FCFA Tasks Nigeria to Adopt Sweden’s Tobacco Harm Reduction Model

By Aduragbemi Omiyale An artificial intelligence-powered feature, Dream Screen for Shorts, designed to redefine how creators use YouTube, has been unveiled by the video streaming platform. The feature was introduced by the tech giant on Thursday alongside others at the Made On YouTube event. It was created to allow YouTube creators to reach more viewers. According to the firm, Dream Screen allows creators to add AI-generated video or image backgrounds to their Shorts simply by typing an idea into a prompt. With Dream Screen, creators will be able to generate new, fantastic settings for their Shorts that are only limited

By Adedapo Adesanya Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, who faces bribery charges filed against her by the United Kingdom (UK) government, was on Monday granted bail in a London court. Reading his judgement, District Judge Michael Snow granted her bail in terms and conditions, including a curfew that ordered her to stay indoors between 11 pm and 6 am. He also ordered her to always wear an electronic tag and imposed a £70,000 surety to be paid before she could leave the court building on Monday. According to Reuters, the former minister, during her Monday appearance

By Adedapo Adesanya The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is set to embark on its planned strike as it said it does not have any agreement with the federal government to shelve the action. This came from its Head of Information and Public Affairs, Mr Benson Upah, who countered a statement by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Mr Upah also said the NLC did not have any date for a meeting with the government that may lead to the suspension of the proposed strike. “We do not have any agreement with the government to suspend the planned strike action. Neither

By Adedapo Adesanya Nigeria faces a crippling fertiliser shortage as 34,000 metric tonnes of Russian Fertiliser meant for Nigeria is stuck at ports in the European Union (EU) as a result of continued war in Ukraine. Russia’s Foreign Minister, Mr Sergey Lavrov, confirmed this development on Saturday at the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, noting that 260,000 metric tonnes of Russian fertilisers have been stranded in EU ports since 2022. According to Russian News Agency, TASS, Mr Lavrov informed reporters that, “We are ready to give these fertilisers to African countries for free. It took six

By Dipo Olowookere The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Friday, October 18, 2019, released its 2018 Sustainability Report titled Growth, Innovation and Value Creation. The NSE 2018 Sustainability Report was written in accordance with the “core” option of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and complies with the minimum requirements of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Communication of Progress (COP). The report, in its fifth edition, showcases the exchange’s sustainability progress along the four pillars of Marketplace, Workplace, Environment and Community. The document is a detailed and transparent compilation of the progress on the NSE’s sustainability commitments and targets

By Adedapo Adesanya The federal government, in its latest determination to increase the nation’s revenue streams, is considering the introduction of excise duties on carbonated drinks consumed in the country. Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, made this disclosure on the sidelines of the ongoing annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington D.C., the United States. She said government was working to maximise existing revenue streams while trying to identify new revenue streams, including the sugar tax, which would be charged on soft drinks. According to her, “Our objective is

By Dipo Olowookere Nigerian authorities should end their violent repression of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), a minority Shia group, that began with a three-day lethal crackdown on December 12-14, 2015, and free its leader, Human Rights Watch said today. Sheik Ibraheem El Zakzaky, leader of the IMN, and his wife, Zeenatudeen, have been detained without trial for a year. On December 12, 2015, the Nigeria army used disproportionate force against the group’s street procession in Zaria, Kaduna State in north-western Nigeria to clear a route for the army chief’s convoy. In an ensuing three-day violent crackdown, the army

By Adedapo Adesanya   Starting Thursday, August 20, all operators of e-hailing taxi services such as Uber, Bolt, among others will begin to pay the Lagos State Government 10 per cent service tax on each payment made by the passengers to the operators. This will be in addition to some others contained in a document seen by Business Post titled e-taxi operation guideline, under which ride-hailing services will now be structured in the state. This followed plans by the state to regulate the e-hailing transportation sector, a decision coming six months after it restricted operations of commercial motorcycles like MAX,

By FBNQuest Research The DMO’s medium-term strategy for 2016-19 has a target for a 60/40 mix for the FGN’s domestic and external debt obligations. Over the four years through to December 2016, the ratio has moved ten percentage points towards the target, to 76/24. This move is due more to naira exchange-rate depreciation than changes in the currency of issuance. Our chart does not capture the DMO’s latest data release for end-June 2017, which is partial and includes the naira debt of state governments in the domestic total.  H1 2017 saw the return of the FGN to the Eurobond market

By Dipo Olowookere The average yields of treasury bills traded at the secondary market closed at 13.26 percent on Tuesday after increasing by 0.46 percent. This was as negative sentiment at the market continued yesterday with yields rising across all maturities. Business Post reports that the one-month paper appreciated by 0.45 percent, the 3-month note by 0.97 percent, the 6-month bill by 0.56 percent, the 9-month debt instrument by 0.19 percent and the 12-month paper by 0.14 percent. At the market yesterday, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) continued with its Open Market Operations (OMO) interventions. The apex bank offered

By Dipo Olowookere The bears have continued to keep Nigerian stocks in captivity. On Wednesday, it was the fifth consecutive day the local bourse has been under their tight control. Business Post observed that the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) was initially looking to get its free from the grip, but the roars of the bears forced the market back by 0.09 percent, reducing the year-to-date gain to 2.54 percent. This was majorly due to the losses printed by four of the five key sectors of the market as only the industrial goods counter closed in green by 0.46 percent. The

By Adedapo Adesanya The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange fell by 0.05 per cent on Wednesday, February 1, triggered by losses seen in the stock prices of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc and UBN Property Plc. At the midweek session, which did not record a single price gainer, the market capitalisation of the unlisted stock exchange depreciated by N440 million to N931.71 billion from N932.15 billion, while the NASD unlisted securities index dropped 0.33 points to settle at 709.06 points, in contrast to the preceding day’s 709.39 points. During the session, the price of FrieslandCampina went down by 17 Kobo to