General
Lagos Remits N25bn to Retirement Savings Account
By Adedapo Adesanya
Over N25 billion has been paid into the Retirement Savings Account (RSA) of retirees by the Lagos State government, the Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said.
Mr Sanwo-Olu made the disclosure at the 81st retirement bond certificate presentation to retirees of the state public service in Lagos recently.
The Governor, who was represented at the presentation by Mrs Olubunmi Fabanwo, Chairman of the Lagos State Civil Service Commission, noted that this has been the tradition since his administration came on board 18 months ago.
He said that retirees were workers in the mainstream, local government, State Universal Basic Board (SUBEB), Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) and other parastatal agencies of the state government.
“I am happy to report that 5,819 retirees are enjoying their retirement benefits under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) in the past 18 months of my administration.
“It is gratifying to note that since the advent of this administration, the state government has paid over N25 billion into the RSA of the state’s retirees,” he said.
According to him, the state government has also remitted over N2 billion to the respective RSAs of 471 retirees through the Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) for the month of December.
Mr Sanwo-olu said that with such commitment and performance, it was not surprising that retiring officers in the state looked forward to retirement with more confidence and joy.
The Governor said that Lagos State had continued to be the leading light, not only in the administration of pension benefits but generally in good credible governance.
“Let me assure you that the state government through the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) will continue to ensure that public service retirees not only get what is due to them statutorily but also receive, through other agencies and programmes, additional support and assistance that will add value to their lives in retirement.
“I will continue to run an open government of inclusion that will ensure no one is left behind.
“We must therefore be determined to contribute to the change that is much expected to bail our country out of her present situation and make life worth living for everyone,” he said.
In her address, Mrs Ajibola Ponnle, Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, lauded the Governor for ensuring the availability of funds to the commission for the payment of retirement benefits as and when due.
“Despite the global pandemic and its impact on the Nigerian economy, the state government has made continuous monthly payments of accrued pension rights into the RSA of retirees a priority to enable them to have access to their retirement bond benefits,” she said.
Mrs Ponnle said following the emergence of Lagos State as the winner of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) award for the best compliant state in the Federation consecutively and consistently, the ministry and LASPEC were committed to maintaining the rating.
She said this would be done by improving on timely payment of retirees’ pensions and other applicable benefits upon disengagement from service.
The Commissioner congratulated the retirees and advised them to embrace the joy and challenges of their new phase of life.
“Do not hesitate to contact LASPEC or even the Ministry of Establishment, Training and Pensions, should you require clarification or advise regarding the modalities surrounding your retirement benefit matters,” she said.
Mr Babalola Obilana, Director-General, LASPEC, said the event was designed as the state government’s special gift for the retirees for the festive season.
Mr Obilana informed the retirees about the official launch of the RSA transfer window system by PenCom on November 16, which permits RSA holders to transfer their accounts from one PFA to another once a year.
“The activation of the RSA transfer process will engender competition and improve service delivery in the pension industry while asserting the rights of RSA holders to determine which PFA manages their pension contribution and retirement benefits,” he said.
The DG appreciated stakeholders, PFAs and Insurance companies for their relentless efforts toward the success of the CPS.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed the collapse of five transmission towers along the Ikot Abasi–Eket 132kV Double Circuit Transmission Line.
This was attributed to severe acts of vandalism, as TCN disclosed that the structure collapsed after vandals removed critical structural bracing members.
The affected towers were N9, J4, N10, N11 and N12, the organisation said in a statement on Friday.
It explained that the extensive damage was discovered during a routine joint line patrol conducted on August 9, 2026, by TCN linesmen.
Further inspection revealed that structural members from seven additional towers along the same transmission corridor had also been removed and stolen. The towers, J3, N8, N13, N14, N15, N18 and N19, are now structurally compromised and pose a risk of further collapse.
TCN condemned this act of sabotage and reiterated its commitment to working hard to maintain a robust and reliable national grid.
The statement said that to mitigate the impact on electricity supply, the network has been reconfigured to prioritise supply to Ekim transmission station, leaving Ibom Power as the only station without supply.
TCN said it is mobilising an urgent intervention to complete the reconstruction of the affected sections of the line, with security agencies also notified to aid investigations and prevent further acts of vandalism along the line route.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas, has urged all relevant government agencies to promptly initiate actions for the full implementation of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026, following its signing into law by President Bola Tinubu.
The bill, sponsored by Speaker Abbas, was aimed at repealing the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Act, Cap. N133, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and establish the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency to ensure effective economic regulation of Nigerian ports while safeguarding the interests of shippers, service providers, and users of regulated port services. With the President’s assent, it has now been enacted as an Act of Parliament.
The legislation represents one of the landmark achievements of the 10th National Assembly. It reflects the Speaker’s commitment to legislative excellence, institutional reform, and sustainable economic growth, according to a press statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Mr Musa Krishi.
The bill underwent a rigorous and inclusive legislative process, including extensive stakeholder consultations and a public hearing. It was passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly and subsequently assented to by the President.
The Act provides a robust legal and institutional framework to ensure effective economic regulation of Nigerian ports by fostering transparency, competitiveness, and efficiency in port operations; protecting the rights and interests of shippers, service providers, and other port users; and aligning Nigeria’s port regulatory system with global best practices, thereby enhancing the ease and cost-effectiveness of doing business.
Despite receiving presidential assent, the Act has yet to be fully operationalised.
He warned that any further delay would undermine the legislative intent of the reform, prolong the exposure of port users to arbitrary charges and operational inefficiencies, and deny the nation the anticipated benefits of increased revenue, improved trade facilitation, and stronger investor confidence in the marine and blue economy sector.
The Speaker urged the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, in collaboration with all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government, to take the necessary administrative, institutional, and financial measures for the prompt implementation of the Act.
He said this should include the formal transition to, as well as operational empowerment of, the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency to discharge its statutory mandate effectively.
The full implementation of the Act is critical to unlocking the economic potential of Nigeria’s ports, reducing the cost of doing business, strengthening trade competitiveness, and positioning Nigeria as the leading maritime and logistics hub in West and Central Africa.
The statement noted that the Speaker reaffirmed the 10th House’s commitment to exercising the necessary legislative oversight to ensure this landmark legislation, along with others assented to by the President, is fully implemented and achieves its intended goals for the benefit of the Nigerian people.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD), through the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), has partnered with Cascador, a Nigeria-focused platform for growth-stage founders, to provide funding and support for the next generation of Nigerian youth entrepreneurs.
The announcement coincides with International Youth Day 2026, whose global theme this year — Different Contexts, Common Aspirations — calls on institutions to close the gap between young people’s circumstances and their opportunities. The pilot is an early step toward NiYA’s broader ambition to train and empower 7 million Nigerian youth within two years.
The NiYA and Cascador Founders Programme will begin with a pilot cohort of 20 early-stage Nigerian youth founders, including entrepreneurs without formal business registration or established financial records.
Over four weeks, participants will undergo intensive training focused on business fundamentals, investment readiness and pitch preparation. At the end of the programme, the eight top-performing founders will receive non-dilutive funding of up to N5 million each from Cascador, alongside an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution to help them structure, manage and scale their businesses.
The funding and support will be presented at a Pitch Day organised by NiYA and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.
The Minister for Youth Development, Mr s Ayodele Olawande, said the partnership would enable NiYA to move beyond training by helping young people transform ideas into investable businesses and achieve sustainable economic participation through business preparation and access to capital.
“The pilot is deliberately designed to test a model that can go beyond one cohort. If young founders can be identified early, prepared properly, connected to credible capital and supported to build stronger business systems, then access to opportunity becomes less dependent on background or existing networks. That is the larger objective: to build a youth entrepreneurship ecosystem in which readiness, ideas and execution can increasingly determine who gets the opportunity to grow.”
The pilot will run in-person in Abuja with virtual touchpoints and 1:1 mentorship. All 20 graduates retain NiYA alumni status, with priority consideration for future opportunities.
NiYA and FMYD have already shown what real commitment to Nigeria’s youth looks like — the platforms, the reach, the ambition to train millions. What we’re building together now is the missing piece, a practical bridge from the ideation stage to real capital-readiness. When a Ministry so dedicated to its young people asked Cascador to help build that bridge, it was an easy decision,” said Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador.
Ms Oyin Solebo, COO of Cascador and former Managing Director of the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, highlighted the partnership’s impact, saying, “This is what innovative capital deployment looks like: a government building real investment readiness at scale, and a partner meeting that foundational work with non-dilutive funding at exactly the moment it’s needed. Partnerships like this open doors that neither of us could open alone.”
