News Rider

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja  Joseph Tegbe President Bola Tinubu has named Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Minister of Power, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The nomination has been transmitted to the Senate for screening and confirmation in accordance with the Constitution. This follows the resignation of the former Minister, Adebayo Adelabu, who stepped down from office to pursue elective office. Tegbe, from Oyo State, is a fiscal and economic reform expert with over 35 years of experience spanning the public and private sectors.  He is a former Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, where he led wide-ranging initiatives in fiscal policy reform, institutional transformation, and governance.  Tegbe had advised key government institutions and private sector organisations on strategic reforms, regulatory frameworks, and investment structuring. He is presently the Director General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnershi...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja   Rilwan Babalola President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Mr Rilwan Lanre Babalola as Special Adviser to the President on Power. Babalola will also serve as Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power Sector Reset and Restoration. This is even as the President redesignated the Office of the Special Adviser (Energy) as the Special Adviser (Oil & Gas) to clarify roles and avoid duplication of functions within the energy governance framework. Babalola, a former Minister for Power, brings deep sectoral expertise and a proven understanding of the structural and operational challenges within the electricity value chain. His appointment underscores the President’s determination to undertake a decisive and results-driven reset of Nigeria’s power sector.  The Presidential taskforce, which he heads, will operate under a direct presidential mandate as a high-level, delivery-focused vehicle to restore discipline, efficiency, and commercial viab...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja   Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo The Federal Government has declared Friday, May 1, 2026, as public holiday to mark this year’s International Workers’ Day. Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo made the declaration on behalf of the government.  In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Magdalene Ajani on Thursday, the minister commended workers across the country for their dedication and contributions to national development. He stated that the efforts of Nigerian workers remain central to the nation’s growth and prosperity, urging them to continue upholding the values of patriotism, productivity, and commitment to duty. Tunji-Ojo said that workers' efforts are essential for the nation’s growth and prosperity. He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to improving workers’ welfare and security, as well as fostering an enabling environment for economic growth. While wishing workers a successful celebration, the minister urged Nigerians t...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Federal Government has approved the dualisation of 8.9-kilometre road connecting Bodo-Bonny to the East-West Road in the Niger Delta. To be executed under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, the project is expected to cost N150 billion.  Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi stated this when he received the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Adeleye Falade in Wednesday at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.  The meeting centered on the completed Bodo-Bonny Road and the next phase of development that will link it to the East-West Road, an important route for movement of people and goods in the Niger Delta. Umahi noted that President Tinubu approved the project, which will be constructed with concrete, alongside  two flyovers, solar-powered streetlights, and modern monitoring systems. He said: "We are working with Julius Berger since they are on site, it is more economi...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja      Bianca Ojukwu and Sola Enikanolaiye President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, following the resignation of Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who stepped down to participate in the 2027 elections. Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu previously served as Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Also, the President nominated Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye as the new Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, subject to Senate confirmation. Until his nomination, Ambassador Enikanolaiye, from Kogi State, served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations. Enikanolaiye is a distinguished diplomat and seasoned public servant with over three decades of exemplary service in Nigeria’s foreign service.  He previously served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held key diplomatic postings in Addis Ababa,...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja     Saidu Mohammed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sacked Mr Saidu Mohammed as the  Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), in the public interest. To this end, the President nominated  Mr Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the new Chief Executive of the NMDPRA. The appointment is subject to Senate confirmation. The decision, made pursuant to the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, was aimed at strengthening regulatory effectiveness in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda. Mr Umar is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors, and a proven track record in strategic leadership, operational transformation, and large-scale project delivery. He is a graduate of Accounting from Bayero University and an alumnus of Harvard Business School.  Pending Senate confirmation of the new ...