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Recovered Diezani Loot to Be Spent on Rural Electrification – FG
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that millions in recovered funds linked to former Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke will be used to fund rural electrification projects across Nigeria. The announcement followed the signing of an Asset Return Agreement between Nigeria and the United States, which enables the US to return nearly $52.9 million (€51.6 million) seized from the forfeiture of assets belonging to the former minister and her associates.
The agreement is significant in that it is the first repatriation of assets to Nigeria linked to Alison-Madueke. She was Nigeria’s oil minister from 2010 to 2015 and became the first female president of the oil alliance OPEC.
Nigerian Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi said the recovered funds were an example of the countries’ unwavering commitment to fighting corruption. He added that “it also signifies the commitment of the United States of America to facilitating restitution and supporting integrity and accountability in governance.”
Lucrative contracts
In 2017, a civil complaint filed by the US Department of Justice requested the recovery of over $100 million (€97 million) in assets suspected of being obtained through bribes to the former minister for petroleum resources. The lawsuit alleged that between 2011 and 2015, two Nigerian businessmen conspired with others to bribe the former oil minister, who oversaw the country’s state-owned oil company NNPC Ltd. In return, the minister is said to have used her position in office to steer lucrative oil contracts to companies owned by the two businessmen.
According to court documents, proceeds from those illicitly obtained contracts were laundered through the United States and used to buy various assets via shell companies, including luxury properties in California and New York, as well as a 65-meter (214.5-foot) superyacht.
Alison-Madueke, who was Minister of Petroleum resources during the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan, has denied allegations of corruption. However, Nigeria’s anti–graft agency has obtained court orders to seize houses, cars and jewelry in Nigeria, which it claims were proceeds of corruption connected to the former minister and her associates, according to the Associated Press.
Corruption challenge
Despite a projected economic growth rate of 3.7% in 2024, according to the African Development Bank, most countries continue to grapple with extreme poverty. As of 2024, an estimated 464 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa alone live in extreme poverty, according to the World Bank. The economic situation is the result of decades of severe underfunding in critical public sectors, exacerbated by corruption and illicit financial flows which siphon public funds and resources away from citizens.
Nigeria is rife with corruption. A 2023 report by the country’s statistics agency, NBS, ranked corruption as the fourth-most significant problem affecting the country. Following shortly after, were other challenges including high living costs and rampant unemployment. In 2023 alone, about N721 billion (€451 million) was paid in cash bribes to public officials in the country.
Analysts are quick to point out that corruption could cost Nigeria up to 37 percent of its gross domestic product by 2030 if it is not adequately tackled.
Nigerian Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi mentioned that diplomatic efforts such as the agreement between the United States and Nigeria highlight the “importance of international cooperation in addressing the global scourge of corruption, which is also linked to trans-border crimes.” He also pointed out that it “underscores the obligations and commitments enshrined in the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act , which guide our collective efforts to ensure that stolen assets are returned and used for the benefit of our citizens.”
Funds bring light to rural communities
Nigeria has the world’s largest deficit when it comes to access to electricity, according to the World Bank, with 45% of Nigerians cut off from power. An even grimmer disparity exists between urban and rural areas. Only 26 percent of rural Nigeria is connected to the electricity grid.
Since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, he has taken on various initiatives aimed at bridging the electricity gap and introducing economic activities in rural communities. Earlier last December, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier made a state visit to Nigeria to bolster energy ties between the two countries.
Justice Minister Fagbemi said the recovered funds would be used to support rural electrification through the World Bank, with $50 million earmarked for improving access to renewable energy in Nigeria’s rural communities.
Fagbemi said the remaining nearly $2.9 million would be disbursed as a grant by Nigeria to the International Institute for Justice to support counterterrorism measures across Africa.
The justice minister said measures had been put in place to ensure that the returned funds are not only disbursed but also “utilized transparently and accountably by the World Bank and IIJ, with periodic reports to be forwarded to Nigeria and the US on the implementation of the projects.”
Agency Report
The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has argued that there is nothing wrong if Nigeria evolves into a one-party state, provided it reflects the will of the people.
Speaking to State House correspondents on Friday after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Ganduje dismissed concerns raised by opposition leaders over the country’s political direction.
He insisted that the growing dominance of the APC is a reflection of public trust in the party’s governance.
“If one-party state is a wish and blessing to Nigeria; One-party state is not by force; it is by negotiation,” Ganduje said.
“If other political parties see the effect of the positive governance of our party and decide to come to our party willingly, I think there is nothing wrong with that.”
Citing China as an example of a successful one-party system, Ganduje stated that the APC is not actively working to eliminate opposition, but that defections and realignments are part of democratic processes.
“Too many political parties spoil governance,” he added.
Ganduje led three senators from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), reportedly from Kebbi State, to meet with President Tinubu, announcing their intention to join the APC.
According to him, their defection is the result of extensive negotiations among stakeholders in the state and is part of APC’s broader strategy to strengthen its base.
“This is a good development and in consonance with what is happening in Nigeria today. Almost every week in the Senate and House of Representatives, you see members of other political parties decamping to our party,” he said.
Ganduje assured that the APC is prepared to smoothly integrate the new members, maintaining that the party’s strategy to expand both its numbers and the quality of its membership is aligned with democratic principles.
The Senator representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has distanced herself from a viral TikTok video that surfaced online showing her dancing to “Omo Ologo”, a song in praise of President Bola Tinubu.
In a public disclaimer released via her verified X (formerly Twitter) account, Akpoti-Uduaghan denied owning any TikTok account, warning the public against being misled by parody accounts across various social media platforms.
“I do not own a TikTok account,” she posted.
“Many parody accounts exist in my name on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Some have garnered large followings.”
She clarified that the circulating video was manipulated from an old 2023 clip and repurposed with “mischievous intent” to mislead the public.
“While I hold the President in utmost respect, I’d urge everyone to disregard the mischievous post made using an old 2023 video of mine,” she stated.
The video, sound-tracked by “Omo Ologo”, a praise song performed by Dauda Kahutu Rarara at a recent event attended by Tinubu in Katsina, appeared to depict the senator aligning herself with the president’s camp.
President Bola Tinubu has issued a passionate call for unity, resilience, and renewed patriotism, urging Nigerians to stand firm behind ongoing reforms aimed at rebuilding the country’s economic foundation.
Speaking during a grand reception in Awka, Anambra State, on the occasion of his state visit, President Tinubu acknowledged the current challenges facing the nation but assured the people that the hard choices were necessary for lasting prosperity.
“We continue to plead with Nigerians for their patience and understanding,” Tinubu appealed.
“We call on all patriots and progressives to rise and continue to work hard every day for the greatness of our dear country. We have no other country but Nigeria. We must make it great as the pride of the black race.”
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to inclusive development, citing progress made in economic reform, infrastructure investment, and improved public finance management.
“We met near-insolvent public finance… unsustainable multiple subsidies… a chaotic and debilitating forex regime. These monsters have been tackled,” he said.
Highlighting renewed investor confidence and growth in agriculture, manufacturing, and technology, Tinubu said the “Renewed Hope Agenda” was already yielding visible results.
He particularly commended Anambra for leading in innovation and development, referencing the commissioning of the Solution Fun City and Government House Mini-City as signs of progress.
Describing Governor Chukwuma Soludo as “a brilliant man” and “a thinker who knows the way,” Tinubu added: “We are working together for a better Anambra and Nigeria.”
The president also praised Anambra State for fully implementing and even surpassing the new national minimum wage, calling it “a signal of true leadership and compassion for the working class.”
Asserting the federal government’s commitment to equitable development, Tinubu promised increased investment in roads, power, rail, and digital infrastructure across all regions, including the Southeast.
