Author: Amina Ibrahim

INTERNATIONAL bilateral electricity customers in Benin Republic and Togo owe Nigeria $5.79m for the energy consumed in the second quarter of 2024. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission revealed this in its latest second-quarter 2024 report. Out of the $15.60m invoice issued by the market operator between April and June, the international customers remitted $9.81m. The foreign companies off-taking power from Nigeria are Para-SBEE in Benin Republic ($1.23m), Transcorp-SBEE in Benin, Mainstream-NIGELEC in Togo ($1.09m), and Odukpani-CEET in Togo ($3.47m). Para-SBEE in Benin Republic remitted 71.21 per cent of the $4.29m billed, Transcorp-SBEE in Benin remitted 100 per cent of the…

THE Federal Government on Wednesday said it has finalised the Executive Order to implement zero Value-Added Tax and excise duties on pharmaceutical products and medical devices. Disclosing this in a statement, the spokesman of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Alaba Balogun, said finalisation of the Executive Order’s harmonised implementation framework has now been cleared for gazetting. “This critical step ensures that the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Nigeria Customs Service can proceed with the implementation of zero VAT and excise duties on pharmaceutical products and medical devices,” he said. “This is a significant milestone, as it…

CONVENANT University (CU) has been listed as Nigeria’s overall best university in Times Higher Education (THE) 2024 Rankings. The Times Higher Education World Rankings is a comprehensive global ranking of universities published annually. The 2024 rankings include 1,907 universities across 108 countries and regions. Covenant University which is Nigeria’s highest-ranking institution on the 2024 list fell within the 8001-1000 global scale alongside the University of Ibadan (UI). The ratings were done based on 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators that measure an institution’s performance across five areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry, and international outlook. This year’s ranking analysed more…

THE Senior Staff Association Of Statutory Corporations And Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have begun an indefinite strike over failure of the management to address certain issues regarding the welfare of its members. In the communique SSASCGOC/NAFDAC/COMMUNIQUE/VOL.1 issued on October 4, 2024, the aggrieved workers said the move was necessary after several meetings with the management over critical issues that have to do with promotions, salaries, and the general welfare of the staff, failed to yield positive results. The communique listed several issues…

A DELEGATION from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has visited the institution’s Study Centre at Ezeoke Nsu community, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, which was burnt on Monday night by unknown hoodlums. A press statement issued by the Director of Media and Publicity, NOUN, Malam Ibrahim Sheme, in Abuja indicated that the delegation visited the razed Study Centre on behalf of the Management in order to assess the damage. The hoodlums burnt the Study Centre based on a rumour that the Federal Government wished to use it to house internally displaced persons from a section…

THE United Nation’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) says it has released US$5 million to scale up the flood response and address critical needs in three of the most flood affected states in Nigeria – Borno and Bauchi in the North-East, and Sokoto in the North-West. CERF made the announcement in a statement it released on Wednesday and made available to the media. It said the announcement follows the increasing impact of floods on people’s lives, livelihoods, and food security across Nigeria at the peak of the rainy season. More than 300 people have lost their lives and least 1.2…

THE Federal Government said the presidential Compress Natural Gas initiative has unlocked $175m in private sector investments in critical infrastructure in the last year. The Minister of Information and National Orientation of Nigeria, Mohammed Idris gave the update in a statement on X on Tuesday. According to him, Nigeria now has 125 conversion centres, up from just seven a year ago. Idris also said that the biggest advantage is that CNG is much cheaper than petrol and diesel, and will help bring down the cost of transportation and commuting by over 60 per cent. He said, “One of the biggest…

THE Federal Government is expanding its subsidised rice programme to alleviate food insecurity in Nigeria, with sales set to launch in Lagos, Kano, and Borno states, a director at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security stated on Monday. Early in September, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, announced the launch of the N40,000 per 50kg subsidised rice in Abuja, stating that the initiative was part of a broader strategy to ensure that no Nigerian goes to bed hungry. He said the subsidised rice programme aims to provide relief to citizens amid soaring market prices. The…

THE Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, yesterday, demanded the unconditional release of its members detained by the Kano State Police Command for planning a peaceful October 1 protest in the state. According to a letter to the Kano Police Commissioner, signed by NBA Chairman, Kano Branch, Usman Umar Fari Esq, sighted by News Point Nigeria, the action is a gross violation of their fundamental rights to freedom of assembly, expression, and association, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, (as amended) as well as African Charter for Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act. The letter…

THE World Bank has approved three operations for a total of $1.57bn to support the Federal Government in strengthening human capital through better health for women, children and adolescents and building resilience to the effects of climate change, such as floods and droughts through improving dam safety and irrigation. The new financing includes $500m for addressing governance issues that constrain the delivery of education and health (HOPE-GOV), $570m for the Primary Healthcare Provision Strengthening Program (HOPE-PHC) and $500m for the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria Project (SPIN). The HOPE-GOV and HOPE-PHC programs combined will support FG in improving service…

THE Federal Government has declared Tuesday, 1st of October 2024 as a public holiday to commemorate the nation’s 64th Independence Day Anniversary. The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulated Nigerians at home and abroad on the occasion. A statement by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani on Friday, said Dr. Tunji-Ojo praised the patient and hardworking Nigerian men and women, stating that their sacrifices will not be in vain. Aligning himself with the theme for the anniversary, the minister reiterated the need for Nigerians to reflect on the labour of “our…

Calls For Sack Of Olukoyede THE Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, saying the anti-graft agency, in its current state, is “grossly incompetent”. The CUPP said in a statement on Tuesday that there was no excuse valid enough for committing those two errors of judgment by the EFCC on the day the former governor reportedly submitted himself to the Commission. The statement was signed on behalf of the Coalition by 10 members of its Media, Strategy, Steering, Financial Contact…

THE Committee on Consequential Adjustments in Salaries for civil servants met on Friday as regards the new minimum wage template and agreed that the effective date for implementation of new minimum wage be set at July 29,2024. This is according to a Memorandum of Understanding issued at the end of the meeting which was sighted by our correspondent in Abuja on Friday. The Committee also recommended that the wage award which was discontinued by the government should also be paid up till July 28,2024. The Committee headed by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack noted that…

FIRST Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has unveiled the #OneNigeria/UnityFabric, which she described as a symbol of national unity. The fabric was designed by 25 year old Miss Mofinyinfoluwa Bamidele a graduate from the University of Ibadan. Bamidele, who went home with a prize of N25 million, emerged the winner of a fabric designs competition, organised by the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), chaired by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu. The First Lady, in her keynote address at the unveiling of the #OneNigeria/UnityFabric and announcement of the winner of the competition, which was held on Monday at the State House…

FOUR hundred Nigerians have been deported from the United Arab Emirates and arrived in Nigeria, News Point Nigeria gathered. The deportees were received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by officials from the Office of the National Security Adviser, in collaboration with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, the National Emergency Management Agency, and other relevant stakeholders. “Four hundred Nigerians, including 90 females and 310 males, have been deported from the United Arab Emirates back to Nigeria. “They were received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria has directed all Payment Service Providers to route all transactions from PoS terminals at merchant and agent locations — physical or electronic — through an approved CBN Payment Terminal Service Aggregator. It also issued a 30-day deadline requiring service providers to comply with enhanced routing guidelines for Point of Sale transactions. This move aims to strengthen the monitoring of electronic transactions across Nigeria and decentralise PoS transaction routing, addressing concerns about the centralisation of such transactions under a single entity. The apex bank, in a circular signed by Oladimeji Yisa Taiwo on behalf of the…

THE Federal Government has asked the private sector to partner with it for the economy to reap the benefits of the country’s limitless pool of talent. The Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, made the call on Wednesday in Lagos. Speaking with corporate entities, members of the art community and other concerned individuals, Musawa, reeled out plans that will make the artistic space effectively contribute to the nation’s economy. Smart strategic partnership, growth target for GDP contribution, skill development, and job creation are just some of the areas listed. For the minister, the idea is to…

THE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has offered free legal representation to #EndBadGovernance protesters with court cases across the country. News Point Nigeria reports that the President of the NBA, Afam Osigwe, who announced this on his X handle on Wednesday, also directed NBA branches to monitor the legal proceedings against protesters across the country. He said, “I have directed the branches of the Nigerian Bar Association to monitor the trials of the #EndBadGovernance protesters. “Additionally, I have launched a pro bono support initiative for protesters who lack legal representation. “The Nigerian Bar Association Citizens’ Liberties Committee (NBA-CLC) has been tasked…

MICROSOFT Co-founder, Bill Gates, has said that improving productivity in agriculture will help in solving the problem of malnutrition in the world, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Gates, who is a Co-Chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said this on Tuesday at the Nutrivision 2024, a Pan-African Youth Dialogue on Nutrition at Nile University Abuja. He stressed that making food more available at low cost and using of better seeds will contribute in combating malnutrition which according to him has become one of the things holding back potentials the most. “If you are malnourished you are at much high risk,…

SCORES of demonstrators hit the streets of Abuja on Monday to demand the immediate dismissal of the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, Mele Kyari, over the lingering fuel scarcity bedevilling the country. The protest comes on the heels of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited’s confession that its substantial debt to suppliers is endangering the sustainable fuel supply. Among other things, the corporation highlighted that the financial strain is placing significant pressure on its operations and threatening the stability of fuel supplies. Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, also raised concerns that the rising cost of…