Author: Atoyebi Adenike

By Atoyebi Nike The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) has opposed renewed calls for restrictions on raw cashew nut exports, warning that such measures would hurt farmers, discourage investment, and contradict government’s agricultural diversification agenda. In a statement on Wednesday, NCAN President, Dr Joseph Ojo Ajanaku, said farmers remain the backbone of Nigeria’s cashew industry and would be the worst affected if exports were curtailed. He cautioned that any form of ban or disguised restriction would depress farmgate prices and drive millions of smallholder growers into deeper poverty. “Processors are partners, not adversaries. But industrial growth must be driven…

By Atoyebi Nike The Federal Government has commenced the full rollout of its 1Government Cloud (1Gov) Digitalisation Project, a sovereign platform designed to introduce paperless governance across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). The initiative, implemented through Galaxy Backbone Limited under the Sovereign Digitalisation Programme, is being pioneered by key MDAs, including the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Ministry of Solid Minerals, Ministry of Steel Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Federal Ministry of Justice. Programme Director of 1Gov Cloud, Mr. Wumi Oghoetuoma, said the project was developed to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks, cut costs, and strengthen accountability…

By Bagudu Mohammed Politics, as it is practiced in Nigeria, is less a noble contest of ideas than a ceaseless duel between betrayals and loyalists. The battlefield is crowded, the weapons are words and promises, and the casualties are trust, friendship, and faith. Betrayal is not an exception—it is the grammar of the game. A headline just caught my attention and has refused to leave my mind. It was attributed to former President Goodluck Jonathan and read with painful simplicity: “Buhari defeated me in 2015 because I was betrayed.” Another headline, this time from Daily Trust of September 4, 2025,…

By Bagudu Mohammed Not long ago, a video stormed the Nigerian social media space. A young lady, visibly pushing past the natural blush of shyness, made an impassioned plea: men, she argued, should be allowed no, encouraged—to marry more than one wife. Her reasoning? There are too many single ladies languishing in loneliness. Her delivery was fiery, emotional, and tinged with desperation. In a voice trembling between conviction and despair, she claimed—rather dubiously that Muslims were marrying more than six wives, and that even the Bible gave a nod of approval. “Government should do something,” she pleaded over and over,…

By Atoyebi Nike The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged Nigeria to raise public health spending to at least 20 per cent of total health expenditure, warning that sustainable financing is the backbone of resilient healthcare systems. Speaking on Thursday at the National Health Financing Dialogue in Abuja, WHO Regional Director, Prof. Mohamed Janabi, said increased investment would cut out-of-pocket expenses, protect households, and strengthen prepayment and pooling mechanisms. “With more than 223 million citizens, how Nigeria finances health is vital for the well-being of its people and the continent’s future,” Janabi said, commending reforms such as the Basic Healthcare…

By Atoyebi Nike The Federal Government has dismissed reports suggesting it raised the pump price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), clarifying that recent hikes were introduced by private investors. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) described such reports as misleading, stressing that no subsidy removal or government directive led to the increase. “Recent pump price adjustments announced by certain operators are purely private-sector decisions and not the outcome of any government directive or policy,” said Matilda Johnson, PCNGI’s Brands and Corporate Communications Manager. The initiative explained that its mandate remains focused on promoting…

By Atoyebi Nike Mounting insecurity in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State has pushed frustrated youths to threaten to take up arms to protect themselves from bandits. In a statement signed by youth activist Bello Bala Shagari, grandson of former President Shehu Shagari, the group said communities have endured months of raids, kidnappings, and displacement while government efforts remain inadequate. “The government has done little to protect us. We cannot sit idle while our people suffer. Self-defense may be our only option,” Shagari declared. The youths urged both state and federal authorities to deploy more security personnel immediately, warning…

By Atoyebi Nike The coalition of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters in Jigawa State has called on the national leadership of the ruling party to sanction its national financial secretary, Bashir Gumel, over alleged insubordination and divisive behavior. Speaking at a press conference in Dutse, the group’s chairman, Saidu Uba, accused Gumel of shifting loyalty from the party to individuals, describing his recent conduct and remarks as “unwholesome” and damaging to party unity. The coalition faulted Gumel for attending a political event in Kafin Hausa Local Government Area that it claimed was not sanctioned by the state leadership. They also…

By Atoyebi Nike The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing strict regulations on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Nigeria, warning that offenders will face sanctions. Mrs. Gloria Ogbaki, the agency’s Head of Information and Public Relations, told reporters in Abuja on Monday that Nigeria’s biosafety system remains “robust and reliable,” despite ongoing debates about GMO use in the country. “No GMO enters or is used in Nigeria without passing through the agency’s strict, science-based approval process,” she said, stressing that violators of the NBMA Act (2015, amended 2019) risk penalties, including seizure, destruction, or repatriation…

By Atoyebi Nike The Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has strongly criticised the federal government’s introduction of a 5% tax on refined fossil fuel sales, including petrol and diesel. In a statement posted on his official X account late Wednesday, Obi said the measure would deepen the hardship facing Nigerians rather than ease it. He argued that the tax should have been delayed until citizens begin to see tangible benefits from President Bola Tinubu’s many promises. Obi questioned why government revenues, which Tinubu recently described as meeting targets, were not being channelled into education, healthcare, and poverty reduction.…