Author: Ogochukwu Ndubuisi

Nigeria Customs Begins Safe Passage Scheme for Personal Vehicles The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has begun procedures for granting safe passage to personal vehicles temporarily imported or transiting through Nigeria by international travelers. NCS`s Comptroller-General(C-G), Bashir Adeniyi, made the announcement on Wednesday in a statement by the service`s spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, published on all its verified social media handles. Maiwada said the initiative was in line with NCS Act, 2023 and with relevant international conventions on temporary admission and transit of vehicles. He said that the new framework covered all personal, non-commercial vehicles belonging to international travellers visiting…

Maritime Industry Blooming After Decades of Neglect— Oyetola The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, says Nigeria’s maritime sector is currently experiencing a remarkable resurgence, driven by deliberate reforms and a renewed policy direction. Oyetola said this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by his Special Adviser, Dr Bolaji Akinola, adding that this was after decades of neglect and underinvestment. He said that the revitalised sector was now contributing significantly to economic growth, job creation and overall national development. The minister noted that the sector had unlocked genuine growth and development by systematically dismantling long-standing…

Apapa Customs Generates N2.93trn in 2025 The Apapa Customs Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it generated N2.93 trillion revenue in 2025 representing 24.32 per cent increase compared to 2024 record. The Customs Area Controller, (CAC) Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, disclosed this in a statement in Lagos on Wednesday, through the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Isah Sulaiman. Oshoba attributed the increase to the effect of focused leadership, disciplined personnel, strategic deployment of modern trade tools and improved compliant by importers, under the guidance of the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adeniyi. He noted that…

ICPC Rejects Dangote’s Request to Withdraw Petition Against Ex- NMDPRA Boss The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has rejected Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s request to withdraw his petition against Farouk Ahmed, former NMDPRA boss, whom he accused of corrupt practices. ICPC Spokesperson, John Odey, who said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, noted that the commission had already commenced investigations into the allegation in the interest of Nigerians. “The ICPC will therefore continue to investigate this matter in line with its statutory mandate and in the interest of transparency, accountability and the fight against corruption…

Equity Investors Gain N410bn Amidst Negative Market Breadth Equity investors gained about N410 billion on Wednesday as Nigerian stocks with strong upside potential extended their New Year rally, though it was largely a seller market condition with more losers than gainers. The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) maintained its positive momentum with the All-Share Index (ASI) advancing 0.40% to 160,591.76 points. Stockbrokers reported that equity market capitalisation grew by N409.66 billion to N102.68 trillion, though market sentiment was bearish, reflecting more losers than gainers. Gains in heavyweights like SEPLAT (+10.00%), OKOMUOIL (+10.00%), and WAPCO (+3.91%) outweighed the impact of price declines in…

Nigeria Records 4m International Passenger Movements in 2024 – FAAN The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has reported over 4.33 million international passenger movements from January to December 2024. FAAN disclosed this in a Harmonised Passenger Movement report on Tuesday in Lagos. The report showed a 6.48 per cent increase from 4.07 million passenger movements recorded in 2023 at five of the country’s international airports. The report covering Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu international airports, showed a significant decline in passenger movements, except for Lagos. The report showed that 1.44 million (arrival) and 1.56 million (departure), amounting…

Naira Rises to N1,419 after Historic Performance in 2025 The Nigerian local currency, the naira, appreciated at the official foreign exchange market, with the spot rate settling at N1,419 per dollar in the absence of significant forex market pressure. The local currency had posted a 7.5% gain against the US dollar in 2025, the first gain in 13 years, according to investment banking firm CardinalStone Partners Limited. In 2023 and 2024, the official exchange rate plunged by 48% and 41% consecutively due to FX reforms. Naira had faced perennial annual depreciation but managed to stand strong last year. A daily…

31 Vessels to Arrive Lagos Ports with Petroleum Products, Food – NPA The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says 31 ships with petroleum products, food items and other goods will arrive at Apapa, Tin-Can Island and Lekki Deep Sea Ports in Lagos. The NPA, in its “Daily Shipping Position’, on Tuesday disclosed that the vessels are expected from Jan. 6 to Jan. 16. It said the expected ships contained condensate, crude oil, aviation fuel, raw oil, bulk bitumen, wall pallets, general cargo, bulk soya beans, fresh fish, containers, diesel and petrol. The NPA noted that 13 ships and tanker vessels had…

Trump not Planning to Occupy or Nation-Build in Venezuela President Donald Trump does not plan to occupy or nation-build in Venezuela, Republican U.S. lawmakers said on Monday after attending a briefing by top officials on the administration’s policy toward the South American nation. “We do not have U.S. armed forces in Venezuela, and we are not occupying that country,” Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana told reporters after the classified session with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and other senior officials. “If anybody wants to use the term nation-building, or anything like…

Central African Republic President, Touadera Wins Re-Election Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadera has won a third term in office, securing an outright majority in the presidential election held on Dec. 28, provisional results from the electoral commission showed on Monday. The 68-year-old mathematician who took power a decade ago was seeking a third term after a constitutional referendum in 2023 scrapped the presidential term limit. He campaigned on his security record in the chronically unstable nation after enlisting help from Russian mercenaries and Rwandan soldiers. He also signed peace deals with several rebel groups this year. The results announced…