National News
SADC to Promote Innovation as Key to Unlocking Sustainable Economic Growth of Southern Africa

SADC to Promote Innovation as Key to Unlocking Sustainable Economic Growth of Southern Africa
By: Michael Mike
As the Southern African Development Community (SADC) begins life under the Chairmanship of President Emerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, the promotion of innovation to unlock opportunities for sustainable economic growth and development would be a watchword in the region
This would be a consolidating of the national peace, food and nutritional security, gender development, disaster risk management, and implementing the strategy and roadmap for industrialization which were the crux of the erstwhile chairman, President Joe Manuel Mrosso of Mozambique.
SADC consists of 17 members states that has a rich history of allignment dating back to 1980 when it was formed as the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC).
It was in 1992, it evolved into the Southern African Development Community (SADC), with a renewed commitment to promoting sustainable development, peace, and security in Southern Africa region.
Speaking at the 2024 SADC anniversary in Abuja at the weekend, the outgone Chair of SADC Group in Nigeria, Angola’s Ambassador Bamoquina Jose Zau who handed over to the Ambassador of Zimbabwe, Maxwel Ranga,
while noting that: “SADC has made significant progress in promoting economic growth, social justice, and human development, announced that the anniversary celebration marked the transfer of chairmanship from President Joe Manuel Mrosso of Mozambique to President Emerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe.
He said: “We thank President Mrosso for his leadership and commitment to SADC during his tenure, and we welcome President Mnangagwa as he takes the reins to steer our organisation forward.”
“The theme of President Mrosso’s chairmanship was “Promoting Industrialization and Sustainable Economic Growth,” and he made significant strides in promoting human and financial capital development, which are critical drivers of sustainable industrialization.”
“His commitment to consolidating national peace, food and nutritional security, gender development, disaster risk management, and implementing the strategy and roadmap for industrialization will have a lasting impact on our region.”
“As we look to the future, President Mnangagwa’s chairmanship will focus on promoting innovation to unlock opportunities for sustainable economic growth and development.”
“This is a critical area of focus, as innovation has the potential to drive economic transformation, create jobs, and improve living standards.”
“We are also proud of the progress we have made in promoting peace and security in our region. The recent summit in Arusha, Tanzania, commended the peace process and mediation efforts between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, and called on the two countries to cease all hostilities.
“We will continue to work towards achieving lasting peace and security in the region, particularly in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the province of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique.”
“As we celebrate this anniversary, we are reminded of the importance of our partnership with other regions and countries.
“We appreciate the support and cooperation we have received from the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and we look forward to strengthening our ties with other countries, including Russia.”
He added that: “We are proud of our achievements, but we recognize that there is still much work to be done. We must continue to work together to address the challenges facing our region, including poverty, inequality, and climate change.”
“We are committed to creating a better future for the people of Southern Africa. We will continue to work tirelessly to promote sustainable development, peace, and security in our region.”
Meanwhile, the Director General of Voice of Nigeria(VON) Jubrin Ndace, said the media plays a vital role in shaping Africa narratives, noting that Africans cannot expect the world to respect them if they don’t tell their own story.
He said: “We need to be intentional about creating a positive narrative about Africa and Africans. The Voice of Nigeria is a public platform established to consistently create a positive narrative about Nigeria and Nigerians, Africa and Africans.
“We broadcast in eight languages, including four indigenous languages and four international languages, to reach a broader audience.”
“As Director General, I’m committed to deepening our engagement with the international community.”
“I’m currently exploring opportunities to broadcast in Mandarin, courtesy of our partnership with the Chinese government. This collaboration will enable us to reach a vast audience in China and promote cultural exchange between our nations.”
“However, I believe that our efforts should go beyond broadcasting. We need to encourage travel within the African continent.
“We need to promote cultural exchange programs, educational initiatives, and economic partnerships that foster cooperation and understanding. We need to create opportunities for Africans to experience the beauty and diversity of our continent firsthand.”
“To achieve this, I propose that we establish a partnership between SADC countries and the Voice of Nigeria.
“We can work together to promote positive narratives about our continent, encourage travel, and foster cultural exchange. We can offer our platforms to journalists from SADC countries to share their stories, and vice versa.
“By working together, we can create a unified narrative that showcases the best of Africa. Let’s define ourselves by our strengths, our resilience, and our beauty.
“Let’s celebrate our diversity, our cultures, and our achievements. Let’s take control of our narrative and let the world respect us. We are not defined by our challenges; we are defined by our ability to overcome them.”
“I offer the Voice of Nigeria platform to all SADC countries willing to work with us to consistently tell positive stories about Africa.”
“Let’s unite in our efforts to promote a positive narrative about our continent. Let’s celebrate our common future and work towards a brighter tomorrow for all Africans.” He added.
Ends
National News
UNILORIN Alumni Commences Tinubu on Appointment of Nandap, Omotowa, Aribisala

UNILORIN Alumni Commences Tinubu on Appointment of Nandap, Omotowa, Aribisala
By: Michael Mike
The National Headquarters of University of Ilorin Alumni Association has lauded President Bola Tinubu for appointing three of its members into various leadership positions in the country.
Those appointed were Comptroller General of Immigration, Mrs Kemi Nandap,, whose tenure was elongated till December 2026, Non Executive Director of NNPC, representing North Central, Mr Babs Omotowa- and the Pioneer Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin-Ekiti, Prof. James A. Aribisala.
In a congratulatory message to the trio, the National President, Prof. AbdulRasaq Kilani, and the National Secretary, Dr Barakat Raji, said the Association received the news of the appointments with excitement.
The Alumni, who commended President Tinubu for selecting the best for their various positions, assured him that the three alumni would not disappoint him in attaining the goals set for them to achieve.
While felicitating with the appointed members on their well-deserved appointment, the Association charged them to always show the excellence in them in surpassing the targets set for them by Mr President.
The Association who extolled the pedigrees of the appointed members in their various fields, implored them to live up to the expectations of the slogan of the institutions “better by far” in all ramifications.
The Alumni then prayed for their successful tenure and tasked them not to hesitate to reach out to them whenever their services are needed in any capacity towards national development.
UNILORIN Alumni Commences Tinubu on Appointment of Nandap, Omotowa, Aribisala
National News
President Tinubu reconstitute NNPC Board, remove Kyari Mele

President Tinubu reconstitute NNPC Board, remove Kyari Mele
By: Our Reporter
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a sweeping reconstitution of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited board, removing the chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure and the group chief executive officer, Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari.
In a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga,
Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), President Tinubu removed all other board members appointed with Akinyelure and Kyari in November 2023.
The new 11-man board has Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the Group CEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida as non-executive chairman.
Adedapo Segun, who replaced Umaru Isa Ajiya as the chief financial officer last November, has been appointed to the new board by President Tinubu.
Six board members, non-executive directors, represent the country’s geopolitical zones. They are Bello Rabiu, North West, Yusuf Usman, North East, and Babs Omotowa, a former managing director of the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas( NLNG), who represents North Central.
President Tinubu appointed Austin Avuru as a non-executive director from the South-South, David Ige as a Non-executive director from the South West, and Henry Obih as a non-executive director from the South East.
Mrs Lydia Shehu Jafiya, permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, will represent the ministry on the new board, while Aminu Said Ahmed will represent the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
All the appointments are effective today, April 2.
President Tinubu, invoking the powers granted under Section 59, subsection 2 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, emphasised that the board’s restructuring is crucial for enhancing operational efficiency, restoring investor confidence, boosting local content, driving economic growth, and advancing gas commercialisation and diversification.
President Tinubu also handed out an immediate action plan to the new board: to conduct a strategic portfolio review of NNPC-operated and Joint Venture Assets to ensure alignment with value maximisation objectives.
Since 2023, the Tinubu administration has implemented oil sector reforms to attract investment. Last year, NNPC reported $17 billion in new investments within the sector. The administration now envisions increasing the investment to $30 billion by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030.
The Tinubu administration targets raising oil production to two million barrels daily by 2027 and three million daily by 2030. Concurrently, the government wants gas production jacked to 8 billion cubic feet daily by 2027 and 10 billion cubic feet by 2030.
Furthermore, President Tinubu expects the new board to elevate NNPC’s share of crude oil refining output to 200,000 barrels by 2027 and reach 500,000 by 2030.
The new board chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, is from Borno State. He is an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he received a degree in civil engineering in 1984. He also obtained a postgraduate diploma in petroleum engineering from the Institut Francaise du Petrol (IFP) in Paris
He started his career in the oil industry at Elf Petroleum Nigeria and later joined Total Exploration and Production as a trainee engineer in 1985.
Musa became Total Nigeria’s Deputy Managing Director of Deep Water Services in 2015. Last year, he became an Independent Non-Executive Director at Pan Ocean-Newcross Group.
Apart from his oil industry career, Ahmadu Musa Kida is a former basketballer and the president of the Nigerian Basketball Federation(NBBF) board.
Ojulari, the new NNPC Limited Group CEO, hails from Kwara State. Until his new appointment, He was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company. His Renaissance recently led a consortium of indigenous energy firms in the landmark acquisition of the entire equity holding in the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), worth $2.4 billion.
Like Kida, Ojulari is also an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked for Elf Aquitaine as the first Nigerian process engineer to begin a stellar career in the oil sector. From Elf, he joined Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd in 1991 as an associate production technologist.
Apart from working in Nigeria, he worked in Europe and the Middle East in different capacities as a petroleum process and production engineer, strategic planner, field developer, and asset manager. In 2015, he became the managing director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO).
During his career, he was chairman and member of the board of trustees of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE Nigerian Council) and a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
President Tinubu thanked the old board members for their dedicated service to NNPC Limited, particularly their efforts in rehabilitating the old Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, which enabled them to resume petroleum product production after prolonged shutdowns. He wished them well in their future endeavours.
President Tinubu reconstitute NNPC Board, remove Kyari Mele
National News
Uromi Killing: NHRC Demands Protection for All Nigerians

Uromi Killing: NHRC Demands Protection for All Nigerians
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has condemned the recent gruesome killing of 16 traveling hunters in Edo State, who were mistook for kidnappers.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission Dr. Tony Ojukwu expressed deep concern over the horrific incident, which highlights the dangers of mob justice and the urgent need for effective law enforcement and respect for human rights.
He said: “We commend Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, for his swift and decisive action in suspending the Commander of the Edo State Security Corps, CP Friday Ibadin (Rtd.), and banning all illegal vigilante groups operating in the state, but more need to be done.”
Ojukwu said the Commission wishes to use this opportunity to remind the government and the people of Nigeria that every individual has the right to life, as enshrined in Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution as amended as well as Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
He equally said the Commission emphasized that the freedom of movement, as guaranteed by the Constitution and Article 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, has been grossly violated in this dastardly incident.
Ojukwu said: “We at the Commission demand that all the perpetrators be fished out and brought to justice. We call on the government to take concrete steps to prevent such incidents in the future, there is no justification for jungle justice anywhere in the world.”
He emphasized that every Nigerian has the right to life, dignity, and freedom from violence, regardless of their ethnicity, religion, or occupation, assuring that the Commission will continue to advocate for the protection of human rights and the rule of law in Nigeria.
Ojukwu said: “We urge the Edo State Government to continue its investigation into the killings and ensure that all perpetrators face the full wrath of the law. On our part, we will continue to monitor the process of investigation to ensure that justice is served. This will serve as a deterrent to others.
“Promotion and protection of human rights is paramount to national development, let’s all imbibe the culture of respect for human rights and fundamental freedom to make Nigeria a better place.”
Uromi Killing: NHRC Demands Protection for All Nigerians
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