Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says Nigeria’s failing state status is evident due to “widespread corruption, poor leadership, and immorality”.

Kehinde Akinyemi, the special assistant on media to the former president, said Obasanjo spoke at the Chinua Achebe leadership forum held at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, USA.

In his keynote address at the forum titled ‘Leadership failure and state capture in Nigeria,’ Obasanjo said Nigeria is sinking into insecurity, division, and underdevelopment.

He described the situation in Nigeria as chaotic under “Baba-go-slow” and “Emilokan” reign.

 

“Emilokan” is a term popularised during President Bola Tinubu’s election campaign, when he said it was his turn to lead the country.

“As the world can see and understand, Nigeria’s situation is bad,” Akinyemi quoted Obasanjo to have said.

“The more the immorality and corruption of a nation, the more the nation sinks into chaos, insecurity, conflict, discord, division, disunity, depression, youth restiveness, confusion, violence, and underdevelopment.

“That’s the situation mostly in Nigeria in the reign of Baba-go-slow and Emilokan.

“The failing state status of Nigeria is confirmed and glaringly indicated, and manifested for every honest person to see.

“This is manifested for every honest person to see through the consequences of corruption, mediocrity, immorality, and other forms of iniquity. But yes, there is hope.”

The former president accused the political elite of engaging in what he called “state capture,” adding that they manipulate national policies and resources for personal gains.

“State capture is one of the most pervasive forms of corruption,” Obasanjo said.

“What is happening in Nigeria—right before our eyes—is state capture, where public institutions are subject to undue influence from vested interests.”

Obasanjo, while honouring Chinua Achebe, the late literary icon, acknowledged his enduring impact on Nigerian society and described him as “a great and distinguished Nigerian.”

Says combating insecurity requires a whole-of-society approach 

NSA hands over 58 rescued kidnap victims to Kaduna govt

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has accused unnamed individuals of attempting to sabotage the government’s efforts to address insecurity in the country.
Speaking yesterday when he handed over 58 rescued kidnap victims to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for a formal handover to the Kaduna State Government, Musa stated combating insecurity would require a whole-of-the society approach.
Ribadu yesterday handed over the 58 kidnapped victims who were rescued following a joint operation led by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 1 Division, Kaduna, Major General MLD Saraso, in the Birnin Gwari area of Kaduna State to the state government.

The victims were first handed over to Ribadu by the CDS, Musa.
The NSA subsequently handed over the rescued victims comprising young men, women and children to the Chief of Staff, Kaduna State government, Alhaji Sani Liman Kila who represented Governor Uba Sani at the handover ceremony.
Speaking at the handover, Musa said: “It’s a joint effort. We’re able to do that through non-kinetic means of getting across. No penny was paid for these individuals.

“I want Nigerians to understand that if we do not come together to work, it will make it extremely difficult for us to succeed. Success depends on all of us working together. It’s a whole-of-society approach.”

“You can see from these people — the women, the children, both girls and boys and even the little ones. The question is: why would anyone kidnap such vulnerable individuals? These are people barely surviving.”
He said the kidnappings, particularly of farmers in their farms, “is to tell you that there are individuals that on their own, are trying to make it impossible for the government to succeed.
“They are doing everything possible to sabotage the efforts of the government. That will not happen”.

He continued, “Today is Saturday, the 16th of November, 2024. Part of the operations, as we have always said, is we are doing the kinetic and the non-kinetic. The kinetic being carried out by the military.
“The non-kinetic is a combined effort by all. And we have told you, for us to succeed, we need all Nigerians to take ownership of this operation, and that is what is happening. What we are seeing out of this number is the success of the collaboration right from the top, from the presidency, from the Office of the National Security Advisor, Ministry of Defence to the Defence Headquarters – all agencies working together, including Kaduna State.

“The governor has been very, very supportive and very helpful. It is this collaborative effort that has made it possible for us to be able to rescue these individuals. I know the question is how were they rescued?
“It’s a joint effort. We were able to do that through non-kinetic means of getting across. No penny was paid for these individuals.
“This is what has made us achieve this success. You can see from the people, the women, the children, both girls and boys, and the little one.
“The question you want to ask is why would somebody kidnap these kinds of people? If you see them, they are barely just providing.

“And that is to tell you that there are individuals that on their own are trying to make it impossible for the government to succeed. They are doing everything possible to sabotage the efforts of the government. That will not happen.”
 “I urge Nigerians to understand that we can only succeed by working together. Combating insecurity requires a whole-of-society approach.”
Also speaking, the National Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Major General Adamu Laka, revealed that preliminary investigations indicated the victims were kidnapped by suspected armed bandits under the command of a notorious leader known as JANBROS.
He explained, “During the kidnapping, the victims were forced to trek hundreds of kilometres to the thick forest of Birnin Gwari.

“The government provided them with all necessary support for their stabilisation, including rehabilitation and medical check-ups. Six victims were admitted to hospital but have since recovered and joined the others for the handover to their respective families.”
The Chief of Staff to the Kaduna State Governor, Sani Limankila, expressed gratitude to the security agencies.

Obasanjo: Chaos, insecurity, disunity, others have confirmed Nigeria’s failing status

Vice President Kashim Shettima has declared that Nigeria’s economy is on the path of growth on account of President Bola Tinubu’s policies and determination to transform it for all Nigerians.

This is just as former President Olusegun Obasanjo stated that Nigeria’s failing status has been confirmed through the consequences of the level of the country’s pervasive corruption, mediocrity, immorality, misconduct, mismanagement, perversion, injustice, incompetence, and all other forms of iniquity.

Shettima gave the assurance yesterday in Abuja during a one-day retreat for presidential aides and heads of units in his office.
He listed some of the improvements recorded so far including crude oil production hitting 1.8 million barrels per day, the launch of social welfare initiatives, including an innovative Student Loan Programme to enhance access to higher education, and a Consumer Credit Scheme to boost purchasing power and stimulate economic activity.

Other improvement programmes, according to the Vice President, include the unification of the foreign exchange market as a bold step toward creating a more transparent and efficient monetary system, adding that the administration had also embarked on ambitious infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways.
Addressing participants at the retreat, the vice president said: “President Bola Tinubu is determined to change the fortunes of the nation. We all want to bequeath to the younger generation a united and progressive country.

“Yes, the economy has and is experiencing challenges but we have turned the corner. As of now, we are producing 1.8 million barrels of oil per day. The economy is on an upward trajectory and I believe in the new year, the economy will grow in leaps and bounds,” he said.

Shettima urged all aides in the presidency to synergise more and work harder in helping the president to deliver on his mandate.
He said: “The country is greater than all of us. I urge you; to let’s work as a team and as a family.”

Earlier in his welcome address, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Hassan Hadejia, said the retreat was planned to enable aides to synergise ideas to ensure seamless execution of tasks assigned to the office of the vice president.

Also speaking, Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, commended the efforts of aides in the office, especially on tasks bordering on strategic communication, stressing the need for improved collaboration across the presidency.
On his part, the Special Adviser to the President on General Duties, Dr Aliyu Moddibo Umar, implored the aides to avail the system of their “knowledge and expertise, be humble and focused on the tasks at hand,” adding that “we need to deliver on the difficult task ahead. The primary thing is just the work.”

Obasanjo: Chaos, Insecurity, Disunity, Others Have Confirmed Nigeria’s Failing Status
Meanwhile, Obasanjo has stated that Nigeria’s failing status has been confirmed through the consequences of the level of the country’s pervasive corruption, mediocrity, immorality, misconduct, mismanagement, perversion, injustice, incompetence, and all other forms of iniquity.
Delivering his keynote address at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum, Yale University New Haven Connecticut, USA, at the weekend, the former president further stated that the immorality and corruption have fueled chaos, insecurity, conflict, discord, division, disunity, depression, youth restiveness, confusion, violence, and underdevelopment.

According to a statement issued yesterday by Obasanjo’s Media Aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, the former president said these ills manifested under “Baba-go-slow and Emilokan.”

“As the world can see and understand, Nigeria’s situation is bad,” Obasanjo said.

In his address titled, ‘Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria,’ Obasanjo said “The more the immorality and corruption of a nation, the more the nation sinks into chaos, insecurity, conflict, discord, division, disunity, depression, youth restiveness, confusion, violence, and underdevelopment.”

“That’s the situation mostly in Nigeria in the reign of ‘Baba-go-slow’ and Emilokan. The failing state status of Nigeria is confirmed and glaringly indicated and manifested for every honest person to see through the consequences of the level of our pervasive corruption, mediocrity, immorality, misconduct, mismanagement, perversion, injustice, incompetence, and all other forms of iniquity. But yes, there is hope.”
Obasanjo, who was in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but had a 25-minute recorded video address for the forum, noted that in a country like Singapore, “the government has also been responsive to the changing needs of its people and has invested heavily in areas such as healthcare, education, and social welfare.”

The former president, while quoting from a short, classic treatise published in 1983, called ‘The Trouble with Nigeria’ by Chinua Achebe, admitted that, “the trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian character. There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air or anything else. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership.”

He added: “In hindsight, this forty-one-year-old prescriptive analysis on the root causes of Nigeria’s leadership crisis is quite moderate and appropriate. It is at least not as desolate as the diagnosis provided by Robert Rotberg and John Campbell, two prominent US intellectuals – the latter a former United States ambassador to Nigeria to boot: “Nigeria has long teetered on the precipice of failure. Unable to keep its citizens safe and secure, Nigeria has become a fully failed state of critical geopolitical concern. Its failure matters because the peace and prosperity of Africa and preventing the spread of disorder and militancy around the globe depend on a stronger Nigeria.”

Citing the World Bank and Transparency International’s definition, Obasanjo described a state capture, “as one of the most pervasive forms of corruption, a situation where powerful individuals, institutions, companies, or groups within or outside a country use corruption to shape a nation’s policies, legal environment, and economy, to benefit their own private interests.
“State capture is not always overt and obvious. It can also arise from the more subtle close alignment of interests between specific business and political elites through family ties, friendships, and the intertwined ownership of economic assets.

“What is happening in Nigeria – right before our eyes – is state capture: The purchase of national assets by political elites – and their family members – at bargain prices; the allocation of national resources – minerals, land, and even human resources – to local, regional, and international actors. It must be prohibited and prevented through local and international laws.
“Public institutions such as the legislature, the executive, the judiciary, and regulatory agencies both at the federal and local levels are subject to capture. As such, state capture can broadly be understood as the disproportionate and unregulated influence of interest groups or decision-making processes, where special interest groups manage to bend state laws, policies, and regulations.

“They do so through practices such as illicit contributions paid by private interests to political parties, and for election campaigns, vote-buying, buying of presidential decrees or court decisions, as well as through illegitimate lobbying and revolving door appointments.
“The main risk of state capture is that decisions no longer take into consideration the public interest, but instead favour a specific special interest group or individual. “Laws, policies, and regulations are designed to benefit a specific interest group, oftentimes to the detriment of smaller firms and groups and society in general. State capture can seriously affect economic development, regulatory quality, the provision of public services, quality of education and health services, infrastructure decisions, and even the environment and public health,” Obasanjo explained.
On Achebe’s personality, Obasanjo hinted that the great author and writer has been known through “his work, and his values for as long as our nation has been in existence. He was a great and distinguished Nigerian.”

Indications of another dirty political battle for the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2027 emerged at the weekend as a two-time Director of Youth Mobilisation in the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign in 2019 and 2023, Hon. Dimeji Fabiyi, has said that age cannot stop the former vice president from contesting the 2027 presidential election.

Fabiyi, a known associate of Atiku, also described the remarks by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on the criteria for presidential candidates as portraying the governor as a poor student of history.

 Governor Makinde had insinuated that age was a limiting factor for presidential hopefuls in the party.

Though Atiku’s name was not mentioned by Makinde, Atiku, who is still nursing presidential ambition in the next general election, will be 81 years old by 2027.

But Fabiyi, who is a leader of the PDP in Ogun State and pioneer financial officer of the PDP, in his response to Makinde, admonished the Oyo State governor “to take a lesson from the just concluded presidential election in the United States where the President-elect, Mr. Donald Trump, won overwhelmingly against a much younger opponent, Kamala Harris.’’

He stressed further: “Politics is a marketplace of ideas. It is a place where experience and age are undeniable assets.  President Trump is Atiku’s contemporary in age.

‘’But it is clear by the convincing win he secured for the Republicans that the electorate in the United States acknowledges more leadership assets in him than his main opponent.”

Fabiyi also noted that ‘’Atiku is of sound mind and body, with the intellectual firmament that measures far ahead of Makinde.”

In a press statement he personally signed, Fabiyi noted that while Atiku may be older than Makinde, he has the experience and a cosmopolitan ability to solve problems.

 He said: “As a matter of fact, I challenge Seyi Makinde to an intellectual contest with Atiku, and we shall see how his arrogance and presumed youthfulness will be humbled.

 “I have known Atiku for almost three decades, and I can tell you for free that he’s an avid reader. When Seyi Makinde is in town, he should seek out how resourceful and flourishing Atiku’s library is.

 “Atiku is not a connoisseur of expensive wines and doesn’t keep the company of cringe drinkers. Rather, he’s a lover of books who reads widely.

 “Unless Makinde believes that leadership is determined by aerodynamic strength, he should have been more guided before making a comment that makes him look like a clown,” Fabiyi said. 

“It is on this note that I will admonish Governor Makinde to devote more time to reading good books and familiarise himself more with intellectuals, instead of keeping the company of alcoholics, so that when next he speaks, he won’t be mistaken for someone who prides himself for drinking 40 years old whiskey,” Fabiyi said.

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has decried the trend of vote-buying during the Ondo governorship election.

In an interim statement on the election, the civil society organisation said its observers found that polling units opened early across the state.

Situation Room said election officials and materials arrived early in 97 percent of the polling units but noted that vote trading was persistent.

“This situation has continued unabatedly and heightened in this election. It is worrying that, despite the high presence of security personnel at the polling units, vote trading went on openly unchecked during the voting hours,” the statement reads.

 

The civil society group said a report from the Cleen Foundation observation hub revealed that security deployment for the election was adequate and proportionate to the number of polling units.

“Situation Room observers reported that security personnel arrived early at the polling units. The police, in particular, were present in 84% of the polling unit observed at the official opening hour of polls, i.e., 8:30am,” it said.

“Security personnel observed at the polling units were generally polite and professional. In polling unit 64, ward 1 of Odigbo LGA, the security personnel intervened just in time when thugs attempted to disrupt the voting process.

 

“However, a policeman was observed attempting to influence voters’ choice in polling unit 15, ward 3 of Irele LGA, which culminated in conflict between accredited party agents.

“Also, the Kimpact Development Initiative mid-day report indicates that two incidents of violence have so far been tracked, none of which resulted in disruption of vote except in polling unit 3, ward 5 in Idanre LGA, where party supporters reported fired gunshots at the polling unit.”

Situation Room urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure strict compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and its guidelines concerning the collation of election results.

The organisation noted that collation of results has been a recurring challenge for INEC in recent off-cycle governorship elections.

“Situation Room welcomes the directive of the police authority that security of the collation centres will be headed by senior police officers, including assistant commissioners of police,” it said.

“We, therefore, expect a smooth and transparent collation process in this election. We commend the people of Ondo state for their peaceful conduct so far.”

Oluremi Tinubu, the first lady, has appealed to market women not to hike the prices of food items during the festive period.

In a statement, Busola Kukoyi, the senior special assistant on media to the first lady, said Oluremi spoke on Saturday in Abakakili, the capital of Ebonyi, while addressing women for their 2024 Women’s Day celebration.

Oluremi inaugurated the 3.1 kilometres runway at the Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo International Airport in Ebonyi.

The first lady commended Francis Nwifuru, the governor of Ebonyi, for completing the project, noting that the airport will usher in more socio-economic development for the state.

 

During an interactive session with traditional rulers in the state, Oluremi tasked them to lead their subjects in the right direction.

“Nigeria has everything it takes for us to be a great nation. We have to continue to bless this land, and I appeal to you, our traditional rulers, to lead in that regard,” she said.

“Let me go back to greet your governor. He has gone beyond the 35 percent in female appointments.

 

“His deputy governor is a woman; same for the secretary to the state government and many down the line.

“Now I want to announce that he has decided to empower 130 people with businesses with N1 million each as business recapitalisation grants.

“As RHI, we did not come empty-handed. We are donating a sum of N50 million, 20,000 wrappers, shoes, and bags to support businesses of women in that line, in this state.”

On his part, the governor thanked the first lady for the visit and the support received by the state through the renewed hope initiative.

He commended the women of the state for their contributions to the development of Ebonyi.

Says Nigeria under ‘state capture’

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said Nigeria is speedily becoming a bad case under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, who he referred to as Emilokan and “Baba-go-slow”.

He said chaos, insecurity, conflict, discord, division, disunity, depression, youth restiveness, confusion, violence, and underdevelopment have become permanent occurrences in this dispensation.

The former President, who said this while delivering his keynote address at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum, Yale University New Haven Connecticut, USA, said Nigeria currently suffers from state capture.
Obasanjo spoke on the theme: Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria.

His words: ”As we can see and understand, Nigeria’s situation is bad. The more the immorality and corruption of a nation, the more the nation sinks into chaos, insecurity, conflict, discord, division, disunity, depression, youth restiveness, confusion, violence, and underdevelopment. That’s the situation mostly in Nigeria in the reign of Baba-go-slow and Emilokan. The failing state status of Nigeria is confirmed and glaringly indicated and manifested for every honest person to see through the consequences of the level of our pervasive corruption, mediocrity, immorality, misconduct, mismanagement, perversion, injustice, incompetence and all other forms of iniquity. But yes, there is hope.’’

CORRUPTION

The former president further described state capture as, “ one of the most pervasive forms of corruption, a situation where powerful individuals, institutions, companies, or groups within or outside a country use corruption to shape a nation’s policies, legal environment, and economy, to benefit their private interests”.

“State capture is not always overt and obvious. It can also arise from the more subtle close alignment of interests between specific business and political elites through family ties, friendships, and the intertwined ownership of economic assets”, he said.

“What is happening in Nigeria right before our eyes is state capture. The purchase of National assets by political elites – and their family members at bargain prices, the allocation of national resources – minerals, land, and even human resources – to local, regional, and international actors. It must be prohibited and prevented through local and international laws.

“Public institutions such as the legislature, the executive, the judiciary, and regulatory agencies both at the federal and local levels are subject to capture. As such, state capture can broadly be understood as the disproportionate and unregulated influence of interest groups or decision-making processes, where special interest groups manage to bend state laws, policies, and regulations”.

He, however, quoted Chinua Achebe’s ‘The Trouble with Nigeria,’ saying: “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian character. There is nothing wrong with Nigerian land, climate, water, air, or anything else. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership.”

Obasanjo added: ”In hindsight, this forty-one-year-old prescriptive analysis on the root causes of Nigeria’s leadership crisis is quite moderate and appropriate. It is at least not as desolate as the diagnosis provided by Robert Rotberg and John Campbell, two prominent US intellectuals – the latter a former United States ambassador to Nigeria to boot: ‘Nigeria has long teetered on the precipice of failure,’ they argue. ‘Unable to keep its citizens safe and secure, Nigeria has become a failed state of critical geopolitical concern. Its failure matters because the peace and prosperity of Africa and preventing the spread of disorder and militancy around the globe depend on a stronger Nigeria.”

Nigeria’s external debt stock is projected to rise to $45.1bn by the end of 2024 as the Federal Government seeks additional funding to bolster the economy, according to the Debt Management Office (DMO).

The DMO revealed in its latest report that the country’s external debt increased by $780m in the second quarter of 2024, climbing from $42.12bn in March to $42.9bn in June.

In a new development, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) last Thursday approved a $2.2bn external borrowing plan to finance the Federal Government’s 2024 Appropriation Act.

The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, announced the approval during a briefing with State House correspondents at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.

He disclosed that the borrowing plan included a mix of Eurobond and Sukuk offerings, valued at $1.7bn and $500m, respectively.

“These funds are expected to bolster Nigeria’s fiscal stability amid ongoing economic reforms,” Edun stated, adding that the allocation between the instruments would depend on market conditions and advice from transaction advisors.

He further noted that the borrowing plan is subject to approval by the National Assembly, emphasizing that the funds would play a key role in addressing fiscal challenges and supporting critical infrastructure projects.

“The first (memo) was to complete the borrowing programme of the FG in terms of the external borrowing with the approval of the $2.2bn financing programme made up of access to the international capital market for some combination of the Euro bond offer and the Sukuk bond offer.

“A Euro bond of about $1.7bn and Sukuk financing of another $500m the actual makeup of the financing which will be done as soon as the National Assembly has considered and seen fate to hopefully approve of the borrowing plan and the external borrowing approval is given, it will be done this year, as soon as possible after approval.

“The actual combination of instruments that will be raised will depend on what the advisors, the transaction advisors, the commercial advisers, and what they say about market conditions at the time we decide and we want to enter the market,” Edun explained.

In its report, the DMO noted that Nigeria’s external debt experienced a notable increase in its naira valuation between March 31, 2024, and June 30, 2024, due to naira devaluation.

On March 31, 2024, the total external debt was valued at $42.12bn, equivalent to ₦56.02tn, using an exchange rate of ₦1,330.26/$1.

By June 30, 2024, the external debt rose marginally to $42.90bn but surged to ₦63.07tn in naira terms due to a higher exchange rate of ₦1,470.19/$1.

This represents a 12.59 per cent increase in the naira valuation of external debt within the period, largely driven by the naira’s depreciation.

While the dollar-denominated debt grew by just 1.87 per cent, the significant devaluation amplified the burden of external debt in local currency terms, further emphasising the exchange rate’s critical role in Nigeria’s debt sustainability.

Justifying the borrowing, Edun said the external financing initiative aligned with the administration’s broader economic recovery plan, which focused on stabilising macroeconomic conditions, adjusting market pricing for foreign exchange and petroleum products, and supporting local production.

He added that, earlier in the year, Nigeria’s successful domestic issuance of dollar bonds highlighted the growing resilience and sophistication of the country’s financial market, attracting both local and international investors who showcased confidence in the Federal Government’s economic reform agenda.

Amid the rising wave of inflation gripping the country, no fewer than 15 Northern states spent an approximate sum of N45bn on different poverty alleviation programmes in the first six months of 2024, an investigation by Sunday PUNCH has revealed.

On Friday, the National Bureau of Statistics reported that Nigeria’s inflation rate surged to 33.88 per cent in October 2024, up from 32.70 per cent in September.

In January, the country’s inflation rate was 29.90 per cent, indicating that it had increased by 13 per cent within the first 10 months of the year.

The effect is felt in most of the northern states, a region that reportedly has the highest poverty rate in the country.

In April 2024, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, decried the high level of poverty in Northern Nigeria, especially the North West.

According to him, the region had the highest poverty rate in the country, with a national average of 40.1 per cent as of 2019.

Delivering a paper, titled “Navigating the Maze: Addressing Multi-Dimensional Insecurity Challenges in Northern Nigeria,” at the combined convocation lecture of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Ribadu identified Sokoto as the worst-hit in the region.

The Multidimensional Poverty Index Survey launched by the NBS for the 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory in 2022 also confirmed the high rate of poverty in Northern Nigeria.

The survey indicated that 65 per cent (86 million people) of the 63 per cent (133 million people) poor individuals in Nigeria reside in the North.

It stated that 91 per cent of people in Sokoto State are poor while listing the proportion of multidimensionally poor for other northern states as Jigawa (83.3), Zamfara (82.70), Yobe (81.70), Bauchi (81.30), Kebbi (79.10), Katsina (77.50), Gombe (77.40), Kano (68.80), Taraba (65.10), Borno (64.0), Niger (61.60), and Adamawa (59.90).

An investigation by Sunday PUNCH showed that about 15 of the 19 states in the North spent the sum of N45,323,220,202 on several programmes to reduce poverty in the region between January and June 2024.

The states are Zamfara, Yobe, Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa, Kwara, Kogi, Kebbi, Katsina, Kaduna, Jigawa, Gombe, Borno, Bauchi, and Adamawa.

The figures were derived from an analysis of the budget implementation reports of the states, obtained from the Open Nigerian States, a BudgIT-backed website serving as a repository for government budget data.

The performance report is prepared quarterly and issued within four weeks of each quarter’s end.

During the same period, the states received over N325bn in grants and aid from various financial institutions across the globe.

But despite getting financial aid worth N5.3bn, there was no record that Kano State spent any amount on poverty alleviation programmes in the first half of the year, though about 68.8 per cent of the population of the state lived below the national poverty line.

Zamfara State, with an 82 per cent poor population, spent only N1.3m on poverty alleviation programmes, despite getting N52.8bn in grants alone during the period under review.

For Yobe State, another high poverty rate, N16bn was on poverty alleviation programmes, though it received N53bn in grants.

For other northern states, Plateau spent N3.6bn, Niger N280m, Nasarawa N94m, Kwara N583m, Kogi N14bn, Kebbi N54m, Katsina N16m, Kaduna N13m, Jigawa N6bn, Gombe spent N1.8bn, Borno N3.2bn, Bauchi N850m, and Adamawa N839m to tackle poverty in their states during the period under review.

The World Bank has raised concerns over $32m in unaccounted funds from a Nigerian water sector project, sparking fears of embezzlement and mismanagement.

According to the FY2024 Sanctions System Annual Report, the Bank’s Integrity Vice Presidency (INT) discovered the discrepancies following a forensic review of the project’s financial records.

The funds, originally allocated to improve water infrastructure in Nigeria, were not properly accounted for, prompting the Bank to intervene to safeguard the project’s integrity.

In response, the World Bank engaged key project stakeholders, including Nigeria’s Task Team Leader, Operations Manager, and Financial Management Specialist, to address the issues.

To mitigate further risks, the Bank directed the Central Bank of Nigeria to reimburse $22m while retaining $6m in the project account to cover future operational expenses.

The Bank also restricted the project’s financial operations to direct payments, aiming to prevent additional irregularities.

A copy of the report obtained by Sunday PUNCH read, “INT followed up on risks identified regarding a project in Nigeria’s water sector and flagged to operations the risk, which was associated with $32m of unaccounted funds.

“INT met with the Task Team Leader, Operations Manager, Programme Leader, and Financial Management Specialist to identify steps to reduce the risk of embezzlement. As a result, the project team asked the Central Bank (of Nigeria) to reimburse the full amount ($22m) and limited the remainder of the project to direct payments.

“The local account remained with about $6m in undisbursed balance, a little more than the anticipated PIU expenses for the remainder of the project.”

Further investigations showed that the World Bank has imposed a 1.5-year debarment with conditional release on a Nigerian engineering firm and its managing director for fraudulent practices in the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project.

This decision follows an investigation by the bank’s Integrity Vice Presidency, which uncovered instances of misrepresentation during the bidding and execution phases of the project.

A document from the World Bank obtained by the platform provided more information on the project, noting, “This case arises in the context of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (the “Project”) in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The project sought to reduce vulnerability to soil erosion in targeted sub-watersheds in Nigeria. On April 16, 2013, Nigeria entered into a financing agreement with IDA for an amount equivalent to Special Drawing Rights (‘SDR’) 321.4m (approximately $500m at the time of signature) to support the project.

“Simultaneously, the bank and Nigeria entered into two grant agreements under the Global Environment Facility and the GEF Special Climate Change Fund, for $3.96m and $4.63m, respectively, to support the project.

“On February 12, 2019, the bank provided additional financing to Nigeria in the amount of SDR 208.7m (equivalent to $300m), plus a Scale-up Facility Additional Credit in the amount of $100m. The project became effective on September 16, 2013, and closed on June 30, 2022.”

The NEWMAP project, financed by the International Development Association and supported by the Global Environment Facility, was designed to reduce soil erosion in targeted Nigerian sub-watersheds.

The $900m project spanned multiple states, including Abia, where the firm under scrutiny was contracted.

The engineering firm, part of a joint venture, was awarded a $1.22m contract in 2015 to provide design and supervision services for erosion control.

The investigation revealed that during the selection process, the firm misrepresented the availability of key staff and the role of one of its JV partners.

Also, during project implementation, the firm replaced key personnel without notifying the project management unit, violating contract terms.

The investigation uncovered that two key staff members listed in the firm’s proposal were unavailable during the project.

Despite this, their resumes and certifications were included in the proposal to strengthen the bid.

The firm’s managing director admitted during the hearing that the staff’s availability was never confirmed before submission.

This act constituted a fraudulent misrepresentation, according to the World Bank’s Consultant Guidelines.

The firm also falsely claimed that a JV partner actively participated in the project.

While the partner was listed in the proposal, it neither contributed to the work nor received payment for its involvement.

The firm’s justification that the partner was included for its political connections was deemed unsubstantiated by the World Bank.

The firm and its managing director are barred from participating in any World Bank-financed projects for a minimum of 1.5 years.

This sanction extends across the World Bank Group and may be enforced by other multilateral development banks under a cross-debarment agreement.

The document read, “The Respondent Firm, together with any entity that is an Affiliate directly or indirectly controlled by the Respondent Firm, shall be ineligible to (i) be awarded or otherwise benefit from a Bank-financed contract, financially or in any other manner; (ii) be a nominated sub-contractor, consultant, manufacturer or supplier, or service provider of an otherwise eligible firm being awarded a Bank-financed contract; and (iii) receive the proceeds of any loan made by the Bank or otherwise participate further in the preparation or implementation of any Bank-Financed Projects.”

It added, “the Respondent Managing Director, together with any entity that is an Affiliate that he directly or indirectly controls, shall be ineligible to (i) be awarded or otherwise benefit from a bank-financed contract, financially or in any other manner; (ii) be a nominated sub-contractor, consultant, manufacturer or supplier, or service provider of an otherwise eligible firm being awarded a Bank-financed contract; and (iii) receive the proceeds of any loan made by the Bank or otherwise participate further in the preparation or implementation of any Bank-Financed Projects.”

Reinstatement after the debarment period is contingent on the firm implementing compliance measures, including the establishment of an integrity compliance program.

Further checks by Punch showed that a firm, Diyokes Consultants Limited, based in Enugu State, Nigeria was declared ineligible by the World Bank for a period of 1.5 years (from March 11, 2024, to September 10, 2025) for fraudulent practices.

The individual associated with the same firm, Innocent Diyoke, shared the same ineligibility period and grounds for sanction.

Both the firm and individual were linked to fraudulent activities uncovered in connection with the World Bank-financed project.

It was earlier reported that the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, secured loans worth $6.45bn from the World Bank in just 16 months.

The amount increased to the new figure following the recent approval of three new loans totalling $1.57bn from the World Bank for various projects in Nigeria and is expected to increase further in the coming months.

This was as the international lender approved no fewer than 36 loan requests to the Federal Government, amounting to a substantial total of $24.09bn within five years.

These approvals, aimed at financing various development projects nationwide, arrive alongside increasing concerns about the country’s escalating debt profile, prompting questions about the sustainability of these financial commitments and their potential long-term effects on the economy.

Some of the projects under Tinubu include loans for power ($750m), women empowerment ($500m), girl’s education ($700m), renewable energy ($750m), economic stabilization reforms ($1.5bn) and resource mobilization reforms ($750m).

For many Nigerians, long years of infrastructure decay and increased unemployment have triggered an increased feeling of bitterness whenever they hear the government’s intention to borrow.

Although some of them realistically agree that resources are thin, considering an outsized population; however, they believe the past borrowings have not been justified.