General
High Level British Delegation Visits Sudan
By Dipo Olowookere
A senior delegation from the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Department for International Development (DFID) visited Sudan on 9-10 January 2017 for wide-ranging talks. Led by FCO Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Simon McDonald and DFID Permanent Secretary Sir Mark Lowcock, the delegation travelled to Khartoum and Nyala, South Darfur.
Reflecting on the visit, Sir Simon said, “I’m delighted to have taken up the invitation extended by my Sudanese counterpart, Ambassador Abd Elghani Elnaim, when we met in London last October.
Relations between the peoples of Sudan and the UK are deep and historic, and our meetings over the last two days reflected that breadth.
“In addition to Sudan-UK bilateral interests, we also discussed human rights, conflict, migration, humanitarian and development assistance, economic matters, and the situation in the region.
“I am confident that our bilateral relations have a positive future. In my meetings with Government and the opposition, I urged them to not delay fully implementing the AU Roadmap and taking forward the national dialogue recommendations in an inclusive way.
“This is a key moment for Sudan to address its political and economic challenges and the opportunity should not be lost. The Government, the opposition parties and the armed movements must place the interests of the Sudanese people foremost and act accordingly.
“In Khartoum, the visitors met Foreign Minister Prof Ibrahim Ghandour and senior government interlocutors, as well as opposition figures and civil society representatives.
“In Nyala, the delegation was received by the Wali of South Darfur Adam Al-Faki and oversaw the launch of a cash-based transfer pilot in Otash camp.
Commenting on the launch, Sir Mark said: I’m proud to have launched in Darfur this innovative cash-based transfer project. Through this pilot, DFID, the World Food Programme and WorldVision, working closely with Blue Nile Mashreg Bank, will provide 75,000 people in Otash Camp with cash assistance, replacing the more traditional food assistance and vouchers, and providing greater choice for people participating in the programme. DFID spends £50 million per year in Sudan, and we are keen to work with partners on delivering more sustainable solutions for displaced persons where the opportunity allows.
This visit by the senior-most officials in the FCO and DFID was the third since the initiation of the Sudan-UK Strategic Dialogue in March 2016, and follows visits by the FCO Africa Director and the UK Special Representative for Sudan.
The British Ambassador Michael Aron emphasised the importance of maintaining high-level engagement: The UK is strengthening its relationship with Sudan through increased government to government dialogue. This is essential in order to respond to shared challenges including the deteriorating situation in South Sudan, increased migration flows and countering violent extremism. We are committed to building a dialogue that is frank and open, including on how the UK can support efforts to end conflict and promote peaceful political transition, and the central importance of respect for human rights and political freedoms.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to vacate the court ordering the freezing of the bank account of the Osun Srate government.
In a statement today by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President said he’s “deeply embarrassed not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate backed by a court order” because of its timing, which is just a few days to the governorship election in the state next Saturday.
According to him, actions of an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me, as the President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action.
“Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference. I have therefore deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC or any other investigative or prosecutorial agency because I firmly believe that strong democratic institutions, operating within the confines of the law, are indispensable to democratic good governance and the rule of law.
“As President, I am committed to allowing institutions of State to function and take any action they consider necessary in the interest of proper governance without the need for any prior approval. Indeed, that is why institutions are set up by law with clearly defined powers. While I am yet to be fully apprised of the facts which informed the action of EFCC in approaching the court to obtain the said order freezing the Osun State Government account, I am not in the slightest doubt that the timing of the action of EFCC is inauspicious, and therefore I feel compelled to intervene.
“Osun State is only a few days away from its gubernatorial election. Therefore, nothing ought to be done to give an impression that the EFCC or indeed any other agency of the federal government is being used to interfere with the election.
“Based on the foregoing premise, I am duty-bound to issue a directive on this issue in consonance with the overriding public interest in preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility, and fairness of our democratic process.
“Accordingly, I have directed the EFCC to immediately proceed to the court to vacate the order and discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government in this regard,” the statement stated.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has explained why it initiated a move to freeze the bank account of the Osun State government.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Governor of Osun State, Mr Ademola Adeleke, claimed that the anti-money laundering agency asked one of its bankers, First Bank, not to release funds to the state government.
According to the Governor, this was part of the strategies to frustrate his administration ahead of the August 15, 2026, governorship election in the state.
Reacting to the issue on Wednesday night, the EFCC, in a statement, said it has been investigating the state government since March 2026 over an alleged “fraudulent handling of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) account to the tune of N11.0 billion.
The organisation noted that some officials of the state government, especially the Accountant General of the State, have had interview sessions with investigators of the EFCC.
“These ongoing investigations of the state government would not have warranted any placement of Post No Debit order on its account but for the precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026.
“The commission noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities and had to swiftly halt the trend by freezing the accounts from which such heavy funds are being moved,” parts of the statement said.
In the disclosure, the agency noted that its preventive mandate is a public-inclined framework of safeguarding public funds, assets and resources, stressing that it cannot “watch idly while a state government’s account is being pillaged.”
“While the commission is fully aware of the impending governorship election in Osun State, it has a responsibility to act in defence of the sanctity of the funds of the state. It will be uncharitable for the commission to allow an excuse of an upcoming election to fold its arms to perform its legally-assigned functions,” it pointed out.
The EFCC disclosed that it is “keeping watch over the finances of other states like Osun State. Many of these states are on the investigative radar of the commission to ensure accountability and probity. The commission has always pointed out that it is non-partisan and non-sectarian but always working in the overall interests of Nigerians. The Osun State government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted.”
The organisation urged the public “to ignore false narratives and deliberate demonisation of the works of the EFCC. The interests of all Nigerians are greater and will always be protected by the commission.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has launched a mobile application designed to monitor fuel consumption patterns in real time across retail outlets nationwide.
The NMDPRA, established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, is responsible for the technical and commercial regulation of Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum operations. The deployment of the mobile application aligns with the authority’s broader efforts to leverage technology to improve regulatory compliance and strengthen accountability.
The pilot phase of the project began on August 1 in Abuja and its six Area Councils, the authority said in a statement published on X.
As part of the rollout, the Executive Director for Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure (DSSRI), Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, led a team alongside officials from the Abuja Regional Office to assess the readiness and operational performance of the digital platform at participating retail outlets.
According to the NMDPRA, the application captures inventory and compliance data in real time, enabling regulators to monitor fuel distribution more effectively while improving operational efficiency across the sector.
The authority said the platform would generate reliable, data-driven insights to support evidence-based decision-making, strengthen national energy security planning and enhance transparency in the downstream petroleum industry.
It added that the initiative is expected to provide significant value to government, investors, operators and other stakeholders by improving access to accurate fuel consumption and compliance data.
Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector has undergone significant changes since the deregulation of the petrol market and the removal of fuel subsidies, with regulators placing greater emphasis on data-driven supervision to ensure product availability, prevent supply disruptions and discourage sharp regional disparities in distribution.
