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The Oxford English Dictionary has expanded its lexicon with 20 Nigerian words and expressions in its latest update.
The newly added entries include popular terms like “japa,” “agbero,” “eba,” “419,” and “abi,” among others.
These words, deeply rooted in the everyday lives of Nigerians, highlight the influence of Pidgin English, street slang, and cultural expressions that are increasingly gaining global recognition.
Notably, some of the words, such as “japa” and “jand,” appear as both nouns and verbs in the dictionary.
Pronunciation guides have also been provided to assist non-Nigerians in accurately articulating the words.
A Nigerian English consultant to the Oxford English Dictionary, Kingsley Ugwuanyi, announced the update on LinkedIn on Tuesday.
He expressed excitement over his role in drafting the words and recording their pronunciations.
Ugwuanyi wrote, “I’m thrilled to announce that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Oxford Languages | OUP has officially published its latest updates, featuring an amazing collection of Nigerian English words that beautifully reflect Nigeria’s culture, creativity, and the unique ways we express ourselves as Nigerians.
“This time, I not only drafted most of the words but also had the incredible opportunity to provide their hashtag#pronunciations! So, when you explore the OED online and click on the pronunciations, you’ll hear my hashtag#voice bringing these words to life.”
Among the entries, “japa” is defined as “the emigration of Nigerians to other countries (esp. those in Europe or North America) in search of further education, employment, or economic opportunity.”
“Agbero” is described as “a person (usually a boy or young man) who works as a tout, typically at car parks and bus stops, collecting money from passengers and drivers, and ushering passengers onto vehicles. ”
The term “419,” widely known in Nigeria, is defined as, “Fraud (now usually perpetrated on the internet) involving requests for advance payment in return for a substantial share of a large amount of money, which ultimately is never given. Frequently as a modifier, as in 419 email, 419 scam, etc. Cf. yahoo n.2”
Here is the complete list of Nigerian words added to the OED:
- 419
- abi
- adire
- agbero
- area boy
- cross-carpet
- cross-carpeting
- eba
- Edo
- gele
- jand (noun, verb)
- janded (adjective)
- Japa (noun, verb)
- Kanuri
- Kobo
- Naija
- suya
- Yahoo
- yahoo boy
- Yarn Dust
….express concerns over low implementation of 2024 budget
The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee has charged the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Shakirat Madein to submit the 2022 Consolidated financial statement of the Federal Government to the Auditor General of the Federation in line with the provisions of the 1999 constitution.
This is also as the Committee also expressed concern at the low implementation of the capital component of the 2024 budget, which the Accountant General put at twenty-five per cent, which the committee observed was not helping the attainment of desired economic growth.
These were some of the outcomes of an interactive engagement between the office of the Accountant General and the Public Accounts Committee led by Rep Bamidele Salam on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said: “It is regrettable that from recent studies conducted in Kenya, Ghana and Rwanda, Nigeria is still lagging in submission and consideration of audit reports largely due to the non-submission of Financial statements by the Accountant Generals office as required by law.
While considering the submissions of the Accountant General on the low revenue remittances by many government-owned enterprises, the PAC Chairman said there was a need for stricter measures to block revenue leakages through automation of processes and regular audit exercises.
The House Committee also asked the Accountant General, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Interior to immediately resolve all outstanding issues on the non automation of revenue collections from Foreign missions in order to ensure transparency and accountability in the process.
The committee Chairman disclosed that the 2021 Auditor Generals report which was recently submitted to the National Assembly will receive accelerated consideration immediately after the passage of the 2024 Appropriation Bill currently before the House.
Earlier in her speech, the Accountant General of the Federation attributed the delay in the submission of the consolidated financial statement to lack of sufficient data of government revenue from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
While assuring that efforts are at advanced stage to get the CBN submit necessary information, the Accountant General gave an undertaking to conclude the exercise within two months.
Madein informed the committee of several initiatives of her office to strengthen existing regulations and initiate new ones to promote greater accountability in public expenditure management.
She assured that the Financial Regulations 2009 has been reviewed and only awaiting the approval of the Federal Executive Council to be operational.
[Vanguard]
A federal high court in Abuja has granted the interim forfeiture of N228.4 million linked to Theodore Orji, the former governor of Abia, over alleged money laundering.
Orji was the governor of Abia state from 2007 to 2015.
He also served as a senator representing Abia central district between 2015 and 2023.
NAN reports that Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, ordered the interim forfeiture of the fund following an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Fadila Yusuf, counsel to the anti-graft agency, moved the application.
The judge ordered the EFCC to publish the order on its website and a national newspaper to allow interested parties to show cause why the fund should not be permanently forfeited within 14 days of the publication.
The judge adjourned the case to February 3.
THE APPLICATION
In the ex parte application dated December 30, 2024, and filed on January 2, Yusuf sought an order of the court for the interim forfeiture and freezing of the fund domiciled in an account with Keystone Bank.
In her five-ground argument, the EFCC lawyer argued that the fund, being in possession of Effdee Nigeria Ltd, is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
Yusuf told the court that the company allegedly conspired with others to defraud the Abia state government.
“Effdee Nigeria Ltd is alleged to have conspired with others to defraud Abia state government to wit: conspiracy, abuse of office, obtaining money by false pretence, money laundering and diversion of public funds,” the lawyer said.
“Effdee Nigeria Ltd, in whose possession the monies were found, is reasonably suspected to have conspired with Senator Theodore Ahamefule Orji, the former governor of Abia State, some officials in the former governor’s administration and his family members.”
The EFCC lawyer said there is a need to preserve the fund in the account pending the conclusion of the investigation and prosecution.
She added that the agency is investigating Orji following an intelligence report against the former governor.
Supporting the application, Tahir Ahmed, a litigation officer with the EFCC, told the court that Effdee Nigeria Limited, a waste disposal company, was allegedly used by Orji and officials of his administration to divert and launder funds belonging to Abia state government.
Ahmed said during the investigation, it was discovered that Austin Akuma, the divisional head of Keystone Bank in Abia, was the middleman between the company and Erondu Uchenna Erondu, an aide to the former governor.
The EFCC officer said Akuma told the agency that he and Erondu agreed that the company’s account would be used to receive funds from the accounts of the Abia state government.
He added that an analysis of the company’s account showed substantial inflow from various agencies in Abia state government leaving a balance of N228, 497, 773.12.
In August 2021, the anti-graft agency interrogated Orji and his son for allegedly diverting funds of the state while he was governor.
[TheCable]
The University of Lagos, Akoka, will graduate two students as the overall best-graduating students with a perfect Cumulative Grade Point Average of 5.0 at its 55th convocation ceremony.
Both students are from the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science.
Speaking on Wednesday at a media briefing, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Folasade Ogunsola said that the convocation would start on Friday, January 10, with a Jumaat service and end on Sunday, January 17, 2025, with a thanksgiving service.
“The overall best-graduating student position is shared by two students Damilare Adebakin and Samuel Badekale, from the Faculty of Science, Department of Cell Biology & Genetics with a perfect score of 5.0,” a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Wednesday read.
Ogunsola said, “We will be graduating 16,409 students of these 9,684 students will receive first degrees and diplomas while 6,659 will be awarded postgraduate degrees while 66 will graduate from the UNILAG Business School.”
Ogunsola added that on Monday, January 13, at noon, a convocation lecture titled ‘Universities as Hubs for Development and Wealth Creation,’ would be delivered by CEO of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Dr Tayo Aduloju, at the J.F. Ade-Ajayi Auditorium.
“Former Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola will chair the event, which aims to discuss the funding of tertiary education and its role in driving economic and social progress.
“We are looking forward to a very thought-provoking lecture that will add to the discussion on funding of tertiary education and positioning them as drivers of economic and social development.
“We are privileged to have as Chairman, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, CON, SAN, former Governor of Lagos State and former Minister of Works, whose clarity in addressing issues was pivotal to innovative reforms and development of our country,” she stated.
She added that three eminent Nigerians, including the co-founder of Guaranty Trust Bank, Fola Adeola; the Group Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, Engr. Kolawole Adesina, and the director-general of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, would be conferred with the honorary degree of Doctor of Science.
The convocation week will feature several key events, including the groundbreaking ceremony for the School of Postgraduate Studies building on January 13, a project donated by Chief Tunde Fanimokun in celebration of his 80th birthday.
Award ceremonies for degrees, diplomas, and certificates will take place from January 14 to January 16 across various faculties, with postgraduate degrees and diplomas being conferred on January 16.
The week will also include a convocation play, Langbodo by Wale Ogunyemi, on January 17 and conclude with a thanksgiving service on January 19.
“The ceremonies will formally come to an end on Sunday, January 19, 2025, with a Thanksgiving Service at the Chapel of Christ Our Light, University of Lagos at 10:00 am,” the statement concluded.
The 2023 African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has dismissed the Federal Government’s proposed National Youth Conference as a scheme to reward President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, and his associates.
Sowore made this claim on Wednesday during an appearance on Lunchtime Politics, alleging that the initiative would fail to address the pressing challenges facing Nigerian youths.
“The current administration wants to compensate the youths ‘who are in the corner,’ particularly the son of the president and his friends,” Sowore said, describing the move as unproductive and politically motivated.
President Tinubu, during his nationwide broadcast on October 1, announced plans for a 30-day National Youth Conference aimed at creating a platform for youths to discuss and address the challenges they face.
“Considering this, I am pleased to announce the gathering of a National Youth Conference. This conference will be a platform to address the diverse challenges and opportunities confronting our young people, who constitute more than 60 per cent of our population,” Tinubu had stated.
However, Sowore questioned the sincerity of the initiative, arguing that it was unlikely to produce meaningful outcomes.
He said, “The agenda is to compensate some young people who are in their corner. These young people they are calling to a conference are probably Seyi Tinubu’s friends, not Nigerian youths.
“They cannot afford to have the real youths on the table. If I am invited, I will not go because I know in advance that this is a joke, nothing will come out of this.
“They want young people to feel like, ‘Oh, they belong.’ If you come to a national youth conference, they get it livestreamed, they will get them compensated and at the end of the day, nothing will come out of it.”
Sowore argued that youths do not need a national conference if they truly want to take over power.
He added that the young people who are serious about governance would team up in unity to actualise their plans.
Nigerians continue to grapple with food inflation despite the promise by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, that food prices would crash in 180 days.
In July 2024, Kyari raised hopes with the assurance that strategic measures would be put in place to address the high food prices nationwide.
According to him, some of the measures include the suspension of duties, tariffs, and taxes on food items such as maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas.
Our administration has unveiled a series of strategic measures aimed at addressing the high food prices currently affecting our nation. These measures will be implemented over the next 180 days;
— Sen. Abubakar Kyari, CON (@SenatorAKyari) July 10, 2024
1.150-Day Duty-Free Import Window for Food Commodities
•Suspension of duties,… pic.twitter.com/cdhCGikzjs
He also promised that the Federal Government would import 250,000 metric tonnes of wheat and 250,000 metric tonnes of maize to be supplied to small-scale processors and millers across the country.
To strengthen dry season farming and boost productivity, the minister assured Nigerians that the government would embark on aggressive agricultural mechanisation.
These measures, calculated to calm food inflation in 180 days gave Nigerians a sense of hope that by the first week of January 2024, the prices of essential staples would have crashed.
Food prices
Unfortunately, 180 days after the minister’s lofty promises and assurance, implementation of the measures is yet to be seen as food prices continue to soar.
As things stand, a 50kg bag of rice sold for N85,000 when Kyari unveiled the measures now sells for over N100,000.
Besides the agriculture minister’s yet-to-be fulfilled promises, the government had earlier highlighted other factors that hinder its efforts to control food inflation.
In his last Monetary Policy Committee meeting, Yemi Cardoso, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, identified “the rising cost of transporting farm produce; infrastructure-related constraints within the distribution network; security challenges in some food-producing areas; and the impact of exchange rate fluctuations on the prices of imported food items” as some of the factors that the efforts to control food inflation.
Meanwhile, as food inflation surged to 39.93% with Nigerians looking up to the government for immediate solutions, the Ministry of Agriculture has not offered any explanation as to why the measures it promised have not been implemented yet.
Why govt failed – CSOs, farmers
Speaking with Vanguard on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, they pointed out that the government failed to put a whole lot of issues into consideration including insecurity, high prices of farm inputs, the exchange rates, high interest rates, flood impacts, holistic planning, and others.
The Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Federal Capital Territory, FCT Chapter, Nkechi Okafor, asserted that the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security had a very good intention to crash food prices but that lack of appropriate actions slowed the process.
Okafor said: “I can clearly say that the Honourable Minister’s promise was made with the mindset of a better Nigeria. But unfortunately, a promise can’t be achieved if there are no effective actions in place.
“Food prices cannot just go down overnight especially with the multiple taxation faced on Nigeria highways by transporters, which is just one out of numerous challenges faced by agricultural value chain actors in Nigeria.
“Can farmers sell their produce at a loss just to fulfill a promise made by the minister? Your answer is as good as mine. Can a farmer risk his/her life to the farm amidst security challenges, which is more critical in some regions, to ensure such a promise is met? Your answer also is still as accurate as mine.”
In his view, the Managing Director, EA Daniels Farm, Engr Daniel Ijeh, explained that one of the major causes of failure to meet the 180 days declaration by the Federal Government was due to lack of importation of food and other measures that were not implemented.
Ijeh said: “If they want to import to crash the price of food, what the minister is saying is the cost of importation is way lower than the cost of purchasing from the local market. And if you check the price of grain from that time till December, there was no any sign that there was importation at all because there was steady increase.
“That is why I doubt whether there was importation at all. Then the exchange rate was too high because I remember very well that around August, I bought some Dollars with N1,600. Now, I think around November Dollar was selling for N1,700. So foreign exchange rate will never favour importation because the price will be too high, and, you know, the people who want to do that, they will still be thinking of how are they going to make profit?”
‘All careless talks’
Also commenting on the issue, the Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, said with the expiration of the 180 days deadline, the Federal Government should stop exaggerating promises to Nigerians and instead achieve what they want to do for Nigerians quietly.
Rafsanjani said: “We just want to advise that public officials should be mindful of saying things that they have no control over, especially when his (Kyari) principal says that he does not believe in price control.
“So, it is not good to raise the expectation of citizens, and the government is not there to intervene. This is the very reason why some people don’t want to believe in the government’s statement. Whenever the government says something, people don’t believe in it because they don’t rarely see any sincerity about it.”
Corroborating Rafsanjani’s sentiment, the Executive Director, Global Rights Nigeria, Abiodun Baiyewu said Kyari’s comments were careless and only further erodes trust in the government.
According to him, it was a poor attempt at rallying support for the Tinubu administration by giving false hope, adding that the minister ought to apologise to Nigerians for his ‘careless remarks.’
“It should have been clear to him that the reduction in import taxes were not sufficient to deal with the short fall. The exchange rate was still inordinately too high for private importers, and the time it takes in clearing them from the ports only further exacerbates their ordeal and raises their fares.
“With the rise in the cost of fuel, the cost of transportation and preservation also rose exponentially.
“If he is committed to ensuring food security, there is a lot the administration can do and he should work on implementing these,” Baiyewu submitted.
Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has clarified his controversial statement and alleged death threat insinuation against Peter Obi and his family.
The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election recently alleged that Morka’s reaction to his New Year message has led to threats against his life and family.
It would be recalled that following Obi’s New Year message, the APC chieftain during an interview on Arise TV said “Obi has crossed the line so many times” adding that “whatever he has coming to him, he should manage it.”
According to Obi, since Morka made the statement on TV, he has been receiving all sorts of messages including threats to his life and that of those around him.
However, Morka while appearing on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, explained that his statement did not suggest any threat to Obi’s life.
He clarified that the comment was a direct response to the question about Obi being labeled a voodoo economist and prophet of doom.
Morka said his comment on Obi getting whatever comes to him is predicated on his belief that the ex-governor of Anambra State has crossed several lines of truth, adding that he deserved whatever names he’s called because he speaks “a lot of falsehood.”
The APC chieftain said, “If Peter Obi was called a prophet of doom or was called a voodoo economist, he has it coming to him because he has crossed several lines of truth, end of story. There’s nothing else to suggest (threats) in those words that I said in the moment of the interview. Peter Obi is speaking a lot of falsehood.”
While dismissing Obi’s death threat claim, Morka asked the Labour Party chieftain to produce evidence of the alleged threats against his life and his family members.
“He who alleges must prove. If Peter Obi says anyone threatened him, he must beyond just saying I’ve been threatened. For a man in his standing, I think he should supply some evidence of those who threatened him because if anyone threatened Peter Obi, we should not be having a conversation in your studio. The law enforcement system should be looking for those who threatened Obi’s life,” Morka said.
The APC Publicity Secretary maintained that he did not threaten Obi, insisting that his comment was about him being deservedly labeled a voodoo economist because he “crosses several lines of truth.”
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, says that telecom tariffs will soon increase but assures Nigerians that it will not be the 100 per cent that telecom operators are pushing for at the moment.
The Minister disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) on Wednesday in Abuja. He said consultations and engagements were ongoing to arrive at an acceptable rate, assuring that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), would soon approve the new tariffs and make it public to Nigerians.
“You have seen over the past weeks that there has been agitation from some of these companies to increase tariff. They are requesting for 100 per cent tariff increase.
“But it will not be by 100 per cent. We are still looking at that study and NCC will come up with a clear directive on how we will go about it.
“We want to strike the balance as a government to protect our people, but also protect and ensure that these companies can continue to invest significantly.
“We need to ensure that as a sector, we get our acts together, ensure that from the regulation side, we put the right regulations in place that can ensure the growth of this sector.”
The Minister also noted that the Federal Government would no longer leave investments on infrastructure in the sector to private companies alone.
“As a country, over time, we have left this investments in the hands of the private sector. They typically invest where they can see returns in the short to medium term.
“We will not want this conversation to just be about tariff increase. I think what the world is talking about today is meaningful connectivity.
“You want to have access to very good quality service.
“A part of it that the consumers may not be aware of is the investment that needs to go into the infrastructure that is used to deliver these services,” he said.
The Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC), of the NCC Dr Aminu Maida said that the meeting with stakeholders was about the sustainability of the industry.
“We have looked at all of these factors, and that is why, like the Minister said, it is not likely that we are going to approve 100 per cent tariff increase.
“I know that Nigerians are agitated to hear the exact percentage approved. There is still some stakeholder engagements that we are going through, but you will hear from us within a week or two.”
He said that the NCC had put a number of tools and instruments into place by revising its quality of service regulations for compliance service quality.
He said that the MNOs must comply simplified templates to show Nigerians charges per minute for voice calls, SMS and a megabyte of data.
“We are moving away from the regime where you will have a main rate, then you will now have a bonus which is at a different rate.
“It makes it often complicated and difficult for Nigerians to actually understand what they are being charged for.
“This is one of the things when we took a lot of time over the past year looking at data there is this agitation that the MNOs are stealing our data,” he said.
The CEO of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, represented by Femi Adeniran, Airtel media spokes person, noted that for the telecoms commitment to delivering superior connectivity and fostering digital inclusion, there is need for tariff increments.
“The economic realities of rising operational and capital costs, necessitated the proposed tariff adjustments.
This is aimed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector while unlocking significant benefits for Nigerian consumers,” he said.
Bashir Ahmad, former Special Assistant on Digital Communications to former President, Muhammadu Buhari, has argued that Almajiri children should not be regarded as out-of-school kids.
Ahmad shared this in a tweet on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, affirming the sentiment of the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Saidu on the matter.
Almajiri is an Hausa word which means a group of people or children who leave their homes in search of Quranic knowledge. However, the term has been colloquially expanded to refer to any young person who begs on the streets and does not attend secular school.
In his submission, Bashir called for the integration of the Almajiri education system into the national educational framework.
The ex-presidential aide argued that the Federal Government’s recognition of the Almajiri set up as a system of education could make the north become the region with the least number of out-of-school children in the country.
“The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Saidu, is absolutely correct that Almajiri children should not be classified as out-of-school children, as the Almajiri is a system of Islamic education. However, I believe the best way to address this is by integrating the Almajiri education system into our national educational framework or ensuring it is officially recognized by the system.
“Once this is achieved, the northern states could become those with the lowest numbers of out-of-school children, as it is rare to find a child in the north who does not attend either formal or Islamic school,” he said.
He added that Almajiri children are visible on the streets primarily because the current system does not adequately provide for their needs.
“If Almajiri schools were given treatment in terms of support and structure similar to that of boarding schools, the narrative would change entirely,” he said.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, alleged he and his family have received death threats over his remarks about Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi.
Morka stated that the threats were triggered by Obi’s accusation that his remarks during a Sunday interview on Arise Television constituted a threat to the LP candidate’s life.
During another appearance on Arise News on Wednesday, the APC spokesman disclosed that he had recorded over 400 threats, including approximately 200 explicit death threats, many of which were described in graphic detail.
Morka said, “Peter Obi’s allegations that my words in that interview threatened his life have triggered serious consequences.
“As of now, I have documented 400 threats, about 200 of which are explicit death threats. These are written threats that I will be submitting to law enforcement agencies.
“In these messages, individuals have detailed how they plan to harm me—threatening to shoot me, behead me, and carry out other gruesome acts. This is not mere rhetoric. It has even extended to direct threats against some members of my family. These are explicit and graphic threats, not vague insinuations.”
He strongly denied making any comments that could be interpreted as threatening Obi’s life, describing the allegations as baseless.
“This entire situation is baseless and cannot be attributed to me. I did not threaten Peter Obi in any way. Those issuing these threats are acting on their own, but I trust that law enforcement will respond swiftly to bring them to justice,” he added.
Morka’s initial remarks during Sunday’s interview sparked outrage after he accused Obi of “crossing the line” in his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, asserting that the former governor“deserved whatever came his way.”
Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, called on the APC to apologise to Obi and Nigerians for what he described as inflammatory and disgraceful language.
Similarly, the Labour Party issued a seven-day ultimatum to Tinubu, demanding that Morka be reprimanded for his comments.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Marcel Ngogbehei, Director-General of the Labour Party Directorate of Mobilisation and Integration, decried what he described as a targeted campaign against Obi.
More...
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has openly criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership, accusing him of implementing policies that are detrimental to the country’s progress and well-being.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, the Chief Promoter of the Muslim-Muslim Ticket, Governor Mohammed described Tinubu as a leader who does not listen to the voices of the people. He expressed frustration over the president’s refusal to address the hardship caused by his administration’s policies.
“Tinubu and I are not on good terms because his policies are causing hardship for the citizens,” the governor stated, adding that the northern region has been particularly affected by the recent tax reforms proposed by the federal government.
The governor emphasized the North’s economic vulnerabilities, noting that many states in the region heavily depend on federal allocations for survival. He warned that the tax reforms would exacerbate the region’s challenges, plunging it into further economic strain.
“The North, unfortunately, heavily relies on federal allocation to survive. The reforms he is proposing will put the region under dire strain,” he said.
The governor urged Sheikh Jingir to use his influence to appeal to President Tinubu to reconsider his stance on these policies.
“Thank God you are alive today to use your wise words of wisdom in this regard because us politicians tend to use harsh words in our approach, i believe you can inform the change we require” the governor emphasized.
He called for a more inclusive approach to governance that prioritizes the needs of all Nigerians, particularly the economically disadvantaged regions.
The President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dele Oye, has faulted President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies.
Oye said the President’s economic policies have not helped the country’s economy, including the growth of the private sector.
In an interview with Arise News on Tuesday, he decried the continued decline of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the slide of the nation’s economic ranking among other African nations.
Recall that the NACCIMA’s President, in his New Year statement, condemned the country’s 2024 economic performance.
He warned that borrowing more loans or increasing taxes would not help the nation’s economy.
“What is important is that we normally have inflation when government has spent its revenue. And the tendency for government is to try to borrow or to increase taxes to fill that gap. If you do that, you only make Nigeria poorer.
“If you look at our current GDP, in 2014, we were at $568 billion. And we are going down every year. So you cannot use the same treatment for a sickness that has never worked before. Last year, we had a budget for 2024. And look at it in real terms, we are declining.
“In fact, this year’s budget is far lower in real terms than last year’s budget. And we are shrinking. And also look at our standing in the African GDP. We are about number five now, maybe going to six. All these are due to the domestic policies that have been made, deficit financing, this coordinated transfer from the private sector to the public sector. So what you are seeing is that the private sector is shrinking while the public sector is expanding,” he said.
2025 Budget, Loans, Tax, Cost of Governance and Collaboration with Private Sectors
Oye faulted the 2025 budget, stating that it lacked the essentials to lift the hardship plaguing the nation. According to him, there was not much difference between the 2024 budget and that of 2025.
He called for collaboration between the government and private sector. He stressed the need for the government to include the private sector in some of its policy formulation and execution.
“So government must listen more to the business and the business that will generate the income that will be used to pay these loans. The loans are not sustainable, but they will start cutting down costs in the government sector. It will be very difficult to grow the economy. So government must listen more to the private sector.
“We are not aware of the effort the government has made in giving us two ministers recently in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to support the private sector. We are grateful and we are fully engaging with them. But what is important, government must also get its other organizations, other MDAs, the Central Bank, the Ministry of Finance, all of them to key in and work with the private sector. Because we are the ones to pay the loans back from our production. Government does not produce any goods or services. A holding contract is not an economic activity or you are launching a project. What pays for these bills is the efforts of the private sector. So government must work with us,” he noted.
NACCIMA President enjoined the President to listen less to praise singers. He warned that too much taxation would shrink the economy more.
Oye further advised the government to consider business competitiveness, particularly, in comparison with other nations before further actions on taxes.
“And if you look at the current budget, tell me, anything that is different from the 2024, there is nothing. It is the same old, same old budget. So we need to change. The people that are telling the President that he is doing very well, they should show us. All the indices show there is a decline. So it is not to tax us more or to increase tax.
“In fact, to increase our competitiveness, we must find a way to reduce tax. Anytime we are making laws in Nigeria, look at what our neighbors are offering. Before we plug in our own rates so that we can be competitive. So this is the reason. We cannot tax ourselves out of this problem. We have to increase capacity of the private sector. We are not asking for a handout. We are not asking for money from government. We have the formula that will bring down interest rates so that people can borrow at a sustainable level,” he explained.
He reiterated that private sector players want a conducive business environment from government and not handouts.
“The President himself gave us an eight-point agenda that he will give us single-digit loans. I’m not asking for government to give us money. Government should create the enabling environment. We need to sit down with government to establish this. So this is what NACCIMA is saying in nutshell,” he added.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party have strongly criticized the ₦55.5 billion allocated for the maintenance of the presidential fleet in the 2025 Appropriation Bill, currently awaiting approval by the National Assembly.
The contentious allocation includes expenses for the overhaul of three aircraft engines, fuelling, fumigation, air navigation, cleaning, and general maintenance.
If approved, it would surpass the total spent on the fleet between July 2023 and September 2024, which amounted to ₦19.43 billion.
Critics argue that the budgetary priority is misplaced, particularly given Nigeria’s economic challenges.
The South-West Chairman of the PDP, Kamorudeen Ajisafe, in an interview with Punch questioned whether the presidency was planning to procure additional aircraft.
Similarly, Labour Party factional National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, described the allocation as “inhuman and satanic,” criticizing the government for prioritizing luxury expenses while millions of Nigerians struggle to make ends meet.
A breakdown of the 2025 budget showed that ₦8.6 billion was earmarked for air navigational equipment repairs, ₦5.5 billion for an engine overhaul of an aircraft with the registration number 5N-FGW, and ₦3.1 billion for the overhaul of two additional engines.
Other expenses include ₦1.5 billion for aircraft fuel, ₦1.25 billion for general maintenance, ₦149 million for security operations, and ₦7.5 million for cleaning and fumigation.
Additionally, ₦311.1 million was allocated for aircraft insurance premiums, a sum likely to be handled by foreign insurance companies due to the lack of capacity among local insurers.
Local companies, acting as intermediaries, often facilitate these transactions with insurers based in the United States and the United Kingdom.
For comparison, the entire aviation ministry’s budget for 2025 is ₦105.95 billion, with the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development allocated ₦71.12 billion. Sub-agencies such as the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (₦9.82 billion), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria (₦7.98 billion), Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (₦10.03 billion), and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (₦7 billion) also received allocations.
Arabambi in his take said, “The presidential air fleet already has some aircraft, including a recently purchased Airbus A330, which cost over $100m.
“The government’s spending habit is a clear indication of its lack of commitment to reducing poverty and inequality.”
The executive chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, noted, “What we are getting from this administration is opposite to our expectations… an administration that has fallen in love with profligacy.
“It’s time the government rethink its priorities and start putting the needs of its citizens first. The proposed expenditure on presidential jets is a national shame, and it’s time for Nigerians to demand better from their leaders. As you noted, it’s surprising that the same people who are complaining about the government’s wasteful spending will likely vote for the same politicians in the next election. It’s a vicious cycle that needs to be broken.”
‘How Can You Disengage Staff In The Name Of Restructuring’ – Ex-CBN Staff Denies Voluntary Disengagement Claim
AFOLABIFormer employees of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have challenged the claim by CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso that no staff member was forcefully disengaged from the institution.
Naija News understands that the governor made the assertion while appearing before the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating staff disengagements under the Early Exit Program (EEP).
Represented by the Deputy Governor of Corporate Services, Mohammed Bala Bello, the CBN stated that the EEP was a voluntary program initiated by the Bank’s Management in response to staff requests.
Bello emphasized that participation in the program was entirely voluntary, with incentives provided for those who opted to exit the Bank. He insisted that no staff member was compelled to leave.
However, when questioned further about disengagements that occurred before the introduction of the EEP, Bello acknowledged that some staff had indeed been retired earlier. He maintained that these employees received their full benefits as stipulated.
Disgruntled former staff, however, accused Governor Cardoso of omitting key details before the committee.
Speaking to Daily Trust, they alleged that over 200 confirmed and pensionable staff, including executives, were arbitrarily retired under the guise of restructuring and reorganization.
They argued that these actions violated Section 14(4) of the CBN Act, which mandates Board approval for the appointment and disengagement of staff at the level of Assistant Director and above.
“How can the Governor and his deputies justify disengaging staff, including senior executives, without a formal restructuring program or the necessary Board approval?” the former staff queried.
They further alleged that Bello misrepresented facts by claiming the Board had not been inaugurated at the time of the disengagements.
According to them, the Board was officially constituted following the Senate’s confirmation of members on February 29, 2024, nearly two weeks before the disengagements began on March 15, 2024.
The former employees are calling for a thorough investigation into the matter, accusing the CBN’s leadership of overstepping their authority and violating due process in their actions.