Economy
Orji Kalu Says “If Nigeria Does Not Borrow, The Economy Will Collapse”
Orji Kalu Says “If Nigeria Does Not Borrow, The Economy Will Collapse”
Orji Kalu says “If Nigeria does not borrow, the economy will collapse”. Orji Kalu, senator representing Abia north, says the Nigerian economy is at risk of collapse if the country does not continue to borrow.
Kalu, a former governor of Abia state, spoke on Monday during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme.
“Let me tell you, if this economy does not borrow, it collapse. That’s the truth. That’s where we are,” he said.
Kalu said he is not a member of the committee that scrutinises loan requests but insisted that such borrowing is necessary for economic survival.
“Of course, the committee of foreign and local debts used to scrutinise them. I am not a member of that committee. You know these jobs are done mainly at the committee level,” he said.
Kalu sparked public reactions last week when he appeared at the senate wearing a customised outfit emblazoned with the inscription “Tinubu for President 2027”.
Reacting to criticisms about the attire, the former senate chief whip said there was nothing unusual about it.
“Who else would have made that dress other than Aba tailors? It was made in Aba, dyed in Aba and delivered in Aba,” Kalu said.
“It is only Aba people who are hardworking that can do it. It’s very fashionable and I will wear it again.” He also rejected insinuations that the outfit was for sycophancy.
“Can a man like me be sycophantic? I am not running for anything. Where am I running to? I’m only running to return to the senate,” he said.
“It’s not political sycophancy. I am a man that can’t be sycophantic. It is a uniform for 2027.
“Sure, my house manager just made it available that morning, and I wore it. I don’t see anything wrong in wearing it.
“It’s you press (media) people that saw something wrong. INEC has lifted the ban on the campaign, but we are preparing.” On whether he is the unofficial campaign manager for Tinubu, Kalu said he would gladly accept the role.
“What is wrong with that? I will be very happy to accept it and do the job for him. I don’t have anything to regret in doing the job,” he said.
Kalu said the president should not be viewed through the lens of regional politics.
“President Tinubu is not the president of the south but the candidate of Nigeria, and I am a Nigerian,” he said.
“I have always said this — every Nigerian should stop addressing himself or herself by region.
“I have asked for legislation where I suggested we remove all local government and state information on forms; people should only fill in that they are Nigerians.”
On concerns that discussing 2027 politics is insensitive, Kalu defended his party’s decision to begin early mobilisation.
“We are a political party, and there must be activities of a political party. We had a midterm assessment of our party where the whole party’s stakeholders gathered,” he said.
“I was in the senate to do my legislative job, and the journalists ran over me. It’s my dress, and I have the right to wear anything I like.
“There is freedom of association and freedom of speech. I also have the right to say what I want to say.”
Kalu also addressed criticism of his previous comments on the economy and Nigerians’ relationship with money.
“I’m not regretting what I said. I work hard for every penny,” he said. “Most rich people are waiting on these beds to take money from subsidies and sell dollars.
“These are what they have been doing. But it’s not about all Nigerians; I said most Nigerians, not all.” Kalu said his industrial contributions should not be overlooked in conversations about patriotism and job creation.
“I think about the people more than most of those attacking me. They have money, but they can’t build any industry in Nigeria,” he said.
Orji Kalu Says
“I still have about 14,000 Nigerian employees on my payroll today, and I’m building more industries to employ more.
“When I speak the truth, you know I don’t bend my words. I’m not a politician in the first instance — I just found myself doing this.” He said the president still needs more time to deliver results.
“President Tinubu needs a few more years. I think the economy will have a good sense of direction in two years, and the benefits will start coming,” he said.
“This economy has been in shambles, and it was not caused by anybody.” On Tinubu’s promise to reduce poverty, Kalu said the public must be realistic about expectations.
“There is no rocket science about it. Nigerians should be patriotic. The whole world is still feeling the effects of COVID,” he said.
Tinubu Government Unveils 100 Electric Buses for Civil Servants
The Federal Government has commissioned 100 electric buses under the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Programme to ease transportation challenges for federal civil servants and improve workers’ welfare.
Eereporter.com
The buses were launched on Wednesday at Eagle Square, Abuja, with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, describing the initiative as a major milestone in efforts to improve the welfare of civil servants.
The first phase of the programme comprises 37 of the 100 buses approved under the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Programme, as reported by Vanguard.
Walson-Jack described the commissioning as her “parting gift” to federal civil servants, coming less than 24 hours before the end of her tenure as Head of the Civil Service.
“What we have here is 37 buses, being the first instalment of the 100 Electric Buses,” she said.
She said transportation had a significant impact on workers’ finances, safety, punctuality and productivity, adding that affordable and reliable transportation would help reduce the burden on civil servants.
“For many Civil Servants, the daily commute shapes their finances, their safety, their punctuality, and ultimately their productivity,” she said.
FG unveils 100 electric buses for civil servants
According to her, the intervention would enable workers to save money, reduce commuting risks and arrive at work with more energy to deliver quality public service.
“A Special Purpose Vehicle has been established to ensure their proper management, maintenance and long-term sustainability,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, described the project as more than a transportation intervention, saying it combined workers’ welfare, productivity, industrialisation and technology.
He said each of the 100 electric buses could accommodate up to 200 passengers and travel a minimum of 200 kilometres on a full charge.
Also, Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Olu Osanipin, in a statement on his X handle, said the “first deployment marks the beginning of a phased rollout, with the full complement of 100 electric buses expected to be deployed by December 2026.”
FG unveils 100 electric buses for civil servants
Transportation
Enoh commended NADDC and other stakeholders involved in the project, urging local manufacturers to invest in factories, deepen local content and produce globally competitive products.
He said the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring that its economic reforms translated into industries, jobs, infrastructure and improved living standards for Nigerians.
Eereporter.com
Brazil Fines TikTok $30m Over Failure to Implement Child Safety
Brazil’s data protection agency on Tuesday fined TikTok nearly $30 million for failing to implement child safety measures in what it said was a “powerful signal” to social media companies.
Eereporter.com
Brazil has taken a tough stance on the regulation of social media platforms, cracking down on disinformation and requiring users under 16 years to have their accounts linked to those of their parents.
An enforcement director with the ANPD data protection agency, Fabricio Lopes, told a press conference that TikTok “was not taking the necessary measures to prevent adolescents from accessing the platform and from having the data of these children and adolescents processed.”
This data was “being used to offer advertising to adolescents.”
He said the fine of 153.7m reais ($29.9 million) was a “powerful signal to other platforms regarding how seriously the ANPD takes this work” and that the agency hoped they “get the message.”
TikTok agreed last week to pay $400m to settle a lawsuit with the US Department of Justice over claims that the video-sharing platform collected children’s personal data without parental permission.
– Tougher enforcement –
This month, the ANPD also ordered popular streaming platform Discord to suspend livestreams and video calls after a teenage girl was allegedly encouraged to take her own life during a broadcast.
The agency told AFP that an appeal filed by Discord on Monday against the suspension is under review.
ANPD director Lorena Coutinho said the agency had, last week, initiated proceedings to verify the compliance of 22 social media networks and platforms with a law passed this year to protect children and teens online.
In addition to the fine, the ANPD ordered TikTok parent company ByteDance to delete data collected in violation of regulations.
Coutinho said TikTok had committed to suspend all adverts for users who are not logged in.
TikTok has committed to “implementing a compliance plan to improve the protection of children and adolescents,” the ANPD said.
Brazil Fines TikTok
The platform will be required to automatically apply stricter privacy settings to accounts belonging to children under the age of 16, strengthen parental supervision systems, and implement stricter content filters.
TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment from AFP.
In 2024, the platform X was blocked for 40 days in Brazil, until the social media network owned by the world’s richest person, Elon Musk, complied with the Supreme Court’s orders to remove accounts spreading disinformation.
Eereporter.com
Economy
Umahi Leads the Way as Tinubu Orders Immediate Action on Benin-Agbor-Asaba Road Intervention
Umahi Leads the Way as Tinubu Orders Immediate Action on Benin-Agbor-Asaba Road Intervention
The Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, has moved swiftly to address the worsening condition of the Ifaki-Kabba-Ado Ekiti road in Ekiti and Kogi States, and Benin-Agbor-Asaba Roads following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for urgent intervention to ease the hardship being faced by motorists and commuters.
Eereporter.com
Umahi, who expressed deep concern over the deplorable condition of the road and the suffering of road users who have spent hours and, in some cases, days on the route, said the Federal Government was determined to take immediate corrective measures while working towards permanent solutions.
“President Tinubu, GCFR, has directed the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently intervene and ensure that necessary corrective actions are taken to restore movement on the affected roads as quickly as possible.” Said Umahi
The Minister, in response to the directive, has already set machinery in motion for immediate action.
As part of the intervention, Umahi directed the Minister of State for Works to lead a team of ministry officials to the Ifaki-Kabba-Ado Ekiti axis to assess the situation and commence urgent remedial works.
The assignment is already on as of 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, with officials of the Ministry on the ground to begin the intervention.
While the intervention team moved into Ekiti and Kogi States, Umahi himself headed to Benin, Edo State, alongside members of the National Assembly Works Committees, to initiate a similar coordinated intervention on the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road.
The Benin meeting is expected to bring together key stakeholders, including representatives of the Edo and Delta State Governments and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), with the aim of finding immediate solutions to the challenges confronting motorists on the strategic corridor.
Umahi also took responsibility for the unfortunate situation on the affected roads and apologised to commuters who have been stranded or delayed for several hours and days.
Benin-Agbor-Asaba
He assured road users that the Federal Government’s response would go beyond temporary relief, with immediate measures being pursued alongside permanent solutions to restore the affected roads and improve their long-term reliability.
Francis Nwaze
Senior Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Works (Media)
August 25, 2026
Eereporter.com
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