General
African Leaders Support Adesina’s Second Term Agenda
By Adedapo Adesanya
African leaders have reaffirmed their support for the African Development Bank (AfDB) and its leadership under Mr Akinwumi Adesina, who began his second five-year term yesterday with a renewed mandate to foster sustainable development on the continent.
In goodwill messages to mark Mr Adesina’s inauguration, Presidents Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Alpha Conde of Guinea, George Weah of Liberia, President Sassou Nguesso of Republic of the Congo and Guinea Bissau’s Umaro Embalo, commended the bank’s interventions, especially its assistance to member states in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Dr Adesina, you have our full support as you continue to lead the bank through this COVID-19 period, marked by turmoil but also the prospect of new opportunities for our continent,” Mr Kagame said, noting that the bank had played a key role in ensuring that Africa’s interests reflected on the international agenda during the crisis.
Mr Adesina, who first took office as the 8th elected president of the bank group in 2015, was unanimously re-elected by the Board of Governors with a 100 per cent vote at the end of the lender’s 2020 Annual Meeting on August 27.
President Buhari, in his message, noted that Mr Adesina’s re-election was a vote of confidence in his leadership and programs, especially the bank’s High 5 priority agenda. If diligently implemented, the High 5s will help Africa to meet most of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN, the President of Mr Adesina’s home country said.
“Under your leadership, the Bank has made admirable progress and we are confident that this gain will be consolidated and scaled up in the next five years,” Mr Buhari said in a message presented on his behalf by the Bank’s Governor for Nigeria.
While congratulating Mr Adesina for his overwhelming re-election, President Conde urged him to continue to pursue the High 5s and related policies to provide jobs for the continent’s growing youth population.
President Weah, on his part, pledged Liberia’s continued partnership with the Bank under Adesina’s leadership, saying, “Dr Adesina, your re-election signifies Africa and the world’s confidence in your leadership.”
Mrs Niale Kaba, the Ivorian Minister of National Planning and the immediate past chairperson of the bank’s Board of Governors, represented Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, who also reaffirmed his country’s strong bond with the organisation.
There were solidarity messages also from former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan under whose government Mr Adesina served as Agriculture Minister. Nigeria’s former Vice President, Mr Atiku Abubakar, also congratulated his compatriot.
Messages also poured in from regional bodies, including the African Union Commission, the Common Market For Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), ECOWAS and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
In his inaugural speech, Mr Adesina outlined a renewed vision to build a much stronger and resilient institution with the leadership and capacity to deliver greater quality impacts for Africa, while remaining financially strong and sustainable.
To achieve this, he said he would focus on building a stronger institution, strengthen human capacity, enhance effectiveness, deepen quality and impact and maintain financial sustainability.
Ghana’s Finance Minister and incoming chairman of the Board of Governors, Mr Kenneth Ofori-Atta, presided over the swearing-in ceremony.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A hotline number, 0800 123 5264, for Nigerians to report any MRS Oil Nigeria Plc filling stations selling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, above the approved pump price of N739 per litre, has been released by Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The private refiner said the number was now active nationwide, enabling consumers to promptly report violations and help maintain fair pricing across over 2,000 MRS stations.
This measure follows the refinery’s recent commencement of nationwide PMS sales at N739 per litre—a strategic intervention aimed at stabilising fuel prices and easing the financial burden on Nigerians during the festive season.
“We encourage Nigerians to avoid purchasing PMS at inflated prices when locally refined fuel is available at N739 per litre.
“Report any MRS station selling above this price by calling our hotline. Together, we can ensure that the benefits of this price reduction reach every consumer,” the company stated in a statement.
The organisation stressed its mission to deliver affordable, high-quality fuel while safeguarding national economic interests, reaffirming its commitment to steady supply, backed by a guaranteed daily output of 50 million litres, and warned against attempts to create artificial scarcity or manipulate supply.
Regulatory authorities have been urged to remain vigilant and take decisive action against unpatriotic practices.
By refining locally at scale, Dangote Refinery is reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imports, conserving foreign exchange, stabilising the Naira, and strengthening energy security. This initiative represents a significant milestone in the country’s journey toward sustainable energy solutions and economic recovery.
The refinery also issued a stern warning against attempts by unscrupulous operators to create artificial scarcity in response to the price reduction, calling on government agencies to act decisively.
“Any attempt to create artificial scarcity or manipulate supply to frustrate recent price reductions is unpatriotic and unacceptable. We urge regulatory authorities to remain vigilant and take firm action against such practices, especially during this critical festive period,” the statement added.
Consumers were advised to resist purchasing fuel at inflated prices when cheaper, high-quality alternatives are readily available.
By Bon Peters
The Airport Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) at Omagwa Rivers State has praised the Customs Area Controller for Customs Area 1 Command, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku.
At the end-of-the-year party attended by stakeholders, including the leader of the association’s chapter, Mr Charles Onyema, said the customs officer has done well in stakeholder engagement and trade facilitation.
At the event held last Friday, he said his association has been enjoying a very cordial relationship with other organisation in the ecosystem.
“You can see what is happening today, everybody is working together and our operations here are seamless,” he noted.
He stated that apart from creating a very robust business environment for his members and other stakeholders to operate, he has taken a decision to build and commission a befitting ANLCA Secretariat which would be completed soon and be commissioned by the ANLCA national president, Mr Emenike Nwokeoji.
The ANLCA chapter chief said since “Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku assumed office at Customs Area 1, Port Harcourt Command, it has been a different ball game, facilitating trade and increasing Revenue generation.”
“I remember I told her she was a mother during her maiden visit to the airport.
“You know when you have a woman in charge of an affair, food will not lack, compassion will not lack and motherly love will not lack.
“She is very wonderful in stakeholder engagement, revenue generation and trade facilitation,” Mr Onyema enthused.
Projecting into the future, Mr. Onyema said the year 2026 would be better for his members, adding that he has advised them on financial discipline which he said would help them during the trying period.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has declared Thursday, December 25, and Friday, December 26, 2025, as public holidays to mark Christmas and Boxing Day respectively.
The government also declared Thursday, January 1, 2026, for the New Year celebration.
The declaration was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Mrs Magdalene Ajani, on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
According to the statement, the Minister urged Nigerians to reflect on the values of love, peace, humility and sacrifice associated with the birth of Jesus Christ.
Mr Tunji-Ojo also called on citizens, irrespective of faith or ethnicity, to use the festive season to pray for peace, improved security and national progress.
He further advised Nigerians to remain law-abiding and security-conscious during the celebrations, while wishing them a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Business Post reports that on these public holidays – the foreign exchange market, the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), as well as the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange will not open to trade.
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