CNPP Backs Ndume on Telecoms Tax, Speaks on Okorocha’s Proposal

By Bliss Okperan The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Mr Philip Shaibu, has announced his interest in the governorship election slated for 2024. Mr Shaibu, who fell out with former Governor Adams Oshiomhole to pitch his tenth with Governor Godwin Obaseki, declared his interest in the number one office of the state on Monday. In a televised announcement, the former student union leader said he intends to govern the state because of his desire to transform the Heartbeat of the Nation. According to him, his past records will make it easy for him to clinch the sole ticket of the

By Adedapo Adesanya The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has written to the World Bank to suspend issuing loans to Nigeria’s 36 states over allegations of mismanaging public funds which may include loans obtained from the institution. In the letter dated November 25, 2023, the group specifically wants the bank’s President, Mr Ajay Banga, “to promptly, transparently and effectively conduct an investigation into the spending of loans and other facilities by the country’s 36 state governors and to suspend any loans and funding if there is relevant admissible evidence of mismanagement or diversion of public funds by any of

By Dipo Olowookere President Bola Tinubu has arrived at the National Assembly to present the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the federal lawmakers. The President got to the parliament at about a few minutes past 11 am on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, and was accompanied by the Vice President, Mr Kashim Shettima; his Chief of Staff, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila; the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Abdullahi Gandoje; and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr George Akume; among others. He is expected to present the 2024 budget of N27.5 trillion to a joint

By Bliss Okperan The Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, has been advised to extend an olive branch to the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminialayi Fubara. The Minister, who handed over the reins of Rivers State to Mr Fubara, has been at loggerheads with his successor. A few weeks ago, some lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Mr Wike attempted to impeach the Governor, but President Bola Tinubu quickly intervened and doused the tension. However, all is still not well with both parties, with the Minister granting an interview last week to accuse his ‘political

By Ebitonye Akpodigha A total of 41 million children will be vaccinated against polio disease by the Federal Government by December 2016, the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, has hinted. The Minister, addressing newsmen in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, said the move was to ensure complete eradication of the virus in Nigeria and Africa at large by 2017. According to him, similar exercise will hold in Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Central African Republic. “We have an elaborate ring fence immunisation that is going to take place not only in Nigeria, but also in Niger, Chad , Cameroon and

By Modupe Gbadeyanka Erstwhile Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr Mounir Gwarzo, has disclosed that Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, has no right to suspend him from office. Mr Gwarzo made this known on Tuesday at the investigative panel set up by the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market and Institutions to look into his suspension by the Minister in November 2017. The former SEC boss was removed from office alongside two other senior officials of the capital market regulatory agency. He was accused of paying himself the sum of N104 million as severance

By Adedapo Adesanya Sterling Bank Plc, Nigeria’s leading commercial bank, in collaboration with Clickatell, announced a unique and very personalised banking experience for existing customers and prospective account holders through the popular messaging app, WhatsApp. The bank noted that it is rolling out the innovation in collaboration with Clickatell, a global leader in mobile communications and chat commerce. This means customers can now initiate bank transfers, and airtime and bill payments, check balance and BVN enquiries, as well as statement generation directly on WhatsApp with the aid of Kiki, a new personalised financial assistant. The financial assistant also connects customers directly

By Dipo Olowookere Preparations are already at an advanced stage for the commencement of oil drilling activities in Bauchi State. Speaking in Abuja last week, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Maikanti Baru, said very soon, oil exploration would commence in the state. While welcoming the state Governor, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, to his office in Abuja, the state-owned oil firm chief said when the exploration begins, Bauchi State would join the oil producing states in Nigeria. Governor Abubakar, who was at the NNPC headquarters to apprise the GMD of the ongoing oil exploration in

By Modupe Gbadeyanka The Ivorian Minister of Transport, Mr Amadou Koné, and several government Ministers gathered to launch a ground breaking initiative as part of the country’s commitment to the Paris COP 21 agreement. The Minister unveiled a fleet of buses commissioned by the Société des Transports Abidjanais (SOTRA), supplied by IVECO and fuelled by compressed natural gas. ENGIE and Tractebel collaborated to engineer, supply and install the first ever compressed natural gas (CNG) fuelling station in Abidjan. The CNG fuelling station is located on SOTRA’s premises in Yopougon, Abidjan, and will facilitate the operation of the new range of

Nigerian fintech lending company, Renmoney has launched its mobile experience centres across Lagos. This is in line with its commitment to provide improved and more convenient lending and investment solutions for its customers. Each experience centre is equipped to enable customers complete end-to-end transactions at their convenience. The centres will move across different locations in Lagos to cater to both small business owners and salary earners who need to access credit. Iyayi Oludapo, Renmoney’s Head of Sales describes the launch of mobile experience centres as a result of the business’ focus on improving service delivery by moving closer to the

By Quantitative Financial Analytics In one of our earlier analysis, we did warn that unless FBN Capital Asset Management found a way to stem the trend in redemptions taking place in its flagship fund, the FBN Money Market Fund, that the fund manager would lose their position as the second largest mutual fund manager in Nigeria. True to our prediction, that has just happened. Analysts at Quantitative Financial Analytics have determined that going by the data just released by the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), FBN Capital Asset Management is now in the third position in the ranking of mutual

By Omoshola Deji The novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) is ravaging the earth as economic and social restriction continues with no end in sight. As of April 14, Covid-19 has infected over 1.9 million persons and killed over 100,000 globally. In Nigeria, the confirmed cases are still fairly low – but on the rise. 323 cases and 10 deaths have been reported as of the aforementioned date. For one thing, Covid-19 has proven to us that the world is a global village and we are one single family. When Nigerians heard about a virus outbreak in China late last year, many never