The Reporters NG

11/09/2026

11/09/2026

Governor Radda Launches $1m Food Security Project to Tackle Floods, Drought in Katsina

Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has launched a $1 million food security project aimed at strengthening the resilience of vulnerable farming communities against the recurring challenges of floods and drought in the state.

The project, titled "Protecting Food Security Against Recurring Floods and Drought,” is organised by the Katsina State Development Management Board (KTDMB) in collaboration with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, with support from development partners and implementation by Mercy Corps Nigeria.

Speaking at the launch held at Hillside Hotel, Katsina, Governor Radda described climate change as a reality that requires collective action and practical interventions, stressing that protecting the environment and agricultural production is essential to improving food security, livelihoods and the economic wellbeing of the people.

“Climate change is a reality. We have no way to hide from it, and we must confront it with all the capacity and ability so that together we can fight it,” Governor Radda said.

The Governor noted that Katsina is an agrarian state whose people depend heavily on agriculture for their livelihoods, making interventions that protect land and water resources, improve agricultural productivity and strengthen food systems particularly important.

“Anything that will protect our environment, anything that will improve the environment and enable us to produce more, feed more and generate more income is something that all of us need to work towards,” he said.

Governor Radda assured the development partners of the State Government’s continued cooperation and support, while urging the benefiting local governments to provide maximum cooperation to ensure that the intervention achieves its intended objectives.

He directed the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and KTDMB to ensure effective coordination among the relevant ministries, departments and agencies involved in the project, as well as strong synergy between the development partners and the three beneficiary local governments.

The Governor further directed the Ministry of Environment and the Department of Climate Change to study the intervention and assess the possibility of scaling up similar climate-resilience initiatives to other local government areas across the state.

“Our aim is for every local government in the state to benefit from this laudable initiative,” Governor Radda said.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Development Management Board, Dr. Mustapha Shehu, said the project was funded with $1 million for a period of one year and would initially be implemented in Bindawa, Bakori and Kafur Local Government Areas, which were selected based on available data and identified vulnerabilities.

Dr. Shehu disclosed that baseline assessments were already being conducted across the three beneficiary LGAs to establish benchmarks and generate data that could guide the possible expansion of the intervention beyond the initial locations.

He said the project would be coordinated by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and implemented in collaboration with relevant ministries, including Agriculture, Livestock Development, Youth, Women Affairs, and Security and Home Affairs.

The Executive Secretary recalled previous development interventions implemented in Katsina through partnerships with organisations including Mercy Corps, noting that such collaborations had contributed to strengthening community resilience, peace and social cohesion.

He expressed hope that the food security intervention would generate wider conversations and support for protecting vulnerable communities and strengthening food systems across the state.

In his project overview, the Programme Manager of Mercy Corps Nigeria, Mr. Philip Ikita, said the intervention was designed in response to several challenges affecting vulnerable farming communities, including recurring floods and droughts, soil erosion, poor storage facilities, post-harvest losses, poverty, limited drainage and inadequate water management.

Mr. Ikita explained that the project would adopt a prevention-first approach, focusing on protecting existing agricultural assets, restoring degraded land, improving water management, strengthening food storage systems and building the capacity of communities to prepare for climate-related shocks.

He said the project would construct soil bunds, contour barriers and drainage systems on 150 selected farms, restore degraded land through vegetation and engage 180 workers under a cash-for-work arrangement, with restoration tools provided.

The Programme Manager added that at least 12 solar-powered water systems would be rehabilitated to support livestock and farming communities, particularly during the dry season, while water committees and technicians would also be trained.

He said the project would further rehabilitate 150 food storage facilities, distribute 500 hermetic bags and train households on improved food storage practices to reduce post-harvest losses.

According to him, the intervention would also train farmers in climate-smart agriculture, support livelihood diversification for about 300 women, and build community capacity in hazard mapping, contingency planning and preparedness for changing weather conditions.

Mr. Ikita said priority would be given to smallholder farming households, households dependent on grazing land, women and women-headed households, vulnerable families with young children, youths participating in cash-for-work activities, persons with disabilities and other highly vulnerable households.

He explained that the implementation would commence with assessments and procurement, followed by construction and land restoration, training and strengthening of community committees, and subsequently handover, inspection and project close-out within the 12-month implementation period.

On his part, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Hon. Malik Anas, commended Mercy Corps Nigeria and KTDMB for the intervention, describing it as a timely initiative aimed at strengthening the resilience of vulnerable farming communities to climate-related shocks.

Hon. Anas said the project would contribute to improving food security and livelihoods by strengthening the capacity of communities to withstand the effects of floods and drought.

He called on relevant ministries, departments and agencies to actively participate in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project to ensure that its objectives were achieved.

The Commissioner stressed the importance of effective grassroots monitoring, urging project personnel and relevant stakeholders to maintain a strong presence in the benefiting local governments and ensure proper reporting of activities and outcomes.

He congratulated Mercy Corps Nigeria and KTDMB for bringing the intervention to Katsina State and called for sustained collaboration among all stakeholders to ensure its success.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Livestock Development, Prof. Ahmed Mohammed Bakori, delivered a goodwill message at the event, joining other stakeholders in commending the initiative and highlighting the importance of interventions that support vulnerable communities and strengthen livelihoods.

In a separate goodwill message, the Chairman of Katsina Local Government Area, Hon. Isah Miqdad Sa’ude, expressed appreciation to the Katsina State Government, Mercy Corps Nigeria and KTDMB for selecting the beneficiary local governments for the intervention.

The event was attended by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir; members of the Katsina State Executive Council; senior government officials; representatives of development partners; traditional rulers; local government chairmen; and leaders of the business community, among other invited guests.

Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed

Chief Press Secretary to the Katsina State Governor

10 September, 2026

10/09/2026

THEREPORTERSNEWS.COM.NG ▪︎THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2026 ▪︎ VOL. 18 NO. 138

10/09/2026

Chinese Space Promises Come with Financial, Sovereign Risks

Analysts warn African countries that space projects can carry hidden costs and inability to access their own data.

By ADF

As African countries stake their claim to space by developing satellites, China has folded space missions into its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Experts note, however, that space-related cooperation comes with debt, operating costs and other financial risks associated with other BRI projects.

“China’s space collaborations are structured to advance its own industrial and military goals at the cost of asymmetric outcomes to foreign partners,” researchers Cortney Weinbaum, Christopher G. Pernin, Camille Reeves, Libby Weaver and Shanshan Mei wrote in a recent Rand Corp. report.

Countries that work with China on space projects typically find that funding depends on using Chinese vendors and launch services. Tracking and operations also must flow through China’s systems, raising questions about a nation’s ability to access its own data. In some cases, financing comes from the Export-Import Bank of China, the same facility tied to billions of dollars in loans for BRI projects across the continent.

Countries can find themselves the junior partners in the arrangement with China. An example: Argentina’s national space commission hosts a Chinese satellite tracking ground station tied to the Chinese military. The facility has the same legal status as an embassy, meaning Argentinian authorities cannot enter without permission. Argentinian researchers have access during only 10% of its operating time, limiting their work, according to the Rand researchers.

Africa’s Space City, east of Cairo, Egypt, is an example of China’s relationship with African space agencies. The facility is home to the African Union’s Africa Space Agency and the Egyptian Space Agency. It also hosts satellite construction facilities.

Space City was developed with the help of China, which has, so far, been the complex’s primary beneficiary. Chinese workers staff Space City, and its first locally produced satellite, Egypt’s MisrSat-2, was launched and managed from China.

China has established space-related partnerships with nearly half of Africa’s 54 countries. In addition to manufacturing and launching African satellites, China has satellite tracking and receiving facilities in Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Sudan and Tunisia. Tunisia also hosts a ground station for BeiDou, China’s version of GPS.

In 2023, Djibouti signed a memorandum of understanding with China’s Hong Kong Aerospace Technology to build Africa’s first spaceport, a $1 billion facility on the Obock peninsula near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Under the agreement, Hong Kong Aerospace would operate the facility for 30 years before releasing it to Djibouti.

“Beijing is rapidly stitching together a network of specialized outposts, positioning itself as a gateway to space for developing countries. Yet the deep integration of China’s space sector with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) means these partnerships carry risks,” researchers Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart and Aidan Powers-Riggs recently wrote for the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Nigeria is experiencing firsthand the risk of working with China as the government finds itself embroiled in a financial dispute with China Great Wall Industry Corp. over the cost of operating Nigeria’s NigComSat-1R.

The Chinese-built NigComSat-1R supports broadcasting, internet connectivity and security communications across Nigeria. It was launched in 2011 and is expected to reach the end of its operational life later this year.

The satellite is active and sits in a geostationary orbit above South Sudan, according to tracking data.

The Chinese government-owned company, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., recently warned Nigeria that it might stop supporting NigComSat-1R due to an outstanding $11.44 million debt.

The company gave Nigeria 30 days to resolve its debt earlier this year under the threat of deactivating the satellite’s transponders.

Nigeria has denied that it owes the Chinese company money. It has approached France and Israel for help in developing future communications satellites.

“Government, commercial, and academic researchers should approach space cooperation with China with rigorous due diligence,” the Rand researchers wrote.

09/09/2026

FG ORDERS TRANSFER OF INLAND DRY PORTS TO NPA

In a bid to create a clear separation between port economic regulation, development and operations, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has directed the transfer of the Inland Dry Port functions of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

In a statement by his Special Adviser Bolaji Akinola, Oyetola also directs the immediate constitution of a ministerial committee to oversee the transition of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council into the newly established Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), following President Bola Tinubu’s assent to the NPERA Act, 2026.

The directives are part of measures to establish a clear institutional framework for the new port economic regulatory regime, eliminate overlapping responsibilities and ensure that agencies under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy operate within clearly defined mandates.

The NPERA Act, signed by President Tinubu in August, formally establishes a substantive economic regulator for Nigeria’s port sector, bringing to an end a two-decade wait for a dedicated statutory port economic regulator.

With the enactment of the law, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, which had operated as the country’s interim port economic regulator since 2014, transmutes into NPERA (NTA).

09/09/2026

TCN DECLARES FORCE MAJEURE ON 330kV KAINJI–BIRNIN KEBBI TRANSMISSION LINE FOLLOWING TOWER COLLAPSE

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) hereby declares a Force Majeure Event on the 330kV Kainji–Birnin Kebbi Transmission Line following the collapse of a transmission tower along the line.

At 10:44 p.m. on Monday, 7th September 2026, the 330kV Kainji–Birnin Kebbi Transmission Line tripped. A trial reclosure was subsequently attempted at 11:07 p.m., but the line tripped again.

Following the second trip, linesmen from TCN's Birnin Kebbi Sub-Region embarked on a fault-finding patrol along the transmission corridor. On 8th September 2026, the team discovered that Tower T367 had collapsed.

Preliminary findings indicate that the collapse of the tower was caused by heavy winds and rainstorms experienced in the area.

The incident has affected the transmission of bulk electricity through the 330kV Kainji–Birnin Kebbi transmission corridor. Consequently, and in view of the natural disaster that caused the damage, TCN hereby declares Force Majeure on the 330kV Kainji–Birnin Kebbi Transmission Line.

TCN has commenced arrangements to mobilise the necessary personnel, equipment, and other resources to the affected location to facilitate the rehabilitation of the collapsed tower and restoration of the transmission line to service within the shortest possible time.

In the interim, TCN has successfully maintained electricity transmission to Sokoto by enabling the Talata Mafara–Sokoto corridor to receive supply through an alternative transmission path from the Kaduna-Mando axis via the 132kV Zaria–Funtua–Gusau transmission line.

TCN regrets any inconvenience this development will cause electricity consumers and other stakeholders affected by the incident. The Company assures the public that every effort is being made to restore normal bulk power transmission service as quickly as possible.

Signed
Management
Transmission Company of Nigeria, (TCN)
8th September, 2026

09/09/2026

FROM REFORM TO PROSPERITY: A CASE FOR PRESIDENT TINUBU’S RE-ELECTION

By Fredrick Nwabufo

Suleiman sits in the examination hall. His palms are sweaty, and beads of despair are dropping on his lap. He has not paid his fees and is scraping by on odd jobs. It is the crucial second-semester examination. Suleiman faces a major challenge to his dream of getting a higher education: funding. But his determination is greater than his fear.

In his 200 level in 2024, word came to him about the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND); he did not hesitate; he put his foot on the pedal, applied and got funding for tuition and upkeep. Today, Suleiman’s dream lives. Not aborted. In his immortal words, he says: "NELFUND helped me cross the finish line. It was a lifeline."

We now have close to two million students like Suleiman to whom NELFUND has given a lifeline, a new passport to prosperity, and a reason to dream again; to believe again, and redouble their faith in the possibilities of our nation.

The challenge of funding higher education is a serious concern worldwide. In the US, 60 per cent of students who drop out of college cite financial strain, and in the 2023/2024 academic session alone, more than 10 million students received various forms of financial aid.

NELFUND is a historical novelty. It is a programme that the young beneficiaries of today will talk about and pass down to their children, just like our parents regaled us with tales about a time in Nigeria when higher education was at its peak; when hostels were roomy, and a smorgasbord of full chicken and milk was served expressly at school cafeterias.

To address certain political contortions, NELFUND is a zero-interest facility open to all Nigerian students in tertiary institutions. It is only due for repayment two years after the completion of the NYSC. Critical programmes like NELFUND should not be fodder for populist politics. The programme's essence must not be lost or minimised. It is principally to offer an opportunity for higher education and a better life for any Nigerian student, as well as to enrich the productive workforce and expand access to jobs and economic opportunities.

From yesterday's challenges, Nigeria is transitioning today, undergirded by economic policy shifts—such as fiscal realignments and fuel subsidy removal—toward long-term stabilisation, infrastructure returns, expanded federal revenue distributions to states, job creation, and emerging microeconomic gains. Without eliminating the residual challenges, the gains from macroeconomic stability are already reaching critical segments of the population.

Today, states can pay workers' salaries, a departure from the past when 27 states could not meet this obligation; there is an improvement in wages and income; there is CREDICORP, which is supporting workers to buy essential goods and assets; there is education financing, as well as direct financial grants to low-income households and small businesses, among others.

Essentially, the Tinubu administration has kept faith with the core pillars of its original manifesto. It has honoured foundational commitments, translating policy blueprints into tangible infrastructure and structural reforms. What it said it would do, it has done.

It has not been an easy road to tread, really, but it has been far from a Golgotha experience. Our economy has reached a sufficient recovery and is already on a stronger growth trajectory.

Our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.43% (year-on-year) in real terms in the second quarter of 2026, higher than the 4.23% recorded in the second quarter of 2025, driven by improvements in the oil, manufacturing, agricultural, and services sectors, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The NBS also reported inflation falling to 15.43% in July 2026 from 15.91%.

Days ago, Moody’s revised Nigeria’s outlook to positive and affirmed its B3 rating, citing stronger external buffers and sustained reform momentum. Global index provider FTSE Russell had also confirmed that Nigeria's capital market would be reclassified from "Unclassified" to "Frontier Market" status, effective from the opening of trading on Monday, September 21, 2026, after nearly three years of exclusion.

Months ago, Nigeria's stock market emerged as the world's best-performing equity market in dollar terms, eclipsing South Korea, as investor confidence grew amid an improving macroeconomic outlook and ongoing economic reforms.

Today, our foreign reserves are over $53 billion, the highest in nearly two decades. In June, Nigeria was ranked as the best-performing African economy in the 2026 World Competitiveness Ranking released by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).

In the past three years, the hard work of scaffolding and foundation laying has been accomplished; the reforms have been sown, and now we are harvesting prosperity. With Renewed Hope Agenda 2, we will deliver today while building for tomorrow.

…Nwabufo is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Engagement

09/09/2026

NEMA RECEIVES 180 NIGERIAN RETURNEES FROM BENGHAZI, LIBYA

The Lagos Operations Office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), received 180 Nigerian returnees from Benghazi, Libya, under the Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) Programme coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The returnees arrived at about 6:36 p.m. on 7th September 2026 aboard an Air Buraq Airlines flight, Registration No. 5A-BAC, which landed at the Cargo Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State.

The group comprised 169 adults, including 68 males and 101 females; six male children; five infants, comprising four males and one female; and one male medical case.

Upon arrival, officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) conducted biometric registration and documentation of the returnees to facilitate proper identification, record-keeping and the subsequent reintegration process.

The returnees also received immediate humanitarian assistance, including food and potable water, medical screening and ambulance services for those requiring medical attention, luggage handling and other logistical support.

Reception coordination, counselling and reintegration support were also provided to assist the returnees as they transition back to their communities.

The exercise was successfully conducted with relevant government agencies and partners providing the necessary assistance to ensure a safe, orderly and dignified reception for the returning Nigerians.

7th September, 2026

09/09/2026

SEAFARERS’ TRAINING | NIMASA HOST MAN ORON ⚓ GOVERNING BOARD

The Governing Council of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, led by Chairman Engr. Kehinde Olayinka Akinola, visited NIMASA HQ, Lagos.

DG NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed NIMASA’s commitment to strengthening seafarers’ training and certification through closer collaboration with MAN, Oron.

is also reviewing the STCW 2017 curriculum to meet global standards and enhance the international recognition of Nigerian seafarer certification.

Building skilled Nigerian seafarers remains central to the growth of Nigeria’s Blue Economy. 🇳🇬⚓