Author: Amina Ibrahim

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…

THE suspended Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress in Kaduna State, Maryam Suleiman, has said she has no regrets over his criticisms of Governor Uba Sani. Suleiman, in a telephone interview with this newspaper on Monday, described her suspension by the party for criticising the governor as an act of God, adding that she remained unruffled. The Kaduna State APC leadership had on Sunday slammed Suleiman with indefinite suspension following her criticisms of the state governor, who had complained of inheriting a huge debt from his predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai. Governor Sani had, on Saturday, during a Town Hall Meeting,…

THE National Examinations Council has concluded arrangements to conduct the Senior School Certificate Examinations (Internal) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This follows the successful accreditation of the Nigeria International School, Jeddah, by a NECO delegation led by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, and the Registrar of NECO, Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi. During the visit, the delegation undertook an assessment of the school facilities and had an interactive session with the management and staff of the school. This was according to a statement released by NECO on Saturday. The statement read, “The Minister of State for Education,…

FORMER President Muhammadu Buhari said on Friday that he was committed to the success of the All Progressives Congress under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu. This was disclosed in a statement by the former President’s media aide, Garba Shehu. Buhari expressed his commitment in a phone call to President Bola Tinubu and passed his best wishes to the President for a happy 72nd birthday. The statement read, “In the course of the conversation, the former President said he was fully committed to the success of the APC administration under President Tinubu. “In this regard, President Buhari prayed profusely for…

THE Nigerian economy had an inflow of over $1.5bn in the past few days, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria, a development it says indicates the CBN’s monetary policy efforts are working. The Bank’s Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, Hakama Ali, made the assertion on Thursday when she noted that data available to the bank, indicated that the inflows resulted from a concerted effort to stabilise the foreign exchange market. According to her, the naira has also continued to record gains in the Autonomous Foreign Exchange market, as it traded at N1,309/$1 as against N1,611/$1 in the second week…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria is set to closely monitor the Nigerian banking sector’s recapitalisation alongside law enforcement agencies. This move is intended to prevent the influx of illicit financing into the sector. The Director of the Financial Policy and Regulation Department at the CBN, Haruna Mustafa, disclosed this in a circular on Friday. The circular was addressed to commercial, merchant, and non-interest banks, including promoters of proposed banks, on the new minimum capital requirements for banks. With the collaboration of relevant law enforcement agencies, the bank aims to ensure that the capital raised during the recapitalisation process is free…

IN recognition of his exemplary contributions to public sector communication, the Director General of Press Affairs, Government House Gombe, Ismaila Uba Misilli, has received the prestigious Spokespersons Gold Certificate, Public Sector (State) category conferred on him by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in partnership with the Image Merchant Promotion Limited (IMPR). The  Certificate of Excellence was presented to Misilli at the National Spokespersons Awards 2023 ceremony held on Wednesday at the International Conference Centre, Abuja marking the end of activities for the 3-day maiden National Spokespersons Summit unveiled by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed…