General
Osinbajo Tasks Intellectuals on Reforms in Health, Education
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Vice President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo has called on academics to take a keen interest, especially in issues of education and healthcare, exploring options for reform and innovation in those human capital development sectors.
This was the highlight of a virtual meeting between the VP and a team of professors drawn from the six geo-political zones under the auspices of the Progressive Intellectuals Advisory Group (PIAG).
According to his media aide, Mr Laolu Akande, in a statement on Monday, Mr Osinbajo interacted with the dons on a number of topical national development issues and urged stakeholders, especially members of professional bodies to make contributions towards addressing them.
“Given the rate of interest in tertiary education, we cannot cope with the brick-and-mortar approach, we won’t be able to cope with the numbers in the near future because there will be millions more who will not be able to get into our schools,” he was quoted as saying while discussing tertiary education at the meeting held on Friday.
“One of the things I have been thinking about is how to be deliberate about online tertiary education. And how to develop it to the point where Nigeria offers the best services in the sector. One of the things I want us to think about is how we can develop this idea and in what ways we can put together a plan, even if it is just an outline so we can push the idea further,” he added.
Also in healthcare, Mr Osinbajo called on members of the group to support the federal government’s efforts to reform the healthcare system by contributing to ideas that will make health insurance work effectively in the country, stating that a Health Reform Committee was already in place looking at the issues.
“The second thing is health care and how we can fund it. It is evident that the government by budget alone cannot fund health care sufficiently and in the scope that is required,” the Vice President said. “No matter what we do and how hard we pushed, we still haven’t been able to get close to our Abuja declaration threshold budget for healthcare – either at the federal or at the state level.
“So, it is evident that we need to do something different and that is health insurance, it remains the way to aggregate or pull resources for healthcare. We now have a new health insurance law that makes health insurance compulsory and a few other provisions that are helpful. But I think that this is something that we have to take a good look at also.”
The Vice President then thanked the professors for their support in the race to the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries, describing their backing as “one that I greatly treasure above others.”
According to him, the visiting group of professors “understands better my motivation for running and the motivation for the views I expressed,” assuring them of his commitment to the cause of a better Nigeria and promised not to give up the struggle.
Leader of the group and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Shehu Adamu, also spoke about the need for Nigeria to strengthen the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) option to address the issue of access to university education.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its development partnership with Kano and Jigawa States, as part of its long-term commitment to development and reform in northern Nigeria.
The Head of Development Cooperation at the British High Commission Abuja, Ms Cynthia Rowe, recently completed high-level engagements with governors of both states as well as senior government officials and civil society leaders.
The discussions underscored the UK’s modern approach to development as a genuine partnership with Nigeria, which prioritises state-led ownership and sustainable development that delivers lasting impact through strengthening systems and partnerships grounded in investment, trade, climate financing, technical expertise and joint accountability.
According to a statement, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, via the British High Commission, said Nigeria remains one of the UK’s most significant development partners, adding that the engagements underlined the strength and ambition of the bilateral relationship reaffirmed during the recent UK-Nigeria State Visit.
In Kano, Ms Rowe met with Deputy Governor Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo and senior officials, including the newly confirmed Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the State Government. The visit recognised Kano’s progress on climate finance, health system reform and private sector investment supported through UK technical assistance.
In Jigawa, she met with Governor Umar Namadi and heads of key ministries, departments and agencies. The meeting celebrated more than 25 years of UK-Jigawa partnership, one of the most longstanding bilateral development relationships at the subnational level in Nigeria. Discussions covered the state’s continued progress on health systems reform, agriculture, and governance and the path forward under UK technical assistance.
Since 2022, PLANE has supported Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa to strengthen state-led education delivery systems, working through Ministries of Education, SUBEB and key agencies. Its RANA+ foundational learning packages have reached 1.4 million pupils across the three states, alongside wider system strengthening.
Speaking on this, Ms Rowe said, “For more than 25 years, we have worked side by side with state governments, including Jigawa and Kano states, their communities, and civil society to build stronger health systems, improve learning outcomes for millions of children, support farmers to grow their businesses, and help states attract the investment they need to thrive.
These visits have reinforced our confidence in what this partnership can achieve. We are working together to deliver lasting change, and deepening a relationship built on genuine mutual respect and shared ambition for Nigeria’s growth and development.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on data sharing to enhance economic productivity.
This was done at a meeting at CBN Head Office in Abuja, where the weather body led by its Director General, Mr Charles Anosike, on Wednesday, highlighted the importance of integrating weather and climate data into economic research, especially in sectors such as agriculture, energy, and transportation.
He noted that extreme weather events can reduce agricultural productivity and threaten food security.
He added that the collaboration aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which prioritises food security through major agricultural investment, including the cultivation of 10 million hectares of land and the distribution of mechanised equipment.
Mr Anosike cited a 2026 World Bank report that showed that extreme weather driven by climate change is significantly affecting global food security, with more than 87 million people facing hunger in East and Southern Africa and 52 million in West and Central Africa.
He also referenced the latest Berkeley Earth Report, which projects that 2026 is likely to be the fourth warmest year on record, a trend that continues to shape agricultural and energy market projections.
In his remarks, Mr Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, Deputy Governor, Economic Policy Directorate of the CBN, said the signing of the MoU marked an important step in strengthening the partnership between two key national institutions whose mandates intersect in data, research, and policy support.
He emphasised that, in an increasingly complex and dynamic economic environment, timely and reliable data remain essential for effective policy decisions.
According to him, the Economic Policy Directorate relies heavily on timely and credible statistical information from NiMet, saying that such data are critical for inflation monitoring, agricultural sector assessment, and broader economic policy advisory functions.
He described the initiative as both timely and important, adding that strong institutional partnerships are essential for strengthening evidence-based policymaking and improving the robustness of national data systems.
At the close of the event, Mr Anosike and Mr Sani Abdullahi signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Tunji Disu, has ordered an immediate nationwide ban prohibiting Point-of-Sale (POS) operators from running their businesses within a 200-metre radius of any police station, divisional headquarters, or police formation across Nigeria.
This directive, released via an internal police wireless message, addresses critical systemic challenges regarding extortion and corrupt financial practices within law enforcement facilities.
The order is to be strictly enforced nationwide, with senior officers overseeing various formations to be held accountable for any breach of the directive.
The Nigeria Police Force stated that the measure is intended to strengthen transparency, accountability, and public confidence in the policing system.
The decision comes after an alarming proliferation of POS businesses near police facilities, with investigations and public complaints revealing that some operators were actively complicit in facilitating extortion, bribery, and illegal cash transfers forced upon civilians or suspects during police encounters.
Under the directive, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs), State Commissioners of Police (CPs), and heads of formations will be held vicariously liable for any breach within their jurisdictions.
The IGP’s order states: “Any officer or POS merchant found flouting the 200-metre operational boundary or colluding in illicit transactions will face immediate disciplinary and criminal actions under extant laws.
“If you are a POS agent or looking into regulatory compliance for financial services in Nigeria, let me know. I can provide details on current Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) radius registration guidelines or share methods to report officer misconduct directly to the Force Headquarters.”
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