The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, has inaugurated the new Board of the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (ACGSF), reaffirming the Bank’s commitment to strengthening agricultural financing and boosting productivity across the country. Speaking at the inauguration, Cardoso underscored the Scheme’s critical role in de-risking agricultural lending since its establishment in 1977. He said the ACGSF has continued to support farmers through guaranteed credit, contributing significantly to food security and rural development. The CBN Governor called for a more innovative, inclusive, and technology-driven approach to agricultural lending, stressing the need to expand access for…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has given the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) up to December 15 to appear before it and address allegations of massive revenue leakages uncovered in the company’s operations. The committee’s chairman, Rep. Bamidele Salam, issued the directive during a hearing on Monday in Abuja after NNPCL again failed to honour its latest invitation. The company, in a letter read by Salam, attributed its absence to an emergency meeting with the President and requested a 60-day extension. Salam, however, rejected the excuse, noting that the committee had written to the company more…
The Sokoto State Government, in partnership with the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) is transforming the agriculture sector by launching a modern onion cold storage facility in More Area, Sokoto—an investment Governor Ahmed Aliyu says will help farmers reduce losses, improve quality, and earn more from their produce. Speaking at the event on Monday, Governor Aliyu described the visit by the MOFI team as the beginning of “a partnership filled with promise,” especially for thousands of farmers whose livelihoods depend on agriculture. According to him, Sokoto’s long-standing reputation as Nigeria’s leading onion producer is a source of pride, but noted…
Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya (rtd), has firmly dismissed allegations linking him to individuals accused of terror financing, describing the claims as false, malicious, and entirely baseless. The allegations, purportedly made by retired Maj.-Gen. Danjuma Ali-Keffi, claimed that Yahaya maintained associations with suspected terror financiers during his tenure. Yahaya, in a statement issued on Saturday by retired Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, said the claims were fabricated with the intention of damaging his reputation and undermining his years of service to the nation. ALSO READ Malami reacts to alleged link to terrorism financing ALSO READ Buratai denies terrorism-financing allegations,…
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has denied claims linking him to terrorism financing, describing the allegations as unfounded, misleading and politically motivated. In a statement on Friday, Malami said his attention was drawn to a publication suggesting that he had connections with persons described as terror suspects or alleged financiers. He stressed that at no time had he been accused, invited, interrogated, investigated, or charged by any security, intelligence or regulatory agency in Nigeria or abroad over terrorism financing or related offences. He noted that even the retired military officer whose account was…
An Egyptian member of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Focal Point Committee and Founder of the Global Solidarity Network, Hassan Ghazaly, has submitted the official outcomes of the 5th African Youth Symposium to the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Dada Morero, and APRM Chairperson, Ambassador Marie-Antoinette Vilakazi. The handover took place at the close of the two-day conference held at the Pan-African Parliament in Johannesburg. The Symposium, themed “Youth in Governance: From Promise to Prosperity,” brought together senior African and international figures, including President of the Pan-African Parliament, Fortune Charumbira; Chairperson of the PAP Committee on Youth, Laila Daahi; Secretary-General…
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has launched the portal for the 2025 Licensing Round, offering 50 oil and gas blocks as the government seeks to attract up to $10 billion in new investments. The available assets comprise 15 onshore blocks, 19 shallow-water blocks, 15 frontier basins, and one deep-water block. The round is expected to add as much as two billion barrels to the country’s oil reserves over the next decade. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the Commission Chief Executive, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, said the blocks span onshore, swamp/shallow water, frontier, and deep-water terrains. He noted…
Swedish researchers have announced a major medical breakthrough with the creation of nanobots capable of clearing dangerous arterial plaque within minutes. These microscopic machines, guided by magnetic fields, navigate through the bloodstream to precisely target and dissolve hardened plaque buildup, restoring healthy blood flow without the need for surgery, stents, or lengthy recovery periods. Early clinical trials demonstrate that the nanobots outperform current procedures such as angioplasty and stenting in effectively cleaning arteries. As the nanobots break down plaque into tiny particles, the body naturally eliminates the debris, leaving arteries open and smooth. Patients involved in the initial studies experienced…
Nigeria’s economic expansion has maintained a steady growth trajectory, with the Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rising to 56.4 points in November. The Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) PMI report for the month under review, released on Monday, noted that the rise marked the twelfth consecutive month of expansion in economic activity. The industry sector maintained its upward trajectory with a PMI reading of 54.2 points. A further breakdown showed that 10 of the 17 industrial subsectors reported growth, underscoring renewed resilience and stronger output levels across the industrial value chain. Similarly, the services sector posted a PMI of 56.8…
The Northwest University Sokoto (NWUS) has begun a transformative digital skills training programme designed to empower all its staff with the tools they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. The programme, which kicked off on Monday, December 1, 2025, is unfolding in three phases. It begins with a six-day intensive session for management staff — Deans, Directors, and Heads of Departments — who play a central role in shaping the University’s direction and culture. At the opening ceremony, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Mukhtar Umar Bunza, spoke with a mix of conviction and concern about the pace of global…