News
Labour to Down Tools Tomorrow over N1Bn Pension
Organized labour made up of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Trade Union Congress (TUC) and civil society groups has declared tomorrow (Wednesday) work-free day for the mass protests in Lagos and Abuja to the attention towards the plight of pensioners, who are owed some N1 billion in pension arears.
Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, president, NLC, said the mass protest was targeted against corruption and impunity in government across states and federal levels, explaining that it was decided that the Lagos and Abuja mass protests hold under the joint umbrella of Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO).
He urged Nigerians across the country to participate actively in the rallies and protest marches to support the demand for a review of the pension fund in order to ensure living pensions and its prompt payment to senior citizens.
Omar, said that pensioners who are not physically fit to start the procession from union’s secretariat at Yaba, Lagos should assemble at the Nigeria Civil Service Union’s secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja from where they would proceed to join the mass movement on arrival at the Lagos State Secretariat.
Elsewhere, National Mirror reported that Mr. Abiola Aremu, Joint secretary of LASCO, said the protest would take off by 8 a.m. from the NLC Secretariat, Yaba, after which the procession would move through Ikorodu Road, Maryland, Ikeja roundabout and terminate at Lagos State Secretariat.
According to Aremu, the NLC’s Central Working Committee, CWC, comprising presidents and general secretaries of the affiliate unions of the congress have condemned the growing level of corruption in the country and the crisis in the pension industry, adding also that all efforts to get the attention of government including two letters sent to the Presidency for intervention over the hardships faced by the nation’s senior citizens were ignored.
He said the CWC has expressed concern that despite the unprecedented scam in the pension regime and the raging war of words between the executive and the National Assembly, pensioners remained the main victims with a large number of them not being paid their entitlements.
“The congress had written at least two letters to the Presidency calling for its intervention in the pension crisis. Coupled with the correspondences, the leadership of congress had reached out through other channels to the Federal Government. The congress leadership had also made public pronouncements on the avoidable, but painful pension crisis.
“The Presidency neither acknowledged the letters nor responded to the issues the leadership of the congress publicly raised on the plight of pensioners. Convinced that the congress had exploited all the lawful channels of communication to the government to no avail, congress is certain that nobody wants to listen to the plight of pensioners,” he said.
Aremu said labour and civil society groups are worried that the continued silence of the government means more hardship for its members in the fold of the National Union of Pensioners, NUP, and that labour is determined to ensure justice for its members who are owed billions of pension arrears.
“The CWC resolved that on April 10, 2013, all NLC affiliate unions and state councils across the length and breadth of the country will mobilise workers on a protest march to the Presidency and state government houses,” he added.
Mr. Peter Esele, president general of the TUC, said the congress was unhappy with a situation where the destinies of “our fathers and mothers who served the country with their blood are being toyed with,” and that if the congress fails to fight for change now, today’s workers may be treated the same way when they retire.
“How do we explain it that every now and then they invite these old people for verification and in the end nothing comes of it after all? Some die on the verification ground without receiving their money, subjecting their wards to avoidable pains,” he said.
Esele reiterated that this injustice must stop if the country must move forward, pointing out that in the African tradition the younger ones have so much respect for elders, but that it is unfortunate the reverse is now the case to the extent that money meant for elders is now being stolen by the youths.
The labour chief stated that any nation that abandons its elders will not succeed, while lamenting that the administration of pension funds has been enmeshed in unprecedented corruption with some public officers, institutions of government and banks taking undue advantage of the pensioners to enrich themselves.
“More painful to the congress is the way and manner government, in spite of the cries and agony of the victims and the criticism of concerned citizens, has kept mute over the matter and shown no concern or care since the agitation of the pensioners began,” Esele added.
Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, has also vowed to join the rally. The group made known their decision yesterday in Abuja at a briefing to mark its 2nd Medical and Health Workers’ Week.
Ayuba Wabba , MHWUN’s chairman, , said as part of activities to mark the Week, MHWUN free medical services would be offered children in all senatorial districts across Nigeria.
This, he said, would take the form of de-worming and health education on personal hygiene.
For a business to remain strong and relevant, experts have urged entrepreneurs to engage in solving problems in the Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) space and build strong partnerships.
The experts stated at the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Business Series with the theme, “Stronger Together: Building Powerful Business Partnerships for Progress.”
Four seasoned business owners including: Beauty Entrepreneur, Dabota Lawson; Real Estate Mogul and Entrepreneur, Wale Ayilara; Journalist and TV producer Peace Hyde and Fashion Entrepreneur, Mai Atafo, encouraged participants to solve problems, invent in products & service and, create value to remain stronger in business and thrive amid competitive business environment.
Ayilara expressed that an entrepreneur must be able to solve problems and build a strong partnership in order to remain relevant in a challenging business environment.
He stressed further that there are a lot of business opportunities in Nigeria and questioned where consumers money is directed into.
Lawson said the inability to find a suitable sensitive skincare that matches her skin tone forced her to start her company.
On her part, Hyde stated that she ventures into media on the backdrop of telling Africa’s stories to international audiences.
Atafo said passion made him venture into fashion, maintaining that being an entrepreneur in Nigeria is tough work.
Speaking earlier, UBA’s Group Head, Retail and Digital Banking, Shamsideen Fashola, highlighted the critical role of partnerships in today’s dynamic business environment.
“In an increasingly interconnected world, the power of collaboration cannot be overstated. At UBA, we recognise that collaboration is the cornerstone of sustainable business success.
“The ‘Stronger Together’ Business Series is designed to inspire entrepreneurs and corporate leaders to forge meaningful alliances that drive progress, unlock opportunities, and contribute to Africa’s economic transformation,” Shamsideen said.
Nigeria’s leading commercial bank, First Bank of Nigeria, has joined forces with Mighty Media Plus Network Limited for the maiden edition of the QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit.
Also supporting the event are Nigeria LNG (NLNG) and Shell Nigeria, two major players in the country’s energy and development sectors.
Chief Executive Officer of Mighty Media Plus Network Limited, Olumide Iyanda, announced the partnerships in a statement on Monday.
Mr Iyanda described FirstBank’s involvement as a strong statement of the bank’s belief in the power of Nigeria’s creative sector.
“FirstBank’s support is a reaffirmation of its long-standing commitment to promoting the creative economy,” he said. “Through First@arts, the bank has become a reliable partner to talents, institutions, and organisations working to grow Nigeria’s cultural assets.”
First@arts is FirstBank’s platform for supporting the arts. It provides financing, advisory services, and exposure for creatives across the value chain. The bank has backed major cultural events and partnered with institutions such as British Council, Duke of Shomolu Productions, Live Theatre Lagos, Freedom Park and Terra Kulture.
Among the projects FirstBank has supported are The Headies Awards, Lagos International Theatre Festival, The Oxymoron of Kenny Blaq, Kurunmi, Eni Ogun, and Oke Langbodo.
Iyanda also praised NLNG for its role in promoting excellence in literature and science through The Nigeria Prize for Literature, The Nigeria Prize for Science, and The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism.
“NLNG has shown leadership by rewarding creativity and innovation in ways that impact both the literary and scientific communities,” he said.
The prizes, worth up to USD100,000, are among the most prestigious on the continent. They celebrate Nigerian authors, critics, and scientists whose work makes a real difference.
Shell’s support for the summit reflects its ongoing commitment to education and social development. The company focuses on sustainable, community-driven educational projects, ranging from scholarships to infrastructure development and ICT donations.
“Shell’s belief in education as a foundation for long-term progress aligns with our vision for the summit,” Iyanda added.
He further noted that more sponsors will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
The QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit, themed “Financing as Catalyst for a Thriving Creative Economy,” will take place on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. The venue is the prestigious Radisson Blu Hotel, Isaac John Street, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
The summit will bring together creatives, investors, policymakers, and business leaders to explore solutions to the funding challenges facing Nigeria’s creative industries.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has strongly denied allegations of lack of integrity and transparency directed at its chairman, Ola Olukoyede, by columnist Steve Osuji.
In a statement issued by Dele Oyewale, spokesperson, EFCC. the commission described the claims as “worrisome and unjustifiable,” particularly criticizing the personal attacks on Olukoyede.
“More worrisome was his attack on Olukoyede for no justifiable reason. Allegations of lack of transparency, accountability and integrity deficit are wild and clearly off the mark,” Oyewale said.
He questioned the basis for the allegations and defended Olukoyede’s leadership since taking office.
“The question is: in what way has Olukoyede fallen short? Is it by insisting that the right things should always be done? By moving the nation’s anti-graft war forward radically and unprecedentedly?
“By bringing forth a preventive framework to tackle corruption and reaping bountiful gains for the nation?
“By recovering the globally-acclaimed 753 duplexes and other apartments, which are proceeds of fraudulent dealings for the nation?
“By launching the EFCC into a global map of accomplished anti-graft agencies? By handling 50,000 case files in one year?
“By embarking on a courageous internal cleansing system and other progressive initiatives to deepen and strengthen the anti-corruption fight?
“It is cowardly and uncharitable for any columnist to hide under vague and opaque cover to splash mud on Ola Olukoyede, arguably one of the finest breed of anti-graft czars around the world.”
Olukoyede, through the statement, reaffirmed that the EFCC has consistently submitted its annual reports to the National Assembly as required by law.
“Equally preposterous are claims of re-looting of assets by officers of the Commission. For the purpose of clarification, the Commission does not recover monetary assets into its covers and the non-monetary assets that are recovered are disposed of following clear pronouncements by court and proceeds paid into the Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account account in the Central Bank in line with provisions of the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022.
“The EFCC does not operate in secrecy. All its operations are regularly communicated to the public, including public auction of assets. To deliberately cast the Commission in the mould of fraudulent engagements or criminality is not only mischievous but also untenable,” the statement concluded.
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