Author: Ogochukwu Ndubuisi

EU Chief welcomes Trump’s Tariff Pause Announcement European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that he was pausing new “reciprocal tariffs’’ on most countries for 90 days to allow for negotiations. “It’s an important step toward stabilising the global economy. “Clear, predictable conditions are essential for trade and supply chains to function. “The European Union remains committed to constructive negotiations with the U.S., with the goal of achieving frictionless and mutually beneficial trade,’’ von der Leyen said. On Wednesday, EU member states agreed to retaliatory tariffs of 10 per cent to 25…

China Begins New 84% Tariffs on U.S. Imports China officially commenced the implementation of its planned retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods on Thursday, imposing an additional 84 per cent duty on imports from the U.S. The move came after Washington escalated its trade pressure, with U.S. President Donald Trump announcing on Wednesday a new plan to raise tariffs on Chinese imports even further to 125 per cent. Chinese officials have however rejected the U.S. approach, accusing Washington of blackmail and pledging to resist pressure in the ongoing trade dispute. As tensions rise with the U.S, China is reaching out to…

Soludo Assents Six Bills Into Law Gov. Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra on Thursday signed six bills into law, as part of ongoing efforts to advance the state’s development projects. The bills included the Anambra State Development and Investment Corporation Law, 2025 and the Anambra State Electricity Law, 2025. They also include the Anambra State Homeland Security (Amendment) Law 2025 and the Anambra State Indigenous Traditional Medicine Practices Law, 2025. Others are the Anambra State Herbal Practice Law 2025 and the Anambra State Mission Schools of Nursing and Midwifery (Amendment No. 2) Law, 2025. Speaking while signing the bills into law,…

NEMA, Africa Re Partner to Enhance Disaster Risk Financing The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re) jointly convened a disaster risk financing workshop in Abuja on Thursday. The event aimed to transform Nigeria’s approach to disaster management through innovative insurance mechanisms and enhanced public-private collaboration. Mrs Zubaida Umar, Director-General of NEMA, revealed that during the 2024 rainy season, floods affected over 1.3 million people across 34 states, displacing more than 740,000 individuals and causing major loss of life and livelihoods. She was represented by Mr Idris Mohammed, Director of Disaster Risk Reduction at NEMA. Umar…

Oyo State Pegs Borehole Drilling Costs at N14,000 Per Meter The Oyo State Government has established a controlled rate of N14,000 per meter for groundwater abstraction, also referred to as borehole drilling, statewide. The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr Abdulmojeed Mogbonjubola, disclosed this on Thursday in Ibadan, during an interactive meeting with groundwater abstraction stakeholders. Mogbonjubola explained that the meeting was convened to address the challenges faced by groundwater abstraction practitioners and collaborative solutions for the sustainable management of vital resources. According to him, engaging with the industry stakeholders is crucial to bringing sanity to the system and…

Intraday Rally – Equities Investors Stake Bets on UBA, Zenith, GTCO Equities investors are driving the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) all-share index (ASI) upward with an intraday rally on top banking names. UBA, Zenith Bank, GTCO, and other early risers have seen positive price upticks that pushed the market index higher during the trading session on Thursday. Stockbrokers are expressing confidence that the local bourse would close positive today in the absence of significant sell pressures on market heavyweights. The NGX index tracked lower midweek due to weak investors’ sentiments. However, the NGX trading platform has seen surprise bargain hunting, driven…

Germany Plans €4 Billion for Green Energy Projects in Africa Germany is eyeing expanded investments in Africa’s energy sector, having pledged €4 billion for green energy projects by 2030 and advancing hydrogen and gas partnerships through the European Union’s (EU) Global Gateway initiative. These investments aim to enhance conditions for private sector involvement and infrastructure development, underscoring Germany’s commitment to sustainable development and economic growth across the continent. In South Africa, Germany committed R5.2 billion last December to support the country’s energy transition and deepen bilateral cooperation. This funding is directed towards facilitating South Africa’s shift from coal to renewable…

NDIC to Pay First Tranche of Liquidation Dividends to Heritage Bank Depositors in April The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) says it would begin the payment of the first tranche of liquidation dividends to depositors of Heritage Bank from April. It would be recalled that Heritage Bank operating licence was revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on June 3, 2024.The Managing Director of NDIC, Mr Bello Hassan, said this on Wednesday at the NDIC Special Day at the ongoing 36th Enugu  International Trade. Represented by Mrs Pamela Robert, South-East Coordinator of NDIC, Hassan said that NDIC was in…

FCTA Develops Agric. Policy to Boost Food Security The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has started developing its Agricultural Policy and Implementation Plan to guide interventions toward increasing food production in the FCT. Mr Umar Malamiyo, acting Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, said this at an event in Gwagwalada on Wednesday, adding that the goal was to enhance food security. Malamiyo was represented at the event by Mr Agu Igwe, the Deputy Director, Public Private Partnership in the Secretariat. He said the engagement would help government officials and stakeholders to identify key areas…

FG Orders Tertiary Institutions to Advertise Job Vacancies The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has directed all federal tertiary institutions that have been granted waivers to recruit staff to publicly advertise the available vacancies. This was contained in a statement released to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Director of Press in the Ministry, Folasade Boriowo. Alausa urged the institutions to advertise in at least one national daily newspaper, on their respective websites, and in other relevant academic and professional journals. According to him, this directive aims to ensure a transparent, open, and competitive recruitment process that offers…