News Rider

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja Nigeria and United States are forging ahead in deepening cooperation on security, counterterrorism, regional stability, and strategic partnership. National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who undertook a three-day working visit to the United States from May 4 to May 6, held a series of high-level engagements with senior officials of the US government.  He conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s strong commitment to Nigeria’s longstanding strategic partnership with the United States. Ribadu met with US Vice President J. D. Vance; Acting National Security Advisor and Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker; and Assistant Secretary of War, Daniel Zimmerim. The meetings provided an opportunity for both sides to review the current state of Nigeria–United States relations and to further strengthen ongoing collaboration in counterterrorism, defence cooperation, intelligence sharing, regional security, eco...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja     Prof Innocent Barikor Determined to close the gap on exclusion, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has taken firm decision to integrate waste collectors into Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) cooperatives.  The cooperative-led model of EPR  is expected to capture small scale businesses from the informal sector into the programme.  Director General of NESREA, Prof Innocent Barikor stated this during a virtual stakeholder sensitization on the cooperative-led EPR model as a formalisation strategy for the informal sector, organised by NESREA for stakeholders in the EPR programme. He said that the initiative aims to make the EPR ecosystem inclusive by bringing informal waste collectors, sorters, and recyclers into the formal system, giving them access to governance structures, financing, social protection, and environmental compliance support. "The cooperative-led EPR model prese...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja In line with President Bola Tinubu's commitment to protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring the safety of Nigerians, the Federal Government has pegged the ongoing construction of new Carter Bridge in Lagos at N545 billion. Part of the new Carter Bridge will feature a world-class cable-stayed design to improve navigation and add aesthetic value to Lagos. Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi stated this at the hand over of construction of Carter Bridge to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).  The project, expected to last for 36 months, will be financed through a combination of Federal Government counterpart funding and external borrowing, with 30 percent to be paid by the Federal Government and 70 percent sourced externally. Umahi said that the decision to reconstruct the bridge became necessary after years of alarming structural investigations revealed worsening defects beneath both the Carter Bridge and the 3rd Mainland...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi has endorsed President Bola Tinubu's second term bid for Nigeria's number job.  Tinubu will re-contest the presidential election under his party, All Progressives Congress (APC). Signing Tinubu's nomination form in Abuja, Umahi described it as a victory form and a defining moment in Nigeria’s ongoing development journey. He said that it is a collective commitment to continuity, stability, and the consolidation of gains recorded under the current administration.  The minister noted that the President through his leadership style set in motion critical infrastructure reforms, particularly in road construction and rehabilitation, which remain vital to economic growth. According to him, ongoing projects across the country are part of the administration’s resolve to deliver tangible results, adding that the progress made so far provided a strong foundation for sustained national transformation. He was con...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja President Bola Tinubu has parleyed global investors in Paris, France, placing much emphasis on transparency and fiscal discipline, while explaining the rationale for the swift implementation of bold reforms. At the meeting, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, highlighted Nigeria's strong GDP growth in dollar terms in 2025. He said that Nigeria recorded 11.2% GDP growth in dollar terms last year, a record that reinforced the country's ambition to achieve a $1 trillion economy in 2030.  Oyedele emphasised the government's near-term priorities of translating reforms into results for the Nigerian people. He also pledged to publish quarterly financial data. The Director General of the Debt Management Office, Mrs Patience Oniha assured investors of the government’s responsible approach to debt financing and its focus on sustainable debt management.  The investors were from Citibank and France's ...

Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has sealed deal with the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) on consumer protection enforcement and the replacement of hazardous products in Lagos. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Commission’s CEO, Mr. Tunji Bello, and the General Manager of LASCOPA, Afolabi Solebo. Part of the terms of agreement stipulates that both parties must recognise that mutual collaboration and cooperation in protecting consumers are vital to achieving an optimal, stable, and reliable goods- and services-based market, consistent with their respective mandates. The parties, in recognition of their joint and mutual responsibilities, are expected to facilitate effective, efficient, and coordinated discharge of their respective functions for the benefit of consumers and business operators in Lagos State. On the scope of the MOU, the parties agreed to cooperate and collaborate in discharging their res...