“If I do not provide steady electricity in four years, do not vote for me for 2nd Tenure,” -BAT Thirty-two months after being incharge and instead of living by his powerful words, he now dumps National Grid that has been performing abysmally under his watch. Those were the powerful words then that inspired hope among Nigerians who longed for light in their homes, stability for their businesses, and growth for their nation. Yet, while Nigerians are still grappling with that unfulfilled, categorical electoral promise - and without clear communication on the obstacles, if any, we read of provision in 2025 budget about the ₦10 billion for solar power at Aso Rock, and in 2026 budget another humongous amount for upgrade and maintenance and now we are being scarcitically told that Presidential Villa has planned to be disconnected from the national grid to rely entirely on solar. It is a gross neglect and deeply worrisome when the seat of power abandons the national grid. One would expect government institutions to lead efforts to strengthen and expand the grid so that other establishments, and ultimately, citizens can benefit. If those in authority disconnect themselves from the system, who then will connect the ordinary Nigerian to reliable power? Promoting renewable energy, as solar systems do, is commendable and necessary for the future. However, this situation reflects a deeper concern: governance lacking compassion and commitment to the governed. You cannot tell the people to fast while feasting yourself, securing yourself while Nigerians remain unsecured. Nigerians do not expect 100% fulfilment of promises, but they do expect 100% effort, accompanied by measurable improvements and clear explanations when gaps exist. Leadership must serve the people, not isolate itself from their daily struggles. -PO

Scaring Investors While Celebrating Macroeconomic Stability! As the APC-led government continue in their delusional celebration of Nigeria's macroeconomic stability, the warning from the United States Government to prospective investors on inherent risks in Nigeria, further affirms the general and correct assessment that President Bola Tinubu-led government is incompetent, ineffective and corrupt. In the 2026 Nigeria Investment Climate Statement, the U.S. Department of State clearly flagged corruption, insecurity, inconsistent regulatory enforcement and weaknesses in the judicial system, cargo delays and power sector challenges as key factors undermining investor confidence in Nigeria. The report went further to caution investors of the possible use of arbitrary detention, travel restriction and immigration enforcement to coerce foreign businesses in Nigeria. As the report unambiguosly stated: “U.S. businesses are advised that standard business trips can escalate into detention if the firm is under regulatory suspicion or faces charges by Nigerian authorities. Nigeria has previously employed coercive exit bans and arbitrary detention as leverage in commercial or regulatory disputes, and to extract data or financial concessions from multinational firms. Port inefficiency remains a significant “hidden tax” on investment. While the Lekki Deep Seaport, which opened in 2023, significantly eased pressure in 2025 — handling $9.6 billion in trade and operating at 50 percent capacity — traditional ports in Apapa and Tin Can still suffer from cargo dwell times exceeding 20 days due to manual examinations.” In a nation with an effective, competent and attentive government, this kind of adverse report would have elicited immediate intervention by the President and Commander in Chief ordering prompt investigation, follow-up and effective action to ensure that our most endowed Nigeria is not perceived negatively by one of our key trading partners, friendly nations and expectedly the global economy. This is even more important given our desperation for Foreign Direct Investment. Unfortunately, our incompetent APC- led government cannot give what they don’t have as they are the real perpetrators of the issues raised by the U.S. Government. This explains why Nigeria is unable to attract Foreign Direct Investment commensurate with our market size and potential. Of the $10.37 billion in total capital importation in the first quarter of 2026, only $135.08 million (about 1.3% of the total inflows) was Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), while about $9.86 billion (about 95.1% of the total inflows) went into Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) with loans and other capital streams accounting for the remaining.