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FG Unveils Advisory Committee To Review Economic Reforms: Taiwo Oyedele
FG Unveils Advisory Committee To Review Economic Reforms: Taiwo Oyedele
The Federal Government on Tuesday inaugurated a Ministerial Advisory Committee to provide independent, evidence-based reviews of its economic reforms, as it seeks to convert recent policy changes into tangible benefits for Nigerians.
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Speaking at the inauguration of the committee at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, said the committee would offer external, data-driven advice to strengthen economic policymaking and ensure that reforms translate into improved living standards.
According to the minister, the committee marks a shift towards what he described as a “public-policy-private partnership” aimed at improving the quality of government decisions.
“Today is not simply about constituting another committee. It is about institutionalising a new way of thinking, a new way of solving problems, a new way of connecting ideas with implementation and strengthening the quality of economic decision-making in service of the Nigerian people,” Oyedele said.
He said the administration of President Bola Tinubu had undertaken some of the country’s most difficult economic reforms over the past three years, including the removal of petrol subsidies, exchange rate unification and comprehensive tax reforms, noting that the next phase was ensuring that Nigerians experienced their benefits.
“We want to move from reform to results,” he said.
The minister acknowledged that the reforms had imposed immediate costs on households, businesses and communities, but maintained that they were necessary because “sustainable development cannot be built on fiscal illusion.”
He added that the effectiveness of the reforms would ultimately be judged not by the number of policies introduced but by their impact on the economy and citizens.
“The true measure of reform is not the number of policies announced or macroeconomic indicators cited. It is the number of jobs created, inflation declining, the naira stabilising and businesses investing with confidence. It is about the number of lives improved. That is why this committee has been established,” he said.
Oyedele said the committee would not exercise executive authority or duplicate the work of existing government institutions but would instead provide independent, constructive advice capable of strengthening government decisions.
He urged members to examine the second and third-order effects of government policies, identify emerging risks before they become crises, incorporate international best practices into policymaking and provide feedback on how reforms were affecting businesses and communities.
“The natural instinct in government is often to act quickly, to announce, to declare progress and to move to the next initiative. But quick actions without rigorous analysis frequently create new problems while solving old ones,” the minister said.
He said the committee’s work would be anchored on four pillars comprising economic policy advisory, public financial management, economic coordination and translating reforms into measurable outcomes.
On economic policy, Oyedele said the government required data-driven advice to achieve its development priorities of job creation, stronger economic growth, improved productivity and higher revenue generation.
“The government’s aspiration remains bold, achieving seven per cent annual real GDP growth and building a $1tn economy by 2030. This requires thinking differently, questioning assumptions, challenging long-held theories and developing a strategy that stretches us while remaining deeply grounded in economic reality,” he said.
He added that the committee would also help improve fiscal governance by advising on revenue mobilisation, expenditure quality, responsible borrowing and transparent financial reporting.
The minister stressed that economic reforms could only succeed through effective coordination across government institutions, collaboration with state governments and stronger partnerships with the private sector.
He also urged members to prioritise practical solutions over theoretical recommendations.
“A fiscal reform that looks flawless on paper but fails to improve conditions for Nigerian businesses is not reform; it is disguised bureaucracy,” he said.
“We do not need this committee to validate what we have already decided. We need you to challenge our assumptions, point out the trade-offs we might be papering over and tell us the truth we may not want to hear. Healthy, fact-based disagreement is not a weakness; it is an advantage,” he said.
He further urged the committee to simplify complex economic issues into practical recommendations and remain connected to the experiences of businesses and ordinary Nigerians.
“A young entrepreneur deterred by red tape or a factory manager struggling for a permit, they are not abstractions; they are the living metrics of whether our policies succeed or fail,” he added.
Oyedele assured members that their recommendations would directly influence ministerial decisions and the advice presented to the President.
“I promise you that your counsel will be heard. Your advice will not languish in forgotten files. It will actively inform ministerial decisions and the guidance I provide to the President,” he said.
He also called on the organised private sector to play a greater role in driving economic growth, saying government alone could not build the Nigeria citizens desired.
“The government’s role is to clear the path by creating predictable policies, macroeconomic stability and a functioning rule of law. The rest depends on your investment, your hiring and your risk-taking,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the committee, its Chairman and Managing Director of Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman, assured the minister that members would focus on providing practical, implementable recommendations rather than theoretical reports.
“We promise you that’s not what we’ll give you,” Suleiman said, referring to lengthy advisory documents.
He said the committee understood that its responsibility was to identify new ideas and practical solutions that government officials, occupied with day-to-day administration, might not have sufficient time to explore.
Taiwo Oyedele
“Our job is to free you to keep running this ministry and keep coordinating this economy while we take time off to think about things that, if you were not on this job, you would have been able to do yourself,” he said.
Suleiman pledged that the committee would avoid repeating advice already available within government and instead focus on practical, executable recommendations capable of delivering quick results.
He also said members would serve as a bridge between government and citizens by conveying genuine feedback from businesses, farmers and communities on the impact of economic policies.
“We will try to listen and hear what people are really saying, where Nigerians are really feeling the pain, which of the policies is really working, and then we’ll bring that back to you in an environment that you can work with,” he said.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Raymond Omachi, said the committee would serve as a strategic platform for evidence-based economic policymaking.
He said its membership comprised economists, public finance experts, governance professionals, development practitioners and private sector representatives who would provide strategic advice on fiscal reforms, government efficiency, stakeholder engagement and economic coordination.
According to him, the committee’s work would support efforts to strengthen fiscal sustainability, boost public confidence and advance Nigeria’s economic transformation agenda.
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Wike Promises N10m to Councillors who Deliver Wards; 2027
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has promised N10m to every councillor who successfully delivers their political ward to President Bola Tinubu and other All Progressives Congress candidates in the 2027 general elections.
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Wike made the promise during a Rainbow Coalition stakeholders’ meeting attended by traditional rulers, political stakeholders and residents in Kwali Area Council on Monday.
He urged councillors to mobilise residents and community groups to secure victory for the APC in their respective wards, Channels TV reported.
“Any councillor that delivers his ward will get N10 million reward. Therefore, go and meet your leaders, go and meet your youth groups, go and consult with associations. Let’s deliver our ward to Mr President,” he said.
The minister also declared his support for Tinubu’s re-election bid and endorsed Senator Philip Aduda for the FCT Senate seat and Danladi Chiya for the Abuja South Federal Constituency.
“I don’t need to preach to you any longer. The one you are seeing is what you follow, not the one that will give you unfulfilled promises. I will go to sleep tonight because I know Kwali, Gwagwalada, and Abaji are 100 per cent for APC,” Wike declared.
Wike criticises opposition
He also accused opposition parties and political figures of double standards and hypocrisy over their reactions to judicial rulings.
Wike criticised opposition figures who condemned court decisions, citing the judicial verdict that voided the ticket of the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Contrasting the opposition’s reactions to different legal outcomes, Wike said their assessment of the judiciary depended on whether court decisions favoured them.
“When ADC had a matter in court and won at the Supreme Court, they said, ‘The court is the last hope,’ ‘The court has saved democracy,’ and ‘We know our judiciary will not fail us.’
“But when they lost a court case, it became: ‘The President is using the court to fight the opposition.’ When it is good for you, the judiciary is clear. When it is bad, you claim they are using it to destroy democracy. What kind of system are we operating?” Wike questioned.
The minister also defended his administration’s policy of providing brand-new Sport Utility Vehicles to first-class traditional rulers in the FCT, which has attracted criticism from some political commentators.
Vehicles: political inducement or bribe?
Dismissing allegations that the vehicles amounted to political inducements or bribes, Wike said traditional rulers deserved dignity and respect.
“You want a first-class traditional ruler to be walking on the road with a stick in hand, taking public buses so they can get hit by a car one day? But you expect Chief Press Secretaries to Governors, Chairmen, and Presidents to ride SUVs?
“Instead of using their platforms to support good things, critics turn it upside down. We will provide for our traditional rulers, and nothing will come out of their complaints,” he said.
He said the ongoing road projects across the satellite towns were nearing completion and would be inaugurated in December.
Wike said the Rainbow Coalition was working in the collective interest of FCT residents, adding that its grassroots structure was bridging political divides to promote effective representation and development.
“The kind of decision the President is taking is not one that other politicians will take, bringing us out from the shadow into reality, and that is what a good leader should be able to do for his people,” he said.
Comparing Tinubu’s administration with previous governments, Wike listed the establishment of the FCT Civil Service Commission, appointment of an FCT Head of Service, financial autonomy for area councils and infrastructure upgrades across satellite towns as some of the current administration’s achievements.
He lamented what he described as the historical marginalisation of the FCT, saying that despite having a population of six to seven million, the territory had only one Senate seat and two House of Representatives seats.
“For 50 years, nobody could remember you. The President has changed the narrative, given you your own civil service, allowed you to employ your people, and elevated your traditional stools. You cannot afford to make a mistake in 2027,” Wike warned.
Wike also promised to look into the salaries of FCT councillors following a complaint by the Chairman of the National Councillors Forum of Nigeria, FCT Chapter, Gambo Hamza.
Wike
Hamza had said councillors in the territory received N260,000 as monthly salaries and appealed to the minister to intervene.
In his remarks, the APC Chairman in the FCT, Ishaku Yamawo, commended Wike for uniting political stakeholders across party lines and promoting development in the territory.
His Peoples Democratic Party counterpart, Mohammed Dogara, also thanked Wike for his work in the FCT and assured him of massive support for Tinubu’s re-election.
Similarly, Aliyu Baka, who spoke on behalf of Rainbow Coalition stakeholders in the FCT, expressed regret over what he described as the coalition’s electoral missteps in 2023, saying it was prepared to ensure victory for its candidates and Tinubu in 2027.
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Police Rescue Abducted APC Chairman Abdullahi Beli in Kano
The Kano State Police Command has rescued the All Progressives Congress Chairman in Rogo Local Government Area, Abdullahi Beli, popularly known as Abdullahi Fanka, after 68 days in captivity.
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Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf commended the police command, led by Commissioner of Police Adamu Bakori, for securing the release of the party chairman.
The governor’s commendation was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Sunusi Tofa.
Online media reports that Beli was abducted by armed men from his residence in Beli community, Rogo Local Government Area.
The rescued chairman, while recounting his ordeal, said his abductors moved him through several locations, including Danja, Ikara and Giwa in Kaduna State, as well as parts of Zamfara State.
The Commissioner of Police disclosed the rescue during a briefing with the governor at the Government House, Kano.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to intensifying efforts to tackle kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state.
In his response, Yusuf praised the police commissioner and other personnel involved in the operation.
“I specifically acknowledged the contributions of the Officer-in-Charge of the Police Anti-Kidnapping Squad, CSP Aliyu Muhammad Auwal; CSP Ado Muhammad Audi; and the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa.
Police
“I’m also directing the state Commissioner for Health to ensure that the rescued chairman received comprehensive medical attention and psychosocial rehabilitation at the expense of the state government,” Yusuf said.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to supporting security agencies in protecting lives and property and ensuring the safety of residents across the state.
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News
Obi Accuses NFF Officials Of Blocking Him From Greeting Nigeria’s Flamingos, Says They Feared Losing Jobs
Obi Accuses NFF Officials Of Blocking Him From Greeting Nigeria’s Flamingos, Says They Feared Losing Jobs
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has accused officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of preventing him from greeting members of Nigeria’s Under-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, at an airport on Monday, allegedly because they feared losing their jobs.
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Obi described the incident as another example of what he called the growing culture of “toxic politics” in Nigeria, claiming that political differences were increasingly being allowed to undermine national unity and ordinary human interactions.
In a statement posted on his X account on Monday, the former Anambra State governor said he arrived at the airport at about 7 a.m. to board a flight to Enugu when he saw the young footballers, who had just arrived and were preparing to leave the airport.
He said he asked his Protocol Officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether he could greet and welcome the players but was informed that NFF officials had objected to the idea.
“I arrived at the airport at 7 a.m. this morning to board my flight to Enugu. There, I saw the Nigeria Under-17 girls’ team, which had just arrived and was preparing to board its vehicle into town,” Obi wrote.
“With genuine joy and enthusiasm, I asked my Protocol Officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether I could greet and welcome the team. I was informed that officials of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) had refused and had requested that I not approach them because, if I did, they would all lose their jobs.”
Obi said the incident was not the first time he had allegedly been prevented from interacting with Nigerian footballers because of concerns that officials could face consequences.
He recalled that on March 25, 2025, when he travelled to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for a World Cup qualifying match, he was similarly prevented from greeting players after the game.
According to him, the governor had welcomed him at the VIP stand, but other government officials who went to greet the players were allegedly stopped from allowing him to do the same.
“Regrettably, this is not the first time I have been subjected to such treatment. On March 25, 2025, I was in Uyo for the World Cup qualifier. The governor warmly received me and welcomed me at the VIP stand. Following the match, other government officials went to greet the players, but I was again prevented from doing so. I was told by the officials that they would lose their jobs if I proceeded,” he said.
The NDC presidential candidate said the incidents reflected what he described as a deterioration in Nigeria’s political environment since 2025.
“It is deeply troubling to witness the extent of toxic politics into which our nation has descended since 2025. Each year appears to bring further deterioration. This reflects how deeply Nigeria has been affected,” he stated.
Obi called for a political environment in which citizens could interact freely regardless of their political affiliations, insisting that hostility and intimidation should have no place in the country.
“The new Nigeria we aspire to build must have no room for hostility, intimidation, or discrimination, regardless of political affiliation. It must be a Nigeria in which unity, mutual respect, and our shared humanity take precedence over political differences,” he added.
Obi Had Congratulated Flamingos After World Cup Triumph
Obi’s complaint came a day after he congratulated the Flamingos following their triumph at the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
In a separate post on Sunday, he praised the players for their performance and described their achievement as a source of national pride.
“FLAMINGOS: YOU HAVE MADE NIGERIA PROUD,” he wrote.
“I extend my warmest congratulations to our exceptional Flamingos on their historic triumph at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
World Cup
“To our talented young stars, thank you for raising our flag high and bringing immense joy to our nation. Your remarkable talent, resilience, hard work and dedication have earned you a special place in the hearts of Nigerians.
“You have made our nation proud, and we truly appreciate your outstanding efforts.
“Congratulations, champions!”
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