Gozem, Total Togo Enable Cashless Purchase of Fuel

By Adedapo Adesanya President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) as part of efforts to ease the impact of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians by reducing energy costs. In a statement released late on Friday, the presidency said this initiative is poised to revolutionize the transportation landscape in the country, targeting over 11,500 new CNG-enabled vehicles and 55,000 CNG conversion kits for existing PMS-dependent vehicles. The federal government also envisions that it will simultaneously bolster in-country manufacturing, local assembly, and creative jobs. The initiative, which comprises a comprehensive adoption strategy, will include

By Adedapo Adesanya Ride-hailing service, inDrive, has rapidly expanded its services to 17 Nigerian cities in less than 12 months. In a statement seen by Business Post on Monday, inDrive now operates in Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Benin City, Nnewi, Aba, Onitsha, Jos, Enugu, Warri, Abeokuta, Akure, Owerri, Calabar, Ado Ekiti, and Uyo. Across other Sub-Saharan African markets, the company expanded to Maseru in Lesotho, and Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. In addition to these cities, the platform is also operational in several African countries such as South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Ghana, and Namibia. Compared to Uber and Bolt, inDrive

By Bliss Okperan Twelve officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) have faced a disciplinary panel constituted to look into the allegations of unethical misconduct against them. The Acting General Manager of LASTMA Mr Olalekan Bakare Oki, confirmed on Thursday that the affected personnel of the agency could be dismissed or demoted if found guilty. He disclosed that the disciplinary panel was statutorily constituted with three Permanent Secretaries as guided by the Lagos State Civil Service Rules and Regulations. Mr Oki said one of the 12 persons was exonerated, while the others have been recommended for dismissal and

By Adedapo Adesanya The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee is investigating the failure of Federal Mass Transit schemes in the country since 1999 as lawmakers have decried the serial mismanagement of public funds in Urban Mass Transit Schemes without results. The Chairman of the Committee, Mr Afam Victor Ogene, in a statement in Abuja recently, warned that the committee will get to the root of the mismanagement of the funds that run into billions of Naira. The lawmaker expressed displeasure at the seeming reluctance of ministries and agencies to release documents relating to public funds expended on previous Mass Transit

By Adedapo Adesanya The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), as part of efforts to reposition the agency for greater operational efficiency, has approved the redeployment of comptrollers at various commands across the country. The acting Comptroller General of Customs, Mr Bashir Adeniyi, on Wednesday, explained that the redeployment of the customs comptrollers was in response to the statutory retirement of some management members of the service. In a statement signed by the National Public Relations Officer, Mr Abdullahi Maiwada, Mr Adeniyi approved key appointments and redeployment within the service to ensure operational efficiency. “Consequently, comptrollers Florence Nanu Ogar-Modey and Queen Ogbudu

By Adedapo Adesanya The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said its digital platform called the e-customs project will become operation in 2022, noting that this will help in verifying the authenticity of documents by enforcement officers on patrol. Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, the NCS National Public Relation Officer, Mr Timi Bomadi, this app will eliminate delays in verifying genuine Customs documents on our highways making it difficult for forgers to get away with their illegal acts, while easing the journeys of law abiding citizens. He further stated that the service is also facilitating trade at ports and border

By Adedapo Adesanya Nigeria has been named interim co-chair of the Alliance for Poverty Eradication launched by the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. The Alliance is a collection of 30 member states seeking to raise awareness about the danger posed by poverty to world peace, human rights and sustainable development. It also seeks to galvanise the international community and other stakeholders to support actions geared toward poverty eradication. The launch came at a virtual high-level meeting of the Assembly on poverty eradication with the themed Trends, Options and Strategies in Poverty Eradication Across the World.” According to the President

By Adedapo Adesanya Governor Hope Uzodinma won the Imo governorship election after he defeated his opponents in all the 27 local government areas of Imo State. Mr Uzodinma, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was announced the winner in each of the 27 local governments at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation centre in Owerri, the Imo State capital. The INEC Returning Officer, Mr Abayomi Fasina, who is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State (FUOYE), formally announced the winner on Sunday. Mr Uzodinma contested against 17 other candidates in Saturday’s election. His

By Modupe Gbadeyanka The Japanese government has contributed $906,000 for the mine action project ‘Humanitarian Mine Action in Support of Conflict Affected Communities in South Sudan.’ Over the past five years, Japan has contribution over $13 million to mine action operations in South Sudan. Last year alone, Japanese-funded teams cleared a total of 1,799,211 sqm, and closed 450 spot tasks including emergency operations by UNMAS Quick Response Teams to survey and clear civilian locations in Juba in the immediate aftermath of conflict in July 2016. An estimated 7.5 million people have been directly affected by the conflict in South Sudan

Picture the world’s children in 2050. Where do they come from? The answer might surprise you. If today’s demographic trends continue, almost half of all people under 18—about 40%—will have been born and raised in Africa. As digital penetration increases, a growing number will be adept users of technology, and some will be part of a new generation of world-class innovators in Africa. Most of this population will grow up in cities, often in urban areas that doubled in size during their childhood. Regardless of where they live, many may be desperately affected by the consequences of climate change. Moreover,

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has released Guide to Charges by Banks and Other Financial Institutions in Nigeria 2017. This is to guide banks on what they should charge customers for services rendered to them. This was released on Friday and obtained by Business Post. Below is the full guide. CBN Guide to Bank Charges

By Modupe Gbadeyanka The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), major operating companies and other stakeholders of the industry have commended Yulong Steel Pipe Mill for the speed and quality of their investment, describing the factory as comparable to similar facilities in China and India. The Executive Secretary of the Board, Mr Simbi Kesiye Wabote recently led top executives of the oil and gas industry on a pre-commissioning visit to Yulong facility located at Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos.  He stated that the Board will work with the oil companies under the aegis of the Oil Producers Trade