NEWS
FG spends $600m on fuel importation monthly – Edun
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has revealed that the country currently spends $600m on fuel importation monthly.He stated that the high import bill is due to neighbouring countries, up to Central Africa, benefiting from the country’s fuel imports.The minister stated this during an interview on AIT’s Moneyline programme, which was posted on its Youtube channel on Wednesday.Edun explained that the situation was the reason President Bola Tinubu removed fuel subsidy, as the country does not know the exact amount of fuel consumed internally.
According to a report by the National Bureau of Statistics, the country’s petrol import was reduced to an average of one billion litres monthly after President Bola Tinubu removed the fuel subsidy on May 29 last year.
He said, “The fuel subsidy was removed May 29, 2023, by Mr President, and at that time, the poorest of 40 per cent was only getting four per cent of the value, and basically, they were not benefitting at all. So it was going to be just a few.
“Another point that I think is important is that nobody knows the consumption in Nigeria of petroleum. We know we spend $600m to import fuel every month but the issue here is that all the neighbouring countries are benefitting.
“So we are buying not for just for Nigeria, we are buying for countries to the east, almost as far as Central Africa. We are buying. We are buying for countries to the North and we are buying for countries to the West. And so we have to ask ourselves as Nigerians, how long do we want to do that for and that is the key issue regarding the issue of petroleum pricing.”He added that the nation must take a decisive step to tackle step the problem as it impedes it’s economic growth.Of great importance to the government, Edun said, is the welfare of the people, particularly the vulnerable.One of the key areas of focus is ensuring food availability and affordability.Speaking further in the interview, the finance minister clarified that the N570bn fund release to state governments was implemented last year December.He said, “This actually refers to a reimbursement that they received from December last year onwards and it was a reimbursement I think under the COVID financing protocol but the point is that the states have received more money. They have received more money. Mr President has charged to ensure food production in the states.”
Edun also clarified that the recent decision to raise the maximum borrowing percentage in the Ways and Means from five to 10 per cent does not imply that the Federal Government tends to rely on the Central Bank of Nigeria financing.
He said the government had rather used market instruments to manage its debts.The minister said, “We have not gone to the central bank to say, please lend the government money to pay its debt, to pay its salaries. That’s Ways and Means. We have not gone. In fact, we have used market instruments to pay down what we owed, and that is a very, very germane aspect of having a strong economy.“It was raised to 10 per cent, but that doesn’t mean it will be used. It’s there as a fail-safe and just gives that extra flexibility so that if a payment needs to be made and there is a mistiming or gap in when revenue would come in and expenses, we can just draw it down briefly.”He described the approval by the National Assembly as a fail-safe measure.The minister added, “Sometimes it just gives that extra flexibility so that if a payment needs to be made and there’s a mistiming, there’s a gap between the time at which the revenue will come in and the expenses needed, you can just draw down briefly.“So, the aim is to keep within the letter of the law, I think that’s the main point.”He also said the welfare of Nigerians remained a key priority for the current administration, particularly ensuring food availability and affordability.
Edun said, “There is a concerted effort to ensure that we have homegrown food available. In the short term, apart from what is being distributed from reserves, there is a window that has been opened for importation because the commitment of Mr President is to drive down those prices now and make food available now.”He assured all that the measure would not undermine local farmers, as importation would only be permitted after exhausting local supplies.He said, “So, one of the conditions for this importation will be that everything available locally in the markets or with the millers and so forth has been taken up. We will have auditors that will check that.”He said these interventions seek to reduce inflation, stabilise exchange rates, and lower interest rates, thereby creating a conducive environment for investment and job creation.
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NEWS
Governor Dauda Lawal Hails Troops for Successful Fight against Banditry, Terrorism across Zamfara State
Governor Dauda Lawal has commended the troops of the Joint Task Force (North West) Operation Fansan Yamma for achieving significant operational successes against bandits in Zamfara State. The troops of the Joint Task Force launched an elaborate and coordinated onslaught in the early hours of Thursday, May 7, 2026, in the Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji Local Government Areas of Zamfara State. Following the encounter, troops effectively neutralised three gang leaders and recovered a cache of weapons and ammunition, which included an AK-47 rifle, a machine gun, a locally fabricated handgun, seven rifle magazines and a total of 571 rounds of ammunition.Governor Lawal described the renewed military offensive as timely, particularly due to the successful operation recorded on May 10, 2026, which disrupted a significant gathering of notorious terrorist leaders and neutralised several commanders. The troops acted on an intelligence report that confirmed that the terrorists had converged at a concealed location in Tumfa Village, Shinkafi Local Government Area, with the intention to coordinate attacks and criminal activities targeting innocent communities in the state. The Air Component launched a precision airstrike on the identified terrorist hideout that successfully destroyed the structure, which served as the terrorists’ meeting point. The governor further reiterates Zamfara State Government’s commitment to ongoing support and logistics for the military and other security agencies operating in the state.
His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, Dr. Dauda Lawal, has officially approved the sum of N3.2 billion for the complete renovation, accreditation, and commencement of academic activities at the Zamfara State School of Nursing and Health Sciences, located in Zurmi Local Government Area. This was confirmed in an official statement released marking a major intervention in the state’s ailing healthcare education sector, which has suffered years of neglect and infrastructural decay.According to government sources, the funds will be channeled into three critical areas: the overhauling of lecture halls, administrative blocks, student hostels, and practical demonstration labs to meet modern standards; the settlement of regulatory fees and implementation of curriculum upgrades required by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN); and enabling the school to admit its first batch of students in over five years, with a focus on midwifery, community health and general nursing. Speaking on the development, the state Commissioner for Health described the approval as a new chapter in healthcare manpower development, noting that the Zurmi school has remained non-functional for nearly a decade due to poor infrastructure and loss of accreditation. Governor Dauda Lawal is not just renovating a school but rebuilding the backbone of primary healthcare delivery in Zamfara, adding that without trained nurses and community health workers, the state’s hospitals cannot function and that this N3.2 billion investment will change the narrative.Residents of Zurmi and prospective students have greeted the news with excitement, with many having lost hope of ever seeing the institution reopen. Governor Dauda Lawal, who has made health sector revitalization a cornerstone of his administration, was quoted as saying that his government remains committed to accessible, quality education and healthcare across all 14 local government areas of the state, adding that no Zurmi child should travel hundreds of kilometers just to become a nurse. The state government has issued a directive to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education to ensure the project is completed within nine months, with accreditation visits scheduled to begin before the end of the current fiscal year.
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Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has received the Award of Excellence from the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) in recognition of his administration’s commitment to inclusive governance and social protection delivery.
The award was presented during a stakeholder engagement event with local government chairmen, held at the Transcorp Congress Hall in Abuja.
NASSCO, a federal agency operating under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, is responsible for implementing social safety-net programmes designed to protect and empower vulnerable populations across Nigeria.
In her remarks while presenting the award, the National Coordinator of NASSCO, Dr. Funmi Olotu, stated that the honour reflects Governor Lawal’s dedication to improving social protection systems and promoting inclusive governance in Zamfara State.
Accepting the award, Governor Lawal commended the Federal Government, the World Bank, and other development partners for their continued support of ongoing reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s social protection architecture.
“This engagement is timely and strategic,” Governor Lawal said. “In Nigeria, especially in conflict-affected states like Zamfara, social protection has shifted from welfare to a vital tool for governance, security, poverty reduction, and community resilience.”
He noted that insecurity in Zamfara has led to displacement, disruption of livelihoods, food insecurity, and significant economic hardship, which disproportionately affects women, children, displaced persons, people with disabilities, and rural communities.
The Governor stressed the need for better coordination, transparency, data-driven targeting, and stronger collaboration among federal, state, and local governments to ensure resources reach those who need them most.
He also praised the expansion of the National Social Register and the integration of the National Identification Number (NIN), describing these as steps that improve transparency, efficiency, and accountability in service delivery.
Governor Lawal further called for inclusive development that goes beyond cash transfers to include livelihood support, skills training, agriculture, healthcare, education, financial inclusion, and community resilience. “This will help vulnerable populations move from dependency to sustainable participation,” he said.
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