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NIGERIA ECONOMIC OUTLOOK 2023

by with No Comment By Tayo AreEconomy

Economic growth in Nigeria this 2023 is expected to be at 3 percent., dropping from last year’s 3.2 percent. This follows a pattern of the last three years. Growth rate was at 3.6% in 2021. It dropped to 3.2% last year 2022 and will further drop by 0.2% to remain at 3.0%  this year. This is somehow still on a positive growth trajectory. This is far ahead of South Africa whose economic growth dropped from 2.1% in 2022 to 1.1% this year.

 In terms of fiscal, Monetary Policies, there is need for some rejigging. And the roles of  go-getters, major stakeholders within the command post of the economy is critical to Nigeria’s success this year 2023. The key players here include policy makers, especially those in the ministry of finance and the governor of the Central Bank, Then come movers and shakers of the economy such as Aliko Dangote, Oba Otudeko, Abudlsamad Rabiu. Mike Adenuga,Tony Elumelu  and others.

It is this crop of go-getters that Nigeria needs now to rescue the economy from going into recession. The in-coming administration, after May 29th, will need them so much to help in organizing a reboot of the economy, freeing it from the rot that is getting messier everyday. They have the wherewithal and courage to organise the clean-up in a way that will free the population from the pain, hopelessness and anger standing between them and a new beginning.

Of course, it is a fact that the link between President Muhammadu Buhari’s government and the incoming administration, that will succeed him with the February 25th polls, is the 2023 federal budget. Against this background, the budget focuses on maintaining fiscal viability and ensuring a smooth transition to the incoming administration. The proposed 2023 federal government budget implies a general government fiscal deficit of about 6 percent in 2023 compared to an estimated 6 percent in 2022.

As at now, the Nigerian economy is ailing. The indicators are not very encouraging. Nigeria’s N21.83tn 2023 federal budget has about N12tn deficit component. The capital expenditure component of it is about N6.4trillion while debt service will swallow N6.3trillion.

At the same time, multidimensional poverty is plaguing the country, putting 133 million Nigerians below the poverty line according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The unemployment figure stands at over 33 percent as many micro, small, and medium enterprises (SMEs) groan under the heavy cost of doing business. The mortality rate of many businesses in Nigeria is high, largely due to the high cost of energy (electricity and petroleum products insecurity, and lack of adequate infrastructure as well as the government’s policy summersault.

With the high cost of fuel importation and a weak Naira, it is possible that the petrol subsidy will be removed in the second half of 2023. According to government sources, trillions of naira being spent to subsidize the cost of imported refined fuel can best be deployed to improve social services and infrastructure.  Within the course of the year, if this is done, there is bound to be a rise in commodity prices, and this can lead to social unrest unless cleverly managed.

However, if those at the levers of policy-making and those in the forefront of economic power in Nigeria put in their best and harmonize things together, Nigeria can sustain its projected growth rate this 2023 without plunging into recession, predicted to assail a third of the countries of the world by both the World Bank and the International Monetary Funds (IMF).

So as President Muhammadu Buhari and his cabinet bow out in April, there are expectations that a new Nigerian economy will be unveiled when all the contending issues will be treated. These include the deregulation of the petroleum downstream sector; consolidation of the power sector reform; prioritisation of infrastructure financing, resetting of the monetary policy, resolution of the foreign exchange market crisis, and fight against corruption and policies that will aid employment generation.

Within the oil industry, issues to be tackled include the twin challenges of low crude oil production and oil theft. And within the economy generally, deregulation of the petroleum downstream sector, and the pending reforms in sectors like telecoms, aviation, capital market, insurance and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises are of essence.

 NNPC/Dangote Refinery

Amid the confusion in the petroleum industry and the perennial fuel scarcity, expectations are rife that with the coming onstream of the Dangote Refinery, especially in the first quarter of the year, Nigeria will heave a sigh of relief given the reality that a private refinery will be run profitably and efficiently.

Reports said that the Dangote Refinery is nearing completion as pre-commissioning tests reach concluding stages making a launch date in the first quarter of 2023 feasible.

Sources close to the company’s plans said the refinery, billed as the largest single-train refinery in the world with a capacity to process 650,000 barrels per day could see the first refining runs begin as early as March.

The integrated refinery and petrochemical complex in the Lekki Free Zone near Lagos, Nigeria, will produce Euro-V quality gasoline and diesel, as well as jet fuel and polypropylene and will likely generate 4,000 direct and 145,000 indirect jobs.

It is expected to double Nigeria’s refining capacity and help in meeting the increasing demand for refined petroleum products while providing cost and foreign exchange savings. It is estimated to have an annual refining capacity of 10.4 million tonnes of petrol.

On the other hand, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, on behalf of the federal government, controls four refineries which include: the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, and Port Harcourt Refining Company.

In the face of poor performance and huge overheads, experts say fixing Nigeria’s unprofitable refineries to functional capacity has remained a pipe dream since 1999.

Banking sector

Overwhelming pattern across Nigeria would seem to suggest a readiness of some banks to maximize Nigeria’s promise of greatness and support more the real sector. A slew of events is expected to determine in the economy this year. Whether most banks will play a growing emboldening of the business landscape is another thing, but certainly some of them

Telecom Sector in 2023 

The telecom sector will perform optimally this year. This is the verdict of the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, He said Fintech and Data Application will be the major drivers of the economy in 2023.

According to him, there will be increased data analytics that will inform major decision-making in 2023, driven by increased data application. He said Fintech would get more support from telecom operators in 2023 which would enable them to develop more solutions that would further support financial transactions across the board.

This is quite possible when one looks at the gains of the telecom sector and how it positively impacted the Nigerian economy in 2022 in the areas of GDP growth, broadband penetration, and Fintech growth.

Capital market Investors

Most listed banks, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), and cement manufacturing companies will announce impressive performances in continuation of the 2022 performance that has attracted increased trading on the bourse.

As the inflation rate currently at 21.47 percent as of November has eroded investment, the pension fund administrators, and retail investors have increased their investment in fundamentals stocks and at the same time divest to fixed-income securities in a move to gain attractive yield on their investment above the inflation rate.

The trend, according to analysts will continue in 2023 as investors’ shift might thrust the stock market into negative territory in the first quarter of the year when Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct the general elections.

The Chief Managing Director, of Highcap Securities Limited, Mr. David Adnori said, “With the expectation of relatively high yields in the fixed income market, especially in the first half of 2023, most investors are expected to patronise the bonds market more.

Equally, analysts at Cordros securities forecasted interest rates domestically to remain high over 2023. According to them, “At the same time, we expect currency pressures to persist in the absence of any positive signal that denotes an improvement in FX supply relative to the pre-pandemic levels.”

Naira Exchange Rate and Inflation

The USD to Naira Exchange Rate experienced a sharp rise last year,  and Nigeria’s CPI changes have been harsh. Since supply chain disruptions in developed countries have triggered global inflation, there is cause for concern within the Nigerian economic landscape. As the downward pressure on the Nigerian economy increases, it is imperative to stabilize growth. The combination of exchange rate depreciation of the Naira and imported inflation has aroused many concerns.

The nominal effective exchange rate trend of the Naira has high correlation with Nigeria’s CPI and has a tendency to gradually strengthen, while the correlation with PPI and import and export prices is higher.

In the one-way transmission mechanism, the exchange rate can, directly and indirectly, affect Nigeria’s consumer prices. Due to the relatively high proportion of import consumption in the country, the direct impact of the exchange rate on the Consumer Price Index is quite high. Therefore, it is mainly based on direct transmission and cost promotion.

However, whether the transmission is smooth or not is still affected by economic expectations and monetary environments.

The state of the economy, not the exchange rate, is the most important factor affecting the CPI in Nigeria. Therefore, the government should do a good job of stabilizing the supply of commodities and monitoring market prices to help alleviate the concerns of further inflation outbreaks, while also stabilizing monetary policy expectations and strengthening market confidence.

Experts say Nigeria can sustain its projected growth rate without plunging into recession, with all hands being on deck .

To Dr. Muda Yusuf- the Director of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, political environment will have much to do with the economy this 2023. He is of the view that the quality of the transition programme will determine the quality of the leaders to be elected. According Dr Yusuf, this is why the current administration must ensure that people’s votes count on election day.

He maintains that “the political environment has a major impact on economic and business performance. Therefore, the quality of the political transition process, especially the credibility of the 2023 elections would be of contextual significance for the economy in 2023.  The elections must be free, fair, transparent and credible. “And it must be seen to be so.  This underlines the need for the independence, neutrality and credibility of the key institutions involved in the election management process – INEC, the Judiciary and the security agencies.  The quality of the democratic transition and choices would significantly impact economic outcomes in 2023.”

To Prof. Omowumi Iledare, petroluem subsidy payment is part of the woes of this country, as it is linked to foreign exchange problem. .A professor of Energy Economics and past President, Nigeria Association of Energy Economics, Prof. Iledare, insists on the need for stopping subsidy. He said Nigerians cannot afford to burn public funds on the tail pipe of cars.

“Subsidy will collapse the Nigerian economy and it is already doing it. When you are spending one trillion naira a year over 10 years to subsidize petrol consumption, not for economic sustainability, then you cannot survive it.”.

He adds that a general government deficit of this magnitude would entail additional central bank financing given the difficult external environment and the need to limit crowding out of the private sector. According to him, “Macroeconomic trade-offs imply that when inflationary pressures are high as is the case in Nigeria, fiscal policy should protect the most vulnerable while pursuing a tightening stance to avoid overburdening monetary policy in the fight against inflation.

For the in-coming administration, there is a need for political commitment at the highest level and broad buy-in from stakeholders is crucial to improving revenue collection.

What is critical for the government is that the economy must be diversified and the oil revenue projections in the 2023 fiscal appropriation must be met for the economy.

Next is the need to redesign the existing tax policy to favour growth-enhancing activities. The government also need to assess the effectiveness of existing fiscal incentives. Efforts to design more progressive tax systems and boost tax collection — particularly, property and/or land taxes — will surely help. This will have to be combined with increasing the VAT rate, streamlining existing VAT exemptions, and increasing existing excise rates on alcoholic and tobacco products.

As the two major monetary policies introduced last year take effect this January, analysts believe the current administration has begun to position the economy for the needed reforms. These are the Naira redesign and the withdrawal limit, which seek to checkmate the activities of currency dealers, criminally minded individuals who indulge in kidnapping and robberies as well as politicians who engage in vote buying.

Much is also expected in the foreign exchange sector as more dollars are expected to be generated by enhanced non-oil sector activities and the anticipated commencement of the Dangote Refinery. Then inflation must be anchored while the problem of foreign exchange should be significantly tackled when the Dangote refinery goes into operation, helping Nigeria to do away with using huge foreign exchange on importation of refined petroleum products.

 

 

Fake News

Crushing Fake News and Disinformation

by with No Comment Editorial

2023 is an election year in Nigeria. It is a crucial year as it marks a year of transition in government. It marks a year of a new beginning. And any new beginning brings its share of optimism and expectations of bigger and better things. And 2023 is no different. From the family homes to business houses and the corridors of power, 2023 has arrived with similar optimism and expectations for greater achievements, success and prosperity.

Happily, President Muhammadu Buhari has given hope to this year, reassuring that everyone can look ahead as a nation, and a community with confidence. But as the 2023 general elections draw near, the extent of untrustworthy information on social media is concerning. And something needs to be done to tackle the menace.

Of course, Nigeria has been through very tough times, and there are challenges that remain as we inch towards the February 2023 General elections. There is a greater need for online news outlets and social media users to take responsibility, just as there is need for more infrastructure development and social services delivery by government in the states and local government areas.

Of course, social media help us share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content. But our information system, some say, is polluted. Every day, misleading stories, schemes, fabricated images and videos travel via our information streams online.

In fact, we live in an age of information disorder, an age where we see people deliberately pushing out false information; this is known as disinformation. When this content is shared further by people online who don’t realise it is false or misleading, this is what many call misinformation.

These agents of disinformation are only successful because we have a tendency to mindlessly share content without checking whether it is trustworthy or not. Without additional sharing and amplification, many rumours and conspiracies would wither and die. Cases involving slanderous comments against another is increasing. And it is time, social media users learn and take responsibility for what is posted.

Generally, when using social media, it is a common assumption that all users are solely responsible for their content – including posts, comments, likes, shares, tweets, and retweets, follows and favourites. Now many Nigerians who have smart phones are becoming more and more addicted to posting, tweeting, viewing, responding, opining, and sharing online—and what’s going to come of it all?

As a general rule, nothing on social media is private. And the extent of untrustworthy information on social media is so high. It gives cause for concern. The cause for concern is not surprising given that a good number of Nigerians rely heavily on social media for news.

Until the early years of the 21st century, crimes tended to be committed away from the eyes of the majority of society, with traditional media broadcasting information about them often on their own terms. Print media like newspapers build relationship with their readers based on reputation.
They establish this reputation by carefully checking information before publishing it. On social media, however, there are no editors, which allows all kind of content to spread without control.

While social media allows us to share our perspectives, ideas and concerns (as well as pictures of our favourite meals), the development of social media has also given rise to a new form of aggression. Cyber bullying is a very real phenomenon that can cause significant distress and psychological damage, especially to those most vulnerable among us. There have been numerous stories of young people who died by suicide after being severely bullied online.

Social media will most certainly continue to play a major role in our society for the foreseeable future and online conversations will continue to shape the attitudes, identities and behaviours of our children and their children. It is here to stay. Our job is to use it to enhance and improve our lives and to teach our children to do the same

There is little we can do to prevent people creating fake news or publishing disinformation. But those of us who use social media can take action to slow down its spread by becoming more aware of what we share. Government, too, should come down heavily of apostles of fake news to prevent them from creating troubles during and after the February 25th Presidential elections.

WhatsApp Image 2023-01-12 at 11.22.45

CGI Jere Idris Returns Efficiency and Honour to Nigeria Immigration Service

by with No Comment Goverance

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday 11th day of October 2022, conferred various categories of national honour awards on 440 Nigerians and seven foreigners. One of these honorees is the Comptroller General of Immigration, Isah Jere Idris, who was conferred with Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR). But this did not come to many as a surprise.
Jere Idris, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) is a man of repute, integrity and credibility. And he has long known to be a man of sterling moral character who has etched his name in gold as an officer of repute, who concerns himself with measures that can improve governance, transparency and accountability of public service delivery of goods and services to the people. He is also a strong and vibrant anti-fraud and corruption crusader. These are some of the reasons why President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him to head the service last year.
He is a professional , a tested administrator and a passionate Nigerian of uncommon leadership qualities. Like the saying, a goldfish has no hiding place. Accordingly, good report about him got to President Muhammadu Buhari, who appointed him last September 2021 in acting capacity with the exit of former Immigration boss Muhammed Babandede. Expectedly, since becoming the CGIS last year, he has worked assiduously with his officers to increase the efficiency of service delivery by the immigration service.
“May I hasten to state that I am not under any illusion whatsoever about the herculean task which lies ahead but I believe that with the usual support of the Federal Government, particularly the Ministry of Interior, the enhanced commitment, cooperation and dedication to duty by all Officers and Men as well as the collaboration of our teeming stakeholders, we shall not only consolidate on existing legacies of the past administration which we all vigorously pursued, but we shall equally strive to fill identified gaps and take the NIS to greater heights”.
CGI Jere said the following words while appearing before the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregebesola in September last year as he took over the headship of the service. And ever since then, he has left no stone unturned in the pursuit of service delivery to the Nigerian people. These include a more efficient passport issuing exercise, efficiency at the country’s borders through improved border security strategies, staff motivation and welfare, capacity building, entrepreneurship training and other related issues.
Within a short time in office, he carved a niche for himself as focus, hard working , visionary anti-corruption officer. Hence he was decorated with new rank as substantive Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in April this year. In addition to his new rank, CGIS Idris Jere also got one year extension of Service by the President on 22nd April, to enable him lead the service to higher heights.
The NIS boss, whose official retirement date was April 24, 2022, having attained the age of 60 as stipulated by civil service rules, will preside over the affairs of the agency for one more year following that development.
In a letter dated April 22, 2022, and addressed to the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, announced the approval of the extension of Jere’s tenure with immediate effect.
Why is this Kaduna State indigene able to work so seamlessly with staff and stakeholders to the admiration of the general public? His experience and background play a lot of roles in this. Comptroller General Idiris Jere is an alumnus of Bayero University Kano where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mass Communication in 1985. He joined the Service in 1987 as a Deputy Superintendent of Immigration and has served in various Commands and Formations including Adamawa, Borno, and Benue State Commands among others. He was the Deputy Comptroller General in charge of Finance and Accounts until 10th September 2021 when he took over from the former Comptroller General, Muhammad Babandede (rtd) as acting Comptroller General.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the Immigration boss was decorated by the Minister of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Coomassie urged the CGI to take bold steps in making tough decisions within the next 30 days, which include the overhauling of the entire directorate and same should be extended to other directorates of the service.
Meanwhile since coming to office, CGIS Idris Isah Jere has done much to solve the challenges bedeviling passport policy, overhauling its operations by altering the recent passport reforms and the mode of processing Nigerian passports which many noted had become unruly for the citizens, before the CGIS came into office.
He has taken and implemented measures, actions or decisions that best serve and protect the interest of the country and its citizens. He has also been working to protect Nigerian Immigration service and its staff from the influence and impact of corruption and corrupt conduct. Hence his war to stamp out corruption in the service. His belief is that corrupt conduct in the form of actions, decisions and behaviours are detrimental to the welfare and development of a nation. It brings to the fore serious issues of disrepute, integrity and credibility.
That is why countries around world have implemented measures that would help them best deal with corruption and its consequences. CGI Jere Idris does not want people to import corruption and corrupt conduct into the service under his watch. It explains why the CGI recently ordered a probe into the reports of corruption against some officers of the service at the Murtala Muhhamed International Airport, Lagos.
In Nigeria where public service is perceived to be riddled with widespread corruption and corrupt conduct at all levels of institutions of government and other sectors of the economy. It is struggling to survive every day under the yoke of corruption. To see public officials like CGIS Jere Idris is therefore a thing of joy. One is not therefore surprised by the national honour awarded to him.

Apart from these, CGIS jere Idris has been pressing ahead with service efficiency to ensure the fruition of the blue print he made available when he was appointed last year. At that time, he had disclosed this when he was formally presented to the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola by the Federal Commissioners and Board Secretary of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) in Abuja in September, 2021.
Then he had noted that he is quite aware of the daunting task of securing the nation’s borders as well as offering effective service to Nigerians and migrants. Then, he highlighted some vital components that would form the policy thrust of his administration to include but not limited to:
i. Review of Border Security Strategies by enabling a committee of experts to re-examine the strategies with a view to ascertaining the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the Service’s Border Management Policies and Operations;
ii. Critical assessment of Passport Operations to find lasting solution to the incessant challenge of Passport Booklet scarcity and;
iii. Improve staff welfare through massive capacity building and Entrepreneurship training for Officers and Men as well as prompt action to address pending allowances and other claims of Officers and Men.

Responding then, the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola charged the Acting Comptroller General to effectively secure the Nigerian borders and deepen the Passport application and issuance reform with a view to enabling a seamless process.
This he has been doing as he gradually returns service efficient to the Immigration service. As the Nigerian aphorism advises, “follow who know road.” This maxim must have guided stakeholders to join hands with CGI Idris Jere and his officers to build on the remarkable foundation already put in place to put the service on global reckoning.
No wonder, many were not surprised that national honour came the way of this remarkable man. And many are praising President Buhari as they congratulate the CGIS.
Acting Head of Mission and Country Representative, International Peace Commission of the United Nations, Ambassador Hussaini H. Coomassie, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the conferment of national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) on the Comptroller General of Immigration, Isah Jere Idris.
In a congratulatory message he personally signed, Coomassie, who is also the global vice chairman, Advocacy for Good Governance & Social Justice Network (AGGSJN), said the Immigration boss deserved the national award, having demonstrated core attributes of a professional in his national assignment and for his immeasurable contributions to the growth and development at a revenue generating agency where he is serving as the number one staff.
Also honoured by the President is the Deputy Comptroller General in charge of Visa and Residency, Isiaka Abdulmumuni Haliru, who was also conferred with the award of the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR).
“On behalf of the International Peace Commission of the United Nations I hereby celebrate with the management, Officers and Men of the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Comptroller General and the other awardees of the Service for the honour bestowed on them and I wish them sound health for more contributions to organisations and nation building at large.”
With his activities within one year in office, CGIS Jere has proved his leadership and administrative mettle. Many have had to concur with the view that the office of the comptroller-General is not a place to learn administration or how to get things done. It should be a place for people who have proven their administrative mettle to solve the state’s more enormous challenges.

buhari vs Idris MFR Award

Bravo President Buhari for Rewarding Public Service Integrity

by with No Comment Editorial

President Muhamadu Buhari recently honored some Nigerians who have shown that a good name is better than gold. Of course, national awards are opportunities to melt down the cultural, tribal and ethnic differences and blend all to national unity. The honorees came from both the public and private sector and the general public. These included people like senate president, Senator Ahmed Lawan, the Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Prof Tijani Mohammed Bande, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Tanko Mohammed, Hajia Amina Mohammed, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, Tony Elumelu, Herbert Wigwe and others.
Senator Lawan, Justice Ariwoola, Prof Bande, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, AlhajiMohammed and Hajia Mohammed were all conferred with Grand Commander of the Niger (GCON)
Some senior public officials were awarded Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) .Those were 54 in number among them are the late Abba Kyari, former Chief of Staff; the late Ibrahim Attahiru, former Chief of Army Staff; Monica Dongban-Mensem, President of the Court of Appeal; Oladayo Amao, Chief of Air Staff, Isah Jere Idris, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, among others.
Others are Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON, 67; Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic, OFR, 64; Officer of the Order of the Niger, OON, 101; Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR, 75; Member of the Order of the Niger, MON, 56; and Federal Republic Medal, FRM 8.
Among these was the Imam who sheltered more than one hundred Christians in his compound, saving their lives from Boko Haram people.
Among them also were two ordinary, everyday people of sterling character: a security guard, Mallam Musa Usman, from Jigawa State; a cleaner, Ms. Josephine Agu, from Imo State, and a bank security guard, Ogbanago Muhammed Ibrahim, were on the list of 437 nominees for the 2022 National Honours Awards. They were awarded Federal Republic Medal (FRM) II.
Agu works as a cleaner at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja. She’s being rewarded for her honesty and integrity in returning $12,200 she found in a toilet at the airport, ditto Ibrahim who found and returned $10,000.
In a similar development, President Buhari also presented SP Daniel Amah with a Public Service Integrity Award for displaying exceptional courage and integrity in the discharge of his duties. Amah, an indigene of Plateau State, received the award by President Buhari in Abuja at the 4th National Summit on Diminishing Corruption in the Public sector, with the theme, “Corruption and the Education Sector.
Amah, a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Bompai Kano, rejected $200,000 bribe to sweep under the carpet a case involving one Mr Ali Zaki, a bureau de change operator, who connived with other criminally minded individuals to rob a Nigerian (name withheld) to the tune of $750,000.
These people are true ambassadors of Nigeria. They have shown us something: Money should not be the motivation for work. The motivation for work should be for adding value and producing quality goods and services for a better society. They have proved that this is one mindset that should be discouraged if we will become respected as a civilized and developed society.
Money is good and should be appreciated as a by-product or compensation for any honest and quality work. Money is not evil as many people may wrongfully think. It is the love of money that is the root of all evil conduct. The focus on money as the reason why people go to work is the biggest reason why there are lots of substandard products, unprofessionalism, bribery, corruption, theft of government properties and resources, and many illegal dealings.

Public servants and private sector employees tend to solicit money in exchange for goods and services when money becomes the motivating factor of their work. In our society, it has become prevalent that wherever you go to most government offices or private sectors for any services, money has to be exchanged to acquire what rightfully belongs to you or to attain something quickly without following the normal process.

The frequent words that you hear when money is the motive is: “come next week” or “it’s still in the process”. Services are delayed or withheld for a long time until there is an exchange of money that takes place under the table. This is happening in most government ministries, at different levels of government-Federal, state and local.

Money is exchanged hands when recruitment is being done into the public service. Teachers seeking for positions in a public schools are being forced to part with money. Their applications won’t be considered until they include a certain amount of money.
In commercial banks importers seeking forms, M or form Q go through hell to get foreign exchange at government’s official rate. Such practices are many which is the reason why we don’t see much progress in our development as a nation.

Our public sector workforce consumes a large portion from out national budget every year in salaries but there is little to show on the ground. Despite our abundance of natural resources, we still lack in many aspects of development and essential services.When the focus of work is not about selfish gain but cantered on truly serving people and making their lives better, real development begins.

Our attitude towards work must be radically changed in order for positive progress to take place.
Money is not the most important benefit of work. Work has more benefits than just earning wages. For instance, we work to realise our hidden potentials. Work, therefore, is the paramount key to discovering yourself, but integrity at work holds the mirror with which society sees us.

Work is the divine provision God has given to every man through which we can provide for our needs including the needs of our families and to resolve national issues.
So until we start working responsibly to contribute meaningfully towards a better society that we all desire, then we will miss being honoured as well.

bello abubakar

How Prof Muhammad Bello Abubakar Spurs Galaxy Backbone to better Position Nigeria’s Digital Economy

by with No Comment By Elvis Ebigwu

Prof Muhammad Bello Abubakar- Chief Executive of Galaxy Backbone (GBB), custodian of the Nigerian government’s ICT infrastructure and shared services provider-is a critical thinker with the ability to untie knotty situations. His vision is to make GBB and its ICT infrastructure become the “new goldmine as oil and gas are now.” Additional to this revenue angle is the need to protect our infant digital industries in the e-commerce sector such as e-commerce companies like Jumia and Konga and others.
A man with strong leadership and management skills, Prof Abubakar is man who understands the power of partnerships at achieving goals. This he brews at the GBB now to give the agency more heft, and by extension the Nigerian economy.
“Galaxy Backbone is committed to looking for innovative ways to collaborate with other ICT companies. We are not here to compete, but to enable our partners and customers achieve more through the digital infrastructure services we offer them”. Says Abubakar.
He is a game changer who has brought much transformation into the Nigerian digital space and expanded opportunities for business to thrive as far as the raft of what have been undertaken by GBB is concerned. And his being at the helm of this agency of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has been a blessing to Nigeria. as he has breathed efficiency and global reckoning for the government’s technology company.
The Federal Government set up Galaxy Backbone in 2006. It is a technology company set up to help organizations in government utilize ICT better and in a more productive manner in such a way that the benefits and opportunities available in adopting technology is effectively utilized. This responsibility is not only meant for organizations in Abuja but for the whole of the country. So, it was given the mandate and responsibility of actualizing the National Information Communications Technology Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB) project of the federal government aimed at connecting the 36 states of the country with high-speed fibre optic cables that will create job opportunities across the country and improve the standard of living of the people.

In that wise, it provides to public and private organizations mainly Internet connectivity for video conferencing, local and wide area networks (LANs and WANs), hosting services and cyber security. It also provides services in project management, capacity building and related consultancy services. GBB leverages its own infrastructure and people spread across the country to provide these services to organizations in both public and private sectors.

Prof Abubakar resumed office in January 2020 as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone (GBB). A professor of Petroleum Geosciences with more than twenty years experience spanning academia, oil and gas exploration research, development and innovation institutions. He is a strategic thinker with strong leadership and management skills. He has an impressive exposure to global best practice in the field of energy.
Before his appointment as MD/CE of GBB he was the Executive Director and a Principal start-up for the establishment and development of the National Centre for Petroleum Research and Development of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, where he spearheaded a cutting edge research that developed the conceptual exploration model deployed in the successful oil and gas exploration in the frontier basin of the Northeast Nigeria. He was also a Research Consultant to NNPC on oil and gas exploration. His ICT training background in high end Cisco Academy Networking certification no doubt has equipped him for the leadership of the GBB. Thus he is well suited to head an agency like the GBB.
This professor of Petroleum Geosciences is a model of the fact the we need someone with critical thinking and the ability to navigate our public service through the stormy waters of this century to be at the helm of any central agency if there are ever going to be a chance to move forward.
He is an example of what heads of institutions and agencies of government should now be doing in their policy roles. These are to identify the needs and the problems in the public and come up with the appropriate policy actions to address these things.
As soon as he settled in office, Abubakar began work to implement the two policy frameworks guiding the mandate of the agency. The first is the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, launched in November 2019. The second is the Nigeria National Broadband Plan of 2020-2025, launched in March 2020. Both were launched for the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy by President Muhammadu Buhari. The twin policies were coupled to accelerate growth and modernization of the Nigerian economy.
The two policies provided the framework for digital-led growth strategy for the Nigerian economy.GBB is currently preoccupied with operating an IT-based network that provides network connectivity to MDAs of government, saving government cost of maintenance and securing and protecting its data.
Apart from doing these, Prof Abubakar is at the forefront of taking the GBB to a global reckoning where it can be the primary competitor to all ICT providers in Nigeria and the West Africa sub region, in the long run, for he envisions GBB and its ICT infrastructure become “the new goldmine as oil and gas are now.”
He is also passionate about protecting our infant digital industries especially in the e-commerce sector. Right now, Nigeria’s two leading e-commerce companies, Jumia and Konga have started facing stiff competition from global giants like eBay and Amazon. The role of GBB would therefore be to ensure hardware infrastructure to foster rapid growth of this area.
Why is this? The growth of e-commerce has been quite impressive in Nigeria because of the surge in telecom investments and smartphone purchases which have fueled growth in internet usage from 20% in 2009 to 41% in 2014. Sometimes ago, it was reported that Nigeria has the largest online market particularly for apparel and footwear in Africa, which was envisioned to grow from US$104 million in 2014 to US$1,077 million in 2019, due to the activities of trusted e-commerce sites (online retailers), like Jumia and Konga.
This development can only be sustained if GBB work is supported with a sense of deliberate purpose. Hence GBB’s National ICT Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB) project is being scaled up.
Prof. Abubakar highlighted the status of this project in an interview with the media. Phase one of the NICTIB project covered about 13 states, including the FCT. It started from Lagos, covered many states in the South East and South-South. The fiber-optic backbone of the Galaxy Backbone came from the landing point in Lagos, to Onitsha, extended to Akwa Ibom and Rivers, it came to Enugu, Benue State and then Nasarawa, through Lafia, Akwanga and then into Abuja, which is now the backbone that we have”.

To facilitate and deliver this service more effectively in the South Eastern region of the country, GBB went into partnership with Interra Networks and launched STORM; a Fibre Network and Data Hosting platform that would leverage its infrastructure in the delivery of services in Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi and Delta States. Through this relationship, services will get to end customers faster and more effectively. GBB’s commitment to the customer and its awareness that it cannot reach across to everyone on its own is prompting these new initiatives at partnering with the right partners in delivering its services.

The second phase of the project commenced this year and is currently well on its way. At the end of this second phase, GBB will have connected 21 additional states in addition to the 13 states it had earlier covered in phase one.

GBB’s contribution to the deepening of broadband penetration in the country and the enhancement of Nigeria’s digital economy is worth commending and one to be encouraged by organizations, State Governments, Ministries, Departments and Agencies across the different sectors of the Nigerian economy.

The organisation is investing heavily in cyber security solutions to ensure that anytime an organization or individual is on its platform, the security of its data is guaranteed. GBB maintains a critical Infrastructure that is essential to the development and sustainability of Nigeria’s digital Economy. Through this infrastructure its position in enabling organizations is strengthened.

One of the major achievements of Prof Abubakar is his decision to strengthen the operations of GBB’s regional offices. He is convinced that GBB cannot attain its mission without empowering the regions hence this initiative. This necessitated the appointment of a Group Head to manage these regions, spread across different parts of the country. The regional offices will ensure more effectiveness in the delivery and resolution of issues.

Equally important are the customer and stakeholders. Customer centricity is at the core of GBB’s values and reorganizational focus. In 2021, GBB organized the very first Customer Appreciation Day aimed at thanking and recognizing the efforts of all the organizations that have contributed in one way or the other to the development and successes achieved by Galaxy Backbone. The Customer Appreciation Day was the first since its inception and was well attended by GBB’s customers in Abuja and across a number of other states in the country. At that event Prof. Abubakar thanked customers for contributing immensely to GBB’s business and success and committed to addressing all issues that were discussed during the event.

A lot more attention is being paid towards customer satisfaction and operational excellence which include partneerships. From 2020 to date, not less than 10 partnerships and collaborations with the private sector have been achieved. Such collaborations include with DataSixth, SHELT Global Limited and Palo Alto on cybersecurity, Interra Networks and BCN on connectivity, Zadara on data centre and cloud services, Yahlink on satellite connectivity, New Waves in hosting services; all in addition to the enhanced collaboration with Huawei, MainOne and so on. These collaborations will further enhance public-private sector partnership, drive down the bandwidth price for the benefit of the end-user, contribute to the GDP of the nation and improve the standard of living of the citizens.

Indeed, Prof Abubakar has put GBB on a strong footing. This gives the institution a lot of resiliency. No wonder, early this year, when ICT and telecommunications organizations experienced an outage on its infrastructure, GBB ably rose to the occasion. The incident tested the tenacity of its facilities, its service reliability and its ability to manage customer experience. Most importantly, the outage tested the competence of the team at Galaxy Backbone, GBB. In all of these, the organization stood tall, as it resolved the outage and brought back the operations of the affected organizations to full normalcy.
What is critical is to have a partner who will be there to guide them through whatever challenge that could come up and resolve it promptly and adequately. This is what GBB continues to demonstrate in the lives of its customers and other stakeholders, as it deepens e-commerce and digital economy in Nigeria.

1432805051-1852

THE IMPORTANCE OF LIFE INSURANCE

by with No Comment by The Telescope Magazine

Life insurance policy is essential for any working adult above 40 years. Of course, a lot of people tend to ignore it, its importance cannot be overstretched. But generally, Nigerians have a passive attitude towards life insurance, especially among the masses. Also within the lower middle class, many are not even interested in insurance and its stories beyond motor insurance.

However, there are some essential things a working adult must do in life. Life insurance is one of those things— and many people don’t learn how important it is until it’s too late.

This is because anything can happen as we go about, running around to put food on the table for our families. Accidents can happen. Death also does not write letters to people that it is coming. So getting a life insurance policy is a great protection for our dependents if anything unexpected happens.
Of course, for most people, death is a passing thought. This is especially true when people are young and in top form and feel great… Everyone thinks they are going to live long and prosperous lives. And hopefully, that will indeed be the case.
However, you know that it doesn’t take much for your life to take a sharp turn for the worse. If you are unprepared, you risk dragging your entire family into a difficult financial situation.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. That’s why life insurance can play a crucial part in helping to secure your family’s financial future.
With enough coverage, you are securing a comfortable financial future for your loved ones, even without you being around. They will be able to get back on their feet much sooner and continue getting on with living their lives.
The death of a loved one can strike when you least expect it. And it only sounds cliché until it happens to someone. Daily events in different parts of Nigeria highlight the seriousness of the issue of life insurance policy. And a general awareness of it is needed to turn the Unpredictable into the Predictable
As you know, nature works in mysterious ways. Yes, the chances are low that any of the above would happen to you, but it should still make you wonder how long you have left here on earth.
In Nigeria, just as in some other parts of the West African sub-region, people travel a lot, often for business. Barring accident, the odds are that you will be living a long life. But if you want to be sure that your loved ones will have a degree of financial security if the worst were to happen to you, you shouldn’t think twice about seriously considering your life insurance needs.
With a good life insurance policy and the right amount of cover, you can relax and enjoy every day as it comes in terms of knowing that your loved one’s financial future is provided for. And no accident, no lightning bolt, heart attack, or falling cow could take that away.
A reflection on issues that bother on daily security and safety may help you understand more about the importance of getting the right policy. Remember, it is for your loved ones that you’re taking out a life insurance policy.
But that doesn’t mean we know all the right things to do when it comes to getting a policy. According to a nationwide study conducted by a Lagos-based insurance company early this year in bothe Lagos and Abuja.
Over two-third of respondents who had life insurance policy didn’t know what kind of policy they had. And though 70% felt confident that their insurance companies would pay out if the need arose, only 34% felt sure that they would know how to collect a payout.
Do you fall into this confused category? If so, it’s crucial to educate yourself about life insurance, especially if you have people who depend on you (like kids), or have a mortgage or significant amount of debt to pay.
Life insurance, and how it could have—or does—make all the difference is essential to our having some confidence about securing the future for our dependants.

haliru nababa

Haliru Nababa: Building A Correctional Service that Truly Transforms

by with No Comment Goverance

Haliru Nababa, mni, assumed office as the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service on May 10, 2021, he came with tremendous zeal and commitments to bring holistic reform to the service in line with the cardinal objectives of government. And his enviable record in the service as well as his outstanding academic reputation put him on a higher ground, well prepared for the big tasks he was saddled with,
The cardinal objectives of many government ministries, departments, agencies and other parastatals is to provide the most needed services as it’s being enshrined in the Nigerian constitution and other relevant civil service rules and regulations as obtainable. There are certain peculiarities and exceptionalities in operation within various organizations which is equally centered on achieving the desired and set objectives.
While some may find it easy and fun handling their designated task, to some it wasn’t that easy because it involves sacrifices, courage and risk taking to execute their assignments and render the needed services beyond office comports. The Nigerian military, police, security and civil defence corps, state security service and other sister security agencies were the notable organizations where sacrifices has to be made for the general well-being and peaceful coexistence of the Nigerian nation. But there are silent organizations that have been putting in their best to bring succor, relieve and hope to Nigerians amidst despondency and despair; Nigerian Correctional Service is without doubt fall into this category.
The Nigerian Correctional Services and its ever resilient, pertinacious and dogged Comptroller-General, Nababa whom ever since he assumed the leadership of the organization, he has restlessly transverse all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria to further acquaint himself with the state of facilities of correctional centres in different states across the country. On resumption of office in May 2021, the CGC embarked on a familiarization tour of the country to assess the state of infrastructures and facilities. This was in keeping with his commitment to provide safe and secure custodial centres where inmates are treated in line with global standards. He went round the states despite the security challenges rising from the perceived ambush attacks by the militants.
On August 6, 2021, the CGC, in an inaugural meeting with the command officers , outlined his agenda centred on comprehensive reform of the correctional service, including safe custody of inmates, training, staff and inmates welfare, capacity-building for staff, staff discipline and effective implementation of non-custodial measures. He used the opportunity of that meeting to share his vision and policy direction with his staff.

The Correctional Services, under the visionary leadership of Nababa has spared no effort in moving the service forward and tackling jail emergencies wherever and whenever they occur and through painstaking and meticulous management of the lean resources by formulating way to ensure that the limited resource at his disposal are well utilized for the benefit and welfare of staff his staff and also the well-being of the prisoners under his agency’s care. Whenever those jailbreaks occur, Nababa is the first person to be called to action.
As a demonstration of his commitment to promotion of staff welfare, the CGC, shortly on assumption of office, initiated the promotion of 2,455 junior staff and also facilitated the release of promotion of 3,477 senior officers through the Civil Defence, Correctional Service, Fire and Immigration Service Board. This was to motivate the staff to work assiduously towards achieving his set goals.
In addition, he vigorously embarked on providing conducive office accommodation at various state command headquarters to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of staff. Among the states that have benefitted from the new offices is Osun, which was launched on July 23, 2021.
In keeping with the concept of a correctional service tailored towards reforming and rehabilitating inmates so that they could be re-integrated into the larger society, the CGC has initiated various programmes aimed at giving lifelines to former inmates to enable them engage in meaningful enterprises. This involves giving out starter packs and other incentives to inmates that acquire skills while in custody; indeed, one of the cardinal objectives of the Nababa-led administration is to provide opportunities for inmates to acquire necessary skills that will make them relevant in society. Many of the inmates have taken advantage of this unique opportunity to improve themselves while serving their term in the custody. For instance, there are several of them who have acquired various academic qualifications, including doctor of philosophy (PhD). This is made possible by the conducive and friendly environment provided by the new administration, as well as the encouragement given to the inmates to embark on any career of their choice.
Equally laudable is the agricultural policy of the administration, which is geared towards ensuring adequate food production not only to satisfy the food need of the staff and inmates, but also the entire nation. While flagging off the 2021 cowpea production on August 5, the CGC reiterated the commitment of his administration in food production. During the ceremony, he distributed 12 tractors to 10 farms across the country. The tractors are meant for the training of inmates in mechanized farming. He followed this up with a visit to Dukpa farm centre in Gwagwalada Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, where he called on the inmates to take advantage of the opportunity they have, while serving in correctional custody, to inprove their skills in modern food production.
Farming remains a key component in the correctional service administration. The Nigerian Correctional Service has 17 mechanized farm centres across the country; apart from being used to train inmates in modern food production, they are also to serve as source of food supply to feed the inmates. However, the farms were not being fully utilized until the present administration decided to give top priority to food production, which has seen the gradual resuscitation of the farms. The vision of the administration is to become self-sufficient in food production, thereby reducing the huge cost the Federal Government is spending on feeding the inmates.
Similarly, in line with the new welfare policy of the administration, much emphasis has been given to providing quality healthcare system in the correctional centres across the country. This has resulted in accelerated provision of healthcare needs of the inmates. It is instructive to note that the correctional centres have not experienced any major outbreak of diseases in recent times, unlike in the past. Equally commendable is the fact that there has been no record of COVID-19 incident in any of the correctional centres since the outbreak of the dreaded discase. This can only be attributed to various measures put in place by the administration to safeguard the health of the staff and inmates. In addition, the administration is interfacing with various orgnisations towards improving the general condition of the correctional centres, especially as it relates to the welfare of the vulnerable, juveniles and female inmates.
Also arising from incessant jailbreaks as a result of the porous and weak structure in the correctional centres, the CGC has introduced various measures that would curb this ugly trend, which has become a major embarrassment to the country. Indeed, securing the life of the staff and inmates, as well as the facilities, has been given top priority by the administration.
Recently Nababa said measures put in place to prevent attacks on correctional centres across the country have been yielding results. According to him, this is the major reason the correctional centres have not been attacked recently. He, however, clarified that the country had yet to experience jailbreaks, saying that there had only been attacks on correctional centres.
“I would like to make this correction that we don’t have jailbreaks in the country, what we had were jail attacks. When we say jailbreak, we mean an uprising in the correctional centre but recently what we have had were attacks from outside; these are called jail attacks.
Who is Haliru Nababa? He hails from Sokoto State, was born on 15th December, 1964. Nababa had his First School Leaving Certificate from the Demonstration Primary School, Sokoto in 1975. He attended Government Secondary School Tangaza where he obtained his West African School Certificate in 1980 and then proceeded to the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto where he graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor degree in History. In 1996, he obtained a Diploma in Criminology from the Same University.
He joined the Nigerian Prisons Service, as it then was called, on 13th August, 1990 as an Assistant Superintendent of Prisons. He rose through the ranks and was promoted to the Rank of Assistant Controller General of Corrections on 01 January, 2018. On 26th August, 2020 he was appointed as Deputy Controller General of Corrections Covering Duties in the Directorate of Finance and Accounts.
Career Courses Attended
The senior officer attended the following statutory courses in the Service: Assistant Superintendent Basic Course at Corrections Staff College, Barnawa, Kaduna; Citizens & Leadership Training, Shere Hills, Jos, Plateau State; 3rd Chief Superintendent course at Corrections Staff College, Barnawa, Kaduna; Command Course at Corrections Staff College, Barnawa, Kaduna; Advance Command Course, Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State; He underwent a Senior Executive Course 41, 2019, at the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru.
Haliru has headed many formations in the course of his career between 2016 and 2019, amongst which are: Officer in Charge, Wurno Satellite Custodial Centre, Sokoto State, Nguru Custodial Centre, Yobe State; Mubi Custodial Centre, Adamawa State, and Sokoto Central Custodial Centre, Sokoto State. He has also served as a Command Controller in Kebbi and Sokoto States.
Until his appointment to head the Service, he was covering duties as the Head of the Directorate of Finance and Account.
In the past one year in office , Haliru Nababa as the Controller General of Nigerian Correctional Service has witnessed a breathtaking flurry of activities, which are geared towards the transformation of correctional service in the country. Though it is still too early to draw conclusions on the performance of the CGC, there are clear indications that the present administration is committed to giving a new face to Nigerian Correctional Service. Given the reputation of the CGC as an astute and tested administrator, with an impeachable record in service, he has all it takes to achieve this lofty vision for the service, but he needs the support of government, especially in the area of funding, which is key to achieving his target of building a correctional service that truly transforms inmates for the better.

Engr Gbenga

Engr Komolafe on the Radar of Silent Achievements at the NUPRC

by with No Comment By Kunle Olu Ojo

Engr Gbenga Komolafe, CEO Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) is a man with many years of leadership experience at various levels of the oil and gas industry. Over the years, he has been involved in strategic policy formulation and implementation in the oil and gas industry. Now as the head of NUPRC, an agency saddled with the responsibility of regulating the technical and commercial activities of the upstream petroleum sector and to get things going the right direction. Komolafe has done just this.
Since coming to office as the first CEO of NUPRC in August 2021, Komolafe has been making the Commission to pursue aggressive identification and promotion of new projects and new field developments, to boost the national oil production, working with all stakeholders in strategic areas, without prejudice, to the mid and long-term strategies. Also he is steering implementation of some immediate (short term) oil gain strategies in the light of current realities and upward trends in international crude oil prices and need to shore up Nigeria crude oil production..
At the time of taking off of the NUPRC last year, one key task ahead of its management was the task of closing out on the 2020 marginal oilfield bid round in a manner that is consistent with the rules guiding approvals and issuance of licenses in the upstream sector of the nation’s oil and gas industry.
He was recently quoted as saying the need to ensure that law and due process are followed in the award of licenses to operators. He assured that under his leadership, no marginal field operator would be allowed to “trade” in papers issued by the organisation as the rule of law would be strictly followed in the issuance of final licences to the winners.
Due process is the only way, according to Komolafe, and having given his word to Nigerians and all oil and gas stakeholders that under his watch, no amount of pressure would make the NUPRC award final documents without due process.
He is also working to deal with the issue of gas flaring. He disclosed that the Commission was currently engaging all lessees on their Natural Gas Flare Elimination and Monetisation Plan to ensure compliance with Section 108 of the PIA and to boost supply to the rapidly growing gas market.
“In recognition of the global energy transition and the need to achieve cleaner sources of energy, gas is being positioned as our immediate transition fuel to lower carbon emission footprint in line with our climate change commitment.”
Under his watch, the NUPRC has been encouraging investors to leverage the generous gas fiscal incentives in the Petroleum Iindustry Act (PIA) such as the zero hydrocarbon tax, reduced royalty rates, tax consolidation provisions amongst others, to take Final Investment Decisions on their proposed upstream projects.
He said “With a proven gas reserve base of 208.62TCF (as at 1st January 2022), we are on track to increase our reserves volumes to 220TCF in less than 10 years and 250TCF thereafter.” Nigeria produces about 8BSCF/D of gas, out of which circa 20percent is delivered to the domestic market, approximately 40 percent is exported to international markets, 30 percent is utilized for producer’s internal consumption.”
Achievements
Dealing with the menace of oil theft is on the radar, staff welfare is robust, on-going also is a campaign targeted at identifying oil and gas wells producing below capacity. Equally important are incentives now being offered to oil/gas industry investors. Then the closing of the marginal field bid round.
Apart from the task of closing out on the 2020 marginal oilfield bid round in a manner that is consistent with the rules guiding approvals and issuance of licenses in the upstream sector of the nation’s oil and gas industry, he is fully concerned with seamless workings of all parts of the oil industry. To rapidly achieve this staff welfare is key. As a team player who sees career enhancement as a productivity booster, he considers his staff welfare as top priority and a winning strategy.
In line with the critical and significant role of the oil and gas sector in the nation’s economy, especially amidst the call for divestments in the sector, “The best and only option opened to us to maximise the benefits from fossil fuels is to improve the welfare of those who are saddled with the responsibilities of managing the sector.”
To him, “human capital is a critical and essential element of factors of production as staff need to be happy before they can work and we had assured them of the determination of the Federal Government to look after their welfare,” He said.
“I have ensured immediate approval for promotion of 195 union staff that have been stagnated in the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to stave off an industrial crisis that could further harm the low daily oil production in Nigeria and worsen the nation’s federation generated oil revenue. So what we have done is by extension to improve the nation’s revenue by increasing crude oil production from the current level of 1.4 mbbls/d to 2.4 mbbls/d”.
Giving account of the nation’s oil reserves as NUPRC boss, shortly after his appointment last year, he disclosed that a total of sixty-one (61) operating companies submitted their 2021 annual report on reserves in line with the provisions of the PIA, 2021.
Analysis of the report indicates that Nigeria’s oil and condensate reserves status as at 1st January 2022 was 37.046 billion barrels, representing a slight increase of 0.37 percent compared to 36.910 billion barrels in January 2021.
Giving account of the nation’s oil reserves as NUPRC boss, shortly after his appointment last year, that a total of sixty-one (61) operating companies submitted their 2021 annual report on reserves in line with the provisions of the PIA, 2021.
Analysis of the report indicates that Nigeria’s oil and condensate reserves status as at 1st January 2022 was 37.046 billion barrels, representing a slight increase of 0.37 percent compared to 36.910 billion barrels in January 2021.
On the other hand, Nigeria’s National Gas reserves status as of January 1, 2022 was 208.62 (trillion cubic feet) TCF, representing an increase of 1.01 percent compared to 206.53 TCF as at January1, 2021.
Meanwhile, as part of the Commission’s plan to consolidate an all-inclusive strategy to increase crude oil and gas reserves (from 37 billion barrels and 208.62 TCF) the commission said it would take further steps evaluate all factors militating against efficient and effective exploration and production operations, to identify other viable opportunities.
He said “We have therefore become more deliberate and swift in implementing strategic actions and initiatives aimed at increasing our crude oil and gas reserves and production.”
Already, the Commission has initiated a massive campaign targeted at identifying oil and gas wells producing below capacity, through, Inventorisation of shut-in wells and analysis of the inventory to map the reasons for shut-in and devise measures for quick reopening; Using well and reservoir surveillance activities in identifying poorly performing wells and workover candidates for quick intervention; Embracing and adopting new technologies and advanced recovery techniques for unlocking some identified stranded oil and gas resources.
These measures have become so critical in the face of the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine and its attendant disruption to the global gas demand-supply chain. According to Komolafe, the crisis around the Black Sea offers the country a unique opportunity to fill the supply gap through the implementation of several natural gas developmental initiatives.
This development, coupled with the Federal Government’s declaration of 2021 – 2030 as the Decade of Gas, creates much more impetus for NUPRC under Mr Komolafe to expand and grow Nigeria’s huge gas resources through enhanced exploration, development and utilisation schemes. And for him, the whole idea is to grow Nigeria’s gas reserves, increase gas production, maturation of domestic and export gas market, as well as minimise gas flare.
Why has Komolafe able to do all these within a year of being in office as the CEO of NUPRC?
It is because of his experience as a through-bred oil industry person, described as an “an expert in institutional process study and designs to curb revenue leakages and attainment of optimum national productivity.” He has lived up to this expectation at the NUPRC since coming into office in September 2021.
Before then he had served in different capacities within the oil and gas industry. His leadership roles at different downstream regulatory agencies such as Pipelines and Petroleum Marketing Company (PPMC), Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Nigeria Pipeline & Storage Company (NPSC among other roles, have yielded reforms that facilitated efficiency and attendant huge monetary value for Nigerian government. Komolafe had served as group general manager, special duties at the NNPC as well as crude oil marketing division.
He also worked as general manager, operations, Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF); general manager, operations of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), among other roles. As general manager of this agency, Komolafe organized the seamless supply of petroleum products nationwide with multiplier sectorial effects on the Nigerian economy.
In PEF, Komolafe was reported to have initiated operations policies for effective petroleum products supply and bridging to the inner parts of the country. The policies resulted in the transparent bridging of petroleum products and price equalization management that saved the government hundreds of billions of naira through institutional process expertise.
He was Assistant General Manager (Head, Kaduna Zone), Assistant General Manager, Planning Research & Development and Branch Manager, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Warri.
As Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division, he facilitated optimum revenue for the Nigerian federation and performed transparently as acknowledged by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) in its report within the period he served in office. In the same vein, as Executive Director, (Commercial) between 2012 – Mar 2014, he initiated strategic sales and retail plans and coordinated implementation of achievement of set revenue targets from downstream supply and distribution of refined petroleum products for nationwide consumption.
It is this impressive track record that prompted President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint Engr Gbenga Komolafe in 2021 to head the newly created Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), as its first Chief Executive Officer. The agency was established in August 2021 pursuant to the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021. NUPRC is responsible for the technical and commercial regulation of upstream petroleum operations in Nigeria.
Apart from being an engineer, Komolafe is also a lawyer. And he is well prepared for the new challenges of solving industry problems within the oil/gas sector of the Nigerian economy.
So all along he has been heavily involved in strategic policy formulation and implementation in the oil and gas industry, where he clearly distinguished himself. All these he brought to bear when he was appointed at CEO of the NUPRC, which ensured that he hit the ground running. That is why after a long wait, the federal government through the NUPRC announced its readiness to issue Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPL) to successful awardees of marginal fields in the 2020 bid round. According to the commission, the move was in fulfilment of the promise made earlier on, pursuant to the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021.
The NUPRC was created by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) as the new petroleum upstream regulatory agency in place of the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). The staff were inherited from there.

And with its coming into being, the problems are expected to be fully tackled along with the commercialization of the NNPC. This will include increased crude oil production. It will also witness the unveiling of the implementation template for the Host Communities Development Trust Fund for the commencement of the provisions under Section 235 of the PIA, 2021. According to analysts this would positively impact restiveness in the host communities and the process guarantees seamless operations and boost investors’ confidence.
A Fellow of Nigerian Society of Engineers, Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria, COREN and member of the Nigerian Bar Association, Gbenga’s expertise as a seasoned engineer and lawyer is required at this time to give the PIA the right impetus. Hence the quite achievements being recorded by the NUPRC.

Salisu Garba

Hon. Justice Salisu Garba Abdullahi Safeguarding the needs of Open Justice through National Judicial Institute

by with No Comment Judiciary

Hon. Justice Salisu Garba Abdullahi, the administrator of National Judicial Institute, is a man of restraint who upholds dignity and integrity as moral principles. A man concerned with the continued integrity of the bench and the Nigerian justice system, he is also passionate about all things that have to do with the needs of open justice in the country. Nowhere can he get opportunity to make his impact felt in these two areas than this respected Institute. No wonder he resigned from office in 2021, as Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. to take up the National Judicial Institute’s appointment.
The Senate confirmed Hon. Justice Salisu Garba Abdullahi as Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, just some weeks before his resignation. The confirmation at the senate had followed consideration of a report by the committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.
At that time, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, said Abdullahi demonstrated sufficient knowledge and full grasp of the law in response to questions put to him on the Independence of the Judiciary; Automation of Court Proceedings; Reform in the Justice Sector; Rule of Law and Compliance with the Provisions of the Constitution, among other legal/jurisprudential issues.
He stressed the appointment of the nominee satisfied the requirements of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Senate Standing Orders, 2015 as amended.
Hon. Justice Salisu Garba Abdullahi has a wide range of experience, comportment, exposure and possesses the requisite leadership qualities of a Judicial Officer to effectively superintend over a court of such magnitude and complexity and can exercise restraint and uphold the dignity of the High Court of the FCT, Abuja and the litigants in the discharge of his official functions,” Bamidele said, adding there was no petition or adverse report against the nominee.
President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier on requested the Senate to confirm the nominee as substantive Chief Judge of the FCT High Court. According to Buhari, the request was made pursuant to Section 256 subsection 1 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Abdullahi was appointed as the Acting Chief Judge of the FCT High Court on 6th January, 2021; a position he held until his nomination for appointment by President Buhari.
Garba Abdulahi was appointed acting chief judge of the FCT high court in January, after his nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari. In April, his nomination as substantive chief judge was confirmed by the senate, and he was subsequently sworn in on July 7. But then he resigned to take up appointment with the institute which takes effect from 1st August 2021 is for three years, from the date of appointment. Of course, he would have been due to retire by October 10th last year, when he would have attained the mandatory retirement age of 65 years.
And at the National Judicial Institute, he has been working tirelessly to enhance the depth of Nigerian bench. Welcoming participants to the Opening Ceremony of the 2021 All Nigeria Judges’ Conference of the Superior Courts, held at the Andrews Otutu Obaseki Auditorium, National Judicial Institute, Abuja, on 19th November, 2021, Hon. Justice Salisu Garba Abdullahi, delivered a powerful message as the Administrator of The National Judicial Institute (NJI).
The All Nigeria Judges’ Conference of the Superior Courts is held biennially by the National Judicial Institute, to fulfil its mandate of providing qualitative continuing judicial education for all categories of Judicial Officers and their Supporting Staff. And it draws Judges and Justices from the Nation’s Superior Courts to associate with one another, exchange ideas and best practices while discussing critical issues affecting the dispensation of justice in Nigeria.
And many see the biennial conference as a stock taking event for Judicial Officers of Superior Courts of Record, for the Conference draws upon experiences from Judicial Officers who attend from all over the country as they converge to reflect upon the activities of the Judiciary with the benefit of hindsight. The end result of this remains the development of strategies, policies and best practices that will improve upon the dispensation of justice in Nigeria
The theme of that conference, was “Promoting Judicial Excellence in the Administration of Justice” which the learned judge described as being timely, considering the role of the Judiciary towards stabilizing our democracy. He said the importance of that role was no more evident than in the provision of Section 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and other provisions of Chapter VII of the grundnorm, which clothes judges with wide ranging powers. He added that constitutional powers similarly thrusts on the Judges a sobering amount of responsibility to fairly, justly, judiciously and impartially exercise Judicial Powers.
About the Conference Hon. Justice Abdullahi disclosed. “Since the establishment of the National Judicial Institute in 1991, the hosting of the All Nigeria Judges Conference has served to remind Judicial Officers of their crucial role in the society. More than ever, the Judiciary is perhaps faced with the need to balance conflicting interests with a bid to ensuring a stable polity. More than ever, lady Justice needs to balance the scale of justice so as to ensure that Nigeria fulfils its true potential as Africa’s Giant. I believe that the Conference will contribute in no small measure to promoting the role of the Judiciary as the Third arm of Government.”
Speaking further he said, it was indeed worth reiterating that the Judiciary, as an arbiter, had an important role to play, by ensuring speedy resolution of disputes, emphasizing that the speedy resolution of disputes; and particularly financial and/or commercial disputes; remains an economic development catalyst, as investors and other financial institutions will remain confident that their investments are safe.
“This puts us on the frontline in providing confidence for citizens and foreign partners through a scrupulous, fearless interpretation of the law and Statutes that govern the subject matter of our Jurisdictions. By synergising together over the next few days, we will acquire new knowledge that will better equip us to fulfil our constitutional mandate.”
He said the institute would continue to foster quality discourse, in line with its statutory mandate to train and retrain Judicial Officers. He pointed out that that was not new, as the Institute had collaborated with other Arms of Government to identify issues and Legislations or guidelines that are likely come before our Courts. The National Judicial Institute and the PTDF recently held a collaborative workshop to enable Judicial Officers to understand the new Petroleum Industry Act and its impact on justice delivery. This is indicative of the Institute’s many workshops all geared towards sharpening the skill sets of Judicial Officers and Support Staff and ensuring a modern, speedy and efficient administration of Justice.
“The Institute proactively identify the training needs of Judicial Officers and Staff. It continues to engage with the Nation’s Judges in Seminars and workshops, which are aimed at building their capacity and expanding their knowledge in all fields based on training needs that National Judicial Institute has identified. Conferences of this nature therefore provide an invaluable forum for discussions on existing thorny issues which could help facilitate the better understanding and appreciation of the judicial process.”
He informed the gathering that the Institute took step to drum technology into the consciousness of judicial officers. And this has enabled the institute to engage Judicial Officers positively and aid their transition to a technology based system with suitable online or remote alternatives to physical hearings. “The upshot of this policy is to operate a digital system that embraces multiple dispute resolution methods that are not only physical but also virtual. Naturally, we will need in all this to safeguard the needs of open justice but I am confident that this is perfectly feasible.”
Since he made his entry last year at the NJI , after many very eventful years at the bench, Hon. Justice Salisu Garba Abdullahi, deserves to hold his head very high as an administrator of the institute. As he is quietly making the NJI well placed to play a pivotal role in deepening knowledge for judicial officers, enhancing judicial integrity and building public trust in the institution of justice and democracy, his time at this hallowed institute will surely go down as one of the most consequential tenures in the leadership of the National Judicial Institute.

Abu Ibraham

Senator Abu Ibrahim on Why Tinubu is the Key for Re-activation of Nigeria

by with No Comment Politics

“To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do to conclusions”. Benjamin Franklin was right, and Senator Abu Ibrahim believes Nigeria should take his advice by embracing Asiwaju Bola Tinubu- the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2023 presidential election. He affirms that Tinubu has the magic wand to handle security and turn the economy around withina short period.
With this possibility, Tinubu will be key to the reactivation of Nigeria in the areas of peace-building, security, trade, partnerships, and investment, especially now that Nigeria faces some crucial problems.
The country is buried in the middle of a triple threat, one that could decimate socio and public health systems and reverse twenty years of poverty reduction and inequality efforts. A struggling economy and security issues leave little space for optimism. Through creative solutions, from Tinubu, Nigeria will begin to shed entrenched roadblocks and create its own framework for investment and growth.
Senator Abu Ibrahim sees Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as a very cerebral person whose success is based on intelligence and wisdom. He is a courageous and selfless person who can change the narratives in many aspects of life such as security, health, education, agriculture, transportation and wealth building. Has done these before when he was governor of Lagos state, and the records are there for all to see.
He believes Tinubu has the entire country as his support base, for he made the coming to power of President Muhammadu Buhari .
“He made Buhari able to win the presidency. He tried three times before then and he failed. But the moment Tinubu came in, Buhari won. So, the over 12 million voters of Buhari in Northern Nigeria liked Tinubu. And that’s why I said the easiest way for APC to win the 2023 presidential election is to get Tinubu and give him the ticket. Once you put Tinubu on the ballot, he will win because the political base of Buhari is with him and that’s about 12 million voters. “
The two of them first met in the Senate under former President Ibrahim Babangida then in 1992. Tinubu was in the Social Democratic Party, SDP while Ibrahim was in the National Republican Convention, NRC. Since then on the two of them have been relating. And that relationship between them played much role in the formation of APC and the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Surprisingly, I was the one who started the issue of Asiwaju and Buhari coming together. I was in the defunct ANPP with Buhari. I was also in CPC with him. Asiwaju is my friend outside the party. So, Tinubu was in ACN, Buhari was in CPC. Buhari contested election three times; he couldn’t win because he couldn’t get the spread of votes across the country. So, one day I suggested to Buhari that the only way he could win was to get the spread of votes across Nigeria and the only way to do that was to get a strong politician from the South. I suggested Tinubu who was immediately invited for a meeting in Kaduna, and the discussion started. That was around 2010. At that time, we were talking of alliance, not merger because the 2011 election was coming. The election was very near then. So, we were talking of alliance. But you know that under the presidential system, forging alliance is very difficult unlike under the parliamentary system. So, unfortunately, that didn’t work. And election took place in 2011 and Buhari lost again. So, after that election, we said let’s start early: we began to talk about issue of merger. Subsequently, I was one of the prime movers of the merger – starting from the alliance between the CPC and the ACN”.
In his views Senator Tinubu is a person who has really prepared himself to move Nigeria forward. After 30-odd years in politics. As soon as he became Governor of Lagos state he strengthened the ties he had earlier on built. While in the Senate, Tinubu began to build relationships across the country. He longed for such roots to be grown to create links and web that can be used to discuss and solve national issues. Right now he is actually activating these links now to move Nigeria forward — as the country needs a break into enduring peace and prosperity.
“We were in the same Senate and we were both Senators. During our contributions to debate on the floors of the Senate, I noticed that Asiwaju was very articulate. I admired the way he usually spoke and we became friends. We had become very close friends before the dissolution of the Senate by the military regime of late General Sani Abacha. So, after the dissolution of the Senate, we continued to interact. We held a meeting in Lagos after the dissolution of the Senate which was termed illegal by the then military government and we were arrested and taken to Alagbon Close where we were detained. But they couldn’t get Asiwaju initially. We were detained and later granted bail because we were accused of trying to overthrow the then military government. We were later granted bail, but they asked us to be reporting back to the security operatives. In the process of our reporting back, somehow they found Asiwaju and arrested him and our bail was revoked and all of us were then detained again. So, we started the process of trying to leave detention again. I became very close again with Asiwaju during our detention. It is a very long story— how we were taken to court, released and so on. So, I knew him from the Senate, to the period of our detention in Lagos for about a month or so. We stayed in the same detention facility and since then, we have been very, very close. “
To him, Tinubu is a stalwart of political creativity. No doubt, he is one of those shaking the Nigerian political and social terrains. Thanks to his exceptional political acumen, good head hunting ability to spot talent over the years, dedicated services to the people. He reflects on the eventful path that brought him to this state. He says Tinubu is one of those who blazed the democratic trail that we are all gainfully treading on today, paying homage to him as one of those men who fill life with excellent portrayals that endure in his memory.
Soon the military began to relax ground after power partners — people like Tinubu and others — joined the fight from exile. Having approached the springtime of that period in Nigeria — a place far from the apprehensive darkness of the General Abacha era. And gradually inched into the freedom of light, a time when the country emerged into the sunlight of democratic culture.
Talk of a man who gently trod the path of public life successfully, bonding with people of different social and religious backgrounds, and very many will give you the name of Senator Bola Tinubu. With his generosity, Tinubu certainly has a lot of IOUs to collect across the country. Is 2023 really going to be payback time? Senator Ibrahim believes so.
Asked about the kind of person Asiwaju is, he says “Asiwaju is a kind person, very generous and somebody who can mentor people. You can see how he did it in Lagos. He is a nationalist; he believes in Nigeria, he believes in the unity of Nigeria. Look at the way he put his cabinet together as the governor of Lagos State – the cabinet was made up of people from various parts of the country. And from then, I realized that he loves Nigeria so much, he believes in the unity of this country, he is a stabilizer— every tribe relates with him easily. He is not a tribalist and he is a very generous person.”
He is one of a few who skillfully navigate the contours of politics and produced benchmarking performance while mentoring so many. In doing so, he is creating links and building network across the country. Anomalously, he is maintaining these links and relationships despite his busy schedule. This explains why people like Senator Ibrahim is able to maintain relationship with him over the years, even at the time both of them were not in the same political party.
“Sometimes, I am surprised too that even when we were in different political parties, we still relate very well. I think that also demonstrated the magnanimity of Asiwaju – if you are his friend, you are his friend for ever and he will do everything possible to maintain that link. When he was governor, I used to go to Lagos a lot to discuss with him. He was a governor, I was in the Senate and we continued to relate.”
He firmly believes that Tinubu is a man of great insight, who knows that the land is endowed with immense potential and resources which a man of good eye for possibilities can steer to greatness. Thus with his capacity for creativity, he has the resolve to unearth, put value and market needs to be at the helm of leadership of the country at this time.
A thinker and leader in every aspect, Tinubu pays keen attention to details and brings to the fore effective planning, resource management and problem solving. These he is presenting to the people as he seeks the electorate mandate to be president of Nigeria.