Feature/OPED
Why Niger Delta Region is Achieving Peace and Progress
By Jerome-Mario Utomi
Many years ago, a certain sage within the religious circle was asked to name the three most important virtues to mankind, and he thus responded; the first is humility, the second is humility and the third is humility. This, according to him is because it is through humility that every other virtue emerges. For without humility, every other virtue will lose its meaning.
In like manner, if I am asked to mention three factors responsible for the sustained peace and progress presently enjoyed in the Niger Delta region, I need not pause to figure out that the three factors are; leadership, leadership and leadership.
Before delving into details of how leadership is rewriting the narrative of the region, it is always important, at least for the benefit of the readers, to highlight the region’s condition before now.
Aside from being perceived as a backward and degraded region, occasioned by crude oil exploration, exploitation and production, the Niger Delta region before now was considered a location where fierce war raged between ethnic and social forces in Nigeria over the ownership and control of oil resources. As a direct result, a long dark shadow was cast on efforts to improve the well-being and economic development of the region’s individuals, peoples, and communities.
To curb the scenario, the Federal Government in the year 2000 established the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as a response to the social and economic crisis in the Niger Delta. It was conceived as an organization with the capacity to articulate the developmental needs of the Niger Delta and draw up a master plan for economic and social development in the region. This is evident in the agency’s mission and vision statement. It expresses its mission as “to facilitate the rapid, even and sustainable development of the Niger Delta into a region that is economically prosperous, socially stable, ecologically regenerative and politically peaceful.” The vision of the agency is “to offer a lasting solution to the socio-economic difficulties of the Niger Delta region.” The strategy for accomplishing its mission includes the preparation and implementation of a master plan.
But contrary to the expectation of bringing coordinated development, the agency for many years, through protracted rancorous relationships that at different times and places existed between the members of the governing boards and managements, became a clog to achieving its statutory objective and brought to a halt the wheels of development of the region.
This ugly “culture” affected the region’s peace and development because as the saying goes, ‘’when two elephants fight, the grass suffers’’.
The situation was so bad that analysts described NDDC as a temporary political configuration set up by the federal government with neither the capacity to ease the tension in the area nor provide concrete solutions to the socio-economic and infrastructural challenges that bedevilled the region. That argument and perception lasted for an appreciable period of time.
However, today, there is a change in narrative as squabbles within the commission have become a thing of the past. The NDDC may not have reached where it is supposed to be, but in the last ten months, it has moved far from where it used to be and the people of the region feel and appreciate this rising hope.
The emergence of Mr Chiedu Ebie-led governing board and management has without doubt fought and defeated the menace of division which used to characterize the Commission’s governing board and management. They were intentional in unravelling subterfuges and impediments placed on the Commission’s part to peace and from the beginning, resolved to put to rest the ghost of this notorious malady. Today, an unprecedented peace and cordial relationship exists between the governing board and management.
Undoubtedly, it may be convenient for some to argue that the present peace and ongoing development flows from luck and, therefore, see nothing spectacular or newsy about it. But for Niger Deltans of goodwill with critical minds and interests, it goes beyond luck to include the art and science of the present leadership monitoring and analysing past trends, understanding how such occurrences set the stage for past failures and avoiding similar mistakes, recognizing the strategic importance of stakeholders and implementing planned programmes and mutually reinforcing action for the benefit of NDDC as a Commission and Niger Delta region and its people.
Supporting the above assertion was the declaration during the inauguration of the NDDC board in November 2023, at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Niger Delta Development in Abuja where the Chairman of the board, Chiedu Ebie among other remarks, stressed the need for collaboration with all stakeholders in driving the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for Nigeria and the Niger Delta region in particular.
He stated: “To maintain focus on our development efforts, the Board will honour and collaborate with critical stakeholders in the region. We will execute legacy projects based on detailed needs assessment. Furthermore, we will seek strategic collaborations and partnerships with opinion leaders, community leaders, professionals and development partners to leverage constructive and attainable outlooks.”.
The NDDC chairman remarked that effective communication with key stakeholders was paramount in the discharge of the Commission’s duties, noting that it would foster trust, restore transparency and promote accountability. Ebie affirmed: “The board will stand on the pedestal of Mr. President’s Renewed Hope mantra. We will look back at the vision and history of NDDC’s 23-year existential journey, aligning it with current realities and the objectives of the current administration.
“In tandem with the Presidency, National Assembly and Ministry of Niger Delta Development, we will take coordinated steps to come up with plans that will systematically guide our actions and efforts in actualizing our mandate. “We earnestly seek the support and goodwill of stakeholders and people of the Niger Delta Region to enable us to usher in a new era of vitality, hope, peace and sustainable development for the region.” He concluded.
Providing a level playing ground for all Niger Deltans to opportunities irrespective of tribe, sex, creed, social or political status, is another sterling example of how the present leadership and management of the Commission is promoting peace and attracting development.
Take as an illustration, speaking recently in Port Harcourt, during the launch of the second phase of Holistic Opportunities Programmes for Engagement, Project HOPE, which has registered 3.2million youths, the Commission’s Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku reportedly said “Over the years what has been happening is that because of political interests, people are given slots to nominate participants for empowerment programmes and most of these participants never had passion for these training programmes. After the training programmes, you see people selling off the starter packs and other equipment that were given to them after the training.
“In this case, we believe that once we pick you from the data based on your area of interest and passion, you are going to excel from there. And since you are in our database, we will also have our monitoring process to track your performance.”
While noting that the second phase is the implementation phase of eight meticulously designed programmes aimed at creating jobs and empowering our youth across various sectors such as agriculture and technology, he noted that the success of Project HOPE requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders and therefore encouraged the Niger Delta youths to embrace the opportunities with zeal and determination’’.
This piece holds the opinion that there is no way peace and development will not flourish in any environment where people with development mindsets like members of the NDDC governing board and management are in charge. The present NDDC governing board and management have truly strengthened the belief and in the past ten months demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that leadership is everything just as ‘’everything rises and falls on Leadership’’. For me, what they need is our collective support and not distractions.
Jerome-Mario Utomi, a media professional writes from Lagos, Nigeria. 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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