2026

The Chief Executive Officer of Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON-D7G), Mr. Osman Chennar, has led members of the Board of Directors on an inspection visit to the proposed site of Nigeria’s first military jetty, a strategic infrastructure project aimed at strengthening indigenous defence production. The proposed jetty, located near Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, is expected to serve as a key logistics hub for the importation of Completely Knocked Down (CKD) and Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) components, raw materials, and other critical supplies required for local defence manufacturing. Speaking during the visit, Chennar described the project as a “strategic enabler” for Nigeria’s expanding defence manufacturing ambitions, noting that the facility would significantly enhance inbound logistics and streamline supply chain operations. According to him, the jetty will reduce turnaround time, lower transportation costs, and support large-scale production of military equipment, positioning Nigeria as a regional defence hub. He disclosed that DICON-D7G has already commenced production of DG103 rifles in Kaduna for both Nigerian and African markets. The jetty, he added, will further support domestic assembly and manufacturing of small and medium arms, ammunition, tactical drones, unmanned systems, 4×4 and 6×6 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, anti-jammer drones, and other critical military hardware. Read Also: Tinubu swears in Disu as 23rd IGP Meet Prof. Ogunsakin and His Team on State Police Creation DICON–D7G Begins Local Assembly of DG-103 Rifles, Eyes African Export Market Chennar stated that when completed, the project is expected to create employment opportunities for over 2,000 retired military personnel and 5,000 skilled civilians, while boosting the capacity to supply military-grade weapons and ammunition to the Armed Forces of Nigeria and friendly African nations. A member of the Board of Directors, Major General Mainasara Abdul Masanawa (Rtd), said the jetty would also function as an export gateway for finished defence products to allied African countries. He noted that the initiative would deepen regional defence cooperation and reinforce Nigeria’s position as a central hub for military manufacturing on the continent. “The project underscores DICON-D7G’s commitment to reducing reliance on foreign sources for defence equipment and reinforcing self-sufficiency for the Armed Forces of Nigeria, paramilitary organisations, and other security agencies,” Masanawa said. He added that the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, particularly in achieving defence industrial self-reliance. According to him, strengthening local production capacity will help reduce foreign exchange expenditure on defence imports, enhance local technical expertise, generate employment, stimulate technology transfer, and improve national security through sustainable, homegrown solutions. The project is scheduled for official launch in June 2026, marking what officials describe as a major milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward a resilient and self-sustaining defence industrial base. With the proposed military jetty, DICON-D7G aims to usher in a new phase in Nigeria’s defence manufacturing landscape driven by innovation, strategic autonomy, and regional leadership.

President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Olatunji Disu as the 23rd Inspector-General of Police. The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja, following the approval of his appointment by the National Police Council on Monday. Disu’s confirmation cleared the final hurdle for his formal assumption of office as the nation’s substantive police chief. During the ceremony, President Tinubu also inaugurated six newly appointed commissioners for the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), as well as two commissioners of the Federal Civil Service Commission. Read Also: Meet Prof. Ogunsakin and His Team on State Police Creation In his remarks shortly after taking the oath of office, IGP Disu expressed gratitude to the President for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to discharge his duties with utmost seriousness and professionalism. He emphasised the importance of collaboration in tackling Nigeria’s security challenges, noting that strong partnerships remain the cornerstone of effective law enforcement operations. The new IGP also reiterated the need for state policing as part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening internal security. President Tinubu, in his charge to the appointees, urged them to demonstrate dedication, commitment, and diligence in the discharge of their responsibilities to the nation. Members of the Federal Executive Council were in attendance at the ceremony.

The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, on Wednesday inaugurated an eight-member committee to oversee the implementation of state police and advance his policing reform agenda, following his confirmation as the 23rd indigenous IGP. According to TVC News, Disu held his first formal engagement with senior officers after the Nigeria Police Council unanimously ratified his appointment, paving the way for his swearing-in by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Professor Olu Ogunsakin was appointed to chair the eight-member State Police Implementation Committee. Addressing the top hierarchy of the force, the IGP stressed that leadership “is not about position but responsibility,” reiterating that professionalism and accountability must guide police conduct and operations across commands nationwide. Read Also: FG Targets Informal Sector, Expands Tax Base Without Raising Rates He emphasised that authority is strongest when exercised with restraint and insisted that respect for human rights must remain fundamental to policing. According to him, every Nigerian deserves to be treated with dignity, fairness, and justice, regardless of status or background. As part of broader internal reforms, Disu announced plans to strengthen oversight within the Force. He directed that the Public Complaints Unit and the X-Squad be empowered to operate independently in order to enhance transparency and discipline. On decentralisation, the IGP noted that state policing would enable different tiers of government to play more active roles in security management, thereby improving responsiveness to local threats. The committee’s inauguration comes at a critical time for the Nigeria Police Force, following the recent leadership transition. President Tinubu appointed Disu as Acting Inspector-General of Police on February 24, 2026, after the resignation of his predecessor, Kayode Egbetokun. His appointment was subsequently endorsed by the Nigeria Police Council. Disu is expected to be formally sworn in as substantive IGP during the Federal Executive Council meeting. His emergence comes amid heightened security concerns nationwide, including rising cases of kidnapping, banditry, and attacks on communities. The state police initiative, championed by the current administration, forms part of broader security sector reforms aimed at decentralising policing powers to enhance effectiveness at the grassroots level.

The Federal Government has banned cash collection of taxes and the mounting of roadblocks for revenue enforcement nationwide, marking a major step in the implementation of recently enacted tax reforms. The announcement was made in Abuja by the Executive Secretary of the Joint Revenue Board, Olusegun Adesokan, during the signing of the Presumptive Tax Regulations and Guidelines at the Federal Ministry of Finance. Adesokan said the new framework was designed to eliminate informal, coercive and fragmented tax practices, particularly at the subnational level. He stressed that all forms of cash collection by tax authorities are now prohibited, alongside the use of roadblocks for revenue enforcement. According to him, the regulations are aimed at entrenching transparency, equity and uniformity in tax administration, especially within the commerce and informal sectors. Under the new presumptive tax regime, nano and small businesses with an annual turnover of N12 million and below are exempted from taxation. For other categories of informal businesses, a one per cent tax on turnover has been introduced. The framework also encourages the adoption of technology-driven payment systems to enhance accountability. Adesokan noted that the guidelines provide a uniform structure for subnational governments to tax the commerce sector while integrating operators into the formal system through a Tax Identification platform. He described the alignment of states with the framework as a signal of a coordinated national approach to revenue administration. Read Also: President Tinubu Renews Audi’s Tenure as NSCDC Boss Oyedele Tapped to Replace Uzoka-Anite as Finance Minister of State Tinubu Pushes State Police, Urges Governors to Focus on Poor, Youths Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, said the signing marked the transition from legislative approval to structured enforcement of the tax reforms enacted in 2025 and early 2026. Edun described the regulations as a simple and transparent framework anchored on fairness, clarity, equity and economic inclusion. He emphasised that the reforms are not designed to raise tax rates but to broaden the tax base in a structured and consistent manner. “We aim to ensure consistency, prevent arbitrary assessments and protect small businesses while ensuring continuous growth of the Nigerian economy,” he said. The minister added that the reforms were developed in collaboration with the Joint Revenue Board to ensure coordination across federal, state and local governments, reducing fragmentation in tax administration. Linking the reforms to broader economic targets, Edun noted that economic growth exceeded four per cent in the last quarter of 2025 and expressed optimism about achieving higher growth rates in pursuit of the administration’s long-term goal of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030 under Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He assured stakeholders that implementation would be closely monitored to safeguard fairness, adding that an ombudsman mechanism has been introduced to oversee compliance and address grievances. Also speaking, the Chairman of the National Tax Policy Implementation Committee, Joseph Tegbe, described the signing as a decisive shift from policy intention to practical execution. He said the reforms are intended to restore order to a previously fragmented system and replace arbitrariness with transparency. Tegbe observed that Nigeria’s informal sector, which employs more than 80 per cent of the workforce, has historically contributed little to structured public revenue due to systemic weaknesses and complex frameworks. He stressed that sustainable development depends on sustainable revenue mobilisation and pledged disciplined and transparent implementation of the new regime. In June 2025, President Tinubu signed four major tax reform bills into law, including the Nigeria Tax Act, overhauling decades-old tax legislation and setting the stage for the current implementation phase.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Taiwo Oyedele, chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, as Minister of State for Finance. The nomination was conveyed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, through a letter seeking confirmation, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Oyedele is expected to succeed Doris Uzoka-Anite, who has been redeployed to the Ministry of Budget and Planning as Minister of State — her third portfolio under the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Describing the nominee as an economist, accountant and public policy expert, Onanuga said Oyedele obtained a Higher National Diploma in Accountancy and Finance from Yaba College of Technology and later earned a BSc in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University. Read Also: President Tinubu Renews Audi’s Tenure as NSCDC Boss FG Debunks Claims Poor Nigerians Will Bear New Tax Burden BOOST Partners Seek Policy Backing, Sustainable Financing for Vaccination Drive He also completed executive education programmes at the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and the Harvard Kennedy School. Oyedele spent 22 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where he joined in 2001 and rose to become Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader. He is also a professor at Babcock University in Ogun State and a visiting scholar at the Lagos Business School. In July 2023, President Tinubu appointed Oyedele to chair the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, tasked with overhauling Nigeria’s tax system. Uzoka-Anite was initially appointed Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment in August 2023 before her redeployment to the finance ministry in November 2024.