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SERAP Tells Akpabio to Reject Wike’s Proposal in 2024 Budget
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Mr Godswill Akpabio, Senate president, to use his leadership position “to promptly reject the plan by Nyesom Wike, minister of the FCT, to spend N15 billion for the construction of ‘a befitting residence’ for Mr Kashim Shettima, vice president.”
SERAP also urged Akpabio to “assert Senate’s authority and constitutional oversight roles to reject the N2.8 billion on publicity for the FCTA and other proposed wasteful and unnecessary spending that may be contained in the 2023 supplementary budget and the 2024 budget proposed by President Bola Tinubu.”
In the letter signed by, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP deputy director ,at the weekend, the organisation said: “The plan to spend N15 billion on ‘a befitting residence’ for the vice president is a fundamental breach of the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s international anticorruption and human rights obligations.”
SERAP said: “The Senate has the constitutional duties to ensure that Mr Wike’s proposed spending is entirely consistent and compatible with constitutional provisions including his oath of office. All public officials remain subject to the rule of law.
“The National Assembly including the Senate has a constitutional responsibility to address the country’s debt crisis, including by rejecting wasteful and unnecessary spending to satisfy the personal comfort and lifestyles of public officials.”
The group added that, “The National Assembly cannot continue to fail to fulfil its oversight function. The Senate must assert and demonstrate its independence by checking and rejecting all wasteful and unnecessary spending by the executive.
“It would be a grave violation of the public trust and constitutional oath of office for the Senate to approve the plan to spend N15 billion on ‘a befitting residence’ for the vice president at a time when the Federal Government is set to spend 30% (that is, N8.25 trillion) of the country’s 2024 budget of N27.5 trillion on debt service costs.
“The Federal Government also plans to borrow N7.8 trillion to fund the 2024 budget. Nigeria’s public debt stood at 87.4 trillion naira as of June with 38% owed to external creditors including multilateral and commercial lenders.
“Should the Senate and its leadership fail to stop wasteful and unnecessary spending and rein in government borrowing, SERAP would consider appropriate legal action to compel the National Assembly including the Senate to discharge its constitutional oversight roles in the public interest.
“SERAP urges you to refer to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) the allegations of corruption in the spending of the previously approved N7 billion for the construction of a new residence for the vice president.
“The ‘construction’ was reportedly abandoned but the whereabouts of the N7 billion remain unknown.
“The Senate has the constitutional competence and legitimacy to compel compliance with the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s international obligations.
“The Senate ought to assert its authority and vigorously exercise its constitutional oversight roles to check the apparently wasteful and unnecessary spending by Mr Wike especially given the growing debt crisis and the indiscriminate borrowing by the government.
“It is a travesty and a fundamental breach of the lawmakers’ fiduciary duties for the National Assembly to allow the executive to use the national budget as a tool to satisfy the comfort and lifestyle of public officials.
“Nigerians have a right to honest and faithful performance by their public officials including lawmakers, as public officials owe a fiduciary duty to the general citizenry.
“Cutting the N15 billion on ‘a befitting residence’ from the FTCA budget would be entirely consistent with your constitutional oath of office, and the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution, as it would promote efficient, honest, and legal spending of public money.
“According to our information, the Minister of the FCT, Nysom Wike and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) plan to spend N15 billion for the construction of ‘a befitting residence’ for the Vice-President, Mr Kashim Shettima.
“The plan is contained in the N67 billion FCT supplementary budget which President Bola Tinubu had on Tuesday transmitted to the National Assembly for approval.
“SERAP notes that Mr Wike proposed plan to spend N15 billion on a new residence for the vice president despite the recent allocation of N2.5 billion for the renovation of the current residence of the VP in the federal government’s supplementary budget already passed by the National Assembly and signed by President Tinubu.
“The House of Representatives has reportedly approved the plan to spend N15 billion on ‘a befitting residence’ for the vice president.
“The National Assembly has also approved another N3 billion for the renovation of the vice president’s residence in Lagos State. Mr Wike also plans to spend N2.8 billion on publicity for the FCTA.
“The proposed plan to spend 15 billion on ‘a befitting residence’ for the vice president is different from the
Mr. Hussaini Ishaq-Magaji, SAN, registrar-general of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), said the commission is determined to end delays in business registration and service delivery through new digital reforms.
Ishaq-Magaji stated this on Monday at the CAC Stakeholders’ Forum held in Kano, which brought together lawyers, business owners, EFCC, ICPC, and other partners to review challenges and reforms in the commission’s service.
He said the commission had inherited an overstretched registration portal that was unable to cope with the growing demands triggered by compliance initiatives such as mandatory registration of Point-of-Sale (PoS) businesses and annual returns filing.
According to him, the situation created a backlog of applications and placed an unfair burden on customers and staff. “Our call centre and operational departments receive no fewer than 3,000 emails daily, with less than 100 staff attending to them.
“This model is not sustainable and not fair to our customers or our staff. That is why we resolved to change it for good,” he said.
The registrar general explained that the commission had introduced an Artificial Intelligence-powered portal capable of reading and routing thousands of customer requests within seconds.
He added that the AI system, launched in June, had successfully reduced the time for business name registration to less than 10 minutes, a feat he described as unprecedented globally.
“Anywhere you are, without knowing anyone in CAC or paying a middleman, you can register a business name and get your certificate instantly in less than 10 minutes. That is the new Nigeria we are building,” he said.
He, however, acknowledged that other services, such as limited liability company and incorporated trustee registrations, were still experiencing delays due to backlogs, with about 7,000 pending applications being handled by only 63 registry staff.
The registrar-general assured stakeholders that further phases of the digital reform would address these gaps, stressing that technology was now a necessity for the commission to deliver its mandate.
Also speaking, Ahmed Abubakar, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ungogo branch, commended the commission for its digital reforms, describing them as a “remarkable achievement.”
Similarly, Usman Umar-Fari, Chairman, NBA Kano branch, urged the CAC to encourage companies to fulfill their corporate social responsibilities and create more opportunities for lawyers.
Nigeria Police Force has announced that it will begin enforcing the use of tinted glass permits nationwide on October 2, 2025.
SP Shi’isu Adam, Public Relations officer, Jigawa State Command, disclosed this in a statement in Dutse, the state capital.
According to him, online registration and application for the permits is ongoing, and members of the public are urged to follow the stepwise process on possap.gov.ng for a smooth application.
He explained that applicants must create an account using their NIN, BVN, or TIN, verify their account via email, then log in to select the Tinted Glass Permit service and upload their vehicle details along with supporting documents.
“Applicants must carefully confirm all details before submitting their requests and making payments as directed on the portal,” SP Adam emphasised, urging accuracy for fast processing.
He added that after the application, vehicle inspection, and fingerprint biometric capturing will be scheduled at the designated Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Departments.
For Jigawa applicants, Adam confirmed that biometric capturing would be done free of charge at the State Intelligence Department, located at the Police Headquarters in Dutse.
He also warned motorists against patronising unauthorised individuals attempting to exploit the permit process.
“This initiative promotes transparency and ensures road safety for all,” the PPRO said, stressing the command’s commitment to accountability.
The statement further called for cooperation from the public to ensure the smooth enforcement of laws and a safer driving environment statewide.
It added that compliance with the directive safeguards motorists legally and helps combat illegal window tinting.
“Those planning to apply are advised to begin registration promptly ahead of the enforcement date,” SP Adam stated.
How can Africa remain safe and powerful in a world being rapidly redefined by Artificial Intelligence? That pressing question will take centre stage at the 13th Digital Africa Conference & Exhibition (DACE), scheduled for October 28–29, 2025, in Abuja.
The two-day gathering will be anchored by two powerhouse keynote speakers: Dr. Armstrong Takang on Day 1 and Prof. Latif Ladid on Day 2, each bringing unique expertise to Africa’s digital sovereignty conversation.
Dr. Armstrong Takang, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), will open the conference with a keynote that situates Africa’s digital sovereignty within the broader context of economic reform, institutional innovation, and strategic governance.
A consummate professional and visionary thinker, Dr. Takang has spent decades bridging the gap between public reform and private investment across Africa and the United States. Before his current role at MOFI, he served as Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, where he led the MOFI Transformation Team.
His career includes leading Growth Alliance Partners (GAP), a pan-African firm that helped turn around several businesses to create shareholder value, and working at KPMG in New York.
He has been instrumental in designing and implementing key national initiatives such as the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), the Voluntary Asset and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS), and the ICT components of EFCC/NFIU systems.
Dr. Takang has also chaired national ICT committees and contributed to landmark policies, including Nigeria’s Content Development in ICT and the country’s 50-year Development Plan. His keynote will highlight how digital and financial sovereignty intersect to secure Africa’s long-term competitiveness.
On the other hand, Prof. Latif Ladid, Founder & President of the IPv6 Forum and Chair of the AI & Blockchain Global Forum, brings decades of global leadership in internet architecture, digital policy, and emerging technologies.
His expertise spans across pivotal roles from IEEE Future Networks to the Internet Society, 3GPP, and EU research on next-generation networks.
Organizers say his keynote will set the tone for the conference, unpacking how Africa can assert digital sovereignty, safeguard its data, and lead in shaping the ethics and standards of AI on the global stage.
“This year’s theme, ‘Sovereign Intelligence: Africa’s Voice in the Global Digital Order,’ isn’t just a concept, it’s a necessity,” said Dr. Evans Woherem, Chairman of Digital Africa Consult. “Prof. Ladid’s keynote will highlight what it takes for Africa to remain safe, independent, and powerful in the new AI era.”
At a time when global powers are racing to define AI norms and secure digital dominance, Africa risks being left behind if it fails to act. Much of its technology remains imported, its data stored abroad, and its languages invisible in mainstream AI systems.
DACE 2025 is designed to change this narrative, by equipping Africa with the tools, strategies, and partnerships to become a proactive co-author of the digital future.
The conference will feature high-level dialogues on digital sovereignty, policy innovation, and cross-border cooperation, alongside exhibitions of homegrown startups, developer workshops, and showcases of African-built AI tools for health, agriculture, finance, and education.
Beyond the panels and showcases, DACE 2025 is expected to produce a concrete roadmap for Africa’s digital sovereignty.
“This isn’t just about technology,” noted Woherem. “It’s about agency, safety, and independence. With Prof. Ladid setting the stage, we hope to leave Abuja with a united vision of Africa’s place in the global AI order.”
With delegates expected from across Africa and the world, the two-day gathering promises to be a defining moment in the continent’s digital journey.
Airtel Africa Extends $100M Share Buyback Plan
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NAICOM, NCRIB Commit to Drive Penetration
Kano Confirms 2 Mpox Cases
Police Begins Enforcement of Tinted Glass Permits from October 2
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