Nigeria

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Gombe State Government has commenced the disbursement of N10.32 billion in gratuities to 6,665 retired workers across state and local government services.

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya announced the payment on Thursday during the launch of the sixth tranche of gratuity payments by his administration since 2019.

According to the governor, N6.24 billion was approved for 2,354 state government retirees covering 2024 and 2025, while N4.08 billion was allocated to settle outstanding gratuities for 4,311 local government retirees.

Yahaya said his administration inherited N21 billion in unpaid gratuities when it took office in 2019. The arrears covered local government retirees from 2012 to 2019 and state government retirees from 2014 to 2019.

“When we assumed office in 2019, we inherited a gratuity backlog of N21bn owed to state and local government retirees,” he said.

He explained that the state and local government finances were under pressure at the time, adding that local councils had borrowed N1.3 billion monthly between 2013 and 2019 to meet salary obligations.

“From the outset, we recognised that the welfare of retirees is not a privilege but a right, and that every worker who has served faithfully deserves to retire with dignity and financial security,” Yahaya said.

The governor said his administration continued to pay gratuities despite economic challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, recessions, the Russia-Ukraine war, fuel subsidy removal and the floating of the naira.

“Yet through prudent management of scarce resources, we had paid a total of N33.283bn in gratuities before today,” he said.

He added that the latest disbursement had raised the total gratuities paid since 2019 to N44.134 billion.

“With today’s disbursement, our cumulative gratuity payment since 2019 has reached a historic N44.134bn,” the governor said.

Yahaya stated that the latest payment had cleared state government gratuity obligations up to December 2025, while payments for entitlements accruing from January 2026 were scheduled for early 2027.

He also disclosed plans to establish a sustainable arrangement to prevent future accumulation of gratuity arrears. Options under consideration include a contributory pension scheme or deductions from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

“Our objective is simple: gratuity obligations must never again be allowed to accumulate and become an unbearable burden to the state and our retirees,” he said.

The governor further announced the release of N299 million in gratuities to former employees of the Gombe Investment and Property Development Company, following its dissolution and the creation of the Gombe State Investment Promotion Agency.

He said approval had also been granted to settle outstanding gratuities owed to former local government chairmen and councillors from previous administrations up to the present period.

Yahaya said his government had implemented the new minimum wage for state and local government workers, alongside the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure and Consolidated Health Salary Structure for doctors, nurses and other health professionals.

He maintained that salaries and pensions had been paid promptly throughout his tenure, including during periods of economic recession.

The governor said the need to address inherited gratuity arrears and an already overstaffed public service had influenced the administration’s decision to delay large-scale recruitment.

“The moral burden of clearing billions in gratuity arrears, together with an inherited service that was already overstaffed, compelled us to delay large-scale recruitment,” he said.

However, he noted that the government had employed 1,000 teachers, more than 440 health workers and hundreds of other personnel to meet staffing needs across ministries, departments and agencies.

“With the inherited backlog now cleared, Gombe State is in a stronger position to recruit new workers sustainably and strategically, aligned with the real needs of our public service and economy,” Yahaya said.

He appealed to retirees, civil servants and organised labour to support the government’s development efforts.

“We expect a renewed commitment and support from our retirees, civil servants and trade union groups to repay the support extended to them by our administration,” he said.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Muhammadu Magaji, described the commencement of the payments as a significant development in the management of pensions and gratuities in the state.

Magaji praised retirees for their contributions to Gombe’s development through their years of public service.

“You have taught our children, you treated the sick, you administered our institutions, maintained infrastructure and kept the machinery of government functioning,” he said.

He stressed that the payment represented the government’s fulfilment of its responsibility to former workers.

“The payment being commenced today therefore is not a favour, but a fulfilment of obligation of government which is being upheld strongly by His Excellency, our dear governor,” Magaji said.

The commissioner described the disbursement as “a restoration of hope, a fulfilment of an obligation, and a demonstration that responsible governance can make a tangible difference in the lives of our people.”

He also commended the administration’s efforts to improve internally generated revenue, strengthen budget credibility and promote transparency and accountability in public finance.

Magaji cited the state’s participation in fiscal and governance reform programmes, including SIFTAS, SABER and HOPE, as part of its efforts to improve public financial management and institutional performance.

“Permit me, on behalf of the government and people of the state, to sincerely acknowledge and appreciate Your Excellency for this effort towards our pensioners and retirees,” he said.

He urged the beneficiaries to recognise the government’s efforts to settle the inherited obligations and prayed for continued strength and wisdom for the governor.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force, North West Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have repelled an attack by the Lakurawa Terrorist Group on Forward Operating Base Maiyama in Kebbi State, recovering weapons, ammunition and 17 motorcycles.

In a statement on Thursday, Lt Col Aliyu Danja, Media Information Officer, Joint Task Force (North West) Operation FANSAN YAMMA, said the incident occurred in the early hours of 7 October 2026, when a large number of terrorists, operating on over 100 motorcycles and armed with assorted weapons including General Purpose Machine Guns and Rocket-Propelled Grenades, launched an attack on the base.

The troops responded swiftly and effectively, repelling the attack and preventing the terrorists from achieving their objective. The terrorists subsequently withdrew, abandoning weapons, equipment and other logistics in their haste to escape.

Following the engagement, troops conducted exploitation and pursuit operations in the surrounding area, leading to the recovery of 17 motorcycles, a PKT machine gun, an AK-47 rifle, assorted ammunition and a communication device believed to have been used by the terrorists during the attack.

The statement said the recovery represented a significant setback to the terrorists’ operational capability in the area, adding that the general area remained firmly under troops’ control.

It added that aggressive patrols, clearance and dominance operations were continuing to track and neutralize fleeing members of the terrorist group.

The Theatre Command, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, restated its commitment to maintaining the security of communities and denying terrorists the freedom to operate within the Joint Operations Area.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Federal Government on Thursday announced that NNPC Retail will forgo its petrol retail profit margin and sell at cost for the next 30 days as part of measures to cushion Nigerian households from global crude oil price shocks.

In a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the government said NNPC Retail, which already sells petrol at the lowest price in the market, will offer the discount within the next 30 days. It explained that if NNPC’s landing cost is N1,300 per litre, it will sell at the same price to Nigerians, especially commercial vehicles.

The move, backed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was announced by Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Taiwo Oyedele alongside other measures.

Oyedele said he hoped other marketers would follow NNPC’s lead, noting that the sharp rise in crude and petrol prices is not expected to last long. He stressed that NNPC’s decision must not be misinterpreted as a return to petrol subsidy, which ended on May 29, 2023.

He also announced forward sales of crude to domestic refineries. According to him, as production rises and previously committed crude is freed up, pump prices should be shielded from global market volatility.

The government, Oyedele said, is negotiating a ceiling of N1,350 per litre on the ex-gantry or landing cost of petrol to keep pump prices stable. Where costs rise above the ceiling, refiners and importers will carry the shortfall and recover it later when crude prices or the exchange rate allow, without breaching the cap.

“This is neither a subsidy nor a price control: it is designed to smooth prices over time rather than suppressing them,” Oyedele said. “N1,400 a litre today and N1,400 tomorrow is better than N1,500 today and N1,300 tomorrow, because volatility itself adds to uncertainty and cost. And when fares rise sharply, they rarely fall as fast.”

He said the ceiling would be reviewed monthly, reset as costs require, and the figures published for transparency.

Under the 2025 tax reform laws, Oyedele said the Federal Government, in collaboration with states and security agencies, is reining in road taxes and levies that inflate fares and logistics costs. Funding is also being increased for cash transfers to vulnerable households and subsidised credit for small businesses and consumers.

Other measures announced include:

1· A faster CNG rollout, with the government expecting transporters to pass savings on to passengers. CNG is 60–70 per cent cheaper than petrol.

2· Consideration of an excess profit tax for operators who take undue advantage of consumers along the energy value chain. Proceeds would be used exclusively to cushion fuel prices through transport support or vouchers for urban minimum-wage earners. The government will also work with the National Assembly on enhanced tax relief for low-income earners under the 2027 Finance Bill.

3· Cuts to regulatory costs that feed into the cost of doing business and, indirectly, higher prices of goods and services.

4· Investment in a National Strategic Fuel Reserve. Refined products would be released under clear, published rules whenever global disruption or hoarding threatens supply and price stability. The government said this is not a subsidy and does not fix prices, but secures supply and reduces volatility.

5· Better traffic and logistics management, including improved traffic flow in major urban centres to reduce fuel consumption, and the use of NIPOST’s newly launched address codes to make logistics more efficient and cheaper.

The Presidency said none of the measures restores a blanket subsidy, warning that doing so would create longer-term harm for a short-term cure. It acknowledged the hardship Nigerians face over the high cost of fuel.

“Removing the fuel subsidy came at a price. But the alternative has been tried. Nigeria has already lived through that cycle: scarcity, smuggling, a collapsing currency and a fiscal crisis. We cannot afford to live through it again, least of all in response to a temporary disruption, and at the very moment the results of reform are gathering pace,” it said.

The government said it was not reversing a necessary reform, but ensuring its gains reach more Nigerians faster and in more tangible ways. It added that it is working on a comprehensive package of fiscal measures to bring inflation down to single digits sustainably in the near term.

By Hajara Abdullahi

A 20-year-old man, Lawisi Safiyanu, has been arrested for allegedly stabbing his 25-year-old friend, Muhammad Abba, to death over a N500 debt in Jigawa State.

The incident occurred at about 12:30 a.m. on October 1, 2026, in Chamo village, Dutse Local Government Area.

The Jigawa State Police Command said preliminary investigation showed that the deceased bought a mobile phone from the suspect for N1,500. He paid N1,000 and was left owing N500.

Reports said an argument broke out between the two men over the outstanding N500. During the altercation, the suspect allegedly used a knife to stab Muhammad Abba.

Muhammad was rushed to Rashid Shekoni Teaching Hospital, Dutse, for emergency treatment, but doctors confirmed him dead while efforts were being made to save his life.

Police said Lawisi Safiyanu was arrested, and the knife allegedly used in the attack was recovered and kept as an exhibit.

The command added that investigation into the case has been completed, and the suspect will be arraigned in court for prosecution.

Jigawa State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijjani Murtala, urged residents to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their hands.

He advised members of the public to always report any suspect or dispute to the police or other relevant security agencies.

The commissioner assured residents that the police would continue to take appropriate action against criminal acts and ensure that offenders are prosecuted to reap what they sowed.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Gombe State High Court has sentenced two men, Buhari Sule and Muktari Ali Hilami, to death by hanging for armed robbery and the murder of a 35-year-old man, Murtala Rabi’u.

Justice Muhammad-Auwal Haruna, who presided over Court No. 5 on Wednesday, found the two defendants guilty of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide.

The case followed the September 18, 2025, attack on Rabi’u at Garin Galadima village, near Pindiga in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.

The prosecution alleged that Sule and Hilami conspired before arming themselves with dangerous weapons, including sticks and hoes, and attacking Rabi’u.

According to the prosecution, the men robbed the deceased of his mobile phone and N7,400 before inflicting injuries that resulted in his death. His body was later dumped in a maize farm.

Presenting the case, the state counsel, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, told the court that the offences violated Sections 97, 297 and 221 of the Penal Code Law.

“The defendants agreed among themselves at Garin Galadima village, armed themselves with dangerous weapons and attacked the deceased, Murtala Rabi’u.”

The prosecutor further said the defendants took the deceased’s Itel keypad phone without a SIM card and “the sum of N7,400 cash, which they shared among themselves after dumping his corpse in a maize farm.”

The charges were read and explained to the defendants, who pleaded not guilty.

During the trial, the prosecution presented two witnesses, while the defence called one witness. All the witnesses were cross-examined by the opposing sides.

In his judgment, Justice Haruna said he had examined the evidence presented by both the prosecution and defence.

“The court has gone through all the charges brought by the prosecution, the evidence of the witnesses and the testimony presented by the defence.”

The judge held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, with particular reliance on the testimony of the first prosecution witness.

“The prosecution has established its case and proved the allegations against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.”

Justice Haruna further ruled that the defendants “failed to establish their defence against the charges brought against them.”

The court consequently convicted both men on the charges.

Justice Haruna sentenced Buhari Sule and Muktari Ali Hilami to death by hanging, ordering that they be “hanged by the neck until they are dead.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Twenty prospective National Youth Service Corps members abducted while travelling from Oyo State to their orientation camp in Abia State have regained their freedom after seven days in captivity.

The victims were kidnapped on October 1, 2026, along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Umunoha, Imo State.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, confirmed their release in a statement on Wednesday, saying the victims had been taken for medical examination and necessary medical attention.

The prospective corps members were rescued at about 4:28 pm at Amakohia Ubi Village, Imo State, following sustained search-and-rescue operations by a joint team of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services and other security agencies.

The circumstances surrounding the rescue were not immediately disclosed. There was also no confirmation of any arrest in connection with the abduction, as the perpetrators were still at large as of the time of the report.

The police statement read, “Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with other security agencies, have successfully rescued the 20 prospective NYSC corps members who were abducted in Imo State on 1st October, 2026.

‘’Following their safe recovery, the victims have been taken for medical examination and necessary medical attention as part of the post-rescue process.”

Iniedu said security agencies had intensified efforts to track down those responsible for the abduction and bring them to justice.

“The Nigeria Police Force appreciates members of the public for their cooperation and support and reiterates its commitment to the protection of lives and property and the prompt response to threats to public safety,” the statement added.

The police said further information would be released as the investigation progresses.

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, also confirmed the release of the victims.

“The kidnapped graduates have been released. The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, confirmed this in a telephone conversation at about 5.00 pm today (Wednesday),” he said.

The statement was issued in Ibadan by his media aide, Adeola Oloko.

A parent of one of the victims, Alhaja Alimot Akande, expressed relief over the development but said the families were still waiting to see or speak with their loved ones.

“We cannot say anything for now. We are extremely overwhelmed. We received the news with happiness. I cannot say anything for now, please. We are truly happy. Let’s see them first or speak with them on the telephone.”

Meanwhile, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, commended the security agencies for their intervention, saying the government deliberately maintained discretion during the operation to avoid compromising the rescue effort.

‘’Because the issue involved the security of lives, the government was cautious about releasing too much information to the public; hence the discreet manner in which it was handled.”

The governor said he was “particularly grateful to the security agencies for the discreet and collaborative manner in which they tackled the challenge.”

Uzodimma also thanked the parents and relatives of the victims for their patience and understanding throughout the period of the abduction.

The Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress also welcomed the release.

The party’s publicity secretary, Dr Jones Onwuasoanya, said, ‘’We rejoice with the family and relatives of these young patriots for their successful rescue, and commend all the gallant security personnel who took part in this audacious and well-coordinated rescue operation for their professionalism, bravery and patriotism.”

The APC said efforts should continue to ensure the perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice.

The victims were among 30 graduates travelling in two buses from Ibadan to an NYSC orientation camp in Abia State when suspected gunmen abducted 20 of them.

The abductors reportedly demanded N50 million for each victim before later reducing the ransom to N5 million per person, bringing the total demand to N100 million.

The victims’ families had earlier appealed to the Olubadan and government authorities to intensify efforts to secure their release.

By Usman Abdullahi Koli

Last year, this column asked whether Nigeria had learned anything from the Wunti factor. The question was not about one man. It was about whether a nation could turn individual competence into institutional habit. A year later, the answer is still unfolding, but the evidence has grown heavier. A Nigerian story is so familiar it no longer provokes thought. A man rises, reaches the top of a system, and disappears into the quiet comfort of his achievements. It is a story we tell ourselves to feel better about a country that rarely rewards the right things.

But every so often, someone refuses the script. Bala Maijama’a Wunti spent over three decades in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, rising through the ranks to senior leadership roles, including Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Limited, before retiring in 2025. He could have walked away. He had earned the right to. But his people called. They asked him to consider the governorship of Bauchi State. He listened, responding to a call that came from the roots that raised him. When the ticket did not come his way, he did not vanish into Abuja’s shadows. He returned to the work he had long pursued through the Wunti Alkhair Foundation, the vehicle through which he had been supporting basic needs, healthcare access, educational assistance, and community development across Bauchi long before anyone thought to call him a reformer.

Then in August 2026, the call came again. This time it was not political. The World Energy Council, the global body Nigeria had joined in 1960 but had never fully inhabited, admitted a new Nigerian member committee, formally restoring the country’s participation in the organisation. Wunti was named its inaugural Chief Executive Officer. A position that could have distanced him from the ground. A position that could have turned him into a man of communiqués and conference rooms. He continued building anyway. In September 2026, he broke ground on the Bala Wunti Arena, a 10,000-capacity multipurpose indoor sports hall at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Bauchi.

The project will be completed within 50 weeks. Construction materials will be sourced locally. In a move that says everything about their understanding of development, ATBU students developed the architectural design through a competitive process. Eleven teams participated. W-Nexus won with a design that earned them N5 million. The first runner-up received N4 million, the second runner-up received N3 million, and the other participating groups were awarded N1 million each. Not a single student walked away empty-handed. He called it “a project for ATBU by ATBU.” The phrase is simple, but it carries a weight that most Nigerian development initiatives never approach.

It says that the people closest to a problem are not just beneficiaries of solutions. They are authors of them. This is the Wunti factor. It is not about one man saving a nation. It is about one man refusing to let distance become indifference. And it is the same instinct that carried him from a construction site in Bauchi to a panel in New York. At the 2026 Concordia Annual Summit, held alongside the United Nations General Assembly, Wunti sat on a panel titled “Rare Currency: Critical Minerals in a Shifting Global Economy.”

The conversation was about America’s growing dependence on imported minerals and China’s dominant position in global processing. But Wunti’s contribution was not about geopolitics. It was about one of Nigeria’s old economic wounds. “For half a century, Nigeria exported crude oil and imported refined petroleum products,” he said. “That created poverty, not prosperity. We will not repeat that mistake with lithium and rare earth elements.” That sentence deserves to be read twice. It is not a policy recommendation. It is a diagnosis of a national pathology.

Nigeria has 44 critical minerals distributed across the country. Global demand is rising because of electric vehicles and artificial intelligence data centres. The temptation is to dig them up, ship them out, and count the dollars at the port. Wunti is saying that is not development. That is extraction. That is the same old story with a different mineral. What makes his argument stick is the precision with which he identifies why Nigeria keeps failing at this. It is not corruption alone. It is not lack of policy. It is the gap between potential and project.

“The central issue is the difference between mineral potential and an investable project,” he said. “We had geological indications, but not proven reserves supported by JORC-compliant data. We also had good policies, but not clearly defined projects. Investors invest in projects, not potential.” This is not the language of a man who has spent too long in conference halls. This is the language of someone who has actually tried to get things built in Nigeria.

He knows that a geological survey is not a feasibility study. He knows that a policy document is not a contract. He knows that investors do not put money into a country’s potential. They put money into specific projects with specific prices, specific timelines, and specific risks that have been accounted for. His prescription is blunt: “Give me a credible price, and I will give you private capital.” He talks about price floors, about the need for $110 per kilogram for certain minerals to make processing viable, about the difference between a pitch and a transaction.

This vocabulary differs from conventional Nigerian policy discourse. It is the vocabulary of markets. And yet, the same man who can talk JORC compliance and price floors in New York is the same man who initiates a sports arena designed by students. There is no contradiction here. Most Nigerian public figures never achieve this coherence. Wunti understands that development is not a single grand gesture. It is a series of specific interventions, each one designed to create something that outlasts the person who started it.

A sports hall that students helped design and will therefore use with a sense of ownership. An energy council that builds a framework for investment rather than waiting for the next policy document. At 66, Nigeria is not short of talented people. What it lacks is the capacity to turn individual talent into institutional habit. Every reformer eventually leaves. Every philanthropist eventually stops writing cheques. The question is whether the structures they build can survive them. Wunti’s work has answered that question.

The deep offshore reforms also outlived his tenure, with the 2019 amendment to the Production Sharing Contracts Act introducing price-reflective royalties and periodic reviews intended to improve the government’s share of revenue. The World Energy Council Nigeria chapter, if it works, will be a platform that belongs to the country, not to one man. The Bala Wunti Arena, if the 50-week deadline holds, will be a building that students use for decades after the ribbon is cut.

At 66, Nigeria has endured. It has stumbled and survived. But endurance is not the same as learning. The country has spent six and a half decades producing people who know how to build, yet too often struggles to turn their individual capacity into institutions that outlast them. Wunti is not the first Nigerian to refuse the script. He is simply one of the few who have kept building after the cameras left, after the political door closed, after the comfortable retirement beckoned. The question that remains is not what Wunti will do next. It is whether Nigeria will finally learn to turn the Wunti factor into a national habit. The answer is not yet written. It depends on whether the rest of us are paying attention.

Usman Abdullahi Koli can be reached via mernoukoli@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has appointed Professor Salisu Shehu, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), as its Deputy Secretary-General (International) as part of the restructuring and expansion of its National Executive Council (NEC).

The Daily Reality reports that the appointment was contained in a statement signed by Abbas Jimoh, Public Affairs Officer of the NSCIA, following the General Assembly of the Council held in Abuja on Thursday, October 1, 2026.

Prof. Shehu has now been assigned the additional responsibility of Deputy Secretary-General (International) of the NSCIA, placing him among the senior officers to serve under the expanded national leadership structure of the Islamic body.

His new role is expected to involve matters relating to the Council’s international engagements and affairs, as the NSCIA expands its executive structure to accommodate additional responsibilities.

The General Assembly, attended by Muslim leaders comprising traditional leaders of the Islamic faith and Chief Imams of Central Mosques from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, approved the expansion of the National Executive Council.

Under the restructuring, Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji was appointed Deputy Secretary-General (National), while Mr Abeny Mohammed (SAN) was named Deputy Secretary-General (Corporate) and Dr Bala Muhammad Deputy Secretary-General (Administration).

The Council also appointed Dr Umar Jibrilu Gwandu as Public Relations Officer, with Hajia Sekinat Lawal serving as Deputy Public Relations Officer.

Dr Mairo Mandara was appointed Development Officer, while Arc Abdullahi Musa PenAbdul was named Deputy Development Officer (Technical). Prof. Fatimah Abdulkarim was also appointed Family Affairs Officer.

The decisions were reached during the General Assembly under the leadership of the President-General of the NSCIA and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni.

The expanded executive structure is expected to strengthen the Council’s administration and broaden the areas of responsibility within its national leadership.

The Daily Reality recalls that the NSCIA serves as the umbrella body for Islamic affairs in Nigeria and provides a platform for Muslim leaders and institutions to coordinate issues affecting the Muslim community.

The latest appointments therefore bring additional expertise and responsibilities into the Council’s leadership, with Prof. Shehu’s appointment giving him a specific role in advancing the NSCIA’s international engagements alongside his existing responsibilities at NERDC.

By Uzair Adam

Some training centres implementing the Federal Government’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme in Kano and Jigawa states are grappling with delayed payments, mounting operational costs and unpaid trainer allowances, raising concerns about the sustainability of the programme.

The Daily Reality gathered that the situation has left some centre operators struggling to meet their financial obligations, while trainers engaged to teach beneficiaries say they have gone for months without receiving their allowances.

There are also concerns over equipment promised to beneficiaries after training, with some graduates saying they completed their programmes without receiving the tools expected to help them establish businesses or secure employment.

The TVET programme is designed to equip unemployed Nigerians and others without sustainable employment with practical skills that can improve their chances of earning a livelihood. Beneficiaries are also expected to receive nationally recognised certificates and, in some cases, equipment packages after completing their training.

With more than 2,300 centres engaged nationwide after passing quality assurance processes, the programme covers more than 36 skills. 

But a growing dispute over payments, particularly the application of a 65 per cent attendance requirement, is now threatening to undermine its implementation in some centres.

Payment Dispute Threatens Training

At the centre of the dispute is a payment condition requiring beneficiaries to attain at least 65 per cent monthly attendance before centres can receive payment.

Participating centre operators argue that the condition conflicts with what they understood to be the payment arrangement in their agreements with the government, which they said was based on the number of verified trainees and agreed programme milestones.

They also object to what they described as the retrospective application of the attendance condition, arguing that it should not be imposed on agreements already entered into.

The operators said they support biometric attendance monitoring and other measures to ensure accountability, but questioned why centres should bear the financial consequences when some trainees fail to attend classes regularly.

One centre owner, who asked to remain anonymous, described the new payment arrangement as an attempt to frustrate training centres.

He stated that, “The new system is to defeat the centres. Instead of the agreement that they would pay centres based on the number of students, now they said no. 

“They did not revise the MoU, and they did not contact anyone. They just decided on their own on that 65 per cent,” he added.

According to him, the government was responsible for recruiting the beneficiaries, leaving centre operators with limited control over whether some of those trainees would remain committed to the programme.

He added, “They recruited the students themselves and they happened to lack interest in the programme.”

The centre owner argued that linking payments to attendance could leave operators financing training for beneficiaries whose recruitment and commitment were largely outside their control.

Centre Owners Count the Cost

Beyond the payment dispute, centre operators said they have continued to incur substantial expenses to keep their facilities running.

They are responsible for paying instructors, maintaining facilities and purchasing training materials while waiting for government payments.

One operator said a centre he knew received only N50,000 last month despite spending more than N300,000 on programme-related expenses.

He said his own centre had invested more than N10 million and expected to receive at least N15 million for the first month, but was paid only N3 million.

The disparity, he argued, makes it increasingly difficult for private operators to sustain the programme.

Another centre owner, Jamil Muhammad, not his real name, said operators could not continue financing government programmes indefinitely from their personal resources.

He stated that, “We cannot continue to finance the programme indefinitely while waiting for payments.”

For trainers, the financial pressure has also become a major concern.

Muhammad Kabir, not his real name, a trainer at one of the centres in Kano, said he had worked for almost three months without receiving his allowance.

He said the delay had affected the morale of trainers who depend on the payments to meet their personal and professional obligations.

Fear of Another Unresolved Government Programme

The payment difficulties have also raised fears among some operators that the TVET programme could eventually suffer the fate of previous government initiatives.

One centre owner said the programme might end without the government settling outstanding financial obligations to participating centres.

He cited N-Power and N-Skills under the previous administration, alleging that unresolved payment issues from those programmes remain a burden between operators and government.

He decried that, “We don’t want TVET to end the way N-Power and N-Skills ended. There are still backlogs with the government from those programmes.”

Our reporter gathered that for operators who have invested heavily in facilities, equipment and personnel, the concern goes beyond delayed payments. 

They fear that prolonged financial uncertainty could force some centres to withdraw from the programme before beneficiaries complete their training.

Centres Seek Government Intervention

Centre operators have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, to intervene in the payment dispute.

Their demands include settling outstanding payments, reviewing the 65 per cent attendance condition, and deciding that any new payment arrangement should apply prospectively rather than retrospectively.

They also want a mechanism to replace beneficiaries who stop attending classes, withdraw from the programme, or fail to meet attendance requirements.

The operators maintain that such a system would protect public funds while preventing training centres from bearing the cost of beneficiaries who are no longer participating.

The dispute has already prompted some centres to threaten to suspend participation if the payment issues remain unresolved.

The Daily Reality recalls that the operators had previously raised concerns over the financial implications of the attendance-based payment arrangement, warning that continued delays could make it difficult for centres to sustain their operations.

Graduates Left Without Promised Equipment

While centre operators struggle with payments, some beneficiaries are facing a different problem: completing their training without receiving the equipment they were promised.

Kabir Muhammad, another centre operator, alleged that beneficiaries from the first cohort were promised equipment after completing their training, but some graduated months earlier without receiving anything.

He further alleged that beneficiaries in the second cohort were told they would receive equipment before or around the time of their training, but some were already several months into the programme without receiving the promised package.

For beneficiaries, the equipment is not simply an additional benefit. It is expected to provide the means to apply the skills acquired during training and, potentially, begin earning an income.

Aisha Muhammad, not her real name, a graduate of the first cohort, said she completed her training but received no equipment afterwards.

“After we graduated, nothing was given to us,” she said.

The absence of the equipment has raised questions about what happens to beneficiaries after they receive training and certificates if they lack the basic tools needed to put their newly acquired skills into practice.

Financial Burden Extends Beyond Payments

The financial burden on centres extends beyond delayed government disbursements.

Operators are expected to maintain suitable training facilities, engage instructors and provide the materials required for practical sessions. 

Private centres, in particular, also face expenses such as rent, salaries, electricity, fuel and general maintenance.

An advocacy brief reviewed during the investigation also raised concerns about the pressure created by attendance-based payments. 

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It cited a Kano centre with 40 learners that received N50,000 for July, a figure the document said was insufficient to cover the centre’s operational expenses.

The centre operators argue that payment mechanisms must account for costs already incurred in delivering the training, rather than placing the entire financial burden on providers.

They said the government’s monitoring system should distinguish between centres failing to deliver training and centres that have fulfilled their responsibilities but are affected by beneficiary attendance.

Experts Question Sustainability

Education and skills development experts said the payment problems could affect centres’ ability to retain qualified trainers and maintain the facilities required for effective practical training.

Dr Abdussalam Muhammad Kani, Director, Career Services Centre, Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kumbotso-Kano, said delayed payments could affect facilitator retention and centres’ ability to meet running costs.

He noted that training centres require money for facilitators, maintenance, fuel and instructional materials, stressing that prolonged delays could undermine programme delivery.

Dr Kani called for dedicated funding and a clear budgetary provision for the programme, alongside stronger monitoring, reporting and assessment mechanisms.

Sulaiman Dandago, a lecturer at Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies (AKCILS), said the programme’s success depends largely on clear implementation arrangements, adequate facilities, and the availability of qualified instructors.

He said centres must be equipped according to the number of trainees enrolled, while private providers must also cover expenses such as rent and staff salaries.

Dandago warned that failure to pay participating centres and trainers could demoralise those responsible for delivering the programme.

“If the Federal Ministry of Education fails to pay dues, how can the programme attain its objectives?” he asked.

The concerns come at a critical stage for a programme intended to provide practical skills to thousands of Nigerians and improve their chances of becoming economically productive.

For beneficiaries, however, the initiative’s success will not be measured by training alone. It will also depend on whether centres can remain operational, trainers are paid, certificates are delivered and graduates receive the tools promised to help them turn acquired skills into livelihoods.

The payment dispute therefore raises a broader question about the programme’s sustainability: whether the government can maintain a system capable of supporting training centres throughout the process, from recruitment and instruction to certification and post-training assistance.

All efforts to obtain the Federal Ministry of Education’s response to the concerns raised by the centre operators proved abortive as of the time of filing this report.

By Uzair Adam

Ko Da Naka, in collaboration with Afaq Educational Foundation, has called on Nigerians to reject President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections if his administration fails to address economic hardship and insecurity in the country.

The groups made the call in a communiqué issued after a national conference on “An Assessment of the State of the Nation under President Tinubu and the 2027 General Elections,” held in Kano on Sunday.

The Daily Reality reports that Ko Da Naka is a civic organisation committed to promoting good governance and community development, while Afaq Educational Foundation focuses on education and community development initiatives.

The conference, attended by about 1,000 participants, deliberated on the economy, insecurity, migration of skilled professionals, the role of religious scholars in promoting truth and justice, and the 2027 general elections.

On the economy, the participants expressed dissatisfaction with the policies of the Tinubu administration, particularly the removal of the fuel subsidy, changes to the naira exchange-rate system, increases in electricity tariffs and tax reforms.

According to the communiqué, the policies had increased the burden on ordinary Nigerians at a time when rising living costs and unemployment were already threatening citizens’ well-being.

“The government has continued to insist on pursuing these policies, which are increasing hardship among the people,” the communiqué stated.

The groups criticised the administration for prioritising revenue growth rather than reviewing policies they said were worsening the economic difficulties facing Nigerians.

The participants consequently resolved that it would be inappropriate to re-elect the Tinubu administration in 2027 if it failed to change what they described as harmful economic policies.

On security, the groups expressed concern over continued killings and kidnappings by bandits, as well as other acts of terrorism across the country.

The communiqué particularly called for urgent action to address insecurity in the North-West and other affected parts of Nigeria.

It warned that failure to improve the security situation should compel President Tinubu to reconsider seeking another term in office.

“Alternatively, the President should refrain from contesting the 2027 election,” the communiqué stated.

It added that if he chose to contest despite the security challenges, Nigerians should reject his candidacy and give an opportunity to those capable of providing better leadership.

The groups also condemned the continued migration of Nigerian doctors, teachers, engineers and other professionals to foreign countries.

They attributed the trend to unemployment, inadequate facilities, poor working conditions and the difficult economic situation in the country.

The communiqué urged the government to improve salaries and working conditions while providing opportunities for professional development.

It also called for programmes that would encourage skilled Nigerians abroad to return home, warning that failure to address the situation should result in a change of government at the next election.

“If the government fails to do this, it should be replaced at the next election,” the participants resolved.

On the role of religious scholars, the groups urged clerics not to become political stooges or support injustice for personal benefit.

Instead, they said religious scholars should speak truth to power and defend justice irrespective of political party, ethnicity or religion.

“Religious scholars should praise what is good and criticise what is wrong, regardless of political party, tribe or religion,” the communiqué stated.

It further urged religious leaders to educate Nigerians on the importance of choosing competent leaders as the 2027 general elections approach.

The participants said Nigeria’s future was more important than any political party, ethnic group or region, urging citizens to use their votes to seek leadership capable of bringing relief from hardship, prosperity, security, employment, justice and development.

The groups advised Nigerians to assess all candidates carefully, taking into consideration their experience, integrity, competence and policies rather than voting based solely on religion, ethnicity, region or political affiliation.

The communiqué also urged Nigerians to continue praying for divine guidance in choosing leaders.

It prayed that Almighty Allah would guide the country’s leaders and provide Nigerians with good leadership in the forthcoming 2027 general elections.

The Daily Reality reports that economic hardship, insecurity and the migration of skilled professionals remain major issues in Nigeria, with the concerns expected to feature prominently in political debates ahead of the 2027 elections.