Business
INEC De-Registers 38 Parties
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has de-registered two more political parties, bringing the total number of de-registered parties to 38.
Our correspondent reports that the affected political parties are Change Advocacy Party (CAP) and Democratic Front for a Peoples Federation. (DFPF)
A reliable source at INEC told newsmen that the decision to de-register the parties was the commission’s meeting of February 5.
The source also said that the political parties affected did not meet the requirements stipulated by the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Kayode Idowu, confirmed the de-registration of the parties.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is determined to conduct free, fair and credible elections in 2015 and beyond, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Enugu State, Dr Lawrence Azubuike”, said.
Azubuike gave the assurance in Enugu at a capacity building workshop which the commission organised for the commission’s staff in Enugu State.
Azubuike said that toward achieving the goal, the commission had commenced series of training for its workers to prevent any laxity in the future elections.
“INEC is doing everything possible to conduct one of the freest elections in 2015. There is a consensus that the electoral exercises which the commission has undertaken since 2011 have improved.
“Therefore, the public will no longer tolerate any shortcoming from the election management body,’’ he said.
Azubuike expressed delight that INEC in the state had not had cause to conduct re-run, run-off or bye-elections since 2011.
He attributed the development to hard work and dedication to duty by the staff and urged the participants to take the workshop seriously.
He said the workshop would boost the workers’ productivity in meeting the expectations of Nigerians in future elections.
In a paper entitled, “Election Logistics: Distribution of Election Materials’, the Head of Department, Operations of INEC, Dr Fidelis Uguru, stressed the need for timely provision of election logistics for elections.
He added that the distribution of election logistics were key to the success of elections.
Uguru explained that the logistics for polls involved planning for and computation of human electoral personnel as well as sensitive and non-sensitive materials.
He said that it also required timely recruitment and procurement of resources, effective transportation of electoral personnel and materials, proper storage of material and provision of adequate security.
Uguru said that out that distribution of election materials, especially non-sensitive ones like voters’ register, forms and stationery usually commenced two weeks before an election.
Uguru emphasised the imperative of monitoring movement of distributed materials with a view to ensuring that they got to the end users.
“If all these are put in place for the elections and with the cooperation of the electorate, there will be free and fair elections in the country,’’ he said.
Some of the participants who spoke to newsmen after the session, expressed satisfaction with the series of training workshops for the staff of the commission.
Dr Anthonia Ekwo and Mr Bassey Effiong expressed optimism that the capacity building workshop would motivate the staff to strive for higher productivity to ensure credible elections.
The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, John Enoh said this at the 8th annual induction and conference of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN).
He explained that abandoned projects continue to lock up public funds that could have been used for infrastructure development, industrial growth, job creation and essential social services.
Represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Chris Osa Isokpunwu, he said the impact goes beyond financial losses, as incomplete projects affect communities and limit access to important public services
He cited examples of that remain unopened, schools that cannot accommodate students, roads that fail to connect communities and electricity projects that have not delivered their intended benefits.
The Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer of CIPMN, Henry Ifeanyi Mbadiwe, also identified poor project management as a major challenge affecting development in Nigeria.
He revealed that the institute had developed a project management curriculum for Nigerian universities, which has received approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC). The programme is expected to enable universities to offer project management as a bachelor’s degree.
Mbadiwe further referenced findings by the Presidential Projects Assessment Committee, which identified 11,886 ongoing federal capital projects in 2011, with an estimated financial commitment of ?7.78 trillion.
He noted that inadequate planning, supervision, accountability and implementation were among the factors contributing to the abandonment of projects across the country.
The minister called for stronger project management structures across ministries, departments and agencies to improve planning, monitoring and evaluation.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment had introduced a 90-day implementation reporting cycle to strengthen transparency and monitor the progress of government programmes.
Ikenga said the company remained committed to Nigeria’s power sector and would continue investing in its operations despite the challenging business environment.
He spoke in Lagos at the third edition of the Shell Power Conference, themed “Powering Nigeria’s Progress: Turning Ambition and Action into Sustainable Impact”.
The Transcorp Power chief said the company would sustain electricity generation, invest in its facilities and deliver value to shareholders.
“Transcorp Power is a long-term player, not a short-term player. This year has been challenging, but what is important is getting power to schools, hospitals and businesses to power progress,” he said.
Ikenga said the company’s focus on operational efficiency and investment had strengthened its contribution to Nigeria’s electricity supply.
He disclosed that since acquiring the Ughelli Power Plant in Delta State in 2013, Transcorp Power had quadrupled its available generation capacity.
He also said the company became the first privatised power generation firm to receive a post-privatisation discharge certificate after fulfilling all its privatisation obligations.
The company’s unaudited results for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, showed a profit before tax of N83.1 billion, while its profit-before-tax margin rose to 31.2 per cent from 29.6 per cent recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Its total assets rose to 11.7 per cent amounting to N629.5 billion, while shareholders’ funds grew 8.9 per cent to N199.8 billion. Cash and cash equivalents also rose to N10.3 billion, supported by improved collections.
On the company’s contribution to grid stability, Ikenga said Transcorp Power’s black-start capability enabled it to restart operations without relying on electricity from the national grid.
He explained that the capability allowed the company to support power restoration following grid disturbances, helping to restore electricity supply to homes, businesses and industries.
Ikenga noted that Nigeria had an installed electricity generation capacity of about 13,000 megawatts, with an estimated potential of 50 gigawatts, adding that realising the potential would require effective coordination across the entire value chain.
“Everything in the value chain has to work,” he said.
He called for stronger collaboration among federal and state governments, regulators and private-sector operators, alongside increased private investment, to build a sustainable electricity market.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Communications and Press Secretary, Maryann Duke.
The statement said Oyedele pointed to “improved digital systems, including electronic invoicing, as a key driver behind a record of N33tn in government revenue collected between January and October 2026.”
The minister said the performance demonstrated the potential of technology to improve revenue administration, strengthen compliance and increase efficiency across government institutions.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Digital Sovereignty and Ethics: Guarding the Economy for the Next Generation,’ Oyedele warned that Nigeria risked losing substantial economic opportunities if it continued to depend heavily on foreign digital infrastructure.
Citing Nigerian Communications Commission figures, he disclosed that the country recorded more than 157 million active internet subscriptions as of May 2026.
He explained that these connections generated significant volumes of information through financial transactions, healthcare, education and taxation.
However, citing estimates from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Oyedele said as much as 90 per cent of the country’s data was hosted abroad.
According to him, the situation has implications for foreign exchange expenditure, employment opportunities, technological skills and Nigeria’s control over information generated by its citizens.
He compared the country’s reliance on foreign digital infrastructure with its historical dependence on imported refined petroleum products, warning against a situation where Nigerian data would be processed abroad and the resulting services sold back to domestic users.
The minister consequently advocated greater investment in local data infrastructure, technical expertise, cybersecurity and predictable regulations to enable Nigerian businesses to capture more value from the digital economy.
He clarified that digital sovereignty should not translate into technological isolation but should strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to participate competitively in international markets.
Addressing graduating students, Oyedele urged young Nigerians to become developers of technological solutions rather than remain primarily consumers of products created elsewhere.
He identified artificial intelligence as both a disruptive force and an opportunity for innovation, advising graduates to acquire relevant digital skills alongside critical thinking, creativity, sound judgement and integrity.
The minister also cautioned against irresponsible online behaviour, explaining that digital footprints increasingly influence employment prospects, commercial relationships and professional credibility.
Oyedele outlined five priorities for graduates, including continuous learning, value creation, integrity, responsible digital citizenship and active participation in national development.
“Your degree is evidence of what you have learned. Your competence will demonstrate what you can do. Your character will reveal who you truly are,” he told the graduating students.
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