Author: New Daily Prime

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has praised the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for the successful operation of the revamped Port Harcourt Refinery, which has now run continuously for 180 days since its relaunch in November 2024. The refinery, which had been dormant for over two decades, was rehabilitated with a loan from Afreximbank, and the project was executed by Tecnimont Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of the Maire Tecnimont Group. PETROAN expressed its satisfaction with the rehabilitation, highlighting the remarkable achievement of the refinery running non-stop for six months, as…

As momentum builds ahead of the 2027 elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed it has received 91 applications for the registration of new political parties. The announcement has sparked mixed reactions across the political spectrum. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stated that the number of applications reflected a lack of unity among opposition leaders, while the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) saw it as a sign of incompetence within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The Labour Party (LP), on the other hand, welcomed the development but called on INEC to thoroughly review all applications before proceeding…

Nigeria’s money supply (M3) declined for the first time in 2025, dropping from N110.94 trillion in January to N110.32 trillion in February 2025. The figure represents a 0.56 per cent decline month-on-month and a 15.45 per cent increase year-on-year compared to the N95.56 trillion recorded in February 2024. The year-on-year change indicates that Nigeria’s monetary base has expanded over the past 12 months despite the recent slowdown. M3, which measures the total amount of money in an economy, including net foreign assets (NFA) and net domestic assets (NDA), provides a holistic picture of Nigeria’s monetary dynamics. The slight decline in…

The Senate has called on the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to engage telecommunications operators to consider reviewing the costs of data and other internet-related services for their subscribers. The Senate also asked the ministry to develop a policy framework for affordable internet services in Nigeria, adding that the government should establish and support tech hubs across the country that would “provide free or subsidised internet access to young entrepreneurs, students, and innovators.” The upper legislative chamber stated this on Wednesday, March 26, following a motion on the “Urgent Need to Address the Increased Cost of Data Services…

Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, the newly appointed Sole Administrator of Rivers State, has announced the immediate suspension of all political office holders and appointees in the state government. In a statement issued Wednesday by the Chief of Staff to the Administrator, the decision was described as part of the authority granted to Ibas following the federal declaration of a state of emergency in the oil-rich southern state. The suspension affects a wide range of senior officials, including the Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff, all commissioners, chairpersons and members of state boards, agencies, commissions, and parastatals,…

By Hannah Al-Othman Already one of the most impoverished towns in the UK, withdrawal of support has left many unsure how to cope. “It’s not very helpful really,” says Owen Sandford, 27, of the government’s spring statement. “I understand they’ve got a tough job, but we’ve got a tougher job trying to survive.” Sandford is in receipt of universal credit and has been applying for work – but he is struggling. “A lot of us have got kids,” he says outside the jobcentre just behind Blackpool’s famous tower. “There’s so many families that live in poverty, that can’t pay the bills…

European troops must be ready to fight if they are sent to guard any future peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, a senior aide to Volodymyr Zelensky has said. “We don’t need a mere presence to showcase that Europe is present,” Igor Zhovkva, a top Ukrainian negotiator, said ahead of an international summit in Paris. “It’s not the amount which matters… it’s also their readiness to fight, their readiness to defend, their readiness to be equipped, and their readiness to understand that Ukraine is an inevitable part of European security,” he said. The comments came ahead of a visit by…

A man who flew to Britain from Dubai to have sex with a 13-year-old girl he groomed online was relaxing in a hotel spa and wellness centre when he was arrested by police. Hamdan Alshamsi, 21, a university student from Abu Dhabi, met the vulnerable schoolgirl on the social media site Snapchat and bombarded her with messages for months. When she agreed to meet him, he flew to the UK and checked into a four-star seafront hotel in Brighton. The paedophile then booked an Uber taxi to bring the girl to the hotel where he spent two days sexually assaulting her in his room. Police who traced the…

Russia’s refusal to implement a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine in the Black Sea hinges on the lifting of international sanctions, a condition laid out by President Vladimir Putin following talks with the United States. In a dramatic twist to the ongoing conflict, Moscow has insisted that sanctions on Russian agriculture, fertiliser exports, and financial institutions be lifted before it will commit to the maritime truce. These demands were made clear shortly after the White House announced the tentative ceasefire deal, brokered after lengthy negotiations in Saudi Arabia. The ceasefire proposal, which emerged from 12 hours of discussions between Russian and…

The Duke of Sussex has stepped down from his charity, Sentebale, following a devastating breakdown in governance and trust within the organisation. In a deeply emotional statement released on Tuesday evening, Prince Harry revealed that he had resigned from his role at the helm of Sentebale, a charity he founded in 2006 in memory of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. His resignation comes in solidarity with the charity’s board of trustees, all of whom have also vacated their positions in the wake of an ongoing crisis. The charity, which focuses on supporting children affected by HIV in Lesotho…