General
2027 Elections: Vice President Shettima’s Critics and Political Detractors
By Abba Dukawa
President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima are indeed on the same ticket, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC). They ran together in the 2023 presidential election. However, there’s speculation about whether Shettima will remain Tinubu’s running mate in 2027 general elections.
According to reports, there are discussions about potential changes to the ticket for the 2027 presidential election, with some suggesting other northern minority christian or a politician from north West could replace Shettima. Despite this, there’s no official confirmation on the status of their joint ticket beyond the current term.
Clearly, his role diverges significantly from that of his predecessors, including Atiku Abubakar, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and Goodluck Jonathan. Despite being afforded some opportunities since the government’s inception, they haven’t been substantial enough to generate significant support or recognition.
“I struggle to understand why Shettima hasn’t been utilized to his full potential in this administration. For too long, he’s been consigned to ceremonial duties, only being acknowledged during high-profile events. Why isn’t he permitted to function similarly to his predecessors, given his vast experience? Is it due to external factors constrained his role? Furthermore, why does the economic team, led by the Vice President, appear to have a limited impact on shaping national economic policies?”
Shettima is indeed an exceptional politician, renowned for his astute understanding of politics and leadership. His ability to navigate complex political landscapes and build consensus has earned him respect from various quarters.
He has achieved remarkable success, winning elections three times and serving as Governor of Borno State for two terms, spanning eight years. He later became a Senator and eventually, the running mate to President Tinubu.
Notably, Shettima demonstrated exceptional leadership in rebuilding Borno after the devastating impact of terrorism. His experience, political acumen, and administrative expertise are unparalleled, setting him apart from others vying for the Vice Presidency.
As a seasoned politician with a deep understanding of the corridors of power, Shettima has consistently displayed high emotional intelligence, remaining composed amidst attempts to create tension between him and the President. Observations of his daily schedule reveal a demanding workload, yet he navigates it with ease, a testament to his work ethic honed during his time in Borno.
He has represented the President at prestigious forums like the World Economic Forum contributing to the influx of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) into the country. Also at the United Nations General Assembly showcasing his intellectual prowess.
Those vying for his position will likely be overshadowed once again by Shettima’s exceptional qualities. Despite their efforts to create tension by spreading rumours of rifts between him and the President, they seem unaware that in the realm of politics, loyalty and close alliances often take precedence when power dynamics are at play.
Amidst the negative narratives, Shettima has demonstrated remarkable emotional intelligence, showcasing his understanding of power dynamics and adapting seamlessly to various situations. His ability to navigate complex political landscapes is a testament to his experience and skill.
His detractors want him to challenge his boss, contest against him, and force him to plead not to run. They’d also have him prioritize cronyism, privatize national assets at throwaway prices, and perpetuate economic policies that benefit a select few at the expense of the many, exacerbating poverty and economic hardship.
Sometimes in early April, there was a publication by some blogs alleging that armed military units have barricaded the vice president from accessing the presidential villa. Nigeria’s VP has denied reports and said the claim is far-fetched and detached from reality.
His team attributed such misinformation to a lack of understanding of the Nigerian government’s inner workings, urging the public to disregard the malicious publication and advised the media to rely on credible sources, approaching sensational claims with caution.
With his exceptional ability to navigate complex situations and build strong relationships, Shettima has consistently demonstrated a high emotional intelligence quotient. His calm demeanor and thoughtful approach have earned him respect and admiration, setting him apart as a leader who truly understands the intricacies of power dynamics.
In another surprising twist in the political landscape, President Tinubu’s posters and billboards are currently displayed in various parts of Abuja, including Airport Road and the Central Business District. Campaign posters featuring his image have been circulating widely in Abuja, noticeably without Shettima’s picture. The President emphasized that until the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sets the 2027 election timetable, he has not endorsed or authorized any campaign activities through any media channel.
However, the Presidency has dismissed rumors of a rift between the two leaders, attributing the false narratives to individuals seeking to create unnecessary tension. President asked his supporters to halt their re-election campaign efforts to avoid breaching INEC’s rules.
Naturally, the corridors of power often harbor mischief-makers. The relationship between Presidents and Vice Presidents in Nigerian politics has always been delicate, partly because the constitution doesn’t outline any independent responsibilities for the office of Vice President or Deputy Governor.
Under the 1999 Constitution, the Nigerian President wields significant power, akin to a constitutional monarch. As the Head of State, Chief Executive of the Federation, and Commander-in-Chief (Section 130(2)), the President serves as the country’s chief economic manager. Notably, while the Constitution vests legislative powers in institutions (Section 4) and judicial powers in institutions (Section 6), executive powers are vested directly in the President (Section 5).
In my humble opinion, attempts by certain political interests to reignite religious tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections are likely to fail. The opposition to Muslim-Muslim tickets was more intense in 2023 than it is now. Those who seek to vilify such tickets or imply that they’re an attempt to Islamize the country will be disappointed, as neither the President nor the Vice President has ever called on Christians to convert to Islam.
I’m confident that these tactics will backfire again in 2027, as the election will pit pragmatic, inclusive politics against the narrow, divisive agendas of some politicians. I hold Shettima in high esteem; he’s an exceptional politician with a deep understanding of politics and leadership.
Despite detractors’ efforts to drive a wedge between the President and the Vice President, he remains steadfast in promoting the administration’s agenda on every platform. Through his local and international engagements, he has successfully positioned Nigeria as a proactive contributor to global development and security initiatives, attracting foreign investment and fostering economic cooperation. His insights are truly transformative and a valuable asset to the administration.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has called for a regional benchmark that better reflects West Africa’s market realities, saying petroleum product prices in Nigeria and other African countries should not be automatically driven by crises in Western Europe and the Mediterranean.
“If we look at the refining capacity on the continent and how it has been increasing, it simply doesn’t make sense that if there is a problem in Western Europe or in the Mediterranean, it is going to affect our pricing in Africa.
“There may be issues which have absolutely nothing to do with what is going on here. And prices should be determined on the basis of geopolitical issues, demand and supply, and complexities within the market. So we feel this is a great opportunity for Africa, and West Africa in particular, to really have something that is specific to us.
“If we have a problem, it is reflected in the pricing. If we don’t have a problem, then we are to be shielded to an extent, I would say, from what is going on in other locations,” the chief executive of the NMDPRA, Mr Rabiu Umar, said this on Tuesday at the second West Africa Refined Fuel Market Conference in Abuja.
The conference is jointly hosted by the Authority, S&P Global Commodity Insights and West Africa Regulator Forum, with the theme Funding West Africa Infrastructure & Distribution to Create a Transparent Market for Regional Price Benchmarks and featured regulators, refiners, traders, financiers and other industry stakeholders renewed efforts to establish a transparent regional pricing system for refined petroleum products.
Mr Umar said West Africa needed a pricing system based on its own supply, demand, inventory, logistics, refining and trading conditions, adding that the objective was not to isolate Nigeria from the international petroleum market but to ensure that regional prices accurately reflected the realities of the market being served.
The NMDPRA boss said the push for a regional benchmark was not simply about publishing another price but creating an entire market structure capable of generating credible and transparent price discovery.
“Last year, our focus was on establishing the foundation. This year, our focus must be on execution,” he said.
He said the roadmap required reliable financing, refinery capacity, stronger logistics and storage networks, interconnected ports, roads, rail and pipelines, harmonised product regulations and standards, transparent market data, stronger cross-border cooperation and regional and international capital.
“A reference price is not by itself a trading hub. A conference is not a market. Regulatory cooperation, important as it is, cannot substitute for physical infrastructure, commercial liquidity, market information, and operational excellence on which a credible trading hub must stand.
“Africa possesses resources. Africa possesses demand. Africa possesses refining capacity, and that is also expanding. What we must now build is the infrastructure that efficiently connects all three,” he quipped.
He also identified differences in petroleum product specifications across countries as another obstacle to cross-border trade.
“We also have the second issue of what is the quality of products. What is the specification of products from one country to another? We cannot have from here to Nigeria, to Ghana, to the United Republic, even our right-next-door neighbours having different products and specifications. What that does is that it makes trading across the border very, very difficult.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) is developing a platform to aggregate small and distributed renewable energy projects across Nigeria into larger investment opportunities capable of attracting institutional investors.
The initiative seeks to address a major financing challenge in Nigeria’s energy transition, where individual renewable energy projects are often too small or fragmented to attract large-scale institutional capital.
By pooling the projects into a single investment structure, the wealth fund aims to create assets with greater scale and clearer risk profiles, making them easier for institutional investors to assess and finance.
The approach could also help attract international capital by placing domestic institutional funding alongside private and foreign investments, while providing investors with greater confidence in projects exposed to Nigeria’s regulatory, currency, infrastructure and commercial risks.
The financing need is significant, with Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan estimating that about $410 billion will be required by 2060 to support the country’s transition to cleaner energy.
The NSIA’s aggregation model therefore seeks to move beyond financing individual projects towards building renewable energy portfolios that can unlock deeper pools of institutional capital.
The initiative will be relevant to discussions at the Nigeria NOW! Global Investors Expo, scheduled for November 19 and 20 at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, where mining, infrastructure, finance and fiscal reforms will be among the key investment themes.
The expo will focus on mining, infrastructure, finance and Nigeria’s fiscal reforms, reflecting the broader conditions that determine whether investment opportunities can move from proposals to commercially viable projects.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The sextet of Onlinebanker, Adetunji Films, More Branches TV, Wearegst, Iswellthecapitalist and The Republic have been selected for the Emerging News Voices Growth Lab organised by Google News Initiative (GNI).
The six Nigerian independent news creators are among roughly 20 emerging news creators from across the region taking part in the multi-month virtual programme, which runs through late September 2026.
Over the course of the programme, participants work directly with Google trainers and product experts across four areas:
AI in the newsroom: hands-on integration of Google’s AI tools, including Gemini, NotebookLM, Google Trends and SynthID, into daily workflows for research, transcription, translation and verification.
Video and audience growth: practical frameworks for building YouTube channels, using both Shorts and long-form video to reach new audiences.
Direct reader relationships: strengthening open web presence and newsletters to build first-party audiences the newsroom owns.
Sustainable revenue: sessions on monetisation strategy, product differentiation and audience growth models.
“Independent news creators and digital-native newsrooms are shaping how Africans, and Nigerians in particular, find and understand the news.
“The Growth Lab gives these creators what growing newsrooms need most: practical AI skills, a clear video and audience strategy, direct relationships with their readers and a path to sustainable revenue.
“When emerging voices build capability and financial independence, the whole news ecosystem becomes more resilient, diverse and sustainable,” the News Partnerships Lead for the Middle East and Africa at Google, Marianne Erasmus, stated.
Commenting on being part of the cohort, the Editor-in-Chief of The Republic, Mr Wale Lawal, said, “Google’s Emerging News Voices Growth Lab is giving us practical ways to combine audience insight, product thinking and the responsible use of AI as we build a more sustainable future for The Republic’s journalism.”
Also speaking, his counterpart at MoreBranches, Mr Nasir Achile Ahmed, said, “The program has been valuable to our newsroom, providing information that validates observations we’d made previously, as well as access to tools and the knowledge to use them effectively. Beyond that, engaging with experts and fellow journalists has created a supportive environment that is helping us strengthen our storytelling.”
Creator-led digital journalism is changing how Nigerians, especially younger audiences, find and consume news. Social-first channels and digital-native platforms increasingly drive news discovery, yet the newsrooms behind them often run lean, with limited access to the tools, training and revenue expertise available to established publishers. The GNI Growth Lab is built to close that gap.
The Growth Lab grew out of the Global News Gap Project, a continent-wide mapping of independent African news creators conducted with Project Oasis and Code for Africa, which identified where emerging newsrooms most need support.
The Growth Lab is the latest step in Google’s continued support for Nigerian media. Since 2018, Google has funded newsroom transformation projects through the GNI, helped publishers grow advertising revenue through the Ad Manager Academy, and shared ad revenue with Nigerian publishers through Google AdSense and Google Ad Manager.
Since 2024 alone, Google has trained more than 1,500 Nigerian journalists and editors in online safety, advanced Search, digital verification and audience analytics. Google also supports media skilling through its collaboration with the MTN Media Innovation Programme, where fellows receive hands-on sessions on AI as a productivity partner and on newsroom technology, from News Consumer Insights to Gemini.
