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ICPC recovers N53bn from real estate developer for FMBN

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ICPC Headquarters Abuja
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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has recovered N53 billion from a real estate developer for the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.

The Chairman of ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye disclosed this during a meeting with the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee Investigating the Operations of Real Estate Developers in FCT.

Owasanoye said that the developer took the money without providing houses for its subscribers.

He stressed that the Commission would always deploy its mandates against developers who took public funds with the promise to provide houses for public or civil servants without doing so.

The ICPC chairman  also lamented the rising housing deficit in the country.

He noted that unscrupulous real estate developers in the FCT took advantage of desperate civil servants to scam them of their hard-earned money in the name of housing projects.

Owasanoye said that the Commission was desirous of partnering with the ad-hoc committee to bring sanity to the housing sector because of its critical nature to the government.

He told the committee that one of the ways to tackle housing deficit and fraudulent real estate developers in the country was for government to completely deploy technology as well as grant easy access to information.

“The lack of openness is also creating problems.

“Government should at least put information in the public domain where people can easily verify details of land.

“A lot of people are scammed from fake layout, double allocations and others”.

Earlier, the Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee, Rep. Blessing Onoh, observed that cases of developers defrauding would-be house owners was becoming rampant.

Onoh maintained that it was common for real estate developers to start projects, later abandon them and move on to other cites after collecting monies from subscribers.

She said that the committee was set up to proffer solutions to the anomalies and ensure that Nigerians who subscribed to housing projects end up owning them in accordance with the terms of agreement they entered. (NAN)

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Business & Economy

Tinubu Approves Framework to Unlock $50bn Deep Offshore Investment

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a new investment framework aimed at attracting up to $50 billion in fresh investment into Nigeria’s deep offshore oil and gas sector.

The reform is designed to end project-by-project negotiations and introduce clear rules and incentives for large-scale offshore developments.

The framework, implemented through the Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Projects Incentives (Tax Remission) Order, 2026, is expected to revive major projects that have remained stalled for years.

One of the key projects targeted is the approximately $10 billion Bonga South West development.

The new framework will provide transparent eligibility requirements and implementation procedures, giving investors greater certainty while protecting Nigeria’s long-term economic interests.

It also allows NNPC Limited, as the government’s nominated counterparty under Production Sharing Contracts, to make the necessary amendments to eligible contracts to implement the incentives.

According to the Special Adviser to the President on Oil and Gas, Olu Verheijen-Arowolo, qualifying projects will be required to maximise activities within Nigeria where commercially and technically feasible.

She said the policy would help expand local engineering, fabrication, marine logistics, technical services and project management, while creating skilled jobs and strengthening domestic supply chains.

President Tinubu commended the Federal Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigeria Revenue Service, NNPC Limited, NUPRC, NCDMB and other industry stakeholders for their contributions to developing the framework.

The President said countries that attract long-term investment are those that provide certainty, stressing that the reform would create an investment environment based on clear rules, strong institutions and lasting partnerships.

He said the initiative would help attract capital, grow Nigerian businesses, create jobs and ensure that the country’s natural resources deliver greater long-term value.

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Business & Economy

NERC Dissolves Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company Board Over ₦456.5bn Insolvency

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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has dissolved the Board of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (Kaduna Electric) with immediate effect over severe financial insolvency amounting to ₦456.5 billion.

NERC, in a statement, said the decision followed the company’s poor financial and operational performance.

According to the commission, Kaduna Electric remitted only 41.93 percent of its adjusted market invoices in 2025 and recorded aggregate losses of 71.88 percent.

The company also invested ₦2.48 billion against a required capital investment of ₦24.51 billion, while customer metering coverage remained below 36 percent.

To ensure continued electricity supply and operational stability, NERC has constituted an interim board of Special Directors chaired by Dr. Abdullahi Garba.

The commission also appointed Dr. Abubakar Umar Hashidu as Administrator of the company for an initial six-month term.

NERC further said Afrexim would coordinate a transparent 12-month competitive process to secure a competent replacement core investor for Kaduna Electric.

The commission assured electricity consumers across Kaduna Electric’s franchise area that distribution services would remain safe and uninterrupted during the transition.

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Subsidy Removal Best Thing That Happened to Nigeria — NRS Chairman

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
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The Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Zacch Adedeji, has described the removal of petrol subsidy as one of the best economic decisions taken in Nigeria, saying President Bola Tinubu deserves commendation for the policy.

Adedeji made the remarks while appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on Sunday, August 9, 2026.

He said many of the positive economic developments being recorded by the government were linked to the decision to remove the subsidy, which he described as unsustainable and harmful to the country’s economy.

According to him, the subsidy regime had existed for decades and placed a heavy burden on government finances.

“All the good results that I will reel out soon come as a result of that courageous decision. So, it is not a mistake; it is the best thing that has happened to this country,” Adedeji said.

The NRS chairman said Tinubu inherited an economy facing several structural challenges, including an unsustainable petrol subsidy regime, an underperforming oil sector and a narrow tax base.

He said the administration had introduced major reforms to address these challenges and urged Nigerians to assess the policies based on their long-term economic impact rather than emotions.

Adedeji also challenged those seeking to contest the 2027 presidential election to explain how they would handle the country’s economic challenges differently.

He specifically questioned whether they would reverse the removal of fuel subsidy or the unification of the foreign exchange market.

The NRS chairman further argued that retaining the subsidy would have placed an even greater strain on Nigeria’s finances, particularly amid global energy market pressures.

He estimated that the subsidy bill could have risen to about ₦53 trillion, while the exchange rate might have reached ₦3,500 to the dollar.

President Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidy during his inauguration speech on May 29, 2023. The decision led to a sharp increase in petrol prices and contributed to higher transportation, food and production costs.

While the reform has increased government revenues and boosted allocations to the federal, state and local governments, its effect on the cost of living remains a major concern for many Nigerians.

 

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