Author: Ogochukwu Ndubuisi

Biden Says New Orleans Attacker Inspired by Islamic State Just hours before he rammed a pickup truck through a New Orleans street jammed with New Year’s Eve revellers, the perpetrator’s social media posts indicated he was inspired by the terrorist organisation Islamic State, U.S. President Joe Biden said. Biden, citing FBI information, told reporters that the attacker “posted videos on social media indicating that he was inspired by ISIS, expressing the desire to kill.” Biden made his remarks to the press on Wednesday following the car ramming attack in New Orleans early on New Year’s Day that killed at least…

Tariff: Telecoms Operators to Begin Service Shedding – ALTON The Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) on Monday said its members would start service shedding if nothing was done to increase tariff. In a statement in Lagos, the Chairman of ALTON, Mr Gbenga Adebayo, said the Nigerian telecommunications industry was facing a critical challenge that required urgent attention. He said that operators were struggling to survive due to rising operational costs and stagnant tariffs. Adebayo said: “As we reflect on the end of year 2024, there is a need to issue an urgent and critical call to action…

The oil market recorded a weekly gain due to demand optimism following signals that Chinese imports would increase at the same time U.S. dollar index limit upside. 

Navy Intercepts Boat Laden with 100,000 litres of Stolen Crude Oil in Ondo The Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base (FOB), Igbokoda, has intercepted a boat laden with about 100,000 litres of stolen crude oil at the Idiogba-Mahin coastline in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo. Capt. Aliyu Usman, the Commanding Officer of the base made this known to journalists on Thursday during an assessment visit to the site. Usman said that the Naval team acted on credible intelligence and deployed its Quick Response Team. He said the team intercepted the wooden boat with the stolen crude oil and items used…

NNPCL Unveils Production Monitoring Centre The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), has introduced the Production Monitoring Command Centre (PMCC) as a transformative step in hydrocarbon operations to boost production. The initiative, driven by NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), builds on the success of the Command and Control Centre to enhance monitoring, operational efficiency, and production. The Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd., Olufemi Soneye, in a statement on Wednesday said the PMCC aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s policy to increase efficiency and boost production in the industry. “The PMCC serves as a unified platform for monitoring hydrocarbon…

NCAA Sanctions 2 International Airlines, Others The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has commenced enforcement action against five airlines for various violations. The Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection (NCAA), Mr Michael Achimugu, disclosed this when he addressed newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday. According to him, two international and three domestic operators, which he did not name, were involved in various violations of Part 19 of the NCAA regulations. The violations include nonpayment of refunds within the stipulated time frame, non-responsiveness to the NCAA’s directives, missing luggage, manhandled luggage, short-landed baggage, delays and canceled flights. ” Although airlines are…

Abia Government to Distribute 53 Transformers to Communities The Abia Government on Tuesday said that 53 transformers of different specifications will be distributed to selected communities as part of its power sector recovery programme. Speaking to newsmen during the commencement of the exercise in Umuahia, the Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Mr Ikechukwu Monday, described the delivery of the transformers as a testament to the state government’s vision to `light up Abia’. He said: “This is part of the set of transformers that will be delivered in the state to fulfil his mandate of providing reliable electricity electricity to…

Ogun Assembly Passes 2025 Appropriation Bill of N1.054trn The Ogun House of Assembly on Tuesday in Abeokuta passed the 2025 Appropriation Bill of N1.054 trillion with slight adjustments in the recurrent expenditures of 21 agencies. The capital expenditures of five agencies were also slightly adjusted alongside the revenue targets of  two agencies. The passage of the appropriation bill followed the presentation of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation by its Chairman, Musefiu Lamidi (APC-AdoOdo/Ota 11). Lamidi, thereafter, moved the motion for the bill’s adoption, with his Deputy, Wahab Haruna (APC-Yewa North 1) seconding it and the…

Diri Signs 2025 Budget Into Law Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has signed the state’s 2025 appropriation bill passed by the House of Assembly into law. Governor Diri on October 31, 2024 presented to the assembly a budget estimate of N689,440,348,916.30. The assembly however raised the estimates by N10,132,818,675 and passed the total sum of N699,573,167,592. Speaking during the ceremony in Government House, Yenagoa, on Monday, Governor Diri said the signing of the bill before end of the current year was in line with his administration’s policy of operating its budget between January and December as well as its…

Equities Investors Gain N138bn on Santa Claus Rally Equities investors gained about N138 billion amidst Santa Claus rally, which some stockbrokers think arrived on the local bourse earlier than thought. In the stock market, it has been a heavy bargain on hunting that continues to push key performance indicators upward, with rising year-to-date returns currently adjusted as best in the global market. Again, the equity market began the new trading week on a positive trajectory; key performance indicators advanced by 0.22%. The market index, or All-Share Index, added 227.06 basis points in today’s trading session, reflecting a 0.22% increase to…