Federal University Lokoja Students to Honour Olaogun

By Bliss Okperan The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has reduced the school fees by 5 per cent to 8 per cent, following discussions between the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the management of the institution led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola. The two parties held talks on Thursday after students of the school protested against the hike in the fees. The president of NANS, Mr Usman Umar Barambu, informed the UNILAG students that their demands, which include the restoration of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), the reversal of obligatory fees, and the reversal of hostel fees,

By Adedapo Adesanya The federal government has promised to increase the budget for education to 25 per cent, according to the Minister of Education, Mr Tahir Mamman. The Minister said this at the Nigeria Annual Education Conference (NAEC) in Abuja on Monday, themed Implementation of Education 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Nigeria. He said the administration of President Bola Tinubu to improve the quality of education in the country through the right policies. The United Nations suggested to the federal government to increase its current budgetary allocation to the education sector from seven to 20 per cent in order

By Aduragbemi Omiyale A student of Premiere Academy, Lugbe, Abuja, Miss Sonia Nwakanma, has retained her position as the Best Female Chess Player in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the third year running. She clinched the latest accolade she first picked in 2021 at the prestigious Abuja Inter-School Chess Competition, rated by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) and the Chess Players Association of Nigeria (CPAN). Miss Nwakanma, who is a member of the 2023 graduating set of the school, attributed her achievement to her school’s robust in-house sports and personal development facilities that offer students opportunities to compete with

By Modupe Gbadeyanka At least 180 teachers in Enugu State have undergone a six-month training in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. The advanced STEM training is to equip the educators picked from public schools in the state with the latest STEM teaching tools and methodologies. The programme was facilitated by the Teacher Aid Initiative (TAI) and the TY Danjuma Foundation to boost STEM education. Recent statistics highlight a growing gap in STEM education across Africa, underscoring the pressing need to invest in initiatives that inspire and prepare the next generation for STEM careers. This collaboration between TAI and

By Modupe Gbadeyanka Microfinance institutions (MFIs) operating in Rwanda have been advised to embrace new-age technology to streamline their operations and to enhance their ability to extend financial inclusion among the country’s unbanked and underbanked population. This charge was given by speakers at the International Conference on Responsible and Inclusive Finance (ICRIF) held in Kigali on March 21, 2018. Straton Habyalimana, senior programme manager for responsible financing at the Small Enterprise Education and Promotion Network, told the 400 delegates at the conference that MFIs should adopt digital platforms to enhance their interactions with their customers. Kigali-based digital financial services expert,

By Adedapo Adesanya Crude prices halted their recent bearish trend on Wednesday amid speculations that an alliance of oil producers could decide not to increase oil production from April as widely expected. Yesterday, the Brent crude rose by 2.03 per cent or $1.27 to sell at $63.97 per barrel, while the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained  2.56 per cent or $1.53 to sell at $61.28 per barrel. The major talking point in the oil market these days is if the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) can absorb extra barrels despite opposition from members. There are

By Philip Odiakose In recent years, influencer marketing has become a crucial part of many brands’ marketing strategies. The power of social media and the rise of influencers have given brands the opportunity to reach a wider audience, increase brand awareness, and drive sales. However, with this, increased visibility comes a need for brands to monitor their influencers and ensure that their brand message is being communicated effectively. Influencer media monitoring involves tracking and analyzing the content that influencers are creating and sharing across media platforms, blogs, social media, and other online channels. By monitoring the content that influencers are

By Dipo Olowookere The huge contributions made in the agriculture sector by women in agribusiness have been commended by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Few days ago, the agency and MEL Consulting Limited hosted a ‘Women in Agribusiness’ Summit to highlight these contributions in Ghana’s agricultural sector. The event brought together women-led agribusinesses, farmers, processors, business service providers, financial institutions, the Government of Ghana and development partners. In attendance were the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba; USAID/Ghana Mission Director Sharon L. Cromer; and Nestlé West and Central Africa’s Head of Agricultural Services,

By Modupe Gbadeyanka Ogun State Governor, Mr Ibikunle Amosun, has advocated the collaboration between countries in the West African sub-region, towards exploiting the various opportunities in their different economic sectors, to engender growth. Receiving members of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Republic of Benin, led by the group’s President, Mr Jean-Baptiste Satchvi in his office yesterday, Mr Amosun called for the removal of artificial boundaries created by the colonials. The Governor, who said the meeting was to deliberate on how the state can attract investors from the Republic of Benin to Nigeria, suggested that agriculture should be given priority

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh During Africa Day, celebrated annually on May 25th, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov reiterated that Moscow’s decision to return to Africa is strategic due to the geopolitical changes, and its return has become a popular post-Soviet slogan in Russia’s establishment. The second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg, due in July, is a strategic decision by Moscow concerning its long-term goal of regaining presence on the continent, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told the local Russian media TASS. “This is not a one-time event. It is a strategic decision. It is our long-term policy and

By Modupe Gbadeyanka Currency traders on Wednesday in Lagos became apprehensive as the Naira depreciated thrice in six hours at the parallel market The traders were meeting in clusters, painstakingly trying to unravel the rationale behind the sudden depreciation of the naira after it had appreciated for about four weeks. The Naira exchanged at N467 to the dollar as at 4:30 p.m. after it traded for N455, and N460 in a couple of hours on Wednesday while the Pound Sterling and Euro closed at N560 and N505, respectively. The Nigerian currency, after weeks of sustained appreciation, stabilised at N455 to

By Adedapo Adesanya Oil prices surged more than 5 per cent on Wednesday as investors assessed the impact on global crude flows after a large ship ran aground and blocked the Suez Canal, threatening supply. Yesterday, the price of the Brent crude futures moved up by $3.33 or 5.49 per cent to trade at $64.13 per barrel, while the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures went up by 5.35 per cent or $3.10 to $60.85 per barrel. From the day’s outcome, it is certain that the disruption in crude flows caused by the Suez Canal blockade in Egypt is pushing