By Chidera Orji

Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has described as inaccurate and misleading, a publication attributed to Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) which stated that the prevailing electricity supply constraints noticed some pats of Abuja was as a result of reduction in its power allocation to the tripping of transmission lines supplying Abuja from Shiroro Transmission Substation.

The report had quoted AEDC as attributing the tripping of transmission lines supplying Abuja from the Shiroro Transmission Substation.

But in a statement by the management of Transmission Company of Nigeria TCN, disclosed that contrary to the iAEDC’s claim, “all 330kV transmission lines within Abuja Region are currently in circuit, and no such tripping of the 330kV transmission lines supplying Abuja axis, as alleged by AEDC, has occurred.”

TCN explained that the ” reduction in AEDC’s allocation and the resultant load shedding across its feeders cannot be attributed to the alleged tripping of TCN’s 330kV transmission lines within the Abuja Region. We reiterate the importance of accurate and clear information dissemination.

TCN noted that it remains committed to efficiently transmitting available bulk electricity across the nation and maintaining the stability, reliability, and integrity of the nation’s transmission grid.

By Our Reporter

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has promised to reopen Nigeria’s land borders if elected president.

Atiku made the pledge while speaking to supporters in a video currently circulating online. The footage was shared on Friday by an ADC chieftain, Dele Momodu.

The former vice president argued that restrictions at the nation’s land borders had adversely affected cross-border commerce and worsened unemployment, particularly among young Nigerians.

“The Northern states is bordering Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Benin Republic.

“And you close all those borders. All our young men who are doing trading between these countries, they carry goods across, they do this and that, all what we call transborder trade is a legitimate business,” Atiku said.

According to him, the border closures had driven many young entrepreneurs out of business, including those who previously operated enterprises with substantial capital and employed other Nigerians.

“All the upcoming young men and women who used to have a capital of 10 million, 20 million, and they were employing two, three other people, and then all of them went bankrupt and unemployed. How can there be security?” he asked.

“So I said I am going to reopen the borders and I will,” he added.

Atiku also disclosed that he had previously engaged European shippers and ship development companies on possible ways of upgrading ports in the South and South-East.

“During the last campaign, I went across to Europe to discuss with shippers and ship development companies how we can together develop South and South-Eastern ports so that there is balance as far as importation of goods and transportation of goods are concerned,” he said.

He said developing ports in the southern region would improve the distribution of goods across the country while cutting the cost and duration of transporting cargo to the North-East.

Atiku used the movement of containers from Lagos to Yola, Adamawa State, where he said he owns a factory, to illustrate the challenges faced by businesses.

“So when, if I drop my container in Calabar or in Uyo or in Port Harcourt, it will just take me 24 hours to take the container to Yola.

“But right now, it takes me not less than two months to take my container from Lagos because you have to cross over from South-West, you go to North-East, and then there is even no road,” Atiku said.

He maintained that his proposal was aimed at addressing concerns surrounding the efficient movement of goods and ensuring a more balanced development of the country’s port infrastructure.

Nigeria’s land borders were shut in August 2019 during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. The Federal Government said the measure was intended to tackle widespread smuggling of rice, poultry products, petroleum products and other commodities, alongside the illegal movement of weapons and drugs, while encouraging domestic agricultural production.

In December 2020, Buhari approved the reopening of four land borders, including the Seme Border in Lagos State, Illela Border in Sokoto State, Maigatari Border in Jigawa State and Mfun Border in Cross River State.

Under President Bola Tinubu, the Federal Government reopened the Tsamiya land border with Benin Republic in Kebbi State and the Kamba corridor connecting Nigeria with Niger Republic in February 2026.

The Nigeria Customs Service had said the reopening of the routes would be accompanied by measures to curb smuggling and other forms of cross-border criminality.

Despite the gradual reopening of some major border crossings, restrictions and tighter controls remain in place at certain land borders.

*** Says fund covered 319 tertiary institutions in two years

From Uduak God’spower (Uyo)

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) disclosed that it has disbursed N322 billion loan to over 1.6 million Nigerian students, since the scheme came on board two years ago.

The disclosure was made by the Managing Director of the scheme, Akintunde Sawyer, during a National Sensitisation Programme on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) for the South-South, in Uyo on Thursday .

Represented by the Director Human Resources, Zino Ugboma, the Managing Director stated that about 319 tertiary institutions in the country have so far benefited from the loan.

He emphasised that the loan was designed to eliminate financial barriers that would deprive qualified students from benefiting from the scheme.

“We have provided funds to 319 tertiary institutions in Nigeria that have benefited from NELFUND. We have 1.6 million plus beneficiaries and as of this month, N322 billion has been released from NELFUND.

“In Akwa Ibom State, since inception, we have had 24,283 applicants. Of this number, 23,473,000 have received benefits from NELFUND. This amounts to N2.1 billion that we have deposited in Akwa Ibom state alone. We have brought in N1.2 billion to this university, for the benefit of the students,” he stated.

The MD commended the 10th Senate for its commitment to deepening access to quality secondary education and for the bold step in bringing the scheme directly to the students.

Earlier in his goodwill message, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, said the government has complemented the Renewed Hope Initiative of President Bola Tinubu with the ARISE agenda, which has been used to alleviate the burden of students through the payment of fees and bursaries.

Eno, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Prof Ubong Umoh, said, “Under the ARISE agenda, students of Akwa Ibom State origin are given access to bursaries, and just recently, the sum of N1.3 billion was released for students to be able to have access and an increase from N20,000 to N50,000 Naira for each student as they have to pay that burden.

“And that is a commitment that the State Government has towards complementing the effort of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Moreover, furthermore to that, at the basic level of education, from the basic into the tertiary the state government has implemented the execution and building of thirty- one model primary schools and three model secondary schools and again expansion of programs in our tertiary institutions.

“For instance, from 43 programs that His Excellency came to meet, he has increased to 84 programs. And within that context, it shows that the number of students has increased tremendously and that number needs to be taken care of with various academic incentives like the loan.”

Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof. Christopher Ekong, appreciated the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions for bringing the NELFUND sensitisation programme to the institution and expressed optimism that it would be beneficial to the University and the students.

It would be recalled that president Bola Tinubu’ recently directed the transfer of unencumbered liquid funds recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and specific unclaimed dividends to strengthen the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND)., a development that has increased the funds financial capability to disburse more loans to Nigerian students