Welcome to Wednesday’s roundup of Nigerian newspaper headlines, accompanied by our advocacy-focused calls on issues that impact citizens.
1. Daily Trust: Kidnappers collected N2.57bn ransom in 1 year – Report
Daily Trust reports that a new report by SBM Intelligence has revealed that kidnappers collected at least N2.57 billion as ransom from their victims between July 2024 and June 2025.
The report, titled ‘The Year Ahead at an Inflexion Point’, released on 19 December, 2025, analysed key economic and political developments shaping Africa in 2025 and found that kidnappers demanded an estimated N48 billion in ransom during the 12-month period, though only a fraction of that amount was ultimately paid.
Our Take: This grim figure demands more than condolences and press briefings, placing responsibility squarely on President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Advisor, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, state governors, the security agencies and the National Assembly to fix a security system where kidnapping has become a profitable enterprise. Intelligence-led policing, prosecution of financiers, victim support, and accountability for security failures must replace reactive statements. Otherwise, Nigeria risks running a shadow economy where criminals meet their revenue targets more reliably than government agencies
2. Punch: Budget crisis: NASS extends 2025 fiscal year to March
In a major fiscal reset aimed at addressing revenue shortfalls, weak capital execution and overlapping budget cycles, the National Assembly on Tuesday approved a revised N43.5tn 2024 Appropriation Act and a reworked N48.3tn 2025 budget framework, with the 2025 fiscal year extended to March 31, 2026.
Our Take: This fiscal reset must now translate into fiscal responsibility, and that task rests squarely on President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Budget Office of the Federation, the National Assembly leadership, and MDAs responsible for implementation. Beyond repealing and re-enacting figures, Nigerians deserve strict monitoring of capital releases, transparent debt management, and an end to budget rollovers becoming a yearly ritual.
3. The Guardian: Investor Fatigue, $14bn Infrastructure Gap Stall Deep-Seaports Renewal Plan
The Guardian reports that Nigeria’s ambition to regain its status as the leading maritime hub for West and Central Africa is faltering, with seven proposed deep-seaports stalled due to a lack of investors and an estimated $14 billion (N19 trillion) in foreign investment needed to complete them.
Our Take: This situation calls for urgent, coordinated action from President Tinubu, the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy led by Adegboyega Oyetola, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) under Abubakar Dantsoho, the Ministry of Transportation, the Nigerian Railway Corporation, and the Nigeria Customs Service. These authorities must move beyond policy rhetoric to guarantee cargo volumes, fix port access roads and rail links, and provide bankable assurances that make investment viable. Nigeria cannot keep hosting high-level maritime summits while Ghana, Togo, and Benin host the ships, proving once again that in West Africa’s port competition, meetings are Nigerian, but cargo is foreign.
