Author: Maryam Garba

THE amount spent on airtime and data by Nigerian telecom subscribers rose to at least N2.59tn in the first nine months of 2023. This is according to the financial statements of MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa. This was a 32.57 per cent increase from the N1.95tn both telcos recorded from both income sources in the corresponding period of 2022. The increase in voice and data venue was partially driven by rising data subscriptions and the devaluation of the naira on Airtel’s part. In the first nine months of 2022, Airtel made $1.41bn from airtime and data. When converted at the…

THE corpse of a missing Fulani leader, Umar Ibrahim, who got missing on Wednesday, has been found in an abandoned well at Jokom community in Mangu town of Mangu local government area (LGA) of Plateau state. Prior to his death, the deceased was the Ciroma of Kumbun district of Mangu LGA of the state. Spokesperson of the Operation Safe Haven, a security taskforce, maintaining peace in the state, Captain Oya James, confirmed the incident. According to the leadership of Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of the group, (GAFDAN), the deceased had gone missing when he left a hospital on Wednesday…

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has disclosed plans to increase the capital base of banks in the country. In his speech at the 2023 Bankers’ Dinner on Friday, CBN Governor Dr Olayemi Cardoso said while there has been stability in the banking sector, banks in the country were not adequately capitalised to meet the need of a $1 trillion economy which the present government was aiming to achieve. “Will Nigerian banks have sufficient capital relative to the finance system’s needs in servicing a one trillion dollar economy in the near future? In my opinion, the answer is no, unless…

THE House of Representatives on Wednesday raised the alarm over the Remita platform through which the Treasury Single Account of the Federal Government is operated. Through a motion by Jeremiah Umaru (APC; Akwanga/Nasarawa Egon/Wamba), the lower chamber said trillions of naira had been passed through the Remita platform and that the funds were unaccounted for due to the proliferation of sub-accounts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The house is worried that if this is not addressed, the country will continue to lose revenue. In a related development, the Green Chamber urged the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital…

FOLLOWING the appointment of 23 new judges, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, has released new postings for the court’s judges to various divisions across the country. This was contained in a statement Wednesday by the Assistant Director (Information) of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Catherine Oby Christopher. The Chief Judge directed the affected judges to report at their duty stations before the date of resumption from the Christmas vacation, being the 8th day of January, 2023, the statement said. His lordship wishes his fellow lordships a wonderful vacation in advance. See the…

THE Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, has announced the revocation of mineral titles of 1,633 holders with a stern warning to the former title holders to vacate the relevant cadastre immediately. According to him, security agencies, in collaboration with the Mines Inspectorate of the Ministry, have been authorised to apprehend any defaulters found in the areas where titles have been revoked. Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Alake explained that the mineral titles were revoked due to the holders’ failure to pay the prescribed annual service fees on time. He said despite a 30-day…

A SPECIAL Canadian investigation team is currently in the Federal Capital Territory to probe an explosion that occurred at the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria, this newspaper gathered. The fire incident occurred on November 6, 2023, which claimed the lives of two people and left two others injured. The commission suspended its operations following the fire incident except for the visa application centres which remained open in Abuja and Lagos. According to the statement made available to our correspondent on Tuesday by the Public Affairs staff of the commission, Demilade Kosemani, the special investigation team would work with relevant Nigerian…

THE Organised Labour comprising of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have written their affiliates such as the Academic Staff Union of Universities, National Union of Electricity Employees, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Insititions, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria among others ahead of the planned nationwide strike scheduled to begin midnight, November 14,2023. The letter to the affiliates was jointly signed by the National Secretary of the NLC, Emmanuel Ugboaja and the Secretary General of the Trade…

THE National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control has notified the public that the recalled popular G Fuel brand Energy Drinks by T&E Imports and GPAE Trading Corp contains high levels of caffeine. The notification of this product is contained in a public alert with No. 034/2023, issued to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by NAFDAC Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye. Adeyeye said that the agency was equally notified about the recall of the product by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The NAFDAC boss said that the consumption of products…

THE Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun has granted approval for the posting of dedicated Police Public Relations Officers (PPROs) to some Commands and Formations within the Nigeria Police Force. A statement by Force headquarters said, “These appointments are instrumental in enhancing communication, transparency, and community engagement in the affected duty areas”. “The newly appointed PPROs include DSP Chukwukadibia O. Omojola to PPRO Railway Command; ASP Mansir Hassan to PPRO Kaduna State Command; ASP Nahum Daso Kenneth to PPRO Borno State Command; and ASP Mayegun Aminat Oluwakemi to PPRO Force Criminal Investigations Annex, Lagos. “These officers have…

WORKERS of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) have shut down the head office of the service in Abuja, protesting against the appointment of Tola Odeyemi as Chief Executive Officer/Post Master General. Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Presidential spokesman, had announced last week that President Bola Tinubu made some changes in the leadership of communication agencies, including NIPOST. However, moments after the news of Tola Odeyemi’s appointment broke, there were reports that Adepoju, the sacked Post Master-General had been reinstated. In a viral video, the sacked Adepoju was seen addressing some workers claiming President Tinubu had reappointed him. A development that caused a…

THE National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) says the commission has three weeks to negotiate with service providers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, urging intending pilgrims to pay the N4.5 million deposit before then. NAHCON’s Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Fatima Sanda Usara in a statement on Thursday said the Kingdom had set November 4, 2023 for the conclusion of preparatory meetings with the service providers, noting that by then, the commission should have an estimate of intending pilgrims to enable it negotiate with prices for services to be rendered. Sanda said early preparation for the 2024 hajj led the…

THE Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaibu, has said that an outbreak of diphtheria infection claimed 20 lives of children in Kaduna State. This was just as Shuaibu, also the Co-Chairman of the Presidential Task Force Team on Diphtheria, said a total of 156 cases of the deadly infection have been recorded in the state so far. The NPHCDA boss spoke with journalists shortly after assessing the Kaduna Diphtheria Treatment Centre at Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital in the state capital on Wednesday. More Details Shortly…

THE National Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday, said 45 persons have died while 171,545 persons have been displaced as a result of widespread flooding experienced across the country in 2023. This was disclosed by an official of the agency, Dapo Akingbade, during a monthly meeting of the Water Sanitation and Hygiene in the Emergency Working Group in Abuja. Akingbade said as of October 7, showed flood has affected 13 states, with 22,666 homes partially damaged and 5,358 totally damaged homes while 9,179 hectares of farmlands were partially destroyed and 8,754 hectares of farmlands totally destroyed. He added that the agency…

THE National Examination Council will today release the results of the 2023 Senior Secondary School Certificate to anxious students and parents. The delay in releasing the much awaited result, is also delaying the conclusion of admission into universities this year. It would be recalled that NECO, which concluded the conduct of the examination in early August 2023, had slated to release the result within 45 days but the promise did not materialise. Information later filtered in that the results would be made public on September 26th or 30th but the two dates came and passed without any show. Later, there…

THERE are growing concerns over the rising price of cooking gas as a kilogramme is now sold for between N1,000 and N1,200 in parts of the country, checks by this newspaper have shown. There are also fears that the price may rise further owing to the scarcity of the product, which marketers are attributing to supply disruption. Checks by this newspaper across Lagos State yesterday showed that while 12.5 kilogrammes of cooking gas is sold for N12,000 at some retail stations, a kilogramme was sold for N1,150 and N1,200 in Lagos outskirts like Mowe, Ibafo and Magboro, among others, along…

THE Minister, Federal Capital Territory Administration, Nyesom Wike, has said his administration has yet to make a decision on how to expend the ₦5billion palliative fund expected from the Federal Government. This is as he noted his administration may consider transportation and food support while noting that efforts were ongoing to bring back urban mass transportation to the FCT to reduce commuters’ suffering. Wike revealed the development to pressmen in Abuja on Monday night, after a closed-door meeting with contractors handling several projects in the FCT. He said, “We are yet to decide on what to do with the ₦2billion…

THE Federal Government says it has no intention to borrow from any local or foreign organisation with its removal of subsidy on petrol and exchange rate harmonisation. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Chief Wale Edun, revealed this at the end of the inaugural Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday in Abuja. He said that the benefit of the subsidy removal would be ploughed back into various sectors aimed at boosting government revenue and improving the business environment for local and foreign investment. Edun said that with the increased revenue from subsidy removal, various palliatives have…

THE Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite on Thursday received the first ever Nigeria Investment Policy document from the Permanent Secretary of her Ministry, Dr Evelyn Ngige. The Minister said that the policy which was approved for implementation on May 10, 2023, is aimed at giving investors more comfort and attracting more investment into the country to further boost her economy. The Minister also said that the investment policy primarily focuses on investment promotion, and facilitation as well as sustainable economic development. It also promotes responsible investor conduct for sustainable development by influencing investor behaviour in…

FORMER President of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been charged with bribery offences relating to her time as Nigeria’s oil minister, the United Kingdom National Crime Agency (NCA) said on Tuesday. Alison-Madueke, 63, has been on bail since first being arrested in London in October 2015. She will appear in court in the British capital on October 2, the NCA said. Soon after her arrest, her family’s lawyer told AFP she would strongly contest corruption allegations that have dogged her during and after her time in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s government. Alison-Madueke, in office…