Lagos Opens Power Market: 14 Firms Licensed to Generate Electricity and End Estimated Billing - Initiative Worthy of Emulation by other States of the Federation

*Sample Scenario: Old Way vs New Way*

Before now, if you lived or ran a business in Lagos, your power mostly came from Ikeja Electric or Eko Disco through the national grid. When the grid failed, you sat in darkness or ran noisy, expensive generators.

With the new development, a factory in Ikorodu can now get dedicated power from a private firm right next door, and residents in Isolo can be fed from a local 9MW plant. Power is being produced and distributed closer to where people live and work, cutting out long grid failures and losses.

*Brief Summary*

On May 7, 2026, the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC) issued 14 electricity licences and permits to private firms for off-grid generation, embedded generation, independent distribution, metering services, and interconnected mini-grids. 

The move is part of Lagos’ push to build a regulated, competitive, and consumer-centered electricity market under its intrastate electricity framework. 

LASERC presented the licences at its maiden stakeholder engagement in Lagos, saying it would enforce compliance, attract investment, and improve reliability.

*Key Highlights and Facts*

1. *Who got licences*: 

• Axxela Limited got approval for a 5.8MW off-grid project at Cadbury Nigeria Plc in Agidingbi. 
• Isolo Power Gen Limited was approved for a 9MW embedded generation plant on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, and Isolo Power Supply Limited got an independent distribution licence for the same area.

2. *Industrial coverage*: Daybreak Power Solutions Limited secured multiple approvals for Seven-Up Bottling Company in Oregun, Crown Flour Mill in Ikorodu, Nigerdock FZE on Snake Island, Nigerian Breweries in Iganmu, Nigerian Bottling Company in Ikeja, and Promasidor Nigeria Limited in Isolo.

3. *Metering and engineering*: 

• New Hampshire Capital Limited was approved as a meter asset provider. 
• GossLink Engineering Limited got licences for 330KV and below operations, plus 400V vendor and importation. 
• Enaro Energy Mini-Grid Limited was approved for interconnected mini-grids in Ishokan Phase 1 and Mercyland Phase 1, Ayobo-Ipaja.

4. *Market impact*: The licences introduce competition for Ikeja Electric and Eko Disco. LASERC also plans zonal offices in Ikorodu, Amuwo Odofin/Badagry, and Sangotedo/Epe to improve customer service, expected to be operational in Q3 2026. 

Lagos targets 97.5% electricity availability by 2030. About 40 more projects are awaiting approval. 

*Lagos Power Initiative, Worthy of Emulation by Other States of Nigerian Federation*

Lagos has set a bold example for Nigeria’s power sector by opening its electricity market to 14 licensed private firms for generation and metering. 

This move brings power closer to the people, cuts out estimated billing, and creates real competition for better service. It shows what’s possible when states take charge of their energy future under the new electricity framework.

Other states across the federation would do well to follow Lagos’ lead. Decentralizing power and empowering private players is the fastest path to reliable, affordable electricity for every Nigerian.

*Recommendations*

1. *For businesses*: Engage licensed mini-grid and embedded generators to secure stable power and reduce diesel costs. Early partnerships can lock in better tariffs.

2. *For consumers*: Use LASERC’s upcoming zonal offices to resolve complaints faster and verify that providers meet service standards.

3. *For investors*: Lagos’ regulatory clarity and large market make it attractive for decentralized power projects. Focus on industrial clusters and peri-urban areas with weak grid supply.

4. *For LASERC*: Maintain transparency in licensing, enforce service quality, and speed up approvals to avoid bottlenecks as demand grows.

*Conclusion*

Lagos is shifting from a centralized, grid-dependent model to a decentralized system where private firms generate and distribute power closer to users. 

The 14 licences mark a concrete step toward reliable, competitive electricity for homes and industries. If well regulated, this can cut outages, lower costs, and attract more investment into Nigeria’s largest economy. 

*BUA Becomes the 2nd Richest In Africa after Dangote*

 

*From Rice Importer’s Son to Africa’s No. 2: How Abdulsamad Rabiu’s Fortune Doubled in Months*

Imagine a market trader in Kano who started by importing rice and steel in 1988. Fast forward to May 2026, and that same man is now the second richest person in Africa, worth nearly $20 billion, watching his companies’ share prices climb daily on the Nigerian Exchange.That’s the story of Abdulsamad Rabiu.

*Brief Summary*

Abdulsamad Rabiu, founder and chairman of BUA Group, became Africa’s second-richest person in early May 2026, overtaking South Africa’s Johann Rupert. 

His net worth surged from about $10.4 billion at the start of 2026 to $18.6–$19.1 billion by May, driven by explosive gains in BUA Cement and BUA Foods. He now sits behind only Aliko Dangote on the continent.

*Key Highlights*

1. *Fastest wealth growth in Africa for 2026*: Rabiu added roughly $8.5–$8.9 billion year-to-date, the largest gain among African billionaires.

2. *Overtake happened in May 2026*: Bloomberg Billionaires Index placed his net worth at $19.1 billion on May 7, ahead of Johann Rupert’s $17.7 billion.

3. *Driven by listed companies*: BUA Cement shares surged over 134% year-to-date to ₦418, and BUA Foods posted a 14% rise in Q1 2026 profit after tax to ₦142.32 billion.

4. *Ownership stakes are massive*: Rabiu owns about 95.78% of BUA Cement and 92.64% of BUA Foods, making daily share price moves directly impact his fortune.

5. *Global ranking jump*: He moved from 5th richest in Africa in January to 2nd by May, and to 138th globally.

*Necessary Facts and Figures*

- *Net worth*: $18.6 billion to $19.1 billion as of May 2026, depending on the tracker.

- *Starting point*: $10.4 billion in January 2026, ranked 5th in Africa.

- *Year-to-date gain*: $8.47–$8.88 billion.

- *Core assets*: BUA Group, with BUA Cement and BUA Foods as the main drivers.

- *Behind Dangote*: Aliko Dangote remains Africa’s richest with $33.6–$34.4 billion.

*Recommendations*

1. *Watch the NGX*: BUA Cement and BUA Foods remain the engines. Investors tracking industrial stocks on the Nigerian Exchange can see real-time changes in Rabiu’s wealth.

2. *Focus on local manufacturing*: Rabiu’s rise shows the payoff in cement, food processing, and infrastructure within Nigeria’s market. Expansion into mining and energy gives BUA Group more upside.

3. *Track diversification*: While stock gains drove the jump, continued operational performance in sugar refining and manufacturing will determine if the $20 billion mark is breached and held.

*Conclusion*

Abdulsamad Rabiu’s climb from 5th to 2nd richest in Africa in just four months shows how fast industrial assets can reprice when listed companies rally. 

His story is less about inheritance and more about scaling local manufacturing into publicly traded giants. 

If BUA’s expansion continues and investor confidence holds, Nigeria’s industrial sector could see more billionaires rise alongside Dangote and Rabiu.

Reference

Political Urchins at Works - Twisted Facts to Sabotage Tegbe the Power Minister-Designate

Opposition has a place in democracy. It keeps government on its toes. But when opposition becomes sabotage, when lies are used to weaken institutions for selfish gain, it stops being politics. It becomes a threat to democracy itself. Nigerians must see it for what it is.

The headline "Tegbe Promise To Fix Nigeria’s Power Grid In 3 Months" is fake. Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe never promised to fix Nigeria’s power grid in three months. 

On May 6, 2026, during his Senate screening, Tegbe told lawmakers he would start immediate steps to stabilise the national grid within his first 100 days. 

He was clear: full structural reforms would take up to one year. His plan focuses on restoring trust in the power sector, solving gas supply problems, and rolling out electricity meters nationwide - That is it. No magic timeline, no false promise.

But political urchins ran with a lie. Headlines screamed that Tegbe vowed a 3-month fix. This is a deliberate misrepresentation to mislead the public and create early distrust. 

We have seen this playbook before. Under PMB, the same tactics forced out good officials. Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun resigned in 2018 after a certificate forgery scandal amplified online. 

EFCC leadership also faced relentless smear campaigns. 

Today, the target has shifted. The INEC Amupitan and now Power Tegbe are in the crosshairs. The goal is the same: destabilize, distract, and derail.

*Why Intentions Matter Online*

Not every post is meant to inform. Online content falls into four buckets:

1. *Information*: True and shared to educate.

2. *Misinformation*: False, but shared without intent to harm.

3. *Malinformation*: True facts twisted out of context to harm.

4. *Disinformation*: Deliberate lies made to deceive and destabilize.

The “3-month grid fix” headline is classic disinformation. It is designed to set Tegbe up for failure before he even starts. Don’t fall for it.

*Recommendations*

1. *Verify before you share*: Check official transcripts and statements. Tegbe’s screening was public record.

2. *Call out the hacks*: Expose outlets and blogs that recycle false claims for clicks and chaos.

3. *Hold media accountable*: Demand corrections and retractions when outlets misquote officials.

4. *Focus on substance*: Judge Tegbe by his 100-day and 1-year plans, not by fabricated promises.

5. *Protect democracy*: Don’t let paid noise drown out real debate on power, jobs, and security.

*Conclusion*

Tegbe’s real commitment is to start stabilising the grid in 100 days and drive structural reforms in a year - The 3-month lie is a weapon, not news. 

Political urchins who peddle this rubbish are not defending Nigerians. They are defending their own interests by keeping the country angry and divided. 

Nigerians must get smarter, check facts, and reject the noise. The power sector needs work, not witch-hunts.

2027 Election: Choosing Political EXPERIENCE over Political EXPERIMENT

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Slogan from Surulere in Lagos is out:

"Voting EXPERIENCE OVER EXPERIMENT" - some Surulerians decided how to vote based on experience and track records rather than experimenting.

*“Voting Experience Over Experiment”*  

That’s the message coming out of Surulere, Lagos. And it’s not a slogan for vibes. It’s a warning.

For too long, we’ve handed political slots to talkers with no track record. The result? Abandoned projects, recycled excuses, and leaders who treat public office like a training camp. Surulere said enough - and this is worthy of emulation on national level.

*Experience beats experiment. Every time.*

Leadership is not an internship. You don’t learn governance on the job with 2 million people’s lives on the line. Aspiring leaders should pass through political tutelage, rise through the ranks, and prove themselves in smaller arenas before touching the levers of power. 

What we’ve seen instead is dangerous: opportunists parachuting in during election season, buying visibility, making promises, and vanishing after the votes are counted. That’s not service. That’s gambling with our future.

*The stakes are real:*

1. *Constituency funds and projects*: Experienced hands know how to move motions, lobby ministries, and deliver. Experiments fumble the process and blame “Abuja.”

2. *Policy and oversight*: You can’t check a minister or hold an agency accountable if you’re still learning how a bill passes.

3. *Reputation*: Every weak performance makes it harder for the next competent candidate to be taken seriously.

*Recommendations for All Voters in 2027:*

1. *Audit the track record*: What has this person built, delivered, or defended before now? Check votes, motions, and community work from 2019-2025.

2. *Reject parachute candidates*: If they only appeared after INEC announced the timetable, they’re not here for you.

3. *Demand proof, not posters*: Town halls, project commissioning, and documented constituency interventions matter more than jingles.

*Conclusion*  

Nigerians cannot afford another trial-and-error term. The 2027 election is not a talent show. It’s about who can fight for us in Abuja on day one, not day 365. 

Choose the person with scars, wins, and receipts. 

Choose *Experience Over Experiment*. Anything less is selling your slot to political tourists.

How Peter Obi Sold a Mirage to Win 6.1 Million Votes in 2023

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*The Three Cons*

Peter Obi’s 2023 campaign didn’t win on record. It won on three calculated deceptions that pulled in 6.1 million votes.

1. *The Youth Con*: He branded himself “President of the Youths” at age 62. In 2023, the UN defines youth as 15-24. WHO uses 15-24. Nigeria’s African Youth Charter sets it at 15-35. 

At 62, Obi was past the start of old age by any standard. Yet thousands of Nigerians under 35 bought the label and never read the fine print.

2. *The Marginalization Con*: He framed himself as the answer to Southeast political exclusion. That narrative delivered roughly 40% of his votes from the region. The pitch ignored that elections are won on policy and governance, not ethnic grievance alone.

3. *The Religion Con*: He painted the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket as a “religious war” and mobilized churches against it. That move secured an estimated 45% of his support from Christian voters. He turned a campaign tactic into a faith conflict to drive turnout.

*Deceiving the Youths*

Calling yourself “President of the Youths” when you’re 62 isn’t strategy. It’s branding over 60-year-olds as the face of 25-year-olds. The deceit worked because most didn’t check the definitions. UN, WHO, and Nigeria’s own Youth Charter all place youth well below 40. 

The result: a generation that talks about change voted for a label, not a record. They missed the bait because they didn’t read between the lines.

*Recommendations for 2027*

Stop voting for slogans. Vote for track records you can verify.

1. *Check the record, not the rhetoric*. Rhetoric is the deceitful’s weapon. Look at what candidates did as governor, minister, or legislator. Dates, budgets, outcomes.

2. *Read the definitions*. If a 62-year-old can claim to be “President of the Youths” and get away with it, what else will slip past you?

3. *Watch for identity bait*. The playbook is simple: label yourself, create an enemy, collect votes. 

Next cycle it could be “Obedient” becoming “Obidient,” or non-indigenes contesting and reshaping constituencies like Oshodi-Isolo to favor ethnic blocs over local origins.

*Conclusion*

2023 proved that perception beats performance if you don’t pay attention. Obi didn’t win on governance in Anambra or on national policy detail. 

He won on three stories: youth leadership, regional marginalization, and religious threat.

If you want different results in 2027, change the input. Demand facts, not feelings. Verify claims. Vote for the person with receipts, not the one with the best slogan. 

Dangote: From Nigeria’s Industrial Pillar to Africa’s Catalyst for Prosperity

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Aliko Dangote’s name has long been tied to Nigeria’s economic ambitions. Now, his latest wave of projects signals a shift from national impact to continental transformation — with energy, food security, and industrial capacity at the center.

Powering Africa’s Future: The 20,000MW Vision

Dangote has announced plans to develop a 20,000-megawatt power project, a move that could fundamentally reshape Nigeria’s chronically unreliable electricity sector. 

For context, Nigeria’s current installed generation capacity sits at roughly 13,000MW, but frequent outages mean most households and businesses rely on diesel and petrol generators. 

Dangote framed the initiative as more than business expansion. “We are now going into power… 20,000 megawatts,” he said in a conversation with IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop, adding that energy, fertiliser, and industrial inputs are Africa’s most pressing needs. 

If delivered, the project would more than double Nigeria’s available power supply and reduce dependence on costly, polluting generators.

Feeding the Continent: The World’s Largest Fertiliser Ambition

On the agricultural front, Dangote is already operating Africa’s largest granulated urea complex in Lekki, Lagos, with a capacity of 3 million tonnes per year. That plant, commissioned in 2022 at a cost of $2.5 billion, supplies markets across sub-Saharan Africa and exports to Brazil, the U.S., India, and Mexico. 

Now he’s scaling up. Dangote says that within 40 months, Africa will stop importing fertiliser as his group expands output to become the world’s largest urea producer, surpassing even Qatar. 

The plan includes building six new ammonia and urea plants — four in Nigeria and two in Ethiopia — in partnership with global engineering firms like Topsoe, Saipem, and Thyssenkrupp. 

Ethiopia has already signed a $2.5 billion agreement with Dangote Group for a 3-million-tonne fertiliser plant in Gode, with Dangote holding 60% and Ethiopian Investment Holdings 40%. 

The goal is to produce 12 million tonnes of urea across the expanded network, directly tackling Africa’s low fertiliser consumption, which currently meets less than 20% of optimal agricultural needs. 

Why It Matters for Africa

These projects address two structural bottlenecks holding back African growth: energy deficit and food insecurity.

Energy drives manufacturing, healthcare, and digital access. A stable 20,000MW addition could unlock productivity for millions of small businesses and attract foreign investment that has long been deterred by power instability.

Fertiliser drives food security. With Africa importing over 6 million metric tonnes annually, local production cuts foreign exchange costs and insulates farmers from global price shocks, like those seen after the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

Dangote’s model also creates jobs and strengthens agricultural value chains across Nigeria, Ethiopia, and beyond.

Conclusion: A Model for African-Led Development

Dangote’s trajectory reflects a broader philosophy: African investors must take the lead in solving Africa’s development challenges. 

From a refinery once dismissed as impossible to a fertiliser complex now positioning Africa for self-sufficiency, the pattern is consistent — identify a gap, invest at scale, and execute with global standards. 

If both the 20,000MW power project and fertiliser expansion materialize, the impact would extend far beyond Nigeria. 

It would represent a blueprint for industrialization that reduces reliance on imports, creates jobs, and builds regional economic resilience. 

In that sense, Dangote’s work is evolving from a blessing for Nigeria into a catalyst for Africa’s next chapter.

Nigeria’s 2,000 Tractor Plan: From Manual Labor to Mechanised Farms

Imagine a farmer in Kano who has spent decades tilling 2 hectares with a hoe and cutlass. Planting takes weeks, yields are low, and much of the harvest is lost before it reaches the market. 

That’s how 95% of Nigerian farmers work today, using manual labor on just 34 million of the country’s 70 million hectares of arable land. The result: delayed planting, poor yields, food shortages, and rural poverty. 

The Bank of Agriculture’s new plan changes that. It’s a nationwide mechanisation drive to deploy 2,000 tractors that will cultivate up to 1.2 million hectares yearly, reaching 1.2 to 1.5 million smallholder farmers. This is the largest single agricultural mechanisation programme ever in Africa.

*What it is and why it matters*

Nigeria’s mechanisation density is only 0.27 tractors per 1,000 hectares, far below Africa’s average of 2.5 and the global average of 3. With over 230 million people and a population set to double by 2050, manual farming can’t feed the country. 

The Renewed Hope National Agricultural Mechanisation Programme shifts from symbolic handouts to a structured, productivity-driven system. 

*How it works*

Tractors aren’t given to individuals. They’re entrusted to *mechanisation service providers* - often youth and women entrepreneurs - who operate them as a business. 

Each tractor can cover 600 hectares annually. Farmers book services through an app and pay as they use it, with repayments tied to hectares worked. 

The model is a revolving fund: repayments are reinvested to buy more equipment without relying on annual budgets. 

To avoid past failures where tractors were abandoned, BOA is setting up 36 mobile service trucks and 7 mega mechanisation centres for real-time maintenance and repairs. 

Each tractor also comes with two years of free service support.

*Impact on stakeholders*

- *Smallholder farmers*: Gain access to mechanisation without upfront costs through a pay-as-you-service model. Yields are targeted to rise above 2 tonnes per hectare.

- *Youth and women*: Become service providers, creating jobs and income streams.

- *Government and economy*: The shift from subsistence to commercial farming could make Nigeria a net food exporter and address hunger and insecurity.

*Key facts*

- 2,000 Belarus tractors rolled out in Feb 2025 under the NAM Programme.

- 10% of tractors go to agribusinesses for quick capital recovery; 90% go to service providers via state/local partnerships.

- 9,000 precision implements are also being distributed to support expanded farming.

- Over 100,000 applications were received in phase one, showing strong demand. 

*Recommendations*

Strengthen digital tracking to prevent misuse and ensure equitable access across the 360 constituencies. 

Expand local assembly through the proposed SKD tractor plant to cut costs and create jobs. Prioritize training for service providers on maintenance and business management.

*Conclusion*

This isn’t just about tractors. It’s about replacing inefficiency with scale, dignity, and opportunity. If sustained, the programme can transform Nigeria’s agriculture from survival to prosperity, one hectare at a time.

*Reference*

Retired professors in Nigeria will now receive 100% of their final salary every month after retirement till they die

Based on a January 2026 agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), professors in Nigerian public universities can retire at age 70 and receive a pension equivalent to 100% of their final annual salary, effectively providing full pay for life.

 This policy aims to improve welfare, reduce brain drain, and stop endemic strikes.

Key Details of the Agreement:

100% Pay: Professors are entitled to a pension equal to their full annual salary upon retirement.

Eligibility: Applies to professors who retire at the statutory age of 70 after serving continuously.

Effective Date: This, along with other salary increases, is part of a renegotiated agreement expected to take effect in early 2026.

Background: The agreement is intended to bring professors' pension benefits in line with those of judicial officers and reduce the financial hardship faced by retirees.

Context: While the National Pension Commission (PenCom) operates a Contributory Pension Scheme, this agreement effectively embeds Defined Benefit (DB) obligations within that framework for professors.

While some reports suggest this brings retirement income closer to 100%, discussions around the practical, long-term implementation of this high-payout scheme remain ongoing.

 

*DIGITAL VERIFICATION FOR PRE-2004 CIVIL SERVANTS: SECURING PENSION RIGHTS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY*

*Sample Scenario in Layman’s Terms*

Imagine Musa, a 58-year-old federal teacher hired in 1998. Before 2004, his pension was handled under the old Defined Benefit Scheme where government paid retirement benefits directly from its budget. 

Records were paper-based, often incomplete, causing years of delays and missed payments. 

Now under the 2026 directive, Musa must log into PenCom’s COBRA platform, upload his details, and complete biometric verification. 

Once verified, his accrued pension rights from 1998-2004 are calculated and funded from the Retirement Benefits Bond Redemption Fund at the CBN. 

This means Musa gets paid on time after retirement instead of waiting indefinitely.

*What It Is and Why*

The Federal Government, via the National Pension Commission (PenCom), launched a mandatory one-time *Online Verification and Enrolment Exercise* for all active treasury-funded civil servants employed before *June 30, 2004*. 

This group transitioned from the old Defined Benefit Scheme to the Contributory Pension Scheme in 2004 but still hold accrued pension rights earned under DBS. 

The exercise captures accurate data to compute these liabilities and ensure timely payment. 

*Key Highlights*

1. *Scope and Timeline*: Targets pre-2004 treasury-funded MDA staff. Started February 2, 2026 and ends July 31, 2026. 

• Phase 1 covered retirees from Jan 2027-Dec 2029; 
• Phase 2 covers 2030 onward.

2. *Digital Shift*: Replaces manual verification with the *Contributions and Bond Redemption Application (COBRA)* for real-time data capture, biometric validation, and record cross-checking.

3. *Legal Basis*: Backed by Section 15(1) of the Pension Reform Act 2014, with payments funded through the Retirement Benefits Bond Redemption Fund domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria.

4. *Compliance Directive*: On April 27, 2026, Head of Civil Service Didi Esther Walson-Jack ordered all MDAs to mobilize staff and upload records. Non-participation risks delays or complications in accessing retirement benefits.

*Impact Before vs After*

*Before*: Manual processes led to incomplete records, fraud, and slow payouts. Government couldn’t accurately budget for pension liabilities.

*After*: COBRA ensures accurate, verifiable data for budgeting and payment. Civil servants gain clarity on entitlements, while government settles 20-year legacy pension obligations. 

The portal for the exercise is PenCom’s *Contributions and Bond Redemption Application (COBRA)* platform.

This is the official digital system where eligible pre-2004 civil servants upload their details, complete biometric verification, and submit documents for accrued pension rights enrolment.

MDAs are also required to use COBRA to upload and validate staff records on behalf of their employees. 

PenCom hasn’t published a public-facing URL in the directive, so affected staff should access it through their respective MDA's Pension Desk Officers or directly via PenCom’s official channels for the link and login credentials.

*Key documents pre-2004 civil servants should have ready for COBRA upload:*

1. *Letter of First Appointment* - This confirms your employment date before June 30, 2004 and is the primary proof of eligibility.

2. *Letter of Confirmation of Appointment* - Validates that your appointment was made permanent.

3. *Promotion Letters* - All letters from your first appointment up to your current grade level. This helps calculate accrued rights correctly.

4. *Birth Certificate or Sworn Declaration of Age* - For age verification and retirement timeline.

5. *National Identity Card/NIN* - For biometric and identity validation on COBRA.

6. *Passport Photograph* - Recent passport-sized photo for your pension record.

7. *Bank Details* - Active bank account details for future pension disbursement.

*How it works*: You submit these through your MDA’s Pension Desk Officer, who will upload and validate them on COBRA. The system also captures your biometrics during the process.

Missing or inconsistent documents are the main reason for delays, so double-check that names and dates match across all documents before submission.

*Recommendations*

- MDAs should appoint trained Pension Desk Officers to guide staff through COBRA and document submission to PFAs.

- PenCom must run sustained public awareness to address low turnout.

- Workers should verify early to avoid bottlenecks before the July 31, 2026 deadline.

*Conclusion*

This initiative is a critical step toward pension integrity and fiscal responsibility. 

By digitizing verification, the government protects retirees’ rights while resolving longstanding liabilities from the pre-2004 era. 

Timely compliance is now essential for every eligible civil servant.

Also read from Punch Newspaper with link below:

FG vows to settle 20-year-old public service arrears by December 2026 

Nigeria’s Oil Paradox: How Debt, Dangote, and Reform Are Reshaping the Economy

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If you've ever wondered how Tinubu efficiently govern Lagos without FAACs for close to 8 years due to frustrating tactics of OBJ,

Then read through the article how PBAT is changing Nigeria from oil dependent to advanced economy without it.

Nigeria produces 1.5 to 1.8 million barrels of crude oil daily, yet much of it is already committed to repaying past loans. Through crude-for-loan agreements, NNPC sells future oil to service debts from previous governments. In effect, tomorrow’s oil revenue has been spent since past regimes before PBAT's administration.

This debt burden explains why Dangote Refinery still imports crude. Africa’s largest refinery, with a 650,000 barrel-per-day capacity, received only 26.9% of its required crude from NNPC between October 2025 and March 2026. To run at full capacity, it now sources the rest from Brazil, the US, and Ghana at higher global prices.

President Tinubu’s reforms are gradually reducing Nigeria’s oil dependence. Non-oil revenue now accounts for over 75% of government income, cutting oil’s share of GDP to less than 25%. 

Higher internally generated revenue has also tripled monthly FAAC allocations to states in some cases.

Despite using our crude to pay generational debt, no cause for alarm with PBAT's Economic Reforms. 

With good governance, many countries worlwide still thrive well without having crude oil - Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, Israel, Netherlands and Honkong are advanced economies without oil and yet still doing well.

*Iran War: Why Fuel Prices Rose in Nigeria, the US, and the UK*

Common sense suggests that oil-producing countries like Nigeria, the US, and the UK should be insulated from war-driven price shocks. Reality says otherwise.

The US-Iran conflict began on February 28, 2026, when the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted. Brent crude spiked from about $70 to $126 per barrel.

- *Nigeria*: Petrol rose from under ₦900 per litre in February to about ₦1,400 per litre by May 6, a 39.5% jump. Despite producing crude, Nigerian refiners pay global prices for feedstock, so when Brent rises, pump prices follow.

- *United States*: Gasoline increased from $2.98 to $4.46 per gallon. In naira terms, that’s a rise from ₦1,080 to ₦1,620 per litre, a 50% increase.

- *United Kingdom*: Petrol climbed from $1.698 to $1.874 per litre, or ₦2,334 to ₦2,537. That’s an 8.7% increase in one month.

Nigeria recorded the sharpest percentage rise, even though its fuel remains cheaper than the UK and US in dollar terms. The impact feels heavier because most Nigerians depend on petrol for transport and electricity.

*Income Tax: More Nigerians Keep Their Earnings*

From January 2026, Nigeria raised its tax-free income threshold to ₦800,000 per year. About 97% of Nigerians now pay zero income tax. For those above the threshold, rates are progressive: 15% up to ₦3 million, 18% up to ₦12 million, 21% up to ₦25 million, and 25% above ₦50 million.

By contrast, the *UK* exempts the first £12,570, then taxes income at 20%, 40%, and 45% for higher earners. The *US* exempts the first $14,600, with federal rates ranging from 10% to 37%.

*What’s Next*

If the naira-for-crude deal with Dangote works as planned, Nigeria could save up to $7.3 billion annually on foreign exchange. That would ease pressure on the naira and reduce fuel import costs.

*Conclusion*

Nigeria’s oil wealth is still tied up in debt, but economic reforms are shifting the balance toward non-oil growth. 

Local refining offers hope, yet global events like the Iran war show Nigeria remains exposed to international markets. 

The new tax policy protects low earners, but lasting progress depends on stronger productivity, security, and local supply chains.

Source: Online research, May 6, 2026

Nigeria’s Economy Turns a Corner: Growth Returns After Years of Stagnation

Imagine a farmer in Kano who for years saw his income shrink as prices rose and the naira lost value. 

*Before 2024*, the economy grew slower than the population, so each person was effectively poorer year after year. 

That was the old way: weak growth, high inflation, and unstable exchange rates that discouraged investment and made daily life harder for households and businesses.

In 2026, with stronger output and a steadier naira, the same farmer earns more in real terms, businesses restock confidently, and investors return. 

The shift means more jobs, better incomes, and a government with more revenue to spend on roads, schools, and security.

Nigeria’s economy is rebounding strongly according to a new Quartus Economics report titled *Nigeria on the Rise Again*.

The study shows the country has reversed a multi-year decline and is outperforming most African peers.

*Key Highlights*

- *Strongest growth in over a decade*: Real GDP grew a cumulative *8.34% between 2024 and 2025*, outpacing population growth of under 4.4%. 

This contrasts sharply with 2020–2023, when GDP grew only *0.97%* while population rose *8.78%*, cutting per capita income by *21%*.

- *Per capita income rising again*: GDP per capita fell 21% in 2020–23 but increased *19.5% in 2025* to *$1,295*.

- *Dollar GDP back above $300bn*: Nigeria’s dollar GDP jumped *22%* from $252bn in 2024 to * $307.5bn in 2025*. 

The rise reflects *18.43% nominal GDP growth* in naira terms and a *3% naira appreciation*, from N1,479/$ to N1,436/$.

- *Regional outperformance*: 

Nigeria now accounts for *14.4% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP*, up from 13% in 2024, 

Its per capita GDP rose to *72% of the regional average* from 67%. 

It contributed nearly *28% of Africa’s total dollar GDP growth* in 2025.

- *Broader growth drivers*: 

Gains came from agriculture, industry, and services, not just oil. 

Better security in farming areas, improved foreign exchange access, energy reforms, and resilient telecoms and finance sectors all helped. 

Inflation also eased, falling from a peak of *34.8% in Dec 2024 to 15.2% in Dec 2025*.

*Recommendations*

Sustain the momentum by maintaining policy consistency, expanding social safety nets to protect vulnerable households from reform costs like higher fuel and food prices, and accelerating job creation beyond oil. 

Infrastructure investment and security in food-producing regions remain critical for broad-based growth.

*Conclusion*

The data show Nigeria has moved from contraction to expansion, with income and output now growing faster than population.

The reforms of the past two years are restoring stability and confidence. The challenge for 2026 is to make growth more inclusive so the recovery is felt in everyday livelihoods, not just macroeconomic figures. 

Reference 

NNPC–China Deal: New Lifeline for Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries

*NNPC–China Deal: New Lifeline for Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries*

Imagine your car that runs on fuel, but the only gas stations in your town are closed. Meanwhile, you have oil in your backyard, yet you still buy fuel from the next city at high prices. 

That's Nigeria's story. For years, our four refineries barely worked, so we shipped out and sell cheaply our crude and then re-import exorbitantly expensive petrol - The new NNPC-China deal aims to flip that script.

*What is it?*

On April 30, 2026, NNPC Ltd signed a Memorandum of Understanding with two Chinese firms: Sanjiang Chemical Company Limited and Xingcheng (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co. Ltd. 

It’s a Technical Equity Partnership to restart, operate, expand, and upgrade the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.

*Why now?*

Nigeria’s four refineries have a combined capacity of 445,000 barrels per day but ran at only 50–55% utilization and recorded monumental losses. 

Over the past decade, more than $25 billion was spent on rehabilitation without lasting results. NNPC now wants partners with “skin in the game” instead of contractors. The Chinese firm runs one of China’s biggest petrochemical plants.

*Brief Summary*

NNPC is shifting from contractor-led fixes to equity partnerships. The Chinese firms will finish outstanding work, run daily operations, and upgrade plants to Euro-V fuel standards. 

The deal also targets petrochemical expansion and gas-based industrial hubs. NNPC keeps a minority stake but won’t sell the refineries.

*Key Highlights*

- *Old ways*: State-run refineries suffered bureaucratic delays. With NNPC holding major equity and full control, simple operational decisions often dragged for up to 4 years, stalling maintenance and killing profitability.

- *New model*: Chinese partners take equity and lead operations in the following 3 essentials: 

• Financing, 
• Competent EPC contractor, 
• World-class operations.

- *Lower NNPC equity impact*: By taking a minority, non-operating role, NNPC steps back from day-to-day calls. This should cut the usual bureaucratic red tape, speed procurement, and let experienced operators make technical decisions in weeks, not years - Faster decisions mean fewer shutdowns and better cost control.

- *Scope*: Complete rehabilitation, sustainable operation, Euro-V upgrades, and petrochemical/gas hub growth.

- *Stakeholders*: NNPC gains expertise and shares risk; Chinese firms earn long-term revenue; Nigerians may get cheaper local fuel, jobs, and forex savings; Dangote Refinery faces healthy competition on quality.

*Sample Usage & Impacts Afterwards*

Once restarted, 

• Port Harcourt and Warri could supply PMS, diesel, and petrochemicals locally. 
• Truck drivers load cheaper fuel at the depot instead of waiting on imports. 
• Nearby factories use gas hubs for power.
• With NNPC no longer blocking quick decisions, 
• plants respond to market shifts fast. 
• Reduced imports ease forex pressure, and
• Euro-V output improves air quality.

*Recommendations*

1. Lock in clear governance so NNPC’s minority role truly removes bottlenecks but keeps strategic oversight.

2. Set KPIs for decision timelines, capacity utilization, and downtime to measure the speed advantage.

3. Mandate skills transfer so Nigerian engineers run the plants long-term.

4. Ring-fence refinery cash flows to avoid political interference or corruption practices that once causes 4-year delays even in simple decisions.

*Conclusion*

The MoU would egender:

• Breaks from decades of failed turnaround maintenance. 
• Ceeding operational control to those with experience and track records of running refineries. 
• Escape from the antics of corrupt practices in cabal-driven NNPC.
• The lower NNPC equity would finally ends the 4-year decision paralysis,
•  The refineries can self-finance and run profitably. 
• Execution, not paperwork, will decide if Nigeria finally refines what it pumps.

Light Up Your State: How Tinubu’s 2023 Power Law Puts Electricity in Your Governor’s Hands

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Video 👆In Offa, Kwara State, one community isn’t waiting for change. They’re informing their people about Nigeria’s electricity challenges, government’s recent actions, and why leaders must be held accountable. Other communities should take note and do the same.

*What Happened Before*

Nigeria’s power problem did not start today. After NEPA was split up and sold in 2013, we still had gas shortages, weak transmission lines, and little money in the system. 

Only a small part of the power made actually reached homes and shops. For years, most Nigerians paid estimated bills for darkness.

*What Is Happening Now*

On June 9, 2023, President Bola Tinubu signed the Electricity Act 2023. 

This law removed electricity from the “Exclusive List” so states can now make, move, and sell power inside their borders.

16+ states have already passed their own electricity laws. 

States like Niger host 3,000MW of hydro power and can now build their own markets.

Tinubu also approved a plan to attract $122.2bn to fix power from 2024–2045. And his government started paying power sector debts. 

An audit cut GenCos’ claimed ₦6 trillion debt down to ₦2.8 trillion, and Tinubu approved paying it in batches with bonds.

The Federal Government also said prepaid meters should be free. DisCos were banned from charging customers for meters. Yet many Nigerians still report paying ₦15k–₦150k to install meters. 

DisCos are accused of hoarding meters to keep sending estimated bills.

*Why You Must Hold Your Governor and LG Chairman Accountable*

The 2023 Act gives your state the legal power to end blackouts. Your governor now controls state electricity policy, can license mini-grids, and partner with private firms. 

Money for this already goes to states. If your area has no light, ask your governor: “Where is our state power plan?” Ask your LG Chairman: “What local projects have you started?”

*Power Subsidy: The Failed Years vs Now*

From 2013 to 2023, government paid power subsidies without audit. Claims were bloated. Tinubu’s team did a tripartite audit and found only ₦2.8 trillion was real. 

Paying that debt frees GenCos to produce more power instead of shutting down for lack of gas payments.

*Way Forward: What Citizens Should Do*

1. *Learn*: Know that your state now has power to generate electricity.

2. *Demand*: Ask your State House of Assembly for updates on the state electricity law.

3. *Report*: If DisCos demand money for “free” meters, report to NERC and your state regulator.

4. *Support*: Back state projects like solar mini-grids and hydro.

*Content Recommendations*

- *For Governors*: Publish a 2-year state power roadmap. License private solar/hydro firms. Set up state regulators.

- *For DisCos*: Release all imported meters free. End estimated billing.

- *For Citizens*: Form community energy watch groups. Track state power budgets. 

*Conclusion*

For decades we blamed only the President for darkness. The 2023 Electricity Act changes that. Tinubu has signed the law, started paying real debts, and pushed free meters. 

Now light is in your governor’s hands. If your street is dark, don’t just tweet Abuja. Knock on your Government House door. Power is now local. Demand it.

Nigeria’s Insecurity: Why Quick Fixes Fail, and Why Continuity Matters in 2027

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*Nigeria’s Insecurity: Why Quick Fixes Fail, and Why Continuity Matters in 2027*

Insecurity is not an easy switch you just flip off. If it were that simple, former President Muhammadu Buhari would have ended it in his 8 years. 

He couldn’t. For over two decades, Nigeria has deployed military force against insurgency, yet the problem persists.

The hard truth: guns alone don’t solve what parental Irresponsibility and bad governance created.

*Poverty + governance deficits = insecurity*

*Citizens Responsibility*

Some irresponsible citizens giving birth to number of children they can't cater for are part of the root cause - that's the rootcause of Northern Almajiris that have become easy recruits of Bokoharam and ISWAP.

The same parental Irresponsibility is responsible for easy recruitment into IPOB/ ESN terrorists, drug addicts, human trafficking, online scammers, ritualists and Kidnappers, etc

The uncivic citizens that refused to come out on election day to vote candidates with track records of good governance are another root cause.

*Two decades of military pushback haven’t ended the insurgency*

From the early 2000s to today, successive administrations have leaned heavily on kinetic operations. Analysts note that “two decades ago Nigeria's military was seen as a force for stability across West Africa. 

Now it struggles to keep security within its own borders as an Islamist insurgency in the northeast kills thousands.” 

A lack of investment in training, failure to maintain equipment, and dwindling cooperation with Western forces damaged the armed services, even as Boko Haram became “increasingly well-armed, determined foe.” 

Despite repeated government claims of military victory, “violence persists in the country’s northeast. 

Abductions, ambushes, and deadly suicide bombings continued in the first half of 2018.” Nigerian security forces “are failing to protect the region’s vast rural areas from militant attacks.” 

Research also shows that “Boko Haram’s resilience highlights the limits of a purely military solution to the conflict.”

Violent insecurity in much of northern Nigeria is “not a ‘new war’ between ethnoreligious groups per se but more of an outcome of governance and development deficits that have trapped the masses in affliction while a handful of governing elite live in affluence.” 

Decades of underinvestment, unemployment, and weak institutions created fertile ground for extremism. You cannot shoot poverty. You must out-develop it.

*What PBAT is doing differently: Jobs, roads, and youth at the center*

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is attacking the root, not just the symptom. 

The strategy is simple: build infrastructure, skill the youth, and create millions of jobs that pull people away from the lure of violence.

- *Construction on a national scale*: The Federal Executive Council approved N147.89bn to complete Section II of the Oyo-Ogbomosho highway, with the contract awarded to Nigerian-owned JRB Construction Co. Ltd to “build Nigeria with Nigerian firms,” retain jobs, and build local capacity. 

Other active corridors include the Onyoma-Omokpa Highway at 81% completion, Ibadan-Iwo, Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode, and Akure-Ado-Ekiti links. The Tinubu administration is also pushing the 1,068km Illela-Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, Kano-Kaduna rail, Trans-Saharan Road, and multiple power and water projects across the North. At the Omosi Road site, the FG is building with reinforced concrete “to withstand rain and serve future generations” 

- *Mass youth skilling and employment*: FG is “training and empowering 100,000 youths in culinary and hospitality skills to boost employment” and partnering with ITF/CTIN to train “100,000 artisans in construction skills.” 

Another programme announced “millions of youths to get jobs, skills, as FG launches new programme.” On-site reports show thousands of job openings tied to these projects, with job drives promising “more than 1,000 vacancies” in various categories.

- *Local content = retained wealth*: By insisting on Nigerian firms and workers, the administration ensures money circulates at home. Artisans, welders, surveyors, and equipment operators are being hired directly off project sites. 

These are not press-release projects. They are excavators in the ground, concrete being poured, and paychecks going to young Nigerians weekly.

*3 years vs 8 years: The timeline reality*

Security took two decades to unravel. It won’t be fixed in 30 months. Buhari’s 8 years proved that military operations without economic reform stall. 

PBAT’s 3 years have prioritized the economic flank: roads that connect farms to markets, power that keeps factories running, and jobs that give youth a stake in peace. Expecting total victory now ignores the scale of the rot we inherited.

*2027: Vote records, not rhetoric*

To every Nigerian reading this: 2027 will test our memory. Ask every candidate:

1. *What have you built?* Roads, power, jobs—show us.

2. *Who did you empower?* If your record didn’t put tools in young people’s hands, don’t ask for the country’s steering wheel.

3. *Are you continuing what works?* Abandoning ongoing superhighways, rail, and skills programs midstream is economic sabotage.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has earned the constitutional right to seek a second term. 

Continuity allows the Oyo-Ogbomosho road to be finished, the 600 federal roads to be delivered, and the 200,000+ skilled youths to enter a labor market that’s ready for them. Discontinuity risks resetting the clock to zero.

Sentiment won’t pay salaries. Tribe won’t stop bullets. Only development will. If we vote based on anything other than verifiable, pro-development records, the backlash will hit all of us—God forbid.

*To PBAT: Finish your two terms. May God help you, Daddy Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Ameen.*

*Call to Action*

1. *Register to vote* ahead of 2027.

2. *Track the projects* in your state: visit the sites, ask questions, hold contractors accountable.

3. *Reject nostalgia politics*. Nigeria cannot afford to recycle failure.

4. Give birth to only those you can cater for 

Insecurity is a bad thing. But building a Nigeria where it can’t thrive is better. That work has started. Let’s not interrupt it.