Dear reader, while you are probably still calculating how much ₦500 can buy in pepper this week, our public officeholders and representatives are debating bills, chasing investors, and inspecting fish farms.
Here is a roundup of some Nigerian newspaper headlines, accompanied by our advocacy-driven demands for government action in addressing citizens’ concerns.
1. This Day: Senate Moves to Salvage Nigeria’s Power Sector with Bold Legislative Overhaul
The Senate is back at it, this time with the Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, promising to fix a power sector that has been ‘under maintenance’ longer than some people’s marriages.
They have also launched an investigation into Ponzi schemes after the Crypto Bullion Exchange (CBEX) allegedly disappeared with over ₦1.3 trillion; that’s enough money to power all our homes and have change for jollof rice.
Our Take: Dear Senators, do not just debate power; deliver it. We ask that you provide real timelines for grid reform, penalties for electricity theft (even if done by VIPs), and transparency in Ponzi investigations, including naming and shaming public enablers. And to all Nigerians, before you invest your savings in anything called ‘Crypto Bullion’, please, shine your eyes and verify with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
2. Punch: US meeting: African leaders seek Trump’s support to develop resources
In an unexpected diplomatic flashback, US President Donald Trump hosted the presidents of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal at the White House in Washington, D.C.
We heard that the meeting focused on business opportunities as the African leaders sought partnerships to develop their resources, with President Trump praising their countries’ ‘great oil, minerals, and very valuable land’.
Our Take: Of course, development is good, but why does it always sound like we are auctioning the continent with a smile? African leaders, when seeking partnerships, remember: we have more than minerals to offer. Bring home deals that empower citizens, not just handshake photo-ops. And citizens, ask your leaders this: What did you bring back from that trip?
3. Vanguard: Federal Government targets food sufficiency through PPP – Information Minister
The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, has announced the government’s strategy to boost food security through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) following his visit to a Tilapia Fish Farm and a Free Trade Zone in Niger State.
Our Take: That sounds great. But for millions of Nigerians wondering how fish farming in Bussa solves the rising price of garri in Benin, this might feel a bit fishy. So while we appreciate the fish tour, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adeboyega Oyetola, his equivalent in the Ministry of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar, and the Finance Minister, Wale Edun, should please scale up support for local farmers, not just industrial producers; ensure PPPs are inclusive, not profit-only ventures; and monitor and report food price trends in real-time, as hunger does not wait for press releases.
