General
My UN Trip Successful—Buhari
By Dipo Olowookere
President Muhammadu Buhari has described his trip to the United States of America (USA) for the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA71) as very successful.
Mr Buhari, in a statement issued by one of his image-makers, Mr Femi Adesina, said Nigeria gained a lot from his five-day journey to New York, where the event precisely took place.
“I highlighted the need for the international community to work together to liberate humanity from poverty, save our planet from the devastation of climate change and rid the world of terrorism for a more peaceful and prosperous future,” the President told journalists.
Mr Buhari was further quoted in the statement to have told world leaders at the occasion that, “The plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) arising from Boko Haram terrorism is of particular concern to us.”
“For this reason, we have taken concrete steps to address their humanitarian needs and to ensure that necessary conditions are established to enable the voluntary return of the displaced persons to their homes in safety and dignity,” he said.
While acknowledging that “Nigeria as a developing country has been adversely affected by the global economic downturn,” he however, stressed that “we are undeterred and have embarked on a wide range of reforms in our efforts to diversify our economy and shift emphasis to mining, agriculture, industrialization, infrastructure development and the creation of the enabling environment for Foreign Direct Investment.”
The President noted that “fighting corruption remains of prime importance to our administration,” adding that the campaign is already yielding positive gains including significant stolen assets recoveries.
The President stated clearly Nigeria’s position on Climate Change, development in developing countries, youth development, statehood for the Palestinians, and reform of the UN Security Council with Nigeria ready to serve on a reformed Council to “advance international peace and security.”
President Buhari listed his meetings with world leaders and the benefits from some of the side events such as the US-Africa Business Forum during which discussions focused on how top American business executives “can collaborate with us to diversify our economy, which will in turn drive development, job creation and general business development in Nigeria.”
He mentioned his meeting with top Nigerian professionals in the United States and the urgent need to reclaim the shrinking Lake Chad, even as he expressed delight that “some countries notably the United Kingdom and United States pledged additional support in the tune of US $391 million humanitarian aid for the Lake Chad region.”
President Buhari used the occasion of the media event to thank relevant United States authorities for efficient security and administrative arrangements and officials of the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for demonstrating “that we still have capable officers in our Foreign and Civil Services.”
He commended the Nigerian officers for the “tireless effects in projecting a positive image to our country, even in difficult times.”
President Buhari did not forget members of the Nigerian media, as he thanked them for “going through elaborate security checks and clearance procedures to follow my activities and hectic schedule in order to keep all our people at home well informed of my meetings and engagements.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the final forfeiture of $13 million linked to a Lagos socialite, Ms Aisha Achimugu, and her company, Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Limited, to the federal government of Nigeria.
Delivering judgment, Justice Nwite held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) established that the foreign currency was proceeds of fraud and unlawful activities.
The judge further held that Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Limited failed to establish how it came by the money, saying the anti-money laundering agency satisfied all requirements for the funds to be classified as proceeds of fraud and to be forfeited to the appropriate authority.
He dismissed the claims that the $13 million was gifts received into the Oceangate Engineering Company by Ms Achimugu, adding that the woman never came to the court to show cause why the huge amount of money should not be forfeited to the government.
He held that no single person who gave the monetary gift to Aisha Achimugu to the tune of $13 million was called to testify.
The judge further held that the burden to establish genuine ownership of the money was not established by the applicant to counter the claims of the anti- graft agency that the money was the proceeds of fraud based on its investigation.
According to the judge, Oceangate Engineering Company did not show the business it undertook that fetched it the money, nor did it show whether any payment was made to it by any of its customers.
Justice Nwite had, on August 22, 2025, granted the anti-graft agency’s motion ex parte for an interim order forfeiting the sum of $13 million linked to Oceangate Ltd to the Federal Government over allegations that the fund was proceeds of unlawful activity.
The judge had then directed the commission to publish the order in a national daily for interested people to show cause within 14 days why the fund should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has inaugurated a 17-member Planning Committee to coordinate the National Flag-Off of the Energise Commercialisation Now (ECoN) Initiative, a flagship programme aimed at transforming research outputs into economic value.
Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr Philip Ndiomu Ebiogeh, described the initiative as a strategic intervention to convert Nigeria’s vast research and innovation outputs into market-ready products, scalable enterprises, and job-creating opportunities.
He noted that ECoN will mobilise stakeholders nationwide to identify bankable innovations and accelerate their transition from laboratories to the marketplace, stressing that the country must move beyond theoretical research to practical solutions that drive industrial growth and national prosperity.
The Permanent Secretary disclosed that the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, had earlier briefed the First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, on the initiative and proposed her as a champion of the programme, with the national flag-off scheduled for Kano State.
He explained that Kano was deliberately selected due to its historic role as a commercial and industrial hub, offering strong potential to attract investment, stimulate enterprise, and create jobs.
The Committee is chaired by the Minister, with the Permanent Secretary as Co-Chairman, while the Director-General, National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency, NBRDA, and the Director-General, Sheda Science and Technology Complex, SHESTCO, serve as Alternate Chairmen.
Members include Professor Nnayelugo Ike-Muonso, Dr Kazeem Kolawole Raji, Dr Jummai Adamu, Dr (Mrs) Obiageli Amadiobi, Dr Kabiru Mu’azu, Dr Anwal Mustapha, Engr Ibiam Oguejiofo, Mr Moses Fatogun, Mr Adamu Sulaiman (a representative of SMEDAN), Dr Prince Lawrence Eze, Mr Sani Garba, Dr Muhammad Mustapha, Dr Chioma Okeke, Mr Luther Onyemkpa, Mr Charles Egumgbe, and Dr Nwankwo Nnenna serving as Secretary.
The national flag-off is proposed for late April or early May 2026, subject to Presidential approval.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to positioning innovation as a key driver of economic diversification and sustainable development, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Switzerland-headquartered global shipping giant, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), has complied with the directive of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to suspend the implementation of its new tariff pending consultations with stakeholders.
In a customer advisory titled Temporary Suspension of New Tariff Implementation, the shipping line stated that the tariff regime in place before the recent increase would remain effective until further notice.
Business Post reported a few days ago that freight forwarders picketed the offices of MSC, protesting the recent increase in shipping line tariffs. They blocked the regulators from accessing the MSC premises to address the matter.
Despite the protests, the council’s attempt to engage the aggrieved freight forwarders in discussions was resisted, as the protesters insisted that there was no basis for dialogue and vowed to continue the protest until the increased charges were immediately reversed.
In the latest directive, the shipping company said, “We wish to inform our esteemed customers that the recently implemented tariff adjustment has been temporarily suspended, following a directive from the NSC. This suspension is pending the conclusion of ongoing engagements and resolution with the regulator.”
“Accordingly, the tariff regime applicable prior to the recent increase will remain in force until further notice, as mandated.”
The company further assured customers that updates would be communicated once a final decision is reached by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
“We remain fully committed to regulatory compliance, transparency, and protecting the interests of our customers. Further updates will be communicated promptly once a definitive position is issued by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council. We appreciate your understanding and continued cooperation,” the advisory added.
NSC had warned that prolonged industrial disputes within the maritime sector could disrupt port operations and negatively impact trade and economic activities.
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