Feature/OPED
NDDC and Tinubu’s Security Model in Niger Delta Region
By Jerome-Mario Utomi
In my previous intervention NDDC and Sustainable Development of Niger Delta Region published in May this year, the piece objectively aligned with two striking observations.
First, it admitted that it is not as if past administrations in the country did not at different times and places make efforts to address the region’s challenges. But noble as those efforts were, considering the level of underdevelopment in the region; such efforts appeared too insignificant and short of what is required to care for the region’s development and more particularly, remain a far cry from what was needed to exorcise the ghosts of youth unemployment in the region. The ugly narrative persisted in the face of concerns raised by the global community who were chiefly not convinced that what now rested administrations were doing was the best way to solve the problem of the region.
The second was the observance of veiled agreement among critical stakeholders that one of the outstanding boards in present-day Nigeria is visibly capped with skills, belief, commitment, mode of thinking and in vigorous pursuit of opportunities to sustainably remove obstacles on the part of its targeted beneficiaries without regard to inadequate resources currently controlled, is the governing board and management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Two months after the piece, a recent disclosure by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, at the Technical Session of Niger Delta Stakeholders Summit 2024, organized by NDDC in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, that his office is planning to set up a department to tackle insecurity in the oil-producing area, not only exemplifies a federal government ready to depart old order and do things differently for the benefits of the people of Niger Delta region, rather, the latest security proposition by President Bola Tinubu’s government more than anything else, confirms as true the believe that he is indeed “deeply committed to transforming the region to a zone of peace and development.”
This latest assertion is predicated on the understanding that without security, no society, region or nation should contemplate growth and development. The facts are there and speak for it!
With the above point highlighted, the piece will beam searchlight on how the proposed security architecture hopes to transform the region into a hyper modern society when implemented.
Speaking on the topic Sustainable Development of Niger Delta: A National Security Outlook’, Ribadu among other remarks said, “When I was appointed by President Tinubu to the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA), established under Section 132 of the Constitution to provide strategic advice on matters relating to national security, three things were clear in my mind about the Niger Delta Region.
“First, the Niger Delta must be captured in a more active and determined way as a national security priority in the vision of President Tinubu and his Renewed Hope Agenda. Secondly, within the President’s broader and long-term national security vision, which includes moving internal security from the current strong posture from kinetic to non-kinetic operations, I will emphasize security from human and socio-economic development point of view to deepen democratic culture in the Niger Delta. Thirdly, given the above two central ideas, I am determined to set up, for the first time in the ONSA, a Directorate that shall specialize in the security of the Niger Delta through which we can, as stakeholders, take a critical look at the peculiar security challenges of the region in a focused and professional way.”
Accordingly, he added, “My team on Niger Delta (led by my Special Adviser on Energy Security and Niger Delta Affairs) is currently working closely with the Governors of the region and the Presidency. They will eventually include all stakeholders of the region such as community leaders, traditional rulers, women, youth and students, Government Security Agencies (GSA), Federal Government Agencies (FGA) relevant to the region, businesses, civil society, people organizations and the media.
“They will have a very robust engagement to support the President articulate a Compressive Presidential Policy on Niger Delta Security, noting that when that fully materializes, the President will most likely personally present policy guidance that will define his security management posture for the sustainable development of the Niger Delta, under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he stressed.
Another area of interest captured by the speech that in the opinion of this piece, needs to be celebrated was the federal government’s appreciation of the Niger Delta region as the “economic powerhouse of the nation.”
“To supply an appetizer into the thinking of the Presidency flowing from my office and the ongoing consultation with the Governors of the region, the President recognizes that the Niger Delta region provides an estimated 75% of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings. Also evident is that most of Nigeria’s maritime domain and international coastline outside of Lagos, all of which are within the Gulf of Guinea, are on the coast of the Niger Delta and this region is critical to the development of Nigeria’s Blue economy.”
Continuing, Ribadu succulently added, “The political and socio-economic progress of Nigeria is therefore heavily tied to the social stability of the Niger Delta. Before 2024, a 1.8 million barrel per day production quota was allotted to Nigeria by OPEC. However, only less than 1.4 million barrels per day with a shortfall of 600,000 barrels per day is produced. This is due to socio-economic issues that relate to security such as Crude oil theft, pipeline vandalization, environmentally harmful artisanal refining, Sea piracy and youth militancy.
“The President is deeply concerned that the purpose of federal agencies, which was to respond to socio-economic issues, stabilize, and integrate the region is not proving successful if we cannot produce our allotted quota.
“This is why a collaborative policy and intervention framework has become necessary. The ONSA is consulting widely, collecting, and building a body of knowledge, information and data that will eventually help Mr. President prescribe policy, and create laws that will address in a more holistic and coordinated way, the security and conflict situation in the Niger Delta to enhance sustainable development,” he noted.
Another commendable part of Ribadu’s presentation was his recognition and declaration that sustainable peace, security and social stability in the Niger Delta region increasingly moving away from kinetic engagement (stick model) towards non-kinetic engagement (carrot model), will flow from coordinating the responsibilities of relevant organs of public sector, private sector, development sector, civil society and media toward a clearly, articulate and better-planned understanding of the nexus between security and development.
“Accordingly, to achieve an optimal outcome for set security priorities and objectives, Mr President thinking as a democrat, for his Renewed Hope Presidential Policy on Niger Delta Security, shall derive its legitimacy and credibility from listening to the people, their governments at State and LGA levels, the leadership of communities, businesses and civil society, building consensus and creating systems that will address identified limitation.”
As my office puts this process in place, we hope to get into action soon and bring all stakeholders to make contributions. Until that is fully in place, kindly be reassured that the Niger Delta has assumed a new sense of meaning and priority in my office. With the best of luck, we would get there. He concluded.
Without going into further analysis, it is obvious to this piece that this is another message of hope for the Niger Delta region and its people. Also working in favour of the region is the awareness that NDDC on its part, is doing everything humanly possible to bring coordinated development and end infrastructural drought in the region.
Utomi Jerome-Mario is a Lagos-based media professional. He can be reached via [email protected]/08032725374
By Luke Kyohere
The global payments landscape is undergoing a rapid transformation. New technologies coupled with the rising demand for seamless, secure, and efficient transactions has spurred on an exciting new era of innovation and growth. With 2025 fast approaching, here are important trends that will shape the future of payments:
1. The rise of real-time payments
Until recently, real-time payments have been used in Africa for cross-border mobile money payments, but less so for traditional payments. We are seeing companies like Mastercard investing in this area, as well as central banks in Africa putting focus on this.
2. Cashless payments will increase
In 2025, we will see the continued acceleration of cashless payments across Africa. B2B payments in particular will also increase. Digital payments began between individuals but are now becoming commonplace for larger corporate transactions.
3. Digital currency will hit mainstream
In the cryptocurrency space, we will see an increase in the use of stablecoins like United States Digital Currency (USDC) and Tether (USDT) which are linked to US dollars. These will come to replace traditional cryptocurrencies as their price point is more stable. This year, many countries will begin preparing for Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), government-backed digital currencies which use blockchain.
The increased uptake of digital currencies reflects the maturity of distributed ledger technology and improved API availability.
4. Increased government oversight
As adoption of digital currencies will increase, governments will also put more focus into monitoring these flows. In particular, this will centre on companies and banks rather than individuals. The goal of this will be to control and occasionally curb runaway foreign exchange (FX) rates.
5. Business leaders buy into AI technology
In 2025, we will see many business leaders buying into AI through respected providers relying on well-researched platforms and huge data sets. Most companies don’t have the budget to invest in their own research and development in AI, so many are now opting to ‘buy’ into the technology rather than ‘build’ it themselves. Moreover, many businesses are concerned about the risks associated with data ownership and accuracy so buying software is another way to avoid this risk.
6. Continued AI Adoption in Payments
In payments, the proliferation of AI will continue to improve user experience and increase security. To detect fraud, AI is used to track patterns and payment flows in real-time. If unusual activity is detected, the technology can be used to flag or even block payments which may be fraudulent.
When it comes to user experience, we will also see AI being used to improve the interface design of payment platforms. The technology will also increasingly be used for translation for international payment platforms.
7. Rise of Super Apps
To get more from their platforms, mobile network operators are building comprehensive service platforms, integrating multiple payment experiences into a single app. This reflects the shift of many users moving from text-based services to mobile apps. Rather than offering a single service, super apps are packing many other services into a single app. For example, apps which may have previously been used primarily for lending, now have options for saving and paying bills.
8. Business strategy shift
Recent major technological changes will force business leaders to focus on much shorter prediction and reaction cycles. Because the rate of change has been unprecedented in the past year, this will force decision-makers to adapt quickly, be decisive and nimble.
As the payments space evolves, businesses, banks, and governments must continually embrace innovation, collaboration, and prioritise customer needs. These efforts build a more inclusive, secure, and efficient payment system that supports local to global economic growth – enabling true financial inclusion across borders.
Luke Kyohere is the Group Chief Product and Innovation Officer at Onafriq
In a heartfelt statement released today, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has extended its warmest congratulations to Ghana’s President-Elect, emphasizing the importance of learning from Ghana’s recent electoral success as Nigeria gears up for its 2027 general elections.
In a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Comrade James Ezema, the CNPP highlighted the need for Nigeria to reclaim its status as a leader in democratic governance in Africa.
“The recent victory of Ghana’s President-Elect is a testament to the maturity and resilience of Ghana’s democracy,” the CNPP stated. “As we celebrate this achievement, we must reflect on the lessons that Nigeria can learn from our West African neighbour.”
The CNPP’s message underscored the significance of free, fair, and credible elections, a standard that Ghana has set and one that Nigeria has previously achieved under former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. “It is high time for Nigeria to reclaim its position as a beacon of democracy in Africa,” the CNPP asserted, calling for a renewed commitment to the electoral process.
Central to CNPP’s message is the insistence that “the will of the people must be supreme in Nigeria’s electoral processes.” The umbrella body of all registered political parties and political associations in Nigeria CNPP emphasized the necessity of an electoral system that genuinely reflects the wishes of the Nigerian populace. “We must strive to create an environment where elections are free from manipulation, violence, and intimidation,” the CNPP urged, calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take decisive action to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
The CNPP also expressed concern over premature declarations regarding the 2027 elections, stating, “It is disheartening to note that some individuals are already announcing that there is no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2027. This kind of statement not only undermines the democratic principles that our nation holds dear but also distracts from the pressing need for the current administration to earn the trust of the electorate.”
The CNPP viewed the upcoming elections as a pivotal moment for Nigeria. “The 2027 general elections present a unique opportunity for Nigeria to reclaim its position as a leader in democratic governance in Africa,” it remarked. The body called on all stakeholders — including the executive, legislature, judiciary, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and civil society organisations — to collaborate in ensuring that elections are transparent, credible, and reflective of the will of the Nigerian people.
As the most populous African country prepares for the 2027 elections, the CNPP urged all Nigerians to remain vigilant and committed to democratic principles. “We must work together to ensure that our elections are free from violence, intimidation, and manipulation,” the statement stated, reaffirming the CNPP’s commitment to promoting a peaceful and credible electoral process.
In conclusion, the CNPP congratulated the President-Elect of Ghana and the Ghanaian people on their remarkable achievements.
“We look forward to learning from their experience and working together to strengthen democracy in our region,” the CNPP concluded.
By Kenechukwu Aguolu
The proposed tax reform, involving four tax bills introduced by the Federal Government, has received significant criticism. Notably, it was rejected by the Governors’ Forum but was still forwarded to the National Assembly. Unlike the various bold economic decisions made by this government, concessions will likely need to be made on these tax reforms, which involve legislative amendments and therefore cannot be imposed by the executive. This article highlights the purposes of taxation, the qualities of a good tax system, and some of the implications of the proposed tax reforms.
One of the major purposes of taxation is to generate revenue for the government to finance its activities. A good tax system should raise sufficient revenue for the government to fund its operations, and support economic and infrastructural development. For any country to achieve meaningful progress, its tax-to-GDP ratio should be at least 15%. Currently, Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio is less than 11%. The proposed tax reforms aim to increase this ratio to 18% within the next three years.
A good tax system should also promote income redistribution and equality by implementing progressive tax policies. In line with this, the proposed tax reforms favour low-income earners. For example, individuals earning less than one million naira annually are exempted from personal income tax. Additionally, essential goods and services such as food, accommodation, and transportation, which constitute a significant portion of household consumption for low- and middle-income groups, are to be exempted from VAT.
In addition to equality, a good tax system should ensure equity and fairness, a key area of contention surrounding the proposed reforms. If implemented, the amendments to the Value Added Tax could lead to a significant reduction in the federal allocation for some states; impairing their ability to finance government operations and development projects. The VAT amendments should be holistically revisited to promote fairness and national unity.
The establishment of a single agency to collect government taxes, the Nigeria Revenue Service, could reduce loopholes that have previously resulted in revenue losses, provided proper controls are put in place. It is logically easier to monitor revenue collection by one agency than by multiple agencies. However, this is not a magical solution. With automation, revenue collection can be seamless whether it is managed by one agency or several, as long as monitoring and accountability measures are implemented effectively.
The proposed tax reforms by the Federal Government are well-intentioned. However, all concerns raised by Nigerians should be looked into, and concessions should be made where necessary. Policies are more effective when they are adapted to suit the unique characteristics of a nation, rather than adopted wholesale. A good tax system should aim to raise sufficient revenue, ensure equitable income distribution, and promote equality, equity, and fairness.
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