Year: 2026

Weak AI governance can trigger capital flight, NGX Chairman warns

By Taiye Olayemi

The Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group, Dr Umaru Kwairanga, has warned that weak governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems could trigger capital flight, distort markets and erode investor confidence in Nigeria.

Kwairanga gave the warning on Friday while delivering the opening address at the InnovateAI Conference Lagos 2026.

In a statement on Saturday, the NGX Chairman emphasised that the risks associated with poorly governed AI were no longer theoretical.

He said: “Across the world, capital flows toward markets that demonstrate predictability, governance and trust.

“If AI systems are opaque, discriminatory or vulnerable to breaches, that risk is priced into companies, sectors and ultimately into the country itself.”

Kwairanga cautioned that as AI becomes deeply integrated into financial systems, including credit scoring, trading strategies and compliance monitoring, failure to embed accountability could destabilise institutions.

“Imagine AI-driven credit models systematically excluding certain demographics due to biased data, or automated trading systems amplifying volatility due to weak controls.

“These are structural risks that can erode public confidence,” he said.

The NGX chairman noted that AI adoption in Nigeria was already being driven by market forces, shifting the focus from whether to adopt the technology to how responsibly it is deployed.

Kwairanga made reference to recent enforcement actions by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission as a clear indication that data governance was now enforceable, with real financial and reputational consequences.

“Data governance is no longer optional, it is enforceable,” he said.

He emphasised that in capital markets, trust remained fundamental to stability and growth.

“In the markets, trust is the oxygen of the system. Every trade and every investment decision rests on confidence in the integrity of the market,” he added.

Kwairanga said institutions must ensure that AI strengthens transparency, fairness and oversight, rather than weakening them, emphasising that governance must be anticipatory.

He outlined key priorities for responsible AI adoption, including regulatory clarity, stronger board oversight, capacity building and the development of localised AI systems suited to Nigeria’s socio-economic realities.

He called for deliberate investment in AI literacy across both public and private sectors.

He also warned against reliance on foreign-trained AI models that may not reflect local realities, adding that such systems could deepen inequality instead of promoting inclusion.

According to him, responsible AI must be tailored to address Nigeria’s specific challenges, including financial inclusion, healthcare delivery, agriculture and energy optimisation.

“Responsible AI in Nigeria must be context-aware. It must solve Nigerian problems,” he said.

Kwairanga urged stakeholders to anchor Nigeria’s AI strategy on trust, talent and transparency to position the country as a leader in Africa’s digital economy.

“Nations that get AI governance right will attract investment, talent and partnerships. Those that do not will face digital fragmentation and capital flight,” he said.

The NGX Chairman reaffirmed the commitment of the NGX Group to balancing innovation with strong oversight.

“Responsible AI is not anti-innovation. It is pro-sustainability.

“The future will belong to institutions that combine innovation with integrity and technology with trust,” he said.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

February 21, 2026
A’Ibom: Udoedehe Tasks Gov Eno On 76 Oil Wells’ Dispute

By Dianabasi Effiong

Sen. John Udoedehe, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former interim national Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Friday tasked Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom to resist alleged moves to cede the long-settled 76 disputed oil wells to Cross River.

The former Minister of State, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said on a Facebook live programme that posterity would not forgive Eno should he allow the 76 oil wells to be taken away from Akwa Ibom.

His views came as stakeholders in Akwa Ibom and Cross River traded words over the affected oil wells.

According to Udoedehe, the federal government would not have set up any review committee over the oil wells without Eno’s (who recently defected from PDP to APC) knowledge.

He also alleged that moves to cede the said oil wells to Cross River in spite of the huge financial resources at the disposal of the state government had depicted what he called Eno’s weakness and lack of political reach.

He said past leaders including Eno’s predecessors, worked hard to achieve resource control for the Niger Delta.

He added that it would be regrettable for the oil wells to be taken away from the state under Gov. Umo Eno’s tenure.

“If you allow these 76 oil wells to be taken away from us, against the efforts and sweat of those who are still living and those who are dead, to elude us, to be taken away from us, I want to tell you that you will not be forgiven.

“Now under your watch, the issue of 76 oil wells has shown up again. And the main reason you are in APC today, if I may quote you correctly, you told the Akwa Ibom people the reason you went to APC was that you want to link Akwa Ibom to the centre.

“What that means is that you will not allow a committee set up by the Federal Government to reach a conclusion against you or the state because they will call you, and you have to know about it.

“Now you have allowed a committee that I would not say I am totally sure has been compromised by any standard to reach a conclusion against Akwa Ibom’s people.

“With so much resources at your disposal, with the political reach that you are supposed to have, it is not a matter of wearing the ARISE cap, or singing: on your mandate we stand; it is about the political reach.

“If they had taken you seriously, they would not have reached that conclusion. If you allow it to happen, you will be seen as a weak and unprepared governor.

“I am advising you publicly, do everything within your powers, with your resources and political reach, not to allow what I am hearing to come to pass,” Udoedehe stated

Recently, the Akwa Ibom Government had urged its citizens to disregard reports alleging that the affected oil wells were being transferred to Cross River.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Uko Udom, gave the advice on Monday, while interacting with select journalists, on the development in Uyo.

He said: “There is no cause for alarm over reports alleging the transfer of oil wells to Cross River.

According to him, no propaganda or sentiments can overturn valid Supreme Court judgments affirming Akwa Ibom state’s ownership of the oil wells, including the reported 76 oil wells.

He added that Akwa Ibom would not surrender its God-given resources and would not relinquish what rightfully belonged to its people under the Constitution and under binding judicial authority.

He added that the state Governor, Mr. Umo Eno, was holding the resources of the state in trust for present and future generations.

The commissioner also assured that the state government would defend its resources responsibly, peacefully, and resolutely.

“All the oil wells in question, whether existing or newly referenced, lie within Akwa Ibom’s recognised maritime and littoral boundaries based on established hydrographic coordinates and legally enforceable boundary adjudications,” he said.

Udom also stated that, “No inter-agency committee, no technical panel, and no institutional process can alter, amend, reinterpret, or sit in appeal over a judgment of the Supreme Court.

“Any action inconsistent with a subsisting judgment of the apex court would be unconstitutional, null, and void.

“Let it therefore be clearly stated, no oil well has been ceded, no Supreme Court judgment has been overturned, and no constitutional provision has been amended.

“To the good people of Akwa Ibom State, we say this with utmost clarity and confidence: your government is vigilant, engaged, and fully committed to protecting the economic interests of our state.”

Speaking further on the strength of the state’s position on the matter, Udom said: “The foundation of our position is law. The strength of our case is geography. The shield of our rights is the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Also, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) refuted reports that the oil wells were allegedly ceded to Cross River.

It also said that such claims were false and misleading.

Similarly, on Friday, the Cross River Economic Intelligence Team offered the groups a Response entitled “RE: RESPONSE OF THE CROSS RIVER STATE ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE TEAM (CREIT) TO THE STATEMENT BY RMAFC ON THE IATC REPORT ON VERIFICATION OF DISPUTED CRUDE OIL AND GAS COORDINATES.”

The response drew the attention of
Dr. M. B. Shehu, the Chairman, RMAFC, on the matter in focus

The statement, obtained on Friday, stated: “Dear Sir, The Cross River State Economic Intelligence Team (CREIT) acknowledges the public statement issued by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) concerning the report of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) on the verification of crude oil and gas well coordinates between oil-producing states.

“While we respect institutional processes, we consider it necessary, in the overriding national interest, to place the following observations, objections, and expectations on record.”

It states, “1. STATUS OF THE IATC REPORT AS a PUBLIC DOCUMENTS OF NATIONAL SECURITY IMPORTANCE: The IATC exercise was a presidentially mandated inter-agency verification mission involving statutory technical institutions and state actors.

“The field verification, plotting, and reconciliation of wellheads and reservoir coordinates constitute national technical intelligence with direct implications for revenue derivation, maritime boundary security, and Nigeria’s offshore resource governance.

“Accordingly, the IATC Report is not a routine internal memo but a public document of national security relevance. Characterising it as “speculative” or merely “draft” undermines the credibility of the inter-agency process and weakens public confidence in transparent governance.”

It also stated, “2. SCIENTIFIC PLOTTING AND EVIDENTIARY OUTCOMES: The plotting of 239 crude oil and gas wellheads and coordinates on the most accurate and current scientific base maps of Nigeria, using geodetic, hydrographic, and reservoir system references, produced clear, visible, and verifiable outcomes already contained in the IATC Report.

“These outcomes demonstrate reservoir continuity, spatial attribution of wellheads, and the precise location of crude and gas accumulations within the maritime territory of Cross River State. These findings are evidence-based and cannot be displaced by administrative re-characterisation or procedural delays.

It stated is position on “3. PROTECTION OF NATIONAL MARITIME BOUNDARY SECURITY AND STRATEGIC NAVIGATION CHANNELS.

“The Cross River Estuary, adjoining offshore maritime spaces, and the unceded body of water at the estuarine mouth constitute strategic national maritime corridors for navigation, maritime security operations, and continental shelf entitlements.”

According to CREIT, “Any attempt to alter, dilute, or administratively manipulate the technical findings of the IATC poses grave national security risks, including the compromise of Nigeria’s maritime boundary integrity, exposure of sensitive hydrographic and navigation channels, and the weakening of Nigeria’s strategic posture in the Gulf of Guinea.”

It further stated: “4. PROTECTION OF ONSHORE AND OFFSHORE WELLHEADS AND RESERVOIR COORDINATES WITHIN CROSS RIVER STATE MARITIME TERRITORY: The onshore and offshore wellheads and reservoir systems identified within Cross River State’s maritime territory are critical national assets.

“These include reservoirs within the Calabar Estuaries, the Calabar Geological Flank, and formations linked to the Niger Delta petroleum system. CREIT emphasises that the protection of these coordinates is not merely a revenue issue but a matter of sovereign resource security, investment certainty, and national upstream petroleum governance.”

It added, “5. OBJECTION TO POST-FACTO ADMINISTRATIVE INFLUENCE BY HEAFS OF FEDERAL AGENCIES, WHO ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE: While RMAFC, NBC, and OSGOF are statutory institutions with defined mandates, CREIT strongly objects to any attempt by the leadership of these agencies to influence, alter, dilute, or reframe the technical outcomes of the IATC after the conclusion of field verification and scientific plotting.”

The group also added that these agencies were represented within the IATC process.

“The integrity of the inter-agency framework requires that the Committee’s technical findings stand on their own merit and are not subjected to post-facto administrative gatekeeping by the same institutions whose historical omissions necessitated this extraordinary inter-agency verification exercise.

CREIT also stated its position on “6. INTERFERENCE AT THE IATC PLENARY OF 26 January 2025.

“We wish to formally draw the attention of the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to the plenary session of 26 January 2025, at which a letter from the Chairman of the National Boundary Commission (NBC) was tabled, purporting to direct the Chairman of the IATC to compel the Committee to adopt a particular obsolete 2008 Oil Dichotomy Variant Map for the plotting of newly verified crude oil and gas coordinates within the Cross River State maritime territory.

“The Chairman is respectfully invited to note that, on that date and in his presence, the Cross River State Economic Intelligence Team (EIT), alongside the Office of the Attorney-General of Ondo State, formally objected to this attempted interference.

“These objections were supported by documentary evidence, including NBC correspondence of 2024 addressed to Cross River State and OSGOF correspondence of 2024, both of which discredited the continued use and technical validity of the 2008 map.

“The subsequent attempts by the leadership of NBC and OSGOF to impose a predetermined cartographic outcome, in spite of the national maritime security implications and strategic risks involved, amount to an improper encroachment on the technical independence of the IATC.

“The Chairman is accordingly urged to ensure that the Committee’s scientific findings are protected from such interference and that this matter is clearly communicated to Mr President as part of the final transmission of the Report.”

On “7. OUTSTANDING 2024 INTER-AGENCY REPORT AND THE HEIGHTENED NATIONAL SECURITY STAKES OF THE 2025 EXERCISE”, CREIT states that it “respectfully requests the Chairman of RMAFC to note that in May 2024, a similar inter-agency verification exercise reportedly recommended the attribution of 67 oil wells to Cross River State.

It also stated: “To date, the Commission is yet to deliberate upon or transmit that report to Mr President for executive consideration.

“The 2025 IATC Report, however, carries even more profound national maritime security implications for Nigeria and the Cross River Estuary than a mere question of oil well attribution. In view of the cumulative national interest involved, CREIT counts on the Chairman’s understanding and leadership to ensure that both the 2024 and 2025 reports are transmitted to Mr President without further delay.”

It also stated that on “8. DUE PROCESS AND IMMEDIATE TRANSMISSION TO MR PRESIDENT, adding, “CREIT maintains that due process, in this context, is best served by the immediate transmission of the IATC Report to Mr President, together with any minority observations or technical reservations as annexes, rather than withholding, reworking, or sanitising the core findings.”

According to the Team, “The President is constitutionally positioned to receive, evaluate, and direct further actions on matters with profound national security, fiscal federalism, and interstate equity implications.”

It also stated their expected outcomes: “CREIT therefore expects that: The IATC Report will be preserved in its original technical integrity.

“The scientific plotting outcomes on the 239 verified coordinates will be upheld as the evidentiary baseline for attribution.

“The national maritime security implications of the Cross River Estuary and adjoining offshore boundary spaces will be expressly recognised; and
The Report will be transmitted to Mr President without delay for executive consideration and appropriate constitutional action.”

According to CREIT, Cross River State’s position is grounded not in sentiment but in science, verified coordinates, reservoir systems, and the overriding national interest.

It also stated that the credibility of Nigeria’s inter-agency governance architecture depended on protecting technical truth from administrative dilution.

“The IATC Report represents a rare moment of evidence-based clarity in a historically contentious domain and must be preserved and transmitted in its full technical integrity.

The group’s position was endorsed by Rt Hon (Bar) John Gaul Lebo and
Bar. Abang Odok Ogar, for
Cross River State Economic Intelligence Team (CREIT) at IATC- 2025.

February 21, 2026
The unsolicited crusade of Bamidele Opeyemi and the Sovereignty of Ogun State

By Yinka Animashaun

There is an old Yoruba adage that has guided the conduct of elders across generations: “Eni tó mọ́ ayé rẹ̀, kì í fi àgbára rẹ̀ kọja ààlà t’ẹlòmíràn.” Loosely translated, this means that “He who knows his worth (or place) in the world does not use his power to exceed the boundaries of another.”

It is a proverb about propriety. About the wisdom of knowing where one’s authority ends. I invoke it today for one man, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Senate Majority Leader, son of Ekiti, and increasingly, uninvited stakeholder in the internal politics of Ogun State.

A video has been circulating on social media captureimg the Senate Majority Leader on a phone call, canvassing support for Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan, declaring him the next Governor of Ogun State

The next Governor of Ogun State. I want every reader to hold those words. Bamidele is from Ekiti. He does not represent Ogun state. He was not elected by Ogun state people. He carries no mandate from Ogun state. And he has taken it upon himself to decide who shall govern it.

This is, I must stress, not his first offence. Weeks earlier, he made an ill-advised pilgrimage to Ogun West, where he delivered what he dressed up as an intellectual paper, a document whose true purpose was the promotion of Yayi’s gubernatorial ambitions. He went further, forwarding excerpts to the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, a woman of standing and institutional loyalty to Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun, presumably expecting her gratitude.

He received something else entirely. The Deputy Governor told him, without equivocation that he was meddling in a state that was none of his business. That Prince Dapo Abiodun is undoubtedly the number one leader of the APC in Ogun state. Her response has since passed into the political vocabulary of the Southwest: “Thanks, but no thanks.”
That rebuke caused a furore of course. A lesser man might have taken the hint. Senator Bamidele doubled down. The video is his written confession.

I am not interested in reducing this to personal grievance. What Senator Bamidele is doing is structurally dangerous. In a federation as layered and combustible as ours, the internal democratic processes of state-level politics are sacred territory. They are where communities negotiate identity, where local voices decide their own futures. When a federal lawmaker, particularly one wielding the gravitas of the Senate’s second-highest office, inserts himself into those processes, he corrupts the ecosystem. He transforms a conversation that should belong to the people of Ogun state into a transaction brokered in Abuja, weighted with federal patronage and the silent threat of federal leverage.

History instructs us here. The electoral controversies of 1983 were, in no small measure, the harvest of exactly this kind of external imposition, powerful men reaching across borders, anointing candidates, overriding the democratic instincts of communities. Nigeria has paid, and continues to pay, the price of that refusal to learn. Senator Bamidele is not deploying thugs. I grant him that. The principle, I am afraid, remains identical: influence exercised beyond the boundaries of one’s democratic mandate is an assault on democratic sovereignty, however it is dressed.

Let me be precise on one point. This is not an attack on Yayi as a person. Every Nigerian citizen has the constitutional right to aspire to any office. If Senator Olamilekan wishes to be Governor of Ogun State, that conversation belongs to the people of Ogun state and they are fully equipped to have it. What I insist upon is this, the questions that surround any aspiring governor are the sovereign property of the electorate, not the Senate Majority Leader from another state. The people of Ogun West will ask whether this man’s roots in their soil run deep enough. They will probe his temperament, his humility, the texture of his connection to the state he wishes to govern. They will want to know whether he has earned that right, through service, through sacrifice, through presence or whether he arrives wearing the endorsement of Abuja like a borrowed garment.

The endorsement of a Senate Majority Leader from Ekiti confers no legitimacy on any Ogun state governorship aspirant. If anything, it raises a question that demands an answer, what exactly is the transaction underpinning this extraordinary level of enthusiasm?

The people of Ogun State have watched Senator Bamidele invest political capital at a scale disproportionate even to close friendship, in a candidate whose ancestral connection to Ogun State remains, to put it charitably, a matter of legitimate public inquiry.
Ogun State people are drawing conclusions. And Nigerians, contrary to the comfortable assumption of the powerful keep political ledgers with extraordinary precision. The Ekitinization of Ogun State’s politics will not stand. I daresay.

But of course, this matter demands the President’s attention. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu whose own political biography is sewn into the fabric of Southwest politics, who understands as well as any living Nigerian the volatility of intra-party dynamics in these states carries both the authority and the obligation to act.

A Senate Majority Leader is among the most senior political officers in our federal architecture. His public interventions do not land as those of a private citizen. They arrive carrying the weight of federal authority, whether or not he intends them to. When that officer is caught on video campaigning for a gubernatorial candidate in a state he was never elected to represent, he is lending federal gravitational pull to a local political contest. Unchecked, this is the kind of precedent that quietly dismantles the principle of state sovereignty within our federation.

I call on Mr. President to call Senator Bamidele to order, firmly, and without ambiguity. The APC’s leadership in Ogun State, under Governor Dapo Abiodun, possesses both the standing and the mandate to manage its own succession. That process deserves to proceed on its own democratic terms, free from the suffocating weight of external enthusiasm dressed as fraternity.

Senator Bamidele is a man of evident intelligence. He did not ascend to his position by accident. He understands power. And it is precisely because he understands power that I address him directly: political goodwill, once lost to overreach, is extraordinarily difficult to recover. The people of Ogun State are watching. The APC leadership in Ogun is watching. The Southwest is watching.

Ogun is not Ekiti. It has never been Ekiti. And with the vigilance of its people and the integrity of its democratic instincts, it will not be remade in any other state’s image.

Senator Bamidele should leave Ogun State alone. Let this state breathe its own political air. Let its people decide their own future. Let its democracy function on its own terms. And let him return with urgency and with contrition to the magnificent, unfinished business of serving the people who actually sent him to Abuja.

Because the people of Ogun State will speak, in their own time and on their own terms. When they do, that voice will carry the full weight of democratic authority, the one authority that no Senate Majority Leader, from Ekiti or anywhere else, has ever had the power to override.

Yinka Animashaun is a concerned citizen of Ogun state and writes via yinkaanimashaun@gmail.com

February 21, 2026
Iva Valley 1949 judgment: SAN appeals to UK , others to comply

Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, has called on the UK Government to comply with the judgment of the Enugu State High Court concerning the 1949 Iva Valley Massacre .

George made the call on Friday while addressing a news conference in Abuja.

The News of Nigeria (NAN) reports on Feb. 5, the High Court of Enugu State, presided over by Justice A.O. Onovo, delivered an 80-paged landmark judgment on the matter.

The judgment was on the killing of 21 unarmed coal miners at the Iva Valley Coal Mine, Enugu, on November 18 1949.

According to Akinseye-George case was brought by Mazi Onoh, a human rights activist on behalf of the families and dependants of the deceased miners.

The respondents in the matter are;
Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth & Development Affairs British Government
(Represented in Nigeria by the British High Commissioner and Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office).

Others are Federal Government of Nigeria , Attorney-General o f the Federation, Head o f the Commonwealth Government of the United Kingdom
(Represented i n Nigeria b y the British High Commissioner and Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office).

The court in its judgment established that, Nov. 18,1949, coal miners in Enugu were engaged in a protest arising from poor working conditions, wage disputes, and discriminatory labour practices.

” Colonial police officers, acting under the authority of the British colonial administration, opened fire on the unarmed miners.

” Twenty-one miners were shot and killed.
At the time, Nigeria was not an independent sovereign state” he said.

The territory was according to the SAN administered as a British colony and the coal mines were operated for commercial extraction and export under colonial control and victims were British colonial subjects.

He noted that the Court observed that no effective judicial inquiry, criminal accountability, compensation, apology, or redress followed the massacre.

” For over 75 years, the families of the victims lived without justice.

” This judgment marks the first formal judicial determination within Nigeria addressing the massacre and its legal consequences” he said.

The SAN noted that the Court made some determinations, that Sovereign Immunity was not Absolute.

” The Court relied on both Nigerian and comparative jurisprudence and concluded that serious allegations of grave human rights violations cannot be summarily dismissed on technical immunity grounds.

He noted that the case raises serious questions of unlawful deprivation of Life and the court found that serious issues requiring adjudication were raised by the applicant

The Court affirmed that: Section 46 of the 1999 Constitution grants jurisdiction to High Courts to determine applications for enforcement of fundamental rights.

It made specific and enforceable orders, including: Monetary Compensation, written apologies in many Nigeria National papers and British newspapers.

” An order is hereby made awarding general damages against the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th Respondents jointly and severally i n the sum of £20,000,000 (Twenty Million British Pounds Sterling) in respect of each of the twenty-one (21) victims.

” The Respondents are severally and jointly liable for the breach and violation of the right to life of the 21 victims of the Iva Valley massacre .

” The killings were unlawful, unconstitutional, unwarranted, unjustified, cruel, and contrary to established legal protections” Court held.

This judgment according to the learned silk, therefore, does not merely examine history , it affirms present-day constitutional obligations.

Thr court ordered that the Attorney-General of the Federation and relevant Nigerian authorities should formally initiate diplomatic engagement within 60 days.

In addition submit a detailed compliance report to the Court within 90 days.

This according to the SAN ensures that enforcement moves beyond symbolic declarations into concrete diplomatic action.

Going Forward, he said ‘they have served the Certified True Copy of the full judgment on the respondents.’

In addition, we have written formally to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation.

” We have also formally notified the British Government through the office of His Excellency, the High Commissioner at the British High Commission and demanded compliance with the judgment.

” As one of the world’s foremost proponents of the rule of law and human rights, the United Kingdom is expected to respect the decision of a competent Nigerian court and comply with its order” he said.

The learned silk noted that, this judgment represents, Justice for 21 unarmed miners killed in 1949, recognised 75 years of pain endured by their families.

” A reaffirmation that the right to life is inviolable.A declaration that history does not erase responsibility.

“The Court of law has spoken. Justice has been declared. We now call for compliance”

February 21, 2026
Experts urge media, CSOs to monitor implementation of new tax laws

Experts in the economic field have called on members of the media and civil society organisations (CSOs) to monitor the implementation of the Nigeria Tax Act (NTA), 2025, which fully takes effect from January 2026.

They made the charge at a two-day training organised for some journalists and members of CSOs by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), a German foundation, in conjunction with Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme for the workshop was tagged; “The Nigeria Tax Act (NTA) 2025: An Early Review and Recommendations for the Media and Civil Society Organisations.”

Dr Christopher Kaka, the Executive Director of Trade Network Initiative, said as the fourth estate, the media should continue to act as watchdogs and champion accountability in the implementattion of NTA.

Kaka urged the media practitioners to engage in independent research, analysis and monitor tax exemptions to see if they are beneficial to the public or only social interest.

(Participants at a two-day training on the Nigeria Tax Act (NTA), 2025, organised by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), a German foundation, in conjunction with Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in Abuja.)

He also tasked them to engage in investigative reporting with a view to expose tax evasion, fraud and corruption in the system.

Kaka equally urged the CSOs to engage with government and use the services of the courts to challenge anti-citizen’s actions and policies.

He advised the media and CSOs to initiate public debate and amplify citizen’s voices.

Mr Simeon Olatunde, who is the Coordinator, Tax Justice & Governance Platform, addressed issues surrounding misinformation and half-truths circulating on social media about the evolving tax regime.

On his part, Prof. Adetunji Ogunyemi, in one of his presentations, took participants through the history of taxation in the country and examined the impacts of various tax reforms by past administrations.

Ogunyemi, a lawyer and professor of Economic History, Obafemi Awolowo University, stated that the current administration took the most revolutionary steps on tax reforms and modernisation since 1961.

He said this happened with its enactment of the four new tax laws – the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, 2025.

He observed that government’s bold tax reform initiatives have transformed the country’s tax regime.

Besides, he said its aggressive approach to the issue of taxation has significantly increased public revenue and the sharable pool in the Federation Account.

Ogunyemi enumerated the impacts of current tax reforms to include the creation of a single statute book for the country’s public revenue, provision of a uniform procedure for enforcement and compliance to tax laws, and the simplification of the tax systems on rate, charges, structures and liability.

He said the reforms has led to improvement on the jurisprudence of taxation by clarifying powers and functions of tax authorities, through the establishment of the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS), formerly Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

He said it has covered the field in all tax matters in the country, consisting of the jurisdictions of the federal, states and local government councils.

He added that the reforms have also brought about the standardisation of the processes for tax administration in the areas of assessment, collection, auditing and penalties.

Ogunyemi observed that the country’s tax spaces are large and significantly untapped.

He said that the problem remains in the fact that most of the tax jurisdictions lie with the sub-nationals, that have remain indolent owing to the prevailing culture of sharing and not growing revenue, which the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has encouraged.

Earleir in his welcome address, Resident Representative of KAS in Nigeria, Dr Tobias Ruettershoff, said the objectives of the gathering included the need to familiarise the media and CSOs with the new tax laws and their roles in educating the citizens on what are expected of them.

Represented by the Programme Manager of the organisation, Mr Samson Adeniran, Ruettershoff drew examples from Germany on the importance of tax to the life of a nation and how tax issues are dealt with.

He said it was the duty of every responsible citizen to pay his or her tax without waiting to be compelled by the authorities.

CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said the enactment of the NTA, 2025 represents a significant milestone in the country’s ongoing tax reform process.

He equally observed that the country has continued to grapple with persistent challenges in its tax system, which includes inequitable tax burdens, weak enforcement, limited transparency and the marginalisation of actors in the informal sector.

Rafsanjani, however, argued that legislation alone does not guarantee justice, equity and development, but that what matters is how existing flaws are understood, monitored, addressed and communicated to the citizens.

He explained that the workshop aligns with the objectives of the Tax Justice and Governance Platform (TJGP), a broad based coalition of civil society organisations, tax experts, media professionals, informal sector representatives and advocacy groups.

He said the platform allows for collective efforts in the promotion of fair, equitable, transparent and progressive tax systems in the country .

“The platform seeks to ensure that taxation serves as a tool for sustainable development, social inclusion and improved public service delivery, rather than an additional burden on the most vulnerable,” he said.

February 21, 2026
BREAKING: ADC Defeats APC at Key AMAC Polling Unit in FCT Election

The African Democratic Congress has claimed victory over the ruling party at a major polling unit in the Abuja Municipal Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory.

The result came from Polling Unit 076 at Sani Abacha Estate in Wuse Zone 4, an area considered politically significant in the council race. The polling unit is where the AMAC chairmanship candidate of the ADC, Dr. Moses Paul, voted.

Election figures from the unit showed a total of 10 ballots cast. The ADC secured seven votes. The All Progressives Congress recorded two votes. One ballot was declared invalid.

Observers at the polling unit reported low turnout throughout the voting period. Few residents were seen arriving to cast their ballots, with long stretches of inactivity at the centre.

Speaking after voting, Paul raised concerns about the overall conduct of the election in some parts of the council. He blamed the movement restriction announced by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory for discouraging voters from participating.

He said the turnout was unusually low and described the atmosphere as confusing for residents who were unsure whether they were free to move around.

According to him, the situation felt like “a state of emergency” in an election that should have been peaceful and accessible.

Paul noted that officials at his polling unit carried out their duties professionally and followed proper procedures. However, he said reports from other areas were troubling.

He alleged that ADC agents in Takum Shara and sections of Kabusa ward, including Dogongada and Shereti, were threatened while on election duty. He claimed some agents were warned they could be harmed if they continued their work.

The candidate said such actions were meant to frighten voters and tilt the process in favour of the ruling party. He also accused political actors of engaging in vote buying in parts of the capital.

Nevertheless, the ADC candidate condemned the practice and described it as a criminal attempt to influence the outcome of the election. He urged security agencies to investigate and ensure that the will of the people is respected.

Despite the challenges, he expressed confidence in his chances. He said the electorate would not surrender their rights to fear and intimidation and called on Nigerians to insist on transparent and accountable leadership.

February 21, 2026
The wife and daughter of the Alagamo of Agamo, Oba Kehinde Jacob Falodun, have recounted how suspected bandits hacked the monarch to death after invading his palace in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State on Wednesday evening.

The attackers stormed the palace around 6pm, firing gunshots that sent residents of the Agamo community running for safety.

The Olori (wife of the monarch) said the gunmen arrived shortly after the king returned from Akure, the Ondo State capital, and sat outside the palace to rest.

“He was seated in front of the palace. He went to Akure and came back, saying he would want to rest a bit, so he sat outside,” she said in tears.

She said about 10 armed men entered the palace, with some positioned at the entrance and others moving inside, forcing her to run into a nearby bush while being chased.

She added: “The bandits just came and started shooting.

“They were about 10 in number.

“Three of them were at the entrance while about seven came inside.

“I ran away; one of them chased me but he did not know how I escaped into a nearby bush.

“I was shot at but it did not affect me.”

According to her, the attackers dragged the monarch away while she cried for help and later struck him on the head and stomach.

She added that they were speaking Hausa.

She said: “They kept dragging my husband and I kept shouting, but nobody could come out to rescue him.

“They later hit something on his head and his stomach.

“He has been killed.

“They were speaking Hausa language.”

The monarch’s daughter said her father kept telling the attackers that he was a king as they beat him and tried to abduct him before killing him outside the palace.

She said: “They just invaded the palace and kept shooting at the king but the bullets didn’t penetrate.

“They carried him, but he kept telling them that he was a king.

“They kept beating him, wanting to take him away.”

She added that the attackers later brought out a sharp object and attacked him after carrying him several times while firing shots into the air.

She said: “They kept shooting sporadically.

“Everybody ran for their lives.

“They carried him three times and baba kept telling them to drop him.

“Later, they brought out something like a knife and attacked him.

“The king was later killed outside the palace with blood gushing out of his head.

“He was with the Olori and a female guest when they came.

“They beat the guest and seized her mobile phone.”

The daughter also said the attackers wore clothing similar to that of Fulani herders, spoke Hausa, and entered through the Itaogbolu axis.

The Ondo State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying it occurred on February 18, 2026 at about 7:10pm.

Police spokesperson Abayomi Jimoh said officers received a report around 7:50pm that armed men had taken the monarch from his residence.

“The victim was later found a few metres away with gunshot wounds and was confirmed dead at the scene,” the police said.

The Divisional Police Officer and tactical teams, working with Amotekun, local hunters and vigilantes, have launched a search of nearby bushes for the suspects.

“Efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects. Monitoring and surveillance activities have been intensified to ensure the safety of residents,” the command added.

Tribune.

February 21, 2026
FCT elections orderly, efficient, peaceful – INEC Chairman

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

Abuja: The Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections, describing the process as orderly, efficient and peaceful.

Amupitan made this known on Saturday in Abuja while speaking with newsmen after monitoring the process at few polling units within the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

Amupitan maintained that the performance of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the level of voter turnout were positive indicators for the country’s democratic process.

He highlighted the speed of the accreditation process, noting that the BVAS technology had significantly reduced waiting times for voters.

“You can see by yourself that the election is orderly and very efficient. The election is peaceful and those are the indices of a good election.

“So far, the efficiency of the BVAS is high and I am very satisfied because the BVAS are working effectively and efficiently.

“From what I have seen and heard from the presiding officers, it takes about less than five seconds to even accredit a voter.

“So far, I can say that the election is well organised. The election is peaceful from the calm atmosphere you have seen,” Amupitan said.

He commended the turnout of voters, attributing it to an increased awareness among citizens regarding the importance of participating in the electoral process.

He also praised the calm atmosphere and the conduct of both voters and security personnel.

“You can see a lot of people here and they are conducting themselves well. I learned that there are 30 security personnel that are present here.

“They are also conducting their affairs in an orderly manner. So, we hope that at the close of the poll, we will have a very successful election,” he said.

Addressing a question regarding an incident involving the harassment of a journalist by security personnel, Amupitan said that INEC remained committed to the safety of all accredited personnel.

“I am only aware that there was one journalist that was arrested and immediately we intervened.

“The Chief Press Secretary and some people spoke to the police and the person was immediately released unmolested.

“We have taken every measure to ensure that nobody is molested. Accredited journalists and observers are granted access to the places they are supposed to be. We have not withdrawn any accreditation,” he said.

The INEC boss, however, acknowledged minor hiccups in certain areas, especially the delay in arrival of election materials and ad hoc officials in few polling units, noting that INEC was on top of the situation.

He said that as at 10:30 a.m., 99 per cent of polling units across the FCT had successfully opened and that the commission was monitoring the situation in real-time from the situation room to ensure all eligible voters were attended to.

Amupitan pledged that the commission would not only ensure that the votes of Nigerians count in the FCT election, but would ensure further improvements, moving forward to the 2027 general elections.

“The voices of Nigerians will be held this time around. The BVAS, as far as I am concerned, is working very well.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the polling units visited by Amupitan included: PU 016, Area 8, Garki, AMAC, PU 005 LGEA Primary school Garki Village, PUs 001 and 002, 052, Junior Secondary School, Area 1, 007 National Library, Area 2, Garki, AMAC.

The chairman also visited the INEC FCT office, where the deployment of election result collation officers was ongoing.(NAN)(www.nannees.ng)

February 21, 2026
Couple abducted, 1 shot in Ondo community — Police

By Muftau Ogunyemi

Akure: The Police Command in Ondo State has confirmed the abduction of a couple by gunmen on Friday evening in Ilu-Abo Community in Akure North Local Government Area of the state.

DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the command’s Spokesperson, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday, said one other person also sustained a gunshot wound.

Jimoh explained that the couple, Mr Jamiu Olawale and his wife, residents of Olaribigba Estate, Ilu-Abo, were whisked away by the gunmen at about 9:45 p.m. on Feb. 20.

“The couple had just returned home from their shop in an ash-coloured Toyota Camry when they were attacked at the frontage of their residence by the gunmen, who reportedly emerged from the surrounding bush.

“The attackers abducted the couple and whisked them away to an unknown destination.

“During the incident, a neighbour, Mr Patrick Ilumaro, who was seated in front of his residence, sustained a gunshot wound.

“He was promptly rushed to the hospital where he is currently receiving medical treatment,” he said.

Jimoh explained that the Commissioner of Police (CP), Adebowale Lawal, immediately deployed tactical teams alongside conventional operatives to comb the surrounding bushes and adjoining areas.

According to him, concerted efforts are ongoing to ensure the abducted persons are unhurt and safely returned, and to apprehend the perpetrators for justice to prevail.

“Members of the public are urged to remain calm and go about their lawful activities.

“Meanwhile, the command urges them to provide credible and actionable information, that may assist in the investigation, to the nearest police station,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

February 21, 2026