News Rider

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja Kashifu Inuwa The National Information Technology Development Agency ,NITDA, has informed the Jigawa State Government, and Galaxy Information Technology and Telecommunications ,Galaxy ITT, on the need to adopt strategic approach to digital transformation and economic development. At the Galaxy ITT Repositioning Retreat in Abuja over the weekend, Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa lamented the continued dependence of Jigawa State and other parts of Northern Nigeria on Federal allocations despite the availability of abundant human and natural resources. He hinted that Jigawa must rethink its development strategy by identifying and harnessing its youthful population, land and other resources to build a sustainable economy capable of thriving without excessive dependence on Federal revenue. The NITDA DG identified the lack of clear development plans and excessive focus on politics as some of the major challenges hindering development in Northern Nige...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja As part of efforts to improve efficiency, resilience and long-term value in realty sector, the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria ,REDAN, has called on developers to embrace green innovation.  Green innovation is the use of new products or services that protect the environment and reduce ecological disasters such energy-efficient buildings, renewable energy, sustainable construction materials, water efficiency, waste management and smart technologies.  President of REDAN, Oba Akintoye Adeoye stated this at a conference organised by REDAN and Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria ,MBAN, in partnership with the Nigeria Mega Project Expo 2026 in Abuja, with theme: "ESG as a Competitive Advantage: Blended Finance, Green Innovation, and Governance for Nigeria’s Real Estate Future." Adeoye disclosed that such solutions could reduce operating costs, improve building quality and enhance occupants’ wellbeing. "We must embrace green i...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja L-R: Controller-General of the Federal Fire Service, FFS, Olumode Adeyemi and  Comptroller-General of Customs ,CGC, Adewale Adeniyi displaying the Memorandum of Understanding , MoU, signed between the Agencies in Abuja recently.  The Nigeria Customs Service ,NCS, has sealed a deal with the Federal Fire Service ,FFS, and Unilever Nigeria Plc to protect consumers, safeguard lives and support economic growth. Comptroller-General of Customs ,CGC, Adewale Adeniyi said over the weekend in Abuja, that the seperately signed Memoranda of Understanding ,MoUs, will strengthen inter-agency and public-private collaboration, enhance security, protect legitimate trade and safeguard lives.  Adeniyi described the MoU as a bold, deliberate and strategic step towards  supporting the shared mandates of both agencies to protect lives, property and critical national assets. He disclosed that the agreement would enhance fire safety standards across Customs...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele The Ministry of Finance has been tipped off to lead a comprehensive forensic audit of the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, in order to eliminate ghost workers.  This is even as the Ministry is expected to coordinate a review of the Federal Government's accounting systems, including the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System ,IPPIS.   This followed a resolution by the Federal Executive Council , FEC, on August 19, 2026, in response to findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission ,ICPC, on fake agencies, ghost workers, and other control failures. President Bola Tinubu had on Friday disclosed that the exercise will establish the nature and extent of weaknesses in the government’s control system, and determine how such weaknesses have been exploited. The first review will focus on a forensic audit of go...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission ,RMAFC, has formed a strategic alliance with the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative ,NEITI, to bolster financial flows in extractive sector.    RMAFC Chairman, Dr Mohammed Shehu, who stated this on Friday in Abuja, at a courtsey visit to the Executive Secretary of  NEITI, Mr Musa Adar, disclosed that the partnership would improve revenue monitoring, transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s extractive industries. He praised NEITI for providing credible information on operations and financial flows in the extractive industries, which  strengthened accountability, describing the longstanding partnership between the agencies as strategic and mutually beneficial to both institutions and the country. NEITI’s work had also improved public understanding of Nigeria’s extractive sector and promoted openness in managing the country’s natural resources, just as th...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja Taiwo Oyedele The Federal Government has validated Moody"s reversal of Nigeria's sovereign credit outlook from stable to positive, affirming the country's long-term foreign and local currency issuer ratings at B3.  This was even as the Federal Government linked the reversal to the tangible impact of macroeconomic and fiscal reform agenda over the past three years. Moody is a global Rating Agency that provides financial research on bonds issued by commercial and the government entities. The agency had on Friday, attributed the improved outlook to a markedly stronger external position, underpinned by sizeable current account surpluses, rising foreign exchange reserves, improved functioning of the foreign exchange market, and more effective transmission of monetary policy. Also, that Nigeria's current account surplus is projected to widen to about 6.1 per cent of Gross Domestic Product ,GDP, in 2026, while gross external reserves have ris...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja As part of efforts to increase Nigeria’s crude oil production, the Federal Government has outlined measures to attain three million Barrels of oil Per Day, BPD, by 2030. To this end, the Federal Government enjoined petroleum engineers and other industry professionals to support the initiative, adding that the government is developing more fields and building new infrastructure to handle incremental crude oil volumes. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri stated this in Abuja at the inauguration of the sixth National Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Petroleum Engineers, NIPetE, and its Executive Committee, with the theme: “Assets, Talent and Integrity: Engineering Nigeria’s 3 million BPD Target.” Lokpobiri, who was represented by his Technical Assistant, Business, Kroky Biowe informed that President Bola Tinubu’s administration remained committed to achieving energy sufficiency. He noted that the administration ...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, NITP, has advised the Federal Character Commission, FCC, to recruit more town planners and engage consultant planners to strengthen and provide technical guidance on major government projects across the country. NITP National President, Dr. Chime Ogbonna stated this on Monday when he led members of the institute on a courtesy visit to the Executive Chairman of the FCC, Mrs. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran in Abuja. NITP prepares national physical development plans, regional development plans and urban master plans, while the FCC is responsible for ensuring the equitable distribution of public infrastructure and opportunities across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Ogbonna stated that the involvement of professional town planners would ensure that public infrastructure aligns with approved development plans, improves service delivery, and promotes orderly physical development nationwide. He was c...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has closed the leadership gap by graduating 50 officers, who completed the three-month Junior Course 25, at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, NCCSC, Gwagwalada, Abuja. In July 2026, about 1,516 officers were directed to exit the Service over the next two years following the release of statutory retirement lists covering 825 officers in 2026 and 691 officers in 2027. The development is expected to pave the way for the appointment of a new Comptroller-General of Customs to succeed the Comptroller-General, Adewale Adeniyi, though President Bola Tinubu recently approved a fresh six-month extension of service for the CG. Also, the affected officers’ retirement notices were contained in two restricted circulars issued by the Service’s Human Resource and Development Department and signed by the Comptroller, Establishment, A.A. Bazuaye, on behalf of the Deputy Comptroller-General, Human Resources and Development. ...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ACCI, has sought strategic alliance with the government and private investors to restore viable State-owned enterprises, as well as comprehensive reforms and professional management to revive the sector. Director-General of ACCI, Mr Agabaidu Jideani informed journalists on Monday in Abuja, that stronger participation through Public Private Partnership, PPP, is critical for reviving the viable enterprises. He recommended comprehensive audits to determine the enterprises’ financial positions, assets, liabilities, infrastructure conditions, market potential and reasons for their decline, saying that the government should classify enterprises based on their strategic importance, commercial viability and the need for restructuring or repurposing. Jideani hinted that viable enterprises should undergo recapitalisation, debt restructuring, technology upgrades and rehabilitation of critical infrastructure to restore t...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The African Export-Import Bank, Afreximbank, has endorsed an agreement with CreditRegistry Corporation to unlock new opportunities for about 20,000 to 30,000 Africans through digital financial literacy, credit education and trade skills. This is in addition to co-created digital courses, masterclasses, executive workshops, webinars and certification programmes delivered through AFRACAD’s extensive learning infrastructure. With the partnership, learners and businesses are expected to receive practical tools to access finance, build creditworthiness and compete more confidently in regional and global markets. The Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed on Monday in Egypt, merges AFRACAD’s role in trade, development finance and institutional capacity-building with CreditRegistry’s expertise in financial literacy, consumer credit education and digital learning. Both organisations will develop an integrated learning ecosystem for young people, entrepreneur...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, CPPE, has pushed for coordinated and reliable crude-supply deals for domestic refineries, recommending that the Federal Consumer Protection and Competition Commission, FCPCC, should strengthen its oversight to curb monopolistic pricing and abuse of dominant market power. Chief Executive Officer of the CPPE, Dr Muda Yusuf said on Monday, that Nigeria’s downstream policy must shift decisively from managing import dependence to building a competitive domestic refining ecosystem. CPPE is a non-governmental organisation that focuses on the promotion, protection and advancement of private enterprise while creating a conducive environment for the private sector to grow. Yusuf said: “Allowing imports without a transparent, verified shortfall would squander a historic opportunity to conserve foreign exchange, create jobs, deepen industrial linkages and strengthen energy security.” He listed foreign-exchange co...