President Tinubu’s Reforms Massively Opening New Investment Opportunities, Says VP Shettima

*Assures Abu Dhabi – Beijing Consortium of economic stability, transparency

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has restated Nigeria’s readiness to do business with the rest of the world, saying that the ongoing reforms undertaken by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu across different sectors are opening new opportunities for investment.

“There is no better time to invest in Nigeria. You have come at the right time, where we have been blessed with committed leadership,” he declared.

The Vice President stated this on Tuesday when he received a delegation from the Advanced Energy Partners (AEP) led by chairman of the consortium, Senator Abu Ibrahim, on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa.

Senator Shettima, who outlined the abundant resources and potentials across Nigeria, said the Tinubu administration, through specific policies and interventions, is creating the enabling environment for the economy to grow and attract foreign direct investments.

“Be rest assured that you have invested your trust in the right nation. Nigeria is ready for business. We have crossed the Rubicon and are now on the path of sustainable development,” he told the delegation.

Earlier, leader of the delegation, Senator Abu Ibrahim, said the team was on ground in Nigeria to, among other things, explore major opportunities for investment in the upstream oil industry and sectors of the economy.

For his part, the Vice President of China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO), Mr QIANG Wenyu, said the visit was in furtherance of an earlier meeting with President Tinubu in September 2024 in Beijing, just as he reiterated the company’s commitment to collaborating with Nigerian partners in key sectors of the nation’s economy.

He said the company was prepared to fulfill its earlier pledge to deepen cooperation and expand its operations in Nigeria, noting that “for the past one year, we have been acting on that.”

He listed NORINCO’s core areas of operations to include energy, oil & gas, defence industries and mining, among others, noting that the company’s annual turnover grew last year to $30 billion, maintaining a strong reputation in its core fields of operations.

For her part, the CEO of Horizon Energy Abu Dhabi, Ms. Mahra Rashed Al Suwaidi, applauded the leadership of President Tinubu, attributing the company’s renewed interest to invest in Nigeria to the country’s current leadership.

She added that the firm’s confidence in the current administration is reflected in the management of key institutions, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), among others.

In the same vein, the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Musabbeh Al Shamsi, urged the consortium to waste no time in investing in Nigeria, describing the country as the “right place” for foreign investment.

Noting that the Tinubu administration is the “right government,” he said it has strengthened Nigeria’s economic and bilateral ties with the UAE, leading to non-oil trade between both countries amounting to $4.3 billion in 2024.

Also present at the meeting were the CEO of AEP, Mr Shakiru Olayinka; Mr Abiye Membere from AEP; Mr HU Keyu from China Zhenhua Oil Corporation; Mr XU Yongfeng from Beijing Auxin Chemical Technology Corporation, and Mr LIANG Hongda from NORINCO African Dept, among others.

President Tinubu’s Reforms Massively Opening New Investment Opportunities, Says VP Shettima

PCC BORNO COMMISSIONER RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS AWARD FROM WOMEN AND YOUTH ADVOCACY GROUP

By: Our Reporter

The Honorable Federal Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Borno State Office, has today been honoured with a prestigious Award of Recognition by the Association of Nigerian Women and Youth for Peace Advocate.

The award was formally presented following his nomination and subsequent voting by the Association. The delegation representing the Association at the ceremony included the Coordinator of the Northeast as well as the Coordinators of Kaduna, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, and Taraba States.

In addition to the award, the Commissioner was also presented with a certificate naming him as an Ambassador of the Association, recognizing his commitment to public service and peace advocacy.

The recognition celebrates the Commissioner’s exemplary leadership, unwavering commitment to public service, and his outstanding contributions toward strengthening the Commission’s mandate in promoting administrative justice and ensuring a fair, responsive system for citizens.

The Association, which is dedicated to supporting children, orphans, and especially women through educational assistance and other humanitarian interventions, noted that the Commissioner’s record of service aligns strongly with their values. The group is actively engaged in campaigns promoting good governance, combating drug abuse, advocating peace and unity in Nigeria, raising awareness on cancer, fighting banditry and kidnapping, and supporting girl-child education, among others.

In his acceptance speech, the Honorable Federal Commissioner expressed profound gratitude to the awarding institution, describing the recognition as a humbling honour. He further remarked that the caliber, dedication, and passion of the people representing the Association give him renewed hope for the nation. He took the opportunity to educate the delegates on the laws governing the Commission and urged them to disseminate awareness of the Commission’s activities through their ongoing campaigns.

The event marked a significant moment of pride for the institution, underscoring the Commissioner’s dedication to peace advocacy, transformative leadership, and service delivery that continues to inspire confidence within the PCC and the wider community.

Staff and attendees congratulated the Honorable Commissioner on the well-deserved honour, describing the award as a testament to his impactful stewardship and his sustained efforts to enhance the visibility, credibility, and effectiveness of the Commission.

Reflecting on the award, the Commissioner concluded:
“True service is not done for recognition, but for the good of our people. Yet, when good deeds are noticed, it inspires all of us to work harder for justice, peace, and hope in our nation. Let us continue to serve with integrity and compassion, for the benefit of those who look up to us.”

PCC BORNO COMMISSIONER RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS AWARD FROM WOMEN AND YOUTH ADVOCACY GROUP

Sahel on edge as sabotage campaigns spread across Niger and Mali, threatening regional stability and economic survival

By: Zagazola Makama

A sharp escalation in economic sabotage by armed groups in Niger Republic and Mali is deepening instability across the Central Sahel, with fresh attacks on oil and fuel infrastructure pointing to an increasingly insecure landscape for governments, civilians and foreign partners in the region.

The latest incident occurred on Sunday night in Niger Republic’s eastern Diffa Region, where an oil pipeline explosion at Agadem was attributed to the Mouvement Patriotique pour la Libération du Jihad (MPLJ), a newly emergent armed faction led by Moussa Kounai. The group released a video claiming responsibility for damaging a section of the pipeline and vowed further attacks unless the ruling Conseil National pour la Sauvegarde de la Patrie (CNSP) steps down and reinstates constitutional governance.

The MPLJ also accused the junta of supporting foreign rebel groups, specifically naming the Chadian Front pour l’Alternance et la Concorde (FACT), which it alleges operates with the approval and logistical backing of Niger’s transitional military authorities.

Security sources say the attack marks a worrying expansion of anti-state sabotage in Niger, where armed groups such as the Lakurawa network have previously targeted oil infrastructure. These incidents now coincide with sustained assaults by jihadist formations like JNIM and Islamic State Sahel Province, creating an increasingly complex and volatile security environment.

Zagazola warn that the proliferation of armed groups following the 2023 coup has eroded state control, with economic assets such as pipelines, storage facilities and export routes becoming strategic targets for factions seeking bargaining power or political influence. The Agadem basin a cornerstone of Niger’s crude output and a critical link in its export chain to international markets is especially vulnerable.

Meanwhile in neighbouring Mali, the situation has taken on an even more disruptive dimension as the Al-Qaeda-affiliated JNIM intensifies a sweeping fuel blockade that has crippled the country’s economy and strained daily life for millions.

Since September, JNIM fighters have systematically attacked fuel tankers travelling from Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, routes that account for the majority of Mali’s fuel imports. Tankers have been burned, drivers and security escorts killed, and entire convoys halted by improvised explosive devices and ambushes.

The insurgents are believed to be retaliating against a government directive restricting fuel sales in rural areas, a measure aimed at cutting off jihadist access to diesel and petrol used for mobility, logistics and explosives manufacturing.

The impact has been devastating. Fuel scarcity has worsened Mali’s longstanding electricity crisis, plunging Bamako and several regional capitals into long blackouts. With power plants relying heavily on diesel, factories have shut down, cold-chain food systems are collapsing, and telecommunications have become unreliable.

Government offices, banks and airports are also struggling to maintain normal operations. On Sunday, authorities suspended classes in all schools and universities for two weeks due to the acute shortage.

In rural communities, the blockade coincides with harvest season. Farmers say tractors and irrigation pumps have become idle, threatening crop yields and heightening food insecurity in a country already burdened by displacement and declining agricultural output.

Despite several rounds of negotiations involving community leaders and intermediaries, no agreement has been reached with JNIM. The group appears intent on leveraging the economic pressure to force political concessions from the military-led government.

Security experts say the rising wave of economic sabotage across Niger and Mali reflects a broader trend in the Sahel, where armed groups are increasingly shifting from territorial warfare to strategic economic disruption. By targeting energy supply lines pipelines in Niger and tanker routes in Mali these groups are undermining state capacity, weakening public confidence, and heightening the cost of governance for already fragile juntas.

The dual crises also signaled troubles for neighbouring countries, particularly Nigeria, which shares extensive energy, trade and security ties with Niger. These misattributed attacks or cross-border accusations could trigger diplomatic strains at a time when regional cooperation is crucial.

With militants in both countries signalling readiness for escalated operations, the Sahel is bracing for deeper instability unless coordinated regional and international responses are mobilised to protect critical infrastructure, restore supply chains and contain armed group expansion.

Zagazola Makama is a counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad region.

Sahel on edge as sabotage campaigns spread across Niger and Mali, threatening regional stability and economic survival