News Rider

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja President Bola Tinubu President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Abdulrazak Sa'ad Namdas as the new Director General of the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA). Namdas replaces Dr Dakorinama Alabo George, who resigned to contest for an elective post in his home state. A former member of the House of Representatives representing Ganye/Jada/Mayo Belwa/Toungo Federal constituency of Adamawa State, Namdas was the spokesperson of the 8th House of Representatives, and an aspirant in the just-concluded governorship primary election in Adamawa State. As a seasoned journalist and public relations practitioner, he also served as Chief Press Secretary to former Governor Boni Haruna of Adamawa State. Also, President Tinubu has appointed Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon, as the Executive Director, Strategy & Commercial, of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC. President Tinubu reappointed Mr Chukwuma Umeoji as Executive Director, Corporate Services o...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja   Prof Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe  President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe as chairman of the governing board of the National Universities Commission (NUC).   He succeeds Emeritus Professor Olufemi Raphael Aina, who resigned his appointment after less than one year in office.    President Tinubu had last year July, appointed Professor Aina and the board members were inaugurated in November 2025.   Prof. Ogundipe, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (2017–2022), is a professor of Botany with expertise in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany, and ecological conservation.   He holds a PhD in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and an MBA from the University of Lagos.   Currently, Professor Ogundipe, 66, serves as Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State.   He is a fellow of several professi...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja   President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has disclosed that the teeming youth population remains the nation's greatest asset, assuring foreign investors that the ready-to-learn and tech-savvy workforce can easily integrate into the global market.    President Tinubu, who received a delegation from Mastercard led by the Global Chief Executive Officer, Michael Miebach, at the State House on Tuesday in Abuja, welcomed the company's proposal to train five million businesses and equip them with digital skills.    He said that the Nigerian economy had been repositioned and stabilised to fully participate in the global economy, with a focus on empowering youths and small businesses with digital skills and tools.   The President noted that the ongoing formalisation of Nigeria's largely informal small-business sector will create more opportunities for digital transitions, investments, employment, and growth.    "I am glad that you ar...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja Prof Innocent Barikor Committed to promoting green jobs, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA, has issued a deadline for compliance to 25 percent recycled PET content for the plastics sector. This followed a recent publication attributed to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, expressing concerns over the National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations, 2026. With the deadline, the PET content requirement takes effect from 1 January 2028 and increases to 50 percent from 1 January 2030. The timeline is expected to provide an opportunity for the manufacturers, recyclers, brand owners and Producer Responsibility Organisations, PRO, with sufficient time to plan investments, upgrade systems, build supply chains, develop local recycled-material capacity and engage regulators on practical implementation. Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NESREA, Prof. Innocent Barikor noted that the Nat...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, has shared a total of N2.300 trillion among the Federal Government, State Governments and Local Government Councils as revenue accrued for May 2026. This was confirmed at the June 2026 meeting of FAAC following the consideration of revenue receipts for the month of May. The total distributable revenue of N2.300 trillion comprised N1.611 trillion from Statutory Revenue and N688.785 billion from Value Added Tax, VAT. From the distributable revenue, the Federal Government received N818.680 billion, while State Governments received N759.141 billion. This was even as the Local Government Councils received N534.277 billion, while the oil-producing states received N188.132 billion as 13 per cent derivation revenue. The gross statutory revenue available for the month stood at N2.652 trillion, representing an increase of N273.623 billion over the N2.378 trillion recorded in April 2026. In addition, FAAC reporte...

BY CHIKA OKEKE Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele The Federal Government has countered the reports of the International Monetary Fund, IMF, suggesting that it has adopted or is considering new taxes on telecommunications services and petroleum products. Specifically, the government hinted that the reports misrepresented the content of the IMF publication and do not reflect its policy direction. The IMF had on June 9, 2026, released Article IV Consultation Report on Nigeria, which assessed the country’s economic reform programme and recommendations for consideration by the authorities. In the report, the IMF Executive Board praised Nigeria’s recent tax reforms, but added that additional tax policy measures may be needed over the medium term, including to fund a scaled-up cash transfer program to provide relief to the most vulnerable. But the Federal Ministry of Finance noted that IMF recommendations do not amount to government poli...