Operators blame poor supply for move

FG laments exit from national grid

As the country battles incessant blackouts, about 250 manufacturers and academic institutions have abandoned their respective power distribution companies to generate their own electricity.

The organisations, many of whom are bulk electricity users, shunned the national grid to generate reliable electricity for themselves.

This is coming amid the high cost of electricity, fuel price hikes, incessant grid collapses, and line trippings.

In 2021, former President Olusegun Obasanjo dumped the national grid to unveil a two-megawatts solar power project at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The project, which cost about N2bn at that time, was described by the former President as a remarkably cost-effective investment.

Findings from different data sources, particularly from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, showed that the firms have generated up to 6,500 megawatts of electricity altogether.

This is higher than the country’s power generation which is currently hovering around 4,500MW and 5,000MW.

Further findings by our correspondent indicated that these outlets got permits from the NERC to generate captive power. Some permits were issued as far back as 2010, 2016, 2020, and 2022.

It was learned that the request for captive power generation increased since 2023, especially after President Bola Tinubu signed the Electricity Act 2023

Captive power generation permits are issued to entities that intend to own and maintain power plants exclusively for their consumption. That means the entities are not allowed to sell electricity generated from the plant to any third party.

While some of the plants use gas as feedstock, many embrace the use of renewable energy sources like solar.

One of the biggest captive power generators is the Dangote Group.

Dangote Industries Limited has generated about 1,500MW of electricity, according to Aliko Dangote. The Dangote refinery alone has a 435MW power plant that can meet the total power requirement of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company.

“We don’t put pressure on the grid. We produce about 1,500 megawatts of power for self-consumption,” Aliko Dangote said last year at the Afreximbank Annual Meetings and AfriCaribbean Trade & Investment Forum in Nassau, The Bahamas.

According to data sourced from NERC, 249 firms and institutions were granted permits to generate captive power.

The quantum of power generated by these organisations is approximately 5,180MW.

When this is added to the 1,500MW generated by the Dangote Group, it would amount to over 6,500MW being generated by the companies and learning institutions.

According to NERC, Pure Flour Mills Limited in Rivers State got a permit to generate 546MW of electricity while Nigeria LNG generates 360MW.

United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited (Lafarge Africa Limited) generates 105MW; Total E & P Nigeria Limited, 174MW; Esso Exploration & Production Nigeria Limited, 76MW; First Global Commerce Solutions Limited, 77MW; Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, 70MW; and Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria Plc, 90MW.

Some of the companies include MTN Nigeria, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Shell, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Kaduna refinery, Warri refinery, Lafarge Cement Wapco Nigeria Plc, Procter and Gamble Nigeria Limited, and Bank of Industry Ltd.

Others include Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Dangote Cement Plc, Lekki Port LFTZ Enterprise Limited, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Total Upstream Nigeria Limited, Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria, De-United Foods Industries Limited, Sagamu Steel Nigeria Limited, British American Tobacco Nigeria Limited, Unilever Nigeria Plc, Total E & P Nigeria Limited, and Mikano International Limited.

They also include Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Airtel Networks Limited, Nogap Power Development Company Limited, Shell Exploration & Production Company Limited, Esso Exploration & Production Nigeria Limited (Usan OML 138), Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Honeywell Flour Mills, Atlantic International Limited Refinery & Petrochemical Limited, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Okamu Oil Palm Company, PZ Cusson Nig Plc, among others.

Among the universities with captive power are the University of Lagos, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Federal University Ndufu-Alike IKWO, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Obafemi Awolowo University, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Bayero University, Kano, and University of Benin.

Others include University of Abuja, University of Calabar & Teaching Hospital, Cross River State, University of Agriculture Micheal Okpara, Umetuke, Abia State, University of Maiduguri & Teaching Hospital, Borno State, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta Main Campus, Ogun State, and the Federal University Gashuwa, Yobe State.

The Nigerian Defence Academy, a military university based in Kaduna recently got NERC’s nod to generate 2.50MW of electricity.

Experts said the abandonment of the national grid by bulk users of electricity could spell doom for the paper sector.

FG laments

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, recently decried the rate at which bulk electricity consumers abandon the national grid to generate their own electricity.

Adelabu emphasised that grid connection as a power source is more reliable than captive power plants currently being used by bulk electricity consumers.

He regretted that despite generating over 5,155MW of electricity, the power distribution companies were not taking the power allocated to them to avoid incurring debt due to low recovery.

He said, “The majority of bulk electricity users, such as industries, are off the grid due to a lack of trust and confidence in the past. They now have their own captive power plants in their industries, which is more expensive.”

According to him, the continued use of captive power rather than grid connection is more expensive.

“The average cost of producing captive power is about N350 to N400 per kilowatt-hour for those connected to gas lines. For diesel it’s about N950 or N1,000,” he said.

He stated that efforts would be made to encourage the bulk users to return to the national grid.

“Once consumers and industries see the trust, the confidence, and the stability we are giving, they would be encouraged and reconnect to the grid for a cheaper source of power.

“We aim to attain the threshold of a new era in power delivery. The Federal Government is still focused on Vision 30-30-30. By 2030, we aim to achieve 30GW in the medium term, with renewable energy constituting 30 per cent and universal access in the long term. We must align on the principles guiding our activities and the strategies,” the minister stated.

NERC blames fluctuations

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission blamed power fluctuations for the migration of bulk users from the national grid.

The regulator in a recent report disclosed that fluctuations in grid voltage, including spikes, dips, flickers, and brownouts, could cause significant harm to consumers and result in substantial commercial losses.

It explained that extreme cases of voltage fluctuations, particularly at the distribution network level cause severe damage to industrial machines, prompting the industries to embrace captive power generation.

“To guarantee the quality of electricity delivered to end users, the Grid Code specifies a nominal system voltage of 330kV with a tolerance range of ±5 per cent (313.50kV to 346.50kV in the lower and upper bounds respectively).

“Fluctuations in grid voltage, including spikes, dips, flickers, and brownouts, can cause significant harm to consumers and result in substantial commercial losses. Extreme cases of voltage fluctuations, particularly at the distribution network level can cause severe damage to industrial machines, thereby compelling the industrial customers to seek alternative sources of power outside of the national grid,” the regulator confirmed.

The commission said it continued to engage with the Transmission Company of Nigeria and other stakeholders to ensure sustained efforts at keeping the system voltage within the limits contained in the grid code and thus providing a safe and reliable electricity supply to end users.

Experts speak

The Executive Director of PowerUp Nigeria, Adetayo Adegbenle, said it was a sad situation that over 200 companies have dumped the national grid.

According to him, these are the companies that should have been serving as “anchor tenants” to ensure the country has a stable grid.

“Many of the grid collapses we have had can easily be also traced to such  consumers leaving the grid, making the demand end of the grid less stable. I have also said before that one of the major objectives, if I were to be in charge of the grid, would be to bring these companies back if we truly want to have a stable and cheaper grid supply.

“The national grid system we operate is demand and generation-based. The demands and generation at any point must be equal, to balance the Frequency at 50hz, else frequency variation will be high. Having as many as 200 companies with high capacity demand leave the national grid means that the demand side is heavily dependent on other “mostly residential consumers.

“The whole power sector should be tasked with bringing these companies back, offering incentives. Bringing them back will also ensure that prices can go down on the grid,” Adegbenle said.

On whether the country can generate enough to serve these bulk users of electricity, he said the country still has stranded power not utilised.

“We still have stranded generations, we still have capacities available that they can consume. Generation companies can easily ramp that up too. The major problem in the power sector is liquidity and the cost-reflective tariff, which has stunted the growth of the sector. No incentive for targeted investments,” he explained.

Adegbenle added that it will be cheaper for the customers “because grid prices will definitely come down.”

Similarly, the President of the Nigeria Consumer Protection Network, Kola Olubiyo, argued that the Nigerian electricity grid has increasingly been frustrating, predictably unreliable, and unstable.

According to him, the incessant line trippings and system collapses have, over the years, made it inevitable for industries involved in the production and manufacturing of goods, who had hitherto depended on the national grid, to think outside the box.

Olubiyo said, “The distortion in national grid frequency, voltage floating, and related concerns are of grave concern to every well-meaning patriotic Nigerian. Each time there are interruptions in electricity dedicated to production and manufacturing, it usually impacts negatively on production and does irredeemable damage to quality and output.

“Though at a higher cost of production, off-grid renewable, embedded generation or captive island model provided in off-grid concepts offers the manufacturers and organised private sector an open window to enhance global competitiveness, with guaranteed energy security—that’s  24/7 energy supply,” Olubiyo submitted.

He added, “The effects of all of these on electricity distribution companies will be the promotion of an open market and competitive electricity market as against the increasing entrenchment of market monopoly as presently constituted, which are at variance with the spirits and letters of power sector privatisation exercise.

“The latest development thereby reflects the desires of the critical stakeholders driving the process to take unprecedented bold steps. They should deserve our support. It is the new normal and the way to go.”

The Coordinator, All Electricity Consumers Protection Forum, Adeola Samuel-Ilori, commended the manufacturers for seeking alternative power for their businesses.

Samuel-Ilori maintained that the issue of companies pulling out of the grid and providing power supply for themselves has been long since the privatisation of the sector.

“I know of Cadbury and Coca-Cola providing power for themselves, pulling out of DisCos service for the past five or six years now. That they have reached a whopping number of over 200 is a good thing as far as I’m concerned and from the prism of a consumer advocate.

“The service being given by the service providers registered by the NERC are not meeting their needs, they still buy diesel to support the supply and the monthly bill eats deep into their profit margins, hence it is wise for them to do so,” Samuel-Ilori stressed.

Like the Discos and other stakeholders in the power sector, Samuel-Ilori posited that the manufacturers and other institutions are also out to make a profit and meet the overhead cost of their respective businesses, “Hence one Disco can’t be reaping where the correspondent supply is not adequate.“

He said, “I can tell for free that what makes many companies join those who already did was the introduction of Band A and its attendant cost per unit which I called fraudulent because there’s no generated power to sustain the introduction and fulfill the demand of the customers migrated.  So, any companies migrated will end up closing up business without blinking as the DisCos charge as much as N5 million for a small-scale business and entrepreneurs, not to talk of the big companies.

“On its effect on the national grid, it will relieve the national grid capacity absolvement since we all know it’s common knowledge that national grid equipment is moribund which led to its constant collapse almost at every Eke market day including Saturday. Forget the alibi given by TCN that it was not a collapse but a trip-off from one substation. It was such a tripping that led to the grid collapsing ab initio.”

Samuel-Ilori advocated that individuals should join the firms in generating their own electricity.

“For me, it’s not only the companies that should move from the grid due to the experience of its collapses to reduce the load capacity, many individual homes should be encouraged to do so because when that happens, many transformers will be relieved and the incident of trip-offs in the substations will reduce and that will automatically reduce the cases of national grid collapses.

“It is not rocket science to know that renewable energy ought to be an alternative source for anyone who desires to have an energy supply, but in Nigeria, the power stakeholders are paying lip service to it just to continue feeding their hawk in the DisCos business. That’s why the materials used for alternative energy production are expensive, so the poor won’t have access to them.

“I have said many times at meetings with NERC and even the power minister as National coordinator, that if they want renewable energy to grow, and to become the real alternative to grid power supply, just as they give waivers on health materials and other allied products, let them reduce the import duty if they can’t give waivers to those importers so we can have access to inverters and other materials used in providing alternative power supply. That alone will help the national grid pending the time they will put it in good condition to accommodate all users,” he noted.

The consumer protector mentioned that the Discos will survive despite the companies changing their supply base as they continue to collect money from consumers on estimated billing.

“Their cash cow where they milk money without working for it is still very much in operation against the larger consumers out there, which is estimated billing. As long as the Discos have access to free money from the consumers via estimated billing, they won’t blink at how many companies pull out of their franchise area of the network.

“That’s why they frustrate every move to get us metered. Do you know some of the Meter Asset Providers are also owned by the Discos? That’s why meters are not always available for purchase even when customers are readily and willing to buy. Many have paid for over six months now and have not got it. For those that are metered today, tomorrow or next, the meter refuses to load and the message from DisCo will be ’let’s connect you directly’, and they are back to square one of estimated billing while the meter won’t be repaired or replaced as the law of operation dictates,” he alleged.

The analyst argued that captive power is the best way to go as far as the situation of Nigeria’s power remains at 4500MW to serve over 200 million Nigerians.

He disclosed that the companies are ready to pay for power but the power is not readily available, yet Discos still billed them monthly humongous amounts for what they did not consume.

“That’s why I opined above that it’s not only companies that should adopt the system of renewable energy but individuals, and the government should make it attractive by reducing tax, customs duty, or even waiver on the materials used to provide such so that the poor masses with interest on changing their source of supply can access it seamlessly within their purchasing power.

“And in the end, help relieve the load on the national grid to stop its incessant collapses pending the time they will invest money to change this moribund equipment to sustain the capacity,“ he emphasised.

• also rescue teenager with baby from lover’s kidnap den

The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered a new trend of kidnapping, dubbed ‘Constructive Kidnapping’, where unsuspecting ladies are lured by kidnappers posing as internet friends and lovers.

This sinister scheme has already ensnared 16 ladies from various parts of the state, who were fortunate to be rescued by the police command, the command revealed.

In another shocking case, a 15-year-old girl was rescued after allegedly conspiring with her boyfriend to demand ransom from her parents, pretending that she had been kidnapped.

For the ‘Constructive kidnapping, the kidnappers’ modus oparandi according to the Commissioner of Police Lagos State Police Command, CP Olawale Ishola, who briefed journalists weekend, on the command’s breakthrough between September 2024 and January 2025, was as cunning as it was ruthless.

The kidnappers as gathered, begin by tagging their potential victims as friends on social media platforms, establishing a false sense of acquaintance. Once the victim’s guard is lowered, the kidnappers invite them to Lagos, often under the guise of a romantic rendezvous.

These kidnappers according to the command would send substantial amounts of money, up to N500,000, to their victims, as well as cover their flight expenses to Lagos.

Upon arrival, the unsuspecting victims are taken to five-star hotels, where their phones are seized, and money transferred out. The kidnappers then contact the victim’s relatives, demanding ransom and threatening to them if their demands are not met.

According to the CP, ” It is Constructive kidnapping because you have a scenario where a lady is lured from her safe space to Lagos by a group of boys or a single individual. They make it enticing by sending a business-class flight ticket, N500,000, and booking a luxurious five-star hotel. The victim feels like they’ve ‘arrived,’ unaware that it’s all a ruse.

” I’ve rescued at least 16 ladies from this trap. As soon as they arrive, the kidnappers mess the ladies up, seize their phones, transfer their money, and contact their relatives to demand more ransom, threatening to kill the victim if their demands aren’t met. It’s termed ‘constructive’ because the victims unwittingly walk into the trap set for them. However, we’re always one step ahead.”

He, therefore, warned members of the public, especially ladies to be cautious when interacting with strangers online, advising members of the public to say something when they see something.

Similarly, the command boss also explained how a 14-year-old girl with an undisclosed identity who was reported to have been kidnapped, was traced to her boyfriend’s abode, with a baby.

According to CP Ishola, ” On January 8, 2025, a complainant reported that her daughter Anuoluwapo Victoria, 15 years left home to an unknown destination, that on January 9, 2025, she received a phone call and an account was sent for her to pay ransom for the released of her daughter.

“They have been sending money to the account until we were able to apprehend her and her boyfriend on Friday night. She was with a baby”

A former chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), Kenneth Okonkwo, has advocated a reduction in the price of petrol in Nigeria to make it affordable for citizens.

Okonkwo argued that there is nothing to celebrate about the resumption of activities in the nation’s refineries if oil is not affordable by Nigerians.

The lawyer cum actor who made the submission in a post via his X account on Sunday, submitted that a reduction in the cost of fuel would lead to an automatic reduction in the prices of food and other items, translating to a reduction in inflation and cost of living.

He also called for the privatization of government-owned refineries as a way to achieve efficiency in the oil industry.

“There’s absolutely nothing to rejoice about the resumption of the refineries until the price of fuel is affordable to the average Nigerian which will bring down the cost of transportation and reduce the cost of production which will translate to reduced prices for food and other items thereby bringing down the inflation and cost of living.

“Nigerians are dying of hunger and hardship and we can produce and refine our way out of poverty with the termination of corruption in the oil industry, and the privatisation of the refineries to ensure saturation of the system with supplies and breaking of monopoly which will ensure competition amongst the practitioners in the oil industry,”he wrote.

The prices of refined petroleum products may rise in the coming days following the increase in the cost of Brent, the global benchmark for crude.

Crude oil is a major commodity that determines the prices of refined petroleum products. On Sunday, the price of Brent reached $79.76 per barrel.

The rise in the cost of the commodity from the $72.88 recorded in December 2024 that fuel prices across Nigerian depots may be impacted.

The increase in Brent price is attributed to geopolitical tensions, particularly sanctions imposed on Russian oil exports. Supply concerns and seasonal demand fluctuations in colder regions have also contributed to the upward trend.

Sources informed our correspondent that several fuel depots began reporting price increases for diesel on Friday, marking the start of a noticeable rise in fuel costs across various regions.

Analysts also suggested that the Brent crude price surge is a major driver, as many Nigerian depot owners rely on imports to meet diesel demand.

The correlation between crude oil prices and refined products is well-established, as Brent serves as a benchmark for global petroleum product pricing.

With the increase in crude oil costs, importers are likely to adjust their prices to cover higher procurement and shipping costs.

Recall that the Federal Government’s oil price benchmark in the 2025 budget estimates is $75 per barrel.

Price data obtained by our correspondent analysing diesel price movements at the loading depot showed that the Nipco depot in Lagos saw an increase of N70 from N1,050 to N1,120 per litre on Friday.

Prudent depot recorded an increase, closing the week at N1,045, compared to an earlier N1,025 per litre.

Commenting on the development, an oil and gas expert, Olatide Jeremiah, said depots are poised to increase the loading price of refined petroleum products on Monday.

Jeremiah, who is the Chief Executive Officer of petroleumprice.ng, said, “It implies that there is a possibility of increased fuel prices, particularly diesel prices.

“As of Friday, when Brent crude neared $80, prices selectively increased in some depots in Lagos, and on Monday, prices might be jacked up by importers because a large chunk of oil marketers import petroleum products and Brent crude is a major determining factor in the refining process.”

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has vowed to upturn the results of the September 21, 2024 governorship election which was won by the All progressives Congress, APC, and its candidate, Monday Okpebholo.

The party made this vow as the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal resumed sitting on Monday.

This was contained in the communiqué released at the end of a meeting of the leadership of the party including its governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo.

According to the communiqué signed by the Secretary, Edo State PDP Caretaker Committee, Henry Tenebe on Sunday, the meeting was convened at the instance of the Chairman, State Caretaker Committee, Tony Aziegbemi.

The party reiterated its resolve to reclaim the mandate, which it said was duly given to it by the people of Edo State in the last governorship election.

It urged all party faithful and the people of the state to keep supporting and praying for its progress and that of the gubernatorial candidate on the journey.

The state PDP said it acknowledged and appreciated the commitment, loyalty, and steadfastness of party members and faithful supporters across Edo State, urging them never to relent in their support and prayers for the party and its leadership.

It expressed grave concern over the current state of Edo under the APC-led administration, saying that the state has suffered significant setbacks in the last few months.

“The PDP reaffirmed its unshakable commitment to the rule of law and upholding constitutional democracy in the State. The party strongly believes that law, order and security are essential for the peace, progress and development of Edo State and Nigeria as a whole.

“The party chairmen unanimously passed a vote of implicit confidence in the State Caretaker Committee led by Tony Aziegbemi, and the party’s candidate in the last governorship election, Asue Ighodalo. They commended both leaders for their outstanding leadership and exemplary efforts in piloting the affairs of the party in the state, which have fostered unity and progress in the Edo State chapter of the PDP,” the communique read in part.

Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero has rejected the judgement of the Appeal Court which nullified a Federal High Court order that removed Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.

Bayero on Sunday said he is heading to Supreme Court to challenge the appeal court verdict.

Speaking to newsmen at the Nasarawa Palace of the 15th Emir Of Kano, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba, Aminu Babba DanAgundi, who filed the suit that was struck out by the Appeal Court, said, “Sanusi did not even understand that he has completely lost out in the whole of the cases at hand.

“That is why I expressed regrets over remarks by the 16th Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II, using the Mosque pillar to propagate something that was not true and did not happen at the Appeal Court.

“We initially went to Federal High Court seeking the nullification of the repeal law by the State Assembly, which we felt was done haphazardly.”

DanAgundi further warned Sanusi to stop parading himself as the Emir of Kano.

“The position of Muhammadu Sanusi II that he emerged victorious was wrong, the court said that the Federal High Court has no legal right to hear issues with regards to chieftaincy affairs. But what we went to court for was different.

“We were not arguing on the powers of State Assembly to enact of repeal laws, what we were asking was lack of fair hearing on the 15th Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, that he was removed without given him chance to protect himself.

“The State Assembly didn’t follow the right procedures in repealing the laws,” he added.

He asked the Police and the DSS to stop Sanusi from allegedly moving around with thugs, accusing the Emir of plotting to disrupt peace in Kano.

According to him, Sanusi will not claim victory until the Supreme Court judgement has been given.

“The Attorney General and Speaker of the Kano State Assembly went to court seeking to stop Bayero from parading himself as Emir, but the Appeal Court rejected that position and said that Bayero was not given fair hearing.

“By this it clearly shows that Bayero is still the Emir of Kano.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has described their FA Cup third-round defeat to Manchester United as a “one in a thousand” occurrence.
The Gunners lost out in a dramatic penalty shoot-out at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Bruno Fernandes gave United the lead in the 52nd minute before Diogo Dalot saw red nine minutes later.

Gabriel Magalhães equalised almost immediately. But despite playing nearly an hour against 10 men, Arsenal were unable to score again.

Captain Martin Ødegaard missed a penalty 18 minutes from the end of normal time.

The hosts registered 26 shots in total, with Havertz guilty of two bad misses. He was also the only player to fail in the shootout, as Altay Bayindir saved his spot-kick to give Joshua Zirkzee the chance to win the game and set up a fourth-round tie for United at home to Leicester City.

“It’s unbelievable,” Arteta told the BBC.

“Obviously, you measure the performance and what we did in relation to the opposition; you know, you deserve to win the game by a mile.

“But the reality is we are out, and the only thing that’s going to be judged is that, but internally I can’t.

“I love my players. I love our team, and I love how good they are and what they do because, in 1,000 games, you should lose one, and probably it was this one. You have to understand this as well; it’s part of our industry, our game, and we move on because you don’t have time to dwell on it. On Wednesday, we have a massive one.”

Barcelona hammered rivals Real Madrid 5-2 in a wild Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to win the first trophy of coach Hansi Flick’s reign.

Kylian Mbappe put Madrid ahead but a dominant Barcelona hit five in response before their goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was sent off in the second half.

Barcelona hammered rivals Real Madrid 5-2 in a wild Spanish Super Cup Clasico final in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to win the first trophy of the Hansi Flick era.

The electric Kylian Mbappe sent Madrid ahead but a dominant Barcelona hit five in response before their goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was sent off in the second half.

Madrid were hoping to avenge their 4-0 defeat by Barcelona in October’s La Liga Clasico but instead were left battered and bruised by their arch-rivals in Jeddah.

After Mbappe’s opener, Lamine Yamal levelled and Robert Lewandowski sent Barcelona ahead from the penalty spot, with Raphinha bagging a brace and Alejandro Balde also on target.

Rodrygo Goes pulled one back for Madrid with a free-kick but they could not capitalise further on their numerical advantage in a humiliating defeat for the European champions.

Both Flick and his opposite number Carlo Ancelotti opted to maintain the same line-ups they started with in the semi-finals.

Yamal issued Madrid an early warning with a curling effort from the right which forced Thibaut Courtois into a fine save.

The Belgian goalkeeper also produced a strong stop to keep a Raphinha header at bay after the Brazilian evaded Lucas Vazquez with ease.

Despite Barcelona’s opening salvo it was Real Madrid who took the lead in the fifth minute with Mbappe’s brilliant goal on the counter-attack.

The French forward, frustrated numerous times by the offside flag in the league defeat by the Catalans, broke loose on the halfway line after Vinicius won the ball back and, after bursting into the area, clipped past Szczesny.

It took a stunning individual goal from 17-year-old Yamal to level the scoreline, with the Spanish winger cutting in from the right before stroking home a low finish inside the near post in a similar style to former Barca great Lionel Messi, whom he is often compared to.

Inigo Martinez hobbled off injured and Flick sent on Ronald Araujo in his place, amidst heavy transfer speculation the Uruguayan defender wants to leave the club.

 Brilliant Barca

Barcelona kept pushing and moved ahead through Lewandowski’s penalty after Eduardo Camavinga arrived late and carelessly clattered Gavi.

Raphinha soon added Barcelona’s third with a header from Jules Kounde’s cross from deep and they grabbed their fourth before half-time on the break.

Yamal and Raphinha combined and the latter slipped in Balde, who slotted past Courtois.

Barcelona continued in the same vein after the break and Raphinha netted the fifth with a neat dribble and finish after Marc Casado played him in.

The Catalans were reduced to 10 men when Mbappe sped in at the other end, rounding goalkeeper Szczesny, who brought him down outside the area and after a VAR review was dismissed.

Rodrygo, who earlier hit the post, rifled home the free-kick past Szczesny’s replacement Inaki Pena.

Mbappe brilliantly teed up Jude Bellingham but the England international was denied by a superb Kounde challenge in stoppage time.

The French forward also came close to scoring again himself on a fine individual display but Pena tipped away his effort.

Barcelona brought on midfielder Dani Olmo for his first appearance since he was registered to play for the club on a temporary basis, a controversial issue which overshadowed the semi-finals earlier in the week.

However their five-star display offered a host of other talking points as Barca won a record-extending 15th Spanish Super Cup.

Dolapo Bright, a former Special Adviser on Agriculture to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has said that President Bola Tinubu was misled by his advisers that the suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes on the importation of food staples through land and sea borders would reduce inflation.

Bright was a guest on Sunday’s edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television. He said the rise in the cost of diesel and petrol which are essential to the transportation of food items have grossly affected the prices of commodities.

He said, “I don’t think it happened. The person who advised the government to do that, the person is clueless, if you understand what is happening, you won’t give such advice. The person is misleading the president. Do you know why? Let’s assume that you are going to import. Importation is going to be into Lagos. Are you not going to transport the thing to other states? It doesn’t make sense because that is going to make our agriculture stagnant.”

Food and commodity inflation have skyrocketed as Nigerians battle what can pass for the worst cost of living crisis since the country’s independence over six decades ago.

When Tinubu was sworn in as president in May 2023, Nigeria’s inflation rate was 22.41%, according to official numbers by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The inflation rate rose astronomically to 34.6% in November 2024, more than 12% higher, a development that economic wizards have attributed to Tinubu’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of the forex rates.

Significantly, the food inflation rate in November 2024 was 39.93% on a year-on-year basis, from 32.84% recorded in November 2023. The rise in food inflation is attributed to the rate of increase in the average prices of fish, rice, yam flour, millet whole grain, corn flour, egg, milk, milk, frozen chicken, among others.

To stem food inflation, the Tinubu administration in July 2024 announced the suspension of customs duties on imported food items but the policy has reportedly not seen the light of the day due to bureaucratic bottlenecks.

Bright, who was Buhari’s aide on agriculture from 2015 to 2023, said the government has been partly responsible for inflation because the administration is trying to sit on the driver’s side of agriculture instead of allowing the private sector to do so.

He said farmers won’t necessarily need the government’s intervention if the right environment is set for them to make a decent profit.

“A lot of farmers are not producing the capacity they were producing before because of high input costs,” he said, blaming the cost of diesel and petrol which he said significantly affect harvests.

‘Tractors Can’t Solve Output Shortages’

On December 23, 2024, during his maiden chat, Tinubu said he has “over 2,000 tractors coming into this country for mechanised farming” to make farming sexier.

However, Bright said tractors only won’t solve the food shortage problem in Nigeria. He argued that using local labour is job creation for locals and that over 80% of farmers in Nigeria are into subsistence farming.

The former presidential aide said, “When I heard about tractors and all those things, I laughed. The government is not getting it. Tractors won’t solve our problem. Mechanised farming to do what?

“We are having low harvest in terms of poor input, poor seed; we don’t have sovereignty of seeds — all the seeds we use in Nigeria are almost imported. All of these problems are there and we are going to use tractors.

“At the end of the day, what are we going to get? We are going to get peanuts. It is going to be very far from the potential. It is going to give us more problems because no one will be responsible for the maintenance. Corporate farmers can afford to get bank loans but smallholder farmers can’t afford to get bank loans to afford the use of tractors for mechanised farming.”

The former presidential aide said Nigeria can’t afford to be a mass producer of food as the country indirectly feeds neighbouring countries like Niger Republic, Benin, Burkina Faso, and others.

“Agriculture is supposed to be a serious priority of government because it is connected to security. The rural areas, if they are suffering, we are not secure. That is part of the reasons we have banditry, Boko Haram and all. If the people are satisfied, will they follow Boko Haram?” he queried.

A former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo has paid tribute to the late American President Jimmy Carter, recalling how the former US leader visited Nigeria to plead for his release during the reign of military junta leader Sani Abacha.

Obasanjo spoke on Sunday at a memorial service in honour of Carter who died at 100.

“President Carter was one of my foreign friends who stuck their necks out to save my life and to seek my release from prison. On President Carter’s visit to Nigeria, he got Abacha to agree to take me from detention to house arrest on my farm,” Obasanjo said during the event held at the Chapel of Christ the Glorious King within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

“But that did not last for too long. Many other friends and leaders intervened, but President Carter was the only non-African leader, according to my information, that paid a visit to Abacha solely to plead for my release.”

‘I was moved to tears’

The Abacha regime arrested Obasanjo in 1995 owing to an alleged coup plot. However, the former president was released after Abacha’s demise in 1998.

The following year, Obasanjo became Nigeria’s president, elected under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“In the U.S., I called on President Carter, who told me all the efforts he made with other leaders and Abacha remaining unyielding for my release. But the most surprising thing Carter said to me was, ‘Please, see Ted Turner and thank him for his generosity. He came to me and asked me to get his friend, Obasanjo, released from prison.

I will take care of him and his family here or wherever he chooses to live.’ I was touched and moved to tears,” the former president told the gathering, describing the late Carter as his friend whom he will miss.

“For me, I would miss a great and true friend, but I know we shall meet again in Paradise. May his soul rest in peace,” the 87-year-old said.

Obasanjo extolled Carter’s virtues and said the former US president lived an exemplary life of service to humanity.