In a bid to bring the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) into full operation, the Federal Government has inaugurated an 11- member project delivery committee. The Committee comprises three members from ALCON, two from the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), two members from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), two members each from the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Federal Ministry of Power. In its terms of reference, the committee is expected to fast-track the connection of 132 kV transmission lines, ensure the completion of the Itu-Aba 132kV line, Itu-Calabar 132kV line, produce a status report…
Author: Adetutu Audu
The Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, has charged the South East Development Commission to collaborate with the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, in the execution of regional projects that will benefit the South East and the South South states. The Minister stated this on Wednesday, 4 February, 2026, during the South East Vision 2050 Stakeholders’ Forum at the International Conference Centre, Enugu. The NDDC Board Chairman, Mr Chiedu Ebie, the Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku and the Bayelsa State Representative on the Board, Senator Dimaro Denyanbofa joined other stakeholders at the event. The Minister said the creation of…
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has been commended for his decision to ensure free distribution of meters to Nigerian electricity consumers. In a statement on Tuesday and signed by its officials, Fred Ojinika and Mr Tunde Olaoye, the Nigerian Human Rights Community, (NHRC) a coalition of 130 civil society and community based groups across the country, established in 2003 said the decision of the Minister was in the best interest of Nigerians. The Minister of Power, Adelabu had said that the meters were procured under the World Bank-funded Distribution Sector Recovery Programme and must be installed for consumers free.…
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in collaboration with the Government of Senegal and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has officially launched a cooperation and humanitarian assistance initiative aimed at improving protection, livelihoods and social inclusion for refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons in Senegal. The launch ceremony, held in Dakar, brought together senior Senegalese government officials, ECOWAS commissioners, UNHCR representatives, development partners and leaders of refugee communities. The initiative marks a major implementation milestone of a project conceived in 2023, at a time when global humanitarian funding is declining and refugee assistance worldwide is…
By Oumarou Sanou The post–Cold War international order was never perfect, but it rested on an implicit bargain: economic integration, shared security frameworks, and a rules-based multilateral system that, however asymmetrical, offered predictability. Today, that fragile system is cracking. What we are witnessing is not merely a shift in global power centres; it is a contest for the very architecture that governs the relations between the powerful and the weak. In Davos earlier this year, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a speech that resonated far beyond Canadian audiences. He warned that the world is experiencing “a rupture, not a…
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), has called for a coordinated national response to illicit drug cultivation, urging broad support for Nigeria’s newly introduced alternative development programme. Marwa made the appeal at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, 3 February, 2026, where he highlighted the need for sustained collaboration among government institutions, communities, development partners and the private sector to ensure the success of the initiative. The alternative development programme, the first of its kind in Africa, was recently launched as a pilot scheme in three…
By Austin Aigbe FSM In the aftermath of Nigeria’s 2019 general elections, I sat with a heavy heart and a clear conclusion: affirmative action legislation is essential to address the stark underrepresentation of women in Nigeria’s political leadership. Despite women making up nearly half of Nigeria’s population, they occupy less than 5 per cent of seats in the National Assembly, underscoring a civic duty to effect change. As the then Secretary of the National Coalition of Affirmative Action (NCAA) in my state, I worked alongside visionary women such as the late Oby Nwankwo, who helped lead the national gender equality…
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has unveiled its Gender Policy II, reinforcing its commitment to inclusive, people-centred security delivery and institutional professionalism. The policy was launched on Tuesday, 3 February, 2026, in Abuja at an event that brought together senior government officials, security sector leaders, development partners and civil society organisations. Speaking at the ceremony, the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Prof. Ahmed Audi, described inclusivity as a critical pillar for building a credible and effective security institution. He said the new policy reflects the Corps’ determination to align its operations with global standards while supporting national…
A World Bank chief, Anna Bjerde, said Nigeria is now frequently cited globally as an example of steady, credible reform leadership. Bjerde, the bank’s Managing Director of Operations, made the remark at a meeting on Tuesday, 3 February, 2026, with President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima at the State House, Abuja. Some other bank officials accompanied Bjerde to the meeting. The World Bank Managing Director commended Nigeria’s reform progress over the past two years, particularly the government’s consistent resolve to stay the course despite challenges. This consistency and the clear evidence of positive results, she said, have built…
The Chairman of Ikeja Local Government, Comrade Akeem Olalekan Dauda has congratulated Rt. Hon. Faleke on his well-deserved inclusion as a Member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Convention, where his name proudly appears as number 64 on the official list. Dauda described the inclusion of Rt. Hon. Faleke as a fitting recognition of a life devoted to party loyalty, legislative excellence, and unwavering commitment to progressive ideals. According to him, this milestone reflects the confidence reposed in Rt. Hon. Faleke’s experience, political maturity, and consistent service to the APC and the Nigerian democratic project. It is a testament…