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…
Author: Abdullahi Maitama Sani
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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…
ANOTHER round of violence may soon be unleashed on the headquarters of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the embattled National Secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu has vowed to resist any move to remove him from office. On January 29, efforts by Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye, both claiming to be the secretary of the party, to attend a meeting of the Board of Trustees led to violence before the intervention of security operatives. But on Friday governors elected on the platform of the party declared support for Ude-Okoye as the authentic National Secretary following the verdict…
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Abba Abubakar Aliyu as the substantive Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA). Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, in a statement said, “The appointment which is effective from January 23, 2025, is for an initial term of four years.” Aliyu has been acting as the agency’s managing director since March 2024. Onanuga said Aliyu has over 20 years of experience in energy and organisational development in the private and public sectors. He has also played key leadership roles in the on-grid and off-grid power sectors, as well…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja after Tanzania. He had left Nigeria for the East African country to participate in the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Two days later, the presidential aircraft touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at approximately 7:40 PM. He was received by top government officials including the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila among others. The two-day summit is being hosted by the government of Tanzania, the African Union, the African Development Bank…
FINALLY, the federal government has declared the Nigeria’s electricity sector open for investment at the ongoing #Mission300 African Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun discloased this while Addressing selected investors and development partners on Monday evening. Edun highlighted Nigeria’s electricity sector as a prime opportunity for investment. He emphasised the nation’s commitment to macroeconomic stability, clean energy goals, and achieving universal energy access. This was disclosed in an official statement made available on the Ministry of Finance X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday. Approximately 80 per cent of…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to participate in the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit scheduled to hold between January 27 and 28, 2025. The Summit, hosted by the government of Tanzania in collaboration with the African Development Bank Group and the World Bank, aims to advance ‘‘Mission 300,’’ an initiative to provide electricity access to 300 million people in Africa by 2030. According to a statement by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, in Dar es Salaam, African leaders, private sector leaders, development partners, and civil society groups will strategise to accelerate energy…
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdulahi Ganduje and the 2023 governorship candidate of the APC in Kano State, Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna as board chairmen of Federal Airport Authority Of Nigeria and Federal Mortgage Bank Of Nigeria respectively. According to a statement by the Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, made available to News Point Nigeria on Friday, Senator Magnus Abe was also appointed as board chairman of National Agency For Great Green Wall and Professor Bolaji Akinyemi as board chairman of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs. The statement read in…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Tuesday directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to coordinate negotiations with various parties within Ogoniland in the oil-rich Niger Delta area to resume oil production in the area. The President, who gave the directive in Abuja when he received Ogoni leaders including Governor Siminalayi Fubara at the Aso Villa, said his administration would prioritise peace, justice, and sustainable development in the area. The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, was also at the meeting. Tinubu called for unity and reconciliation, urging the Ogoni people to set aside historical grievances and work…