General
Customers Jubilate as IBEDC Installs Free Prepaid Meters
By Dipo Olowookere
Many customers of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) could not hide their excitement after the energy distribution firm installed free prepaid meters in their premises.
On Wednesday, IBEDC commenced the mass metering programme of the federal government aimed to bridge the wide metering gap in the country.
Last year, the federal government, through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved an upward review of electricity tariff in the country.
This development caused the labour unions in the country to threaten a national strike but they were pacified to shelve the action especially it was coming shortly after the government eased lockdown in the country. It was projected that if the industrial action was allowed, the economy would suffer a huge loss.
As part of the agreement reached with the aggrieved workers, the government said it would launch a mass metering programme. This would see up to six million prepaid meter shared to consumers for free over a period of time. With this, the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme, which made consumers to pay for the commodity, was technically suspended.
So, when IBEDC began to install the free prepaid meters, customers shouted for joy because it saved them the over N40,000 they would have paid to procure the gadget under the MAP programme.
They commended the federal government for the National Mass Metering programme, saying it is a relief from estimated billings.
One of the excited customers of IBEDC at Ikolaba, Ibadan, Mrs Oyetayo Adeosun, said she was happy to be one of the beneficiaries of the ongoing mass metering programme.
“The free meter that we got has been a great relief because before it has been an issue, especially with what we were billed in the past.
“But now, it’s been fair, we are going to pay what we consumed, Mrs Adeosun said.
Another customer, Mrs Bola Ayinde, stated that, “I am happy about the meter. God will bless Nigeria and Oyo State.”
On his part, Mr Amos Agboola, a customer at Ikolaba area, said the meter was given to him free of charge.
“Since it was installed, we see the energy usage. There has also been an improvement in the services. We can now monitor our usage and make payment for energy comfortably.
“I think it is a good improvement for both the consumers and distributors as it is connected to their network also,” Mr Agboola said.
In his remarks, Mr Ayo Adio, the Head of Customers’ Support at IBEDC, said sensitisation has been ongoing to let customers under its franchise areas to know that the installation of the meters is free.
Mr Adio, who spoke on behalf of the management of IBEDC, disclosed that, “Customers are not paying for them. The essence of this programme is to discourage estimated billings, which customers have been complaining about.
“We believe within few weeks, most of the customers designated to have these meters will have them installed in their premises.
“We have our strategy for distribution such that it will not depend on man-know-man. It is organised strategically to reach our customers for free.”
IBEDC had commenced the distribution of the 104,000 free meters provided by the federal government and locally manufactured over a month ago across all the areas of its franchise.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The United States government gave some terrorists in Nigeria a Christmas gift that sent many of them to the great beyond.
On Thursday, December 25, 2025, the United States President, Mr Donald Trump, directed his country’s military to launch air strikes on camps of members of the dreaded Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Sokoto State.
According to Mr Trump, the military action, which he threatened to carry out a few weeks ago if the Nigerian government does not stop the killing of Christians in the country, occurred on Thursday night.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.
“Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical islamic terrorism to prosper. May God bless our military, and Merry Christmas to all, including the dead terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
In a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Department of War of the United States posted the below video of the air strikes;
https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/2004351717131903272
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidency has reacted to speculations that Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has been removed as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
It was alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila has been replaced with the President’s Principal Private Secretary, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
Mr Muri-Okunola went to Abuja to take up this role after leaving as the Head of Service of the Lagos State Civil Service.
Reacting to the reports on social media on the purported removal of Mr Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, the presidency said no such change has been made.
In a statement signed on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, members of the public were advised to disregard the report as “there is absolutely no truth to this story.”
“The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.
“The viral claim is a fabrication by mischievous purveyors of fake news whose sole aim is to create disharmony within the government.
“We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media,” the statement said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The new chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has assumed office with a clear message to advance the country’s upstream oil and gas sector in line with the mandate of the commission as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
According to a statement signed by Mr Eniola Akinkuotu, the Head of Media & Strategic Communications at the upstream regulator, the NUPRC boss made this assertation during her first town hall meeting with management and staff on Tuesday December 23, 2025.
She further disclosed plans to make the commission a business enabler and re-ignite investments in the upstream sector.
Recall that President Tinubu nominated Mrs Eyesan to take over the NUPRC after the abrupt resignation of her predecessor, Mr Gbenga Komolafe as well as his counterpart in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed.
In her new capacity, Mrs Eyesan also set a firm production ambition of growing Nigeria’s output and increasing gas production.
“The goal is that we must enable the industry, we are regulators. We must enable the industry from our interactions with the stakeholders, from our interactions with everybody.
“My main objective is to ensure that we make a difference. I believe the NUPRC is at the Center of the industry,” she said.
The commission boss who has served for over three decades in the oil and gas sector, promised to entrench digitisation, transparency and efficiency in operations.
The NUPRC head said with the support of staff and management, the NUPRC will become the gold-standard regulator in Africa. She also promised capacity development, stronger technical depth and sustained engagement with stakeholders, unions and professional teams.
On leadership style, Mrs Eyesan promised an open-door policy and frequent staff engagement, while also soliciting for support and cooperation as the industry embarks on the next phase of transformation.
“If we work together we can unleash opportunities, I don’t see impediments only opportunities,” she added.
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