News

Monday, 22 April 2024 05:11

Power outages worsen for lower tariff customers as DisCos shift attention to Band A consumers

Over 11.5 million electricity households and customers in Nigeria, who account for about 85 per cent of grid connected electricity, have been thrown into darkness as the electricity supply industry moves to implement at least 20-hour power supply to some customers. With electricity generation wobbling around 3,000 megawatts, there are indications that the Generation Companies (GenCos) may insist on a bilateral bulk trading agreement with the Distribution Companies (DisCos) to prioritise band A customers outside of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET). Already, most band A customers, who are expected to get at least 20 hours of power supply…

Monday, 22 April 2024 05:08

Villagers under threats of bandit attack flee to Zamfara govt house for protection

Fleeing residents from Bini community in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara sought refuge at the Government House in Gusau, urging the government to protect them from bandits. The villagers, predominantly women and children, fled their homes after the withdrawal of military security personnel from the area. Umar Salisu, one of the fleeing villagers, recounted how the absence of security forces prompted their exodus, citing ongoing threats from bandits. Aisha Usman and Wakkala Gurgu echoed the urgent need for government intervention to address the escalating security concerns in their community. Commissioner for Science and Technology, Wadatau Madawaki, reassured the villagers…

Sunday, 21 April 2024 04:56

National interest, not low quality, informed diesel price cuts, Dangote Refinery explains

Dangote Industries Limited's management has refuted claims questioning the quality of its diesel, labeling such allegations as false and mischievous. The company asserts that its refinery is engineered to produce top-tier petroleum products that adhere to rigorous international standards. Anthony Chiejina, the company's spokesperson, emphasized that recent reports suggesting substandard diesel production led to the price reductions are unfounded. Chiejina clarified that the refinery's diesel output contains significantly lower levels of Sulphur compared to previous imports, debunking claims of inferior quality. He further dismissed assertions that the reduced price is indicative of lower quality, citing market dynamics and the company's…

Saturday, 20 April 2024 03:31

From being Africa’s largest, Nigeria’s economy will slip to fourth in 2024 - IMF

Nigeria is poised to descend to the fourth position among Africa's largest economies in 2024, a stark contrast to its long-held status as the continent's largest economy since the GDP rebasing in 2013. According to forecasts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for April 2024, Nigeria's GDP is projected to amount to $253 billion, primarily attributed to the devaluation of the Naira. The IMF predicts that South Africa will reclaim its position as Africa's largest economy, boasting a GDP of $373 billion, followed closely by Egypt with $348 billion and Algeria with $267 billion. This projection marks a significant shift…

Saturday, 20 April 2024 03:30

FAAC: FG, states, LGs share N1.123tn for March 2024

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed a total of N1.123 trillion to the federal, state, and local governments for March 2024. According to a statement by Mohammed Manga, the Director of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Finance, the allocation was derived from a gross total of N1.867 trillion. This allocation breakdown includes N345.890 billion for the Federal Government, N398.689 billion for states, and N288.688 billion for local governments. Oil-producing states received N90.224 billion as part of the 13% mineral revenue derivation. The statement also highlighted a notable increase in the gross revenue from Value Added…

Saturday, 20 April 2024 03:29

Nigeria to acquire 24 fighter jets from Italy

Nigeria plans to acquire 24 fighter jets from Italy's Leonardo to modernize its fleet and bolster its air force, air force spokesperson Edward Gabkwet said on Friday. The aircraft will arrive the country in four batches of six jets each, the air force said. Africa's most populous nation will receive the first six M-346 fighter aircraft before the end of the year, Gabkwet said in a statement. The news followed a visit by Claudio Sabatino, Leonardo vice president, to Nigeria's air force chief in Abuja on Wednesday. Leonardo will provide a minimum of 25 years maintenance support, the air force…

Friday, 19 April 2024 04:41

25m children forced into child labour with the following zonal, spatial distributions - NBS

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) unveiled a staggering revelation: 24.6 million children across Nigeria are ensnared in the clutches of child labour. This revelation emerged from the comprehensive 'Nigeria Child Labour Survey 2022', a report published to shed light on this grave societal issue. The report pinpointed states like Cross River, Yobe, and Abia as the front-runners in this distressing chart, with figures soaring above 60 percent, painting a grim picture of the prevalence of child labour in these regions. According to the NBS, child labour encompasses any form of work that deprives children under 18 of their rightful…

Friday, 19 April 2024 04:40

Only 6 percent of Nigerians own vehicles, FG reveals

During a meeting with vehicle component manufacturers aimed at enhancing efficiency and local production in Nigeria's automotive sector, Joseph Osanipin, the Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), disclosed a striking statistic: only 6 percent of Nigerians possess vehicles in the country. This revelation, made yesterday, underscores the pressing need to bolster domestic vehicle ownership rates and drive sustainable growth within the sector. Osanipin emphasized the imperative of leveraging Nigeria's abundant talents and resources to achieve this objective. Comparing Nigeria's vehicle ownership rate to that of South Africa, which stands at 17.4 percent, he highlighted the…

Friday, 19 April 2024 04:39

Iran fires air defense batteries in provinces as explosions heard near Isfahan - Associated Press

Iran fired air defense batteries early Friday morning as explosions could be heard near a major air base near Isfahan, raising fears of a possible Israeli strike following Tehran’s unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country. It remained unclear if the country was under attack, as no Iranian official directly acknowledged the possibility and Israel’s military did not respond to a request for comment. However, tensions have remained high in the days since the Saturday assault on Israel amid its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip and its own strikes targeting Iran in Syria. One Iranian government official and later…

Thursday, 18 April 2024 04:49

FG says students in private institutions, prison inmates won’t benefit from students loan

The management of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) led by its Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, has shed light on why students from private institutions and incarcerated individuals are excluded from the upcoming student loan fund launch. Addressing journalists at UNILAG, Sawyerr emphasized the fund's focus on aiding "indigent" students. He clarified that private institution attendees aren't deemed financially disadvantaged and stressed the fund's aim at redistributing wealth to deserving candidates, monitored via mechanisms like BVN verification. Regarding inmates pursuing education, Sawyerr cited challenges in loan recovery from individuals serving lengthy sentences. Executing a transparent selection process, NELFUND plans to…

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Thursday, 18 April 2024 04:48

Russia’s economy in 2024 will outpace economies of Western countries that imposed sanctions on it - IMF

An influential global body has forecast Russia's economy will grow faster than all of the world's advanced economies, including the US, this year. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects Russia to grow 3.2% this year, significantly more than the UK, France and Germany. Oil exports have "held steady" and government spending has "remained high" contributing to growth, the IMF said. Overall, it said the world economy had been "remarkably resilient" "Despite many gloomy predictions, the world avoided a recession, the banking system proved largely resilient, and major emerging market economies did not suffer sudden stops," the IMF said. The IMF…

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 04:49

CBN’s support for the Naira eats deep into Nigeria’s foreign reserves - Bloomberg

Nigeria is burning through foreign-exchange reserves at a rate not seen in four years, raising concerns that the central bank is depleting its dollar holdings to support the naira after pledging it would allow the currency to float more freely. Liquid reserves declined 5.6% since March 18, when the naira started its rebound from record-low levels against the dollar, to $31.7 billion as of April 12, according to Bloomberg’s calculations based on the latest available datafrom the Central Bank of Nigeria. That’s the biggest decline in a similar period since April 2020, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The currency…

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 04:48

NCAA suspends license of private jet owners for using aircraft for commercial flights

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has taken action against three private jet owners for conducting commercial flight operations, as announced on Tuesday. Chris Najomo, Acting Director of NCAA, revealed this development, stating that the use of private jets for commercial purposes led to directives from Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo to halt such activities. Earlier warnings had been issued to permit holders for non-commercial flights (PNCF), cautioning against passenger cargo carriage. Following intensified monitoring at airport terminals, three operators were found violating regulations, leading to the suspension of their PNCF. Najomo emphasized a reevaluation of all PNCF holders by April 19,…

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 04:45

Lawyers demand resignation of CJN Ariwoola for ‘corruptly’ appointing children as judges

Civil Society Consortium on Judicial Accountability (CSCJA) has demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, citing alleged abuse of office and favoritism in his duties. The group, comprising public interest lawyers, protested in Abuja, expressing outrage over the appointment of the CJN's children as judicial officers. They accused the CJN of nepotism, pointing to the appointment of his son and daughter as judges. The group delivered a letter to the CJN demanding his resignation and urged the unbundling of the CJN's office to prevent further abuse. The appointments have sparked concerns about conflicts of interest…

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