Stephen Bannon, a former White House chief strategist, says US President Donald Trump will get a third term in office.

Bannon, who served briefly under Trump’s first administration, made the claim in an interview with The Economist on Thursday.

“Trump is going to be president in ’28, and people ought to just get accommodated with that,” Bannon said.

The statement has stirred controversy across political circles in the US, as the country’s 22nd Amendment forbids a president from seeking office for more than two four-year terms — whether consecutive or not.

When asked if he meant the law would be disregarded, Bannon responded:

“There’s many different alternatives. At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is — but there is a plan.”

He insisted that Trump’s re-election is a necessity, arguing that the US needs him “to finish what we started”.

“He is a vehicle of divine providence — an instrument of divine will,” Bannon said. “We need him for at least one more term, and he’ll get that in ’28. The only way President Trump wins in 2028 and continues to stay in office is by the will of the American people — and the will of the American people is what the Constitution embodies.”

Barely a week into his second term, Republican lawmakers began floating the idea of keeping Trump in office beyond the constitutional limit.

Trump himself appeared to encourage the idea earlier this year. In March, he said he was considering the possibility because “a lot of people” wanted him to.

He later walked back the statement in May.

But last week, Trump reignited speculation when he posted an AI-generated video on his Truth Social account depicting a Time magazine cover featuring imaginary campaign signs for 2024, 2028, 2032, and beyond.

The post was accompanied by other digitally edited clips portraying him as a king and dumping brown liquid on protesters carrying “No Kings” placards.

Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, says the federal government is working on a bill that will mandate public officials to patronise Nigerian airlines on international routes.

Speaking on Sunday during the ceremonial send-off of Air Peace’s inaugural direct flight from Abuja to London Heathrow Airport, Keyamo said the proposed bill, titled “Fly Nigerian Act”, will be presented to the national assembly soon.

Benjamin Kalu, deputy speaker of the house of representatives, and Allen Onyema, chairman of Air Peace, were at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to witness the event.

“We are going to bring the bill on the Fly Nigerian Air to him (Benjamin Kalu). He will pass it,” Keyamo said.

The minister explained that the proposed legislation would require every government official travelling abroad to first patronise local airlines operating on the same route, except where no Nigerian carrier flies that route.

Keyamo noted that such a move aligns with international best practices, citing examples of countries like the United States and India which have similar laws protecting their national carriers.

“We have the Fly American Act. I think we have the Fly India Act. We have these laws all over the world, but we have not implemented them,” he said.

“If a government official, member of the house of representatives, member of the senate, minister, DG, or government official is flying to any part of the world, the first question you ask them is: is there a Nigerian airline flying that route? You must buy that airline ticket first, except that they are not flying that route. That is the Fly Nigerian Act that we want to do.”

He assured that his ministry is committed to ensuring the passage of the legislation, adding that it will strengthen Nigeria’s aviation industry and boost confidence in domestic carriers.

Aliko Dangote, founder of the Dangote Group, says his petroleum refinery will expand its processing capacity from 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.4 million bpd — a move that would make it the largest refinery in the world.

The billionaire industrialist announced the planned expansion at a press conference on Sunday, describing the project as a defining milestone for Africa’s industrial and energy future.

“This expansion reflects our belief in Africa,” Dangote said.
“It is also about confidence in Nigeria, in the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, in Africa, and in our capacity to shape our own energy future.”

Dangote said the expansion project, which will take three years to complete, will leverage lessons from the first phase of the refinery’s construction.

“We know now where all the dead bodies are buried, and we will try and avoid all those areas,” he said jokingly.
“Also, we already have the infrastructure, so it will take us a very short period of time.”

He said the project aligns with President Tinubu’s broader energy hub vision for Nigeria and aims to meet Africa’s growing petroleum needs while cutting dependence on imported fuel.

“It is President Bola Tinubu’s dream for Nigeria to emerge as one of the major petroleum hubs in the world,” Dangote added.

Energy security and economic impact

Dangote noted that the expansion is designed not only to meet Africa’s energy demand but also to “save and generate billions of dollars” for Nigeria, ensuring energy security and a sustainable petroleum future.

He revealed that at least 65,000 workers will be engaged during the expansion phase, with over 85 percent of the workforce being Nigerian.

“Our goal has always been to find opportunities for our people,” he said.
“We are investing heavily in skills development and technology transfer as part of this expansion.”

Refinery to list on Nigerian Exchange in 2026

The industrialist also announced that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery will be listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) in 2026, allowing Nigerians to own part of the company.

“We want to give all Nigerians the opportunity to own a part of the refinery,” Dangote said.
“They can buy as many shares as they need.”

He explained that the expansion will be financed primarily through cash flow, alongside contributions from one or two strategic investors.

The refinery, located in the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos, began operations earlier this year and has been touted as a game changer for the continent’s oil and gas sector.

Dangote said the vision is to build legacy assets that “define generations and empower Africa’s industrial base.”

“This is not just about oil,” he said.
“It’s about transformation — creating jobs, deepening value chains, and positioning Africa as a serious global energy player.”