General
Buhari Backs Giadom’s Fight for APC Leadership
By Chubi Eze
In a surprise move, Nigeria’s President, Mr Muhammadu Buhari, has announced that he will attend a meeting to be convened today, Thursday, June 25, 2020, by Mr Victor Giadom, one of the two men laying claim to the leadership of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), which controls the presidency and both houses of parliament.
In a series of Tweets, the president’s spokesperson, Mr Garba Shehu, said that: “The president has received very convincing advice on the position of the law as far as the situation in the party is concerned and has determined that the law is on the side of Victor Giadom as Acting National Chairman. And because he will always act in accordance with the law, the President will be attending the virtual meeting called for tomorrow afternoon.
“We urge the media to stop promoting manufactured controversies and to not give any further room for mischievous interpretations of the law on this matter.
“In addition to the president, the Giadom meeting will hopefully, be attended by our governors and leaders of the National Assembly.”
A former Commissioner of Works in the southern oil-rich state of Rivers, Mr Giadom is a political disciple of the Minister of Transport, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, himself a former two-time governor famed for being a vocal maverick.
There has been a growing rift between the factions within the APC since a Court of Appeal announced the suspension of the APC’s erstwhile chairman, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, a combative ex-unionist and former governor of Edo, who has presided over a tumultuous state of affairs at the party.
Mr Oshiomhole, perceived by critics to be a pugilistic politician who shuns consensus-building, has been locked in a fierce battle with a group of governors, who oppose his style and are perceived to be hell-bent on neutralizing him.
Mr Oshiomhole’s opponents say that he has repeatedly flouted the party’s guidelines by refusing to convene meetings of the party’s National Executive Committee, paying bloated salaries to members of the National Working Committee, and appointing unelected officers into the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Party insiders say that the president’s surprising show of support for Mr Giadom means that Mr Oshiomhole is almost certainly going to be expelled from the party’s NWC.
After Mr Oshiomhole’s shock ouster by a federal appeal court a few weeks ago, the party’s NWC endorsed the appointment of a former Oyo governor, Mr Abiola Ajimobi, to act in his stead. This was resisted by Mr Giadom who relied on an earlier court judgement to declare himself the party’s acting National Chairman.
Mr Ajimobi is gravely ill and while most observers saw the NWC’s coronation of Mr Ajimobi as an attempt by Mr Oshiomhole and his allies to run the party by proxy, Mr Giadom’s aggressive push to take over the party jolted the party’s hierarchy who tried, albeit unsuccessfully to expel him from the party through court judgements in his home state of Rivers.
The impasse effectively led to a schism, and a proxy battle between the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Mr Kayode Fayemi, Transport Minister, Mr Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Aviation Minister, Mr Hadi Sirika, Kaduna’s governor, Mr Nasir el-Rufai and the Bola Tinubu/Oshiomhole faction of the party.
A scrum of governors, upset at the manner in which one of their colleagues the governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, was humiliated out of the party by his predecessor, Mr Oshiomhole, his estranged predecessor, also joined the anti-Oshiomhole camp.
Since Mr Ajimobi was critically ill, after reportedly contracting coronavirus, the party’s executive committee settled on Mr Hilliard Eta, a little-known Cross River politician, who is believed to owe fealty to Mr Oshiomhole.
However, Mr Giadom refused to budge, using the courts and the law enforcement authorities to continue in his disputed role as the APC’s acting National Chairman. And while acknowledging that this was a temporary position, Mr Giadom has repeatedly said that he will only accept decisions taken by the party’s larger decision-making organ, the National Executive Committee (NEC).
Only one member of the party’s NWC, Mr Salisu Mohammed, the APC’s National Vice-Chairman (North-East), himself an avowed critic of Mr Oshiomhole, had supported Mr Giadom.
Mr Buhari’s public declaration of support for Mr Giadom has suddenly changed the APC’s internal dynamics. While the president is perceived as not being a natural politician, no party member would want to publicly challenge the president or oppose his choice of party chief.
Mr Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, an APC leader in Rivers and a supporter of Mr Giadom, praised the president for taking a position on the contentious leadership tussle.
He said that the APC’s NEC should confirm Mr Giadom as the National Chairman while it works towards organising a new executive for the party. He asked party members to sheathe their swords and coalesce around Mr Giadom to strengthen the party.
Mr Giadom’s ascendancy also poses a problem to the APC’s governorship candidate in Edo state, Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu. Mr Iyamu is backed by Mr Oshiomhole who had ensured that his former enemy-turned protege had a clear path to the party’s nomination in Edo.
Mr Ize-Iyamu now finds himself in a bit of a quandary since Mr Giadom had publicly rejected the party primaries that led to Mr Ize-Iyamu’s coronation, raising questions about their legality.
Analysts believe that Ekiti’s Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, the cerebral head of the Nigerian Governorship Forum and Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, one of the president’s most vociferous supporters are the arrowheads of a larger group of powerful governors that counts Jigawa’s Badaru, Kebbi’s Bagudu and Ondo’s Akeredolu as members.
The group, which includes other less-visible members, is said to be wary of Mr Oshiomhole’s combative style and his unwavering loyalty to the party’s “National Leader” Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos, who is one of Nigeria’s most polarizing svengalis.
Mr Tinubu, one of the most powerful men in Nigerian politics, is widely believed to be eyeing the presidency in 2023 and a formidable coalition of politicians and intellectuals has been trying to stop him. The word in political circles is that powerful Northern dynasts do not want a Tinubu presidency.
President Buhari’s decision to back the faction of the party opposed to former Chairman Adams Oshiomhole and his benefactor, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, has effectively altered the balance of power within the APC and suggests that a clearer picture is emerging in the battle for the presidency in 2023.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in partnership with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), has launched a strategic reform agenda aimed at enhancing port efficiency and strengthening Nigeria’s trade competitiveness.
The initiative was unveiled on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the opening of a three-day operational workshop in Apapa, Lagos, themed Customs Leadership in Port Efficiency, Inspection Reform and Clearance Timeline.
Speaking at the event, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, outlined a five-pillar strategy designed to transform port operations. The framework focuses on joint inspections, risk-based cargo clearance, optimisation of scanning infrastructure, enforcement of service timelines, and improved inter-agency collaboration.
Mr Adeniyi emphasised that the Service is shifting from policy formulation to effective implementation, stressing the need for consistent execution of established best practices.
He noted that the “workshop was aimed at bridging the gap between knowledge and action within the system.”
He further highlighted the transition to intelligence-led cargo processing, stating that ongoing investments in digital platforms and scanning systems must result in faster, more transparent clearance procedures for traders.
To ensure accountability, the Customs boss disclosed that the workshop would produce a reform execution matrix subject to close monitoring, adding that he would personally track progress reports.
He also urged officers to uphold professionalism, integrity, and commitment in the discharge of their duties.
In her remarks, the Director-General of PEBEC, Mrs Zahrah Mustapha-Audu, underscored the importance of adopting risk-based, data-driven inspection systems.
According to her, efficient and transparent border processes are essential to reducing the cost of doing business and improving Nigeria’s global trade standing.
Also speaking, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Tariff and Trade, Mrs Caroline Niagwan, said the evolving mandate of the Service places it at the heart of trade facilitation and economic growth, adding that efficiency must be reflected across all commands.
As part of the engagement, the Customs and PEBEC delegation visited the National Single Window facility, where they held discussions with the Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Mr Zacch Adedeji, and other stakeholders to review progress and address operational challenges.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Madica, a structured investment programme for pre-seed African startups, has announced new investments totalling $600,000 in three tech-enabled startups, including Nigerian data startup, Biovana.
According to the initiative, these investments further reinforce Madica’s commitment to supporting founders and startups often excluded from traditional venture funding. The other startups include Tanzania’s Kilimo Fresh and Kenya’s Hakimu.
Each company has secured up to $200,000 in funding and will take part in Madica’s 18-month programme. This includes a tailored curriculum, hands-on mentorship, executive coaching, and two fully funded immersion trips to key technology ecosystems, both locally and internationally. The startups will also gain access to Madica’s global investor network, helping position them for growth and long-term success.
Madica’s programme seeks to counter the concentration of Africa’s tech funding in a few markets, verticals, and well-networked entrepreneurs and instead drive more equitable growth across the continent. This is done by backing a mix of underrepresented founders, startups from underserved regions, and innovators in overlooked sectors.
Launched in 2022, Madica is a sector-agnostic investment program designed to address structural gaps in Africa’s startup ecosystem. The program tackles key challenges startups face, such as limited access to capital, a scarcity of investors, and insufficient mentorship. It also provides the structured support necessary for startups to resolve critical issues and foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and wealth creation across the continent.
Kilimo Fresh (Tanzania), co-founded by Ms Baraka Chijenga and Mr Justice Mangu, connects smallholder farmers in Tanzania to reliable urban markets by aggregating, processing, and distributing fresh produce through a technology-enabled supply chain, aiming to reduce food waste.
Hakimu (Kenya), Hakimu, co-founded by Ms Rawan Dareer, Mr Ahmed Ahmed and Mr Ahmed Elbashir, is building a pan-African legal infrastructure leveraging the power of AI.
Biovana (Nigeria), co-founded by two female founders, Ms Estelle Dogbo and Dr Jumi Popoola, is a data harmonisation and certification platform focused on unlocking African health datasets for global pharmaceutical, AI, and clinical research applications.
Commenting on the new portfolio companies, Mr Emmanuel Adegboye, Head of Madica, said, “Each new investment brings us closer to the portfolio we set out to build, one that reflects the full breadth and diversity of African entrepreneurship. These three startups join a growing community of founders we’re backing with the resources, relationships, and runway they need to succeed at this early stage. The opportunity across the continent is enormous, and we’re committed to being a crucial and consistent partner in realising it.”
“Joining the Madica portfolio is a significant moment for Hakimu. We’re revolutionising access to justice across Africa, and having a partner that understands the specific challenges and opportunities of scaling in Africa makes a real difference,” said Ms Dareer, co-founder and CEO of Hakimu. “We’re grateful for the trust, looking forward to the hands-on support, and clear-eyed about the work ahead.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu is expected to be among the leading public figures attending the next edition of the Africa CEO Forum, which will take place on May 14-15, 2026, in Kigali, Rwanda
A strong Nigerian private-sector delegation will also take part, including Mr Aliko Dangote, Mr Wale Tinubu, Mr Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, Mrs Adesuwa Ladoja, Mrs Rachel More-Oshodi, Mrs Zouera Youssoufou, Mr Karim Noujaim, Mr Dany Abboud, Mr Ayo Otuyalo and Mr Chukwuerika Achum. Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, will also be present.
According to a statement on Tuesday, the 2026 edition will convene in Kigali to address a defining question for Africa’s future: how to achieve the scale necessary to compete, integrate and thrive in a fragmenting world.
It comes as global power dynamics continue to evolve, while the ability of Africa to rely on competitive, agile and internationally integrated corporate champions has become a defining corporate imperative. In this shifting global landscape, one lesson is clear: scale is no longer optional. It is the first line of defence.
Organised by Jeune Afrique Media Group and co-hosted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Africa CEO Forum 2026 will convene Africa’s leading public and private decision-makers around a clear conviction: scale can only be achieved through shared African ownership.
The Forum will explore three strategic levers to build continental scale. First is shared equity, which will look to unlock cross-border equity investment to create multinational African champions. Mobilise African institutional capital across markets to strengthen resilience and enhance long-term returns.
Also, is shared infrastructure, which will take on designing complementary infrastructure to integrate African value chains. Champion transformative projects that serve regional, not merely national, needs and create truly connected markets.
Thirdly is shared frameworks, which is set to harmonise standards, rules and regulations to boost investor confidence and enable the free flow of capital, goods and services. Build future-proof digital rails for health, education, agriculture and cross-border payments.
Speaking on this, Mr Amir Ben Yahmed, President of the Africa CEO Forum, stated: “If Africa wants to compete in a world defined by scale, it must move beyond economic patriotism and embrace a new model: African capital investing together. Shared ownership, cross-border partnerships and continental ambition will define the economic future of Africa and the next generation of African champions.”
On his part, Mr Makhtar Diop, Managing Director at IFC, stated: “Africa has the capital and the opportunity to grow and create quality jobs. What matters now is putting that capital to work at scale. That means building trust, sharing risk, and investing across borders. The Africa CEO Forum brings leaders together to connect policy and private investment, and to help shape Africa’s next phase of growth.”
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