PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has signed into law the N54.99tn 2025 Appropriation Bill. Tinubu signed the budget in the presence of principal officers of the National Assembly and other top government officials in a small ceremony in his office at the State House, Abuja, on Friday. The bill was passed by the two Chambers of the National Assembly on Thursday, February 13, after Tinubu asked for an increase from the proposed N49.7tn. The National Assembly approved a ₦54.99 trillion ($36.6bn) budget for the fiscal year, surpassing President Bola Tinubu’s initial proposal of ₦54.2tn. This increase reflects additional anticipated revenues from agencies…
Author: Abdullahi Maitama Sani
A WIDESPREAD electricity blackout caused by technical faults in some feeders owned by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company has affected at least 53 locations, including the Presidential Villa. The technical fault affecting the power supply to some parts of the city in the Abuja metropolis impacted transmission to the R4 Injection Sub Station at Three Arm Zone, Aso Drive, which supplies power to the Presidential Villa, the seat of power. The AEDC made this known in an announcement posted on its official X handle on Friday and appealed to its customers to be patient while its engineers “work tirelessly to…
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday promised to work harder for the country after the vote of confidence passed in him by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). “I am happy with your vote of confidence, and I accept it. “It is a challenge to do more work; we will vigorously pursue our sovereignty in food security, investment and development,” he told party leaders. The 13th NEC meeting at the party’s National Secretariat in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) was preceded by the National Caucus meeting on Tuesday night hosted at the State House by the…
LEADERS of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have converged at the National Secretariat of the party for its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in the nation’s capital, Abuja. All roads leading to the venue of the meeting on Blantyre Street have been cordoned off by a combined team of armed security men including soldiers from the Guards Brigade. Vehicular and human movements on Blantyre Street have also been restricted just as journalists are kept outside despite the release of an accredited list of reporters this morning by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka. Some early arrivals…
FORMER Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has demanded the withdrawal of Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja from his ongoing trial over alleged $4.5bn and N2.8bn fraud. Emefiele’s legal team, led by Olalekan Ojo (SAN), accused the judge of bias and urged him to recuse himself from further proceedings. The request was made during Monday’s hearing at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos. Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter till February 26, 2025, to rule on whether he will withdraw from the case. Emefiele is facing 19 counts bordering on…
NIGERIA took a step closer on Monday to conducting a new national population and housing census with biometric and digital components. The nation last held a census in November 2006. President Bola Tinubu, at a meeting at the Statehouse with officials of the National Population Commission (NPC), said he would set up a committee to align the census budget to the government’s present financial realities. He said the National Identity Management Commission(NIMC) must be part of the review. “We must ascertain who we are, how many we are, and how to manage our data. Without an accurate census, we can’t…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has given his assent to bills establishing two new federal universities. The institutions are the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin Ekiti, and the Federal University of Agriculture and Development Studies, Iragbiji, Osun State. The announcement was made by Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, following the signing of the two legislations at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday. The Senate had passed both bills—sponsored by Bamidele in 2023 and 2024—before securing concurrence from the House of Representatives and eventual presidential approval. In a statement released on Thursday, titled “NASS Secures Presidential Assent to Federal Universities…
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Dr. Danjuma Adamu Ismaila as the Rector and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria. This was contained in a statement issued by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Dr. Ismaila, a seasoned expert in air transportation management, transport economic policy, and aviation security, brings extensive experience to the leadership of the country’s premier aviation training institution. A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, he earned a degree in Physics in 1989 before furthering his expertise with a Postgraduate Diploma in Transportation. Over the…
THE Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has described the illegal dissolution and taking over of local government administration by state governors as a treasonable offence. Fagbemi stated this on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of an event organised by the Nigeria Bar Association in Abuja. Represented by the Director of Civil Appeals in the ministry, Tijani Gazali, the AGF noted that despite the judgment of the Supreme Court and the provision of the constitution guarding against the interference of state governors in the running of local government councils, some governors and their state assemblies continue dissolving elected…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has felicitated with former Kaduna State Governor, on his 65th birthday, eulogising his resourcefulness and brilliance. Tinubu in a statement on Sunday by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, described El-Rufai as an administrator, scholar, and politician. The President commended El-Rufai for his “endeavours for democracy; his meritorious service to the nation, and mentorship of the younger generation.” He acknowledged Mallam El-Rufai’s “role in the dialogues leading up to the formation of the APC and his contributions to the success of the party in the three consecutive elections of 2015, 2019, and 2023.” “President Tinubu wishes El-Rufai good health…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has arrived in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, to participate in the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government. The meeting is slated for February 14 – 18, 2025. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement he signed in the early hours of Friday titled ‘President Tinubu arrives Ethiopia for AU summit.’ “The President was received at the airport by the Ethiopian Deputy Chief of Protocol, Eshetu Legesse, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and the charge d’affaires of…
KEYSTONE Bank has confirmed that it is now fully owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria, stating that the takeover will enhance its stability and facilitate a smooth recapitalisation process. The bank disclosed this in a statement on its Instagram page on Tuesday evening, following a ruling by the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja. The court ordered the forfeiture of shares previously held by the bank’s former shareholders, effectively transferring ownership to the Federal Government. “Keystone Bank Limited wishes to clarify the media report on a judgment by the Lagos State Special Offences Court, sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday,…
THE Federal Government has commenced ministerial press briefings as part of efforts to promote transparency and accountability in governance. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced this during a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday. Idris stated that President Bola Tinubu had directed all ministers to appear periodically before the media to provide updates on their activities and policies. According to Idris, the briefings will serve as a platform for ministers to directly engage with Nigerians, highlight key developments in their respective ministries, and address public concerns. The minister noted that other ministers would also take turns…
THE National Identity Management Commission has identified over 6,000 Nigeriens registered on its database with the National Identification Number. This was as President Bola Tinubu directed an inter-ministerial committee to ensure comprehensive data for the National Social Register for the Federal Government’s social investment programmes. Impeccable sources in the Presidency told this newspaper that the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, briefed the Federal Executive Council on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, on the activities of NIMC, an agency under his purview. The minister reportedly affirmed that the NINs were withdrawn from the illegal holders in an ongoing database clean-up. On October…
THE World Bank’s Country Director for Nigeria, Dr. Ndiame Diop, has confirmed that Nigeria remains the largest economy in Africa by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) despite the challenges faced by its private sector. Speaking at the Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD) and Stakeholder Engagement in Abuja on Thursday, Dr. Diop stated that while Nigeria receives far less Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) than its potential warrants—especially in comparison to countries like Indonesia and South Africa—it continues to hold its position as Africa’s biggest economy. He stated that the CPSD report, set to be released in the coming weeks, will reveal the…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Wednesday condoled with parents, guardians, and families who lost their loved ones in a fire incident that engulfed an Islamic school in Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State. Tinubu conveyed his condolences in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, titled, ‘President Tinubu mourns Zamfara Islamic School pupils, says safety should be uppermost to proprietors.’ The fire at the Tsangaya school (Almajiri school) claimed the lives of 17 children and injured 15 other pupils. The statement read, “President Tinubu commiserates with the state government and owners of the school and prays for…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has raised the proposed 2025 budget from ₦49.7 trillion to ₦54.2 trillion, citing additional revenues generated by key government agencies. The President conveyed the budget adjustment in separate letters sent to both the Senate and the House of Representatives, which were read during plenary today by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. According to President Tinubu, the increase was driven by ₦1.4 trillion in additional revenue from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), ₦1.2 trillion from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and ₦1.8 trillion generated by other government-owned agencies. Following the announcement, the Senate President has referred the…
AS the legal fireworks over the Peoples Democratic Party National Secretary seat continue, Samuel Anyanwu, an ally of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, has written to the Supreme Court demanding an accelerated hearing on the issue. In a letter dated January 29 and sent to the Supreme Court in Abuja, which was obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday, Anyanwu formally requested an expedited hearing, emphasising that the role of National Secretary was crucial for the PDP, which had been enmeshed in crisis in recent times. The main opposition party’s leadership crisis intensified in 2023 when the PDP…
THE federal government has approved the creation of the Creative and Tourism Infrastructure Corporation, a key initiative designed to unlock the immense economic potential of Nigeria’s creative and tourism industries through a public-private partnership (PPP) framework. Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, announced the development on Monday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. She described it as a major step toward transforming the nation’s creative landscape. “This initiative aims to propel Nigeria’s creative and tourism industries to new heights by developing critical infrastructure…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has sworn in eight Federal Permanent Secretaries. The eight permanent secretaries took the oath of office just before the commencement of the year’s first Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja. This followed introductory remarks by the State House Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Abiodun Oladunjoye. They are Onwusoro Ihemelandu (Abia State), Ndiomu Philip (Bayelsa State), Anuma Nlia (Ebonyi State) and Ogbodo Nnam (Enugu State). Others are Usman Aminu (Kebbi State), Oyekunle Nwakuso (Rivers State), Nadungu Gagare (Kaduna State) and Kalba Usman (Gombe State). The President also swore in 18 Federal Commissioners of the…