General
Nigeria Lacks Visionary Leaders—Dangote
**Begs FG to Stop Importation of Milk
By Dipo Olowookere
President of Dangote Group, Mr Aliko Dangote, has appealed to federal government to stop the importation of dairy product like milk just like with cement by coming up with what he called “draconian policy.”
The Africa’s richest man gave this suggestion in an interview with the Financial Times of London, where he was quoted as saying “Nigeria has always had a lack of visionary leadership.”
Mr Dangote, whose Dangote Cement controls over 65 percent share of the market in Nigeria, decried the fact that Nigeria still imports a lot of things that could be produced locally.
According to him, “What Nigeria needs is to produce locally what we can produce locally. Nigeria still imports vegetable oil, which makes no sense.
“Nigeria still imports 4.9 million tonnes of wheat, which does not make sense. Nigeria still imports 97 or 98 per cent of the milk that we consume.
“Government needs to bring out a draconian policy to stop people importing milk, just like they did with cement,” he was quoted to have said.
Speaking about his $12 billion oil refinery project expected to become operational in 2019, he said, “when we finish this project, for the first time in history Nigeria will be the largest exporter of petroleum products in Africa.”
When it is up and running, — the refinery will process 650,000 barrels of oil a day, a third of every drop Nigeria produces and approaching one per cent of planetary production.
That will make it the biggest oil refinery of its type in the world.
It will pump out all the plastic Nigeria’s 190 million population needs, as well as three million tonnes of fertiliser a year, more than all its farmers currently sprinkle on their fields.
The project requires sinking 120,000 piles, on average 25 metres in length. But, no port in Nigeria is big enough to take delivery of the massive equipment, which includes a distillation tower the height of a 30-storey building, and no road is strong enough to bear its weight.
Mr Dangote disclosed that he had to build both, including a jetty for which he has dredged the seabed for 65m cubic metres of sand.
There is not enough industrial gas in the whole country to weld everything together, so Dangote also revealed that he will build his own industrial gas plant. There aren’t enough trucks, so he’s producing those in a joint venture with a Chinese company, he added.
The plant will need 480 megawatts of power, about one-tenth of the total that electricity-starved Nigeria can muster, he further hinted.
Dangote is building his own power plant too.
For years, and absurdly, Nigeria has exported all its oil as crude and then reimported refined petroleum, such as petrol and benzene.
That has been a lucrative racket for the middlemen who scheme over import contracts and who concoct ways to scam a system distorted by subsidies.
“I am sure you know about this game,” Mr Dangote said. Because of its reputation for skulduggery, he said, he has shunned the oil trade.
“It is very simple to destroy a name,” he added, referring to a family business that stretches back to his great-grandfather on his mother’s side, Mr Alhassan Dantata, a prodigiously wealthy merchant who imported kola nuts from Ghana and exported groundnuts from Nigeria.
“But it’s very difficult to build it.”
Mr Dangote reiterated his desire to acquire London-based Arsenal Football Club, saying “I love Arsenal and I will definitely go for it.”
He reckoned that the football club is worth about $2 billion.
Speaking about his daily schedules, he said, “people call me in the middle of the night to tell me about their problems.”
According to him, Tony Blair, a former British prime minister and his friend had told him he needed to screen his calls. “Tony said he only makes three phone calls a day,” Mr Dangote said, adding that each day, scores of emails come rat-tat-tatting in. “You try to be polite and reply but they come back to you with a longer email, not minding that here is a very, very busy person,” he said.
He reckoned that he takes more than 100 calls a day.
“Look Aliko’,” he said Mr Blair had told him, “the world is not going to fall apart if you don’t answer your phone.’ “He, however, said his ambitions were changing as he is considering pulling back from the business, concentrating on strategy and letting others run things day-to-day.
“I’m trying to step back from some of the boards.”
By Dipo Olowookere
Nigeria’s Vice President, Mr Kashim Shettima, will run as the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
President Bola Tinubu retained Mr Shettima as his running mate for re-election next year, according to the National Chairman of the APC, Mr Nentawe Yilwatda.
In a post on Friday on X, the ruling party chairman described this as “another significant milestone in the journey of our great party.”
He also said it reaffirms the party’s collective resolve to sustain the Renewed Hope Agenda and deepen the progress already being recorded across the country.
It was gathered that Mr Tinubu submitted his presidential nomination forms today through his Special Adviser on Political and Other Matters, Mr Ibrahim Masari.
The submission was done ceremony at the Continental Hotel, Abuja, attended by several party chieftains, including The event brought together an impressive array of leaders of our great party, including the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Mr Hope Uzodimma; Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, as well as other governors, party executives and critical stakeholders from across the federation.
“The All Progressives Congress remains focused on strengthening its grassroots support, consolidating the achievements of the Renewed Hope Agenda and working together to build a more prosperous, secure and inclusive Nigeria for all,” the party leader stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have regained their freedom after 56 days in captivity.
The development was disclosed on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on X. He revealed that eight of the kidnappers have been arrested and are now in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), while some others were neutralised during the operation.
“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” he wrote.
He said no concession was made to the terrorists to secure the freedom of the abducted pupils and teachers.
Mr Onanuga explained that the kingpin whose release the kidnappers had demanded was neither freed nor spared, as he remains under prosecution for offences linked to his terrorist activities.
The abductions occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools: Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
No fewer than 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a principal, were taken during the attacks. During the attack, a teacher, Mr Joel Adesiyan, was killed while attempting to escape.
Another teacher, Mr Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly beheaded in the kidnappers’ den.
The terrorists holding the victims had reportedly made a four-point demand before agreeing to free the captives, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law.
The Oyo State Government had consistently maintained that no ransom would be paid to secure the release of any victims.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) embarked on a month-long strike in the state to press for the victims’ rescue before suspending the action in July.
It also drew federal intervention, with military and police authorities repeatedly assuring Nigerians that operations to secure the victims’ freedom were ongoing.
The President’s spokesperson said that security agencies would soon provide a comprehensive account of the operation.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The board of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has approved a $260 million financing package for the construction of a 123-kilometre section of the Trans-Saharan Highway in Nigeria as part of more than $417 million earmarked for strategic projects across West Africa.
The approval was granted during the bank’s 99th Ordinary Session, chaired by its President, Mr George Donkor, according to a statement issued after the meeting. It was noted that the total financing will support five public and private sector projects spanning infrastructure, healthcare, housing, mining, financial resilience and regional connectivity.
EBID said the approved investments underscore its commitment to funding high-impact projects that drive economic growth, create jobs and improve living standards across the sub-region.
“The projects approved during this 99th Board Session demonstrate EBID’s unwavering commitment to financing development solutions that directly improve the lives of West African citizens.
“From clean energy and transport infrastructure to healthcare, housing and financial sector resilience, these investments will strengthen regional competitiveness and support sustainable and inclusive growth across our community,” said Mr Donkor.
That of Nigeria is to improve connectivity, facilitate trade, reduce logistics costs and support economic integration; West African CFA franc (XOF) 10 billion in a line of credit to Banque de l’Habitat de Côte d’Ivoire (BHCI) to expand housing finance and support SMEs operating across the housing and construction value chain; €80 million for the design, construction, equipment and maintenance of the 150-bed Regional Hospital of Ferkessédougou in Côte d’Ivoire under a public-private partnership;
XOF 12.82 billion (West African CFA Franc) for the renovation, operation and maintenance of the Symphonie Building in Abidjan under a public-private partnership and $47.4 million for Azumah Resources Ghana Limited to finance the procurement of long-lead process plant equipment and critical early-stage development activities for the Black Volta Gold Project.
“These approvals advance EBID’s Growth, Resilience and Optimisation (GRO) Strategy, which prioritises transformative infrastructure, human capital development, private sector growth and regional integration. Through these investments, the Bank continues to promote sustainable development and shared prosperity across West Africa,” the statement said.
