General
FG Seeks Legal Backing for Whistleblowing Policy, Recovers N83bn, $609m
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A significant step has been taken by the federal government to strengthen its whistleblowing policy introduced in December 2016 by the immediate past administration of Mr Muhammadu Buhari.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, at a one-day sensitisation workshop on the implementation of the whistleblowing policy in Nigeria, said the government of President Bola Tinubu has developed a draft bill to provide legal backing and protection for whistleblowers.
According to him, this bill aims to address the challenges hindering the policy’s implementation and encourage more individuals to report corruption and misconduct in the conduct of government businesses.
He said at the event themed Issues, Challenges and Way Forward that the bill would be presented to the National Assembly, noting that Mr Tinubu was committed to ensuring that the policy is pursued with strict compliance with the rule of law to achieve transparency and accountability in governance.
“The government acknowledges that more needs to be done to encourage Nigerians to own the fight against corruption and report financial misappropriation,” Mr Edun said, revealing that the country has recovered funds totalling N83.0 billion, $609.1 million and €5.5 million between 2017 and 2023.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary of Special Duties, Federal Ministry of Finance Mr Okokon Ekanem Udo, stated that the whistleblowing policy, since its inception in December 2016, has proven to be one of the veritable tools in uncovering corrupt practices within the public and private sectors.
It is aimed at empowering citizens to report to the relevant authorities about identified misappropriation of public funds and other fraudulent activities, thereby contributing immensely towards the institutionalisation of transparency and accountability in governance.
However, like other policies of the government, Mr Udo said the implementation of the policy has encountered some challenges.
“At the initial stage, there was widespread enthusiasm on the part of Nigerians about the introduction of the policy. The momentum and popularity that heralded its introduction need to be reinforced and sustained,” he said.
He announced that the sensitization workshop is designed not only to deepen our understanding of the wWhistleblowing policy in Nigeria but also to foster cooperation among the key stakeholders, which include the implementing team, the Civil Society Organisations, as well as members of the media.
In her closing remarks, the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Finance, Mrs Lydia Shehu Jafiya, said that it is imperative to focus on strengthening the protection of whistleblowers and safeguarding their identities. This, she said, will encourage more individuals to come forward and contribute to the fight against corruption and misconduct.
The Permanent Secretary, who was represented by the Ministry’s Director of Human Resources, Mr Olusola Dada, also observed the need to improve the Reporting Mechanism to make reporting channels more accessible, user-friendly, and effective.
“It is essential that these mechanisms not only facilitate the reporting of concerns but also ensure that those concerns are addressed promptly and transparently,” she said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, August 16, 2026, declared the incumbent Governor of Osun State, Mr Ademola Adeleke, winner of the 2026 governorship election held a day earlier.
Mr Adeleke, who contested under the Accord Party, defeated his closest challenger, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, to secure a second term in office.
The governor polled 511,067 votes, while Mr Oyebamiji scored 444,815 votes, giving Mr Adeleke a winning margin of 66,252 votes.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Mr Najeem Folasayo Salaam, came a distant third with 17,180 votes.
Mr Salaam had entered the election as one of the candidates expected to potentially emerge as a third force, particularly following the backing he received from former Osun Governor and former Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola.
However, that expectation did not translate into the numbers needed to seriously challenge the two leading candidates.
Mr Adeleke’s victory means he becomes only the third governor in Osun State’s history to win a second term through an election.
He joins Mr Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Mr Aregbesola in the state’s political history, although Mr Oyinlola’s tenure was later cut short following a court decision that nullified his election over irregularities.
Mr Aregbesola subsequently succeeded Oyinlola and went on to secure a second term, completing eight years in office.
Mr Adeleke’s re-election comes after a fiercely contested campaign marked by intense competition and reported violence from competing parties.
Despite those challenges, the governor consolidated his support across the state and secured a decisive victory over the APC candidate, extending his administration for another four years in the southwest states.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed the collapse of five transmission towers along the Ikot Abasi–Eket 132kV Double Circuit Transmission Line.
This was attributed to severe acts of vandalism, as TCN disclosed that the structure collapsed after vandals removed critical structural bracing members.
The affected towers were N9, J4, N10, N11 and N12, the organisation said in a statement on Friday.
It explained that the extensive damage was discovered during a routine joint line patrol conducted on August 9, 2026, by TCN linesmen.
Further inspection revealed that structural members from seven additional towers along the same transmission corridor had also been removed and stolen. The towers, J3, N8, N13, N14, N15, N18 and N19, are now structurally compromised and pose a risk of further collapse.
TCN condemned this act of sabotage and reiterated its commitment to working hard to maintain a robust and reliable national grid.
The statement said that to mitigate the impact on electricity supply, the network has been reconfigured to prioritise supply to Ekim transmission station, leaving Ibom Power as the only station without supply.
TCN said it is mobilising an urgent intervention to complete the reconstruction of the affected sections of the line, with security agencies also notified to aid investigations and prevent further acts of vandalism along the line route.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas, has urged all relevant government agencies to promptly initiate actions for the full implementation of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026, following its signing into law by President Bola Tinubu.
The bill, sponsored by Speaker Abbas, was aimed at repealing the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Act, Cap. N133, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and establish the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency to ensure effective economic regulation of Nigerian ports while safeguarding the interests of shippers, service providers, and users of regulated port services. With the President’s assent, it has now been enacted as an Act of Parliament.
The legislation represents one of the landmark achievements of the 10th National Assembly. It reflects the Speaker’s commitment to legislative excellence, institutional reform, and sustainable economic growth, according to a press statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Mr Musa Krishi.
The bill underwent a rigorous and inclusive legislative process, including extensive stakeholder consultations and a public hearing. It was passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly and subsequently assented to by the President.
The Act provides a robust legal and institutional framework to ensure effective economic regulation of Nigerian ports by fostering transparency, competitiveness, and efficiency in port operations; protecting the rights and interests of shippers, service providers, and other port users; and aligning Nigeria’s port regulatory system with global best practices, thereby enhancing the ease and cost-effectiveness of doing business.
Despite receiving presidential assent, the Act has yet to be fully operationalised.
He warned that any further delay would undermine the legislative intent of the reform, prolong the exposure of port users to arbitrary charges and operational inefficiencies, and deny the nation the anticipated benefits of increased revenue, improved trade facilitation, and stronger investor confidence in the marine and blue economy sector.
The Speaker urged the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, in collaboration with all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government, to take the necessary administrative, institutional, and financial measures for the prompt implementation of the Act.
He said this should include the formal transition to, as well as operational empowerment of, the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency to discharge its statutory mandate effectively.
The full implementation of the Act is critical to unlocking the economic potential of Nigeria’s ports, reducing the cost of doing business, strengthening trade competitiveness, and positioning Nigeria as the leading maritime and logistics hub in West and Central Africa.
The statement noted that the Speaker reaffirmed the 10th House’s commitment to exercising the necessary legislative oversight to ensure this landmark legislation, along with others assented to by the President, is fully implemented and achieves its intended goals for the benefit of the Nigerian people.
