General
Airtel Chairman Mittal Lauds Tinubu’s India-like Economic Reforms
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Chairman of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Sunil Bharti Mittal, has lauded reforms by President Bola Tinubu, drawing parallels with India’s economic reforms that transformed the economy for future growth.
He made the remarks when he led a delegation to the State House in Abuja on Thursday.
“When you took office, you made some promises. Given the country’s situation, I was unsure how deep and far you could take your commitments.
“I am indeed reminded of 1991, when India was in a similar situation, and we were practically on our knees, having pledged 500,000 tons of gold to the Bank of England, and our vessel in Tokyo had been put up for sale.
“During that time, the Prime Minister and his team took similar reforms to what you are taking now in Nigeria, and India has never seen better times after that.
“The duties went down, the Rupee was floated, and it depreciated significantly. Relicensing happened, and it was the dawn of a new world in India. We just moved forward,” he said.
Mr Mittal said the reforms turned India into one of the largest economies in the world.
“I feel that what you have done here is unprecedented in a challenging time. Only people of resolve and steel can endure this huge pressure, floating the naira, which moved from N450/$1 to about N1,900/$1 and is now coming back to N1,400/$1 to N1,500/$1.
“It has been a remarkable achievement celebrated by the entire world. This was much required, and you delivered on your promises,” the Airtel Chairman told President Tinubu.
He also commended the removal of the petrol subsidy.
“The second one was the removal of subsidy, which was a very tough decision for any politician. It was unpopular and difficult, but you held your position, knowing fully that not doing it would not help the country.
“You have taken a long-term position. It is my belief and hope that you have created a legacy for yourself. Your first term as President will mark a watershed in the development of your country.
“This will be a turning point, and I would like to commend you for having held a firm position and taken the country forward,” he added.
Mr Mittal said more Nigerians should be encouraged to invest in the country, particularly those with huge financial portfolios abroad.
“I have been speaking to people in Nigeria, friends and business people, and they are all now feeling calm, and when they start to get back, they will move very fast. I have experienced this in India,” he stated
On his part, President Tinubu said the telecoms sector’s regulatory framework and operations would be reviewed to reflect global best practices, with a greater focus on protecting infrastructure.
“I am grateful for your openness, readiness, and confidence, which moved us very close to the Prime Minister of India. When he was here, we discussed things at length.
“The entire ecosystem will be further examined, and if there is anything we can copy from India, we are ready to do so. We are prepared to learn. We are not ashamed of copying what is working in other climes.
“It is for the good of all of us, and Nigeria is so critically important that we must give attention to those revolutionary intentions that can make business work. I am pro-business, and I will continue to be that. I can give you that assurance,” he said.
The President noted that the tax reforms will create a more favourable climate for investors.
“We will find a way to work with tax administrators to ensure that whatever we have to do, we will encourage growth and opportunities. We are ready to do that”.
Adding his input, the Minister of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, thanked the President for consistently supporting the telecoms sector’s growth.
Mr Tijani said the approval by the President for the protection of fibre optic and undersea cables as critical national assets would further stimulate growth in the industry, assuring that the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) has started implementing and enforcing the law.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has pledged its commitment to provide the regulatory leadership, technical coordination, and stakeholder engagement required to successfully develop and implement a robust National Action Plan on maritime decarbonization in Nigeria.
The Director General of the agency, Mr Dayo Mobereola, made this known during the National Stakeholders’ workshop on the development of a National Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan, further describing the workshop as a critical step in actualising the Federal Government’s blue economy and climate objectives.
Represented by the Executive Director, Operations, Mr Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, the NIMASA DG underscored the significance of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, a technical cooperation initiative /designed to support developing countries in implementing the IMO GHG Strategy.
According to him, the National Action Plan being developed will reflect national realities, leverage existing capacities, address identified gaps, and align with broader economic and environmental priorities of the federal government.
Mr Mobereola stressed that “this transition is not merely about compliance with international obligations, it is about safeguarding our marine environment, protecting public health, strengthening the blue economy, and ensuring that our maritime industry remains competitive and future-ready”, the DG said.
Also speaking at the event was the Technical Manager of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, Ms Astrid Dispert, who highlighted that the overarching objective of the initiative is to advance a coherent and globally aligned regulatory framework to accelerate maritime decarbonization.
She also emphasised that NIMASA plays a pivotal role in driving the project at the national level.
The IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project provides technical expertise and institutional support to assist countries in developing and implementing National Action Plans that promote sustainable shipping practices, encourage investment in clean technologies, and strengthen capacity for long-term emissions reduction.
Through this collaboration, the federal government is advancing deliberate steps towards maritime decarbonization, reinforcing its commitment to global climate goals and ensuring a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for the sector.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with its digital submission process effective March 1.
The directive was contained in a circular signed by the Director-General of the Bureau, Mr Adebowale Adedokun, noting that the move was part of the bureau’s commitment to digital transformation and paperless governance.
It explained that the transition followed an earlier circular of Aug. 4, 2025, which introduced electronic submission procedures.
According to the bureau, it has successfully moved from physical filings to a dedicated e-mail service for document submissions and is now advancing to a more robust and integrated system.
The circular announced the inauguration of the BPP Digital Submission Portal, a web-based platform designed to enable MDAs submit procurement-related documents directly to the Bureau.
It stated that the automated platform would streamline the submission process, enhance transparency and ensure accelerated tracking of procurement-related documents and petitions.
“With effect from March 1, all MDAs will be required to use the portal to submit requests for ‘No Objection’ Certificates, approvals for ‘No Objection’ for special procurements, clarifications and status updates on submissions,” the bureau said.
It added that the portal would be hosted on the Bureau’s official website and would become fully operational from the effective date.
The bureau warned that physical submissions or manual hand-deliveries would no longer be prioritised and would eventually be rejected following the full transition to the digital platform.
It urged accounting officers to brief their procurement departments and ICT units on the development to ensure seamless processing of procurement activities from March 1.
It further advised MDAs to contact the Bureau via its official email for information on the onboarding process and integration into the portal.
The bureau emphasised that full compliance by all MDAs was required to ensure a smooth transition and avoid delays in the implementation of the 2026 fiscal year procurement processes.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Senate has asked President Bola Tinubu to remove the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, from office.
The Senate Committee on Finance, while passing a resolution in Abuja on Thursday, accused Mr Magaji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), of failing to honour the Senate’s invitations to account for the finances of his agency.
“He refused on so many occasions to honour our invitation to appear before this committee.
“We have issues with the reconciliation of the revenue of CAC.
“Each time we invite him, he gives us excuses,” the Chairman of the committee, Mr Sani Musa, said as the committee passed the resolution.
CAC was part of a group of agencies that the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recommended zero allocation for the year 2026, for allegedly failing to account for public funds appropriated to them.
The committee, at an investigative hearing held two weeks ago, accused CAC and some other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of shunning invitations to respond to audit queries contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s annual reports for 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The PAC chairman, Mr Bamidele Salam, stated that the National Assembly should not continue to appropriate public funds to institutions that disregard accountability mechanisms, saying this will create fiscal discipline and strengthen transparency across federal institutions and conform with extant financial regulations and the oversight powers of the parliament.
“Public funds are held in trust for the Nigerian people. Any agency that fails to account for previous allocations, refuses to submit audited accounts, or ignores legislative summons cannot, in good conscience, expect fresh budgetary provisions. Accountability is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation,” he said.
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