News From Nigeria
International Women’s Day 2026: Julius Berger set to uplift women
Leading engineering construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC is set to uplift women in celebration of this year’s International Women’s Day scheduled for Sunday, March 8, 2026. The Day is marked across the world on the 8th of March annually to underscore the achievements of women who have progressed and developed the society. On the special day too, women’s interest groups and organisations raise a loud voice for the execution of women’s rights and their security.
At Julius Berger, this year’s International Women’s Day, IWD 2026 will be celebrated across all its Regions nationwide on Friday, March 6, 2026.
Also, in line with this year’s IWD theme, “Give to Gain,” Julius Berger plans to carry out an outreach program to government secondary schools. The company stated that it is planning for two schools in Abuja and one in each of the Regions during the company’s lunch break period to partake in the outreach program on the said date. We will visit selected secondary schools to support and encourage young girls through motivational talk and distribution of gifts and Julius Berger women-volunteers will be part of the team to visit the schools.
Same day Julius Berger plans a webinar featuring a distinguished guest speaker, to be held at 4pm. The session will be open to all staff members to join virtually, the company added.
Put together, the organisers hold that, the entire initiative will reinforce the belief that when we give knowledge, support, and opportunity, we collectively gain a stronger future generation, thus underscoring the theme of the 2026 IWD; “Give to Gain.”
The IWD was founded in 1911. On March 8 every year, women wear ribbons of purple colour around their wrists; they also use batches and stripes of combined green, purple and white colours.
For gender balancing, every year a theme is presented by the United Nations for the Day. The prevalence of the theme will remain to continue all the yearlong and afterwards for the pursuance of the purpose of Womens’ Day. The Day remains a global day of celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It also marks a call to action for advancing gender equality.
This year, IWD marks an extraordinary milestone: 115 years of collective action, advocacy, and progress toward gender equality. For more than a century, IWD has helped drive transformative change. Each generation has built on the courage of those before it, pushing boundaries and redefining what is possible. This year, Julius Berger plans to enhance its participation in the IWD for better womenfolk nationwide.
VP Shettima: President Tinubu, Friend Of The Media, Remains Firm Believer Of Press Freedom
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has pledged the Federal Government’s support for the Nigeria Press Council’s national compendium on economic and tourism potentials across Nigeria.
This is as the Vice President described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a friend of the media who is a firm believer of independence of the press.
This, he said, explains why the Tinubu administration has, in the past three years, continued to promote an environment that is conducive for journalists to carry out their duties without harassment.
Senator Shettima stated this on Thursday in Abuja when he received a delegation from the Nigeria Press Council (NPC) led by its Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Dili Ezughah, on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa.
Noting that President Tinubu has remained a friend of the media, the Vice President recalled how the President had used his personal resources to assist media organizations.
According to him, people have been making libelous and provocative utterances, with incisive vituperations, against the administration and are allowed to get away with them because the President is very tolerant.
“The President is a friend of the media. He used to assist them from his personal resources, with newsprints and other support mechanisms. He is also a publisher. So, he knows the ecosystem very well, and he believes in the independence of the press.
“For the past three years, have you heard of any harassment of journalists? His tolerance threshold is so high that people who are making incendiary remarks are allowed to have their day for peace to reign in the country,” he stated.
Pledging presidential support for the Council’s bid to get official national endorsement of the publication it is currently working on, VP Shettima also promised to appeal to governors of the 36 states of the federation to key into the project.
“The subnationals own the land, own the people. Their role is very pivotal in really pushing this country forward,” he stated, emphasizing why a buy-in from the governors is pivotal to the book project.
The VP further noted that the national compendium titled, “Nigeria: Documenting the Economic and Tourism Profiles of the 36 States and the FCT,” is a welcome development, expressing hope that the publication would sell Nigeria to the world.
“If you go to other countries, you will see similar books at the airport stands. In terms of the quality of the job, the writings are so top-notch that we can embrace it as our national treasure, and see to it that it is massively printed and circulated to our embassies,” the VP observed.
Earlier, the Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa, thanked the Vice President for his continued leadership and support for initiatives that strengthen Nigeria’s economic and cultural positioning.
According to her, the publication is particularly significant for the tourism and creative economy sectors, as Nigeria’s tourism assets, cultural heritage, and creative industries represent major drivers of economic diversification.
She, however, explained that for these sectors to attract investment and gain global recognition, they must be documented and presented in a structured and credible format such as the compendium, thereby bringing visibility to Nigeria’s cultural sites, tourism destinations, creative hubs, and heritage assets across all thirty-six states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Also, Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Mohammed Auwal Jatau, on behalf of the state Governor, Bala Mohammed, expressed gratitude to the country’s leadership, noting that if the document is approved, every state is likely to benefit based on its respective tourism potential.
For his part, the Executive Secretary of the NPC, Dr. Ezughah, expressed gratitude to the Vice President for granting an audience to the NPC Planning Committee while acknowledging his consistent support for sub-national economic development and national coordination.
He explained that the national compendium being developed spotlights Nigeria’s economic and tourism profiles and requires the Vice President’s strategic direction on the document.
Stanley Nkwocha
Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications
(Office of The Vice President)
26th February, 2026
PRESIDENT TINUBU EXCITED AT ESTABLISHMENT OF LIFC, SAYS SANWO-OLU
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu is very excited about the establishment of the proposed Lagos International Financial Centre (LIFC).
Governor Sanwo-Olu made the disclosure on Sunday evening during the welcome dinner in honour of the delegates at the Nigeria Foreign Direct Investment Training Programme holding at the Moller Institute, University of Cambridge, England.
The training is at the behest of the Lagos International Financial Centre, organised by TheCityUK, and funded by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom.
In his opening remarks, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the stakeholders should be proud that President Tinubu is in support of the establishment of the Lagos International Financial Centre.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who is the Chairman of the Lagos International Financial Centre Council, said LIFC is not about any particular person or region but about the country to position Nigeria in global space.
He said: “President Tinubu is aware of this meeting and our activity. He was very excited when I spoke with him for almost one hour yesterday (Saturday). He is really expecting a memo from us on this, a high-level paper just to ventilate his thought process. He wants to take leadership and ownership of it, which we all can expect.
“We should be thankful that we have a President who can see very quickly and support what we are trying to build, the idea we are trying to conceive and the growth we are trying to give the country. So under his leadership, we all should be proud that if we get this, which we will by God’s grace given the calibre of the turnout, we will get to the final line.
“We have actually been changing the face of many things, and it is a starting point. I think in the next two days, we are going to further ventilate the idea. It is not about any particular person or region; it is about the country and the conversation on how big the country is that will need to use that platform to position the country in that global space where people can truly know that we are serious.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu commended the commitment of major stakeholders in the LIFC project, which included international organisations, top officials of the Federal Government and Lagos State Government, members of the National Assembly, regulatory agencies and the EnterpriseNGR.
Also speaking, the co-chairman of the LIFC Council, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, expressed confidence about the establishment of the Lagos International Financial Centre based on the calibre of stakeholders behind the project.
Aig-Imoukhuede, who commended the unity and commitment of the key stakeholders to the LIFC project, reiterated the dedication of the private sector, saying, “Over the last few days, they have been getting us to see beyond what we are accepting to see and to think really big. It is very motivating to all of us in the private sector.”
The high level training is currently holding at the Moller Institute, University of Cambridge and participants include the Chairman of LIFC, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his co-Chairman, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imokhuede, Senators Tokunboh Abiru, Adamu Aliero and Sadiq Umar Abubakar, Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, CEO of Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Ms Aisha Rimi, representatives of the Central Bank of Nigeria and other Senior Government officials.
SIGNED
GBOYEGA AKOSILE
SPECIAL ADVISER – MEDIA AND PUBLICITY
FEBRUARY 23, 2026
Begin golf training for 50 girls
Business mogul, Felix Aganbi, on Saturday expressed commitment to promoting girl-child education across Nigeria.
“All the young women, young kids out there, join us on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Koko, headquarters of Warri North Local Government Area”
He also urged parents in Nigeria and abroad to allow their daughters to attend the one day Canaan Land golf training and tournament in Koko, Delta State.
“The golf training and tournament will introduce girls to golf in a social and engaging environment. It will also help them build confidence, learn vital skills, and connect with others in a friendly community” Aganbi said in a statement issued Saturday morning.
Scheduled for Sunday, March 8, 2026 at Canaanland Golf and Country Club, Koko, the event celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political accomplishments of women as well as raise awareness for accelerated gender parity.
“A series of tests focusing on building foundation skills for some girls in preparation for the golf training took place on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at Cannan Land Golf Course, Koko” Aganbi said.
Tagged “The Biggest Giving Day of the Year” the event, according to Aganbi is projected to entrench attitude of excellence and develop young, highly quality golfers in terms of their golf quality and personal character,
“Open to girls in years 8-16, the training and tournament provide high quality coaching to assist the girl child in pursuing excellence in the sport of golf”
He listed technical skill development, comprehensive fitness and mental conditioning as key features of the training.
The statement emphasized the well-being of women and girls in Nigeria.
“The girls will learn the basics of golf grip, stance, posture alignment, golf rules and etiquette. They will also be taken for an 18-hole playing lesson”
It also highlighted the efforts of Akogate and Canaanland Club to help children and women obtain enough skills”
‘”The training and tournament will broaden opportunities for girls in Nigeria to realize their potential through education”
In particular, Aganbi invited young girls from Koko, Abigborodo, Asaba, Oghara, Mosogar, Jesse, Sapele, Warri, Ughelli and Benin to the training.
‘”Canaanland Country Club shall continue to encourage the education of females, improve the economic position of women and enhance their participation in matters relating to both the family and the society.
“It is also to join hands with the government in making our state a better place to live, campaign for the dismantling of systemic barriers and push for the power of reciprocity and abundant giving”
The girls will be taught techniques like chipping, putting and driving to give them a complete picture of the game. Our aim is to deliver great learning experiences which in turn encourages the girls to forge a lifelong love affair with the game’”
Driven by Sir Alfred and Mrs Warami Temile, Aganbi said the club would continue to provide necessary assistance for the general development of people, especially those who live in the rural areas.
“The March 8, 2026 training will celebrate women’s achievements, reinforce commitment to gender equality and rally for change”.
“Lunch will be served by Kashogi Restaurant during the International Women’s Day girl-child training session” the statement added.
The First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Golf Classic, scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at Canaanland Golf and Country Club, Koko, has been cancelled” a statement by the Chief Executive Officer of Akogate Group, Hon Felix Aganbi, said.
“This is to ensure all parties are on the same page”
The statement expressed the commitment of Akogate Group and Canaanland Golf Club to improving the lives of Nigerian women and girls.
“We are currently working to get approval for the event” the statement said.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank our attendees for their understanding and continued support” the statement added.