Business and Economy
Concerned Northern Elders Reject NEF Position on FIRS, Back Tinubu’s Reforms
By Aliyu Musa
The Concerned Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has disowned and sharply criticised recent statements credited to the Northern Elders Forum over the activities of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), describing the position as a misrepresentation of the true aspirations of the North.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday and signed by Dr Nasir Manguno, the group said it was compelled to address Nigerians in the interest of truth, responsibility and historical accountability, warning that silence in the face of what it described as calculated distortion would amount to complicity.
The elders stated that the so-called position of the NEF against the FIRS, its Executive Chairman and the economic reform agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu neither reflects the collective conscience of Northern elders nor aligns with the progressive expectations of the region.
According to the group, the NEF has lost its moral authority and has gradually transformed from a forum of wisdom into what it described as a platform for political grievances and sponsored opposition narratives. The elders insisted that leadership and elder statesmanship must be rooted in integrity, foresight and national interest, not nostalgia for failed systems or entitlement to privilege.
The statement praised the performance of the current Executive Chairman of the FIRS, noting that under his leadership, the agency has recorded consistent over-performance of revenue targets, strengthened non-oil revenue mobilisation and deployed technology and data-driven strategies to block historic leakages. It added that the renewed emphasis on fairness and accountability has ensured that influence no longer guarantees exemption from taxation.
The Concerned Northern Elders stressed that these achievements are verifiable and represent what Nigeria can accomplish when competence replaces complacency, arguing that opposition to such reforms is driven by those unsettled by efficiency and transparency.
On the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu, the group said the administration inherited an economy weakened by subsidy dependency, secrecy and selective compliance. It commended the President for choosing courage over convenience by pursuing reforms it described as difficult but necessary for national recovery.
The elders maintained that revenue reform is not punitive but central to nation-building, insisting that no country develops by shielding elites from responsibility or placing the burden of governance solely on the poor.
The group also expressed full support for the Memorandum of Understanding entered into by the FIRS leadership to strengthen inter-agency collaboration, harmonise data systems and eliminate duplication. It argued that any policy framework that promotes transparency, strengthens institutions and enhances revenue efficiency is in the best interest of the North and Nigeria at large.
Addressing what it termed the politics of sabotage, the elders said the renewed criticism of FIRS coincided with political recalibration by opposition interests seeking to weaponise the North against reform. They warned that the region would not allow itself to be used for partisan objectives.
The statement emphasised that the true priorities of the North include job creation, infrastructure development, education and accountability, rather than recycled rhetoric and inherited excuses. According to the elders, these aspirations require strong institutions, fair taxation and fearless leadership.
The group concluded by reaffirming its support for the Executive Chairman of the FIRS, President Tinubu’s economic reform agenda and public servants committed to national interest over elite comfort, stressing that history favours reformers and not obstructionists.
“The North is not against reform. The North is against failure, and it will not be dragged backward by voices sponsored to fear progress,” the statement said.
BY Saint Mugaga
The Opposition Caucus in the House of Representatives have raised serious concerns over the alleged failure of the federal government to implement the 2025 Appropriation Act.
The caucus warned that the development could trigger calls for the removal of top finance officials.
In a statement jointly signed by the caucus leaders, Hon. Fred Agbedi (PDP, Bayelsa) and Hon. Afam Ogene (LP, Anambra),on Monday, the lawmakers announced that a strategic meeting has been scheduled for 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday to deliberate on critical national and legislative issues.
According to the statement, the meeting will focus on fiscal governance, legislative oversight, and an internal review of the performance of the minority leadership in the House.
Central to the deliberations, the caucus said, is the reported non-implementation of the 2025 budget throughout the entire fiscal year, despite the House approving all loan requests submitted by the Executive arm of government.
The lawmakers are expected to interrogate claims that funds appropriated for capital projects were not released, contrary to assurances earlier given to the National Assembly.
The caucus disclosed that it is also considering strong accountability measures, including a possible call for the removal of the Minister of Finance and the Accountant-General of the Federation.
By Saint Mugaga
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has said the opening of Nigeria House in Davos reflected the country’s renewed seriousness, readiness, and resolve to take its place as an active participant in shaping global economic conversations.
He observed that while nations do not prosper in isolation, Nigeria’s future growth depended on deliberate, structured engagement with the global economy.
A release by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, said Shettima stated this on Monday, during the formal opening of the Nigeria House at the 2026 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
He said Nigeria marked a historic milestone in its global economic engagement with the official opening of its House at the WEF 2026.
“This day is extraordinary in the history of our engagements at this beautiful meeting point of global political leadership, policy thinkers, and corporate enterprise. For the first time in our nation’s history, Nigeria stands at Davos with a sovereign pavilion of its own.
“Nigeria House is a response to the lapses of the past. It reflects our intention. It reflects our seriousness. Above all, it advertises both our readiness and our resolve to take a front-line seat in the discourse of the global economy, not as observers, but as participants with a clear sense of purpose and place,” he stated.
The Vice President pointed out that even though “Nigeria House may have been conceived as a whole-of-government platform, led by the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, with senior leadership across investment, foreign affairs, energy, infrastructure, technology, climate, and culture gathered under one roof,” the true essence of the House must come from the private sector.
“Government can open doors, create frameworks, and de-risk environments; only enterprise can animate growth, scale opportunity, and translate policy into productivity. This House will thrive to the extent that it draws life from private capital, private innovation, and private confidence,” he maintained.
Shettima explained that the dividends of the Tinubu administration’s reforms were beginning to materialize, noting that “our decision to open up to the world more deliberately comes at a turning point in our economic journey.
“The dividends of the difficult but inevitable reforms of recent years are beginning to show,” he added, recalling that in 2025, Nigeria’s economy expanded by about 3.9 per cent, the fastest pace recorded in over a decade, driven largely by a resilient non-oil economy that now accounts for roughly 96 per cent of GDP.
He continued: “Services, agriculture, finance, and technology are expanding, while non-oil revenues now make up nearly three-quarters of government collections, marking a structural shift away from oil dependence.
“Inflation, which stood above 30 per cent in late 2024, eased significantly by the end of 2025, and external buffers have improved, with foreign reserves rising above 45 billion dollars and greater stability in the foreign exchange market.”
He invited the international business community to leverage the platform created through the Nigeria House project, noting that “Nigeria is open for business, but more importantly, Nigeria is open for collaboration.”
Shettima assured that the Nigeria House would host conversations that must have to move the nation and the global community forward.
“We are here to learn from you just as much as we are here to inform you of the opportunities that await in Nigeria. Progress is not a monologue; it is a dialogue,” he further stated.
Earlier, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, applauded the support of Vice President Shettima for the realisation of the historical vision for Nigeria House, Davos, acknow
Business and Economy
Shettima urges African entrepreneurs to close ranks to fully harness continent’s huge potentials…hails Massachusetts Tech Institute’s impact on global innovation ecosystem
By Saint Mugaga
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has urged African entrepreneurs to close ranks in order to fully harness the Massachusetts Institute of Technology continent’s huge potentials, leveraging (MIT)’s resource mobilization network and job creation opportunities.
He made the call on Wednesday when he received a delegation from Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship 2025-2026 led by MIT’s Executive Director for the Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, Dina Sherif, on a courtesy visit at the presidential villa.
The vice president lauded the transformative impact of the MIT on the global entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem that has raised over $1.5 billion dollars and created over 30,000 direct jobs in 20 years.
Shettima called for unity of purpose among African professionals and entrepreneurs, saying “Africa is the new frontier and future belongs to the continent but its people must unite to transform potentials into tangible results that impact lives and livelihoods.
“Africa is blessed with enormous human and material resources but its people must fuse into one to benefit from the tremendous opportunities that abound across the continent,” he added.
He disclosed that Nigeria President Bola Tinubu was daring to leverage available opportunities to transform the entire economy, noting that “President Tinubu is not afraid of taking bold decisions that will reposition Nigeria’s economy and better the lives of the livelihoods of the people.”
Earlier in her remarks, the leader of the delegation said the delegation was at the Presidential Villa to brief the Vice President on the activities of MIT’s Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, assuring that the Centre is dedicated to “fueling the engine of entrepreneurship across the world”.
She noted that the team was in Nigeria in view of the Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship programme, which, according to her, has helped to entrench the spirit of entrepreneurship across the continent.
Sherif underscored the significance of collaboration among African startups, noting that Nigeria is a leading country, as evidenced in the progress recorded by startups across the continent.
She further assured of improved support for African-based startups from the centre through its various initiatives.
Also present at the meeting with the Vice President were the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, and some fellows of the Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship 2025 – 2026 Session across Africa.
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