Nigeria Takes Centre Stage at UN Road Safety Summit as Tinubu Delegates FRSC Corps Marshal

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reinforced Nigeria’s commitment to the global campaign against road traffic fatalities by appointing the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, to lead the country’s delegation to the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Improving Global Road Safety in New York, United States.

The high-level gathering at the United Nations General Assembly Headquarters has brought together Heads of State, ministers, global policymakers and road safety experts to review progress and accelerate efforts towards achieving the UN target of reducing road traffic deaths and serious injuries by 50 per cent before 2030 under the Decade of Action for Road Safety.

Representing President Tinubu at the plenary session, Shehu Mohammed delivered Nigeria’s national statement on the meeting’s theme, “Scaling Up and Accelerating Implementation of Commitments to Halving Road Traffic Deaths and Injuries by 2030.”

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s determination to strengthen road safety governance through sustained political commitment, strategic investments, innovation and stronger international partnerships in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Corps Marshal highlighted the significant progress Nigeria has recorded in advancing road safety, noting that the Federal Government has strengthened the institutional capacity of the FRSC through strategic reforms, technology-driven enforcement systems, enhanced emergency response mechanisms and intensified public education campaigns aimed at reducing crashes and fatalities.

He also showcased Nigeria’s growing influence in road safety across Africa, citing the recent launch of the Nigeria Road Assessment Programme (NigeriaRAP) in partnership with the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP).

According to him, the initiative adopts the globally recognised Safe System Approach to improve road infrastructure safety and reduce crash risks.

Mohammed further pointed to Nigeria’s role as host of the Secretariat of the African Association of Road Safety Lead Agencies (AARSLA), describing it as a strategic platform for promoting collaboration, knowledge sharing and institutional development among road safety agencies across the continent.

On sustainable transportation, the FRSC boss told delegates that Nigeria is aligning its mobility agenda with global environmental goals through the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Electric Vehicles (EVs), while developing comprehensive safety standards for heavy-duty vehicles and emerging transport technologies.

While acknowledging the progress already made, Mohammed stressed that achieving the 2030 target would require stronger international cooperation in areas such as intelligent enforcement technologies, road infrastructure safety assessments, institutional capacity development and technology transfer.

He therefore urged development partners and the international community to expand technical cooperation and support capacity-building programmes that would help countries accelerate the implementation of global road safety commitments.

Reaffirming Nigeria’s position, the Corps Marshal declared that road safety remains a national priority under President Tinubu’s administration, assuring the global community that the country would continue to collaborate with international partners to build safer roads, save more lives and contribute meaningfully to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The UN High-Level Meeting, convened by the President of the United Nations General Assembly in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), is expected to adopt a Progress Declaration that will shape global road safety actions towards meeting the 2030 target.

The meeting is also reviewing countries’ progress since the 2022 Political Declaration and the Fourth Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety held in Marrakech, Morocco, in 2025.

Blessing Computers marks over 20 years of building trust, expanding access to genuine technology

For more than two decades, while Nigeria’s technology landscape has evolved at a remarkable pace, one company has steadily built its reputation on a less glamorous but enduring asset—trust.

Blessing Computers Limited, established in 2003 and incorporated by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), has marked over 20 years of providing genuine technology products, ICT infrastructure solutions, technical support and after-sales services to individuals, businesses, educational institutions, government agencies and corporate organisations across Nigeria and beyond, reinforcing its position as one of the country’s dependable technology solution providers.

Reflecting on the role of technology in today’s society, the company said access to reliable digital tools has become increasingly critical to personal and economic development.

According to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Blessing Ikhayere Usinode, “Technology has quietly become the infrastructure of modern life. It powers how students learn, how businesses operate, how professionals deliver their best work, and how individuals stay connected to the opportunities around them.

“But access to reliable, genuine, and well-supported technology has never been evenly distributed — and for many people across Nigeria, finding a trustworthy place to start has been the first and hardest challenge.”

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Headquartered in Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos, Blessing Computers says its growth has been anchored on a simple philosophy of ensuring customers receive honest professional guidance, quality products and dependable support long after every purchase.

As an authorised Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) partner for globally recognised brands including Dell, HP and Lenovo, Blessing Computers supplies laptops, desktop computers, printers, network servers, networking equipment and a broad range of technology accessories.

It also offers products from other leading global technology manufacturers to meet the diverse needs of its growing customer base.

Beyond hardware sales, the company has expanded its offerings to include IT infrastructure deployment, system upgrades, network solutions, technical consultancy, repairs and maintenance, delivery services, deployment support, structured after-sales support and warranty management, positioning itself as a long-term technology partner rather than simply a retailer.

From its Lagos base, Blessing Computers has steadily expanded its reach across Nigeria while serving clients in international markets.

Over the years, the company said it has earned the confidence of businesses, institutions and organisations through consistent service delivery, professional expertise and an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction.

The company says its sustained growth has been driven less by aggressive marketing than by referrals from satisfied customers and a reputation built on reliability, integrity and quality service.

Evaluating the milestone, Blessing Computers notes that technology goes beyond the devices people use every day, describing it as a critical enabler of education, business growth, productivity and economic opportunities.

The company reaffirms its commitment to delivering trusted technology products, expert technical support and innovative ICT solutions that help individuals and organisations embrace digital transformation with confidence while making reliable technology more accessible to Nigerians.

Blessing Computers marks over 20 years of building trust, expanding access to genuine technology

NNPCL delivered less than 25% of expected crude under naira-for-crude programme — Dangote

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has disputed claims by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) that it fully met its obligations under the Federal Government’s naira-for-crude programme, revealing that the national oil company supplied only three of the 14 crude oil cargoes expected under the arrangement.

The refinery said the deliveries represented less than 25 per cent of the crude volumes it anticipated receiving through the initiative, forcing it to source the majority of its feedstock from international suppliers to keep operations running.

The clarification follows NNPCL’s recent assertion that it supplied all crude cargoes made available under the naira-for-crude programme and did not withhold feedstock from the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery.

Responding to the claim, Dangote Refinery maintained that the crude volumes supplied under the arrangement fell significantly short of its operational requirements.

According to refinery officials, the facility received only about four million barrels of crude per month, compared with an expected allocation of roughly 13 million barrels monthly under the programme. The shortfall, the company said, made it impossible to rely solely on domestic crude supplies.

To bridge the gap, Dangote Refinery said it turned to international crude suppliers, purchasing additional feedstock from global trading companies and producers in Africa, the Middle East and other oil-producing regions.

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The refinery noted that the naira-for-crude initiative remains an important policy designed to support local refining, reduce pressure on Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves and improve the availability of petroleum products in the domestic market. However, it stressed that the programme can only achieve its objectives if adequate volumes of crude are consistently supplied to local refineries.

The disagreement comes shortly after Dangote Refinery announced plans to begin selling refined petroleum products in United States dollars, citing rising production costs caused by inadequate domestic crude supply and increased dependence on imported crude purchased at international market prices.

The company explained that buying crude in dollars while selling refined products in naira had become increasingly unsustainable, particularly amid exchange rate volatility and higher global crude prices.

Industry analysts have warned that continued reliance on imported crude could increase production costs, place additional pressure on Nigeria’s foreign exchange market and ultimately affect domestic fuel prices.

At the same time, analysts noted that higher international oil prices could improve Nigeria’s export earnings, partially offsetting some of the economic pressures associated with increased crude import costs.

For its part, NNPCL maintained that it fulfilled its obligations by delivering every crude cargo allocated under the programme, arguing that crude supply depends on production levels, availability, contractual commitments and operational schedules.

The differing positions highlight the broader challenge of ensuring sufficient domestic crude supply for local refineries despite Nigeria being Africa’s largest crude oil producer.

Since commencing operations, Dangote Refinery has increasingly relied on a combination of domestic and imported crude to maintain production. The refinery is expected to play a pivotal role in reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products, improving energy security and expanding exports of refined fuels across Africa.

Industry stakeholders say strengthening the implementation of the naira-for-crude policy and guaranteeing consistent crude supply to domestic refiners will be critical to achieving the Federal Government’s goal of making Nigeria self-sufficient in refined petroleum products.

NNPCL delivered less than 25% of expected crude under naira-for-crude programme — Dangote