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The Nation News, St James House, 10 Rosebery Avenue, London (2025)

26/12/2023

PRESIDENT TINUBU TO GOVERNORS: WE HAVE SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE NIGERIA’S PEACE AND STABILITY

President Bola Tinubu says the federal and sub-national governments of Nigeria have the mutual responsibility of ensuring the country's peace and stability.

Speaking during a meeting with the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) at his residence in Lagos on Tuesday, the President reiterated his condemnation of the latest killings in Plateau State.

Addressing the governors, the President issued a stern directive to security agencies to halt the carnage in Plateau State and intensify the pursuit of those responsible for the recent tragic events in Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas.

Condoling with the victims, President Tinubu emphasized the sanctity of human life and called for a paradigm shift among those with contrary beliefs, cautioning them about the inevitable consequences of their actions.

"Nigeria needs peace and stability to move forward. Nigeria belongs to all of us, and we have to take care of it," he said.

President Tinubu acknowledged the presence of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State at the meeting, commending him for his efforts to peacefully resolve the political challenges in the state.

"I thank you for your statesmanship. I listened to your broadcast and your emphasis on peace. It is only with peace that effective governance can thrive, and governance has commenced in earnest under my watch," he said.

On the 2024 Budget proposals before the National Assembly, the President informed the governors that he had a review meeting earlier in the day on certain elements in the Appropriation Bill, with the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu.

He emphasized the need for joint responsibility and closer collaboration between the federal and sub-national governments to foster rapid infrastructural development in every part of the nation.

"I want us to discard federal, state, or rural road classifications. We must regard development as a joint responsibility. Let us prioritize our children. The school feeding programme must return quickly, beginning from the local government to the state and federal governments.

"We must be ready to protect our children and prepare them for the future," the President firmly stated.

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) and Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq expressed solidarity with the government and the people of Plateau State.

"May God be with the souls of the departed and bring peace to Plateau State. The Governor of Plateau State, we are with you; stay strong," the NGF Chairman said.

Governor Abdulrazaq reaffirmed state governments' support for the bold decisions and reforms initiated by President Tinubu's administration.

"These are challenging times. It is not a walk in the park. Removing fuel subsidies had a great structural effect on the economy of the states. But we are confident that we will overcome these challenges and bounce back better," he said.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

December 26, 2023

25/12/2023

Yesterday, December 24, 2023 in 6 pictures

Photos: StateHouse/Nosa Asemota

24/12/2023

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, HIS EXCELLENCY BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR.

Fellow Nigerians,

Christmas is a special time of the year for all of us. For Christians, this time of the year marks the birth of Jesus Christ and celebrates the hope and redemption that are the hallmarks of Christ’s life.

For people of all faiths, this is an opportunity to enjoy the company of family, celebrate life, and delight in the gifts of love and friendship that make life worthwhile.

This is also a time to look out for each other because, amidst the festivities, this time of year for many will be tinged with sadness: some mourning the loss of loved ones and others grieving the hopes that failed to materialise and the dreams that fell short.

In the spirit of Christmas, reflecting the best of Christ, let us all endeavour to extend the warm embrace of kindness to those around us who need it and let the multiple acts of kindness serve as a light that guides us into a happy and wonderful new year.

This year has been a time of transformation and relentless change in our country. And I am aware that the necessary reforms we are implementing to achieve a more prosperous, peaceful nation for all have imposed unique sacrifices.

My administration will continue to implement palliative measures to ease the burden on the most vulnerable, address current hardships and alleviate the suffering of all our nation’s people.

Fellow Nigerians, as we navigate this transition to stability, prosperity, and Renewed Hope, I urge you once more to hold fast and rest assured of my commitment to govern with vision, dedication, and empathy.

Be confident that by the strength of our joint endeavour, we will shortly emerge into a new dawn of prosperity, peace, and irreversible progress.

As you celebrate this season, please spare a moment of remembrance and prayer for the men and women of our nation’s armed forces, bearing arms in our names and ensuring our safety. My God protect them and bring them back to their families.

And let us together commemorate the memory of those who, in their service, have paid the highest price for our nation. May God bless their souls and comfort their families and loved ones.

Let the light of Christmas guide our paths as we bring this year to a close and usher in the new year.

I wish you all a merry Christmas.

BOLA AHMED TINUBU
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
December 24, 2023

22/12/2023

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY: PRESIDENT TINUBU ASSURES NIGERIANS THAT HE WILL ALWAYS BE FAIR TO ALL

President Bola Tinubu says he will always be fair to all Nigerians and that his administration remains committed to advancing the unity of Nigeria, as well as ensuring the welfare and prosperity of all citizens.

Speaking at the Ansar-Ud-Deen Central Mosque in Surulere, Lagos, on Friday, the President said the economic reforms initiated by his government are aimed at establishing a robust and secure foundation for Nigerians today and for generations unborn.

President Tinubu, who joined the Muslim Ummah to observe Jumaat prayers marking the centennial anniversary of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria (ADS), commended the Society for its service to humanity, contributions to the propagation of the tenets of Islam, and efforts in uplifting the downtrodden.

He implored members of the Society to remain committed to their objectives of advancing the education of citizens, as well as promoting the moral and social development of the Muslim Ummah.

The President thanked the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society for their support during the elections, emphasizing that their efforts serve as a motivation for his government to stay resolute in delivering good governance to the people.

''I thank the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society for its support during the elections. I do not take it for granted; rather, the support serves as a stimulus for us in government to remain focused," he said.

Reiterating his commitment to the welfare of all citizens, President Tinubu, who is on a brief Christmas holiday in Lagos, said the recent 50 percent cut in inter-state land transportation fares nationwide, and the payment of N-Power beneficiaries' backlog of allowances, among other reliefs, are all efforts aimed at alleviating the burden of Nigerians this festive season with much more to be expected in the new year.

''We are committed to enthroning a better society for our citizens irrespective of ethnic, religious, or geographical differences. The various policies already in place are expected to bring great succour to our people. We know their pains, and we are addressing them holistically.

''It is instructive that Ansar-Ud-Deen has attained 100 years through a systemic strategy that maintains its mission and vision. This is a testimony to what focused planning can achieve in a society,'' the President concluded.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

December 22, 2023

20/12/2023

BREAKING NEWS

Federal government announces 50% discount on road transport fares, free train services, on inter-state travels, during the yuletide.
..The intervention runs from 21st December, 2023 to January 4th, 2024

17/12/2023

FG, STATES AND LGCs RECEIVE N1,088 TRILLION IN FEDERATION ALLOCATION
FOR NOVEMBER, 2023

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared the sum of N1,088.783 trillion naira to the three tiers of government as Federation Allocation for the month of November.
The amount was derived from a gross total of N1.62 trillion naira.

The breakdown of the allocation shows that the Federal Government received N402.867 billion, the States received N351.697 billion, the Local Government Councils received N258.810 billion, and the Oil Producing States received N75.410 billion as Derivation.

The communique issued by FAAC at the end of it's meeting revealed that the Gross Revenue available from the Value Added Tax (VAT) increased to N360.455 billion in November from the previous month, with N10.381 billion given for Transfers, Intervention, and Refunds, and N14.418 billion allocated for Cost of Collection. The Gross Statutory Revenue received for the month was N882.561 billion, with various taxes such as Company Income Tax, Excise Duty, Petroleum Profit Tax, and Value Added Tax increasing.

The total amount distributed was drawn from Statutory Revenue, Value Added Tax, Electronic Money Transfer Levy, and Exchange Difference, amounting to N1.088 trillion. The balance in the Excess Crude Account was $473,754 dollars.

The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, who chaired the meeting expressed his commitment to achieving economic growth while commending the FAAC members for their support and cooperation.

17/12/2023

PRESIDENT TINUBU CELEBRATES NIGERIA'S ICON OF INTEGRITY AND PATRIOTISM, FORMER PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI

President Bola Tinubu celebrates his friend and ally, former President Muhammadu Buhari, an icon of truth, justice, and patriotism on his 81st birthday.

President Tinubu extols the peerless leadership credentials and feats of the former President, recalling his meritorious service to the nation at various times as Head of State and as President.

Reeling out former President Buhari's unparalleled record of infrastructural provision, comprising several new international airports, multiple standard-gauge railway lines, new seaport development, dozens of new dams, power stations, oil and gas infrastructure, expressways and mega-bridges, in addition to establishing Nigeria's first ever national social investment and protection programme, amongst many other feats, President Tinubu fondly recalls the former President's aggressive push to modernize Nigeria's defence architecture while working towards import substitution with the empowerment of millions of Nigerian farmers in his progressive initiative to enhance food security in the country.

The President describes former President Buhari as the finest paradigm of sacrifice, devotion, patriotism, and fidelity to the national cause.

"President Buhari is from the rarest phylum of virtuous servant-leaders. He has devoted his life to the service of the nation, even earning himself detention for his patriotism and service to our Fatherland. The emergence of leaders like my good friend, Buhari, happens only by divine orchestration. He is a man of absolute and undiluted integrity. His yea is yea, and his nay is nay," the President says.

President Tinubu appreciates former President Buhari for his friendship and vote of confidence shown through his stalwart support for the administration.

While wishing the elder statesman longevity and strength, President Tinubu assures the former President that the hope of a prosperous, peaceful, and progressive Nigeria, which he has always worked for, will not be dashed.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)

December 16, 2023

13/12/2023

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu swears-in chairman and members of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) and Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practice and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)

11/12/2023

President Bola Tinubu arrives in Maiduguri, to attend Nigerian Army annual conference.

10/12/2023

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), hosts the 64th Extraordinary Session of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja

08/12/2023

News flash President Bola Tinubu receives participants of Senior executive course 45 (2023) of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), says his government will leverage the country's human resources to fast track development

08/12/2023

President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu earlier today received the management of Shell Group, led by its Global Integrated Gas and Upstream Director, Ms. Zoe Yujnovich, in the State House where the company announced an Imminent $5 billion Investment in Bonga North Deep-water Project...

President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu assured the delegation that his administration will continue to ensure the security and viability of existing and new investments in the country and very focused on resolving all investment-related issues.

The President also said his administration is fixated on marching towards making Nigeria the African haven for large scale investment in all key sectors.

Ms. Yujnovich on behalf of the Shell Group expressed her company's commitment to maintain its legacy of onshore investments in Nigeria, particularly as the company refocuses its investment to key into new and existing opportunities in the gas sector.

She outlined the company's dedication to the development of the gas value chain in the country, including a substantial commitment of $1 billion over the next five to ten years, aimed at unlocking gas resources for domestic use and the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) project in Nigeria.

Ms. Yujnovich also announced an imminent $5 billion investment opportunity in the Bonga North project off the shores of Nigeria, located in the deep water.

She commended the collaboration her team has experienced with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, and the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen.

Her last words to the President:

"Mr President, I want to be successful in my role, and I cannot be successful in my role unless I can find a way to bring more new investments to Nigeria....I have made commitments to our investors that we will continue to invest in gas and oil. In Nigeria, I see all the conditions to continue to make this partnership stronger. In the deep water, we have an imminent investment opportunity in Bonga North. This is $5 billion. I am really keen to make that investment as soon as possible. We want to continue and build a pipeline of new investments in Nigeria,"

May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.🇳🇬

04/12/2023

Pictures: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had a productive discussion with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today, strengthening the robust partnership between Nigeria and the UAE while reaffirming their mutual dedication to enhancing connections with one another.

03/12/2023

Nigeria's minister of humanitarian, Dr Betta Edu says blueprint aims to set up humanitarian response systems in the entire country that can respond to emergencies effectively while improving the lives of persons affected and providing social safety net coverage to those affected by humanitarian crises the buying-in of the UAE Red Crescent Authority will give a boost to the interventions.

Recognizing the scope and complexity of the task at hand, the Federal Government through the Ministry is eager to collaborate with the United Arab Emirates Red Crescent Authority and your global team, to achieve durable solutions to some of the challenges within our mandate.

01/12/2023

The President of Nigeria and Chairman of ECOWAS President Bola Tinubu set to address COP28 with over 70,000 World Leaders, Presidents, Ministers, UN Leadership, INGO, Climate change Advocates, participants, Observers and Press in Dubai, UAE.

The President is joined by The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Dr Betta Edu, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister of Environment, Minister of Finance among other top Nigeria Government Officials at the COP28.

30/11/2023

PHOTOS: Tinubu Meets King Charles, Discusses Partnership

President Bola Tinubu has met with the King of England, King Charles III, on the sidelines of the COP28 Summit in Dubai.

Tinubu shared photos from the meeting on his Instagram page on Thursday, noting that the meeting was to strengthen partnership between both countries.

The photos were captioned, "I had a productive meeting with His Majesty, King Charles III of England who is also the Head of the Commonwealth, and a passionate climate advocate.

"The meeting was a significant step in strengthening the partnership between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, and I am optimistic about the positive impact our joint efforts will have on our planet’s future as we look forward to setting an equitable global standard for environmental stewardship at ."

29/11/2023

PRESIDENT TINUBU: SECURITY, JOB CREATION, POVERTY REDUCTION TOP PRIORITIES OF 2024 BUDGET

President Bola Tinubu says Nigeria's national defence and internal security, local job creation, macro-economic stability, investment environment optimization, human capital development, poverty reduction, and social security are some of the top priorities of the 2024 Budget of Renewed Hope.

Addressing a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday in Abuja during the presentation of the 2024 Federal budget proposal, President Tinubu said the nation's internal security architecture will be overhauled to enhance law enforcement capabilities with a view to safeguarding lives, property, and investments across the country.

He said the proposed budget prioritizes human capital development, with particular attention given to children, because human capital remains the most critical resource for national development.

"To improve the effectiveness of our budget performance, the government will focus on ensuring value for money, greater transparency, and accountability. In this regard, we will work more closely with development partners and the private sector.

"To address long-standing issues in the education sector, a more sustainable model of funding tertiary education will be implemented, including the Student Loan Scheme scheduled to become operational by January 2024," the President affirmed.

Speaking on the economy, President Tinubu said a stable macro-economic environment is crucial in his administration's bid to catalyze private investment and accelerate economic growth; hence, his government shall continue to implement business and investment friendly measures for sustainable growth.

"We expect the economy to grow by a minimum of 3.76 percent, above the forecasted world average. Inflation is expected to moderate to 21.4 percent in 2024. In preparing the 2024 Budget, our primary objective has been to sustain our robust foundation for sustainable economic development. A critical focus of this budget and the medium-term expenditure framework is Nigeria's commitment to a greener future.

"Emphasizing public-private partnerships, we have strategically made provisions to leverage private capital for big-ticket infrastructure projects in energy, transportation, and other sectors. This marks a critical step towards diversifying our energy mix, enhancing efficiency, and fostering the development of renewable energy sources. By allocating resources to support innovative and environmentally conscious initiatives, we aim to position Nigeria as a regional leader in the global movement towards clean and sustainable energy.

"As we approach the COP28 climate summit, a pivotal moment for global climate action, I have directed relevant government agencies to diligently work towards securing substantial funding commitments that will bolster Nigeria's energy transition. It is imperative that we seize this opportunity to attract international partnerships and investments that align with our national goals. I call upon our representatives to engage proactively to showcase the strides we have made in the quest to create an enabling environment for sustainable energy projects.

"Together, we will strive for Nigeria to emerge from COP28 with tangible commitments, reinforcing our dedication to a future where energy is not only a catalyst for development but also a driver of environmental stewardship," he said.

The President said a conservative oil price benchmark of 77.96 U.S. Dollars per barrel and a daily oil production estimate of 1.78 million barrels per day were adopted after a careful review of global oil market trends, and that a Naira to U.S. Dollar exchange rate of 750 naira per U.S. Dollar was adopted for 2024 as well.

Giving a breakdown of the 2024 Appropriation Bill, the President said: "Accordingly, an aggregate expenditure of 27.5 trillion naira is proposed for the Federal Government in 2024, of which the non-debt recurrent expenditure is 9.92 trillion naira while debt service is projected to be 8.25 trillion naira and capital expenditure is 8.7 trillion naira. Nigeria remains committed to meeting its debt obligations. Projected debt service is 45% of the expected total revenue.

"The budget deficit is projected at 9.18 trillion naira in 2024 or 3.88 percent of GDP. This is lower than the 13.78 trillion naira deficit recorded in 2023, which represented 6.11 percent of GDP. The deficit will be financed by new borrowings totaling 7.83 trillion naira, 298.49 billion naira from Privatization Proceeds, and 1.05 trillion naira draw down on multilateral and bilateral loans secured for specific development projects."

President Tinubu said his administration remains committed to broad-based and shared economic prosperity, adding: "We are reviewing social investment programmes to enhance their implementation and effectiveness. In particular, the National Social Safety Net project will be expanded to provide targeted cash transfers to poor and vulnerable households."

He also said efforts will be made to further contain financial leakages through the effective implementation of key public financial management reforms.

The President commended the patriotic resolve of the 10th National Assembly to collaborate with the Executive on the mission to renew the hope of Nigerians and deliver on the promises made to Africa's largest population.

"As you consider the 2024 Budget estimates, we trust that the legislative review process will be conducted with a view to sustaining our desired return to a predictable January-December fiscal year. I have no doubt that you will be guided by the interest of all Nigerians. We must ensure that only projects and programs with equitable benefits are allowed into the 2024 Budget. Additionally, only projects and programs that are in line with the sectoral mandates of MDAs and those which are capable of realizing the vision of our administration should be included in the budget," the President declared.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
November 29, 2023