Preamble

A sector-by-sector audit of 66 years of independence — the dreams, the development plans, the oil boom, military interventions, democratic experiments, wasted opportunities and the difficult search for a new national direction

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

On October 1, 1960, Nigeria stepped into independence carrying an enormous burden of expectation. The country was not without problems. It inherited weak industrialization, limited infrastructure, regional inequalities, a largely agrarian economy and a political system whose foundations had been laid by the departing colonial power. But there was also extraordinary optimism.

Sixty-six years after independence, Africa’s most populous nation has produced remarkable achievements in some fields, but poverty, insecurity, weak institutions, poor infrastructure, unemployment and a widening gap between promise and reality continue to test the Nigerian dream.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

Today, Thursday, October 1, 2026, Nigeria will, once again, roll out the national colours of green and white to commemorate her 66 years of independence from British rule on October 1, 1960.

• Lists Gains In Economy, Infrastructure And Security

By Our Reporter

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, has explained that the bold reforms undertaken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration since 2023 were necessary to save Nigeria from imminent collapse.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

The Management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has commiserated with the family of its former Director General, Colonel Peter Kolawole Obasa, who died yesterday.

By Our Reporter

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, has charged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to translate the findings of the 2026 Transparency and Integrity Index (TII) into concrete improvements in their operations in order to strengthen accountability and public trust.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has pledged the support of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for the successful hosting of the 2026 World Public Relations Forum (WPRF), scheduled to take place in November 2026, while highlighting the impact of strategic communication towards the success of key reforms being implemented by the Service.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) of the United Kingdom have advanced discussions to finalise a Customs Mutual Administrative Assistance Agreement (CMAA) to strengthen information sharing, compliance, and trade facilitation between the two countries.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has once again received international recognition for its strategic communication and stakeholder engagement efforts, with the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, receiving a Special Award of Excellence at the 2026 International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Golden World Awards in Athens, Greece, on Friday, 25 September 2026.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said adequate funding of elections is critical to providing the security and logistics required for successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.

• Cautions Media Against Declaring Unofficial Results; Says Journalists Welfare Critical To Democracy

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has charged newsroom leaders across the country to erect an unyielding firewall of rigorous fact-checking and digital verification against artificial intelligence-driven deepfakes.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has appealed to the Emir of Zazzau, Amb. Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, to use his exalted platform to counsel political parties, candidates, and their supporters on the imperative of non-violent, issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)

As part of efforts to enhance the capacity of its staff to effectively lead and regulate the oil and gas industry, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), on Thursday inaugurated its LearnFest Lecture Series, a platform for continuous learning among staff and oil and gas industry stakeholders.