Author: Gabby

The Nigerian government has issued a stern warning to telecom operators, including MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile, to enhance their service quality or face punitive measures. This caution comes after years of inadequate network performance that has plagued consumers.

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, emphasized that recent reforms have eliminated any justification for substandard services. He noted that the administration inherited a structurally flawed connectivity landscape, stemming from chronic underinvestment and operational bottlenecks.

Tijani outlined a dual approach to tackling these issues. On the long term, the government has secured World Bank funding and established a special purpose vehicle under Project BRIDGE to deploy nationwide open-access fiber infrastructure. Fiber rollout and new tower installations via NUCAP are slated to commence before year-end, complemented by expanded satellite capabilities.

In the short term, the government has stabilized the sector through tariff adjustments, designating telecom infrastructure as critical national asset, tax harmonization, and broader macroeconomic reforms. These measures have restored profitability and fostered a transparent, market-driven environment, giving operators the capacity to invest in network upgrades.

Telecom firms are now expected to take all necessary steps to resolve network challenges and deliver the quality of service Nigerians deserve. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been fully empowered to monitor performance, enforce standards, and ensure compliance, with sanctions for defaulting operators.

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has implemented a minor reshuffle of his executive council, bringing in Leader Leneke to head the Ministry of Information and Strategy. The announcement was made on Wednesday evening through the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, who stated that Leneke’s appointment follows the resignation of James Iliya, who stepped down to pursue a nomination for the Demsa House of Assembly seat.

In addition to the new appointment, two commissioners exchanged portfolios. Sali Idris has been reassigned from the Ministry of Livestock to the Ministry of Agriculture, while Professor David Jatau moves from Agriculture to Livestock. However, Jatau is currently on sick leave, so Usman Lamurde, the Commissioner for Special Duties, will temporarily oversee the Ministry of Livestock until Jatau returns.

Furthermore, Muhammad Chubado, who previously served as Commissioner for Energy Development, has been appointed as the new Commissioner for Health and Human Services. These changes are part of the governor’s ongoing efforts to optimize his cabinet’s performance and address administrative needs within the state.

The Jigawa State Executive Council has greenlit the creation of a State Steering Committee to oversee the allocation and execution of the Polling Units Development Fund across the state. Commissioner for Information, Youth, Sports and Culture, Sagiru Musa Ahmed, made this known while addressing journalists at the Government House.

Ahmed emphasized that this initiative is designed to bolster grassroots governance, foster community engagement, and guarantee that developmental initiatives penetrate ward and polling unit levels effectively. He stated that the committee will be responsible for providing policy guidance, supervision, monitoring, and coordination to ensure the successful rollout of the Polling Units Ward Development Committee framework throughout the state.

The committee will be chaired by the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, with members drawn from key state institutions such as the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Information and Digital Economy, and other relevant stakeholders.

In addition, the Executive Council sanctioned extra funds for diesel supply to water stations in the five emirate headquarters, aiming to enhance water delivery across Jigawa. The council also approved N875.965 million for the Jigawa Food Bank Initiative to assist 27,000 vulnerable women food vendors chosen from polling units statewide.

Furthermore, the council greenlit empowerment loan schemes for members of the Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners, Repairs and Riders Association of Nigeria and the National Association of Road Transport Owners in Jigawa State, as part of efforts to boost small businesses and youth empowerment.

Public analyst and accountability advocate Abubakar Yaro has dismissed the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project’s allegation that N26.9 billion is unaccounted for in the Universal Service Provision Fund, labeling it as deceptive and lacking essential context.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Yaro pointed out that the narrative presented to the public is one-sided and exaggerated. According to him, the claim does not reflect the complete picture, as it omits critical details about the USPF’s financial operations.

Yaro argued that average annual allocations to the USPF during the period in question stood at around N7.5 billion, making it illogical for an institution with such funding to suddenly lose N26.9 billion. Simple arithmetic alone contradicts the assertion.

Further analysis reveals that over N13.8 billion of the supposed missing funds actually relate to operating surplus deductions handled by the Nigerian Communications Commission before any transfer to the USPF. Records indicate that the USPF never received or held those amounts.

Yaro challenged SERAP to explain why these facts were overlooked before rushing to the media. He emphasized the need for accurate and transparent reporting to avoid misleading the public about the management of public funds.

Doctors Without Borders, officially known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has highlighted severe malnutrition, repeated disease outbreaks, and ongoing maternal health struggles in Nigeria, as detailed in its 2025 Country Activity Report launched in Abuja. The organization points to rising food shortages, conflict, inflation, floods, displacement, and weak healthcare systems as key factors driving health risks for millions, particularly children and women.

During the reporting period, MSF ran regular medical initiatives across ten states—Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Borno, Bauchi, Cross River, and Ebonyi—and started new operations in Kaduna. The data reveals that MSF teams treated more than 440,000 children for malnutrition in 2025, marking the highest number of admissions the group has seen in recent years. Specifically, 353,989 children with severe acute malnutrition received outpatient care, while an additional 90,723 with complications were admitted to inpatient stabilization centers supported by MSF.

Ahmed Aldikhari, MSF’s Country Representative in Nigeria, called the figures a stark indicator of the growing humanitarian crisis in northern communities. He stated that 2025 recorded the highest malnutrition admissions in the country over recent years. Aldikhari emphasized that malnutrition is closely tied to recurrent diseases like measles, malaria, diphtheria, and cholera, which spread rapidly where healthcare access is limited. The report also shows that MSF treated 341,239 malaria patients, 38,753 measles cases, 6,123 diphtheria cases, and 985 meningitis patients across various states in 2025.

MSF noted that disease outbreaks often worsen during the rainy season and continue to strain healthcare facilities, especially in underserved and conflict-ridden areas. The organization called for stronger vaccination efforts, better water and sanitation systems, enhanced disease monitoring, and timely treatment to reduce preventable deaths. On maternal health, the report highlights that Nigeria still has one of the world’s highest maternal and newborn death rates, with many women facing barriers due to insecurity, poor transport, overburdened hospitals, and weak referral networks.

In 2025, MSF assisted 33,590 deliveries, provided 119,469 antenatal consultations, and performed 224 fistula surgeries. Many women still experience severe complications from delayed emergency care, including heavy bleeding, obstructed labor, infections, and hypertension-related conditions. Aldikhari urged increased investment in primary healthcare, staffing, medical supplies, and emergency maternal services, particularly in rural and conflict-affected areas across the country.

The Northern Coalition for Accountability and Public Trust (NCAPT) has pushed back against allegations by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) concerning missing funds from the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF). SERAP had called on President Bola Tinubu to investigate an alleged disappearance of N26.9 billion from the USPF, urging the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, and USPF Secretary, Yomi Arowosafe, to provide explanations.

NCAPT, through its Executive Director, Amb. Abubakar Yusuf Yaro, released a statement on Wednesday describing SERAP’s claims as inflated and devoid of necessary context. The organization argued that the average yearly budget for the USPF during the period in question was around N7.5 billion, making it illogical to suggest that N26.9 billion could be missing. They pointed out that over N13.8 billion of the alleged missing amount consisted of operating surplus deductions managed directly by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) before reaching the USPF, implying that the fund never actually held those sums.

Furthermore, NCAPT highlighted that procurement processes associated with the USPF underwent proper oversight, including approvals from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and tenders boards, with payments backed by necessary documentation and project evidence. They accused SERAP of conducting a media trial, noting that previous audits and reviews by a House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee found no improprieties in USPF operations.

The organization emphasized that audit observations are not conclusive evidence of fraud but rather queries meant for clarification through established institutional channels. They called on the National Assembly and oversight bodies to independently review documents and allow due process without external pressure, urging SERAP to seek clarification before making public conclusions that could damage institutional credibility.

In a significant development in the ongoing N8.7 billion money laundering trial involving former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, a witness from Zenith Bank has testified that the financial institution submitted Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) concerning transactions linked to Malami’s accounts. The testimony was presented before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday.

The witness, Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer at Zenith Bank, revealed during the proceedings that despite the deposits in the account statements adhering to Central Bank of Nigeria guidelines, the bank still filed STRs as part of its regulatory duties. When questioned by defense counsel Adebayo Adedeji, SAN, Bata confirmed that the deposits were in compliance with CBN regulations, but emphasized that the filing of STRs was mandatory.

“But we had to file Suspicious Transaction Report. We did file,” Bata stated unequivocally in court.

A brief legal argument ensued during re-examination when prosecution lawyer J.S. Okutepa, SAN, sought an explanation of what constitutes a Suspicious Transaction Report. The defense objected, claiming the witness’s earlier testimony was clear. However, Justice Abdulmalik allowed the question under Section 215(3) of the Evidence Act.

Expanding on his prior statement, the compliance officer explained that STRs are typically filed when funds are deposited in repetitive or unusual patterns. “Any deposition of funds seen in a pattern or repetitive, you must escalate it to the NFIU,” he clarified.

Bata further noted that his role as a compliance officer primarily involved handling correspondence from law enforcement agencies, and he was not the account officer or relationship manager for the accounts under scrutiny.

Following the witness’s testimony, the court discharged him and adjourned the case until May 22 for the continuation of the trial. Malami is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, on an amended 16-count charge of conspiracy, concealment, and laundering approximately N8.7 billion allegedly derived from unlawful activities.