The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, has approved the creation of 15 new dioceses, bringing the total number of dioceses across the country to 176.

The decision was taken at the Standing Committee Meeting of the Church, which held in Ekiti State between September 15 and 19, 2025.

According to a statement signed on Thursday by the Church’s Communication Officer, Korede Akintunde, the approval followed a series of inspections, verifications and validation exercises after the lifting of the moratorium on the creation of new dioceses in September 2024.

The statement read, “The inspection team are as follows: Old Province 1 headed by Archbishop Joseph Akinfenwa, Old Province 2 headed by Archbishop David Onuoha while Old Province 3 headed by Archbishop Daniel Yisa.

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“They presented their fact-finding report at the Standing Committee held at Niger-Delta Diocese in February 2025 which formed the basis of the assignments of the Church of Nigeria Validation Team on the creation of full-fledged and missionary Dioceses which was constituted and inaugurated by the Primate on 27th March, 2025, headed by the Most Rev’d Dr Timothy Yahaya.

“The Validation Team in turn visited, inspected and verified the contents of the report of the Inspection Teams and Verification Committee and made the recommendations to the Primate on the creation of full-fledged and missionary Dioceses in the Church of Nigeria.”

The statement noted that five of the new dioceses would operate as full-fledged dioceses, while 10 others were approved as missionary dioceses.

The full-fledged dioceses are:

1.⁠ ⁠Ekiti South Diocese out of Ekiti Diocese
2.⁠ ⁠Kalabari Diocese out of Niger Delta Diocese
3.⁠ ⁠Lagos South West Diocese out of Lagos West Diocese
4.⁠ ⁠Omoku Diocese out of Ahoada Diocese
5.⁠ ⁠Ozoro Diocese out of Oleh Diocese

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The missionary dioceses include:

1.⁠ ⁠Eket Diocese out of Uyo Diocese
2.⁠ ⁠Idanre Diocese out of Akure Diocese
3.⁠ ⁠Ikom Diocese out of Calabar Diocese
4.⁠ ⁠Keffi Diocese out of Kubwa and Lafia Dioceses
5.⁠ ⁠Nasarawa Diocese out of Lafia Diocese
6.⁠ ⁠Ogoja Diocese out of Calabar Diocese
7.⁠ ⁠Oyo South Diocese out of Oyo Diocese
8.⁠ ⁠Oyun Diocese out of Kwara Diocese
9.⁠ ⁠Takum Diocese out of Jalingo Diocese
10.⁠ ⁠Zuru Diocese out of Kebbi Diocese

The church added that the election of bishops, consecration, inaugurations, and enthronement dates would be announced later.

The Federal Government has given mining and quarrying companies up till December 31, 2025, to conclude their Community Development Agreements with host communities or risk severe sanctions, including revocation of licences and reparations.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori, the warning by the minister, Dr Dele Alake, followed a review of companies’ compliance with CDA requirements in the first six months of the year.

The statement read, “Mining and quarrying companies licensed by the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office since last year are expected to conclude the Community Development Agreements with host communities on or before December 31, this year.”

According to the Ministry’s Mines Environmental Compliance department, 74 new mineral titles were issued in the first half of 2025, but only 24 CDAs were signed.

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By law, holders of mineral titles are required to agree with their host communities on specific projects and programmes before commencing extraction.

Figures from the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office showed that in 2023 alone, 960 small-scale mineral licences, 391 quarry licences, and 37 mining leases were issued, totalling 1,388 titles.

However, only 342 CDAs have been signed to date, leaving a wide gap in compliance.

Alake described the shortfall as unacceptable, stressing that the current administration will enforce strict adherence to international environmental, social and governance standards.

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“Under our watch, responsible mining, marked by compliance with international Environmental, Social and Governance standards, shall be the rule. We will not allow a situation in which companies rush to mine without first sitting down with the host communities to agree to execute projects and programmes that will address their needs. We have penalised companies that owed annual service fees by revoking their titles,” he said.

The Minister warned that companies found guilty of neglecting their obligations after the December deadline would not only lose their licences but also be compelled to pay reparations.

“Refusal to protect the Nigerian people by agreeing with them on what the communities will gain from the mineral exploitation of their land is criminal expropriation, and an unpardonable injustice. This administration is not going to treat any company found guilty after this deadline with kid gloves. Their licences will not only be revoked, they will be asked to pay reparations for the minerals carted away,” he added.

He urged host communities to establish robust negotiation teams, comprising retired professionals, to secure legacy projects and benefits for youths, women, and the broader population.

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Alake cautioned traditional rulers and community leaders against undermining CDA negotiations by seeking personal favours or endorsing incompetent contractors who deliver substandard projects.

The Minister also commended the Mines Environmental Compliance department for shutting down three firms — Istanbul, Venus, and Cornerstone — last month for failing to finalise CDAs with their host communities.

“That should be a good signal to others that it is no longer business as usual,” he said.

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The PUNCH earlier this month reported that the Federal Government said more mining licences will be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.

The Director-General of the Mining Cadastre Office, Obadiah Nkom, disclosed this during a live conversation on X (formerly Twitter).

According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.

He disclosed that the agency had identified approximately 4,709 licences, including 1,400 expired titles, 2,338 refused applications, and 971 notifications of grant where applicants failed to pay, leading to outright revocation by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake.

In a move aimed at boosting the nation’s consumer credit system, the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation, on Thursday, launched a pension-backed loan scheme designed to empower retirees.

The initiative, launched in collaboration with Leadway Trustees and Optimus Bank, offers retirees access to loans starting from ₦50,000, with the maximum benchmark to be determined by the size of the pension income.

Nigeria’s pension system has undergone significant reforms over the past two decades, with the Pension Reform Act of 2004 and its subsequent amendments introducing the Contributory Pension Scheme to address decades of mismanagement and unpaid retirement benefits.

Despite these reforms, retirees often face financial difficulties, with limited access to credit and delayed payments, leaving many unable to meet urgent needs.

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Speaking at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in Abuja, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of CREDICORP, Uzoma Nwagba, said the initiative would give retirees a new lease of life.

Nwagba noted that the scheme, launched under the theme “Empowering retirees with consumer credit,” covers both federal and state pensioners.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for his financially inclusive model of governance as enshrined in the Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that the pension-backed loan programme reflects the administration’s commitment to creating opportunities for all Nigerians.

These, he added, include senior citizens who, for long, have not benefited from consumer credit.

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He said, “The programme leverages pension income, offering retirees tailored, low-interest loans that are both secure and sustainable.

“This first-of-its-kind product ensures that Nigeria’s senior citizens can access credit with dignity, without the burden of exorbitant rates or complex processes.

“Annuitants are the backbone of Nigeria’s progress, yet they have been sidelined in the credit ecosystem. This programme changes that narrative. By partnering with Leadway Trustees’ expertise in pension management, we are delivering a credit solution that is safe, affordable, and transparent. This is consumer credit redefined, inclusive, equitable, and empowering.”

The event, attended by stakeholders from the financial sector, pension industry, and annuitants’ associations, featured testimonials from early beneficiaries.

For instance, Amina Sule, a 68-year-old retired teacher, said, “For years, I wanted to start a small poultry business to stay active and support my family.

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“This programme gives me the confidence to borrow affordably, knowing my pension secures my loan. It’s not just credit, it’s hope and independence.”

Also speaking, a retired civil servant, Chukwuemeka Okeke, said, “Medical bills can be overwhelming. With this loan, I can cover my healthcare needs without stress. The process was straightforward, and I feel respected as a retiree.”

Consumer credit in Nigeria remains underdeveloped compared to global standards, where retirees in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom can easily access mortgages, healthcare, or small business loans backed by their pension or social security income.

In Nigeria, retirees have largely been excluded from such credit facilities, leading to widespread financial insecurity in old age.

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The Federal Government’s decision to introduce a pension-backed loan scheme through the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation marks the first structured attempt to integrate retirees into the country’s consumer credit ecosystem.

By leveraging pension payments as collateral, the initiative seeks to provide senior citizens with safe and affordable credit for healthcare, small-scale enterprises, and other personal needs.

The move is also in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasises financial inclusion, poverty reduction, and economic empowerment.