The 400-metre-long container ship will be seen off on Wednesday in a ceremony attended by dignitaries, diplomats and company officials from around the world. In fact, the last time the Suez Canal Authority, which is hosting the event, promised this much fanfare was in 2015, when an $8 billion expansion project was completed within a year. The ship is slated to sail into the Mediterranean and then to Rotterdam. This time though, the event will be as much about closure as celebration. Because it was the Ever Given, the giant Japanese-owned vessel carrying some $1 billion worth of cargo, that…
Author: Temitope Nlewemchi
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Nigeria faces a six-year delay in achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Kristalina Georgieva, IMF managing director, made this known in her remarks at the UN high level political forum on sustainable-development, on Tuesday. Georgieva said the decision of policymakers across the world resulted in an increase in the IMF global growth forecast to six percent in 2021 and four percent in 2022. She said despite the increased growth projection, countries are facing a set back in the path to accomplishing the SDGs. The IMF MD noted that enormous challenges are faced by all…
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has tasked the board of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) on enforcement of deregulation when the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) becomes law. Sylva gave the charge while inuagurating the Board Chairman of the Agency, Mr Obinna Atuonwu, in Abuja, on Wednesday. “You were carefully chosen, and more especially at a good time when the PIB has been passed by the National Assembly. This entails a lot of movement. “There is a provision for deregulation and subsidy removal in the bill, you are going to manage so many things,…
According to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, thanks to the federal government’s COVID-19 stimulus package, the Nigerian economy did not degenerate as feared and at least over 2 million jobs have both been created and saved with the implementation of the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP). The Osinbajo-led Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC) also reiterates that although the target of N2.3 trillion estimated to be spent under the ESP has not yet been achieved, the federal government’s appropriation of part of that total–which is N500 billion–was completely released by the end of May. The committee also says that a total of 2,100,021 jobs…
The African Development Bank Group has appointed Mr Lamin Barrow as the director-general of its Nigeria office. According to a statement issued by the bank on Tuesday, before his appointment, Barrow was Acting Senior Director, Nigeria Country Office, in the Regional Development, Integration & Business Development Vice Presidency. Commenting on the appointment, President, AfDB, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, said, “Mr Lamin Barrow is a seasoned professional, with a proven track record in strategic management, country dialogue, portfolio management, negotiations and building partnerships. “The Nigeria Country Office is strategic for the bank as it manages a large country portfolio and operations with…
The international oil benchmark, Brent crude, pared some of its recent gains on Tuesday, after the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies cancelled a meeting due to clashes over plan to increase supply to meet rising global demand. Offshore or Onshore Oil Rig Brent, against which Nigeria’s crude oil is priced, plunged by $2.59 to $74.57 per barrel as of 7:40pm Nigerian time on Tuesday after hitting a session peak of $77.84, its highest since October 2018. Ministers from OPEC and its allies, a group called OPEC+, abandoned talks on Monday as negotiations failed to close divisions.…
The World Health Organisation has recommended HPV DNA testing as a preferred screening for cervical cancer The WHO announced the new guideline in a press statement it released on Tuesday. The world’s health agency stated that the preferred method of cervical cancer screening should now be HPV DNA testing and not pap smear that is commonly used. The statement reads, “In particular, the new WHO guideline recommends an HPV DNA based test as the preferred method, rather than a visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) or cytology (commonly known as a ‘Pap smear’), currently the most commonly used methods globally…
The Federal Government has commenced massive installations of anti-theft rail clips to check acts of vandalism, the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has said. The minister, who revealed this while briefing State House correspondents on Friday, in Abuja, on the measure adopted by his ministry to guard against the thefts, stated that the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) lost no fewer than 15,000 clips along the Abuja-Kaduna rail line in the last five years. As a result, he revealed that his ministry had resolved to henceforth install anti-theft clips to guard against the stealing of the rail tracks and other…
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has ordered app stores to remove Didi Chuxing’s app, claiming the ride-hailing company had been illegally collecting users’ personal data (via Reuters).The regulator said it had ordered the company to make updates to put it in compliance with China’s data protection rules, but didn’t elaborate on what the violations may have involved. Didi was founded in China in 2012, and a recent regulatory filing shows it has 377 million active users in China alone. The company just went public on June 30th, the biggest IPO of a Chinese company on a US stock exchanges…
Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operator of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) has advised travelers and others using the terminal to avail themselves of the rules guiding the picking up and dropping of passengers at the terminal. The rules, according to BASL, are aimed at restoring sanity to the Drop-Off Zone area of the terminal, and also part of the strategic moves to ensure that safety and security of all terminal users are not subjected to undue risk. In a statement signed by the Group Corporate Affairs Manager of BASL, Mr. Mikail Mumuni, and made available to journalists…
Ahead of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audit coming up by first quarter of 2022, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) on Saturday joined forces with critical stakeholders in aviation emergency rescue operations to conduct a live aeronautic simulation of an air crash, which occurred at the Mafoluku area of Oshodi in Lagos, a few meters from Runway 18 Left and the local airport, Ikeja. Code named “SAREXNAMA 2021,” the search and rescue exercise focused on a disaster that could result from an air crash and create a mass casualty incident requiring a coordinated response from critical stakeholders saddled…
Healthcare experts say body massage should be seen as a fundamental part of healthcare delivery, noting that it offers a lot of benefits in the management of chronic health conditions. According to the experts, if body massage is professionally handled, it can help to induce muscle relaxation and the flow of blood as well as reduce pain from parts of the body. The experts, President, Association of Clinical and Academic Physiotherapists of Nigeria, Dr. Chris Okafor, and an alternative medicine practitioner, Mr. Augustine Oresanya explained that some health benefits of massage have been validated by research, adding that other benefits…
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has reiterated its commitment to ensuring effective stewardship of the nation’s hydrocarbon resources to guarantee energy security and drive wealth creation in Nigeria. The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, made this assertion while delivering the keynote address at the 2021 Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition (NOG 2021) on Tuesday in Abuja. Speaking on the topic: “Vision and Priorities for Nigeria’s Energy Transformation,” Mallam Kyari stated that for a nation with a teeming youth and a developing economy, Nigeria needed the right policies to unlock its huge economic potential, stressing…
The Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, yesterday inaugurated the state’s Economic Advisory Council. The high-worth council was inaugurated virtually. While inaugurating the Council, the governor challenged members to “guide the state into prosperity,” tapping into the abundant human and mineral resources available to her. He said the members were carefully selected based on their pedigree and track record, saying their main responsibility is to work with the state to “open new doors of opportunities towards economic diversification”. The governor said the way out is for the nation to go back to the days of agricultural boom as well as…
Victor Bamidele, Deputy Managing Director, Deep water District, Total Energies, says the company has invested over 60 billion dollars in exploration and other projects in Nigeria. Bamidele disclosed this on Monday at the ongoing Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) Conference in Abuja. He spoke on the topic ‘Expanding the Nigerian Content Frontiers through Intra-African Trade’. He said: “Total Energies as we are now called has been in Africa for more than 80 years, and has been working in exploration activities in Nigeria for over 60 years. “In the upstream sector, we have a diversifying portfolio in Nigeria with facilities spanning…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved the release of 50,000 metric tonnes of maize to 12 major producers to control the price of the commodity. The bank said yesterday that the latest rollout of the commodity from the Strategic Maize Reserve (SMR) under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) to companies would be the third intervention by the CBN in recent times. It stated that the release of the grains is aimed at checkmating the activities of middlemen hoarding the product to cause artificial scarcity. CBN spokesman, Mr. Osita Nwanisobi, confirmed the release of the grains in a statement…
To successfully acquire its planned 20% equity in Dangote Refinery, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has opened talks with the African Import-Export Bank (Afreximbank) to borrow $1billion for the deal. The Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Mr Mele Kyari made the revelation in an interview on Arise TV on Wednesday. According to him, after thorough valuation of Dangote Refinery, it has been determined to be worth $19 billion which the NNPC seeks to get a slice of the 20% equity, which comes to N3.9 billion. He said a dime of government’s funds would not find its way into…
A public health expert, Dr. Kenechukwu Igwegbe has alerted that the rate at which kidney failure is occurring among young people is now alarming. He noted that urgent measures are needed to curb the incidence. Speaking in an interview, the physician who works with University College Hospital, Ibadan, said it is quite worrisome that young people are coming down with kidney failure. Igwegbe said he is concerned that kidney failure is causing deaths among young people. He blames the careless lifestyle of the youth for the increase in kidney failure cases, noting that addiction to alcoholic drinks is a major.…
First Bank of Nigeria Ltd has pledged to support the Rotary Club of Lagos intervention projects with the sum of five million naira. The Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, made the pledge at the induction of the 61st President of the club, Rotarian Babawale Agbeyangi, on Friday night in Lagos. Adeduntan, the chairman of the occasion, said the bank was committed to the development of the education sector. “I am pleased to inform you that FirstBank will be supporting your intervention projects in upscaling basic education and literacy by supporting the provision of school libraries with…
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has begun the issuance of new certificates of ship registration. The agency is at the same time phasing out old permits. Dr Bashir Jamoh, the Director-General of NIMASA, disclosed on Sunday in Lagos in a statement signed by NIMASA’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mr Edward Osagie. Jamoh said that the development was aimed at strengthening security and preventing the entry of unseaworthy and sub-standard ships. “We are restructuring the Nigerian Ship Registration Office to serve us more efficiently and effectively. “We are determined to grow our national fleet and tonnage to an…