A total of 732 oil spills were recorded in Nigeria between January and July 2024, with sabotage emerging as the leading cause, accounting for 67.29% of the cases, according to data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). The data, analysed by Statisense, reveals that sabotage alone was responsible for 485 incidents of oil spills. Another 175 incidents (24.28%) were yet to be attributed to any specific cause, falling under the “Not Yet Determined” category. Other causes included equipment failure (29 incidents or 4.02%), corrosion (19 incidents or 2.64%), operational or maintenance errors (18 incidents or 2.50%), and a…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
Microsoft has shattered another historic barrier, becoming the second company ever to reach a staggering $4 trillion market capitalization. While the tech giant built its reputation on Windows, it’s the company’s aggressive push into cloud computing and artificial intelligence that’s now driving its record-smashing valuation. Azure: The engine behind Microsoft’s meteoric rise The heart of Microsoft’s growth story is Azure, its cloud platform meticulously developed over the last decade. Azure now stands as the world’s number two cloud provider, trailing only Amazon Web Services (AWS) and consistently outpacing Google Cloud when it comes to revenue. What’s more, Azure has become…
US President Donald Trump has officially imposed a new 15% import tariff on Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Algeria, Angola, Uganda, Libya, Botswana, DRC, Cote d’IVoire, Mozambique, Mauritius, Ghana, Malawi, Cameroun, Chad, Lesotho, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia and Madagascar. This development was announced in an Executive Order issued by the White House on Thursday, titled “Further modifying the reciprocal import tariff rates.” According to the order: “These modifications shall be effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m.” The Executive Order also included varied tariff rates for other countries. South…
Design software company Figma has officially filed to go public, targeting a $1.2 billion initial public offering (IPO), marking one of the most anticipated tech listings in recent years. According to its filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Figma plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “FIGA.” The offering comes amid a generally tepid IPO market but signals renewed confidence in the tech sector’s growth prospects. Founded in 2012, Figma revolutionized the design world by enabling collaborative, cloud-based interface design. Its popularity soared, particularly among UX/UI professionals and tech companies, due…
By Abdallah el-Kurebe I July 31, 2025 I The International Potato Center (CIP) has announced the launch of the 2023–2024 Best Sweetpotato Scientific Paper Competition, inviting researchers across the globe to submit outstanding scientific publications focused on sweetpotato innovations and impact. The competition aims to highlight and reward top-tier scientific research that advances the understanding, development, and application of sweetpotato in food security, nutrition, and livelihoods—especially in low- and middle-income countries. The winning entry will receive a $500 cash prize, to be presented at the International Symposium on Tropical Root and Tuber Crops (ISTRC) scheduled to hold in India, from…
The Board of Directors of the Uganda Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (UFAAS) on Thursday held a strategic meeting with the new Executive Director of the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), Dr. Lilian Lihasi, at the AFAAS Secretariat boardroom in Ntinda, Kampala. The engagement was aimed at introducing the Uganda Country Forum leadership to Dr. Lihasi, who recently assumed office as AFAAS Executive Director. AFAAS is a continental umbrella body that coordinates and supports agricultural extension and advisory services across Africa. During the meeting, Dr. Lihasi commended UFAAS for its active contribution to the growth and consolidation of…
By Abdallah el-Kurebe I July 31, 2025 I Niger State has firmly established itself as a dominant force in Nigeria’s agricultural sector in 2024, according to the latest rankings (data) from the Statisense Agricultural Productivity Survey. The state seized the top spot nationally in the production of both rice and yam, highlighting its pivotal role in feeding the nation. The 2024 rankings underscore Niger State’s broad agricultural strength: it came in first place for rice and yam, secured second place in maize production, and held third place for both groundnut and soybean. Additionally, Niger State ranked sixth in millet, seventh…
By Abdallah el-Kurebe I July 31, 2025 | The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) unveiled its 2024 Annual Report, showcasing a transformative year marked by deepened country-led initiatives, enhanced climate resilience, and strengthened market competitiveness across 12 African nations. With a bold strategy firmly rooted in national priorities and continental frameworks, AGRA accelerated implementation of its Strategy 3.0, committing over USD 164 million in programmatic resources to empower smallholder farmers—the backbone of Africa’s food security. Key Highlights: Building Resilience Through Innovation: AGRA’s partnership with governments and local institutions saw significant gains in regenerative agriculture in eastern Kenya,…
Toward an equitable healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa, global healthcare company Novo Nordisk and the American Society of Hematology (ASH) have announced a strategic three-year partnership to strengthen sickle cell disease (SCD) care across seven African nations. The initiative will support the Consortium on Newborn Screening in Africa (CONSA) Community Health Worker (CHW) program, targeting Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. This collaboration aims to significantly improve outcomes for children diagnosed with SCD by training community health workers in early diagnosis, education, and care coordination. The goal is to bridge healthcare gaps in underserved communities and improve care retention,…
By Abdallah el-Kurebe | July 30, 2025 | A historic leap for African science and innovation has been made by a Nigerian space scientist and Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) alumnus, Temidayo Oniosun. He is sending Egusi seeds — a beloved West African delicacy — into outer space as part of a pioneering agricultural research experiment. The mission, which will launch on July 31 at 12:09 PM EDT (5:09 PM Nigerian time) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard NASA’s Crew-11 resupply flight to the International Space Station (ISS), marks the first time in history that seeds from Nigeria will be…