Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

The Federal Government has announced plans to establish industrial hubs to accelerate job creation and address rising unemployment in the country. President Bola Tinubu disclosed this at the 55th International Conference of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management on Tuesday in Abuja, with the theme: “Sustainable Human Resources, Business, and National Development.” The President, represented by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkiru Onyejeocha, outlined the administration’s commitment to steering Nigeria towards self-reliance and reducing dependency on others amid global challenges. “We envision an unprecedented level of industrial activity, marked by the establishment of unique industrial hubs tailored…

Air Peace has rejected the reason given by the Saudi Arabian authorities for the cancellation of visas of 264 passengers airlifted by the company from Nigeria to the middle-east kingdom. Recall that in a statement, the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia defended the visa cancellation, saying the passengers did not meet the Arab nation’s rules and regulations. The Saudi Embassy said the Nigerians who were deported didn’t fulfill the entry conditions and requirements by the applicable rules and regulations of the Kingdom. The statement added the deportation of the passengers was not targeting Nigerians. The statement reads: “The passengers who were denied…

The Nigeria Customs Service has said that it lost N1.3tn in 2023 due to waivers and concessions that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration granted to investors. It also noted that it was not privy to details of the Customs $3.2bn modernisation project. The Comptroller General of the NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, made the disclosure at the National Assembly on Wednesday. Adeniyi was represented by the Deputy Comptroller General, Mba Musa, at a public hearing organised by the Senate Joint Committees scrutinising the 2024–2026 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy. During the hearing, the senators inquired from the Customs CG about the details…

Labour Party has described, Atiku Abubakar’s merger proposal as a good proposal that should be considered. The acting National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, said “Atiku’s call is a proposition, and every Nigeria will consider a good proposition that is meant to remove the Octopus in power because they are not democrats. “Every Nigerian is interested in having a true democracy. What we have now is far away from democracy. So, if there is a preposition by opposition elements to ensure that democracy is installed, why not? That preposition must be given a good thought. Anything that…

Dutch winger, Anwar El Ghazi is taking legal action against former club, Mainz for wrongful dismissal. Mainz terminated El Ghazi’s contract on 2 November after a series of social media posts he made about the Israel-Gaza conflict. “I don’t see any statement in the latest post that is not covered by freedom of expression,” the winger’s lawyer told Allgemeine Zeitung. Mainz say they have been informed about the case by El Ghazi’s legal team. In a statement to BBC Sport, they added they will not be commenting further “as it is an ongoing legal proceeding”. El Ghazi was originally suspended by Mainz…

As the sixth edition of Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit (NDIS), opens in Abuja, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development Architect Ahmed Dangiwa, launched the Diaspora Housing Scheme with a facility for Diaspora access up to N50 million naira loan for mortgage with an interest rate of 6.9 per cent, paid over a period of 10 years. The Minister, who initiated the scheme while serving as the MD/CEO of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, described his position as a positive twist of fate. Dangiwa added that the Mortgage scheme will be formally launched in the United Kingdom, Canada, and…

Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, has enlisted the support of the media towards projecting the country positively to enhance investor confidence and attract the needed investments to foster economic growth in the country. The President, who was represented by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris , made the remarks at the opening of the 19th All Nigeria Editors Conference, organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state on Wednesday. “Your role as a primary source of information and keeping the public informed about economic trends is cut out for you. Timely and accurate reporting…

The World Bank has finally disbursed about $299.99 million to Nigeria out of the $800 million approved for the National Social Safety Net Program-Scale Up.  According to information from the Bretton Woods institution, with about 37.5% of the entire loan disbursed, there is a pending balance of about $442.88 million. The National Social Safety Net Programme-Scale Up was approved by the World Bank on December 16, 2021, and is expected to run till June 30, 2024. The $800 million programme is to be implemented by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs & Poverty Alleviation. With this loan, the Federal Government…

President Bola Tinubu will, on Thursday, join other Heads of State and Government in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, to celebrate the country’s 50th Independence Anniversary and Armed Forces Day.  Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, announced this in a statement on Wednesday. He said President Tinubu would arrive in Bissau on Thursday for the ceremony, which will be hosted by President Umaro Sissoco Embalo. Ngelale said Guinea-Bissau marked its 50th Independence Anniversary on September 24, 2023, but the government had scheduled all celebrations for November 16, 2023. He said the president who would honour invitation to Guinea-Bissau for Independence Day commemoration is expected to…

Richard Arnold has stepped down from his role as Manchester United’s chief executive. Arnold, 52, has been with United since 2007, acting as the club’s managing director from 2013. He replaced Ed Woodward as chief executive in February 2022. His departure from Old Trafford was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon and comes amid strong speculation that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is to buy a 25% stake in the club in a proposed £1.3 billion investment. Board member Patrick Stewart has been appointed interim chief executive. Arnold oversaw the appointment of Erik ten Hag in 2022 as United won their first trophy in…

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures the rate of change in the prices of goods and services, increased by 0.61 per cent to 27.33 per cent in October compared to 26.72 per cent in the preceding month, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) stated Wednesday. Also, year-on-year, the headline inflation was 6.24 per cent higher compared to 21.09 per cent recorded in October 2022. According to the CPI report for October, which was released by the statistical agency, year-on-year, food inflation rose by 7.80 per cent to 31.52 per cent from 23.72 per cent in the corresponding period in…

Nigerian rapper, Oladipupo Olabode Oladimeji, popularly known as Oladips, is dead. In a video shared online, Oladips was heard asking his friend about his whereabouts, urging him to quickly take him to the hospital. While the rapper was being rushed to the hospital, his friends around him were heard repeatedly shouting his name, but he failed to respond. In a last Instagram story before the incident, Oladips called out his friend, Onlyonelifetime, for leaving him alone at his house during a critical period. However, in a post via Instagram, his friend said the rapper’s mother opposed the idea of hospital…