General
Nigeria Outlines Strategies to Boost Economic Ties with Russia
By Kester Kenn Klomegah
Nigeria is an economic powerhouse in West African region. As it is publicly known, Nigeria is one of the Africa’s fastest growing economies and it boosts the largest population.
Under President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria has taken practical steps to continue bolstering economic and strategic ties with Russia.
Interestingly, Russia and Nigeria’s two-way trade remains minimal, far below expected level, given the fact that Russia is the biggest market in the Eurasian region and Nigeria the biggest market in Africa.
Relations between Nigeria and Russia can be traced back to the former Union of the Soviet of Social Republics era when diplomatic relations between the two countries were established. Since then, economic relations between both countries have steadily developed with a number of leading Russian companies establishing their presence in Nigeria. Russian investment in Nigeria covers such areas as energy, iron and steel, and hydrocarbon.
The Russian-Nigerian Business Council was also established to oversee economic activities between the two countries. It is also a platform for the two countries to sit down and draw up agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on how to conduct effective businesses and investment in both countries.
Now, new hopes in Moscow and Abuja are that the countries’ annual commercial ties have to be increased rapidly to billions of dollars during the next few years. Russia plans to help Nigeria explore for oil and gas.
Furthermore, Russia has expressed deep interest in Nigeria, highly pledging to build nuclear power plants, petroleum pipelines, railways and infrastructure.
Kester Kenn Klomegah recently interviewed Professor Steve Ugbah, Nigerian Ambassador to the Russian Federation, who discussed the current Nigeria and Russia economic cooperation, ways to improve trade and other key foreign policy priorities.
In addition, Professor Ugbah shares hopes and optimism for the future relations between the two countries.
How do you see the economic relations developing currently between Russia and Nigeria?
The economic relations between Nigeria and Russia are not consistent with the long-standing cordial relations between both countries. This may be attributed to the apparent inadequate knowledge of the many investment opportunities in both countries. Nigeria is a vast market with huge potentials for prospective foreign investors and so is Russia. Regrettably, investors from both sides appear to know little or nothing about these opportunities.
However, in recent times, efforts have been made to improve the economic relations between both countries through rigorous sensitization interfaces and negotiations by the embassies of both countries. Since, my resumption of office as Nigerian Ambassador to the Russian Federation, I have held talks with several Russian companies who have demonstrated keen interest to invest in Nigeria, as well as resuscitating several abandoned economic projects.
I would like to add that, with our current sensitization drive on the economic potentials in both countries, there is an encouraging upsurge of interest that we have observed recently with an increasing number of interactions between private businesses in both countries. So given this development, I believe in a short time there will be tremendous improvement in the economic relations between both countries.
By the way, what are the Federal Government’s key priorities and expectations from the Russian Federation?
The priorities of the Federal Government of Nigeria from the Russian Government include the following: to promote mutually beneficial interests, particularly the promotion of friendly and cordial relations between the government and people of Nigeria and those of the Russian Federation; as well as to facilitate good socio-economic partnership and establish business ties that will be beneficial to both countries.
In addition, also a key component of Nigeria’s interest is to protect and promote the security and wellbeing of Nigerian citizens resident in the Russian Federation.
These priorities are pursued majorly through interactions at official levels between both governments and between the peoples of the two countries; exchange of official visits and cultural programmes and the signing of series of agreements including the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) which has brought many Nigerian students to various institutions in the Russian Federation.
What is the state of development regarding infrastructure projects already began by Russia, at least, a decade ago, in Nigeria?
There are two major infrastructural Russian projects in Nigeria: ALSCON and Ajaokuta Steel Plant. ALSCON has been resuscitated, while negotiations are ongoing to operationalize Ajaokuta Steel Plant.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations with Soviet Union and now with Russia, trade figures have never balanced. What are your views about this trend and in what ways the trade imbalance could be reversed?
As I have stated earlier, the problem of low volume of trade and trade imbalance may be traced to the apparent poor or inadequate information on the vast investment opportunities in both countries. Concrete efforts have been made by the Embassy to increase awareness among Nigerian investors and their Russian counterparts on the many available investment opportunities.
I have held series of meetings with the Russian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Russia-Nigerian Business Council and several companies and private owned business establishments here in the Russian Federation to promote economic partnership between both countries.
My duties as Nigerian Ambassador in the Russian Federation include: to deepen the existing cordial relations between our two friendly countries; to open Nigeria to Russian investors with regards to our vast business opportunities; and to expose investment openings in the Russian Federation to Nigerian investors.
In order to improve the trade imbalance, the Economic, Trade and Investment Section of the Embassy has been rigorously involved in educating and informing Nigerian investors of the investment opportunities in Russia, as well as providing necessary assistance they may require to invest in Russia.
In Nigeria, how do political elite and business people perceive the economic changes, and what they make out from the changes, emerging opportunities in Russia?
Economic changes are keenly observed by both, the political elite and business people, as it helps them to make informed decisions that would improve the state of the nation and business, respectively. Nigeria views Russia as a strategic partner therefore, efforts are being made to harness emerging opportunities in Russia by Nigeria.
Could you please give us your interpretation of future perspectives of the relations between Russia and Nigeria. How would you like to see the relations develop into the future?
Nigeria-Russia relations have come a long way since diplomatic ties were established between both countries, dating back to the Soviet Union Era. This can be seen in the different levels of cooperation between Nigeria and Russia. Worthy of mention in this regard is the diligent implementation of the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA); Russia military assistance to end the Nigerian Civil War from 1967-1970; and, in recent times, military and technical assistance to help end the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East of Nigeria.
Recently, exchange of visits by senior public officials and private sector players from both sides have facilitated the prospects for even greater bilateral cooperation. I am hopeful that this cordiality will expand into various partnerships in different sectors that would be beneficial to both countries. Russia, as the successor state to the defunct USSR, is a strategic partner, with a lot of promise for greater mutually beneficial relations into the future.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has dissolved the board of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Plc over the company’s cumulative market obligations of N456.5billion and prolonged financial and operational challenges.
The regulator also appointed an interim board of special directors and directed the commencement of a transparent process for selecting a new core investor for the electricity distribution company.
The decisions were contained in Order No. NERC/2026/086, titled Order on the Regulatory Intervention in Kaduna Electricity Distribution Plc Pursuant to the Electricity Act 2023, which took effect on Monday, August 10, 2026.
NERC said the intervention followed an inquiry and consultations with key industry stakeholders, including the Bureau of Public Enterprises, and was necessitated by KAEDC’s prolonged regulatory and market defaults, inadequate investment and weak operational and commercial performance.
The commission said KAEDC’s cumulative market obligation since privatisation stood at approximately N456.5 billion as of May 2026, comprising N415.5 billion owed to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) Plc and N41 billion due to the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO)
The company also had other non-market statutory and third-party obligations amounting to N14.26billion, according to the regulator.
NERC said that since ASI Engineering Limited took over operations of KAEDC in June 2024, the company had accrued additional market debt of more than N118.6 billion as of May 2026.
The Commission described the company’s situation as grave, citing prolonged regulatory and market defaults, inadequate investment, weak operational and commercial performance, insufficient assets relative to liabilities and the absence of a credible pathway to sustainable recovery.
NERC said KAEDC paid only 41.93 per cent of its adjusted market invoices in 2025, resulting in a market shortfall of approximately N46.71bn during the year.
It linked the poor remittance performance to the company’s high aggregate technical, commercial and collection losses, which stood at 71.88 per cent in 2025.
The regulator explained that the losses meant KAEDC could account for only 28.2 per cent of the electricity received and delivered to end-use customers during the review period.
NERC also said ASI failed to meet its capital injection commitments towards recapitalising the utility.
According to the commission, KAEDC’s actual capital expenditure in 2025 was approximately N2.48 billion, against a minimum provision of N24.51 billion, representing only 10 per cent performance.
The regulator further noted that KAEDC’s meter coverage had remained between 33.26 per cent and 35.54 per cent since ASI took over the company, despite several interventions aimed at supporting meter deployment across distribution companies.
NERC said the company’s financial difficulties persisted despite approximately N6.58billion in regulatory derogations granted between January 2024 and May 2026 and aggregate Federal Government intervention disbursements of approximately N53.79 billion since July 2018.
It warned that the continued underperformance posed a material risk to electricity consumers, creditors, market stability and the continuity of electricity services.
NERC said it had previously notified KAEDC’s major shareholders and Afreximbank of the imminent intervention and required them to present a credible plan to address the company’s financial situation.
Representatives of ASI, NERC, BPE, Afreximbank and Fidelity Bank subsequently met on June 11, 2026, to discuss proposals for rescuing the company.
According to the commission, the parties agreed that ASI had not complied with conditions prescribed for its acquisition of a 60 per cent majority shareholding in KAEDC and had also failed to comply with BPE requirements for finalising the shareholding arrangements.
NERC said ASI subsequently requested an extension of up to 24 months to stabilise KAEDC’s cash flow, prioritise critical investments and deliver measurable performance improvements, including a pathway to full market remittance.
The regulator, however, rejected the request, saying ASI had been in effective control of KAEDC since June 2024 without a corresponding improvement in its financial and operational performance.
NERC subsequently resolved to exercise its powers under Sections 75 to 79 of the Electricity Act 2023 to dissolve the KAEDC board, preserve the company as a going concern and facilitate a transparent transition to a credible core investor within 12 months.
Consequently, the commission ordered the dissolution of KAEDC’s board and removal of all its directors from office.
“KAEDC’s board of directors is HEREBY DISSOLVED. All directors of KAEDC are removed from office, and the existing board stands dissolved pursuant to section 75 of the EA,” the order stated.
NERC appointed seven special directors to constitute the interim board for the transition period, with Dr Abdullahi Garba as chairman. Other members are Engineer Francis Agoha, Mr Aliyy Aliyu, retired Major General Henry Ayamasaowei, Dr Haliru Dikko, Mr Ayodeji Gbeleyi, representing the BPE, and Dr Abubakar Umar Hashidu.
The commission also appointed the incumbent Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Abubakar Umar Hashidu, as administrator for an initial six-month term, subject to review.
NERC said the administrator would oversee the company’s day-to-day operations, ensure continuity of electricity services, implement interim board resolutions, comply with regulatory directives and safeguard the company’s assets and records.
The commission also withdrew the Know-Your-Licensee approvals issued to members of KAEDC’s management team and directed affected management staff to present themselves for revalidation.
Meanwhile, NERC directed Afreximbank to coordinate an open, competitive and transparent process for securing a replacement core investor for KAEDC.
The preferred investor is to be presented to NERC for approval, with the process expected to be completed within 12 months from the commencement of the order, unless the commission grants a written extension.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has unveiled the Tinubu Light Initiative, a presidency-backed renewable energy programme designed to provide affordable clean electricity to one million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises across Nigeria.
The initiative, unveiled by the National Board for Technology Incubation during the National Showcase of the NextGen Innovation Challenge 2026 in Abuja, is also expected to create more than 50,000 direct jobs while supporting local manufacturing and accelerating the adoption of renewable energy.
The programme is targeted at reducing the high cost of energy that continues to constrain businesses, particularly MSMEs that rely heavily on petrol and diesel generators amid persistent gaps in grid electricity supply.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the NBTI, Mr Kazeem Raji, said the initiative was developed in response to the growing energy burden faced by Nigerian businesses.
Mr Raji said the Tinubu Light Initiative would deploy innovative financing models, strategic partnerships and renewable energy technologies to provide cleaner and more affordable electricity to MSMEs nationwide.
“The Tinubu Light Initiative seeks to change this narrative. Through innovative financing models, strategic partnerships, renewable energy technologies and nationwide implementation, this initiative will provide affordable clean energy solutions to one million Nigerian MSMEs,” he said.
According to him, lowering the energy costs of one million businesses would enable them to redirect resources towards expansion, investment and job creation, while strengthening the competitiveness of locally produced goods.
Mr Raji said the initiative would also go beyond electricity access by supporting the local assembly and production of renewable energy equipment, reducing carbon emissions and expanding access to digital financing, with particular opportunities for women and young entrepreneurs.
“This initiative goes beyond electrification. It is an industrial policy. It is an employment strategy. It is a poverty reduction programme. It is a climate action initiative. It is a national productivity agenda,” he said.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of rising energy costs for Nigerian businesses, with many MSMEs increasingly dependent on self-generation to sustain operations. The cost of petrol and diesel used to power generators has become a significant component of operating expenses, limiting production capacity and putting pressure on jobs.
Mr Raji said the Tinubu Light Initiative was aligned with the Federal Government’s broader economic strategy of leveraging technology, innovation and entrepreneurship to boost domestic production and create sustainable employment.
At the event, he also highlighted the NextGen Innovation Challenge, which attracted thousands of applications from innovators across sectors including renewable energy, agriculture, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, healthcare, manufacturing, education, fintech, climate technology and industrial engineering.
He said the challenge was increasingly becoming a platform for connecting Nigerian innovators with investors and supporting the transition of promising technologies from research and development to commercial applications.
Mr Raji disclosed that an innovator who participated in the inaugural 2025 edition secured a £1.5 million investment commitment, while agricultural technologies developed through the programme are being deployed in Kaduna, Bauchi and other states to improve productivity and reduce post-harvest losses.
He said the NBTI would continue to leverage its network of Technology Incubation Centres to identify innovators, provide mentorship, facilitate technology transfer and support the commercialisation of indigenous technologies.
Mr Raji further announced that the NextGen Innovation Challenge had secured the support of the Commonwealth Secretariat, which would enable the programme to expand beyond Nigeria into a Commonwealth-wide initiative involving all 56 member countries.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged all 19 presidential candidates announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish details of their assets and liabilities ahead of the 2027 elections.
The group also urged the candidates’ spouses, and where applicable, their unmarried children under 18, to do the same.
It further advised the candidates to disclose the legitimate sources of their significant assets and publicly reject vote-buying and electoral bribery before and during the election.
The organisation called on the candidates to instruct their parties, campaign organisations, agents and supporters not to offer or distribute money, gifts or other material inducements in exchange for votes.
The presidential candidates are President Bola Tinubu (APC), Mr Atiku Abubakar (ADC), Mr Peter Obi (NDC), Senator Sandy Onor (PDP), Mr Omoyele Sowore (AAC), Mr Donald Duke (PRP), Mrs Okwori Ada Elizabeth Frederick (NDP), Mr Chukwu Anita Zugwai (YPP), Mr Rufai Adekunle Omoaje (AA), and Mr Adenuga Sunday (Boot Party).
Others are Mr Memeh Samuel (DLA), Mr Nwanyanwu Daniel Danerechukwu (ZLP), Mr Okereke Sunday Chibuzor (LP), Mr Okereke Iken Esther (NRM), Mr Abbas-Bin Aliyu (ADP), Mr Dikwa Suleiman Mohammed (NNPP), Mr Adebayo Adewole Ebenezer (SDP), Mr Seyi Makinde (APM), and Mr Yusuf Kabiru (APP).
In an open letter to the candidates dated August 8, 2026, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation urged them to “go beyond the bare legal minimum and voluntarily embrace higher standards of transparency, accountability and integrity in seeking Nigeria’s highest elected office.”
SERAP said candidates seeking Nigerians’ mandate to exercise constitutional powers over public finances, natural resources, appointments and security institutions should be willing to subject their personal financial affairs to reasonable public scrutiny before asking for votes.
“Nigerians should not be asked to choose between candidates on the basis of who can spend the most money. They should be able to choose on the basis of policies, competence, integrity, character and their vision for Nigeria,” the organisation said.
SERAP said voluntary pre-election disclosure would enable voters to assess potential conflicts of interest and significant sources of wealth, strengthen public confidence in the electoral process and provide a baseline against which future changes in assets could be assessed if a candidate is elected.
“The 2027 presidential election presents an opportunity for political leaders to show that public office is a public trust. Candidates who voluntarily disclose their assets and reject vote-buying can show that they are prepared to uphold the transparency and accountability they promise to deliver if elected,” it said.
The organisation also cited constitutional and international provisions in support of its call, noting that although the 1999 Constitution, as amended, does not expressly require presidential candidates to publish their asset declarations before an election, it embodies principles of transparency, accountability, integrity in public office and meaningful participation in government.
SERAP noted that the Constitution already requires elected public officers, including the President, to declare their assets and liabilities.
It cited Paragraph 11 of Part I of the Fifth Schedule, which requires public officers to submit declarations of their properties, assets and liabilities, including those of unmarried children under 18, as well as Section 140(1), which requires a person elected President to make the prescribed declaration before assuming the functions of office.
On vote-buying, the organisation said the persistent use of money, gifts and other inducements to influence voters was a major threat to electoral integrity.
“We are also concerned about the persistent use of money, gifts and other inducements to influence voters. Vote-buying directly undermines the constitutional principle that sovereignty belongs to the people,” it said.
SERAP cited Section 14(2)(a) of the Constitution, which provides that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, as well as Section 125 of the Electoral Act 2026, which it said criminalises bribery and related conduct intended to procure the return of a person to elective office or the vote of an elector.
It added that vote-buying was particularly harmful amid poverty and economic hardship because it exploits economic vulnerability and risks turning a constitutional political right into a financial transaction.
It, therefore, urged the 19 presidential candidates to publish their assets and liabilities before the election, including relevant assets and liabilities of their spouses and unmarried children under 18, and disclose the legitimate sources of significant assets, including business interests, investments, real property, substantial gifts and inheritance, while protecting legitimate personal security and privacy.
The organisation also asked the candidates to commit to updating their public declarations if elected and explaining material increases in wealth; publicly reject vote-buying and electoral bribery; instruct their campaign organisations and political associates not to distribute money, gifts, food, transportation benefits or other material inducements in exchange for votes; report credible allegations of vote-buying involving their campaign organisations to the appropriate authorities; and sign and publish a public integrity pledge committing themselves, their parties and campaign organisations to peaceful, transparent, accountable and corruption-free elections.
“The choice before Nigerians in 2027 should be a choice based on ideas, policies, competence and integrity—not on who can spend the most money or conceal the most wealth,” it said.
