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“Tinubu to West Africa: Tear Down Borders, Build Shared Prosperity!”

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President Bola Tinubu has called on West African leaders to rise above divisions and lost opportunities by pursuing stronger regional integration, enhanced collaboration, and collective prosperity.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

President Bola Tinubu has called for bold regional collaboration, policy coherence, and investment alignment to unlock West Africa’s economic potential, warning that opportunity alone cannot guarantee transformation. He issued the rallying cry at the inaugural West Africa Economic Summit (WAES) held in Abuja.

“West Africa stands as one of the last great frontiers of economic growth,” Tinubu declared, “but opportunity is not destiny. We must earn it through vision, integration, and strategic coordination. With intra-regional trade still below 10 per cent, we cannot afford further delays. This is not a failure of ambition, but of alignment.”

Highlighting the urgency of action, he said, “The global economy will not wait for West Africa. Rather than competing in isolation or relying on external players, we must strengthen our value chains, coordinate policies, and invest in shared infrastructure. Our greatest asset is our youth, but if we do not back them with skills, innovation, and enterprise, that asset could become a liability.”

Citing examples from Nigeria, Tinubu said the country is investing in digital infrastructure and youth empowerment, but insisted that such efforts must be regional in scale.

“Our prosperity depends on shared supply chains, energy networks, and data systems. These must be designed together—or they will fail separately,” he warned. “From the Lagos-Abidjan Highway to the West African Power Pool, we’ve seen the power of cooperation. But we must now move from declarations to deals, from frameworks to functional delivery.”

He also called for an end to the region’s overreliance on exporting raw materials, urging value addition and domestic processing of rare minerals.

“The pit-to-port era must end. We must transform our mineral wealth into jobs, technology, and manufacturing at home,” he said. “Governments must enable the environment with law, order, and market-friendly policies, while entrepreneurs drive growth.”

Tinubu added that unlocking the region’s full potential will require deliberate efforts to improve the business climate and increase opportunities for youth and women.

Low Intra-Regional Trade Unsustainable — Tuggar

Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar echoed Tinubu’s concerns, noting that only 8.6 percent of West Africa’s $166 billion in 2024 exports remained within the region.

“Our imports are dominated by China, India, the EU, and the U.S., while our exports consist mostly of raw, unprocessed materials,” Tuggar said. “This model is unsustainable. It’s not just about capacity—it’s about rethinking our approach.”

He stressed the need to shift informal economic activities into the formal sector to harness economies of scale and accelerate entrepreneurial growth.

Unified Digital Identity Key to Integration — NIMC DG

Also speaking at the summit, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), underscored the importance of harmonising digital identity systems across West Africa to drive regional trade and growth.

“Digital identity is more than a bureaucratic tool—it’s a strategic foundation for integration,” she said. “It enables cross-border mobility, reduces fraud, facilitates access to financial services, and builds trust in trade.”

She noted that inconsistent identity systems are a major obstacle to intra-African trade, especially for individuals and small businesses, who often struggle with verification issues that limit access to finance and services.

“A unified, interoperable digital ID platform will power seamless payments, cross-border commerce, and regional inclusion,” Coker-Odusote asserted.

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‘Kwankwaso Is More Experienced Than Peter Obi’ – Buhari’s Ex-Aide Declares.

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Ahmad made the assertion in a post on his X handle, maintaining that Kwankwaso’s decision to accept the position of running mate should be seen as an act of political modesty rather than an indication that he is less qualified than Obi.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

According to the former presidential aide, the relationship between the two politicians should be viewed as one of equals rather than that of a superior and a subordinate.

“To be entirely candid, the political dynamic between Rabiu Kwankwaso and Peter Obi ought to be characterised as one of collegiality between peers, rather than a hierarchy of principal and subordinate,” he wrote.

He added, “The choice to assume a deputy role beneath Obi ought to be interpreted as a testament to political modesty.”

Making a case for Kwankwaso’s political experience, Ahmad recalled that the former Kano State governor served as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives before Obi became a prominent figure in national politics.

He also noted that Kwankwaso governed Kano State, which he described as Nigeria’s most populous and politically influential state, for two terms and served as a federal minister.

“If we are assessing political experience, Sen. Kwankwaso probably has a longer and more impressive political background than Peter Obi,” Ahmad stated.

In contrast, the former presidential aide argued that Obi’s major public office experience was limited to his tenure as governor of Anambra State.

“Unlike other candidates, Peter Obi was just a former governor of Anambra State,” he wrote.

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‘I Have Stopped Impregnating Women’ – 2Baba Makes Shocking Revelation.

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Nigerian music star Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, has declared that he no longer impregnates women.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The singer made the statement on Saturday during a live performance at Rehab Lounge in Calgary, Canada.

While performing his hit song True Love, 2Baba paused to interact with the audience and playfully asked the women present to identify where his true love was.

He jokingly wondered whether she was standing at the back of the venue or somewhere in front of him before making a remark about his experiences with women.

The award-winning musician told the audience that he had stopped getting women pregnant, adding that he had been making the same confession wherever he performed recently.

He said, “For the purpose of this show, I will pretend like I’ve never seen anything before. Where’s my true love? Is she back there? Is she right here? Is she somewhere here? Where’s my true love? You people shouldn’t put out me for trouble.

“As I said, some ladies they fear to shout. See, everywhere I go these days, I make this confession. As I say, some ladies they fear to shout. I say, I don’t fear to shout. Because I don’t stop to dey give woman belle. Ask anyone, they’ll tell you, I don’t do such thing things again.”

The singer’s comment comes amid public interest in his personal life and relationships.

2Baba was previously married to Nollywood actress Annie Macaulay-Idibia. The couple announced their separation in January 2025 after having two children together.

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NPFL Cracks Down! Abia Warriors, Katsina United, Warri Wolves Hit With Sanctions.

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Abia Warriors were fined ₦3.2 million for failing to provide adequate security as agreed during the pre-match technical meeting ahead of their encounter with Niger Tornadoes.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Abia Warriors were fined ₦3.2 million for failing to provide adequate security as agreed during the pre-match technical meeting ahead of their encounter with Niger Tornadoes.

The Umuahia-based club was also found guilty of an attempt by one of its officials to disrupt the live broadcast of the match by harassing a crew member of the league’s broadcast partner.

As part of the disciplinary measures, Abia Warriors’ multimedia officer, Chidera Favour Igwe, has been suspended from all NPFL match activities for five matches.

Katsina United, meanwhile, were fined ₦2 million for failing to provide adequate and effective security during their home fixture against Plateau United.

The club was also sanctioned for allowing supporters to encroach onto the field of play during the encounter.

Warri Wolves Receive Heaviest Punishment

Warri Wolves have been handed the most severe sanctions following the unruly behaviour of their supporters during Sunday’s Matchday 10 clash against Kano Pillars in Ozoro.

The Seasiders were fined ₦4.2 million and docked three points and three goals from their accumulated tally. The club was also ordered to play its next three home matches behind closed doors.

According to the NPFL, Warri Wolves failed to provide adequate security at the stadium, resulting in an assault on match officials after the final whistle.

The league further disclosed that the second assistant referee sustained a nose injury and was left bleeding during the incident.

The NPFL stated that all three clubs have 48 hours from the date of notification to appeal their respective sanctions in accordance with the league’s disciplinary procedures.

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