News
You Can’t Resume as CBN Gov, Court Tells Sanusi
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, suspended governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has lost his bid to return to office as the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, yesterday rejected a request made by Sanusi to be restored to his position as the governor of the apex bank.
Ruling on the ex-parte motion brought before him by Sanusi, Justice Gabriel Kolawole declined on the ground that it would be unfair to grant such an application without hearing the other parties.
Sanusi had filed the application on February 24, 2014, praying the court to make an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants from preventing him in any manner whatsoever from performing the functions of the governor of the CBN and enjoying in full, the statutory powers and privileges attached to the office.
He prayed the court to expeditiously grant his interlocutory application, and maintained that any delay might cause irreparable damage to him in the exercise of his statutory duties as the CBN governor.
But Justice Kolawole in refusing the application said he was of the view that the court had not only the judicial powers to declare the suspension unlawful but to order that the plaintiff be returned to perform his duties as the governor of the CBN.
He said that the court could also, even where the tenure had lapsed, order the defendants to pay the plaintiff’s remunerations and allowances on the basis that his suspension carried with it the stoppage of these.
According to the trial judge, it is unsafe, judicially speaking, to embark on far-reaching interim orders which have all the attributes of a mandatory injunction without giving the defendant a hearing.
Pondering on the reliefs sought, the trial judge said he felt hesitant and constrained to grant the plaintiff’s motion ex-parte.
The judge said that another issue he would like to raise when defendants had been duly served with the originating summons and motion on notice was whether in the light of the constitution of Nigeria 1999 as amended, the Federal High Court still has the jurisdiction to entertain issues dealing with employment, notwithstanding the questions the plaintiff had set down for determination in his originating summons.
In the light of the views expressed and the analysis, the court refused the plaintiff’s ex-parte motion and directed that it be served on the defendants.
The judge further ordered the plaintiff to effect service of the originating summons on the defendants together with the motion on notice. The court then adjourned the matter to March 12, 2014.
Sanusi’s application was supported by a nine-paragraph affidavit and two exhibits attached and marked Exhibit AA1 and AA2.
Exhibit AA1 was a copy of a letter dated June 2009, titled “Appointment as Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria.”
By Exhibit AA1, the plaintiff was advised on his office as the governor of CBN acknowledging that as the leader of the apex bank, he was governed by the Central Bank Act No. 7 of 2007 and other terms of service applicable in the apex bank.
Exhibit AA2 was a letter dated February 19, 2014 and addressed to the plaintiff by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), titled suspension from office advising the plaintiff on his suspension from office. The exhibit is pursuant to the relief being sought before the court.
In the suit filed by his lawyer led by Chief Kola Awodein (SAN), Sanusi told the court that his interlocutory application was necessary because of the issues raised in the suit and that delay might cause irreparable damage to him in the exercise of his statutory duties as the CBN governor.
He urged the court to exercise its discretion in his favour by granting the interlocutory injunction, saying that the President’s continuing unlawful interference with the management of the apex bank, unless arrested, posed a grave danger for the nation’s economy and justified the court granting his application which would result in maintaining status quo ante bellum, that is, for his return to his office as the governor of the CBN.
In the affidavit deposed to in support of his application, Sanusi said in the course of his duties as the CBN governor, he discovered certain discrepancies in respect of amounts repatriated to the Federation Account from the proceed of crude oil sales between January 2012 and July 2013 and that he expressed concern in respect of the said discrepancies and had cause to inform the National Assembly of the said discrepancies because they affected the revenue of the federation and the national economy.
He further stated that the action of President Goodluck Jonathan in purporting to suspend him from office was aimed at punishing him for these disclosures.
He also stated that he was challenging the President’s power to suspend him from office, noting that the President did not approach nor obtain the support of the Senate based on his discussions with several senators, including Senator Bukola Saraki.
He said: “I have been informed, and I verily believe the information given to me by Senator Bukola Saraki to be true and correct that the Senate did not give the President any support for my purported suspension and removal from office as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.”
Sanusi further stated that the action of the president in suspending him from office was contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act relating to the appointment and removal of the CBN governor and that his purported suspension amounted to unlawful interference in the administration of the apex bank and therefore is illegal, null and void.
He urged the court, in the interest of justice, to grant his reliefs.
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In a significant move towards accelerating the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, paid a strategic working visit to Galaxy Backbone (GBB) Limited, Nigeria’s foremost ICT infrastructure and shared services provider.
The visit, which took place at GBB’s National Shared Services Centre (NSSC) and Corporate Headquarters in Abuja, forms part of the HCSF’s efforts to deepen collaboration and assess the technological infrastructure supporting the government’s ongoing digitalisation reforms across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), Mr. Adeladan Rafi’u Olarinre, and a delegation of Permanent Secretaries and Directors from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service, the visit featured an extensive tour of GBB’s cutting-edge Digital Infrastructure facilities. These included its Network Operations Centre (NOC), Security Operations Centre (SOC), and Uptime Institute Certified Tier III Data Centre; all built to ensure a secure, scalable, and sovereign digital infrastructure for Nigeria’s public sector.
In his welcome address, Mr. Adeladan Rafi’u Olarinre described Galaxy Backbone as a critical institution under the supervision of FMCIDE, tasked with providing the nation’s core digital infrastructure and shared ICT services. “Today’s visit is an important opportunity to showcase the significant progress GBB has made in building the infrastructure necessary for a truly digital government,” he said.
“I believe this engagement will foster stronger alignment and collaboration between MDAs and GBB as we move towards a more connected and efficient public service.”
The Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, Professor Ibrahim A. Adeyanju, expressed appreciation for the visit, noting its alignment with GBB’s mandate to support Nigeria’s digital transformation goals.
“A visit of this nature by the Head of the Civil Service is highly symbolic,” he remarked. “It reinforces the central role that the Civil Service plays in national development and highlights the importance of strategic ICT infrastructure in driving effective governance.”
He went on to emphasize that GBB’s mission to design, build, and manage Nigeria’s digital infrastructure aligns seamlessly with the Civil Service’s digital reform agenda.
“Our platforms; including the 1Government Cloud, GovMail, and our extensive fibre optic network present in 28 states, are designed to support a digitally enabled, secure, and efficient government,” Prof. Adeyanju added.
He also called for greater collaboration with the Office of the Head of Service to drive the adoption of GBB’s infrastructure, particularly the fibre optic connectivity already terminated at Federal Secretariat buildings across 28 states of the country. He further appealed for support in expanding Local Area Networks (LANs) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) secretariat buildings to integrate more MDAs into the digital ecosystem.
In her remarks, Mrs. Walson-Jack commended the world-class infrastructure and strategic digital solutions developed by Galaxy Backbone, stating that her perception of the agency had been greatly enhanced following the tour.
“This visit has opened my eyes to the enormous potential and capacity that Galaxy Backbone brings to Nigeria’s digital journey,” she said. “I now see GBB not just as an ICT agency, but as a strategic partner in the realisation of our dream to build a modern, agile, and paperless civil service.”
She specifically praised GBB’s support for the “War Room” initiative, the widespread deployment of GovMail — currently serving over 34,000 civil servants, and the agency’s high-speed fibre connectivity provided during the 2025 International Civil Service Week hosted by her office.
Reaffirming her office’s commitment to achieving a fully paperless civil service by December 31, 2025, the Head of Service expressed optimism that this goal is attainable with stronger collaboration and technical support from GBB.
She also highlighted several strategic areas where partnership with GBB is critical, including:
- Full implementation of the 1Government Cloud to host and manage MDA operations.
- Adoption of an Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to streamline records and workflow automation across MDAs.
- Synergy between the 1Government Cloud Academy and the Civil Service Academy to enhance capacity development.
- Training and onboarding of civil servants on innovative tools such as Service-Wise GPT – Nigeria’s AI-powered platform designed to transform public service delivery.
Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim Sani, Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services at GBB, in his vote of thanks, expressed deep gratitude to the Head of Service and her delegation for taking the time to visit and engage with the team. He reiterated GBB’s unwavering commitment to partnering with all stakeholders to deliver inclusive, resilient, and forward-looking digital solutions for the Federal Government.
News
Festive Seasons Trigger 400% Spike in Livestock Prices Across Nigeria’s North East — Moniepoint Study
A new study by Moniepoint Inc., Africa’s leading financial technology company, has revealed that livestock prices in Nigeria’s North East markets surge by up to 400% during festive seasons, driven by high demand from cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Onitsha.
The report, which focuses on informal market dynamics in Borno State, shows that traders at Kasuwan Shanu in Gamboru dispatch an average of 50 trucks daily during peak periods such as Eid al-Adha and Christmas, with goat prices rising by 400–470% and rams by over 230%.
Beyond seasonal spikes, the study highlights a shift toward investment-minded trading, where livestock is raised in advance to boost resale value. This approach is helping traders build more stable and profitable businesses, despite the region’s history of conflict and economic volatility.
Key findings include:
- 51.2% of traders source goods from Maiduguri, reinforcing its role in Nigeria’s food supply chain
- 45% of traders now accept digital payments, with mobile transfers and POS usage rising sharply since the 2023 cash crunch
- Informal credit and trust-based transactions remain dominant, often conducted via phone calls and voice notes, without formal contracts
Moniepoint CEO Tosin Eniolorunda said the company’s tools are helping bridge long-standing gaps in access to finance: “This shift isn’t just tech-enabled — it’s structurally impactful. We’re helping build an economy where everyone can participate.”
The study joins Moniepoint’s growing portfolio of thought leadership on Nigeria’s informal economy, following previous reports on Onitsha Market, community pharmacies, and women-owned businesses.
Federal Government has expressed optimism that improved management of the national power grid by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) could increase electricity supply to 8,000 megawatts within the next 12 to 18 months.
Speaking at a leadership retreat to onboard NISO’s top management in Abuja, the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Ayodeji Gbeleyi, noted that although Nigeria’s installed generation capacity exceeds 14,000MW, actual daily output has hovered around 5,500MW.
Gbeleyi emphasized that with more efficient grid operations and increased investments in transmission and distribution infrastructure, the power sector is poised for substantial improvement.
“As an independent entity, NISO now carries the critical responsibility of managing the national grid with impartiality and integrity. It must ensure non-discriminatory access, efficient dispatch coordination, and fair market settlements—free from undue influence or conflicts of interest.
“Currently, about 5,500MW of power is being wheeled daily, compared to a nameplate generation capacity of over 14,000MW. With the right investments and enhanced grid resilience, it is realistic to project a 50% increase in supply within 12 to 18 months,” he said.
Gbeleyi also revealed that the Federal Government has secured a $500 million loan from the World Bank to support the upgrade of the distribution infrastructure. Under this initiative, 3.2 million electricity meters will be deployed across Nigeria, with an additional 2 to 3 million meters to be provided through a separate presidential initiative.
Chairman of the NISO Board, Dr. Adesegun Akin-Olugbade, stressed the significance of NISO’s independence following its unbundling from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
“NISO is not just a new institution; it represents a new approach—an independent system operator, a neutral market coordinator, and a strategic planning authority. Our responsibilities span real-time grid operations, long-term system planning, and the development of the electricity market.
“These are not peripheral tasks—they are core to national stability. When power fails, everything else suffers: industry, healthcare, education, even security,” he said.
Also speaking, NISO Managing Director/CEO, Engr. Abdu Bello, affirmed that the 8,000MW target is achievable within the projected timeframe.
“We must stay focused, get our internal structures right, and attract private sector investment. This retreat is part of the strategic planning process. With a clear direction and commitment, the goal is within reach,” Bello stated.
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Festive Seasons Trigger 400% Spike in Livestock Prices Across Nigeria’s North East — Moniepoint Study
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