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.”
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has clarified that he did not owe salaries, pensions, gratuities or any money during the period he was Governor of Anambra State.
Obi stated this in response to recent claims by the current government of Anambra State.
The Anambra State Government recently claimed that it is till repaying loans obtained by previous administrations, including those of former governors Obi and Willie Obiano.
According to the government, it has focused largely on paying existing obligations rather than accumulating new debts.
Obi served as the Governor of Anambra State from March 2006 to March 2014.
Reacting to the claim, Obi said: “I left office as Governor nearly 13 years ago. On the day I left office, I was not owing any salaries, pensions, gratuities or any money that the Anambra State Government was supposed to pay.
“I did not owe a single supplier or contractor. If you find even one person I owed, I will end my 2027 campaign today.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has unveiled a 12-point policy agenda he says will guide his administration if he wins the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The policy commitments were published by AbdulRasheed Shehu, Special Assistant on Broadcast Media to Atiku, as part of the former vice-president’s campaign message ahead of the election.
The agenda focuses on the economy, education, local government autonomy, transportation, electricity, job creation, security, agriculture, healthcare and the restructuring of the federal system.
Atiku proposed the restoration of a targeted petroleum subsidy as part of measures to reduce transportation costs and ease the pressure of rising living expenses on Nigerians.
He also promised to review the operations of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), including consideration of debt forgiveness for beneficiaries. The proposal is based on the position that Nigerian students should have access to affordable education and scholarships rather than being burdened with debts.
On local government administration, the former vice-president pledged to implement the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy. Under his proposal, funds meant for local councils would be paid directly to them and deployed for development at the grassroots.
Atiku also identified the development of Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure as a major part of his economic agenda. He proposed reviving the Eastern maritime port corridor by restoring the operational capacity and competitiveness of ports in Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri, while supporting the development of the Uyo Deep Sea Port.
According to the policy document, strengthening the eastern and southern ports would reduce pressure on the Lagos port corridor, lower logistics costs, create employment and improve trade between the South-East, South-South and northern markets.
The former vice-president further promised to reopen Nigeria’s land borders to legitimate commercial activities. He said the move would help revive legal cross-border businesses, support traders and strengthen regional commerce.
Atiku also proposed changes to the electricity sector, including a review of the existing tariff classification system. His campaign said the reform would address what it described as discriminatory billing and make electricity more affordable to consumers.
Politics
Young Nigerians and women also feature prominently in the proposed agenda. Atiku plans to establish a $10 billion startup and entrepreneurship financing programme aimed at providing greater access to capital, while also increasing the participation of youths and women in government appointments and economic opportunities.
The security sector is another major focus of the policy commitments. Atiku proposed recruiting more security personnel, improving their welfare and strengthening the use of modern intelligence and field technology.
His plan also includes tackling corruption within the security system, confronting insurgency, banditry and other serious crimes with greater political will, and strengthening security cooperation with neighbouring countries.
In agriculture, Atiku said his administration would seek to encourage Nigerians to return to farming by improving security in farming communities and lowering production costs. The plan also includes greater access to financing and other forms of support for farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs.
The former vice-president equally proposed a major overhaul of the healthcare sector through institutional reforms and increased access to quality and affordable basic healthcare. The agenda also promises to address shortages of medical personnel, as well as their remuneration and welfare.
On governance, Atiku proposed devolving more powers to states and local governments by restructuring the Exclusive and Concurrent Legislative Lists. He said the federal government should become smaller and more efficient, concentrating on responsibilities that require national coordination while giving subnational governments greater capacity to manage local affairs.
He also pledged to implement the Oronsaye Report as part of efforts to reduce government waste and eliminate duplication among federal institutions. The proposal is intended to rationalise government agencies, reduce institutional overlap and corruption opportunities, and improve efficiency and service delivery across the public service.
Atiku Unveils 12-Point Plan to Rescue NigeriaAtiku Unveils 12-Point Plan to Rescue Nigeria
The release of the 12-point agenda comes days after Atiku’s wife, Titi Abubakar, urged Nigerian youths to support her husband in the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking at the ADC All Support Groups Town Hall Meeting in Abuja, Titi said Atiku’s experience would enable him to begin governing without having to learn the responsibilities of the presidency on the job.
“Atiku is a sellable material. That is why I am so proud of my husband. Atiku is a philanthropist. Atiku has done it before. Atiku is not going to learn on the job. And Atiku is not a novice,” she said.
She also said Atiku was seeking the presidency to improve the lives of Nigerians rather than to enrich himself.
“Atiku is a man of honour, a man of his word. Atiku is not coming to chop government money. Atiku wants to give back to you people. Atiku wants you people to know what it is all about government,” Titi said.
She further highlighted Atiku’s proposed inclusion of young people and women in government, recalling his pledge to reserve 40 per cent of appointments for the two groups.
Titi also urged young voters to protect their votes and reject attempts to buy their support ahead of the election.
“Don’t allow them to come and give you money and you sell your conscience. If you sell your vote, you are selling the vote of your generation yet unborn,” she said.
She acknowledged that the ADC might not have the financial resources of some political opponents but urged youths not to exchange their votes for temporary financial benefits.
“ADC don’t have that money to give you. Don’t be a sellout. Because these people, they have all our money in their kitties,” she said.
Titi had also criticised the state of governance and the economy, saying, “Nothing is working. Our economy is in shambles.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the Tinubu administration to provide clarity on how savings from the removal of fuel subsidy have been applied, following renewed concerns raised by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over unpaid entitlements and unresolved agreements.
Speaking on Sunday through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the subsidy removal imposed significant costs on households through higher fuel prices, transport fares, food prices and school fees.
The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) noted that the policy was also presented to Nigerians as a step that would release resources for education, healthcare, infrastructure and other essential services.
“If the subsidy has been removed and Nigerians have borne the attendant costs, then Nigerians deserve a clear explanation of how the savings are being applied,” Atiku said.
He said public universities continue to face funding challenges, with lecturers raising concerns about unpaid entitlements and outstanding agreements, while students face the risk of disruptions to the academic calendar.
Atiku added that the administration has cited increased allocations to State governments as part of the benefits of subsidy removal.
He, however, asked why public education across the federation still faces severe pressure, with both Federal and State-owned universities experiencing industrial disputes and infrastructure gaps.
“If more resources are reaching the federal government and states, citizens are entitled to ask how those resources are translating into improved classrooms, laboratories, hostels and teaching facilities,” he said.
The former vice president also raised questions about the government’s student loan scheme, NELFund.
He said the rising cost of education has put additional strain on families and that the loan programme should be matched with measures to expand access and reduce the cost burden.
“Every year, more young Nigerians seek university education. The physical capacity of the system needs to expand to meet that demand. We need to see more classrooms, laboratories, hostels and expanded admission spaces,” he said.
Atiku further said that while government has asked citizens to make sacrifices, it must also ensure transparency and equity in the application of public resources, including the use of waivers and concessions.
He called for accountability in the management of proceeds from subsidy removal, and urged the government to prioritise investment in education, healthcare and infrastructure.
“ASUU is again raising concerns over unpaid entitlements and outstanding agreements. State universities have also experienced disruptions. Students are taking loans to fund education, while infrastructure in many universities remains inadequate.
“The sacrifice has been made by Nigerians. The expected improvements in public services must now be seen and felt,” he said.
Atiku urged President Bola Tinubu to address the concerns raised by ASUU and other stakeholders, and to ensure that commitments made at the time of subsidy removal are fulfilled.
