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The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has stated that it is not aware if President Bola Tinubu is involved in the impeachment of the immediate past Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa.
The embattled politician was impeached by members of the Lagos State House of Assembly and was replaced by Mojisola Meranda.
Shortly after Obasa was impeached, the lawmakers said their action was aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the legislature and Lagos State.
Speaking to Daily Post, the Publicity Secretary of the state chapter of APC, Seye Oladejo, said Obasa’s impeachment showed that the parliament and all arms of government enjoy independence in Lagos State.
He said, “His impeachment is not a party affair, it’s the entire business of the House of Assembly, it has nothing to do with the party.
“They enjoy their independence as a major tier in this democracy, so whatsoever, the House has made available through the news maker and their information machinery would just suffice for now.”
Speaking on Tinubu’s alleged involvement in the impeachment, Oladejo said, “I wouldn’t know who was involved and not involved, we only have to accept what the members of the House have put in public domain.
“The members said they decided to have a change of guard and that was it.”
“Politics is about intrigues and interests and the only thing that is permanent is your interest.
“The only thing that is permanent and constant is your interest at a particular time as a politician and that is universal, it’s not peculiar to Nigeria.”
Oladejo, however, denied knowledge of the former Speaker nursing a governorship ambition.
He said, “I’m not aware there is any ongoing governorship race right now and we won’t be having another governorship election until 2027.
“The priority of the party is to deliver on good governance and ensure that we fulfill the social contract between us and the people who voted us into power and we do not disappoint.
“And of course, If there is anything that has resemblance to an election before us, it is the party’s congress and local government election towards the middle of this year.”
One of the contenders for the Alaafin of Oyo throne, Prince Ayobami Ladigbolu, has recounted his experiences during the contest for the crown.
In a statement published on Facebook on Tuesday, the prince congratulated the new Alaafin, Oba Abimbola Owoade, describing his emergence as divinely ordained.
Reflecting on the competition, the prince expressed disappointment that some of his initial supporters abandoned him in favour of other candidates due to financial constraints.
“I learned the value of money in one’s life from the race for the crown of Alaafinate.
“Due to financial constraints, some of the people who first backed me later switched to another candidate. When I needed their help on the Alaafinate issue, those I had previously supported did the exact reverse for me.
“When it comes to the time to help me, those I have helped with their businesses ran away. I am not upset with them. I just took away some lessons for the future,” he said.
Ladigbolu thanked the Agbonhin Sanda Oridota family and the larger Ladigbolu section of the Agunloye royal family for nominating and supporting him as a candidate for the throne.
Congratulating the new Alaafin, he said, “I congratulate Oba Aláàfin Abimbola Akeem Owoade , the new Àlàáfin of Ọ̀yọ́ town.
“He was chosen by God almighty. Ọba Akeem Abimbola Owoade has been destined to take the throne. I am happy for him. The entire Ladigbolu family felicitate with the new king. Congratulations. Kaabiesi.”
He thanked those who supported him throughout the journey, including his siblings, wife, children and other unnamed benefactors.
The prince also highlighted the camaraderie he shared with other contestants, particularly Prince Kolade Tunde Sanni Oladigbolu and Prince Muideen Adekunle Oladigbolu, whom he described as “blood brothers.”
Ladigbolu urged the people of Oyo to rally behind the new Alaafin.
“I urge the natives of Oyo town to support the new king. Contests for kingship are not without few controversies. We should manage the controversy and support the new king to build a viable Ọ̀yo and Yorùbá land of our dream,” he stated.
Amid Nigeria’s escalating cost-of-living crisis, the State House has come under scrutiny for spending a staggering ₦5.9 billion on vehicles in 2024.
Naija News reports that the revelation comes at a time when millions of citizens struggle to afford basic necessities due to soaring inflation and government policies.
The Senate Committee on Special Duties raised concerns on Tuesday over the expenditure during a session where the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Temitope Fashedemi, appeared to defend the 2025 budget allocations.
According to Fashedemi, the State House spent ₦3.9 billion of its ₦4 billion allocation on operational vehicles and utilized the entire ₦2 billion budget for replacing Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs).
This prompted lawmakers to demand clarity on the necessity and specifics of the purchases.
Lawmakers Demand Answers
A senator representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi questioned the rationale behind the vehicle purchases and replacements, seeking details on the type, model, and number of vehicles acquired.
He asked, “What kind of vehicles are we talking about, and how many of them are purchased? What is the model?
“And then you also talk about the replacement of SUV vehicles, in which ₦2 billion was appropriated and ₦2 billion was released. What is a replacement, and how many of them have you replaced?”
Similarly, Adamawa Central senator Aminu Adamu criticized the expenditure report, describing it as “deceitful.”
“I want to tell you that whoever prepared this table prepared it to deceive us. It is completely a deceit. You can’t release less than five per cent and tell us 100 per cent utilization performance,” Adamu said.
Permanent Secretary Defends Spending
In his response, Fashedemi, who assumed office only last month, said the expenditures were in line with the approved 2024 budget.
He added that the State House was obligated to implement the budget as passed.
“These items were listed in the approved budget of 2024, and it is mandatory for the State House to carry out the procurements,” Fashedemi explained.
While some lawmakers remained skeptical, others appeared to accept the argument, noting that the spendings had been approved within the budgetary framework.
The Chairman of the committee, Kaka Shehu, urged the State House to maintain a transparent and cordial relationship with the legislature to avoid future misunderstandings.
Joseph Aloba, the father of the late singer, Ilerioluwa, aka Mohbad, has revealed that his life got better after the death of his son.
Aloba revealed this in an interview with a media personality, Akin Abolade, popularly known as Mrlilgaga, on Wednesday.
“Let me just say yes, my life got better after Mohbad’s death because he is my friend. He had it in plan to do many things for me but they didn’t allow him to do them. After his death, it was the spirit of Mohbad, and that of God combined together that began to send people to assist me.
“Even the car and everything I have now, it was people that gave them to me and it is beyond ordinary. So it is the spirit of Mohbad and God that led those people to give me all I have now.
“Those were the things he was meant to be doing for me, but they didn’t allow him to do them,” he added.
Clarifying insinuations towards those accused, Mohbad’s father noted that he was laying emphasis on his son’s wife (Wunmi) and her family, adding, “They did a lot concerning that boy (Mohbad). All his landed property is in their possession. Even the land he bought for me to build a church, I forced him to buy and mold the blocks on it, which was later used to bury him.
“Two weeks before his death, he took me to the house he wanted to buy and told me he was going to buy it after the completion of his tour, for which I know he had completely paid.”
He also said the birth of Mohbad led him to become a singer after the money from the naming ceremony was stolen, stressing that his late son became a backup singer for him at the age of one.
Aloba mentioned that he is a carpenter, singer, and pastor, although he does not have a church. He added that his son had promised to build one for him before his death.
The father toured his new block industry with the media personality, showing his new truck and Toyota Highlander vehicle gifted to him by Nigerians who were compassionate about his son’s death.
He also revealed that he has released about nine tracks since the death of his son.
On 11 September 2023, MohBad died in Lagos at the age of 26.
A nurse who was reported by his spouse to have administered a Tetanus vaccine to him was arrested and found to be an unlicensed nurse on 19 September 2023 by the Lagos State Police Command.
Gloria Hallelujah Woods, popularly known as GloRilla, has revealed why she is single.
The 25-year-old said she’s still single because men nowadays hide their true intentions in relationships.
Lamenting about the decline of masculinity in the modern world in a video message shared via her social media page, GloRilla claimed she’s single because she’s a realist.
“I ain’t got no man because I am such a real n*gga myself. And a lot of men these days are b*tches. I ain’t got no n*gga because they are like b*tches.
“I want some real n*ggas; n*ggas that would make me cry the f*ck out,” she said.
Nigerian singer, Timaya and American reality star, Brooke Bailey, have continued to leave netizens wondering if they are officially dating or merely displaying PDA to get fans talking.
A video making the rounds online captured the duo professing love for each other while stepping out.
While kissing the American star, Timaya threatens that thunder will strike Bailey if she fakes her love for him.
Meanwhile, Timaya recently opened up on the reason for remaining single despite the success of his career.
The singer explained that he has never fancied getting married, and it is not something he is drawn to.
He disclosed this in a recent interview with Naija FM.
He, however, said he has not ruled out the possibility of tying the knot in the future.
“I’ve never been a married guy right from time but it can change because marriage ‘dey craze’? I just look at it like if I marry today, would I be able to get out? In all my previous relationships, I was the one who got out because I don’t like stress”, he said.
Timaya explained that his hesitation towards marriage stems from his desire for freedom and his dislike for stress.
He stressed the importance of open communication in relationships, stating that he values honesty and transparency.
See the video below:
Media
Reacts To Concerns About Her Safety
Nigerian singer, Tiwa Savage, has responded to concerns over her safety following a viral video of her swimming with sharks.
‘Somebody Son’ hitmaker got fans talking after she was seen swimming underwater with sharks that maintained a close distance from her.
The singer wore an oxygen mask and looked comfortable under the water.
According to Tiwa Savage, swimming underwater with sharks was on her bucket list, and she has ticked it off.
She wrote: “Swimming with sharks #bucketList.”
Reacting to the video, some fans expressed concern for Tiwa Savage over fear of being attacked by sharks
Responding to concerns via her Instagram story on Wednesday, Tiwa said people should not be worried about her decision to swim with sharks.
She noted that the ‘sharks’ in the music industry are more dangerous than those in water.
She wrote, “Everyone worried about me swimming with sharks, but the ones in this music industry are more fucking dangerous”.
Meanwhile, Tiwa Savage recently hinted at quitting the music industry after the release of her next album.
Recalls that the 44-year-old singer gave a hint via her Instagram story.
Tiwa said she now feels tired, noting she has done her best.
However, the ‘Koroba’ crooner did not reveal the title and release date of the next album.
The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday alleged an attempt by security operatives to arrest one of its star witnesses ahead of the resumption of the governorship election tribunal sitting on Wednesday.
Naija News reports that a viral video circulating online showed the PDP’s governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, alongside the party’s lead counsel, Ken Mozia, and other party members, intervening as a plainclothes operative attempted to detain the witness.
The video, which surfaced late Tuesday, captured heated exchanges as party faithful tried to prevent the arrest.
One individual, believed to be a PDP supporter, claimed the witnesses and counsel were in a conference room at a hotel, preparing for the tribunal proceedings, when the attempted arrest occurred.
The governorship election tribunal is set to resume on Wednesday, with the PDP presenting its case challenging the outcome of the September 21 poll.
The party alleges irregularities and is seeking to overturn the election results in favor of its candidate, Ighodalo.
The PDP chieftain said, “All of a sudden, one of the security operatives said that the EFCC want to arrest witnesses of Ighodalo who are supposed to be in court on Wednesday in the first public hearing.
“They had no papers, they had no warrant of arrest, they had nothing and they just presented an identity card. Who does that? And taking into the fact that it is like reinforcing brazen criminality
“Ighodalo was even diplomatic and he let them to understand the enormity of what they are doing. The Nigerian Security Services and the EFCC cannot be an offshoot of a political party or people who want to pervert justice. So they are doing this on the eve of the case.
“These witnesses are not on the run.There is no invitation prior to this time asking these people to report anywhere. They just came and there are three young who now went back to their vehicle and left the whole place in chaos.”
An official of the hotel believed to be owned owned by a popular politician in the state said that the operatives claimed they were on investigation and that the individual who were looking for was not a lodger in the hotel.
[NaijaNews]
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has pledged the National Assembly’s commitment to completing the electoral reform process ahead of the 2027 general elections, emphasising that every vote must count.
Speaking Tuesday as the Senate resumed after the yuletide break, Akpabio, in a speech titled “Rising to the Greatness of Our Calling,” stressed the importance of strengthening electoral processes for party primaries, congresses and conventions.
“Electoral reform must be completed this year. As the nation begins preparations for the next election cycle 2027, we have a unique opportunity to strengthen our electoral act for the congresses, primaries and conventions,” he said.
Akpabio said, “It is our chance to give Nigerians an election that is transparent and credible and reflective of their will. Every vote must count.
“The foundation of every thriving democracy is trust in its electoral process. Electoral reform is not just a legislative duty; it is a moral imperative. It is our chance to gift the Nigerian people a system that is transparent, credible and reflective of their will.”
The Senate president urged lawmakers to remain steadfast in their responsibilities and dedicated to fostering peace and unity in the country. He identified two key priorities: the passage of the 2025 budget and completing electoral reforms.
Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, called on senators to rededicate themselves to the task of nation-building, saying, “We must rise to the greatness of our calling to fix Nigeria.”
On his part, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, outlined the House’s legislative priorities for 2025, with a focus on passing the Tax Reform Bills and the Appropriation Bill.
In his address, read by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Abbas emphasised the significance of the reforms in driving economic recovery and fiscal stability.
“Our legislative agenda for 2025 prioritises the passage of the Appropriation Bill and the Tax Reform Bills, both pivotal to broadening the tax base, improving compliance and reducing dependency on external borrowing,” he said.
The speaker stressed the importance of equity in implementing the reforms, ensuring they address the needs of all Nigerians, particularly vulnerable populations.
He acknowledged the socioeconomic challenges facing the country, including hunger, poverty and recent tragic events like stampedes during palliative distributions and civilian casualties during military operations, as stark reminders of governance complexities.
To promote transparency and inclusivity, Abbas announced plans for a Citizens’ Town Hall on the national budget. This initiative aims to provide Nigerians with a platform to engage directly with lawmakers on fiscal matters, reinforcing public trust and accountability.
He further noted that constitutional amendments would address governance challenges and promote inclusivity and equity.
The speaker reaffirmed the importance of constructive collaboration between the legislative and executive arms of government while maintaining institutional independence.
“Our collective efforts should be focused on policies that prioritise the welfare of the people and strengthen the foundations of our democracy,” he added.
[DailyTrust]
Nigerian workers have again demanded at least 50 percent wage increase from the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu government to cushion the impact of the country’s untamed inflation.
The demand was re-echoed in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST on Monday by a senior executive of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, who preferred anonymity.
The wage rise demand comes barely six months after the minimum wage increase in July, 2024.
The workers want the presidential economic team to double down on policies that are inflicting pains on Nigerians in the last months.
“We have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a wage review. There is a difference between wage review and minimum wage negotiation.
“We had a meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; about seven or eight ministers were in attendance.
“They agreed that due to the country’s inflation, that there is a need for a wage review. We will officially write to the government for a wage review.
“On the proposed wage review, the leadership of NLC will meet to determine the exact amount, as you are aware prices have doubled after the last minimum wage review.
“Similarly, the President and his media team should double down on their harsh economic policies,” the NLC source told DAILY POST.
Meanwhile, calls DAILY POST made to NLC spokesperson, Benjamin Upah and its Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.
DAILY POST reports that the central reason for the call for a wage rise was due to the rising cost of living in Nigeria.
Recall that Tinubu, in the build-up to the N70,000 minimum wage rise, had said he would accept a N250,000 wage rise if fuel prices were increased.
The President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, confirmed Tinubu’s position on the reason the union accepted the N70,000 minimum wage increase.
Despite the eventual minimum wage increase approved by Tinubu in July last year, the rise in the price of Premium Motor Spirit and other macroeconomic challenges had depleted the impact of the N70,000 minimum wage increase.
For instance, an average fuel price that stood at N770.54 per litre in July 2024 rose to between N935 and N1,100 on 13th January, 2025.
This means that between when the minimum wage was approved and now, fuel prices, a major determinant of the prices of goods and services, rose by N339, or 30 percent.
The National Bureau of Statistics, in its November Consumer Price Index and Inflation data, said headline and food inflation rose to 34.60 percent and 39.93 percent, respectively.
To this end, it is the eroding value of the N70,000 minimum wage that has made Nigerian workers demand a wage rise.
Also, speaking on the controversy of the four tax reform bills currently before the National Assembly, the NLC member asked Tinubu to review the threshold for workers that would enjoy zero taxation from N800,000 per annum to N1.5 million.
He aligned with NLC president, Joe Ajaero’s recent remarks that with the way the tax bill is structured with the minimum wage of N70,000, the majority of workers would have to pay more to the federal government as tax.
According to the source, the current structure of the tax bills means all Nigerian workers would pay more taxes to the government.
DAILY POST reports that President Tinubu, in his first media chat, said that four tax bills, namely the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, are needed to retool the economy.
However, the bills had continued to generate controversies. Among those opposed to them are Northern governors, the National Economic Council, and other leaders from Northern regions.
Reacting, the NLC source decried that instead of the government lifting the pains of Nigerians at the time of skyrocketing costs of living, it wants to add to the burden.
“You are paying the lowest paid N70,000 as a minimum wage and you want to exclude only those from N0-N800,000 to be zero-taxed.
“What does that tell you? When you multiply N70,000 by 12 months, it will amount to N840,000; thereby, this means every Nigerian worker will pay more tax to the federal government.
“If in reality the government wants to exclude lower-income earners, the threshold should be N1.5 million, not N800,000, because inflation has eroded the value of the Naira.
“What is the point of collecting tax from a people already impoverished and who cannot afford a bag of rice?
“The government should be talking about how to reduce the burden on Nigerians, not add more by taxation,” he said.
DAILY POST reports that Ajaero had said the Nigerian government should address concerns in the tax bills.
[DailyPost]
More...
The National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance has given revenue-generating agencies 48 48-hour ultimatum to appear or risk being withdrawn from government funding for 2025 operations.
It decried their failure to honour invitations for their 2025 budget defence and their revenue-generating profile.
The agencies include the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Nigerian Postal Service (NPS), and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
Others are the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority and the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The Nigerian Copyright Commission, National Insurance Commission, National Pensions Commission, National Space and Research Development Agency, and the Nigerian Metrological Agency are also included.
The rest are the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporations, Airspace Management Authority, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, Transmission Company of Nigeria, Bank of Industry (BoI), and Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaira.
Speaking during the second day of the revenue profiling exercise, Chairman of the Senate Committee of Finance, Senator Sani Musa (APC-Niger), said President Bola Tinubu, while presenting the 2025 budget to the National Assembly, mandated all ministers and heads of agencies to appear to defend their respective budgets before the Assembly.
According to Senator Musa, members of the National Assembly had to cut short their Christmas holidays to attend to the national assignment.
“But to our dismay, a lot of agencies have refused to honour our invitations to appear before us, for us to scrutinise their performances in 2024 and look at their 2025 projection, if it is justifiable.
“These agencies have refused to honour the Joint Committee’s invitation.
“So, by virtue of the constitutional powers given to the Joint Committees on Finance of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, we are given the chief executives of these agencies 48 hours within which to appear before this Joint Committee.
“Failure to do that, the Committee will not hesitate to recommend to the Appropriation Committee to withhold any appropriation to these agencies.
“If these agencies are self-funded, we will also request both the Minister of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation to withhold their funding,” he said.
Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, James Faleke (APC-Lagos State), said the essence of the budget defence exercise was to boost revenue generation and cut down on borrowing.
“If these agencies refuse to appear before us, the needful will be done by the National Assembly,” he said.
The Senate adjourned plenary till January 28 to enable heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to defend their allocations in the N49.7trillion 2025 Appropriations Bill before its relevant committees.
The Senate’s resolution to suspend plenary for two weeks followed a motion moved by the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Ashiru Oyelola.
Senators approved the motion when it was put to voice vote by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
[TheNation]
The National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria’s key agency for data dissemination, is still reeling from a cyberattack on its official website, which occurred on December 18, 2024.
As of January 14, 2025, the website remains inaccessible, raising doubts over the timely release of its much-anticipated Consumer Price Index and inflation data, typically published on the 15th of each month.
The hack came just days after the NBS released its controversial Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey, which revealed that Nigerians paid an estimated N2.3tn in ransom within a year.
The sensitive nature of the report has fuelled speculation about a possible link between the survey’s release and the cyberattack.
Following the breach, the NBS took to its official X (formerly Twitter) account to confirm the incident, assuring the public that efforts were underway to restore the website.
The agency advised users to disregard any information from the compromised platform until the situation was resolved.
Despite these assurances, the prolonged downtime has disrupted access to critical economic data, sparking concern among policymakers, analysts, and investors who rely heavily on the bureau’s statistics for decision-making.
In a related development, the NBS has announced plans to introduce three new indexes in its monthly CPI.
The new additions are expected to be part of the rebased CPI.
The continued inaccessibility of the NBS website, however, casts doubt on how this critical report will be disseminated.
NBS spokesperson Joel Ichedi did not immediately respond to calls and WhatsApp messages from our correspondent on Tuesday.
However, he earlier told The PUNCH that the delay in restoring its website was due to a thorough investigation of the incident and the extended holiday period, which has hindered timely recovery efforts.
He assured the site will soon be accessible to Nigerians as efforts are ongoing to restore it.
The PUNCH earlier reported that the National Bureau of Statistics has earmarked N35m in its 2025 budget proposal for “Capacity Building on Cybersecurity and Data Centre Management.”
In addition to the cybersecurity allocation, the NBS’s 2025 budget proposal includes several other projects aimed at improving its operational efficiency, modernising infrastructure, and enhancing service delivery.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Marketing Research Association recently pledged to develop private-sector alternatives to ensure the availability of economic data in situations like this.
The association emphasised the importance of diversified data sources to mitigate the impact of disruptions from official agencies.
As the NBS battles with the attack on its website, The PUNCH observed that the Central Bank of Nigeria has moved its Monetary Policy Committee meeting previously scheduled for January 27 and 28, 2025.
The updated calendar on the apex bank’s website showed that the committee will meet five times this year, with its first meeting slated for February 17 and 18, 2025.
[Punch]
…Says Nigeria can’t afford to be left behind
The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has advocated a decentralised approach to electricity supply in Nigeria.
She spoke on the critical role of Artificial Intelligence in socio-economic development at the 10th convocation ceremony of the African University of Science and Technology, AUST, in Abuja, yesterday.
According to the nation’s former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Nigeria must increase internet access for her citizens to be able to upskill them in AI, a feat that would not be possible without access to constant power supply and that Nigeria could not afford to be left behind in AI.
She said: “Underpinning all that, of course, is access to reliable electricity power supply. Power outages and constant interruptions might prove a more challenging constraint in Nigeria and other African countries to internet access and AI adoption than anything else.
“In other words, we could lay out the smartest approaches to the adoption of AI, like the federal government and AUST are trying to do, but find that efforts undermine our lack of access to the very basics – electricity infrastructure.
“Here, I would propose that we take a more decentralized approach to electricity provision in the country in light of the improved affordability of renewable energy.
“Each production, consumption and learning unit that is able should try to create its electricity supply through renewables. I’m proud to learn that AUST is embarking on this path, with feasibility studies for hydro and solar sources that can carry the campus. The issue is to mobilize the N200 million needed to make this happen.”
Put AI regulations
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, one of the university’s founders, noted that it was necessary to put regulations in place to guide the use of AI to ensure data security.
“We also need to bear in mind that relying on AI-driven systems could pose challenges to data sovereignty and security. Many African economies currently depend on foreign technology providers for AI tools and platforms, potentially raising concerns about privacy, governance and the protection of sensitive information.
“All these risks, combined with limited regulatory frameworks in many African countries, including Nigeria, underline the need for robust oversight and ethical guidelines tailored to local context.
“Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African nations must work hard, so they can overcome the lag in AI readiness. We score 0.34 on the IMF’s AI Preparedness Index, which evaluates factors such as digital infrastructure, workforce skills, innovation, economic policies and ethical regulations.
“Putting in strong regulatory guardrails is crucial to ensuring that AI serves as a tool for inclusive and sustainable development, rather than a source of new vulnerabilities. So on the road ahead, let me try to bring my talk to a conclusion,’’ she said.
We need investments to benefit from AI
The WTO boss urged investments in ICT infrastructure to enable Nigerians enjoy the benefits AI provides.
Her words: “I’ve been saying throughout that for people in Nigeria and across the continent to fully harness the gains from AI, we need investments. Investments in basic infrastructure first and foremost, investments in regulatory frameworks, in digital literacy, in upskilling our young people, in creating appropriate business ecosystems and more.
“But I’m confident that with foresight and careful planning for implementation, Nigeria and Africa can do it.”
She said over the past few years, AI had evolved from being a technological curiosity to becoming a force within industry and within people’s lives.
“It has already starting to redefine how we live, learn, work, and trade. AI has been likened to the advent of electricity, a transformative force that reshapes everything it touches.
‘’In my view, it’s already clear that AI is the most disruptive and transformative technology since the advent of the Internet a generation ago. It will transform the nature of work.
“It will change existing jobs. It will create new ones we had not thought about. And yes, it will probably take some jobs away.
‘’The potential gains are enormous. The consultancy, Pricewaterhouse estimates that AI could boost global economic activity by up to $15.7 trillion, or roughly 15% by 2030. They predict that this growth will not be confined to the industrialized north.
“The global south, including Nigeria, has much to gain. But countries across the developing world will need to be proactive to seize this potential, and we cannot afford to be left behind,’’ Okonjo-Iweala added.
[Vanguard]
Fire has gutted Focus Holiday Inn, an upmarket hotel in the Garki area of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
Eyewitnesses said the fire, which began around 3am, started from a section of the building before engulfing the three-storey structure.
Personnel of the fire service are currently trying to put out the fire.
There are no reports of casualties at the time of filing this story.
Fire incidents have become commonplace in the federal capital territory (FCT) recently. On November 2, 2024, fire razed a telecommunications facility in the Maitama area of the city.
On November 13, a popular fitness centre in Gwarinpa was also gutted by fire.
[TheCable]