New Zealand will increase its international visitor levy from NZ$35 to NZ$100 starting October 1st, 2024. The increase is supposed to fund conservation efforts and support tourism. Though the tourism sector has concerns about its effect on visitor numbers. This decision, as reported by TravelBiz, was announced by the government, informing that the levy will increase from NZ$35 to NZ$100 (about N98,565 based on the current official rate), representing a 185.7% increase in cost for international visitors. This move, according to the government, seeks to have tourists support public services and maintain their experience in New Zealand. But ultimately, this…
Author: Temitope N.
Nigeria and China signed several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) during President Bola Tinubu’s official visit to Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. The agreements, signed on Tuesday, cover areas such as the Belt and Road Initiative, nuclear energy cooperation, human resource development, and media exchange, and were finalized in the presence of both leaders. These MoUs were concluded ahead of President Tinubu’s participation in the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, scheduled for September 4-6, 2024. This disclosure was contained in a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, the presidential spokesperson. “During the meeting, both presidents witnessed the signing of…
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has reacted to the increase in petrol prices stating that Small and Medium Scale Enterprises would be particularly hard-hit projecting that SMEs across the country could scale down operations or completely shut down. The Director General of MAN, Mr. Segun Ajayi Kadir disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) where he said that the hike in PMS will result in high operational costs in terms of transport and logistics and businesses unable to pass the cost to customers might be forced to close shop. According to him, the hike…
Vice President Kashim Shettima has commissioned $115 million worth of operational terminal equipment at the Onne Seaport in Rivers State. The upgrade was spearheaded by the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), a key terminal at the port and a subsidiary of APM Terminals. The inauguration took place on Wednesday at the Onne Port, where the Vice President was represented by his Personal Assistant on Subnational Infrastructure, Mr. Musaddiq Mustapha. Shettima reaffirmed the federal government’s dedication to infrastructure development as a driver of economic growth. He highlighted that the new facility, equipped with state-of-the-art terminal machinery, advanced technology, an administrative building,…
The University of Minnesota is offering significant financial support to international students through its prestigious Undergraduate Scholarship, also known as the Global Excellence Scholarship. This initiative, as reported by Scholarship Region, aims to attract top talent from around the world, providing up to $60,000 in funding to help cover educational expenses for deserving students. Details provide that international students who apply before the specified deadline, November 15th 2024, will be automatically considered for the scholarship. According to Scholarships AF, “this scholarship offers substance support to outstanding international first-year students and transfer students. The GES awards are also highly competitive and…
China’s President Xi Jinping has committed $50 billion in financial support and promised increased military cooperation to Africa over the next three years. Speaking at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing, Xi outlined his vision for strengthening ties with the continent, which he declared is experiencing its most favorable period in history. In his 10-minute speech, Xi outlined ten key areas for future cooperation, including infrastructure connectivity, trade, security, and green development. The focus on green technology aligns with China’s broader goal to expand its export of green technologies, reflecting its evolving strategic interests. Xi proposed elevating diplomatic relations…
The UK government has announced a temporary halt on its plans to raise the minimum income requirement for family visas by 19.83%. This means that the government has decided to pause or suspend its intended increase in the minimum income level required for individuals to sponsor family members for a family visa. According to TravelBiz, the freeze on the planned increase comes amid ongoing reviews by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), which will reassess the financial criteria for family visas. As a result, the current income threshold of £29,000 will remain in place for now, instead of progressing to £34,500,…
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on the urgent need to address “historic injustices,” specifically pointing out the lack of a permanent seat for Africa on the UN Security Council. Guterres described this omission as “outrageous” and stressed that the upcoming Summit of the Future at UN Headquarters later this month represents a crucial opportunity for global renewal and reform. In his address on China-Africa Cooperation Summit, where leaders from around 50 African countries are set to gather amid rising geopolitical tensions, raging conflicts and growing poverty and hunger. Guterres pointed out that many African nations are struggling with debt,…
The Federal Government has said potential buyers would have to present their National Identification Number (NIN) as commenced the sale of 30, 000 metric tonnes of milled rice to Nigerians at a subsidised rate of N40,000 per 50 kilograme bag. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, inaugurated the sale of the subsidised milled rice on Thursday in Abuja, noting that the exercise would be carried out across the country. Kyari said the rice intervention was timely due to the times and current challenges in the country. He said…
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released new processing times for various immigration applications as of September 4th, 2024. According to Immigration News Canada, processing times for business immigration, temporary residency, and permanent resident (PR) cards are updated weekly. These updates are intended to provide applicants with a better estimate of the time required for their applications, and be properly informed toward managing their immigration processes. Since May 2024, IRCC has issued monthly updates on average processing times for citizenship applications, family sponsorships, and economic immigration. Temporary Residency Processing Times Temporary residency processing times is reported to be updated…
The newly appointed Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, has highlighted the critical importance of computer literacy for Nigeria’s public servants. Addressing public servants in Abuja on Monday during the Confirmatory Promotional Examination (COMPRO), Walson-Jack stressed that those lacking computer skills would find themselves sidelined in the evolving civil service landscape. “Computer literacy is no longer optional but a fundamental requirement for relevance in today’s digitized civil service,” Walson-Jack declared. She highlighted that the federal government is committed to transforming the service to align with global standards and reiterated that all civil servants must…
New Zealand announced recently, that in the near future, young migrants aged 17 to 24 who are awaiting the outcome of their family residence applications will be eligible to work part-time. Immigration Minister Erica Stanford announced this update through a recent report from TravelBiz. The report provided that the New Zealand government introduced this opportunity for those waiting for family residence approval; allowing them to work part-time. The policy, set to take effect in October, is designed to allow migrant school leavers to contribute more actively to the country’s economy with an added aim to provide young migrants and their…
DAAR Communications PLC, the parent company of African Independent Television (AIT), Raypower, and Faaji FM, has announced the retirement of several key members of its executive management team, including Mr. Tony Akiotu and Dr. Oluwatosin Dokpesi. This decision, effective from October 31, 2024, is part of a broader move to comply with the company’s Internal Control Policies and Procedures Manual, which mandates the retirement of executives who have served over 10 years in their roles. The announcement, made in a statement dated August 19, 2024, by the company’s secretary Miji Jonah, follows a series of online publications claiming that DAAR…
Quebec, a province in Canada, has temporarily stopped the entry of new temporary foreign workers for low-wage positions in Montreal. This decision, starting in September, will halt applications for jobs paying less than $27.47 per hour for six months, according to a TravelBiz report. This suspension will not impact all sectors. Construction, agriculture, food processing, education, and social services can continue to hire foreign workers as needed. In-depth View of The Program Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) enables employers to bring in foreign workers temporarily to address labor shortages in various industries. The program has been a key resource…
Citizens of Nigeria and South Africa, two of Africa’s leading nations, have embroiled Bolt drivers in a digital petty feud. The hashtag #BoltforBolt, which emerged in response to the Cold War, was trending with 33,000 mentions as of Thursday afternoon, August 22, 2024, while #SouthAfricans had amassed 84,000 mentions and counting. The dispute began after former Miss South Africa contestant Chidinma Adetshina, who recently landed in Nigeria to compete in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, sparked a wave of online backlash. South Africans reportedly initiated the petty feud by ordering and then cancelling rides of Nigerian Bolt and Uber drivers, leaving them…
President Bola Tinubu has approved a N10 billion grant to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to drive Nigeria’s transition from analogue to digital broadcasting. This substantial financial injection is set to accelerate the Digital Switch-Over (DSO) project, a transformative initiative aimed at enhancing television programming, expanding nationwide access to TV services, and freeing up valuable spectrum for other technological uses. The announcement was made by the Director-General of NBC, Mr. Charles Ebuebu, during a joint news conference in Abuja on Thursday, where he was joined by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida. “Under…
Botswana has discovered the world’s second-largest diamond, a 2,492-carat gem unearthed by Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond. Financial Times provided that the weighted diamond discovered, is the largest gem-quality find since the Cullinan diamond, discovered over a century ago and later incorporated into the British Crown Jewels. Reports provide that this discovery would ‘offer some relief to a sector impacted by the rise of lab-grown stones, as mining contributes about a quarter of Botswana’s GDP. A Discovery Of A Lifetime Former executive of De Beers and now head of mining companies in southern Africa, Clifford Elphick, described the discovery as…
On the early morning of August 1, 2024, a fire broke out at the Ladipo Baale Roundabout Plank Market in Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, razing property worth millions of naira. The blaze, which began around midnight, consumed three shops in the market before emergency responders were able to bring it under control. Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyitolu, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), confirmed that no casualties were reported. According to initial investigations, the fire started from a pile of planks due to a power surge, which then spread rapidly to other sections of the market. While the fire caused…
Lagos residents turned out in large numbers to protest what they describe as “bad governance,” with demonstrations taking place at Ojota, Ikeja Underbridge and Lekki despite stern warnings from government officials and a heavy police presence, particularly at the Lekki Tollgate. Today, Thursday marks the start of a planned 10-day nationwide protest, with actions occurring across the country. The protest tagged #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria, gained virality through online campaigns and sparked concern among authorities, who feared a repeat of recent violent protests in Kenya that forced the government there to backtrack on new taxes. While major roads, including the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, were largely deserted…
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has formally accused Coca-Cola Nigeria Ltd and the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) of misleading trade descriptions and unfair marketing tactics in their products Original Taste and Less Sugar. This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the commission’s management and posted on the official X handle of the organisation. According to the statement, the commission found Coca-Cola Nigeria and NBC in violation of section 116 of the FCCPC Act as well as section 124 1(a) of the Commission’s Establishment Act. The FCCPC noted that Coca-Cola Nigeria Ltd and NBC were guilty…