The Government vs Climate Change
Happy public holiday week to all in Nigeria.
In this edition:
Climate Change is hitting hard
Kogi State Debt Free
The kids are fighting malaria
This edition is 1,350 words (approx. 5 min read)
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Climate Change is hitting hard
Last week, we reported that almost 200 people have died from heavy rainfalls in Niger. And recently, environmental experts expressed worry that with the way the rising sea levels are flooding the region, Rivers State and the Niger Delta could disappear by 2050.
This mirrors concerns from a climate-focused publication, which in 2024 said that Lagos State could also disappear by 2050, with the way the rains are hitting and sea levels are rising
2050 seems far (it's not,) but the impact of rising sea levels is already affecting us:
How so? Every time there is a flood, a lot of people lose their lives, their families, property and livelihoods. This leads not only to avoidable grief, but also displacement, fights over land and tension between communities.
It also increases the cost of food and other necessities, as scarcity becomes a thing
The Executive Director of Academic Associates Peace Works (AAPW), who raised this concern at a workshop in Port Harcourt, said the impact of rising sea levels can only be managed or mitigated if Nigeria strengthens its environmental laws.
But the problem is not just rising sea levels. For decades, oil companies have been allowed to operate without proper regulation. Nkoyo Toyo from AAPW said these uncontrolled oil operations are a major cause of the problem. Hello, black soot in Port Harcourt.
The experts want serious environmental enforcement mechanisms. Think coastal zoning, stricter oil-sector oversight, and strong grassroots, security, and policy collaboration.
Governance
Kogi State Debt Free
The Kogi State Government says it has cleared N98.8 billion in debt left behind by past administrations, calling it a major “step toward economic recovery”.
The Commissioner for Finance, Asiwaju Idris, made the announcement at a press briefing, noting that this was achieved within Governor Ahmed Ododo’s first 15 months in office. The debts covered various loans, including salary bailouts and infrastructure funding, some dating back to the Idris Wada administration (2012 to 2016).
Asiwaju Idris says they achieved this through “disciplined financial management”, and now Kogi’s credit rating has improved from a B- to a B
In terms of development, the government says several major infrastructure projects - like new hostels and perimeter fencing at Confluence University - are nearly complete, with more progress happening at Kogi State University in Kabba.
Who else owes? Fun fact: Lagos, Rivers, and Delta states collectively account for 38% of the total domestic debt stock of Nigerian states.
Governance the Tinubu way 👀
A faction of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has called on the National Assembly to start impeachment proceedings against President Bola Tinubu. They claim he has a conflict of interest in the awarding of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway contract.
The group is concerned because Tinubu openly called contractor Gilbert Chagoury, who heads Hitech Construction, part of the Chagoury Group, "my partner in daring" during the commissioning of Phase 1, Section 1 of the highway.
Afenifere’s leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, said:. “All President Tinubu is doing is building a road to his own Atlantic City”. He believes the highway's limited development, just the stretch leading into Eko Atlantic City, shows unfair favouritism towards private development.
Oladipo also noted that there was no public bidding for the highway’s development, which goes against the Public Procurement Act.
Note: Section 16(1)(c) and Section 24(1) of The Public Procurement Act of 2007 state that public projects must go through a competitive bidding process, and the government is not allowed to simply hire someone they like for infrastructure or other public procurement projects.
Speaking of suspect behaviour
Chinese Nationals sentenced in Lagos
In Lagos, nine Chinese nationals were sentenced to one year in prison and fined for orchestrating a cybercrime group that EFCC says disrupted Nigeria's economy.
They were caught in a major raid in December 2024, where over 700 people, including many foreigners, were arrested for cyber fraud, hacking, etc.
These individuals were recruiting Nigerians to steal identities and commit financial scams.
The court also ordered them to forfeit their computers and furniture to the government, and will deport them back to China after their sentence.
Similarly, eight Filipino nationals were also sentenced for similar crimes in another court in Lagos, facing the same prison time and fine.
They were part of another cybercrime ring operating in Lagos
Politics
In recent news, we reported that around 10 government officials from Delta, Kebbi and Katsina all left PDP to join APC. This week, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, has officially done the same - Punch
Then there’s the chaotic election process
As Mahmood Yakubu’s term as INEC Chairman winds down, activists are raising red flags over President Bola Tinubu’s expected move to handpick his successor. At an event in Abuja, members of civil society groups said the current process, where the president gets to make the appointment, undermines INEC’s independence and could taint future elections, especially with 2027 around the corner - Guardian NG
They’ve submitted a formal memorandum to the National Assembly, suggesting a new approach: create an independent selection panel that would screen and shortlist qualified candidates. The president would then pick from this list, and the nominee would still need National Assembly confirmation. They believe this setup would reduce political interference and boost public trust in the electoral process.
Dr. Austin Aigbe, who presented the memo, explained that while the Constitution currently gives the president power to appoint, this clashes with INEC’s role to run free and fair elections. He called for constitutional changes to fix this and give the proposed panel a legal mandate.
The suggested panel would include respected groups like the National Judicial Council, NBA, NLC, NUJ, ASUU, ICPC, and civil society networks. They point to examples in countries like Kenya, South Africa, and the U.S., where more transparent appointment systems help protect the integrity of elections.
The call for reform also pushed for greater use of technology (like BVAS) to improve voter turnout and reduce fraud and costs. Dr. Iroro Stephen Izu of Baze University added that Nigeria urgently needs to tackle voter apathy, which he called a “time bomb.”
But not by making non-voting a crime, as the National Assembly attempted to do a few weeks ago
Irobo and other activists say the FG needs to fix the appointment process, build trust, use better tools, to help keep voters engaged because the health of Nigeria’s democracy depends on it.
Health and Safety
Students Mobilise for Malaria Fight
Geneith Pharmaceuticals Ltd has launched the Geneith Health Competition, a nationwide N1 billion campaign that mobilises students to take the lead in the fight against malaria.
The competition invites students from secondary and tertiary institutions to co-create malaria prevention strategies tailored to their communities. Registration is now open on the campaign’s website.
The competition includes N400 million in cash prizes and N600 million worth of gifts and support resources, with funding powered by Geneith’s pharmaceutical arm, Coastal Forte Softgel.
Prince Cletus Ilobanafor, CEOAfrica’s MD and originator of the initiative, emphasised that this is an opportunity for student-led innovation in public health.
I hope the students fix it 🤞
What happened to the Kano Athletes
Last week, a devastating accident claimed the lives of at least 22 athletes and officials from Kano State, as their bus veered off the Chiromawa Bridge on the Kano-Zaria expressway while returning from the Gateway Games 2024 National Sports Festival held in Ogun State. Over 30 individuals were onboard when the driver reportedly lost control.
Speaking from her hospital bed, a survivor, Dorothy Okwuzuluik,e stated that the bus broke down multiple times on the way, and the drivers + facilitators knew that they had sent the athletes on a 16-hour trip in a faulty bus
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf declared Monday a day of mourning, calling it a "monumental loss for the state and the nation". The government will provide N1 million and food supplies to each of the bereaved households.
They could have used that N22 million to buy a new bus.
Other News
Road accident in northern Nigeria kills 22 athletes returning from a sports festival– AP news
Experts decry spike in mental health disorders among women– Guardian
President Bola Tinubu said Nigeria secured over $2.2bn health sector commitments through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.
This edition was curated by Muhammed, written by Rosemary and Adetomiwa, and edited by Muhammed and Adetomiwa.
That New News is an independent, self-funded project by me (Adetomiwa). Thank you for reading, sharing and donating. I love you like I birthed you 😘