General
Buhari to Commission Lekki Deep Sea Port, Others This Week
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Muhammadu Buhari will be in Lagos on Monday and Tuesday for a two-day working visit to commission some projects within the state.
Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, told journalists during a press conference at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, that all hands were on deck by the state government to ensure a hitch-free event during the two days working visit.
The projects to be inspected and commissioned by President Buhari are Lekki Deep Sea Port, 32-metric tons per hour Lagos Rice Mill, 18.75-kilometre six-lane rigid-pavement Eleko Junction to Epe Expressway, John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, and Phase One of the iconic Lagos Blue Line rail project, as well as turning of the sod for the second phase of the project.
The two-day trip tagged A Festival of Commissioning to Lagos will also see Mr President commissioning a private sector project, MRS Lubricant factory, in Apapa.
He said: “Although Mr Governor had hosted the President during some of his visits to Lagos, next week’s visit by President Muhammadu Buhari will be one with a difference. It is a visit where Mr President will again see the beauty of Lagos and take the opportunity to see first-hand the life-changing and people-oriented projects that were conceptualized and completed by the Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu administration.
“Mr President is scheduled to arrive in Lagos on Monday, January 23, via the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammad Airport, where he would be received by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and some top dignitaries. There will be a short ceremony, which will include a cultural display, presentation of bouquet and inspection of the guard of honour by the special guest.
“Thereafter, Mr Governor will lead the guest on a helicopter to the Lekki Deep Sea Port for the official commissioning of the largest Sea Port in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Mr President and his host would be received at the Lekki Deep Sea Port by top Government functionaries and board members of the Lekki Deep Sea Port. There would also be a tour of the Lekki Deep Sea Port facility by the President, Mr Governor and other guests.
“The President is expected to drive through and commission the newly constructed Eleko Junction to Epe road project before departing via helicopter to the Lagos Rice Mill in Imota. While at Imota, Mr President will take a tour of the Rice Mill facilities and show Lagos State Government’s readiness to bridge the deficit in local rice production. The President will commission the Rice Mill, which is the
“We all know that Lagos is known for a great sense of hospitality and conviviality. These great Lagos attributes would be on display on the evening of Monday 23, during the State banquet being organised to honour our guests. Mr Governor and his spouse, Dr (Mrs) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, will lead other dignitaries to give President Muhammadu Buhari a befitting Lagos welcome. There will be musical performances and other forms of entertainment to make the evening a very memorable one for Mr President and all the invited guests.”
Mr Omotoso also disclosed that President Buhari, during his two-day visit to Lagos, will commission the MRS Lubricant factory, a private sector project in Apapa.
“He will depart Apapa for the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History for commissioning and a tour of the Museum. The John Randle Museum, the first of its kind in black Africa, will afford the President the opportunity to interact with art enthusiasts, curators, historians and academia, and students who have been invited to the programme.
“Subsequently, Mr President will move to the Lagos Blue Line Rail Project in Marina, where different activities have been lined up for him. At the Blue Line Terminal, Mr President will witness the signing of phase II of the rail project, which begins from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko. He will also commission Phase I and take a train ride from Marina to Mile 2 and back and depart Lagos,” he added.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy said the security personnel would be at strategic places to prevent unforeseen circumstances. He implored residents not to panic due to the influx of security operatives deployed for the presidential visits to the State as provided in developed countries.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Frederic Oladeinde, said there would be restrictions on some roads, including the Ademola Adetokunbo road on Victoria Island, from 6 am to 3 pm on Tuesday, January 24 and therefore urged motorists going to the Island to make use of the Falomo bridge route.
Mr Oladeinde also appealed to the motoring public to exercise patience and cooperate with traffic management personnel to ensure free vehicular movement.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria will hold next year’s presidential and National Assembly elections a month earlier than planned, after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) revised the polling schedule.
The elections will be held on January 16, instead of the previously announced date of February 20, INEC said in an X post, signed by Mr Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee.
There were also changes to the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections initially fixed for Saturday, March 6 2027, in line with the Electoral Act, 2022, have now been moved to Saturday, February 6, 2027.
The electoral commission said the changes were caused by the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026 and the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022, which introduced adjustments to statutory timelines governing pre-election and electoral activities.
“The Commission reviewed and realigned the schedule to ensure compliance with the new legal framework,” it said.
INEC said party primaries (including resolution of disputes) will commence on April 23, 2026 and end on May 30, 2026, after which Presidential and National Assembly campaigns will begin on August 19, 2026, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly campaigns will begin on September 9, 2026.
It noted that campaigns will end 24 hours before Election Day, and political parties have been advised to strictly adhere to the timelines.
INEC also stated it will enforce compliance with the law.
The electoral body also rescheduled the Osun Governorship election which was earlier scheduled for Saturday, August 8 2026, by a week to Saturday, August 15, 2026.
INEC noted that some activities regarding the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections have already been conducted, and the remaining activities will be implemented in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2026.
Speaking at a news briefing in Abuja two weeks ago, the chairman of INEC, Mr Joash Amupitan, expressed the readiness of the commission to conduct the polls next year.
The timetable issued by the organisation for the polls at the time came when the federal parliament had yet to transmit the amended electoral bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
Later that week, the Senate passed the electoral bill, reducing the notice of elections from 360 days to 180 days, while the transmission of results was mandated with a proviso.
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.
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