Author: Ogochukwu Ndubuisi

Renewed Hope Initiative: FG Launches Ward-Based Stimulus Plan The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme (RHWDP), a ward-based stimulus plan designed to empower 8.8 million Nigerians across the country’s 8,809 electoral wards. This initiative aims to stimulate economic growth, generate employment, reduce poverty, enhance food security, and improve social protection at the grassroots level. The programme targets at least 1,000 economically active individuals in each ward, providing them with support to boost economic activity. It is a collaborative effort between federal, state, and local governments, funded through increased revenues in the Federation Account and…

FEC Approves N900bn for Upgrade of Aviation Infrastructure ‎The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved contracts worth over N900 billion for extensive infrastructure upgrades at some major airports across Nigeria. Mr Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, disclosed this following Thursday’s FEC meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja. He explained that the projects would be funded through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund. “Today, it was the turn of aviation to receive the kind attention of the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund. “We are very grateful that His Excellency the President has focused…

Access Holdings Drops Hints on Earnings, Interim Dividend Investors have started taking positions as Access Holdings Plc announced its board of directors has now approved audited financial statements for the first half of 2025 at a meeting held on June 30. In a regulatory disclosure, Nigeria’s largest financial institution by total assets told the Nigerian Exchange its board also approved payment of an interim dividend. But it quickly added that the half-year dividend payment is subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria. The financial services company said it will announce the results once approval is received from…

Trump Orders Big Pharma to Lower US Drug Prices Within 60 Days In a bold move to tackle the exorbitant cost of prescription drugs in the United States, President Donald Trump has demanded that 17 leading pharmaceutical companies slash their US prices within 60 days. This initiative follows Trump’s executive order in May, reviving the “most favored nation” policy, which ties US drug prices to lower costs abroad. The pharmaceutical giants, including Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Merck, and Novo Nordisk, have been instructed to reduce their prices for existing medicines to the lowest prices seen in other developed countries for Medicaid…

Petrol Price Stood at N1,037.66 in June- NBS The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the average retail price of a litre of petrol increased from N750.17 in June 2024 to N1,037.66 in June 2025. The NBS made this known in its Petrol Price Watch for June 2025 released in Abuja on Thursday. It stated that the June 2025 price of N1,037.66 represented a 38.32 per cent increase over the price of N750.17 recorded in June 2024. “Comparing the average price value with the previous month of May, the average retail price increased by 0.96 per cent from N1,027.76.” On state…

BUA Foods Profit Grows by 98.6% to N260bn in H1-2025 BUA Foods Plc. grew profit by 98.6% year on year to N260.069 billion in the first half of 2025, according to details obtained from its results for the unaudited H1 financials for the period ended 30 June 2025. The company revenue increased by 36% to N912.5 billion in H1 2025 from N672.3 billion in the comparable period in 2024. BUA said the strong revenue growth was as result of an improvement recorded across revenue segment. Its cost of sales also increased by 26% to N573.18 billion in H1 2025 from…

Zelenskyy Pushes for Regime Change in Russia, Confiscation of Assets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on the international community to push for a “regime change” in Russia, warning that without such action, Moscow will continue to destabilize neighboring countries even after the war in Ukraine ends. Zelenskyy’s remarks came during a virtual address at a conference in Helsinki, Finland, marking the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, a Cold War-era agreement aimed at improving relations between rival blocs. The Ukrainian leader emphasized that Russia can be compelled to stop its war in Ukraine, but a lasting solution requires…

FG, AfDB Set to Implement SAPZ in Oyo The Federal Government and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are set to perform the groundbreaking ceremony for the Oyo State Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ). The AfDB made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja. The bank said that the 29 km project would be held at the SAPZ Phase 1 site in Atan, Ijaiye, Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State on Aug. 2. It said the project, supported by the state government and other international development partners, marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s agricultural transformation and industrialisation drive.…

Shippers’ Council Seeks Abia Govt. Support to Revive Isiala Ngwa Inland Dry Port The Nigerian Shippers’ Council has called on Abia Government to support the revival of the Isiala Ngwa Inland Dry Port (IDP) and boost trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The Executive Secretary of the Council, Dr Akutah Ukeyima made the call on Wednesday during a visit to Gov. Alex Otti of Abia in Nvosi , Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area. Ukeyima said that the initiative would facilitate the positioning of Abia as a trade hub under the AfCFTA. He commended the present administration’s…

UK to Recognize Palestinian State in September Unless Israel Commits to Peace Process The UK government has announced plans to formally recognize the state of Palestine by September, unless Israel takes significant steps to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and commits to a long-term peace process. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer made this announcement after an emergency cabinet meeting, emphasizing that the UK’s decision is aimed at promoting a two-state solution. According to Starmer, Israel must take several key steps, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza, making clear that there will be no annexation in the West Bank,…