EFCC chair seeks strong whistleblower protection law amid reprisal in Nigeria

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has urged the National Assembly to enact strong legislation to protect whistleblowers and strengthen transparency in the fight against corruption amid widespread reprisal in Nigeria.

According to a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Monday, Mr Olukoyede made the call on Thursday in Calabar, Cross River State, during a nationwide sensitisation programme on the implementation of Nigeria’s whistleblowing policy.

Speaking on the theme, “Benefits of the Whistleblowing Policy in the Fight Against Corruption in Nigeria,” Mr Olukoyede stressed the need for a strong legal framework that would shield whistleblowers from victimisation and remove bureaucratic obstacles that delay access to financial rewards promised under the policy.

“I reiterate that we need a robust Act of the National Assembly to protect those who risk their lives to disclose corruption in this country,” he said.

The EFCC chair noted that only a few countries within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have enacted whistleblower protection laws.

“I find it depressing that in a region where deeply rooted corruption undermines development efforts, only Ghana and Senegal have enacted whistleblower protection laws,” he said.

Mr Olukoyede was represented at the event by the acting Uyo Zonal Director of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Oshodi Johnson.

Mr Johnson said the whistleblowing policy should motivate citizens to expose corruption primarily to prevent the theft of public funds rather than solely for financial rewards.

“The appeal here is that citizens should be more interested in whistleblowing that prevents the stealing of public funds rather than focusing on recovery, because once funds are looted, they may never be fully recovered,” he said.

He also urged lawmakers to domesticate provisions of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), particularly Article 33, which provides measures for protecting individuals who report corruption.

Background

Nigeria introduced its whistleblowing policy in 2016 to encourage citizens to report corruption and financial misconduct.

Under the programme, whistleblowers are entitled to between 2.5 and 5 per cent of recovered funds. The policy recorded early success in 2017 when a tip led to the discovery of about $43 million in cash in an apartment in Lagos.

However, analysts say the programme still lacks a comprehensive legal framework to protect whistleblowers from retaliation.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that whistleblowers in Nigeria and 13 other West African countries face severe risks, including harassment, job loss, and even death, due to the absence of comprehensive legal frameworks to shield them.

The African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) Coordinator, Chido Onumah, described whistleblowers as “endangered species” across the region because of their relevance to the fight against corruption.

In the absence of legal protection, Mr Onumah said, whistleblowers face all kinds of retaliation ranging from stigmatisation and discrimination, dismissal from place of work, criminal sanctions and death in extreme cases for daring to take what is obviously a delicate conscious action.

Of the 15 member states in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), only Ghana has implemented legislation to protect whistleblowers.

The rest of the countries – Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo – either lack or have insufficient legal protection for whistleblowers.

Mr Onumah said though many of these countries have adopted the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) but their lackadaisical attitude towards having a law has brought harm to many.

“We totally agree with the ECOWAS Commission that one of the best ways of giving them cover is for member states to provide a comprehensive legal framework through the whistleblowing legislation for disclosure of information and protection against any retaliation as a result of making disclosure,” he noted.

In Nigeria, many whistleblowers frequently face job termination or harassment after revealing corruption or workplace infractions, which contributed to the urgent need for legal protection.

Also, AFRICMIL has raised the alarm over an alleged attempt by officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Zone 7 Headquarters in Abuja, to abduct whistleblower Yisa Usman from his residence on 16 July 2025.

The statement said Mr Usman, a former deputy director at JAMB, was sacked after exposing alleged procurement fraud and administrative malpractices within the agency.

Mr Onumah stated that the former deputy director has reportedly faced a string of reprisals including termination of his appointment, criminal charges, and threats to his life.

However, in a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, AFRICMIL renewed calls for a whistleblower protection law after Nigerian whistleblower Mr Usman received international recognition as the closest runner-up for the Ellsberg Whistleblower Award in Berlin, Germany.

Mr Usman was recognised for exposing alleged violations of public financial management procedures and recruitment irregularities within the examination body.

AFRICMIL said Mr Usman could not attend the award ceremony due to alleged reprisals he has faced in Nigeria, including dismissal from public service, legal battles and threats to his safety.

The organisation therefore urged the Nigerian government to urgently enact a whistleblower protection law to safeguard individuals who disclose wrongdoing in the public interest.

Participants at the EFCC event included representatives of anti-corruption agencies, lawmakers, security agencies, and other stakeholders involved in Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts.

By Emmanuel Agbo. Premium Times

Tinubu departs for UK amid worsening insecurity in Nigeria

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu departed Abuja on Tuesday, March 17, for a state visit to the United Kingdom at the invitation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

The President, accompanied by the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, will be hosted at Windsor Castle from March 18 to 19.

The visit is considered historic, marking the first state visit by a Nigerian leader to the UK in 37 years, and the first time a Nigerian president will be received by a British monarch at Windsor Castle.

According to the Presidency, the trip is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between both countries, with key discussions expected to focus on trade, investment, immigration, and cultural exchange.

During the visit, Tinubu and his wife will view a special Royal Collection exhibition featuring items connected to Nigeria. The president is also expected to hold private talks with King Charles III and participate in engagements with organisations involved in interfaith dialogue.

A state banquet will be hosted in honour of the Nigerian delegation.

Tinubu will also meet with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street, where both countries are expected to sign agreements covering trade, investment, defence, and cultural cooperation.

The president is expected to witness the signing of a £746 million financing deal involving UK Export Finance and Nigerian authorities, including the Nigerian Ports Authority, to support the rehabilitation of the Lagos Port Complex in Apapa and the Tin Can Island Port Complex.

He will also attend the Nigerian Modernism exhibition and engage with business leaders as well as members of the Nigerian diaspora.

Meanwhile, authorities in Windsor have rolled out tight security measures ahead of the visit. Thames Valley Police say they are working with local authorities, the Royal Household, and other agencies to coordinate security operations for the high-profile event.

The police announced that airspace restrictions over Windsor Castle would be extended on March 18, alongside road closures and parking limitations expected to take effect from March 17, which might disrupt movement in the area.

Officials said the operation would include the deployment of specialised units such as armed officers, search teams, mounted patrols, and road policing personnel. Additional measures include surveillance systems and protective barriers to ensure public safety throughout the visit.

The visit comes amid a surge in killings across parts of Nigeria, with recent incidents of violence raising concerns about the country’s security situation.

Tbe ICIR reported earlier today that at least 23 people were confirmed dead following multiple explosions in Maiduguri, Borno State capital Monday night.

The Borno State Police Command, in a statement, said 108 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in the attacks, which were carried out by suspected suicide bombers.

According to the police, the explosions occurred at about 7:24 p.m. at three locations — Monday Market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and the Post Office Flyover area.

The attacks are the latest in a chain of killings, abductions and other criminal activities in Nigeria under Tinubu’s watch.

By Esther Tomo, ICIR

Nigeria suicide attacks kill 23, wound more than 100

Multiple explosions staged by suspected suicide bombers rocked the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, killing at least 23 people and wounding more than 100 others, police said Tuesday.

The three blasts, which struck on Monday evening, came after an attack on a military post overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected militants.

Combined with the attack on the military position the evening prior and a mosque bombing in December, the assaults have wrecked a peaceful stretch in the city, which had become a relative oasis of calm as Nigeria's long-running insurgency was pushed to the rural hinterlands.

Fighters from Boko Haram and rival group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have recently stepped up attacks in northeastern Nigeria.

Their 16-year campaign to establish a caliphate in the country has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced around two million.

"Preliminary investigation reveals that the incidents were carried out by suspected suicide bombers," police spokesman Nahum Kenneth Daso said in a statement.

"Regrettably, a total of twenty three (23) persons lost their lives, while one hundred and eight (108) others sustained varying degrees of injuries," he added.

An anti-extremist militia member told AFP the death toll from the explosions in the city could be as high as 31.

An AFP reporter at a city hospital on Monday evening saw dozens of wounded people seeking treatment, as well as multiple bodies covered by sheets on the sidewalk outside.

The attackers struck the city's main market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and an area around the city's Post Office flyover.

Mala Mohammed, 31, who escaped the market blast said he initially heard two explosions and saw panicked people running.

"At that moment, we were not sure what had happened. But after about two or three minutes, other people who were running along the road started shouting that it was a bomb at the market entrance.

"Many of them ran toward the Post Office area because the market entrance and the Post Office are not far apart. Unfortunately, as they were running towards Post Office, the person who had the explosive device ran into the crowd while people were still trying to escape," said Mohammed.

'Barbaric' attacks

Police said in the early Tuesday morning statement that "normalcy has been fully restored in the affected areas" and that security forces have increased their "presence and surveillance across Maiduguri and its environs to prevent any further occurrences".

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum called the apparent bombings "barbaric" and said "the recent surge in attacks is not unconnected with intense military operations in the Sambisa forest," a known militant stronghold.

The earlier attack was launched around midnight Sunday into Monday, on a Nigerian military post in Ajilari Cross district, a southwestern suburb of Maiduguri and just a few kilometres (miles) from the city's airport.

That same evening there was an attack in the Damboa local government area, south of Maiduguri.

AFP

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Gas-rich Nigeria faces blackouts amid five-year high flaring

Nigeria holds one of the world’s largest untapped gas endowments, yet millions of its citizens continue to grapple with chronic electricity shortages led by grid collapses, load shedding or disturbances.

Despite sitting on an estimated 600 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of unproven gas reserves, the country has recorded persistent power outages in recent weeks, largely driven by gas supply shortfalls to generation companies (GenCos).

Major cities across Nigeria have experienced worse-than-usual electricity disruptions since last week, as power outages grow more frequent and prolonged.

Data from the Nigerian Oil Spill Monitor, corroborated by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), paints a less encouraging picture of gas utilisation efforts in the country.

According to the data, oil and gas companies flared an estimated 323.2 million standard cubic feet (scf) of gas in 2025, highlighting persistent inefficiencies in Nigeria’s upstream operations and ongoing challenges in fully commercialising associated gas resources.

Flaring figures stood at 349.3 million scf in 2020. Since then, Nigeria has recorded volatility, recording 264.6 in 2021, 230.1 million scf in 2022, 278.3 million scf in 2023, and 301.3 million scf in 2024.

“Are we truly prepared for significant gas uptake and usage, especially considering the ‘Decade of Gas’ initiative from 2020 to 2030, with 40 percent of this period already elapsed and little tangible progress in flare reduction,” asked Oyinkepreye Orodu, a subface and energy researcher.

The rise in gas flaring comes at a time when Nigerian residents and local manufacturers are grappling with soaring energy costs, persistent gas shortages, and erratic power supply– factors that have forced many firms to scale down operations or shut down entirely.

Many gas-fired power plants are also operating below capacity due to fuel shortages, worsening electricity shortages across the country.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria confirmed that reduced gas supply has significantly cut electricity generation, leaving distribution companies with less power to deliver to homes and factories.

“With thermal plants forming the dominant share of Nigeria’s generation mix, any disruption in gas supply directly impacts grid output,” the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) said.

Thermal plants, which account for the bulk of Nigeria’s generation mix, require an estimated 1,629.75 million standard cubic feet (MMSCF) of gas per day to operate at optimal capacity.

However, as of February 23, 2026, actual gas supply stood at approximately 692 MMSCF per day, representing less than 43 percent of daily requirements.

Industry analysts have warned that without stronger regulatory enforcement and better investment incentives, oil companies operating in Nigeria will continue to flare gas as a cheaper alternative to processing or reinjecting it.

Jide Pratt, country manager of TradeGrid, expressed concern over the persistent rise in gas flaring despite several government interventions aimed at curbing the practice.

According to him, weak penalties and the high cost of building gas infrastructure remain the primary reasons companies continue to flare associated gas.

Data from the NOSDRA showed that oil and gas companies incurred $646.3 million in penalties for gas flaring in 2025.

Pratt, who also serves as chief operating officer of AIONA, noted that incentives such as those introduced under Executive Order 40, which targets investments in non-associated gas, could help drive progress in reducing flaring.

“Fines for flaring should be increased to make reinjection more attractive,” he added. “Most companies take the cheaper option of paying fines rather than investing in extraction and piping.”

Nigeria has introduced several legislative measures to curb gas flaring since 1969. Since 1984, it has been illegal to flare gas without written approval from the Minister of Petroleum Resources.

Under current regulations, companies producing more than 10,000 barrels per day pay a penalty of $2 per 1,000 standard cubic feet (scf) of gas flared, while those producing below that threshold pay $0.50 per 1,000 scf.

Elijah Wisdom, chief executive officer and founder of Creek Transitway Ltd, said the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) should allow international oil companies to choose their own flare gas offtakers rather than having them assigned by regulators.

Wisdom also downplayed concerns over gas pricing, arguing that the key challenge lies in infrastructure and cost-reflective tariffs. Gas prices in the United States vary widely depending on location. The key issue is infrastructure and cost-reflective tariffs, he said.

He added that recent adjustments under the Domestic Gas Delivery Obligation (DGDO) have made pricing more reasonable, but outstanding debts within the sector, including obligations owed by NNPC Limited to the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, continue to affect operations across the gas-to-power value chain.

New grid asset company proposed to fix Nigeria’s power Bottleneck

President Bola Tinubu initiated plans to establish a Grid Asset Management Company (GAMCO) as part of efforts to address persistent challenges in Nigeria’s power sector, particularly within the transmission segment.

He disclosed this while briefing journalists at the State House in Abuja after a meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by the president.

Mohammed Idris, minister of Information and National Orientation, said the council approved the setting up of a panel to drive the initiative following a memorandum presented by Tinubu for deliberation.

According to him, the proposal is aimed at strengthening the transmission component of Nigeria’s electricity value chain, which the government considers the most critical bottleneck to achieving stable and reliable power supply across the country.

He noted that following the deregulation of the power sector, the industry was unbundled into three key segments, generation, transmission and distribution, but the transmission arm has remained the weakest link.

“The proposed Grid Asset Management Company will be responsible for managing and strengthening the national electricity grid to improve efficiency and enhance power delivery nationwide,” Idris said.

To advance the plan, the FEC approved the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee tasked with developing the operational framework for the proposed company.

By Abubakar Ibrahim, Business Day