Former Minister of Petroleum Resources and Foreign Affairs, Henry Odein Ajumogobia, has called for the strengthening of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as the principal agency for coordinating development efforts in the Niger Delta, warning that fragmented governance structures have continued to impede meaningful progress in the oil-rich region.

Speaking as keynote speaker at the NDDC Law and Development Summit in Port Harcourt, Ajumogobia said the commission must be empowered to function as the central coordinating institution among the various agencies, governments and organisations involved in the region’s development.

He lamented that instead of serving as the lead development agency, the NDDC had become merely one of several actors operating within a crowded and poorly coordinated framework.

“Rather than functioning as the central coordinating body, the NDDC has become one layer in a crowded ecosystem where responsibilities are diffuse and unclear. This has produced patterns of duplication in which multiple actors work at cross-purposes while oil-producing communities remain underdeveloped,” he said.

According to him, the challenges confronting the commission are not solely administrative but deeply structural, arising from overlapping mandates among federal institutions, state governments, private sector operators, corporate social responsibility initiatives and other intervention programmes.

Ajumogobia stressed that addressing these institutional bottlenecks was critical to unlocking sustainable development across the Niger Delta.

Also speaking at the summit, Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Chiedu Ebie, described the relationship between law and development as fundamental, noting that legal frameworks remain essential tools for economic transformation, environmental sustainability and the protection of citizens’ rights.

He said the summit’s theme, “The Role of Law in Driving Sustainable Development in the Niger Delta,” reflected the urgent realities confronting communities in the region.

“For the people of the Niger Delta, a region whose vast natural wealth has for too long stood in painful contrast to the poverty and neglect of its communities, these are not abstract ideals. They are urgent, lived realities,” Ebie said.

He added that the commission had adopted innovative approaches to navigate development challenges, strengthen governance systems and accelerate project delivery within the ambit of the law.

In his opening remarks, the Managing Director of the NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, said sustainable development extended beyond physical infrastructure to include economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection.
Ogbuku noted that the current management had embarked on deliberate reforms aimed at repositioning the commission from a transactional institution to a transformational development agency.

According to him, the commission engaged global advisory firm KPMG to review its internal processes and develop new corporate governance policies that now guide its operations.

He disclosed that the NDDC had also overhauled its procurement processes and digitised nearly 90 per cent of its operations to enhance transparency, efficiency and accountability.

“We have implemented mechanisms for contractors and stakeholders to sign and execute contracts electronically from the comfort of their homes and offices, with minimal physical contact,” he said.

The managing director explained that the summit was convened to explore ways of strengthening the legal and institutional frameworks necessary for the commission to sustain ongoing reforms and deepen development interventions across the Niger Delta.

Earlier, Director of Legal Services at the NDDC, Victor Arenyeka, said the summit was designed to provide a platform for policymakers, legal practitioners, development experts, traditional institutions, civil society groups and other stakeholders to examine how law, governance, accountability and policy implementation could drive sustainable regional transformation.

He noted that as a statutory institution, the activities of the NDDC are governed not only by its Establishment Act but also by several other laws, regulations and policy frameworks that shape its operations and development mandate.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has assured teachers, pupils and parents of the safety of schools across Rivers State, pledging continued collaboration with security agencies to prevent attacks and abductions within educational institutions.

The assurance came on Tuesday as members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Rivers State Wing, staged a peaceful protest at Government House, Port Harcourt, in solidarity with colleagues abducted by gunmen during attacks on schools in Oyo State and other parts of the country.

Carrying placards with various inscriptions, the teachers joined a nationwide action organised by the NUT to draw attention to the worsening insecurity in schools and demand the rescue of teachers and pupils reportedly kidnapped from three schools in Oyo State about two weeks ago.

Addressing the protesters, Governor Fubara said his administration remained committed to ensuring the security of schools and creating a safe environment for teaching and learning across the state.

Represented by the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, the governor said the state government had been working closely with security agencies to safeguard teachers, pupils and school facilities from criminal attacks.

He assured the union that the government would continue to take proactive measures to prevent incidents of kidnapping and violence in schools, while urging members to remain patient as efforts were being intensified by the Federal Government and security agencies to secure the release of the abducted teachers and students.

“We will continue to do everything within our powers to ensure that schools in Rivers State remain safe and conducive for learning,” he said.

Earlier, the Secretary of the NUT in Rivers State, Comrade Bassey Asuquo, described the protest as a solemn march in honour of a colleague allegedly killed during the attack and in solidarity with teachers and students still being held captive.

He lamented that teachers across the country now operate under constant fear, noting that many leave their homes daily uncertain of returning safely.

“The school is supposed to be a sanctuary where the future of our nation is nurtured and prepared for greatness. What happened in Oyo State is not only an attack on innocent people but a direct assault on education and our collective future as a nation,” Asuquo said.

He argued that the Oyo incident reflected a broader security challenge confronting schools nationwide, citing similar attacks in parts of the North-East and other regions of the country.

According to him, the repeated targeting of educational institutions has transformed schools from centres of learning into places of fear and uncertainty.

The union called for the immediate and unconditional release of all abducted teachers and students and urged the Federal Government and state governments to take decisive action to halt the recurring attacks on schools.

The NUT also demanded the deployment of adequate security personnel to public schools across the country and the implementation of a comprehensive national school safety policy aimed at protecting students, teachers and educational infrastructure from violence, abduction and other security threats.

The protest ended peacefully with the teachers reiterating their commitment to safeguarding education while urging authorities to prioritise the security of schools and those who work and learn within them.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on security, warning that the escalating wave of killings, kidnappings, terrorism and violent attacks across the country has reached alarming proportions and now constitutes a national emergency.

The call formed part of resolutions reached at the National Church Denominational Leaders Summit 2026 held in Abuja under the theme, “The State of the Nation and the Way Forward.”

In a communiqué signed by CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, church leaders expressed deep concern over what they described as worsening insecurity, economic hardship, declining public confidence in state institutions and growing threats to the lives and dignity of Nigerians.

The summit, attended by leaders of major Christian denominations, church administrators, legal practitioners, security experts and representatives from across the six geopolitical zones, lamented the increasing attacks on communities, churches, schools and farming settlements.

According to the communiqué, participants observed that citizens are being kidnapped from homes, workplaces and highways, while farmers are being driven from their lands and innocent men, women and children killed, displaced or subjected to horrific acts of violence.
“CAN expresses profound alarm over the escalating violence across Nigeria, including killings, kidnappings, abductions, terrorist attacks and the destruction of communities,” the communiqué stated.

The association condemned what it described as “barbaric acts of murder, beheading, torture, rape, abduction and forced displacement” and urged the Federal Government to take urgent and decisive action to halt the bloodshed.

CAN reminded government at all levels that the protection of lives and property remains their foremost constitutional responsibility and demanded measurable steps to restore public confidence in the nation’s security architecture.

The church leaders called for a comprehensive review of existing security arrangements, improved intelligence gathering, stronger inter-agency collaboration and greater accountability in the fight against terrorism, banditry and violent crime.

They also renewed calls for the immediate establishment of state police and other lawful decentralised security structures capable of improving intelligence gathering, rapid response and local accountability.

The summit further demanded the unconditional release of all abducted schoolchildren, teachers and other citizens currently in captivity, urging security agencies to intensify rescue efforts until every victim regains freedom.

Expressing concern over the plight of victims, CAN called for the establishment of a comprehensive compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement programme for families affected by terrorism, kidnapping and violent attacks.

The association also advocated the safe return and protection of internally displaced persons, insisting that displaced communities must be resettled in their ancestral homes under adequate security guarantees.

As part of efforts to draw national attention to the security crisis, CAN declared June 12 to June 14, 2026, as a three-day period of national mourning and designated Sunday, June 14, as “Black Sunday” across churches in Nigeria in honour of victims of violence and in solidarity with bereaved families.

The Christian body urged churches nationwide to strengthen humanitarian support, trauma care, youth engagement and peacebuilding initiatives for victims and affected communities.

CAN also expressed concern that political defections, power struggles and premature electioneering activities were dominating public discourse while many communities remained under attack.

The association therefore called on political leaders and parties to suspend divisive political distractions and concentrate on restoring security and rebuilding public confidence.

In addition, CAN appealed to organised labour, professional bodies, civil society organisations, student groups and traditional institutions to join efforts aimed at holding government accountable for the protection of lives and property.

The summit noted what it described as the inadequacy of intelligence gathering and coordination mechanisms and criticised the recurring reliance on conciliatory rhetoric in response to grave security threats, urging a more proactive and results-oriented national security strategy.

Reaffirming its commitment to Christian unity, justice and the defence of human dignity, CAN called on Nigerians, irrespective of religion, ethnicity or political affiliation, to unite against insecurity and work collectively towards national renewal.

The church leaders concluded by pledging continued prayer, advocacy and constructive engagement with government and relevant stakeholders, while expressing hope that Nigeria would overcome its current challenges and attain lasting peace, security and prosperity.

Lagos — Dr Felicia Tamuno, Institutional Banking Lead at The Alternative Bank, Nigeria’s leading non-interest financial institution, has called for a major shift in Africa’s banking system, urging greater adoption of non-interest and ethical finance models to bridge the massive financing gap facing women entrepreneurs.

Speaking at the African Women in Banking and Finance Conference & Awards 2026, Tamuno said traditional interest-based lending models, which rely heavily on fixed asset collateral, property titles, and long credit histories, continue to exclude millions of women operating in the informal and semi-formal sectors.
“Many women-led businesses remain locked out of formal finance despite their enormous contribution to African economies,” she said.

Citing data from the World Bank and the African Development Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative, Tamuno noted that women in Sub-Saharan Africa account for over 80 percent of the self-employed population, yet still face a $42 billion financing gap.
Drawing from her experience at The Alternative Bank, she advocated for alternative credit assessment tools such as cash-flow-based lending, movable asset financing, and partnership-based non-interest banking products.

“Non-interest and ethical finance models provide stronger opportunities for collaboration and shared risk, rather than the rigid, collateral-driven approach that currently dominates conventional banking,” she argued.

Tamuno also highlighted the leadership gender gap in African financial institutions, noting that while women are well represented at entry and middle management levels, their presence drops significantly at executive and board positions.

“Leadership diversity is not a concession. It is a competitive advantage,” she said.

Tamuno called on senior women in the industry to support one another through mentorship and sisterhood, saying: “We are not our enemies. We are a community. We are stronger together.”

She urged policymakers, regulators, and financial institutions to treat the economic empowerment of women not merely as a social goal, but as a serious economic strategy for broader continental prosperity. She pushed for supportive policies, digital innovation, and inclusive financial products specifically designed for the realities of African women entrepreneurs.

Her role at The Alternative Bank adds significant weight to her call. The institution continues to demonstrate that ethical and non-interest banking can work effectively even in Africa’s challenging economic environment.

By Samuel Chukwuka

Hundreds of women entrepreneurs in communities across Rivers and Akwa Ibom states are receiving a new lease of life through a financial literacy and empowerment programme designed to strengthen small businesses, improve household incomes and promote financial independence.

The initiative, sponsored by Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) and implemented through the Village Community Development Foundation (VCDF), forms part of the company’s corporate social responsibility efforts aimed at supporting sustainable economic development in its host communities.

The programme, which commenced last year, targeted about 1,000 women drawn from various host communities. Participants were trained in basic financial management and provided with start-up capital to establish micro-enterprises and improve their economic prospects.

According to the organisers, while many beneficiaries successfully utilised the funds and demonstrated measurable growth in their businesses, others failed to make productive use of the support. This informed the decision to focus the second phase of the programme on participants who had shown commitment and progress in their chosen ventures.

As part of the ongoing second phase, SEEPCO and VCDF selected an initial batch of 100 women for advanced training and additional support. Beyond financial education, participants received working tools, equipment, consumables and other essential materials needed to strengthen and expand their businesses.

The latest training, which began on May 22 and is expected to run for two weeks, covers key aspects of entrepreneurship, including business planning, budgeting, savings culture, pricing strategies, customer relations and financial record keeping. Participants are also being educated on responsible spending habits and access to financial services.

Speaking during the programme, the Village Head of Iwofe community, Chief Goodfellow Julius, commended SEEPCO and VCDF for what he described as a transformative intervention capable of improving livelihoods across the host communities.

He noted that the initiative distinguishes itself from conventional empowerment schemes by combining skills development with practical business support and financial knowledge, thereby giving beneficiaries the tools and confidence required to build sustainable enterprises.

“This programme goes beyond skills acquisition. It equips women with the knowledge, resources and confidence needed to establish and sustain businesses. The impact will be felt not only by the beneficiaries but also by their families and the wider community,” he said.

Some of the beneficiaries also expressed appreciation to SEEPCO and VCDF, describing the intervention as timely and life-changing.

One of the participants, Peace Emem, said the training had given her a fresh sense of purpose and the confidence to start her own business.

According to her, the knowledge acquired and the starter-pack support would enable her contribute more meaningfully to her family’s welfare while pursuing financial independence.

Observers say the programme reflects a growing recognition of the role women-owned micro and small enterprises play in driving grassroots economic growth, particularly in oil-producing communities where sustainable livelihood opportunities remain a critical development priority.