By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr Jim Ovia, has been congratulated on his admission to the Freedom of the City of London.

The retired banker was congratulated by President Bola Tinubu in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.

President Tinubu described the honour as a fitting recognition of Mr Ovia’s exceptional contributions to business, innovation, and technology, as well as for his role in shaping Nigeria’s financial landscape and strengthening economic ties between Africa and the rest of the world.

“This honour is a testament to your unwavering commitment to excellence, your pioneering role in the growth of the financial services sector in Nigeria, and your visionary leadership that continues to inspire generations.

“As an accomplished entrepreneur and advocate of innovation-driven development, your recognition in the City of London affirms the global relevance of Nigerian excellence and enterprise,” Mr Tinubu stated, commending the Zenith Bank chairman for being a distinguished ambassador of the nation’s private sector and wished him continued success in his endeavours.

Admission to the Freedom of the City of London is an honour bestowed on individuals either for their service to the city or for their achievements.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Lagos State Government is setting up a material recovery facility at Badagry to boost waste management.

The chief executive of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said this initiative was part of efforts to reduce waste pollution and promote a circular economy.

According to him, LAWMA will close the Olusosun dumpsite at Ojota and other dumpsites to pave the way for the establishment of the facility and other waste-to-energy plants in the metropolis, noting that the construction of the material recovery facility will take about 15 months.

“When we close the dumpsites, we will divert the waste to a material recovery facility at Badagry. We will extract all the biogas to generate electricity and cover the waste.

“In the case of Olusosun, we are looking at working with industrial facilities at the back of the dumpsite, which can use the gas to power their generators,” he said.

Mr Gbadegesin said the state government was partnering with some investors to establish the waste-to-energy plants in strategic places.

“We are planning a biogas facility, we completed the feasibility study last year in partnership with the Swedish Government.

“Sweden has achieved zero waste because it takes up its sewage and organic waste and uses them to produce biomethane in large quantities.

“If they can do it, we can. We are planning to replicate the Swedish model here.

“Out of the 13,000 tonnes of waste generated daily in Lagos State, 6,500 tonnes are organic, which should not be going to landfills.

“We should be able to use the organic waste to produce compost for greenery and agriculture and also to produce biomethane,” he informed the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Lagos.

Mr Gbadegesin said the feasibility study for the biogas facility was done by LAWMA in partnership with the Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), adding, “It will be bringing in 2,000 compressed natural gas-powered buses. Once the biogas plant is completed, they will be using it.”

He noted that LAWMA was in partnership with a Dutch company to generate electricity through waste.

“We want to set it up at Epe. We have closed the landfill at Epe to set up the waste-to-energy plant. This will be set up in partnership with a private investor, a Dutch company, Harvest Waste.”

Mr Gbadegesin said that the Dutch company would support the setting up of the plant to the tune of 100 million euros.

According to the managing director, the plant would take about 2,500 tonnes of waste daily and produce 60 to 80 megawatts of electricity.

“From the development, we are moving to another level. It gives us hope that if we put our minds to development, we can be the best,” he said.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, has been advised to immediately resign from the position and if he refuses, he should be removed by President Bola Tinubu because he lacks the capacity to address Nigeria’s chronic electricity crisis.

This call was made by the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations (CNCSOs), which accused the Minister of incompetence.

In a statement jointly signed by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of CNPP, Mr James Ezema, and the National Secretary of CNCSOs, Ali Abacha, they described Mr Adelabu as “a typical example of a round peg in a square hole.”

The groups said over 40 per cent of Nigerians remain without access to electricity, while the rest rely on a national grid that delivers a meagre and unreliable supply of 2,000MW to 4,000MW daily—a situation unchanged since the 1980s.

“This failure has perpetuated a cycle of economic stagnation, job losses, and the closure of small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the backbone of Nigeria’s economy,” the statement read.

The coalition expressed grave concern that Nigeria continues to lag behind other African nations in electrification, despite its abundant human and natural resources.

The CNPP and CNCSOs also criticized Minister Adelabu for failing to leverage the Nigerian Electricity Act of 2023, which decentralizes electricity provision and encourages public-private collaboration.

“His inability to market these opportunities to attract local and international investors has exacerbated the nation’s power crisis and undermined the potential for economic recovery,” the statement added.

Adding weight to their argument, the coalition cited a recent report by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), which revealed three incidents of total grid collapse and two incidents of partial collapse in the fourth quarter of 2024. Despite these failures, Nigerians paid a staggering N509.84 billion to electricity distribution companies during the same period—an increase from the N466.69 billion spent in the third quarter of 2024.

The coalition emphasized that these alarming statistics, coupled with 12 grid collapses recorded throughout 2024, demonstrate the Minister’s inability to address systemic issues in the power sector.

“His continued tenure is untenable,” the statement declared, urging President Bola Tinubu to redeploy Minister Adelabu to a ministry aligned with his competencies within seven days. The coalition questioned the Minister’s qualifications, pointing out that his expertise lies in financial services, hospitality, entertainment, agriculture, and real estate—not the power sector.

“His appointment appears to be a case of political patronage rather than merit, and his performance has validated our concerns,” the statement said.

The coalition also took aim at the broader implications of the Tinubu administration’s policies, which they claim have bred poverty and discontent among Nigerians.

“While we acknowledge the President’s intentions to address the nation’s challenges, the incompetence of appointees like Minister Adelabu undermines these efforts and erodes public trust,” the statement argued.

In a resolute conclusion, the CNPP and CNCSOs called on President Tinubu to act decisively in the interest of the Nigerian people.

“The power sector is too critical to be left in the hands of individuals who lack the requisite expertise and vision. Minister Adelabu must resign or be redeployed immediately to prevent further damage to Nigeria’s economy and the well-being of its citizens.”

The coalition vowed to continue assessing the performance of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies under President Tinubu’s administration, prioritizing the interests of the suffering masses who yearn for good governance across the country.