THE Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar has reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring food security and the development of agribusinesses as a top priority of the President Tinubu’s administration. The Minister disclosed this during a high-level dialogue session on the theme; “From Food Security to Thriving Agribusiness: The Case for a U.S.-Africa Strategic Agribusiness Partnership, at the ongoing US-Africa Business Summit, holding in Dallas, Texas, on May 7, 2024. The Minister stated that food security is top on the list of President Tinubu’s eight-point agenda, followed by fighting poverty, growth, job, creation, access to capital, inclusivity, rule of law and fighting corruption. He…
Author: Amina Ibrahim
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THE Central Bank of Nigeria has directed banks to stop charges on cash deposits until September 30, 2024. The apex bank disclosed this in a circular dated May 6, 2024, signed by its Director of Banking Supervision, Adetona Adedeji. Customers of some of the Deposit Money Banks raised concerns that the banks have begun collection of processing fees for cash deposits as of May 1. Our correspondent sighted this in an email shared by one of the customers of the banks. Based on the bank’s move, two per cent was to be charged on deposits above N500,000 for individuals, while…
THE Federal Government through the Corporate Affairs Commission has issued a two-month registration deadline to Point of Sales companies, to register their agents, merchants, and individuals with the commission in line with legal requirements and the directives of the Central Bank of Nigeria. The agreement was reached on Monday during a meeting between Fintechs and the Registrar-General CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, in Abuja. According to the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, there are over 1.9 million PoS terminals deployed by merchants and individuals nationwide. Speaking at the meeting, the CAC boss said the measure aims at safeguarding the businesses of Fintech’s…
THE Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has underscored the pivotal role of religious and traditional institutions in tackling the pressing issues of malnutrition and hunger within Nigeria. Speaking at an event organized by the National Council on Nutrition and the World Bank-Assisted Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria Project, Mrs. Zouera Youssoufou, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Aliko Dangote Foundation, emphasized the significance of faith-based groups in the national agenda for improving nutrition and human capital development in Nigeria. During the high-level dialogue on nutrition at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, themed ‘Faith Leaders as Catalysts for Enhanced Human Capital Through…
THE National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) on Friday matriculated 28,514 new students to study various programmes in different faculties of the university. In his speech at the 26th Matriculation Ceremony held at the University’s headquarters in Abuja, the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Professor Olufemi Peters, said: “At this semester’s matriculation, I am happy to inform you that we are matriculating a total of 28,514 new entrants, out of which 21,026 students are for undergraduate programmes and 7,460 are postgraduate students. “In addition, we have 28 postgraduate students that are registered for doctorate degrees.” Peters also told the new students:…
THE Federal Government on Tuesday approved 25% and 35% salary increase for civil servants across various consolidated salary structures. According to a statement signed by the Head of Press, National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission, Emmanuel Njoku, the increases takes effect on January 1, 2024. The statement added that the augmentation applies to the six remaining consolidated salary structures, namely the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure, Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure, Consolidated Police Salary Structure, Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure, Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure, and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure. Those in the Tertiary Education and Health Sectors…
THE Director General of the National Agency for the Control, Dr Temitope Ilori has said Nigeria has the highest burden of children born with HIV/AIDS in the world. Dr Ilori who said this on Monday during her working visit/field trip to the Oyo State Ministry of Health, the Oyo State Agency for the Control of AIDS, and the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Oyo State, however, noted that the agency is working towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. “In the area of prevention of Mother-to-child Transmission of HIV, it’s unfortunate that Nigeria still has the highest burden of children…
THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has concluded plans to release the results of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, is scheduled to hold a press briefing in Abuja on Monday regarding the release of the results and related matters, as indicated in a notice circulated to journalists in the capital city. The notice was made available by the Board’s Head of Public Relations, Fabian Benjamin, on Sunday. However, there are indications that results that would be released on Monday are for the candidates that participated in the UTME in the first few days, while…
THE Naira yesterday recovered against the US dollar at the parallel market as it appreciated to N1280/$, according to market information obtained by Nairametrics from currency traders. This implied that the Naira appreciated by N120, representing a gain of 8.57 per cent when compared to the N1,400 to a dollar at which it traded on Friday. Currency traders confirmed that they sold between N1, 280 and N1,300/dollar. The local currency had, midweek lost a third of its value barely two weeks after strengthening to below N1,000 against the dollar. It later dropped to N1,400 against the dollar at the black…
THE Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Technology, Innovation, and Research (TIR) at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Godwin I. Akper, has identified the failure to practise the core values of religion and the hegemony of moral values in public spheres as the problem with Nigeria. He stated that this was the “reason” behind the hindrance of development in public spheres and traditions and encouraged a balanced approach that respects the rights of all groups and promotes inclusivity. Akper, a scholar of Systematic Theology, made the statement in his inaugural lecture at the NOUN headquarters in Abuja on Thursday. In…
THE Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar has met with Nigerian professionals in the Netherlands ahead of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s participation at the Nigeria-Dutch Business and Investment Forum. The event, which took place on April 24, 2024, provided a platform for fruitful discussions on various topics of importance to the Nigerian diaspora community. The Minister emphasized the importance of fostering strong ties between Nigeria and its diaspora communities worldwide. He highlighted the “Tinubu 4Ds” framework, which focuses on Democracy, Development, Demography and Diaspora as central pillars for engaging with Nigerians abroad. Tuggar posited that the administration of…
MULTICHOICE, a major satellite television service in Sub-Saharan Africa, has announced an increase in prices on the DSTV and GOtv packages. In a statement titled ‘Price Adjustment on DStv and GOtv Packages’, signed by its Chief Executive Officer, John Ugbe, sent to its customers on Wednesday, said the increase was necessitated by the rise in the cost of business operations. According to the statement, the increment would take effect on May 1, 2024. “We understand the impact this change may have on you – our valued customer, but the rise in the cost of business operations, has led us to…
THE Give For Good Project has trained and empowered several youths in Kano in the areas of culinary education, basic cooking and baking skills, News Point Nigeria reports. The project which was founded by alumni of the YES Program and IRIS, Khadija Sulaiman Jebu and Fatima Nasir Umar is a project committed to addressing SDGs for a brighter, equitable, and more sustainable future. The project was partially funded through GYSD Mini Grants (through the YES Program, American Councils and US Department of State) organised a week of training from April 15th to the 21st, 2024, for female youths in culinary…
NO fewer than 100,000 nano-businesses across the Federation have received the initial disbursement of N50,000 through the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme, also known as the Trade Grants Scheme. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, gave the figure in an exclusive chat with our correspondent on Friday. Nano businesses are enterprises that have one or two workers and less than an annual turnover of N3 million, according to the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria. The minister, speaking through her aide, Terfa Gyado, confirmed that the disbursement began a few weeks ago and would be distributed…
THE Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has sealed popular 4U Supermarket formally known as Amigo Supermarket in Abuja. It was sealed on Thursday over high prices and unfair practices by its management. FCCPC officials took the action during an enforcement exercise in parts of the nation’s capital. Officials of FCCPC were at several supermarkets in Abuja to initiate a campaign to enforce price display and quantity compliance. The move is a direct response to concerns raised by consumers about the rising costs of goods which go against the recent strengthening of the naira against major currencies. The Commission…
TEN years after the abduction of 276 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, a report at the weekend revealed among others that 21 of the released girls came back with 34 children. This, according to the report released by the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF) to commemorate the 10th year anniversary of the abduction, served as a devastating confirmation of the sexual violence and coerced marriages the girls were subjected to in captivity. Also, the report hinted that 48 parents of the abducted victims died since the girls were kidnapped, with widespread psychological trauma for survivors and…
THE 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) notification slip is ready for printing, according to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). JAMB’s Head of Public Affairs Fabian Benjamin confirmed the readiness of the notification slip which shows the candidates’ examination date, venue, and time in a statement made available to News Point Nigeria by Abdulkadir Ahmed Ibrahim, FNGE, Member JAMB/UTME Civil Society And Media Adhoc Working Group, Kano. “The 2024 UTME Notification Slip is ready for printing. All candidates who have registered for the exercise scheduled to commence on Friday, 19th April 2024, are hereby informed to start printing…
THE National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control has recalled Benylin Paediatrics Syrup manufactured by Johnson & Johnson, following recent toxicity findings in the laboratory on the product. NAFDAC said laboratory analysis conducted on the product showed that it contains an unacceptable high level of Diethylene glycol and was found to cause acute oral toxicity in laboratory animals. The agency disclosed this on its website on Wednesday. A product recall is an important method of managing risks in response to product safety events and emergencies. According to an online health portal, Science Direct, a product recall is a…
THE Management of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) says it will award honorary degrees to the Chairman of Innoson Motors , Dr. Innocent Chukwuma, and Hajiya Hafsat Abdulwahid, the first female Novelist in Northern Nigeria, for distinguishing themselves in promoting local contents and education in the country. Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Olufemi A. Peters, said this at the 13th Pre-Convocation briefing on Monday in Abuja. He said the institution will also confer the investiture on the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Alpolokpolo, Ewuare 11 as the new Chancellor designate. He appreciated President…
THE Presidency on Monday unveiled its Citizens’ Delivery Tracker to provide a “strong feedback loop between citizens and government” on the eight priority areas of the Bola Tinubu administration. The President’s Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala-Usman, disclosed this at the Go-Live event of the CDT holding in Abuja on Monday. “The platform is available as a web link (app.cdcu.gov.ng) and will be available as an app for download in the next few months,” said Bala-Usman. Bala-Usman said Monday’s unveiling is the culmination of a months-long process since Tinubu announced plans for ministerial assessment at the Cabinet Retreat…