General
Ambode Pities with Flood Victims, Threatens Environmental Criminals
By Dipo Olowookere
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has expressed sympathy to those who lost properties to the flood caused by torrential rainfalls in the state at the weekend.
Mr Ambode said it was painful to see most prime estates flooded with water, roads taken over by floods, while many homesteads literally became pools.
Speaking on Monday at a sensitization workshop on water management and environmental control held at Ikeja, which is a prelude to a Water Technology and Environmental Control (WATEC) exhibition holding in Israel later in the year, the Governor assured the incident would soon be a thing of the past, as the state government was working towards embarking on holistic solutions to address the situation once and for all.
He said aside the fact that the issue of flooding was not peculiar to the state or Nigeria, urgent steps were being taken to tackle the challenge in a holistic manner and protect the state from future re-occurrence.
Describing the workshop as apt coming at a time the state witnessed flooding in some parts, Governor Ambode said in as much as the development was a trying period for him given the fact that so much had been expended in providing infrastructure for the people, but that major strategies would be implemented with the view to bequeathing the State with enduring solution to water management and environmental control.
“However, if we have learnt anything in the on-going flooding of some parts of the State, it is that there is an immediate, even urgent need for us to embark upon a review and reengineering of our canals and drainage systems.
“This must be pursued hand-in-hand with a clear and crystal re-envisioning of our water management system. So, in effect, what we should immediately pursue is a holistic solution to what is certain to be a recurring problem. It must be a sincere collaboration between government and the citizenry,” Governor Ambode said.
The Governor said despite the fact that the State had been denied ecological funds by the previous federal government for political reasons, several reforms were being implemented in line with the capacity of the State Government to protect the shoreline and carry out de-flooding, which according to him, are equally expensive to implement.
“The issue is when you are talking about reforms, it comes with pains but it is only the vision that drives it through and that is what we are doing,” he said.
Speaking on the import of the workshop, Governor Ambode said the State Government was partnering with Israel which is one of the first countries to successfully overcome its limitations in water resources to develop water technology and environmental control, adding that the intention would be to explore a wide array of technological advancements and possibilities to ensure best solutions.
He said as a first step, the State Government would participate at the WATEC exhibition and take full advantage of state of the art technology in Israel, with the view to applying same solution in the State.
While alluding to the fact that the incidence of flooding was not circumscribed to Nigeria or Third World countries as United Kingdom and even Japan recently witnessed heavily flooding, the Governor said no matter how well a society may be prepared, natural occurrences could not be totally ruled out, and such was why Lagos State and indeed the country fully subscribes to the tenets of Climate Change Solutions by the United Nations.
“While all the aforementioned examples enjoin us to put our experience and pains into perspective, they also impress on us as a State and a government that we must learn from all these examples in order to better prepare for the future.
“To that extent, we will reinvigorate our campaign against the dumping of refuse by citizens into canals. We will be stronger in enforcing our physical planning laws especially those building illegally on canals and blocking the free flow of water across the State,” Governor Ambode vowed.
Speaking on the new waste management strategy being adopted by the State Government encapsulated in the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI), Governor Ambode said available statistics show that the State generate 13, 000 tonnes of waste per day which is the highest in the world, and that the new approach was aimed at revolutionizing waste management with particular emphasis on reusing waste for other critical purposes and growing the economy, as against the present practice of dumping.
Besides, the Governor said as government would be implementing new strategies to find a lasting solution to the problem of water shortages and flooding, it was also important for residents to play their part by bearing new attitudes towards civic obligations at all times, without which the efforts of government would be in futility.
Also, the State’s Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Engr Ade Adesanya said the torrential rainfalls witnessed in the State in the past few days accumulated a total of 477mm of water, which was equivalent to the rainfalls experienced in other climes for six months, and that the successful management of the situation was commendable, while expressing the determination of the government to mitigate the impact of such in future.
On his part, Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Guy Feldman said his country was delighted to partner with the Lagos State Government to bring about lasting solutions to water management and environmental control.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu is expected to be among the leading public figures attending the next edition of the Africa CEO Forum, which will take place on May 14-15, 2026, in Kigali, Rwanda
A strong Nigerian private-sector delegation will also take part, including Mr Aliko Dangote, Mr Wale Tinubu, Mr Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, Mrs Adesuwa Ladoja, Mrs Rachel More-Oshodi, Mrs Zouera Youssoufou, Mr Karim Noujaim, Mr Dany Abboud, Mr Ayo Otuyalo and Mr Chukwuerika Achum. Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, will also be present.
According to a statement on Tuesday, the 2026 edition will convene in Kigali to address a defining question for Africa’s future: how to achieve the scale necessary to compete, integrate and thrive in a fragmenting world.
It comes as global power dynamics continue to evolve, while the ability of Africa to rely on competitive, agile and internationally integrated corporate champions has become a defining corporate imperative. In this shifting global landscape, one lesson is clear: scale is no longer optional. It is the first line of defence.
Organised by Jeune Afrique Media Group and co-hosted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Africa CEO Forum 2026 will convene Africa’s leading public and private decision-makers around a clear conviction: scale can only be achieved through shared African ownership.
The Forum will explore three strategic levers to build continental scale. First is shared equity, which will look to unlock cross-border equity investment to create multinational African champions. Mobilise African institutional capital across markets to strengthen resilience and enhance long-term returns.
Also, is shared infrastructure, which will take on designing complementary infrastructure to integrate African value chains. Champion transformative projects that serve regional, not merely national, needs and create truly connected markets.
Thirdly is shared frameworks, which is set to harmonise standards, rules and regulations to boost investor confidence and enable the free flow of capital, goods and services. Build future-proof digital rails for health, education, agriculture and cross-border payments.
Speaking on this, Mr Amir Ben Yahmed, President of the Africa CEO Forum, stated: “If Africa wants to compete in a world defined by scale, it must move beyond economic patriotism and embrace a new model: African capital investing together. Shared ownership, cross-border partnerships and continental ambition will define the economic future of Africa and the next generation of African champions.”
On his part, Mr Makhtar Diop, Managing Director at IFC, stated: “Africa has the capital and the opportunity to grow and create quality jobs. What matters now is putting that capital to work at scale. That means building trust, sharing risk, and investing across borders. The Africa CEO Forum brings leaders together to connect policy and private investment, and to help shape Africa’s next phase of growth.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, has directed the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to investigate the allegations of systemic efforts to undermine local barge operators at the nation’s seaports.
The Minister issued the directive during the recent 2026 First Quarter Citizens/Stakeholders’ Engagement, Sectoral Performance Review, and Ministerial Management Retreat of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, held in Lagos.
During the engagement, representatives of barge operators alleged that there was a coordinated and deliberate attempt by certain foreign interests to edge them out of business.
According to the Special Adviser to the Minister, Mr Bolaji Akinola, they claimed that these actions, if left unchecked, could significantly weaken local capacity and disrupt the balance of competition within Nigeria’s maritime logistics chain.
The operators expressed concern that policies, operational bottlenecks, and preferential treatment allegedly being accorded to some foreign-linked entities by certain terminal operators were creating an uneven playing field.
According to them, these challenges are gradually eroding their market share and threatening the survival of indigenous businesses.
Responding to the concerns, the minister emphasised the federal government’s commitment to protecting local investments and ensuring fair competition within the maritime industry.
He directed the council, as the port economic regulator, to carry out a thorough and impartial investigation into the claims.
Mr Oyetola stressed that any form of anti-competitive behaviour or policy inconsistency that disadvantages Nigerian businesses would not be tolerated.
The minister also reiterated the importance of stakeholder engagement as a platform for identifying sectoral challenges and shaping responsive policy interventions, stressing that the government remains focused on strengthening the marine and blue economy sector as a driver of national growth, job creation, and sustainable development.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, has asked to know the real beneficiaries of the repeated payments made by the federal government to settle outstanding debts in the power sector.
Over the weekend, President Bola Tinubu approved the payment of N3.3 trillion for the “full and final” payment for debts in the electricity sector.
The action, according to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, was to ensure improvement in electricity supply in the country.
In a post on Tuesday, the former Governor of Anambra State questioned why the government is allegedly making the same payment it announced almost two years ago.
“On May 17, 2024, N3.3 trillion was approved for the same purpose. On July 25, 2024, another N4 trillion bond was approved to settle similar debts. There have also been other approvals in between, all targeted at addressing the same power sector liabilities.
“This raises a fundamental question: were the previous approvals mere announcements without execution?” he queried.
“During the 2023 campaign, President Bola Tinubu made a clear promise: that if he failed to deliver stable electricity, Nigerians should not re-elect him.
“Today, the reality is that power supply has worsened to the extent that there are even discussions about disconnecting the Presidential Villa from the national grid.
“Each time legitimate concerns are raised, what we see appears more like policy pronouncements than measurable progress.
“Now, again, we are confronted with another N3.3 trillion approval to settle power sector debts,” Mr Obi further said.
The chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said, “These debts were largely accumulated under successive administrations of the All Progressives Congress between 2015 and 2025. This raises serious concerns about accountability, transparency, and effectiveness in public financial management.”
“It is important to note that government institutions and agencies, including the Presidential Villa, owe a significant portion of these debts. Year after year, budgets were made and funds appropriated. Why then were these obligations not settled when due? And from what source will this new payment be made? Are we resorting once more to borrowing to service inefficiencies?
“Key questions remain unanswered: How did the debt accrue? What is the actual total debt in the power sector? Which components of the debts are due to operators’ inefficiency and should be borne by them? Why have previous approvals not translated into tangible improvements? Who are the real beneficiaries of these repeated payments?
“Is the N3.3 trillion approved on April 6, 2026, the same as the N3.3 trillion approved in May 2024, and how does it relate to the N4 trillion bond approved in July 2024?
“Nigeria must move beyond recycled announcements and confront the power sector crisis with sincerity, transparency, and decisive reforms.
“Until we do so, we will remain trapped in a cycle of debt and darkness.
But with discipline, accountability, and the right leadership, a new Nigeria is still possible,” he wrote.
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