General
Fubara Lauds Army’s Anti-Oil Theft Operations
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, has commended the Nigerian Army for intensifying its fight against pipeline vandalism and illegal oil bunkering, saying the security operations are yielding positive results by boosting crude oil production and improving national revenue.
Mr Fubara made the remarks while receiving the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Port Harcourt, ahead of the 163rd Nigerian Army Day Celebration scheduled to hold in Rivers State.
The Army Chief was accompanied by the General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Major General Emmanuel Emekah, and other senior military officers.
Speaking during the visit, Mr Fubara said the military’s sustained operations against oil theft and pipeline sabotage have significantly reduced disruptions to oil production.
“In the face of everything, I can conveniently say that there are a lot of positive things that our state has recorded in terms of security,” the governor said.
He noted that the Army’s efforts in curbing pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering had translated into increased crude oil production and higher revenue for the country.
According to him, the operations of the 6 Division Nigerian Army have also strengthened the security of lives and property across Rivers State.
Governor Fubara congratulated Mr Shaibu on his appointment as Chief of Army Staff and expressed confidence that his tenure would deliver even greater improvements in national security.
“I’m commending you because within the short period that you’ve been appointed, I can conveniently say that there are a lot of positive things that our state has recorded in terms of security. I wish that your tenure will record a lot more positive improvements for the Nigerian Army,” he said.
The governor also welcomed the decision to host this year’s Nigerian Army Day celebration in Rivers State, describing it as a vote of confidence in the state’s security situation.
“We are really happy that, in the face of everything, you chose Rivers State for this very wonderful celebration. This is significant for us. It speaks to two things: that Rivers State is peaceful and Rivers State is worth securing.”
Mr Fubara pledged continued support for the Nigerian Army, assuring the military of the state’s cooperation in ensuring the success of its operations.
“You’re doing this work and every one of us is enjoying the positive effects. We owe you our support. We are not going to rest on our oars in ensuring that we do whatever we need to do to make you succeed,” he added.
Earlier, the Chief of Army Staff said he was in Rivers State to participate in activities marking the 163rd Anniversary of the Nigerian Army and thanked the state government for its support.
“I want to specifically thank you for the support you have rendered us, especially the infrastructure, the stadium that you have put at our disposal for hosting the event and other things that you have done at the Divisional Headquarters as part of your own contributions to ensure the success of the celebration,” Mr Shaibu said.
The Army Chief explained that the anniversary would feature a week-long programme of activities, including civil-military engagements aimed at strengthening relationships between the Army and host communities.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, has announced that Nigeria will launch a new alphanumeric postcode system on October 1, 2026, with every home expected to have a unique postcode.
Mr Tijani disclosed the development in a video post on X, describing the new system as a more precise and digitally oriented approach to addressing locations across the country.
He said the initiative would mark a significant shift in Nigeria’s postal addressing system by assigning unique postcodes to individual homes.
The initiative marks a major step in Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda. By replacing the outdated numeric-only system, the alphanumeric codes provide a more flexible and scalable framework that can accommodate the country’s rapid urban growth and diverse settlement patterns.
For emphasis, an alphanumeric postcode system is a postal indexing system that uses a combination of both letters (alpha) and numbers (numeric), along with spaces or punctuation, to identify specific geographic locations, streets, or individual buildings for mail delivery.
Unlike purely numeric postcode systems (such as the 5-digit US ZIP Code or 5-digit codes used in some European countries), alphanumeric codes offer a much higher number of unique combinations using fewer total characters. This flexibility allows postal authorities to pinpoint locations with incredible precision, often down to a single side of a street or a specific large building.
“On October 1st 2026 Nigeria’s new Alphanumeric Postcode System goes live,” Mr Tijani said.
“For the first time, every home will be assigned a unique postcode that’s simple, precise and built for a digital future,” he added.
The minister urged Nigerians to prepare to generate their individual postcodes ahead of the launch.
The new system is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s digital addressing infrastructure and improve the identification and location of homes and properties for postal and other location-based services.
The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) as part of broader efforts to modernise the country’s addressing and digital infrastructure.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, has been directed to give an account to Nigerians on how the current government has fared since its inception on May 29, 2023.
This directive was given by President Bola Tinubu in a message posted on his verified social media handles on Wednesday.
This coincides with the commencement of campaigns for the 2027 presidential election scheduled for January 16.
According to the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), candidates seeking to become the country’s president are eligible to kick off their campaigns from today, Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
In his message today, Mr Tinubu said, “When we began this journey of reform in 2023, I promised that the difficult decisions we were making would serve the purpose of building an economy that works better for you and a country that is stronger for our children.
“Today, your government presents The Reforms Scorecard. It sets out what our reforms have achieved, what they have cost us, and the greater costs and harms we have prevented by acting when we did.
“I have therefore directed the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, to give an account to Nigerians, to explain the numbers, the choices we have made, the progress recorded, and the work that remains.
“You deserve to see the numbers. You deserve to know what has changed and what these reforms mean for you, your family, your business and our country.
“This is your government. This is your country. This is our account to you.”
Shortly after he took the oath of office over three years ago, President Tinubu declared that subsidies on petroleum products were gone. He later approved foreign exchange (FX) reforms, which devalued the Nigerian Naira, shooting from about N800 per Dollar to nearly N2,000 per Dollar. However, it is currently slightly above N1,340 per Dollar in the official market.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and the Nigerian Agip Exploration (NAE) Limited are advancing discussions on the development of deepwater assets estimated to hold 500 million barrels of oil reserves.
The development followed a meeting between the chief executive of the state oil company, Mr Bayo Ojulari, and Agip’s Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Mr Maurizio Pinna, in Abuja.
The talks focused on ongoing work on deepwater acreage jointly held by NNPC, NAE and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) as well as plans to bring the associated resources into production.
According to NNPC, the acreage comprises the Zabazaba and Etan deepwater fields, with estimated reserves of about 500 million barrels.
The fields are located in Nigeria’s deepwater terrain and are considered significant to the country’s efforts to expand its upstream oil production base, particularly as operators seek to advance projects capable of delivering additional barrels over the medium to long term.
While details of the expected production timeline were not disclosed, the meeting underscores renewed industry focus on unlocking Nigeria’s deepwater resources and growing crude oil production.
The acreage comprises licences converted from OPL 245 and is operated by NAE in partnership with NNPC Limited and SNEPCo.
Mr Ojulari and Mr Pinna also reviewed the work currently underway on the assets and the expected production outlook, with the discussions centred on advancing deepwater development.
The engagement comes amid renewed efforts to attract investment into Nigeria’s offshore petroleum resources and increase national oil production.
