General
Osinbajo Heads Committee to Lift 100 million Nigerians from Poverty
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday inaugurated the National Steering Committee (NSC) of the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) to be chaired by the Vice President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo.
The President in a statement released through his media aide, Mr Femi Adesina, reiterated his commitment to lifting 100 million Nigerians from poverty in 10 years, with a well-researched framework for implementation and funding.
“This journey began in January 2021 when I directed the Chairman of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and Secretary to the Government of the Federation to collaboratively work together to articulate what will lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
“I am happy to note that the process of designing this inclusive poverty reduction strategy recognised and addressed past mistakes, as well as laid the foundation for a sustainable poverty reduction through the wide range consultations held at all levels of government, development partners, the private sector as well as the civil society,” Mr Buhari was quoted as saying.
President Buhari was confident that the NPRGS would address the underlying causes of poverty on the basis of which it developed programmes that would deal with the multi-dimensional nature of poverty within the practical context of comparative advantage of human and natural resources in the various geo-political zones.
According to him, the major challenge before the committee is to translate the good intention of the government into a positive impact on the average Nigerian in order to create an appreciative impact on the poverty situation in the country.
“If India can lift 271 million people out of poverty between 2006 and 2016, Nigeria can surely lift 100 million out of poverty in 10 years.
“Fortunately, we have already started but we need to unlock the challenges of slow implementation, inappropriate targeting, and absence of adequate resources,” the President said.
The responsibilities of the committee, he noted, include anchoring collaborative efforts; provide oversight for the implementation of the strategy; provide guidance to Technical Working Group and federal ministries, extra ministerial departments and agencies, subnational governments and other stakeholders on meeting the objectives of the programme; as well as monitor progress and any other effort that would enhance the attainment of the objective of lifting 100 million people out of poverty in 10 years.
“The performance of our economy despite COVID-19 gives me comfort that we can achieve our goal, but we need to seriously scale up and work more with state and local governments.
“This call becomes more pertinent in the face of recent forecasts by the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and our own Nigerian Economic Summit Group which all agreed that Nigeria needs to frontally tackle her poverty situation if our economic gains are to be sustained,” he told the gathering at the event.
Mr Buhari asked the committee to commence work immediately to enable the Technical Working Group to begin to put things together.
He said the responsibilities were onerous but expressed confidence that the committee would be able to lay the foundation and demonstrate, within the next two years, the practicality of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in or under 10 years.
In his remarks, Vice President Osinbajo said the NPRGS would consolidate other efforts of the government to reduce poverty in the land.
He noted that the President’s position that local governments, states, and the federal government should work jointly to alleviate poverty in the country would be properly reflected in the framework and implementation, stressing the need for access and inclusivity.
The SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha, who is a member of the committee, said the poverty situation in the country assumed an enormous proportion with an increasing population, adding that the situation was compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He, however, said the administration responded to the COVID-19 poverty fallout swiftly and was able to ameliorate the situation and ensured a quick exit from recession.
The committee also has as members Chief of Staff to the President, Governors of Ekiti (South West), Delta (South South), Sokoto (North West), Borno (North East), Nasarawa (North Central), and Ebonyi States (South East).
Others are Ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning; State for Budget and National Planning; Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development; Agriculture and Rural Development; Industry, Trade and Investments; Labour and Employment, Education and Health.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Cash and gifts worth about N15 billion were given out to distributors and customers of Dangote Cement Plc at a ceremony organised to reward their continued loyalty, resilience, and outstanding performance.
At the event, held recently at Eko Convention Centre, Lagos, the chairman of president of Dangote Industries Limited, Mr Aliko Dangote, described the distributors as the heartbeat of the organisation and thanked them for their dedication in ensuring the Dangote products reach communities nationwide.
Business Post reports that the 2026 Distributors’ Awards Night, held under the theme, Partner for Growth, recipients received an impressive array of gifts, including cash prizes, containers of cement, high-end SUVs, and CNG-powered trucks.
Mr Dangote used the occasion to reiterate the company’s Vision 2030 strategy, aimed at transforming Dangote Group into a $100 billion enterprise by 2030.
The plan, he explained, focuses on industrial expansion, cross-border investments, and building Africa’s self-sufficiency in sectors such as energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure.
“Your tireless work in the field, your alluring commitment to our products and your direct engagement with our customers are what turn our vision and strategies into tangible results,” he posited.
“Vision 2030, an integral aspect of our Africa First project, was borne out of my firm belief that Africa’s future will be built by Africans who refuse to accept limits – people who dream big, work hard, and never stop believing in what is possible,” he added.
On his part, chairman of the board of Dangote Cement, Mr Emmanuel Ikazoboh, highlighted the critical role of distributor partnerships in ensuring the company’s products reach every corner of the country.
“Tonight, we are giving out about ₦9 billion in cash to our distributors. For some of you, it will be a double celebration, as you may receive two alerts in recognition of both your volume and growth results,” he disclosed.
“In addition to the cash prizes, we have prepared other exciting gifts, including CNG-powered trucks, high-end cars, and more, to show our appreciation for your commitment and outstanding performance,” he added.
The board chairman further outlined the company’s plans to start the year strong by supporting its distributor partners, stressing the importance of supply chain efficiency and profitability as key pillars for growth.
Mr Ikazoboh also noted that the company has invested in new CNG-powered trucks, as the company’s target at the end of 2027 is to have all its trucks CNG-powered, supporting both logistics efficiency and empowering customers.
“We have made significant investments in new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks. This initiative not only empowers our customers but also emphasises our dedication to corporate responsibility and global sustainability guidelines. These rewards reflect our promise to support customers and champion sustainable business practices,” he stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Navy has launched Operation Delta Sentinel, a new maritime security initiative designed to curb crude oil theft, secure critical oil assets and support the federal government’s ambition to ramp up crude production to 2.5 million barrels per day by 2027.
The operation, which replaces Operation Delta Sanity II, was formally unveiled at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder Jetty in Port Harcourt, marking a renewed push to stabilise the Niger Delta and protect Nigeria’s oil-dependent economy.
Speaking at the launch, Commander Task Group 26.1, Operation Delta Sentinel, Rear Admiral Suleiman Ibrahim, said the initiative was aligned with the Federal Government’s drive to boost oil exploration and production under the Project 1 Million Barrels Per Day initiative of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
“The transformation from Operation Delta Sanity II to Operation Delta Sentinel is necessitated, among other considerations, by the Federal Government drive to increase oil exploration and production,” he said, adding that, “It is further anticipated that oil production would be about 2.5 million barrels per day by 2027.”
Rear Admiral Ibrahim, who is also the Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command, said Operation Delta Sentinel would run for an initial one-year period, subject to 90-day renewable mandates, and would focus on denying criminal networks access to Nigeria’s maritime and oil infrastructure.
“Our objective is clear and unambiguous: to deny criminal elements freedom of action, protect critical national oil assets, support legitimate economic activities and contribute to enduring peace and stability in the Niger Delta,” he stated.
He explained that the operation would rely heavily on intelligence-driven missions, enhanced inter-agency collaboration and advanced surveillance tools, including Maritime Domain Awareness infrastructure, new maritime platforms, and manned and unmanned air assets.
“Our approach will be deliberate, innovative and technology-enabled. These capabilities will enable us to optimise asset utilisation, improve situational awareness and maintain a proactive operational posture,” he added.
The Navy said early indicators already show progress, noting that crude oil losses have dropped by about 90 per cent, from 102,900 barrels per day in 2021 to 9,600 barrels per day as of September 25.
Earlier, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Chiedozie Okehie, highlighted the achievements of Operation Delta Sanity II, which was launched on December 30, 2024, to combat crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism.
“Operation Delta Sanity II lived up to expectations and made measurable contributions to national security and economic stability,” the Naval commander said.
According to him, between January 1 and December 31, 2025, the operation led to the arrest of 203 suspects, the deactivation of 324 illegal refining sites, and the seizure of stolen petroleum products valued at over N3.65 billion.
“An estimated 3.78 million litres of stolen crude oil, over 1.09 million litres of illegally refined AGO, 86,210 litres of PMS and 74,300 litres of kerosene were seized and appropriately handled,” he disclosed.
Rear Admiral Okehie added that the Navy’s operations, supported by collaboration with regulators, security agencies, oil industry stakeholders and host communities, contributed to a significant decline in crude oil losses, with NUPRC reporting the lowest loss levels since 2009 in September 2025.
With Operation Delta Sentinel now in force, the Navy said it is positioning itself as a key enabler of Nigeria’s oil production growth, investor confidence and long-term stability in the Niger Delta.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) have moved to formalise a closer working relationship under the country’s new tax regime to ensure that upstream oil and gas revenues get tighter oversight and improved collection.
The renewed revenue alliance was activated when the chief executive of NUPRC, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, paid a strategic visit to the chairman of NRS, Mr Zacch Adedeji, at the tax agency’s corporate headquarters in Abuja.
The engagement comes less than two weeks after new tax laws took effect on January 1, 2026, mandating deeper collaboration between sector regulators and revenue authorities in the collection of oil and gas proceeds accruing to the Federation.
Speaking during the meeting, Mrs Eyesan said the engagement was part of her post-assumption consultations aimed at aligning the upstream regulator with critical national revenue institutions.
“With the new tax laws now in force, it is important that NUPRC and NRS work in close coordination to ensure that oil and gas revenues due to the Federation are fully captured,” Mrs Eyesan said.
“Our mandate goes beyond regulation. It includes ensuring transparency, efficiency and accountability in revenue flows from upstream petroleum operations.”
She stressed that effective collaboration between both agencies would strengthen compliance, reduce leakages and support government revenue targets at a time of heightened fiscal pressure.
On his part, Mr Adedeji said the tax authority was committed to working with sector regulators to maximise revenue mobilisation under the evolving legal framework.
“The oil and gas sector remains critical to Nigeria’s revenue base, and collaboration with NUPRC is essential to meeting government revenue targets,” Mr Adedeji said.
“With clearer laws and better data-sharing between our institutions, we can significantly improve collection efficiency and enforcement.”
Both agencies agreed to deepen cooperation through information sharing and coordinated operational strategies, in line with the provisions of the new tax laws governing petroleum operations.
The meeting concluded with a shared resolve by NUPRC and NRS to prioritise national interest, tighten revenue assurance mechanisms and ensure that Nigeria derives maximum value from its upstream petroleum resources.
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