Nigeria loses N1.3bn to tomato ebola in three states – Minister

The Federal Government says Nigeria has so far lost more than N1.3 billion to the outbreak of Tuta absoluta, commonly known as the tomato leaf miner or “Tomato Ebola” in three states. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said this at the ongoing four-day capacity-building workshop for financial institutions on Wednesday in Abuja. The workshop is organised by HortiNigeria in collaboration with the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending Plc. Kyari said the outbreak had consequently led to the surge of a 50-kilogramme basket…

Aiyedatiwa denies seizing Ondo cocoa farmers’ land for private firm

The Ondo State Government has refuted claims by some cocoa farmers in Odigbo Local Government Area that it had sold their farmland in Oluwa Forest Reserve to a private firm, thereby ejecting them from their means of livelihood. Hundreds of farmers in the council area on Sunday staged a protest against the private firm SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited and the state government, accusing them of destroying their farm plantation in Oluwa Forest Reserve in Odigbo LG in a bid to take over the land. During the protest, the aggrieved farmers…

NMA commends Otti for 100% doctors salary hike

The Nigerian Medical Association, Abia Chapter, has commended Governor Alex Otti for approving the 100 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure for employed doctors in the state. The state Chairman of NMA, Dr Ezinwa Ezuruike, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Umuahia, expressed the group’s appreciation to the governor. He said that the landmark approval announced on April 29 restored long-awaited pay parity for state-employed doctors. Ezuruike noted that the development underscored Otti’s continued commitment to strengthening the health sector and improving the welfare of health professionals in the…

AI key for health, education, innovation, says Bill Gates

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has said that artificial intelligence will play a key role in unlocking new tools for health, education and agriculture. The philanthropist stated this at a meeting with Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday. Gates visited Subianto and Indonesian philanthropists in the capital, Jakarta, where he spoke about his optimism that AI-driven innovation will help tackle global challenges. He said, “AI is going to help us discover new tools. And even in the delivery of health, education and agriculture advice, we’ll be using AI. “Once we finish…

7 Shocking Mistakes That Are Raising Your Electricity Bill

Many Nigerians are struggling with rising electricity bills, often wondering why their costs increase month after month. While various factors contribute to electricity pricing, many consumers unknowingly engage in habits that significantly inflate their energy consumption. Identifying and correcting these common mistakes is key to reducing energy usage and lowering your bills. Here’s a detailed look at seven frequent culprits: The Phantom Drain of Plugged-In Appliances: A common misconception is that turning off an appliance completely eliminates its energy draw. In reality, many devices continue to consume small amounts of…

By 2030, AI is expected to bring $15 billion to Nigeria’s economy – Google

Google announced on Thursday that, according to a recent analysis by Public First, artificial intelligence (AI) can boost Nigeria’s GDP by $15 billion by 2030. This was stated by Olumide Balogun, Director of Google’s West Africa, during the press roundtable for the Economic Impact Report in Lagos. Balogun stated that Google’s dedication to ethical AI development would be essential in realizing the projections made in the Public First’s Digital Opportunity of Nigeria Report. According to the analysis, Google’s products and services—which included YouTube, Ads, Cloud, and Search—contributed an estimated $1.8…

For Nigeria’s industrialization, MAN seeks an industrial policy

The federal government has been tasked by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) with developing an industrial policy to direct the country’s industrialization efforts. At a seminar with the theme “Nigeria’s challenging economy: Strategies for recovery” to honor the country’s 64th anniversary of independence, Director General of MAN Segun Ajayi-Kadir delivered the keynote address. In order to improve coordination amongst important government ministries, including the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), he contends that the government needs an industrial…

Spell & Win: Early Christmas promotion sees Amber Energy Drink introduce a chic PET bottle

  Offering their customers the chance to win up to ₦1,000,000 and additional daily cash prizes, the Amber Spell and Win Promo will be available from September to December 2024. A new, striking, sleek, black and green PET bottle with the recognizable Amber emblem is being served by Amber along with this new promotion. With its unique approach to design, the brand distinguishes itself by fusing usefulness, style, and community involvement. Lola Adedeji, general manager of Amber Energy Drink Ltd., made the following statement: “Amber stands apart from other energy…

Shoprite uses raffles to commemorate Nigeria’s 64th anniversary

  This amazing project is meant to express gratitude to the brand’s devoted customers who have supported it over the years. As the company celebrates Nigeria’s independence, it is thrilled to provide the best deals on food and necessities for the house to millions of customers, making shopping easy and fun for millions of Nigerians. Commencing its operations in 2005, Shoprite has been providing fresh, packaged, processed foodstuff, home items, and appliances to the Nigerian market for 19 amazing years. Currently owned entirely by Nigerians, the largest food shop in…

As per NBS, Nigeria imported 20.30 billion liters of gasoline in 2023

  This was included in the Petroleum Products Distribution Statistics for 2023 that the NBS released on Tuesday in Abuja. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), imports of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly referred to as gasoline, totaled 20.30 billion liters in 2023. This was included in the Petroleum Products Distribution Statistics for 2023 that the NBS released on Tuesday in Abuja. According to the research, the 20.30 billion liters of PMS reported in 2023 represented a 13.77% decline from the 23.54 billion liters recorded in 2022. According…