Sir Victor Oluwafemi, KJW, a leading international development expert, media mogul, and Isle of Man-based member of the Nigerian diaspora, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for approving the posting of ambassador designates to strategic foreign missions, describing the decision as a timely step towards repositioning Nigeria’s diplomacy for measurable national value.

Oluwafemi, the principal architect of Policy as a Platform (PaaP) and Results as a Service (RaaS), said Nigeria’s missions must now adopt a modern delivery discipline that converts goodwill into outcomes. He explained that *PaaP* is a structured approach for translating national priorities into clear mission workflows and service standards, while *RaaS* is a quarterly scorecard system for tracking results, including partnerships secured, investment leads progressed, trade outcomes, and improvements in diaspora and consular service delivery.

“Diplomacy must be more than protocol. It must translate into investment pipelines, trade opportunities, diaspora confidence, and a reputation lift that is backed by delivery,” Oluwafemi said.

He urged the newly appointed envoys, particularly the ambassador-designate to the United States, to adopt a clear three-point agenda that can be applied across Washington, London, and Paris, while recognising that Washington remains Nigeria’s most strategic theatre for investment mobilisation and diaspora confidence building.

Three priority actions for immediate activation

*1. Establish an embassy-convened Diaspora and investment council.*
Oluwafemi advised each mission to inaugurate a structured council bringing together diaspora leaders, business chambers, institutional partners, and credible investors, supported by a quarterly calendar and committee mandates. He said this will institutionalise engagement, reduce fragmentation, and create a permanent platform for mobilisation.

*2. Launch an annual flagship investment and diaspora conference with a Deal Room*
He called for a signature annual conference hosted by each mission, anchored in a Deal Room that showcases vetted opportunities, matches partners, and tracks post-event progress. For the United States, he recommended a Nigeria–US Diaspora Prosperity Conference and Deal Room in Washington, DC, designed to convert goodwill into bankable pipelines and sustained investment momentum.

*3. Publish a quarterly mission results scorecard under the RaaS discipline*
Oluwafemi said every mission should publish a simple quarterly scorecard tracking measurable outputs, including partnerships secured, investment enquiries progressed, trade and export facilitation outcomes, diaspora engagement metrics, and service improvements. He noted that transparent reporting will strengthen credibility and distinguish Nigeria’s diplomacy as outcomes-led.

“Washington should become the benchmark mission by institutionalising PaaP-style delivery workflows and RaaS scorecard reporting, while London and Paris drive the same discipline through their own strategic corridors,” he added.

The Presidency announced that President Tinubu approved Ambassador Ayodele Oke as the ambassador designate to France, Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are as the ambassador designate to the United States of America, and Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu as the high commissioner designate to the United Kingdom.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Nigeria’s national power grid experienced a total collapse on Friday, January 23, 2026 the first such failure this year. Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) confirmed that power generation plunged to zero megawatts (MW) by 1:00 PM.

As a result, load allocation to all 11 electricity distribution companies (DisCos) dropped to zero MW. Affected DisCos include: Abuja, Benin, Eko, Enugu, Ibadan, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Yola.

This incident follows a pattern of recurring grid instability throughout 2025, during which multiple system collapses were recorded—the last occurring on December 29. These repeated failures persist despite ongoing upgrades intended to enhance national grid capacity and reliability.

The collapse comes shortly after the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) announced the restoration of an additional 450 MW to the grid. This followed scheduled maintenance on the Geregu National Integration Power Project (NIPP) plant, which was expected to boost overall supply.

In related developments, NISO had partnered with the West African Power Pool Information and Coordination Centre (WAPP-ICC) in November 2025 to conduct synchronization tests between Nigeria’s grid and the wider West African power network a initiative aimed at improving regional energy security and resilience.

The latest collapse raises renewed concerns over the fragility of Nigeria’s electricity infrastructure and its impact on economic and daily activities.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The All Progressives Congress has invited all stakeholders, supporters, and members, both old and new, to participate in its ongoing Membership Electronic-Registration Exercise across the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, in a post obtained from APC’s X handle on Friday, said the exercise is being conducted in all wards nationwide.

“Existing members are expected to validate their membership, while new and intending members are encouraged to register and join the party.

“Participants must be 18 years or older and possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN) to complete the registration process,” he said.

According to Morka, the e-Registration exercise is designed to digitise the Party’s membership register, ensure the integrity of records, provide efficient access to membership data for planning and management decisions, promote internal democracy, and strengthen APC’s commitment to democratic innovation in Nigeria.

He urged all eligible Nigerians to take part in the exercise and join the progressive family of Nigeria’s ruling party.

The APC noted that the initiative is part of its ongoing effort to modernise party operations, increase transparency, and ensure that party membership is up-to-date and verifiable nationwide.