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Coastal highway: Tinubu tamed Atlantic, turned disgrace to greatness – Goronyo

Michael Simire
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Coastal highway: Tinubu tamed Atlantic, turned disgrace to greatness – Goronyo

The Minister of State for Works, Mr. Bello Goronyo, says President Bola Tinubu is not only building infrastructure by the inauguration of some landmark projects but also laying a solid foundation for a better future for all Nigerians.

Coastal Highway
L-R: Senate President Godswill Akpabio; President Bola Tinubu; Minister of Works, David Umahi; Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma; Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo during the inauguration of some completed projects and flag-off of new projects to mark President Tinubu’s two years in Lagos on Saturday

Goronyo also said that Tinubu tamed the Atlantic Ocean and turned the menace from it to greatness, through the project.

The minister spoke at the inauguration of a 30km portion of Phase One, Section One, of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, on Saturday, May 31, 2025.

He said that the President was not only focused on the 750km coastal highway project but was also overseeing three other legacy projects.

He listed the projects to include the 1,068km Sokoto-Badagry Highway which passes through seven states.

“There are so many other projects all over the country.

“These are all projects that have the potential to unlock economic opportunities.

“Some of our completed projects in the northern part of the country will soon be commissioned by His Excellency, our dear President,” he said.

Goronyo described Tinubu as a courageous president.

“It actually takes a man with courage, commitment and determination to pursue this legacy project.

“Mr. President actually tamed the Atlantic Ocean and turned the menace from disgrace to greatness,” he said.

He said that many Nigerians were inspired by Tinubu’s bold vision and dedication to building a greater Nigeria.

The minister noted that infrastructure development nationwide required substantial investment.

He prayed God to continue to guide Tinubu and give him wisdom and courage to continue to pilot Nigeria’s affairs so that the citizens’ dream of a better Nigeria under the Renewed Hope Agenda could be achieved.

He thanked the Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, for bringing innovation, skills and experience in piloting the affairs of the ministry.

He also praised the contractor handling the coastal highway project, Hightech Construction Ltd., for commitment to delivering quality work and ensuring timely project execution.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, Mr. Akin Alabi, said that Tinubu conceived the coastal highway project many years ago.

He described Tinubu as a man who would not hesitate to take on challenges in a bid to achieve laudable goals.

“This project is not an easy project. As the chairman of the House Committee on Works, I led the committee twice on oversight to the project on official capacity.

“Three times, I came in the middle of the night, dead of the night, to do my own independent observations, and every time I came, I would send a message to the minister.

“I said: ‘Mr. President, Mr. Minister, Hightech, you are all making magic’.”

President Bola Tinubu described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a segment of fortune from a disaster greater than tsunami.

“It is a disaster greater than tsunami that would have consumed Victoria Island and Ikoyi.

“It is now a segment of fortune,” he said.

Tinubu noted that the coastal highway project would pass from Lagos through  Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom and terminate in Calabar in Cross River.

He thanked the Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, and the Minister of State for Works, Mr. Bello Goronyo, as well the permanent secretary in the ministry and controllers, engineers and other staff of the ministry for their commitment to the project.

The president said that he hoped that efforts were being made to train local engineers through the project implementation.

“It is most pleasing to note that the highway was constructed using reinforced concrete pavement for long-term durability.”

Tinubu also inaugurated other projects virtually at the occasion.

“I want to use this opportunity to commission other completed projects.

According to him, the projects include the 67.1km Alesi–Ugep Road in Cross River and the dualised East-West Road Section II (Eleme Junction–Ahoada) in Rivers.

Tinubu also inaugurated the Jimeta Bridge in Jimeta, Adamawa, and a number of other significant road projects across the country.

He also flagged off construction and rehabilitation of other critical road projects such as the Ibadan–Ife–Ilesha–Akure–Benin Road spanning four states, the Nembe–Brass Road, and sections of the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway.

He urged Nigerians to reflect on their collective responsibility to preserve infrastructure.

“Government can build roads, but it is left for us, citizens, to maintain them. 

President Bola Tinubu warned property developers and landowners against building on federal infrastructure corridors, and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to enforcing urban planning regulations.

President Tinubu stressed that the era of indiscriminate development and encroachment on public infrastructure was over.

According to Tinubu, the administration will not be disposed to paying compensation for buildings or developments that violate federal right-of-way regulations, saying “if you build illegally, you bear the consequences.

He urged developers, traditional leaders, and local authorities to respect existing urban development laws, noting that illegal construction not only threatens the integrity of national infrastructure but also endangers lives and undermines economic growth.

Tinubu also called on Nigerians to treat public infrastructure as a shared national asset, emphasising that roads, bridges, and highways must be preserved and maintained through collective responsibility.

“These projects belong to all of us. They are not political trophies; they are lifelines for future generations. Every citizen has a role to play in keeping them safe, clean, and functional,” Tinubu stated.

He appealed to communities along the coastal highway corridor to guard the infrastructure from vandalism, illegal dumping, and unauthorised modifications.

He also emphasised the importance of government collaboration with professional bodies, civil society, and local councils to enforce maintenance culture across the country.

Reflecting on the early challenges his administration faced in initiating the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, he recalled how critics dismissed the project as a venture that was not realisable.

He said, “Many critics dismissed it as impossible, citing the unpredictable and destructive nature of the Atlantic Ocean along the Lekki-Epe-Victoria Island axis.

“We were told it couldn’t be done. Some said the Atlantic would devour us. But we stood firm. We rejected fear, and we embraced science, engineering, and courage.”

He said through strategic coastal defenses and the use of reinforced concrete pavement technology, his administration prevented what he described as a looming ecological disaster.

“A tsunami-like disaster would have washed away Ikoyi and Victoria Island. But, today, we have not only tamed the ocean, but we’ve also turned a threat into a treasure,” he said.

According to him, the completed phase now stands as a testament to visionary leadership, resilience, and the strength of Nigerian engineering, protecting key economic and residential zones while unlocking massive economic potential along the southern corridor.

As the project continues toward completion, President Tinubu reiterated that every Nigerian, whether developer, engineer, community member, or public servant, had a stake in its success.

“Let us build, not destroy. Let us protect, not abuse. And let us always remember progress is not handed to us, we must shape it together,” he said.

Sen. Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Senate, commended the President’s vision and execution, describing him as a leader blessed with both “sight and vision.

“Mr. President, I can confirm once again that with this commissioning today, you have proven that whenever the National Assembly says you are doing well, we are always right.”

Akpabio reaffirmed the National Assembly’s support for the President’s infrastructure agenda and lauded the coastal highway project as a “generational gift” to Nigeria’s economic and security future.

Earlier, Dave Umahi, the Minister of Works, praised President Tinubu for the work he was doing across the country, and for insisting that Nigerian youth should be made to learn the new technology.

Umahi said the real thing was the reinforced concrete pavement which, according to him can last between 50 and 100 years.

By Lydia Chigozie-Ngwakwe and Salif Atojoko

Lagos retains PSPs amidst new waste deal

Michael Simire
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Lagos retains PSPs amidst new waste deal

The Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN) has praised the Lagos State Government for retaining Private Sector Participant (PSP) operators in door-to-door waste collection.

Olugbenga Adebola
Mr. Olugbenga Adebola, President of Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN)

AWAMN’s National President, Mr. Olugbenga Adebola, made this known on Saturday, May 31, 2025, in an interview in Lagos.

This follows concerns raised by some PSPs and stakeholders regarding their role in light of a new concession agreement with Zoomlion Nigeria Ltd.

On May 27, the Lagos State Government signed a Waste Management and Processing Concession Agreement with Zoomlion, a subsidiary of Ghana’s Jospong Group.

However, the Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, clarified on X (formerly Twitter) that PSPs would continue with door-to-door waste collection services.

He assured that PSPs remain the backbone of residential waste collection and are not being sidelined by the new arrangement.

Adebola welcomed the agreement and praised the commissioner’s understanding and dedication to improving the environmental ecosystem.

He also commended LAWMA’s Managing Director, Mr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, for his commitment to bettering the waste management system in Lagos.

Adebola admitted that the association was initially concerned, as they were not consulted before the signing of the Zoomlion agreement.

He explained that the concession is focused on the disposal end of the waste chain, aiming to convert waste into valuable materials.

He added that converting Olusosun and Solous into transfer loading stations would be a positive development.

Adebola said this is a long-standing demand of the association to improve solid waste management in the state.

He stressed that, without accessible dumpsites, effective door-to-door waste collection is not possible.

According to him, once waste is collected, it must be swiftly taken to treatment or disposal sites to maintain efficient operations.

Delays in access reduce turnaround time, making it hard for PSPs to complete multiple collection trips daily.

Adebola said the development will enhance the efficiency of PSP operators working across residential and commercial sectors.

He stated that AWAMN supports the process and will continue operations while waiting for the 18-month transition period.

PSPs, he said, require unfettered dumpsite access to make two or three trips daily, which is currently difficult.

He blamed this access issue for many challenges in Lagos waste management, especially turnaround delays.

According to Adebola, Olusosun will be transformed from an open dumpsite into a material recovery facility.

He noted that waste would no longer be buried but processed into useful products within the facility.

He explained that the facility would sort waste into recyclables, combustibles, and organic materials for treatment.

He said PSPs will no longer need to travel to Badagry or Ikorodu to dispose of waste.

Instead, they will deliver collected waste to Olusosun or similar designated locations for processing.

Adebola added that Solous III would also host a material recovery facility, replacing traditional landfilling methods.

As a veteran in recycling, he said some processed products would be offtaken by local operators like himself.

He echoed the commissioner’s vision of transitioning from a linear to a circular economy model.

A linear economy involves using and disposing, while a circular model includes recycling, reusing and repurposing.

He stated that waste must now be seen from cradle-to-cradle, not cradle-to-grave.

AWAMN welcomes Zoomlion and the shift to a circular economy where waste becomes a valuable resource.

He affirmed that Nigerian recyclers are not pushovers and already understand many of Zoomlion’s proposed practices.

Adebola, a former operator and consultant in Ghana, said there are opportunities for mutual learning.

He explained that many PSPs already have exposure to recycling practices, both locally and internationally.

The commissioner has made clear that Zoomlion’s role is waste treatment, while PSPs handle collection.

This clarification, Adebola said, helps calm fears among PSP operators about being excluded.

According to Adebola, Lagos produces around 13,000 metric tonnes of waste daily.

He said Zoomlion would handle only 5,000 tonnes, leaving 8,000 tonnes for other stakeholders.

He confirmed many local operators are interested in managing the remaining volume of untreated waste.

The Commissioner earlier stated that Olusosun would be decommissioned within 18 months as part of the new plan.

This marks the end of the linear system and the beginning of a modern, circular waste management strategy.

He added that Lagos would now convert waste into power and other productive uses.

He reiterated that PSPs remain central to the daily collection process under the Zoomlion partnership.

By Fabian Ekeruche

NDC 3.0: NCCCS consultant advocates strategic data collation 

Michael Simire
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NDC 3.0: NCCCS consultant advocates strategic data collation 

Participants at the recently concluded Stakeholder Consultation, Engagement and Data Collation Workshop for the Preparation of Nigeria’s Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) have been charged to set quantitative targets for themselves, look at the barriers and work towards removing them, as this will help them in the documentation of every detail needed and eventual participation in the development of the country.

NDC 3.0
Participants at the recently concluded Stakeholder Consultation, Engagement and Data Collation Workshop for the Preparation of Nigeria’s Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) in Lagos

Mr. Rasack Nayamuth, consultant to National Climate Change Council Secretariat (NCCCS), gave the charge as a parting shot in his chat with journalists at the end of the five-day intensive workshop in Lagos.

Nayamuth said it is mandatory for all stakeholders across board – national, subnational, MDAs, academia and those at the private levels – to embark on collation of accurate data called measurement, reporting, and verification frameworks.

“If each institution assumes their role and responsibilities, there would be no problem for Nigeria, not only to report, but to mainly stream climate change into its sectoral plans on a regular basis and deliver for the whole population.”

While assessing the workshop as being put together by the NCCCS and sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Nayamuth recalled that the essence of NDC 3.0 Workshop is mainly for data collation and updating the NDC of the country. He noted that since the NDC has got to be country-driven, “over the past two weeks we have been covering real wide groups of stakeholders not forgetting people with disabilities with the aim of ensuring everyone is adequately captured for onward submission to the UNFCCC”.

In his submission, Mr. Bhardowaz Ramlowat, a participant, admitted that there is need for more collaboration between various institutions and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for accurate figure.

His words: “I would say that there are very few institutions that have good data management systems and have shared with us. Most of the institutions don’t have a proper data collection and management framework. We can’t really blame the institutions for that. It’s much more a system that has not been developed and rolled out in the country, and people trained on how to be within that framework, produce what is required as data, document them, and then share them for many uses not only for reporting, but most importantly for supporting the constant updating, revision of sectoral plans.

“Not policies but plans over the periods of five years that enables proper tracking of achievements, barriers, so that these are in a dynamic situation, corrected, and eventually get the projects to work in a better way. Now, moving, that’s a bit at the topmost level.

“If you go down to the states level, we have not interacted individually with the local government areas up till now because there is data, it’s a bit too many especially across the 774 local government areas. It’s very difficult to work individually with them. It will take some time. For the moment, we are working with their organizations that regroup them.

“So, data exists in different ministries at the states level. But again, the major challenge here is a problem of documenting the data centralising all of them in a single database so that they become useful. If this is properly handled, people will access them and use for many different purposes,” Ramlowat stressed.

He added: “NBS has its purpose, they have their objectives, regulation and mandate, now that they are being engaged on climate change and environment issues, certain specific information are required to put them in the right scheme of things, because you must also understand that for 30 years that this climate agenda has been coming, it has evolved and has not stayed the same. This evolution has made it that it’s getting more and more complicated.

“They are looking for more and more specific information, which is not necessarily being collected at this point in time. The data can be recorded because they are sitting somewhere. We just need to organize the system by getting it from where it has been recorded and archiving it in a way that it is useful. So as the system also is getting more complicated, the job at hand is getting bigger.”

Olagunju Kehinde Julius, Chief Statistician at the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), opinioned that there is no iota of truth in the fact that there is no data available in the country.

He said: “From my own point of view, there are data but majority of those seeking failed to follow the right procedure in their quest for such information.

“National Bureau of Statistics which is the apex body as far as data collation is concerned in Nigeria, though every other organisation has their own right to conduct their survey and to collect data, but a magnitude data for the purpose of NDC such as this should pass through NBS because it’s a time-lapse job.”

The Chief Statistician however stated that lack of adequate funding has been a major challenge for the NBS.

He said: “If you are talking about climate change data, it needs to be properly and adequately funded. I’ve been in climate change space for almost a decade, and I know for sure that Ghana doesn’t play with anything climate change. If we are serious about achieving the desired result, we must know the way we push out our things to get what we need. I am certain data is scattered all over and, with the right funding, the right data will be collated for the good use of Nigeria.”

In her submission, Halimah Bawa-Bwari, Director at NCCCS, stated that an NDC is only as good as the information that’s been fed into it. She said what is required from all stakeholders is to avail the organisers of the workshop all necessary information at their disposal so that Nigeria can have a robust NDC 3.0 that has covered the relevant stakeholders in the situation of the review.

The Stakeholder Consultation, Engagement and Data Collation Workshop for the Preparation of the NDC 3.0 of Nigeria was conducted with participants from the south geo-political zones, members of NCCCS, UNDP, representatives of MDAs, Academia and some private sector players.

By Ajibola Adedoye

NCDMB’s Ogbe appointed member of APPO Board

Michael Simire
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NCDMB’s Ogbe appointed member of APPO Board

Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Felix Omatsola Ogbe, has been appointed into the Executive Board of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO).

Felix Omatsola Ogbe
Felix Omatsola Ogbe, head of the NCDMB

By the appointment, Ogbe becomes Nigeria’s representative on the Board of the 18-member continental body, which has its headquarters at Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.

Ogbe was picked for this role by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who doubles as the Chairman of the NCDMB Governing Council.

The notice of the Executive Secretary’s appointment was conveyed in a congratulatory letter signed by the Director of Support Services, APPO, Mrs. Philomena Ikoko, on behalf of the Secretary General of the organisation, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim.

She applauded the NCDMB boss on the confidence reposed in him by the Minister, expressing her belief that he would make immense contributions to the development of the African oil and gas industry.

She stated that Ogbe is joining the Executive Board of APPO at a challenging time for the oil and gas industry, especially in Africa.

“Your appointment is a major call to duty for Nigeria and the continent. The secretariat will give you the support you will need to make a success of your assignment,” she promised.

NCDMB played key roles in catalysing the operations of APPO and the development of local content in the African continent, providing institutional support and mentorship to several oil producing countries in their formulation of local content policies.

NCDMB initiated the African Local Content Roundtable (ALCR) and hosted the inaugural edition at Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, in June 2021, which was attended by key officials of APPO and other oil industry players. The idea for the Africa Energy Bank (AEB) was mooted by NCDMB’s officials at the event, as one of the strategies that would accelerate the growth of the African oil and gas industry and deepen local content.

The Board also collaborated with APPO to host subsequent editions of the African Local Content Roundtable (ALCR), including the 2023 edition held at Abuja.

The Africa Energy Bank, which APPO is setting up at Abuja is aimed at pooling financial resources needed to fund big-ticket oil and gas projects across the continent, and bridge funding challenges currently impeding the development of the sector.

According to the APPO Secretary General, the Africa Energy Bank seeks to fund oil and gas projects across economies in Africa, helping to plug critical financing gaps that exist through the continent’s overreliance on financiers from the West.

Each APPO member country is expected to raise $83 million with an objective of raising $5 billion capital for the establishment of the Bank. It was revealed recently that Nigeria, Angola and Ghana have contributed their share capital. The trio’s contributions represent 44 per cent of the minimum capital that is required from oil producing countries in the continent.

At the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) held last week, NCDMB’s Executive Secretary confirmed that the agency was part of key institutions that pooled resources for the formation of the Africa Energy Bank. He announced that the Bank would open for business before the end of the 2nd quarter in 2025, expressing hope that it will create more funding availability for local oil and gas projects and companies.

Similarly, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, stated at the Offshore Technology Conference that Afrexim Bank has already raised $19 billion for the take-off of the Africa Energy Bank. $14 billion out of the funds represents the bank’s financial exposure on African oil and gas projects, with the additional $5 billion as take-off capital.

World Parrot Day: Wild Africa, World Parrot Trust call for stronger protection of parrots in Nigeria

Michael Simire
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World Parrot Day: Wild Africa, World Parrot Trust call for stronger protection of parrots in Nigeria

As the world marks World Parrot Day on Saturday May 31, 2025, conservation organisations Wild Africa and the World Parrot Trust have called for stronger protection of parrots in Nigeria, especially amid the continued illegal trade of different parrot species, which threatens their existence.

African Grey Parrot
The African Grey Parrot

Parrots, especially the African grey parrot that was once common in Nigeria’s forests, are quickly disappearing due to decades of trapping and trafficking. Despite being protected by both national and international laws, weak enforcement and the exotic pet trade continue to drive illegal activities. Over 1.2 million wild-caught grey parrots entered international trade in four decades, but since 40-60% die during capture and transport, it is estimated that the total number could be as high as three million.

In recent months, Nigeria has recorded positive developments in its fight against the illegal trade of parrots. In March 2025, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) intercepted over 300 parrot heads, drawing national and international attention to the brutality of the trade.

In early May, officials from the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and National Park Service (NPS) arrested three suspected wildlife traffickers in Abuja, who were found with live African grey parrots as well as other species. Meanwhile, in April, Nigeria Special Wildlife Officers (NSWO) seized 12 live Grey parrots that were being transported via bus between Kaduna and Lagos. The rescued parrots are being rehabilitated at Pandrillus Nigeria Drill Ranch.

“Parrots are keystone species, intelligent, social, and ecologically crucial. Their decline reflects the health of entire ecosystems. Parrots are more than just brilliant colors and clever mimicry – they are vital ambassadors of our planet’s wild places. On World Parrot Day, let’s honor their intelligence and resilience by protecting the forests they call home and the freedom they deserve. May we listen, love, and never let their voices fade into silence,” said Dr. Mark Ofua, Wild Africa’s West Africa spokesperson.

World Parrot Day reminds the world of parrots’ crucial role in ecosystems and the need to protect their habitats. Originating from various regions across the globe, parrots play a vital role in maintaining healthy forest ecosystems by dispersing seeds and helping forests regenerate.

Their loss is said to have significant environmental and cultural consequences, particularly for communities that have coexisted with these birds for generations.

The World Parrot Trust, which delivers programmes to protect Grey parrots across Nigeria, highlighted the urgent need for greater public awareness and sustained efforts to disrupt trafficking networks, protect habitats, and work with local communities. 

“Our research shows that Grey parrots in Nigeria are in serious trouble. It’s enormously encouraging to see the intensified efforts by NESREA, NCS, and NPS to stop illegal trade and protect the remaining populations of parrots in the wild. However, sadly, many people are still unaware of how the exploitation of parrots is destroying our natural heritage,” said Ifeanyi Ezenwa, Nigeria Country Coordinator, World Parrot Trust.

Although Nigeria has taken significant steps to combat the illegal trade of parrots and other protected species by introducing the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill, which has passed its second reading and is headed for a third reading,

Wild Africa and the World Parrot Trust are calling for the quick passage of the bill to support ongoing law enforcement efforts.

In addition, more public education is needed to reduce the demand for parrots as pets. Both Wild Africa and World Parrot Trust continue to advocate for stronger conservation policies and initiatives that safeguard Nigeria’s parrots using a combination of radio, TV, billboards, and newspaper publications.

Wild Africa and the World Parrot Trust call on governments, businesses, and individuals to come together and take meaningful action to protect parrots before it’s too late.

Verheijen to coordinate new executive order on oil and gas projects – Presidency

Michael Simire
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Verheijen to coordinate new executive order on oil and gas projects – Presidency

President Bola Tinubu has tasked his Special Adviser on Energy, Mrs. Olu Verheijen, to lead inter-agency coordination of the new Executive Order on slashing oil and gas projects’ cost.

Olu Arowolo Verheijen
Olu Arowolo Verheijen, Special Adviser to the President on Energy

In a statement issued by the office of the special adviser, the President gave her the task in order to ensure effective implementation of the new Order.

The presidential directive is also to ensure alignment across key government institutions and to translate the policy intent into measurable outcomes.

In the statement signed by Mr. Senan Murray of the Media Unit in the Special Adviser’s office, the President signed the Executive Order to slash oil and gas projects’ costs, improve government revenue, and accelerate investment inflow into the nation’s energy sector.

“The Upstream Petroleum Operations Cost Efficiency Incentives Order (2025) introduces performance-based tax incentives for upstream operators who deliver verifiable cost savings that meet defined industry benchmarks.

‘The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) will publish these benchmarks annually according to terrain—onshore, shallow water, and deep offshore.

“Additionally, detailed implementation guidelines for the new Order will be issued in due course,” Verheijen said.

The Special Adviser added that the Order returns to investors 50 per cent of incremental government gain resulting from cost savings

 She said the order also caps available tax credits at 20 per cent of a company’s annual tax liability – protecting government revenues while still offering strong fiscal terms to incentivize efficient operators.

“This is not a pursuit of cost reduction for its own sake. It is a deliberate strategy to position Nigeria’s upstream sector as globally competitive and fiscally resilient.

 “With this reform, we are rewarding efficiency, strengthening investor confidence, and ultimately delivering greater value to the Nigerian people.

“The new Order builds on the administration’s 2024 presidential reform directives which delivered improved fiscal terms, shortened project timelines, and aligned local content policies with global best practice,” she said.

Verheijen quoted President Tinubu as saying that: “Nigeria must attract investment inflows, not out of charity, but because investors are convinced of real and enduring value.

“This Order is a signal to the world: we are building an oil and gas sector that is efficient, competitive, and works for all Nigerians.

“It is about securing our future, creating jobs, and making every barrel count.”

By Philomina Abuja

French embassy donates €1m grant to 19 Nigerian CSOs

Michael Simire
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French embassy donates €1m grant to 19 Nigerian CSOs

The French Embassy in Nigeria on Friday, May 30, 2025, donated €1 million, approximately (N1.8 billion) to 19 civil society organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria to drive grassroots development.

French Embassy
French Embassy in Nigeria

The fund, called the French Embassy Fund for Civil Society Organisation (FEF-OSC), now in its sixth year, is part of French Embassy’s partnership with Nigerian CSOs.

According to Bertrand de Seissan, the Political Counsellor at the French embassy, the initiative will provide targeted financial and technical support to empower local organisations to tackle pressing challenges.

He said that challenges such as gender inequality, economic vulnerability, and community resilience.

This year’s edition has scaled up significantly, with 19 CSOs selected through a competitive process to implement high impact projects across diverse communities.

Each selected initiative will receive a one-year grant focusing on both immediate results and long- institutional strengthening.

The fund’s three key programme priorities include: combating gender-based violence  and promoting women’s socio-economic integration, fostering sustainable livelihoods for youth and vulnerable groups and  strengthening community resilience through advocacy and partnership.

In collaboration with the Cognito Project-POD consulting Consortium, the programme embeds a robust capacity-building component.

“Through tailored workshops, coaching, and peer exchange platforms, CSOs will gain essential tools for strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, financial accountability, and impact storytelling.

“At its core, this initiative is about the people , the women, men, and youth whose lives are being transformed by the bold and compassionate projects led by local CSOs,’’ he said.

Similarly, Mrs. Ketty Regis, the Cooperation Attaché for the French Embassy, said that for the sustainability of the programme the embassy is working closely with the Ministry of Women Affairs through capacity building of CSOs.

She added that the France support for feminist diplomacy has helped to promote equal access to rights and opportunities towards development and addressing structural challenges to equality in France and Nigeria.

Regis added that the initiatives are the results of mutual learning between French and Nigerian actors of change, whether at institutional level with political commitment, the ministry or community-based solutions to collective challenges.

“Best practices and great entrepreneurship spirit can be found everywhere. This is why we are eager to cultivate the friendship between France and Nigeria, by building alliance for our mutual benefit and collective progress,’’ she said.

By Maureen Okon

Ocean surge: Lagos community cries out for help

Michael Simire
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Ocean surge: Lagos community cries out for help

The Okun-Alfa Community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State has urged the federal and state governments to rescue it from lingering ocean surge threatening to submerge the entire community.

Okun-Alfa Community
Coastal erosion at Okun-Alfa Community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State

Mr. Adekunle Elegushi, the Community Development Association (CDA) Chairman, said on Friday, May 30, 2025, that the surge had claimed over 70 per cent of its land.

“This community has been in existence for many years. Our land is gradually being submerged.

“In 2009, the former governor of Lagos, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, tried to fix the problem to stop the surge.

“But the project stopped. No continuity, that’s why other lands have been washed away by the ocean.

“So, we need help to reclaim the land, so that the 200 meters that the government wants as a step back will be easy to have if not more, because more than 1,000 meters are already covered by water,” he said.

Elegushi appealed to the government to rescue the community before it is too late as many residents lived  in  make shift  homes due to  challenges of the  surge.

“In fact many people staying here live  in emergency homes, because all their buildings have been submerged by the  surge.

“And now that they don’t have money to buy land and build new homes, they are seeking for ways to survive and to get shelter.

“That’s why you see all the plank houses but we are trying to resurface it by building new modern houses  to befit the ongoing Lagos-Calabar coastal road project,” he said.

The community leader appealed to the government to channel some of the ecological funds to the community to rescue residents from the predicament.

He added that the government could help by making the community habitable and revive it the way they are doing with the Atlantic City project.

“We appeal to President Bola Tinubu, to come to our rescue. We also appreciate Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who had been there for us, but we all know that this project is beyond the state’s capacity.

“It’s a federal government project, that’s why we are appealing to them to come to our aid and see how they can help our ancient community.

“This community had been in existence for many decades, if you go to the federal and state map, you will see it there, so we are not illegal immigrants,” he added.

By Kazeem Akande

Ekiti to ban single-use plastics

Michael Simire
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Ekiti to ban single-use plastics

The Speaker of Ekiti House of Assembly, Mr. Adeoye Aribasoye, says the Assembly will soon pass a bill banning single-use plastic to address environmental concerns, including flooding and plastic pollution in the state.

Single-use plastics
Single-use plastics

The speaker made this known during a pre-legislative stakeholders’ engagement workshop on plastic pollution in the state.

The workshop was organised by the Triple Green Environmental Development (TGED Foundation) in partnership with the Assembly’s committee on Environment.

The speaker revealed that the bill has scaled the first reading.

Aribasoye pledged that there would be accelerated hearing of the bill for the governor’s assent, hoping that it would help rid the state of pollution caused by indiscriminate disposal of plastics.

The Chief Executive Officer, TGED Foundation, Seyi Ebenezer, said the stakeholders’ forum themed: “Towards a Plastic-Free Ekiti Building Consensus for Legislative Action” became imperative because of the risk plastic use poses to the environment.

She used the medium to encourage all stakeholders to preach against single use of plastic in their communities by adopting alternative use of disposing their waste.

The keynote speaker, Mrs. Iyabode Fakunle-Okeimen, Chairman, House Committee on Environment, stressed the importance of banning single-use plastics in the state.

The guest speaker from Ekiti State University, Prof. Wole Adebayo, in his presentation tilted “Understanding the Impact of Plastic Pollution Environmental, Health and Economic Consequences” harped on more awareness and sensitisation of single-use plastic and the danger it poses to the health.

He also said that used plastics can be converted into wealth by purchasing these products and recycling them into a refined product.

In their goodwill message, the Director-General of Ekiti State Tourism Board, Mr. Wale Ojo-Lanre, harped on the danger the single-use pose to human health such as terminal illness, expressing support for the banning of single-use in the state.

Tthe stakeholders include market women, artisans, hoteliers, plastics manufacturers, students and environmentalists, among others.

The stakeholders noted the need for proper ways of disposing used plastics into the right channels and not on the streets to clog the drains, leading to flooding.

The stakeholders also used the medium to urge the government to turn plastics into wealth by buying them from the people thereby reducing the plastics on the streets and protecting the environment.

By Bolanle Lawal

WHO calls for urgent action to ban flavoured tobacco, nicotine products

Michael Simire
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0
WHO calls for urgent action to ban flavoured tobacco, nicotine products

On World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday, May 30, 2025, launched a new publication and called on governments to urgently ban all flavours in tobacco and nicotine products, including cigarettes, pouches, hookahs and e-cigarettes, to protect youth from addiction and disease.

Nicotine and Tobacco
Nicotine and Tobacco

Flavours like menthol, bubble gum and cotton candy are masking the harshness of tobacco and nicotine products turning toxic products into youth-friendly bait. Flavours not only make it harder to quit but have also been linked to serious lung diseases. Cigarettes, which still kill up to half of their users, also come in flavours or can have flavours added to them.

“Flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction, and should be banned,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control. Without bold action, the global tobacco epidemic, already killing around 8 million people each year, will continue to be driven by addiction dressed up with appealing flavours.”

The publication, “Flavour accessories in tobacco products enhance attractiveness and appeal”, reveals how flavours and accessories like capsule filters and click-on drops are marketed to bypass regulations and hook new users.

Currently:

  • over 50 countries ban flavoured tobacco;
  • more than 40 countries ban e-cigarette sales; five specifically ban disposables and seven ban e-cigarette flavours; and
  • flavour accessories remain largely unregulated.

Countries such as Belgium, Denmark, and Lithuania are taking action, and WHO urges others to follow.

Flavours are a leading reason why young people try tobacco and nicotine products. Paired with flashy packaging and social media-driven marketing, they’ve increased the appeal of nicotine pouches, heated tobacco, and disposable vapes into addictive and harmful products, which aggressively target young people.

“We are watching a generation get hooked on nicotine through gummy bear-flavoured pouches and rainbow-coloured vapes,” said Dr Rüdiger Krech, WHO Director of Health Promotion. “This isn’t innovation, it’s manipulation. And we must stop it.”

WHO reiterates that tobacco products, including heated tobacco products, expose users to cancer-causing chemicals and should be strictly regulated.

The 2025 World No Tobacco Day campaign honours governments, youth activists and civil society leaders pushing back against industry interference. “Your actions are changing policy and saving lives,” said Dr Krech.

WHO submitted: “With around 8 million tobacco-related deaths each year, the time for action is now. Flavours, and the industries that deploy them, have no place in a healthy future.”

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