The Federal Government has appealed to entrepreneurs and business owners in the South‑East to harness the opportunities of the Economic Community of West African States Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) in order to broaden their market reach across West Africa. Speaking at a one‑day sensitisation workshop in Enugu, the Director of the ECOWAS National Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olawale Emmanuel Awe, explained that “once registered under the scheme, Nigerian manufacturers can export their products to the 12 ECOWAS countries without paying customs duties”. He further outlined that the ETLS is aimed at promoting intra‑regional economic integration by…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
The House of Representatives has set up an ad‑hoc committee to investigate alleged financial irregularities in projects funded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). The probe will focus on the period between 2011 and 2013, during which the fund reportedly generated about N2.3 trillion from the tertiary education tax. The decision followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Olusola Fatoba, Hon. David Fouh, and Hon. Zakari Nyampa. Lawmakers expressed concerns over the management and disbursement of funds to tertiary institutions, citing poor project supervision and instances where contractors were paid despite failing to meet project milestones. The…
The newly appointed service chiefs arrived at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Wednesday for their Senate screening. They were accompanied by senior military officers and were sighted around 10 a.m. at the Senate wing of the complex. The Senate had earlier rescheduled the exercise to Wednesday, October 29, instead of next week, following a letter from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu requesting the confirmation of Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff. Senate President Godswill Akpabio read the letter on the floor before proceedings began. Akpabio explained that the change in schedule was necessary to allow the new service chiefs to…
The Federal Government has allocated fertiliser worth over ₦450 million for farmers in Jigawa State at subsidised rates. Governor Umar Namadi disclosed this during a Citizens’ Engagement Programme in Miga Local Government Area, explaining that the initiative is part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” to boost agricultural productivity and food security. “We have allocated 20 trucks of fertiliser to Jigawa State to be sold at subsidised rates to farmers,” Governor Namadi said, adding that the move aims to support farmers with essential inputs and equipment to improve food production and agribusiness across the state. Namadi noted that Miga,…
The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the hearing of the ₦100 billion suit filed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other oil marketers over an import licence dispute. The hearing will now hold on November 5, the court confirmed on Wednesday. The case was initially listed before Justice Mohammed Umar, who was absent due to being assigned to the Enugu division. The adjournment allows the court to ensure that all parties are present and that the matter is properly heard. Dangote’s suit seeks a declaration that the Nigerian…
The Federal High Court in Abuja has rescheduled the hearing of the suit filed by the Nigeria Police Force against Omoyele Sowore and other conveners of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest. The hearing will now take place on November 5, the court announced on Wednesday. The matter was originally scheduled as number 11 on Wednesday’s cause list, but the court adjourned it following disruptions caused by protesters during previous proceedings. The adjournment ensures that the court has the opportunity to properly hear the arguments of all parties involved. Earlier, the hearing was fixed for October 20 to allow respondents to show cause…
Hurricane Melissa made landfall early Wednesday on Cuba’s southern coast as a Category 3 storm, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported. The storm struck near the rural, mountainous area of Guama, about 25 miles west of Santiago de Cuba, with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph). The hurricane follows devastating impacts in Jamaica, where Melissa hit as a Category 5 storm with winds up to 185 mph. In St. Elizabeth parish, officials reported areas were “underwater” and more than 500,000 residents were left without power. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said, “The reports that we have had…
Comrade Abdulhakeem Adegoke Alawuje, founder of the Disciples of Jagaban and a strong supporter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has warned that neither Atiku Abubakar nor Peter Obi can influence the northern region of Nigeria against Tinubu. Alawuje said political opponents should stop attempting to use ethnic and religious tactics to sway northern voters. He accused opposition figures of engaging in “underground ethnic and religious politics” and stressed that “every move is being closely monitored.” He added, “There is no political or ethnic scheme you can execute without the awareness of our agents. The North will not be deceived again.”…
The Alternative Bank has unveiled a new initiative aimed at empowering women in rural communities through digital skills and business development. The “Alternative Bank‑Utiva Women in Tech Scholarship” will support 20 women entrepreneurs in its first cohort starting November 2025. During a virtual event to mark the International Day for Rural Women, Korede Demola‑Adeniyi, Executive Director (South) of the bank, said: “Rural women are the heartbeat of food systems, the lifeline of families, and the silent architects of community resilience. Empowering rural women is a moral imperative as much as it is smart economics and a cornerstone of sustainable national growth.” The…
First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu has urged that Nigeria’s battle against tuberculosis (TB) should not be dependent on foreign assistance, highlighting the importance of building resilient local systems and capacity to eradicate the disease by 2030. Speaking in Manila, Philippines, at the 39th Stop TB Partnership Board Meeting, where she was the special guest of honour, Tinubu stressed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to the TB response despite fluctuations in donor support. Her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Busola Kukoyi, said the First Lady noted that “through steadfast leadership, community engagement, and strategic national coordination, we have ensured that the number of…
Genesis Energy is finalising plans to issue a N500 billion local bond to expand its clean‑energy projects across Nigeria, building on its previous N13 billion bond issued in 2019. The initiative is expected to strengthen the company’s capacity in gas, solar, hydro, and hybrid energy solutions. Chairman Akinwole Omoboriowo II, speaking at the Nigeria Energy Conference in Lagos, said all proceeds from the bond will be used to develop power infrastructure across multiple states. He noted, “In Port Harcourt, we’re scaling an 84 MW gas plant in partnership with NNPC to 200 MW, while Katsina will get 100 MW of…
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) has reported a profit before tax (PBT) of N900.8 billion for the third quarter of 2025, according to its unaudited financial statements for the nine months ended September 30. The results highlight the bank’s continued strong performance in Nigeria’s financial sector. The growth in core earnings was a key driver, with interest income rising by 25.6 percent year‑on‑year and fee income increasing by 16.8 percent. Despite this, the bank recorded a 26 percent year‑on‑year decline in PBT compared to Q3 2024, a decrease largely attributed to a non‑recurring fair value gain of N523.2 billion in the previous year. GTCO’s total…