December 31, (THEWILL) – The year 2023 was a watershed in Nigeria’s democratisation process since the dawn of the Fourth Republic in 1999. The year’s General Election held much promise for the people, high or low, rich or poor, who had yearned for a change in the fortune of the country amid worsening insecurity, ravaging poverty, double digit inflation and a crushed economy.
What with the innovations in the electoral process, high demographic trend towards a youthful electorate that clustered round a “third force ” which was manifesting in the form of the Labour Party and its presidential candidate Peter Obi vis-a vis the major two political parties, the governing All Progressives Congress, APC and the MAIN opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The poll was a major event of the year.
But the winners and losers had to go through the legal process, from the Tribunal, Appeal Court to the Supreme Court, to affirm their victories or accept their losses.
Since the May 29, 2023 inauguration of elected officials, another wave of challenges is taxing the patience of Nigerians, particularly the removal of the subsidy on petrol, which has seriously affected the cost of food items, the floating of the Naira, which has created production uncertainty for manufacturers, and the insecurity threatening sustained agricultural production in the country.
The insecurity continued to the end of the year, with the December 26, 2023 sectarian violence in Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi and Mangu Local Government Areas of Plateau State leading to the death of over 150 persons.
Even politics and politicking was not left out, with the ongoing supremacy battle between the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminialayi Fubara of Rivers State despite the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.
It was not all that gloomy as the year rolled by. In early December, there was cheery news that the long awaited Port Harcourt Refinery was ready to go, with the completion of the facility’s mechanical works. Also, the ultimate game changer in the sector, Dangote Refinery, got a supply of about 3 million barrels of crude oil for its kick-off in January. Both refineries on stream are expected to ease the pressure on the demand for forex, with the elimination of freighting, landing costs and related charges.
Amid these contradictions and the ups and downs in the politics and economy of the country, certain persons and institutions stood out as the good, the fair and the upcoming, raising hopes of renewal and the possibility of reassurance in the year 2024.
It is for these reasons THEWILL chose them as personalities and institution of the year.
The personalities cut across politics, entertainment, football, business and economy. For their impact on politics during and after the 2023 general election, President Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi were chosen. For governance, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, in our consideration, stands shoulders above his peers.
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero rallied workers to stand up to the Federal Government in matters regarding their welfare.
After almost two decades, Victor Osimhen of Napoli rekindled Nigeria’s sports glory by winning the 2023 CAF African Footballer of the Year alongside Asisat Oshoala of Barcelona FC, who emerged winner in the women’s category of the award for the sixth time.
PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU AS A DOGGED LEADER
“To become the President of Nigeria is my life ambition,” President Tinubu said in an interview after clinching the presidential ticket of his party, the All Progressives Congress, in July 2022. With that overriding ambition refocusing his campaign, he braced the odds he felt were imposed by his rivals and the opposition against his ambition: The government’s Naira redesign policy and fuel scarcity that taxed the strength of the populace and the generally poor performance of the outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, which created apathy in the polity and the red flags of the governing APC.
After he was declared winner of the presidential poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, amid a controversy over results manipulation, Tinubu forged ahead, went through and triumphed over litigation processes instituted by fellow contestants, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the LP. His policies, such as the unplanned removal of the subsidy on petrol and the floating of the Naira vis-à-vis the dollar is yet to begin the process of achieving the desired goal of production over import and economic stability, thus negatively impacting the living standards of the people.
The Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has battled infrastructural and finance obstacles to install the biggest private refinery in the world in the Lekki Free Zone in Lagos and the refinery is ready to kick-off production in January, 2024.
Singer David Adeleke, aka Davido, rebranded Nigerian music worldwide in 2023. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has successfully tackled the challenge posed by passport racketeering in Nigeria, while his aviation counterpart, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has taken care of the rot in the aviation industry by making sweeping changes.
PETER OBI AS CHANGE AGENT
Political pundits gave Peter Obi little chance in the 2023 general election. The swift manner with which he defected from the PDP where he ran as Vice Presidential candidate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 poll to the LP, a few months to the 2023 Presidential election, ruled him out of the political equation in the consideration of experts.
Obi contested the 2023 Presidential election on the platform of the LP, a party regarded as having no structure for a national election. His campaign was buoyed on the teeming youths who yearned for a change from the status quo. The youths formed an intimidating movement tagged Obidients, a large community that dominated social media.
At the end of the election, Obi came third with a national spread of votes. Thus a candidate deemed to have no political party and from the South-East, seen as the weakest geopolitical zone in the country, came a close third at his first attempt against an incumbent party and the opposition that was in government for over 16 years.
Obi won the presidential election in Lagos State, the stronghold of the APC candidate, Bola Tinubu, who once governed the state and dominated its politics for more than 20 years.
Obi also won at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Political analysts and watchers of political developments in the country think his performance is a good beginning and a sign of what to expect in the 2027 general election, as long as he sustains the tempo.
GOVERNOR BABAGANA ZULUM AS METAPHOR FOR GOVERNANCE
By running a government that aims at inclusion rather than exclusion of the people, providing amenities for schools and communities, personally supervising the return of hundreds of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in several camps to their homes, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has been able to checkmate the fears and anxieties of the people as a result of many gruesome years of Boko Haram onslaught. He also leads by example. No favouritism. Other ethnic nationalities in the state have a strong sense of belonging in Borno State as no distinction is made in the provision of democracy dividends for the citizenry.
Mr Emmanuel Egwudike, Coordinator of Ohanaeze APC support group, President of Tiv Community in the state, Mr Abraham Kaanti and Chief Saka Ganiyu, speaking for the Youruba community in Borno, agree that the governor has exhibited his love for the downtrodden and the less privileged by this gesture, adding that the governor is known for his attitude of not wanting to see people suffer.
They urge other state governors to emulate Zulum to boost the unity in their respective states.
OLUBUNMI TUNJI-OJO: A BREATH OF FRESH AIR AT THE INTERIOR MINISTRY
For many years, Nigerians applying for International Passports literally had to wait till the second coming of Christ to be issued one. Whereas citizens of other countries got their passports in a matter of days, it took almost an age for a Nigerian to acquire one, thus making it something of a big deal or, as the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said last August, “a privilege.”
Somehow, the agency entrusted with making this possible has, either deliberately or not, made such a mess of procuring this important travel document for their compatriots.
The reasons for the delay in processing a Nigerian passport ranged from lack of printing paper to all kinds of human obstacles raised by the Nigeria Immigration Service, the very agency responsible for giving Nigerians their most recognised international identity.
With an ever-increasing population, Nigerians are among the world’s most travelling citizens. Thus, the demand for passports have risen correspondingly with the NIS unprepared to meet the demand or unsure of what to do at such pressing moments. For instance, the agency admitted to having a backlog of over 200, 000 last year. This was the discouraging situation when President Tinubu appointed Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo Minister of Interior last August. And once in the saddle, BTO, as he is fondly called, promised to makeover the mouldy ministry into a modern, tech-driven state apparatus.
He has fulfilled his promise or, as journalists here like to say, walked his talk. How did he do it?
Through his innovative use of tech-based solutions to problems that have stumped the dinosaurs at the ministry for decades. For instance, the Automated Passports Application is in the works where Nigerians can upload the required info to NIS portals. The APA is already 99 percent done, BTO said confidently recently. “We have done the testing and we should be going live in the next one week or so. That will ensure that all Nigerians need to do in an immigration centre, a passport centre, is just biometrics, just to take your fingerprints, that’s all.” And all that from the comfort of their homes!
BTO is also planning for e-gates at international airports in Nigeria, all of which will be equipped with the gates by February 2024. E-gates are automated self-service barriers (automated border control system). In the minister’s words, “There will be no business seeing an immigration officer, except if such is a person of interest.”
FESTUS KEYAMO: MINISTER WITH A MAGIC WAND
Before he assumed office in August, the aviation sector was virtually not working.
If the workers were not engaged in a strike over working conditions and wages in an industry, the Airline Operators Association of Nigeria would be protesting over regular jet fuel shortages and international carriers would be struggling to take out revenue from ticket sales because of dollar shortages.
Upon assuming office as Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Keyamo warned the management to sit up and straighten out or get fired.
After a management retreat in Warri Delta State and an appearance before the Joint Committee of the National Assembly on Aviation and Aerospace where he reeled out measures to promote the interests of passengers and stakeholders in the industry and restore sanity, he embarked on sweeping changes in the directorates of the agencies, namely Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN; Nigeria Airspace Management Authority, NAMA; Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB; Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NiMET; Nigeria College of Civil Aviation Technology, NCAT; and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NACA , a few days after the President had changed the Managing Directors and CEOs of the agency.
Keyamo is also going ahead with a policy that will have airlines pay compensation to passengers for cancelled flights and for long flight delays.
There are already improvements in the major airports across the country for passengers’ comfort and convenience with the installation of new cooling systems and upgraded and clean restrooms amongst others.
JOE AJAERO: TRADE UNION BOSS WITH ATTITUDE
At under five feet in the numerous group photographs of NLC representatives with Federal Government officials before the short-lived nationwide strike over fuel subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu, Joe Ajaero was clearly the shortest man among the lot.
Standing side by side with top government officials, such as Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Tinubu, who led the government delegation and the then Minister of Labour and Employment, Solomon Lalong, Ajaero always looked dwarfish. Even his comrade Festus Osifo, President of TUC, stood a good head taller.
But Ajaero was the most powerful among them in terms of reach and authority, wielding more power than even Gbajabiamila himself. As Tinubu’s right hand man, Gbajabiamila can be counted upon to call the shots some of the time in the seat of power, Aso Rock. Until his recent appointment to the Upper House of the National Assembly, Lalong’s word was law in the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
But none of them compares to the man who has the entire labour force of Nigeria under his thumb. With only his signature on a document, Ajaero can bring to a grinding halt the economic activities of Nigeria for days, weeks and even months. In fact, it was the imminence of such a strike nationwide that the newly sworn-in Tinubu quickly sent a high-profile government delegation to negotiate with the Ajaero-led NLC, deploying his CoS Gbajabiamila to sit at the table with them.
Brutal military dictatorships can make short work of labour unions by jailing their leaders or sending them on exile. Civilian governments tread more carefully, so as to avoid the dictatorship tag, part of the reason why they mollycoddle labour leaders threatening industrial action.
The several meetings between the NLC under Ajaero and the Bola Tinubu Administration over fuel subsidy removal had its rough patches and both sides were becoming testy at some point. The NLC blamed the Federal Government for betraying some of the agreements. On its part, the government thought the labour leaders were too headstrong, unyielding and forever digging in their feet.
Ajaero himself looked the part: his perpetually smiling face belied his position as a hard bargainer. In the end, the NLC, on behalf of the long-suffering Nigerian workers, coaxed some concessions from the Federal Government as palliatives for the oil subsidy removal.
Perhaps the labour leader hoped to repeat the same story of success at the state level in his campaign for worker’s welfare. And where better to start than his own natal state Imo where Governor Hope Uzodinma was ruling with the whims and caprices of an Oriental potentate.
Just on the cusp of the last governorship election, Ajaero was to lead a statewide strike in Imo to force Uzodinma’s hand to pay up.
With a combination of government guile, police connivance and thugs, the state preempted the union boss.
What Nigerians saw next shocked them to their marrow: Ajaero thoroughly roughened up with a black eye, injuries all over him and evidence of a state-sponsored attack. While the labour leader blamed law enforcement agents, they in turn, fingered thugs as the culprits. Incredibly, they claimed to have held Ajaero in protective custody, to save him from the thugs who, in the police’s estimation, would have done him worse harm. Not one of the assaulters was arrested.
But Joe survived the attack on his person. In an earlier encounter with the Federal Government over workers’ welfare, no one raised a finger against him all through the deliberations. It was acrimonious sometimes, but not one jot of violence. It was the workers who won in the end. Thanks to Joe.
YEAR OF THE COMEBACK KING
2023 will be remembered as the year that Nigerian superstar Davido reclaimed his rightful place on the global music scene.
Following a string of remarkable achievements, including the release of his critically acclaimed album “Timeless,” Davido has solidified his status as a pivotal figure in Afrobeats and beyond.
Rihanna, the global pop icon, declared Davido’s single “Unavailable,” featuring Musa Keys, as her best song of 2023, a testament to the track’s universal appeal and Davido’s artistic prowess. This endorsement is a significant accolade in a year filled with milestones for the Nigerian artist.
Davido’s fourth album, “Timeless,” released in early 2023, marked a triumphant return to the music industry. The album was not only a commercial success but also a critical darling, earning three Grammy nominations for 2024, including Best Global Album. Its eclectic mix of joyous love songs and dance hits, like the Grammy-nominated “Unavailable,” resonated with audiences worldwide.
In a heartfelt social media post, Davido reflected on the whirlwind of successes in 2023, expressing gratitude for the overwhelming reception of “Timeless.” He acknowledged the support of his fans and the divine guidance that fueled his journey, making 2023 a year of personal and professional triumphs. He celebrated the “music, memories and magic” that defined his year, calling it truly “TIMELESS.”
Davido’s influence was further cemented with his win at the maiden edition of the Trace Music Awards. Alongside Musa Keys, he bagged the Best Collaboration of the Year award. This victory was echoed by ABC’s crowning of Davido as the King of Afrobeats, a title that speaks to his unparalleled impact on the genre.
Adding to his list of accolades, Davido’s “Timeless” ranked 39th on Billboard’s “Top 50 Best Albums of 2023: Staff List.” The album was lauded for its vibrant blend of Afrobeat rhythms, amapiano beats and global sounds, showcasing Davido’s unique ability to transcend cultural and musical boundaries.
Forbes estimated Davido’s earnings in 2023 to surpass $20 million, drawn from diverse income streams like royalties, brand endorsements, merchandise sales, and extensive concert tours. His comeback concert was a resounding success and his partnership with brands like Martell Cognac, Infinix Mobile and Puma only bolstered his financial and brand stature.
On a personal note, Davido welcomed a set of twins with his wife, Chioma Rowland, adding another layer of joy to his extraordinary year. The arrival of their twins, a boy and a girl, in the United States was celebrated by fans and well-wishers globally.
As 2023 draws to a close, Davido stands tall as a dominant force in the music industry. His journey through the year has been nothing short of spectacular, marking him as not just an Afrobeat icon but also a global music sensation. His resilience, creativity and undying passion for music have rightly earned him the title of ‘The Comeback King.’
ASISAT OSHAOLA: THE SUPER FALCON THAT SOARED
Asisat Oshaola, the Nigerian forward for Barcelona Femení and the Nigeria women’s national team, the Super Falcons, is widely regarded as one of the best female players in Africa and the world. In 2023, she proved her worth by leading the Super Falcons to one of their best ever performances at the Women’s World Cup, reaching the last 16 in the new expanded World Cup format.
With her contribution, Nigeria went through the group stages unbeaten for the first time. She also scored the winning goal in the match against Australia.
Oshoala helped Barcelona on the way to another UEFA Women’s Champions League title, which they lifted in June against Wolfsburg. She was named the African Women’s Player of the Year again, extending her ongoing winning record for the sixth time.
She was named in the list of Top 50 Best Female Footballers for 2023, ranking 28th. This achievement is even more remarkable considering that she is the only female African player to make the top 50 list. Off the field, Oshoala has been a beacon of inspiration to young girls. She has overcome injuries and setbacks to consistently perform at the highest level. Her journey and achievements serve as a testament to her resilience and dedication to the sport.
VICTOR OSIMHEN: THE NAPOLI STAR WHO MADE HISTORY
Victor Osimhen, known for his pace, power and finishing ability, had a sensational year, the highlight of which included helping Napoli to their first time winning the Italian football league in over three decades.
Osimhen scored 29 goals in 34 games in the Serie A, becoming the highest goals scorer in the league and the first African to achieve that feat in the 126 years of the league’s history.
Osimhen was voted best player in the league by his fellow players and coaches and also won the CAF Player of the Year award, the first Nigerian to do so since Kanu Nwankwo in 1999. Despite struggles with injuries, Osimhen remained a key player for his team and the Super Eagles.
These performances saw Osimhen ranked eighth in the 2023 Ballon d’Or. He was also nominated for the FIFA Best Awards for Best Male Footballer.
Osimhen’s achievements extend beyond the Italian league. He played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) by scoring five goals in four matches. His standout performance included a hat-trick against Sao Tome and Principe in the final AFCON qualification game, a testament of his exceptional goal-scoring abilities.
NIGERIA INTER-BANK SETTLEMENT SYSTEMS: ENABLING ELECTRONIC TRANSFERS IN CASH CRUNCH
The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has put in place a modern world-class infrastructure for handling inter-bank payments in order to remove potential bottlenecks associated with electronic inter-bank funds transfers and payments/settlement of transactions. This system has been quite efficient and reliable in helping both individuals, companies, groups, institutions and governments move money electronically through accounts especially, during the COVID pandemic lock down and nationwide scarcity of cash.
Data released by NIBSS revealed that transactions worth N38.9 trillion were performed electronically in November 2023 alone through the NIBSS Instant Payment Platform (NIP).
THEWILL understands that this is the highest monthly transaction record on the platform. The November figure brought the total value of NIP deals in the last 11 months to N345 trillion.
Year on year, the e-payment value increased by 50 per cent, compared with the N25.9 trillion recorded in November last year.
The N38.9 trillion reported in November is also higher than the N34.5 trillion recorded in the preceding month of October by 12.7 per cent.
The value of the e-payment recorded was a reflection of the increase in the volume of deals within the month. The NIP volume rose to 492.2 million in November, showing a 53.8 per cent increase over 319.9 million recorded in the same period last year.
The cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is already gaining traction with many Nigerians embracing the use of the various e-payment channels for transactions.
According to NIBSS, over the years, Nigerian banks have exposed NIP through their various channels, that is, internet banking, bank branch, Kiosks, mobile apps, Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), POS, ATMs, etc, to their services.
The development has boosted government revenue through the Electronic Transfer Levy which was incorporated in the Finance Act of 2023.
Nigeria’s deposit money banks and other financial institutions, together with the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), raked in N135.56 trillion from electronic payment transactions in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023 as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intensified the cashless policy implementation.
According to the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), commercial banks and other financial institutions generated N135.52 trillion from electronic payment transactions in Q1 this year.
DANGOTE REFINERY AS GAME CHANGER
Dangote Petroleum Refinery is the world’s largest single-train 650,000 barrels per day petroleum refinery with 900 KTPA Polypropylene Plant. The 435 MW power plant in the refinery alone will be able to meet the total power requirement of Ibadan DisCo of 860,316 MWh, covering five states, including Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Kwara and Ekiti.
According to Dangote Group, the refinery can meet 100 percent of the Nigerian requirement of all refined products – petrol, 53 million litres per day; Diesel, 34 million litres per day; Kerosene, 10 million litres per day and aviation jet fuel, 2 million litres per day – and also have a surplus of each of these products for export.
Dangote is one of the few companies in the world executing a petroleum refinery project and a petrochemical complex directly as an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor. It has been stated that no individual owner has done the complete EPC contract for a petroleum refinery.
Aliko Dangote successfully pulled this off with the wholesome support of the Central Bank of Nigeria under the leadership of Godwin Emefiele, its former Governor, who said the project was too strategic and important to the nation’s economy.
Designed to process a large variety of crude grades, including grades from African, Middle-Eastern producers and the US Light Tight Oil, the facility, indeed, proves a game changer in an economy with a record of energy deficit. With the receipt of a third crude shipment of 1 million barrels on Thursday, December 28, 2023 (about 3m barrels so far received), the company is gearing up to commence operations at 350,000 bpd with production of diesel and aviation fuel in January 2024.
About the Author
Amos Esele is the Deputy Editor of THEWILL Newspaper. He has over two decades of experience on the job.
