President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reacted to the death of former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, who died on Sunday at the age of 77.

Tinubu expressed deep sorrow over the former governor’s death and extended his heartfelt condolences to the Idris family, the government and people of Kogi State, as well as his friends, associates and political colleagues.

The President’s reaction was contained in a statement issued on Monday, September 21, 2026, by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

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Tinubu described Idris’ death as a significant loss to Kogi State and Nigeria, noting that the former governor devoted a substantial part of his life to public service and the development of the state.

Ibrahim Idris served as Governor of Kogi State from 2003 to 2011.

According to the President, Idris’ administration recorded interventions in infrastructure, education, healthcare and other critical sectors.

Tinubu also acknowledged the late former governor’s contributions to Nigeria’s democratic development and his many years of engagement in public affairs.

The President said: “Alhaji Ibrahim Idris was a committed public servant whose years in office formed an important chapter in the political and developmental history of Kogi State.

“His passing is a painful loss to his family, Kogi State and Nigeria. At this difficult moment, we must remember and honour his contributions to the growth of his state and our nation.

“I extend my deepest condolences to his family and the people of Kogi State. May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings, accept his good deeds and grant him Aljannah Firdaus.”

Tinubu further prayed that Almighty Allah would grant the deceased’s family the strength and fortitude to bear the loss.

In the bid to promote wealth creation and expose youths to investment opportunities, the Ondo State Government has unveiled plans to buy shares for 500 young entrepreneurs in the state in the Dangote Group.

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, made the disclosure on Saturday at the 2026 ONDEA Entrepreneurs Summit in Akure, with the theme: “Positioning entrepreneurs for emerging opportunities”, where he also launched the Lucky Light Initiative, a programme designed to provide reliable solar power support for 1,000 small businesses across the state’s 18 local government areas.

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The governor also unveiled an N80 million grant package for 20 entrepreneurs under the Ondo State Entrepreneurship Agency (ONDEA) My IDEA initiative, with each beneficiary receiving N4 million alongside business support, mentorship and international business exposure opportunities.

Aiyedatiwa further promised to purchase shares in the Dangote Group of Companies for 500 young entrepreneurs in Ondo State as part of efforts to expose them to investment opportunities and encourage wealth creation.

He said the initiatives form part of his administration’s vision to transform Ondo from a civil service-driven economy into an entrepreneurship and innovation hub.

According to him, the state is deliberately building an entrepreneurial ecosystem that connects ideas to skills, skills to businesses, businesses to finance and businesses to markets.

“Our fundamental objective is to move from simply producing raw materials to processing, packaging, branding and exporting value-added products. We must build enterprise not only for markets within Ondo State, but other parts of Nigeria and ultimately to the world,” Aiyedatiwa stated.

He said ONDEA has become a strategic platform for opening opportunities for entrepreneurs through business formalisation, training, equipment support and enterprise development.
The governor noted that the number of beneficiaries under the ONDEA My IDEA programme was increased from 10 to 20 to accommodate more innovative entrepreneurs.

On the Lucky Light Initiative, Aiyedatiwa said the programme would provide clean and affordable energy to small businesses to enhance productivity and reduce operating costs.

“Lucky Light is an initiative designed specifically to support 1,000 small businesses with reliable, clean and affordable power. It is not a household electrification programme; it is an economic intervention designed to power businesses across all 18 Local Government Areas of Ondo State,” he said.

While speaking during the summit, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, represented by his Special Adviser, Toba Oyedele, said entrepreneurs would be central to the Federal Government’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

He urged entrepreneurs to take advantage of emerging opportunities created by economic reforms, innovation and investment initiatives.

Speaking on the impact of the summit, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Investment, Dr Summy Smart Francis, said the event demonstrated the state’s commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation.

“We received over 2,703 applications. We have three levels of screenings and they get to the final judges where we identify the 20 ideas that have the strategy to be able to add economic impact to the state. Each of them was given N4 million and they are entitled to a business trip outside the country,” Francis said.

Also speaking, media entrepreneur and former Managing Director of TVC Entertainment, Morayo Afolabi-Brown, called for increased investment in the Southwest, saying the region possesses vast opportunities beyond Lagos and should attract greater economic attention.

Domestic pricing of refined petroleum products in Nigeria is strictly controlled by market forces under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) made the clarification in a statement citing Section 205(1) of the PIA, which provides that wholesale and retail prices of petroleum products shall be based on unrestricted free-market pricing conditions.

The Authority also quoted Sections 205(2)–(4) of the Act, which restrict government intervention in pricing strictly to exceptional circumstances.

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However, it added that Section 216 empowers the Authority to prevent anti-competitive practices, price-fixing and the abuse of market dominance.

While acknowledging the financial strain and difficulties many Nigerians are experiencing following the recent rise in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) pump prices, the Authority expressed concern over the increase in fuel prices and its effect on households, transport workers and businesses across the country.

The statement, which provided clarity on the statutory framework governing its operations and the active steps being taken to protect consumers, stated:

“Pursuant to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, Section 205(1) provides that wholesale and retail prices of petroleum products shall be based on unrestricted free-market pricing conditions. The Authority does not fix pump prices or issue administrative price templates.

“Sections 205(2)–(4) restrict government intervention in pricing strictly to exceptional circumstances where there is formal evidence of declared market failure. No such market failure has been declared. Section 216 empowers the Authority to prevent anti-competitive practices, price-fixing and the abuse of market dominance.

“To address supply stability and curb illegal cross-border product diversion, the Authority is conducting a joint security effort with the Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant security agencies to intensify surveillance along border corridors and prevent product smuggling.

“Deregulation does not exempt operators from regulatory compliance or fair trade standards. Under its formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), both agencies maintain rigorous joint surveillance to monitor against price-gouging, collusion, under-dispensing and compromised product quality.

“Public Reporting Channels: The Authority is opening dedicated feedback and reporting channels to enable members of the public and industry stakeholders to report irregular pricing or exploitative trade practices directly for immediate regulatory investigation and enforcement.”

The Authority said it remains steadfast in fulfilling its statutory mandate to ensure energy security, foster fair competition and protect consumers within the PIA’s legal framework.