Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has cleared a backlog of over two million National Identification Number (NIN) modification requests. NIMC Acting Director’General, Engineer Abisoye Coker-Odusote, confirmed this in a statement on Wednesday. She said the achievement underscores NIMC’s commitment to ensuring that all Nigerians have access to secure and universally recognized identity documentation. “NIMC’s dedicated teams have been working tirelessly to process these backlogs and will not relent in effort to ensure that citizens have a streamlined experience when obtaining their NINs. “We acknowledge the challenges that many Nigerians faced in the past and appreciate the patience they have…

The Naira depreciated further against the US Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) on Tuesday, November 7, as the supply of foreign exchange (FX) into the system shrinks. Data from the FMDQ Securities Exchange showed that forex transactions worth $70.92 million were recorded during the trading session, 19.1 per cent or $16.73 million lower than the $87.65 million achieved in the preceding session. Last week, the Nigerian currency gained weight on the greenback after it was reported that about 2 per cent of FX backlogs had been cleared, but it failed to sustain the positive momentum, as…

Akinwumi Adesina, president of African Development Bank Group has said the size of the electric vehicles value chain is estimated to increase from the current $7 trillion to $57 trillion by 2050 and that future depends on Africa. Adesina made the submission at the Africa Investment Forum 2023 Wednesday at the Palace Congress, Marrakech, Morocco. He noted that this is because Africa accounts for the largest source of green metals for the development of electric vehicles, including platinum (70%), cobalt (52%), manganese (46%), bauxite (25%), and graphite (21%). “Africa has the largest sources of renewable energy sources in the world,…

Foreign airlines have disclosed that about 90% of their $783m trapped funds have remained unpaid. The airlines stated this during a stakeholders’ forum convened by Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, in Lagos recently. According to data from the International Air Transport Association, as of August 2023, Nigeria accounted for a substantial $783m of airlines’ blocked funds. Despite recent efforts to alleviate the situation, the airlines said a significant portion of those funds remained inaccessible to them. Chima Kingsley, the Chairman of International Airline Operators, emphasised that while international banks had received some funds from the Central…

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Wednesday, said that it is not compulsory for the governorship election scheduled for November 11, 2023, to be held in Imo. The NLC Head of International Relations, Uchenna Ekwe, stated this during an interview on Channels TV. Ekwe said the Imo people have been faced with violence, adding that the election would not produce anything. He said that the workers in Imo do not have faith that the election would determine anything. Ekwe said, “Talking about the election, in Imo in particular, did the votes count? How did he (Hope Uzodinma) become governor? In Imo, is…

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has debunked allegations that he is spending N400 million monthly on domestic running costs. These claims were made by the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, during a meeting with party members in Osogbo. Basiru had claimed that Governor Adeleke was influenced by his family, particularly his elder sister, Dupe Adeleke-Sanni, and raised concerns about increased state allocations without a commensurate improvement in government service delivery. In response, Governor Adeleke, through his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, described the allegations as “careless, ill-thought, and lacking any iota of truth.” He refuted the claim that he…

The Appeal Court has declared the Labour Party candidate, Thaddeus Atta, as the duly elected House of Representatives member representing Eti Osa Federal Constituency in Lagos State. The National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, had in September declared the election inconclusive. The tribunal ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplementary election within 90 days in 33 polling units where elections were not held. However, the Appeal Court on Tuesday overturned the tribunal’s directive and ruled that the elections were conclusive. This legal battle involved famous Nigerian singer and Peoples Democratic Party…

The Federal Government has inaugurated additional enhanced e-passport facilities at selected Nigerian Embassies in Italy, Spain, Greece, Austria and Switzerland. The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo inaugurated the facilities at the Nigerian Embassy in Rome. A statement by the Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO) Dr Adedotun Aridegbe on Tuesday in Abuja stated the new passport processing centres were part of efforts to streamline passport processing and acquisition for Nigerians residing in the diaspora. Tunji-Ojo emphasised the dedication of President Bola Tinubu’s government to citizens’ diplomacy and the enhancement of services to the diaspora community. The Interior Minister who, was…

Nigeria, a country yet to be designated as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ by the U.S. Department of State, has been listed among the worst persecutors of Christians in the International Christian Concern’s (ICC) 2023 report. The report depicts an alarming portrait of the dangers Christians face in the country, asserting that Nigeria may be the most perilous place for Christians worldwide. “Nigeria is arguably the most dangerous place to be a Christian in the world today,” the report stated. The ICC report detailed 55 attacks in Nigeria resulting in the death of 549 Christians during four months from March…

AC Milan came from behind to beat Paris Saint-Germain to leave UEFA Champions League Group F wide open. PSG looked well set to cement their place at the top of the table when Milan Skriniar gave them the lead, but goals from Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud turned the contest on its head. It did not look likely when Skriniar stooped low to nod home a flick-on from Marquinhos on nine minutes. Milan responded superbly, with Leao acrobatically volleying home after Gianluigi Donnarumma – who had been given a hot reception by the fans of his former club – had beaten away…

Shakhtar Donetsk breathed life into UEFA Champions League Group H with a 1-0 win over Barcelona. Barca went into the game knowing a win would guarantee their progression to the knockout stages with two games to spare, but they were extremely disappointing in slipping to defeat at the Volksparkstadion. Danylo Sikan’s header on 40 minutes was worthy of winning any game as Shakhtar opened up the group. Shakhtar began brightly, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to stand tall to deny Mykola Matviyenko. The Ukrainian side restricted Barca to shots from distance in the first half – Raphinha lashing over from…

A goal from Niclas Fullkrug and another from the excellent Julian Brandt secured Dortmund a deserved double over Newcastle. They lead Group F by a point from Paris Saint-Germain, who play later tonight, and one win from their final two games will give them an unassailable lead over tonight’s opponents – who know that maximum points might still mot be enough. Still smarting following their weekend Klassiker humiliation, Dortmund started well without creating much, while Newcastle looked like they had not shaken off the physical and mental dump beating Arsenal must have left them with. It was not, though, until…