Author: Friday Omosola

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has defended its recent policy imposing charges on cash withdrawals from Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) of banks other than a customer’s own. Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise’ programme on Saturday, CBN’s Acting Director of Financial Policy and Regulation, John Onojah stated that the move will benefit both financial institutions and their customers. Onojah added that the policy aims to address cash shortages at ATMs while allowing banks to recover operational costs. “We have secured commitments from banks to ensure that ATMs remain stocked with cash at all times. At a minimum, customers should be…

Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has been elected as a member of the Steering Committee of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), the highest decision-making body of the organization.   Busola Kukoyi, Senior Special Assistant on Media to Mrs Tinubu, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday. Her election took place during the 29th Ordinary General Assembly of OAFLAD, currently ongoing in Addis Ababa, on the sidelines of the 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union Summit. READ ALSO: Binance Executive reveals lawmakers who demanded $150m bribe She joins the eight-member Steering Committee as one of two representatives…

The Nigerian government has refuted allegations made by Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s Head of Financial Crime, dismissing them as baseless and misleading.  Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen, spent eight months in detention in Nigeria over financial crime charges before his release, which came after intervention from the United States government. In a statement posted on X, Gambaryan alleged that his detention led to former U.S. President Joe Biden canceling a scheduled meeting with President Bola Tinubu during the 2024 UN General Assembly (UNGA).  He also accused National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu of orchestrating his arrest and claimed that the U.S. government scaled…

President Bola Tinubu, former President Muhammadu Buhari, and the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Afenifere chieftain Ayo Adebanjo.   In separate statements, they described Adebanjo’s death as a profound loss to Nigeria. The New Daily Prime earlier reported that Adebanjo passed away on Friday at the age of 96.   Tinubu said he received the news with immense sadness, emphasising that Nigeria had lost a political icon whose decades-long struggle for justice, democracy, and national unity had left an enduring legacy. He noted that those who knew Adebanjo drew wisdom from…

Afenifere chieftain, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, has passed away. In a statement released by his family, they confirmed that he died peacefully on Friday morning at his residence in Lekki, Lagos, at the age of 96. The family stated that consultations are ongoing with his friends, associates, and various interest groups across Nigeria and beyond to finalize arrangements for a befitting funeral. They assured that burial details would be communicated in due course. Additionally, they announced that a condolence register has been opened at his Lagos residence (8, Ayo Adebanjo Close, Lekki Phase 1) and his country home in Isanya Ogbo,…

Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has expelled Goddy-Mbakwe Chimamaka Precious for allegedly assaulting a lecturer from the Department of Theatre and Film Studies. The New Daily Prime gathered that the incident, which gained widespread attention on social media, occurred when Precious reportedly attacked Dr Chukwudi Okoye after he interrupted her TikTok recording on campus.   The expulsion followed a recommendation from the Student Disciplinary Committee and was announced in a statement signed by the institution’s Acting Registrar, Victor Modebelu. READ ALSO: Car snatchers kill UNIZIK lecturer in Awka The university found Precious’ actions to be a serious violation of its disciplinary…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has praised the North East Development Commission (NEDC) for prioritising education and green technology, describing these efforts as transformative for the region’s future.   He spoke yesterday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he met with NEDC officials for a briefing on the Accelerated Senior Secondary Education Programme (ASSEP). Shettima emphasised that posterity would judge the commission kindly for its commitment beyond infrastructure development. “Education remains the greatest equalizer, allowing even the son of a peasant to rise to greatness. The ASSEP initiative is a game changer, bringing digital tools like Virtual Reality (VR) headsets into…

The Lagos State Water Corporation (LASWARCO) has entered into a partnership with WaterAid to revamp the Akilo Micro Waterworks, a long-dormant facility set to provide clean water to communities in Ifako-Ijaiye.   The agreement was formalized at a contract signing ceremony held at LASWARCO’s headquarters in Ijora yesterday. Originally constructed in 2012 as part of Lagos’ network of 18 micro waterworks, the Akilo facility is now undergoing rehabilitation through a collaboration between WaterAid and Armani Beauty. Speaking at the event, Mukhtaar Tijani, Managing Director of LASWARCO, emphasized the project’s significance, noting that once completed, it would supply potable water to over…

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has called for urgent measures to tackle rising insecurity, deepening poverty, and crumbling infrastructure in the North-West. Addressing lawmakers at the inauguration of the House Committee on the North-West Development Commission (NWDC) at the National Assembly, Abbas underscored the need for immediate and coordinated intervention to halt the region’s decline. He tasked the NWDC with conducting a thorough assessment of regional needs and designing a long-term strategic plan to drive sustainable development. He also advocated for innovative funding strategies, including public-private partnerships and development bonds, to ensure financial stability. Highlighting the…

President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to attend the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government. The New Daily Prime earlier reported that Tinubu left Abuja on 5 February for Paris, France, on a private visit before proceeding to Addis Ababa. The President touched down in the Ethiopian capital yesterday night, where he was welcomed by Ethiopian deputy chief of protocol, Eshetu Legesse, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, and Ambassador Nasir Aminu, Nigeria’s chargé d’affaires in Ethiopia. Following his arrival, Ambassador Tuggar briefed President Tinubu on…