General
Ambode Honoured As Best Governor In New York
By Dipo Olowookere
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has received an award for Best Performing Governor in Nigeria at an event organised by the African Leadership Magazine and held at the Regis Hotel, New York, USA.
Mr Ambode, while speaking at the 2016 International Forum on African Leadership, said since he assumed office on May 29, 2015, efforts have been geared towards creating a conducive and friendly environment for investors and for businesses to thrive.
He noted that the State was gradually emerging as the choice destination for investors, assuring that his administration would continue to work round the clock not only to become a shining example for Africans in Diaspora but retain the State as investors’ haven.
Mr Ambode, who was represented by the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, apologised for his absence to receive the award, but said that he acknowledged the importance of the event hence his decision to send a powerful delegation including Durosinmi-Etti; the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde; his Special Adviser on Overseas Affairs and Investment, Professor Ademola Abass; and his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Habib Aruna, to represent him.
The Governor, in his remarks shortly after receiving the award, said the security and judicial reforms which he initiated at the commencement of his administration and the creation of the Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment were part of efforts to reduce the burden of bureaucracy and security concerns for would-be investors.
While stating that the State is open for business, Governor Ambode assured would-be investors that government would continue to invest in security, job opportunity and infrastructure which are the tripod upon which his administration was built.
He said that Lagos is also playing a leading role in the Nigeria economy, and as such must not shy away in ensuring that it takes the lead as Nigeria re-strategises to restructure its economy for greater prosperity.
“Lagos as the fifth largest economy in Africa is like a country and with the momentum with which the State is moving, it might soon emerge as the biggest economy in Africa. It is home to almost every religion, tribe and colour and accommodates the largest pool of black people all over the world, including Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who is from Nigeria and has a home in Lagos,” Mr Ambode said.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of African Leadership Magazine, Mr Ken Giami while thanking participants for finding time to honour the occasion, said the focus of the Forum was for good governance and how it could impact on the African continent.
“We have to connect, build bridges and cultivate both intra and inter African interests and connection, continue discussion and conversation on how to move Africa forward.
“A continent that has all the natural resources but still at the lowest ebb in the rank of other continents, needs trade and investment because there are many opportunities that abound in Africa. This is the time for countries all over the world to explore the resources that abound in the continent to make the world a better place for us,” Mr Giami said.
Other recipients of the African Leadership Awards at the event include the President of Malawi, Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika; President of Burkina Faso, Mr Roch Marc Christian Kabore; Vice President of South Sudan, Mr Taban Deng Gai, among others.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Mr Datti Baba-Ahmed, has left the party to join the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the politician said he’s no longer interested in the way the Labour Party was being run.
He disclosed that there is no more peace in the political party he flew its flag in the last general elections because of greed.
He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of destabilising opposition political parties to ensure President Bola Tinubu does not have a credible opponent in the 2027 presidential poll.
“What the Labour Party stood for is not the same now. We have a government of today which is interested in destroying other political parties,” he said.
“I am leaving the Labour Party tomorrow (today) by 12 midnight,” Mr Baba-Ahmed said when asked about his plans for next year.
I am leaving the Labour Party [at] midnight, and I am joining PRP. PRP is the new destination. PRP is the one with a history. It’s about 75 years old,” he further stated.
He further said, “When there was real peace in the Labour Party, someone was redeployed to the Labour Party and because of the antecedents of the person, [I don’t see things getting better].
PRP, a progressive Nigerian political party, was established in 1978 by Mallam Aminu Kano. It is rooted in social democratic principles and populist ideology, often focusing on the empowerment of the talakawa (common people).
Its current National Chairman, according to data obtained from the website of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is Mr Falalu Bello, while the National Secretary is Mr Babatunde F. Alli.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Director General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Ms Omolola Oloworaran, has highlighted strategies deployed by her organisation to ensure pension coverage is deepened in Nigeria.
Speaking at the ISSA Technical Seminar in Abuja recently, she said the steps taken were to build a more inclusive, transparent, and responsive pension system, where communication serves not just as information, but as a bridge to trust, accessibility, and sustained industry growth.
According to her, the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) has, over more than two decades, built a strong institutional foundation, but true inclusion goes beyond coverage to require trust and clear communication.
For this reason, PenCom has prioritised the Personal Pension Plan, strengthened stakeholder engagement, and invested in digital channels that reach contributors in accessible and relatable ways, she stated.
Ms Oloworaran further stressed that, “Effective communication is not a soft complement to regulation; it is a core instrument of coverage expansion, compliance, and public confidence.
“Every circular we issue, every benefit we pay, and every reform we introduce ultimately succeeds or fails on whether our members can understand it and act on it.”
The ISSA Technical Seminar, themed Improving Inclusivity and Accessibility of Social Security Services Through Effective Communication, was organised in collaboration with the International Social Security Association (ISSA).
It brought together key stakeholders across West Africa to advance dialogue on strengthening social security systems through clearer, more inclusive engagement.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Former Minister of Power, Mr Barth Nnaji, has run to the rooftop to declare that Nigeria has not secured financing for any major power plant in more than a decade, blaming policy reversals and weak government commitment for the prolonged investment drought.
Speaking at the Nigerian Association for Energy Economics conference in Lagos, Mr Nnaji said the country’s power sector lost momentum after a promising financing framework introduced under his watch was abandoned following a change in administration.
According to him, the partial risk guarantee instrument developed jointly with former Finance Minister, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had begun attracting international investors by reducing the risks associated with power projects in Nigeria.
“The world was galloping to us to finance power plants because we were getting a service guarantee,” he said, noting that the framework helped secure funding for the Azura-Edo Power Station, one of Nigeria’s most significant independent power projects.
However, he said the policy was scrapped after the administration changed, abruptly halting investor interest.
“Till today, we have not financed any new major power plant in Nigeria. That’s about 11 years ago,” he said.
Mr Nnaji argued that policy inconsistency remains one of the biggest obstacles to power sector growth, without clear, stable and bankable policies.
He said Nigeria will continue to struggle to attract the long-term capital required for large-scale electricity projects.
He also urged Nigeria to adopt a pragmatic approach to energy transition, stressing that natural gas should remain the backbone of the country’s power strategy. With more than 210 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, he said Nigeria is well-positioned to use gas as a bridge fuel for industrialisation and economic growth over the next two decades.
Yet, despite these vast reserves, inadequate infrastructure continues to constrain supply.
Mr Nnaji noted that the Nigeria LNG Limited is operating at only about 60 per cent of capacity due to insufficient gas availability, highlighting the urgent need for greater investment in gas production, processing and transportation.
He also cited the long-delayed Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station as a symbol of Nigeria’s execution failures. Although technically viable, the project has remained on the drawing board for more than 40 years because of weak political will and inconsistent implementation.
He noted that Nigeria’s power challenge is not a lack of resources but a failure of execution. With an installed generation capacity of about 13,000 megawatts, the country still produces only 4,000 to 5,000 megawatts on average. Until policy becomes consistent and infrastructure investment accelerates, reliable electricity will remain frustratingly out of reach for millions of Nigerians.
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