The Federal Government has allocated a substantial ₦14.77 billion for the repair and maintenance of the presidential air fleet over the past 11 months.

According to Punch, these funds were disbursed in 11 tranches from 16th July 2023 to 25th May 2024, utilizing the State House headquarters transit account designated for the Presidential Air Fleet Transit Funds.

This financial outlay comes at a time when the National Assembly is considering the approval for the purchase of two new aircraft for the presidential fleet.

The decision follows revelations that the President’s primary aircraft, a 19-year-old Boeing 737, along with several others in the fleet, have become dysfunctional due to age and wear.

The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence has been instrumental in pushing forward these plans, having included the procurement in its technical subcommittee report.

The potential cost for acquiring two new state-of-the-art aircraft is estimated by experts to be over $623.4 million, or approximately ₦918.7 billion.

The report read in part, “The committee is of the strong and informed opinion that considering the fragile structure of the Nigerian federation and recognising the dire consequences of any foreseen or unforeseen mishap that may arise as a result of technical/operational inadequacy of the Presidential Air Fleet, it is in the best interest of the country to procure two additional aircraft as recommended. This will also prove to be most cost-efficient in the long run, aside from the added advantage of providing a suitable, comfortable and safe carrier befitting of the status and responsibilities of the offices of the President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

In recent times, there has been serious contention about the state of the air fleet despite enormous government resources spent on it during past administrations.

The unavailability of the president’s jet has seen President Bola Tinubu charter private jets, and Kashim Shettima abandon international trips.

The Vice President on May 6, 2024, abandoned his trip to the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit due to a technical fault with his official aircraft.

The Vice President was scheduled to represent the President, who had to board a commercial aircraft to Saudi Arabia after his main luxury jet was taken for rehabilitation and a second aircraft he was travelling in developed a technical snag in The Netherlands.

The Presidency currently maintains a fleet of six aircraft, namely a Boeing 737, a Gulfstream G550, a Gulfstream GV, two Falcon 7Xs, and a Challenger CL605, as well as six helicopters— two Agusta 139s and four Agusta 189s.

Buhari’s government spent ₦62.47bn for the operation and maintenance of PAF during his eight-year tenure.

Though Buhari promised to reduce the size of the fleet as part of his pledge to cut the cost of governance, checks reveal that his administration failed to live up to this promise.

In the 2016 budget, ₦3.65bn was allocated for the PAF, but this rose to ₦4.37bn in the 2017 fiscal year.

In 2018 and 2019, the allocation almost doubled, amounting to ₦7.26bn and ₦7.30bn, respectively. Closer observation showed a slight drop by ₦503.75m in 2020 when ₦6.79bn was budgeted for the fleet.

The allocation surged to ₦12.55bn and ₦12.48bn in the 2021 and 2022 fiscal budgets, respectively, before the ₦8.07bn allocation in 2023.

Meanwhile, checks by Punch using GovSpend, a civic tech platform that tracks and analyses the Federal Government’s spending, showed that Tinubu approved the disbursement of ₦14.77bn within one year of assuming office.

The amount is separate from expenses incurred during foreign and local trips by the President, Vice-President and other officials.

₦1.52bn was approved in July 2023 for maintenance and was followed by a payment of ₦3.1bn in August.

The next tranche was paid in November 2023 with a disbursement of ₦1.26bn. The government also paid ₦2.54bn in March 2024, ₦6.35bn in April 2024 and ₦1.27bn last month.

Nigeria’s elevated global profile is a testament to the purposeful and experienced leadership of President Bola Tinubu, according to Fredrick Nwabufo, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement.

Nwabufo emphasised that this achievement is not due to luck but a result of effective governance and strategic foreign policy.

Nigeria has historically been significant in global discussions due to its status as Africa’s largest democracy, most populous nation, and one of the continent’s biggest economies.

However, under President Tinubu’s leadership, the world’s focus on Nigeria has intensified for positive reasons.

Nwabufo attributed this to a broad-minded, enlightened leadership approach that enhances global perception.

Over the past year, despite facing numerous challenges, Tinubu’s administration has demonstrated driven and efficient leadership, providing clear direction and fostering stability.

Nwabufo in a post on his official X handle on Saturday stated, “Nigeria has always mattered in the chat rooms and chopping tables of global discourse — as pertaining Africa. It has always been significant as the largest democracy in Africa, and as the most populous nation and one of the biggest economies on the continent.

“But the world is paying more attention to Nigeria. It is taking more interest in the nation for good reasons. Effective domestic leadership, reinforced with a deliberate and well-designed foreign policy, reflects critically on global perception. A broad-minded and enlightened leadership at home will, by a good shot, colour the grey canvas of global disinterestedness.

“The past one year has not been without some challenges, but there has been a driven and efficient leadership with clear direction to help the nation navigate through any vortex. Reports from credible rating agencies and global financial platforms betoken stability and the return of vibrancy to critical sectors of the economy.

“Early this month, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) commended the government of Nigeria for clearing 98 percent of airlines’ trapped funds, which the carriers had previously been unable to repatriate.”

According to him, the Director-General of IATA, Mr. Willie Walsh said ‘’as of April 2024, 98 percent of these funds have been cleared. The remaining 19 million dollars is due to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s ongoing verification of outstanding forward claims filed by the commercial banks.’’

Tinubu’d aide continued, “And months before, in March precisely, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced that it had settled valid outstanding foreign exchange obligations. On October 23, 2023, at the 29th Nigerian Economic Summit (NES) in Abuja, the President pledged that his administration would honour legitimate foreign exchange obligations and restore market confidence. This pledge he is following through ever so dutifully.

“There is a strong, focused, disciplined, and patriotic leadership at home, and this is influencing the global perception of Nigeria on governance.

“President Tinubu, Nigeria’s chief promoter, has brought a fine hue of respect, command, and dignity to the brand Nigeria by his audacious, candid, cerebral, and deep declarations on seminal matters as regards Nigeria, Africa, and the world around them, on important global platforms.”

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, has asked the affected workers to undergo one-year mandatory training before their conversion from Executive to Officers cadre.

Yemi-Esan said this at a virtual interactive session with civil servants in commemoration of the 2024 Civil Service Week with the theme: “Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Life-long, Quality and Relevant Learning in Africa.”

The one-year mandatory training programme to bridge the gap between polytechnic awarded Higher National Diploma (HND) and university degree has been a subject of controversy between the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

Stakeholders have over the years called for an end to the age-long disparity between HND offered by polytechnics and bachelor degrees offered by universities.

A bill was passed at the ninth national assembly in 2021 to end the dichotomy but it was not signed into law by the last administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Thus, NBTE, which regulates technical and vocational education, had to introduce what it describes as a one-year top-up programme which offers a platform for HND holders to level up towards obtaining a bachelor’s degree.

The move was rejected by NUC on the basis that it was not within NBTE jurisdiction to determine what is required to bridge the two certificates, the Commission argued were diametrically different by curriculum content and faculties which produce the students in each case.

While fielding question from one of the civil servants during the virtual meeting, Yemi-Esan, corroborated that the curriculum for HND and B.Sc holders were not the same, hence, HND graduates would have to undergo mandatory one year training before conversion from Executive to Officers’ cardre.

Mr. Adebayo Bamidele Hassan on Grade Level 14 had earlier asked on the dichotomy between B.Sc and HND holders in the Service and what the Federal Government was doing to bridge the gap.

Speaking on the theme of the 2024 Civil Service Week, Yemi-Esan emphasized on the need for education to be accessible, inclusive and of high quality, while highlighting the need for it to constantly remain relevant to the rapidly evolving demands of the modern world.

According to her, ”The theme also speaks to how the Nigerian Civil Service is leveraging learning and development to enhance the capacity and capability of its workforce with a view to delivering on national priorities.”

She further stated that the first priority area/pillar of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 25), is Capacity Building and Talent Management, which is in line with the theme selected by the African Union for this year’s celebration.

Yemi-Esan affirmed that the lessons learned in the recent years further underscored the need for civil servants to commit to continuous self-development, particularly in view of emerging global challenges and emerging technologies and the new world of work.

The Head of the Civil Service disclosed that the rapidly changing work environment as well as demands for greater efficiency have necessitated the adoption of Performance Management System (PMS) by the Nigerian Civil Service, adding that PMS Policy and Guidelines have been developed and circulated to all Ministries, extra-ministerial Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

She pointed out that core teams for its implementation have been duly constituted.

According to her, “PMS implementation has been cascaded to the Ministries, with the Permanent Secretaries serving as the primary drivers.

“In this regard, performance contracts are to be further cascaded down to the last officer in each MDA.

“This new system will assess each officer’s performance solely based on their respective Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and it will enable tracking of job objectives across all MDAs.

“By implication, each officer across the Service can clearly link his goals and objectives with those of his department, those of the respective Ministry and the national KPIs.

She described the digitalisation of work processes in the Service as another reference point in the on-going transformation of the Federal Civil Service.

She further stressed that the Office has fully digitalised all personal and policy files and is implementing digital transaction of workflow processes, as all official correspondences, in the form of memos, internal and external circulars, are now being processed electronically through the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solution.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office (CMO), in the Office of Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Adeleye Adeoye, while welcoming participants, noted that education is the most powerful weapon which can be used to change the world.

He further noted that Africa stands a chance to be the best Continent in the world, if only Africans have the best of education.

Adeoye urged civil servants to improve and equip themselves on daily basis with necessary skills and expertise in order to enhance productivity as well as ensure service delivery in the overall interest of the citizenry and the nation at large.

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State, Sanusi Bature, has declared that Aminu Ado Bayero was never an Emir of Kano.

Bature said former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje appointed Bayero as Emir of the eight Metropolitan local governments of Kano city.

Featuring on Arise Television, Bature said Ganduje made Bayero emir of the metropolitan Kano city due to the bastardization of the emirate.

According to Bature, Ganduje introduced politics into the Kano Emirate that predates Nigeria.

He said: “The action of the governor was to protect the integrity of the emirate as an institution. The Emirate of Nigeria pre-dates Nigeria and the country’s constitution, it’s over a thousand years history of people living together under one Emir.

“The previous administration of Ganduje decided to bastardize that history and bring politics into it.

“The politicisation of the Emirate is what the Yusuf promised to restore the lost glory during the campaign.

“This is not the first time an Emir was deposed, Ganduje did it and Sanusi left Kano for peace to rain. Sanusi is now back to Kano after the repealing of the law.

“I want to put it clear that Aminu Ado Bayero was never an Emir of Kano, he was appointed an Emir of eight metropolitan local government of Kano city.

“So, with the revision of the law under one United Kano, the Emirate Aminu served no longer exist. He was an Emir of Kano city Emirate, he was at that status because the main Emirate was bastardized by Ganduje by the 2019 Emirate law.

“He was the 14 Emir of Kano but his jurisdiction was not for the 44 local government of Kano, he’s just only for the eight metropolitan areas which is now abolished.”

Governor Yusuf had deposed Ado Bayero while reinstating Muhammed Sanusi as Emir of Kano.

Despite the action of the governor, Ado Bayero has refused to vacate his Nassarawa palace.

Bayero had since contested the action of the state government in court.

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has attributed the success of his administration in the first year in office to President Bola Tinubu.

The clergyman-turn politician disclosed this on Friday during his thank-you tour to Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency.

Alia said every achievement recorded in the state was the handiwork of Tinubu, including the construction of roads, underpass, payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities, remodelling of the Assembly Complex, and State Secretariat.

According to him, Tinubu had given him unimaginable support and urged the people of the state to be patient with him as the President had “very good intentions for the citizenry.”

He also promised to renovate and upgrade the Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) Square in Makurdi to international standard.

Gov. Alia further disclosed that from now on, payment of salaries and pensions would start from the 22nd of every month.

The founder of Stanbic-IBTC Bank, Atedo Peterside has announced his exit from the banking business.

Peterside made this announcement in a post via his verified social media page.

The banking icon wrote, “This has been an incredible 35-year journey that ends today, June 10, 2024. 

“Every single day since Feb 2, 1989, I have been either the CEO, Chairman or Bank Director. All good things must come to an end. I give God the glory at age 68,” he added.

His exit comes after over three decades and a half of dedicating his wealth of experience to the Nigerian banking sector.

According to Sources, Peterside is investing his time more in advocacy, charity, philanthropy and human capital development through his foundation.

Recall that Peteside founded Investment Bank and Trust Company (IBTC), which later metamorphosed into Stanbic-IBTC Bank after a series of mergers over the years.

The Rivers State-born founded the bank in 1989, at 33, when most of his peers were busy lavishing their parent’s wealth.

After running the affairs of the bank for years leading it to the path of profitability and also ensuring the bank lived up to his expectations, he resigned in 2017.

He later channelled his strength to Anap Jets Ltd he founded in 2015. He also sits on the boards of The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited and Standard Bank Group Limited.

Those close to the former member of the National Economic Management Team and member of the National Council on Privatisation disclosed that when it comes to finance, economics and business success, he is a walking encyclopaedia.

His family background as the son of Pa. Clement Atowari Peterside, an ophthalmologist and a retired controller of Medical Services in the Old Rivers State ensured he had a sound education. 

He graduated from The City University, London with a B.Sc. in Economics and an M.Sc. in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Peter Obi, an ex-Anambra State Governor and Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, has described Nigeria as poverty capital of the world, with the hungriest and most insecure people on earth.

Obi has, in recent time, been consistently speaking out against the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, faulting its policies and focus especially amid economic crisis hitting the country.

In a post on his X handle (formerly known as Twitter), Peter Obi described it as disheartening how those in authority dismiss the country’s challenges by saying “we are not the only ones struggling with poverty and hunger.”

He said, “It is disheartening to hear those in charge, who were hired to address our problems, make statements like ‘we are not the only ones struggling with poverty and hunger’.

“We are the poverty capital of the world, among the most insecure people on earth, among the hungriest, have poor education quality and the highest number of out-of-school children, high infant mortality, corruption, unemployment, the highest income gap between the poor and the rich, high corruption perception index, infrastructure and healthcare challenges, and more.”

Obi, however, urged leaders to come up with concrete solutions and clear vision to address the country’s challenges, maintaining that mere comparisons of challenges with other countries would not solve the problems.

“Instead of merely acknowledging that other countries face similar challenges, we need to hear a thorough plan of action to tackle our unique struggles. We require concrete solutions and a clear vision to address these issues, not comparisons that downplay our circumstances.

“I urge those in leadership positions to offer tangible solutions, not mere reminders that others face similar challenges. We need a comprehensive approach to tackle our specific challenges, not marginalizations that dismiss our experiences.”

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced the approval of N21 billion for 11 Distribution Companies (DisCos) to provide meters for customers. This move is part of the Presidential Metering Initiative under the Meter Acquisition Fund (MAF).

According to NERC’s ORDER NO: NERC/2024/072, the initiative aims to operationalize “Tranche A” of the MAF scheme. The order, signed by NERC Chairman Mr. Sanusi Garba and Commissioner of Legal Affairs Dafe Akpeneye, will take effect from June 2024 and may be amended or revoked by future orders from the commission.

NERC stated, “The commission hereby approves the sum of N21bn apportioned pro rata to contribution by the DisCos as Tranche A of the MAF scheme. Attached to this order as Schedule 1 is a breakdown of the funds available for each DisCo to purchase end-use customer meters. All the meters to be procured and installed under the MAF framework shall be at no cost to the customers of the DisCos.”

The commission introduced the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) Regulations in 2018 and the National Mass Metering Regulations (MAP&NMMR) in 2021 to tackle metering challenges within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). Despite significant progress, a national metering gap still exceeds seven million customers.

NERC identified DisCos’ inability to secure financing as a major obstacle in acquiring and deploying end-use meters. The MAF scheme was developed to address this challenge by creating a credible revenue stream to support long-term financing for utilities.

NERC further noted that the NESI is expected to leverage the revenue stream under the MAF framework to raise substantial capital funding for metering, aiming to accelerate the closure of the metering gap for all customers.

considering purchasing an Airbus aircraft

The federal government plans to sell three aircraft from the presidential fleet to fund the purchase of a new jet for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This decision comes as the Presidency progresses towards acquiring a new presidential aircraft.

The National Assembly recently supported this move after the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence recommended purchasing new aircraft for the president’s safety. In May, the House of Representatives directed the committee to investigate the state of the presidential air fleet following reports of the president using chartered flights due to a fault in the popular 001 jet.

In its report, the committee stated, “Considering the fragile structure of the Nigerian federation and recognizing the dire consequences of any potential mishap from the technical or operational inadequacy of the presidential air fleet, it is in the country’s best interest to procure two additional aircraft as recommended. This will also prove cost-efficient in the long run, apart from providing a suitable, comfortable, and safe carrier for the president and vice-president.”

Multiple sources within the Presidency revealed that the government decided to sell three aircraft to help fund the new purchase. Jet HQ, a global aircraft sales company, has been appointed as the agent to sell these jets.

The presidential fleet includes six aircraft and six helicopters. The aircraft comprises one Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), one Gulfstream G550, one Gulfstream GV, two Falcon 7Xs, and Challenger CL605. The three aircraft being put up for sale are the BBJ, one Gulfstream, and one Falcon 7X.

A used Boeing Business Jet is estimated to cost between $25 million to $41 million, depending on its flight hours and landings. A used Gulfstream is priced between $12 million to $15 million. An aviation expert suggested the government could raise at least $50 million from selling these three aircraft.

The Presidency is considering purchasing an Airbus aircraft. Discussions on this acquisition have reached an advanced stage. “The Presidency is planning to buy an Airbus aircraft, likely due to our renewed relationship with Airbus and its growing presence in Nigeria, competing with Boeing. Detailed plans for the new purchase will be available soon,” said a source who requested anonymity.