Category Nigeria News

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) needs funding to expand the power sector’s transmission infrastructure, according to the Power Minister.

Adelabu made the call over the weekend while speaking at a Senate Committee on Power two-day retreat.

The minister argued that the TCN should receive funding under the appropriation bill, not to mention that the organization’s resources are insufficient to support its operations.

They lack the necessary funds, and they only run their internally generated revenue (IGR), which has declined over time. They are unable to pay their monthly salaries, nor are they able to maintain their outdated infrastructure and build new transmission networks. He claimed that TCN should be able to be accommodated in appropriation.

Adelabu addressed the ongoing crisis that is threatening to derail industry progress, which, in his opinion, continues to trajectorise service delivery across the country despite significant reforms in the electricity sector.

The Minister pointed out glaring differences in the performance of distribution companies (DisCo), which include aging networks, widespread electricity theft, and subpar investments that have increased reliance on unsustainable subsidies and left millions in darkness.

“We need to be tough with the DisCos because they can easily thwart our gains.” In terms of performance expectations, they have disappointed us. If consumers are frustrated at the distribution points, whatever we do in generation doesn’t mean anything.

He noted that while the sector was being restructured in 2003, the DisCos were supposed to have technical partners, but many of them showed that they had worked with foreign companies to achieve that goal, which lasted for about three months.

However, he claims that those businesses left right away as soon as they took control.

“We need utility companies that can invest in the sector to improve infrastructure, and likewise, improve service,” he said, adding that “many of them went to the banks to take loans to buy the assets, and after that, they are taking out the money to pay the loans,”

The distribution segment continues to be the weakest link, according to the Minister, despite tariff adjustments that increased market liquidity by 70%, increasing sector revenue from 1 trillion in 2023 to 1 trillion in 2024.

“Abuja DisCo accounted for 85% of Northern payments in the fourth quarter of 2024, with only 124.4% (30%) of their 240.86 billion invoice being sent to DisCos in the North.” Southern DisCos did a little better, sending in a whopping 254.6 billion (67%), despite having to pay only Lagos DisCos for 70% of it. These discrepancies are primarily the result of underinvestment and network degradation outside of economic hubs.

Adelabu noted that the government’s $ 700 billion Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI) and a World Bank-backed program aimed at 4.3 million meters by 2025, and that an additional 200, 000 units are anticipated in May. This is a key driver of revenue loss and consumer distrust.

The Minister acknowledged that closing this gap is essential to fair billing and financial sustainability, but that underinvestment and operational inefficiencies are holding us back.

Additionally, generation companies are owed a 4 trillion dollar subsidy backlog, including 1.9 trillion for 2024 alone. The Minister warned that continuing to pay current tariffs is “unsustainable,” putting strain on public funds needed for infrastructure upgrades, as monthly shortfalls now exceed $200 billion.

We will soon begin restructuring underperforming DisCos and putting stricter performance benchmark enforcement in place to save the sector. However, without urgent funding for distribution networks, gains in generation, including a historic 6,003MW output in March 2025, and transmission upgrades, such as the deployment of 61 new transformers in 2024, won’t be able to provide reliable household supply.

The Minister praised plans to regionalize transmission networks and encourage private investment in grid infrastructure, noting that the two DisCos in Lagos’ 70% remittance reflects better infrastructure than that of the northern networks.

The Minister also mentioned plans to improve the country’s northern region’s power supply. The approximately 1000 megawatt Makurdi hydropower project is being investigated. Additionally, we want to revive the abandoned Kaduna thermal plants, which have been closed down for five years. It has a 215 megawatt power plant that is currently about 87% complete. This power plant is currently being restored in an effort to.

Adelabu reported that the state government is interested in acquiring the 10-MW installed Katsina wind farm. The State government has requested that some private investors be involved in this matter, and we have ordered a feasibility study to be conducted to consign the farm, which has been a while.

He demanded that more stringent laws be passed to protect Nigeria’s power infrastructure from vandalism.

Adelabu emphasized the necessity of stronger legal controls in order to stop the destruction of crucial energy assets and maintain the stability of the nation’s electricity supply.

The Minister believes that vandalism should not be a civil offense but rather a criminal one, adding that illegal connections, power theft, and nonpayment of bills by customers are all serious issues that need to be addressed.

Read more about how other world leaders pledge more than $170 million to the WHO ahead of the US exit.

Adelabu acknowledged that despite the difficulties, the grid has been stabilized and that there hasn’t been a grid collapse since the start of the year.

“Our current grid’s stability is the result of our hard work and expenditure,” he said. TCN installed 61 new transformers in 2024, either by replacing them with brand-new ones or creating new ones. Additionally, TCN installed about 13 new transformers in its first four months, with capacities ranging from 10 megawatts to 300 megawatts. These are what our people still go out to vandalise, all put together, cost hundreds of millions of dollars to install.

Our towers have been toppled by saboteurs and vandals, and there are meters that people tamper with. The Minister urged appropriate legislation and public vigilance to safeguard “national assets,” which are owned by every Nigerian.

The newly rehabilitated and expanded Danbaba Suntai Airport in Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, was inaugurated by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

He arrived in Jalingo on Wednesday morning, setting up the airport for the 2025 Taraba International Investment Summit, at around 10:17 a.m.

The state capital’s capital is the location of the summit, which is titled “Unlocking Taraba’s Investment Potentials: Advancing Agriculture, Energy, Mining, and Industrialization (AEMI) for Sustainable Growth and Development.”

Read more about Nigeria’s external reserves’ record $ 260 million net gain in a week.

Potential investors from Nigeria and abroad are expected to be able to see the state’s vast agricultural, energy, and mineral resources at the Taraba International Investment Summit.

Bola Tinubu is representing Shettima at the gathering.

In response to the escalating global health issues, international leaders have pledged to give the World Health Organization (WHO) at least an additional $170 million.

Leaders at the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, where they reiterated their support for multilateral cooperation through contributions to the WHO’s Investment Round (IR), made the pledges at a high-level pledging event on Tuesday.

The Fourteenth General Programme of Work, WHO’s strategy for global health, is raising money to fund its potential saving of 40 million lives over the course of four years. Significant contributions have been made by both government and philanthropic partners as of today’s pledges.

Member states approved raising assessed contributions, adding a separate US $90 million in annual income, and completing another significant step in the direction of sustainable development.

“I’m appreciative of every partner and member state who contributed to the investment round. These funds will aid us in continuing our life-saving work in a challenging environment for global health, according to WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. They demonstrate the viability of multilateralism.

The meeting attracted contributions from ELMA Philanthropies (with the WHO Foundation), Fondation Botnar, Laerdal Global Health (with the WHO Foundation), Nippon Foundation, Qatar, China, Gabon, Mongolia, Qatar, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, and Nippon Foundation. The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation made a further US$ 13 million commitment to increase funding.

At least US $170 million is allocated for the Investment Round, which will help to support WHO’s base budget for the years 2025 to 2028. The most important type of funding, which eight donors have received, and four of them have been repeat donors.

Nearly 8000 people from all over the world have signed up as “Member Citizens” through the One World Movement, making almost US $600,000 in donations, many of them monthly. This is a powerful declaration of global solidarity and an affirmation that every voice counts.

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Contributor: A new funding round for WHO investment round

Following the technical glitch discovered in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has dismissed allegations of conspiracy theories against a portion of the nation.

The five South-East zone and Lagos states, which many claim the Board purposefully influenced the candidates’ outcomes, were affected by the technical glitch.

However, Prof. Oloyede refuted the claim at a meeting with the board’s management prior to Wednesday’s release of the rescheduled UTME Exam results.

He added that the meeting observes a minute of silence in honor of the candidate who passed away as a result of the examination. &nbsp,

Every candidate is a Nigerian and has equal opportunities, insists Professor Ishaq Oloyede, who claims there was no intentional attempt to denigrate South-East students.

His denial comes after complaints from some circles, particularly South-East region legislators, that he resign due to the technical glitch that affected over 300,000 students.

“National shame”

Due to the technical glitch, Oloyede’s resignation was requested by the South-East Caucus of the 10th House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Additionally, it demanded that the entire examination be completely canceled and a new start date for the nationwide exercise.

The lawmakers referred to the outcome of the exam as a “national shame” in a statement signed by the caucus leader, Igariwey Iduma Enwo.

They urged the immediate suspension of those in the JAMB’s digital operations and examination logistics in response.

The JAMB registrar is portrayed as a good man, but then leadership has to have consequences. We therefore urge Professor Ishaq Oloyede, the JAMB’s Registrar, to do the necessary by stepping down in order to allow for a thorough investigation and remediation of this national embarrassment.

A story that claimed a Christian convert from Zamfara State to be tried in Sharia Court on Friday is being refuted by the Zamfara State government has been refuted.

Sulaiman Bala Idris, the spokesperson for the Zamfara Governor, refuted the report and said it was caused by social media platforms that were intended to drive traffic.

Idris claimed beyond a shadow of a doubt that no such case had been brought before any Zamfara State Sharia Court.

The Zamfara State Government’s attention has been drawn to a 22-year-old woman who is facing the death penalty for converting to Christianity, according to the statement.

We want to blatantly state that it is the work of peace’s enemies, who are determined to stoke tension wherever there is.

“The fake news, which was spread on social media by a platform known for distributing falsehoods and unverified information, is nothing more than a failed attempt to disrupt the peace,” said one person.

The Zamfara State Government immediately called all relevant authorities and security personnel to verify the story’s truth, which the Sahara Reporters ultimately uncovered as a blatant falsehood.

The state government has spoken with the Grand Khadi of the Zamfara Sharia Court of Appeal regarding any similar cases to ensure accountability and certainty. He claimed that Zamfara State has never heard such a case before a Shari’a court.

Where did this dangerous and divisive narrative come from, the question is? What are the underpinnings of it? What do those who are promoting this story hope to eventually achieve?

“We are living in fascinating times. Media outlets that should have verified stories are becoming content, only copying and pasting content from social media accounts eager to get likes and comments.

Further, the statement further revealed that the woman behind the “fake news” image is not Nigerian, and that her real name is Aalia, a Texas native.

The Zamfara State Government believes it is crucial to clarify the state’s lack of such things. We must all denounce yellow journalism in this circumstance.

Aliko Dangote, one of Africa’s richest men, has been chosen as one of the 100 most influential people in the world who will shape the direction of charitable giving, according to TIME Magazine’s inaugural TIME100 Philanthropy list.

Only one Nigerian is included on the prestigious 2025 list, Dangote.

The list, which was released on Tuesday, lists 100 philanthropists from 28 nations in the categories of “Titans, Leaders, Trailblazers, and Innovators.”

Dangote joins Michael Bloomberg, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett, and Melinda Gates in the 23 global figures who have been named the “Titans.”

The Dangote Group’s founder and president was commended for his strong philanthropic impact and success in business.

Aliko Dangote, the group’s founder, president, and CEO, established a net worth of $ 23.9 billion through operations in Nigeria’s oil and agriculture sectors, according to the magazine.

His Aliko Dangote Foundation, which he established with $1.25 billion in 2014, aims to return to the continent that contributed to his success by putting an average of $35 million annually toward programs in all of Africa.

Read more about Ali Pate and Bako-Aiyegbusi’s inclusion on TIME’s 100 Global Health Influencers List.

According to Dangote, “any African nation needs five things first, education, economic empowerment, disaster relief, and food.”

The next generation of African leaders must be produced. Our contribution to putting Africans on the road to success lies in our investments in nutrition, health, education, and economic empowerment, Dangote said.

The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) is currently implementing a $100 million multi-year program to treat children who suffer from severe malnutrition, among its recent initiatives. Additionally, it is reviving an initiative to distribute more than one million bags of rice in Nigeria this year, which was launched in 2024.

Prior to now, the foundation worked with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other partners to eradicate polio in Nigeria.

The World Health Organization declared that the nation was no longer polio-endemic in 2015.

Dangote recently announced a $10 million donation to Kano State’s Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology.

In addition to funding annual fellowships through the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders program, the foundation will also expand its regional efforts in 2025, including building school complexes, providing vocational training, and supporting local initiatives.

The Dangote Group referred to the TIME recognition as a significant affirmation of Dangote’s long-standing support for social development and philanthropy in a statement released on Tuesday.

The “Philanthropy 100” list on TIME aims to highlight those who are strategically influencing the world giving landscape in addition to giving money.