The federal government has launched the creative economy development fund (CEDF), an initiative to support creatives, entrepreneurs, and cultural organisations in Nigeria.

The ministry of arts, culture, tourism, and creative economy announced the scheme in a statement on Sunday, according to NAN.

The ministry said the fund aims to scale projects with strong financial documentation and clear expansion plans, noting that the first phase of applications, which opened on April 28 and is expected to close on May 30, targets mature businesses needing over $100,000. 

The statement said fashion designers, filmmakers, musicians, artists, tour operators, gaming developers, and other professionals in Nigeria’s creative and cultural sectors are eligible to apply.

According to the ministry, the fund aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s ‘renewed hope agenda’ by supporting job creation, cultural promotion, and economic diversification.

Speaking on the initiative, Hannatu Musa Musawa, minister of arts, culture, tourism, and creative economy, described the fund as a “strategic national investment” to unlock Nigeria’s creative potential. 

“This is not just a financial intervention. It is a call to action for creatives, entrepreneurs, and industry enablers to scale their dreams and contribute to a thriving, inclusive creative economy,” Musawa was quoted as saying.

HOW TO APPLY FOR THE LOAN

According to the ministry, the CEDF supports businesses in the creative sector by providing capital to scale production, expand market access, and build resilience.

The initiative is also expected to allow creators to leverage intellectual property as a financial asset, unlocking the value of film rights, music catalogues, digital content, and other creative works.

“CEDF offers various funding options for creative businesses, including affordable loans and credit facilities for businesses across sectors such as film, music, fashion, art, publishing, gaming, and cultural tourism,” the ministry said.

“Equity and quasi-equity investments in high-growth creative enterprises, Grant funding for socially impactful and innovative cultural projects and focus on leveraging intellectual property (IP) as a bankable asset class for securing financing.”

To apply, the ministry said interested applicants must visit CEDFnigeria.com, complete the official application form, submit project proposals, and provide the required financial documents.

“Applicants must then wait for the evaluation process and, if selected, receive support beginning January 2026 (phase one) or April 2026 (phase two). Application review, project onboarding, incubation, and acceleration for phase one will take place from June to December 2025, with the disbursement of funds starting on January 1, 2026,” it added.

“For phase two, disbursements will start on April 1, 2026.

“The second phase will open on August 4, focusing on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) requesting under $100,000.”

The ministry also said the CEDF evaluation process will be conducted by independent experts under the oversight of a private sector-led investment committee.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has reportedly withdrawn from a presidential panel investigating sexual harassment allegations made against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central.

Oby Ndukwe, president of Citizens Quest for Truth, revealed this on Saturday, May 3, 2025, during Politics Today on Channels Television.

Sources say President Bola Tinubu formed the panel on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, with members including National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the Attorney General of the Federation, and one representative each from Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The panel was tasked with probing allegations that sparked national controversy.

Akpabio’s withdrawal, without an official explanation, has fuelled speculation. Sources claim he cited executive interference and doubts about the panel’s neutrality.

Tensions between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan escalated after her February 2025 accusations of sexual harassment.

The Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan on Thursday, March 6, 2025, pending the investigation’s outcome, a move critics called a silencing tactic.

Akpoti-Uduaghan has vowed to present evidence in court.

- several wounded, hospitalized

Residents of Akure, the Ondo State capital, scampered for safety yesterday as personnel of the state security outfit codenamed Amotekun clashed with police officers over the custody of a suspect linked to a stolen motorcycle.

Eyewitnesses said that personnel from both security agencies exchanged gunfire during the clash, causing widespread tension and anxiety across the state capital.

According to reports, a complainant had visited the Amotekun office to report a missing motorcycle. Acting swiftly, Amotekun operatives recovered the stolen motorcycle and arrested the suspect.

However, shortly after the arrest, a team of police officers arrived at the Amotekun office and reportedly demanded custody of the suspect.

One of the officers told newsmen that Amotekun personnel declined the request and directed them to the state commander of the corps, Chief Adetunji Adeleye.

Sources said a heated argument ensued between the two agencies, which escalated into exchange of gunfire.

Several officers were reportedly injured during the confrontation, which occurred as the police attempted to forcefully take custody of the suspect and the exhibit.

In an official statement issued by the Ondo State Police Command, spokesperson Ayanlade Olayinka accused some officers of acting unprofessionally, saying At about 0800hours, a report was received at the Ijoka Divisional Police Headquarters regarding the arrest of a suspect allegedly involved in the theft of property from a church located around Sunday Bus Stop.

“Acting promptly on the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) detailed two police officers, along with the incident duty officer, to proceed to the scene, recover the suspect, and secure exhibits linked to the crime.

“It is important to note that the police officers were the first to arrive at the scene.

“However, while they were executing their lawful duties, operatives of the Amotekun Corps arrived with a large group of commercial motorcyclists (Okada riders).

“In a disorderly and commando-like manner, the Amotekun personnel and their companions forcefully took custody of the suspect and the exhibits, injuring a police officer in the process.Following this, the Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, Wilfred Olutokunbo Afolabi, immediately directed tactical commanders to recover both the suspect and the exhibits.”

“Subsequently, after intervention and dialogue led by the commanders of agencies, the suspect and exhibits were returned to the police in the spirit of inter-agency cooperation.

“However, while the matter was being amicably resolved, a few aggrieved members of the Amotekun Corps, unhappy with the release of the suspect, began firing sporadically into the air.

“To prevent a breakdown of law and order and to disperse the agitated crowd without harm, the police officers at the scene responded with the professional use of tear gas. No exchange of gunfire occurred between the two agencies.”

The spokesperson reiterated that the Ondo State Police Command remains committed to collaboration with other security outfits in the state, while emphasizing the importance of adhering to the law and established protocols.

“The Command assures members of the public that it remains dedicated to the maintenance of peace, public safety, and the rule of law across the state,” Olayinka concluded.

Efforts to reach the Amotekun State Commander, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, for comments were unsuccessful as of press time.

Fear and chaos have gripped parts of eastern Sokoto State as renewed bandit attacks, allegedly carried out by Kachalla Kallamu loyalists of notorious kingpin Bello Turji, have forced residents of more than 20 villages to flee their homes.

The fleeing villagers, seeking safety from escalating violence, have found temporary refuge in Gatawa, a town in the Sabon Birni Local Government Area. Many are now sheltering in public schools and with relatives, as local authorities scramble to respond.

A resident of Gatawa, Mallam Saminu, confirmed the development in a telephone chat with THE WHISTLER.

“Yes, it is true. People from many villages around Gatawa have been displaced and have come here to seek refuge,” he said.

“Some are staying with relatives in town, while others have been sheltered in two secondary schools, one near the military camp and another within the town.”

Communities affected by the attacks include Makira, Shabanza, Katsalle, Dan Kura, Garin Tunkiya, Dama, Dan Tazako I, II, and III, Gaugai, among others.

As of press time, official responses from the state government were unavailable. The Special Adviser on Security Matters to the Governor, Col. Ahmed Usman (rtd.), could not be reached, and the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said he was awaiting a full briefing before commenting.

The mass displacement has once again thrown a spotlight on the fragile security situation in the region, where banditry continues to upend lives despite sustained military operations.

A legal advocacy group, Lawyers in Defence of Democracy, has described the record of former Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, as “one of the most transparent” in the company’s history, dismissing the ongoing probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as an attempt to tarnish his legacy.

The group made this known in a statement released on Monday in response to reports that the EFCC was investigating alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of funds involving Kyari and other former senior officials of NNPCL.

Speaking through its Deputy National Coordinator, Barrister Ndu Edede, the group stated that Kyari, who led the transformation of NNPC into a limited liability company and oversaw sweeping reforms through the Petroleum Industry Act, deserved commendation rather than what it called a “witch-hunt.”

“For someone who served the country diligently from 2019 to 2025 as GMD and later as GCEO of NNPCL, Kyari deserves appreciation, not persecution,” the statement read.

They credited Kyari with spearheading reforms that revitalised Nigeria’s petroleum sector, including the removal of fuel subsidy, an action they said freed up funds for government use and an increase in daily oil production to nearly 2 million barrels.

According to the group, “Moribund refineries were being resuscitated while the Dangote Refinery came on board, changing Nigeria’s petroleum sector’s narrative. These feats have never been achieved before.”

The EFCC’s probe was revealed in a letter dated April 28, 2025, addressed to the current GMD of NNPCL. The letter, which has since surfaced online, listed 14 former officials, including Kyari and Abubakar Lawal Yar’Adua, as subjects of an investigation into alleged abuse of office and financial misappropriation.

While acknowledging the EFCC’s right to conduct investigations, the lawyers urged the commission to proceed with caution.

“As Kyari himself said, ‘he served Nigeria with the fear of God and is willing to account for his stewardship.’ While we stand with the former GMD/GCEO, we implore EFCC to be circumspect about its planned probe in order not to appear as conducting a witch-hunt against someone who sacrificed his lifetime, energy, and comfort in service to the country,” they stated.

The group also emphasised that any genuine and transparent probe would ultimately vindicate Kyari, whom they described as a transformational figure in the oil and gas industry.

The EFCC has not yet issued a formal public statement on the status or scope of the investigation.

Special Assistant to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, on Public Communication, Paul Ibe, has faulted the presidency for dismissing the recent remarks by outgoing President of African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, that Nigerians today were worse off than they were at Independence in 1960.

Naija News reports that Adesina had claimed that Nigeria’s GDP per capita had dropped from $1,847 in 1960 to $824 in 2024, implying a deterioration in living standards.

In response, Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, in a post via ? dismissed the figures as incorrect, emphasising that available historical data tell a markedly different story.

Quoting official statistics, Onanuga outlined Nigeria’s economic growth over the decades, acknowledging a rise in GDP to $12.55 billion in 1970, $27.7 billion in 1975, $64.2 billion in 1980, and $164 billion in 1981.

He noted that Nigeria’s economic trajectory rose significantly in the 1970s following the oil boom.

Reacting, Paul Ibe countered Onanuga, stating that Adesina was right, reiterating that Nigeria is worse off today due to the 133 million impoverished citizens.

Ibe urged the presidency to stop gaslighting Nigerians because Adesina’s remark is the real data, and the masses feel the pain.

He said, “Dr. @akin_adesina was right. Nigeria is worse off today than in 1960—just ask the 133 million Nigerians living in poverty.

“Throwing out nominal GDP from 1960 without adjusting for inflation is either ignorance or spin. Real analysts use PPP-adjusted figures—and by that measure, Nigeria has declined.

“Life expectancy? Just 52 years. Unemployment? Sky-high. The naira? Collapsed. Mobile phones don’t fix hunger or power cuts. Cherry-picking GDP and telecom stats while ignoring rising inequality, poverty, and institutional collapse is not just dishonest—it’s cruel.

“Stop gaslighting Nigerians. The people feel the pain Adesina spoke of. That’s the real data….must you attack everyone?”

Former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, has praised his daughter, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, for upholding and preserving his political legacy.

Speaking on Sunday while celebrating his daughter on the occasion of her 45th birthday, Ibori expressed profound gratitude to God for her life and lauded her decision to follow in his political footsteps.

Erhiatake currently represents the Ethiope East/Ethiope West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

In a personally signed birthday message made available to newsmen in Warri the former governor praised his daughter’s courage, principles, and dedication to public service, noting that her presence in the political arena has played a vital role in safeguarding his legacy.

He said, “Your decision to walk in my footsteps politically has been vindicated. Without you, the assaults on my legacy might have prevailed.

“Today, 45 years ago, God Almighty gave you to our family. I celebrate you with immense pride and gratitude. Over the years, you have grown into a fearless and principled leader, standing firm against compromise and defending values greater than personal gain.

“I thank God for your life, as well as the mentors, supporters, and loved ones who have guided you on this journey.

“Today, I wish you continued good health, divine wisdom, and unyielding strength as you forge ahead. You have made your immediate family proud, your siblings proud, and your constituency proud. Above all, you have made me profoundly proud.

“On behalf of my wife, your siblings, and our entire family, I pray that today is as remarkable as the impact you make every day.

“Happy 45th celebration, Erhiatake! May the years ahead shine even brighter.”

Ibori, a founding figure of the Peoples Democratic Party in Delta State and a known political ally of President Bola Tinubu, has kept a relatively low profile since his return to Nigeria in 2016 after serving a jail term in the United Kingdom for money laundering.

Twelve-year- old Munachi Udochukwu was happily living in Onitsha attending primary school along with his two siblings.

Doted on by his two parents, he is seen off to school at the beginning of the new term. This exercise is a yearly ritual for Munachi and his younger sister.

Narrating how he found himself in a Yahoo training centre in Lagos, after he was arrested, Munachi, said prior to his arrival in Lagos, he was living happily with his parents in Anambra State before he was introduced to the gang who operates the facility.

According to him, one of the factors that pushed him into the crime was the death of his father, whom he said was the sole breadwinner.

“I was woken up one early morning by the news of the sudden death of my father who left home for his business place the previous day.

“His death shattered my dreams of a promising carrier in future as I was made to drop out of school since the proceed from my mother’s petty trading business was not enough to sustained the family.

“Then, not knowing what to do, my mother approached a friend of hers, for financial support, but rather she introduced my mother to a gang that was recruiting young boys in the East into internet fraud.

“To her, the prospects was good as she believed that in less than one year, her young son would be rich enough to shoulder the burden and that her worries will be over.

“The only thing that stood against the thought of a lavish lifestyle is the money to buy me a laptop, data and some few other items.

“Not wanting to fail again, she quickly, without thinking of the possible dangers ahead, sold the only land that was given to my father by his family to raise the fund,” he confessed to a team of detectives from the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Panti where he was being detained.

Munachi explained that few weeks later, he arrived Lagos along with three others and that they were enrolled into the internet training centre where they will be taught on the technics of swindling unsuspecting foreign and local businessmen.

“At first, we were shown different romance online sites and how we can capture those seeking sexual pleasure for a token in dollars.

“We all had different roles to play in the quest to defraud a would-be client. We must perform our part perfectly, failure of which attracts severe beating. You are made to stay without food if the stake is high.

“I have only spent few months before we were arrested by the police. Most of the money we made goes to our teachers. The only thing we were given is food. Those who have graduated gets a fraction of the proceed from a successful deal,” he added.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, who confirmed their arrest at a press conference held at the command headquarters, identified operators of the facility as ChibikeIheijika 923) Stanley Iheijika (22), Obiora Oyedibe (26) and Emmanuel Onedibe (25).

CP Jimoh, who was represented by the command’s spokesman, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, gave the names of the trainees as Okorie Henry, Otoh Chisom (20), Okeke Kwufrochukwu (26), Uchenna

Obeji (26), Munachi Udochukwu (12) and Chinedu Ukachukwu (23).

Speaking at the conference, Hundeyin said operatives of the command successfully uncovered and dismantled an illegal internet fraud training facility, commonly referred to as “Yahoo School”, operating in the Iju area of Lagos.

He stated that during the operations, detectives of the command arrested 10 suspects, four of which are the yahoo experts, who were running the notorious school.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the principal suspects of the facility recruited the trainees from Anambra State, engaged them to commit internet fraud and other related crimes.

“The proceeds from their fraudulent activities were being confiscated by the principal suspects. All suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba for further discreet investigation and prosecution.

“Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the sponsors who financed the trainee’s enrolment in the school, as well as the owner of the facility where the cranial and illegal activities took place,” he added.

A fresh wave of political tension is brewing in Rivers State, casting serious doubts on the potential for Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s early return to office, following the state of emergency declared by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on March 18.

While some stakeholders had hoped that Fubara’s reinstatement might be announced during the President’s Democracy Day address on May 29, recent developments have suggested that such optimism may be misplaced.

Naija News reports that trouble erupted on Friday during an empowerment programme organised for 500 women from Rivers State, as part of the Renewed Hope Initiative led by First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

During the event, held in Port Harcourt, the women walked out when the wife of the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (Rtd), Theresa Ibas, was invited to address them.

The walkout attracted sharp national attention and criticism from various quarters, particularly from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who is currently on an official visit to China.

Wike described the incident as “an insult on anyone representing the First Lady of Nigeria” and stated, “As a leader in Rivers State, I apologise.”

However, many Rivers women and stakeholders from the Niger Delta rejected Wike’s remarks, claiming that the women’s actions had been misrepresented and politically weaponized.

The spokesperson for the Ijaw Republican Assembly and a renowned human rights activist, Annkio Briggs, in an interview with Punch, condemned attempts to link the walkout to Governor Fubara.

She remarked, “Blaming Governor Fubara is like giving a dog a bad name to hang it.” Briggs clarified that the women, who organised under the banner of Rivers Women Unite for Sim (RWUS), had eagerly awaited the First Lady’s visit.

“They mobilized from all 23 LGAs, printed T-shirts and banners featuring Mrs. Tinubu and Mrs. Fubara, and even prepared a gift for the First Lady,” Briggs stated.

Support For The Women’s Respectful Actions

The President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Professor Benjamin Okaba, also weighed in, insisting that the women’s actions had been respectful.

“Their vests bore the names of both Mrs. Tinubu and Governor Fubara. Would they do that if they intended to be disrespectful?” Okaba queried.

In a statement through his media aide, Lere Olayinka, Wike accused certain individuals of undermining efforts for peace. “You can’t claim to want peace while sponsoring people to insult the President and his wife,” Wike said, indirectly referring to Governor Fubara’s recent peace visits to both President Tinubu in London and to Wike himself in Abuja.

“These shenanigans won’t bring peace. Those who truly want peace must act accordingly. I and my supporters condemn that show of shame, and we apologize to the First Lady for the embarrassing conduct of those few women,” Wike added.

In response to Wike’s remarks, the women clarified that Governor Fubara had no involvement in their actions. They emphasized their organic support for the Governor, stating, “We are organic supporters, not puppets. While the Governor pursues peace, it doesn’t mean Rivers people should be subjected to manipulation.”

The women made it clear that they did not—and would not—disrespect the First Lady or President Tinubu. “That narrative is Wike’s usual attempt to blackmail Rivers people. Political power is transient; this phase will pass, and history will judge all actors accordingly,” they said.

With tensions now reigniting, it is evident that the peace accord between Governor Fubara and Nyesom Wike has irreparably broken down.

This setback raises serious concerns about the future of the state and the possibility of Fubara’s return to Government House in the near future.

A former Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu in the Office of the Vice President, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has called on former presidential candidates, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, to step aside in the 2027 presidential race.

Naija News reports that Baba-Ahmed suggested that both men, alongside President Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, should make way for younger politicians to take over the reins of leadership.

In an interview with Trust TV, Baba-Ahmed expressed his belief that the older generation, including Obi and Kwankwaso, has exhausted its potential to bring meaningful change to Nigeria.

He argued that these politicians, along with the country’s current leadership, had already made their contributions and should now allow the younger generation to step up.

“Peter Obi, Kwankwaso should also step aside for the younger generation, alongside President Tinubu and Atiku.

“This particular generation has played itself out; they really have nothing to offer this country,” Baba-Ahmed said.

Baba-Ahmed emphasised his frustration with the recurring cycle of politics in Nigeria, where power struggles continue to dominate the political scene.

He criticized the “winner-takes-all” mentality that often prevails in elections, where personal ambitions overshadow national interest. Baba-Ahmed noted that despite their long tenure in politics, the older generation of politicians lacks the energy and drive needed to address the country’s current challenges.

“We are going through the same politics again, where there is bitterness and the winner takes it all. It has to be me at all costs. And when you get to power, you don’t have the energy and the strength to tackle the country,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed went on to argue that Nigeria needed fresh leadership, not dominated by “tired and elderly politicians” who have spent the last few decades merely managing power.

He stressed that the nation’s future could not be bright under such leadership, calling for a new direction with younger, more energetic leaders.

“The nation needs a new lease of life. “I don’t see Nigeria with a bright future under these tired and elderly politicians who have spent the last 20 to 30 years just simply managing power,” Baba-Ahmed declared.

Baba-Ahmed also criticised the tradition of Nigerian presidents serving for eight years.

He added, “One of the distracting things is this nonsense that once you are president, you must serve for two terms. Who said that? When the NEF realized that Buhari was bad news for this country, he wasn’t performing and not willing to fix this country, we rallied other groups in the country.

“We met here in Abuja and told the nation that don’t trust Buhari with another four years, and we were right. Ohanaeze, NEF, Afenifere, and I think about four or five groups met in Abuja and said Buhari should not be given a second term.

“But now you hear things like he must do his eight years, what about the South? We have taken to a very crude politics and put it on the constitution where everyone is saying the South must have its eights years because Buhari did.

“Where is this thing coming from? These are some of the rubbish that is poisoning the politics. Even if you can’t perform, what if you have health or age issues, must you remain president for eight years simply because you come from one part of the country? This is the kind of thinking that keeps us declining permanently.”