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Tinubu begs world leaders to prioritize debt forgiveness for Nigeria
President Bola Tinubu has called on the United Nations to prioritise debt forgiveness from creditors and multilateral financial institutions for Nigeria and other developing nations.
He made the call while addressing world leaders during the General Debate of the ongoing 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, United States.
Represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, at the high-level annual global meeting, Mr Tinubu asked for debt relief to enable developing countries to focus on developmental projects for their citizens.
“We must ensure that any reform of the international financial system includes comprehensive debt relief measures, to enable sustainable financing for development. Countries of the global South cannot make meaningful economic progress without special concessions and a review of their current debt burden,” he said in a statement released by the Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications (Office of The Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha on Tuesday.
He called on world leaders to recommit themselves to multilateralism by deepening relations among member states of the UN in line with the principles of inclusivity, equality and cooperation.
The Nigerian leader called for the recovery of the proceeds of corruption and illicit financial flows, maintaining that the return of such funds to countries of origin “is a fundamental principle of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
“Therefore, the international community must promote practical measures to strengthen international cooperation to recover and return stolen assets and to eradicate safe havens that facilitate illicit flows of funds from developing countries to the developed economies,” he added.
On insecurity, Tinubu noted that the menace is plunging citizens into untold hardship and misery that, in turn, affects the people’s confidence in democracy, emphasizing that bringing back confidence in democratic rule and constitutional order is the duty of the international community.
“We cannot build durable societies with the threat of terrorism, banditry and insurgency growing in our countries and regions. Indeed, violent extremism remains an existential threat to both national and international peace, security and development. We are making concerted efforts to contain and roll back this threat,” he said.
President Tinubu however assured that the “High-Level African Counter-Terrorism Meeting hosted by Nigeria in April 2024 and its outcome – “The Abuja Declaration” – promises to provide solutions to the challenges presented by terrorists and insurgents.”
He also warned against the dangers of climate change, describing it as a driver of insecurity that poses a veritable challenge to sustainable development, even as he recalled the devastating flood in Nigeria which submerged large areas of the country, “including one of our largest cities, Maiduguri, in the North-East.”
Tinubu implored the international community to stick to the implementation of the commitments made at the various COP meetings, pointing out that failure to do so would amount to postponing the inevitable, as no country is immune from the effects of climate change.
He said, “Today, these pillars of our organisation are threatened. They risk being broken by the relentless pursuit of individual national priorities rather than the collective needs of the nations that are assembled here today.
“While commitment to multilateralism offers us the surest guarantee of global action to address the existential challenges we face, singularity and nationalism are undermining the aspirations towards the peaceful and collective resolution of such challenges.
“From last year’s summit, and indeed from previous years, we have carried over the numerous challenges of terrorism, armed conflict, inequality, poverty, racial discrimination, human rights abuses, food crises, hunger, irregular migration, piracy, global pandemics, hyper-inflation, nuclear proliferation, grinding debt burden, climate change, and a host of other vexations.
“The continued manifestation of these challenges testifies to our failings rather than to any lofty achievements on our part. Billions of dollars are being committed to the prosecution of wars and the fanning of the embers of conflict.”
President Tinubu reaffirmed what he described “Nigeria’s steadfast commitment to the deepening of multilateralism,” just as it did 65 years ago when it “joined the United Nations as the 99th Member-State.
“We remain committed to that “desire to remain friendly with all nations and participate actively in the works of the United Nations”, as expressed by our founding Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.”
He also lamented what he termed as the return of unconstitutional changes of government and forceful military coups in some African countries, saying these coups attest to how fragile democracy could become when it is not supported by economic development and sustained peace and security.
This, he said, should be of utmost concern in deliberations at the high-level segments of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, as the forceful changes of government have led to “the impatience in cities and villages at the sometimes slow and grinding turn of the wheel of democracy.
“Our people need employment. They need decent livelihoods. They desire good and affordable education and healthcare for their children and families. They need to live in healthy, safe and secure environments. They need hope and they need opportunity,” he added.
President Tinubu also called for reforms in the international financial architecture and a transparent multilateral trading system, expressing hope that “the adoption of the “Pact for the Future” will change the narrative, reposition economies and translate into concrete measures that provide solutions to the challenges faced by developing and least developed countries.
“It is for this and other reasons that we reiterate the call by countries, especially of the global South, for reform of the international financial architecture and promotion of a rules-based, non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable and transparent multilateral trading system,” he noted.
He also warned against the dangers of climate change, describing it as a driver of insecurity that poses a veritable challenge to sustainable development, even as he recalled the devastating flood in Nigeria which submerged large areas of the country, “including one of our largest cities, Maiduguri, in the North-East.”
The Nigerian leader implored the international community to stick to the implementation of the commitments made at the various COP meetings, pointing out that failure to do so would amount to postponing the inevitable, as no country is immune from the effects of climate change.
The President who observed that conflict prevention is the main reason why the UN was established regretted that the task of preventing these conflicts has become arduous following their normalisation “when even the condemnation of violence and civilian casualties, and calls for a ceasefire, are somehow regarded as controversial”.
He listed some of the root causes of conflicts including poverty, hunger, ignorance, inequality and exclusion, as well as other forms of injustice, just as he cited the conflict in Sudan and the war in Gaza and other Palestinian territories.
“What this tells us is that the international community has failed to live up to the spirit and aspirations of the United Nations to rid the world of inequality, violence and domination of one people by another. Justice is antithetical to revenge,” he stated.
President Tinubu further insisted on bold reforms in the UN Security Council with a view to giving Nigeria and other African countries permanent seats at the council, stressing that it has since become imperative for the UN to strengthen its relevance and credibility in a rapidly changing world.
He said, “Some permanent members of the United Nations Security Council have offered encouraging, if tentative indications of support on the issue of reform of the Council. We welcome the change in tone and urge an acceleration in momentum to the process.
“The Security Council should be expanded, in the permanent and non-permanent member categories, to reflect the diversity and plurality of the world. We fully support the efforts of Secretary-General Guterres in this regard.
“Africa must be accorded the respect that it deserves in the Security Council. Our Continent deserves a place in the permanent members category of the Security Council, with the same rights and responsibilities as other Permanent Members.”
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The 2023 Labour Party (LP) vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has warned Nigerians that the opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is giving false hope about rescuing the country from underdevelopment.
“They are deceiving us,” Baba-Ahmed said during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday.
Baba-Ahmed, who ran alongside Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election won by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) expressed his willingness to be Obi’s running mate in the 2027 presidential election.
Although Obi has shown interest in the 2027 race and is aligning with ADC coalition figures such as David Mark, Atiku Abubakar, Nasir el-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola, Baba-Ahmed stressed that he wants Obi to remain in the Labour Party and contest as its presidential candidate.
“I’m in the Labour Party. I’m a Peter Obi man. I still want Peter Obi to come back to the Labour Party and contest the 2027 election,” Baba-Ahmed stated.
When asked about his plans for the 2027 race, Baba-Ahmed confirmed his readiness to serve as a running mate for like-minded leaders committed to restoring Nigeria.
“If Nigeria is still around and there is an electoral system to follow, my love for Nigeria is undying.
I would appropriately associate with groups and individuals aligned with restoring the nation,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed also revealed two potential leaders he would consider deputising, with Peter Obi being his primary choice. “The first one has not said anything.
The second one is Peter Obi. I’m always with Peter Obi until he decides not to,” he added.
Nigeria has secured a $238 million loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to support the expansion and modernization of the national power grid.
The deal, confirmed during engagements at the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan, reflects a strategic shift towards implementation-driven energy development.
President Bola Tinubu highlighted that Nigeria’s participation at TICAD9 focused on concrete, outcome-oriented partnerships rather than ceremonial diplomacy.
“We are moving from planning to implementation, from agreements to delivery, and from promises to measurable results,” he said.
Details of the JICA Loan Project
The $238 million loan, supported by a Federal Executive Council counterpart funding of ₦19,083,192,805.30, will finance significant upgrades to Nigeria’s transmission infrastructure.
Key components of the project include:
Construction of 102.95 km of new 330kV double-circuit lines
Construction of 104.59 km of 132kV double-circuit lines
Development of four 330/132/33kV substations and two 132/33kV substations
Multiple line bay extensions to improve efficiency and reduce system losses
According to Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the partnership with Japanese companies such as Toshiba, Hitachi, and Japan’s Transmission & Distribution Corporation is essential for unlocking Nigeria’s energy potential.
“Our focus is on transmission infrastructure, operational efficiency, and strategies to reduce system losses.
This $238 million loan from JICA provides the backbone for that transformation,” Adelabu explained.
Adelabu acknowledged Japan’s consistent support for Nigeria’s power sector, highlighting contributions in infrastructure, technical studies, training, and financing.
He emphasized that JICA’s backing is critical to expanding access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity across the country.
The project aims to strengthen Nigeria’s power transmission network, improve system reliability, and enhance overall efficiency, ultimately supporting industrial growth and meeting rising electricity demand nationwide.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has issued a fierce warning to Hamas, declaring that Gaza City will face complete destruction if the militant group refuses to accept Israel’s conditions for ending the war.
Katz, in a statement shared on social media on Friday, August 22, 2025, used sharp words to describe Israel’s next steps.
He said the “gates of hell” would open on Hamas if it failed to disarm and release all hostages.
“Soon, the gates of hell will open upon the heads of Hamas’s murderers and rapists in Gaza until they agree to Israel’s conditions,” Katz wrote.
He added that if Hamas refused, Gaza City would suffer the same fate as Rafah and Beit Hanoun, two cities previously flattened by Israeli offensives.
His comments mark one of Israel’s strongest warnings since the escalation of the conflict.
The minister’s remarks came only hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that negotiations had been ordered to free the hostages held in Gaza.
Netanyahu explained in a video address that Israel’s military operation in Gaza City would not stop during talks. “Defeating Hamas and releasing our hostages go hand in hand,” he said.
The prime minister also confirmed the mobilisation of 60,000 reservists to join the offensive.
Meanwhile, mediators have been waiting for Israel’s response to a ceasefire plan that Hamas accepted earlier in the week.
The proposal suggests a phased release of hostages, but Israel insists that only a deal ensuring the release of all captives at once will be accepted.
Israel’s hardened stance has sparked growing concern worldwide.
International leaders have cautioned that an expanded assault on Gaza City could worsen the humanitarian disaster already unfolding in the region.
Gaza’s health ministry says more than 62,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed since Israel’s military campaign began.
The United Nations considers these figures credible.
The war was triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 attack, which left 1,219 people dead in Israel, mostly civilians.
Since then, the conflict has intensified, with both sides showing little sign of compromise.
With Katz’s threat to turn Gaza City into rubble if demands are not met, the conflict appears to be entering an even deadlier stage.
The international community continues to press for a ceasefire, but Israel’s leadership insists that victory over Hamas and the release of all hostages remain its top priorities.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised alarm over the circulation of fake Cowbell “Our Milk” 12g sachets in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Friday, August 22, 2025, the agency explained that the counterfeit milk is packaged to look like the discontinued Cowbell “Our Milk,” but it is unauthorised and unsafe for consumption.
NAFDAC clarified that Promasidor Nigeria Ltd, the authentic manufacturer, stopped producing Cowbell “Our Milk” in September 2023.
The product was replaced with Cowbell “Our Creamy Goodness.” Despite this, fake versions of the old product have found their way into Nigerian markets.
Picture of Fake cowbell milk.
The counterfeit sachets bear the brand name, NAFDAC registration number, and familiar packaging design, making them difficult for unsuspecting buyers to identify as fake.
Health Dangers of Fake Cowbell Milk
NAFDAC warned that the consumption of these counterfeit products poses serious health risks.
Fake milk could contain toxic chemicals, harmful additives, or diluted ingredients that endanger human health.
Infants, children, pregnant women, and the elderly are the most vulnerable. Possible dangers include:
- Foodborne illnesses
- Allergic reactions
- Organ damage
- Long-term health complications
- In extreme cases, death
Counterfeit Product Details
- Product Name: Cowbell “Our Milk” 12g sachet
- Purported Manufacturer: Promasidor Nigeria Ltd
- Production Date: 04/2025
- Expiry Date: 12/2028
Picture of original cowbell milk.
NAFDAC Issues Strong Warning
The agency urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and avoid purchasing the counterfeit milk.
Healthcare professionals, distributors, and consumers have been advised to report suspicious sales of substandard or fake products immediately.
Reports can be made through:
The nearest NAFDAC office
Toll-free line: 0800-162-3322
Email: sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng
NAFDAC also called on traders and retailers to stop selling the fake sachets.
The agency assured the public that strict enforcement measures are being taken to remove the counterfeit products from circulation.
This is not the first time Nigerians have faced risks from fake food and beverages.
Experts warn that counterfeit consumables are becoming more sophisticated, often making them difficult to spot.
Consumers are advised to always check product details, expiry dates, and packaging changes announced by manufacturers.
By highlighting the dangers and raising awareness, NAFDAC says it hopes to protect Nigerians from avoidable health crises linked to fake milk products
Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has slammed the Federal Government’s approval of ₦142 billion for the construction of bus terminals across Nigeria, describing it as a reckless misplacement of priorities.
Obi issued a statement on Friday, August 22, via his Official X formerly Twitter platform, warning that the project reflects poor leadership and lack of focus in managing Nigeria’s limited resources. He titled his statement, “₦142 Billion for Bus Terminals.”
According to him, the true test of leadership is how scarce resources are prioritized.
He stressed that investing such a huge amount in bus terminals while critical sectors like healthcare suffer shows a government that is out of touch with citizens’ realities.
Obi said: “The difference between success and failure in any nation is how leaders prioritise resources.
The decision to spend ₦142 billion on six bus terminals exposes a lack of competence and vision. It is a clear sign of poor leadership.”
The Federal Executive Council had recently approved the funds for the construction of one modern bus terminal in each of the six geopolitical zones.
The government described it as part of efforts to modernise transport infrastructure and improve mobility nationwide.
But Obi strongly disagreed. He compared the allocation to healthcare funding, pointing out that the combined budget for all teaching hospitals and federal psychiatric centres in Nigeria is less than ₦100 billion in the 2024 budget.
“This is disturbing,” Obi continued, “because health remains one of the most critical sectors of development. Yet it is underfunded and deteriorating rapidly.
The World Health Organization has reported that over 20 million Nigerians live with mental health conditions.
This is a tragic irony. How can the government ignore this crisis and focus on bus terminals?”
He argued that the health sector, alongside education and poverty reduction programs, deserves priority attention.
Obi insisted that until government spending reflects the real needs of Nigerians, the country will remain trapped in poor governance.
Many Nigerians have also taken to social media to express anger, echoing Obi’s concerns. Critics argue that the decision proves the Federal Government is disconnected from the economic struggles of ordinary citizens.
For Obi, the ₦142 billion project is not just a case of wrong timing.
He sees it as a clear example of governance failure and misplaced priorities.
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