Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Zacch Adelabu Adedeji. In a country like Nigeria where paying taxes is often viewed with suspicion, where government agencies are frequently seen as bureaucratic bottlenecks rather than service providers, one man is systematically dismantling decades of entrenched practicI deviating from the conventional norm. Dr Zacch Adelabu Adedeji, Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), formerly the Federal Inland Revenue Service FIRS, is orchestrating what may be the most significant transformation in Nigeria’s fiscal history and he’s doing it by simply pampering taxpayers as customers rather than targets. Growing up in the quiet rural community of Iwo-Ate, Ogbomoso, in Oyo…

Manny Ita  – The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced that it has disbursed more than ₦206 billion in student loans to support tertiary education across the country, with over 1.1 million Nigerian students benefitting from the scheme since its rollout. The development marks one of the largest financial interventions in Nigeria’s education sector in recent years, as the government seeks to expand access to higher education and ease the financial burden on students and their families. According to officials of NELFUND, the loans were distributed to eligible students in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the federation.…

Manny Ita  – The Nigerian government has officially released a comprehensive list of emergency contact numbers for citizens residing in or traveling through the Middle East, as regional tensions continue to escalate. Issued through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), the advisory aims to provide urgent consular support and safety guidance to Nigerians across several key nations, including Iran, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, and Iraq. The government has urged all affected citizens to register immediately with their nearest diplomatic mission and maintain regular communication to receive…

Manny Ita  – The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a formal lawsuit against the Nigerian government at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, challenging the legality of mass phone-tapping regulations. The suit, registered as ECW/CCJ/APP/11/26, contests the “Lawful Interception of Communications Regulations, 2019,” which the organization contends creates a pervasive surveillance regime that threatens the fundamental rights of Nigerian citizens to privacy and freedom of expression. In its filing, SERAP is seeking “a declaration that the failure of the government to withdraw the Interception of Communications Regulations is unlawful and a violation of Nigeria’s international…

Manny Ita  – FOR decades, Nigeria’s economic narrative has been defined by a fundamental structural irony: the paradox of a nation swimming in crude oil while perpetually starved of refined products. It was a cycle of dependency that drained the national treasury and stifled domestic manufacturing. However, as of March 2026, the tectonic plates of the Nigerian industrial landscape are shifting. With the Dangote Refinery fully operational and preparing for an anticipated listing on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) in mid-2026, the conversation has moved beyond mere fuel production. We are witnessing the birth of a sophisticated petrochemical ecosystem—a “Dangote Masterplan”—that…

Manny Ita  – French automobile manufacturers are actively pursuing strategic partnerships with prominent Nigerian conglomerates to facilitate a return to the domestic market, according to the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier. In an exclusive interview with Premium Times, the envoy detailed two primary collaborations intended to restore the presence of brands like Peugeot and Renault, which were once dominant in the Nigerian automotive landscape between the 1970s and 1990s. The first significant venture involves Dangote Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited (DPAN), a partnership between Dangote Industries Limited and the Stellantis Group. Operating a vehicle assembly plant in Kaduna State, the…

Manny Ita – In the glittering, high-octane world of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem, the optics of success have rarely been more seductive. From the slick transition videos on TikTok to the curated luxury lifestyles displayed on Instagram, a new generation of Nigerians appears, at least on the surface, to have discovered a pathway to prosperity that bypasses the familiar constraints of a sluggish economy. Smartphones, ring lights and viral content now project an image of effortless wealth, suggesting that economic opportunity lies literally in the palm of one’s hand. Yet behind the choreography of viral dances and the glow of carefully…

Manny Ita  – The commencement of Batch B recruitment for the Youth Economic Intervention and De-Radicalisation Programme (YEIDEP) has once again brought the issue of youth empowerment to the centre of Nigeria’s national discourse. Over the years, successive governments have introduced various programmes aimed at providing economic opportunities for young Nigerians. YEIDEP represents the latest effort in this long line of initiatives, and while its objectives may appear commendable, its structure and underlying assumptions raise several important questions about the country’s broader strategy for youth development. At first glance, the programme is presented as a financial intervention designed to support…

Manny Ita  – Reports that petrol loading has stalled at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery have raised fresh concerns about fuel supply in Nigeria as global crude oil prices surge following escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Fuel marketers said trucks were unable to lift Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, from the refinery over the weekend, leaving distributors uncertain about supply levels and possible adjustments to the refinery’s pricing structure. The development comes as international oil markets respond to growing geopolitical risks in the Gulf region. Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices, briefly climbed to…

Manny Ita  – A shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Nigeria has been diverted from its originally signalled destination in Europe to Asia after a sharp rise in Asian gas prices created a profitable arbitrage opportunity for traders, highlighting how rapidly shifting global energy markets are reshaping trade routes. Shipping data from analytics firm Kpler showed that the LNG tanker BW Brussels, which loaded cargo at the Nigeria LNG export terminal on Bonny Island on 27 February, initially signalled a westward voyage toward Europe before altering course and sailing south toward Asia through the Cape of Good Hope. The…