Author: Olaoluwa Vincent Ajayi

The Publicity Secretary of the Crude Oil Refiners Association of Nigeria (CORAN), has asserted that the price of petrol produced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery could fall below N600/litre with the right government interventions. Following his discussion with the Sunday Punch, the news is available for the New Daily Prime. Idoko argues that the current N898/litre price, which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) claims it paid for Dangote petrol, is inflated due to the fluctuating exchange rate. He suggests that pegging the exchange rate at N1,000/$ for locally produced petroleum products could cause this price to plummet to…

In a major step towards boosting regional integration and economic growth in West Africa, heads of member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened in Lagos on Saturday to finalize the design of the $15 billion Lagos-Abidjan Corridor Highway Development Project. This ambitious infrastructure initiative will link five West African nations—Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire—via a 1,068-kilometer highway, significantly enhancing trade and connectivity across the region. The meeting, chaired by Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, focused on advancing the project to the procurement phase, with construction slated to begin in 2025. Umahi highlighted…

A leading financial expert has painted a bright picture for Nigeria’s economic future, forecasting a robust 3.5% growth rate by 2026 that would propel the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to an impressive $400 billion. Bismarck Rewane, Managing Director and CEO of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, shared this optimistic outlook at the Access Bank Customer Forum in Lagos on Thursday 19, September 2024. “The Nigerian economy is on track to becoming the second largest in sub-Saharan Africa,” Rewane confidently asserted. He attributed this projected growth to several factors, including an increasingly efficient foreign exchange auction system and a significant boost…

Edo State, Nigeria — Less than 24 hours before the highly anticipated Edo Governorship Election, federal lawmaker Henry Okojie narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in what is believed to be a politically motivated attack. Okojie, who represents the Esan North-East/Esan South-East Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, is also the husband of popular Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson. The attack occurred at Okojie’s residence when gunmen, believed to be political thugs, attempted to storm the property. The assailants arrived in a Lexus GX 470 with a Rivers State license plate number—PHC 253 FF—and gained entry by posing as law enforcement officers.…

New evidence has emerged indicating that COVID-19 originated from a “wet market” in Wuhan, China, rather than from a laboratory experiment, as was initially claimed by the FBI Director Christopher Wray’s comments. Researchers tested genetic samples from animals sold at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in late 2019 and found traces of the coronavirus in certain species. The study involved 800 samples collected in and around the market starting on January 1, 2020, shortly after its closure. Additionally, the research team analysed genetic material from early COVID-19 patients. Their results identified animals such as raccoon dogs, civets, and bamboo rats…

The ongoing war in Ukraine has taken a high-tech twist as images of Tesla Cybertrucks, equipped with machine gun turrets, have emerged from the frontlines. The futuristic vehicles, developed by Elon Musk’s Tesla, were reportedly deployed by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kadyrov, known for his controversial and brutal methods, has claimed ownership of two Cybertrucks, which have been modified for combat. In a war of words with Musk, Kadyrov accused the billionaire CEO of disabling the trucks remotely, though the warlord insists the vehicles continue to perform well in battle. “Western equipment…

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has officially released the 2024 results for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE). During a press conference at NECO’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State, on Thursday, the Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Professor Dantani Wushishi, announced the performance of students and revealed critical data on the examination results. Out of 1,376,423 registered candidates, 1,367,736 sat for the exam, with 828,284 students, representing 60.55%, achieving five credits or more, including in Mathematics and English Language. “This is a significant milestone for our education system,” Wushishi stated during the briefing. The Registrar also pointed out that…

Mpox remains uncontrolled across Africa, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The agency reported nearly 3,000 new suspected cases of the disease in the past week, with 374 confirmed infections. The spread has now been documented in all four regions of the continent; Africa CDC confirmed Thursday. In his weekly briefing, Africa CDC Director Jean Kaseya announced that 14 more deaths were reported in connection with mpox, bringing the total number of cases in Africa since the start of the year to more than 29,000. A total of 738 deaths have been recorded across…

Primary school teachers in government-owned schools across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have embarked on an indefinite strike after the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT chapter, issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government, which expired without resolution. According to the union, the strike, effective from September 18, 2024, is due to the failure of the Area Council Chairmen to meet several long-standing demands. Comrade Abdullahi Shafa, NUT FCT Chairman, explained, “The State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) deliberated on the issues affecting teachers and resolved to resume the suspended strike due to the non-response of the Council Chairmen.” Key issues…

A fresh dispute has emerged between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Dangote Refinery regarding the volume of petrol supplied to meet Nigeria’s growing energy demands. Sources verified by The New Daily Prime revealed that Dangote Refinery has been unable to deliver the quantity of premium motor spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, that was initially agreed upon with NNPCL, raising concerns about the adequacy of supply for the country’s needs. Other sources also indicate that while Dangote Refinery was expected to supply 25 million liters of petrol to meet national consumption, only 16.8 million liters have been…