News
Tinubu Promises Boost In Infrastructure Development
President Bola Tinubu said more funds would be committed to infrastructure development and urged governors to collaborate with the federal government to align building approvals.
The President, who commissioned the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road at the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Plant on Thursday in Lagos, said proper approval alignment between subnational and federal governments will facilitate the construction of major roads and bridges across the country.
“I have directed the Minister of Works, David Umahi, and the Surveyor General of the federation to work more closely with the governors,” the President said.
President Tinubu said aligning state approvals with the Federal Government will reduce the burden of compensation and delays in actualising people-oriented projects.
“Please, my dear governors, let’s work together. Don’t give planning approvals without collaboration with the Surveyor General and the Ministry of Works. I am appealing to you to realise the same development goal.
” Let me emphasise the ban by the Federal Government of Nigeria on any dredging within a 10km radius of all our Bridges nationwide. I appeal to all governors, relevant agencies, and security agencies to implement this ban immediately”, President Tinubu said.
The ceremony came five days after the President commissioned Phase 1 of Section One of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, also in Lagos.
He commended the Federal Ministry of Works, Messrs Hitech Construction Company Limited, Messrs Dangote Industries Limited, BUA and all contractors involved in the country’s road development. He said his administration is committed to building enduring infrastructure nationwide.
He dismissed critics of the government’s legacy projects for being ignorant about how the government awarded the legacy roads to contractors.
“It is necessary to note that the Federal Executive Council approved our Legacy Projects to be procured, awarded and constructed in sections. The completed 30 km segment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is part of the 47.7 km, six-lane Section I contract, not a wholesale 750 km contract, as some have suggested. No contractor has been awarded the entire corridor.
“Our approach has been systematic, transparent, and section-based. The Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway envisioned 47 years ago under the Shagari administration, is another legacy project we have revived. This corridor – spanning Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos -holds immense potential for agriculture, trade, and industrialisation.
“It connects over 58 dams, vast arable farmlands, and trade routes to our West African neighbours and offers great promise for windmill energy generation. Construction is well underway. In Kebbi, we have completed over 10 km of the 258 km three-lane carriageway, and today we flag off the second carriageway. This section is the longest in all our Legacy Projects.
“In Sokoto, work has begun on the 120 km 2single-carriageway by three lanes from Illela. I understand that over 10km of this project is already completed. Today, we shall be flagging off the second carriageway of 120km with three lanes.
“Work is also at an advanced stage in this section. More sections are being designed for procurement and award within the whole length of the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway. On my way here, I witnessed significant progress at Section II of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, with over 10 km of the 55 km stretch already completed.
“I am also pleased to report ongoing works in the Cross River and Akwa Ibom sections and have directed that more segments be designed and procured. The Trans-Sahara Trade Route, another visionary project, is advancing steadily. It will connect Calabar to Abuja via Ebonyi, Benue, Kogi, and Nasarawa,” he said.
President Tinubu said he had directed accelerated design on the 4th Legacy Project of the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi and Gombe corridor to enable procurement to start.
“Let me assure you that with God on our side, we shall complete these projects and deploy them for the economic benefit of our nation”.
Other projects commissioned by the President include Yakasai to Zalli Road, Kano State (CCECC), Shendam Bridge, Plateau State (Triacta), Kwanar-Hadejia Section II (82km), Kano/Jigawa States (CCECC), Jimeta Bridge, Adamawa State (Triacta), Ilobu-Erinle Road, Kwara/Osun States (IAC) and Cham-Numan Bridge, Adamawa State (CGC).
President Tinubu flagged off the following projects for construction: Section I Phase IB-120km of Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway in Sokoto State; construction of Section II Phase 2 B-258 km of Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway in Kebbi State; construction of Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway (Section II)-55km in Lagos to Ogun State Border; rehabilitation of Zaria-Hunkuyi to Daya Road (Sections I, II & III) 152.67km in Kaduna/Kano States and reconstruction of Dikwa – Gamboru – Ngala Road – 49.55km in Borno State.
Also flagged off was the completion of the dualisation of the Kano – Maiduguri Road linking Kano – Jigawa – Bauchi – Yobe and Borno States; 100.95km, construction of Maiduguri Ring Road – 108km, construction of Kano Northern Bypass Road in Kano State, – 74km; construction of 7th Axial Road at Lekki Deep Sea Port, Lagos State to Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State– 25km by 6-lane and completion of rehabilitation of Lokoja – Benin road on rigid pavement.
Other roads are the dualisation of Oyo—Ogbomoso Road in Oyo State, 104km; the dualisation of Kano—Daura—Kongolam in Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina States, 264km –BUA Tax Credit; and the reconstruction of Bama–Banki Road in Borno State, 49.15 km Dangote Tax Credit.
The President thanked the “four wise men of the private sector”: Jim Ovia, Femi Otedola, Abdulsamad Rabiu, and Aliko Dangote, for contributing to Nigeria’s economy. He also commended the Minister of Works, Roland and Gilbert Chagoury, and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.
The governors of Plateau, Abia, Enugu, Ogun, Borno, and Kaduna states attended the ceremony.
Speaking on behalf of the governors, the Governor of Kaduna State, Sen. Uba Sani, thanked the President for removing the subsidy, which had translated into increased allocations to the states for health, education, and infrastructure investments.
Sani assured the President of the sub-national collaboration to improve infrastructure nationwide.
President Tinubu thanked Alhaji Aliko Dangote for his interest in developing the country through continuous investments.
“Having inspected the Dangote refinery, which is a great point of reference, a great phenomenon of our time and a massive investment, I want to thank Aliko Dangote,” he stated. “I am happy that the Deep Sea Port I initiated as Governor of Lagos State is a huge success today. Users save vast amounts of money using this port because they no longer need to trans-ship their goods. I commend the quality of the access road done by Messrs Dangote Industries Limited on our Tax Credit Road programme and the subcontractor, Messrs Hitech Construction Company Limited.
The president of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, thanked the President for envisioning and implementing the Lekki Deep Sea Port project and assured him of the private sector’s support for expanding infrastructure nationwide.
Thenewsnigeria.com.ng
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the names and particulars of their candidates for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections by three days.
The commission announced on Sunday that the deadline, which was initially scheduled to end on Saturday, July 11, 2026, has now been extended to midnight on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
INEC said the decision followed an appeal by the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) on behalf of political parties that encountered difficulties uploading the names and personal particulars of their candidates through the commission’s nomination portal.
In a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the electoral body said the extension was intended to ensure that all parties are given a fair opportunity to complete the nomination process.
“The decision to extend was based on appeal by the Inter-Party Advisory Council, on behalf of political parties who were unable to upload the names and personal particulars of their candidates within the scheduled timeline,” the statement read.
According to the commission, the extension reflects its commitment to inclusivity and adherence to the provisions of the law governing the electoral process.
“The extension underscores the Commission’s commitment to ensuring inclusivity in its practices, while acting within the ambit of the law,” Haruna stated.
INEC urged political parties yet to complete the process to take advantage of the additional window and ensure that all required information is uploaded before the expiration of the new deadline.
The submission of candidates’ details marks a critical stage in preparations for the 2027 general election.
Under the revised timetable earlier released by the commission, political parties were required to upload nomination forms and candidates’ particulars for the Presidential and National Assembly elections between June 27 and July 11, 2026, through the dedicated Candidate Nomination Portal.
The revised electoral timetable was introduced after changes in the legal framework governing elections, which led to an adjustment of key pre-election activities and election dates.
Under the schedule, Presidential and National Assembly elections are slated for January 16, 2027, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
Following the close of nominations, INEC is expected to publish the personal particulars of candidates submitted by political parties, allowing members of the public and stakeholders to scrutinise the information as provided under the electoral process.
The publication of candidates’ particulars for the Presidential and National Assembly elections is scheduled for August 14, 2026.
INEC reiterated that no further delay should be expected and urged all parties to comply with the revised deadline to avoid disqualification from the nomination process.
The Federal Government says it has doubled the minimum monthly salary of Nigerian soldiers from N49,000 to N100,000 in its latest effort to improve troop welfare and strengthen morale.
Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, disclosed the salary review during an interview with News Central.
He described the development as one of the welfare improvements introduced by the current administration for military personnel.
“When they started, a soldier was collecting N49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting N100,000,” the minister said.
For decades, concerns over poor salaries, inadequate accommodation, delayed benefits and rising living costs have dominated discussions on military welfare.
Musa also dismissed allegations that soldiers were being poorly fed, describing claims circulating on social media as misleading.
Referring to a viral video involving a military officer identified as Justice Crack, he alleged that the footage was deliberately manipulated to create a false impression about the quality of meals served to troops.
“The soldier’s food was okay. There was meat; there was all this. But he told them to pull out those things and make it look as if those things were not there,” he said.
The minister’s remarks come as the Federal Government continues to pursue a mix of welfare reforms, increased security spending and renewed military operations aimed at improving the effectiveness of troops battling insecurity across the country.
But calls persist for greater investment in equipment, intelligence gathering and personnel welfare.
Musa maintained that Nigeria’s defence allocation remains inadequate to meet the enormous demands placed on the Armed Forces.
Responding to a question on whether the current defence budget was sufficient, he replied, “It’s not enough.”
He noted, however, that the government would continue investing in the welfare and operational capacity of the military to enable personnel to respond more effectively to the country’s security challenges.
The minister also advocated tougher punishment for kidnappers, calling for the introduction of the death penalty to discourage the growing wave of abductions across the country.
According to him, existing sanctions have failed to deter perpetrators.
“I think we should do that. There must be deterrence. The laws are soft, and that’s why people take advantage. If they know once you commit an offence, there must be punishment,” he said.
Former Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has pledged to strengthen environmental conservation and climate action following his emergence as President of the Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF).
Naija News reports that Osinbajo made the pledge on Wednesday while delivering his acceptance speech at the Foundation’s 37th Annual General Meeting in Lagos.
He paid tribute to the founding fathers of the NCF, particularly its President Emeritus, Chief Philip Asiodu, for their foresight in promoting environmental conservation decades before climate change became a global concern.
The former vice president also acknowledged the contributions of the late Chief S.L. Edu and other founding trustees, saying their vision laid the foundation for Nigeria’s environmental conservation movement.
According to him, the founders recognised the importance of biodiversity conservation long before climate change gained global prominence.
“They deserve our commendation and gratitude because, but for their vision, Nigeria would not have had the strong foundation it has today for climate action,” he said.
Osinbajo said the effects of climate change had become increasingly evident across Nigeria through flooding, rising temperatures and other environmental challenges.
He noted that parts of Europe were experiencing temperatures of between 38 and 41 degrees Celsius, a development he said underscored the urgency of collective climate action.
“There is no question that we are living in the most challenging times with respect to climate change,” he said.
The former vice president, however, expressed optimism that advances in technology, innovation and scientific knowledge would provide opportunities to tackle environmental problems more effectively.
According to him, Nigeria has the tools required to make significant progress in biodiversity conservation and environmental sustainability.
Osinbajo described the NCF as Nigeria’s foremost non-governmental organisation dedicated to environmental conservation and climate action.
He commended the Foundation’s trustees, members, management, staff, volunteers and development partners for sustaining its conservation programmes over the years.
Accepting his new role, Osinbajo pledged to build on the achievements of his predecessors and deepen collaboration with stakeholders.
“I accept this responsibility with great humility and gratitude.
“I look forward to working with the Board, management, staff, volunteers and partners to advance the Foundation’s mission and secure a healthier environment for future generations,” he said.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening the Foundation’s leadership role in biodiversity conservation and environmental sustainability in Nigeria.
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