By Modupe Gbadeyanka

From December 2025, motorists will begin to pay to use the controversial Lagos-Calabar coastal highway currently under construction, the federal government has hinted.

The Minister of Works, Mr Dave Umahi, gave this hint in a feature interview for an upcoming State House documentary marking President Bola Tinubu’s second anniversary.

On May 29, 2023, Mr Tinubu took over from Mr Muhammadu Buhari, and began some reforms, which have been unpopular among Nigerians because of the pains they have been made to go through.

On the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Minister revealed that over 80 per cent of Section 1—spanning 47.47 kilometres from Ahmadu Bello Way to the Lekki Deep Sea Port and terminating at Eleko Junction—had been completed, adding that work is also progressing on Section 2, which covers 55 kilometres from Eleko Junction to the Lagos-Ogun border.

“By December, we will toll Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. We project a 10-year return on investment. The road has solar-powered lighting and CCTV infrastructure and offers carbon credit advantages.

“It is more than a road—it is an economic corridor and a catalyst for regional growth. We have completed 30 kilometres of Section 1 and are on track to complete an additional 10 in Section 2. These are six-lane, concrete-paved highways.

“Just days ago, we flagged off Sections 3 and 3B—65 kilometres in total—covering 38 kilometres in Cross River State and 27 kilometres in Akwa Ibom. The host communities’ excitement speaks to these projects’ transformative impact,” he stated.

 “God gave him the vision for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway seven years ago. Today, he is actualising that vision. These projects testify to his unwavering commitment to national development and a better future for all Nigerians,” the former Governor of Ebonyi State added.

Giving an update on the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, Mr Umahi explained its historic significance, noting that the route was conceived during the Shehu Shagari administration over four decades ago.

“The Trans-Saharan Trade Route dates back to colonial-era planning. President Tinubu is now bringing these long-abandoned visions to life.”

He reaffirmed that the legacy projects are economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and forward-looking.

He also disclosed that all the governors in the Southeast region are supporting President Tinubu, urging the undecided, including the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, to join the train.

He said the region was witnessing a new wave of federal attention and infrastructure development under his boss.

“The Igbo man is enterprising and blessed with God-given wisdom. What Ndi Igbo seek is fairness, Nigeria that treats every zone equally. That is what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing.

“Before, when I was governor and deputy governor, one of our major concerns in Ebonyi State was the lack of federal presence. But today, nobody remembers that issue anymore. Under President Tinubu, at least four federal projects are ongoing in Ebonyi State,” he stated.

He noted that while cries of marginalisation used to dominate conversations in the South East, the current administration has made significant progress in addressing long-standing concerns about infrastructure and appointments.

“Today, the South East has a Minister of Works for the first time, and we’re seeing real projects—Port Harcourt to Enugu, Enugu to Abakaliki, Enugu to Onitsha, Onitsha to Owerri, and the Second Niger Bridge. The President has already paid 30 per cent of the cost of that bridge.

“All the governors in the South East, regardless of party affiliation, are working with the President. We’re even planning a summit to bring together all South-East leaders to endorse the President for the 2027 elections formally. We want our projects to be completed, the country’s unity to be strengthened and proper integration of Ndi Igbo,” Mr Umahi disclosed.

“Leadership is not about self—it’s about the people. If someone else is already doing what you would have done for your people, support him. I call on my brother, His Excellency Peter Obi, to join us and work with Mr. President.

“He must be part of this summit where we will collectively endorse President Tinubu for the 2027 election. I say it boldly: the South East is happy with the President”, he added.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The advertising sales partnership between Aleph and Spotify has been expanded to include more than 80 markets across the globe, providing access to 20,000+ advertisers.

With this, Aleph’s teams will have access to Spotify’s Ads Manager to guide advertisers and agencies to leverage the platform’s full potential of advertising formats and targeting capabilities to ensure they can reach listeners during key moments, such as workout sessions, focused work periods and commuting to provide advertisers and brands with unique opportunities to connect with their target audience when they’re highly engaged and help reach their marketing goals.

In 2013, when both parties first sealed the partnership deal, it covered just four countries, but, due to trust and growth recorded in over a decade, they have reached over 80 countries.

The newly signed partnership brings Aleph’s comprehensive suite of services—including local media sales, payment solutions, creative support, and performance-driven automation—to effectively monetise Spotify’s advertising inventory and connect the brand with advertisers, streamlining and scaling Spotify’s ad solutions to 80+ markets.

Spotify Advertising has been modernising its ad tech, strengthening its partnerships and deepening its human expertise to make it easier for advertisers to buy, create, measure, and get clear results on Spotify’s ad platform.

Spotify’s efforts reflect a significant step forward in automated buying and creative innovation for the ad platform and the broader digital audio industry.

Most notably, Spotify is continuing to innovate its self-serve platform, Spotify Ads Manager, with more advanced targeting capabilities, new 1P & 3P measurement solutions, and new outcome-based objectives to help advertisers of all sizes create, optimise, and measure their Spotify campaigns, including Spotify Pixel, Custom Audiences, key third-party partnerships and a new App Installs objective.

“We are thrilled to partner with Spotify on a global scale, and especially excited and happy to extend the partnership to include Sub-Saharan Africa, namely in South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda.

“Our shared commitment to innovation and delivering exceptional value for advertisers makes this a natural partnership,” the Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at Aleph, Mr Stephen Newton, stated.

Also, the Global Head of Emerging & Scaled at Spotify, Mr Sam Bevan, said, “As we continue to grow our ads business, I’m excited to share that we’ve partnered with Aleph to streamline our operations, offer better solutions to advertisers and scale our business more efficiently.

“With the launch of our more automated solutions and Aleph’s exceptional global network and deep local expertise, we’re now able to offer advertisers around the world new tools and resources that will help them reach their campaign goals.”

Aleph is a global network of digital experts innovating at the intersection of media and payments, and Spotify is the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Lagos State government will begin the full enforcement of the ban on single-use plastics on July 1 after recent delays.

The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday, explaining that the state government has been intentional and strategic with 18 months of dialogue, engagement and transition.

Mr Wahab noted that within the space of almost 18 months, the government had a series of stakeholders’ engagements with marketers and producers of these products.

The state government in January 2024 banned the use of Styrofoam across the state, a decision that elicited reactions from residents, especially traders in deal in the sale of the product.

However, the Commissioner said the government had given an ample time to align with global best practices, noting that what is unacceptable elsewhere cannot become standard in Lagos.

“We re-emphasised this stand during a courtesy visit by management of TETRA PAK West Africa Limited, led by the Managing Director, Mr Haithem Debbiche.

“This is about environmental responsibility. And we have given an ample time to align with global best practices. What is unacceptable elsewhere cannot become standard in Lagos. We must protect our future and do what is right for the greater good.

“We’re not here to score points. We’re here to do the work. Just like with the successful enforcement of the styrofoam ban, we will insist on accountability and responsibility. A cleaner, healthier Lagos is within reach if we all play our part,” he stated.

In June, 2024, the federal government announced the ban on single-use plastics in ministries, departments and agencies of government.

The Minister of State for Environment, Mr Iziaq Salako, stated this when he briefed reporters at the Presidential Villa after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.

The Minister said the National Policy on Plastic Waste Management which was adopted in 2020, envisages that by January 2025, some categories of plastics, most of which are single-use, would be banned in Nigeria.

Mr Salako said the ban aligned with the government’s commitment to tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and plastic pollution, which had become menacing challenges in the country.

The minister said plastic waste often clogs drains and contributes to flooding, while also polluting the oceans and affecting human health and the environment.