The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced stringent sanctions against electricity distribution companies (DisCos) that fail to meet performance standards, while also warning consumers not to pay for electricity distribution infrastructure such as transformers, cables, and poles.

In a recent order, NERC stated that it will reduce the administrative and operational expenditure of any DisCo that fails to offtake at least 95 percent of the total energy allocated to it for distribution. DisCos will be evaluated on seven key performance indicators, including energy off-take, revenue recovery rate, and compliance with customer service standards.

Sanctions include a downward adjustment of DisCos' administrative operational expenditure by five percent for the next quarter if they fail to meet the 95 percent off-take requirement in two out of three months in any quarter. Additionally, any instance of customer overbilling will result in a 10 percent deduction from the DisCo's annual administrative operational expenditure allowance, along with credit adjustments for the overbilled customers.

NERC's order also imposes fines for non-compliance with customer complaint resolutions, including N10,000 per day for billing issues and N1,000 per day for metering delays. Persistent non-compliance could lead to the withdrawal of key personnel responsible for these functions.

Furthermore, NERC has reminded consumers that it is the responsibility of the DisCos to provide necessary infrastructure such as transformers, cables, and poles. In a statement shared on social media, NERC emphasized that consumers should not be coerced into purchasing these materials and urged them to report any such coercion or delays by DisCos.

To facilitate the reporting of these issues, NERC has established a dedicated email and phone number: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and 07074865354. NERC assured the public of prompt action upon receiving complaints.

This dual approach of enforcing compliance among DisCos while protecting consumers' rights aims to address widespread dissatisfaction and ensure the long-term sustainability of Nigeria's electricity distribution system.

Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has expressed concern that President Bola Tinubu is unaware of the widespread hunger affecting many Nigerians. Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District, claims that Tinubu has been "caged" within the Presidential Villa, with forces preventing meaningful discussions from reaching him.

Speaking at a briefing with journalists at the National Assembly complex on Wednesday, Ndume stated, "Mr. President is not aware of what is happening outside the Villa. He has been fenced off and caged. Many of us will not go through the backdoor to engage him."

Ndume criticized Tinubu's administration for its lack of action on food security, highlighting that the president has not been addressing the issue. "Nigerians are getting very, very angry. The government is not doing anything about food scarcity, and it needs to act urgently. We don’t have a food reserve. The food crisis is the worst crisis any nation can encounter. If we add that to the security crisis, it will be severe," he warned.

As a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the same party as Tinubu, Ndume urged the president to take proper measures to combat food insecurity. "The president should wake up. It seems he isn’t aware of what is happening because he has been caged off by plutocrats. He should open his doors and meet those who will tell him the truth. Unfortunately, the people who will tell him the truth won’t struggle to meet him. I am very worried, not only for the president but also for myself."

During Tuesday’s plenary, Ndume co-sponsored a motion to draw the federal government's attention to the impending food insecurity in the country. Following discussions on the motion, the Senate urged the federal government to address the issue immediately.

Two days ago, Nigeria's Senate sounded the alarm on the worsening food crisis, warning of potential nationwide protests if urgent action is not taken. While their concern is warranted, it is crucial to examine the role the lawmakers themselves play in the current economic hardship facing everyday Nigerians.

The Senate's call for President Bola Tinubu to "do something urgently" rings hollow when juxtaposed against the lavish spending and self-serving policies that have become hallmarks of Nigeria's political class. If our representatives truly wish to address the hunger and anger gripping the nation, they must first look inward and implement meaningful reforms.

Firstly, the exorbitant allowances and perquisites enjoyed by lawmakers must be drastically reduced. In a country where millions struggle to afford a single meal a day, it is unconscionable for elected officials to allocate vast sums for "constituency projects" that often serve as little more than slush funds. The recent approval of N21 billion for a vice-presidential mansion and plans to purchase new presidential jets worth hundreds of billions of Naira are stark examples of misplaced priorities in the face of widespread poverty.

Secondly, lawmakers must cease their complicity in enacting policies that further burden the already struggling populace. The removal of fuel subsidies, hikes in electricity tariffs, and increased taxes have compounded the economic woes of ordinary Nigerians. While these measures may be presented as necessary reforms, they must be balanced with robust social safety nets and economic policies that genuinely benefit the masses.

Thirdly, the pervasive corruption that plagues all levels of government, including the legislative branch, must be rooted out. The misappropriation of public funds directly contributes to the emptying of food reserves and the inability to provide basic services to citizens. Senators lamenting empty silos should reflect on how their actions, or inactions, have contributed to this dire situation.

It is commendable that the Senate recognizes the gravity of the food crisis and the potential for civil unrest. However, their response – promising fertilizer deliveries to constituents and considering summoning ministers – falls far short of the systemic changes required. True leadership in this moment demands sacrifice and a fundamental shift in how elected officials view their roles and responsibilities.

The people of Nigeria have indeed been patient, but as former Senate President Ahmad Lawan rightly pointed out, this patience is not eternal. To prevent a "Kenya moment" – referring to the recent riots over economic hardship in that country – the lawmakers must lead by example. They must demonstrate a genuine commitment to the welfare of the people by cutting their own benefits, championing anti-corruption efforts, and crafting policies that prioritize the needs of the many over the luxuries of the few.

Only through such concrete actions can the government hope to address the root causes of hunger and discontent in Nigeria. The time for empty rhetoric and half-measures has passed. Elected officials must act decisively and selflessly to restore faith in governance and provide real solutions to the food crisis threatening to engulf the nation. The present and future stability of Nigeria depends on it.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) community court of justice has found the federal government of Nigeria guilty of human rights abuses in its response to the #EndSARS protest in October 2020.

The court ruled on Wednesday that the Nigerian government’s actions, particularly its disproportionate use of force at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, breached several international human rights standards, including articles 1, 5, 6, 9, 10, and 11 of the African charter on human and peoples’ rights.

The court mandates the Nigerian government to pay N2 million in compensation to each victim named in the suit.

The applicants, Obianuju Catherine Udeh (popularly known as DJ Switch), Perpetual Kamsi, and Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka, alleged several violations occurred during the peaceful protests at the Lekki tollgate on October 20 and 21, 2020.

The first applicant (DJ Switch) claimed that protesters were shot by soldiers, resulting in deaths and injuries, which she live-streamed.

The applicant also claimed she started receiving threatening phone calls that forced her into hiding and eventual asylum.

The second applicant, who was responsible for the protesters’ welfare, told the court how soldiers began shooting after a power cut, leading to her hospitalisation due to police tear gas.

The third applicant related how she barely escaped being shot, how soldiers refused to let an ambulance in, and how she later saw victims receive subpar treatment in the hospital.

The third candidate related how he barely avoided being shot, how soldiers refused to let an ambulance in, and how he later saw victims receive subpar treatment in the hospital.

She submitted that after taking over the victims’ care with her colleagues, she began to get threats and was constantly under surveillance by the respondent’s operatives.

The applicants asked the court to grant them declaratory relief as well as monetary damages for these infractions.

However, the respondent had denied all claims made by the applicants, asserting that the protesters unlawfully assembled at Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020, under the guise of protesting against the now-defunct special anti-robbery squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria police.

The respondent also maintained that its agents followed strict rules of engagement and did not shoot or kill protesters.

The respondent argued that DJ Switch incited the crowd by playing music and using her Instagram page to stir disaffection against law enforcement agents, who were targeting escapee members of Boko Haram and bandits.

The federal government legal team further contended that the second applicant’s provision of logistics and a welfare package to protesters indicated her support for the violent protest.

The team also said the treatment and care of the injured were managed by the Lagos state government, adding that the applicants did not provide credible evidence to support their claims or the reliefs sought.

Koroma Mohamed Sengu, the judge rapporteur, who delivered the judgment, said the court dismissed the allegation that the right to life as guaranteed under Article 4 of the ACPHR is violated.

However, the court found the government guilty for violations of the applicants’ rights to security of person, prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association, duty to investigate human rights violations, and right to effective remedy.

The three-member panel of the court directed that the respondent must adhere to its obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, investigate and prosecute its agents responsible for these violations, and report to the court within six months on the measures taken to implement this judgment.

The other justices are Dupe Atoki and Ricardo Claúdio Monteiro Gonçalves.

The Cable

Israel cites aid backlog in Gaza; UN says: 'We're doing what we can'

A backlog of 1,150 truckloads of humanitarian aid is waiting to be collected from the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, Israel said on Wednesday, prompting the United Nations to say: "We're doing what we can."

COGAT, an Israeli defence ministry agency tasked with coordinating aid deliveries into Palestinian territories, said another 50 aid trucks are also awaiting collecting from the Palestinian side of the Erez crossing in northern Gaza.

The United Nations said it is struggling to distribute aid within the enclave of 2.3 million people as the war between Israel and Palestinian militantsHamas enters its tenth month and law and order has broken down.

"Yes the aid is being dropped off. But on the other side of that you have utter lawlessness, plus you have continuing conflict," said U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. "We are continuing to do our best to get that to those people who need it. Our colleagues in Gaza are not sitting on their hands."

He said that the U.N. trucks that manage to pick up aid "are doing it often at great cost, because they are being either looted or attacked by criminal elements," adding that: "Some aid is getting through, but very little."

The United Nations has long complained of dangers and obstacles to getting aid into Gaza - Israel inspects and approves all aid trucks - and distributing it within the enclave.

The top U.N. aid official for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Muhannad Hadi, briefed U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday - a day after visiting Gaza - Dujarric said. Hadi entered and exited through the Kerem Shalom crossing.

"He saw groups of men with sticks waiting for trucks to leave the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza. All the trucks that he passed were badly damaged, with broken windshields, mirrors and hoods," Dujarric told reporters.

Hadi also saw bags of fortified flour from the World Food Programme (WFP) and the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA scattered alongside the road from Kerem Shalom into Gaza, Dujarric said.

In northern Gaza, WFP said military activity was limiting its operations. Israeli forces continued to press their offensive in north and central Gaza on Wednesday, dropping leaflets urging the evacuation of Gaza City.

WFP has not delivered any food from the West Erez crossing for a couple of days, said WFP spokesperson Shaza Moghraby.

"Distribution sites have been evacuated and shut down, terrified people are being displaced again and every time this happens it makes it more difficult for us to reach them so there is a major impact on our operations," she said.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

At NATO summit, allies move to counter Russia, bolster Ukraine

The United States will start deploying longer range missiles in Germany in 2026, the two countries announced at a meeting of the NATO alliance on Tuesday, a major step aimed at countering what the allies say is a growing threat Russia poses to Europe.

The decision will send Germany the most potent U.S. weapons to be based on the European continent since the Cold War, in a clear warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

A U.S.-German statement said the "episodic deployments" were in preparation for longer-term stationing in Europe of capabilities that would include SM-6, Tomahawk and developmental hypersonic weapons with greater range.

The move would have been banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signed by the U.S. and the Soviet Union in 1987 but that collapsed in 2019.

"We cannot discount the possibility of an attack against Allies’ sovereignty and territorial integrity," the allies said in a communique released on Wednesday.

More aid was headed to Ukraine as the allies bolster Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

A communique said the allies intend to provide Ukraine with at least 40 billion euros ($43.28 billion) in military aid within the next year, but stopped short of the multi-year commitment NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had sought.

The document also strengthened past NATO language on China, calling it a "decisive enabler" of Russia's war effort in Ukraine and saying Beijing continues to pose systemic challenges to Euro-Atlantic security.

Stoltenberg told reporters it was the first time the 32 allies had jointly labeled China a decisive enabler of Russia’s war and called it an important message.

He said NATO was not an organization that imposes sanctions, but added: “At the end of the day, this will be for individual allies to make decisions, but I think the message we send from NATO from this summit is very clear.”

The communique called on China to cease material and political support for Russia's war effort and expressed concern about China's space capabilities, referenced rapid expansion of its nuclear arsenal, and urged Beijing to engage in strategic risk reduction talks.

NATO, 'THE GREATEST ALLIANCE"

Biden hosted NATO partners and allies at a dinner at the White House on Wednesday to celebrate what he called "the greatest alliance the world has ever known."

Biden said in a speech on Tuesday that NATO was "stronger than it's ever been" and that Ukraine can and will stop Russian leader Putin "with our full, collective support."

On Wednesday, he said he was pleased all NATO members were pledging to expand their industrial bases and to develop plans for defense production at home.

"We cannot allow the alliance to fall behind," Biden said. "We can and will defend every inch of NATO territory and we'll do it together."

At the White House, Biden and new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had a back-and-forth exchange and shared laughs and congratulations over England's 2-1 win over the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 soccer tournament.

Biden described the United Kingdom as the "knot" tying together the trans-Atlantic NATO alliance and said that the two countries must continue to cooperate.

He also met at the summit venue with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada and Finland's President Alexander Stubb to discuss strengthening their trilateral cooperation on economic issues and on defense industrial production.

Biden, 81, has faced questions about his fitness for office after fumbling a June 27 debate and hopes the NATO spotlight will help him stage a comeback of sorts, surrounded by allied leaders he has spent his three years in office cultivating.

However, November's U.S. presidential election could presage a sharp change in Washington's support for Ukraine and NATO. Republican candidate Donald Trump, 78, has questioned the amount of aid given to Ukraine to fight Russia's invasion and U.S. support for allies generally.

TRUMP WEIGHS IN

On Wednesday, Trump told Fox News Radio he would not pull the U.S. out of NATO but reiterated that he wanted members to pay more. "I just want them to pay their bills. We're protecting Europe. They take advantage of us very badly," he said.

Trump had pressed congressional Republicans to stall military aid for Ukraine before later reversing course.

Uncertainty about U.S. leadership has unsettled NATO allies.

"If there’s one thing that I’m concerned about with the United States, it’s the polarization of the political climate - it is, I have to admit, very toxic," Finland's Stubb told reporters.

While Biden has been seeking to rally allies and domestic support, several high-ranking European officials met a top foreign policy adviser to Trump during the summit.

The communique says the alliance will continue to support Ukraine "on its irreversible path to full Euro-atlantic integration, including NATO membership". That language had been a major point of contention among the allies.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russian forces wipe out three US-made Hawk missile launchers in Ukraine operation

Russian forces destroyed an American radar station and three US-made Hawk surface-to-air missile launchers over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.

"During the last 24-hour period, operational/tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces destroyed an American AN/MPQ-46 radar station, three US-made Improved Hawk surface-to-air missile launchers, warehouses storing Ukrainian naval drones and struck massed enemy manpower and military equipment in 131 areas," the ministry said in a statement.

Russia’s Battlegroup North strikes six Ukrainian brigades in Kharkov area over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup North struck six Ukrainian army brigades and inflicted roughly 275 casualties on enemy troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup North units inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 31st mechanized, 34th and 36th marine infantry, 113th and 127th territorial defense and 13th National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Volchansk, Maliye Prokhody, Borshchevaya, Vilcha, Glubokoye and Liptsy in the Kharkov Region. During the last 24-hour period, they repelled two counterattacks by formations of the Ukrainian army’s 92nd assault brigade and 42nd separate assault battalion," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 275 personnel, a Kazak armored combat vehicle, two motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer, a 122mm D-30 howitzer and an Anklav-N electronic warfare station, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr wipes out Ukrainian artillery ammo depot over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr destroyed a Ukrainian artillery ammunition depot and inflicted roughly 85 casualties on enemy troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

During the last 24-hour period, Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted damage on manpower and military equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 22nd mechanized and 35th marine infantry brigades in areas near the settlements of Antonovka, Tokarevka and Sadovoye in the Kherson Region, the ministry specified.

"The Ukrainian army’s losses amounted to 85 personnel, four motor vehicles and two 152mm D-20 artillery guns," it said.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed an artillery ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russian air defenses down Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet, four ATACMS tactical missiles, four Hammer smart bombs and 55 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 aircraft, 55 unmanned aerial vehicles, four US-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, three US-made HIMARS rockets and four French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs," the ministry said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 627 Ukrainian warplanes, 277 helicopters, 27,496 unmanned aerial vehicles, 545 surface-to-air missile systems, 16,539 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,373 multiple rocket launchers, 11,685 field artillery guns and mortars and 23,515 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.

Reuters/Tass

Nigeria continues to slide. All economic indicators are red; some are blipping, indicating danger. Those who know are in deep worry. The populace is in a trance, zombified by a never-seen-before strange situation. But the Presidency, the fulcrum of government continues in its empty braggadocio – they doodle and paper over cracks as the ship of state takes more water and totter.

The hard, indeed, harsh truth which nobody wants to speak about or hear, is that the president suffers what this column wants to describe in mild terms as cognitive blockade. His mind can’t seem to process much, not to talk of the stack of presidential duties in a country of over 200 million people. This is the crux of Nigeria’s situation today. It’s daunting enough ruling Nigeria with all of one’s faculties running well…

Nigeria is in a bind, to put it starkly!

PECC AS PECULIAR MESS

Nothing proves President Tinubu’s impaired mind more than the recently inaugurated Presidential Economic Coordination Council (PECC).
Last March, about ten months into the Tinubu presidency, nothing was working just as things are still not working now; a brainwave overtook the presidency. Let’s float a presidential economic coordination council (PECC), someone must have said. Let’s bring all the big names in the private sector, the governors, the ministers, everyone, under a big umbrella, let them find the solutions to our economy by themselves. Something to absolve the president of any blames if the economy collapses as it seems wont to do under Tinubu’s watch.

This is no doubt, some kind of an omnibus madhouse.

Of course, the president lapped up the crazy idea. A bloated list of names were immediately compiled and announced with fanfare. There was a wild stir across the land. Some were clapping and the more discerning cried. This column moaned!

This was of course, an abdication of responsibility by the President, we wrote then. So what happens to the Federal Executive Council, why would governors be engaged in the president’s duties, who would run their states?
Someone with some grey hair must have whispered to the presidency about the folly and futility of PECC. The idea has been kept in the cooler since. But last week, four months after it was first mooted, it resurfaced in a slightly tinkered format.
It’s now a restructured townhall meeting with, let’s say, a pinch of ‘balablu’, if you like.

The president, vice president, Senate President and Speaker would lead, in that order. Instead of all the governors, we now have only the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), we have the barracudas of Nigeria’s industry led by Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Tony Elumelu, Femi Otedola, among others, (members of the billionaire club that already has Nigeria by the scrotum); there are the psuedo-technocrats and pretenders thereof (who will serve for one year); and 13 ministers (one wonders how their 35 colleagues excluded from the grand ballroom would feel.)

With this, the cabinet has been side-tracked, the Economic team distracted and the  Presidential Economic Advisory Council disrupted. This can only suggest acute confusion in the presidency!

BREWSTER’S TRILLIONS

PECC, of course, is poised to be a big jamboree EXPRESSO wagers, and they have been handed N2 trillion to play with in the next six months. They have a rough breakdown of how they must exhaust this huge sum by December and hope Nigeria’s economy would boom again.
It reminds of the classic comedy, Brewster’s Millions: the fellow who must spend a million dollars per day for 30 days, in order to inherit a fortune!

The fund is already  allotted thus: N500b will go for health and social welfare, N500b for Agric and food Security, N350b for Power and Energy while N650b will be deployed to General Business Support.
Too many questions and lacunae litter this ‘grand’ economic scheme. Here: is a lack of cash really Nigeria’s problem? How do we manage the little money we have?  Where’s the N2 trillion coming from? Is it both a planning and execution council, especially with cash to spend? What about the Federal budget, how does it align with this? And what about the so-called Tinubu economic reform?
Reporting the inauguration last week, the presidency spokesperson describes PECC as being in furtherance of the administration’s efforts at “re-engineering the nation’s economic governance framework.”

HOW TO WALK THE TALK

Those who know President Bola Tinubu will agree that he is adept at talk, talk and more talk. Even in his hey-days as state governor, he is not one to transit quickly from blueprints to turning the sod.

For a man who is fabled to be the most prepared to be president of Nigeria, the last 14 months have proved that desire to lead is one thing,  ability is another. At a period Nigerians should be reaping the harvests of quality leadership already, Tinubu continues to ‘plan’  and ‘re-engineer’ while Nigerians pine away.

The truth, however,  is that he has been crippled by inertia. He is lost in the maze and jumble of governance; he is beset by analysis paralysis.

Now he can’t even see the simple remedies starring him in the face! Instead of overlapping layers of committees and councils, the President could have simply sat down eye-ball-to-eyeball with Mele Kyari (NNPC) and Aliko Dangote to rework the ongoing crude oil management framework in order to unleash the enormous potentials of Dangote refinery for the benefit of Nigeria. With an optimal supply of crude, the biggest refinery in the world would supply petroleum products at slightly lower prices that would help reflate the economy.

This is one quick antidote to the tumbling economy. This of course, presupposes that the president would have garnered some  balls to deal ruthlessness with Nigeria’s oil thieves. This move will immediately boost Nigeria’s crude production. No crowd, no council, no long analyses: just neutralise the oil thieves and block the leakage.

Third, he can cut the fat, starting from his office. How could you propose to buy two luxury jets at once after spending about N15 billion on the presidential fleet in just one year.

Fourth, the job is at home, not abroad. Just cut your junkets. And your wife’s silly peregrinations and the VP’s jolly rides. It’s a treasonous offence that the president’s wife reportedly guzzled N473 million of public funds in February and March alone travelling to UK, Mozambique and Ethiopia. Who approved this? In other countries, the president would have been impeached!

And our president is reported to have spent in six months, N3.4 billion, which is far more that his entire annual travel  budget of N2.9 billion.

THE CURSE OF SELF-ANNIHILATION?

In the final analysis, we wager that either Tinubu is under the spell of self-annihilation (asasi) or he truly suffers from acute cognitive challenge (oridota).
Otherwise, why would he shun simple economic remedies and prefer the folly of handing out trillions of cash to the money grubs in our midst. Most of them are actually overrated – by the reckoning of EXPRESSO! Many of them cheated and exploited loopholes in the system. It’s only in Nigeria that greatness is measured by the degree of a man’s vileness.

DANGOTE HAS NO MAGIC WAND!

Last word: PECC is perverse ab initio and will amount to nothing.  At best, the ‘Big Boys’ will flood our markets with cheap and about-to-expire oriental rice and pasta for Christmas. After that, everyone would disperse leaving Nigerians with long tales.

By this time next year, our situation would have worsened because there’s no real production going on now or later. The 2027 elections would take the front seat and desperate measures (including novel rigging strategies) would be devised for purposes of the re-election.
It would then dawn on us that Dangote and co have no magic wand afterall! 

•Feedback:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

It’s easy to take something for granted when it’s a daily (if not hourly) part of your job. Asking questions, for example, is so woven into the responsibilities of a journalist that I’d wager many industry professionals don’t spend much time thinking about it.

But just because it’s a skill necessary to do the work doesn’t mean we’re as proficient as we could be. I recall interviewing veteran NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw some years ago and learning how he asked questions that would yield more informative answers: “What I do is anticipate how they’re likely to answer a question and try to steer them away from just a cliché of the moment.”

Another thing to consider is that asking questions of others doesn’t automatically make us able to do the sometimes-challenging and necessary work of self-interrogation. This is particularly crucial when you’re stressed and unhappy or have reached an inflection point in your career. So it’s worth revisiting how to ask better questions, as well as learning which questions to ask, depending on the circumstances.

Ask questions for self-improvement

Say you’re having trouble sleeping. It could be due to any number of factors; and there are some simple questions to consider to help determine the cause of your sleeplessness—like, Where do you leave your phone at night? Or questions that touch on work-related stress and unhappiness, which could be impacting your sleep.

One of the most important times to ask yourself the hard questions is when your negative inner voice is telling you that you can’t possibly do that. “Ask yourself, Why am I feeling this way? Why am I reacting like this?” says Kim Christfort, the chief innovation leader and national managing director for Deloitte Greenhouse, an executive breakthrough experience program. “Is it because there’s an issue with the idea itself? Does the idea feel way too bold? Or is it the opposite? Is it that we’ve done this a million times, and this isn’t new at all?”

The other important time is when you’re thinking about making a major career change. This is when it would be a good time to ask: Am I just looking to get out? Or do I have something specific I’d like to do next? If the answer is vague, like you’re just curious about exploring a new position, profession, or education, follow it up by determining if you’ll be pushing boundaries, creating more of a sense of purpose, and aligning with your beliefs.

Ask questions to determine your next move

If you have any aspirations for leadership, then it’s also important to ask questions. These can range from the basic (i.e., Am I a fast learner?) to the more complex (i.e., Can I bring out the best in others? And do I have a clear vision of what I want to accomplish?).

“What needs to be done? What can be done? How much can I do?” are three basic questions to assess whether you are capable of being an inspired leader, according to Fast Company contributor Yonason Goldson. “It goes hand in hand with the ethical mindset that asks not whether it’s legal but whether it’s right; not what I can get away with but what kind of person I ought to be,” he writes.

Proceed with caution, though, says Kelly Campbell. Ask yourself: Am I attempting to earn attention and acceptance through helping? Like “being incessantly helpful, fixing others’ problems, or dishing out compliments to desperately seek approval,” says Campbell. “People-pleasing leaders may unconsciously continue using those tactics in hopes of gaining acceptance, especially from those they manage.” 

Ask questions to manage teams better

Once you’ve determined that you want to inspire and are sure you’re not enabling employees, cognitive scientist and Fast Company contributor Art Markman suggested five specific questions managers should ask their direct reports at least once a quarter to check in on their well-being and engagement. Start with: How are you? It’s important to set aside time to hear the whole answer, Markman says, not just the “fine, thanks” reflexive response. And don’t forget to ask them what they need to know to do their jobs better.

You can’t just check the box on the one-on-one, though. A good leader encourages their people to grow. Although David Weekly, head of Capital One Lab, observes that team members often don’t stretch their adaptability to solve problems that don’t fit within their job descriptions. To encourage more adaptable thinking, he suggests asking two questions to help spark creative thinking:  

Are your actions helping you accomplish your goals?  

How can you turn frustration into action?  

Managers often get hung up in the busyness of managing rather than empowering team members to get stuff done. The shortcut to delegating work is to ask yourself three crucial questions, starting with: ”What result will I observe when the work is done?” 

This is an excellent question that can serve you well no matter what stage of your professional life you’re in.

Fast Company

NNPC is in talks for another oil-backed loan to boost its finances and allow investment in its business, its chief executive told Reuters, as pressure mounts on the state-backed oil company the economy depends upon.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), in which the government is the main stakeholder, aims to raise at least $2 billion, two sources familiar with the situation said.

Its debts to gasoline suppliers have doubled in the last four months to hit $6 billion.

Nigeria's government finances rely on the oil the NNPC exports and oil provides the bulk of crucial foreign exchange reserves. But pipeline theft, and years of underinvestment, have sapped oil production in recent years, and the cost of petrol subsidies has further depleted cash reserves.

President Bola Tinubu has been struggling to push through reforms in Africa's biggest oil exporter - including eliminating fuel subsidies and allowing the naira currency to trade close to market levels - without pushing the country's population to a cost-of-living breaking point.

NNPC chief Mele Kyari confirmed the company wanted a loan against 30,000-35,000 barrels per day of crude production, but declined to say how much money it sought. He said the cash raised would be used for all of the NNPC's business activities, including supporting production growth.

"We have no problem covering our gasoline payments. This is just money for normal business and not a desperate act," Kyari told Reuters.

"It will be a syndication with critical but regular partners who have been in business with our company to forward the cash," he said, adding he expected to conclude the deal in the next two months.

NNPC already has a $3.3 billion oil-backed loan through Afreximbank, but five sources said the company's lack of cash had been aggravated by rising fuel subsidy costs, and that the new loan would help it to pay them.

It is unclear which lender would arrange the loan, as three sources said Afrexim would be unable to extend its exposure to Nigeria that far. All five sources who spoke to Reuters asked not to be named because they were not authorised to speak on the issue.

Some oil trading houses have already stopped participating in NNPC's tenders for gasoline because the overdue bills have pushed their exposure to Nigeria above the levels their companies allow.

Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidies shortly after he took office last year, allowing pump prices to triple.

But given the pain of double-digit inflation, NNPC capped average fuel prices at just above 600 naira per litre a year ago - a price that has become further from market levels since the naira fell and global oil prices rose.

Fuel queues began forming last week in Lagos as Abuja petrol marketers stopped selling. Sources said the ex-depot price in Lagos is above 700 naira per litre, meaning stations would lose money if they sold at the capped prices.

The 650,000 barrel per day Dangote refinery on the outskirts of Lagos expects to begin producing gasoline in the coming weeks. But that refinery has loans - and crude oil feedstock costs - in U.S. dollars, and would be reluctant to sell at a loss inside Nigeria - or wait months for payments from the NNPC.

The sources said the pressure has mounted on the government to increase pump prices - but leaders, mindful of deadly riots in Kenya that forced the government to backtrack on plans to increase taxes, are expected to be cautious about doing so.

Reuters

The Senate has warned of imminent nationwide protests by Nigerians except the Federal Government immediately moves to address the acute food crisis in the country.

It also revealed that the various Federal Government-owned food reserves across the country were empty, warning that Nigerians could no longer bear the acute hunger.

The issues were raised when the Senate considered a motion tagged: “Urgent need to address food insecurity and market exploitation of consumables in Nigeria,” co-sponsored by Ali Ndume.

Ndume in his argument, said beside Sudan, “in the North, we have started seeing hunger. People can’t go to the farm. Even in the South East and South West, there are farmers and herders crises.

“Prices of basic food items are high. We need to do something or say something as representatives of the people. This is the first time Nigeria is being included among nations that will face a food crisis.”

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio said there was serious scarcity of food in the country. He said the observation that Nigeria is among the countries that will face a serious food crisis is true. I think the government should do something about it.

Idris Wadada from Nasarawa State said the issue at hand was a serious matter. “Nigerians are very patient, and no people can be that much patient under hunger. As much as we are much aware of the factors responsible, we should as well make recommendations to the government of the day.

“As representatives of the people, we are responsible and responsive. We are all leaders and critical stakeholders in this country. Whatever we need to do, we must know at all times that we add value to the efforts put in place to eliminate if not reduce the factors responsible for low levels of food production in the country.”

Immediate-past President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, in his contribution, said the patience and tolerance of Nigerians are elastic, but not eternal. “Our people are facing real hunger.

“I saw people, common people, suffering, struggling for food and eating once in a day. Under normal circumstances, in the rainy season, prices escalate. Now, we don’t even have. Now, the government of the day is saying it wants to remove taxes on food items. This Senate must engage the government. What are the issues? We don’t have food reserves.

“The silos are empty. To import, we need forex. We have to engage the administration of Mr. President. We are the most vulnerable, including members of the House of Representatives.

“If we don’t take action, our citizens, under increased fuel prices, electricity, including food, we won’t like the kind of things we will see in our streets. We must take the right action to ensure that there is food. We can’t take the people for granted for too long.”

He added: “We must find every means to get to the farm. Nigerians must eat. The primary function of government is the welfare and security of its citizens.”

Adamu Aliero from Kebbi State, also raised the alarm that fertilisers earmarked for lawmakers for onward delivery to their constituents were being given to state governors.

“There is the need for you (Akpabio) to intervene so that the senatorial districts get it. It will be useless after this month.”

Salihu Mustapha from Kwara State assured that by weekend, all senatorial districts will get trucks of fertilisers.

Akpabio, in his concluding remarks, said if the issues raised were not addressed by next week, the Senate might be compelled to summon the ministers of Finance and Agriculture. He assured that every senator would get two trucks of fertilisers before next Tuesday while members of the House of Representatives would get one each.

Sun