Look around you and notice all the things you once prayed for. Some of your prayers have been answered, and many more blessings are on the way.
Have faith in your manifestations.
At the Convention Centre of the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, I joined His Excellency, the Vice President Alhaji Kashim Shettima GCON, my brother Governors, distinguished guests, and investors from across Nigeria and around the world for the opening ceremony of Invest Lagos 3.0.
It was an honour to stand alongside other distinguished leaders and share the unfolding story of Abia State, a story of resilience, transformation, and opportunity. I began by expressing my gratitude to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, whose vision and selflessness created this platform for states to showcase their strengths. Lagos is a megacity, but Nigeria needs more thriving cities to absorb growth.
I shared how Aba, following two decades of effort, now enjoys 24-hour electricity through Geometric Power. This achievement is the foundation for industry, manufacturing, and investor confidence. From Aba, we will be transmitting reliable power to Umuahia and other parts of the state, because we understand that energy is the lifeblood of economic growth.
In three years, we have completed over 400 roads, introduced electric buses, and built infrastructure that makes movement easier and greener. Healthcare has also been central: Abia is ranked Nigeria’s most health-emergency prepared state (SBM 2025 Report), with hundreds of centres refurbished, over 800 professionals recruited, and 15% of our budget dedicated to the sector. Our most ambitious vision is the Abia Medical City, already prepared with 200 hectares of land and access roads, now awaiting investors to help us build a world-class healthcare destination.
I also highlighted the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park (AIIP) in Owaza, Ukwa West LGA, where we have resources in oil and gas, and are laying the foundation for industries that will power the future.
In my remarks, I emphasized that Abia is not competing with Lagos but complementing it. Nigeria’s growth requires multiple thriving cities, and Abia is ready to deliver.
To our investors, like Lagos, Abia State is open, prepared, and positioned for growth. Together, we will shape a Nigeria where businesses prosper, healthcare flourishes, and innovation leads the way.
BREAKING... Governor Mbah launches the 042 RIDE Taxi Youth Empowerment Scheme. The programme is open to young persons resident in Enugu, who have a valid driver’s licence and are interested in building a transport business.
Governor Mbah is extending public transport services beyond 9 pm while also making mobility safer, more reliable, and more convenient for all.
Tomorrow is here
Took a client to Ibeju Lekki today to visit a site. He paid 75M in January for a three bedroom bungalow in the estate without inspecting it because he’s not based in the country. He's currently around so he picked today to visit the place . So we moved from Omole together. On our way, he said but Lagos has really changed. I asked him what he saw? He said these roads are beautiful. I told him to calm down naw to see the smoothness of Lekki to Ibeju Lekki. On getting there, he said “omo, ona yi te” 😂
After he saw his units (not completed), he said what about if he buys one extra unit to resell later? I said it's possible naw !
This was someone who initially was reluctant to buy the first unit. That's what development can do! lnfrastructure and growth can completely change perception, value, and behaviour.
He first thought he was buying a country home where he could put up with his family whenever they are around but on getting there, he saw that Ibeju Lekki is a city on its own. It's in fact the new Lagos!
Kenyan President William Ruto said his government and neighboring Uganda’s are in talks with Africa’s richest man to build a crude oil refinery in Tanzania https://t.co/jyCNnQs4rG
Business, especially at a stage, requires you to go out, network, attend social events, form relationships with people, show up for people etc.
More so for the type of business I run.
But the thing dey tire me.
I just want to play football and run things and coordinate my team from my room or, for critical matters, show up in office 2 times in a week.
This social aspect of business dey quick tire me. But it is unavoidable.
Nigeria is aiming to become a $1 trillion economy. Right now GDP is roughly $370 billion.
To get there, the economy needs to nearly triple. That requires massive infrastructure investment, manufacturing growth, and capital market deepening.
The bank recapitalization was part of this. Stronger banks can fund bigger projects. The stock market crossing ₦131 trillion in market cap is part of this. Deeper capital markets attract more investment. These are not random events. They are pieces of a long-term puzzle.
We are 3rd in nation producing most groundnut in the world btw. Just behind China and India.
We produce the most yam in the world, we produce the most cassava in the world.
We are second highest exporter of onions in Africa after Egypt and before Algeria.
We are 5th in Cocoa production in the world, 3rd in Africa.
We are the country that produces the most cowpea in the world, we account for 48% of global production.
We are the 5th in Millet in the world, 3rd in Africa.
We are second in sorghum production just after USA.
We are second in Maize production in Africa
We are the largest producer of rice in Africa.
But someone would still tell you Nigeria produces nothing, and we import everything.
Dangote just signed a $1 billion deal with a Chinese firm called Sinoma to build 12 new cement plants across Africa.
Twelve.
Northern Nigeria. Ethiopia. Tanzania. Zambia. Zimbabwe. Sierra Leone. Cameroon. And expansions in Itori, Apapa, Lekki, PH and Onne on top of that.
80 million tonnes of cement per year by 2030. That’s the target.
But the number that should really wake you up is this one. Dangote Group is chasing $100 billion in revenue by 2030. Not naira. Dollars. While everybody is waiting for foreign investors to come and save Africa, one man from Kano is building the infrastructure backbone of this continent himself.
Refinery. Cement. Gas. Fertilizer. These are not sexy industries. Nobody is making reels about cement. But every single road, bridge and housing estate on this continent needs it. And Dangote is positioning to supply almost all of it.
This is probably the biggest business story in Africa this year and I promise you most people will scroll past it because nobody is dancing and there’s no drama.
Don’t be most people.
🇳🇬 Nigerians, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is about to hand our taxes and economic data to France.
Yesterday, December 10, the FIRS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with France’s tax authority at the French Embassy in Abuja.
France will provide AI audits, automated compliance, real-time analytics, and cybersecurity tools. In return, Nigeria will share insights from our digital economy and tax system, including international taxation issues like transfer pricing, profit shifting, and multinational compliance.
The government claims no raw taxpayer files will leave the country, but sensitive aggregated data will.
The truth is, this data can reveal key financial patterns and give France visibility into our economy. Once it leaves, we can’t get it back, putting our national economic sovereignty at risk.
France has been losing influence across West Africa, with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger pushing back. Now, while those doors close, Nigeria appears ready to open a new one, putting our fiscal independence at risk.
This MoU could compromise our control over our revenue system, expose sensitive economic data, and weaken Nigeria’s fiscal independence. We are big enough to manage our own tax system and employ our own experts.
This deal should be paused or renegotiated to protect Nigerian taxpayers and safeguard the sovereignty of our economy.
🚨Netflix has announced it has acquired Warner Bros., including HBO Max and HBO, in an $82.7 billion deal.
— bringing major franchises like The Big Bang Theory, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, The Wizard of Oz, and the DC Universe to the platform.