General
Suspension of Electricity Tariff Hike Extended by One Week
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The suspension of the implementation of the recent hike in the tariff of electricity in Nigeria has been extended by one week by the federal government.
The extension was agreed on Sunday during a meeting between the federal government and representatives of the labour unions.
Yesterday, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, led the government delegates to meet with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Recall that on September 28, 2020, at a meeting between both parties held to avert an industrial action because of the hike in prices of petrol and electricity, it was agreed that while the removal of subsidy for fuel should be maintained, the price of electricity should be reversed to the old rate.
It was then agreed that a committee should be set up to have representatives of the government and the labour unions to review the new service-based electricity tariff policy for two weeks.
On Sunday, the suspension of the electricity hike expired and the committee met to look into their findings and at the gathering, it was concluded that another one week should be given.
“The two-week extension for electricity tariffs, which expired this week, will be extended by another one week.” the Minister of Labour, Mr Chris Ngige, announced while reading a communiqué from the meeting.
In the communiqué signed by the Minister of State for Labour, Mr Festus Keyamo, the resolutions of the panel on the distribution of one million meters to bridge the metering gap in the country in the first instance was adopted.
This would be done under the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) and the target is to provide at least six million meters to Nigerians free of charge based on the funding by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), but the cost would be recovered from the electricity distribution companies.
The six million meters to be procured for the NMMP will only be through local meter manufacturers and assemblers. “This will create jobs and a new meter manufacturing sub-sector in the country,” it was noted.
It was further resolved that there would be a mandatory monthly publication of allowed billings in Naira for unmetered customers by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to make the capping regulation more effective.
“NERC will publish maximum charges in Naira for consumers without meters (in support of the capping regulation). Current rates at times are published in energy usage kWh and are difficult for consumers to reconcile against their bills,” it was stated.
It was also stressed that “Discos must refund consumers that have evidence that they were overbilled during the transition to the service based tariff. Any evidence of overcharging identified through the extended Ad-hoc committee scope will also be reimbursed by the discos.”
In addition, the parties agreed that after the expiration of the one-week extension, there would be a reduction of the tariffs by 10 per cent for band A, 10.5 per cent for band B and 31 per cent for band C.
“The immediate relief would be provided to citizens for a 2 to 3-month period (not later than December 31, 2020), being the timeline for the conclusion of an extended scope of work for the technical committee,” it noted.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidency has reacted to speculations that Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has been removed as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
It was alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila has been replaced with the President’s Principal Private Secretary, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
Mr Muri-Okunola went to Abuja to take up this role after leaving as the Head of Service of the Lagos State Civil Service.
Reacting to the reports on social media on the purported removal of Mr Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, the presidency said no such change has been made.
In a statement signed on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, members of the public were advised to disregard the report as “there is absolutely no truth to this story.”
“The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.
“The viral claim is a fabrication by mischievous purveyors of fake news whose sole aim is to create disharmony within the government.
“We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media,” the statement said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The new chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has assumed office with a clear message to advance the country’s upstream oil and gas sector in line with the mandate of the commission as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
According to a statement signed by Mr Eniola Akinkuotu, the Head of Media & Strategic Communications at the upstream regulator, the NUPRC boss made this assertation during her first town hall meeting with management and staff on Tuesday December 23, 2025.
She further disclosed plans to make the commission a business enabler and re-ignite investments in the upstream sector.
Recall that President Tinubu nominated Mrs Eyesan to take over the NUPRC after the abrupt resignation of her predecessor, Mr Gbenga Komolafe as well as his counterpart in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed.
In her new capacity, Mrs Eyesan also set a firm production ambition of growing Nigeria’s output and increasing gas production.
“The goal is that we must enable the industry, we are regulators. We must enable the industry from our interactions with the stakeholders, from our interactions with everybody.
“My main objective is to ensure that we make a difference. I believe the NUPRC is at the Center of the industry,” she said.
The commission boss who has served for over three decades in the oil and gas sector, promised to entrench digitisation, transparency and efficiency in operations.
The NUPRC head said with the support of staff and management, the NUPRC will become the gold-standard regulator in Africa. She also promised capacity development, stronger technical depth and sustained engagement with stakeholders, unions and professional teams.
On leadership style, Mrs Eyesan promised an open-door policy and frequent staff engagement, while also soliciting for support and cooperation as the industry embarks on the next phase of transformation.
“If we work together we can unleash opportunities, I don’t see impediments only opportunities,” she added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to embrace religious tolerance, peace, and unity, urging citizens of all faiths to reject violence and intolerance amid ongoing security challenges across the country.
In his 2025 Christmas goodwill message issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President emphasised that no Nigerian should suffer discrimination or violence because of their religious beliefs, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to safeguarding freedom of worship and national cohesion.
“As your President, I remain committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect all people of different faiths from violence,” Mr Tinubu said, noting that all Nigerians have the constitutional right to live, worship, and pursue their aspirations in safety and dignity.
The President acknowledged growing concerns around religious intolerance and insecurity, revealing that he had engaged extensively throughout the year with leaders of Nigeria’s two major faiths.
In the last few months, the country faced a spate of attacks including kidnapping of school children and armed terror, involving the death of a high ranking army personnel.
He also said the government would continue to build on these engagements to strengthen collaboration with religious institutions, prevent conflict, and promote peaceful coexistence.
President Tinubu described Christmas as a period for reflection on the message of Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace, urging Nigerians to draw inspiration from values of love, compassion, and goodwill that cut across all major religions.
He commended Christians in Nigeria for their contributions to national development, particularly their role in caring for the vulnerable and promoting harmony within communities.
“The love for God and love for humanity is at the heart of all the great faiths. These shared values must continue to bind us together as one indivisible and resilient people,” he said.
Reiterating his administration’s stance on security, the President said the government’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s unity and stability has remained unwavering since he assumed office in 2023. He stressed that the state would not tolerate violence targeted at any group on the basis of ethnicity or belief.
President Tinubu also appealed to Nigerians travelling during the festive season to exercise patience and discipline on the roads, wishing them safe journeys and returns.
Expressing optimism about the country’s future, the President said that with faith in God and collective resolve, Nigeria would overcome its challenges and build a nation that future generations would be proud of.
He concluded by wishing Christians in Nigeria and around the world a Merry Christmas and Nigerians a happy New Year in advance.
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