News
House of commotion: Fresh crisis rocks Kogi Assembly
This is not the first time that the Kogi State House of Assembly has been enmeshed with crisis.
Back in February 16, 2016, five lawmakers, out of a 20-member House, sat and purportedly removed the then Speaker, Honourable Momoh Jimoh Lawal who was said not to be in the good books of the State Government.
Citing relevant sessions in the House rules, the lawmakers aired their views that five was greater than 15, insisting that they have formed a quorum to impeach a sitting Speaker and elect a new one. The coup against Lawal was led by the former lawmaker representing Igalamela Odolu Constituency, Friday Sanni Makama who was also suspended and never returned to the chamber till the expiration of 6th Assembly in Kogi State.
Although normalcy gradually returned to the House after the prolonged crisis, the emergence of Alfa Ahmed Imam as the successor of Honourable Momoh Jimoh Lawal didn’t last. Things fell apart between Imam and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State over consistent criticism of the Kogi State Government.
How commotion started in Kogi Seventh Assembly
The current crisis rocking the seventh Kogi State House of Assembly could be traced far back to June 17, 2023, when the Speaker of the House, Prince Mathew Kolawol announced the impeachment of the then Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Ahmed Muhammed, member representing Ankpa I state constituency.
The suspension of the number two Citizen of the house is sequel to a motion of urgent public importance read by Hon. Enema Paul, member representing (Dekina/Okura) State Constituency.
The lawmaker said 17 lawmakers signed the impeachment of the then deputy speaker and the suspension of the three principal officers of the House.
The three principal officers removed from office and later suspended from the House are Bello Hassan Balogun (Majority Leader), representing Ajaokuta State Constituency, Idris Ndako (Deputy Majority Leader), representing Lokoja II and Hon. Edoko Moses Ododo (Chief Whip).
The House, thereafter, announced Alfa Momoh Rabiu, a lawmaker representing Ankpa II, as the new Deputy Speaker.
Other new principal officers elected are Hon. Muktar Bajeh (Majority Leader), Umar Isah Tanimu (Deputy Majority Leader), Enema Paul (Deputy Chief Whip), and Ahmed Dahiru (Chief Whip).
Aggrieved lawmakers fight back
Following their suspension and removal from office, the aggrieved lawmakers fought back immediately, announcing the removal of Prince Mathew Kolawole as the Speaker of the House.
They accused Prince Kolawole of misconduct and money laundering running into millions of naira.
According to them, Kolawole’s alleged corrupt antecedents had led to the non-payment of members’ constitutional entitlements, gross corruption and diversion of funds meant for the Assembly since 2019.
They also said the Speaker obtained a personal loan running into hundreds of millions, using the Kogi State House of Assembly account to the detriment of other members.
The aggrieved lawmakers alleged that Kolawole diminished the integrity of fellow elected members by serially recording meetings and confidential conversations of members which he used as a tool to blackmail members before Governor Yahaya Bello.
The statement reads, “Whereas the Kogi State House of Assembly has been embroiled in an ongoing messy crisis of confidence with the leadership style and corrupt antecedents and tendencies of the former/impeached Speaker, Mr. Mattew Kolawole whose leadership of the Kogi State House of Assembly has led to non-payment of members Constitutional entitlements and gross corruption and diversion of funds meant for the Assembly since 2019.
“That the said Mr. Mattew Kolawole used the Kogi State House of Assembly account to collect a personal loan running into Hundreds of millions to the detriment of Members of the House.
“That the said Mr. Mattew Kolawole stepped on and diminished the integrity and status of fellow elected members by serially recording meetings and confidential conversations of members with which he maliciously played for the Governor of Kogi State as a tool to blackmail members and destroy the trust and loyalty of members to the Governor overtime.
“That all the undersigned 19 members upon being perplexed and vexed at the obvious evil behaviour and machinations of Mr. Mattew Kolawole met and decided to constitutionally impeach the said Mattew Kolawole to wit signatures were collected and the said Mattew Kolawole impeached and a Speaker Pro Tempore duly elected amongst members.
“The standing orders of the Kogi State House of Assembly state that Mondays and Fridays are meant for Committee business and oversight functions and are not plenary days.
“For the business of plenary and by extension resolutions to be effected, a proclamation must be made a minimum of 48 hours before the date of sitting.
“This then goes to the fact that all the activities of the intimidated and kidnapped members under the impeached Mr. Mattew Kolawole today the 17th day of June, 2022, are null and void ab initio and cannot stand the test of legality.
“Finally, all undersigned members pledge their unalloyed loyalty to His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello and the party that brought them all to power: The All Progressives Congress. APC.
“We hereby adopt the following Resolutions for their removal and Suspension as follows:
“That it be resolved:- and it is so resolved that Rt. Hon. (Prince) Matthew Kolawole, is hereby removed/impeached as the speaker, of the Kogi State House of Assembly with effect from today Monday, the 13th day of July, 2022 in accordance with Section 92 (2) (C) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended and suspended from the House pending the final report from the House Committee on ethics and privileges upon investigation of the allegations bordering on gross misconduct in accordance with Order 10 Rule 65 Sub 12 of the Kogi State House of Assembly Standing rules.
“For avoidance of doubt, Section 92 (2) (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended provides that: “The Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly shall vacate his/their offices if they are removed from office by a resolution of the House of Assembly by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of the members of the House.”
The lawmakers who had said the impeachment took effect from Monday, June 13, 2022, in a statement issued to journalists claimed that the speaker’s impeachment was undersigned by 19 lawmakers, including Ahmed Mohammed, the deputy speaker and Bello Abdullahi, the majority leader. The names of the lawmakers who purportedly signed the impeachment letter are as follows:
We didn’t impeach Speaker
However, some lawmakers, who were reported to have signed the impeachment of Prince Mathew Kolawole, debunked removing the Kabba/Bunu lawmaker. The assembly members distanced themselves from the alleged signatures collected to impeach the Speaker.
The position of some of the lawmakers came a few days after the then suspended former Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ahmed Mohammed, representing (Ankpa I) and two other former principal officers, Hon. Bello Hassan Abdullahi (Ajaokuta), and Moses Odoo, (Dekina/Biraidu) purportedly came up with a letter that Prince Mathew Kolawole has been impeached as Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly.
The lawmakers during the House plenary said they collected signatures to pass a vote of confidence on Governor Yahaya Bello’s Presidential ambition and not to impeach the Speaker.
Why we recalled suspended members- Kogi Assembly
Just in January, the Kogi State House of Assembly recalled the suspended principal officers back to the house. This actually happened barely a month to the 2023 general election.
The Assembly speaker, Kolawole said the suspended lawmakers were recalled to foster peace and harmony among members as the seventh Assembly gradually comes to an end.
Reading the findings of the house committee on ethics and privileges, the committee chairman, and Assembly Chief Whip, Ahmed Dahiru said the suspended members were remorseful for their actions and should be recalled to perform legislative duties.
The recalled members are Ahmed Mohammed, member representing Ankpa I, Bello Hassan Balogun representing Ajaokuta State Constituency, Idris Ndako, representing Lokoja II and Hon. Edoko Moses Ododo .
Another Gale of suspension rock Kogi Assembly
However, just barely two months later, another gale of suspension has hit the Kogi State House of Assembly. On March 27th, 2023, nine lawmakers were suspended by the House over alleged anti-party activities and terrorism. The suspended lawmakers include Daniya Rayin of Bassa constituency; Muktar Bajeh, Okehi constituency; Kilani Olumo, Ijumu constituency; Moses Akande, Ogori-Magongo constituency; Lawi Ahmed, Okene I constituency; Atule Igbunu, Ibaji constituency; Suleiman Attajachi Musa, Idah constituency; Aderonke Aro, Yagba West constituency, and Bello Hassan Abdullahi, Ajaokuta constituency.
But the suspended lawmakers are insisting that the latest development will not stand. In a chat with one of the lawmakers who never wanted his name to be mentioned, he said the Speaker of the house is dancing to the script of some high profile people in Kogi State.
The lawmaker said: “Kolawole keeps dancing to the tune of his pay masters. He should not forget that this is just temporary. He should not forget that there is light after the tunnel. We shall overcome”.
I was told to deliver my Constituency during election – Ijumu lawmaker fingers Kogi Govt.
Meanwhile, the Member representing Ijumu in the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Olusola Kilani has petitioned Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, over what he called unfounded and ridiculous allegations of terrorism and electoral violence levelled against him.
Recall that Governor Bello had earlier, through a letter sent to the State House of Assembly and read by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mathew Kolawole tagged Hon. Kilani and eight (8) others (Members of the State House of Assembly) as Terrorists or engaging in Terrorism.
But in a petition by Hon. Olusola Kilani, written by O.M. Atoyebu SAN & Partner, of Omaplex Law Firm, the lawmaker said the Governor has perfected a plan and hatched a clandestine move to set the machineries of Kogi State Government against him in bad light as a terrorist to settle political scores, especially given the grave penal and social consequences which the allegations carry in the present day Nigeria.
The motive behind the unfounded allegations to label him a terrorist, Hon. Olusola noted in the petition, is because of the just concluded election in which the Governor mandated him, the lawmaker and other mentioned members of the State House of Assembly to deliver their respective Constituencies at all costs, whether by ‘Legal or Illegal” means, which the Lawmaker said he rebuffed being a law abiding citizen and ardent follower of Mr. President’s stance and insistence on having a free and fair election.
The lawmaker said it is instructive to note that the Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Mathew Kolawole as Speaker acted the script of the Governor even without a basis of proof. He said the allegations against him were because of his failure to circumvent the electoral act against the wishes of the people by ensuring victory at all costs in his constituency for the APC candidate in the just concluded 2023 House of Assembly Polls.
The lawmaker, who said the Governor was miffed by his patriotic acts, said the latter vowed to deal ruthlessly, politically with him, hence the letter by him to the Speaker which was acted upon leading to his suspension.
Meanwhile, neither the Kogi State Government nor the State Assembly is yet to comment on the matter as of the time of filing this report.
The Managing Director of MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL), Dr Ernest Mupwaya, has reiterated the company’s commitment to its employees as its most valuable asset.
MainPower, which is a subsidiary company of Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), is in-charge of electricity distribution in Enugu State.
Mupwaya stated this when he received the team from the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) on a courtesy visit to the company’s head office at Power House, Enugu, on Monday.
He stressed the importance of investing in human capital (employees) to achieve strategic goals in the highly regulated electricity distribution sector.
Mupwaya highlighted the critical role of professional human resource management in building resilient and high-performing organisations, noting that people remained the most valuable asset of any institution.
The MainPower boss identified effective leadership, workforce quality, organisational culture and talent development as key drivers of success in today’s dynamic business environment.
He also reaffirmed MainPower’s commitment to professionalism, integrity, innovation and customer focus as a young and evolving electricity distribution company.
According to him, having competent, motivated, and adaptable employees, supported by effective human resource leadership and professional institutions such as CIPM, is critical to driving organisational transformation and contributing to national development.
Mupwaya, on behalf of the management of MainPower, commended CIPM for its longstanding contributions to promoting excellence and ethical standards in human resource management across Nigeria.
He expressed the company’s interest in strengthening its collaboration with the Institute in areas including leadership development, workforce capacity building, succession planning and employee engagement.
Earlier, Chairman, CIPM, Enugu State Branch, Mr Francis Uka, who was accompanied by a member of CIPM’s Governing Council, Mr Christian Onwumeremadu, said the visit was part of the branch’s efforts to strengthen institutional relationships.
Uka said that visit was meant to promote professional interaction, and deepen the exchange of knowledge and experience in people management and contemporary workplace practices.
During the visit, the delegation also had the opportunity to interact with some MainPower employees, particularly those in administration and operations-related roroles.
The CIPM team also shared insights on the importance of professional human resource management and encouraged eligible employees to join the Institute and take advantage of its professional development opportunities.
Present at the event were MainPower’s Head of Human Resources, Nkiru Chukwuma; Head of Health, Safety and Environment, Dr. Francis Iwu and Head of Customer Service, Ijeoma Ogudebe.
Others are Head of Communications, Mr Emeka Ezeh; Managing Director, EastLand Electricity Distribution Limited, Engr. Nnamdi Chuka-Nwosu; and Chief Technical Officer, Engr. Obinna Nwachukwu among others.
The warning comes as the scheme continues preparations for the mobilisation of a fresh batch of prospective corps members, while also intensifying efforts to ensure their safety during orientation camp journeys.
In a public notice shared on its official X account on Monday, the NYSC declared that NERD clearance is now compulsory for all prospective corps members.
The scheme urged prospective corps members to complete the process early to avoid delays in mobilisation.
“This is to inform PCMs (Prospective Corps Members) that without NERD clearance, no NYSC. Get your NERD clearance early. Avoid delays in your mobilisation.”
Reiterating the mandatory nature of the requirement, the NYSC stated, “NERD clearance is compulsory for all PCMs. No NERD clearance, No NYSC!!!”
The latest advisory comes barely hours after the NYSC announced the mobilisation of another batch of prospective corps members for the 2026 Batch ‘B’ service year, urging institutions and eligible graduates to complete all necessary documentation ahead of the orientation exercise.
It also follows another recent safety advisory by the scheme in which prospective corps members were warned against travelling at night to orientation camps.
The NYSC advised them to break their journeys whenever necessary and lodge in safe locations or designated military and security formations where available, rather than risk travelling after dark.
The renewed advisories reflect the scheme’s efforts to improve both the integrity of its mobilisation process and the safety of prospective corps members, amid growing security concerns on Nigerian highways.
With mobilisation activities gathering pace, prospective corps members are expected to complete all required registration and verification procedures, including the newly emphasised NERD clearance, before reporting for orientation camp.
The development follows public concern over a viral video showing the girls in detention, which prompted calls for the Nigerian government to intervene.
On Instagram, #Queenbethia had posted the video on Sunday: “Pls tag every relevant authority because this is nonsense !!!! This cannot keep happening!! Mauritius is notorious for this !!!”
They have been held at the Mauritius airport since July 31, 2026, she lamented.
“They are currently on their way back to Nairobi,” the commission stated.
The commission reiterated its commitment to the welfare and protection of Nigerians living or travelling abroad, saying the intervention aligns with the Federal Government’s renewed focus on citizens’ welfare.
“NiDCOM, in line with Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, remains committed to the welfare and protection of all Nigerians home and abroad,” it added.
NiDCOM did not disclose the identities of the girls, the country where they were detained, or the circumstances that led to their arrest.
The commission also did not indicate when they are expected to arrive in Nairobi or Nigeria.
Similarly, neither the Mauritius government nor the airport have spoken officially about the reasons behind their delay at the airport.
By Chinedu Sabastine
ENUGU — Tension is mounting in Umuchigbo Iji Nike Autonomous Community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State as hundreds of indigenes have rejected the alleged appointment of a traditional ruler, insisting that only a transparent election can produce their Igwe.
The residents, who gathered at the community square on weekend, declared that the autonomous community has no recognised traditional ruler and appealed to Governor Peter Mbah to direct the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs to conduct an election in line with the community’s constitution.
The protest followed reports that Jude Agu had been presented as the community’s traditional ruler, a move the indigenes described as unconstitutional and capable of causing unrest.
The protesters also cited a subsisting interlocutory injunction of the Enugu State High Court restraining Jude Agu from parading himself as Igwe or Igwe-elect of the community pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The order, delivered on July 25, 2025, by Justice A.A. Onovo in a suit No E/491/2023 filed by Chief Maurice Nonyelum Ekete against Jude Agu and Hon. Kenneth Mbah, directed all parties to maintain the status quo until the case is determined.
The indigenes argued that recognising any monarch without an election amounted to disregarding both the community’s constitution and a valid court order.
Addressing journalists, community elder Chief Gabriel Okoh accused former Town Union Chairman, Hon. Kenneth Mbah, of frustrating an earlier election process.
“Umuchigbo people are against imposition. All we want is election. If Jude Agu wants to be Igwe, he should come to the village square and contest like every other aspirant,” he said.
Youth leader Anthony Ikechukwu Anike warned that imposing a monarch without the consent of the people could trigger avoidable tension.
“The matter is still in court, yet we are hearing that someone has received a staff of office. We will pursue every legal means to protect our rights. The government should come and conduct a transparent election,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of other aspirants, retired Permanent Secretary Chief Maurice Nonyelum Ekete said the community’s constitution clearly prescribes election as the only legitimate process for selecting an Igwe.
“Our demand is simple. Let the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs conduct an election as it has done in other communities. Whoever wins should become the Igwe. We are not against anybody; we are against imposition. We are not against anybody becoming Igwe. We are only saying that whoever wants the throne should submit to a transparent election.” Chief Ekete said.
Other aspirants, Chief Joseph Iloka and Chief Josephat Ezeoha, also backed the call for a transparent election, insisting that the people should be allowed to freely choose their traditional ruler.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to obtain the reaction of the Enugu State Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs were unsuccessful.
Umuchigbo community rejects ‘appointed’ monarch, insists on election
By Chinedu Adonu
ENUGU — Tension is mounting in Umuchigbo Iji Nike Autonomous Community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State as hundreds of indigenes have rejected the alleged appointment of a traditional ruler, insisting that only a transparent election can produce their Igwe.
The residents, who gathered at the community square on weekend, declared that the autonomous community has no recognised traditional ruler and appealed to Governor Peter Mbah to direct the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs to conduct an election in line with the community’s constitution.
The protest followed reports that Jude Agu had been presented as the community’s traditional ruler, a move the indigenes described as unconstitutional and capable of causing unrest.
The protesters also cited a subsisting interlocutory injunction of the Enugu State High Court restraining Jude Agu from parading himself as Igwe or Igwe-elect of the community pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The order, delivered on July 25, 2025, by Justice A.A. Onovo in a suit No E/491/2023 filed by Chief Maurice Nonyelum Ekete against Jude Agu and Hon. Kenneth Mbah, directed all parties to maintain the status quo until the case is determined.
The indigenes argued that recognising any monarch without an election amounted to disregarding both the community’s constitution and a valid court order.
Addressing journalists, community elder Chief Gabriel Okoh accused former Town Union Chairman, Hon. Kenneth Mbah, of frustrating an earlier election process.
“Umuchigbo people are against imposition. All we want is election. If Jude Agu wants to be Igwe, he should come to the village square and contest like every other aspirant,” he said.
Youth leader Anthony Ikechukwu Anike warned that imposing a monarch without the consent of the people could trigger avoidable tension.
“The matter is still in court, yet we are hearing that someone has received a staff of office. We will pursue every legal means to protect our rights. The government should come and conduct a transparent election,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of other aspirants, retired Permanent Secretary Chief Maurice Nonyelum Ekete said the community’s constitution clearly prescribes election as the only legitimate process for selecting an Igwe.
“Our demand is simple. Let the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs conduct an election as it has done in other communities. Whoever wins should become the Igwe. We are not against anybody; we are against imposition. We are not against anybody becoming Igwe. We are only saying that whoever wants the throne should submit to a transparent election.” Chief Ekete said.
Other aspirants, Chief Joseph Iloka and Chief Josephat Ezeoha, also backed the call for a transparent election, insisting that the people should be allowed to freely choose their traditional ruler.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to obtain the reaction of the Enugu State Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs were unsuccessful.
Umuchigbo community rejects ‘appointed’ monarch, insists on election
By Chinedu Adonu
ENUGU — Tension is mounting in Umuchigbo Iji Nike Autonomous Community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State as hundreds of indigenes have rejected the alleged appointment of a traditional ruler, insisting that only a transparent election can produce their Igwe.
The residents, who gathered at the community square on weekend, declared that the autonomous community has no recognised traditional ruler and appealed to Governor Peter Mbah to direct the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs to conduct an election in line with the community’s constitution.
The protest followed reports that Jude Agu had been presented as the community’s traditional ruler, a move the indigenes described as unconstitutional and capable of causing unrest.
The protesters also cited a subsisting interlocutory injunction of the Enugu State High Court restraining Jude Agu from parading himself as Igwe or Igwe-elect of the community pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The order, delivered on July 25, 2025, by Justice A.A. Onovo in a suit No E/491/2023 filed by Chief Maurice Nonyelum Ekete against Jude Agu and Hon. Kenneth Mbah, directed all parties to maintain the status quo until the case is determined.
The indigenes argued that recognising any monarch without an election amounted to disregarding both the community’s constitution and a valid court order.
Addressing journalists, community elder Chief Gabriel Okoh accused former Town Union Chairman, Hon. Kenneth Mbah, of frustrating an earlier election process.
“Umuchigbo people are against imposition. All we want is election. If Jude Agu wants to be Igwe, he should come to the village square and contest like every other aspirant,” he said.
Youth leader Anthony Ikechukwu Anike warned that imposing a monarch without the consent of the people could trigger avoidable tension.
“The matter is still in court, yet we are hearing that someone has received a staff of office. We will pursue every legal means to protect our rights. The government should come and conduct a transparent election,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of other aspirants, retired Permanent Secretary Chief Maurice Nonyelum Ekete said the community’s constitution clearly prescribes election as the only legitimate process for selecting an Igwe.
“Our demand is simple. Let the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs conduct an election as it has done in other communities. Whoever wins should become the Igwe. We are not against anybody; we are against imposition. We are not against anybody becoming Igwe. We are only saying that whoever wants the throne should submit to a transparent election.” Chief Ekete said.
Other aspirants, Chief Joseph Iloka and Chief Josephat Ezeoha, also backed the call for a transparent election, insisting that the people should be allowed to freely choose their traditional ruler.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to obtain the reaction of the Enugu State Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs were unsuccessful.
News
The Great Recalibration: How President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Is Restructuring Nigeria for a Stronger Tomorrow
By RT HON
CHINEDUM ENYINNAYA ORJI
“You cannot build a house for tomorrow on the weak foundation of yesterday. We must lay new blocks, even when the rain is falling.”— Adapted from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Three years into his presidency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has embarked on what may be the most deliberate economic and governance recalibration Nigeria has seen in a generation.
He came into office on May 29, 2023 with a clear declaration: “Fuel subsidy is gone.” In that single sentence, he signaled that the era of deferring hard choices had ended.
Restructuring, at its core, is about rearranging the house so it can stand longer and serve more people. For Nigeria, that meant confronting distortions that had weakened public finances, scared investors, and made planning impossible.
The first pillar of this restructuring is fiscal discipline. By removing the costly petrol subsidy and cutting electricity subsidies, the administration stopped the bleeding of trillions of naira that once vanished into opaque payments.
The results are already visible in the numbers. The fiscal deficit narrowed from 5.4 percent of GDP in 2023 to approximately 3 percent in 2024, while federation revenue rose from ₦16.8 trillion to ₦31.9 trillion.
That new revenue is not sitting idle. It is being channeled into roads, rails, power, and social programs that touch ordinary citizens directly. More than 2,700 kilometers of roads are under construction or rehabilitation nationwide.
The second pillar is monetary credibility. The unification of exchange rates and clearing of a $4 billion FX backlog restored confidence in the naira and in Nigeria’s commitment to market-based policies.
That credibility has produced tangible dividends. The stock market surged nearly fivefold to a record 250,000 points, market capitalization grew, and international rating agency Fitch upgraded Nigeria from B- to B in April 2025.
Foreign investors, who had stayed on the sidelines, are returning. New oil and gas investments are being announced, domestic refining capacity is rising, and fuel imports are falling, easing pressure on our foreign exchange.
The third pillar is sectoral transformation. Recognizing that oil alone cannot carry Nigeria’s future, President Tinubu approved a Presidential Petroleum Reform and Value Optimisation Taskforce to design the next phase of structural reforms in that sector.
The Taskforce is not another talking shop. It is a time-bound technical body charged with delivering execution-ready blueprints to unlock capital, improve transparency, and position Nigeria as a leading global energy investment destination.
Beyond oil, the February 2026 launch of the Nigeria Industrial Policy marks a decisive shift toward manufacturing, value addition, and job creation. The goal is a $1 trillion economy in five years, driven by inclusive and decentralized growth.
This is restructuring with a human face. Through NELFUND, millions of Nigerian students now have access to loans to stay in school. The CNG program is reducing transport costs and easing the burden of subsidy removal on households.
Governance itself is being rewired. The Renewed Hope Ward Development Plan is mapping economic potential across all 8,809 wards, ensuring that planning starts from the grassroots and moves upward to the state and federal levels.
Such decentralization matters. When wards have data, they have a voice. When local governments have more resources, service delivery improves. That is how accountability becomes real, not theoretical.
On security, the administration has intensified operations against banditry, insurgency, and criminal gangs. The link is clear: no investor builds factories where there is no peace, and no farmer feeds the nation where there is no safety.
A good example is the renewed engagement with Ogoni communities. By addressing historical grievances, the government is creating the conditions to restart oil exploration in a way that benefits both the people and the treasury.
Critics are right to point out the hardship. The cost-of-living squeeze has been severe, and inflation remains a challenge. But restructuring is not magic. It is medicine, and medicine often tastes bitter before it heals.
What distinguishes this moment is political will. Previous administrations discussed these reforms for decades. President Tinubu chose to act in the first week, knowing the political cost, because the economic cost of delay was higher.
The international community has noticed. The World Bank’s April 2026 Nigeria Development Update and the IMF’s 2025 Article IV Consultation both acknowledge significant progress in restoring macroeconomic stability.
More importantly, Nigerians are beginning to see the logic. A stable currency means businesses can plan. More revenue to states means more projects in communities. More transparency means fewer excuses.
The central test ahead is jobs. With 3.5 million Nigerians entering the labor force each year, the restructuring must now translate into employment-intensive growth. The industrial policy and infrastructure push are designed for exactly that.
This is not about one man or one party. It is about laying a foundation that no future government can afford to ignore. Institutions, rules, and incentives are being reset.
History will judge this period not by the pain of the transition, but by whether we used the pain to build something durable. The early signs suggest we are.
President Tinubu’s restructuring is far from complete, but it has already changed the trajectory. Nigeria is no longer drifting. It is recalibrating, with purpose, toward a future where our resources work for our people, and where governance finally matches our potential.
RT HON
Chinedum Enyinnaya orji
APC House of Representatives Candidate for Ikwuano Umuahia Fed. Constituency writes from Amaokwe Ugba Ibeku, Abia State.
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