General
Nigeria’s Security, Economic Problems Self-Inflicted—General Ayoola
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A retired Major-General in the Nigerian Army, Mr Henry Ayoola, has said the security and economic problems facing Nigeria are purely self-inflicted, noting that it was time the citizens took action rather than depending on prayers alone.
In his keynote address at the inauguration of the Africa Kingdom Business Forum Institute (AKBF-I), he recommended an “all citizens approach” to end insecurity, urging Nigerians to explore their rights to self-defence.
Mr Ayoola, while in active service, was the Chief of Defence Research and Development of the Nigerian Army and the commander of Special Task Force (STF) Operation Safe Haven in Plateau State.
At the event held in Abuja over the weekend, he said, “Yes, the security challenges! Well, one thing to say upfront is that our problems, not only security, simply put, are self-inflicted.
“We have been living like nobody is really interested in solving the problems because it’s not for lack of what to do. It’s not for lack of what to do, advice, ideas, or strategies, it just appears as this is the Eldorado some people know for Nigeria. This is our golden era, so we should allow it last.
“That’s what I see. I don’t see any palpable attempt to solve a problem. Like I said, one can easily conclude that it is self-inflicted problem.
“Not only because I know the genesis of those problems, having been a player in it myself but I think Nigerians themselves are too timid, too docile that we will just allow anything goes.
“We take everything and anything. At what point are we going to get sufficiently aroused as to rise up and solve our problems ourselves?
“I don’t know. What else do we want? Until half of us are dead or what?
“For me, self-defence, like I said, is a divine right, it’s a universal right – Article 51 of the UN charter talks about the inherent right of the individual and the collective self-defence. So, if somebody is threatening my life, I don’t have to wait until he has killed me before I respond.
“There is pre-emptive defence, which is part of self-defence. So, the ball is in our court really. Even the government is overwhelmed. So, it’s gone beyond them. It should be an all-citizens approach when everybody is ready to put an end to this nonsense we’re going through.”
Another speaker at the programme, Mr Sam Amadi, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), said the major issue facing the country was the leadership crisis.
The former Head of the Department of International Law and Jurisprudence at the Baze University, Abuja harped on the need to redefine the process through which leaders emerge in the country.
“Leadership presupposes a common vision. That means people have a vision of where they are going; they have a common understanding of the problems of Nigeria.
“Unfortunately, we have never had a common vision and a common understanding of our problem.
“Even before colonialism, our people were disparate people, different people and the colonial authorities put us together and never cared about our well-being. They put us together for their own good.
“When they left, our leaders were trapped into ethnic competition and that also led to why they didn’t build a common consensus.
“Today in America they talk of the American dream because different immigrants came together and had some degree of what America represents for them. That is the first problem of leadership in Nigeria.
“The second is: how do you recruit leaders? How do your leaders come up?
“They don’t need to be first class people but they are leaders, people who have gone through a process. If you look at countries all over the world: China, America, or Britain or any other places in the world, you see that leaders rise through a process that give those leaders some common vision about their country and some have some experience about solving problems.
“In Nigerian democracy today, leadership can emerge from anywhere. A mechanic who is doing his work can this year become Senator because the Governor likes him. So, the tide changes and people just emerge from nowhere. That’s another problem.
“The third issue is a leadership task, what should leaders be doing? So, leaders diagnose the problem, they pay attention. Why is there unemployment? In paying attention, they find solutions,” he said.
Speaking further, the visiting Professor at the Emerald Energy Institute at the University of Port Harcourt noted that, “The fourth become implementation of that solution. If it’s a leadership that is looking for ethnicism, you won’t implement it well because some of the solutions may require you disrupting some dominance if you take some actions.
“For example, when we were building the power sector, we knew that the best thing was for us to take the power to Niger Delta where we have all the gas. But because we are a country that is consumed by geographical competition, they can’t take it to the South-South.
“We have to take some to the North Central and so on. But those ones don’t have glass again. We have to spend a lot of money to carry the gas to those places.
“That’s a simple story that tells you that there is a dysfunction in leadership because leaders are not solving problems based on the based ways of solving them. They are solving problems in a way that will align with their own strategic ethnic geopolitical needs.
“So, the Nigerian crisis is a crisis of leadership. But we should start first with a vision – what we want to be as a people, understanding our problems – where are we in history? Where are we now? Why are we trapped?
“That is why we talk about restructuring; people don’t want to hear about restructuring. It is not about changing geography or changing who collects what money. It is about changing the underlying factors that are creating the problems we want to deal with.
“So, if you don’t want to solve those underlying structural problems and you keep preaching “we’re going to be a great nation” we have been preaching before you became President, the present President is doing his best preaching. Later, another person will come and start preaching.
“They blame the Nigerian people, the youths are not working hard, the Nigerian people are divided. That’s what they are answering because we don’t have leaders who have knowledge about the problem and the process of solving those problems and have the will to execute.
“Like I said today, you need humility to say that you don’t know and seek for answers to “why is this happening? Why is the economy like this?
“Look at Nigeria, a country that is spending 89% of its revenue serving debts, not paying for them and you keep borrowing. You dedicate 40% of revenue to seek for oil where you know that you may not find oil at a time you know that oil is a wasting asset. The future is to invest in human beings to create wealth.
“So, how can such self-deception lead to leadership growth? How can it lead to country prosperity?
“We’re trapped because we leaders who not even leaders because they neither have the priestly profile of humility and compassion nor the kingly profile of effective execution. They don’t know the problem, they don’t care about the people and they cannot even execute the solutions well.”
However, Mr Amadi expressed optimism that their strategic principles will change the direction of leadership in the country, pointing out that the birth of the institute “is a right intervention and that is what I have been saying that for years.
“They are now going about, bringing people together to show them why things are not working and should them patterns that can work and building in their understanding, knowledge and ethics of leadership.
“So, we’re not talking about governors. We’re are talking about leaders in ministries, parastatals, agencies, the private sector, youth platforms, and so on.
“Leadership is diverse. What they are doing now is the right way; it’s to solve a problem by identifying the problem and providing tailor-made solutions that deal with that problem.
“And that is what this platform is doing and it’s long overdue and the people behind it are people who have built experience over the years trying to solve problems. So, we have hope that it will succeed.”
Other speakers at the occasion like the Continental Chairman Africa Kingdom Business Forum (AKBF), Mr Steve Olumuyina as well as Mr Emeka Nwankpa, agreed that prayers were not enough in dealing with the several challenges of Nigeria.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria is set to strengthen its defence architecture by deploying artificial intelligence-powered surveillance systems and advanced anti-drone technology as part of efforts to modernise the country’s military capabilities, according to the Minister of Defence, Mr Christopher Musa.
He disclosed this during a high-level visit to Monaco, where he led a Nigerian delegation to conclude discussions on the multi-domain Hybrid Intelligence Shield (HIS) project.
According to Mr Musa, the initiative is designed to enhance border security, protect urban centres and improve the country’s response to emerging security threats.
The project is expected to introduce AI-driven surveillance systems capable of identifying threats rapidly through smart algorithms, while anti-drone technology will be deployed to intercept and neutralise unmanned aerial threats.
The government also plans to establish national and regional command-and-control centres to improve real-time coordination and response to security incidents across the country.
Mr Musa said the initiative would place strong emphasis on technology transfer and local capacity development through the establishment of a military Centre of Excellence in Nigeria.
He added that the federal government would leverage partnerships with international firms, including Marss UK Ltd, while simultaneously building indigenous capabilities to address insurgency, illegal mining, piracy and other security threats.
Nigeria has continued to battle multiple security challenges in recent years, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnappings in the North-West, farmer-herder clashes in the North-Central region, crude oil theft in the Niger Delta and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
Nigeria is stepping up its defence as the border region of Nigeria, Benin and Niger on the southern edge of the Sahel region is becoming a new stronghold for jihadists, as militants turn forests and pastoral networks in West Africa into bases for recruitment and international attacks.
Attacks in Nigeria have also risen, with data from the website of the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), a conflict-monitoring group, affirming that the number of suicide bombings in Nigeria by March already matched the annual average over the past six years.
The Nigerian military has also been dealt a blow to its military bases and senior figures targeted. In April, Brigadier-General Oseni Omoh Braimah was killed when Islamist fighters attacked a base in Borno State.
To also meet the defence goal, Nigeria is stepping up efforts to build domestic arms-manufacturing capacity.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria and Morocco are set to sign a major intergovernmental agreement later this year to push forward the long-delayed Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project, a multi-billion-dollar energy corridor expected to reshape gas trade across West Africa and Europe.
The agreement, expected to be signed in the fourth quarter of 2026 by President Bola Tinubu and King Mohammed VI of Morocco, follows the completion of preliminary technical studies for the ambitious project, according to officials from both countries.
The pipeline, also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, is projected to stretch about 6,900 kilometres along offshore and onshore routes across West Africa, making it one of the largest gas infrastructure projects on the continent.
With an estimated cost of $25 billion, the pipeline is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually once completed.
Discussions on the project gained fresh momentum during a telephone conversation between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and her Moroccan counterpart, Mr Nasser Bourita.
The project would not only strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries but also improve regional economic integration and expand Africa’s access to European energy markets.
According to Morocco’s hydrocarbons and mining agency, ONHYM, part of the gas supply will support Morocco’s domestic energy demand, while large export volumes will be directed to Europe.
The project, first proposed about a decade ago, is seen as a strategic alternative gas supply route amid rising global energy security concerns and Europe’s search for more diversified energy sources.
Beyond the pipeline, Nigeria and Morocco are also exploring broader economic partnerships, particularly in fertiliser production and distribution to support food security across Africa.
Both countries also agreed on the need to revive the Nigeria-Morocco Business Council to strengthen trade and investment relations under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
Analysts noted that the project could significantly boost gas monetisation opportunities for Nigeria, expand regional infrastructure development, and deepen economic ties between West African nations and Europe if successfully executed.
The Impact Investors Foundation (IIF), Nigeria’s leading platform for unlocking impact capital, today hosted the 4th Gender Impact Investment Summit (GIIS). The landmark event featured the historic unveiling of the Inclusive Capital Scorecard, a Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Baseline report, which establishes a foundation and clear understanding for GESI integration practices in impact investment.
The summit, themed “From Commitment to Action: Strengthening Inclusive Gender Lens Investment for Nigeria’s Growth,” convened at a critical juncture for deepening Nigeria’s National Women Economic Empowerment policy. Building on the momentum of previous years, where over 50 organisations pledged support for inclusive capital, the 4th GIIS serves as the definitive platform to translate high-level pledges into tangible, measurable results for women, youth, and the over 35 million Nigerians living with disabilities.
The centrepiece of this year’s summit was the GESI baseline survey, which serves as a reference point for tracking progress, informing interventions, and strengthening accountability toward achieving the national inclusive capital roadmap. It also features a policy roundtable, where regulators, ministries and government agencies made actionable commitments to strengthen cross-sector collaboration, and accelerate policy implementation for women, youths and persons with disabilities (PwD) in key economic sectors, including climate resilient industries. “The GESI Baseline Report is more than a document; it is the data-driven foundation required to fix structural barriers in our financial system,” stated Etemore Glover, CEO of the Impact Investors Foundation. “While women own nearly 40% of Nigerian businesses, they receive a disproportionately small share of formal credit. This report empowers stakeholders to identify acute gaps and benchmark progress as we move toward a truly inclusive economy.”
Ibukun Awosika, Chair of GSG Nigeria Partner and Vice Chair of GSG Impact, emphasised the significance of this milestone at the 4th GIIS: “By providing the data-driven foundation needed to benchmark progress, it demands that stakeholders not only mobilise inclusive capital at scale but also embed GESI and gender lens investment principles into every investment decision and policy. This summit is the definitive platform to close investment gaps, unlocking Nigeria’s full economic potential and ensuring our growth is truly equitable and transformative.”
The 4th Gender Impact Investment Summit (GIIS) acts as a vehicle to dismantle obstacles for women, serving as a catalyst for growth by actively driving impact to accommodate women, including those in the informal labour market. It moves beyond rhetoric to institutionalise accountability by encouraging organisations to not only track how capital is raised, but also the type of capital deployed, jobs created, enterprise growth, geographic reach, and measurable inclusion outcomes.
Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) are increasingly recognised as critical leverage points; by addressing the institutional gaps that leave women, youths and persons with disabilities-led businesses under-resourced, Nigeria can catalyse a new wave of data-driven investment and productivity.
The keynote address, ‘Turning Gender Equity into Economic Advantage,’ presented by His Highness Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II CON, Sarkin Kano, stressed the need for the intentional dismantling of structural barriers that hinder women’s financial inclusion, noting that gender equality is not merely a social imperative but a critical economic lever for national prosperity.
To facilitate immediate economic impact, the 4th GIIS introduced enhanced Deal Rooms, operating both virtually and in-person. These rooms are specifically designed to provide a direct matchmaking pipeline, connecting investors with ready-to-scale, women-led enterprises, leading to a soft commitment of about $250,000 from investors.
In addition, the summit featured technical sessions which emphasised institutional capacity building, equipping both public and private sector actors with the GESI diagnostic tools, investment readiness tools and data capturing frameworks necessary to mainstream GESI and gender lens investing (GLI) into their core operations.
The economic urgency of this intervention is underscored by current data showing a stark inclusion gap: only 23% of Nigerian women have bank accounts, compared to 77% of men. By providing credible, first-of-its-kind data, the IIF is positioning the GESI Roadmap as a strategic necessity for sustainable national growth.
The summit featured high-level participation from financial institutions, Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), and policymakers. Through interactive panels and policy conversations, leaders were invited to move beyond discourse and lead in GESI integration, utilising the new report to influence future policy and investment strategies.
The 4th Gender Impact Investment Summit reaffirms IIF’s role as a strategic architect in the Nigerian investment market, dedicated to establishing actionable interventions that ensure no one is left behind in the pursuit of prosperity.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn