Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has formally petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), demanding a full investigation into alleged abuse of office and corrupt enrichment by Ahmed Farouk, Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). In the petition dated December 16 and received on Tuesday at the office of the ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, in Abuja, Dangote urged the anti-corruption agency to act in the public interest by probing what he described as clear indicators of illicit wealth and regulatory misconduct within a critical national institution.…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed that it will duly investigate a corruption petition filed by billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote against the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk, citing its statutory mandate to probe allegations of abuse of office and financial impropriety. Dangote, through his lawyer, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), submitted the petition to the anti-graft agency on Tuesday, accusing the NMDPRA chief of corruption, abuse of office, and financial impropriety. Hours after the petition was filed, the ICPC formally acknowledged its receipt and assured the public…
A total sum of ₦1.928 trillion, being the Federation Account revenue for November, has been shared among the Federal Government, states and local government councils (LGCs). The allocation was approved at the December meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) held in Abuja on Monday, according to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and made available by Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF). The communiqué stated that the ₦1.928 trillion distributable revenue comprised ₦1.403 trillion in statutory revenue, ₦485.838 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT), and…
A Professor of Surveying and Geoinformatics (Gravimetric Geodesy) at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Prof. Timothy Idowu, has called for the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with conventional geophysical knowledge to achieve more reliable, accurate, and explainable outcomes in mineral exploration. Idowu made the call while delivering the 189th Inaugural Lecture of the university on Tuesday, December 9, 2025. The lecture was titled “Unlocking Subterranean Secrets: Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Enhanced Gravimetric Geodesy for Detecting Underground Beneficial Graves.” He explained that while the growing integration of AI with geodesy and geophysical methods holds significant promise for breakthroughs in subsurface exploration,…
The recent inauguration of a new Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (ACGSF) Board by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, signals a strategic shift in how Nigeria intends to support its farmers—especially the millions of smallholders who form the backbone of the country’s food system. At the ceremony, Cardoso emphasized that the renewed ACGSF will not simply act as a guarantor for agricultural loans, but as a catalyst for modernizing Nigeria’s agriculture, deepening financial inclusion, and unlocking new opportunities across the value chain. For a sector that continues to shoulder national food production under immense…
Mango farming offers significant economic potential, and its success begins with selecting appropriate varieties suited to local growing conditions and market requirements. Options such as Apple Mango are preferred for fresh consumption due to their sweetness and juiciness, while Kent and Tommy Atkins are ideal for export markets because of their long shelf life. High-yielding and disease-resistant varieties like Ngowe and Boribo further enhance productivity and reduce production risks. Proper land preparation and soil management play a critical role in establishing a strong mango orchard. Mango trees thrive in well-drained sandy loam soils with a pH range of 5.5–7.5, conditions…
Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) and President of the Dangote Group, has announced a ₦1 trillion scholarship programme to expand access to education and promote academic excellence across Nigeria. Starting in 2026, the initiative will support over 1.3 million students from all 774 local government areas, with ₦100 billion committed annually for 10 years. The programme targets Nigeria’s most vulnerable learners and is structured into three categories: Aliko Dangote STEM Scholars – 30,000 undergraduates in public universities and polytechnics will receive tuition support of up to ₦600,000 per year; Aliko Dangote Technical Scholars – 5,000 TVET…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially granted the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, a certificate of patent for a groundbreaking technological innovation on the formulation and production of three varieties of tea developed from turmeric rhizomes and leaves. The patent, presented by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology (FMIST), Mr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, was issued under the Patent and Design Act, CAP 344 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990, with the following reference details: RP: NG/PT/NC/O/2024/15488Date Issued: 11 December 2024Date of Sealing: 09 October 2025 The achievement underscores NRCRI’s expanding role in advancing scientific innovation, enhancing…
As the world moves to slow climate change and create a more sustainable future, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has named five climate forerunners as its 2025 Champions of the Earth. These five extraordinary leaders, who work on issues ranging from climate justice to sustainable cooling and forest protection, show that bold action can drive real change for people and the planet. “As the global impacts of the climate crisis intensify, innovation and leadership across every sector of society have never been more essential,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “Young students demanding climate justice, subnational governments and architects…
The Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s seed system as it participated in the IMAGE Varietal Monitoring Progress Briefing held on Tuesday in Abuja. The meeting, convened by the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), brought together major stakeholders in the seed and crop improvement sector to review ongoing efforts to institutionalise the monitoring of crop variety adoption using advanced genotyping technologies. Representing the Institute were its Executive Director, Prof. Ado Yusuf, and two of its leading cowpea breeders, Prof. M. L. Umar and Dr. Wajiha Muazu. Their presence highlighted IAR’s…