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Ambode shifts reforms to councils, may sack 57 Exec Secretaries
There are strong indications that the on-going restructuring and reforms in the Lagos State Civil Service will soon be extended to the 20 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs in the state.Presently, the affairs of the councils are being managed by Executive secretaries appointed in the twilight of Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration to replace the former chairmen after the expiration of their tenure, pending the conduct of fresh election.
The implication of this is that the 57 executive secretaries may be replaced by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State in order to conduct a credible election into the offices, considering the fact that Ambode’s reforms have been characterized by several replacements of heads of ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs.
It is instructive to note that Ambode, at a recent public function, had pledged to embark on local government reforms with the aim of making the 57 councils more responsive to the needs of the people.
The governor, who made the remarks during a parley with members of the various Community Development Associations, CDAs, Community Development Councils, CDC and other stakeholders, said the intention of his administration was to give governance back to the people in line with his objective of running an all-inclusive government.
Inclusive government
He said his administration’s commitment to make community governance the spring board for economic and social development in the state, prompted the establishment of a Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs which has thus placed community development in the heart of its policy formation.
The career civil servant governor, upon assumption of office, set up a Local Government Reform Committee headed by Mr. Nurudeen Adeyinka Ojora-Adejiyan in a bid to reposition the councils’ system for better service delivery and ensure even development and synergy in governance in the State.
The committee, after deliberations, urged the state government to cascade major reforms of the state public service to the local government level. The committee was mandated to examine the structure and current practice of local government administration in the state, identify factors militating against optimum performance and quality service delivery by local governments and examine the modalities for instituting inter service exchange of staff, knowledge and skills between the state and local government services.
In his comment at the presentation of the report to the Head of Service, Mrs Folashade Jaji, Ojora-Adejiyan disclosed that the committee made very starling findings that revealed that local government system had become a shadow of itself, grappling with structural, funding and administrative problems.
The committee therefore, called for a review of local government administration law and other laws regulating the operations of local government in the state. It also called for a functional template to assess the performance of local governments based on available resources and context of operations to be evolved for local government system.
The committee also discovered that there was inadequate community participation characterized by seeming disconnection between the communities and managements of local government which has created a huge service gap with on adverse effect on its service delivery capacity to the people.
Execution of policies
“We however, recommend that local governments should as a matter of policy involve community development associations and other stakeholders from the planning to execution of policies and projects, thus ensuring that the yearnings and aspirations of the people are met the committee chairman said.
The committee came up with the recommendations, following cutting edge consultations with inputs of critical stakeholders. Furthermore, in order to curb fraudulent acts in the local government system, the committee recommended strict sanctions on any officials and local government personnel found culpable.
Ojora said: “There is no doubt that Ambode will make positive use of this as he understands the place of the Local Government in governance and had met with Executive Secretaries to sensitize them on the various reforms going on in the state and the need to bring everyone on board as the reform is critical for even development and progress.”
Presently, the state governor is critically looking at the recommendation of the committee aimed at ensuring prompt implementation for the benefit of the people.
Tour of 57 councils: To this end, last week, Ambode concluded plans to embark on a tour of the 57 local governments in the state, saying it would afford him the opportunity to listen to the challenges of the people first hand and address them accordingly. “We believe strongly that we should scale up community governance in this state. It is more about communities, its more about our people and what they want,” he said.
Lagos assembly on budget template for 57 councils
Lagos State House of Assembly, recently, fashioned out a standard budget template for all the 20 Local Government Areas, (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas, (LCDAs), in the state. The House, through the Committee on Economic Planning and Budget, had earlier approved the 2015 budget estimates for LGs/LCDAs, following the report of a 7-man Ad-hoc Committee.
The committee which was inaugurated on June 18, 2015, and chaired by Hon Rotimi Abiru, submitted its findings to the House on July 30, 2015. Members of the Committee include: Bisi Yusuff, Yinka Ogundimu, Adekanye Oladele, Mojeed Fatai, Lawal Mojisola Lasbat and Alimi Kazeem. The 7th Legislative Assembly had earlier, mandated its house committee to carry-out the exercise in consonance with Section 3 of the Local Government Council Committee Law, 2007, which states inter alia that:
Estimates ofrevenue
“The Committee shall be responsible for the administration of the affairs of the Local Government in accordance with the provisions of Sections 33, 34 and 40 of the Local Government (Administration) Law. Provided that with respect to the preparation of annual estimates of revenue and expenditure of the Local Governments, such shall be laid before the House of Assembly for debate and approval.”
Based on the above law the committee swung into action but could not conclude the assignment before the dissolution of the House on Monday, 1st June, 2015. The findings of the committee, revealed that most LGAs and LCDAs in the state performed poorly in the area of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), hence, their reliance on Federal Allocation.
That the overhead estimate of the LGAs and LCDAs in the state were bloated to the detriment of the capital expenditure which does not augur well for development at the grass roots as well showing that the Councils do not have a uniform template for budget preparation. To this effect, the Ad-hoc committee chairman directed all the council representatives to appear with all the documents which include capital receipts, Internally Generated Revenue, (IGR) from January till date, breakdown of the overhead cost, breakdown of teachers’ salaries and bank statements.
Abiru said the purpose of the exercise was to prepare a uniform template for the councils. He therefore, urged councils to give priority to capital expenditure that would enhance physical development at the grassroots.
PDP reacts
Meantime, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Lagos chapter had accused Ambode, of planning to delay the yet-to-be conducted local council elections in the state. PDP had claimed that the All Progressives Congress-led government in Lagos was not interested in conducting elections into the local government councils. Its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Taofik Gani, also accused the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC, of working with the APC to delay the polls.
The statement said, “The Lagos State chapter of the PDP has reiterated her conclusion that the APC government in Lagos is not popular among the electorates, especially for any grass roots elections and as such deliberately frustrating the conduct of local council polls long overdue since October 2014.
“The PDP has at this time accused LASIEC as an electoral body which has exposed itself as an appendage of APC in the state and not at all independent in its decisions and administration.” According to Gani, Ambode was planning to delay the polls until after one year in office.
“The delay to conduct council polls in Lagos is deliberate to eventually give undue advantage to the APC. The defence put up by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters (who was quoted to have blamed the delay in the conduct of the council polls on the Independent National Electoral Commission claiming that the electoral body has not concluded the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards and thus the polls cannot be conducted at this time) is preposterous, repulsive and clearly an indication that APC will turn out to be a party of impunity and inconsistencies,” he said.
The Lagos PDP’s spokesman further alleged that the state’s councils were operating contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution. “This is an aberration to Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution which guarantees only democratically elected local government administration. The APC is unpopular and thus avoiding any grass roots election,” Gani said.
NCP sues Lagos INEC on failure to hold LGs poll
The national Conscience Party, NCP, had taken the state government to court over the delay in the conduct of LGs poll. The case number LD/318MJR/15, NCP/Lagos INEC which was filed before Hon Justice A.M Lawal, sitting at the foyer court 53, Lagos High Court, Igbosere was later adjourned for hearing to sometime in October, 2015. Adeleke Akele, a chieftain of NCP, however expressed optimism that justice will be done at the hearing by the court.
Vanguard
The project ends decades search for investors, boosts Nigeria’s blue economy
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
Nigeria’s maritime sector is set for a major transformation following a landmark agreement involving the world’s largest container shipping company, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), which has secured a 45-year concession to build, manage and operate a modern container terminal at Snake Island Port in Lagos.
The project, to be developed in partnership with Nigerdock, marks one of the most significant private sector investments in Nigeria’s port infrastructure in recent decades and is expected to strengthen the country’s role as a major maritime gateway in West and Central Africa.
For Nigeria, the agreement brings to close decades of efforts to attract large-scale investors to develop Snake Island Port, a strategically located maritime asset in Lagos.
Long-standing concession history
Snake Island’s maritime facilities date back several decades. In 1992, the Federal Government granted a 99-year concession for the island’s port and industrial facilities to Nigerdock, a major maritime engineering and logistics company.
Nigerdock was later privatised and is currently operated by the Jagal Group owned by Nigerian industrialist Maher Jarmakani.
Over the years, the Island Container Terminal fell into disrepair, requiring major rehabilitation and modernization to meet modern global shipping standards.
The new partnership with MSC is expected to transform the port into a state-of-the-art container handling facility capable of attracting larger vessels and increasing Nigeria’s cargo throughput capacity.
Buhari administration approved the project.
The investment framework for the Snake Island development was approved in May 2023 by the Federal Executive Council under then President Muhammadu Buhari.
The approval authorised total private investment of approximately $974.1 million for the project under a Public-Private Partnership structure, including the 45-year concession period.
At the same time, the Federal Government also approved two other major maritime infrastructure projects:
• Development of the Ondo Multipurpose Port in Ilaje, Ondo State, with $1.48 billion in private investment and a 50-year concession.
• Expansion and development of the Burutu Sea Port in Delta State, involving $1.2 billion in private investment and a 40-year concession.
These projects form part of Nigeria’s broader effort to develop its blue economy and expand maritime trade capacity.
Construction partners
Engineering and construction of the Snake Island container terminal will be handled by:
• ITB Nigeria Limited
• DEME Group
ITB Nigeria Limited is part of the Chagoury Group and owned by the Chagoury family, while DEME Group is a globally recognised Belgian marine engineering and dredging company with extensive experience in port construction.
MSC profile
Founded in 1970 by Italian shipping entrepreneur Gianluigi Aponte and his wife Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, MSC has grown from a single cargo vessel into the largest container shipping company in the world.
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the company operates in more than 155 countries and serves over 500 ports worldwide, with a fleet of roughly 900 container ships and over 200,000 employees globally.
The MSC Group also operates major logistics and maritime businesses including inland logistics through Medlog, cruise tourism through MSC Cruises, and port terminal operations across several continents.
According to Forbes, the estimated net worth of MSC founder Gianluigi Aponte is about $43.9 billion as of February 2026, placing him among the world’s richest shipping magnates. The company remains privately owned by the Aponte family, with both founders holding equal ownership stakes.
Management comments
Speaking on the development, MSC Group President Diego Aponte said the company is committed to strengthening its operations in Nigeria and across Africa.
“We are proud to expand our presence in Nigeria through this important infrastructure project. The Snake Island terminal will enhance service delivery and improve port efficiency for our customers and partners in the region,”
Chief Executive Officer of Nigerdock, Maher Jarmakani, described the agreement as a major milestone for the Nigerian maritime sector.
“We are delighted to partner with MSC in developing a world-class container terminal that will enhance Nigeria’s logistics capabilities and support economic growth,” he said.
Economic impact
Industry analysts say the project could significantly strengthen Nigeria’s maritime economy by expanding cargo handling capacity, reducing congestion at Lagos ports and attracting additional international shipping traffic.
The development is also expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs across maritime operations, logistics, transport services and port-related commercial activities.
Infrastructure expansion
Beyond the port development, plans are also underway for Nigeria’s first underwater tunnel, linking Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island through Snake Island and connecting the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway with the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway corridor through Badagry.
The tunnel project is expected to significantly improve freight movement and road connectivity between Lagos ports and national transport networks.
Strategic milestone
With the entry of MSC into the Snake Island development, industry observers say Nigeria is taking a significant step toward modernizing its maritime infrastructure and positioning itself as a regional hub for global shipping and trade.
For a project that has waited for decades for major international investors, the Snake Island concession represents a turning point in Nigeria’s port development strategy and a strong signal of global confidence in the country’s maritime future.
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
news
From Construction Sites to Community Service: Temitope Akinyemi Emerges as a Model of Leadership and Impact
Energy experts in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector have defended the pricing structure of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, accusing some fuel markers of attempting to blackmail the refinery and mislead the public over the recent increase in petrol prices.
The experts said reports suggesting that the refinery’s latest adjustment is solely responsible for the recent hike in fuel prices were misleading, noting that importers are also bringing in petrol at almost a N1,000 per litre, while the refinery’s coastal price is N948 and the gantry or ex-depot price stands at N995 per litre.
They stressed that public comparisons fail to consider the differences in pricing structures and supply channels.
According to the experts, N948 per litre represents the coastal delivery price, which refers to petroleum products transported by marine vessels or barges from the refinery to depots along the coastline. On the other hand, N995 per litre represents the gantry or ex-depot price, which is the rate paid by marketers who load petrol directly from the refinery into tanker trucks at the loading gantry for onward distribution across the country.
The experts explained that the two figures should not be interpreted as conflicting prices but rather as different logistics arrangements within the petroleum distribution chain.
Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, energy expert David Okon said the pricing adjustments were inevitable given prevailing market conditions.
According to him, Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals operates in a deregulated market and procures crude at international prices, which have risen sharply due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
“The refinery is already absorbing part of the cost to cushion the impact of the crisis on Nigerians. We can see what is happening in other parts of the world where shortages and scarcity are being reported despite higher prices, yet the Dangote Refinery has continued to guarantee domestic supply,” he said.
Okon explained that when the refinery previously sold petrol at N774 per litre, crude oil was landing at about $68 per barrel. However, with crude now arriving at roughly $95 per barrel, the cost difference of about $27 per barrel translates to nearly N40,000 per barrel when converted to Naira.
“You cannot expect a refinery to continue selling at the old rate under those circumstances,” he added.
“If imported products were truly cheaper, importers would still be selling at the previous prices.”
He warned that without local refining capacity, Nigeria could have faced severe fuel shortages, long queues at filling stations and a resurgence of black market sales.
“Without the Dangote Refinery, many filling stations would likely shut down, queues would return across the country and black market traders would exploit the situation, hawking four litres keg at N20,000 or more. The refinery has effectively prevented that scenario,” he said.
Another analyst, Mohammed Ibrahim, also faulted narratives circulating in some quarters suggesting that the refinery’s pricing adjustment was responsible for worsening economic hardship in the country.
Accusing some importers of attempting to manipulate public perception, he said, “What we are seeing is nothing but deliberate blackmail by some fuel importers who feel threatened by local refining.
“They are twisting the pricing structure to mislead Nigerians and create unnecessary panic in the market.
“By exaggerating the refinery’s gantry price and ignoring the comparable costs of imported fuel, they are trying to make it appear as though Dangote Refinery is the cause of rising prices and economic hardship. This is a calculated attempt to protect their import businesses and undermine local refining, which is meant to reduce our dependence on imported petrol.”
Ibrahim added that such narratives were aimed at portraying the refinery as the reason Nigerians were struggling with higher petrol prices.
He stressed that petrol pricing in Nigeria is largely influenced by global crude oil prices, exchange rate fluctuations, and distribution logistics, noting that these factors affect both locally refined and imported fuel in the country’s deregulated market.
Afolabi Olowookere, Managing Director and Chief Economist at Analysts’ Data Services and Resources (ADSR) Limited, explained that although Nigerians expect refined products from the refinery to be significantly cheaper, prevailing market realities such as global crude oil prices, the cost of crude supply and refining margins make substantial price reductions unlikely in the short term.
“Therefore, improving domestic crude allocation to the refinery would strengthen supply stability and enhance the long term benefits of local refining for the economy,” Olowookere noted.
Recent conflicts in the Middle East and disruptions along key shipping lanes have tightened global oil supply, pushing crude prices past $90 per barrel, a development that directly raises the cost of both imported and locally refined petrol in Nigeria.
The unrest has pushed up fuel costs and transportation in several countries, including Ghana, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, India, Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, and Japan, as rising crude prices increase the cost of refining, distribution, and logistics globally.
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