General
Analysis: Breakdown of Tinubu’s 175 Presidential Pardons
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Presidency on Saturday released the comprehensive list of 175 convicts and former convicts granted presidential pardon and clemency by President Bola Tinubu.
The list, which includes high-profile cases, illegal miners, white-collar offenders, and those convicted of capital crimes, underscores what the Presidency described as “the President’s commitment to justice, rehabilitation, and correcting historical wrongs.”
According to a statement issued by presidential spokesman, Mr Bayo Onanuga in Abuja, the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), recommended the release of two inmates, pardoned 15 former convicts (11 posthumously), granted clemency to 82 inmates, and commuted sentences for 65 others.
Additionally, seven inmates on death row had their sentences reduced to life imprisonment.
Business Post details a breakdown of each category of the crimes that were covered by the president’s leniency.
Breakdown of Pardons: Drug and Mining Offences Dominate
A review of data accompanying the presidential statement shows that drug-related offences and illegal mining offences accounted for the vast majority of the pardons granted.
According to an infographic released by Biorazi, 40 per cent (70 individuals) of those pardoned were convicted of drug-related crimes, making it the single largest category. This was followed by illegal mining offences, which represented 34 per cent (60 individuals) of the total. Together, these two categories made up nearly three-quarters of all pardons granted, reflecting the government’s recognition of rehabilitation efforts among offenders involved in non-violent but economically disruptive activities.
Financial and white-collar crimes accounted for 17 per cent (30 individuals), while violent or capital offences represented 14 per cent (25 individuals). Other categories such as property hijacking/maritime crimes (6 per cent), arms-related offences (3 per cent), and human trafficking/exploitation (2 per cent) made up smaller fractions of the total
Our analysis show that clemencies were granted to offenders whose crimes were primarily linked to economic hardship or systemic issues, more than purely violent intent.
Historical and High-Profile Clemencies
Among the beneficiaries are several notable figures, including Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, posthumously pardoned for an alleged 1986 coup plot, and Ken Saro-Wiwa alongside the Ogoni Eight, who were convicted in the controversial 1995 murder case.
The pardon also extended to Sir Herbert Macaulay, a nationalist wronged by British colonial authorities in 1913 for alleged misappropriation of funds.
“This move corrects long-standing injustices, honoring their contributions to Nigeria’s history,” the statement read.
Clemency for Rehabilitated Inmates
The statement also highlighted cases of clemency for individuals who demonstrated remorse and reform. Mrs Maryam Sanda, sentenced to death in 2020 for culpable homicide, received clemency after exhibiting good conduct during her six years at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre.
Similarly, former lawmaker, Mr Farouk Lawan, convicted of corrupt practices, and Mr Nwogu Peters, jailed for fraud, were among those pardoned after serving their sentences and showing evidence of rehabilitation.
Many of the 82 inmates who benefited were those convicted of drug trafficking, illegal mining, and financial crimes, who had acquired vocational skills or enrolled in academic programmes such as the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) while serving time.
Examples include Mr Abiodun Elemero, sentenced to life for cocaine trafficking, and Mr Aluagwu Lawrence, jailed for selling Indian hemp, both of whom earned clemency after years of good conduct.
A group of 36 illegal miners, convicted in 2024, also benefited, with Senator Ikra Aliyu Bilbis pledging to support their rehabilitation and empowerment.
Humanitarian and Reformist Intent
The Presidency emphasized that the exercise reflected President Tinubu’s belief in second chances and reformative justice, noting that seven inmates on death row had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment due to good behavior, ill health, or age.
“This gesture reflects the administration’s commitment to justice tempered with mercy, especially for those who have shown genuine remorse and a commitment to reform,” said Mr Onanuga, in the statement.
The pardons, presented during a Council of State meeting chaired by President Tinubu, have been hailed as a bold move toward healing historical wounds, promoting reintegration, and balancing justice with compassion. Critics have also noted that this was part of political play by the president as he seeks a second term come 2027.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has explained why it initiated a move to freeze the bank account of the Osun State government.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Governor of Osun State, Mr Ademola Adeleke, claimed that the anti-money laundering agency asked one of its bankers, First Bank, not to release funds to the state government.
According to the Governor, this was part of the strategies to frustrate his administration ahead of the August 15, 2026, governorship election in the state.
Reacting to the issue on Wednesday night, the EFCC, in a statement, said it has been investigating the state government since March 2026 over an alleged “fraudulent handling of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) account to the tune of N11.0 billion.
The organisation noted that some officials of the state government, especially the Accountant General of the State, have had interview sessions with investigators of the EFCC.
“These ongoing investigations of the state government would not have warranted any placement of Post No Debit order on its account but for the precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026.
“The commission noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities and had to swiftly halt the trend by freezing the accounts from which such heavy funds are being moved,” parts of the statement said.
In the disclosure, the agency noted that its preventive mandate is a public-inclined framework of safeguarding public funds, assets and resources, stressing that it cannot “watch idly while a state government’s account is being pillaged.”
“While the commission is fully aware of the impending governorship election in Osun State, it has a responsibility to act in defence of the sanctity of the funds of the state. It will be uncharitable for the commission to allow an excuse of an upcoming election to fold its arms to perform its legally-assigned functions,” it pointed out.
The EFCC disclosed that it is “keeping watch over the finances of other states like Osun State. Many of these states are on the investigative radar of the commission to ensure accountability and probity. The commission has always pointed out that it is non-partisan and non-sectarian but always working in the overall interests of Nigerians. The Osun State government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted.”
The organisation urged the public “to ignore false narratives and deliberate demonisation of the works of the EFCC. The interests of all Nigerians are greater and will always be protected by the commission.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has launched a mobile application designed to monitor fuel consumption patterns in real time across retail outlets nationwide.
The NMDPRA, established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, is responsible for the technical and commercial regulation of Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum operations. The deployment of the mobile application aligns with the authority’s broader efforts to leverage technology to improve regulatory compliance and strengthen accountability.
The pilot phase of the project began on August 1 in Abuja and its six Area Councils, the authority said in a statement published on X.
As part of the rollout, the Executive Director for Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure (DSSRI), Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, led a team alongside officials from the Abuja Regional Office to assess the readiness and operational performance of the digital platform at participating retail outlets.
According to the NMDPRA, the application captures inventory and compliance data in real time, enabling regulators to monitor fuel distribution more effectively while improving operational efficiency across the sector.
The authority said the platform would generate reliable, data-driven insights to support evidence-based decision-making, strengthen national energy security planning and enhance transparency in the downstream petroleum industry.
It added that the initiative is expected to provide significant value to government, investors, operators and other stakeholders by improving access to accurate fuel consumption and compliance data.
Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector has undergone significant changes since the deregulation of the petrol market and the removal of fuel subsidies, with regulators placing greater emphasis on data-driven supervision to ensure product availability, prevent supply disruptions and discourage sharp regional disparities in distribution.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
No doubt, moving money among African markets remains a slow, fragmented process that relies on multiple intermediaries and prolonged settlement cycles.
To solve this issue and drive the development of stablecoin-enabled payment services for businesses across the continent, Onafriq has joined forces with a leading stablecoin infrastructure provider, Privy.
The collaboration will enable Onafriq to create and manage embedded digital asset solutions for its partners and, in time, institutional clients where regulation allows. The initial phase focuses on cross-chain stablecoin transfers and treasury and settlement workflows, creating the foundation for future cross-border payment and liquidity solutions.
Integrating Privy’s secure infrastructure enables Onafriq to build the capabilities required to support a new generation of efficient digital payment services for banks, fintechs, and mobile money operators.
This partnership is a key component of Onafriq’s broader strategy to modernise pan-African payment infrastructure, enabling secure multi-modal wallets and more efficient movement of value across the continent.
The outcome will support a range of future institutional use cases, including stablecoin-enabled settlement, treasury management and liquidity services, as it reflects Onafriq’s commitment to driving Africa’s digital transformation agenda by investing in technologies that make financial services more efficient, connected and accessible.
It was gathered that Onafriq selected Privy for its enterprise-grade infrastructure to enable the seamless integration of digital asset wallet capabilities into its products, subject to regulatory approval, and deliver a simple user experience while abstracting the complexity of blockchain technology.
“At Onafriq, we keep investing in technology that makes payments faster and more accessible. Privy gives us a building block for faster settlement and better liquidity management. As demand for digital asset services grows, our goal is to ensure Africa’s payment ecosystem benefits securely and in line with regulatory frameworks,” the Group Chief Product and Innovation Officer at Onafriq,” Mr Luke Kyohere, said.
The chief executive of Privy, Mr Henri Stern, said, “Stablecoins will play an increasingly important role in the future of global payments, but real-world adoption depends on infrastructure that is secure, scalable and simple to implement. Working with Onafriq allows us to help build that foundation across Africa and beyond.”
