General
Businessman Expresses Optimism on Nigeria’s Future
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Frontline businessman and Chairman of Bresson AS, Mr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, recently x-rayed Nigeria’s current socio-economic and political challenges, reasoning that with a collective steadfastness the nation is surely going to get out of the woods.
Speaking at a public lecture delivered on the auspices of the Post Graduate College, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he argued that an agenda was clearly possible not just for the all-round development of the nation, but for a transformation for generations yet unborn.
At the event chaired by the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, Mr Olawepo-Hashim agreed that though slight progress has been made since the advent of democracy in Nigeria in between 1999-2015, Nigeria still remains a “Underdeveloped” by regular classification, which makes the question of an “Agenda for all round National Development” topical and germane.
“With 62 percent of the population living below 2USD a day, and considered poor, with life expectancy of 51 years, and over 40 percent illiterate population, bedevilled with a parlous infrastructure such as poor electricity distribution, poor road networks, and dilapidated health infrastructure, the underdevelopment profile was in bad relief” he stated.
According to him, though by the sheer nature of superiority of democracy over autocracy, Nigeria made some little gains between 1999 and 2015. Such gains where almost completely wiped off by 2015 July-2016 when the nation’s economy started contracting leading to her worst economic recession in 25 years -2.4 percent.
Regardless, he told the predominantly academia audience that “I remain optimistic about Nigerian development trajectory when we tap and build on the energy, creativity, imagination and the industry of everyday Nigerian which is the most important asset that Nigeria possess beyond her Oil wealth and Natural resources”
And beyond that, he praised the nation’s resourceful diaspora community comprising scientists, intelligentsias, innovators, professionals, footballers, and Entrepreneurs who are adding golden pages to the Nigeria rising story.
“In 2013, foreign remittances picked as much as $21 billion to Nigeria, mostly coming from the Nigeria diaspora. The diaspora community will continue to form a major pillar in the architecture of Nigerian socio-economic development.”
Mr Olawepo-Hashim declared matter-of-factly: “The crisis of Nigeria underdevelopment as we have highlighted above can only be confronted and resolved with a bold agenda and plan aimed at changing the present economy structure of dependence-it must be revolutionary.”
Suggesting a range of solutions, he capped it with a call for the New Nigeria Economic Plan to transform the Nigeria Economy to a manufacturing Economy, from agrarian economy, and change it from an economy that is based on production of primary products. Currently, according to FBS record, manufacturing accounts for 9.43 percent of Nigeria GDP while it provides as low as 0.3 percent of employment.
He went further: “Transferring the economy to a manufacturing will entail a number of policy incentives, such as creating a fiscal environment and collaborative monetary policy that will allow promoters of manufacturing concerns to accessing finance at single digit rate, ensuring available power to reduce manufacturers’ energy costs.
“Ultimately, Nigeria needs to grow the manufacturing sector in such a way that it will account for 30-40 percent of her GDP and be a major employer of labour. China is already an example of how an agrarian economy can be transformed into a manufacturing economy.
“As at 2015, manufacturing accounts for 40 percent of GDP of China. As at 2005, the manufacturing sector was also responsible for 11% of total employment. In India, the Industrial Sector accounts for robust 25 percent of GDI.”
At the lecture were the Provost, Post Graduate College, Professor Gbenga Alebiowu, Chairman of the event Local Organising Committee, Professor P.A. Olomola, members of the Board of Post graduate School, and a host of distinguished personalities, professionals, and politicians in the entourage of Mr Olawepo-Hashim.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Ministry of Finance has directed all shipping companies and airlines operating in Nigeria to submit their manifests through the Single Window Project (SWP) as part of efforts to strengthen cargo tracking and transparency.
The submission of shipping manifests before the change of policy was handled exclusively by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for onward cargo processing and port clearance.
However, following a memo from late last year signed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, all shipping firms and airlines were directed to integrate with the National Single Window platform to ensure seamless Manifests submission.
“I would like to bring to your attention that His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inaugurated the National Single Window (NSW) Project on the 16th of April 2024.
The NSW Project aims to streamline and automate import and export processes at Nigeria’s entry & exit ports, with the dual goals of enhancing trade facilitation and increasing government revenue.
“By integrating the operations of multiple government agencies involved in trade processes on one platform, the NSW platform will ensure faster clearance of goods and services, improve operational efficiencies at the imports and significantly reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks.
“Key components of the Single Window as defined by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and World Customs Organisation (WCO) include: (a) a single-entry point i.e. traders, shipping lines, airlines and other stakeholders should submit all required import and export documentation through a single-entry point on a centralized digital platform, and (b) single submission i.e. all documentation should only be submitted once and data only entered once.
“As a result, the NSW Platform will be the single-entry point of submission for all Sea and Air Manifests. Therefore, all shipping lines and airlines are therefore directed to integrate with the NSW Platform to ensure seamless Manifests submission,” parts of the memo read.
The Comptroller-General of the NCS, the chairman of the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS), the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) were copied in the memo.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The petition written against the immediate past chief executive of the Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed, which was withdrawn from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has now been taken to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The letter was written by the chairman of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Mr Aliko Dangote. It contained allegations of allegations of abuse of office and corrupt enrichment against Mr Ahmed.
The petition led to the resignation of the former NMDPRA chief from office last month.
It was gathered that Mr Dangote, through his legal representative, filed a formal corruption petition against him at the headquarters of the EFCC, with specific plea of prosecuting Mr Ahmed if found culpable.
The businessman said the withdrawal of the petition from the ICPC was a strategic move aimed at accelerating the prosecution process.
In the petition signed by his lead counsel Mr O.J. Onoja (SAN), Mr Dangote noted that, “We make bold to state that the commission is strategically positioned along with sister agencies to prosecute financial crimes and corruption related offences, and upon establishing a prima facie case, the courts do not hesitate to punish offenders. See Lawan v. F.R.N (2024) 12 NWLR (Pt. 1953) 501 and Shema v. F.R.N. (2018) 9 NWLR (Pt.1624)337.”
He further urged the anti-money laundering agency, under the leadership of Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede, “…to investigate the complaint of Abuse of Office and Corruption against Engr. Farouk Ahmed and to accordingly prosecute him if found wanting.”
“The commission’s firm resolve in handling this matter with dispatch is not only imperative and expedient but will also serve as a deterrent to other public officers out there with such corrupt proneness and tendencies,” he added.
Recall that on December 14, 2025, Mr Dangote raised concerns about Mr. Ahmed’s financial dealings, alleging that the former regulator is living far beyond his legitimate means.
According to him, four of Mr Ahmed’s children attended elite secondary schools in Switzerland, incurring costs running into several millions of dollars—an expenditure that raises questions about potential conflicts of interest and the integrity of regulatory oversight in the downstream petroleum industry.
Mr Dangote listed the schools attended by Mr. Ahmed’s children: Faisal Farouk (Montreux School), Farouk Jr. (Aiglon College), Ashraf Farouk (Institut Le Rosey), and Farhana Farouk (La Garenne International School), noting that each child spent six years in these institutions. He estimated annual tuition, travel, and upkeep per child at $200,000, totaling approximately $5 million for their secondary education.
Additionally, he alleged that Mr Ahmed spent another $2 million on tertiary education for the four children, including $210,000 for Faisal’s 2025 Harvard MBA program.
“Nigerians deserve to know the source of these funds, especially when many parents in Mr Ahmed’s home state of Sokoto struggle to pay as little as N10,000 in school fees,” Mr Dangote stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian author, Ms Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and her husband, Dr Ivara Esege, have lost one of their twin sons, Nkanu Nnamdi.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by Ms Omawumi Ogbe, on behalf of the family, the 21-month-old baby passed away on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, after a brief illness.
The statement said the family is devastated by the loss, and requested that their privacy be respected during this difficult time.
“We’re deeply saddened to confirm the passing of one of Ms Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Dr Ivara Esege’s twin boys, Nkanu Nnamdi, who passed on Wednesday, 7th of January 2026, after a brief illness. He was 21 months old.
“The family is devastated by this profound loss, and we request that their privacy be respected during this incredibly difficult time.
“We ask for your grace and prayers as they mourn in private.
“No further statements will be made, and we thank the public and the media for respecting their need for seclusion during this period of immense grief,” the statement read.
Ms Adichie is known for works including Half of a Yellow Sun, Americanah and her 2012 Ted Talk and essay We Should All Be Feminists, which was sampled by Beyoncé on her 2013 song Flawless.
The 48 year old writer had her first child, a daughter, in 2016. In 2024, her twin boys were born using a surrogate.
In 2020, her 2006 novel Half of a Yellow Sun was voted the best book to have won the Women’s Prize for Fiction in its 25-year history.
Her latest book, Dream Count, was published in 2025.
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