Opinion
Beware of 2027 election false prophets and political delusion
Why the Opposition May Lose Again – Not Because President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Is Unbeatable, but Because His Opponents Are Unprepared
By Nosa Osaikhuiwu,
There is a dangerous political delusion taking hold in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 presidential election: the belief that because millions of Nigerians are unhappy with the government, the opposition will automatically defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Also read: Babafemi Ojudu: Rising Cost of Elections Shutting Capable Nigerians Out of Politics
That assumption could prove to be one of the opposition’s biggest mistakes. There is another narrative that has become almost unquestionable in some political circles: that the opposition actually won the 2023 presidential election and that its victory was stolen.
I do not subscribe to that narrative, because the conclusions are baseless without empirical data, unsubstantiated and unfounded.
Let me state my position clearly. I am not an APC supporter, nor am I a supporter of any political party in Nigeria. My position is based on political realities and my commitment to good governance, culture change, ethical transformation and a better Nigeria.
I believe Nigerians must learn to distinguish between what we wish had happened and what actually happened. Because as the saying goes “if wishes were horses baggers will ride all day”.
THE 2023 ELECTION: POLITICAL MATHEMATICS MATTERED
The 2023 presidential election was fundamentally different from the elections that preceded it because Nigeria’s traditional two-party political contest was disrupted by the emergence of Peter Obi and the Labor Party as a major electoral force.
Before Peter Obi left the PDP, the presidential contest was largely expected to be between the PDP and APC. Then the equation changed.
Peter Obi left the PDP and joined the Labor Party. His candidacy captured the imagination of millions of Nigerians, particularly young people and voters who wanted a fundamental change in the political system.
But there was an important consequence that many people appear unwilling to acknowledge: The opposition vote was divided.
A substantial portion of the electorate that might otherwise have supported the PDP moved toward Labor. This move was a game changer for the political and electoral landscape.
It transformed what could have been essentially a two-way contest into a three-way presidential election. This was not a minor development. It changed the mathematical calculus of the election.
The APC entered the election as the incumbent governing party, with the enormous political advantages that come with incumbency and an established national political structure.
The PDP had its own extensive national structure, but it was weakened by internal divisions and the emergence of the Labor Party.
The Labor Party, meanwhile, generated enormous enthusiasm but did not possess the national political structure of either the APC or PDP.
The electoral outcome was predictable from a political-mathematical standpoint. The opposition was divided. The APC was sufficiently consolidated. Consequently, the APC won.
That conclusion does not require anyone to be an APC supporter. It requires only an honest examination of the political circumstances surrounding the election.
WAS THE 2023 ELECTION PERFECT?
An unbiased and responsible review of the 2023 presidential elections will acknowledge that it was not perfect. Frankly, there are no perfect elections anywhere in the world.
There were controversies, alleged irregularities and unverified claims of record manipulation during the election.
But we must distinguish between two different arguments. The first is that the election contained irregularities. The second is that those irregularities were sufficient to change the final outcome.
The first proposition is not particularly controversial. The second requires credible evidence to substantiate the claims made.
An election does not become automatically invalid simply because irregularities occurred. Elections around the world experience administrative failures, logistical problems, disputes, allegations of malpractice and other imperfections.
The relevant question is whether those problems were sufficient to change the outcome. That is where political argument must give way to evidence.
The more important lesson from 2023, therefore, is not that somebody “stole” an election that was already won.
The more important lesson is that a divided opposition made it easier for the incumbent party to win. And that lesson is extremely relevant to 2027.
TINUBU’S BIGGEST ADVANTAGE MAY BE THE OPPOSITION
Let us be brutally honest. President Tinubu’s administration has significant economic and political challenges. Inflation, rising cost of living, unemployment, insecurity, hardship and declining purchasing power have created genuine pain for millions of Nigerians.
The government’s economic reforms may have been motivated by legitimate concerns about the sustainability of Nigeria’s economy.
But good intentions do not exempt a government from performance evaluation. Government must ultimately be judged by results.
If Nigerians were voting exclusively on economic performance, the APC would have plenty to worry about.
But elections are not mathematics based solely on economic indicators. They are political contests. And politics is about organization, structure, messaging, coalition-building, voter mobilization and the ability to convert public sentiment into votes. This is where the opposition is making a potentially catastrophic mistake.
The opposition appears to believe that dissatisfaction with Tinubu is equivalent to support for the opposition.
It is not. Millions of Nigerians can be unhappy with the APC and still refuse to vote for an opposition party. Millions can complain about the economy and still have no confidence in the alternative. Millions can criticize Tinubu and still ask:
“Who exactly are you bringing to replace him?”
That is the question the opposition has yet to answer convincingly.
SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT THE BALLOT BOX
One of the greatest political illusions of modern Nigeria is the belief that social-media popularity represents electoral strength. It does not. A politician can dominate Facebook, X, Tik-Tok or YouTube and still lose an election. Why? Because elections are not won by likes, reposts, hashtags, viral videos, but are won by voters going to the polls and making choices known.
They are won by organizing voters geographically from ward level, communities to their polling units by having a ground game that actively engages local leaders, traditional institutions, religious institutions, professional associations, youth organizations and community networks to ensure they deliver their votes. The party that understands this reality will have an enormous advantage.
The opposition cannot spend the next year fighting political battles on the internet while the APC builds and maintains political structures across the country.
The internet can amplify a political movement. It cannot substitute for a political organization.
THREE THINGS THE OPPOSITION MUST DO
If the opposition genuinely wants to defeat the APC in 2027, it must act now.
- CONSOLIDATE
The opposition parties need to stop pretending that each one can independently defeat the APC. PDP, Labor, ADC and other opposition forces must seriously consider forming a genuine political coalition or adopting a common platform.
The objective cannot simply be “anything but Tinubu.”
That is not enough. Nigeria needs an alternative government, not merely an anti-Tinubu movement.
The coalition must develop a credible economic, security, educational, industrial and governance agenda. It must tell Nigerians exactly what it intends to do differently.
- PRESENT ONE CANDIDATE
This may be the most important issue of all. The opposition cannot repeat 2023. If multiple opposition candidates enter the presidential race and divide the anti-APC vote again, they may once again hand the election to the incumbent.
One presidential candidate.
One national platform.
One coherent message.
One campaign structure.
One political strategy.
That is the only realistic pathway toward transforming widespread dissatisfaction into an electoral majority.
The process of choosing that candidate must not become another ethnic or regional contest. Nigeria needs a candidate who can build a national coalition.
A candidate who can win in the North.
A candidate who can win in the South.
A candidate who can appeal to Christians and Muslims.
A candidate who can appeal to young and old.
A candidate who can convince Nigerians that the alternative government will be competent, ethical and capable.
- TAKE THE CAMPAIGN TO THE STREETS
The opposition must get off the internet.
Go to the communities.
Go to the wards.
Go to the villages.
Go to the markets.
Go to the universities.
Go to the workplaces.
Talk to farmers.
Talk to traders.
Talk to artisans.
Talk to young people.
Talk to women.
Talk to professionals.
Talk to people who have never posted a political message on social media.
Most importantly, listen to them. A political party cannot build a national movement by speaking only to people who already agree with it. It must persuade people who are undecided. That is how elections are won.
STOP BLAMING THE REFEREE
There is a deeper cultural problem that Nigeria must confront.
We have developed an extraordinary culture of avoiding responsibility. A student fails an examination and blames the teacher.
A football team loses and blames the referee.
A driver causes an accident and blames the devil.
A politician loses an election and immediately claims that the election was stolen.
Sometimes those accusations are justified.
But not always.
Sometimes we simply failed.
Sometimes we were not prepared.
Sometimes our opponent was better organized.
Sometimes our strategy was poor.
Sometimes our candidate was not popular enough.
Sometimes we did not have enough votes.
There is nothing undignified about acknowledging defeat.
In fact, the ability to honestly analyze failure is one of the foundations of ethical leadership.
Nigeria cannot build a culture of accountability while politicians refuse to accept responsibility for their own strategic failures.
If the opposition loses in 2027, it should not automatically blame INEC, the APC, the judiciary, technology, vote buying or electoral manipulation.
It should first ask:
Did we do everything necessary to win?
Did we have the structure?
Did we mobilize the voters?
Did we have one candidate?
Did we have a credible message?
Did we build a national coalition?
Did we protect our votes?
Did we understand the political terrain?
Did we actually convince undecided voters?
If the answer to these questions is no, then perhaps the problem was not simply the election.
Perhaps the problem was the opposition.
2027 IS NOT YET A FOREGONE CONCLUSION
Let me be clear: I am not predicting that President Tinubu will certainly win the 2027 election.
No responsible political analyst should make that claim at this stage.
Elections can change dramatically.
Political alliances can collapse.
New movements can emerge.
Economic conditions can change.
A powerful opposition coalition can alter the entire political equation.
But based on the political structure that exists today, the APC has a significant advantage.
And if the opposition continues to operate as it did in 2023, fragmented, internally divided and without a single national candidate, it could lose again.
Not necessarily because Tinubu’s government has performed exceptionally well. Not necessarily because Nigerians are satisfied.
But because the alternative has failed to organize itself sufficiently to take power. That is the uncomfortable truth many opposition politicians and the supporters do not want to hear.
THE FALSE PROPHETS ARE COMING
As 2027 approaches, Nigerians should expect a flood of political predictions. Some will tell you that the opposition has already won. Some will tell you that a particular candidate is “unstoppable.”
Those in the faith arena proclaim from the roof top that God has revealed the winner to them and that a candidate in the opposition rank or the incumbent president is the one chosen by God.
Others will interpret social-media trends as evidence of an inevitable electoral victory.
Some will publish elaborate electoral maps based on nothing more than wishful thinking. Many will blame every political setback on conspiracy.
Nigerians must be careful.
Political prophecy is not political strategy.
A viral video is not an election.
A poll is not an election.
A political rally is not an election.
A crowd is not an election.
An angry population is not automatically an opposition electorate.
The only thing that ultimately matters is whether a political organization can convert public sentiment into votes.
NIGERIA NEEDS A COMPETENT OPPOSITION
I want the opposition to compete, not because I support any particular political party, but because democracy requires a credible alternative.
A healthy democracy needs a government that knows it can be challenged.
It needs an opposition that can scrutinize government policies.
It needs political parties that can present alternative economic policies.
It needs leaders who can accept responsibility.
It needs citizens who can distinguish facts from political propaganda.
Most importantly, Nigeria needs a political culture in which elections are contests of ideas, competence and character rather than ethnic calculations, religious mobilization and personality cults.
The opposition still has time.
But it must wake up.
Stop fighting one another.
Stop living on social media.
Stop waiting for the APC to collapse.
Stop assuming economic hardship automatically translates into opposition votes.
Stop telling Nigerians that you already won an election you did not win.
Stop blaming everyone else.
Organize. Consolidate. Choose one candidate. Build a national coalition. Develop a credible alternative agenda. Go to the grassroots. Mobilize voters. Protect the votes.
Then compete.
If the opposition does that and still loses, it will at least have earned the right to demand a serious examination of the electoral process.
But if it refuses to do the work and loses again, Nigerians should not be surprised.
Also read: Babafemi Ojudu: Rising Cost of Elections Shutting Capable Nigerians Out of Politics
The APC may win, not because it is unbeatable, but because its opponents were unwilling or unable to become a credible alternative. That would be the greatest tragedy of all. Because Nigeria does not merely need a new government.
Nigeria needs a better political culture.
And that culture change must begin with accepting one simple principle:
If you want to win, prepare to win.
Anything less is political delusion.
By Victor Ojelabi,
The Rotary Foundation has recognised the polio eradication efforts of Rotary International District 9112 under Immediate Past District Governor Lanre Adedoyin, following the District’s transfer of District Designated Funds to the PolioPlus Fund during the 2025 to 2026 Rotary year, a contribution acknowledged recently, as part of the global funding effort to protect children from the disease.
Also read: Rotary Club Ikeja Trains 60 Interactors in Leadership
The recognition brings a fitting international dimension to a Rotary year in which Adedoyin, a lawyer and member of the Rotary Club of Surulere South, repeatedly placed polio eradication among District 9112’s major humanitarian priorities across Lagos and Ogun states.
In a message addressed to District 9112, The Rotary Foundation thanked the District for committing its District Designated Funds to the campaign, saying the collective support from Rotary districts helped the organisation reach its fundraising target and secure matching funds that translate into US$150 million for polio eradication.
“Your support helped Rotary reach our goal and secure the matching funds that translate into US$150 million toward eradicating polio,” the Foundation said.
The money has consequences far beyond the balance sheet.
According to the Foundation, polio funding supports frontline workers taking vaccines into remote communities, environmental surveillance capable of detecting the virus in wastewater and programmes designed to interrupt transmission in affected areas.
IPDG Lanre Adedoyin with wife at a Rotary event recently
The Foundation said the continuing effort was particularly important in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the only two countries where wild poliovirus remains endemic.
That assessment is consistent with Rotary International’s latest account of the global campaign.
Rotary says its partnership with the Gates Foundation generates up to US$150 million annually for polio eradication, with Rotary raising US$50 million and the Foundation providing a two-to-one match.
The money supports vaccine procurement, social mobilisation, outbreak response, surveillance and other operational requirements.
Rotary’s involvement stretches back decades. Its first polio vaccination project began in the Philippines in 1979, and the organisation became a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988. Since then, global polio cases have fallen by 99.9 per cent.
For Nigeria, the story carries particular resonance.
The country recorded its last case of wild poliovirus in Borno State in August 2016.
Four years later, the World Health Organisation African Region was formally certified free of wild poliovirus, leaving Afghanistan and Pakistan as the remaining countries with endemic transmission.
That historic achievement, however, did not mean the end of the polio challenge in Nigeria.
Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus can still emerge in communities with low immunisation coverage, making vaccination and surveillance essential even in countries that have eliminated wild poliovirus.
It was against that backdrop that the IPDG’s polio drive developed during the 2025 to 2026 Rotary year.
Adedoyin, who became the second District Governor of District 9112 following the division of the former District 9110, had signalled early in his tenure that healthcare would remain a central part of the District’s service programme.
His installation in Lagos in July 2025 marked the beginning of a year that subsequently combined fundraising with grassroots advocacy and support for health workers.
By September 2025, the District had held a PolioPlus seminar at which Adedoyin warned against complacency simply because wild poliovirus had disappeared from Nigeria. District records show that the campaign remained prominent in its programme in the months that followed.
In October, Districts 9111 and 9112 took the End Polio Now message beyond conventional conference halls with a joint train journey from Lagos to Abeokuta.
Led by Adedoyin and then District 9111 Governor Henry Akinyele, alongside Nigeria National PolioPlus Committee Chairman Joshua Hassan and other Rotary leaders, the initiative turned the train journey into a public awareness campaign for polio eradication.
District 9112 also took the message to communities in Ogun State, including a roughly 10-kilometre Keep Polio @ Zero awareness walk in Sagamu aimed particularly at encouraging parents and guardians to ensure that children receive their vaccinations.
In Lagos, the campaign moved from advocacy to practical support.
District 9112 donated 100 pairs of rain boots and 200 raincoats to the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board in October 2025 to assist health personnel working on polio eradication during the rainy season. The intervention was valued at about ₦1.6 million.
Adedoyin made the District’s position clear at the presentation.
“Our commitment to ending polio is absolute,” Adedoyin said. “We will continue working with the Lagos State Government and our partners until polio is completely wiped out.”
Another significant moment came towards the end of his tenure.
In June 2026, District 9112 announced that it had raised US$13,000 through the World’s Greatest Meal initiative for The Rotary Foundation’s PolioPlus Fund.
The contribution was described by World’s Greatest Meal Committee Chairman Tokunbo Opanubi as one of the highest recorded by the District through the initiative.
The US$13,000 contribution is separate from the District Designated Funds now acknowledged by The Rotary Foundation.
Together, however, the initiatives illustrate the different channels through which District 9112 supported the global eradication campaign during Adedoyin’s tenure.
District Designated Funds form part of The Rotary Foundation’s funding system and allow Rotary districts to direct portions of available Foundation resources towards eligible programmes.
PolioPlus is one of the avenues through which districts can deploy such resources in support of Rotary’s eradication objective.
The Foundation’s latest acknowledgement therefore adds another layer to District 9112’s polio record for the 2025 to 2026 year.
It also demonstrates the multiplier effect behind Rotary’s funding model.
A contribution originating from clubs and districts can ultimately support a much larger global pool used for vaccines, surveillance, community mobilisation and the difficult task of reaching children in areas affected by conflict, insecurity or geographical isolation.
The stakes remain considerable.
Polio is a potentially fatal infectious disease that primarily affects young children and can invade the nervous system, causing irreversible paralysis.
Although its global footprint has been reduced dramatically, Rotary cautions that eradication requires sustained vaccination and surveillance until transmission has been stopped everywhere.
The Foundation’s message to District 9112 captured that unfinished mission.
It thanked the District for supporting the PolioPlus Fund and helping move the world closer to the point where “no child is threatened by this disease ever again”.
For Adedoyin, who handed over the governorship of District 9112 at the end of the 2025 to 2026 Rotary year, the recognition offers a powerful postscript to a year in which the District’s contribution was measured not only in fundraising figures, but also in public advocacy, community mobilisation and support for those working closest to vulnerable children.
Also read: Rotary Club Ikeja Trains 60 Interactors in Leadership
And for District 9112, the acknowledgement connects a local Rotary story from Lagos and Ogun states to a much larger global ambition: ensuring that the final cases of polio become part of history rather than the beginning of another outbreak.
By Ehi Braimah,
When I wrote in April about “Beyond oil: Niger Delta attracts investments for economic growth and development,” the central argument was straightforward: Niger Delta must begin to look beyond crude oil and deliberately position itself as a diversified investment destination.
Also read: Otu Urges FAAN to Upgrade Calabar Airport Ahead of AfSNET
At the time, the Niger Delta Economic and Investment Summit (NDEIS) was scheduled for May. The summit, with the theme, “Driving investment, innovation, and industrial growth in the Niger Delta,” was subsequently postponed, but the additional preparation time has arguably made the event even more significant.
From September 15 – 17, 2026, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, will host what promises to be a defining conversation about the economic future of Nigeria’s Niger Delta region comprising nine states: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers.
The venue is the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, an appropriate setting for a summit that seeks to bring together government, business, investors, development institutions, financial institutions, professionals, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders around one overriding objective: transforming the enormous economic potential of the Niger Delta into sustainable investment and jobs.
This is not intended to be another talk shop. The organisers of the summit, the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCITMA), have positioned NDEIS as a structured investment marketplace designed to connect global capital with bankable projects and supportive public policy.
The summit’s stated ambition is substantial: more than 1,000 delegates, over 100 exhibitors, at least 30 bankable projects in the Deal Room and a target of up to $50 billion in investment commitments.
Those are ambitious numbers, but ambition is precisely what a region as strategically important as the Niger Delta requires.
Ambassador Idaere Gogo-Ogan, NDCCITMA chairman and convener of the summit, framed the ambition plainly during a pre-summit media briefing held earlier in March. “The region is ready to deliver 500,000 new jobs, inclusive of investment drive and wealth creation,” he said, describing the summit as a platform to deliberate on “investment mobilisation, enterprise growth, industrial expansion, and regional coordination.”
A gathering of influential Nigerians and global investors
The summit is expected to attract a formidable gathering of political leaders, captains of industry, investors, development partners, regulators, financial institutions, academics, professionals and entrepreneurs.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to declare the summit open, adding a significant federal dimension to an event whose focus is regional economic transformation.
The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is expected to serve as Chief Host, while the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is a key institutional partner.
The participation of the governors of the Niger Delta states is particularly important. The region’s economic future cannot be addressed successfully by any single state acting alone.
The governors therefore have an opportunity to use the summit to demonstrate that the Niger Delta can move from competition among states to strategic economic collaboration.
For investors, the message should be clear: the region is open for business.
The Niger Delta has traditionally been identified overwhelmingly with oil and gas. Yet, its economic possibilities extend much further.
The summit has identified seven strategic sectors: agro-industrial development and food security; blue economy and marine industries; oil, gas and energy transition; manufacturing, industrialisation and special economic zones; tourism, culture and the creative economy; digital economy, innovation and human capital; and access to finance and investment capital.
These sectors represent the bridge between the Niger Delta of yesterday and the Niger Delta of tomorrow.
A keynote speech with a powerful message
One of the major attractions of the summit will be the keynote address by Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, Chairman of Access Holdings Plc. Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede’s profile is particularly relevant to the investment conversation.
He is an investor, banker and philanthropist whose career has spanned banking, finance, investment, insurance, technology, real estate and energy.
As former Group Managing Director of Access Bank, he played a major role in transforming the institution into one of Nigeria’s leading banks.
His keynote will therefore go beyond rhetoric. The Niger Delta region and other summit participants will be hearing directly from an expert who understands capital, risk, entrepreneurship, corporate governance and the difficult process of turning opportunities into investment propositions.
The central question should be: how does the Niger Delta move from possessing resources to creating investable assets?
That distinction is critical. Investors do not invest merely because a region has resources; they invest where there are bankable projects, credible institutions, predictable policies, infrastructure, security, competent human capital and reasonable prospects of return on investment.
From conference hall to Deal Room
Perhaps the most important feature of NDEIS is its Deal Room. This is where the summit can distinguish itself from conventional conferences with opportunities for access to markets, technology and capital.
A successful summit should not be measured only by the quality of speeches delivered or the number of dignitaries who attend. Its ultimate test should be what happens after the speeches.
Did investors meet project promoters? Were projects subjected to serious investment scrutiny? How were financing conversations initiated? Were memoranda of understanding signed? Did companies commit capital? Did governments provide investment incentives?
The planned Deal Room has witnessed increased interest from participants and investors with over 30 investment-ready projects received to date, and it clearly provides an opportunity to answer those questions. If properly managed, it could become the engine room of the summit.
Exhibitions that tell the Niger Delta story
The exhibition component is equally important. With more than 100 exhibitors expected, the summit provides an opportunity for companies, states, government agencies, SMEs and entrepreneurs to showcase what the Niger Delta can produce.
The exhibition floor in an air-conditioned marquee will tell a compelling story: that beyond crude oil, there are agricultural products, manufacturing enterprises, technology companies, tourism assets, creative industries, maritime businesses, energy opportunities and innovative young entrepreneurs.
This is where the summit’s investment narrative becomes tangible. An investor should be able to walk through the exhibition arena and see opportunities rather than merely hear about them from a podium.
The intellectual architecture
The quality of the summit will also depend on its panelists, moderators and rapporteurs.
The organisers have assembled speakers from government, business, finance, academia, energy, maritime industries, technology, law, investment promotion and other sectors.
The published speaker list includes senior figures such as NDDC Chairman Chiedu Ebie, NDDC Managing Director/CEO Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, SEC Director-General Emomotimi Agama, and Renaissance Africa Energy Company CEO Tony Attah.
Others include Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency Director-General Chamberlain Peterside, former NDDC Managing Director Timi Alaibe, former University of Port Harcourt Vice Chancellor Professor Joseph Ajienka, Starzs Marine & Engineering Limited Chairman Greg Ogbeifun, and several other experts.
The moderators have an equally important responsibility. A good moderator must move a panel beyond prepared speeches and polite exchanges.
The hard questions must be asked: what exactly are the investment opportunities? Who will finance them? What are the risks? What incentives are available? What reforms are required? How will investors repatriate profits? What happens to host communities? How will environmental sustainability be guaranteed?
The rapporteurs, meanwhile, have the responsibility of capturing the substance of the conversations and translating them into actionable recommendations. That is how a summit becomes a roadmap.
The media must tell the story
A summit of this magnitude also deserves substantial media coverage. The media should not merely report who attended and who spoke; it should tell the larger story of an economically strategic region attempting to redefine itself.
There would be sustained coverage before, during and after the summit across television, radio, newspapers, digital platforms and social media.
Interviews, special reports, investment stories, business features, photographs, short videos, social-media content and post-event analysis are also planned to ensure that the conversation does not disappear when delegates leave Port Harcourt.
Indeed, the summit presents an opportunity to change the narrative about the Niger Delta – from a region predominantly associated with oil, environmental degradation and conflict to a region increasingly associated with enterprise, investment, innovation and economic opportunity. That narrative shift is itself an investment asset.
The importance of end-to-end event management
For a summit of this scale, content and execution matter. A world-class summit requires an end-to-end event management experience: delegate registration and accreditation, protocol, airport arrivals and departures, transportation, accommodation, venue management, stage production, branding, exhibition management, audiovisual production, security, hospitality, media operations, digital engagement, networking, VIP management and post-event reporting.
Every touchpoint is crucial. The experience of a foreign investor arriving at the airport, being received, transported to the hotel, accredited at the venue, guided through the exhibition, introduced to relevant project promoters and followed up after the summit can influence his or her perception of the region.
World-class events are therefore not defined only by beautiful stages and impressive speeches, but also by a seamless execution. Official summit consultants are: Dr. Tony Epelle, CEO of Samuelson Advisory Partners & coordinating consultant; Ono Akpe, CEO of Red Sapphire; Donald Okudu, CEO of Mesh Ads, and Ehi Braimah, CEO of Neo Media & Marketing
A summit that must produce results
The Convener and organisers deserve commendation for placing investment at the centre of the conversation, but expectations must remain high.
The Niger Delta has hosted numerous conferences and stakeholder meetings over the years. What the region needs now is not another declaration of intent – it needs implementation.
NDEIS provides an opportunity to create a pipeline of projects, facilitate investment partnerships, strengthen public-private collaboration and establish measurable commitments.
The summit’s ambition of attracting up to $50 billion in investment commitments is bold.
But the real measure of success will be the quality of investments eventually deployed, the jobs created, businesses established, infrastructure delivered and value retained within the region.
The Niger Delta is too important to Nigeria’s economy to remain defined by its oil wealth alone.
It is home to a large population, an extensive coastline and waterways, vast agricultural possibilities, significant energy resources, a vibrant culture and enormous human capital. The region’s transformation therefore has implications far beyond the nine states.
Dr. Solomon Edebiri, NDCCITMA secretary and local organising committee chairman, says the summit is a “strategic initiative designed to reposition the Niger Delta as a competitive hub for investment, enterprise development, and sustainable industrialisation.” While the world knows the Delta for oil and gas, its real legacy, he argued, rests on a “wealth of diverse and largely untapped opportunities” that the gathering aims to unlock.
As Port Harcourt prepares to welcome delegates, development partners and experts from Nigeria and beyond, the Niger Delta Economic and Investment Summit represents an opportunity to begin a new chapter.
The challenge is to convert conversations into commitments, enhancing access to markets and technology, deployment of capital and achieving productive economic activities.
Also read: Otu Urges FAAN to Upgrade Calabar Airport Ahead of AfSNET
That is the real meaning of Beyond Oil. And it explains why the Niger Delta Economic and Investment Summit in Port Harcourt could become a historic moment – not simply because of the VIPs who attend, but because of the investment decisions and economic partnerships that emerge from it.
The Niger Delta region is ready to tell a new story.
By Ehi Braimah and Victor Ojelabi,
At 16, Arnold Faranpojo had already completed his secondary education, earned impressive examination results and begun charting a path towards an international future.
Also read: Victor Ojelabi’s Watch Impresses at Rotary RYLA 2026
But his participation in the Rotary Youth Exchange Programme, facilitated by Rotary International District 9111 during the tenure of then District Governor Henry Akinyele, would take his education beyond the classroom, giving him an experience that would reshape his outlook on life, culture, independence and the world.
Born in Lagos on 28 July 2009, Arnold is the second of three boys in the Faranpojo family. Although his roots are in Ile-Ife, Osun State, he grew up in Lagos, where he completed his secondary education at Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Abeokuta.
He graduated in 2025 with his WAEC and NECO certificates and recorded an impressive 319 in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examination the same year.
Rather than immediately proceeding into university, however, Arnold embarked on an 11-month Rotary Youth Exchange experience in Germany, an opportunity he describes as one of the most memorable chapters of his young life.
A Family’s Leap of Faith
News of Arnold’s selection was met with excitement in the Faranpojo household, although it also came with understandable concerns.
For his parents, sending their son away for almost a year was a major decision. For his two brothers, the prospect of having the middle child away from home was initially unsettling.
“Knowing that the middle man of the three boys was going to be away for a year was at first unsettling with uncertainties,” the family recalled. “But with some clarification and explanation, the news was later greeted with faith and hopes for better things.”
For Arnold himself, the selection brought a mixture of gratitude, excitement and pride.
“It was a very exciting and memorable moment for me,” he said. “I felt extremely grateful, excited and proud because it was an opportunity to experience a completely different country and culture.”
His parents shared his excitement and were proud of the opportunity, even as they recognised that their son was about to take a significant step towards independence.
Arnold is the son of Rev. Alexander Faranpojo mni, a business consultant, clergyman and member of the National Institute.
He is the founding pastor of Virtues Christian Centre in Lagos and London and president of Virtues Life Foundation, an organisation focused on humanities, societies and governance.
His mother, Pastor Mrs Funmilola Faranpojo, is also a business consultant with interests in educational advancement and international agency services.
She serves alongside her husband in ministry and has close to two decades of experience spanning banking and human capital development. She holds a postgraduate qualification in Human Resources from the University of Winnipeg.
Together, they have supported Arnold and his brothers while encouraging their educational and personal development.
Eleven Months That Changed Everything
Arnold spent approximately 11 months in Germany, living and studying in Wuppertal and attending Wilhelm Dörpfeld Gymnasium.
The experience exposed him to an education system different from the one he had known in Nigeria, while also placing him in an environment where communication, adaptation and independence became part of everyday life.
“Everything was different — the language, culture, school system, food and daily lifestyle,” Arnold recalled of his initial experience.
The early days were challenging. Adjusting to a new country, learning to communicate in another language and understanding unfamiliar social and educational systems required patience.
But gradually, the unfamiliar became familiar.
Arnold improved his German language skills, became more comfortable communicating with people and learnt to navigate daily life with increasing independence.
Beyond Wuppertal, the exchange opened the door to travel and cultural discovery. He visited Düsseldorf, Cologne, Dortmund, Hamburg, Berlin and Munich, as well as Paris in France.
Each journey offered a different perspective, allowing him to experience new cities, cultures and ways of life.
Yet, for Arnold, the exchange was about much more than travelling.
He spent considerable time at school, participated in Rotary activities, built friendships with Germans and young people from other countries and learned how to interact with individuals from different backgrounds.
“Overall, the exchange helped me become more independent, adaptable, confident and open-minded,” he said.
More Than a Language
One of the most significant outcomes of Arnold’s exchange year was the development of his confidence.
Living away from his family required him to take greater responsibility for himself. Communicating in a foreign language pushed him outside his comfort zone, while interacting with people from different cultures broadened his understanding of the world.
By the end of the programme, Germany no longer felt like the completely unfamiliar environment he encountered when he first arrived.
“I had developed a strong appreciation for the country and its culture,” he said.
The experience also gave him something that cannot easily be measured by academic certificates: an international perspective.
For Arnold, learning German became part of a much larger lesson about communication, tolerance and adaptability.
“My exchange year taught me much more than just a new language,” he said. “It taught me how to adapt, communicate with different people, become independent, and appreciate different cultures.”
The strongest placement is immediately after the “More Than a Language” section and before “Building Towards the Future”. It creates a natural bridge from Arnold’s return to Nigeria into what comes next.
A Special Homecoming
Arnold’s return from Germany brought another memorable Rotary moment.
On 18 August 2026, he had the rare privilege of joining Rotary International President Olayinka Hakeem Babalola and other Rotary leaders at a special reception in Lagos held in Babalola’s honour.
The reception, jointly organised by Rotary International Districts 9111 and 9112 under District Governors Bukola Bakare and Layi Abidoye respectively, brought together Rotarians and other guests to celebrate Babalola’s historic leadership of the global service organisation.
Arnold did not attend the reception alone. His parents, Rev. Alexander Faranpojo mni and Pastor Mrs Funmilola Faranpojo, accompanied him, giving the family an opportunity to share another significant Rotary experience together following his return from Germany.
Babalola was full of praise for Arnold and the journey he had undertaken through the Rotary Youth Exchange Programme.
He noted that about 7,000 young people around the world are offered the opportunity to participate in Rotary Youth Exchange each year, placing Arnold’s experience within a global programme that enables young people to live in another country, experience different cultures and develop a broader understanding of the world.
For Arnold, meeting the Rotary International President so soon after returning from an 11-month exchange provided a fitting connection between the opportunity Rotary had given him abroad and the organisation’s leadership at home.
Babalola’s emergence as the second Nigerian and second African to serve as President of Rotary International also carried particular significance.
For a young Nigerian whose worldview had been broadened through a Rotary programme, his leadership offered another powerful example of how service, opportunity and exposure can transcend geographical boundaries.
Building Towards the Future
With his exchange year behind him, Arnold is now focused on the next stage of his journey.
He is continuing to improve his German language skills as he prepares for university, with plans to study Business Informatics (Wirtschaftsinformatik) in Germany.
The field sits at the intersection of business and technology, an area that aligns with Arnold’s growing interests and his ambitions for the future.
But his aspirations extend beyond technology and business.
He hopes to combine his interests in business, technology and fashion to create something that contributes positively to humanity.
His Rotary experience, he believes, will remain an important foundation as he pursues these ambitions.
Looking back on the opportunity, Arnold is clear about what the experience has given him: greater confidence, independence, adaptability and a broader understanding of the world.
It has also taught him not to be afraid of unfamiliar territory.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity and believe the experience will continue to influence my education, career, and personal development,” he said.
Also read: Victor Ojelabi’s Watch Impresses at Rotary RYLA 2026
And when asked what he would ultimately attribute the journey to, Arnold offered a simple but deeply personal conclusion:
“Everything was by the grace of God! I also thank Rotary for the life-changing opportunity.”
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