President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote remains the richest man in Africa, and now the 65th richest man in the World, despite the volatility of the Nigerian currency against the dollar, thanks to the Refinery boost. Bloomberg, in its latest Top 500 Billionaires Index released on Thursday, revealed that Dangote with a wealth of $28 billion had his wealth increased significantly after the commencement of operations of his newly built Petrochemical refinery, said to be worth over $20 billion. This new ranking is the highest the renowned entrepreneur has risen. He was previously ranked 83rd in 2022. The Dangote Refinery located…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) and Mastercard are co-chairing a new initiative called Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy (MADE) Alliance Africa, which aims to provide digital access to critical services for 100 million people and businesses in Africa over the next 10 years. In the first phase of its $300 million commitment to the Alliance’s initial five years of programming, the African Development Bank aims to bring three million of farmers in Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria into the digital economy via Mastercard Community Pass. Community Pass gives farmers a digital credential to access a network of digital agricultural…
The member representing the Shiroro, Munya and Rafi federal constituency of Niger State, Ismaila Modibbo has supported 360 students from Shiroro local government area with N40,000 each. ASHENEWS reports that the students are studying in various tertiary institutions. The Coalition of Shiroro Associations (COSA) commended Modibbo for the support, which it said, came at a time considering the overbearing cost of living, and especially the students’ living conditions in their various schools. COSA chairman, Usman Ibrahim Kuta, equally applauded Modibbo “for taking full sponsorship of some students of the local government to study health-related courses in Great Success School of…
The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru has called for synergy in the military-industrial complex while reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to bolstering Nigeria’s military capabilities through enhanced Research and Development (R&D). Speaking at the Defence Research and Development Bureau (DRDB) Annual Seminar and Exhibition in Abuja, the Minister stressed the importance of leveraging local innovation to overcome the challenges posed by global and regional security threats. Addressing the audience as the Special Guest of Honour, the Minister said: “Our national security strategy acknowledges the vital role of innovation in fostering a secured and prosperous nation. To effectively respond to today’s…
“I found several culture plates where none of the six antibiotics placed on them had any effect on the bacteria,” recalls Habibullah Ibuowo, a 400-level Medical Laboratory Science student. This startling discovery occurred during his 10-week clinical training, a requirement for Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) students. It was his first encounter with antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a problem that is quietly but dangerously growing in labs worldwide. By Wonderful Adegoke According to WHO, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines. As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become…
The Jigawa State Police Command has confirmed that a petrol tanker explosion late Tuesday night claimed the lives of over 90 people, with about 50 others hospitalized, in Majia Town, Taura Local Government Area of the state. The incident occurred around 11:30 PM when the tanker from Kano heading to Nguru in Yobe State lost control near Khadija University, within Taura LGA. Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Command, DSP Lawan Shiisu said despite the efforts of the police, who had cordoned off the area and issued warnings to the public, people resisted and started scooping the fuel, triggering…
The Coordinating Minister of Health & Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate has officially launched a three-year partnership aimed at providing accessible heart surgeries and advanced cardiovascular care to underprivileged and financially disadvantaged Nigerians. The partnership, formed between FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company Limited (FIRST E&P) and the Healthy Heart Foundation, was formalized at a signing event in Abuja. During the launch, Pate emphasized the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria, particularly hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and strokes, which are rapidly becoming the most significant health challenges. Acknowledging the government’s limited resources to address these issues, he urged the…
Tech giant, Google has signed a deal with California-based Kairos Power to utilize small nuclear reactors for generating the substantial energy required to operate its artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. According to reports, the company confirmed that the first nuclear reactor is expected to go online within this decade, with additional reactors planned by 2035. However, the financial terms of the agreement and the specific locations of the plants have not been disclosed. This move highlights the tech giant’s push to explore sustainable energy sources to meet the increasing energy demands of AI. Michael Terrell, Google’s Senior Director for Energy…
Cassava production in western Kenya is being threatened by an army of pests and diseases that could decimate harvests. This starchy crop—the second most important in Kenya’s western and coastal regions, after maize—feeds over 500 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, and the challenge from these threats could have devastating consequences for food security in the region. But, new research offers hope for both farmers and consumers. In a recent study titled “Occurrence and Distribution of Major Cassava Pests and Diseases in Cultivated Cassava Varieties in Western Kenya,” scientists from IITA and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Institute (KALRO) conducted…
Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled on Thursday his vision of a “a fun, exciting future,” an “age of abundance” full of his company’s self-driving cars without steering wheels, parking lots turned into parks and robots that will walk among the population – that he once again promised would be available within a few years. Whether he can live up to these promises remains to be seen. Those plans, and the revelation of the designs for his robotaxis, came at a glitzy event in California, full of the kind of hype that has built Tesla (TSLA) a dedicated fan base for…