National Orientation Agency, Nigeria.

*Mustapha Muhammad Returns Mistaken SR6,000 Hajj Payment, Wins Praise for Integrity*

The Chief Press Secretary to the Kano State Governor, Mustapha Muhammad, has drawn widespread commendation after returning an excess Hajj allowance payment of SR6,000 mistakenly paid to him in Saudi Arabia.
The amount, estimated at about N2.4 million, was reportedly refunded immediately after the error was discovered — a move many have described as a rare demonstration of honesty, accountability and transparency in public service.
Observers say the gesture sends a strong message about ethical leadership and responsible conduct at a time when trust in public officers remains a major concern.

Mustapha Muhammad built a respected career as a journalist in both THISDAY newspaper and Bloomberg, living out the moral creed of journalism in defence of freedom and accountability.

Though the excess payment may not be eye popping, but moral fibre of any society is built from, simple examplary behaviours as demonstrated by Mustapha.

It is for this honest effort that we nominate him as Nigerian of the week sending a direct message to public officers, media professionals to remain accountable , hardworking being some of the values encoded in the National Value Charter.

FG Commissions New CNG Facilities to Boost Affordable Transport and Clean Energy Transition

The federal government on Friday, May 30, commissioned four new high-capacity Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) infrastructure projects across Nigeria to expand access to cleaner and more affordable transportation alternatives. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu performed the commissioning, with the projects delivered through the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF) and private sector partners.

The newly commissioned facilities are located in the Federal Capital City, Abuja, in Owerri, Imo State, and in Lagos State.

The projects are part of the federal government's broader energy transition agenda aimed at reducing transportation costs, promoting the use of cleaner fuels and strengthening Nigeria's gas-based economy.

Speaking during the inauguration of the flagship facility in Jahi District, Abuja, President Tinubu described the development as a significant step towards building a more sustainable and economically efficient transportation system for Nigerians.

The Abuja facility, developed by Rolling Energy Limited, is designed to serve up to 1,000 vehicles and tricycles daily. It is equipped with some of the fastest CNG dispensers in West Africa and includes an eight-pit conversion workshop capable of converting up to 45 vehicles per day from conventional fuels to CNG.

Simultaneously, additional CNG infrastructure was commissioned in Lagos State, where IBILE Oil and Gas and Portland Energy developed facilities across multiple locations, including Ojota, to improve access to alternative fuel options for residents and commercial transport operators.

In Owerri, Imo State, FEMADEC Energy delivered a CNG facility at the Federal Univeristy of Technology Owerri (FUTO), that will provide gas refuelling and vehicle conversion services within the university ecosystem, extending the benefits of cleaner transportation to students, staff and surrounding communities.

The projects were commissioned to accelerate the nationwide adoption of CNG following the Federal Government's efforts to provide cost-effective energy alternatives and cushion the impact of rising transportation expenses. The initiative is also expected to support environmental sustainability by encouraging the use of cleaner-burning fuels.

The facilities will help to achieve these objectives by increasing the availability of CNG refuelling stations and conversion centres, making it easier for vehicle owners to switch from petrol and diesel to natural gas-powered transportation.

The new CNG stations serve as a key component of a wider network of CNG infrastructure being developed nationwide under the Presidential CNG Initiative, which seeks to expand gas accessibility, create employment opportunities and drive long-term energy security.

The federal government reaffirms its commitment to deepening investments in gas infrastructure and urges Nigerians interested in converting their vehicles to visit the Presidential CNG Initiative portal for information on approved conversion centres and available support programmes.

Here’s the link: https://pci.gov.ng/

FG Deploys 1,000 Forest Guards, Rescue Team to Oyo as Search for Abducted Pupils, Teachers Intensifies

The federal government has approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State and deployed a specialised rescue unit with advanced capabilities to secure the release of pupils and teachers recently abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

The move came as President Bola Tinubu directed a high-powered federal government delegation, led by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to the affected community to assess the security situation, engage with local stakeholders, and strengthen efforts to secure the safe and timely release of the abducted pupils and teachers.

The recruitment of the forest guards will be undertaken in collaboration with the Oyo State Government to improve security in the affected communities and surrounding areas.

The deployment is expected to strengthen security operations across vulnerable communities in the state, particularly in forested areas that have increasingly been exploited by criminal elements for kidnapping and other unlawful activities.

The move will also improve the overall security architecture of the state by increasing the government's presence in rural communities and strengthening the protection of schools, residents, and critical infrastructure.

FG Rolls Out Free Healthcare for Pensioners Earning Below ₦70,000

The Federal Government has rolled out a free healthcare scheme for pensioners earning below ₦70,000 monthly, in a move aimed at easing the medical burden on low-income retirees across the country.

The initiative, introduced through the National Pension Commission (PenCom), is targeted at pensioners under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) who are aged 60 and above and receive monthly pensions of not more than ₦70,000.

The programme, known as PenCare, is expected to improve access to healthcare for vulnerable retirees facing rising medical costs.

The healthcare scheme will begin with a pilot phase covering 30,000 eligible pensioners on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration has already commenced, and interested retirees can enroll through the PenCom website or participating Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).

The initiative is part of efforts to protect the dignity, health, and wellbeing of pensioners, many of who struggle to afford medical care due to inflation and limited income.

The development comes amid growing concerns over the welfare of pensioners in Nigeria, especially as healthcare costs continue to rise.

The scheme marks a step toward strengthening post-retirement welfare and improving healthcare access for elderly Nigerians.

Statement By President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) On The Third Anniversary Of His Administration, May 29, 2026

My fellow compatriots,

Three years ago, you entrusted me with the sacred responsibility of leading our beloved nation at a defining moment in our history. I accepted that responsibility, fully aware of the magnitude of the challenges before us, but also deeply confident in the resilience and potential of the Nigerian people.

Today, on the occasion of the third anniversary of our administration, I speak to you not only as your President but also as a fellow citizen who understands the sacrifices many families have made in recent years and shares your hopes for a better Nigeria.

When this administration assumed office, our nation faced profound economic and structural difficulties. Mounting fiscal pressures, unsustainable fuel subsidies, declining revenues, exchange-rate distortions, rising debt-servicing costs, insecurity in several parts of the country, energy supply constraints, and declining public confidence in institutions all threatened our progress.

At the height of the subsidy regime, Nigeria was spending as much as ₦18.4 billion daily to sustain petrol subsidies—over ₦4 trillion in 2022 alone—resources that could have been invested in roads, healthcare, education, housing, and critical infrastructure. Multiple exchange rate windows and forex arbitrage created massive distortions, with Nigeria losing more than ₦8 trillion over three years to rent-seeking and speculative practices.

The situation demanded urgent and courageous action. Difficult but necessary decisions had to be taken to stabilise the economy and prevent a deeper national crisis. The easy choices would have been politically convenient. But leadership demands courage, especially when the right decisions are difficult.

Had we refused to act, our nation would have drifted toward fiscal breakdown, worsening poverty, and severe economic uncertainty. Together, we chose reform over ruin and decisiveness over hesitation. We chose long-term national recovery over short-term comfort.

These decisions came with sacrifice. The rising cost of living triggered by our measures placed enormous pressure on families, workers, and businesses. Young people searching for jobs felt discouraged. Many questioned whether these difficult decisions would lead to a better future.

I remain deeply conscious of those sacrifices, and I assure you: your sacrifice has not been in vain. And today, I can say with confidence that Nigeria has stabilised and is moving forward again. Across the country, visible progress is taking shape.

VISIBLE PROGRESS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

Our economy is now more competitive and better positioned for sustainable growth than it was in 2023. Public finances are improving. States and local governments have greater resources to invest in their people. Investor confidence is growing. The stock market is booming, with the All Share Index rising from 53,000 and market capitalisation of N30 Trillion in 2023 to a record All Share Index of 250,000 and market capitalisation of N160 Trillion this year. Companies are declaring record profits and dividends.

Critical infrastructure projects are advancing at an unprecedented scale. Over 2,700 kilometres of highways and major roads are under construction, reconstruction, or rehabilitation, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road, the East-West Road, and many rural access roads. Significant sections are already completed or nearing completion, improving transportation, reducing travel time, boosting regional trade, and creating thousands of jobs.

Rail modernisation projects are ongoing to improve connectivity, logistics, and economic integration across the federation.

In the oil and gas sector, the reforms we instituted have attracted billions of dollars in fresh investment from the international oil companies that had shunned our country. The $5 billion NLNG Train 7 project is nearing completion to boost LNG production capacity, exports, and dividends.

Domestic gas utilisation is expanding. Local refining capacity has improved our energy security. With large-scale domestic and modular refineries operational, Nigeria is reducing its dependence on imported petroleum products and conserving foreign exchange.

For years, the power sector suffered from debt, underinvestment, and uncertainty, which weakened generation capacity and limited growth. Today, we are confronting those challenges directly.

Our administration is clearing legacy obligations, expanding transmission infrastructure, investing in renewable energy, and strengthening the national grid because no modern economy can grow in darkness. When power improves, businesses expand, industries grow, jobs are created, and families prosper.

We are determined to power Nigeria into a new era of industrial growth and economic opportunity.

EMPOWERING NIGERIANS: AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION, AND HOUSING

Agricultural interventions have supported millions of farmers by improving seedlings, fertilisers, mechanisation, and irrigation and by expanding access to finance and markets. We are opening new agricultural corridors to create jobs, strengthen supply chains, and reduce pressure on household incomes.

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has provided over 1.5 million students with access to higher education, disbursing more than ₦282 billion to ensure that no willing student is denied access due to financial hardship.

Our Renewed Hope Housing Programme, along with that of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), is delivering over 10,000 housing units across 14 states and the FCT, creating over 300,000 jobs and expanding access to affordable housing. Major Renewed Hope Cities in Abuja, Lagos, and Kano are progressing steadily. Our consumer credit initiative, CREDICORP, is opening up new economic opportunities for workers and families.

In healthcare, thousands of primary healthcare centres are being revitalised, while health insurance coverage is expanding for vulnerable Nigerians.

DEEPENING TELECOMS ACCESS AND INVESTMENT

We also took decisive action to stabilise the telecommunications sector, which remains one of the most important drivers of modern economic growth.

After years of severe operational pressures and declining investment, confidence is gradually returning to the sector. Telecom operators are expanding networks, investing in infrastructure, recruiting Nigerian talent, and widening digital access across the country.

A connected Nigeria is a more competitive Nigeria. Digital infrastructure is now essential to commerce, education, innovation, and national productivity.

YOUTH, TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

To our young people, I want you to know this nation believes in you. You are not a problem to be managed. You are the engine of Nigeria’s future. Across technology, manufacturing, creative industries, agriculture, sports, and entrepreneurship, we are expanding opportunities for you to compete and succeed. We are investing in digital skills, technical education, innovation, student financing, and enterprise support because the future must be driven by Nigerian talent, creativity, and productivity.

SECURITY AND NATIONAL UNITY

Security remains central to our national mission and to the creation of a virile and prosperous society. Our Armed Forces and security agencies have intensified operations against terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, oil thieves, and criminal networks. While challenges remain, many communities and highways are becoming safer and more economically active. We continue investing in intelligence, surveillance, logistics, technology, and inter-agency coordination. We are improving the capabilities of our armed forces and security agencies, and reclaiming the authority of the Nigerian state wherever criminality threatens peace and order. While we continue to confront the challenges head-on, progress is being made. I want to assure you that this government will not relent until every Nigerian can live, work, travel, and dream in safety.

My fellow Nigerians,

A nation develops when its people can see and touch progress. From highways under construction to rail modernisation and expanded energy investments, our goal remains clear: to build a Nigeria that works for Nigerians.

We have not solved every problem, and we are not yet where we want to be. But the foundation for recovery has been laid. The task before us now is clear: we must ensure that the benefits of reform are felt more directly in the daily lives of ordinary Nigerians.

We shall achieve this task by continuing to ensure that food prices, which have largely come down from their peak in 2023/2024, remain low.

We are also working to reduce transportation costs as operators of commercial trucks, buses, and taxis convert their petrol engines to CNG and switch to electric vehicles. We have also set our sights on creating more opportunities for decent work and enabling enterprise expansion.

A CALL TO NATIONAL PURPOSE

The journey of national renewal is not completed in a single year or a single administration’s tenure. Nations rise when their people remain united in purpose, disciplined in effort, and hopeful about the future.

We must choose hope over despair, unity over division, and nation-building over narrow interests.

But true security and prosperity require that every Nigerian feel included and valued. Nigeria belongs to all of us—no region, faith, or group should feel marginalised or forgotten. Our diversity is a source of strength. Whether Christian or Muslim, North or South, urban or rural, we rise or fall together as one nation under God.

To our youth, workers, entrepreneurs, farmers, professionals, security personnel, students, and diaspora: your sacrifices sustain our nation, and they will not be in vain. To the international community and investors: Nigeria remains committed to democratic stability, economic reform, responsible governance, and mutually beneficial partnerships.

My fellow Nigerians,

History teaches us that great nations are not built in comfort. They are built through sacrifice, resilience, courage, and collective purpose.

Ours is a nation of extraordinary people. We survived civil war and rebuilt. We overcame dictatorship and restored democracy. We endured hardship and remain bearers of hope. The Nigerian spirit remains strong and unbroken.

Today, the world is watching our country again, not as a nation defined by its difficulties, but as a nation determined to rise. Across agriculture, infrastructure, power, technology, manufacturing, and industry, the signs of recovery are becoming clearer. Confidence is returning. Productivity is improving. Opportunity is expanding.

LOOKING FORWARD

The work ahead is enormous, but I remain optimistic because I believe deeply in this country and in you, the Nigerian people.

I ask you to keep faith with Nigeria. Let us reject cynicism and division. Let us move forward together, united in purpose, disciplined in effort, compassionate toward one another, and confident in the greatness that lies ahead.

My fellow Nigerians, history tests nations before it elevates them. Nigeria is passing through such a test. But I believe with all my heart that we shall emerge stronger, fairer, more united, and more prosperous than ever before.

Let us continue this journey together. Let us build a Nigeria that is secure, prosperous, inclusive, and respected worldwide. Let us continue to believe in the promise of our nation.

May God bless you all.

May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

FEC Approves National Research and Innovation Development Fund to Boost Nigeria’s Science and Technology Sector

In a major move to strengthen Nigeria’s research and innovation sector, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has approved the establishment of the National Research and Innovation Development Fund (NRIDF).

The initiative is designed to enhance the country’s research, science, technology, and innovation ecosystem while supporting the Federal Government’s agenda for economic diversification and sustainable national development.

According to the approved framework, the NRIDF will be managed by a 17-member National Council on Research and Innovation, which will be chaired by the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, will serve as Vice Chairman alongside other members of the Council.

The Fund will operate under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, which will provide institutional oversight and coordinate implementation processes.

Speaking on the development, Dr. Udeh described the approval as a significant milestone in the Federal Government’s commitment to building an inclusive, sustainable, and innovation-driven economy in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the administration’s target of achieving a $1 trillion Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

When fully operational, the NRIDF is expected to provide strategic funding support for researchers, innovators, technology developers, and startups across Nigeria.

The initiative is also expected to strengthen local research capacity, encourage collaboration between academia and industry, promote the commercialization of research outputs, and position Nigeria more competitively within the global knowledge and technology economy.

For Nigeria a New Tax ID System

The federal government, through the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and the Joint Revenue Board (JRB), has introduced a new Taxpayer Identification (Tax ID) system for all taxable individuals and businesses in Nigeria.

This means that the "TIN" (Taxpayer Identification Number) system - the old verification system - that you or your business previously used is being replaced. Moving forward, this new Tax ID will be your single, official tax identity.

Every individual or business that pays tax in Nigeria will now have one unified Tax ID to handle all tax-related activities across federal, state, and local tax systems.

The new Tax ID system will also replace the current TIN Validation Application Programme Interface (API) presently used by Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), banks, and other institutions.

But why this new policy? What are the expected benefits?

It is expected that this new policy harmonising all tax issues will improve tax administration, streamline tax processes to make them easier and faster, reduce duplication of taxpayer records, increase transparency and accountability, plug revenue leakages and harmonise taxpayer information nationwide.

So, key benefits of the new policy to individuals and businesses include:

• One Identity for Tax Matters: You will use a single Tax ID for all tax transactions.
• Simpler Processes: Tax registration, filing, and payments will become easier and more organised.
• Better Transparency: Government agencies can properly track and manage taxpayer records.
• Improved Accountability: The system is expected to significantly reduce tax fraud and revenue leakages.
• Unified National Database: Taxpayer information will be aligned across all levels of government.

Not a New Tax on People and Businesses

It is important to note that this new policy DOES NOT introduce a new tax! It only introduces a new identification system to improve how existing taxes are managed in Nigeria as part of ongoing reforms to strengthen public finance, improve service delivery, and build a more efficient tax system for national development.

Notice for Individuals, Organisations and Institutions on the new Tax ID System:

Organisations, banks, or government agencies that validate taxpayers' status and require access to or integration with the new Tax ID platform are advised to contact the relevant departments for guidance:
• For Individuals, Small Enterprises, and Business Names: Contact the JRB at [email protected] to set up the new integration.
• For Large Corporate Entities: Contact the NRS at [email protected] to gain access to the new Tax ID API.

Under the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, the Ministry of Interior, through the Nigeria Immigration Service, is delivering sweeping reforms that have transformed passport and identity management, border control, and travel facilitation to and from Nigeria. From clearing passport backlogs to introducing contactless passport processing, the sector has embraced innovation anchored on safety, security, efficiency, and global best practices. The rollout of the e passport - with centres expanded from 26 to 44 nationwide and from 5 to 47 abroad - has made access faster and more reliable, and the Nigerian passport more trusted globally.
Complementary reforms include e-visas boosting tourism, digital schemes for smarter border management, and synergy with the Ministry of Aviation to establish biometric e-gates and digital landing cards.
We unpack all these and more. The back page's column by Dr. Tanimu Yakubu is lucid, as usual.
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