Author: New Daily Prime

The Federal Government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has issued a final ultimatum to Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to resolve the long-standing N250 billion Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) debt dispute. In a joint circular released on December 20, 2024, the regulatory bodies outlined a structured payment plan to clear the debt, alongside new operational guidelines for USSD services. The circular was signed by Oladimeji Taiwo, the Acting Director of Payments System Management at the CBN, and Chizua Whyte, the Head of Legal and Regulatory Services at…

… Govt Officials, Tourists, Others tour Lagos Waterways on boat Amidst a festive atmosphere of cultural brilliance and aquatic excellence, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, alongside his wife, Dr. Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and his wife, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat, led other dignitaries to witness the Lagos Boat Regatta 2024 on Saturday at Victoria Island area of the State. The Regatta, held simultaneously across multiple locations, showcased the rich cultural and aquatic heritage of Lagos with colorful displays by the five Ibile divisions in the State, featuring intricately decorated boats that thrilled attendees at the Regatta. Rowing…

In compliance with the directive of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), petrol stations across the country today started adjusting their pumps to reflect the new price of fuel and sell at a lower rate.This action is coming after Dangote Refinery reduced the price of the product to N899.50k per litre. The New Daily Prime reports that IPMAN confirmed this in Abuja, yesterday in a statement by Mr Ukadike Chinedu, IPMAN’s Publicity Secretary. The association had earlier pegged the price of petrol at N935 per litre beginning from today after Dangote Refinery reduced the ex-depot price of fuel…

Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has voiced strong concerns over the recent directive from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) that imposes restrictions on the distribution of palliatives to the less privileged. Obi described the move as “disturbing” and warned it could hinder acts of generosity and exacerbate the suffering of vulnerable Nigerians. In a statement shared on X.com (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Obi acknowledged that the directive aimed to address safety issues following tragic incidents linked to the distribution of palliatives. However, he raised concerns that the restrictions could unintentionally discourage citizens from assisting those in need. Obi wrote,…

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has called on the Federal Government to address the poor state of federal highways and its exclusion from the ongoing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) scheme. In a communiqué issued after their quarterly National Executive Committee meeting in Benin City, Edo State, the union expressed frustration over the continued delays in critical road repairs, despite significant budget allocations. They also criticised their exclusion from the CNG initiative, which aims to provide affordable fuel alternatives to reduce costs for transporters. The communiqué, signed by National…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has condemned the proposed N8.7 billion travel budget for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for the year 2025, calling for a reduction in the budgets for both the Presidency and the National Assembly. SERAP has urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to slash the allocations, which amount to N9.4 billion for the Presidency’s travel, meals, and catering expenses, as well as N344.85 billion for lawmakers. In a letter dated 21st December 2024, signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP requested that the National Assembly…

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has confirmed that the notorious terror group, Lakurawa, is no longer operating in Nigeria, stating that the militants have been successfully chased out of the country. Speaking to journalists at his residence in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State, on Sunday, Matawalle categorically dismissed recent claims made by the Commissioner of Police in Zamfara, Mohammed Shehu Dalijan, who had suggested that the Lakurawa group was responsible for a series of deadly explosive attacks in the state in recent weeks. “The Lakurawa terrorist group is no longer in Nigeria, not even in Zamfara…

Japanese automotive giants Honda and Nissan have entered into talks about a potential merger, with a focus on ramping up their electric vehicle (EV) capabilities to challenge Tesla and rising Chinese competitors. On Monday, both companies, alongside Mitsubishi Motors, announced that they had signed a memorandum of understanding to explore a business integration, which would result in the formation of a joint holding company. This new entity aims to combine the strengths of the three firms and better compete in the rapidly evolving global EV market. The two companies confirmed that they plan to list the newly established holding company…

The founder of the Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church (SPAC Nation), Pastor Tobi Adegboyega, has caused a stir by referring to Nigerian music sensation David Adeleke, better known as Davido, as a “gospel artist.” During a recent appearance on the Off The Record podcast, which began trending on Monday, Adegboyega explained that the term “gospel” simply means “good news,” and he believes Davido exemplifies this with his music. The flamboyant pastor’s comments were made in response to the criticism he faced over his decision to invite secular musicians to perform at his recent birthday celebration, instead of gospel artists. Addressing the…

By Alade Adisa A report by the Global Partnership for Education, GPE, under the auspices of the World Bank, has predicted that over 2 billion jobs may be lost globally due to automation, as technology is rapidly changing the labour market and the demand for skills required to be productive.The report was titled “Teachers and technology: What can we do to support educators to prepare students for the future?”It added what as new technological innovations occur, including Artificial intelligence, AI, 44 percent of workers’ skills are likely to be disrupted in the next five years.”Technology is rapidly altering the labor…