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Tinubu, First Lady, Davido Join Sanwo-Olu’s 60th Celebration
As Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu clocks 60 today, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu have led tributes to the leader described as a pillar in the state’s continued transformation.
President Tinubu, in a message released through his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, praised Sanwo-Olu for his “steadfast commitment” to the progress of Lagos, describing him as a key driver of the state’s infrastructural renaissance.
He noted that Sanwo-Olu has continued many important projects that began during his (Tinubu’s) time as governor.
The President mentioned key projects like the Blue and Red rail lines and encouraged the governor to keep pushing forward on others such as the Fourth Mainland Bridge and the Freedom Way-VGC road.
“Your execution of this vision is exemplified by landmark achievements, including completing the Blue and Red Rail lines and the ongoing preparations for the Purple Line, which will serve the vital Lekki corridor,” Tinubu said.
“I urge you to sustain this trajectory by prioritising impactful projects for Lagosians, notably the long-awaited Fourth Mainland Bridge and the Freedom Way to Victoria Garden City (VGC) Road,” President Tinubu said.
The President concluded, “I also wish you continued good health, longevity, and many more years of invaluable service to Lagos State and Nigeria.”
Also sending birthday wishes was the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. She praised Governor Sanwo-Olu for his service and leadership.
“I join your family, associates, and well-wishers to celebrate you on your attainment of 60 years of a glorious life. Your dedication to service has set you apart as an exemplary leader,” the First Lady wrote.
“As you mark this special day, may you be blessed with more wisdom, strength, and divine health to fulfill your God-ordained purpose, and I wish you many more years of success on earth.”
The Executive Chairman of Epe Local Government, Surah O. Animashaun, also wished him a happy birthday in an Instagram post where she praised his leadership and the T.H.E.M.E.S.+ programme, which she claimed has helped improve many parts of Lagos, such as traffic, health, education, entertainment, and security.
“Your Excellency, your courage in decision-making, compassion for the people, and unwavering dedication to progress are hallmarks of true statesmanship. Under your leadership, Lagos has remained a beacon of growth, innovation, and resilience, and we are proud to be part of the journey you are leading with such clarity and conviction,” she wrote.
Governor Sanwo-Olu shared his thoughts on reaching 60, tweeting, “Today, I turn 60. Sixty years of experiences, lessons, and blessings. I woke up this morning feeling grateful, not just for the years, but for the journey itself.
“Today is a moment to pause and reflect. I’ve learned that public service is one of the highest callings. It’s not always easy, but it’s deeply fulfilling. Every day, I wake up knowing there’s more to do, more to give, more to build.
“Public service teaches you a great deal. It teaches patience. It teaches you how to listen, and how to keep going even when the path is difficult. I’m still learning. I’m always learning.
“So today, I’m thankful, for life, for the trust of Lagosians, the people I serve, and for the opportunity to keep working toward something greater than myself.”
Also, popular singer Davido sent a video shout-out to Governor Sanwo-Olu. In the message, Davido greeted Lagosians and praised the governor for his work, saying, “Hello my people, what’s up? It is your boy Davido. I want to say a big happy 60th birthday to our governor, Governor Sanwo-Olu. We appreciate you. Everything you do for Lagos, we see it all the time. You know I love you, man. Have fun, enjoy your day, and live your life.”
Sanwo-Olu’s deputy governor, Obafemi Hamzat, also celebrated his principal on X, where he wrote, “Happy birthday to an exceptional leader, visionary, my brother and partner in duty, Governor @jidesanwoolu. Your drive for good governance and inclusive growth sets the bar high. I wish you continued wisdom and strength in service to our state. Happy birthday MG.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu started his political career in 2003 as a special adviser to the Deputy Governor of Lagos State. He later became Acting Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget.
In 2007, he was appointed Commissioner for Commerce and Industry by Governor Bola Tinubu. After that, he served as Commissioner for Establishments, Training, and Pensions under Governor Babatunde Fashola.
In 2016, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode made him Managing Director and CEO of the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation.
He also helped start important projects like the Lagos Security Trust Fund, LAGBUS transportation system, and the Lagos Command and Control Centre in Ikeja.
Sanwo-Olu was elected governor in 2019 under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Guardian.ng
NELFUND has rejected allegations that the Federal Government’s student loan scheme is being used to favour supporters or children of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Akintunde Sawyerr, dismissed the claim as “completely ridiculous.”
Moreover, he said the structure of the application system does not allow political affiliation to determine who receives the loans.
Sawyerr spoke during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme.
He explained that the loan scheme is operated through an electronic application process.
Applicants are required to provide personal and academic information, including their names and matriculation numbers.
According to him, the system is designed to establish whether an applicant meets the requirements for the programme.
It does not collect information that would enable NELFUND to determine whether a student belongs to the APC or supports another political party.
“I have not heard this allegation, but I can tell you that it’s a completely ridiculous idea that the administration of Bola Tinubu is focused on trying to fund people who support the party. We are talking about students; many of them are yet to vote, some of them are going to be voting for the first time, [and] many of them are not party members.
“How, in any event, do we determine who is a party member and who isn’t? Even if you are running a manual process, how do you do that? You can’t. It’s unlikely to yield you any result.
“It is a process you have to apply for this loan electronically. If you don’t have a name, you can’t apply for this loan. You provide your matriculation number; you have to be in a public institution,” he said.
The NELFUND boss said the allegation also failed to take into account the nature of the beneficiaries targeted by the programme.
He noted that many students accessing the loans are young people who have not yet participated in an election. Some are also not members of any political party.Executive Branch
Sawyerr therefore maintained that using political affiliation as a basis for deciding beneficiaries would be impractical under the existing system.
He said NELFUND’s focus is on Nigerian students who meet the conditions for the loan and are enrolled in eligible public tertiary institutions.
Sawyerr described the demand for the scheme as “overwhelming”, saying many students and their families were struggling to meet the financial demands of tertiary education.
“The demand has been overwhelming, because clearly a lot of people have struggled to get into these institutions,” he said. “They are hanging on by the skin of their teeth to stay in the institution, and this programme came as a rescue for them.”
He disclosed that NELFUND had so far disbursed about N162 billion in upkeep allowances to students.
The fund is also examining application and disbursement figures as demand increases, with the agency seeking to understand the financial requirements needed to sustain the programme.
The student loan initiative was introduced by the Federal Government as part of efforts to reduce financial barriers to higher education.
President Bola Tinubu signed the Student Loans Act into law in April 2024, paving the way for the current NELFUND structure. The scheme provides interest-free financial support to eligible Nigerian students in public tertiary institutions.
It covers approved institutional charges and upkeep support for qualified beneficiaries.
The programme was designed to give students access to funding without requiring them to depend entirely on their parents or guardians to remain in school.
NELFUND has repeatedly stressed the importance of an electronic process in managing applications and disbursements.
The system allows applicants to submit their information for verification before their applications are processed.
Sawyerr further insisted that the system does not discriminate based on religion, ethnicity or gender.
“We have a system that is focused on people who are Nigerians and meet the standard. The system doesn’t recognise your gender. There is no bias in the system at the front end or the back end.
“This is a system that doesn’t care whether you are of one tribe or the other. This system does not have a view or an opinion on whether you are a Christian, a Muslim, or an African traditional religionist; it doesn’t want to know.”
The NELFUND chief also spoke about the impact of the scheme on student retention.
He said available figures indicated that the programme had contributed to a reduction in the number of students dropping out of tertiary institutions, with the reduction put at about 20 per cent.
Sawyerr also addressed concerns surrounding repayment of the loans.
He maintained that beneficiaries would not be subjected to an unreasonable repayment burden, noting that repayment would be tied to their ability to pay after completing their studies.
Under the current structure, repayment is expected to commence two years after beneficiaries complete the National Youth Service Corps programme.
The NELFUND boss also disclosed that funds President Tinubu announced would be recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and channelled into the student loan scheme had not yet been received by the fund.
The UK Government has appointed Alastair Long as His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for Africa, with a mandate to deepen economic ties and expand commercial partnerships between Britain and the continent.
The UK Department for Business and Trade welcomed Long to the position, according to a statement issued on Monday by the British Deputy High Commission.
The mission said Long would work with African governments, investors, businesses and institutions to strengthen economic relations between the UK and African countries.
It added that his responsibilities would include expanding commercial partnerships, supporting UK and African businesses, attracting investment and helping to build sustainable, resilient and productive economies across the continent.
“Long returns to a region he knows well, having previously served as Deputy Trade Commissioner and then HMTC for Africa between 2019 and 2022.
“Before taking up his current position, he served as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain from August 2023,” the mission said.
Long said he was thrilled to resume his work in Africa.
He described Africa as the future, saying he had witnessed the continent’s “boundless energy and ambition” during his previous assignments.
“The UK is committed to being a partner that supports African and British growth by listening to African priorities and bringing the very best the UK has to offer.
“I look forward to engaging across the continent, with the UK business community, and with the UK Government team, to realise as many mutual opportunities as possible.”
Long succeeds John Humphrey, who had served as the UK Trade Commissioner for Africa since June 2022.
The British Deputy High Commission said Long inherited strong UK momentum in Africa and would bring extensive trade expertise to the role, as well as the focus and energy required to deepen partnerships and unlock further opportunities for mutual benefit.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the HMTC leads the UK’s overseas efforts to promote trade, investment, export opportunities and trade policy objectives.
The Commissioner works closely with the wider diplomatic network and other government officials to coordinate Britain’s overseas efforts to promote UK trade and prosperity.
The office also has responsibility for the Department for Business and Trade’s work in Africa, including growing the overall trade and investment relationship, improving market access for British companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, and developing trade policy.
Long joined the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in 2002 and has held previous postings in the Middle East and North Africa.
He was educated at Clare College, Cambridge University, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
NAN
The Federal Government has indicated that the review of Nigeria’s national minimum wage will be addressed through fresh negotiations with organised labour, amid growing pressure for an upward adjustment of the current ₦70,000 wage.
The development comes as workers and labour unions intensify calls for a new wage structure, arguing that rising living costs have significantly eroded the purchasing power of the minimum wage introduced in 2024.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had earlier announced plans to commence negotiations with the Federal Government on a new minimum wage in 2026. The unions said the review was necessary because of increases in the cost of food, transportation, housing, healthcare and other essential services.
The Federal Government had also acknowledged that the current ₦70,000 minimum wage no longer fully reflects prevailing economic realities. Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the government would approach the next wage review as a partner to labour, while stressing that workers’ welfare should also be addressed through measures covering housing, healthcare, transportation and other social interventions.
The latest development has been accompanied by renewed demands from federal workers. The Federal Workers Forum recently asked the government to increase the minimum wage from ₦70,000 to ₦300,000, citing the rising cost of living and what it described as inadequacies in the implementation of the existing wage structure.
However, the demand for ₦300,000 has faced opposition from sections of the Organised Private Sector. The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other business groups warned that an abrupt increase to that level could fuel inflation, increase production costs and potentially result in job losses if businesses are unable to sustain the higher wage bill.
The debate is therefore expected to centre on finding a balance between workers’ demand for improved wages and the ability of governments and employers to sustain any new wage structure without worsening inflation or threatening employment.
The current ₦70,000 national minimum wage was signed into law in July 2024 following negotiations between the Federal Government, organised labour and the private sector. Labour has since maintained that the rapid increase in the cost of living has made another review necessary.
As the fresh negotiations gather momentum, workers are awaiting a formal framework and timeline for the talks, while government, labour and employers are expected to negotiate a wage level that reflects current economic realities and remains sustainable for the Nigerian economy.
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