Feature/OPED
NDDC’s 2024 Performance: From A Bird’s-Eye View
By Jerome-Mario Utomi
The most celebrated quote about time and season comes from the Christian Holy Book, the Bible. Ecclesiastes 3:1 states that “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…”
In tandem with the above Biblical admonition, it is my candid view that the cusp of 2025 appears most appropriate to peep into the 2024 activities of Mr Chiedu Ebie-led governing board and management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
For those that have been following the trend, the Minister for the defunct Niger Delta Development (MNDD), Mr Abubakar Momoh, had in November 2023, inaugurated the new board of NDDC with a charge to have on their fingertips, the Eight-Point Presidential Priorities, that would guide them in the execution of their mandate and ultimately giving the Niger Delta and its people the desired new lease of life in terms of socio-economic and infrastructural development. He had told members of the new Board that their appointment came with octane expectations by the people of the region, expressing grit and optimism about the new board’s ability to deliver.
Niger Deltans’ heightened optimism and expectations that the new NDDC board will perform were conditioned by the antecedents of its members who had been tasked with ensuring that the commission facilitated the rapid, even and sustainable development and transformation of the region into an economically prosperous, socially stable, ecologically regenerative and politically peaceful sub-national.
One year down the line, the observations are heart-warming: first and very fundamental, in addition to being intentional in facilitating the rapid and sustainable development of the Niger Delta region and having demonstrated unwavering commitment in this regard, there is consensus among critical stakeholders that the greatest achievement of the present NDDC’s leadership is the prevailing peace and harmony in the region as can be gleaned from the relationship between the board and management, as well as the creation of leadership ideology that supports paradigm shift and promotes a government that is more responsive to the people.
“The governing board and management, have, to the admiration of all, avoided internal conflicts that plagued previous administrations at the NDDC. From all indication, there will be no misunderstanding, no strife, and no internal wars between the Managing Director and the Chairman. I believe that this current NDDC board will be the best. Barrister Chiedu Ebie comes from a noble home and has the capacity, ability, and vision to lead the Niger Delta to the next level,” a public affairs analyst and keen follower of events in the Niger Delta said.
Aside from the purpose-driven leadership with the ability to navigate the complex challenges facing the region which Ebie has brought to bear on NDDC, what is also working in favour of the governing board and management in the past year is their leadership style anchored on the singleness of purpose and deep knowledge of governance and of the region’s developmental needs.
Keen watchers of the going ons in the NDDC would admit that it is obvious that singleness of purpose so far demonstrated by the commission’s leadership and management has set the stage for socio-economic prosperity, social stability, ecological regeneration, and political peace ushered into the region in the past one year.
Indeed, going by the achievements recorded by the governing board and management since mounting the saddle, particularly the well-articulated thematic programmes and initiatives, I am of the opinion that the euphoria which greeted their appointment cannot be described as misplaced or misguided.
These policies, programmes and initiatives include: Building partnerships; project hope for renewed hope; lighting up the Niger Delta; carbon emission reduction; sustainable livelihoods; stakeholder engagement; improved youth capacity and skills base; effective and professional workforce; efficient and cost-effective projects; improved peace and security and so on.
Worthy of note is the awareness that these policy thrusts and programmes coming from the new governing board and management of the agency, amply qualify as development-based, as they entail all-encompassing improvement, a process that builds on itself and involves both individuals and social change, growth and structural change, with measures of distributive equity, modernization in social and cultural attitudes, a degree of political transformation and stability, an improvement in health and education so that population growth stabilizes, and an increase in urban living and employment.
In the areas of democratized infrastructural provisions, the governing board and management have to their credits, well-completed big-ticket projects that include but not limited to the nationally celebrated 132KV transmission line and 132KV/33KV substation in Ode Erinje, Okitipupa, Ondo State, built by the Commission, ending 15 years of blackout at Ondo South Senatorial District; as well as the 25.7km single carriage Ogbia-Nembe road project connecting 14 riverine communities with 53 culverts and seven bridges, among others.
Another action by the commission that qualifies as a right step taken in the right direction was its 2024 budget, as passed. The budget uniquely focused on critical infrastructural provisions, adopting a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to drive sustainable development in the Niger Delta, collaborating with the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Trade, Mines, and Agriculture, as well as various organizations and state governments, to enhance regional development.
One must also note that the 2024 budget of the agency passed through the due process of the National Assembly, giving the new team the leverage to perform and the benchmark to be evaluated.
It is a fact that if there is any area that Niger Deltans had all these years, desired to see improvement in, it is in the areas of infrastructural provision, particularly lighting up of the Niger Delta region and human capital development through youth empowerment/job creation.
The current board and management have met this desire and exceeded it to the admiration of all. Indeed, they have performed superlatively in the past year. Empowerment, for instance, has strategically assuaged the proliferation of youth restiveness – a threat which was more likely among the large army of professionally trained ex-agitators currently without a job.
This effort in youth empowerment becomes even more evident when one remembers the recent news report that the Commission has registered 3.2 million youths in its Holistic Opportunities Programmes for Engagement, Project HOPE, since the first phase of the programme, which was launched on July 4, 2023.
The commission recorded similar landmark achievements in the agricultural sector. It promoted programmes that guarantee food security and agricultural growth in multi-sectoral areas as a way of improving the living standards of the people.
Based on understanding that for any socio-economic development to take place, there is a need to develop manpower in the agricultural sector, the present governing board and management prioritized training, capable of improving both the socio-economic lives and promoting peace in the region in line with President Bola Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda of developing capacity.
In education, the NDCC’s leadership has in the last one year awarded scholarships to 400 successful candidates from the region to pursue Master Degrees overseas, a programme which of course is an important component of the agency’s human capital development that seeks to use education to change the fortunes of the region.
Aside from the high-level transparency which branded the process, and made it possible for most of the beneficiaries to be those who never knew anyone from the NDDC or anyone who works there, this unique outcome and other positive vibes recently coming out from the agency, have significantly made Deltans to hastily but rightly conclude that NDDC has finally gotten a board with the understanding that it is their duty to serve our communities and embrace its aspirations, both now and in the future, by assuring the people economic growth, education, health, security, stability, comfort, leisure opportunities and freedom in ways that will allow for the most conducive atmosphere to achieve the targets that will guarantee our welfare and a bright future.
Essentially, for those in the know, the latest development and unprecedented achievement in the region in the last year may not come as a surprise. Rather, it exemplifies an honest governing board and management in total compliance with the directives of the Minister of the defunct Ministry of Niger Delta Development (MNDD), Mr Abubakar Momoh as stated at the beginning of this piece.
For me, from all ramifications, 2024 remains a good year for the region and its people!
Utomi, a media specialist, writes from Lagos. He can be reached via Je*********@***oo.com or 08032725374
Weddings have always held a special place in African culture. They are more than ceremonies; they are declarations of love, family, identity, and tradition. From the vibrant colours of aso-ebi to the rhythmic sounds of live bands and the emotional exchange of vows, weddings represent a moment of cultural heritage.
In recent years, weddings have gone beyond physical venues. What was once an exclusive gathering for family and friends has transformed into a shared experience for wider audiences. Social media first opened the door, allowing guests and admirers to witness love stories in real time through Instagram posts, TikTok highlights, and YouTube recaps.
And now, television platforms are taking this even further, giving weddings a new kind of permanence and reach.
High-profile weddings, like the widely celebrated union of Adeyemi Idowu, popularly known as Yhemolee (Olowo Eko) and his wife Oyindamola, fondly known as ThayourB, captured massive public attention. Moments from their wedding became a live shared experience on television (GOtv & DStv).
From the high fashion statements to the emotional highlights, viewers were able to feel part of something bigger, a reminder that weddings inspire not just both families but entire communities.
This shift reflects a broader reality: weddings today are content. They inspire conversations about fashion, relationships, lifestyle, and aspiration. They preserve memories in ways previous generations could only imagine. For Gen Z couples, their wedding is no longer just a day; it becomes a story that can be revisited, celebrated, and even inspire others planning their own journey to forever.
Broadcast platforms like GOtv are playing a meaningful role in this transformation. By bringing wedding-related content directly into homes, GOtv is helping audiences experience these moments not just through social media snippets but in real time.
One of the most notable offerings is Channel 105, The Wedding Channel, Africa’s first 24-hour wedding channel, available on GOtv. The channel is fully dedicated to African weddings, lifestyle, and bridal fashion, showcasing everything from dream ceremonies to the realities of married life. Programs like Wedding Police and Wedding on a Budget, and shows like 5 Years Later, offer a deeper look into marriage itself, reminding viewers that weddings are just the beginning of a lifelong journey.
GOtv is preserving culture, celebrating love, and inspiring future couples with this channel. It allows viewers to witness traditions from different regions, discover new ideas, and feel connected to moments that might otherwise remain private.
With platforms like GOtv, stories continue to live on screens across Africa, where love, culture, and celebration can be experienced by all.
To upgrade, subscribe, or reconnect, download the MyGOtv App or dial *288#. For catch-up and on-the-go viewing, download the GOtv Stream App and enjoy your favourite shows anytime, anywhere.
Nigeria is entering a timing-sensitive macro set-up as the oil complex reprices disruption risk and the US dollar firms. Brent moved violently this week, settling at $77.74 on 02 March, up 6.68% on the day, after trading as high as $82.37 before settling around $78.07 on 3 March. For Nigeria, the immediate hook is the overlap with domestic policy: the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has just cut its Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 50 basis points to 26.50%, whilst headline inflation is still 15.10% year on year in January.
“Investors often talk about Nigeria as an oil story, but the market response is frequently a timing story,” said David Barrett, Chief Executive Officer, EBC Financial Group (UK) Ltd. “When the pass-through clock runs ahead of the policy clock, inflation risk, and United States Dollar (USD) demand can show up before any oil benefit is felt in day-to-day liquidity.”
Policy and Pricing Regime Shift: One Shock, Different Clocks
EBC Financial Group (“EBC”) frames Nigeria’s current set-up as “policy-lag arbitrage”: the same external energy shock can hit domestic costs, FX liquidity, and monetary transmission on different timelines. A risk premium that begins in crude can quickly show up in delivered costs through freight and insurance, and EBC notes that downstream pressure has been visible in refined markets, with jet fuel and diesel cash premiums hitting multi-year highs.
Market Impact: Oil Support is Conditional, Pass-through is Not
EBC points out that higher crude is not automatically supportive of the naira in the short run because “oil buffer” depends on how quickly external receipts translate into market-clearing USD liquidity. Recent price action illustrates the sensitivity: the naira was quoted at 1,344 per dollar on the official market on 19 February, compared with 1,357 a week earlier, whilst street trading was cited around 1,385.
At the same time, Nigeria’s inflation channel can move quickly even during disinflation: headline inflation eased to 15.10% in January from 15.15% in December, and food inflation slowed to 8.89% from 10.84%, but energy-led transport and logistics costs can reintroduce pressure if the risk premium persists. EBC also points to a broader Nigeria-specific reality: the economy grew 4.07% year on year in 4Q25, with the oil sector expanding 6.79% and non-oil 3.99%, whilst average daily oil production slipped to 1.58 million bpd from 1.64 million bpd in 3Q25. That mix supports external-balance potential, but it also underscores why the domestic liquidity benefit can arrive with a lag.
Nigeria’s Buffer Looks Stronger, but It Does Not Eliminate Sequencing Risk
EBC sees that near-term external resilience is improving. The CBN Governor said gross external reserves rose to USD 50.45 billion as of 16 February 2026, equivalent to 9.68 months of import cover for goods and services. Even so, EBC views the market’s focus as pragmatic: in a risk-off tape, investors tend to price the order of transmission, not the eventual balance-of-payments benefit.
In the near term, EBC expects attention to rotate to scheduled energy and policy signposts that can confirm whether the current repricing is a short, violent adjustment or a more durable regime shift, including the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Short-Term Energy Outlook (10 March 2026), OPEC’s Monthly Oil Market Report (11 March 2026), and the U.S. Federal Reserve meeting (17 to 18 March 2026). On the domestic calendar, the CBN’s published schedule points to the next Monetary Policy Committee meeting on 19 to 20 May 2026.
Risk Frame: The Market Prices the Lag, Not the Headline
EBC cautions that outcomes are asymmetric. A rapid de-escalation could compress the crude risk premium quickly, but once freight, insurance, and hedging behaviour adjust, second-round effects can linger through inflation uncertainty and a more persistent USD bid.
“Oil can act as a shock absorber for Nigeria, but only when the liquidity channel is working,” Barrett added. “If USD conditions tighten first and domestic pass-through accelerates, the market prices the lag, not the headline oil price.”
Brent remains an anchor instrument for tracking this timing risk because it links energy-led inflation expectations, USD liquidity, and emerging-market risk appetite in one market. EBC Commodities offering provides access to Brent Crude Spot (XBRUSD) via its trading platform for following energy-driven macro volatility through a single instrument.
By Emma Kendrick Cox
This year, the eldest Gen Alpha turns 16.
That means they aren’t just the future of our work anymore. They are officially calling for a seat at the table, and they’ve brought their own chairs. And if you’re still calling this generation born between 2010 and 2025 the iPad generation, then I hate to break it to you, but you’re already obsolete. To the uninitiated, they look like a screen-addicted mystery. To those of us paying attention, they are the most sophisticated, commercially potent, and culturally fluent architects Africa has ever seen.
Why? Because Alphas were not born alongside the internet. They were born inside it. And by 2030, Africa will be home to one in every three Gen Alphas on the planet.
QWERTY the Dinosaur
We are witnessing the rise of a generation that writes via Siri and speech-to-text before they can even hold a pencil. With 63% of these kids navigating smartphones by age five, they don’t see a QWERTY keyboard as a tool. They see it as a speed bump, the long route, an inefficient use of their bandwidth. They don’t need to learn how to use tech because they were born with the ability to command their entire environment with a voice note or a swipe.
They are platform agnostic by instinct. They don’t see boundaries between devices. They’ll migrate from an Android phone to a Smart TV to an iPhone without breaking their stride. To them, the hardware is invisible…it’s the experience that matters.
They recognise brand identities long before they know the alphabet. I share a home with a peak Gen Alpha, age six and a half (don’t I dare forget that half). When she hears the ding-ding-ding-ding-ding of South Africa’s largest bank, Capitec’s POS machine, she calls it out instantly: “Mum! Someone just paid with Capitec!” It suddenly gives a whole new meaning to the theory of brand recall, in a case like this, extending it into a mental map of the financial world drawn long before Grade 2.
And it ultimately lands on this: This generation doesn’t want to just view your brand from behind a glass screen. They want to touch it, hear it, inhabit it, and remix it. If they can’t live inside your world, you’re literally just static.
The Uno Reverse card
Unlike any generation we’ve seen to date, households from Lagos to Joburg and beyond now see Alphas hold the ultimate Uno Reverse card on purchasing power. With 80% of parents admitting their kids dictate what the family buys, these Alphas are the unofficial CTOs and Procurement Officers of the home:
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The hardware veto: Parents pay the bill, but Alphas pick the ISP based on Roblox latency and YouTube 4K buffers.
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The Urban/Rural bridge: In the cities, they’re barking orders at Alexa. In rural areas, they are the ones translating tech for their families and narrowing the digital divide from the inside out.
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The death of passive: I’ll fall on my sword when I say that with this generation, the word consumer is dead. It implies they just sit there and take what you give them, when, on the contrary, it is the total opposite. Alphas are Architectural. They are not going to buy your product unless they can co-author the experience from end to end.
As this generation creeps closer and closer to our bullseye, the team here at Irvine Partners has stopped looking at Gen Alpha as a demographic and started seeing them as the new infrastructure of the African market. They are mega-precise, fast, and surgically informed.
Believe me when I say they’ve already moved into your industry and started knocking down the walls. The only question is: are you building something they actually want to live in, or are you just a FaceTime call they are about to decline?
Pay attention. Big moves are coming. The architects are here.
Emma Kendrick Cox is an Executive Creative Director at Irvine Partners
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