General
Lawmakers Decry Poor Quality of Work at Baro Inland Port
By Adedapo Adesanya
The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on the Rehabilitation and Operationalisation of Baro Inland Port has decried the poor quality of work done at the facility.
Mr Idris Wase, a Plateau State lawmaker, expressed the displeasure of the lawmakers at a courtesy visit to Governor Umaru Bago of Niger after an overnight visit to Baro Inland Port in the state.
The lawmaker said that the port project was only “commissioned on paper” by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 despite the huge investments that have gone into the project.
“What we saw is a project that was merely commissioned on paper. It is unfortunate what has happened in the past, but as leaders we must take responsibility to change the narrative,” he said.
The lawmaker described port as a “gateway to Nigeria’s economy, saying that the neglect of the facility represented a wider national problem of infrastructure deficit.
He assured that the committee is determined to revive the port and to ensure its completion for equitable distribution of infrastructure across the country.
The lawmaker said the committee will work with the Nigerian Railway Corporation, and other relevant stakeholders to address outstanding challenges, including dredging and navigation corridors needed to make the port operational.
The Chairman of the committee, Mr Saidu Abdullahi, expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of roads leading to the multi-billion-naira project, describing it as a major impediment to the port’s functionality.
The lawmaker said that in spite of the enormous potential of port to boost trade, create jobs, and open up the economy, the absence of motorable access roads has left the facility largely idle years after its commissioning.
He said that a trip that should ordinarily take half an hour now stretches into four gruelling hours because of the failed portions of the road.
“We are committed to ensuring that this port does not remain a white elephant project. Our work here is to make sure that all the issues are laid bare.
“Government agencies responsible for roads, inland waterways, and transport rise to the challenge. We cannot afford to abandon such a strategic project,” he said.
Mr Bolawale Adetola, the General Manager of Business Development at the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA, ) expressed optimism that the port will soon become operational, provided critical challenges such as access roads and dredging are addressed.
He said the involvement of the National Assembly would help mobilise the needed funds, either through direct appropriation or private partnerships, to make the port fully functional.
“Everything that a port needs to work is on ground. The key challenges are the access road and the silted channel, which requires dredging. That is our own part in NIWA.
“Other stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Works and the Nigerian Railway Corporation, are also critical to the process. Once all these are in place, Baro Port will be of immense benefit to Nigerians,” he said.
Responding, the governor called for the urgent revival of the port, describing it as a national project that held the key to easing the heavy burden on Nigeria’s road infrastructure.
Mr Bago said that the inland port, conceived by Nigeria’s founding fathers was once central to the Northern Africa Trade Corridor.
According to him, it was strategically linked to the Lagos–Kano–Jibia rail line, which was originally designed to service Baro.
“Since I became governor, we have been working towards the realisation of the Baro Port project. This is not a Niger project, and not even a northern project. It is a Nigerian project,” he said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its development partnership with Kano and Jigawa States, as part of its long-term commitment to development and reform in northern Nigeria.
The Head of Development Cooperation at the British High Commission Abuja, Ms Cynthia Rowe, recently completed high-level engagements with governors of both states as well as senior government officials and civil society leaders.
The discussions underscored the UK’s modern approach to development as a genuine partnership with Nigeria, which prioritises state-led ownership and sustainable development that delivers lasting impact through strengthening systems and partnerships grounded in investment, trade, climate financing, technical expertise and joint accountability.
According to a statement, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, via the British High Commission, said Nigeria remains one of the UK’s most significant development partners, adding that the engagements underlined the strength and ambition of the bilateral relationship reaffirmed during the recent UK-Nigeria State Visit.
In Kano, Ms Rowe met with Deputy Governor Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo and senior officials, including the newly confirmed Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the State Government. The visit recognised Kano’s progress on climate finance, health system reform and private sector investment supported through UK technical assistance.
In Jigawa, she met with Governor Umar Namadi and heads of key ministries, departments and agencies. The meeting celebrated more than 25 years of UK-Jigawa partnership, one of the most longstanding bilateral development relationships at the subnational level in Nigeria. Discussions covered the state’s continued progress on health systems reform, agriculture, and governance and the path forward under UK technical assistance.
Since 2022, PLANE has supported Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa to strengthen state-led education delivery systems, working through Ministries of Education, SUBEB and key agencies. Its RANA+ foundational learning packages have reached 1.4 million pupils across the three states, alongside wider system strengthening.
Speaking on this, Ms Rowe said, “For more than 25 years, we have worked side by side with state governments, including Jigawa and Kano states, their communities, and civil society to build stronger health systems, improve learning outcomes for millions of children, support farmers to grow their businesses, and help states attract the investment they need to thrive.
These visits have reinforced our confidence in what this partnership can achieve. We are working together to deliver lasting change, and deepening a relationship built on genuine mutual respect and shared ambition for Nigeria’s growth and development.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on data sharing to enhance economic productivity.
This was done at a meeting at CBN Head Office in Abuja, where the weather body led by its Director General, Mr Charles Anosike, on Wednesday, highlighted the importance of integrating weather and climate data into economic research, especially in sectors such as agriculture, energy, and transportation.
He noted that extreme weather events can reduce agricultural productivity and threaten food security.
He added that the collaboration aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which prioritises food security through major agricultural investment, including the cultivation of 10 million hectares of land and the distribution of mechanised equipment.
Mr Anosike cited a 2026 World Bank report that showed that extreme weather driven by climate change is significantly affecting global food security, with more than 87 million people facing hunger in East and Southern Africa and 52 million in West and Central Africa.
He also referenced the latest Berkeley Earth Report, which projects that 2026 is likely to be the fourth warmest year on record, a trend that continues to shape agricultural and energy market projections.
In his remarks, Mr Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, Deputy Governor, Economic Policy Directorate of the CBN, said the signing of the MoU marked an important step in strengthening the partnership between two key national institutions whose mandates intersect in data, research, and policy support.
He emphasised that, in an increasingly complex and dynamic economic environment, timely and reliable data remain essential for effective policy decisions.
According to him, the Economic Policy Directorate relies heavily on timely and credible statistical information from NiMet, saying that such data are critical for inflation monitoring, agricultural sector assessment, and broader economic policy advisory functions.
He described the initiative as both timely and important, adding that strong institutional partnerships are essential for strengthening evidence-based policymaking and improving the robustness of national data systems.
At the close of the event, Mr Anosike and Mr Sani Abdullahi signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Tunji Disu, has ordered an immediate nationwide ban prohibiting Point-of-Sale (POS) operators from running their businesses within a 200-metre radius of any police station, divisional headquarters, or police formation across Nigeria.
This directive, released via an internal police wireless message, addresses critical systemic challenges regarding extortion and corrupt financial practices within law enforcement facilities.
The order is to be strictly enforced nationwide, with senior officers overseeing various formations to be held accountable for any breach of the directive.
The Nigeria Police Force stated that the measure is intended to strengthen transparency, accountability, and public confidence in the policing system.
The decision comes after an alarming proliferation of POS businesses near police facilities, with investigations and public complaints revealing that some operators were actively complicit in facilitating extortion, bribery, and illegal cash transfers forced upon civilians or suspects during police encounters.
Under the directive, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs), State Commissioners of Police (CPs), and heads of formations will be held vicariously liable for any breach within their jurisdictions.
The IGP’s order states: “Any officer or POS merchant found flouting the 200-metre operational boundary or colluding in illicit transactions will face immediate disciplinary and criminal actions under extant laws.
“If you are a POS agent or looking into regulatory compliance for financial services in Nigeria, let me know. I can provide details on current Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) radius registration guidelines or share methods to report officer misconduct directly to the Force Headquarters.”
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