SUBMISSIONS are now open for the 2025 edition of the African Science Journalism Awards, which celebrate excellence in reporting on science, health, and environmental issues across the continent.
Organised by the Science for Africa Foundation, the awards aim to recognise journalists and editors who produce impactful stories that help bridge the gap between science and the public. The competition is open to entries in print, broadcast, online, and multimedia formats.
Eligible works must have been published or aired between January 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. Entries are accepted in English, French, or Portuguese, and must focus on science, research, innovation, or health topics relevant to African audiences.
Award categories include Best Science News Story, Best Feature, Best Audio/Visual Report, Emerging Science Journalist Award, and a dedicated category for editors who have demonstrated exceptional editorial support for science journalism.
Winners will receive cash prizes, regional recognition, and access to mentorship and networking opportunities.
“The awards are not just about recognising talent but also about encouraging more robust, evidence-based reporting that can shape Africa’s future,” the organisers said.
The deadline for submissions is July 15, 2025. Full details and entry forms are available on the Science for Africa Foundation’s official website here.
NIGERIAN footballer Taiwo Awoniyi has regained consciousness after an induced coma he underwent on Wednesday, May 14, following a successful operation to treat a severe abdominal injury.
The Nottingham Forest striker, 27, was hospitalised on Monday, May 12, after colliding with a goalpost while attempting to connect with a cross from teammate Anthony Elanga during the closing moments of Sunday’s 2-2 Premier League draw against Leicester City.
The collision, which occurred as Elanga was flagged offside, left Awoniyi with a ruptured intestine, according to Daily Mail.
He was immediately taken to the hospital, where he underwent the first stage of surgery on Monday.
After spending Tuesday in an induced coma to stabilise his condition, Awoniyi had the second part of the operation on Wednesday, which involved closing the wound.
Medical staff woke him from the coma in the early evening, and the Nigerian star is currently with his family members.
The ICIR reported that a statement on Tuesday, by Nottingham Forest, confirmed that Awoniyi had undergone urgent surgery after the severity of the injury was established on Monday, May 12.
“The Club can confirm Taiwo Awoniyi has undergone urgent surgery following an abdominal injury sustained during Sunday’s match against Leicester City.
“Everyone at Nottingham Forest sends their best wishes to Taiwo. The club will provide further updates when appropriate,” it wrote.
The club, in a separate statement on Tuesday, further stressed that Awoniyi was recovering well from the surgery.
The ICIR reports that Nottingham Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, was seen on the pitch in what appeared to have been confronting manager Nuno Espírito Santo after the 2-2 draw.
The incident stirred controversy among many football lovers and pundits, including Sky Sports’ Gary Neville, who described the situation as ‘scandalous.’
However, Nottingham Forest, in a statement confirming Awoniyi’s recovery, said the owner went to the pitch regarding how the player’s injury was managed.
Aina blames Awoniyi’s incident on late offside call
Reacting to the incident in an interview with Mail, Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina blamed Awoniyi’s injury on a late offside call, stating that it’s ‘horrible’ seeing him go through such an incident.
“It’s horrible seeing someone you are close with go through something like this, but I pray to God everything goes to plan and goes well and that we will be hearing from him soon. I have sent him messages. We all have,” Aina, who also plays alongside Awoniyi, was quoted to have said.
IN the two years since President Bola Tinubu took office, Nigerian students have faced mounting challenges as the cost of education and upkeep rise amid continued economic hardship.
The surge in tuition fees across both federal and state tertiary institutions over the past two years has triggered widespread protests, pushing numerous students and their families into precarious financial situations.
The ICIR reports that since 2023, universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education have announced significant increases in school and hostel fees. Findings indicate that many students who paid between N20,000 and N40,000 are now paying N100,000 and more in their schools.
The economic landscape shifted dramatically following President Tinubu’s inauguration on May 29, with the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira. These policies led to a sharp increase in the cost of transportation, food, and other essential commodities, further straining the budgets of students and their families.
Despite the hardships occasioned by the government’s reforms, many universities have hiked school fees, with some students paying over N200,000, including the University of Jos (UNIJOS) and University of Abuja (UNIAbuja), where a student, Cyprian Igwe, was rusticated in May for urging students to meet and discuss the hike.
For many students and parents, affording school fees has become increasingly difficult, with students from low-income backgrounds being especially hard-hit. Some stated that they resorted to part-time jobs, while others seek crowdfunding from relatives.
The ICIR reported that to bridge this hardship, the federal government introduced the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund), which thousands of students have reportedly benefitted from. However, some are still skeptical of the loan and noted that they would not want to burden themselves with paying back years later.
Mixed feelings trail students loan
While speaking with The ICIR, students of tertiary institutions expressed mixed reactions over the ongoing economic hardships and the impact of student loans in their education.
Some students, like Faruq Abdulganiyu Amo, a 500-level Agriculture student at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, consider the NELFUND as a lifeline.
“The recent hike in school fees has not really affected me, as I’m not the one paying myself. I didn’t make any adjustments in that regard. I applied for the student loan only for the school fee and not upkeep. It really helped.
According to him, many students have benefited from this loan initiative, which has positively impacted a lot of tertiary institutions. It has made a notable difference in my situation and that of many others
“Though I didn’t apply for upkeep, I see how it improves the quality of life for many students,” he said.
Also, Abdullateef Faruq, a 300-level English Education student, described how the fee increase has significantly impacted him, leading to late payments and forcing his family to seek financial assistance from relatives.
“The increase in school fees has impacted me significantly, although it hasn’t pushed me to the point of considering dropping out of school. The main adjustment I’ve had to make is that I often find myself paying late due to delays in gathering the necessary funds caused by the fee hike. Previously, I relied solely on my parents for support, but now we’ve started reaching out to some relatives for additional help,” he explained.
However, he acknowledged that the NELFund student loan he accessed last year played a pivotal role in covering his living expenses and school fees.
The Student’s Loan is an Act of the Parliament that makes it possible for Nigerian students to access zero interest loans to enable them pay for institutional charges and upkeep to any higher institution of their choice within Nigeria.
“This loan has been a valuable resource in many ways, especially for covering my living expenses and paying my school fees. “Although I faced some challenges, particularly with delays in getting my money refunded from the school, once the refund came through, it helped me manage some of my bills,” Faruq said.
Over half a million students registered
Despite the mixed feelings, NELFund’s dashboard data as of April 25, 2025, indicates a strong initial uptake of the programme. Out of 563,225 registered students, 500,341 have successfully applied for loans, representing an 88 per cent application rate.
The dashboard further shows that the total projected loan demand, encompassing funds for both institutional fees and student upkeep, has reached N165,903,458,198.
This projection includes N53,136,818,198 designated for direct payment to educational institutions and N12,766,880,000 allocated for upkeep allowances to support beneficiaries.
However, NELFund said it had only disbursed N54.2 billion. This includes N30,179,797,649.20 paid out for institutional fees and N24,036,160,000 provided as upkeep allowances to eligible students.
The disbursement process has also faced delays, with some students saying it took longer before they got their fund while some said they are still awaiting funds despite successful applications.
Recall a Guardian newspaper reported that at least 51 tertiary institutions were implicated in illegal deductions from institutional fees.
Concerns around repayment
The ICIR also gathered that some students are hesitant to apply for the loan due to uncertainties about their future financial stability and the repayment terms.
The NELFund repayment model involves a 10 per cent deduction from the beneficiary’s salary by their employer, or a 10 per cent monthly profit remittance for self-employed individuals, commencing two years after the completion of NYSC. Beneficiaries without employment after this period are required to notify NELFund via a sworn court affidavit every three months.
A student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Mahmud Abdurasheed, while speaking on the economic hardships noted that until 2023 during his early stage at the university, he lived on less than N10,000 monthly allowance and paid around N33,000 for school fee.
He stressed that with the school fee being significantly increased, he had to support the little he got from home with a menial job at school. According to him, this has helped him foot some of the bills but he agreed that it has a detrimental effect on his studies as he barely had enough time to read.
When asked why he has not applied for the student loan, he noted that paying it back might be hard for him immediately after NYSC.
“I did not apply because I am not interested. I also did not believe in the system and even though I apply, how sure am I sure I will be able to repay in due time. So it’s better I keep up with the work and try to live within my means,” he said.
According NELFund, the loan is due for repayment 2 years after the completion of NYSC and in case the beneficiary does not have job two years after NYSC, the beneficiary should notify NELFund by a sworn affidavit every 3 (three) months after two years post NYSC if still unable to gain employment.
NELFund dashboard.
Private school students hope for support
With its impact being significantly recorded among students of universities, students in private institutions feel marginalised as they are yet to be considered for accessing these loans, despite facing the same economic challenges as those in public institutions.
NELFund explained in October 2024 that the exclusion of private institutions was a strategic decision to maximise the reach of limited public funds by targeting the most vulnerable students in public schools with relatively lower tuition fees.
“We’re working with public funds, and the resources are limited. Most of the students who need this support are in public schools, where fees are affordable. It’s about prioritising and helping more people with the available funds,” the Managing Director of NELFund, Akintunde Sawyer, explained.
However, some private institution students objected to the claims, arguing that they are also facing the brunt of Tinubu’s economic policies.
Itoro Udo, a 300-level Mass Communication student at Bingham University, explained that while she can still afford her fees, the soaring cost of food is severely impacting her and her family.
“Things like food have really increased making it hard to eat two meals a day. The price of provisions has also gone up and in a school like mine where you aren’t allowed to cook it makes feeding difficult.
“I think that it would be very helpful to private school students and it would help students with upkeep and little things like dues and transport,” she said.
Nyiri Gyang, a 400-level Political Science student at Bingham University, echoed these sentiments, stating that the school fee hike has made it difficult to cover her dues.
She noted that the current inflation has also had a great deal of impact on her academics, adding that she is unable to ‘feed properly and meet up my deadlines for assignments because I can’t print sometimes.”
She stressed that she often resorted to borrowing from friends to complete printings for her assignments and paying back later when she has some money.
“The NELFund will be a good initiative to aid students like me improve academically,” she said.
The Taraba Tiv People’s Association (TATIPA), Abuja chapter, has raised the alarm over what it described as a systematic campaign of displacement, identity erasure, and institutional marginalisation against Tiv communities in Southern Taraba.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, May 14, the group leaders decried the “continued eviction and violent attacks targeting Tiv settlements in Wukari, Ibi, Donga, and Takum Local Government Areas.”
It called on the Federal Government and the international community to intervene in what it termed a “grave humanitarian crisis.”
A member of TATIPA’s Board of Trustees, Orbee Uchiv, who led the group at the briefing, said Tiv people had been displaced from over 280 villages, affecting nearly 300,000 people in the region.
“The Tiv people are not settlers in Taraba State. Our nativity is well-established by historical records and colonial documentation,” Orbee said, adding, “Yet, we are being pushed out of our ancestral lands, and our towns are being renamed as part of a deliberate attempt to erase our identity.”
Names of Tiv communities in Taraba State allegedly renamed include Dan-Anacha to Kwararafa, Peva to Chanchanji, and Ayu to Tsokundi.
The group also condemned the alleged failure of successive administrations in the state to implement the recommendations of various peace committees, despite the protracted nature of the Jukun-Tiv conflict, which re-escalated in April 2019.
According to the group, the Tiv people in the state have been denied traditional recognition and political inclusion for decades. They pointed out that while other ethnic traditional rulers in the state have been elevated to first class status, Tiv traditional institutions have remained stagnant for over 100 years.
“There are over 18 Tiv village heads that were officially recognised as far back as 1923. Yet, not a single one has been upgraded to a district or chiefdom level. Meanwhile, we remain excluded from the Taraba State Council of Chiefs and Emirs,” Orbee stated.
TATIPA also raised concerns over the alleged disenfranchisement of its people in the state, claiming that over 58 polling units in Tiv communities were no longer recognised, forcing many residents to travel long distances to vote during elections.
In addition, the association condemned the recent attacks on Tiv villages, including the May 6 invasion of Deke village and the May 10 ambush at Tse-Bidi near Tor-Musa, which it said resulted in multiple casualties and injuries.
“These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a coordinated pattern of violence aimed at displacing our people and silencing opposition to government policies, such as the proposed military barracks in Ikyaior,” Achibo said.
The group called for the arrest and prosecution of people allegedly involved in the recent violence.
The violence has deeply affected education. Several Tiv children have been forced out of school as their families flee for safety, and the destruction of communities has disrupted schooling across the region. “Today, more than 280 Tiv people have been rendered homeless… stripped not only of their homes and farmlands, but also of their dignity and hope for a stable future,” the group lamented.
It called for a transparent and well-coordinated plan to ensure the safe return of displaced Tiv persons to their ancestral homes.
It demanded upgrading Tiv’s traditional institutions to full chiefdom status and fair representation in the Taraba State Council of Chiefs and Emirs.
Among others, the group also urged relevant Federal Government agencies such as the National Emergency Management Agency and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to provide urgent relief and support to its displaced people.
Efforts by The ICIR to get reactions to the allegations from the Taraba State government proved abortive.
The ICIR contacted Emmanuel Bello, the spokesperson to the Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, for comments on the claims Wednesday evening.
He did not respond to a WhatsApp message sent to his line. He also did not pick up the calls to his phone line on Thursday morning or respond to a text message sent to him about the allegations.
THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the rescheduling of 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for candidates affected by technical glitches in the recent UTME exam.
The rescheduled examination will take place on Friday May 16, Saturday May 17, and Sunday May 18, at designated centres across Lagos and the South East.
JAMB Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, stated during a press briefing in Abuja, on Wednesday, May 14, that the decision was reached after identifying significant errors in the initial exam process.
According to Oloyede, the affected centres include 65 in Lagos and92 in the Owerri zone, comprising five states of the South East.
Oloyede assured that candidates whose timetables clash with other commitments would be accommodated accordingly.
Background
The decision to reschedule the exam followed widespread protests from candidates and parents after the release of the 2025 UTME results.
According to JAMB, 78.5 per cent of candidates scored below 200, a commonly used benchmark for admission into competitive federal university programmes in Nigeria.
Out of the 1,955,069 registered candidates, 1,534,654 scored below 200, while 39,834 results were withheld for reasons ranging from examination malpractice to technical faults.
During the press briefing, Oloyede apologised for the trauma caused, admitting to “one or two errors” during the administration of the exams.
“I apologise for the trauma caused the candidates,” Oloyede was quoted to have said.
“What should have been a moment of joy has changed due to one or two errors,” he added.
He admitted that the mass failure resulted from a systemic error that affected the grading process.
“So, I appeal to the candidates and those affected by the error of our system to accept this explanation as the truth of the matter without embellishment, Please. I apologise and take full responsibility, not just in words,” he was quoted to have said.
THE Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Ishaq Oloyede, a professor, on Wednesday, May 14, broke down in tears as he apologised to parents and candidates for errors that he said led to the failure of nearly 400,000 candidates in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
During a press conference in Abuja, Oloyede expressed regret for the trauma and frustration the errors caused affected candidates and their families.
He acknowledged that what should have been a moment of joy for many had turned into disappointments due to ‘one or two errors’ made during the examination process.
“I apologise for the trauma caused the candidates,” Oloyede was quoted to have said.
“What should have been a moment of joy has changed due to one or two errors,” Oloyede added.
He admitted that the mass failure resulted from a systemic error that affected the grading process.
He also disclosed that the Board had identified 65 centres in Lagos and 92 centres in the Owerri zone (comprising the five states of the South East) where the glitches occurred, affecting 379,997 candidates in total.
“206,610 in 65 centres were affected in Lagos and 92 centres in Owerri zone, comprising 173,387 candidates in the five states of the South East were affected,” he said.
The ICIR reported that the mass failure sparked nationwide protests after it was revealed that 78.5 per cent of candidates scored below 200, a common benchmark for gaining admission into competitive programmes at Nigerian federal universities.
According to JAMB, of the 1,955,069 registered candidates, 1,534,654 scored below 200, while the results of 39,834 candidates were withheld for various reasons.
Recall that, on Monday, May 12, JAMB said it had launched an investigation into numerous complaints regarding the recently released 2025 UTME results.
DATA on Lassa fever from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Wednesday, May 14, showed that the country recorded 717 confirmed cases and 138 deaths between the first week of January and May 4, 2025.
The outbreak spread across 18 states and 93 Local Government Areas (LGAs)
The NCDC described Lassa fever as an acute viral haemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus, mostly through the type of rodents known as the multimammate rat or the African rat.
The disease can be spread through direct contact with urine, faeces, saliva, or the blood of infected rats or contaminated objects, faeces, saliva, or the blood of infected rats.
Person-to-person transmission can also occur through direct contact with an infected person’s blood, urine, faeces, vomitus, and other body fluids.
The NCDC’s latest situation report indicates that as of epidemiological week 18, Ondo, Bauchi, and Taraba states are the most affected, accounting for 71 per cent of all confirmed cases. Ondo, with 215 confirmed cases, was responsible for 30 per cent of confirmed cases, Bauchi, with 180 confirmed cases, accounted for 25 per cent, and Taraba, with 116 confirmed cases, presented 16 per cent of confirmed cases.
The report also shows that the case fatality rate (CFR) for the outbreak is 19.3 per cent, which is higher than the 18.0 per cent CFR recorded during the same period in 2024. This means that there was a high fatality rate so far in 2025 when compared to 2024.
While the number of suspected and confirmed cases has decreased compared to the same period in 2024, the high CFR remains a concern.
According to the report, the most affected age group is 21-30 years.
In the current reporting week (week 18), 10 new confirmed cases were reported in Ondo, Edo, Bauchi and Benue States.
This according to the report, was a decrease from the 11 cases reported in the previous week(week 17).
The report also indicated three new confirmed deaths due to Lassa fever in week 18.
The NCDC said it was coordinating the response to the outbreak through its Incident Management System, working with various partners and stakeholders.
The report highlighted that challenges such as late presentation of cases, poor health-seeking behaviour, poor environmental sanitation, and low awareness in high-burden communities persisted.
THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will commence the review of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results tomorrow, Thursday, May 15.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of Educare, Alex Onyia, who will participate in the review, JAMB stated that the exercise was part of efforts to address public concerns about the recently released results.
The ICIR reports that Onyia has been at the forefront demanding for accountability and transparency of results from the JAMB following the mass failure recorded in this year’s examination.
He had also called for a proper review of the results, adding that some students reported glitches while writing the exams, while others said the results didn’t reflect their efforts.
Reacting to this and other public outcry, JAMB stated that it had invited representatives from various educational and professional bodies to participate in the review process.
The invitees members include the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Chief External Examiners, the Computer Professionals Association of Nigeria (CPN), vice chancellors from various universities, rectors of polytechnics, provosts of colleges of education, and other relevant stakeholders.
The JAMB expressed its commitment to transparency in the review process.
Recall that, on Monday, May 12, JAMB said it had launched an investigation into numerous complaints regarding the recently released 2025 UTME results.
This followed candidates’ poor performance and protests that greeted the release of the results, as 78.5 per cent of the candidates scored below 200, a benchmark commonly used for admission into competitive programmes in Nigerian federal universities.
According to JAMB, of the 1,955,069 registered candidates, 1,534,654 scored below 200, while the results of 39,834 candidates were withheld for various reasons.
Onyia, law firm seek results sheet
In a letter dated May 12, 2025, Onyia and a Law firm, John Nwobodo & Associates, expressed concerns over what they described as the “worst failure rate” in JAMB’s history, with nearly 80 per cent of candidates scoring below 200.
They demanded full disclosure of examination questions and corresponding answers. They also disputed the results, alleging that they do not reflect the actual performance of their candidates.
They suggested that a software glitch might have caused a mismatch between questions and answers during grading.
They further argued that JAMB’s system, which only displays aggregate scores without corresponding answers, lacked transparency and leaves room for doubt and mistrust. Onyia and the firm demanded a comprehensive review of the grading process to ensure that the correct answers matched the correct questions.
STAKEHOLDERS from civil society, government, and the media have demanded a reassessment of how integrity is rewarded within the Nigeria public sector.
At a multi-stakeholder engagement hosted by Accountability Lab Nigeria, partners of the organisation, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), National Orientation Agency (NOA), Step- Up Nigeria, PRIMORG among others, argued that while symbolic awards are commendable, they are no longer enough to sustain ethical behaviour among public servants facing serious personal and professional risks.
At the centre of the conversation held at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua centre Abuja on May 13, 2025, was the Integrity Icon campaign, an annual initiative supported by MacArthur Foundation, that identifies and celebrates government officials who have demonstrated integrity virtue.
The campaign, which began in 2017, has recognised not fewer than 38 public servants across various sectors, 17 of which are male and 21 females.
Rigorous selection processes were deployed involving nominations, background checks, interviews, and storytelling through short films.
Symbolic recognition, real-life consequences
Speaking at the event, Nneka Henrya, key organiser of the campaign, acknowledged that the award is deliberately non-monetary to preserve its authenticity.
“From conception, we decided it should be non-monetary, so that people are not living their lives for the sake of the award,” she said, adding, “We want to celebrate those who are doing what is right without expecting anything in return.”
However, this was challenged by some participants who shared stories of awardees facing backlash or neglect after being recognised.
Ademola Bakari, spokesperson of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), told the story of a customs officer who rejected a $1 million bribe and was later abandoned by his agency.
“After refusing the bribe, he was redeployed with no accommodation. He slept in his office. People mocked him, saying, ‘If you had taken that money, you’d have built houses,’ That’s the reality,” Bakari said.
He added: “We cannot afford to drop the ball. Reward has to be there. If it’s not tangible, people will jeer at those doing the right thing.”
Session of participants at Rethinking Reward organised by Accountability Lab
What did you get?
Friday Odeh, Country Director of Accountability Lab Nigeria, echoed concerns about unmet expectations.
“We’ve had awardees return home, and their families ask them, ‘What did they give you? A house? A car?’ Some icons were even mocked,” he said.
Odeh noted that these perceptions create a disincentive for future nominees, especially in a society where “people are used to paying or being paid for recognition.”
Sharing an anecdote from a past edition of the campaign, Odeh said: “There was a lady who wanted to pay for her boyfriend to receive the Integrity Icon award.” It just shows how skewed the understanding of recognition has become.”
A call for institutional support
Another major concern raised was the lack of institutional backing for recognised icons. According to Odeh, some public servants have been dropped from the programme after their supervisors refused to approve filming or recognition.
“We’ve lost at least three icons because their employers didn’t approve. In some cases, they said, ‘We have our own internal process for recognising staff, and we weren’t consulted,” he explained.
This was supported by contributions from Austin Agbonsuremi of the Progressive Impact Organisation for Community Development, PRIMORG, who emphasised that the absence of institutional buy-in undermines the long-term impact of the campaign.
“Recognition shouldn’t end at the ceremony. We need continuous engagement radio programs, TV features, and follow-up stories. Reward is not just cash; it’s sustained visibility,” he said.
Balancing ethics with incentives
During a panel session, Chido Onumah, journalist and author, raised questions about the value of rewarding integrity in a corrupt system.
“Can you really award integrity? Isn’t it something people should just do? But then again, we live in a system where doing your job honestly makes you a unicorn,” Onumah said.
He supported the idea of creative, non-monetary incentives—such as housing support, HR recognition, or mentorship platforms—that affirm the icon’s value without cheapening the award.
Jaye Gaskia, an activist and civil society leader, pointed out that the public should also have a role in vetting nominees.
“Why not let the public flag nominees too, like Churches calling for objections during weddings? Agencies like ICPC may not have all the info,” he said.
Beyond awards: Stories of impact
Despite these challenges, the campaign has recorded success stories. One awardee, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Francis Erhabo, was recognised for his exemplary service during the #EndSARS protests.
“Youth in his community protected his house, saying, ‘We’ve never seen a police officer like you,” Odeh said, adding, “He mentored 10 to 15 junior officers who said they wanted to be like him.”
Another icon, a NYSC official, transformed the deployment process by introducing online postings to reduce manipulation. A third, a university HOD, refused to allow an influential student to graduate without completing required coursework.
“These small acts add up. That’s the diffusion of integrity we want to see,” Odeh said.
While the Integrity Icon campaign has contributed significantly to reshaping public narratives around honesty in governance, speakers agreed that it must evolve meet today’s complex realities.
“There’s no big-bang solution to corruption. But if we continue to support the good people and reward them properly, we’ll move the needle,” Bakari of the ICPC summed.
AS President Bola Ahmed Tinubu clocks two years in office, his administration has been marked by suspension and outright sacking of key government officials.
In his first 100 days, the president suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa two, key figures at the heart of Nigeria’s financial and anti-corruption sectors.
This analysis reviews the sackings and suspensions that characterised Tinubu’s administration in the last two years.
Abdulrasheed Bawa
On June 15, 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu suspended Abdulrasheed Bawa from his position as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The ICIR reports that the announcement was made via a statement issued by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), noting that the suspension was indefinite.
According to the statement, Bawa’s suspension followed weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him, and that the decision was taken to enable a proper and unhindered investigation into his conduct while in office.
Following his suspension, Bawa was invited by the State Security Service (SSS) and subsequently detained for four months. During this period, he was denied access to his family and legal counsel, an action that sparked widespread criticism from lawyers and civil society organisations (CSOs) in the country.
Many decried the prolonged detention without trial as a violation of his fundamental human rights and called for greater adherence to due process. In October 2023, Bawa was officially replaced with Ola Olukoyede, marking a significant leadership change at the anti-graft agency.
Godwin Emefiele
In June 2023, President Bola Tinubu suspended the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, citing ongoing investigations and planned financial sector reforms. He was directed to hand over to the Deputy Governor (Operations directorate) Folashodun Shonubi in an acting capacity.
By October, Tinubu formally sacked Emefiele along with all CBN deputy governors. He then nominated Olayemi Cardoso, a former Lagos Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, as the new CBN governor. Cardoso was later confirmed by the Senate for a five-year term.
Intelligence Chiefs
On June 19, 2023, President Bola Tinubu sacked eight key security and intelligence chiefs in a sweeping shake-up of the nation’s defence architecture. Those affected included the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno; Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Air Staff, Isiaka Amao; Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Gambo; Acting Inspector General of Police, Alkali Usman; Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali; and Chief of Defence Intelligence, Samuel Adebayo. The ICIRreports that the president immediately named their replacements and also appointed new heads for strategic military formations, including the State House. These changes were accompanied by the announcement of additional special advisers.
Heads of aviation agencies
On December 13, 2023, President Bola Tinubu approved the sack and replacement of several chief executive officers of agencies under the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development. The ICIRreports that the decision, announced by the then Presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale, was aimed at aligning Nigeria’s civil aviation sector with international standards and enhancing consumer protection.
Those affected included the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Kabir Yusuf Mohammed; Director-General of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Akinola Olateru; and heads of NAMA, NiMET, and NCAT.
Additionally, the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Musa Nuhu, was suspended to allow for an EFCC investigation into allegations of misconduct within the agency.
FCCPC, BPE CEOs
On January 8, 2024, President Bola Tinubu sacked Babatunde Irukera, CEO of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and Alexander Ayoola Okoh, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE). The presidency stated the move was part of efforts to restructure and reposition key federal agencies.
Earlier that same day, Tinubu suspended the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, following allegations of fund diversion into a private account. She was officially dismissed in October 2024.
Ahmad Salihjo
President Bola Tinubu approved the indefinite suspension of the Managing Director/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Ahmad Salihijo on March 7, 2024, along with three executive directors Olaniyi Alaba Netufo (Corporate Services), Barka Sajou (Technical Services), and Sa’adatu Balgore (Rural Electrification Fund).
According to a statement by the president’s media team, the suspensions followed revelations from a probe into the agency’s financial activities. The officials were being investigated over the alleged mismanagement of over ₦1.2 billion, part of which has already been recovered by anti-graft agencies.
Solomon Arase
On June 10, 2024, Tinubu removed Solomon Arase as Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), less than two years into his four-year tenure as stipulated by the Commission’s Act. He was immediately replaced by Hashimu Argungu.
The dismissal came just three days after The ICIRsubmitted a petition to the presidency, accusing Arase of using the police to harass its staff following the publication of an investigative report that exposed alleged misconduct during his time as IGP.
The ICIR had called for Arase’s suspension and investigation over alleged abuse of office and corruption.
Mamman Ahmadu
On June 15, 2024, Tinubu directed Mamman Ahmadu to resign from his position as Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). According to a statement by the president’s media team, the directive was part of broader efforts to restructure the public procurement system.
NPA, Printing and Minting MDs
On June 11, 2024, Tinubu ordered the immediate removal of the Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc (NSPM), Ahmed Halilu brother to former First Lady Aisha Buhari alongside four top executives of the company. Those affected included Ado Danjuma (Executive Director, Corporate Services), Chris Orewa (Executive Director, Operations – Lagos), Tunji Kazeem (Executive Director, Security Documents), and Victoria Irabor (Company Secretary).
The following day, the President also relieved Mohammed Bello-Koko of his position as Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), appointing Abubakar Dantsoho as his replacement. No official reason was provided for the dismissal.
Jalal Arabi
In August 2024, the President dismissed the chairman of the National Hajj Commission, Jalal Arabi, less than a year after appointing him in October 2023. Though no official reason was provided, the removal came amid an ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged mismanagement and unlawful withdrawal of N90 billion earmarked for the 2024 Hajj subsidy.
The ICIR reports that Arabi was detained by the EFCC on August 16 in connection with the allegations. Following his dismissal, the President appointed a new head, Abdullahi Usman, for the commission.
