Business
Tony Elumelu: FG Alone Can’t Transform Nigeria Into Prosperous Economy
Tony O. Elumelu, Founder, The Tony Elumelu Foundation, said that transforming Nigeria into economies like the USA, France, UAE, and London, is not the responsibility of the federal government alone.
Tony Elumelu stated this during the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) 63rd Annual General Conference in Abuja.
He spoke on the theme of the conference ‘Getting It Right, Charting The Course Of Nigeria’s Nation Building,” and said:
” Great nations start with great people, not just great leaders; it’s
a journey that demands our collective dedication, building across political affiliations, ethnic differences, and socioeconomic differences,” he said.
Stressing that resetting the economy is not the responsibility of the government alone, he said: ” Our private sector, our philanthropies, our civil society, all citizens must be brought together and be empowered – as real, valued and executing partners for this national renewal, this nation building.
” It behoves us all to collaborate in unity to reset Nigeria.”
Let us renew our infrastructure:
To achieve this goal, Tony Elumelu called for a fundamental renewal of the social and economic infrastructure of Nigeria.
” Nation building is not a quick fix, it entails sacrifices. We cannot keep doing the same things and expect different outcomes.
Let us lead our nation building, by laying those important foundations for our nation – let us renew our infrastructure.
” When I talk of infrastructure, I do not mean just roads or rail, bridges, or ports, I mean the following:
-Investment in our youth – we need to renew our commitment to our youth, provide them with the means to succeed in Nigeria – not beyond Nigeria.
-This means not just investment in our education system, but in our entrepreneurial culture.
-Nigeria is a nation of entrepreneurs – you know me as an investor and champion of entrepreneurs – I know the social and economic returns entrepreneurship creates.”
In his address, President Tinubu called for a change of mindset and approach to governance.
Tinubu believes the bold endeavours to be embarked upon by the nation will need collaboration with the private sector.
NBA President Yakubu Maikyau, this year’s conference is centred around three thematic areas – security, economy, and the administration of Justice.
He hopes that after the conference, the NBA can set an agenda for Nigerians around these themes with which to engage the Presidency for the good of the country.
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Business
Obasanjo: “Aliko Embarrass Me”
He got all his workers together in that refinery and said, without telling me, and there, said…
Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, has described Aliko Dangote as his “boss”, crediting the businessman’s industrial achievements to the policies and encouragement provided by his administration.
Obasanjo said this while speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Dangote East Africa Refinery in Lamu, Kenya, where he recalled his recent visit to the Dangote refinery and the businessman’s acknowledgement of the role he played in his transition from cement importation to production.
He said, “About two months ago, three months ago, I visited the refinery which you visited last week. And I just couldn’t stop being surprised what Aliko did. But then Aliko embarrassed me.”
According to Obasanjo, Dangote had gathered his workers during the visit and publicly attributed part of his success in cement production and the eventual development of his refinery to the policies and encouragement of the former president.
He said, “He got all his workers together in that refinery and said, without telling me, and there, said, all of you working here, all of you, the man you have to thank is this man, that’s me. I didn’t have anything to do with his refinery or what it is.
He said, without this man, I would not have been in cement production.“And it is the cement production that provided the encouragement, the inspiration for the refinery. So, thank you. They all shouted and thanked me.”
Obasanjo said Dangote had expanded the opportunities created by his administration beyond Nigeria, particularly through cement production across Africa, and was now replicating the model in the petroleum refining sector.
“May God continue to expand your coast. And you are my boss. You will continue to be my boss.”
Business
Minister Tasks Charcoal Merchants on Sustainable Forestry
The minister gave the charge at the flag-off of the 2026 Operation One Million Trees Tree Planting Programme organised by the Association for Forest Conservation and Green Industrial Charcoal Merchants at the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, University of Ibadan.
•Charcoal merchants and other stakeholders in the forestry sector
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abass Lawal, has charged charcoal merchants and other stakeholders in the forestry sector to embrace sustainable practices and support the federal government’s efforts to reverse deforestation and restore Nigeria’s degraded forest landscapes.
The minister gave the charge at the flag-off of the 2026 Operation One Million Trees Tree Planting Programme organised by the Association for Forest Conservation and Green Industrial Charcoal Merchants at the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, University of Ibadan.
The programme, which brought together forestry practitioners, charcoal merchants, environmentalists, students, regulators and other stakeholders, is aimed at promoting afforestation and encouraging responsible management of Nigeria’s forest resources.
Speaking at the event, the minister described tree planting as one of the most practical measures for combating climate change, reversing deforestation, restoring biodiversity, controlling desertification and strengthening the resilience of the nation’s ecosystems.
The Chairman of the Association for Forest Conservation and Green Industrial Charcoal Merchants, Mr Adeshola Adebowale Idowu, emphasised that the event carried a clear message for everyone involved in the charcoal business and, indeed, every Nigerian.
Idowu said stakeholders should develop the habit of replacing trees removed from the environment, encouraging Nigerians to plant trees around their homes and communities.
He advocated a practice of planting several trees for every tree cut down, stressing that trees remain indispensable to human existence because many products used by society are derived from them
( THISDAY)
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