A report by an open-source blockchain website, Elastos on Thursday revealed that 20 per cent constituting at least one in five Nigerians are using Bitcoin to carry out transactions everyday.

According to the platform, the research was compiled from online interviews conducted with 1,407 self-defined ‘tech savvy’ respondents in Brazil, Germany, Nigeria, South Korea, UAE, UK, and US.

The interviews were completed by a third party, registered market research company and completed between 30 March and 04 April ’24.

The report further revealed that 67 percent of Nigerians would have more trust in Bitcoin to protect their life savings than traditional services such as banks, local governments and, even, cash.

It read, “The inaugural BIT Index (Bitcoin; Innovation & Trust) – compiled from over 1,400 self-defined ‘tech savvy’ respondents from 7 countries across the globe – sheds light on the actual perception and use of Bitcoin in people’s daily lives, irrespective of its current valuation. Elastos’ BIT Index is part of ongoing research to better track the ‘real world’ use of Bitcoin together with users’ motivations, expectations and barriers around the same.

“In particular, the data reveals the role being played by emerging markets in terms of understanding, usage and confidence around Bitcoin.  Nigerian respondents’ levels of usage and trust compare starkly with those expressed from so-called ‘established’ markets such Germany and the UK and Germany where daily usage levels are just 8% (for German respondents) and (9% for their UK counterparts).

“In terms of trust – in addition to Nigeria – significant proportions of respondents from Brazil (35 percent) and the UAE (32 per cent) would have more confidence in Bitcoin-based services to protect their life savings compared to those from markets such as the UK (20 per cent) and Germany (22 per cent).

“When it comes to ensuring the integrity of online transactions, emerging market respondents also revealed their relative confidence in Bitcoin, compared to alternatives. According to the data 66 per cent Nigerian respondents and 35 per cent from Brazil have more confidence in Bitcoin-based systems than alternatives such as banks, or national Governments, compared to figures of just 16 per cent (Germany) and 21 per cent (UK) who feel the same.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Hargreaves, Elastos’ Global Head of Business Development & ESG, described the BIT Index’s inaugural findings as indicative of the role the ‘global south’ is playing in the adoption of decentralized currencies such as Bitcoin.

“The BIT Index offers a fascinating and sobering insight into the industry. The fact that over two-thirds of Nigerian consumers and a third of their counterparts from the UAE and Brazil would feel more confident entrusting their life savings in Bitcoin than traditional financial instruments speaks volumes about the protagonism these regions are already playing.  In many instances, the driving factor is the absence of viable – accessible – alternatives to, for instance, conduct cross-border transactions or mitigate the impact of inflation,” he said.

 

Punch

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russia attacks Ukraine's rail lines to disrupt supply of U.S. arms, source says

Russia is targeting Ukrainian rail lines with airstrikes to disrupt the delivery of desperately needed U.S. weapons to the front and complicate military logistics, a Kyiv intelligence source said on Friday.

The United States approved a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine this week and said the first deliveries should arrive in a matter of days, easing acute shortages of artillery shells that have hamstrung Kyiv's forces for months.

As the aid was finalised after six months of congressional wrangling, Russia's defence minister said on Tuesday that Moscow would increase attacks on logistics centres and storage sites holding Western weapons.

On Thursday, Ukrainian rail infrastructure was targeted by Russian strikes in the eastern Donetsk region, northeastern Kharkiv region and central Cherkasy region, the national rail company said.

The attack in Donetsk, which is the main focus of Russia's offensive in the east, killed three electrical mechanics working for the railway company and wounded four more, it said.

In Kharkiv, which borders Russia, a strike hit the railway station in the city of Balakliia, injuring 13 people, including three rail workers, officials said. The town of Balakliia was liberated from Russian forces in 2022.

Ukrainian officials seldom provide detailed statements about strikes on sensitive military targets, but the Ukrainian intelligence source confirmed to Reuters there had been attacks on rail infrastructure aimed at disrupting the supply of weapons.

"Also, the overall complication of our logistics," the source added.

Outnumbering and outgunning Kyiv's forces many times over, Russian troops have had the battlefield momentum since February when they captured the long-time bastion town of Avdiivka.

A U.S. defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Thursday that the goal of the aid from the United States was to enable Ukraine to regain the initiative.

Kyiv faces manpower shortages on the battlefield and questions linger over the strength of its fortifications along a sprawling, 1,000-km (621-mile) front line.

Russia has periodically attacked rail infrastructure throughout the 26-months invasion.

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In April, Ukrzaliznytsia, the railway company, temporarily suspended all deliveries to the southern Black Sea port of Chornomorsk.

It gave no reason for the decisions but Ukrainian media outlets reported that Russian attacks could have damaged railway tracks to the port's cargo terminals.

 

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

US has no Patriots to spare for Ukraine – White House

Washington is not willing to risk undermining its own security, but the US government is working around the clock to pressure the EU, NATO and other partners to share their air defense capabilities with Kiev instead, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has said.

Addressing the virtual meeting of the so-called Ukraine Defense Contact Group on Friday, President Vladimir Zelensky demanded “at least seven”Patriot batteries from his sponsors, but Kiev’s main backer allegedly has none to spare.

“The US Patriot systems right now are being deployed around the world, including in the Middle East, to protect US troops,” Sullivan told MSNBC later in the day.

“If we can unlock further American Patriot batteries we would send them. But we are doing a lot of the supplying of the actual missiles that go into those batteries that get fired,” the US official insisted.

The Pentagon has indeed pledged additional Patriot munitions as part of a “historic” $6bn assistance package announced on Friday. However, the interceptors could take months or even years to arrive, as the batch will not come from the existing Pentagon stockpiles and the announcement “represents the beginning of a contracting process” with the US defense industry.

A single MIM-104 Patriot battery, which is manufactured by US arms giant Raytheon, costs over $1 billion, and consists of multiple truck-mounted units, including power, radar, antenna, engagement control and other support vehicles – as well as up to eight launchers with interceptor missiles.

The US produced over 1,100 Patriot launchers over the years and is estimated to have hundreds of them in active service and in storage – but only sent a single battery to Ukraine. Two more full batteries were donated by Germany, while the Netherlands shared two individual launchers.

“In the meantime what we’re gonna do is work with European partners and partners in other parts of the world to get them to provide additional air defense capability to Ukraine,”Sullivan added.

Besides Germany and the Netherlands – Poland, Spain, Greece and Romania are also among European nations that operate the Patriot systems. While Berlin recently promised to supply yet another Patriot battery to Ukraine, Warsaw said earlier this week that it has no air defense systems to spare. 

Spain said it will only provide air defense missiles to Kiev, but not the actual systems. Greece also rejected the pressure, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis saying that no action would be taken “that could even remotely endanger our nation’s deterrent capabilities or air defense.”

 

Reuters/RT

It's natural for our preferences to change as we get older. So when asked, "What are you simply getting too old for?" a lot of people from the BuzzFeed Community had thoughts. Here's what they had to say.

1. "I don’t do anything recreationally anymore if I’m not enjoying myself. If I’m not into a movie or show, I turn it off. If I’m not having fun at a party, I leave. I went wine tasting with friends recently when they started making fat jokes about a friend who wasn’t there, and I noped right out."

—sarahshorthealth

2. "I’m in my late 40s now, and unlike my younger self, I don’t seek out friends. If a friendship happens organically, great. If not, I don’t care how cool, rich, popular, or connected you are. I’ll be friendly to you, but if we don’t vibe, we don’t vibe. I would rather enjoy my own company and would prefer solitude to spending time with someone I find uninteresting…even if they’re very nice."

—jmacxjr
​

"I'm with you. I just turned 50, and I'm fortunate enough to have a close group of friends, but even if I only had one good friend, I'd feel the same way. I also started ending friendships in my late 20s when I was the only one making any effort to maintain the friendship."
​

—mishybp73

3. "Never again will I buy a pair of jeans that do not stretch or have to be broken in for weeks to fit me. They'll have to pry my denim-spandex pull-ons from my dying hands."

—donnaparks

4. "I don’t even bother with social media. I don’t post pics of my vacation or anything else exciting going on in my life. I don’t need validation from others, as I learned a long time ago that most people don’t really care what you’re up to. It used to be a joke that the worst thing you could do was force people to sit and look at your vacation slides — I figure I’ll be the one person to give others a break from that torture. LOL."

—UserNameFail

5. "I don’t waste my time arguing with people in traffic anymore. If you are trying to cut in aggressively, just go right ahead. Letting things like this go makes my day better, especially on my way to work."

—tmrr15

6. "I've become aware that I'm probably on the neurodivergent spectrum, and as an over-40, I'm leaning into it. I've stopped doing things I hate in order to try to fit in, or carefully watch the people I'm with so I can mimic their social cues. It's saving a ton of energy, and honestly, I quite like the me who's emerging."

—lola465

7. "I abandoned underwire bras and bikini-cut panties in my early 40s. Even with big boobs, I can get supportive bras sans underwire. While aging has its drawbacks, there's also a ton of benefits. I care so much less about what other people think about me. I'm focusing on accumulating a wardrobe that's classic rather than trendy."

—crankylibrarian

 

8. "If we go out of town and there’s a friend or even relative who lives there, I am NOT staying at their house. I’d rather pay for a hotel room and have the temperature the way I want it, sleep in whatever, and, most importantly, have my own bathroom."

—Glittersky

9. "I will never again pay to attend a concert without seats. I mean, who wants to STAND all evening to see an artist perform?! Or sit in some itchy grass? Count me completely out!"

—linessafrazier
​

"Even when there are seats, there's always that one guy who stands, then the people behind him stand, then you have to stand because you don't wanna be weird/not see anything. So in a perfect world, yes, I would agree. LOL."
​

—Funghoul

10. "Being forced/bullied into family functions. Don't get me wrong — I love my family/my fiancé's family. But I want to do gingerbread houses with MY little family at HOME. Don't expect me to show up to every gathering. We have our lives, too, outside of yours."

—ashleenooo

11. "I don’t put up with relationship drama anymore. Any relationship where someone keeps breaking up and getting back together is exhausting, and I’m ready to pull the plug as soon as a girl I’m dating threatens it — doubly so if it’s a power move."

—elinumber2

12. "I’ve never really done it, but I’m 37, and I’m beyond over people expecting me to be 'normal.' The rat race to a suburban hellscape: marriage, kids, house, two cars (at least one an SUV), apple pie, and white picket fences. It’s not for me and never seemed appealing. When am I going to settle down and have a family? Hopefully never. I have plans, and none of them involve those 'ideals.'"

—imaginaryximageryx

13. "Loud music in stores drives me up a wall. I can remember watching my mom sit outside a store waiting for me because the music was too loud."

—Macaroni Next Please

14. "I really hate when family expects me to help them financially. I saved my money for my wife’s and my retirement — not to 'lend' to them. Your lack of planning and saving is not my problem…it is yours!"

—michaelsherman

15. "Eating foods I don't like at gatherings because someone made it 'just to be nice.' No, Linda, I will not eat your broccoli-and-cheese casserole because I hate broccoli, and I've mentioned that to you several times. Maybe you should learn a new recipe too."

—saltyspice75

16. "It isn’t just music that has lowered talent requirements; it's all entertainment areas. Theater is nonexistent; the only thing they do onstage these days is redos of past hits. Movies are mainly action, computer-driven garbage or cartoons, and TV shows are unwatchable with poor scripts. We watch English or Australian TV shows for entertainment. I don’t see this improving in the future, given the taste levels of their audiences."

—galer21

17. "I live in Wyoming, and the weather can be atrocious. I'm at an age when I refuse to risk driving in 'possible' bad weather or on bad roads unless it’s life and death. I used to just go and spent years with the attitude that if you worry about the weather and roads in Wyoming, you will never go anywhere. I drove on some major crappy roads, saw horrible wrecks, and got stuck for hours because most people have no idea how to drive on our roads. The weather is so weird and can change at the drop of a hat. I just absolutely refuse to risk it, ever, nowadays."

—cornychair83

18. "I no longer worry about 'Is it me? Am I the asshole?' when dealing with a difficult person at work or school or in public. I used to think the other person was mad because of something I did or said. Now I don't worry about it. I know I’m pleasant and polite, and if someone is being a crank, that’s on them."

—elizabethsnyder1

19. "This might sound curmudgeonly, but office holiday parties. I have one coming up for my husband’s work, and I find them tiresome. It’s not 'wild' in any sense of the word, but instead an example of forced camaraderie. I always find myself seated near the only Trump supporter in the office, and I cannot go through another round with this guy. Besides that, the conversation is forced, AND they do this thing where we’re supposed to move tables to talk with other people. Ugh!"

—applesauceandchops

20. "Theme parks and roller coasters. I loved theme parks and especially roller coaster rides in my younger days — but sometime in my mid-40s, I think I must have developed a case of acrophobia because I started having unpleasant physical reactions to roller coasters and other thrill rides. My worst experience was when I rode up in the elevator from the second level to the top of the Eiffel Tower. It's an outside elevator, and as it got higher and higher, the worse I felt. It was all I could do to not completely freak out. What was weird was that once I got to the top (900 feet up!), I was fine, and the ride down from the top was fine also."

—sidneykaler

21. "Honestly, lately, I haven't been denying myself much if I can afford it and have time. Life is very short, especially when you get past the halfway point. Things I take for granted, like chocolate and coffee, aren't going to be around much longer, and not a single thing that *I* do will change anything. So I'm gonna rage a little. Join me, won't you?"

—MilfMoney

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.

 

Buzzfeed

The inception of the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation (OGBC) marked a significant milestone in broadcasting history, with its first office established at 78, Lantoro Road, Isale Ake Abeouta, on July 1, 1976. This followed the creation of Ogun State on February 3, 1976, from the former Western State.

During the planning phase for the commissioning of its inaugural transmitter and studio at Aiyetoro Road, OGBC's board, under the leadership of Chief Hezy Idowu, directed management to develop a station identification song. The commissioning, scheduled for December 1976, necessitated the creation of an anthem to symbolize the station's identity.

A song penned by J. J. Ransome Kuti (who was the the father of the late Reverend Ransome Kuti, the grandfather of the world acclaimed Afro Beat king Fela Anikulapo and the great grandfather of Femi and Seun Kuti who are expanding the frontiers of the Ransome Kuti dynasty) found in his compilation "Mayokun," caught the attention of the board. Titled "Ise Ya, Ise Ya, Omo Egba Ise Ya," it resonated with the spirit of diligence and community pride. This selection was affirmed in recorded OGTV interview programmes, including "Karo-O-Jire" by the late Justice Olukayode Shomolu and Tunji Oyelana on OGTV's "25 Special."

Under the chairmanship of the late Yomi Onabolu, then head of programmes and later general manager of OGBC and OGTV, the song was reworked as "Ise Ya, Ise Ya Omo Ogun Ise Ya." The production process involved collaboration with notable figures such as the late Navy Captain Bucknor, commander of the Navy Band. However, due to his absence at sea, the task fell, first, to the late Dedeke who started the work but couldn't finish the production; and later,

to the late Colonel Olubobokun, commandant of the Nigerian Army Band, whose rendition was approved by staff, management, and the board of OGBC.

The debut of the "Iseya" song on OGBC's airwaves coincided with the arrival of General Olusegun Obasanjo, then Nigeria's head of state, at the OGBC Aiyetoro Road premises on December 9, 1976, for the studio and transmitter commissioning ceremony.

This clarification lays to rest any lingering controversy surrounding the authorship and musical adaptation of the beloved "Iseya" anthem, affirming its rightful place in Ogun State's cultural and broadcasting heritage.

** Olaleye is a former staff of OGBC (1976-1982); former General Manager, OGTV; and former Executive Secretary, Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria.

Chinese state energy major PetroChina has been waiting to unload a cargo of U.S. crude at Nigeria's giant new refinery for nearly a month due to payment issues, according to four trading sources and shipping data.

The impasse highlights difficulties the $20 billion plant funded by Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote faces in its aim to be the biggest refinery on the continent and in Europe when it reaches full capacity this or next year.

Dangote aims to reverse the trend by which the oil-rich country exports its crude but almost totally relies on imports of fuel and other refined products.

The 2-million-barrel West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude cargo shipped by PetroChina onboard supertanker Maran Mira has, however, been floating off Nigeria since March 28, shipping data on LSEG and Kpler showed.

The completion of the oil sale from PetroChina to Dangote has been delayed as the refinery has yet to issue a letter of credit to the Chinese trader, one source familiar with the matter said.

A letter of credit is the most common form of trade finance. A buyer's bank sends a letter to the seller's bank guaranteeing payment to the seller once goods arrive.

PetroChina was also not keen to receive oil products as payment, one of the ways that Dangote has been paying for its crude, the source said.

Two of the sources also told Reuters that the refinery has had difficulty accessing dollarsthrough the Nigerian government, with the naira's slide against the U.S. dollar as global oil prices have risen straining Nigeria's finances.

The government did not immediately respond to a request for comment and a Dangote executive did not directly address the issue in comments to Reuters.

PetroChina has another 2 million barrels of WTI crude onboard supertanker Kondor that is making its way to Nigeria, according to another source and LSEG shiptracking data.

Potential sellers of U.S. WTI crude to Dangote have been confronted with difficult payment terms: either a 60 to 90 credit or an exchange of refined products for the crude oil, three of the sources said. Credit terms for oil deals are typically 30 days.

PetroChina did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

A shipbroker estimated that the ship is incurring demurrage costs of around $65,000 a day.

Dangote group executive Edwin Devakumar told Reuters that seeking favourable sale prices and credit terms were normal business practices.

"If someone gives me one year credit, I'll grab it and if not, I'll negotiate the best possible deal," he said. "When you go to a shop to buy something ... You'll try the best possible deal and I do the same".

"We are not delayed. If someone's business is delayed, he is not giving us a good deal," Devakumar said, without specifically addressing the issue with PetroChina.

RAMPING UP

The refinery started operations in January and has reached half its capacity in recent weeks but a further increase is being slowed by its need to borrow billions of dollars in working capital to be able to buy large volumes of crude, trading sources said.

Devakumar declined to comment on the current run rates at the refinery.

The facility is importing around 10 crude oil cargoes a month, two traders said, roughly half the capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) it seeks to reach this year or next, which would make it the largest refinery in Africa and Europe.

The amount of Nigerian and U.S. crude discharged at Dangote totalled 8.4 million barrels in March and 5.4 million barrels so far in April, Kpler data showed. Another 1 million barrels of Nigerian crude is expected to arrive on April 27.

Trafigura, Mercuria, Vitol, Shell and NNPC were among Dangote's suppliers of crude last month, according to Kpler.

 

Reuters

Gunmen attacked a military base in Allawa town, Niger State, causing residents to flee for safety. The incident occurred around 1:30 am, with witnesses reporting that about 200 armed insurgents on motorcycles invaded the town.

It is believed that the attack may have been a reprisal following a previous clash where the military neutralized around fifty insurgents. The gunmen overpowered the military camp and looted properties from residents before the military deserted the area.

Residents from Allawa town and neighboring communities, such as Pandogari, Kukoki, and Bassa, have begun fleeing to safer areas.

Just last week, suspected Boko Haram members ambushed and killed six military officers in Karaga, Shiroro Local Government Area. Efforts to confirm the incident with the state police command spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, were unsuccessful as his contact could not be reached.