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Foremost Economist, Jeffrey Sachs, Joins SPPG’s Global Faculty

Foremost Economist, Jeffrey Sachs, Joins SPPG’s Global Faculty

The School of Politics, Policy, and Governance (SPPG) has announced renowned economist, Professor Jeffrey Sachs, as member of its global faculty.
A statement jointly signed by Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili and Alero Ayida-Otobo, said Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, one of the world’s foremost economists and advocates for sustainable development, has joined the SPPG as a Distinguished Member of its Global Faculty.
Professor Sachs currently serves as University Professor and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University.
As President of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Sachs has advised three United Nations Secretaries-General, and has been named twice to TIME magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
The statement said Sachs, a long-standing partner in Africa’s development journey, has spearheaded transformative initiatives, including the Millennium Villages Project, which improved rural livelihoods in countries such as Ghana, Ethiopia, and Malawi.
He has collaborated with the African Union on sustainable growth strategies, supported Nigeria’s drive toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and worked with governments across the continent to strengthen healthcare systems, expand renewable energy, and combat hunger.
His insights have helped African nations chart pathways for economic growth and good governance.
Speaking on the appointment, SPPG Founder, Dr. Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili said:
“Professor Sachs embodies the values and global vision that inspire SPPG’s mission. His deep commitment to principled governance, sustainable growth, and human development perfectly aligns with our mission to equip and inspire leaders who will shape the continent’s future.”
Reacting to his appointment, Professor Sachs said:
“I am honored to join the global faculty of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance and to start off with my inaugural lecture for the launch of SPLN – the SPPG Public Leadership Network”.
The SPPG is a bold and visionary commitment to raise a new generation of ethical, competent and capable leaders to build just and prosperous societies in Africa for democratic renewal and sustainable development”.
Professor Sachs is the esteemed keynote speaker for the SPPG Public Leaders Network Global Launch, scheduled for August 21, 2025. The event will bring together leaders, policymakers, and changemakers from across Africa and the world on the theme: Empowering Public Leaders: Unlocking Potential Within the SPPG Network.

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The School of Politics, Policy, and Governance (SPPG) has announced renowned economist, Professor Jeffrey Sachs, as member of its global faculty.A statement jointly signed by Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili and Alero
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Support Media With Tax Incentives, Relief on Import Duties, Soneye Urges Govt

Support Media With Tax Incentives, Relief on Import Duties, Soneye Urges Govt

*Says tax reliefs, independent fund for journalism key to media sustainability

Former Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mr. Femi Soneye, has called on the Federal Government to support the Nigerian media with targeted incentives, including tax reliefs and import duty waivers on essential media tools.

Soneye made the appeal in Abuja on Tuesday after receiving the NUJ FCT Excellence in Corporate Communications Award, conferred on him by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council.

The NUJ leadership, led by Chairperson Grace Ike, alongside the Deputy Chair, Secretary-General, and other executives, described Soneye as a consummate professional who has distinguished himself with tact and excellence in the communications field.

In his remarks, Soneye noted that while the Nigerian media remains one of the most vibrant in Africa, it continues to grapple with systemic challenges that weaken its effectiveness.

“The Nigerian media remains one of the most vibrant in Africa, but it also faces systemic challenges, financial, political, legal, and technological that weaken its effectiveness. The government can play a supportive role by granting tax incentives or relief on import duties for newsprint, broadcast equipment, and digital infrastructure,” he said.

He also urged the Federal Government to establish an independent media development fund to support investigative journalism, community radio, and newsroom innovation, drawing parallels with models in South Africa, the United States, and Canada.

The award underscores Soneye’s long-standing contributions to journalism and corporate communications, as well as his advocacy for a stronger, independent, and sustainable Nigerian media.

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*Says tax reliefs, independent fund for journalism key to media sustainability Former Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mr. Femi Soneye, has called
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Aluko and Oyebode Law Firm Announces Strategic Leadership Changes

Aluko and Oyebode Law Firm Announces Strategic Leadership Changes

Sunday Okobi

Aluko and Oyebode Law Firm has announced key leadership changes that underscore its deep bench of legal talent and continued commitment to growth and excellence.

In a statement issued and made available yesterday, it noted that after four transformative years, Kofo Dosekun has stepped down as the firm’s first female chairman.

The statement also noted that she played a foundational role in building and leading the corporate, commercial and banking, and finance practices, and has been central to the firm’s rise to becoming Nigeria’s leading law firm.

It revealed that she was a trailblazer and highly respected figure in Corporate and Commercial Law.

Adding that Kofo will remain at the firm, joining Founding Partner, Gbenga Oyebode, as a counsel.

Recognised as an Eminent Practitioner in Chambers Global 2025, the statement noted  her tenure has significantly advanced the firm’s reputation for diversity, forward-thinking leadership, and exceptional client outcomes.

Dosekun said: “It has been an honour to help shape the growth of Aluko and Oyebode, and to contribute to the firm’s reputation as Nigeria’s leading law firm. I look forward to supporting the new leadership team as they take the firm to new heights—driven by excellence, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to our clients.”

 Olubunmi Fayokun, who succeeds Kofo as chairman, is a distinguished senior partner with four decades of experience advising top-tier domestic and international clients. Listed in both the Legal500 Hall of Fame and the IFLR1000 Women Dealmakers Hall of Fame, she is widely recognised as a market leader in Corporate Commercial Law, Capital Markets, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Financial Services.

Fayokun has led several impactful, market-defining, and precedent-setting transactions, including Nigeria’s first Additional Tier 1 Eurobond, the demutualisation and listing of The Nigerian Stock Exchange (now Nigeria Exchange Limited), and Diageo Plc’s divestment from Guinness Nigeria Plc.

She added: “I am excited to take on this role at such a pivotal moment in the firm’s history. We are not just building on a strong legacy; we are shaping the future of legal practice in Nigeria. With a deep bench of talent and a relentless focus on excellence, we will continue to deliver bold solutions and enduring value to our clients across industries and borders.

“With Olubunmi, Adeolu, and Joke at the helm, Aluko and Oyeare are ideally positioned to lead the next era of legal practice in Nigeria and beyond.”

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Sunday Okobi Aluko and Oyebode Law Firm has announced key leadership changes that underscore its deep bench of legal talent and continued commitment to growth and excellence. In a statement
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Circuits Launchpad Targets 1m Jobs for Youths in Digital Creative Sector

Circuits Launchpad Targets 1m Jobs for Youths in Digital Creative Sector

* Achieves 1,500 milestone

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

Nigeria’s pioneer virtual cinema and transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) streaming platform, Circuits, has unveiled a plan to create one million jobs for young people in the country’s digital creative sector.

The Chief Operating Officer of Circuits, Imade Bibowei-Osuobeni, in a statement on Tuesday, said since its debut in December 2024, Circuits has rolled out bold initiatives aimed at empowering young Nigerians, including its flagship programme, LaunchPad.

She said the programme is designed to bridge the skills and opportunity gap in the creative and related industries.

She said: “The creative sector is a goldmine for employment, but too many young people have been shut out simply because they lack opportunities.

“With LaunchPad, we are proving that with minimal support, they can move from unemployment to earning meaningful income in record time.”

The programme, which commenced in March, already has over 1,600 participants from across Nigeria.

According to Bibowei-Osuobeni, more than 400 have secured internship placements, many of whom are now earning steady monthly incomes.

“What we are doing is giving participants hands-on experience in digital marketing, customer relations, social media management, video editing and other critical soft skills,” she explained.

“We don’t want a generation that is just ‘occupied’—we want a generation that is empowered,” she emphasized.

“This programme is a pathway to meaningful work where young people are not just doing tasks, but building futures,” she added.

Currently, interns are spread across 26 states, with Circuits partnering government agencies to scale its reach.

The target, according to the COO, is to empower one million youths within the next 18 months.

Bibowei-Osuobeni said: “We have the data to show this works.

 “Most young people already own a smartphone and can access the internet. With the right mentorship and structure, those same phones can become tools for learning, working and earning.”

Calling for broader support, she added: “Government cannot do it alone, and frankly, this doesn’t need billions to succeed.

“What we need are partnerships, endorsements and state-level adoption. Imagine what happens when each state backs its young people in this way, we will have solved half of Nigeria’s unemployment challenge.”

According to her, “This is not charity. This is an investment in Nigeria’s future. Every young person we lift through LaunchPad has the potential to lift others.

“That is how we create a ripple effect of growth and prosperity”

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* Achieves 1,500 milestone Sunday Aborisade in Abuja Nigeria’s pioneer virtual cinema and transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) streaming platform, Circuits, has unveiled a plan to create one million jobs for young
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FCTA Impounds 700 Tinted Vehicles

FCTA Impounds 700 Tinted Vehicles

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has confiscated 700 tinted vehicles glass without permits, fake number plates, and other traffic violations.

The Secretary, Command and Control Center, Dr Peter Olumuji, who represented the

Director, FCTA, Department of Security Service, Adamu Gwary at a night stop and search operation in Apo-Wassa junction and Karu said the second phase of Operation Sweep Abuja Clean was geared towards curbing incidences of one- chance.

He said the Joint taskforce operation, a part of the second phase of Operation Sweep Abuja Clean, a multi-agency crime prevention initiative had help in recovering seven stolen vehicles in the last one week.

Olumoji added that the exercise aimed at criminally-inclined motorists, particularly those committing “one chance” robberies in the city and the satellite towns.

He stated that intelligence gathered from victims revealed that most of the vehicles used for “one chance” were either illegally tinted, unregistered, or bearing fake number plates, adding vehicle owners, such as cab drivers, have no justification to use tinted glass, which often aids criminals in concealing their activities.

Olumuji explained: “We are seeing people who are into businesses using tinted glass. Most of the victims that we have interrogated that have fallen victim of one chance, they always let us know that the vehicles they boarded are tinted.

“As at now in Operation Sweep, we have impounded over 700 vehicles from both the first and second phases. The operation has drastically reduced the incidences of one chance to the barest minimum. Our stop-and-search exercise has made it clear to criminals that no matter where they are in the FCT, the team will always reach them”.

He assured residents of the FCT that the clampdown was yielding results, citing several stolen vehicles recovered within the last week alone.

On her part, the Head of Operations, Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), Mrs. Deborah Osho, reiterated the Administration’s commitment to rid the city of unregistered and unpainted taxis, which are commonly used by criminals.

She disclosed that several vehicles were impounded during the joint task force operation, for several infractions, including driving against traffic, lack of registration and the use of number plates not assigned to the vehicles.

“Yes, this is a joint taskforce team, a joint collaboration with all agencies and especially the lead agency, which is the police. We work together and because of their presence it has made us apprehend a lot of vehicles, especially those driving against the traffic. It is a common thing in Abuja and we are trying to stop them.

“They can take ABC for a Corolla and once we get to the system, we can find that that ABC is not even for Corolla, it may be for Peugeot. Therefore, most of these one-chance use vehicle number plates that cannot be traced and once we get such kind of suspicion, those vehicles are picked.

“Most of the one-chance vehicles either have fake number plates not traceable to the actual vehicles, or operate as unpainted taxis, making it difficult to identify them. Today in Karu, you can see the huge number of vehicles apprehended. This is sending a clear message that Abuja is too hot for criminals,” Osho said.

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Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has confiscated 700 tinted vehicles glass without permits, fake number plates, and other traffic violations. The Secretary, Command and Control
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Unity Schools: FG Releases Automated Admissions

Unity Schools: FG Releases Automated Admissions

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Federal Government has announced the release of admissions into Federal Unity Colleges across Nigeria, thereby marking a major milestone in promoting transparency, efficiency and optimal capacity management in secondary school placements.

The Ministry of Education, in a statement on Tuesday by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Folashade Boriowo, said the ministry ensured that all admissions are now fully automated and strictly conducted within the approved capacity of each school, eliminating previous challenges of overstretched facilities.

Speaking on the significance of the reform, she said the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said: “This reform guarantees fairness, operational efficiency and sustained quality in our Federal Unity Colleges.”

The current admission covers 80 conventional Federal Unity Colleges. Admission into the remaining 42 Federal Technical Colleges under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme will be released in due course.

The statement noted that the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Binta Abdulkadri, praised the reform by referring to it as “a game-changer”.

“The new system ensures that admission aligns with each school’s capacity, creating a better learning environment for students.

“This reform is expected to streamline the admission process, improve accountability, and uphold the highest educational standards across Federal Unity Colleges nationwide, “she said.

The Ministry has advised parents, guardians, and students to check admission results on the Ministry’s official website.

“The Federal Ministry of Education remains committed to providing quality education within a safe, conducive learning environment for all Nigerian children, “the ministry said.

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Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The Federal Government has announced the release of admissions into Federal Unity Colleges across Nigeria, thereby marking a major milestone in promoting transparency, efficiency and optimal
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ALARHOSPS Urges Lagosians to Take Personal Responsibility for Social Change

ALARHOSPS Urges Lagosians to Take Personal Responsibility for Social Change

Funmi Ogundare 

The Association of Lagos State Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries (ALARHOSPS) has called on Lagosians to stop blaming government for every societal problem and instead take personal responsibility for upholding laws, promoting ethical values, and contributing to the state’s progress.

The call was made at the association’s 12th annual summit in Lagos, themed ‘Citizenship and Social Responsibility: Sustaining Excellence in Lagos State’.

The two-day event brought together retired top civil servants, policymakers and stakeholders to examine issues of governance, civic responsibility and moral rebirth.

The President of the association, Otunba Nurudeen Ojora- Adejiyan, explained that the summit’s focus on ethics and citizenship was deliberate, given Nigeria’s deepening moral decline.

“Our nation needs a rebirth towards the highest ethical and moral standards. We must move beyond the blame game and take personal responsibility for the state of our society,” he said.

The Vice-President of the association, Mrs. Grace Ebunola Oladimeji, stressed that citizens are equally culpable in Nigeria’s governance challenges. “We are always pointing accusing fingers at government. If one person leaves this summit determined to do what is right, obeying traffic rules, not dumping refuse, not blocking drainage, society will change,” she said, adding that law enforcement officers must lead by example.

Representing the Lagos State Government at the summit, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, through the Permanent Secretary in his office, Mrs. Mojisola Daba, commended ALARHOSPS for sustaining conversations that shape governance in Lagos. 

He reminded citizens of their civic duties, noting that: “The constitution makes it a responsibility on the citizens to support government in the service of the people.”

The association recalled last year’s focus on food security, which helped trigger a national debate and led Lagos to establish the Lagos Food Systems Infrastructure Company (LAFSINCO) to strengthen agriculture and reduce food costs.

Representing the Head of Service, Mrs. Adebopo Oyekan-Ismaila, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission, urged government workers to act as good ambassadors in their communities, stressing that everyone must lead by example for “the Lagos of our dreams to be realised”.

The summit is expected to conclude with a communiqué proposing strategies to promote ethical conduct, rebuild public trust and deepen collaboration between citizens and government.

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Funmi Ogundare  The Association of Lagos State Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries (ALARHOSPS) has called on Lagosians to stop blaming government for every societal problem and instead take
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