Author: New Daily Prime

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), a critical initiative aimed at boosting Nigeria’s maritime sector. This disclosure was made by Edun during a meeting with the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, who led a delegation to his office. The CVFF was established under the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act of 2003, designed to develop indigenous ship acquisition capacity and provide financial assistance to Nigerian operators…

By Fatimah Idera The British building materials supplier Travis Perkins revealed on Monday that its CEO Pete Redfern had stepped down due to ill health, as it sent the shares of the company down to 4.4% which is their lowest since March 2020. Geoff Drabble, the chair, will work with the management team to ensure business stability while the company begins searching for Redfern’s successor. Recall that Redfern, the former boss of home builder Taylor Wimpey, became the CEO of Travis Perkins in September 2024. In October, after the company lowered its annual profit outlook for the second time in…

By Fatimah Idera In a bid to reduce opposition to renewable energy projects, households living near electricity pylons will receive up to £250 a year off their electricity bills. These plans, unveiled by Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner, aim to cut annual energy bills for residents living within half a kilometre of new or upgraded power infrastructure by nearly 40%. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill, set to be introduced on Tuesday, will also remove the legal requirement for certain quangos to be consulted on planning decisions. These proposals are designed to reduce local opposition to renewable energy infrastructure as part…

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has officially joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), marking a significant shift in Nigeria’s political landscape. His defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was confirmed on Monday, March 10, and his move is seen as a strategic alignment ahead of the 2027 general elections. The announcement was celebrated by Adewole Adebayo, the SDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, who welcomed El-Rufai with open arms. Adebayo described the former governor’s entrance as a “moment of renewed hope for Nigeria,” declaring it a key step in the SDP’s mission to restore good governance and tackle issues…

Nottingham Forest have failed in their appeal against a £750,000 ($968,000) fine imposed for a social media post last season that criticised Premier League match official Stuart Attwell. The post, published in April 2024 after a 2-0 defeat to Everton, accused Attwell, the video assistant referee for the match, of favouring Forest’s relegation rivals, Luton. The club felt they had been denied three clear penalties during the game and expressed frustration with the refereeing decisions, stating, “Our patience has been tested multiple times.” In response to the post, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the referees’ governing body, was…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that a record-breaking 2,030,627 candidates have registered for this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), marking the highest number of applications the board has ever received in its history. This milestone was revealed in JAMB’s weekly bulletin, released on Monday in Abuja. The board noted that registration for the examination closed on March 8, 2025. The number of registrations this year surpasses the previous record set in 2024, where over 1.9 million candidates applied for the UTME. JAMB clarified that this total does not include candidates who registered for foreign centres.…

Sir Keir Starmer is facing the most significant rebellion of his premiership as around 80 Labour MPs push back against plans for sweeping welfare cuts. The cuts, expected to be announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in the Spring Statement, are intended to help fund increased defense spending amid rising global tensions. In response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and aggressive moves by nations such as Russia, the Labour government has prioritized national security funding. However, the decision to slash billions from the welfare budget has sparked outrage among MPs who argue the cuts will disproportionately affect vulnerable citizens. Labour…

By Alade Adisa Reinstated Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudasiru Obasa, was able to reclaim his position due to his ability to fill the void left by the withdrawal of former Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, from the All Progressives Congress (APC), investigations by New Daily Prime have revealed. It was gathered that since Aregbesola, who was also the de facto leader of the party in Alimosho Local Government Area, abandoned the party a few years ago, Obasa, who is from Agege, has stepped in and subsequently emerged as the leader of the APC…

By Alade Adisa Almost five years after several welfare packages were announced for teachers in the country, the federal and state governments have only made limited progress, as most of the promises remain unfulfilled. Investigations by New Daily Prime revealed that the federal government (FG) has only increased the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 years and extended the years of service from 35 to 40 years. Some states have implemented this change, but notably, Lagos State has yet to adopt it or approve any of the promised welfare packages for teachers in its employment. Among the promised…

By Fatimah Idera As climate changes continue to impact various locations, a heavy rainstorm struck the Argentine port city of Bahia Blanca, southwest of the capital Buenos Aires, leaving 10 people dead and causing widespread flooding. According to reports, more than 260 millimeters (10 inches) of rain fell within a few hours, destroying bridges, collapsing asphalt roads, and resulting in fatalities. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Bahia Blanca authorities confirmed that all available resources were being deployed, with municipal teams working on emergency response efforts. “The storm forced the evacuation of homes and health centers in the major…