Jobs/Appointments
Kaduna is Sacking Workers to Save Scarce Funds—El-Rufai
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of Kaduna State, Mr Nasir El-Rufai, has explained the reason his administration is trimming the workforce of the state’s public service is due to the dwindling financial resources and higher wage bills which the government cannot be able to sustain, noting that the exercise will help the government to save scarce funds.
The Kaduna state government had on April 6 disengaged 4,000 local government workers and this development has raised dust, especially from the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The body kicked against the decision, calling on the state government to reverse the decision and seek alternative means of running its affairs without inflicting additional pains on the public.
In a statement signed by his spokesman, Mr Muyiwa Adekeye, Governor El-Rufai insisted that the government was not elected just to pay salaries of public servants alone, but to also develop the state by building schools, hospitals, upgrading infrastructure and making the state more secure and attractive to the private sector for jobs and investments.
Mr El-Rufai pointed out that what it has been receiving from the federal allocation committee since the middle of 2020, like most other sub-nationals, can barely pay salaries and overheads, adding that in the last six months, personnel costs have accounted for between 84.97 per cent and 96.63 per cent of Federation Account Allocation Communication (FAAC) transfers received by the Kaduna State Government.
“In November 2020, KDSG had only N162.9 million left after paying salaries. That month, Kaduna State got N4.83 billion from FAAC and paid N4.66 billion as wages. In March 2021, Kaduna State had only N321 million left after settling personnel costs,” a part of the statement read.
The statement pointed out that “last month, the state got N4.819 billion from FAAC and paid out N4.498 billion, representing 93 per cent of the money received.
‘’This does not include standing orders for overheads, funding security operations, running costs of schools and hospitals, and other overhead costs that the state has to bear for the machinery of government to run, for which the state government taps into IGR earnings.”
The Kaduna State Government said it believes that the overall wages of the public sector are still relatively low, noting that the current levels were obviously limited by the resources available to the government.
The government further argued that the public service of the state with less than 100,000 employees (and their families) cannot be consuming more than 90 per cent of government resources, with little left to positively impact the lives of the more than 9 million that are not political appointees or civil servants, adding that it is gross injustice for such a micro-minority to consume the majority of the resources of the state.
In addition, it pointed out that the measures which the government took to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic have shown clearly that the public service requires much fewer persons than it currently employs.
The statement recalled that “in September 2019, Kaduna State Government became the first government in the country to pay the new minimum wage and consequential adjustments. The state government followed this up by increasing the minimum pension of persons on the defined benefits scheme to N30,000 monthly.
“This step to advance the welfare of workers significantly increased the wage burden of the state government and immediately sapped up the funds of many local governments.”
According to the state government, “what each public servant earns might be puny in comparison to private-sector wages, but the total wage bill consumes much of the revenues of the state.
‘’Therefore, the state government has no choice but to shed some weight and reduce the size of the public service. It is a painful but necessary step to take, for the sake of the majority of the people of this state.”
While justifying the job cut, the statement, however, described it “as a painful but necessary step to take, for the sake of the majority of the people of this state.”
The Governor further said that the rationalisation exercise will also affect political appointees, stating that its purpose is to save funds and ensure that a strong and efficient public service exists to use those resources to implement progressive programmes and projects for the people, and thereby develop the state.
‘’The public service is an important institution, and it should therefore maintain only an optimum size.
“Faced with a difficult situation, the Kaduna State Government is persuaded that it cannot refuse to act or act in ways that only conduce to populist sentiment, without solving the fundamental problem,” he said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS) has announced the appointment of Mr Shehu Yahaya Shantali as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective January 1, 2026, subject to regulatory approval.
Mr Shantali will succeed Mr Haruna Jalo-Waziri, who will step down after an eight-year tenure, where he contributed significantly to advancing Nigeria’s capital market infrastructure.
During his tenure, Mr Jalo-Waziri provided visionary and results-driven leadership that delivered sustained growth and far-reaching transformation across the organisation.
He led the successful execution of critical strategic initiatives, strengthened governance and operational effectiveness, and modernised the company’s systems and processes, positioning the organisation for long-term resilience and competitiveness.
His leadership significantly enhanced stakeholder confidence, deepened the organisation’s market relevance both domestically and internationally, and established a strong, future-ready foundation for continued success.
Commenting on the appointment, the Chairman of the CSCS board, Mr Temi Popoola, said: “On behalf of the Board, I would like to express our profound appreciation to Haruna Jalo-Waziri for his outstanding service to CSCS. Under his leadership, the company recorded notable milestones and built an impressive legacy of operational excellence, innovation, and stakeholder confidence. We thank him sincerely for his dedication and impact.
“We are equally delighted to welcome Shehu Shantali as the new Chief Executive Officer of CSCS. He brings a wealth of experience, deep industry knowledge, and a strong strategic vision. The Board is confident that he will build on the solid foundation laid by his predecessor and lead the Company into its next phase of growth.”
Mr Shehu Yahaya Shantali holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and an Executive MBA from Kingston Business School. He has over two decades of experience in accounting, finance, and financial services across Nigeria and the United Kingdom, with expertise spanning investment and asset management, financial advisory, and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
His career cuts across capital markets, investment banking, real estate, and financial services, and is underpinned by a decade at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Nigeria, where he championed the migration of publicly listed and significant public interest entities from Nigerian GAAP to IFRS and led the Commission’s transition to the contributory pension scheme in 2012.
Mr Shantali has built deep experience in financial inclusion, digital financial infrastructure, and the development of scalable, market-wide platforms that expand access to regulated financial services. As Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Apricot Investments Limited, he led the development of the MicroWorld platform, enabling the distribution of structured financial products, including micro-health, micro-pension, micro-housing, micro-insurance, and micro-investment solutions.
Earlier in his career, his team developed Nigeria’s first contactless payment solution, and he played a pioneering role in POS-based agency banking and early mobile-money interoperability on the NIBSS NIP platform, supporting efficient payments, settlement, and system-wide connectivity.
Reflecting on his tenure, the outgoing CEO, Mr Jalo-Waziri, stated: “It has been an honour to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of CSCS. I am proud of what we have achieved together as a team and grateful for the support of the Board, management, regulators, and all our stakeholders. I am confident that CSCS is well-positioned for the future, and I wish my successor every success as he takes the company forward.
In his remarks, the incoming CEO, Mr Shantali, said: “I am deeply honoured by the confidence the Board has placed in me with this appointment. CSCS plays a critical role in Nigeria’s capital market ecosystem, and I look forward to working with the Board, management, staff, regulators, and market participants to strengthen the Company’s leadership position further, deliver value to stakeholders, and support the continued growth and stability of the capital market.”
In a statement, CSCS Plc commended Mr Jalo-Waziri for his contributions to enhancing the company’s operational capabilities and fostering market development during his tenure with the organisation.
The company reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance, operational excellence, and stakeholder engagement as it continues to support the Nigerian capital market.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has approved the reconstitution of the board of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), following the Senate’s confirmation of its members on December 16.
This was disclosed in a statement released by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.
He noted that the board is chaired by Mr Musiliu Olalekan Oseni, who started his service as a Commissioner in January 2017. He was subsequently appointed Vice Chairman of the commission.
His appointment as Chairman took effect from December 1, 2025, and shall subsist until the completion of his ten-year tenure at the commission, in accordance with the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2023.
Mr Yusuf Ali is now the Vice Chairman. He was first appointed as a Commissioner in February 2022. His designation as Vice Chairman took effect on 1 December 2025 and shall remain in effect until the completion of his first term.
The others are; Mr Nathan Rogers Shatti — Commissioner. He is serving a second term as commissioner. He was first appointed in January 2017.
Mr Dafe Akpeneye — Commissioner. He is serving a second term, having been first appointed as a Commissioner in January 2017.
Mrs Aisha Mahmud Kanti Bello — Commissioner. She is serving her second term, having been first appointed as a Commissioner in December 2020.
Mr Chidi Ike, PhD— Commissioner. He is serving his first term, having been first appointed as a Commissioner in February 2022.
Mr Fouad Animashaun, PhD — Commissioner. He is serving his first term, effective December 2025. He is an energy economist with extensive experience in the Nigerian power sector and most recently served as Executive Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
President Tinubu charged the board members of NERC to deepen and consolidate the ongoing transformation of Nigeria’s power sector, in strict alignment with the letter and spirit of the Electricity Act, 2023.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed, has resigned alongside his counterpart at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr Gbenga Komolafe.
Based on the development, President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to confirm new chief executives for the two agencies.
The President’s request was contained in separate letters to the Senate on Wednesday, according to a statement signed by Mr Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, late on Wednesday.
Both officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari to lead the two regulatory agencies created by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
To fill these positions, President Tinubu has written to the Senate, requesting expedited confirmation of Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of NUPRC and Mr Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA.
Mr Ahmed’s resignation comes amid a high-profile conflict with businessman, Mr Aliko Dangote, who alleged that the NMDPRA chief and his family were living beyond their legitimate means, citing millions of Dollars allegedly spent on overseas schooling for his four children.
Mr Eyesan, a graduate of Economics from the University of Benin, spent nearly 33 years with the NNPC and its subsidiaries. She retired as Executive Vice President, Upstream (2023–2024), and previously served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy at NNPC from 2019 to 2023.
Mr Mohammed, born in 1957 in Gombe, graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981 with a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering. He was announced today as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy.
His prior roles include Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and Nigerian Gas Company, as well as Chair of the boards of West African Gas Pipeline Company, Nigeria LNG subsidiaries, and NNPC Retail.
He also served as Group Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer, Gas & Power Directorate, where he provided strategic leadership for major gas projects and policy frameworks, including the Gas Masterplan, Gas Network Code, and contributions to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
He played a pivotal role in delivering key projects such as the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, and Nigeria LNG Train.
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