Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark was a man of great conviction who stood firm for what he believed in—right to the very end. His passionate voice for justice and equity will be deeply missed by Nigeria, the Ijaw nation, and the Niger Delta, for whom he was a most ardent advocate.
His death marks the end of an era—an era of principled leadership. He was one of the movers and shakers of the Second Republic Senate, in which my father served as the Leader of the Senate.
On behalf of my family, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the Clark family, the entire Ijaw community, the people of the Niger Delta, and all Nigerians who mourn the loss of this extraordinary leader.
While the nation is still in deep mourning over the passing of Chief Ayo Adebanjo, we have lost another foremost elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark.
PA Adebanjo and Chief Clark were among the few remaining nationalists of our country, whom were fearless fighters for justice, equity, and freedom for the people.
From Pa Adebanjo’s crucial role in wrestling power from the military and restoring democratic governance in Nigeria, to Chief Clark’s relentless gallantly in the fight for the rights of the people of the Niger Delta, Nigerians shall remain eternally grateful to the departed for their sacrifices that have shaped our nation.
Pa Adebanjo and Chief Clark were golden examples of how to breathe and lay for the good of the country, and it is only befitting that the country posthumously honours their history.
We shall continue to remember them as leaders of nations and mentors to numerous leaders.
My profound condolences go to the Adebanjo and Clark families, as well as the governments of Ogun and Delta States.
We pray that the gentle souls of the great nationalists rest in peace. - RMK
The Oyo State government has expressed its support for the National Economic Council's recommendation that the tax bills be withdrawn for further consultation.
On Sunday, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor of Oyo State, revealed that the state government is in complete support of the National Economic Council's stance regarding the tax bills.
He said, “Well, I don’t have a response to whether it will affect the payment of salaries of civil servants or not, but I would like you to recall that the council at its meeting advised the President to withdraw the bills and allow for more discussions and consultations.
“And you will recall that all the governors were there, the past governors were there. My governor, Seyi Makinde, was the one that read the position of the council. My governor communicated the positions of the council. So, it remains the position of the Oyo State Government, that we need more consultations.
“The governor was not saying withdraw or stop the reform. To make it more effective, address the needs of the people, and correct the imbalances that have existed, it requires wider consultations and that is the position of the state. But whether it will affect the payment of salaries or not, I don’t have that information.”
All our Northern States, excluding may be Kano and Abuja, need less than 100MW of electricity at least to service the current demand.
Kano, Kaduna and Abuja will have advantage once AKK Pipeline is completed because they will have access to gas for thermal plants.
Kaduna Electric covers Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi and Sokoto States while Kano Electric covers Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States. To explore the opportunity offered by AKK Gas Pipeline in a collaborative and collective manner, these states can decide to come together and partner with investors to develop their independent power plants and upgrade their existing distribution infrastructure.
The inbuilt design of the AKK Project has provision for 3,600MW with 1,350MW each in Abuja and Kano while 900MW in Kaduna. With the current load profile, even 1/3 of these capacities can service the demands of Kaidco and Kedco respectively. Every state doesn’t have to necessarily build one by itself. But states can individually invest in solar and wind mini-grids for emergency supplies.
The insurgents have discovered new way of sabotaging our national infrastructure and North will continue to feel the most impact for the long distance transmission line. We need to think out of the box to salvage our region. This should be our outmost priority. You can’t build a society without solid economy and you can’t build a solid economy without stable electricity.
We should include this as part of the things to REMEMBER. Nobody will come and do this for us.
Information is power
Majority of Nigerians are not aware of the funding opportunities lying in these three government agencies; the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
They all have same thing in common; they are provided for by the constitution.
NMDPRA has Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF) which generates money from payment of 0.5% of all wholesale transactions of natural gas or refined petroleum products whether refined locally or imported. This was signed into law in 2021 under Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). It’s aimed at financing gas infrastructure projects.
NCDMB has Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF) which generates money from payment of 1% of every contract awarded to any operator, contractor, subcontractor, alliance partner or any other entity involved in any project, operation, activity, or transaction in the upstream sector of Nigeria oil and gas industry. This was signed into law in 2010 under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (NOGIC). It’s aimed at investing in any activity that will promote local content in particularly the Oil and Gas Industry.
NIMASA has the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) generated from a surcharge of 2% of the contract sum performed by vessels engaged in coastal trade, monies generated from tariffs, fines and fees for licenses and waivers. This came live in 2003 under Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act. It’s aimed at developing indigenous ship acquisition capacity, and to provide financial assistance to indigenous/domestic coastal shipping operators.
Today, NMDPRA has disbursed the first batch of N122bn to 6 companies to deliver Gas projects. Any company that fulfills the requirements can apply
The NCDMB, through the Bank of Industry has so far invested more than $350m from the NCDF to more than 70 indigenous companies operating in the oil and gas sector to develop their capacity and enhance local content. It’s open and available to all companies that meet their requirements.
The Cabotage Fund in NIMASA has not been properly utilized due to some hick-ups but is still open to qualified shipping companies with requirements.
These are funds generated to develop Nigeria one way or the other. Having proper information about them will help companies go along way in terms of asset financing.
My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, affected by the flooding. May Allah (SWT) protect our people from future disasters. Ameen
@DavidHundeyin My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, affected by the flooding. May Allah (SWT) protect our people from future disasters. Ameen
Let me congratulate and appreciate the efforts of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, @AlikoDangote, as the Dangote Refinery begins production of PMS. It demonstrates his tenacity and ‘can do’ spirit and his belief in his fatherland.
This remarkable accomplishment is beyond a demonstration of the business acumen of just one man. It is also a manifestation of what corporate Nigeria can do to recover the Nigerian economy and make it strong, dynamic, and resilient. This resonates with my dream of having an enlarged private sector presence in the Nigerian economy. I am an unrepentant advocate for a strong and visible participation of the private sector in strategic sectors of the economy, either alone or in partnership with the state.
Nigerians are aware of the many obstacles Aliko had to overcome to achieve this win. If the private sector must step forward to invest, create jobs, and drive growth, the government must roll out more supportive regulations and deliver them efficiently. The worst damage done by the APC-led government since 2015 is to unleash difficult-to-implement-and-sustain ‘reform’ initiatives that erode private sector confidence in our economy and drive investors away from our shores.
There are a few major milestones ahead as Nigeria journeys toward attaining energy self-sufficiency. I hope Aliko will continue to lend his unwavering support on this journey. -AA
@AskMichaelTaiwo Dear Dr. I have been an active follower of your posts on X (formerly Twitter) for several years, and I have consistently engaged with your content. Your generosity is truly inspiring, and your expertise has benefited not only Nigerians but people worldwide.
Based on the protest videos I watched, especially those from Kano, we are in a big mess in this country. The Kano State Government needs to massively invest in education.
A hungry man is an angry man. The demonstration by protesters served as an eye-opener that Nigerians are suffering. The government needs to take action to address this protest.
#Kano#Hausa#EndBadGovernanceInNigeria
When I saw the Malta 🇲🇹 NNPC comment by Dangote, I suspected there was more to it. Our group decided to investigate further.
Our discovery was deeply shocking.
Thread !
#EndBadGovernanceInNigeria