Author: Samuel Akpenpuun

The Central Bank of Nigeria has announced a significant increase in remittance inflows, reaching $553m in July 2024. It said the amount is a 130 per cent increase from the corresponding period in 2023. A statement by the apex bank’s acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Ali on Tuesday, noted that the figure represented the highest monthly total inflows on record and reflects ongoing efforts by the CBN to enhance liquidity in Nigeria’s foreign exchange market. The statement read, “The CBN has reported a significant increase in remittance inflows, reaching $553 million in July 2024, a 130 per cent increase…

Oil producers, represented by the Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG), have voiced strong objections to being compelled to sell crude oil to the Dangote Refinery and other local refineries in Nigeria. In a letter dated August 16, 2024, addressed to Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Abdulrazak Isa, Chairman of IPPG, argued that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) should reallocate its intervention crude oil volumes to address the current shortage affecting local refiners. Isa emphasised that this volume of 445,000 barrels per day, historically used to import refined products, should now be…

Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited has disassociated itself from last Thursday’s fresh oil spill, which occurred in the Ibeno Local Government Area of the State. Over 27 coastal communities were said to have been badly affected in the fresh oil spill which the communities believed was spilled by ExxonMobil. The village head of Mkpanah, Mobil host community, Denis Essenem, while receiving the Director General of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, Chukwuemeka Woke, attributed the spill to ExxonMobil. Woke was on an operational visit to the communities. Essenem claimed that ExxonMobil is the only major oil company that operates…

Global humanitarian organisation, Amnesty International Nigeria has condemned the current onslaught against the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero by the Nigerian Police Force (NPF). A statement signed by the organisation’s Director, Isa Sanusi on Tuesday, described fresh allegations of terrorism financing by the Nigerian authorities against Ajaero and its leaders as an attempt to intimidate the unionists. The international group’s reaction comes following NLC’s threat to embark on a nationwide strike should the police detain Ajaero. Sanusi said, “Amnesty International is deeply concerned by the Nigerian authorities’ fresh attempts to further intimidate and harass Nigerian Labour…

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has said its members currently suffer a supply shortage of Premium Motor Spirit otherwise known as petrol in the wake of scarcity of products sweeping across the country. The association currently has more than 3000 members controlling the largest share of filling stations across the country. Chairman Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Ore Depot, Engr Shina Amoo who was a guest on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Tuesday, said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) currently the sole importer of petroleum products, has failed to supply its members with adequate products…

Iran was behind a recent hack targeting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, US security agencies said Monday, accusing Tehran of seeking to influence the 2024 election. The statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) confirmed the Trump campaign claim from earlier this month that it had been targeted, potentially by Iran. “We have observed increasingly aggressive Iranian activity during this election cycle, specifically involving influence operations targeting the American public and cyber operations targeting presidential campaigns,” the security agencies said. “This includes the…

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman as the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). Professor Usman is a renowned scholar with qualifications from two Islamic centres of excellence — the University of Madinah and Peshawar University, Pakistan. He is also well-grounded in Hajj operations, having served as the Chairman of Kano State Pilgrims Board, and successfully superintended the operations of the largest quota of state pilgrims in the country. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Senate. The President expects the new Chairman of NAHCON to discharge his duties…

Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State has approved payment of N70,000 national minimum wage to workers on the state and local government payrolls. The State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Emmanuel Fashe, revealed in an interview with newsmen shortly after a closed door meeting with Governor Fintiri on Monday. According to him, the state government workers will start receiving their salaries with the new minimum wage from August, 2024 while their counterparts at the local government level will benefit from September. Comrade Fashe explained that the template to be used is the consequential adjustment table that was used…

Abia State Government says it has recorded one incident of Monkeypox in the state. This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, who chaired the state’s executive council meeting on Monday. He noted that there were 13 suspected cases, one of which was positive, nine negative, and three uncertified, with no death recorded yet. He also said the case was in Isialangwa and that the state has opened centres, including Abia State University Teaching Hospital, and that “more centres are coming soon.” Speaking, the Special Adviser on Health, Dr. Ngozi Azodo, explained that there is a synergy…

President Bola Tinubu has departed Abuja for France. The Airbus A330 business jet carrying the President and his key aides took off from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 4:08 pm. Sources with knowledge of the trip confirmed that the aircraft had landed in Abuja at 8:30 pm on Sunday, following a nearly five-hour flight from EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg in France. “The plane arrived yesterday, and the President will be using it to travel to France today,” said a Presidency official who requested anonymity. On Sunday evening, Tinubu’s spokesperson, Mr. Ajuri Ngelale, issued a statement confirming that the President’s fourth trip…