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FOI Act: How journalists struggle to access public information in Kwara
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FOI Act: How journalists struggle to access public information in Kwara

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By Usman Aliyu

When Peace Oladipo, a Nigerian freelance journalist, sent a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Kwara Ministry of Justice in mid-2024, she did not expect to be stonewalled.

Oladipo was investigating the case of an abandoned courthouse in Afon, Asa Local Government Area of the state, where funds had reportedly been allocated but the building was still in disrepair.

Peace Oladipo’s letter of FOI request

Seeking accountability, she asked for records of disbursements and implementation; however, her request was rejected.

The ministry, through a letter signed by one of its Principal Counsels, B. O. Banigbe, responded that the FOI Act 2011 upon which the request was made, did not apply in the state and more so, the ministry was not aware of the mentioned projects.

The rejection of Oladipo’s FOI request highlights a troubling and general gap in transparency and accountability in some states, where authorities continue to cite the non-domestication of the Freedom of Information Act as a basis for denying access to public records.

The response stifled a key part of Oladipo’s investigation and was forced to restructure her story; this denial left a lasting impression, which was not just about an abandoned courthouse, but about a broken public trust.

“I could not trace the contractor; I could not confirm if the allocated funds were enough, misused, or mismanaged. The absence of that data made it impossible to hold the right actors accountable.

“I could not even identify who to hold accountable; was it the contractor, the accountant or the ministry?  Without access to basic financial records, I was left chasing shadows,” she said.

Letter of FOI request rejection by the Kwara Government

Oladipo’s experience is not an isolated case; Dare Akogun, a multimedia journalist with Sobi FM in Ilorin, faced similar hurdles in 2020 while probing school renovations across the state. Akogun’s request, aimed at uncovering contract processes and budget details, was rejected on the same grounds.

“The government said FOI is not domesticated in Kwara,” he explained.

Fortunately, Akogun later obtained documents from civil society organisations, and physical site visits, which allowed him to complete the story.

In a turn of events, he said the government, however, released some of the initially requested information to respond to his publication, about a month after the FoI request was declined, a belated, but an indirect validation of his findings.

For Adisa Jaji Azeez of Informant247, the consequences were more stifling.

In July 2021, he sought the report of the Justice Adewara-led panel investigating mismanagement of local government funds; the government replied only once, saying the request was awaiting the governor’s approval.

Four years later, he has yet to receive any further communication.

“The prolonged silence stalled my investigation entirely; without access to the panel’s report, I couldn’t obtain the evidence to substantiate the claims central to my story. As a result, I couldn’t proceed with the report,” Azeez said.

Reply to Adisa-Jaji Azeez’s letter

However, Yemi Sodiq, an investigative journalist, also, with Informant247, shared a mixed experience with the requests made to the state ministries.

While the Ministry of Communications responded to inquiries about the Ilorin Visual Arts Centre, the Ministry of Energy ignored requests concerning the multimillion-naira failed Light Up-Kwara project, initiated by the immediate past government under former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

“The request to the Ministry of Energy bothered on the multimillion-naira Light Up Kwara project; the project was awarded by the administration of Abdulfatah Ahmed, which ended in 2019.

“But when approached about the project in 2023, the Kwara Commissioner for Energy, Mr Abdulganiyu Abdulazeez, asked The Informant247 to write an inquiry letter through the ministry’s press secretary.

“About two weeks after submitting the letter, the press secretary contacted The Informant247 through a WhatsApp call, saying the commissioner said he couldn’t grant an interview on the subject of the letter because he just came on board.

Letter of rejection to Hammad’s FOI request

“Meanwhile, as of the time of responding, the commissioner had spent over a month in the office,” he said.

Similarly, a freelance journalist, Abdulrasheed Hammad, faced bureaucratic delays and eventual denial when seeking details on COVID-19 funds disbursed to Kwara in Nov. 2020.

Hammad approached the state Ministry of Finance and Planning with the letter initiated by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), requesting for information about the N1 billion shares of the state as well as another N100 Million from the REDISS (World Bank) programme disbursed as Covid-19 support for the state.

When the reporter returned to the ministry on Dec. 3, 2020, he was handed a letter, which contained “the Freedom of Information Act has not been domesticated in Kwara.

Olarewaju Kikelomo, who signed the letter on behalf of the commissioner, said the legal input of the state’s ministry of justice indicated that the FOIA did not have an automatic application to states, and concluded that the document for the details on how Covid-19 fund was spent could not be released.

Meanwhile, as of the time, there were two conflicting Court of Appeal judgments on the matter.

While the Benin division of the court ruled that the Act did not apply to states, its Akure counterpart averred that the applicability of the FoI Act 2011 was to all states of the federation.

According to the FOI Act 2011, any Nigerian can request access to public records by submitting a written application—either by hand, post, email, or other official means—to a government agency or public institution.

The request, the Act stipulates, must clearly describe the information sought and include the requester’s contact details, with reason for the request required.

Upon receipt, the institution is legally obliged to respond within seven working days, either by granting access, issuing a denial with reasons, or transferring the request to the appropriate agency.

The Act allows for an extension of up to 10 days if third-party information is involved. While there are no application fees, institutions may charge for reproducing documents.

If a request is denied, the applicant has the right to seek redress through the courts, as provided under Section 20 of the Act.

Guidelines for FOI request according to the Act

Nonetheless, an online report as of 2023 indicates that only 91 out of approximately 800 public institutions (about 11.4 per cent) have complied with the FOI Act by submitting annual reports to the Attorney General of the Federation, as mandated by Section 29 of the Act.

According to the report, some of the institutions that are non-compliant with the Act include, the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) now Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA); Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Radiographers Registration Council, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In the same vein, The 2024 FOI Compliance Report, following the assessment of 245 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) under the Federal Government shows that only 1.22 per cent were fully proactive in disclosing information, 6.94 per cent were partially proactive, and a significant 91.84 per cent were non-proactive.

The assessment report explained that the MDAs were assessed based on three main criteria: proactive disclosure, responsiveness to information requests, and the overall level of information disclosure.

These three parameters accounted for 100 points—60 points for proactive disclosure, 20 points for responsiveness, and 20 points for the level of disclosure.

Though the data of FOI compliance by state agencies is unavailable, the rate of disregard for this law is not so much different from the federal agencies, according to the journalists interviewed.

The importance of access to information cannot be overstated.

According to Prof. Abdullateef Alagbonsi, Founder and Coordinator, Elites Network for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD), without access to information, citizens cannot hold governments accountable for public spending, contracts, and policy decisions.

As such, he said, lack of transparency could lead to corruption and mismanagement of public funds.

ENetSuD, one of the few Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Kwara, has written several FoI requests without success.

The coordinator explained, “ENetSuD is not just advocating for access to information; we are actively requesting and tracking how public funds are used in Kwara.

“We have written over 200 FOI requests to MDAs in Kwara and followed up with lawsuits where necessary; despite repeated rejections on the grounds that the FOI Act has not been domesticated in Kwara, we remain undeterred.”

Alagbonsi recalled that though the organisation entered into a social audit agreement with the state government under which it was allowed to track and assess many projects; the agreement, he noted, did not work for long before it collapsed.

“We also use physical inspections, citizen feedback, and social audits to verify the implementation of projects; this strategy has exposed several abandoned and substandard projects. But we are still hampered by lack of transparency and cooperation from government offices,” he said.

Meanwhile, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights understands the importance of access to information. Article 19 of the declaration guarantees everyone’s right to freedom of opinion and expression.

This right, the article notes, includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

This is also corroborated in Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. Stemming from these understandings, the National Assembly in 2011, enacted the FOI Act, aimed to promote transparency by granting citizens, including journalists, the right to access public records. However, its implementation at the state level has been contentious.

Some states argued that the Act required domestication to be enforceable within their jurisdictions.  This stance has led to inconsistent application across Nigeria.

Of the 36 states in the country, available records show only Delta, Ekiti and Lagos have passed the law.

In Kwara, the FOI Bill was passed by the outgoing 8th Assembly on May 30, 2019, and transmitted the bill to Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, who just assumed office, a day earlier, for assent.

The governor, however, returned the bill to the 9th Assembly for some amendments.

In a letter read by the Speaker, Danladi Salihu, at plenary on July 23, 2019, the governor requested for minor amendments to sections 4, 5(1), 6 and 10 before his assent to the bill.

The governor, who commended the bill’s potential to boost transparency, accountability, and proper record-keeping in the letter, however, recommended extension of response window from seven to fourteen days in Sections 4, 5(1), and 6.

He also called for stiffer penalties under Section 10, suggesting an increase in the fine from N100,000 to N500,000 while retaining the two-year jail term.

However, this provision contradicts the section 7(5) and 10 of the 2011 FOI act. The law originally prescribes N500, 000 fines against government officials who wrongfully deny access to public information, and one year jail term for any public officer who wilfully destroys public information.

The Speaker referred the bill to the House Committee on Information, Youth, Sport, Culture & Tourism chaired by Awolola Ayokunle and its Committee on Ethics, Privileges & Judiciary to initiate the amendment requested by the governor.

But six years later, the committee did not take any action on the bill, which led to its permanent death in the KWHA.

All efforts to get the speaker to explain the reason for abandoning the bill proved abortive.

Alagbonsi, who led ENetSuD on several advocacy visits to the state parliament, bemoaned the action of the lawmakers.

Backing the concerns raised by ENetSuD’s founder, renowned human rights lawyer and FOI expert, President Aigbokhan, said the persistent denial of access to information poses a grave threat to good governance, particularly at the state level, where resistance to the implementation of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2011 remained entrenched.

Aigbokhan, who led the landmark legal battle against the Edo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (EDOSACA) after it rejected a legitimate FOI request by civil society groups, said such refusals not only flouted the law but also set a dangerous precedent that no right-thinking society should tolerate.

“When public institutions slam the door on citizens seeking information, what they’re really doing is shutting out accountability; it creates a culture of secrecy and impunity that cripples democracy at its core.”

He warned that unless access to public records was treated as a civic right and not a privilege, the struggle for transparency and people-driven governance would continue to face setbacks.

In the recent landmark judgment however, the Supreme Court affirmed that the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act passed by the National Assembly in 2011 applies to all 36 states of the federation, regardless of domestication.

The verdict has been widely celebrated as a turning point in Nigeria’s transparency journey.

Described as “historic and transformational”, Alagbonsi said the verdict ended years of legislative and executive stonewalling.

“No public institution in any state, including Kwara, can now claim immunity from FOI compliance.”

He hailed the ruling as a decisive victory for transparency and participatory governance.

However, just as civil society groups and journalists prepared to test compliance with the ruling, the governor forwarded a fresh FOI bill to the State House of Assembly on May 14.

Surprisingly, Section 31 (1-2) of the bill stipulates that, “Notwithstanding any provision of this law, no information shall be made available to any applicant without the prior consent of the Governor in writing.

“No one acting pursuant to this Law shall be liable in any way if non compliance with sections 4, 5 or 6 is due to delay in the Governor granting his consent.”

This development raised eyebrows, with many viewing it as a strategic attempt to dilute or delay the application of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Salihu announced the receipt of the bill titled Kwara State Freedom of Information Bill 2025 during plenary on May 13 and subsequently referred it to the House Committee on Business and Rules for scheduling.

Reacting to this move, prominent human rights lawyer Aigbokhan called it “misplaced, unnecessary,” and a wasted effort, arguing that the supreme court had already clarified the legal position.

“The judgment explicitly states that where the National Assembly enacts a law on a matter in the concurrent list, any state law on the same matter is null and void.

“This new bill is redundant and may only serve to undermine compliance,” he said.

Interestingly, the state assembly on May 21 passed the bill within seven days of its introduction, in what observers described as the fastest legislative consideration of the 10th Assembly, notwithstanding the outright rejection of the contentious Section 31 by the majority of the stakeholders at the public hearing.

Dare Akogun, as a journalist who had been a victim of FOI request rejection in the state, described the passage as an attempt to muzzle transparency, claiming that Section 31 had defeated the very essence of the FOI Act.

“It places a political gatekeeper between citizens and the information they have a legal right to access. It could also slow down or outrightly block access to data as it affects public expenditure, government contracts, and even environmental or health-related concerns,” he said.

For Aigbokhan, he cautioned journalists and CSOs not to challenge the exercise, but rather to make requests to the state government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) based on the FOI Act 2011 and not the state law.

If the requests are refused, the FOI lawyer said, the head of the MDA could be charged for contempt of court or sued under the FOI Act 2011.

Meanwhile, to test the judgment of the apex court, ENetSuD on April 29 initiated FOI requests to eight MDAs in the state.

The MDAs were the Ministries of Works; Health; Energy; Business, Innovation, and Technology; Agriculture; Water Resources; as well as the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB); and the Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP).

Lanre Osho, ENetSuD’s Deputy Coordinator (Projects Tracking), said the MDAs executed physical projects; hence they were asked to provide yearly information on the list of executed projects.

Other information requested, he said, included the amount annually budgeted for each project; the actual amount released for each project; the detailed information of the contractors the projects were awarded to; and the exact amount released to each project contractor amongst others.

None of the MDAs responded at the deadline of the statutory seven day provided by the Act.

“It is worthy of note that none of the MDAs of the KWSG responded officially to ENetSuD’s FOl request, whether to grant access to the requested information or to decline access,” Osho said.

However, Alagbonsi insisted that his NGO would continue to send FOI requests to MDAs in the state under the 2011 Act, urging journalists, CSOs and individuals to disregard the law enacted by the state assembly.

“The judgment of the Supreme Court is very clear; when there are federal and state laws on the same matter, the federal law is subsisting and binding, and the state law will remain ineffective on the same matter to the extent of its inconsistency,” he said.

Similarly, Mr Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director, International Press Centre (IPC), said the action of the state government was inconsistent with the federal Act, which the apex court resolved, applied to all states.

Arogundade, a renowned journalist and FOI advocate, described the action of the government as not only unacceptable, null and void, but offensive.

“What is really offensive is the provision that only the Governor can give consent before information is released,” he said.

Arogundade said that the action of the government indicated that there would be no transparency in its dealings.

He, nonetheless, encouraged CSOs and journalists who might want to exercise their right under the FOI Act, to remain steadfast and know that they were on the right path.(NANFeatures)

***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.

This reporting was completed with the support of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, CJID.

Lagos State on course to achieving universal health coverage?
Features , Health

Lagos State on course to achieving universal health coverage?

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By Oluwafunke Ishola, News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)

 

In line with the global commitment toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Nigeria is pushing to ensure equitable access to high-quality and affordable health care for all citizens.

 

However, progress has been slow, evident in high out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, poor health insurance penetration and low national and subnational health budgets.

 

Nigeria has one of the highest rates of out-of-pocket healthcare spending in the world, with an estimated 77 per cent of healthcare expenses being paid directly by individuals, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

 

However, it is not only Nigeria, as the health agency submits the world is off track to make significant progress towards universal health coverage, a critical target of the Sustainable Development Goals of good health and well-being.

 

“This global pattern is consistent across all regions and the majority of countries.

 

“Protecting people from the financial consequences of paying for health services out of their own pockets reduces the risk that people will be pushed into poverty because the cost of needed services and treatments requires them to use up their life savings, sell assets, or borrow – destroying their futures and often those of their children.”

 

For a country as diverse and populous as Nigeria where citizens are grappling with a high cost of living, financial constraints and the rising cost of healthcare and medicines, paying out-of-pocket for healthcare services has become unaffordable that people now self-medicate, ignore symptoms, or pray it away.

 

Millions of Nigerians, particularly in rural and underserved communities, face challenges accessing healthcare due to systemic inequities and financial constraints.

 

The delay in seeking prompt medical treatment worsens the rate of morbidity and mortality among citizens.

 

To Nigerians, UHC is not just a goal—it is a lifeline.

 

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, while speaking on the achievement of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the health sector during its second anniversary, discloses that only 16 million Nigerians were enrolled in health insurance at the commencement of the administration in 2023.

 

“We’ve been able to expand enrollment in health insurance across our country.

 

“For almost 25 years of health insurance in Nigeria, there were 16 million enrollees when this administration came, literally, less than a million a year.

 

“But in two years of this administration, four million Nigerians have enrolled in the National Health Insurance Scheme.

 

“If we had been doing this for the past few years, Nigeria would have had more than 100 million enrollees.”

 

Pate explains that the government is reforming the health insurance scheme in collaboration with state health insurance authorities to ensure it reaches more Nigerians, especially vulnerable populations.

 

In Lagos State, the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), established in 2015, manages the state’s social health insurance tagged “Ilera Eko Scheme”.

 

It is designed to enhance access to effective, quality, and equitable healthcare services while providing financial protection from the cost of healthcare to all residents of the state.

 

Lagos State has an estimated population of 30 million residents, with a rapid annual population growth rate of six to eight per cent, placing a significant demand on its health system, requiring smart, scalable, and resilient solutions.

 

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, while giving an update on the second anniversary of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office, explains that currently, only five per cent of Lagos residents are enrolled in the state’s social health insurance.

 

Abayomi highlights a 30-year bold plan to improve the number of enrollees from five per cent to 90 per cent.

 

Acknowledging the importance of increased budgetary allocation from the current 8 per cent to 15 per cent target supported by dynamic reallocations throughout the fiscal year to attain universal health coverage.

 

The Ilera Eko health insurance scheme offers various plans with different price points for individuals and families, giving access to private and public hospitals statewide.

 

It covers 80 per cent of hospital needs including consultations, treatment for common diseases, maternal care, chronic disease management, and surgeries, among others.

 

In a bold move to bolster health insurance coverage, Gov. Sanwo-Olu in July 2024, had signed an Executive Order for the compulsory subscription to the state’s social health insurance by all residents, employers, and workers in the state.

 

Moving forward, the government has disclosed plans to commence the full enforcement of mandatory health insurance for all residents by the third quarter of 2025.

 

At present, about 1.3 million residents are enrolled in LASHMA’s Ilera Eko health insurance.

 

The Permanent Secretary of LASHMA, Dr Emmanuella Zamba, emphasises the importance of strengthening public awareness, affirming LASHMA’s commitment to reinforce the message that health insurance is not a privilege, but a necessity.

 

“We are committed to making sure that every Lagosian understands the importance of social health insurance and the fact that it is now a mandatory requirement,” she says.

 

Zamba highlights the agency’s strategic initiatives to expand participation in the Ilera Eko Health Insurance scheme to include the “ILERA ‘N TIWA Cooperative, designed to integrate the informal sector into the health insurance ecosystem.

 

She also explains that the initiative provides flexible payment plans for artisans, traders, and low-income earners, ensuring they are not excluded from healthcare services, mentioning the Ilera Eko Academy, an initiative aimed at training a larger sales force to boost public awareness and drive enrollment.

 

The Permanent Secretary notes that LASHMA has expanded its registration options to improve accessibility.

 

These include physical enrollment centres across Lagos, designated community pharmacies, USSD registration, and an online portal.

 

“The agency also achieved the rollout of an equity fund that guarantees healthcare access for over 300,000 vulnerable residents.

 

“The equity fund, supported by one per cent of Lagos State’s consolidated revenue, has set a benchmark as a first-line charge, ensuring funds are consistently available for vulnerable groups.”

 

On the affordability of social health insurance, Zamba states that the enrollment costs are N15,000 per individual, N55,000 for a family of four, and N80,000 for a family of six.

 

An enrollee, Mrs Funke James, says she received free treatment for a severe cough infection and medications worth over N80,000 under the scheme.

 

“My daughter also had a Caesarean Section without paying a dime. I am truly grateful to the government,” she said.

 

Similarly, Mrs Hassan Balikis, commends the initiative, recounting how she benefitted from three free medical tests after falling ill.

 

“I didn’t realise the extent of the benefits until I needed them. This programme is truly a lifesaver,” she remarked.

 

In spite of the laudable initiative of the government expressed by its commitment to improving health indices and the quality of care in Lagos State, the Ilera Eko still faces issues of long waiting times, low enrollment, and service accessibility, among others, as lamented by some enrollees and Civil Societies Organisations.

 

Agreeable, Lagos State has exhibited a strong political will and made commendable progress, but there is much more to be done in providing equitable, affordable and accessible healthcare services that ensure no one is left behind. (NANFeatures)

 

 

 

*****If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.

Nigeria’s economy: A new lease of life under Tinubu
Features

Nigeria’s economy: A new lease of life under Tinubu

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By Salif Atojoko, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

When President Bola Tinubu’s administration clocked two years on May 29, he prided himself as having re-engineered the country’s economy and restored it to the part of recovery.

The President said that from the outset, his cardinal objectives, encapsulated in the Renewed Hope Agenda, were to tackle economic instability, improve security nationwide, reduce corruption, reform governance and lift Nigerians out of poverty.

The President gave himself a pass mark, proclaiming, “We have stabilised our economy and are now better positioned for growth and prepared to withstand global shocks.

“Inflation has begun to ease, with rice prices and other staples declining; the oil and gas sector is recovering; rig counts are up by over 400 per cent in 2025 compared to 2021, and over 8 billion dollars in new investments have been committed.

“In 2025, we remain on track with our fiscal targets; gross proceeds per barrel from crude oil are broadly aligned with our forecasts as we intensify our efforts to ramp up production.”

According to him, the country’s fiscal deficit has narrowed sharply from 5.4 per cent of GDP in 2023 to 3.0 per cent in 2024.

“We achieved this through improved revenue generation and greater transparency in government finances; in the first quarter of this year, we recorded more than N6 trillion in revenue.

“We have discontinued Ways & Means financing, which has been a major contributor to high and sticky inflation.

“The NNPC, no longer burdened by unsustainable fuel subsidies, is now a net contributor to the Federation Account; we are also achieving fuel supply security through local refining.”

He was emphatic that the country’s debt position was improving.

“While foreign exchange revaluation pushed our debt-to-GDP ratio to around 53 per cent, our debt service-to-revenue ratio dropped from nearly 100 per cent in 2022 to under 40 per cent by 2024.

“We paid off our IMF obligations and grew our net external reserves by almost 500 per cent from 4 billion dollars in 2023 to over 23 billion dollars by the end of 2024.

“Thanks to our reforms, state revenue increased by over N6 trillion in 2024, ensuring that subnational governments can reduce their debt burden, meet salaries and pension obligations on a timely basis, and invest more in critical infrastructure and human capital development.”

Perhaps, that is just a snippet of the broad assessment by the President of the achievements of his administration.

Experts, home and abroad share his view that the dark days are truly behind, and that Nigerians are beginning to look ahead into the future with optimism.

Indeed, this optimism resonates across the globe, with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) both acknowledging that the Tinubu administration has within a space of two years restored the country to the path of growth.

For instance, the World Bank projects that Nigeria’s economy will grow by 3.6 per cent in 2025, building on a 3.4 per cent growth in 2024, attributing the growth to macroeconomic reforms that are stabilising the business environment.

As far back as November 2024, the IMF had stated that the reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration were working and producing the desired outcomes.

Kristalina Georgieva, the Managing Director of IMF, on the sidelines of the 2024 G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, commended Tinubu on the reforms introduced by his government.

The IMF boss noted that the reforms were very strong and very difficult to implement and was pleased that the government had been able to sustain them.

She had concluded that the reforms were effective and that the benefits were beginning to be felt by Nigerians.

Mr Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, at the World Bank/IMF 2025 Spring Meetings in Washington D.C., also affirmed that Nigeria was on the right track.

He said this affirmation came even before Fitch moved the credit rating of Nigeria from B minus to B, with a positive outlook.

The minister stated that the IMF also said Nigeria’s resilience, created by the macroeconomic reforms, had stabilised the economy, and that it enabled the country to cope with the introduction of reciprocal tariffs in America and the turbulence that it caused.

He added that at the World Bank annual meetings, many leading financiers, leaders, and multilateral institutions expressed support for Nigeria’s ongoing reforms.

Nigerians themselves are now aligning with the positive global assessment of the performance of the Tinubu administration at mid-term.

Dr Chinyere Almona, Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), agreed that Tinubu’s bold macroeconomic reforms had corrected long-standing structural distortions.

She noted that two years into the administration, Nigeria had undergone significant policy shifts—most notably, the removal of fuel subsidies, exchange rate liberalisation, and attempts to shore up public revenues through tax reforms.

Similarly, Mr Kola Adesina, the Managing Director of Sahara Group, hailed President Tinubu’s energy sector reforms, which he said had improved transparency, regulatory consistency and expanded investment opportunities.

He said Tinubu’s courage in removing the fuel subsidy and market distortions had enabled businesses and policymakers to plan more confidently and clearly.

“The energy sector today is stronger and more sustainable. We can now plan; the macro and micro elements are beginning to work together, and there’s strong potential for long-term benefits,” Adesina said.

The price of petrol, which rose to between N1,200 and N1, 400 in different locations across the country in the heady days of fuel subsidy removal, has reduced to between N875 and N890, with scarcity and queues at petrol stations becoming a thing of the past.

In the power sector, the Tinubu administration has resolved long-standing financial obligations, with payment of legacy debts, which will enable new investors to come in, and existing ones to deepen their investments.

The government’s energy transition, driven by a focus on natural gas and climate-conscious solutions, gas-to-power initiative, is gaining ground.

“CNG is now the order of the day – the President has made that a focal point; the carbon credit scheme is also expanding,” Adesina said.

He said the Tinubu administration’s efforts in the last two years represented a solid foundation for Nigeria’s future, and that the current energy landscape was anchored on reliability, accessibility and affordability.

One of Tinubu’s most impactful achievements is believed to be his bold tax reform.

By the end of 2024, the country’s tax-to-GDP ratio rose from 10 per cent to over 13.5 per cent, a remarkable leap in just one year.

Experts say this is a result of deliberate improvement in tax administration and policies designed to make the tax system fairer, more efficient and more growth-oriented.

They say the administration has eliminated the burden of multiple taxation, making it easier for small businesses to grow and join the formal economy.

The tax reform is said to be geared towards protecting low-income households and supporting workers by expanding their disposable income.

Essential goods and services such as food, education, and healthcare will now attract 0 per cent VAT. Rent, public transportation, and renewable energy will be fully exempted from VAT to reduce household costs further.

Another indication that the Nigerian economy has turned the corner, according to experts, is the robust performance of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), considered as the barometer with which the economy is measured.

Mr Omoniyi Akinsiju, the Chairman of the Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI), said almost all the companies that recorded losses in the first quarter of 2024 were back to profit-making, as shown in their respective first-quarter 2025 balance sheets.

He said the listed loss-making companies and others had witnessed a rebound, and did not just record profits, but impressive profit margins,

“This is a clear indication of the impact of the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms.”

Akinsiju also highlighted the country’s progress in economic diversification, noting that the policies deployed by the Tinubu administration increased Nigeria’s non-oil exports to 1.791 billion dollars in the first quarter of 2025, up 24.75 per cent from the same period last year.

“The Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) said that 197 products, including cocoa, fertiliser, cashew, and sesame seeds, were exported in the first quarter of 2025; this marks an increase from 162 products in the first quarter of 2024.

“The extension to this is the increase in regional exports to ECOWAS countries to 223.10 per cent, from 19.5 million dollars in Q1 2024 to 63.06 million dollars in Q1 2025, while intra-African trade reached 32.73 million dollars,” he said.

Dr Dele Alake, his Solid Minerals Development Minister, said Nigeria’s solid minerals sector attracted over 800 million dollars in processing projects in 2025.

Alake said the revenue generated was driven by the Tinubu administration’s new policy of local value addition and a tightened licensing regime.

The minister said the sector also generated over ₦38 billion in revenue in 2024, up from just ₦6 billion the previous year, despite receiving only 18 per cent of its ₦29 billion budgetary allocation.

In the area of security, amid the new security challenges, observers say the Tinubu administration has recorded some successes.

Just like Tinubu said in his statement to mark his administration’s second anniversary, the armed forces had restored order in some areas of the North-West hitherto under the control of bandits, reducing and eliminating threats to lives and livelihoods.

“With the success achieved, farmers are back tilling the land, and highways, hitherto dangerous for travellers, have become safer, the President said.

After two years in the saddle, it is stakeholders’ consensus that Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda has delivered tangible dividends and hope for a sustainable growth.(NANFeatures)

***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.

Tinubu: 2 years of combatting multifaceted security challenges
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Tinubu: 2 years of combatting multifaceted security challenges

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By Kayode Adebiyi, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

When President Bola Tinubu was sworn in two years ago, he made a firm commitment to prioritise security.

The president said security would be the top priority of his administration because neither prosperity nor justice could prevail amidst insecurity and violence.

“To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security doctrine and its architecture.

“We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number.

“We shall provide better training, equipment, pay, and firepower,” the president said.

Acknowledging that the fundamental responsibility of government is to protect the lives and property of its citizens, Tinubu’s administration activated critical measures towards upholding that responsibility.

National security also featured prominently in the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda, even before he became president.

According to the document, the president’s national security priorities are based on three major components: fighting terrorism and violent extremism, ending oil theft and illegal exploration of the country’s resources, and stamping out violent secessionist agitations.

Security experts say the persistent threats in Nigeria from groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were exacerbated by banditry and kidnapping, from criminals affiliated with these terrorist groups.

They hold the view that multi-level and cross-border synergy is required to curb the menace of terrorism.

Recently, Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno said his administration was collaborating with the Federal Government to combat insurgency in the state.

“We made a plea to the Federal Government, and I believe within the last couple of days, the Nigerian Armed Forces have taken certain decisions that will curtail the insurgency.

“Some plans are underway by the Federal Government, especially the establishment of forest guards; that will be a game-changer.

“The president has given me assurance that they will do everything to control the situation, and I believe the Federal Government will do something.

Zulum said he would not relent in his effort to strengthen the resilience of communities and get volunteers to complement the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“A few days ago I made a call that no local government shall be allowed to be taken over by Boko Haram or ISWAP members.

“So, I am calling on the Nigerian Armed Forces, the civilian authorities, and all those that are concerned to rise up to the occasion and defend our local government areas.

“I believe with the support of the Armed Forces, we will not leave a single local government to fall into the hands of the insurgents,”  Zulum said.

Worthy of mention, the Sahel, shared by 10 African countries, witnessed the highest number of terrorism-related deaths in 2022, underscoring the continent’s pivotal role in global counter-terrorism efforts.

According to the 2024 Global Terrorism Index, five out of the 10 most terrorised countries in the world – Burkina Faso, Mali, Somalia, Nigeria and Niger – are in Africa.

In 1994, Nigeria led the establishment of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to tackle trans-border armed banditry around the Lake Chad Basin.

The scope and operations of the MNJTF were broadened in 2015 to lead a new regional force against cross-border terrorists.

Apart from terrorism and violent extremism, Nigeria also grapples with mass abduction and kidnapping for ransom.

A 2024 SBM Intelligence report said Nigeria witnessed at least 735 mass abductions with 15,398 people abducted since 2019.

The report said 2024 alone saw at least 68 mass abductions, averaging about one per day, with a victim count exceeding the entire years of 2019 and 2020 combined.

There is also the challenge of violent secessionist agitations, which equally pose a threat to national security.

However, some security experts say, that in the last two years, there have been significant policy and strategy shifts that have shown progress.

“In the last two years, more than 8000 criminals–bandits, armed robbers, Boko Haram terrorists, and kidnappers–have been eliminated, and more than 10,000 Nigerians, primarily women and children, have been rescued from their abductors,” the presidency recently said.

According to government sources, 124,408 fighters of Boko Haram and ISWAP, along with their family members, surrendered to Nigerian forces and are undergoing rehabilitation through the government’s de-radicalisation and reintegration programme.

Not long ago, Nigerian military said that two Boko Haram Improvised Explosive Device (IED) experts, Abubakar Mohammed and Bana Modu, surrendered to the troops of the joint force.

Worthy of attention, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, said a recent high-level African counter-terrorism summit hosted by Nigeria was aimed at bolstering regional cooperation and devising African-led solutions.

The NSA said Nigeria’s successes within two years point to the need for greater investment in human and technical resources.

He said efforts had been intensified under the current administration, with significant investments in cybersecurity and counter-terrorism activities.

He listed the creation of the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre as part of the commitment to denying terrorist groups the use of Nigeria’s cyberspace.

The NSA also said in spite of past challenges in prosecuting terrorists, Nigeria is now strengthening law enforcement agencies and engaging communities through various programmes.

More so, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, announced at an event that 49 aircraft were expected within the next two years.

CAS also disclosed that in the past year alone, the NAF had flown an unprecedented 4,500 hours across 2,304 sorties, executing nearly 2,000 counterinsurgency missions.

In the area of economic security and protecting critical national infrastructure, the Nigerian Army recently announced that it shut down 19 illegal crude oil refineries in the Niger Delta region as part of nationwide efforts to curb petroleum theft.

Lt.-Col. Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, Ag. Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, said the operation resulted in the seizure of around 589,000 liters of refined petroleum products and the arrest of 20 suspects.

“Operations against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta continue with recorded successes,” he said.

The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, recently commended the government, stating that efforts to ramp up oil production have begun to yield significant results.

He said oil theft had reduced to as low as 5,000 barrels per day (bpd) at the end of the first quarter of 2024, from a high of up to 108,000 bpd in the first quarter of 2022.

“Whereas the production fluctuated around 1.5 million bpd, the sustained fight against oil theft has resulted in a steady increase in production; we were able to restore and sustain the production to 1.7 bpd.

“Efforts are ongoing to increase the production by one million bpd by December 2026,” Komolafe said.

On violent secessionist agitations, Ribadu recenlty explained to a gathering that insecurity in the South-East had reduced since Tinubu’s administration came on board, adding that it would get better.

He said that before Tinubu’s administration, 46 police stations were attacked in the region.

“Today, we do not have one single one; not a single person has been killed through violent attacks in the South-East.

“The leadership we have in our country does understand things a bit better; work more, talk less,” he said.

Though national security challenges persist, stakeholders are upbeat that by consolidating on the gains of the past two years, the multifaceted threats will be surmounted. (NANFeatures)

**If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.

Assessing HYPREP’s clean-up mandate in Ogoniland
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Assessing HYPREP’s clean-up mandate in Ogoniland

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By Abigael Joshua, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

For decades, the waters of Ogoniland in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta ran black with crude.

Rivers that once teemed with fish became lifeless.

Farmlands turned barren.

The air thickened with the stench of spilled oil, and for the people; many of them subsistence farmers and fishermen, the land ceased to provide.

Although oil production in the region halted in 1993, the scars left behind endured.

So too did the suffering, residents continued to fall ill from contaminated water, crops failed, and livelihoods vanished.

But today, more than 30 years on, a slow, painstaking effort to restore the land and heal the people is underway.

It is the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), a government initiative under the Federal Ministry of Environment.

While progress has been uneven and riddled with challenges, signs of recovery are beginning to emerge.

Historically, the story of Ogoniland is one of environmental injustice and political exclusion.

Between 1976 and 1991, more than 1,000 oil spills were recorded in the area, decimating ecosystems and displacing communities.

In response, the late Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) mobilised peaceful resistance, calling for environmental protection and local autonomy.

The federal response was brutal.

In 1995, Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists were executed by the military government, prompting international condemnation and Nigeria’s temporary suspension from the Commonwealth.

A decade and a half later, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) published its 2011 Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland.

The report was damning, hydrocarbons had penetrated the soil to depths of five metres, and some drinking water sources contained benzene (a known carcinogen) at levels 900 times above WHO guidelines.

UNEP recommended a 30-year, $1 billion clean-up, the most ambitious environmental remediation project ever proposed in Africa.

Since its formal launch, HYPREP has made some headway.

In several Ogoni communities, the provision of clean water infrastructure has replaced long-standing reliance on polluted sources.

According to official HYPREP data, more than 30 communities now benefit from potable water, reducing the incidence of cholera, diarrhoea, and other waterborne diseases.

Healthcare delivery has also seen incremental improvement.

In Buan, Khana Local Government Area, a newly commissioned cottage hospital is providing basic health services to residents for the first time in years.

In Tai, construction on the Ogoni Specialist Hospital is nearly complete, promising diagnostic, maternal, and emergency care.

Medical equipment from Germany’s Siemens Healthineers was recently delivered, accelerating plans for its operational launch.

“This isn’t just infrastructure, it’s symbolic,” said Dr Felicia Nkporo, a public health expert based in Port Harcourt.

“After years of neglect, people are finally seeing some investment in their health and wellbeing”.

Beyond bricks and mortar, HYPREP is investing in the people of Ogoni, especially its youth.

A raft of educational and vocational training programmes has seen more than 5,000 young people trained in diverse fields.

One hundred youths have completed aviation training; another 100 took part in a seafarers’ development scheme.

A postgraduate scholarship scheme supports students pursuing degrees in environmental engineering, public health, and sustainable agriculture.

For many, these opportunities represent more than just skills, they are lifelines.

“Cleaning the soil is important, but building capacity is critical, without local expertise, long-term sustainability is unlikely,” noted Dr Kelechi Onwubiko, an environmental consultant.

At the heart of the HYPREP initiative is land remediation.

Over 1,500 hectares have been designated for clean-up using methods such as bioremediation and soil washing.

So far, 16 of the 20 sites involved in the project’s first phase have been certified clean by Nigeria’s regulatory authorities and returned to host communities.

Stakeholders say environmental recovery is slow, but noticeable.

According to them, pilot crops planted on remediated land are beginning to thrive, offering hope to farmers.

In addition, shoreline protection and mangrove replanting, essential to restoring coastal biodiversity are underway.

The Bloody Cockles Project, for example, is helping revive traditional fishing practices once thought lost to pollution.

Notably, more than 2 million mangrove seedlings have been planted across 560 hectares, now referred as the world’s largest mangrove restoration effort.

This exercise has been led by 540 local youths and women, placing communities at the centre of restoration.

In Wiiyaakara, Khana LGA, and Nsisionke Ogale in Eleme, the newly established Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) is emerging as a knowledge hub.

Designed to foster home-grown research and innovation, CEER aims to train youths and women in environmental technologies while reducing conflict and creating employment.

“This centre is the future,” said a HYPREP official. “It will drive local solutions to global problems, beginning with pollution and ending with resilience”.

Meanwhile, the 132KVA Ogoni Power Project promises to transform livelihoods through reliable electricity.

For residents like Josephine Gbaranor, a textile dyer in Gokana, the development is long overdue.

“I spend thousands on fuel every month, steady power would change my life and allow me to hire others,” she noted.

Albeit these gains, the project has not been without controversy.

Civil society organisations, including the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), have raised concerns over delays, lack of transparency, and insufficient community engagement.

“There must be urgency, transparency, and inclusive decision-making,” said Godwin Uyi, CEHRD’s Programme Director.

“We must not replace the silence of oil companies with bureaucratic indifference”.

Environmentalists have also called for HYPREP to integrate climate adaptation strategies, arguing that sea-level rise and changing rainfall patterns pose new threats to already vulnerable communities.

Appointed in 2024, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, a respected marine ecologist and environmental advocate is now leading the project.

He has acknowledged past failings, including poor oversight and use of substandard contractors.

In response, contracts have been revoked, audit protocols strengthened, and quality control tightened.

Zabbey confirmed that HYPREP now undergoes annual independent audits and that UNEP’s exit from the project was procedural, not a sign of withdrawal or dissatisfaction.

According to Prof. Ahmed Salisu, a sustainable development expert at Ahmadu Bello University, what is unfolding in Ogoniland today is not merely a technical clean-up, but an attempt to right historic wrongs.

“It is about restoring dignity to dispossessed communities and transforming a region long synonymous with neglect into one defined by resilience.

“HYPREP is more than an environmental project, it is a moral reckoning, a national pledge to correct decades of injustice,” he said.

For Ogoniland, the journey to full recovery may yet take decades, but with each restored waterway, rehabilitated school, and empowered youth, a new narrative is beginning to take shape. (NANFeatures)

Wings of Pride: Celebrating Nigerian Air Force at 61
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Wings of Pride: Celebrating Nigerian Air Force at 61

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By Sumaila Ogbaje, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Since its establishment on April 18, 1963, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has played a vital role in defending Nigeria’s sovereignty, protecting its airspace, and contributing to regional stability.

By many accounts, the NAF has demonstrated remarkable commitment to its mission, with personnel displaying exceptional bravery, skill, and professionalism.

From counter-insurgency operations to humanitarian assistance, the NAF has consistently risen to the challenge, putting the nation’s interests above all else.

The NAF has played a crucial role in supporting ground troops in the fight against Boko Haram and other terrorist groups, and has also provided critical support during natural disasters, evacuating citizens and delivering aid to affected areas.

It has contributed to regional stability through its participation in peacekeeping missions and joint exercises with neighbouring countries.

As the NAF celebrates its 61st anniversary, it continues to modernise and adapt to emerging challenges.

The acquisition of new aircraft, upgrade of existing platforms, and investment in cutting-edge technology are some of the initiatives aimed at enhancing the NAF’s operational capabilities.

At the event commemorating NAF’s 61st anniversary, it showcased a lot of breakthroughs in platforms procurement and advancement in Research and Development (R&D) efforts as well as induction of the first batch of the newly acquired Agusta 109 Trekka Helicopters by President Bola Tinubu.

The president, who was represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, said he was very emphatic on assumption of office that security would be a top priority of his administration, as neither economic prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence.

He said the induction of the new combat helicopters marked another milestone in his unwavering commitment to strengthen the nation’s armed forces, particularly the Air Force towards a more secure Nigeria.

Tinubu said the acquisition was made alongside orders like the Diamond 62 Surveillance Aircraft, the T-129 Attack Helicopters, the King Air 360 aircraft, as well as others that will be delivered in the coming months.

“Let me use this opportunity to assure you all that my administration will continue to support the Nigerian Air Force and indeed other security agencies by giving due attention and priority to fleet modernisation as well as training and welfare of our men and women in uniform.

“As your commander-in-chief, I understand that a well-equipped military is essential not only for securing our nation but also for preserving our democracy.

“A democratically stable Nigeria is fundamental to our national progress and regional peace and the defence of democracy requires a military that is well-prepared, well-trained and well-equipped,’’ he said.

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, said the dynamic security landscape of the nation demands an agile, well-equipped and responsive air force capable of rapid deployment across multiple theatres.

He said the reality underscored the need for continuous investments in modern platforms to bolster the Nigerian Air Force’s capacity to deliver air power across all spectrums of warfare.

Abubakar said the successful acquisition of the Augusta Westland 109 Trekka helicopter was a significant leap in our modernisation efforts of the NAF.

The air chief said the helicopter was designed to operate in challenging environments, providing critical support to both military and civil operations, including disaster relief and humanitarian missions.

“By inducting this platform into the NAF, the service is further strengthening its multi-domain operational capability, making us more responsive and efficient in the protection of Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

“It is noteworthy that from 2024 to date, NAF has received a total of nine brand-new aircraft into its inventory, comprising four C-129 attack helicopters, three King Air 360 aircraft, as well as the two Agusta 109 trekker helicopters being inducted.”

Abubakar said the NAF was poised to receive 49 more aircraft within the next two years, in line with Mr President’s firm commitment towards Nigerian security.

He said the 49 aircraft being expected included 10 additional A-109S trekkers, 12 AH-1 Zulu attack helicopters, 24 M-346 attack and ground attack aircraft, and three Kata 295 medium airlift aircraft.

According to him, the acquisitions will significantly bolster precision strike, ground attack, and air mobility capabilities, to support counter terrorism, and counterinsurgency operations.

In the area of building local capacity through research and development, the air chief said the NAF was optimising strategic partnerships in artificial intelligence, unmanned aerial vehicle research and development, small arms and rocket developments, as well as radar enhancements.

He said that NAF’s various research and development institutions, such as the Air Force Institute of Technology, were partnering with universities and government institutions towards accelerating their research and development capabilities.

“As part of efforts to optimise our employment of NAF platforms, we have recorded research and development breakthroughs, such as revalidation of the Alpha Jet aircraft ejection seats, retrofitting of unserviceable 68mm rockets, and the development of a test kit for determining the specific impulse of pyro cartridges, amongst several others.

“Also, just two weeks ago, I inaugurated a research committee tasked with initiating the local production of the C-5 57mm rockets integral to some of our attack platforms.

“These achievements highlight our shift towards self-reliance and resilience in defence technology,’’ he said.

During the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoU), with Lagos State University and a local defence firm, EPAIL Nigeria, the CAS expressed the desire of the NAF to pursue locally driven solutions in addressing the nation’s security challenges.

According to him, in a rapidly changing world, the ability to continue to anticipate, rapidly adapt and innovate is imperative for the transformation of the NAF into an agile and resilient force that effectively meets the air power demands of national security in all operational environments.

Abubakar said the NAF had since 2015, flown over 8,000, conducted more than 80,000 sorties with only few verified incidences of collateral damage.

He said it represented an occurrence rate of less than 0.005 per cent, an exceptional record by global standards, particularly within the complexities of asymmetric warfare.

The CAS said that in the few instances where civilian casualties were reported, the NAF had promptly conducted investigations, accepted responsibility with deep regret, and taken necessary corrective actions to prevent future occurrences.

According to him, the service has proactively invested in advanced technologies and robust protocols aimed at preventing civilian casualties.

In his remarks, the Vice President, Defence Industries Association of Nigeria (DIAN), Ade Ogundeyin, commended the NAF for its continuous efforts in modernising air operations, enhancing research and development, and fostering civil military cooperation.

Ogundeyin said that DIAN was established to promote local industry, defence manufacturing, and enhance Nigeria’s military industrial capabilities, aimed to advance indigenous defence technology through innovation and strategic partnerships.

He said that by fostering partnerships between defence industries and institutions, research bodies, and the academia and private industries, Nigeria was positioning itself for self-sufficiency in aerospace technology and defence manufacturing.

Available data indicates that the NAF has contributed to UN peacekeeping operations, providing air support and transportation services to peacekeeping troops in addition to its internal security operations over the years.

By participating in global and regional security initiatives, the NAF has demonstrated its commitment to protecting Nigeria’s interests and contributing to international peace and security.

The NAF’s global ranking is 54th in terms of airpower, according to the Global Firepower Index 2025 while ranking third in Africa, behind Egypt and Algeria, with a firepower index of 0.5771.

As part of measures to mitigate civilian casualties during air operations, the NAF also unveiled the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plans Document during the NAF Day 2025 Seminar.

The seminar was part of activities marking NAF’s 61st anniversary in Abuja.

Experts are of the view that with continuous training of its personnel, systematic upgrading and acquisition of modern combat equipment, the NAF will continue to prove its mettle in protecting Nigeria’s airspace. (NANFeatures)

***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria

ECOWAS @50: Achievements, challenges and future directions
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ECOWAS @50: Achievements, challenges and future directions

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By Angela Atabo, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

 

50 years ago, in May 1975, 15 West African countries came together and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was birthed with the Treaty of Lagos.

 

The vision was bold–to create a strong, integrated regional bloc that would promote economic development, political cooperation, social solidarity, and peace across the subcontinent.

 

Half a century later, ECOWAS stands as both a testament to regional solidarity and a mirror reflecting the complexities of post-colonial Africa.

 

As ECOWAS marks its 50th anniversary, observers say it is time to assess its journey, celebrating achievements, confronting challenges, and mapping a future that serves the people of West Africa.

 

They say the regional bloc has achieved some feats in terms of peace and security using ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), for peacekeeping in stabilising conflict zones.

 

According to them, ECOWAS protocol on free movement of persons has enabled millions of West Africans to travel, trade, and seek work across borders without visas.

 

More so, stakeholders highlight ECOWAS’ strides toward economic integration through initiatives like the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and efforts to create a common currency, external tariff among other achievements.

 

Regrettably, analysts say the sub-region has also experienced some road blocks to unity and political stability amid the rise of terrorism and armed insurgency in the Sahel.

 

In recent years, a resurgence of military coups in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Niger has challenged ECOWAS’s democratic credentials.

 

As ECOWAS clocks 50, the need for reforms and renewal is urgent.

 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently highlighted several challenges facing ECOWAS to include political instability, economic disparities, and the need for stronger regional integration.

 

Specifically, Tinubu emphasised the threats of unconstitutional rule, violent extremism, and the ongoing struggle to address poverty, lack of access to quality education, and unemployment and noted the need for ECOWAS to refocus on its people, invest in education and innovation, and strengthen its commitment to democracy and good governance.

 

As part of effort to address these challenges; Civil Society Organisations(CSOs) who have continued to contribute significantly to conflict prevention, peace building, and the overall development agenda of ECOWAS are speaking up.

 

They are of the opinion that the regional bloc was in need of reforms among other things to strengthen the region in all spheres.

 

CSOs like the West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Ghana and Nigeria, as well as other stakeholders who have been playing vital roles in ECOWAS, have lent their voices.

 

CDD Senior Fellow, Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, said that recent developments, including military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea, posed significant challenges to the bloc’s unity.

 

Ibrahim said that although ECOWAS had been instrumental in deepening democracy in the region; yet, the emergence of unconstitutional regimes threatened the unity and progress it had achieved.

 

“We are facing a major crisis, especially following the emergence of coup d’etat in the region, specifically in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea.

 

“This is a huge challenge which eventually led to the emergence of a different organisation for the Sahelian countries.

 

“We feel that we must take the long view and that long view means, first and foremost to remain on the path of democratic consolidation for West Africa.”

 

Ibrahim said there was need to continue to talk to the Sahelians countries that left democracy to see the value of democracy in the medium term and on the basis of that rescinded their decision.

 

He explained that one of ECOWAS’s core reasons for existence was promoting regional integration and the Sahelian countries that opted out have no access to the sea.

 

He said that the inability of many ECOWAS member states to generate sustainable employment, particularly for the youths was fueling disillusionment and instability.

 

Ibrahim said there was need to deepen the democracy of the region through various reforms.

 

“ECOWAS has been good for West Africa and West Africa has been good for ECOWAS.

 

“It has been a very positive force for West Africa and we do not want ECOWAS to disintegrate; we feel that we must remain on the path of democratic consolidation for West Africa,’’ he said.

 

In his opinion, the Director of CDD West Africa, Dr Dauda Garuba, said ECOWAS was still serving the needs of West Africa in spite of the challenges although more needs to be done.

 

“We need to redefine the treaties and protocols; we also need to create a situation where democracy will continue to flourish in this region for prosperity.

 

“This will lead to full regional integration and also achieve what we call the developmental regionalism that is a dream of our time,’’ he said

 

Stressing the need for reforms, the Project Coordinator of WADEMOS, Paul Osei-Kuffour, said the challenges faced by the regional bloc had made it imperative for innovative reforms.

 

“Indeed, the need for ECOWAS is even more demanding to ensure a coordinated and harmonised response, cooperation and solidarity in countering cross-border security threats fuelling instability and roll back deteriorating democratic norms and governance in the region,’’ he said.

 

He commended ECOWAS for being reconciliatory and exhibiting statesmanship with its position and response to the Alliance of Sahel State (AES) countries following the Jan 29th deadline, which contributed to mitigating public anxiety and apprehension at the time.

 

Osei-Kuffour called on AES to prioritise its engagement with ECOWAS within the transition period, particularly on matters of security and trade in the wider interest of cooperation and the stability of West Africa.

 

The Chairman of the CDD Board, John Odah, called on civil society organisations to critically evaluate the bloc’s successes and shortcomings and to actively support the vision of regional integration.

 

“ECOWAS was established to integrate 15 sub-Saharan African countries socially, economically, culturally, and politically, so it imperative for civil society to ensure that the dream of ECOWAS integration is not aborted.

 

“Democracy in West Africa deepens when democracy in the individual countries in West Africa deepens; we have had some challenges in some of our West African countries where the democratic regime has encountered significant challenges.

 

“However, we feel it is important for all of us as citizens of our own countries to try to engage political actors to remain on the path of democracy and that by deepening democracy at the country level, we can deepen democracy at the regional level,’’ he said.

 

The WADEMOS Advocacy officer, Austin Aigbe, said there had been democratic backsliding in the West African region that if not addressed could lead to more coups.

 

“We have come to know that disintegration is not an option because of the huge opportunity that the ECOWAS bloc provides.

 

“As a West African citizen you can travel around the region without passport; that is an advantage that ECOWAS brings to the table but however with the exit of some countries, it reduces that number.

 

“This is weird for us so we need to get them back.

 

“There is also a challenge that needs attention, this is with the countries that extend their tenure and change their constitution; we call it constitutional coup.”

 

According to Aigbe, if military coups are criticised, then civilian coup of tenure elongation should also be condemned .

 

He said there was need to continue with the ideology of ECOWAS but by rethinking reforms to properly position it as a stronger institution, the pride of Africa.

 

“The democratic backsliding must be tackled because we do not want ECOWAS to disintegrate especially because of its free movement, beyond that, there is need to enforce the ECOWAS protocol of good governance and democracy,” he said.

 

For ECOWAS to survive and be strengthened going forward, experts advise that it rebuilds trust and democratic norms by revisiting governance protocols and strengthening democratic institutions.(NANFeatures)

***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.

Rethinking cocoa
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Rethinking cocoa

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By Chijioke Okoronkwo

In the pre-independence Nigeria, agriculture, especially cocoa farming, was one of the mainstays of the nation’s economy.

The top five cocoa producing states in Nigeria are Ondo, Osun, Cross River, Oyo, and Ogun, while Edo, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Delta, Abia, Enugu and Akwa Ibom produce in a smaller scale.

Regrettably, as oil production and exportation gained momentum, there was a significant shift from agriculture, including cocoa farming, as investment in it waned.

In recent years, there have been a resurgence of cocoa farming and increased trading in the commodity as well as rise in the price – bringing hope and excitement to stakeholders.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed a significant surge in Nigeria’s cocoa exports, with the country exporting N1.2 trillion in 2024 and up from N171 billion in 2023, representing an impressive 606 per cent increase in the fourth quarter of 2024 alone.

This surge is attributed to a combination of favourable market conditions and the impact of seasonality, as well as unfavourable weather patterns affecting major global cocoa producers, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana.

“Nigeria’s cocoa exports recorded a 92 per cent rise from N624.71 billion in the third quarter of 2024, fueled by cocoa price rally.

“As prices soared, Nigerian cocoa farmers and exporters took advantage of the opportunity, reviving old cocoa plantations and planting new cocoa trees to tap into the lucrative cash crop value chain,’’ AgroNigeria has reported.

From cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, chocolate cake and cocoa powder to animal feed and pectin, among others, cocoa had been very useful to the medical, confectionary and food industry.

Economic experts say the global resurgence of the cocoa trade must be optimally harnessed by Nigeria, the fourth largest producer of cocoa in the world.

Recently, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the draft bill for the establishment of the National Cocoa Management Board (NCMB) in order to revamp Nigeria’s cocoa industry.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, who conveyed the decision, said the initiative was aimed at establishing Nigeria as a key player in the global cocoa market while enhancing the welfare of cocoa farmers nationwide.

According to him, the decision is in tandem with broader goals to ensure sustainable practices and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers who are crucial to the industry.

Kyari said that NCMB would be empowered to regulate the cocoa sub-sector, rehabilitate plantations, provide soft credit facilities to farmers, and enforce market standards.

“The board is expected to drive a sustainable cocoa economy that will contribute significantly to Nigeria’s gross domestic product by boosting domestic consumption, attracting youths into agriculture, and increasing foreign exchange earnings through export of premium-quality cocoa products.

“In 2023, Nigeria generated N356.16 billion from cocoa beans and allied products. With this new framework, we will be competing directly with top global producers such as Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire,” he said.

At the subnational, cocoa stakeholders and farmers are making the resurgence count.

A cocoa farmer at Erunmu in Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mr Taofeek Adesola, said he returned to his village in 2020 to take care of his late father’s cocoa farm after he lost his job in Lagos State.

Adesola said that the decision had changed his economic status.

“I have renovated my late father’s house at Lalupon and equally started building my own house from cocoa beans proceeds,” he said.

He spoke on his plan to start cultivating more high-yielding seedlings to replace old cocoa trees in his late father’s farm in the coming season.

A cocoa produce buyer in the state, Chief Ezekiel Olagunju, also confirmed the development, attributing it to poor Naira exchange rate with the dollar.

According to him, the exchange rate favours cocoa exporters as they get more Naira from export of cocoa beans.

Olagunju further attributed the boom to the shortfall in cocoa production in Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana as a result of unfavourable weather in the two countries.

According to him, the two countries are the top cocoa growers in West Africa, and a shortfall in the countries’ supplies resulted in high demand from Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Enugu State Government, in collaboration with a private investor, WhiteRabbit Agro Ltd., has embarked on establishing cocoa plantations in the state for massive production and processing.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Mr Patrick Ubru, said that the pilot plantation of 20 hectares was located in Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state.

“In line with Gov. Peter Mbah’s vision, the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation is in partnership with a private investor, WhiteRabbit Agro Ltd., to develop the state government’s Cocoa Initiative and make the state a mass cocoa producer and processor.

“The ministry will also push to spread the initiative to five other local government areas surrounding Nkanu East LGA due to their similarities in topography and soil type.

“We are reaching out to local government areas within that topography and soil type such as Nkanu West, Isi-Uzo, Oji-River, Aninri and Awgu to, at least, do a pilot of 100 hectares of cocoa plantation in each.

“We are pursuing it with the vigour it deserves and we want to ensure that we encourage our people to take to cocoa farming and have large cocoa plantations of their own,” he said.

The commissioner said that the partners in the project were already developing 100,000 high-yielding and early-producing cocoa varieties obtained from Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan.

Ubru said that the cocoa nursery was located at Amaechi Idodo community in Nkanu East Local Government Area.

“One tonne of cocoa today in the international market goes for 10,500 dollars; in naira, the value is about N16.3 million.

“The governor gave a mandate to the ministry, when we came on board, to develop cocoa farming, and we are head-on doing it and collaborating with all stakeholders,’’ he said.

In Cross River, the cocoa renaissance tune is also reverberating.

Recently, the A A Universal Agro Company, said that Nigeria could earn N900 billion annually from the Ikom Cocoa Export Processing Plant in Cross River when fully operational.

The Managing Director of the agro company, Mr Chris Agara, whose firm is the concessionaire of the cocoa processing plant, said he was in partnership with an Israeli compan, B and Co., a member of the LR Group, to turn around Nigeria’s cocoa industry.

“My firm has a contract grant agreement between the U.S. Government through the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).

“The contract is to carry out feasibility study and bankable business plan to farm and develop cocoa and cassava farms and value chains from farm to table, to international standards and best practice.

“It will be for local uses and export purposes,” he said.

The industrialist said that adopting the firm’s protocols and methodology would increase cocoa yield from its present 400kg per hectare to 3.5 tonnes per hectare.

He urged the Federal Government to give support the firm to enable it to access funds from the International Finance Institute.

“The Federal Government should support us because this funding we are trying to raise is from the International Finance Institute.

“We need guarantee from the Federal Government for this funding.

“We also need guarantee from the state government through a policy, to ensure that Cross River cocoa is processed in Cross River, because most of our cocoa is taken out of the state by merchants.

“Our foreign partner is one of the largest agro companies in Israel; their technology can improve our cocoa farm yields from less than half a tonne to 3.5 or four tonnes, which we want to introduce to farmers.”

Agara said that the organisation would also help farmers to regenerate their farms ttoa higher and better production level.

It is noteworthy that cocoa prices can fluctuate.

Data from AFEX indicates that cocoa prices plunged by 25.73 per cent in early May having hit a historic high of N15, 900 per kilogramme.

Reports also show that the commodity currently sells dor about ₦10,000 per kilogramme after an 18-week low of ₦9,500.

Analysts are optimistic that Nigeria will do more to revamp its cocoa industry to boost foreign exchange, create jobs and improve the economy. (NANFeartures)

***if used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria

Breaking the chain of human trafficking in Edo via a student-led initiative
Features

Breaking the chain of human trafficking in Edo via a student-led initiative

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Breaking the chain of human trafficking in Edo via a student-led initiative

L-R: Mr Sam Offiah, Zonal Commander of NAPTIP in Benin presenting advocacy materials to students of YWCA Secondary School, Benin during the inauguration of anti-human trafficking vanguard club in the school

By Usman Aliyu, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

In the heartbeat of the nation, Edo, once infamously known as the epicentre of human trafficking in Nigeria, a new kind of resistance is taking root.

Not in courtrooms or campaign offices, but in classrooms.

A fresh, student-driven initiative is emerging to challenge the longstanding menace of human trafficking.

Through the launch of Anti-Human Trafficking and Violence Against Persons (A.TIPVAP) Vanguard Clubs in 50 public secondary schools across the state, young people are being empowered to become frontline advocates in a battle that has stolen the futures of countless boys and girls.

This bold move is part of the School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP), a collaborative effort between the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), with funding support from the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The launch events brought together a diverse coalition of stakeholders, government officials, security agencies, educators, students, and civil society actors, united by a shared urgency and a common cause.

And for Edo, the time for action is now.

According to the Global Slavery Index 2023, over 1.6 million people are estimated to be living in modern slavery in Nigeria, with Edo featuring prominently in national and international trafficking networks.

Similarly, NAPTIP reports that as of 2022, over 60 per cent of female returnees from Libya and Europe identified Edo as their origin. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) also notes that Edo accounts for over 50 per cent of irregular migrants assisted back to Nigeria since 2017. 

These figures underscore the urgent need for early intervention and targeted awareness campaigns—particularly among young people, who remain the primary targets of traffickers.

At the inauguration of the Vanguard clubs, NAPTIP’s Zonal Commander in Benin, Mr Sam Offiah, delivered a sobering address.

Speaking directly to the students, he warned of the deceptive tactics traffickers often employed to lure victims.

“Human trafficking is dehumanising. It reduces you to a commodity,” he said with conviction.

“Anyone who asks you to leave school and promises you freedom, riches abroad, or a better life without informing your parents is a trafficker.”

A lawyer by profession, Offiah recounted harrowing tales of young girls seduced by fake job offers, only to find themselves trapped in cycles of sexual exploitation, forced labour, or even organ harvesting.

His message was clear: awareness is the first line of defence, and education is the most powerful weapon in this fight.

Students showing red card to human trafficking in Edo shortly after their inauguration as members of anti-human trafficking vanguard club

“We are here to inaugurate this vanguard so that you know these dangers and help spread the message. You are not meant to feed your parents. You are meant to stay in school and pursue your dreams,” he said.

The NAPTIP boss emphasised the critical role of students in spreading awareness; hence the decision to come up with the initiative.

“You must take the message home, to your classmates and your friends. When you hear someone promise jobs in Europe through Libya, tell them the truth.

“Over 80 per cent die crossing the Sahara. Some drink their urine. Some are never buried. Vultures feast on their remains,” he asserted.

He also alerted the public to the new trends in human trafficking, “which is exploiting the digital space to lure young Nigerians into ‘modern-day’ slavery.

“We are seeing an upsurge in internet trafficking. Traffickers now use fake online profiles, phishing tactics, and blackmail with nude photos to manipulate and coerce victims,” he said.

Representing ICMPD, Elvis Ederibhalo, Project Officer of STEAP for Edo, explained the broader objective of the initiative.

“We are here because we believe that education is the strongest weapon we have to prevent trafficking. The vanguard you are joining today is not just a club. It’s a movement.

“You will be trained to identify trafficking tactics, speak up, and protect yourselves and others,” he told the students.

Ederibhalo explained how a recent survey by the ICMPD revealed that 75 per cent of rescued victims of human trafficking were school-age children, which underscored the need to cut it from the root.

Members of the anti-human trafficking vanguard club in Ihogbe Secondary School, Benin City

On the part of the government, Mrs Mercy Imasuen-Isibor, Desk Officer for STEAP at the Edo State Ministry of Education, hailed the project as a strategic step in combating the state’s reputation as a trafficking hub.

“This campaign is timely and crucial. By establishing these vanguards, we now have in-school ambassadors who will carry out sensitisation activities.

“They will be trained to recognise trafficking strategies and report suspicious movements.

“We are deliberately involving school authorities, parents, and community leaders so that the message goes beyond school walls,” she said.

Imasuen-Isibor further explained that the ministry of education would ensure the sustainability of the clubs by monitoring their activities and integrating the anti-trafficking agenda into existing school support frameworks.

“With 50 schools in this first phase, our goal is to eventually expand to every school in Edo State. This way, we can ensure a systemic cultural change,” the ministry official said.

Representing the Speaker of the Edo House of Assembly, Mr Blessing Agbebaku, his aide Mr Benedict Omordon described the initiative as a welcome development.

“If you don’t inform the youth, you deform them. The Assembly takes trafficking seriously and is working on laws to protect the vulnerable.

“Human trafficking is not always about being taken abroad. It also happens within our neighbourhoods.

“Anyone forced into begging, street hawking, or house help without consent is a victim,” he said.

In the same vein, the principals of participating schools are not left out as they also welcomed the vanguard clubs enthusiastically.

Rev. Victor Orumwense, Principal of Oba Ewuare Grammar School, called the move “historic and transformative.”

“Human trafficking is a crime against humanity,” he told students during the launch.

“It strips people of their decency. These clubs will help build student consciousness and resilience. I hope every student here will see themselves as an ambassador of light against this darkness.”

Similar sentiments were echoed by other principals in Emotan College, Oredo Girls, Oba Akenzua II, Ihogbe, Egor, Angelican Girls and YWCA schools among others, who pledged institutional support to sustain the vanguard activities.

Perhaps, the most powerful testimony came from Excellence Osamuyimen, President of the new anti-trafficking club at Oredo Girls Secondary School. In a stirring speech, she called on her peers to stay vigilant.

“We understand the hard choices out there. But human trafficking is a crime that ruins dreams. It dehumanises. It promises freedom but brings death and disease.

“Our parents should not be our reason to fall victim. We must finish school, become professionals, and help others rise,” he said.

Osamuyimen applauded NAPTIP, ICMPD, and the ministry of education for choosing her school, saying “we will not disappoint you. We will take this message to every corner.”

While the launch of anti-trafficking clubs in Edo schools is an encouraging step, stakeholders agree—it is only the beginning.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, 46 per cent of detected victims in West Africa are children, with girls especially vulnerable.

Many fall prey to traffickers under the weight of poverty, peer pressure, family expectations, or manipulation.

STEAP’s approach, rooted in education, peer-to-peer advocacy, and school-community partnerships. offers a promising, sustainable path forward.

With sustained support from NAPTIP, ICMPD, and international partners like the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the hope is that today’s students will rise as tomorrow’s defenders: informed, resilient, and unwavering in their stand against exploitation.

If Edo succeeds, it could become a model for other regions across Nigeria, where trafficking networks continue to adapt and evolve.

For now, a seed has been planted in 50 schools. And in those classrooms, among chalkboards, uniforms, and morning assemblies, a quiet resistance is growing.

One student at a time. One voice at a time. Until the chain is finally broken.(NANFeatures)

***If used, kindly credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Scaling-up Nigeria/Pakistan bilateral relations
Features , Foreign

Scaling-up Nigeria/Pakistan bilateral relations

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By Maureen Okon

Nigeria and Pakistan, both members of the Commonwealth of Nations and Developing-8, have enjoyed blossoming diplomatic and bilateral relations over the years.

The relations established on March 22, 1961, spans from trade to defence and cultural exchanges; it is growing deeper, with both countries building strong ties.

In 2023, Pakistani exports to Nigeria was approximated at 39.8 million dollars, consisting mainly of packaged medicaments, synthetic fabrics, and vinyl chloride polymers.

Pakistani imports from Nigeria are worth 565.09 million dollars in 2024, according to the UN COMTRADE database on international trade.

Some Pakistani imports from Nigeria are mineral fuels, oils, distillation products, oil seed, oleagic fruits, grain, seed, fruits, wastes of food industry, animal fodder, cotton, raw hides and skins, among others.

Both countries have benefited through the trade relationship and are working to strengthen their ties through trade delegations and business liaison.

In 2021, Pakistan energised its relations with Nigeria and Africa through the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), using the ‘’Engage Africa Policy’’ platform.

The policy, which was implemented to strengthen trade and economic ties with Nigeria, then went further to extend the relationship to other Africa countries by opening five new diplomatic missions in; Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Uganda, Djibouti, and Ghana.

Weighing in on the relations, Retired Maj.-Gen. Sohail Khan, the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Nigeria, said that his country’s historical relationship with Nigeria continued to deepen with engagement in trade, cultural and military exchanges.

Khan said that both countries would continue to strive harder to further improve their bilateral ties.

In 2024, Pakistan collaborated with Beauty West Africa (BWA) exhibition held in Lagos, where the Pakistani ambassador said that the collaboration between his country and Nigeria on raw material for beauty products should be strengthened to enhance investments both countries.

The BWA seventh edition was termed as the biggest beauty exhibition of its kind in recent times which had in attendance more than 300 exhibitors from 52 countries.

Khan said the collaboration between his country and Nigeria on raw material for beauty products should be strengthened to enhance investments in the country.

The 7th edition of the beauty show was termed as the biggest of its kind in recent times, and it had more than 300 exhibitors from 52 countries in attendance.

The countries included Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Korea, Egypt, China, India, Europe, the Middle East, and South America, among others.

According to Khan, the collaboration is a win-win situation where the exchange of goods and services is the bedrock of the relationship of Nigeria and Pakistan.

“Nigeria has got a lot of stuff available in terms of raw materials for the beauty products, hence the need for collaboration; Pakistani investors can come and make investments over here.

“They can establish some small manufacturing units, which in turn both countries can benefit from this kind of joint ventures and joint collaboration, so it has to be a win-win situation for both sides,” Khan said.

The envoy said that the existing cultural similarities between both countries for ages had created the platform for the exchange at the BWA show.

Some Pakistani exhibitors lauded the organisers of the exhibition for creating a platform for more than 52 countries to showcase their beauty products in Nigeria.

They said that the platform provided opportunities to connect and network with one another.

Worthy of mention, Nigeria and Pakistan have forged strategic bonds in counter-terrorism, and border security to reinforce bilateral military relations.

Recently, Gen. Shahir Mirza, the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of Pakistan, paid a strategic visit to Gen. Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff.

The strategic meeting marked a significant step toward reinforcing military cooperation, specifically in the areas of training, intelligence sharing and counterterrorism.

The collaboration saw both countries training over 2,000 Nigerian military officers who received training from various Pakistani military institutions, as part of the collaboration to boost defence capabilities of both countries.

The training initiative aims to enhance Nigeria’s military operations against insurgency and terrorism.

Mirza said that Nigeria was a continental powerhouse with geo-strategic importance to Pakistan.

He expressed his country’s readiness to further collaborate with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).

On his part, Musa said that the Nigerian Military would continue to build its capacity in collaboration with the Pakistani Armed Forces.

The chief of defence staff empahsised the importance of having a strategic collaboration between both countries in the area of training, particularly, Special Forces training; management of veteran affairs, border security and intelligence.

He added that these collaborative efforts had birthed the training of over two thousand officers in various Pakistani military institutions.

The Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported that Mirza met with Nigeria’s defense minister as well as the chiefs of the army, navy and air force.

“The meetings focused on challenges faced by both countries, especially in the domain of counterterrorism, as well as broader defense cooperation and regional security.

“During the separately-held meetings, both sides engaged in discussions on challenges faced by both countries especially in the domain of Counter Terrorism (CT) and areas of mutual interest, including security, defense cooperation, and the evolving international / regional landscape.

“Both sides reaffirmed the resolve to further enhance defense and military collaboration between both militaries,” ISPR said.

The two countries enjoy excellent relations in defence and military domains. Nigerian Air Force has inducted 3 JF-17 thunder jets and 10 Super Mushak aircrafts in their fleet procured from Pakistan.

Under Pakistan Technical Assistance Programme, Pakistan offers scholarships to Nigerian students; there are approximately 2500 Pakistanis living in Nigeria.

In the light of similar security and economic challenges faced by Nigeria and Pakistan, analysts say deepening bilateral relations between the two countries will be mutually beneficial.

They say enhancing counter-terrorism and defence cooperation has become imperative as both nations battle onslaughts from insurgents.(NANFeatures)

***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.

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