General
UK, US Congratulate Tinubu, Pledge Support
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Mr Rishi Sunak, has congratulated Nigeria’s President-elect, Mr Bola Tinubu, on his victory at the just-concluded presidential election.
In his message, the PM said he looked forward to fostering the relationship between both Nigeria and its former colonial kingdom, which share a longstanding relationship that has withstood 62 years of independence from the UK.
He wrote on Twitter, “Congratulations to @officialABAT on his victory in Nigeria. The UK-Nigeria relationship remains strong,” Sunak tweeted on Wednesday evening.
“I look forward to working together to grow our security and trade ties, opening up opportunities for businesses and creating prosperity in both our countries.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday morning declared Mr Tinubu as the winner of the exercise.
Running on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Tinubu claimed the highest number of votes — 8,794,726, almost two million votes more than his closest rival, Mr Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mr Abubakar, who has now run for president six times, got 6,984,520 votes, while the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, who, in less than a year, galvanised young voters in a manner some have described as unprecedented, finished the race with 6,101,533, while another heavyweight, Mr Rabiu Kwakwanso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) came fourth.
The election which has drawn massive criticism was allegedly marred by low voter turnout, with official figures showing 27 per cent, a drop in trend when compared to 34.75 per cent in 2019.
The US Congratulates Tinubu, Nigerians
The United States, in a statement, also congratulated the people of Nigeria, Mr Tinubu, and all political leaders following the February 25 presidential election.
It said, “This competitive election represents a new period for Nigerian politics and democracy. Each of the top three candidates was the leading vote-getter in 12 states, a remarkable first in Nigeria’s modern political era, reflecting the diversity of views that characterized the campaign and the wishes of Nigeria’s voters.”
It added, “We understand that many Nigerians and some of the parties have expressed frustration about the manner in which the process was conducted and the shortcomings of technical elements that were used for the first time in a presidential election cycle. Nigerians are clearly within their rights to have such concerns and should have high expectations for their electoral processes. We join other international observers in urging INEC to improve in the areas that need the most attention ahead of the March 11 gubernatorial elections.
“There are well-established mechanisms in place for the adjudication of electoral disputes, and we encourage any candidate or party seeking to challenge the outcome to pursue redress through those mechanisms. We call on all parties, candidates, and supporters to refrain from violence or inflammatory rhetoric at this critical time.”
Further, “We commend the active participation of civil society and the media for advancing electoral norms and political discourse on issues of importance to citizens. We note with concern reports that numerous members of the media were attacked during the course of the election, and we urge the government, security forces, political actors, and all citizens to respect the media’s critical role by refraining from any damaging acts against them and ensuring accountability for such acts when they do occur. We also congratulate the Nigerian people, especially the large number of youths who are relatively new to the political process, for demonstrating their strong commitment to democracy.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
Amid the resurgence of attacks by Boko Haram in Borno and Yobe States, the Senate on Tuesday asked the military to urgently redeploy personnel and advanced equipment to tackle terrorists in the areas.
The resolution followed the recent killing of over a dozen soldiers in Marte town of the Monguno Local Government Area on Monday, May 12, and a subsequent assault early Tuesday on Gajiram, the headquarters of the Nganzai Local Government Area.
In a motion raised by the Senate Chief Whip, Mr Tahir Munguno, lawmakers claimed while two-thirds of the local government areas in Borno were once under Boko Haram control, collaborative efforts between the Nigerian military and civilian joint task force had successfully reclaimed the territories.
They, however, said the restored peace has led to a relocation of the tactical command to the North-West, where the military is combating kidnapping and banditry.
Expressing concern over the militants’ evolving tactics, Mr Munguno highlighted the use of modern technologies by the group, including drones and an increase in the deployment of improvised explosive devices, which have led to high civilian and military casualties, disrupting transportation networks.
The Senate urged the military high command to swiftly redeploy sufficient troops to the North-East and ensure they are adequately equipped with modern technology to effectively combat the renewed threat, as well as mandate the committees on the army and air force to monitor and ensure compliance with this directive.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has said it hopes to achieve about 20 million pension contributors by the end of year 2027, as against the over 10.65 million it currently counts.
The Director-General of PenCom, Ms Omolola Oloworaran, said this over the weekend at the Pension Industry Leaders’ Retreat in Lagos.
According to her, the target would be achieved through the expansion of Personal Pension Plan (PPP) formerly known as Micro Pension Plan (MPP); constant engagements with stakeholders; enforcement of pension compliance certificates, especially by state governments amongst other initiatives.
She noted that the retreat has provided opportunities for the industry to adopt new strategies, stating that the resolutions reached will be fully implemented before the end of first quarter 2026.
On pension contributions, she said the industry expects a 50 per cent growth, stating that pension growth is essential for economic growth and development.
As of February 28, 2025 the pension fund assets was N23.27 trillion and Retirement Savings Account (RSA) holders 10.65 million.
Recall that recently, the pension regulator announced the recovery of N1.58 billion from defaulting employers through enhanced enforcement efforts as total pension assets under management (AuM) surpassed N23 trillion as of February.
The DG also announced state remittances had also improved, reflecting a greater adoption of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
Ms Oloworaran noted that in spite of these advancements, challenges remain, as only 25 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had enacted laws to implement the CPS.
“Six states operate hybrid schemes, while another six have bills at advanced legislative stages.
“Notable progress has been made in Katsina, Yobe, Bauchi, and Abia states. However, full implementation of the CPS is currently limited to eight states,” she explained at the First Run 2025 Consultative Forum for States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) held in Kano in late April.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has again reacted to the activities of individuals and groups falsely claiming to represent or act on its behalf, warning Nigerians against falling for these schemes.
According to the Acting Director of Corporate Communications at the CBN, Mrs Hakama Sidi Ali, in a statement, these persons continue to circulate fictitious offers of contracts, loans, grants, intervention funds, and other financial benefits allegedly issued or endorsed by the CBN.
“Despite the public advisory issued on November 18, 2024, through the Bank’s official channels and news outlets, these misleading schemes have persisted, targeting unsuspecting members of the public with false and deceptive narratives,” the statement said.
“The CBN wishes to reiterate that it has not authorised, licensed, or appointed any individual, group, or organisation to act as an agent or intermediary in offering contracts, financial grants, or intervention funds to the public. The CBN also does not endorse or support such claims in any form.
“Members of the public are advised that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) does not award contracts or disburse funds through unsolicited communications such as emails, phone calls, SMS, WhatsApp, or any social media platform. It also does not request payment of fees in exchange for contracts, grants, or financial interventions, nor does it engage intermediaries or third parties to offer financial services or opportunities to the public.
“If you are approached by individuals or entities making such claims, we strongly advise that you do not engage with them. Instead, such incidents should be reported immediately to the relevant law enforcement agencies or the nearest CBN Branch.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria remains committed to safeguarding the financial interests of the Nigerian public and continues to work closely with security agencies to investigate and address fraudulent activities,” the statement said.
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