General
Jubilation in Ibese, Itori, Ijebu-Igbo as Dangote Foundation Distributes Rice
Over 30 host communities to Dangote Cement Ibese Plant as well as those in Itori in Yewa North, and Ewekoro local government areas of Ogun State, respectively, were thrown into excitement as the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) extended its National Food Intervention programme to the people distributing over 3,000 bags of rice to the less privileged in the communities.
It was the same at the host communities to Dangote Granite and Mines in Ijebu-Igbo as the beneficiaries turned up in large numbers at the Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo palace and that of Sopenlukale of Oke-Sopen where the bags of rice were distributed to the deserving populace.
Aboro of Ibese, Oba Rotimi Mulero and his counterpart in Itori, the Olu of Itori, Oba Abdulfatai Akamo were full of praises to the Chairman of the Foundation, Aliko Dangote for his magnanimity in ensuring food security in the host communities and thereby reducing hunger among their people.
While presenting bags of rice to some of the beneficiaries in Ibese, Oba Mulero explained to the people that the initiative is focused on reaching out to the aged, people living with disabilities and other vulnerable groups facing hardship in the face of current biting economic climate.
He stated that beyond the rice distribution there has existed a longstanding collaboration between the host communities and the ADF on one hand and the Dangote Cement on another hand, especially in the areas of empowerments and capacity building. He also acknowledged ADF’s consistent corporate social responsibility efforts, particularly towards host communities.
Said he: “We all were here last year, we are also here this year, for distribution of food items. Let me on behalf of the community which I am the prescribing authority over, appreciate the management team of Aliko Dangote Foundation for this gesture. We would continue to pray that the organization continue to flourish. Last year, I called this exercise” Operation Feed the Nation” which we have witnessed some years ago in the country. We are seeing Alhaji Aliko Dangote reintroducing the programme with this yearly rice distribution exercise. We are proud of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Dangote Group and Aliko Dangote Foundation.
“With this gesture, God will continue to strengthen the managements of Dangote Foundation and Dangote Cement. You can see that our people have turned out in their thousands, waiting to get the item, when we started sharing, you saw the smiles in the faces”.
Earlier in his remarks, representative of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, Victor Edero said the Foundation’s food inflation intervention was designed to complement the government’s food security efforts toward distribution of food items to all the 774 local government areas across the country.
He explained that the economic downturn has made it increasingly difficult for many Nigerians to afford basic staples like rice, making such support crucial, adding that the foundation gives priorities to the host communities, especially Ibese that’s hosting cement factory and other host communities.
Mr Ejiro reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to capture its target audiences like the vulnerable, downtrodden and aged, while urging for fair and equitable distribution to ensure all targeted beneficiaries get their share.
In their appreciations, some of the beneficiaries lauded the initiative, stating it was a clear example of how public-private partnerships can be harnessed to ease people’s burdens and promote inclusive development.
Earlier, the Olu itori thanked Alhaji Dangote for cunting Itori worthy of benefiting from the food intervention programme, given that the Cement Plant in the area is still under construction and his people will give all necessary cooperation to ensure the plant takes off smoothly.
He described the construction of the plant as a fulfilment of long time promise made to his people that he would ensure a notable company is established in his domain through which the people could be gainfully employed and the economy of the community turned around
It would be recalled that the Aliko Dangote Foundation under its National Food Intervention Programme had last week distributed Forty (40,000) thousand 10kg bags of rice across the twenty (20) local government areas of Ogun State.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) has attributed Tuesday’s national grid collapse to a voltage disturbance at the Gombe transmission substation.
A statement issued by the system operator, while providing updates on repair and restoration efforts, stressed that the incident did not amount to a total system collapse, contrary to reports by some media organisations.
Recall that for the second time this year, the national grid recorded a disturbance that left all distribution companies unable to serve their franchise states. It followed a similar occurrence last Friday.
NISO said electricity supply across the affected areas has since been fully restored following immediate corrective actions by its technical teams, adding that the disturbance originated from the Gombe transmission substation before spreading to other parts of the network.
“The national grid has been fully restored, and electricity supply across the affected areas has since returned to normal.”
“The incident only affected part of the national grid, therefore not a total collapse,” NISO added.
“The event was accompanied by the tripping of some transmission lines and generating units, resulting in a partial system collapse.”
The system operator said restoration efforts commenced shortly after the disturbance and were completed within hours.
NISO disclosed that the voltage disturbance quickly propagated across the transmission network, affecting multiple substations.
The disturbance impacted power infrastructure beyond Gombe before stabilisation measures were implemented.
The voltage disturbance spread to the Jebba Transmission Substation, Kainji Transmission Substation was also affected, while the Ayede Transmission Substation experienced disruptions as the disturbance propagated.
According to NISO, although corrective actions were immediately deployed to stabilise the system and restore normal grid operations, some transmission lines and generating units tripped during the incident.
Nigeria’s power grid has continued to experience recurring disturbances in recent years, raising calls for alternative and proper power infrastructure in the country.
In 2025 alone, the national grid collapsed 12 times, with the last recorded incident occurring on December 29.
Tuesday’s incident represents the second grid collapse recorded in 2026, as well as the second in five days.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has urged the federal government to intervene and restrain the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) from renewing its enforcement of the ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small PET bottles.
The Director-General of MAN, Mr Segun Ajayi-Kadir, who made the call in a statement, stressed that NAFDAC’s action contradicted directives from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) issued on December 15, 2025, suspending the implementation of the ban.
Mr Ajayi-Kadir said the renewed enforcement also runs contrary to a March 14, 2024, resolution of the House of Representatives, which followed a public hearing with stakeholders, restrained NAFDAC from banning sachet and PET-bottled alcoholic beverages.
According to him, the conflicting directives from government institutions have created confusion among operators in the wines and spirits sector and are disrupting legitimate businesses, stating that sachet and PET-bottled alcoholic beverages were introduced to serve adult consumers with low purchasing power.
He added that smaller portions could help curb excessive consumption rather than encourage abuse.
Mr Ajayi-Kadir noted that locally produced sachet alcohol was manufactured under hygienic conditions and duly certified by regulatory agencies, including NAFDAC, warning that an outright ban could fuel the proliferation of illicit and unregulated products that pose greater health risks.
He also dismissed claims that the products promote underage drinking, saying such assertions had been contradicted by empirical research.
“We would like to further place on record that the untested assertion of abuse by minors as the basis for the ban has been debated by credible and empirical research that was independently conducted.
“The industry, on its own, has even gone further, notwithstanding the report of the survey, to initiate a series of campaigns in respect of responsible alcohol consumption to discourage underage abuse.
“This has so far cost the operators over a billion Naira in advertisements at all levels of media outreach across the federation.
“This has been very impactful in discouraging abuse by underage persons and has deepened the access restriction landscape,” he said.
Mr Ajayi-Kadir added that the ban threatened jobs, livelihoods and government revenue, while also encouraging smuggling and importation of unregulated alternatives.
He reaffirmed the commitment of MAN to working with regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with standards, while appealing to the Federal Government to direct NAFDAC to halt actions that disrupt members’ operations.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A temporary disruption in water supply to parts of Lagos State has been announced by the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC).
A statement signed by the Managing Director of the agency, Mr Temitope Mukhtaar, explained that the disruption was to enable the completion of critical repair and replacement works at the Adiyan I Water Treatment Plant.
According to him, engineers have been engaged to repair the facility to address a leakage on the ND1600mm Adiyan raw water pipeline located at the Akute Intake Station.
He said those to be affected by the cut in water supply include Akiode, Ikeja, Magodo, Oregun, Ketu, Ojota, Maryland, Aromire, Ogudu, Gbagada, Shomolu, Ojuelegba, Oyingbo, Ijora Olopa, Agege, and parts of Lagos Island.
The LWC chief further explained that the continuous leakage has been adversely affecting the ongoing construction of the Adiyan Phase II project.
“It was observed that the persistent water discharge from the leakage point is saturating the surrounding soil, thereby compromising ground stability and posing safety risks to heavy construction equipment, including cranes and excavators, currently deployed in the affected area,” he noted.
The GM further stated that the Adiyan I Water Treatment Plant will be shut down temporarily pending the completion of the repair and replacement works. This measure is to ensure the safe and effective execution of the Adiyan II intake construction works, assuring customers that efforts are being intensified to complete the works promptly, adding that water supply restoration is expected soon.
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