General News
Fresh Crisis in APC over Key Posts in Senate
The sharing of principal offices in the Senate appears to be creating a fresh crisis in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). According to the Punch, the principal offices are the Senate Leader; the Deputy Senate Leader; the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip.
While Bukola Saraki, President of the Senate, is believed to have recommended to the APC National Working Committee that the positions be allocated to the zones, some leaders of the party, especially those from the South-West, want them filled by the party’s hierarchy.
A senator made this known to one of Punch correspondents in Abuja on Thursday just as the APC NWC meeting on Thursday failed to agree on the modalities for brokering peace among aggrieved members of the party.
The senator warned that if the issue was not quickly resolved, the Senate and the APC might “face another round of crisis bigger than that that resulted from Saraki’s emergence as Senate president.”
He added, “The Senate President, had after wide consultations, suggested how the officers to occupy these posts could be appointed. He suggested the allocation of the four principal offices to some of the geopolitical zones.
“But some leaders, who are still angry with his (Saraki) emergence, turned down his suggestion. Some of the influential leaders from the South-West are insisting that the party should fill the offices. This is in spite of the fact that the chairman of our party (John Odigie-Oyegun) and other members of the NWC are in support of allocating the principal offices to zones. “The South-West leaders are even saying that allowing the party leadership to fill the offices, remained the only way to allow peace to reign in the Senate.”
A Senator from the North-Central , who is loyal to Saraki, confirmed the development on condition of anonymity .
He said that it was true that some APC leaders were insisting that the party should nominate the senators who would occupy the four principal offices .
He said, “By the Senate tradition, the party in majority normally sends the offices to the zones where the Senate caucuses would meet and choose among themselves in the zone, who occupies the offices.
“Some other leaders of the party are claiming that asking the party to produce the principal officers was a smart way to impose the Senate Leader, the Deputy Senate Leader, the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip on the Senate.”
The senator claimed that a “very influential “ leader of the party from the South-West had allegedly written Odigie- Oyegun that the leaders would fill the positions. “
He said, “Some of us were just called by some members of the NWC intimating us of details of a letter forwarded to the body that it should just fill the remaining four leadership positions in the Senate.
“In fact, the letter from the South-West leader is that the party must take charge and name its preferred candidates for the four offices.” It was further learnt that some senators had already met with some NWC members asking them to ignore the letter.
They were said to have insisted that the tradition remained that the zonal caucuses which did not produce the Senate President and his deputy should meet and nominate among themselves.
They added that it was when there were two or more nominations that, an election could hold and that whoever scored the highest votes would be the candidate.
Efforts to get the spokesperson for the pro – Saraki group, Dino Melaye, failed because his mobile phone was switched off. Spokesperson for the Senate Unity Forum, a group of senators loyal to Lawan, Kabir Marafa, argued that the choice of other principal officers who are not elected on the floor of the Senate, remained the sole business of the party leadership.
He said, “How can the executive of the party at the zonal levels determine who will be made the Senate Leader, the Deputy Senate Leader, the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip?
“It is the party executive that would determine all these. So the party would write the Senate President. That is the tradition. It cannot be done at the zonal level, it is absurd. There should be due process in whatever things we do.”
But when contacted, Lai Mohammed, National Publicity Secretary of the party, simply said, “No comment.”
Meanwhile, the leaders of the party will meet again on Friday following their failure to reach an agreement on how to end the crisis that arose due to the National Assembly leadership elections .
The meeting, which was held behind closed doors at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja started at about 5.20pm. It lasted for a little over an hour.
Details of the meeting were not made public as of 8pm on Thursday when this story was filed.
When approached for comments , Odigie-Oyegun, said, “We will meet again tomorrow to continue.” It was however learnt that the party leaders had been unable to get supporters of the Senate President and the APC’s preferred candidate for the Senate Presidency , Ahmed Lawan, to meet face-to-face.
One of our correspondents, who visited the APC secretariat observed that the posters and banners of a former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, had disappeared from the secretariat.
His banners were hitherto pasted side by side those of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
Most of the banners were put up by individuals and groups supporting the APC. It is not clear what led to the disappearance of the posters and banners. – Punch.
Linda Saunders
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Reskilling for the agentic AI era
With just 15% of workers saying that they have the education and training necessary to use AI effectively, reskilling must be a priority for every business leader.
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The power of reskilling and trust to drive innovation
The transition to an AI-powered future will bring challenges, particularly ensuring employees have access to the right infrastructure, high-quality data, and relevant skills.
However, by investing in reskilling and comprehensive training programs, organizations can empower teams to work effectively alongside AI agents, adapt to the evolving nature of work, and ultimately drive innovation in this age of digital labor.
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Ultimately, investing in both AI agents and human employees, and actively fostering their collaboration in a trusted way, will enable businesses to operate at scale and realize their full potential in the agentic AI era.
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc held its 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos today, where shareholders reviewed the company’s full-year financial performance and endorsed its strategic priorities for the future.
The AGM came on the heels of a strong first quarter in 2025, during which MTN Nigeria invested a record ₦202.4 billion in capital expenditures and posted ₦133.7 billion in profit after tax, marking a major turnaround from a ₦392.7 billion loss in Q1 2024.
This 159% year-on-year surge in Q1 CAPEX—the company’s highest-ever quarterly investment—has gone into expanding network capacity, boosting data speeds, and enhancing service quality nationwide, in response to rising demand for digital services.
The Chairman of the Board, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe (OFR), addressed shareholders, saying: “On behalf of the MTN Nigeria family, I am proud to affirm that our business remains deeply rooted in strength and resilience.
“Our foundation remains solid, and our role within the broader economic landscape is unwavering, even amidst the challenges we encountered over the past year.
“As we reflect on this journey, I am inspired by the resilience of the Board, management, and staff of our Company, backed by the unwavering confidence of our shareholders, the valued support of our customers, and the immense potential of our nation, Nigeria.”
Dr. Karl Toriola, chief executive officer stated: “The year 2024 undoubtedly tested our resilience as we navigated a challenging operating environment marked by severe macroeconomic conditions.
“At MTN Nigeria, we viewed these challenges as catalysts for innovation and decisive action.
“We focused on what mattered most, strengthening the resilience of our network, prioritising customer experience, and accelerating the growth of our commercial operations through our customer value management initiatives.”
However, the company reported a ₦400.4 billion net loss for the year, largely due to ₦740.4 billion in foreign exchange losses from the devaluation of the naira, alongside elevated operating costs, and higher interest expenses. Due to negative retained earnings, the Board was unable to recommend a final dividend for FY 2024, consistent with regulatory requirements.
Looking ahead, MTN Nigeria remains optimistic, citing tariff increases, currency stabilisation, and easing inflation as key factors that will support the company’s return to positive equity in 2025.
Chief Financial Officer, MTN Nigeria, Modupe Kadri, commenting on this optimism said, “Our Q1 2025 results reflect strong operational execution and financial discipline, with service revenue up 40.5% and EBITDA growing by 65.9%.
“We delivered N133.7 billion in profit after tax, marking a significant turnaround from the prior year, while maintaining a healthy cash position and robust balance sheet metrics.”
During the AGM, all resolutions were passed by shareholders, including the adoption of the 2024 financial statements, the re-election of directors, and approval of remuneration policies.
The Q1 2025 report shows the company has returned to profitability and remains committed to strengthening network investments, accelerating digital inclusion, and delivering sustained value to its customers and shareholders.
Nigeria has taken a bold step toward deepening its innovation ecosystem with the official launch of the Start-up Consultative Forum, an initiative designed to accelerate the implementation of the Nigeria Start-up Act (NSA) and strengthen the country’s tech startup ecosystem.
While addressing the forum, NITDA’s Director General, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, who was represented by Barrister Emmanuel Edet, the Ag. Director, Regulation and Compliance described the platform as more than just a stakeholder meeting.
“It is a commitment to building a stronger tech ecosystem through collaboration, inclusion, and data-driven governance, marking a new phase in the implementation of the Nigeria Startup Act,” he said.
He noted that the Nigeria Startup Act is more than legislation—it is a framework for national development. “Startups are not fringe players. They are central to Nigeria’s economic future,” he asserted.
Inuwa further mentioned that over the past eight months, NITDA has driven key activities under the Act. These include stakeholder workshops across 10 states, roadshows at tech events like Lagos Tech Week, the Omniverse Summit, Moonlight Conference and the Akwa Ibom Tech Week, and awareness campaigns through digital and direct engagement.
The forum, according to Inuwa, will serve as a feedback engine, spotlighting regulatory gaps, guiding policy improvements, and shaping a startup-friendly environment.
Under the Renewed Hope Agenda and the guidance of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, NITDA continues to support startups through initiatives like the Startup Portal, tech infrastructure deployment, and digital skill training across the country.
The DG emphasised that for startups to thrive, policies must be inclusive and responsive. “Inclusion is not charity. It is a strategy,” he said, calling for equal representation across gender, region, and sector.
While inaugurating the members if the Conservative Forum on behalf of the Director-General, the Director of IT Infrastructure Solutions, Oladejo Olawunmi, ignited the forum with a call to action, envisioning it as a vital nexus for collaborative breakthroughs.
He inspired the members, saying, “We remain deeply committed to nurturing a space where innovation can flourish, and I call upon each of us to embrace the task ahead by shaping ideas into concrete policy and outcomes that leave a lasting impact.”
Earlier, Victoria Fabunmi, National Coordinator of the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), in her opening address called the Forum, a “structured dialogue between those building the future and those enabling it.”
She outlined five key pillars for success: access to funding, capacity building, supportive policy, inclusive innovation, and global competitiveness.
She urged startups to speak boldly, private sector players to offer more than capital, development partners to scale what works, and government to harmonize efforts. “This Forum must be a problem-solving platform, not another talk shop,” she concluded.
With the Startup Consultative Forum now launched, NITDA aims to turn policy into action, ensuring startups are no longer on the sidelines, but at the center of Nigeria’s innovation journey.
The virtual event was attended by private sector players, development agencies, verified Ecosystem Support Organisations (ESOs), angel investors, venture capital firms, and labelled startups from across the country.
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