aid, impose sanctions and possibly order military intervention in Nigeria to dislodge Islamic terrorists and check alleged Christian genocide in the country, there was a spike in violent insurgent activities in a number of states across the country. These included abduction of school children in Kebbi and Niger States as well as worshippers in a church in Eruku, Kwara State; kidnap of travelers and other citizens in parts of Kogi State and the killing of General Musa Uba, Commander of the 25 Task Force Brigade in Damboa, Borno State, following the ambush of his troops by terrorists while on a reconnaissance patrol.

    It is difficult to dismiss the perception that the increase in the tempo of onslaughts against innocent citizens by bandits and terrorists was deliberately ochestrated to goad the American leader into carrying out his threat to attack Nigeria. The enemies of a peaceful, stable and cohesive Nigeria obviously anticipate that any unilateral external military action against terrorism in Nigeria will most likely have irreversible disastrous consequences including the destabilization and disintegration of the country.

    Instructively, however, even before the threat by Trump, President Bola Tinubu had undertaken a major reshuffling of the country’s military high command with the appointment of new Service Chiefs for the armed forces who were given marching orders to intensify and decisively defeat all forms of insurgency including terrorism, banditry and herdsmen violence. It is commendable that the President has since followed this up by declaring a national security emergency to contain the deteriorating situation and given specific directives on actions to be taken to restore normalcy and safety throughout Nigeria.

    From all indications, right wing American politicians, including President Trump, have realized that they were probably misled by disaffected Nigerian lobby groups into believing that there is ongoing Christian genocide in the country. Thus, the current preoccupation with high security level cooperation and coordination by both countries to counter the protracted multifaceted insurgency in Nigeria that has indiscriminately targeted people of diverse faiths, ethnicities, ages and genders.

    Yet, the truth is that if the Nigerian State had,  over the last one and a half decades that the insurgency has lasted, lived up to its primary responsibility of protecting the lives and property of its citizenry, there would have been no basis for Trump’s threat of external military intervention. President Tinubu’s national security emergency measures indicate a determination to act decisively to address the insecurity challenges at the roots and it is important that all stakeholders across levels of government and partisan political divides as well as in civil society work in concert to ensure success in this regard.

    Read Also: NAF: why our aircraft made precautionary landing in Burkina Faso

    The stamp of authority given by the President for the establishment of State Police, a cardinal feature of the emergency measures, will help accelerate the process of enabling sub-national units to establish their own police outfits. From sustained opposition to the idea of State Police in substantial parts of the country for a long time, a consensus has over time been reached that it is a structural change in our security architecture that has become imperative. All 36 State governors as well as key socio-cultural groups across the six geo-political zones have since endorsed the concept.

    President Tinubu’s succinct and explicit call on the National Assembly “to begin reviewing our laws to allow states that require state police to establish them” should help break the inexplicable inertia that had stalled the much needed decentralization of our policing system. The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is insufficiently manned to effectively secure a polity the size of Nigeria. Consequently, large swathes of land throughout the country have no security presence and are ungoverned spaces taken over by destabilizing non-state actors.

    We do not anticipate that any state government will be averse to establishing its own police outfit. After all, sub-national units of government now recieve substantially higher allocations from the Federation Account following the administration’s fiscal reforms. And the necessity of setting up and funding State police outfits should also compel State governors to more judiciously and productively utilize their security votes.

    Besides, in a complex plural, federal polity like ours, the ideal is for states to control police outfits recruited from local jurisdictions who are familiar with the peculiarities of their respective areas including the languages and cultures of the people as well as the geographical terrain. This will enhance operational efficiency and efficacy. We expect that the laws enabling State Police will provide sufficient checks and balances as well as operational guidelines to prevent the kind of abuses of native authority police by the regional governments of the First Republic. The over 11,500 men already withdrawn from providing security cover to Very Important Personalities (VIPs) will also boost police manpower while also creating opportunities for enterprising persons to set up qualitative, well regulated private security companies.

    Equally welcome is the authorization granted the NPF to recruit an additional 20, 000 men thus bringing the total of fresh incoming personnel to 50,000. It is important that the upgrade and modernization of Police training schools in the country earlier ordered by the President be expedited to allow for qualitative training of the new intakes. We also call on the police authorities to avoid blunders witnessed during such exercises in the past when new personnel were recruited with no provisions made for their accommodation for long periods.

    Another key component of the emergency security measures is the President’s directive to the Department of State Services (DSS) to “immediately deploy all the forest guards already trained to flush out the terrorists and bandits lurking in our forest”. The activation of the forest security architecture will address a critical source of danger to lives and property in the country. It is estimated that the country has a total of 1,129 gazetted forest reserves in addition to eight national parks as well as several game reserves and sanctuaries.

    Most of these have been virtually abandoned thus enabling undesirable elements including non-Nigerians to take over these spaces and run what can be described as autonomous communities in these forests. It is from the forests that terrorists and bandits emerge in most cases to attack communities and highways and where they retreat with their kidnap victims. Clearing the forests of criminals and ensuring effective continued security presence in those spaces will eliminate the vacuum exploited by terrorists and bandits to destabilize the country and snuff out innocent lives.

    The activities of bandits, terrorists and other undesirable elements in the forests including illegal land clearing and unauthorized timber logging have also compounded the very serious problem of massive deforestation in the country with devastating consequences. These, according to experts, include  loss of biodiversity, exacerbated soil erosion, water scarcity, altered local climate and disruption of livelihoods for forest-dependent communities. Nigeria must urgently take ownership of the security and governance of her forest spaces.

    We urge President Tinubu to set up a coordinating committee to oversee the implementation of the various emergency measures as well as give specific timelines for the attainment of specified targets.