Author: Alade Adisa

Prominent Nigerian business leaders, which included Aliko Dangote, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Tony Elumelu, and Jim Ovia, accompanied President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to a strategic meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palais des L’Élysée in Paris. The gathering, part of the Nigeria-France Business Forum, focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation and fostering investment opportunities in critical sectors such as agriculture, energy, solid minerals, and defence. President Tinubu, in his remarks, highlighted the vast potential of Nigeria’s agricultural and financial sectors, urging French investors to explore the country’s opportunities. He emphasized that ensuring food security and sustainable development requires significant investment and…

In a bid to avert the impending strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for Monday, December 1, the few states yet to pay the N70,000 minimum wage for workers are making last-minute moves to implement the agreed amount. Out of the 36 states, those yet to approve the monthly wage are Katsina, Cross River and Zamfara states. Probably as a means to stave off the strike action, the Imo State government flagged off the implementation of the N70,000 wage on Tuesday. By that, 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have now complied with the 2024 National…

A public analyst and media entrepreneur, Dr Joseph Effiong has lauded the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its unwavering commitment to fighting corruption, citing the commission’s efforts in the ongoing case involving embattled former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.Effiong said EFCC’s doggedness in pursuing justice and accountability in a high-profile case of such ignites hopes in present government and the rule of law.Bello is facing multiple corruption charges, including money laundering. He is presently being held on remand after reporting to the EFCC earlier in the week.Effiong particularly lauded the EFCC’s helmsman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede for demonstrating…

The Federal Government on Thursday asked wealthy Nigerians to support it to lift the nation’s education sector.The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, made the appeal at the inauguration of a Senate building donated by Chief Wole Olanipekun, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), to the Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology (BOUESTI), Ikere-Ekiti.Alausa said that the responsibility of funding education should not be left in the hands of government alone and appealed to wealthy Nigerians to emulate Olanipekun by giving back to society.He commended Olanipekun, a former National President of the Nigeran Bar Association (NBA) for the donation.The…

Jurors in New Mexico have awarded a man more than $412 million in a medical malpractice case that involved a men’s health clinic that operates in several states. The man’s attorneys celebrated Monday’s verdict, saying they are hopeful it will prevent other men from falling victim to a scheme that involved fraud and what they described as dangerous penile injections. They said the punitive and compensatory damages total the largest amount to ever be awarded by a jury in a medical malpractice case in the U.S. “It’s a national record-setting case and it’s righteous because I don’t think there’s any…

– A social media ban for children under 16 passed the Australian Senate Thursday and will soon become a world-first law. The law will make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts. The Senate passed the bill 34 votes to 19. The House of Representatives on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved the legislation 102 votes to 13. The House has yet to endorse opposition amendments made in the Senate. But that is a formality since the…

Russia is selecting targets in Ukraine that could include “decision-making centres” in Kyiv in response to Ukrainian long-range strikes on Russian territory with Western weapons, Vladimir Putin has said.Attacks launched by Moscow have not so far struck government buildings in the Ukrainian capital, which is heavily protected by air defences.Putin says Russia’s Oreshnik hypersonic missile, which it fired for the first time at a Ukrainian city last week, is incapable of being intercepted – although that claim has been questioned by at least one expert (see 7.55 post).”Of course, we will respond to the ongoing strikes on Russian territory with…

The Nigerian Senate, on Thursday, passed for a second reading four contentious tax reform bills submitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The development followed a lead debate led by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) and contributions from senators during plenary. The proposed bills, which aim to overhaul Nigeria’s tax framework, have sparked significant backlash. Prominent northern stakeholders, including governors, traditional rulers, and the Northern Elders Forum, have voiced strong objections, arguing that the reforms are not in the nation’s best interest. Despite the opposition, some top officials from Tinubu’s administration made comprehensive presentations to the Senate on Wednesday…

Shell has launched arbitration hearings over the supply of liquefied natural gas from Venture Global’s Calcasieu Pass facility. According to a Reuters report, Shell CEO Wael Sawan confirmed the development in a statement on Thursday. The report further said Shell and other companies including BP, Galp and Repsol have also launched contract arbitration cases in the United States over inability to obtain contract cargoes for more than two years. Sawan said, “Frustratingly, we have got no volumes against our term agreement which underpinned the financing for the project. We’re going through arbitration hearings this quarter.” Shell and others say they…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), will this morning (Thursday), arraign the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, before the Federal High Court in Abuja. The ex-governor will be docked before trial Justice Emeka Nwite, on a 19-count charge that borders on alleged N80.2 billion fraud. It will be recalled that Justice Nwite had on April 17, issued a warrant for the arrest of the former governor following his repeated failure to appear before the court for his arraignment. Effort by operatives of the EFCC to execute the arrest order at Bello’s residence in Abuja was…