Product manufacturers in China have turned their attention to Nigeria and other emerging markets following the imposition of trade tariffs on their products by the US President, Donald Trump.

Trump, on April 2, slapped a 46% tariff on Vietnam and a 17% levy on the Philippines before paring those back to 10% for the next three months as he begins bilateral negotiations on trade with about 75 different countries.

Manufacturers say that after Washington raised tariffs on Chinese goods by 145%, U.S. orders for products have vanished.

“It’s a matter of life and death because 60-70% of our business is with American clients,” marketing manager of Conmo Electronic Co, Candice Li SAID in a survey obtained by Channels Television on Tuesday, adding,g “Goods cannot be exported and money cannot be collected. This is very severe.”

Most exporters Reuters spoke with said U.S. orders have either been delayed or stopped coming – a bad sign for the world’s second-largest economy, whose growth last year relied heavily on running a trillion-dollar trade surplus.

Kobe Huang, sales representative at Shenzhen Landun Environmental Technology, which makes water filters and smart toilets, says that for now, European sales are up, but the U.S. market is “frozen.”

U.S. customers and distributors haven’t cancelled orders, he said. “They have asked us to hold on. We are holding on.”

No other country comes close to matching China’s sales of more than $400 billion in goods to the U.S. each year.

And while Trump’s tariffs on the rest of the world are much lower, they are likely to curb global demand in coming months – and implicitly, the appetite for Chinese goods in other countries.

Despite the tariffs on China, exports from China to other countries, including to Nigeria, have surged.
A poll by AFP said China is expected to post first-quarter growth of around five percent on Wednesday, buoyed by exports.

Analysts polled by AFP forecast the world’s number two economy to have grown 5.1 percent from January to March.

Figures released Monday showed Beijing’s exports soared more than 12 percent on-year in March, smashing expectations, with analysts attributing it to a “frontloading” of orders ahead of Trump’s so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs on April 2.

Many exporters said they have been either diversifying their production bases outside China, or the markets they sell to, away from the United States.

Henry Han, sales manager at Apexto Electronics Co, which makes SSD and micro SD flash drives, says the U.S. market only accounts for 10% of direct sales, down from 30% before the pandemic. Many of their customers now take shipments of components for final assembly in a third country to avoid the tariffs.

Sales manager David Du, from speaker maker Zealot, said an order from Skechers for 30,000 speakers to be distributed to their U.S. stores was put on hold after Trump’s tariffs. But he said he can rely on other markets.

Zealot got a big and unexpected break in 2015, when an all-in-one speaker, power bank and emergency flashlight became a hit in Nigeria.
He added that its market in Nigeria is now twice as big as the U.S., accounting for 40% of total sales and taking in 45 containers monthly.

“We are as big as JBL” in Nigeria, Du said, referring to the Californian audio equipment brand.
READ ALSO: Global Investors Dump US Stocks At Record Pace — Survey

China’s exports to Nigeria are diverse and significant, with a focus on manufactured goods, particularly electrical and electronic equipment, machinery, and vehicles. In 2023, these top exports included electrical and electronic equipment ($2.88B), machinery, nuclear reactors, and boilers ($2.13B), and vehicles (other than railway or tramway) ($1.34B).

The bilateral trade between Nigeria and China reached an all-time high of $15.1 billion (about N25.7 trillion) between January and September 2024, with China’s imports from Nigeria increasing by 36.1 per cent year-on-year.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Nigeria will navigate global shocks due to the reforms implemented by President Bola Tinubu.

Axel Schimmelpfennig, IMF mission chief for Nigeria, spoke during a visit to Lagos and Abuja from April 2 to 15, where he led a delegation to hold discussions for the 2025 Article IV Consultations with Nigeria.

The team met with Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy; Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security; Yemi Cardoso, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); ministry of environment and other stakeholders in the private sector, academia, labour unions, and civil society.

In a statement by the IMF, Schimmelpfennig said authorities had taken “important steps” to stabilise the economy, enhance resilience, and support growth.

The steps, he noted, include ending the CBN’s financing of the fiscal deficit, removing costly petrol subsidy, and improving the functioning of the foreign exchange market.

“The Nigerian authorities have taken important steps to stabilise the economy, enhance resilience, and support growth,” Schimmelpfennig said.

“The financing of the fiscal deficit by the central bank has ceased, costly fuel subsidies were removed, and the functioning of the foreign exchange market has improved. Gains have yet to benefit all Nigerians as poverty and food insecurity remain high.

”The outlook is marked by significant uncertainty. Elevated global risk sentiment and lower oil prices impact the Nigerian economy.

“The reforms since 2023 have put the Nigerian economy in a better position to navigate this external environment. Looking ahead, macroeconomic policies need to further strengthen buffers and resilience, while creating enabling conditions for private sector-led growth.

“The authorities communicated to the mission that they will implement the 2025 budget in a manner that is responsive to the decline in international oil prices.”

TIGHT MONETARY POLICY REQUIRED TO CURB INFLATION’

The IMF official also recommended a neutral fiscal stance to support monetary policy in bringing down inflation.

He added that fiscal savings from petrol subsidy reforms should be channelled into the national budget to protect critical investments.

Schimmelpfennig further advised that the CBN maintain a tight monetary policy stance to curb inflation.

“In particular, adjustments should protect critical, growth-enhancing investment, while accelerating and broadening the delivery of cash transfers under the World Bank-supported program to provide relief to those experiencing food insecurity,” he said.

“A tight monetary policy stance is required to firmly guide inflation down.”

Schimmelpfennig said the monetary policy committee’s data-dependent approach has served Nigeria well and will help navigate elevated macroeconomic uncertainty.

The Federal Government has revealed plans to construct modular solar power plants with a combined capacity of 1,900 megawatts for the 19 northern states, as part of efforts to boost renewable energy adoption and expand the national grid.

It also disclosed its target to generate and distribute about 8,000MW of electricity before the end of President Bola Tinubu’s first term in office in 2027.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, announced this during the sixth edition of the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing Series held on Thursday in Abuja.

Adelabu said each solar-powered station will produce approximately 100MW of electricity, enabling states to become more energy-independent and reducing reliance on the national grid.

He also stated that the government is pursuing private investment to help expand the grid and improve generation.

The PUNCH recalls that the northern region recently faced challenges with a stable power supply due to a surge in vandalism and theft of critical transmission infrastructure.

Last October, vandals destroyed the important 330kV Shiroro-Kaduna power line that supplies the states of Kano and Kaduna, and another line that supplies Bauchi, Gombe, and other parts of the northeast.

This incident led to a month-long blackout in 17 out of 19 northern states in the country. Following the repairs, the governors of the 19 northern states called for the diversification of energy to ensure improved electricity supply.

The states include Niger and Kwara, Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Gombe and Katsina. Others are Sokoto, Zamfara, Bauchi, Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Niger, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kogi and Benue.

But speaking at the event to update the public and highlight achievements recorded so far, the minister emphasized that with Nigeria’s abundant sunshine, there is no reason the country cannot achieve utility-scale solar power generation.

He said, “In addition to these initiatives, private investors like Sun Africa Energy and Skipper Electric are keen to invest in Nigeria’s power sector, emphasising renewable generation and grid expansion. What we have today on our grid are just two types of power, hydropower and gas-powered plants.

“But with the abundance of sunshine that we have in Nigeria, nothing stops us from having utility-scale solar power generation. And we have two companies that have expressed interest in this. We have evaluated, and discussions are at a very, very high stage.

“Number one is Sun Africa, which intends to bring in about 1,000MW of solar energy to complement the efforts of Niger Delta Power Holding Company at their various locations. And this will go straight into the grid. That’s adding solar power to our grid.

“Then the second is Skipper Energy, who has also decided to construct modular solar power plants in the 19 states of the northern part of Nigeria, about 100MW each, so that each state will be independent and the independence of the national grid will be reduced. This will ensure that we have solar power in our national grid.”

Continuing, Adelabu described the 8,000MW target as realistic, noting that power generation has already improved by about 40 per cent since the current administration took office.

He said average daily generation rose from 4,100MW in Q3 2023 to 5,700MW in the last quarter of 2025, peaking at 5,800MW.

He highlighted that while it took Nigeria nearly 40 years, from 1984 to 2022, to grow from 2,000MW to 4,000MW, the current administration added 1,700MW in just over a year.

“I assumed office in August 2023, and within a short time, we’ve moved from an unstable 4,100MW to a steady 5,800MW,” he said, adding that if past governments had added just 1,000MW each year since 1999, Nigeria would now be producing over 30,000MW.

Adelabu credited the recent progress to President Tinubu’s support and expressed confidence that, if current momentum continues, the country could reach 8,000MW by 2027.

“Now that we have created a trajectory, if we sustain this trajectory, I can assure you that before the end of this administration in 2027, we should be able to generate and distribute nothing less than 8,000MW of power,” he assured.

The minister further observed the paucity of funds, stressing that given the competition for funding among various ministries and agencies, the government is looking to the private sector to secure financing for the construction of new transmission lines, substations, and the installation of additional transformers.

“We have received various offers from private investors. The national grid is owned 100 per cent by the government. But I can tell you, with other ministries competing for funds, we cannot fund the national grid alone. We are looking to expand the national grid. If you look at the grid, I will give you the features of the grid. It is too large, and there are some dedicated lines in which some private investors have expressed interest.

“And with the Nigerian Independent System Operator, it will be much easier for us to invite the private sector investors and let them finance the construction of new lines, construction of new substations, and introduction of new transformers,” the former CBN director noted.

As part of its achievements, the minister said the national grid has been stronger in Tinubu’s administration, as the Transmission Company of Nigeria strengthened the critical network by commissioning 61 new transformers.

“It is a huge grid to cover over 200 million people, and it’s been there for so long, and we know that the maintenance history has been poor, replacement history has been poor, expansion history has been poor,” the minister said.

He added, “It is old, so collectively enabling our grid 8.7 gigawatt operational capacity, as of today, if we grow our generation to 8,700 megawatts, the grid can still carry it, thanks to the activities of the TCN and the FGN power company. Two years ago, once it gets to 5,000MW, the grid collapses, then we have evacuated 5,800MW successfully without the grid blinking, it was still stable, so we can transport 8,700MW.

“To strengthen this critical network, TCN commissioned 61 new transformers, totalling 5,589 MVA in 2024. Followed by nine additional transformers in quarter one of 2025 across key locations in Lagos, Benin, Bauchi, Oshogbo, Kano, and Kaduna, we have the list of the sites. I once mentioned that TCN had over 100 unfinished projects.

“In the 2025 appropriation, we already have N25 billion to support TCN to complete some of these projects, and that will also improve power supply. Beyond TCN, we have the activities of the presidential power initiative, which is being executed by the FGN Power Company. The pilot phase delivered infrastructure across 13 locations, adding 700 megawatts to the national grid.

“We experienced several grid disturbances towards the end of last year, but since January up till today, four months into the new year, we have not seen any major disturbance to the grid. I can assure you, we do everything possible to maintain and sustain the current scenario. If there’s any little disturbance, our turnaround time is being worked upon; within one to two hours, the grid will be up.”

As a result of these efforts, Adelabu stated that around 150 million Nigerians now have access to adequate electricity, while an estimated 80 million still lack a reliable power supply.

“As it is today, Nigeria—a country with about 240 million people—has access for 150 million people already, while about 80 million lack access to adequate electricity in Nigeria.

“The real challenge lies in the stability and affordability of electricity. That’s how we measure reliability. We must ensure that those who have access enjoy consistent and affordable power,” he said

Another remarkable initiative announced during the briefing is the progress made towards regionalising the national grid, adding supergrid eastern and western supergrid approvals currently in progress, which will revolutionise the national grid and reduce failures.

The minister added that Nigeria needs regionalisation of the national grid so that if there is a problem in one part of the country, it will not affect other parts.

On the previously abandoned Kaduna Power Plant, he said that the facility is being revamped, now 87 per cent complete, and is expected to become operational by the end of 2025.

The 215MW facility constructed by the Federal Ministry of Power had been abandoned for six years before the current administration intervened.

Adelabu emphasised that his inspection of the project led to securing President Bola Tinubu’s approval for its completion.

“It is 87 per cent completed, but was neglected for six years since 2018/2019. They have stopped working on it.

“I inspected it and ensured that we got Mr President’s approval for us to complete this project, and it has a capacity of 215MW. So, before the end of the year, the Kaduna Power Plant will be in operation. I can assure you,” Adelabu stated.

The power plant contract, awarded in November 2009 to General Electric and Rockson Engineering for a dual thermal plant running on Low Pour Fuel Oil and natural gas, was originally scheduled for completion by December 31, 2013.

Adebayo Adelabu, minister of power, has blamed the rot in the sector on the neglect of past administrations. In a statement on Wednesday, Bolaji Tunji, special adviser on strategic communications and media relations, said Adelabu made the comments while hosting the World Bank delegation in his office in Abuja.

The minister blamed the previous governments for the degeneration that the sector is passing through, noting that there has been significant improvement since President Bola Tinubu took over.

According to Adelabu, the issue of the power sector is of utmost concern to the president and he has given total support to all efforts at making the sector work.

He acknowledged the support of development partners, especially the World Bank, across various segments of the power sector — including generation, transmission, distribution, and renewable energy. The minister implored them to continue in that spirit to ensure that the investment of the current administration succeeds.

“We’ve seen your support in transmission, we’ve seen your support in distribution, we have seen your support in renewable energy, almost in every facet, even in generation,” Adelabu said.

“One thing that this administration has brought to the table is the seriousness, the determination, the commitment to make sure that the power sector is transformed.

“There is very little you can achieve in your agriculture sector, in your transportation sector, in your defense, education, health; without stable and efficient electricity supply. That is why the President is really focusing on this, and he is supporting whatever we need to do to make sure that we transform this sector. He is ready to give us that support.”

He acknowledged that previous attempts to reform the power sector yielded little or no results. “We actually have a past that we are not proud of. Over the years, we have only been paying lip service to transforming the power sector. We have not worked the talk,” he said.

“Previous administrations have kept on doing the same thing all the time and you cannot get different results for that, which is why we have decided to do things differently this time. In all the segments across the sector, we must run away from the past.”

“NEGLECT OF POWER INFRASTRUCTURE OVER THE YEARS INCREASING CHALLENGES”

The minister said the neglect of critical power infrastructure over the years — including thousands of kilometres of transmission lines and hundreds of thousands of transformers — has deepened the challenges in the sector.

“How will you explain the kind of infrastructure that we put together for our transmission network across the country? Thousands of kilometers of power line, thousands of power transformers, hundreds of thousands of distribution transformers that we have not maintained over time and expect them to keep sustaining our energy supply. It is not possible,” Adelabu said.

“How do we allow our people to be vandalising infrastructure and expect stable electricity? So how do you have a sector with over 12 million customers and our meter is not more than six million and we expect to have a stable industry? No, it’s not possible. So what has happened with past governments?

“In 1984, when the military was in power here, we achieved a 2000 megawatts. Between 1984 and 2023, it took us 40 years to add additional 2000 megawatts. Now we have an average of 5,800 megawatts generation within one and a half years that we came to the office.

“What I’m saying is that, if the past administrations have been adding things like this, we will not be where we are today. And that is why I said that President Tinubu is actually laying the kind of foundation that we need for our country to grow.”

He also criticised the Muhammadu Buhari administration for stalling on the Siemens power deal signed in 2019. “We entered into Siemens contract since 2019. We never lifted a finger until 2023, when this government came on board. So you can now imagine since this President came in and now look at the mileage we have achieved,” he said.

The minister, however, noted that the pilot phase of the Siemens power project is nearly complete in under two years, expressing confidence in a brighter future for the power sector.

Amid the accusation of nepotism against President Bola Tinubu’s administration, former federal lawmaker Senator Shehu Sani said that former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government committed worse nepotism.

President Tinubu’s administration has been heavily criticised lately, particularly by northern politicians, who strongly believe his appointments are largely skewed in favour of his home region, the southwest.

In a recent interview, Ali Ndume, the Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, accused the president of running a ‘non-inclusive’ government, saying his political appointments do not reflect the federal character principle.

However, on Thursday, while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Sani countered the nepotism allegation against Tinubu, arguing that the Buhari administration was worse in terms of favouritism.

It is clear the nation has a very short memory, and then we simply forget what happened the last time Buhari was in power. What was the profile of nepotism at that time? He asked.

Sani recalled that during the ex-president’s administration, about 30 federal appointments were given to people from Katsina, Buhari’s state.

“The DG of SSS, Daura was from Katsina state, the DG of NIA, Rufai was from Katsina state, the MPA, my sister Hadiza, she’s from Katsina state, Director of Federal Mortgage Bank, Katsina state, SMEDAN, Katsina state, FRCN Katsina state, NIMET Katsina state, NIMASA Katsina state, Railway Corporation, Katsina state, all those things, you don’t talk of Chairman of federal civil service about 30 (of them) We don’t have time, I can state all of them. All from Katsina state,” he said.

To further prove his point, the former lawmaker said most military and para-military appointments were skewed in favour of the northern region.

“At a certain time in this country, the Controller General of Immigration, which is Babendede, is from northern Nigeria. Customs, Hamid Ali is from northern Nigeria, Civil Defense, Audi is from northern Nigeria, Chairman of Federal Road Safety Corps is from northern Nigeria. Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba is from northern Nigeria, the Chief of Nava staff, the Ch

Sani also questioned the moral stand of Tinubu’s critics, saying they kept quiet when nepotism perpetrated by Buhari favoured them.

“I will appreciate the morality of your position if I can hear your voice when you’re on man from your tribe, from your ethnic group and from your own tribal identity by perpetrating those evil attitude against it. And when you keep quiet when it favored you, and now you speak out when it doesn’t favor you,” he said.

While admitting that two wrongs do not make a right, he warned Tinubu to be careful. He said the President does not have to toe the line because his predecessor filled major positions with people from his state and region.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has confirmed its readiness to host the 68th meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for Africa (CAF) in Abuja.

Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister, Barr Hannatu Musa Musawa, gave the assurance when a two-man team from the United Nations Tourism Commission for Africa, (CAF) paid her a courtesy visit in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Minister said during her preliminary meeting with the team that the mission is a unique opportunity to strengthen collaboration and drive the shared vision of tourism for sustainable development across the African continent.

Musawa added that Nigeria will showcase its rich cultural heritage and also highlight the resilience of the tourism sector.

“We are excited to host this important event and showcase Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and tourism potential. We look forward to working closely with the UN Tourism and other stakeholders to make this event a resounding success”.

She also spoke on the benefits of the Tourism sector and government’s readiness to host the conference which is expected to bring together stakeholders from across the continent to discuss the future of tourism in Africa.

”The tourism sector creates both direct and indirect economic benefits by generating income from tourist activities, including accommodation, transportation, food services and entertainment. Beyond the immediate economic impact, tourism stimulates ancillary industries such as construction, retail and agriculture, leading to job creation and fostering a more diverse and resilient economy. As more people travel to Nigeria for business, leisure, and cultural exploration, the sector’s contribution to national revenue continues to grow.

“I wish to reaffirm Nigeria’s strong partnership with the UN Tourism, recognizing the critical role collaboration plays in achieving sustainable growth for Africa’s tourism industry. Through its continued engagement with the UN Tourism, Nigeria actively contributes to shaping policies, promoting best practices, and supporting initiatives that foster responsible tourism development across the continent. This partnership is essential not only for strengthening Nigeria’s tourism sector but also for advancing Africa’s position as a leading global tourism destination, ensuring that the continent’s rich natural and cultural heritage is preserved for future generations”.

Earlier in her address, the leader of the UN Tourism team, Elicia Grandcourt expressed confidence in Nigeria’s ability to host a successful event, citing the country’s experience in hosting previous meetings. She highlighted the potential benefits of the meeting, particularly for Nigerian youth, who can leverage AI for empowerment opportunities. This event, she said, aims to boost social impact and education in tourism through innovation, AI, and creative industries.

“It’s not just about the meeting but also what you, as a country will gain out of this meeting. We will be coming here in June with all the Tourism Ministers in the region. We have seen how the tourism sector in general has shifted on the continent, whereby countries who earlier depended on oil are now moving to the tourism sector because of the economic value, environmental and social impact.

“We will make this valuable, especially for local participants. We will run a technical workshop that focuses on innovation and artificial intelligence, so, we will be capacitating the local team on how they can maximize this sector through the use of the new technologies”.

In her welcome address, the Director of International Tourism Relations and Cooperation of the Ministry, Dorothy Duruaku, thanked the UN team for their visit, recalling that Nigeria has hosted the event four times.

“Our ability to host CAF 2025 is not in doubt as members of the organizing committee have been working assiduously to ensure a successful meeting. We will commence inspection of the meeting halls, hotels and other facilities immediately and ensure that everything needed is in perfect order ahead of the meeting”.

CAF 2025, themed ‘Boosting the Social Impact and Education in Tourism through Innovation, AI, and the Creative Industries’, holds in Abuja from June 11-13, 2025.

The 68th meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for Africa aims to promote sustainable tourism development and cultural exchange across the African continent.

Nigeria and South Africa have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen collaboration in mining development, a key pillar of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda. The MoU, formalized by Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, and South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, H.E. Gwede Mantashe, is part of the renewed Nigeria–South Africa Bi-National Commission, jointly advanced by both Presidents.

Key highlights of the MoU include:

• Capacity Building in Geoscience Applications Using UAVs: Developing local expertise in drone-based geological applications.

• Advanced Mineral Exploration Technologies: Joint use of multi- and hyper-spectral remote sensing tools for mapping and exploration.

• Strategic Geoscientific Data Sharing: Facilitated by the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) to enable critical mineral intelligence exchange.

• Training in Mineral Processing: Programs focused on value addition and beneficiation of raw minerals.

• Elemental Fingerprint Technology: Knowledge sharing on LA-ICP-MS for accurate mineral identification and traceability.

• Exploration of Agro and Energy Minerals: Unlocking Nigeria’s vast potential in agro-minerals and energy resources.

This partnership not only accelerates technology transfer and investment promotion but also enhances regional integration, job creation, and local content development. It reflects President Tinubu’s forward-looking leadership in positioning Nigeria as a continental hub for responsible and strategic mining.

— Kamorudeen Yusuf, Personal Assistant on Special Duties to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has called on the Federal Government to immediately remove the Rivers State Sole Administrator, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, citing a breach of constitutional procedure and defiance of President Bola Tinubu’s directives, News360 Nigeria reports.

In a statement provided to Vanguard on Thursday, Falana referenced the official Federal Government Gazette, which outlined the terms governing the Sole Administrator’s operations.

According to the document, “the Sole Administrator shall operate on the basis of such Regulations that may, from time to time, be issued by me,” President Bola Tinubu stated.

However, Falana noted that “it is common knowledge that President Bola Tinubu has not issued any Regulation for the operation of the Sole Administrator.”

Despite this, the appointed Sole Administrator has proceeded to make appointments and remove officials who were earlier appointed by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

Describing the development as unlawful, Falana said: “By treating the orders of President Bola Tinubu with contempt, the Sole Administrator has compounded the illegality of his appointment.

The Sole Administrator ought to be removed without any further delay.”

The legal luminary’s position comes amid a broader political crisis in Rivers State, where the legitimacy of key appointments and the balance of powers between the state and federal government continue to generate intense debateorder.

The stage is now set for the round of 32 battles of Nigeria’s biggest grassroots football spectacle, the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament tagged the Prosperity Cup.

In the draws released on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 by the Technical Director, Mr. Diseye Nwankwe, former champions, Krusaders FC of Peretorugbene will go up against Mountain of Fire Ministry, MFM FC of Okaka at the Otuasega Township Stadium.

Sangana FC of Sangana will keep a date with Ayalla FC of Okiki in what could be described as the Eastern derby at the Nembe City Stadium, while high-scoring Citiboi FC will trade tackles with Igoni FC of Brass at same venue.

Nembe City FC of Nembe will slug it out with Peace FC of Yenagoa at the Otuasega Township Stadium, just as Water Strikers FC of Brass LGA confront Royal Allstars FC at the Imiringi mini stadium.

The 2022 champions, Eternal Grace Ministry, EGM FC will hope to continue their preliminary round heroics when they face hard fighting Okoroba FC of Nembe at the Imiringi mini stadium. Coach Anthony Robert’s Afini FC will trade tackles with Federal University, Otuoke FC at the Biogbolo/Yenizue-Gene centre.

Seasiders FC will be in for a tough encounter as they engage highly rated Professor Nimibofa Ayawei, PNA FC at the Biogbolo/Yenizue-Gene centre.
Last season’s Sagbama LGA champions, Agbere FC will lock horns with stubborn Akenfa FC at the Tombia venue.

The Tombia centre will also host enterprising Bayelsa United Feeders as they do battle with Fury Titans FC of Amassoma, while Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe FC entertains the National Youths Service Corps, NYSC Feeders FC at the Bishop Dimeari Grammar School, BDGS centre.

Elton Mina’s Movers FC of Otuasega will be in for a tricky tie when they confront Oyoma FC of Southern Ijaw also at the BDGS centre, with Akeddei FC engaging Creek Haven Allstars at the Niger Delta University, NDU Amassoma centre.

Still at the NDU, Amassoma venue, Indomitable Lions FC will take on Advance Dreams FC of Yenagoa.

The Ayamasa centre will see Youbolobo FC go up against Sampou FC, Tara Lions FC will engage Adaka FC of Kaiama also at the same venue.

The dates for the round of 32 games will be announced later.

In the meantime, The organizers of the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament have fixed Thursday, April 17, 2025 for the draws of the women’s version of the tournament.

This was contained in a statement signed by the chairman of the female tournament committee, Mr Ebi Avi.

According to him, the draws will take place immediately after the weekly Prosperity Walk at the main bowl of the Samson Siasia Stadium, with the governor, Senator Douye Diri expected as special guest of honour.