General
NSITF Rolls out Plans for Capacity Building
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has revealed plans to review its training structure for more effective and inclusive results.
This was disclosed by the Executive Director of Administration of NSITF, Mrs Maureen Allagoa, in Abuja, noting that staff of the agency would be exposed to more impactful courses both offline and online.
She said, “Our training structure has been reviewed to make it more effective, ensure that it is all-inclusive, need-based, and cost-effective. Continuous training using online modules on different courses will be introduced for all staff.
“We will also engage in train-the-trainer programmes to ensure transfer of knowledge and continuous capacity building.”
On the recent audit and subsequent redeployment of staff, Mrs Allagoa said the move was targeted at improving productivity, retooling, relearning, capacity building as well as ensuring that all hands are on deck towards achieving the mandate of the Fund.
She also encouraged all staff to make good use of the opportunity in a bid to achieve maximum results.
The NSITF had in August redeployed about 300 of her staffers after careful consideration of their core competencies, skills and qualifications.
On her part, Mrs Ijeoma Oji-Okoronkwo, General Manager and Head of Corporate Affairs of NSITF, said the decision followed a strategic reform in response to the allegations of misappropriation and embezzlement of funds levelled against the past management.
Mrs Oji-Okoronkwo said the reform was in two phases. The first dwelt on the reconstitution of the team that saw Mr Michael Akabogu, Mrs Maureen Allagoa, Mrs Temitope Akinwale and Mr Modu Gana as executive management members serving as Managing Director/Chief Executive, Executive Director Administration, Executive Director Finance & Accounts, and Executive Director Operations respectively.
The second phase of the strategic repositioning of the fund as approved by the Presidential Report, according to her, was to implement a strategic reform and change management plan that will see the Fund stabilise and secure the much needed public confidence.
The head of corporate affairs further said an essential part of the process of the implementation was the redistribution of staff to departments that match their qualifications, experiences and competencies.
She said a high number of redeployed staff have received their relocation allowances to ensure seamless relocation.
“Management is currently being trained on understanding regulations, processes and procedures for effective workflow and increased productivity in the public service, specifically designed to enhance the capacity of the management to deliver on its mandate while driving stakeholders’ satisfaction in government business,” she added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has said it would continue the probe of a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Ahmed Farouk, despite the withdrawal of the petition by Mr Aliko Dangote.
The agency said it had received a “notice of withdrawal” of the petition against Mr Ahmed, submitted by a legal counsel to the petitioner.
Recall that Mr Dangote had alleged that Mr Ahmed, a public servant, spent over $7 million in public funds on the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland, allegedly paying fees upfront for a period of six years.
In December, the businessman demanded the arrest, investigation, and prosecution of the former MD for allegedly living above his means as a public servant.
In the petition, Mr Dangote listed the children and their schools in Switzerland, including the amount paid for each of them to establish his allegations and verification by the anti-graft agency.
Mr Ahmed denied the allegations, describing them as “wild and spurious”.
The ex-NMDPRA boss has since resigned from his position, prompting a withdrawal of the petition by the businessman.
However, the ICPC said in line with the provisions of sections 3(14) and 27(3) of its enabling law, it would continue to investigate the matter in line with its statutory mandate and in the interest of transparency, accountability, and the fight against corruption for the benefit of Nigeria.
“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is in receipt of a letter dated January 5, 2026, titled “Notice of Withdrawal of Petition against Engineer Farouk Ahmed,” submitted to the Commission by Dr. O.J. Onoja, SAN and Associates, legal counsel to Alhaji Aliko Dangote,” a statement by the spokesperson of the commission, Mr J. Okor Odey, partly read.
“The letter from O. J. Onoja SAN, states that the petitioner has withdrawn the petition dated 16 December, 2025, submitted against Engineer Farouk Ahmed, the immediate past ACE/CEO of the NMDPRA, in its entirety, and that another law enforcement agency has taken over.
“The ICPC wishes to state categorically that, in line with the provisions of sections 3(14) and 27(3) of its enabling Act, the investigations in the interest of the Nigerian people and the Nigerian state have already commenced and are presently ongoing,” the statement added.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Sim Fubara.
The exercise commenced on Thursday and if successful, it would see the removal of Mr Fubara from office by the state parliament.
This is coming less than less than four months after he was restored as the Governor of the oil-rich state from a six-month suspension on democracy in the state.
In March 2025, President Bola Tinubu suspected Mr Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly over political tension between the Governor and his predecessor, Mr Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
A peace deal was reportedly brokered by Mr Tinubu between Mr Fubara and Mr Wike but things fell apart a few months after.
The Rivers Assembly is populated by loyalists of Mr Wike and has lawmakers from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
A few weeks ago, the Governor decamped from the PDP to the APC, in a move described as a masterstroke because it was calculated that it would free Mr Fubara from the grip of Mr Wike, who has been expelled from the PDP but yet to join the APC.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The petition filed by Mr Aliko Dangote to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against the former chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed, has been withdrawn.
The businessman had accused Mr Ahmed of using his office to enrich himself and living above his means.
According Mr Dangote, the former NMDPRA chief spent about $7 million belonging to Nigerians for the primary education of his four children in Switzerland.
In the heat of this, Mr Ahmed resigned from the position, with the ICPC promising to further look into the matter.
It was gathered that the owner of the Lagos-based Dangote Petroleum Refinery has withdrawn his petition against Mr Ahmed from the ICPC because a similar complaint is already being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The ICPC, in a statement signed by its Head of Media and Public Communications, Mr John Okor Odey, on Wednesday said, “The ICPC is in receipt of a letter dated January 5, 2025, titled ‘Notice of Withdrawal of Petition against Engineer Farouk Ahmed’, submitted to the commission by Dr. O.J. Onoja, SAN and Associates, legal counsel to Aliko Dangote.
“The letter states that the petitioner has withdrawn the petition dated December 16, 2025, submitted against Engineer Farouk Ahmed, the immediate past ACE/CEO of the NMDPRA, in its entirety, and that another law enforcement agency has taken over.
“The ICPC wishes to state categorically that, in line with the provisions of Sections 3(14) and 27(3) of its enabling Act, investigations in the interest of the Nigerian people and the Nigerian state have already commenced and are presently ongoing.
“The ICPC will therefore continue to investigate this matter in line with its statutory mandate and in the interest of transparency, accountability and the fight against corruption for the benefit of Nigeria.”
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