Author: New Daily Prime

By Toheeb Babalola After hearing inspiring stories from predecessors who had undergone the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the joy of wearing a lemon-coloured khaki and white shirt became a dream for me. Some of these stories, particularly Mr. Moriyanu’s (not his real name), remain stuck in my head. In 2002, Moriyanu was deployed from his hometown in the Southwest to a state in the Southern geopolitical zone. Despite studying Mechanical Engineering, he was assigned to a community primary school as his Place of Primary Assignment (PPA). The most fascinating part of his…

By Fatimah Idera A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck a volcanic area near the southern Italian city of Naples early Thursday, damaging buildings and sending residents fleeing into the streets. According to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), the earthquake occurred at 1:25 a.m. (0025 GMT), with its epicentre near the coastal town of Pozzuoli, located west of Naples. The quake, which was followed by several smaller tremors, was the strongest to hit the Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields) area in 10 months. It had a depth of 2.5 kilometers. This tremor was similar in magnitude to one that struck…

By Fatimah Idera Tanzania plans to increase overall spending by 13.4% in the upcoming fiscal year starting in July, according to a draft budget that prioritizes debt repayment, the cost of the upcoming general election, and the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s pause on overseas aid. According to the budget paper, the East African country plans to spend 57.04 trillion shillings ($22 billion) in the 12 months beginning in July, up from 50.29 trillion shillings in the current fiscal year. Finance Minister Mwigulu Nchemba presented a paper titled “Budget Framework and Expenditure Ceiling for 2025/26” to the parliamentary committee.…

By Fatimah Idera The President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, has called on the U.S. to transfer nuclear weapons to Polish territory as a deterrent against future Russian aggression. According to reports from the Financial Times, President Duda stated that he had recently discussed the proposal with U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy. Poland, which had previously stated that it would be ready to host U.S. weapons under a nuclear arms-sharing program, has also recently expressed interest in a proposal by French President Emmanuel Macron to extend France’s nuclear umbrella to European allies. “The borders of NATO moved east in 1999,…

Amid swirling speculation about political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, and former Minister of State for Finance, Senator Nenadi Usman, have firmly rejected reports suggesting they are planning to defect to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) alongside former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. The rumours, which gained momentum after a viral video showed El-Rufai visiting the SDP headquarters in Abuja, sparked further speculation when Usman, a Labour Party (LP) chieftain, was seen at the same event. El-Rufai’s visit, where he alleged that the Federal Government was intentionally causing crises within opposition parties, was…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has sharply criticised the N15.6 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway project and the N21 billion spent on the construction of a new official residence for Vice President Kashim Shettima, describing both as wasteful, corrupt, and a reflection of misplaced priorities under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. In his new book ‘Nigeria: Past and Future,’ released to mark his 88th birthday, Obasanjo condemned the federal government’s decisions, stating that the Lagos-Calabar highway project, which will cost a staggering N4.93 billion per kilometre, was a form of financial mismanagement. He highlighted concerns over the lack of competitive bidding for the…

South African mining magnate Dr Patrice Motsepe has been re-elected unopposed for a second four-year term as president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) at the 14th CAF Extraordinary General Assembly in Cairo on Wednesday, March 12. The re-election was attended by FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The 63-year-old, who has led CAF since 2021, had remained reserved about seeking re-election but confirmed his decision in October 2024 following numerous requests from CAF member association presidents and other key football stakeholders across the continent. Motsepe, the owner of South African club Mamelodi Sundowns, expressed his continued commitment to enhancing African…

The Federal High Court in Abuja has set a new trial date for Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), for Friday, March 21, 2025. The case file was transferred to Justice James Omotosho, following a reassignment after the recusal of the previous judge, Justice Binta Nyako. Kanu faces a seven-count terrorism charge brought against him by the Federal Government. The trial had previously been delayed after Justice Nyako stepped down from the case on September 24, 2024, citing allegations of bias raised by Kanu and his legal team. Kanu’s lawyers had requested that the case be…

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has officially inaugurated a new Grid Code Review Panel (GCRP) aimed at enhancing the operational efficiency of the country’s power sector. The grid code, a vital set of technical rules and procedures, governs the operation, maintenance, and development of Nigeria’s electricity transmission system. NERC stated that the newly formed panel will play an integral role in streamlining and improving the power sector by ensuring that operations align with the sector’s evolving needs. In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, March 12, NERC revealed that the panel’s primary responsibility…

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned of severe economic consequences for Russia if President Vladimir Putin refuses to sign a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine. Speaking to reporters in the white house, Trump stated that the U.S. has powerful financial measures at its disposal that could cause significant damage to Russia’s economy. “We could do things very bad for Russia. It would be devastating. But I don’t want to do that because I want to see peace,” Trump declared. The threat comes amid mounting pressure for Moscow to accept a U.S.-brokered 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine. Trump confirmed that American representatives are…