The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), has announced partial closures of jetties and terminals along the iconic Five Cowries Creek from October 2 to 5, 2025.

This carefully planned disruption is designed to ensure the safety, security, and smooth running of the much-anticipated E1 Championship Lagos series. Starting Thursday, October 2, there will be partial closure between Falomo bridge and Oriental Hotel from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Friday, October 3, a full closure will be in effect from Oriental Hotel to Mekwen bridge during the same hours. The weekend will see full closures again, from Falomo bridge to Oriental Hotel, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

LASWA reminds ferry operators, passengers, and all waterway users to plan their travel accordingly and use alternate routes as they host the international sporting event that positions Lagos as a leading global destination for sporting excellence.

Normal ferry services along these routes will resume on Monday, October 6.The Lagos State Government extends its appreciation for everyone’s understanding and cooperation as the city prepares to welcome the world for this groundbreaking championship.

Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, has called on President Bola Tinubu to sign an executive order towards resolving the crisis between Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN.

Ndume said he won’t mind if Tinubu acts like a dictator in ensuring that the crisis is resolved.

On Saturday, PENGASSAN ordered its members to down tools over the sack of 800 workers by Dangote Refinery.

Reacting, Ndume appealed to the president to take firm action and dissolve the union.

Featuring on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday, Ndume said: “The best thing is for the president to sign an executive order calling them off.

“He has the right to dissolve them. In this case, I don’t mind if he acts like a dictator because some situations require very drastic measures.”

He accused PENGASSAN of serving private interest rather than that of the public.

Ndume said he has long opposed “so-called unionism” that prioritises the benefits of a few individuals at the expense of the country.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has described the death of Arise News anchor, Ms. Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu as regrettable and a grievous loss not only to her immediate family and the Arise News team, but to the Nigerian media fraternity and indeed, the nation.

In a letter of condolence he signed and addressed to the Chairman of the Arise News channel, Chief Nduka Obaigbena, Idris, stated, “I write to convey our deepest condolences to you and the entire ARISE News family on the shocking and untimely death of your esteemed anchor, Ms. Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, who by every account was a vibrant and a dedicated news anchor, consummate lawyer, and a model of professionalism whose work resonated with audiences across Nigeria and beyond.”

Idris said he was saddened by the “heinous incident that cut down a promising young journalist in her prime,” adding that “Ms Somtochukwu’s tragic death is a grievous loss not only to the ARISE News family but to the Nigerian media fraternity, and indeed the nation.”

He gave assurances for a swift investigation to unravel the circumstances leading to the death of the late news anchor.

The Minister extended his “heartfelt sympathy to the parents, siblings, colleagues, and all who knew and loved the late news anchor,” and prayed that God grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.”

The Oyo State Government has said that the state’s Internally Generated Revenue  has grown more than fourfold under Governor Seyi Makinde, positioning it as a leading financial hub in Nigeria.

The Commissioner for Information,  Dotun Oyelade, stated this on Monday while reacting to a report by the State Performance Index, which ranked Oyo as the best place to live in Nigeria based on quality of life, functional infrastructure, service delivery and security.

He said the Makinde administration had raised the state’s IGR from the N15bn mark under previous governments to N65bn in 2024. As of July 2025, collections had already hit N58bn — just N7bn short of the 2024 total.

“The implication of these figures is that the state will surpass its own record by the end of this year, with a target close to N100bn, making Oyo sit comfortably as a leading financial hub in the country,” Oyelade said.

According to him, the surge in revenue has not increased the burden on investors. Instead, the state has expanded its economy through agribusiness, infrastructure and tourism, while the consistent payment of salaries has further boosted economic activity.

“This expansion of the economy, coupled with the ripple effect of consistent payment of N11.9bn to over 130,000 workers monthly, has had a salutary effect on the increasing IGR of the state,” Oyelade noted.

He added that N15.4bn was paid as salaries in September alone, higher than the usual N11.9bn.

On healthcare, the commissioner said the administration had upgraded 264 primary healthcare centres and recruited more than 3,900 professionals, significantly restoring the state’s healthcare system.

He recalled that during a recent courtesy visit to the Governor’s Office, UNICEF Country Representative, Celine Lafocriere, commended Oyo’s achievements, noting that UNICEF had engaged more with Oyo than with any other state in Nigeria in the past two years.

On education, Oyelade highlighted sweeping reforms, including a doubling of staff strength in primary schools from 13,730 in 2019 to 26,436 in 2025. He said over 10,500 teaching and non-teaching staff had been employed to boost academic performance and improve the standard of living for young people.

He added that the government had built 60 model schools, constructed 289 new classroom blocks, renovated 229 others, and reintegrated more than 60,000 out-of-school children.

Additionally, four new educational zones had been created with administrative structures, while 2,000 teachers were absorbed into the Teaching Service Commission  to further strengthen efficiency.

The Nigeria Customs Service has officially launched its One-Stop-Shop initiative, a flagship reform aimed at slashing cargo clearance time from the long-standing average of 21 days to just 48 hours.

The initiative was introduced in Abuja during a strategic meeting between the NCS management and Customs Area Controllers, according to a statement from the NCS on Sunday. The meeting, chaired by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, focused on driving the service’s modernisation agenda and strengthening leadership roles in implementing reforms across commands.

Adeniyi described the OSS as a transformative step that aligns Nigeria’s customs operations with global best practices and advances the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business policy.

For decades, clearing goods through Nigerian ports has been riddled with delays, inefficiencies, and bureaucracy. On average, importers and exporters faced clearance times stretching up to 21 days, a situation that increased costs, discouraged investors, and hampered Nigeria’s global competitiveness.

Recognising these challenges, the Federal Government has been pushing for reforms that will modernise trade processes and align with the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement, to which Nigeria is a signatory. The OSS initiative marks a significant step in this direction.

Under the new framework, all customs units will collaborate on flagged declarations, eliminating multiple checks that previously caused bottlenecks. Importantly, consignments cleared under the OSS will not be subject to re-interception, ensuring predictability and reducing costs for traders.

Adeniyi explained that the reform is designed to “sanitise operations, cut duplication of efforts, and restore confidence in customs procedures.”

“The OSS initiative will not only shorten clearance time from 21 days to 48 hours, but it will also strengthen trader confidence, restore transparency, and make our operations more business-friendly,” he said.

While highlighting the role of technology in customs processes, Adeniyi noted that digital systems alone cannot drive reform. He stressed the value of physical engagement and coordination among officers.

“As much as technology has helped us, it has its limits. There are moments when physical presence, coming together under one roof, adds weight and value to our deliberations. Meetings like this strengthen our unity of purpose and ensure we speak with one voice,” he said.

The CGC disclosed that the OSS would first be piloted at Nigeria’s busiest ports—Apapa, Tincan Island, and Onne—before being scaled up nationwide. The reform, he added, is backed by the NCS Act 2023 and fully aligned with the WTO TFA, giving it both legal and institutional support.

“This is not just a policy. It is a statement of intent that reflects our determination to build a modern, transparent, and trader-friendly customs service,” Adeniyi declared. Customs Area Controllers at the meeting pledged their full commitment to the initiative. They described the OSS as timely and necessary, saying it would reposition the service for greater efficiency and credibility in global trade facilitation.

They further assured the CGC of their readiness to implement the reform at their respective commands and to work in synergy toward achieving the 48-hour clearance target.

The Abuja meeting also provided a platform to review the Service’s accountability framework. A key feature is a new central dashboard that tracks clearance times, interventions, and stakeholder satisfaction. This tool will serve as a performance-monitoring mechanism to ensure transparency and sustained improvement.

Trade experts stated that if fully implemented, the OSS could transform Nigeria’s ports into more competitive hubs, cut business costs, and boost investor confidence. By reducing clearance times to 48 hours, Nigeria will be closer to matching international benchmarks, enhancing its ability to attract cargo traffic that often diverts to neighbouring countries.

For importers and exporters, the reform promises reduced demurrage costs, faster turnaround times, and more predictable supply chains—all critical to boosting Nigeria’s participation in regional and global trade.