As Vice President Kashim Shettima marks his birthday, Stanley Nkwocha has reflected on his experience working closely with the Vice President, describing it as a journey that has offered profound lessons in leadership, loyalty, courage and responsibility. In a heartfelt birthday tribute to the Vice President, Nkwocha looked beyond the titles, responsibilities and ceremonies associated with public office to celebrate the person behind the position. “Birthdays offer us a rare opportunity to look beyond titles, responsibilities, and the demands of public office, and simply acknowledge the person,” he said. Reflecting on his years of working with Shettima, Nkwocha said the…
Author: Micheal Akanji
Vice President Kashim Shettima has escalated Nigeria’s concerns over recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa to the African Union, calling for urgent collective action to protect Africans and preserve continental unity. Vice President Kashim Shettima has formally raised the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa before the African Union (AU), warning that the incidents threaten the principles of African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence. Shettima, who represented Nigeria at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Luanda, Angola, urged African leaders to place the issue on the agenda of…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed the latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), describing the 4.43 per cent growth recorded in the second quarter of 2026 as evidence that Nigeria’s economy is responding positively to ongoing reforms. The NBS figures show that the economy grew by 4.43 per cent in Q2 2026, compared with 4.23 per cent recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2025. The growth was recorded across key sectors of the economy, including agriculture, manufacturing, oil and gas, and services. The services sector maintained its position as the largest contributor…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday, August 30, 2026, for Europe to begin a three-week vacation as part of his annual leave. According to a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the President’s first destination will be London, United Kingdom. The statement noted that President Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria at the end of his working vacation, where he will resume official engagements and join preparations for the January 2027 election. The President’s three-week leave forms part of his annual vacation schedule. The statement was issued by…
By Micheal Akanji “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” — Abraham Lincoln There are moments in the life of a nation when difficult decisions become unavoidable. At such moments, leadership is often judged not by the popularity of its choices but by its willingness to confront problems that previous generations may have postponed. That was one of the defining features of Abraham Lincoln’s presidency during the American Civil War. Faced with a divided nation and a profound moral and political crisis, Lincoln pursued reforms that fundamentally altered the trajectory of the United States. His Emancipation…
The Federal Ministry of Finance has welcomed Nigeria’s reclassification as a Frontier Market by FTSE Russell, describing the development as a major validation of the country’s ongoing economic reforms and a foundation for the next phase of capital market growth. In a statement personally signed on Friday, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the reclassification represents Nigeria’s return to the global Frontier Market universe, nearly three years after the country was removed in September 2023. Nigeria was previously excluded from the index after persistent challenges with capital repatriation and foreign exchange execution made…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced plans by the Federal Government and state governors to reduce transportation fares across Nigeria, with the initiative expected to take effect from October 1, 2026. The President disclosed this on Thursday, August 27, following discussions with the Governors’ Forum, saying the governors had agreed to take immediate steps to lower transportation costs in their respective states. Tinubu said the initiative would focus largely on the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electric vehicles, which he said could significantly reduce the cost of operating commercial transport. According to the President, vehicles powered by CNG…
The City Boy Movement (CBM) has highlighted Nigeria’s return to FTSE Russell’s Frontier Market status, the clearing of foreign-exchange queues and improved capital repatriation as measurable gains from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms. Nigeria is scheduled to move from FTSE Russell’s “Unclassified” category to “Frontier Market” status on September 21, 2026, three years after its removal from the classification in September 2023. The group said Nigeria’s removal in 2023 was linked to difficulties accessing foreign exchange and repatriating investors’ capital. It noted that FTSE Russell now reports that FX queues have cleared and international institutional investors no longer face…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has charged the management of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) to intensify efforts to convert gas currently lost to flaring into economic benefits for Nigerians, particularly through increased domestic utilisation. Tinubu gave the charge on Wednesday at the State House, Abuja, while receiving members of the NLNG Board led by its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Adeleye Falade. The President said Nigeria must move beyond simply extracting revenue from its gas resources and ensure that the country’s energy assets directly support the domestic economy and improve the welfare of citizens. “My major concern is…
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive reform of Nigerian football, citing repeated failures to qualify for major regional, continental and global tournaments. The President said the reform is necessary to address longstanding structural weaknesses affecting the governance, administration, development and performance of football in Nigeria. According to PBAT, the process must strengthen stakeholder representation, development pathways, domestic competitions and accountability across the football system. “Football, Nigeria’s most popular sport and the greatest beneficiary of public support, investment and national attention, has continued to struggle basically due to structural deficits within the system,” the President said. Tinubu noted that other…