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Nigeria Must Choose: Build refineries or protect rent seekers, By Ugo Inyama

Nigeria’s fuel economy runs on instability. Prices jump without warning. Supply appears and disappears. Profit comes not from efficiency, but from disruption. This is not system failure. It is system design.

For decades, Nigeria has lived a costly contradiction. It produces crude oil at scale, yet imports most of the fuel it uses. Value leaves cheap and returns expensive. Foreign exchange drains. Inflation rises. Public anger flares, then fades. The cycle continues.

This structure hardened over time. Refineries stopped working and stayed that way. Maintenance became a talking point. Subsidy grew into a fiscal burden. Scarcity became routine. Around this dysfunction, a system emerged that learned to profit from it.

Importers secure cargo. Depot owners control storage. Shipping firms handle movement. Banks finance transactions. Regulators manage approvals. Each step adds cost. Each delay creates leverage. The longer the chain, the higher the margin.

Complexity became business.

Then the Dangote Refinery changed the equation.

This is not about personality. It is about power. Two economic logics are now in conflict.

The first is production. Refine crude locally. Cut imports. Shorten the chain. Anchor supply in infrastructure. Keep value at home.

The second is intermediation. Stretch the chain. Control access. Profit from delay. Monetise scarcity.

For years, intermediation has dominated.

Dangote challenges that dominance.

Scale is the disruption. A refinery of this size compresses layers that once justified multiple actors. It reduces the number of hands between crude and consumer. It limits the points where value can be extracted.

Fewer steps. Fewer toll gates. Less opacity.

That is the threat.

The oil cartel is not a company. It is a network of incentives. It thrives on fragmentation. It benefits from confusion. It gains from timing and control.

In this system, delay is profit. Scarcity is leverage. Complexity is power.

When supply tightens, margins rise. When approvals slow, influence grows. What looks inefficient is often intentional.

A functioning refinery disrupts this model. It shortens distance. It exposes cost. It weakens those who profit from managing access instead of building assets.

The resistance is predictable.

The language is technical: monopoly risk, pricing power, market dominance. These concerns sound valid. In another setting, they would matter.

But Nigeria does not have a refining market to protect. It has an import habit to break.

Local refining is not the problem. It is the correction.

The real issue is control of value.

The Federal Government as the Arbiter

Government sits at the centre of this shift. Policy will decide the outcome.

Clear rules will accelerate change. Unclear rules will protect the status quo.

Support for local refining should go beyond statements. It should be visible in action. Crude supply routes should be reliable and transparent. Pricing should be predictable. Regulation must be rule-based, not negotiated through influence or informal networks.

Government should also align incentives with outcomes. Policies that encourage imports while promoting local refining create contradiction. Fiscal tools, access to credit, and infrastructure support should all reinforce domestic production. Consistency is critical.

Every delay sends a message. Every unclear policy creates risk. Markets respond. So do entrenched interests.

Nigeria has seen this pattern before. In ports, congestion creates profit but punishes businesses and citizens. In power, scarcity generates income. In foreign exchange, gaps invite arbitrage. Again and again, systems reward those who manage access to corridors of power rather than those who build capacity.

Fuel imports are one of the most expensive outcomes of this pattern.

Public debate often focuses on pump price. This is too narrow.

Refining shapes the wider economy. Petrochemicals support manufacturing. Fertiliser supports agriculture. Industrial inputs reduce costs across sectors. When refining is local, industries grow.

Skills deepen. Supply chains strengthen. Investment shifts toward production.

Value stays home.

Concerns about reliance on one refinery are valid. No system should depend on a single asset. But the answer is not to protect imports. The answer is to build more refineries.

Encourage more players. Expand capacity. Create competition within the country.

Competition should happen at home, not abroad.

The macroeconomic stakes are clear. Fuel imports drain foreign exchange. Currency pressure drives inflation. Inflation reduces purchasing power. Public funds are diverted to manage avoidable costs.

Local refining addresses these pressures at their source. It reduces imports. It keeps transactions within the economy. It strengthens the balance of payments. It reduces exposure to external shocks.

It also improves fiscal stability. Lower import bills ease pressure on government spending. Resources can be redirected toward infrastructure, health, and education. The broader economy benefits when fewer resources are used to sustain inefficiency.

Nigeria will still face global oil price cycles. But it will no longer outsource a critical part of its value chain.

This is not about one refinery. It is about direction.

Will Nigeria reward production or preserve intermediation?
Will it build capacity or sustain dependency?
Will it shorten value chains or protect them for rent?

The answers will define the economy.

Between Dangote and the oil cartel lies a deeper choice. One path builds. The other extracts.

One creates value for the economy. The other circulates it to the privileged few.

The outcome will shape more than fuel supply. It will determine whether Nigeria turns its resources into strength or continues to export potential and import cost.

The choice is clear.

The government’s continued response will show whether Nigeria is ready to act.

*Ugo Inyama writes from the African Digital Governance Centre, Manchester, UK
[email protected]

The views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Law & Society Magazine.

Video: Horror as female NSCDC officer dies after being crushed by operational van in Abuja

A female officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has reportedly died following an accident during a display in the Federal Capital Territory.

The incident, which was captured in a viral 58-second video circulating on social media on Saturday, reportedly occurred during a “show of force” exercise by the Corps’ Female Strike Force. also known as the Female Squad.

The footage revealed the moment a black operational van with red wheels, bearing the inscription “Female Squad,” was moving with a second van, marked “Female Strike Force FCT Command,” following behind.

During a turn, the lead vehicle ran over a female officer, pinning her underneath it.

The video showed several other NSCDC officers and bystanders immediately rushing to the scene, together lifting the van to rescue the trapped victim into a waiting ambulance.

While the Corps has yet to issue a formal press release, The Cable reports that the NSCDC Spokesperson, Afolabi Babawale, confirmed the officer’s death in a telephone call on Saturday afternoon.


As of the time of filing this report, the identity of the deceased officer has not been made public, but Babawale reportedly noted that a detailed statement would be issued to clarify the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Watch the video below.

PUNCH

Intimate Affairs: Why are grandmas having affairs? By Funke Egbemode

Nobody understands. How could she do it? Why did she do it after all these years? An affair after 25 years of marriage and three grown-up children? What is she still looking for? What has God not blessed her with? Her husband is well- to-do, healthy and the children are doing well. But Madam B did it and it’s done. She’s 52 and is cheating on her husband. It’s hard to understand, I guess, but it happened and somewhere, as you read this, it is probably happening again. Older women stepping out on their spouses. There are researches to even prove that it’s not a Nigerian thing. So, why are grandmas having affairs?

Let’s look at the case that inspired this column today. I must confess, I can’t tell you all the wheres and wheretofore. Just that I get to hear things, all kinds of things but this one I’m sharing.

Madam B and Uncle Akin have been married for 25 years and have three grown-up boys who schooled and are schooling in Canada. Meaning: the nest is empty. It is just the couple and their domestic staff now at home. The problem is that Akin is hardly around. Madam B was once a top executive in a bank but is now retired with plenty of time on her hands. She goes to the gym four times a week, parties at weekend to keep herself busy.

According to her, she goes to those parties just to fill time and space. “The truth is I have been lonely for a long time now. Even when I was in the bank, my husband hardly had time for me. He was either on one long trip or the other or hanging out with his friends. There was always one meeting or the other in Nigeria or abroad. Yes, he picked his bills and we were comfortable but I hardly saw him. As a working woman, my job kept me busy, and tired at the end of the day and at weekends. I coped better then. I knew he had girlfriends too but he kept them away as much as he could, but I knew most of the time, though.

“However, the last three years have been really difficult. I run a consultancy now and rarely go out. Meanwhile, Akin is still as busy as ever. When I complained of his absences and my loneliness, he laughed it off, and told me to go and spend more time with my children. He asked if old women get lonely. But I don’t feel old. In fact, I don’t feel any different from how I felt 10 years ago. I’m also one of these women that reach menopause late. My sexual needs are still there but over and above the needs for sex is the need to be with my husband, spend time with my man. But he was hardly ever here. I eat alone, sleep alone and watch television alone.

“It got so bad I’d started sitting on the balcony and chatting with the gardener while he worked. So, this thing with Daniel just happened. My husband had not made love to me in seven months. When he was home, he was too tired to do more than a kiss and a hug. Dan is a divorcee who used the same gym with me. We were both two lonely people killing time in the gym. He makes me laugh. We share the same taste in novels and entertainment generally. One thing led to the other and we had breakfast together, then dinner, then, we got intimate.

“At first, I was ashamed, so ashamed that I couldn’t go to church the following Sunday. I felt really dirty. It’s the first time in 25 years that another man was seeing my nakedness. I felt guilty but somehow, felt alive, good, like a woman again. It’s been six months now since Daniel and I started this and I must confess that it has been fun. I’ve lost weight and I’m making efforts to keep Dan interested. My husband still comes and goes, thinking, I guess, I’m an old woman who should be worried about her blood pressure, be more concerned about her children’s welfare and not sex. Dan thinks I’m fine old wine to be savored. We’re secret lovers eating the forbidden fruit that for now, is too delicious for me to spit out.’

Madam ‘B’ has not been caught pants-down yet but we can generally declare her guilty. Of what? Infidelity. But what is her husband guilty of or is he clean and innocent? He’s the wronged party who didn’t deserve to be cheated on? No such thing. Let’s be realistic. Uncle Akin left his farm unattended to and now weeds are choking everything he’d planted in 25 years.

Women do not outgrow attention. It’s the way God created us. Yes, some women have more control on their libido than others. Many can cope with loneliness better than others. But all women are susceptible to temptation. Those juices that ran riot in her veins when you first set her on fire all those years never really dry up. All her hotspots are still hot. She can have them cooling, hibernating for a long time but activation is only a click away. The right finger on the right buttons and voila, the hotspots come alive, all energized and raring to go.

Some women have capacity to resist temptation. Many manage to flee when they see taut muscles and hear mean husky voices. But there are still married women, an appreciable percentage, who think it is easier to fall into temptation than to resist it. Those ones feel first and think later.

Lesson? A woman is a woman forever. There is no retirement age for wanting to be doted on, pampered and fussed over. Maybe at 80, sex is no longer a thing but until she no longer wants it, my man, you’ll do well not to starve her because there is always a willing sexy Daniel not far away.

We all have needs that don’t just go away because of a few strands of grey hair here and there. According to a new study by the Institute for Family Studies, ‘the older you are, the more likely you are to cheat. 20 per cent of married people over the age of 55 have had extramarital sex while only 14 per cent of those under 55 have cheated. Couples in their 50s and 60s however, were the most likely to cheat.

What is worse? The numbers of older couples cheating on their spouses are on the rise. So, darling friend, this is reality. Not a gladdening one but if you leave your gates wide open, who can you blame if pretty slim girls or virile hunks slide in and melt all over your ice cream?

Tales My Patients Told Me: A very unusual union, By Emmanuel Faskakin

Latrice came to see me one very bright Thursday morning in January 2023, stunningly beautiful and elegant as ever. It’s been almost three years since her husband died, but I still find it awkward that Latrice would come to the doctor without her husband in the room. For almost ten years, whenever Latrice came to us for follow-up care for her Diabetes and Hypertension, the husband would come in with her. He would take a chair in the corner of the room, reading a book or magazine, or simply staring at the far wall. Saying nothing. I once joked with him that if I have a wife as pretty as Latrice, I too would follow her wherever she goes.

Latrice and Nelson were a very unusual couple. First, there was an obvious age gap between them. Latrice was around forty years old, and Nelson was in his seventies when they met. And Nelson was HIV positive, a fact I only knew many years after he started accompanying his wife to our practice after he decided to enroll himself too. I was shocked to see that Nelson was HIV positive. Latrice remains HIV-negative to this day. Why would such a young pretty lady be married to a much older HIV-positive man? I often wondered.

I got to know about Nelson after he enrolled in our practice. A very calm and well-disposed man. He told me his life story. He was a policeman back in his home country in Guyana. Then he emigrated to the United States but kept contact with his roots in Guyana. He never told me how he became HIV positive, but I had a good guess. He was a graceful, kind, and gentle six-footer. He would be any lady’s delight. He was very strict with his medications, which included treatment for Blood pressure and diabetes, in addition to the HIV medications. This explains his longevity: all his diseases were well-managed and under control.

After Nelson enrolled in our practice, and he came to see me alone, I finally asked Nelson the questions which had been nagging me for a while: “Mr. Nelson, you are HIV-positive, and your wife is HIV-negative; how did you guys manage that? How do you copulate without infecting your wife?” “There are many ways to satisfy a woman”, he calmly explained. “We explore other ways to keep her happy without any risk of infecting her.” I breathed a sigh of relief. “I told her about my HIV status and she was comfortable with it. She readily agreed to marry me.”

In early March 2020, at the outbreak of the Covid pandemic in New York, one bright Saturday morning, I arrived fearfully at my Brooklyn office for work. Fearfully because the dead bodies were beginning to pile up in the streets outside the hospitals. Most of my colleagues had closed down their offices, but I kept Abbydek Family Medical open. I gave the staff the option to work or remain at home on paid leave. It was a scary situation. It was in this bad scenario I found Nelson waiting for me outside the office at about 9 am in the morning: 82-year-old Diabetic, Hypertensive HIV positive man, a very vulnerable demographic for the Covid virus.

“What are you doing here?” I yelled at Nelson. “I want you to check me out, I am afraid of this Covid virus thing”, he said slowly. “No, no, no, Nelson. You should stay at home. Please don’t come inside the office. I will call a taxi to take you home.” I called a taxi from my own cell phone and informed them that a gentleman was waiting outside the office. I had no idea then, but that was the last time I saw Nelson.

Latrice picked up the rest of the story. A few days after Nelson’s ill-advised trip to the office, Nelson fell sick. Fever, cough, and chills. The diagnosis was obvious in view of the raging Covid 19 pandemic. When Nelson’s condition deteriorated, the wife called the ambulance and they took him away to the hospital. Barely three days later, precisely one week after his trip to the office, Nelson died. The wife never saw him again after he was taken to the hospital. To avoid the risk of spreading the scourge, virtually all the patients who died of Covid virus in the hospital were given mass burial.

Finally this day in January 2023, Latrice was free and able to tell me her side of the story. Latrice told me how they met back in her home country of Guyana. She said about thirteen years earlier, she was working as a receptionist in a five-star hotel in Guyana. Nelson was a frequent visitor to the hotel on his many visits to the country from his abode in the USA. Nelson was known to be intimate friends with one of the receptionists in the hotel. She was therefore very surprised when on one of his visits, Nelson asked her out. It appeared that things did not work out between Nelson and Latrice co-worker. She did not know why and did not bother to ask.

Latrice needed help. She had five children: three for her first husband. When the marriage broke down, she got hooked with another man and had more children for that one. That relationship also turned sour. She was seeing someone else when she was approached by American Mr. Nelson. She promptly broke off with her new man when he found that Nelson was serious. She got married to Nelson and he filed papers for her and her five children and took them to New York.

“When did you find out Nelson had HIV disease?” Latrice confirmed what Nelson told me. “He was honest. He told me right at the beginning.” “And you were not afraid to marry an HIV-positive man?” “No. I was not. He used Sex toys. He was careful not to infect me. Nelson was a very good man. He took very good care of me.”

I agree. In all the years I knew him, Nelson was a perfect gentleman. It was a very unusual union, but it worked out beautifully for both parties. Latrice works as a Nursing Care Assistant and she is always beaming with smiles and provided Nelson with very good companionship until death did them part. May his kind soul Rest in Peace.

Emmanuel O. Fashakin, M.D., FMCS(Nig), FWACS, FRCS(Ed), FAAFP, Esq.
Attorney at Law & Medical Director,
Abbydek Family Medical Practice, P.C.
Web address: http://www.abbydek.com
Cell phone: +1-347-217-6175
“Primum non nocere”

Malami, Son return to Kuje Prison pending perfection of N400m, other bail conditions

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday admitted former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami and his son, Abdulaziz each to N200m bail on terrorism-related and illegal firearms possession charges brought against them by the Department of the State Service (DSS).

Malami and his son were however ordered to be remanded at Kuje prison pending the perfection of the bail conditions imposed on them by the court.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted them bail while ruling on their bail applications argued by their lead Counsel, Joseph Daudu SAN.

Among other conditions, the Judge ordered the former AGF and his son to get two sureties each, one of whom must own landed property in Maitama or Asokoro districts of the city.

Justice Abdulmalik said that the title of the property must be deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court along with valid international passports.

The sureties are also to depose to affidavit of means, and hand their two recent passport photographs to the court.

Besides, Malami and his son were also ordered to submit their passports and recent passport photographs to the court.

The judge subsequently fixed March 4 for commencement of trial.

The DSS had arraigned Malami and his son, Abdulaziz on a five-count charge bordering on terrorism and illegal possession of firearms.

In the charge, marked, FHC/ABJ/CR/63/2026, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, Malami is also accused of refusing to prosecute suspected terrorism financiers, whose case files were handed to him while he served as the AGF and Minister of Justice.

Malami and Abdulaziz are equally accused of warehousing firearms in their residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birain Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, without lawful authority.

The DSS accused Malami in count one of the charge, with knowingly abetting terrorism financing, while the ex-AGF and his son are charged in counts two to five, with unlawful, possession of a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 Redstar AAA 5720 live rounds of cartridges and 27 expended Redstar AAA 5’20 cartridges, contrary to and punishable under relevant Sections of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and Firearms Act, 2004.

Counts in the charge reads:

That you, Abubakar Malami of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, Adult, male, sometime in November, 2022 at Federal Ministry of Justice, Maitama, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did knowingly abet terrorism financing by refusing to prosecute terrorism financiers whose casefiles were brought to your office as the Attorney-General of the Federation, for prosecution, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 26 (2) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami of Gesse Phase II, Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December, 2025, in your res:dence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did engage in a conduct in preparation to commit act of terrorism by having in your possession and without licence, a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, Sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5°20 live rounds of Cartridges and Twenty-Seven (27) expended Redstar AAA 5’20 Cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 29 of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 .

That you, Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December, 2025, in your residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without licence, did have in your possession a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3 of Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) of the same Act.

That you, Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December, 2025, in your residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without licence, did have in your possession sixteen (16) Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(1) of Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) of the same Act. COUNT FIVE

That you, Abubakar Malami and Abdulaziz Abubakar Malami, of Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, adults, males, sometime in December, 2025, in your residence at Gesse Phase II Area, Birnin Kebbi LGA, Kebbi State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without licence, did have in your possession twenty-seven (27) expended Redstar AAA 5’20 cartridges, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(1) of Firearms Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1) of the same Act.

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Notorious Anambra native doctor, Akwa Okuko, gets two years jail, ₦60 million fine

A year after his arrest and arraignment, notorious Anambra state-born native doctor, Chigozie Nwangwu, popular as “Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aku” ( Okeite) on Friday, February 27 2026, bagged a two-year jail sentence from an Anambra state High Court.

He was also slammed with a N60 million fine by the trial Judge, Honourable Justice Jude Obiora.

The Source reports that Nwangwu was on February, 2025, apprehended by security operatives, including personnel of the Nigerian Immigration Service NIS, while trying to escape through the  Nigeria/Benin Republic Seme border over alleged involvement in aiding and abetting kidnapping activities, ritual practices, and other criminal activities.

His arrest was preceded by the destruction of his Oba shrine and palatial mansion, including choice vehicles, by irate community youths who accused him of involvement in several cases of kidnappings, murder for ritual practices and other criminal activities.

He was, subsequently arraigned alongside three of his accomplices including one  Okocha ,a.k.a Onyeze Jesus.

His conviction and sentencing  followed his guilty-plea to all the eight count  charge preferred against him, and a  plea bargain said to have been entered into with the Anambra State authorities 

In his ruling, Justice  Obiorah held that the two-year jail term derived from the manifest remorse shown by the accused in the course of his trial and in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Code, and the Anambra State Homeland Law.

Nwangwu, according to Justice Obiorah is to serve 11 months out of the total of two years, having already spent 13 months in custody while the trial lasted.

Similarly, the court waived the total fine of N60 million against the  convict on the grounds that such money is not needed by the State Government.

“Under the law, anyone who claims to possess powers to heal or make one rich through certain magical means like Okeite is liable on conviction to two years imprisonment.

“Any person in the State who practices Okeite, or Ezenwanyi is liable to six years in prison”, Justice Obiorah held.

While sentencing the accused  to two years each on counts three ,four, five six, seven and eight (sentence to run concurrently) , Justice Obiorah fined him cumulatively the sum of N60 million on counts one ,five and eight.

“The total sum fine sums up to N60 million ,but because of the remorse shown by the accused, the fined is now waived as such in such circumstances is not needed by the state.

“He has spent 13 months in detention already, same will be computed into his sentence. So he will now serve the remaining 11 months of his sentence at Awka Correctional Centre as against plea by his counsel for him to serve at Agunechemba facility. This is because the Agunechemba facility is not a correctional centre”, the court ruled.

Furthermore, Justice Obiorah ordered the immediate destruction of the defendants shrine located in Oba, in addition to a firm assurance from the convict not to further indulge in the practice of Okeite.

The convict according to the Judge shall, henceforth serve as a youth ambassador on reorientation, including the task of regularly making public statements cautioning youths against engagements in dubious acts for the purpose of getting rich,as well as other community services.

21-year-old woman charged in fatal poisoning of two men following online searches

A 21-year-old woman in South Korea has been charged with two counts of murder after allegedly drugging two men to death, with investigators claiming she searched online about mixing sleeping pills with alcohol before the incidents.


The suspect, identified only by her surname Kim, is accused of killing two men in their twenties in separate motel encounters in Seoul earlier this year.


According to police, the first alleged incident occurred on January 28 when Kim checked into a motel with a man and left about two hours later. The man was found dead the following day. On February 9, she allegedly checked into another motel with a second man, who later died under similar circumstances.


Post-mortem examinations reportedly found large quantities of different drugs in both victims’ bodies. Kim was arrested on February 11 on suspicion of murder. During questioning, she admitted to putting benzodiazepine-containing sedatives into the men’s drinks but denied intending to kill them.

21-year-old woman drugs two men to death after asking ChatGPT chilling questions on how to k!ll


Investigators say a review of her mobile phone revealed repeated online searches asking about the effects of combining sleeping pills and alcohol. Among the reported queries were: “What happens if you take sleeping pills with alcohol?”, “How much would be dangerous?” and “Could someone die?”


A police source was quoted as saying: “She asked these questions several times and received answers, so she was fully aware that combining alcohol and drugs could be fatal.”


Authorities are also examining an earlier alleged incident involving her ex-boyfriend in December, in which she is accused of spiking his drink in a café car park in Namyangju, causing him to lose consciousness for two days. He later reported the incident.


Investigators suspect that after that alleged failed attempt, she may have adjusted the dosage in the later cases. On the day the second victim died, Kim reportedly posted a selfie on social media with hashtags including “follow me” and “DM for follow back,” raising concerns among police that she may have been seeking further contacts.


Local media reports indicate she has a history of mental health treatment. Police say they are investigating whether there may be additional victims and are awaiting the outcome of a psychological assessment as the case proceeds.

₦1.1 Trillion Profit, Signals Drop: MTN Nigeria is smiling to the bank while customers fume

On paper, 2025 was a comeback year for MTN Nigeria.

After two bruising years triggered by currency reforms and naira devaluation, the telecom giant posted a staggering ₦1.1 trillion in post-tax profit, reversing losses of nearly ₦400 billion in 2024. Revenue surged to a record ₦5.2 trillion, powered largely by data consumption and a 50 percent tariff hike approved by the regulator.

Shareholders are celebrating. Customers are not.

While the company returned to profitability, and announced a ₦15 per share dividend payout totalling ₦314.9 billion, subscribers filed more than 1.6 million complaints in 2025 over poor service delivery, unexplained charges and chronic network disruptions.

The disconnect is hard to ignore: record earnings on one side, rising public frustration on the other.

A Tariff Hike That Changed the Math

In February, Nigeria’s telecom regulator approved a 50 percent tariff increase aimed at cushioning operators from foreign exchange losses after a weaker naira battered the sector.

The move provided a lifeline to MTN Nigeria, a subsidiary of South Africa-based MTN Group.

Data revenue alone accounted for more than half of total turnover, rising nearly 55 percent year-on-year. Active data subscribers climbed to 53.2 million, while the total subscriber base expanded to 87.3 million.

But many Nigerians say they are paying significantly more for services that feel significantly worse.

Some users report weekly data plans ballooning from ₦2,000 for 15GB to as much as ₦6,000 under revised pricing structures. Complaints range from slow data speeds and frequent call drops to unexplained data depletion and automatic activation of paid services such as caller tunes.

In several cases, consumer litigation has resulted in fines—reportedly up to ₦15 million, against the company over unauthorised deductions.

The Complaint Explosion

Regulators are paying attention.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has launched inquiries into service quality and consumer rights violations. Industry data indicates that Nigerian telecom operators collectively logged millions of complaints in 2025, with MTN accounting for a significant portion.

At the heart of the backlash: basic service reliability.

Customers across major cities report recurring outages, sluggish connectivity and sudden network blackouts—particularly during peak hours.

MTN attributes part of the instability to operational challenges, including an average of 9,200 fibre cuts annually and widespread vandalism of infrastructure. But critics argue that infrastructure vulnerabilities are not new—and should be factored into long-term investment planning.

Profitability Restored—But at What Cost?

To be sure, MTN’s financial turnaround is significant.

After suffering ₦1.7 trillion in net foreign exchange losses over two years, the company posted ₦90.3 billion in FX gains in 2025, buoyed by exchange-rate stability. Shareholders’ funds rebounded to ₦548.7 billion, while EBITDA margin climbed sharply to 52.7 percent.

CEO Karl Toriola credited “balance sheet resilience” and disciplined financial management.

Meanwhile, MTN Group announced a $6.2 billion acquisition deal to fully purchase tower infrastructure provider IHS Towers, a move analysts at Meristem Securities say could strengthen EBITDA in the long term through better lease pricing.

For investors, the narrative is one of recovery and strategic positioning.

For subscribers, the experience is often one of frustration.

The CSR Question

Telecom operators in developed markets are routinely subjected to strict service-level agreements and aggressive regulatory enforcement tied directly to consumer protection.

In Nigeria, critics argue, corporate social responsibility (CSR) must go beyond philanthropy and sponsorships to include something more fundamental: delivering the service customers pay for.

At a time when digital connectivity underpins banking, education, commerce and public services, network reliability is not a luxury; it is infrastructure.

Yet as profits swell, consumer dissatisfaction appears to be rising in parallel.

A Sector at a Crossroads

Nigeria’s telecom industry is undeniably critical to economic growth. Data remains the backbone of digital transformation, and MTN Nigeria remains its largest player.

But the numbers tell two stories.

One is about a company that survived currency shocks, restored profitability and rewarded shareholders handsomely.

The other is about millions of customers grappling with higher bills, service interruptions and unexplained deductions.

The central question now is not whether MTN Nigeria is profitable.

It is whether Nigeria’s telecom giants can deliver world-class service to match world-class earnings—or whether record profits and recurring outages will continue to coexist in uneasy tension.

Wife of former Borno Deputy Governor, Hansatu Zannah makes case for increased women’s participation in politics

Wife of former deputy Governor of Borno State and advocate of gender politics and democratic governance, Hajia Hansatu Goldben Zannah, has disclosed that Nigeria’s democracy remains incomplete without fair representation of women in decision-making positions.

She made the assertion in a statement she made available to newsmen on Friday, February 27.

According to Hajiya Zannah, for Nigeria to take democratic development seriously, women’s political participation must not be viewed as an add-on, but as a foundational element of good governance and inclusivity.

“For clarity, I am a patriotic Nigerian and for no reason will I engage in any unhealthy competition or rivalry with the men, however it will be fair enough to canvass for fair and considerable representation for the women in the political and socio-economic affairs of our nation.

“I have also observed that since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, one of the greatest paradoxes of our political progress has been the persistent underrepresentation of women in legislative bodies, particularly at the State and Federal levels. The gap is not simply a matter of numbers, but a matter of democratic quality and national development,” she said.

Recently inducted as a member of the AU Agenda 2063 Governing Council and Ambassador plenipotentiary, Zannah observed that although women made up less than 9 per cent of state legislators from 1999 to 2015, those few elected had a measurable impact on legislation.

“My deep research further revealed that female lawmakers sponsored more bills on average than their male counterparts. Their policies often directly address community welfare, health, and women’s rights,” she noted.

Continuing, she said, “Many countries are implementing measures to increase women’s participation in politics, particularly in parliament. These measures include reserving seats for women, establishing quotas within political parties, creating women’s political networks, and enacting electoral reforms, therefore Nigeria cannot be an exception.

“Records equally show that women and gender-diverse people have long struggled for a greater voice in politics. In 2024, only five women were elected in direct presidential elections, despite over 30 countries having presidential elections. While more than 45 per cent of public servants are women, they tend to be concentrated in a few fields like education and health care, and even then, they tend to hold lower-level positions, this is not fair at all.

“And yet, when women do lead, the impact is always positive; not just for women, but for the whole of society. Global data by the UNDP reveal that higher levels of women’s political participation is associated with lower risk of civil wars, state-led violence, and violation of political rights. There is also increasing evidence that women’s participation contributes positively towards the conclusion of peace talks and the implementation and durability of peace agreements.

“One can recall vividly that during the COVID-19 pandemic, governments that were led by women took action more swiftly, communicated clearly, and were risk-averse. Women’s participation in political and public spheres is thus integral to the achievement of social justice and has been a key demand and commitment in multiple international conventions. It is my belief that stakeholders across board will heed this genuine and patriotic call,” Hansatu stated.

Africa’s Christians face a defining security test, By Max Amuchie

Rotarian Max Amuchie, Immediate Past President, Rotary Club of Abuja CBD

Africa is home to one of the fastest-growing Christian populations in the world. From just 10 million adherents in the early 20th century, the number has grown to an estimated 750 million today—nearly half of the continent’s population.

Yet this remarkable growth now faces a defining security test.

A recent report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law argues that Christians in several African countries are under mounting pressure from extremist violence. The concern is particularly acute in Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia, three countries that together account for roughly 300 million Christians.

In Nigeria, armed groups such as Fulani militia, Boko Haram and ISWAP have carried out attacks for over a decade, targeting mostly Christian villages, worship centres and schools. In eastern Congo, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) has been linked to deadly assaults on civilians. In parts of East Africa, Al-Shabaab continues cross-border operations.

The humanitarian consequences are severe: killings, abductions, internal displacement and destruction of community infrastructure. According to the 2026 World Watch List by Open Doors, hundreds of millions of Christians globally experience high levels of persecution, with Africa emerging as a major hotspot.

But security is only part of the challenge. Weak governance, porous borders, poverty and unresolved communal tensions create fertile ground for extremism. At the same time, internal credibility crises within religious institutions, across faith lines, can undermine social cohesion.

The reality is that extremist violence in Africa does not spare moderate Muslims or adherents of traditional beliefs. There have been cases in Nigeria for example where moderate Muslims or Muslim communities were targeted and killed as happened on February 3, 2026 in Woro and Nuku communities in Kwara State. Entire communities suffer when the rule of law collapses. While the danger facing Christians in Africa — look at Nigeria’s Middle Belt region — is real, framing the crisis solely as demographic contest risks deepening divisions rather than solving them.

Africa needs coordinated action: strengthened security institutions, accountable governance, interfaith dialogue and economic opportunity for vulnerable youth populations and the political will to combat terrorism sincerely and intentionally.

The future of Christianity in Africa—like the future of Islam and other faiths—will ultimately depend less on demographic projections and more on whether governments can secure lives, protect rights and uphold justice.

The test before the continent is not religious survival alone. It is also whether pluralism itself can endure.

•Dr Max Amuchie, CEO/Editor-in-Chief, Sundiata Post can be reached via [email protected]

The views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Law & Society Magazine.

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