Tag: Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured residents of Borno State and Nigerians nationwide that the Federal Government remains resolute in its duty to protect lives and property, following the bomb explosion at Gamboru Market in Maiduguri on Wednesday.

Shettima, who visited survivors of the attack receiving treatment at the Muhammadu Buhari Trauma Centre on Friday, conveyed the sympathy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government to the victims.

Speaking in Maiduguri after meeting the injured, Senator Shettima described the attack as senseless violence and reaffirmed the Federal Government’s determination to end insecurity in Borno State and across the country.

“We are here on behalf of the President to sympathise with the victims and to reassure the good people of Borno State and indeed the entire nation, that the government remains unwavering in its commitment to secure the lives and property of our citizens,” the Vice President said.

According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications Office of the Vice President, Shettima added “by the grace of God, this madness will soon be brought to an end.”

Visibly moved by the condition of those on admission, the Vice President also commended Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, for his sustained efforts in addressing security and humanitarian challenges in the state, assuring that the Federal Government would continue to strengthen collaboration with the state to achieve lasting peace.

“The Governor of Borno has been working round the clock to complement the efforts of the Federal Government. I sincerely appreciate his commitment,” VP Shettima said.

Emphasising national unity in the face of adversity, he added: “Most importantly, we are united in victory as well as in challenges. We are one nation, tied to a common destiny.”

Briefing the Vice President during the visit, the Chief Medical Director of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital disclosed that 14 patients were admitted following the blast, with one patient dying shortly after arrival.

According to him, seven victims remain on admission, including one in critical condition at the intensive care unit, while five others have been treated and discharged.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to sustained reforms in the power sector as the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) marked its 20th anniversary.

Speaking at the anniversary celebration held at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja, Shettima acknowledged NDPHC’s contributions to national development over the past two decades.

He described the enactment of the Electricity Act 2023 as a defining turning point for Nigeria’s power sector and for NDPHC, noting that the legislation provides clearer legal authority, enhanced commercial credibility and a stronger institutional footing for the company to compete, partner and grow in a more open and dynamic energy market.

In a statement signed by NDPHC’s Head of Corporate Communications and External Relations, Emmanuel Ojor, and obtained by The Nation, the Vice President, who also chairs the company’s board, said the milestone presents an opportunity for institutional evolution.

According to him, the board is repositioning NDPHC from an integration-driven entity to a commercially disciplined and market-focused enterprise, while remaining faithful to its national mandate.

He added that the board has prioritised extracting greater value from existing assets, strengthening contracts and market participation, ensuring governance-led commercialisation, managing risks responsibly and investing in human capital.

“As Chairman, I wish to state unequivocally that the board remains fully committed to its responsibilities. We will continue to provide strategic direction, uphold the highest standards of governance, support management in taking sound and accountable decisions, protect shareholder value on behalf of the Nigerian people, and keep NDPHC aligned with national energy and development goals,” he said.

The Vice President also commended President Bola Tinubu for restoring investor confidence in the power sector.

“In a time when the power sector required not just policy but results, Mr President has been a magician working not with illusion, but with discipline and reform. He has restored confidence in the sector and created the conditions for institutions such as NDPHC to thrive,” Shettima added.

Earlier, Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, underscored NDPHC’s critical role in the nation’s economy over the past 20 years, describing the company as a key pillar in expanding and safeguarding Nigeria’s electricity generation capacity.

He said through the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), NDPHC has developed generation plants and associated value-chain infrastructure across the country, creating one of the largest portfolios of government-backed power assets in Africa.

“Whether you work in the field restoring turbines, in control rooms ensuring dispatch, in procurement securing parts and services, or in offices shaping policy and stakeholder engagement, your contributions are evident in the plants operating today and the lives benefiting from improved electricity supply,” Adelabu said.

The minister disclosed that NDPHC has recently restored 345 megawatts of generation capacity to the national grid, including 120MW from Omotosho NIPP, 112.5MW from Benin NIPP, and 112.5MW from Ihovbor (Geregu/Talata) NIPP.

He also highlighted the company’s implementation of the “Light Up Nigeria” project, aimed at boosting industrialisation and delivering reliable electricity to industrial clusters nationwide.

“These achievements are part of the gains from the broader reforms under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to improve reliability, expand access, and attract investments in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Adelabu said.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Dr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, has commended the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Engr. Jennifer Adighije, describing her performance as outstanding within the short period she has assumed leadership of the company.

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“I was thrilled to see that we have a wonderful woman appointed into office who is performing exceptionally well. I came here to appreciate the Managing Director, Engr. Jennifer Adighije, for the remarkable work she has done,” Ekpo said.

He emphasised that aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda remains paramount, noting that sustainable power supply is fundamental to national development.

“Without power, there can be no industrialisation, and our homes cannot function optimally. Listening to her presentation and the improvements that have taken place in the power sector, I am confident that Nigeria is headed in the right direction,” he added.

Ekpo also commended the leadership at the board level, stating, “I appreciate her and her team. This commendation also goes to the Vice-President, who is providing strong leadership at the board level.”

In her opening remarks, NDPHC Managing Director, Jennifer Adighije, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s energy infrastructure and supporting national development.

She said beyond power generation, NDPHC has successfully executed projects across the transmission and distribution segments of the electricity value chain.

“In the transmission segment alone, we have added over 9,000 MVA of installed transformer capacity, rolled out transmission substations, line-bay extensions, and constructed hundreds of kilometres of transmission lines across the country,” she said.

Adighije noted that under her leadership, NDPHC is adopting a customer-centric approach and leveraging the Electricity Act to deepen strategic collaborations with bilateral partners, eligible customers, regional partners under the West African Power Pool, and other market participants.

She further disclosed that with the approval of President Tinubu and the Minister of Power, NDPHC has approached the bond market under the power sector refinancing plan to raise capital to defray government indebtedness to power generation companies. 

According to her, the initiative is expected to be a game changer for Nigeria’s power sector.

Vice President Kashim Shettima is representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as West African leaders are converging in Abuja for the 68th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), amid mounting political, security and economic pressures across the sub-region.

The high-level summit is holding at the State House Conference Centre, Presidential Villa, Abuja, and is bringing together heads of state and government, senior officials of the regional bloc and key stakeholders to deliberate on the future of regional integration, peace and stability in West Africa.

Vice President Shettima formally welcomed the leaders on behalf of President Tinubu, who is host of the summit. 

Also in attendance are the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, and the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government and President of Sierra Leone, Dr Julius Maada Bio, who is presiding over the deliberations.

Present are President Julius Bio of Sierra Leone who chairs the ECOWAS, President Patrice Talon (Benin), José Maria Neves (Cabo Verde), Alassane Ouattara (Côte d’Ivoire), Adama Barrow (The Gambia), John Mahama (Ghana), Umaro Embaló (Guinea-Bissau), Joseph Boakai (Liberia), Bassirou Faye (Senegal), and Faure Gnassingbé (Togo). 

Leaders from countries including Ghana, Sierra Leone and The Gambia are already in Abuja for the ongoing deliberations.

The 68th Ordinary Session is focusing on pressing political, economic and security challenges confronting the sub-region, as ECOWAS is seeking to reinforce regional unity, strengthen democratic governance and deepen economic integration among its member states.

Key items on the agenda are including a special debate on the future of the ECOWAS community, reflecting growing concerns over unity, institutional resilience and the bloc’s capacity to respond effectively to emerging threats. 

Leaders are also considering the 2025 Annual Report on the State of the Community, reviewing reports on regional security and mediation efforts, receiving updates on Guinea’s political transition, and assessing the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) aimed at boosting intra-regional trade.

The summit is taking place against the backdrop of recent security developments in the Republic of Benin, where authorities announced the foiling of an attempted coup, once again raising concerns over unconstitutional changes of government in West Africa.

Details shortly…

• FG bars CPs, permanent secretaries from courses

Vice President Kashim Shettima has reaffirmed the commitment of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remodel the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) into a digitally driven, financially stable and globally recognised centre of excellence by the year 2030.

Shettima gave the assurance on Saturday in Kuru, Plateau State, while representing the President at the graduation ceremony of participants of the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 47 of the institute. He described the transformation of NIPSS as central to the Federal Government’s broader agenda of strengthening evidence-based policymaking and leadership development in Nigeria.

According to the Vice President, the Tinubu administration regards NIPSS as the nation’s most strategic platform for nurturing thinkers, reformers and innovators, as well as a crucible where ideas that shape policy, guide reforms and influence national development are forged.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima quoted President Tinubu as being unequivocal in his support for NIPSS’ reform agenda, particularly its ambition to emerge as a globally respected policy and strategic research institution by 2030.

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He stressed that Federal Government support for the institute would go beyond funding and infrastructure to ensuring that its research outputs are practical and directly integrated into national decision-making.

“Our support must therefore go beyond funding, infrastructure and a conducive research environment. It must ensure that NIPSS produces implementation-ready policy papers and that its outputs are fully integrated into national decision-making and execution frameworks,” Shettima said.

In a major policy shift, the Vice President disclosed that the Federal Government has stopped the participation of Commissioners of Police and Permanent Secretaries in NIPSS courses, citing limited post-graduation service years as a constraint to policy application.

“Hitherto, we were admitting Commissioners of Police and Permanent Secretaries for policy research courses at NIPSS, but six months after graduation they are retired after going through such rigorous exercise and acquiring so much knowledge. If this is not madness, I need to be told the meaning of madness,” he said.

He explained that admission has now been restricted to officers in the ranks of Deputy Commissioners of Police and Deputy Directors in the civil service, who have longer service years to apply the knowledge gained.

“For SEC 47 and subsequent courses, Mr President has approved minimum entry requirements to deputy cadres. This should usher in a more vibrant academic atmosphere and greater policy impact,” Shettima added.

Commending the theme of the course, “Blue Economy and Sustainable Economic Development in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities,” the Vice President described it as timely, noting its relevance to national development, security, environmental sustainability and social inclusion.

He said the participants’ research on the maritime domain underscored the interconnection between security, livelihoods, food security, environmental protection and national cohesion, assuring that relevant ministries, departments and agencies have been directed to study the report for immediate and long-term policy application.

“Graduands of SEC 47, your responsibility begins now. You are expected to rise above routine administration and become agents of transformation,” he charged, describing NIPSS as a true national asset whose value lies in translating knowledge into policy, policy into action and action into measurable national progress.

Earlier, the Director-General of NIPSS, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, said the course theme was assigned by President Tinubu at the inauguration of SEC 47, challenging participants to critically examine Nigeria’s marine assets, national competitiveness and environmental sustainability.

He said the study had attracted commendation from the Presidency for its insights into ports modernisation, fisheries governance, maritime security, renewable energy potential, coastal resilience and private sector innovation, adding that its recommendations would continue to inform national policy as Nigeria intensifies efforts to diversify its economy.

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, congratulated the graduands on attaining the “mni” status, commending them for successfully completing the rigorous research process and urging them to deploy their knowledge as solution providers to Nigeria’s development challenges. He also praised the Federal Government for sustaining a peaceful environment in Kuru that allows NIPSS to function effectively.

Chairman of the NIPSS Board, Senator Ken Nnamani, urged authorities at all levels of government to adopt and implement research outputs from the institute, expressing confidence in the Tinubu administration’s commitment to research-driven governance.

Goodwill messages were delivered by the President of the NIPSS Alumni Association, Ambassador Emmanuel Okafor, and the Monitor-General of SEC 47, Col. Mukhtar Sani Daroda, who pledged the graduands’ continued service to the nation.

Highlights of the ceremony included the presentation of certificates by the Vice President, induction of the graduands into the NIPSS Alumni Association, and the inauguration of four units of two-bedroom apartments donated to the institute by SEC 47 participants.

Meanwhile, Shettima also interacted with strawberry farmers in Plateau State, reiterating the Federal Government’s resolve to transform Nigeria’s agricultural value chain in line with President Tinubu’s development agenda.

• …seeks new push to lift West Africa’s human capital

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday inaugurated the Aliko Dangote Foundation Education Scholarship Initiative in Lagos, describing it as a monumental boost to Nigeria’s education sector and a lifeline for West Africa’s declining human capital profile.

The launch also marked the unveiling of a ₦100 billion annual education support programme by the Aliko Dangote Foundation, an ambitious ten-year commitment worth ₦1 trillion, aimed at expanding access to quality learning and strengthening education delivery nationwide.

Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urged stakeholders across public and private sectors to recommit to building an inclusive system where every Nigerian child has “a fair shot at becoming the best version of themselves.”

Praising Dangote’s philanthropic vision, the Vice President said education remains a burden shouldered by those who understand its power to transform lives and societies.

According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said, “Now is the time to recommit to building a future in which every Nigerian child has a fair shot at becoming the best version of themselves.

“Posterity must remember us not for the offices we held or the titles we bore, but for the doors we opened and the lives we transformed,” the statement said.

Shettima warned that West Africa’s position as the region with the world’s lowest Human Capital Index demands urgent corrective measures.

“A youthful population is a global asset only when it is educated. Without education, it becomes a threat to itself and to the nation that houses it,” he cautioned.

The Vice President said the Tinubu administration’s bold reforms, such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), strengthened UBEC operations, expanded TETFund interventions, scaled-up technical and vocational education, and the mainstreaming of digital learning, were designed to close longstanding systemic gaps.

“We must treat education as a survival strategy. This is why our administration treats the National Human Capital Development Programme as a national emergency,” he added.

Describing Aliko Dangote as a national asset whose philanthropy is “structural, generational and visionary,” Shettima said the business magnate has become “the most consequential private investor in the rescue of our most critical sector—education.”

Dangote told the gathering that the ₦100 billion annual education support initiative would operate a transparent, merit-based selection system.

He also announced partnerships with NELFUND, NECO, WAEC, and other agencies to guarantee accountability and performance.

The industrialist disclosed that he has committed 25 percent of his personal wealth to the foundation—an endowment he said would extend beyond his lifetime.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, hailed the scheme as one of the most comprehensive human-capital development programmes in Nigeria’s history, noting that 25 percent of all scholarship slots would go to persons living with disabilities.

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, commended the initiative, saying expanded opportunities, especially in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), would open new pathways for millions of young Nigerians. She emphasised that investment in girls’ education remains one of the most powerful drivers of societal progress.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who spoke on behalf of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, lauded Dangote for redefining philanthropy and pledged state-level collaboration.

He said Lagos has already allocated 10 percent of its 2026 budget to the education sector.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, and the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage (rtd), also offered goodwill messages, with Justice Bage, who chairs the foundation’s steering committee, assuring Nigerians of strict oversight and long-term results.

A highlight of the event was the unveiling of the Vision 2030 logo symbolising the foundation’s decade-long, billion-dollar commitment to rebuilding Nigeria’s educational pipeline and strengthening human capital development across the country.

The launch drew senior government officials, development partners, traditional rulers, and private-sector leaders, underscoring what many described as a watershed moment for Nigeria’s education landscape.

• Minister seeks more synergy between federal, sub-national govts

Vice President Kashim Shettima and the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, have urged relevant stakeholders to evolve new ways of diversifying sources of funds for the education sector.

They noted that with the growing complexity and demands of modern education systems, it is no longer sustainable to rely solely on government’s funding.

Shettima and AbdulRazaq spoke yesterday in Abuja at the opening session of to the maiden edition of the Nigeria Education Forum (NEF 2025) organised by the NGF, the Federal Ministry of Education (FME), the Committee of States’ Commissioners of Education in Nigeria (COSCEN) and other partners.

The Vice President, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, said: “The country can no longer depend exclusively on traditional models of government-only funding.

“There is no doubt that we must transition towards a system that is collaborative, innovative, and resilient.”

Highlighting the current administration’s efforts to raise funding for the sector, the Vice President noted that in the past three years, “this administration has shown clear and steady commitment to education financing”.

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He added: “Allocations rose from N1.54 trillion in 2023 to N2.18 trillion in 2024, and now to N3.52 trillion in 2025 under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope plan.

“This growth reflects our belief that education is the foundation of national stability, progress, and prosperity. We strengthened this investment through key agencies.”

Shettima listed some challenges currently plaguing the education sector. These, he said, include the rising population of out-of-school children, inadequate infrastructure ill-equipped teachers.

“Our needs have grown from classrooms to laboratories, from basic literacy to digital competence, from theoretical instruction to industry-aligned skills.

“These needs demand a diversified and sustainable financing model, one robust enough to carry the aspirations of a new generation,” he said.

Shettima stressed that Nigeria cannot rely solely on the government’s funding of the sector.

He added: “We must enlist private sector actors, industry leaders, alumni networks, philanthropists, and communities to co-invest in laboratories, research centres, vocational hubs, innovation clusters, and endowment funds.

“Since education begins in the community, local governments and traditional institutions must take responsibility for infrastructure development, school maintenance, security, and teacher welfare.

“Industry must work closely with tertiary and vocational institutions to shape curricula that reflect real labour-market needs.

“Our universities, in turn, must cultivate a sustainable endowment culture, mobilise alumni support, and establish professorial chairs that strengthen academic excellence and global competitiveness.”

The Vice President said the sector requires sustained collaboration among all stakeholders to address its challenges.

He added: “Through sustained financing, shared responsibility, and meaningful collaboration between town and gown, we can reshape the educational landscape of Nigeria and prepare our young people for a world defined by innovation and skills.

“So, I call upon every stakeholder here today to commit to this shared vision of sustainable education financing and impact at scale.”

AbdulRazaq, who is also the Governor of Kwara State, said the event, with the theme: “Pathways to Sustainable Education Financing: Developing a Synergy Between the Town and Gown in Nigeria,” aimed to reimagine education financing and strengthen town-and-gown collaboration for national and sub-national sustainable development.

Represented by NGF’s Director General, Abdulateef Shittu, Governor AbdulRazaq described the NEF 2025 as “both a national conversation and a national commitment to rethink how to engage stakeholders on education financing, deliver learning, and equip Nigerian youths for a rapidly evolving world”.

The Kwara governor acknowledged the challenge of inadequate budgetary allocations to the education sector.

But he noted that while most states have improved in their allocations to the education sector, they have faltered at the level of project execution.

He added: “We are projecting two-thirds of the states to meet the 15 per cent global benchmark in the 2026 fiscal year.

“We are hopeful of addressing the debt servicing challenge, which exceeds total education expenditure in some states.

“This reality limits the capacity of a few states to invest in teachers, improve foundational learning, modernise Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and strengthen higher education systems.

“However, modalities have been put in place to address these critical needs of the education sector at the state and local government levels.”

To move forward, the NGF Chairman said: “We must close the financing and execution gaps, and modernise teaching, learning, and skills acquisition in the school system.

“We must strengthen accountability for results and deepen partnerships across governments, academia, industry, and development institutions, including agencies under the Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and subnational governments and ensure that every Nigerian child, regardless of circumstance, can thrive in the 21st-century knowledge economy.”

The Minister of Education, Dr. Morufu Alausa, stressed the need for states and local governments to align their educational policies with that of the Federal Government.

Represented by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, the minister urged all governors, commissioners, and other stakeholders to accelerate alignment of state education reforms with Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) priorities.

He also urged them to build more junior secondary schools (JSS) and senior secondary schools (SSS) to close access gaps; strengthen data reporting for full Nigerian Education Data Initiative (NEDI) integration.

The minister also urged the governors and education commissioners to scale up teacher training and digital adoption, as well as partner with the private sector to grow Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and the Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM).

• VP warns: out-of-school children now ‘national emergency’

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria’s education budget rose from N1.54 trillion to N3.52 trillion in 2025 under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The upward swing is in tandem with the current administration’s renewed national commitment to human capital development.

Shettima spoke yesterday at the opening of this year’s edition of the Nigeria Education Forum in Abuja.

The Vice President warned that the growing number of out-of-school children now poses “a national emergency” to the country.

In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice President called for urgent partnership between government and private-sector stakeholders to reverse the trend.

Represented by the Special Adviser to the President on General Duties, also in the Office of the Vice President, Aliu Umar, Senator Shettima noted that the sharp increase in funding demonstrated the administration’s resolve to build an enlightened and globally competitive population.

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“Nothing threatens a civilisation more than an uneducated generation. Nations rise when the people, regardless of circumstance, are equipped with the knowledge to imagine a better future and the skills to build it,” he said.

The annual forum, organised by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF)  in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education and the Committee of States’ Commissioners of Education, focused on “Pathways to Sustainable Education Financing: Developing a Synergy Between Town and Gown in Nigeria.”

Shettima argued that Nigeria has reached a critical “inflexion point,” noting that traditional government-only funding models can no longer sustain Nigeria’s national education needs.

“The burden cannot rest on government alone. We must enlist private sector actors, industry leaders, alumni networks, philanthropists, and communities to co-invest in laboratories, research centres, vocational hubs, innovation clusters, and endowment funds,” he stated.

According to the Vice President, several education agencies have recorded historic budget increases under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He noted that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) budget rose from N320.3 billion in 2023 to N683.4 billion in 2024 and now stands at N1.6 trillion in 2025.

He added that the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has distributed N92.4 billion in matching grants to 25 states and the FCT, while N19 billion has gone into teacher development programmes in 32 states and the capital. Over N1.5 billion, he said, has supported more than 1,147 communities.

The newly established Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), created under the Students Loan Act of 2024, has already disbursed ₦86.3 billion to more than 450,000 students across 218 tertiary institutions.

“This Fund signals a new era where no Nigerian is denied tertiary education for lack of money,” Shettima said, insisting that lasting solutions to Nigeria’s learning crisis depend on safe, well-equipped schools and adequately trained and supported teachers.

The Vice President urged stronger collaboration among federal, state, and local governments, stressing prompt counterpart funding, transparent resource utilisation and strict adherence to agreed action plans.

“Since education begins in the community, local governments and traditional institutions must take responsibility for infrastructure development, school maintenance, security, and teacher welfare.

“We are here today because we do not treat education as just a line item in the national budget. We treat it as the foundation of our national identity, the engine of our economic transformation, and the shield of our collective security,” Shettima said.