Yobe Executive Council Approves N73.3bn for Agriculture, Roads, Housing, Markets, Empowerment

By: Michael Mike

The Yobe State Executive Council has approved and ratified projects and services worth N73.32 billion as part of efforts to accelerate socio-economic development and improve living conditions across the state.

The decisions were reached at the Council’s meeting held on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at the Council Chamber of the Government House, Damaturu, under the chairmanship of Governor Mai Mala Buni.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Abdullahi Bego, said the approvals were in line with the administration’s commitment to service delivery and the socio-economic development agenda of the state.

The largest allocation, N28.53 billion, was approved for the procurement of agricultural tools and implements for the 2026 Mega Agricultural Empowerment Programme. The programme builds on similar interventions implemented by the state government in 2024 and 2025.

The Council also ratified N23.97 billion for two major road projects, comprising N21.90 billion for the rehabilitation and asphalt overlay of the 45-kilometre Kalallawa-Kaliyari Road linking Damaturu and Tarmuwa Local Government Areas, and N2.07 billion for the construction of the seven-kilometre Damagum-Gubana Road.

The construction of the Damagum-Gubana road, the commissioner said, would complete a 17-kilometre road connection to Gubana town from Damagum.

In the area of urban infrastructure and commerce, the Council approved N4.94 billion for the construction of the Buni-Yadi Modern Motor Park and Grains Market, while N5.69 billion was approved for external facilities and augmentation of the perimeter fence at the Damaturu Modern Motor Park, which is nearing completion.

Another N3.95 billion was approved for the construction of a new shopping mall and mini-market in Buni-Gari, Gujba Local Government Area, while N726.09 million was approved for upgrades to the ongoing Damaturu Mega Shopping Mall project.

The Council also approved N616.61 million for the upgrading, remodelling, landscaping and installation of safety barriers at four major roundabouts in Damaturu metropolis.

In the housing sector, the Council ratified N2.25 billion for the purchase of 208 housing units from the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, alongside N1.18 billion for the construction of an office complex and headquarters for the Ministry of Housing.

It also approved N652.63 million for the acquisition of Fanzar Mixed Farms Ltd.

As part of efforts to support women and small businesses, the Council approved N460.83 million for the procurement of beans for distribution to female small business owners across the state.

The beans will be distributed alongside cooking oil, smokeless stoves, cooking utensils and kitchenware already procured and stored by the Ministry of Wealth Creation, Empowerment and Employment Generation. A total of 1,780 bags of 50kg beans are expected to be distributed to beneficiaries.

The Council further approved N364.48 million for the procurement of 1,000 Yamaha GX 390 grinding machines for empowerment beneficiaries across the state.

In another major decision, the Council approved a Public-Private Partnership arrangement for the redevelopment of the Yobe Liaison Office in Kaduna into a modern hotel under a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) model.

Under the arrangement, the property will revert to the ownership of the Yobe State Government after 10 years, while the state’s liaison services will continue to operate from the property.

The approvals underscore the Buni administration’s emphasis on agricultural empowerment, infrastructure development, road connectivity, urban renewal, housing, women’s economic empowerment and the strategic utilisation of government assets.

Yobe Executive Council Approves N73.3bn for Agriculture, Roads, Housing, Markets, Empowerment

Egypt, Nigeria Deepen Push for African Solutions to Continental Challenges

By: Michael Mike

Egypt has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its partnership with Nigeria to develop African-led solutions to the continent’s challenges and promote a fairer global order that reflects Africa’s aspirations.

The Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mohammed Fouad,, made the commitment on Thursday in Abuja at a ceremony organised by the Egyptian Embassy to commemorate the 74th anniversary of Egypt’s July 23, 1952 Revolution.

Fouad described the revolution as a defining moment in Egypt’s modern history, saying it restored the country’s dignity, independence and hope, while continuing to inspire its commitment to sovereignty, social justice and national development.

He said Egypt and Nigeria, as two pillars of African diplomacy, had a shared responsibility to champion African unity, sovereignty and multilateralism.

“Egypt and Nigeria are pillars of African diplomacy. Together we champion African unity, sovereignty and multilateralism.

“We advocate African solutions to African problems and a fairer global order that reflects Africa’s aspirations.

“By coordinating our positions in regional organisations, we amplify Africa’s voice on development finance, peacekeeping, climate justice and in shaping policies that deliver tangible benefits to our citizens,” he said.

The ambassador noted that the two countries had recorded 65 years of formal diplomatic relations since shortly after Nigeria’s independence in 1960, describing the milestone as a reflection of a relationship that had grown beyond official government-to-government ties.

He said the relationship had been strengthened by people-to-people exchanges, noting that more than 10,000 Nigerian students were currently studying in Egyptian universities.

According to him, the educational exchanges are helping to produce a new generation of leaders capable of strengthening relations between the two societies.

Fouad added that tourism, business and academic exchanges between both countries had continued to intensify, creating a solid foundation for deeper cooperation.

“At a time of global uncertainty, Egypt and Nigeria recognise the importance of redefining and deepening our partnership to address shared challenges,” he said.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Amb. Omar Ahmed, congratulated the government and people of Egypt on the milestone in the countries’ diplomatic relations.

She described Nigeria-Egypt relations as a pivotal partnership between two of Africa’s largest and most influential economies.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Nigeria was committed to strengthening bilateral relations with Egypt by exploring new channels for investment and innovation in support of Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Egypt’s strategic development goals.

“Nigeria is dedicated to strengthening its bilateral relations with Egypt, actively seeking new channels for investment and innovation that support both our Renewed Hope Agenda and Egypt’s Strategic Development Goals.

“By harnessing our collective resources and dynamic youth population, we are poised to foster a more prosperous, stable and secure Africa,” she said.

The minister also commended the continued support by both countries for each other’s positions on the international stage, describing their partnership for African development as a key vehicle for advancing the continent’s progress.

She said Nigeria and Egypt remained committed to preventing conflicts in Africa, restructuring United Nations institutions, implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and pursuing the peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli crisis without interference in the domestic affairs of other states.

Egypt, Nigeria Deepen Push for African Solutions to Continental Challenges

Zulum Unveils Free Gas Cylinders for 23,700 Teachers, Environmental Vanguards as Borno Launches 4m-Tree Campaign

By: Michael Mike

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has unveiled an ambitious clean-energy and environmental restoration initiative involving the distribution of 23,700 free cooking gas cylinders to teachers and environmental vanguards across the state’s 27 local government areas.

The initiative, which includes refill vouchers for beneficiaries, is designed to reduce dependence on firewood, curb deforestation, improve household health and strengthen Borno’s environmental resilience as the state continues its post-conflict reconstruction and recovery efforts.

Zulum announced the programme on Thursday in Maiduguri at the 2026 National Tree Planting Campaign and the distribution of clean cooking stoves and gas cylinders, where the first phase of the intervention was launched.

Under the initial phase, 5,000 cooking gas cylinders and clean cooking stoves will be distributed to teachers and environmental vanguards in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere Local Government Area. Beneficiaries in the remaining 25 local government areas will receive the equipment in subsequent phases.

The governor said the programme would go beyond the distribution of the cylinders, with beneficiaries also receiving vouchers to enable them refill their gas through designated vendors.

According to him, the initiative is aimed at tackling the twin challenges of energy poverty and environmental degradation by providing practical alternatives to firewood use.

“This initiative will significantly reduce dependence on firewood, improve household health, protect our forests, reduce carbon emissions and improve the quality of life of thousands of families across our communities,” Zulum said.

He added that the state government would extend the programme to teachers in other local government areas, stressing that environmental restoration remained central to the administration’s rebuilding agenda.

“As we reconstruct communities affected by conflict, we must equally restore the ecosystem that sustains the communities. Sustainable peace and sustainable development cannot flourish in a degraded environment,” he said.

The governor commended President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to environmental sustainability under the Renewed Hope Agenda, while also acknowledging the contributions of First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu to the promotion of a greener Nigeria.

He further praised the Federal Ministry of Environment, its agencies and development partners for supporting efforts to build a climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable Borno State.

Flagging off the national tree planting campaign, the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal, described Borno’s approach as a model that combines tree planting with practical alternatives to firewood.

The minister said the provision of clean cooking alternatives was critical to the success of environmental protection efforts, noting that removing thousands of households from dependence on firewood would significantly reduce pressure on forests.

“I want to say here that this is the first time I have seen tree planting getting connected with alternatives. The Governor is giving you alternatives. He is giving out 5,000 clean cooking stoves to our teachers. That’s the starting point. If you can remove 5,000 people from using firewood, it is a great achievement,” Lawal said.

He disclosed that four million seedlings were being planted as part of the campaign, adding that more than 20 million trees had already been planted across Borno State.

The minister described the achievement as commendable and pledged efforts to encourage other states to adopt similar measures.

Lawal called on governments at all levels, schools, faith-based organisations, the private sector, youth and women’s groups, as well as citizens across the country, to embrace tree planting as a civic responsibility.

The campaign, he said, was not merely an environmental exercise but a national investment in the health, livelihoods and future security of generations yet unborn.

For Borno, the combined rollout of clean cooking alternatives and the planting of four million seedlings signals a broader environmental strategy in which reconstruction is being pursued alongside ecological restoration, with the state seeking to rebuild communities while protecting the natural systems on which their long-term survival depends.

Zulum Unveils Free Gas Cylinders for 23,700 Teachers, Environmental Vanguards as Borno Launches 4m-Tree Campaign