General
Why Nigerians Run to Unsafe Countries for Greener Pastures—Akande-Sadipe
By Dipo Olowookere
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, Mrs Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, is not happy that some Nigerians have to run to unsafe countries like Mali, Oman, Lebanon and others in the search for green pastures.
The lawmaker, who represents Oluyole Federal Constituency in Oyo State at the National Assembly, blamed this on the current situation of things in the country.
Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa but the country is regarded as the poverty capital of the world despite having huge mineral and human resources.
Its citizens are spread across the world in search of a better life even in harsh places, while some of those at home are praying for a day things would be better for them.
On Tuesday, Mrs Akande-Sadipe reunited an indigene of Oyo State repatriated from Oman to Nigeria with her family after she was maltreated by her employers.
The victim, Ms Adunni Nafisat Oseni, a member of her constituency, was denied the opportunity to return home by her employers, until her office intervened and brought back home through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
On the return of Ms Oseni to Nigeria, after willingly submitting herself to be repatriated, Mrs Akande-Sadipe decried the inhumane treatment being melted on Nigerians in some Arab countries and the unfortunate situation they subject them to.
According to her, “The ugly situation in the country led Nigerians to these unsafe countries in search for greener pastures.
“However, they became victims and targets of attack in those countries Nigeria has no bilateral relationship with. This made them come back home most times with nothing.”
She said, “As it stands today, we have over 20,000 Nigerian girls living in tents in Mali, an African country, over 40,000 girls in Lebanon.”
The lawmaker also condemned the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the Ministry of Labour in the issue, saying “The Ministry needs to take charge of its responsibilities and functions in ensuring they check if Nigeria has bilateral relationships with some of the countries Nigerians are being trafficked to.”
She noted that some of the agents who traffic girls to Arab countries and neighbouring African countries have no license from the Ministry of Labour, asking for certain actions to nip this ugly act in the bud.
Mrs Tolulope Akande-Sadipe assured Nigerians that the returnee was properly screened by security agencies and health institutions to ascertain her status before being released into the society.
She also expressed the commitment of the ninth assembly to fighting against human trafficking offenders in the nation by enacting stricter laws.
“We have a responsive 9th assembly under Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila which is putting in place right laws that would guide against these incessant occurrences,” Mrs Akande-Sadipe said.
She commended the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for its good work and synergy with relevant agencies and called for more funding for the agency, which is saddled with the responsibility to fight human trafficking in the country.
The congresswoman also appealed to the relevant agencies working together with the Nigeria Police Force to press charges against traffickers, saying this will deter others.
Speaking on the delay of 35 Nigerians at the Ghanaian border, she said the proper arm of the executive has picked up the responsibility.
Mrs Akande-Sadipe also called for further collaboration among all relevant government in rehabilitating the girls, who she noted left the country for socio-economic reasons.
Recalling her ordeal in Oman, Ms Oseni called on girls and young people not to rush out of the country in search of greener pastures without proper scrutiny of the agent involved.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria will hold next year’s presidential and National Assembly elections a month earlier than planned, after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) revised the polling schedule.
The elections will be held on January 16, instead of the previously announced date of February 20, INEC said in an X post, signed by Mr Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee.
There were also changes to the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections initially fixed for Saturday, March 6 2027, in line with the Electoral Act, 2022, have now been moved to Saturday, February 6, 2027.
The electoral commission said the changes were caused by the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026 and the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022, which introduced adjustments to statutory timelines governing pre-election and electoral activities.
“The Commission reviewed and realigned the schedule to ensure compliance with the new legal framework,” it said.
INEC said party primaries (including resolution of disputes) will commence on April 23, 2026 and end on May 30, 2026, after which Presidential and National Assembly campaigns will begin on August 19, 2026, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly campaigns will begin on September 9, 2026.
It noted that campaigns will end 24 hours before Election Day, and political parties have been advised to strictly adhere to the timelines.
INEC also stated it will enforce compliance with the law.
The electoral body also rescheduled the Osun Governorship election which was earlier scheduled for Saturday, August 8 2026, by a week to Saturday, August 15, 2026.
INEC noted that some activities regarding the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections have already been conducted, and the remaining activities will be implemented in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2026.
Speaking at a news briefing in Abuja two weeks ago, the chairman of INEC, Mr Joash Amupitan, expressed the readiness of the commission to conduct the polls next year.
The timetable issued by the organisation for the polls at the time came when the federal parliament had yet to transmit the amended electoral bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
Later that week, the Senate passed the electoral bill, reducing the notice of elections from 360 days to 180 days, while the transmission of results was mandated with a proviso.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has pledged its commitment to provide the regulatory leadership, technical coordination, and stakeholder engagement required to successfully develop and implement a robust National Action Plan on maritime decarbonization in Nigeria.
The Director General of the agency, Mr Dayo Mobereola, made this known during the National Stakeholders’ workshop on the development of a National Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan, further describing the workshop as a critical step in actualising the Federal Government’s blue economy and climate objectives.
Represented by the Executive Director, Operations, Mr Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, the NIMASA DG underscored the significance of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, a technical cooperation initiative /designed to support developing countries in implementing the IMO GHG Strategy.
According to him, the National Action Plan being developed will reflect national realities, leverage existing capacities, address identified gaps, and align with broader economic and environmental priorities of the federal government.
Mr Mobereola stressed that “this transition is not merely about compliance with international obligations, it is about safeguarding our marine environment, protecting public health, strengthening the blue economy, and ensuring that our maritime industry remains competitive and future-ready”, the DG said.
Also speaking at the event was the Technical Manager of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, Ms Astrid Dispert, who highlighted that the overarching objective of the initiative is to advance a coherent and globally aligned regulatory framework to accelerate maritime decarbonization.
She also emphasised that NIMASA plays a pivotal role in driving the project at the national level.
The IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project provides technical expertise and institutional support to assist countries in developing and implementing National Action Plans that promote sustainable shipping practices, encourage investment in clean technologies, and strengthen capacity for long-term emissions reduction.
Through this collaboration, the federal government is advancing deliberate steps towards maritime decarbonization, reinforcing its commitment to global climate goals and ensuring a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for the sector.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with its digital submission process effective March 1.
The directive was contained in a circular signed by the Director-General of the Bureau, Mr Adebowale Adedokun, noting that the move was part of the bureau’s commitment to digital transformation and paperless governance.
It explained that the transition followed an earlier circular of Aug. 4, 2025, which introduced electronic submission procedures.
According to the bureau, it has successfully moved from physical filings to a dedicated e-mail service for document submissions and is now advancing to a more robust and integrated system.
The circular announced the inauguration of the BPP Digital Submission Portal, a web-based platform designed to enable MDAs submit procurement-related documents directly to the Bureau.
It stated that the automated platform would streamline the submission process, enhance transparency and ensure accelerated tracking of procurement-related documents and petitions.
“With effect from March 1, all MDAs will be required to use the portal to submit requests for ‘No Objection’ Certificates, approvals for ‘No Objection’ for special procurements, clarifications and status updates on submissions,” the bureau said.
It added that the portal would be hosted on the Bureau’s official website and would become fully operational from the effective date.
The bureau warned that physical submissions or manual hand-deliveries would no longer be prioritised and would eventually be rejected following the full transition to the digital platform.
It urged accounting officers to brief their procurement departments and ICT units on the development to ensure seamless processing of procurement activities from March 1.
It further advised MDAs to contact the Bureau via its official email for information on the onboarding process and integration into the portal.
The bureau emphasised that full compliance by all MDAs was required to ensure a smooth transition and avoid delays in the implementation of the 2026 fiscal year procurement processes.
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