Month: March 2025

NASS strips South-West development commission of 3% seaports, airport revenues

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The House of Representatives during Wednesday’s plenary made far-reaching changes to the South West Development Commission by deleting four major clauses from its Establishment Act. The report on the bill, which was gazetted for consideration on Tuesday’s Order Paper, was given accelerated consideration as the leadership of the House listed it for consideration on Wednesday’s Order Paper and subsequently reeled out a Supplementary Order Paper, where the bill was gazetted for Third Reading and passed. The bill seeks to “establish the South West Development Commission charged with the responsibility, among…

NAFDAC unveils app to help Nigerians detect fake drugs

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has urged Nigerians to join the fight against the circulation of counterfeit and fake medical products. The agency stated that this could be achieved through the use of its latest verification app, the Greenbook. The Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, made the call on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of a two-day sensitisation and awareness workshop on the Greenbook, traceability project, and paediatric policy in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Adeyeye explained that the NAFDAC Greenbook, a comprehensive database of registered…

Fubara denied entry into Rivers assembly quarters

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Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was on Wednesday denied access to the official quarters of the state House of Assembly along Aba Road, Port Harcourt, where lawmakers loyal to his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, have been holding their sittings. Fubara, who arrived at the complex in the company of top government officials, including the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, and his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, met a locked gate, effectively preventing his entry. Speaking to journalists at the scene, the governor accused Speaker Martin Amaewhule of deliberately…

JUST IN: Tinubu holds closed-door talks with Obasa, Meranda, others at Aso Rock

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President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa, and other lawmakers from the state. The lawmakers arriving in a Coaster bus a few minutes past 2:00 pm (local time) on Wednesday, after which security officials ushered them into the President’s office complex. While Mojisola Meranda, who was recently elected Speaker, arrived with her colleagues, Mr Obasa arrived separately at about 3:00 pm. Details shortly…

Wale Tinubu hails Oando’s Trinidad refinery lease as Afro-Caribbean landmark

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Oando Nigeria’s subsidiary, Oando Trading, has been officially selected as the preferred bidder to lease the refinery assets of Guaracara Refining Company from Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Ltd. The selection followed a formal written notification and an announcement by the Honourable Minister for Energy of Trinidad and Tobago on February 27. A corporate disclosure released through the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. on Tuesday reported that Oando Nigeria is listed on both the NGX and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Oando’s Group Chief Executive, Wale Tinubu, said that the development underscored the company’s track…

Tinubu in closed-door talks with PANDEF leaders at Aso Villa

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President Bola Tinubu is meeting with leaders of the Pan Niger Delta Forum at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja. Tuesday’s meeting began at 04:15 pm (local time) when the President arrived at the venue. Convened by the elder statesman, Edwin Clark, who passed away in February, PANDEF is the mouthpiece of the traditional rulers, leaders, and stakeholders of the coastal states of the Niger Delta. At Tinubu’s request, the gathering observed a minute’s silence in Clark’s honour. It is one of a series of meetings between the…

Economic Uncertainty Drives Bitcoin Below $77K

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Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies tumbled on Tuesday as concerns over the US economy and trade tensions grew. Bitcoin dropped 3.2% to $79,937 after hitting a low of $76,624. Ethereum fell sharply by 7.5% to $1,911. The global crypto market cap declined 4.3% to $2.6 trillion, The Economist reports. Solana, XRP, Cardano and Dogecoin also suffered losses, with Dogecoin plunging 8.5%. Investor confidence weakened after former US President Donald Trump, in a Fox News interview, mentioned a “period of transition” but did not clarify if his tariff policies might lead…

Soludo: Noise Ban Targets Pollution, Not Religious Practice

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Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has dismissed claims that he banned evangelism in the state, clarifying that his focus was strictly on curbing noise pollution, which is already prohibited under an existing public health law. Soludo faced criticism after a viral video showed him confronting an unidentified street preacher in a market on Saturday. In the footage, the governor ordered the preacher to stop causing a disturbance, reminding him of the law against noise pollution. He advised him to take his preaching to a church or a designated space,…

Naira-Crude Contract Under Discussion Between NNPCL and Dangote

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NNPCL and Dangote Refinery have commenced negotiations to renew their naira-for-crude oil agreement, which is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2025. This move follows the refutation by NNPCL of reports alleging the deal’s suspension until 2030. NNPCL clarified that the initial agreement, a six-month pilot program initiated in October 2024, saw Dangote Refinery receiving 48 million barrels of crude oil, valued at approximately N486.31 billion between October and December 2024, with a total of 84 million barrels supplied since the refinery’s 2023 launch. Olufemi Soneye, NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications…

El-Rufai’s defection too early, says APC chieftain

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A former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress, Salihu Lukman, on Monday, bemoaned the defection of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to the Social Democratic Party. Lukman said the defection was too premature and wasn’t the kind of collective move they earlier projected. The former Director-General of the Progressives Governors Forum disclosed this in an interview with some selected journalists in Abuja. He said, “Yes, I am close to Mallam El-Rufai to the extent that we come from the same state and were in the same…