Feature/OPED
Sustainable Development is a Necessity for Every Society in the World

By Professor Maurice Okoli
For the majority of African leaders and delegates, it was a momentous achievement, to participate and contribute speeches with diverse themes at the podium during the 78th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The UNGA traditionally meets in September, the highest global gathering to make several significant decisions on what the organization, consisting of 193 UN members, is generally expected to do. It has wrapped up its 78th annual session with another huge pack of commitments to engage in reshaping a better life for the entire population and Development paradigms in the world.
In the context of Africa’s Development, the extraordinary sessions combined with several top-level bilateral and multilateral meetings on the sidelines critically highlighted the existing multiple Development obstacles, the potential to reshape the continent’s priorities and bring to life the vision of African desires and the strategic pathways forward in the emerging future.
From the various perspectives and interpretations, African leaders have restated their longstanding fears of global South political dominance and hegemony, the shortfalls of a unipolar system, expressed support for some structural reforms within international organizations, and finally emphasized, as always, comprehensive and long-term Development plans for Africa that is already incorporated into the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The idea of the UN’s sustainable development goals is nearing its extinction. In the experts’ views, especially among African politicians, intellectuals and development leaders during this period of pursuing the SDGs, to a large extent, the progress has been influenced by geopolitical enmity. And noticeably fierce confrontation between key global powers and multinational development banks have also slackened the expected financial pledges and commitments.
What Leaders Say at the General Assembly
United Nations chief António Guterres has stressed this point concerning the SDGs in different forms at several summits and conferences. At the opening of the meeting, he afresh called for a world that should be “more representative and responsive to the needs of developing economies” and added that the least developing world is persistently “trapped in a tangle of global crises.”
Without mincing words, Guterres has repeatedly called for sustainable and predictable financing for peacebuilding efforts. He also expressed concern about unconstitutional changes of government in parts of Africa and stressed the need for collaboration with the African Union to support peace efforts across the continent.
Now is the time to lift the declaration’s words off the page and invest in Development at scale like never before. The political statement includes a commitment to financing for developing countries and clear support for an annual SDG Stimulus of at least $500 billion.
A newly established ‘Leaders Group’ will develop clear steps to get funds flowing before 2024. The Leaders Group (LG) must turn commitments made at the Summit into concrete policies, budgets, investment portfolios and actions. In addition, LG should strengthen support for action across six key SDG areas: food, energy, digitalization, education, social protection and jobs, and biodiversity.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank are tasked to recapitalize and coordinate an urgent additional re-channeling of $100 billion in unused Special Drawing Rights. The Special Drawing Rights is an international reserve asset developed by the IMF to supplement the official foreign exchange reserves of its member countries and help provide them with liquidity. The largest-ever allocation, worth $650 billion, was carried out in August 2021 in response to the economic crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nearly all African leaders have development-oriented complaints. Current Head of ECOWAS and Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a few words on behalf of Nigeria, on behalf of Africa, indicated that failures in good governance have hindered sustainable development in Africa. “But broken promises, unfair treatment and outright exploitation from abroad have also exacted a heavy toll on our ability to progress,” he said, and despite the underlying conditions and causes of the economic challenges, promised to make relentless efforts to re-establish democratic governance in West Africa, including the French-speaking states now under interim military administrations. The wave crossing parts of Africa does not demonstrate favour towards coups. It is a demand for solutions to perennial problems. The negative impact and related problems also knock on Nigeria’s door.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, among other issues, said African nations would fight climate change but must do so on its terms. Continental efforts regarding climate change would register important victories if established economies were more forthcoming with public and private sector investment for Africa’s preferred initiatives. As for Africa, given its abundant land resources, the creative and dynamic people desire prosperity. Africa is not a problem to be avoided, nor is it to be pitied. Africa is nothing less than the key to the world’s future.
William Ruto, President of Kenya, in a flowering speech also indicated that the time is up to pursue global peace and sustain positive changes for impoverished billion people in the world. “The tragic spectacle of young people from Africa boarding rickety contraptions to gamble their lives away on dangerous voyages in pursuit of opportunities abroad, as conflict, climate and economic refugees, is a testament of the failures of the global economic system,” he asserted at the gathering.
From diverse standpoints, there is no need to be trapped in a false choice: sustainable development is robust climate action and climate action is development. It is quite explicit that Africa’s potential is defined by abundant and diverse resources, ranging from a youthful, highly skilled and motivated population, immense renewable energy potential and mineral resources, including critical minerals, and extensive natural capital endowment, including 60% of the world’s unutilised arable land.
Capital and technology can find no better returns anywhere, than the tremendous investment opportunity in Africa’s potential. Such investment would drive green growth creating jobs and wealth while decarbonising global production and consumption. Therefore, to unlock financing at scale and create incentives for investments at scale in green opportunities, the Nairobi Declaration makes the reform of the international financial system a priority.
Moments like now place the nature and purpose of multilateralism under sharp scrutiny for history’s honest examination and judgement. If any confirmation was ever needed that the United Nations Security Council is dysfunctional, undemocratic, non-inclusive, un-representative and therefore incapable of delivering meaningful progress in the world.
Multilateralism has failed due to the abuse of trust, negligence and impunity. It is time for multilateralism to reflect the voice of the farmers, represent the hopes of villagers, champion the aspirations of pastoralists, defend the rights of fisherfolk, express the dreams of traders, respect the wishes of workers and, indeed, protect the welfare of all peoples of the world.
According to Ruto, the UN Secretary-General provided a graphic snapshot of the condition of the world and humanity, a situation that calls into question the state of multilateralism in terms of its founding aspirations, as well as its present agenda. The poverty, fear, suffering and humanitarian distress haunting the victims of conflict, drought, famine, flooding, wildfires, cyclones, deadly disease outbreaks and other disasters, are the outcomes of sustained violation of the most essential principles, and the systematic neglect of humanity’s dearest values, which lie at the very foundation of the UN charter since 1945.
President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, addressed the UN General. Assembly on September 19, while pointing to the fact that every human effort should be directed towards realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development said, “Our energies have once again been diverted by the scourge of war.” While touching on several points including the need for inclusive, democratic, and representative international institutions, he also emphasized that “over millennia, the human race has demonstrated an enormous capacity for resilience, adaptation, innovation, compassion and solidarity … these qualities must be evident in how we work together as a global community and as nations of the world to end war and conflict.”
Referring assertively to the meeting held in early September by his country alongside Russia, India and China, and the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, in late August, President Ramaphosa urged all nations to demonstrate and resolve to secure a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future for the world and, more importantly, for the generations that will follow. “Leaving no one behind – that is the duty that we all have,” he said, recalling the guiding promise made by the international community with the adoption in 2015 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Scanning further through reports, UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi insisted that the world had “the means and the money” to prevent every one of those deaths. He called for an end to the fighting and more financial support for the emergency response in the country. The UN agency pointed to a context of “increased epidemic risk” and challenges for epidemic control across Africa. UNHCR’s Chief of Public Health, Dr Allen Maina drew attention to acutely malnourished and millions of people requiring care for chronic diseases in war-torn and conflicting African regions.
Speakers have equally highlighted the importance of engaging the youth in the development strategy and the decision-making processes. Often said, the youth are vibrant and could play supporting roles, therefore, the focus should be directed on their training and be given the necessary guidance and directions. According to the African Development Bank, Africa’s youth population is experiencing rapid growth and is projected to reach 850 million by the year 2050. Furthermore, young individuals in Africa are anticipated to make up half of the 2 billion working-age population by 2063 – the continent being the world’s youngest region with a median age of 25 years.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Insights into the United Nations’ SDGs, as already stated, since its inception in 2015, there is still a lot to be done, especially in addressing the ongoing global challenges. Some notable facts included The number of people living in extreme poverty in 2022: 657-676 million vs. 581 million pre-COVID pandemic.
With steps to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. One in 10 people worldwide are suffering from hunger. Nearly one in three people need regular access to food (2020).
Experts say that quality education and gender equality are progressing steadily, but it would take another 40 years for women and men to be represented equally in national political leadership.
Affordable and Clean Energy: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Progress in energy efficiency needs to speed up to achieve global climate goals.
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: In an assessment, there is still the necessity to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
And the need to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. Issues persistent relating to climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Climate Action: take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
With partnerships for the goals: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalization of the global partnership for sustainable development. As Secretary-General António Guterres remarked on September 18 at the UN General Assembly, the SDGs need a global rescue, which includes stimulus support of at least “$500 billion a year as well as an effective debt-relief mechanism that supports payment suspensions, long lending terms and lower rates.”
Arguably, having a clearer understanding of these development goals is highly noteworthy. It would encourage global leaders to reassess current policies and practices and explore ways to enhance commitments towards their realization further.
BRICS, G20 and G77+China
Fundamentally, all these questions mentioned above and many others have predominantly featured during the past few years but have risen to greater heights recently during the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) meeting in Johannesburg, the G20 in New Delhi and G77+China summit in Cuba. At these high-level meetings, there were passionate appeals to rapidly address development gaps and disparities, to ‘change the game’s rules’ between the North and the South.
But then, those organizations (BRICS, G20, G77+China and others) are steadily recognizing the basic facts about global re-configuration, economic competitiveness and emerging new multifaceted relations between nation-states. Most of these states in the South, especially Africa is de-alienating away from some countries in the global North, entities further considered them as the primary sources of their under-development and causes for their internal conflicts, resulting in Economic deficiency.
In retrospect, BRICS held its 15th Summit in Johannesburg. There were two significant questions: first, new members joined the Group, and second, China rolled out another phase of industrial support program for Africa. It is noteworthy to say here that Russia and China are actively contributing to the transformation of the Group into a new geopolitical and economic block.
Noticeably, other key global powers are also scrambling to Africa. The dominating trend is that China, for instance, has, over the past two decades, demonstrated a sufficiently deep understanding of Africa’s Infrastructural development needs. In practical terms, China’s significant-scale contributions and active growing influence worry the most Developed nations of the world, especially the United States.
Quite recently, the G20 also held its traditional Summit in New Delhi. In spite of various divergent arguments during the Summit, however, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva strongly called for focusing on unity, rather than attempts to oppose the G7 group, and the G20 group. India also expressed concerns regarding the enlargement process, considering it a method to amplify the influence of China is the state with the largest economy in the Group.
“Therefore, the Brazilian presidency of the G20 has three priorities,” Luiz Lula told the meeting. “The first one is social inclusion and the fight against hunger, energy transition and sustainable development … and thirdly the reform of global governance institutions.” All these priorities are part of the Brazilian presidency’s motto: ‘Building a fair world and a sustainable planet.’ Two task forces will be created – the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty and the Global Mobilization Against Climate Change.
In this context, India did powerfully and strategically well in controlling and leading groups from all camps to negotiate to have a unified compromise. BRICS leaders reached agreements around global debt, reforms to multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, climate financing and the adoption of a worldwide green development pact, with the latter two are expected to be critical features of the G20 presidency in 2024.
Records show that the G77+China, a group of developing and emerging countries representing 80 per cent of the world’s population, held its Summit in Cuba. Likewise, it was held amid widening geopolitical differences, the fight against climate change and solid calls for reforms of the global economic system. In short, it sought to “change the rules of the game” of the worldwide order.
“After all this time that the North has organized the world according to its interests, it is now up to the South to change the rules of the game,” Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said at the opening of the Summit.
Diaz-Canel said that developing nations were the primary victims of a “multidimensional crisis” in the world today, from “abusive, unequal trade” to global warming.
The G77+China bloc was established by 77 countries of the global South in 1964 “to articulate and promote their collective economic interests and enhance their joint negotiating capacity,” according to the Group’s website. Today, it has 134 members, among which the website lists China, although the Asian giant says it is not a full member. Cuba took over the rotating presidency in January.
Developing Nations’ Debt Trap
Far ahead of the New York meetings at the United Nations, academic researchers Vitor Gaspar, Marcos Poplawski-Ribeiro and Jiae Yoo have argued that global debt recorded another significant decline in 2022; it is still high, with debt sustainability remaining a concern. Referencing the Global Debt Database, the researchers made an explicit case that the total debt stood at 238 per cent of global gross domestic product last year, nine percentage points higher than in 2019.
In US dollar terms, debt amounted to $235 trillion, or $200 billion above its level in 2021. China played a central role in increasing global debt in recent decades as borrowing outpaced economic growth. Debt in low-income developing nations also rose significantly in the last two decades.
Several reports also note, with authenticity, that Africa’s debt to China surpassed $140 billion as of September 2021. However, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says about $285 billion would be required by African countries to finance major infrastructural projects from 2021-2025. China has risen to become a top global lender with significant stakes that exceed more than five per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The COVID-19 pandemic’s economic effects and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have made it more difficult for many African states to pay their Debts. Now, 22 low-income African nations are either already experiencing a debt crisis or are at significant risk of experiencing it. In fact, the top 10 African states with the highest debt to China include Angola, Ethiopia, Zambia, Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sudan, DRC, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
In contrast, generally, more than half of low-income developing nations are in or at high risk of debt distress, and about one-fifth of emerging markets have sovereign bonds trading at distressed levels. Policymakers will need to be unwavering over the next few years in their commitment to preserving debt sustainability.
Some are advocating for genuine reforms at G20, suggesting further the possibility for well-refined and coordinated cooperation between the North and the South. Of course, a more excellent representation of the Global South would create a paradigm shift. For instance, Yaroslav Founder of BRICS+ Analytics Yaroslav Lissovolik argues that during the 15th BRICS in August, apart from the more excellent representation of Africa and the Global South in the G20 forum, another significance of AU’s admission to the Group of 20 is that it creates greater scope for synergies and closer cooperation between globalism (global institutions and platforms such as the IMF, World Bank, WTO, G20) and regionalism (regional integration blocs, regional development banks and regional financing arrangements). If other regional blocs do become part of the G20 platform, there will then be scope for these blocs to work more closely with the WTO, while regional development institutions could coordinate their operations with the IMF and the World Bank.
With the world facing a challenging economy, geopolitical tensions, and the deepening effects of the climate and nature crises, achieving the SDG targets set out in 2015 currently needs to be on track. According to the UN, progress on more than 50% of the targets must be more substantial, stalled, or backsliding. The private and civil sectors must play a key role, alongside governments, in supporting and accelerating sustainable Development.
“To achieve the SDG targets by 2030, significant innovative efforts are still required,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum. “Through the Sustainable Development Impact Meetings, which bring together governments, business and civil society, we aim to make a tangible contribution to creating a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient world.”
In the course of writing this article and reading through the UN General Assembly reports, one thought appeared that after decades of restrictive IMF and World Bank loans, poverty, hunger, and conflict persist throughout the continent. While many attribute this to Africa’s governance challenges, in reality, a deliberate imperial agenda has also hindered the continent’s Development in the political, economic, and security sectors.
The rise of a new global pole to challenge the old unipolar order has had a notable impact across sub-Saharan West Africa, which, in recent years, has seen a surge in military coups, shifting power away from regimes that had long prioritized the interests of Western corporations. These coups occurred in Chad (April 2021), Mali (May 2021), Guinea (September 2021), Sudan (October 2021), Burkina Faso (January 2022), Niger (July 2023), and Gabon (August 2023) – all very resource-rich but with abnormally poor living conditions. These African states have to pursue development-oriented policies to uplift their vigorous status out of abject poverty.
Therefore, it is commendable that participants at UNGA in New York have critically reviewed a series of carefully curated discussions to advance work on specific areas of the 17 SDGs. The robust programme includes key areas such as accelerating the reskilling revolution, harnessing artificial intelligence for better jobs, improving access to nutrition, advancing the energy transition, responding to the climate and nature crises, supporting the social economy, advancing gender equality, and promoting digital and data-driven health.
Admittedly, we are in a highly critical period. There are many obstacles to Africa’s political stability, economic development and integration, and building trust and credibility. One major success was the African Union’s ascension into G20, giving it a louder voice. But that’s not all to it; AU needs to sort out the potential controversies and contradictions in the geopolitical landscape. Alternative to the rules-based order, BRICS and its new members, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have extensive interests across Africa, prioritizing Africa Agenda 2063 without vacillating the pendulum.
In a modest conclusion of this discussion, African leaders have to face the existing challenges and emerging opportunities within the context of geopolitical changes. In addressing these, African leaders need to understand that the current developments in Africa have pronounced hyperbolic anti-colonial and anti-western rhetorics that threaten the logical appeal for technological transfer and external financial support for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Therefore, African leaders have to acknowledge humbleness while putting order first in their own homes in terms of reforming the political system, uprooting deep-seated corruption, working towards good governance, transparency and accountability, and rules of law as well as ensuring the effectiveness of institutions of power. From the pragmatic perspective of new diplomacy, it is crucial to underline that there should be a geopolitical balance of power rather than uttermost accusations and outright confrontation in the emerging multipolar world.
Professor Maurice Okoli is a fellow at the Institute for African Studies and the Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences. He is also a fellow at the North-Eastern Federal University of Russia. He is an expert at the Roscongress Foundation and the Valdai Discussion Club.
As an academic researcher and economist with a keen interest in current geopolitical changes and the emerging world order, Maurice Okoli frequently contributes articles for publication in reputable media portals on different aspects of the interconnection between developing and developed countries, particularly in Asia, Africa and Europe. With comments and suggestions, he can be reached via email: markolconsult (at) gmail (dot) com
Feature/OPED
Hidden Extra Tax ‘Tie’ for Parents Visiting Children Studying in the UK

By Julie Howard and Annabella King
There is a significant overhaul in UK tax legislation coming into effect come April of this year and going forwards exposure to UK tax will focus more closely on the length of an individual’s UK residence status. HNW Nigerians whose children are studying in the UK may not be aware that they could be UK resident on the basis of fewer days spent in the UK than expected. This will be dependent on their connections to the UK, including the time their children spend in the UK during school holidays and how much the parents see their children in the UK. It is vital that HNW Nigerians with connections to the UK clue up on this to avoid being caught out.
The new rules and UK residence
From 6 April 2025, the current “non-dom” regime will be replaced with a new residence-based regime.The concept of domicile will be abolished as a connecting factor for UK tax purposes and the remittance basis of taxation will be abolished from 6 April 2025.
Individuals moving to the UK from Africa, who have not been UK resident in any of the previous 10 years, will be eligible to claim a new favourable regime for those first 4 years whereby they will not pay UK tax on foreign income and foreign chargeable gains (known as FIG) even if these are brought into the UK. For individuals who have been UK tax resident for fewer than 4 tax years from 6 April 2025, they will be able to claim this favourable regime for the balance of their first 4 years of UK residence– assuming they meet the requirement of non-residence in the 10 years before they moved to the UK. The UK tax year runs from 6 April to the following 5 April.
For UK tax purposes, liability to inheritance tax has historically been based on the concept of domicile, which is essentially where someone regards their permanent home. From 6 April 2025, domicile will cease to be a connecting factor for inheritance tax purposes. Instead, it will be based on UK residence with an individual becoming subject to inheritance tax on their worldwide estate once they have been UK tax resident for 10 of the previous 20 tax years, known as a “long term resident”.
Whether or not an individual is UK resident will therefore be extremely important under the new rules.The UK has a statutory residence test (the SRT) to determine an individual’s residence status for UK tax purposes. The SRT breaks down into three tests which must be considered in order: firstly, the automatic non-residence test; secondly, the automatic UK residence test; and finallythe sufficient ties test. Whilst the SRT sets out a clear test to determine an individual’s residence, there are still some areas of uncertainty. For example, many of the definitions used, such as “work” and “home” are specific to the legislation and not straightforward and there are specific pitfalls to be aware of such as the hidden extra “tie” for parents visiting children who are studying in the UK.
Hidden extra tax “tie”
For individuals who are not automatically UK resident or automatically non-UK resident under the automatic tests of the SRT, whether they are UK resident will depend on the number of “ties” (i.e. links) that they have with the UK. There are five different ties:
- Family tie – your spouse/civil partner or common law equivalent or minor child/children are UK resident
- Work tie – you work in the UK for at least 40 days (and this applies if you work for more than three hours a day)
- Accommodation tie – you have a place to live in the UK (i.e. a home, a holiday home or accommodation otherwise available to you) which is available for a continuous period of at least 91 days in the tax year and you spend at least one night there in that year. This can include accommodation owned by relatives if certain conditions are met and also rental properties
- 90 day tie – you spent more than 90 days in the UK in either of the previous two tax years
- Country tie – you spent more days in the UK in that tax year than in any other single country (this tie only applies to “leavers” – i.e. individuals who are ceasing UK residence).
African parents with minor children studying in the UK may have a “family tie” on top of other ties and this will reduce the number of days that they are able to spend in the UK without becoming UK resident under the SRT.
Parents witha child under the age of 18 who is in full-time education in the UK should be aware that they may acquire a “family tie” by reason of their childbeing educated in the UK. This will occur iftheir child spends 21 days or more in the UK outside of term time, for example, during the main Christmas, Easter and Summer holidays (the half-term breaks are regarded as term-time); and they see their children on 61 days or more in the UK during the tax year.
If, for example, a child was to spend a week in the UK before term started in September and two weeks in the UK during the Christmas holidays (rather than returning to Africa or going on holiday somewhere outside the UK), this 21 day limit could easily be exceeded and then it would be important for the parent to keep below the 61 day limit to avoid a family tie.
If the parent did acquire a family tie as a result of the above limits being exceeded, they could end up being UK tax resident on the basis of a lower number of days spent in the UK than expected if, for example, they also have available accommodation in the UK and work for more than 3 hours a day on 40 days or more during the tax year– giving a total of 3 ties.
Nigerian parents with children studying in the UK should take advice on their UK residence position if they are unsure as to how much time they can spend in the UK without becoming UK resident.
Julie Howard is a Private Client and Tax Partner at Boodle Hatfield and Annabella King is an Associate
Feature/OPED
The Economic Importance of Abraka-Oben Road Rebuilt by NDDC

By Jerome-Mario Utomi
For the good people of Delta and other adjoining states, Saturday, February 22, 2025, will remain an indelible date. The reason for this assertion is simple. It was on that day that the Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, has commissioned the 9.6- kilometre Abraka-Oben Road reconstructed by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, in Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State. He also launched the reconstruction of the Abraka-Agbor Road.
Indeed, there are reasons why the people, particularly the road users, are happy with the latest feat achieved by the NDDC Governing Board and Management.
Aside from preventing accidents and loss of lives as a result of its formerly deplorable state, it is globally acknowledged that infrastructure enables development and also provides the services that underpin the ability of people to be economically productive, for example via transport. “The transport sector has a huge role in connecting populations to where the work is,”.
Also, Infrastructure investments help stem economic losses arising from problems such as traffic congestion. The World Bank estimates that in Sub-Saharan Africa closing the infrastructure quantity and quality gap relative to the world’s best performers could raise GDP growth per head by 2.6 per cent annually.
In addition to the highlighted importance of infrastructures to the nation’s economic development, a glance through the commentaries by dignitaries present at the commission further reveals that NDDC as a commission has done well.
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori commended the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC for the initiative to reconstruct the all-important access road from Abraka to Oben, saying that Mr President picked very good people in managing different ministries, departments and agencies for the good of Nigerians.
Governor Oborevwori, who made remarks at the inauguration of the reconstructed road, also thanked Mr President for picking very good people in managing different ministries departments and agencies for the good of Nigerians, Delta State Governor reiterated the state government’s willingness to partner with the Federal Government for the overall socio-economic development of the state.
Represented by the State Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze, Governor Oborevwori said his administration remained irrevocably committed in its partnership with the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government for the transformation of the state.
He said the Oborevwori governance philosophy believes that if the Federal Government succeeds, it would dovetail in the success of the subnational governments.
He commended the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC for the initiative to reconstruct the all-important access road from Abraka to Oben and called for the completion of the road to Benin.
“I thank the board of the NDDC for the vision and for acknowledging the challenges and for giving the policy guideline for the execution of this laudable project. I am glad that the NDDC is giving special attention to reconstruction of failed portions on roads across the region. The Government of Delta State believes very strongly and firmly that we are partners in progress with the Federal Government led by President Bola Tinubu.
“We believe in the success of the Federal Government because of the nature of our Constitution and its operations, the success of the Federal Government will naturally translate to the success of the states as well. Governor Oborevwori therefore wishes to commend President Bola Tinubu for his support for the board of the NDDC thus far and urging him to continue to do more for the people of the Niger Delta,” he added. “I thank Mr President for picking very good people in managing different ministries, departments and agencies for the good of Nigerians,” he concluded.
Similarly, speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Engr. Momoh, said that the road projects were further demonstrations of the determination of the Federal Government to develop the Niger Delta region. The Minister commended the NDDC Board and Management for responding appropriately to the directives of President Bola Tinubu’s charge to turn things around in the Niger Delta region positively.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr Chiedu Ebie, said that the project was a reflection of the President Tinubu administration’s desire to transform the Niger Delta Region into a zone of peace and development. He said, “Since we assumed office, this is the first landmark project being commissioned in Delta State. I commend the management team for continuously implementing the board’s policies and following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directives.
“Today, we are commissioning the re-constructed Abraka-Oben Road and flag-off the reconstruction of the Abraka-Agbor Road. These are landmark projects, and I am happy with the work being done. As a Delta State indigene, I am proud that my people are well represented.”
For his part, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, affirmed that the NDDC was dedicated to advancing the implementation of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda. “We are determined to make the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government a reality in the Niger Delta region, and we remain committed to the mandate given to the Commission to change the narrative in Nigeria’s oil-producing region.
“Today, there is peace in the NDDC and the region. The youths and other stakeholders are happy with our efforts. That is the success we have toiled so hard to achieve for our people. We thank our stakeholders for their support and encouragement, which has boosted our desire to ensure that we give them what they deserve. We appreciate the state governments for supporting us and partnering with us in several areas of development. We believe that in partnership with stakeholders, we will achieve more, and development in our region will be faster and more holistic. We are not competing with any state government; we only complement their efforts.”
The NDDC Executive Director of Projects, Sir Victor Antai, gave the project brief and explained that the scope included the construction of a 9.6 km asphalt pavement with an 8m carriage width.
He noted: “The restoration of this critical infrastructure required replacing over 80,000m3 of unsuitable material and the dilapidated sections of the Araka-Oben Alignment. Before now, the road was not motorable and became a hot spot for kidnapping and armed robbery activities.
“This important interstate road project connects various industrial and agricultural communities in Delta and Edo States, facilitating the transportation of goods and services”
Also speaking at the ceremony, the Chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, congratulated the NDDC management for significantly impacting her Federal Constituency.
Speaking earlier during a courtesy visit by the NDDC team led by the Minister of Regional Development, the traditional ruler of Oruarivie-Abraka Kingdom, King Akpomeyoma Majoroh, commended the Commission for its commitment to regional development. He emphasised the strategic importance of the road project, stating: “As a serious agricultural area, most of our people are farmers. This road has facilitated the easy movement of people and agricultural produce, fostering thriving commercial activities. It is important to us, and we are very grateful for it’.’
The royal father noted that the road served as a regional link, connecting Abraka to Benin, and expressed gratitude for connecting the community to their ancestral home.
Utomi, a media specialist, writes from Lagos, Nigeria. He can be reached via [email protected]
Feature/OPED
Bybit Crypto Heist: Five Key Lessons to Prevent a Repeat

Dubai-based cryptocurrency exchange Bybit was the victim of what is being widely reported as the single largest digital theft in history. Hackers extracted approximately $1.5bn (£1.2bn) from an Ethereum wallet and transferred the contents to a new, unlocatable address.
The platform has assured users of its liquidity—despite a significant increase in the volume of withdrawals in the wake of the breach—promising refunds to all affected users even if the stolen money is not recovered.
According to Osama Bari, Chief Technology Officer at D24 Fintech Group, exchanges that comply with a core set of rules will drastically reduce their chances of suffering a similar breach.
1. Multi-party approval systems
The Bybit security breach was primarily caused by vulnerabilities in multi-signature authorization and UI spoofing tactics, where attackers manipulated the interface to display different addresses. Bari said: “Even experienced professionals might overlook such discrepancies without a thorough investigation. Typically, such issues often go unnoticed during routine exchange operations.
“To mitigate such risks, exchanges should implement a threshold-based, multi-party approval system for all transactions.
“Additionally, secure platforms require real-time monitoring systems to analyze deposits and withdrawals, with automated cross-checks for unusual spikes. If required, large transactions must be manually verified with a comprehensive report. Each withdrawal should undergo a transaction audit score assessment before being processed.”
2. Ensure two-factor authentication is in place
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security method that requires a second form of identification to access any account information or funds.
Bari: “2FA is no new phenomenon, but its importance as a tool for verifying users and ensuring only the right personnel can manage and withdraw balances or view confidential information cannot be understated.
“This is a basic form of protection that exchanges should absolutely be offering to their customers and can be a vital deterrent for hackers as it increases the difficulty of breaching gated accounts. All financial providers have a duty to protect their users and 2FA is a guaranteed way of raising the level of in-built security they provide.”
3. Custodians are valuable third parties
Custodians safeguard assets for fellow financial institutions to reduce the risk of loss, theft, or damage.
Bari continued: “Exchanges should not underestimate the level of responsibility that comes with holding considerable volumes of assets on behalf of customers. Failure to put the appropriate measures in place to protect these funds, as we’ve just seen with the Bybit hack, could result in disastrous consequences for both the company attacked and the users impacted.
“Turning to external organizations to bolster security is a viable option for exchanges that lack the infrastructure and liquidity to manage millions, or even billions, worth of currency. Partnering with a trusted custodian will ensure that customer investments stay safe, allowing exchanges to focus on other important activities such as enhancing user experience and increasing the financial literacy of their customers.”
4. Perform a liveness check
A liveness check verifies a user’s identity through a biometric measure, for example, their face or fingerprint. 40% of banks have implemented this precaution to tackle fraud, up from 26% five years ago.
Bari: “For crypto exchanges, and financial institutions more generally, a liveness check adds that final layer of protection to dissuade hackers from attempting an attack. Having access to passwords, secure keys, or even primary devices is no longer enough to successfully bypass security measures—customers are protected as their face, fingerprints, and even voices are all unique.”
5. Make security CEXy
Centralized cryptocurrency exchanges (CEXs) are regulated intermediaries that facilitate the trading of fiat and digital currencies.
Bari concluded: “A pivotal element of cryptocurrency’s appeal throughout its history has been its decentralized nature, with many early adopters drawn to this form of tender by its anonymity. However, as crypto has become increasingly mainstream and a viable investment for individuals globally, it’s important to reshape our thinking and start putting security at the top of the list of priorities.
“Due to Bybit’s centralized approach, the exchange was able to freeze $42.85 million in stolen assets within 48 hours through collaborations with other platforms. This highlights the increased resilience of CEXs and how trusted partnerships with other organizations in the crypto field can limit the damage inflicted in a hack.”
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