News Rider

By Temitope Ajayi, Abuja President Bola Tinubu demonstrated foresight in July 2024, when he approved the use of the naira as the payment currency for crude oil supplied by the NNPC to the Dangote Refinery. Since the launch of the naira-for-crude initiative on October 1, 2024, Nigeria has experienced a strategic breakthrough amid the ongoing economic turmoil resulting from the Iran-Israel-US conflict in the Middle East. Since its inception, the technical committee on naira-for-crude, which has the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun and Executive Chairman of the Nigerian Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji and others as members, the Federal government has developed a robust framework that has ensured the Presidential initiative continues to deliver on its core objectives by maintaining supply security, stabilising the economy, and safeguarding Nigeria’s energy future. The US/Israel-Iran war has now entered its 6th week, triggering global econom...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today postponed his scheduled trip to Iperu, Ogun State, tomorrow to flag off operations at the Gateway International Cargo Airport. Instead, he will head to Jos, capital of Plateau state, to commiserate with the government and people of the state over the recent gun attacks, which claimed the lives of innocent citizens. From Plateau, the President will travel to Lagos to observe Good Friday.  On Saturday, April 4, President Tinubu will head to Ogun State for the commissioning of the Cargo Airport and inauguration of two commercial aircraft for export and import of goods, aimed at boosting the state's economic growth. He will also inaugurate the new edifice of the Federal Operations Unit of the Nigerian Customs Service and its operational vehicles. He will return to Lagos to continue the Easter holiday, during which he is also expected to commission infrastructure projects undertaken by the administration of Governor Bab...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja President Bola Tinubu has strongly condemned the barbaric and cowardly attacks by gunmen in Angwan Rukuba district, Jos, Plateau State. He equally condemned the attacks in Kahir village in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Describing the attack on the community in Jos and the killing and abduction of wedding guests in Kaduna as an affront to all that Nigeria stands for, President Tinubu assured Nigerians that the barbaric acts will not go unpunished. "Anyone who will sneak under the cover of the night and kill defenceless citizens as done in Jos and Kahir village, is a heartless coward. By attacking soft targets in Jos, their objective is not only to cause harm but also trigger a spiral of reprisal attacks and further bloodletting " he said. To this end, he directed security agencies to intensify efforts to pursue the perpetrators and those spreading misinformation that can inflame tensions and further endanger lives. He cautione...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja Committed to the fight against corruption, a Non-governmental Organisation, Step Up Nigeria in partnership with the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) has spotlighted the need for legal protection in support of whistleblowers.  To this end, the foundation has opened entries for Art and Media Competition ahead of the 2026 World Whistleblower Day scheduled  for June 23. Step Up Nigeria is a creative team that builds bridges between government and citizens to tackle corruption and improve the delivery of public services. Addressing the media in Abuja, the Director of Programmes, Step Up Nigeria, Oluwaferanmi Iyanda said that the competition is an opportunity for youths to showcase their creativity and passion for transparency and accountability.  Iyanda noted that the initiative aligned with Article 33 of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), which encouraged measures to protect individuals who reported...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja President Bola Tinubu President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Sen. Ibrahim Ida as Chairman of the Corporate Affairs Commission.  Ida holds an MSc in Banking & Finance from the University of Ibadan (1983) and an LLB from the University of Abuja (2003). Before being elected to the Senate in 2017 to represent Katsina Central, he served as the Commissioner of Finance for Katsina State and as the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Civil Service. This was even as the President nominated seven others to fill vacant positions as Commissioners at the National Population Commission. The Federal Commissioners to represent their respective states in the National Population Commission are:  1. Kolawole Oladipupo Alabi  - Ekiti State 2. Nasiru Mu'azu  - Zamfara State 3. Usman Abubakar Tuggar  - Bauchi State 4. Dr Isaka Alada Yahaya  – Kwara State 5. Prof. Sadiq Isah Radda  – Katsina State 6. Suleiman Umar  – Jigawa State...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Sultan of Sokoto, represented by the Etsu Nupe, Yahaya Abubakar, alongside other prominent traditional rulers and Islamic scholars, on Sunday led special prayers for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he marked his 74th birthday at the National Mosque in Abuja. Tinubu arrived at the mosque a few minutes after 3:00 p.m., where he participated in the special prayers and later observed the Asr prayer with Muslim faithful before departing the venue. The prayer session, which drew governors, ministers, politicians, and worshippers from across the country, focused on seeking Allah’s guidance, wisdom, good health, and strength for the President as he steers the nation's affairs.  The Etsu Nupe described the gathering as a solemn spiritual exercise rather than a celebration, emphasising the need for continuous prayers for national peace, unity, and development.  He also appealed for government support towards the maintenance and welfare needs of the N...