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Excitement as Nigeria Begins Automated Passport Application Process

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By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigeria has launched the automated passport application process to expedite passport acquisition for Nigerians and eliminate the bottlenecks involved in the process, with the Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, receiving commendations from Nigerians for this initiative.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in a statement on Monday said the launch followed a live demonstration session hosted by Mr Tunji-Ojo, who unveiled the functionality of the new system to stakeholders from across the country on Saturday in Abuja.

Speaking during the technical session, the Minister noted that the new reform seeks to redefine how citizens enrol and procure international passports in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Minister assured the public that this new solution would enhance national security and data protection, saying it would also bring about convenience, reduced processing time, and an overall seamless experience.

“With the new solution, application, processing, review, and approval will all be done online. On knowledge transfer, we have trained our officers to assume the new roles.

“With what we have done now, we have reduced the process of requesting a passport to about six minutes. This does not require anybody to visit the immigration office and it will reduce the pressure on the immigration officers.

“As I speak, we have made arrangements for power and internet service providers to ensure at least 99.9 per cent uptime. By February, Nigerians in the diaspora can have this same experience.”

On identity theft, the Minister disclosed that the Service has also achieved its objective of harmonization of data through its technical handshake with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

Adding her input, the Comptroller General of NIS, Mrs Adepoju Carol Wura-Ola, stated that the new process was a result of hard work and determination of the Service.

Speaking on the readiness of the system and the men of the Service,

She said: “What you’re seeing today is the product of dedication and motivation to see that an end comes to the stress, pains, and hardship that Nigerians go through to procure the international passport both at home and in the diaspora.

“We are motivated to stamp out corruption. That the Green Passport is restored to its place of pride. The Minister, Hon. Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has challenged the Service, and has provided resources and technical know-how.”

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

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Dangote to Produce Plastic Packaging, Textiles as Polypropylene Facility Commences

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dangote Polypropylene

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Dangote oil refinery has commenced operating its polypropylene facility in Lagos.

Polypropylene is a thermoplastic polymer that is commonly used in plastic packaging, textiles, reusable shopping bags,  surgical equipment, household chairs, and kitchen utensils.

According to S&P Global, the starting up of Dangote’s 830,000 metric tonnes per year polypropylene site was one of the last outstanding milestones for the oil refining and petrochemical complex in its commissioning sequence, which has been taking place since January 2024.

“Polypropylene production has now started, with supplies being distributed in 25kg bags, and has already threatened to upend the domestic market,” two market sources had told Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights.

When it becomes operational, the Dangote facility is set to become Africa’s largest polypropylene production site, producing from two polypropylene units with capacities of 500,000 metric tonnes per year and 330,000 metric tonnes per year.

The President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, previously set out hopes that the complex would fully cover some 250,000 metric tonnes per year of domestic demand for polypropylene.

S&P Global cited that the new capacity could quickly capture market share in the existing polypropylene homopolymer market, which has so far been concentrated at Indorama Eleme’s Port Harcourt refinery in Nigeria and drawn imports from the Middle East.

The company had previously said its $2 billion petrochemical plant located in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, is designed to produce 77 different high-performance grades of polypropylene in the country.

With a turnover of $1.2 billion, the Dangote Petrochemical plant, situated alongside the Dangote Refinery, is positioned to cater to the demands of the growing plastic processing downstream industries, not only in Africa but also in other parts of the world.

Speaking then, Mr Devakumar Edwin, now the Vice President of Dangote Industries Limited, said the Dangote Petrochemical will drive massive investment in the downstream industries, generating huge value addition in the country, creating employment, increasing tax revenues, reducing foreign exchange outflow, and increasing the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

“We have 77 types of polypropylene, which can be used for different purposes, and we can produce it from our petrochemical plant. Currently, the plant is capable of producing about 900,000 tonnes of polypropylene per annum. Our Petrochemical plant should be the biggest in Africa,” he said.

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Lagos PDP Guber Candidate Jandor Returns to APC

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Olajide Adediran Jandor

By Adedapo Adesanya

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 governorship election in Lagos State, Mr Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has announced his return to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mr Adediran, along with his supporters, switched back to the ruling party on Monday at a media briefing held at Liberty Place, Adeniyi Jones Street, Ikeja, Lagos.

This comes after a closed-door meeting between Jandor and President Bola Tinubu in Aso Rock, Abuja last week, where undisclosed matters were discussed.

Jandor previously resigned from the PDP, citing indiscipline and anti-party activities, betrayal by the party leadership on the eve of the Lagos governorship election.

He also lamented false claims of an alliance that misled PDP supporters into voting for another candidate, presumably the candidate of the Labour Party.

Following his resignation from the opposition party, Mr Adediran, who was previously a member of the ruling party in the state, met President Tinubu in Abuja to inform him of his decision to return to his initial political family.

Before meeting with Mr Tinubu, Jandor also held talks with several political leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former military President Ibrahim Babangida, former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar and 2023 SDP Presidential Candidate, Mr Adewole Adebayo.

Jandor ran alongside popular Nigerian actress, Ms Funke Akindele, but they came third at the 2023 Lagos polls after the incumbent, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, polled a total of 762,134 votes to emerge the winner of the contest.

The candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, polled 312,329 votes, while the PDP candidate scored 62,449 votes.

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Rivers Assembly May Impeach Fubara, Serves Notice of Gross Misconduct

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By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Rivers State House of Assembly may have commenced the process of removing Governor Siminalayi Fubara from office.

This is because the legislative arm of government in the state has served a notice of alleged misconduct against Mr Fubara and his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu.

The Governor had been at loggerheads with a faction of the parliament in the past months, especially because of his fallout with his political godfather and predecessor, Mr Nyesom Wike, who is currently the Minister of the FCT.

Last week, after a Supreme Court judgment, Mr Fubara went to re-present the 2025 budget to the Rivers Assembly led by Mr Martin Amaewhule, but he was locked out.

Last Friday, the Assembly, which has 27 members loyal to Mr Wike, indefinitely adjourned plenary.

In a notice obtained by Channels Television, the state parliament said the decision to serve the Governor the notice was in line with the Nigerian Constitution.

“In compliance with Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and other extant laws, we the undersigned members of the Rivers State House of Assembly hereby forward to you a Notice of Gross Misconduct by the Deputy Governor of Rivers State in the performance of the functions of her office,” the notice read.

Recall that last week, during a media chat, Mr Wike disclosed that heavy would not fall if his successor is impeached by the Rivers Assembly.

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