Dangote Cement Plc has inducted 100 newly trained engineers and professionals into its workforce following the completion of its Graduate Trainee Programme, reinforcing the company’s commitment to job creation, skills development and local capacity building. The inductees, drawn from engineering, finance, IT and other disciplines, completed an intensive 18-month programme combining classroom instruction and on-the-job training at the Dangote Academy, the company’s four Nigerian plants and its head office. The Graduate Trainee Programme is a structured development pathway designed to groom high-potential professionals for future leadership roles through cross-functional exposure, executive mentorship and hands-on project execution. During the programme, trainees…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
The corruption trial of Diezani Alison-Madueke, former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources and the first female president of OPEC, is set to begin in London on Monday. Alison-Madueke, 65, faces five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, all linked to her tenure as oil minister between 2010 and 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan. Prosecutors allege that between 2011 and 2015, she accepted “financial or other advantages” from individuals connected to two energy companies. The alleged benefits include the use and refurbishment of several London properties, payment of staff costs, luxury furniture, chauffeur-driven cars,…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 30-year-old Brazilian woman, Ms. Ingrid Rosa Benevides, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for attempting to smuggle into Nigeria 30.09 kilograms of heroin concealed in factory-sealed coffee packs, valued at over N3 billion. The suspect, a private security officer in Brazil, was apprehended on Friday, January 23, 2026, upon her arrival aboard a Qatar Airways flight QR1431, following processed intelligence. A search of her two checked-in bags revealed 21 factory-sealed packets of Brazilian coffee, which were later found to contain white heroin rather than the beverage. The seizure is…
Nigeria’s external reserves have climbed above the $46 billion mark for the first time in nearly eight years, underscoring a sustained improvement in the country’s foreign exchange position since the launch of FX reforms in 2025. Latest data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), dated January 22, 2026, show that reserves reached $46 billion, a level last recorded on August 27, 2018, when they stood at $45.9 billion. The milestone reflects steady inflows and tighter foreign exchange management, strengthening buffers for import cover and currency stability as the country enters a politically sensitive pre-election year. Data indicate that reserves…
Former Commissioner for Tertiary Education and Executive Director (Finance) of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), Prof. Muhammad Bashar Nuhu Tachi, has called on members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to actively participate in the party’s ongoing mass e-registration exercise. Prof. Tachi described the exercise as a critical step towards strengthening the party’s internal structure and promoting inclusive participation at all levels. He made the call in Kuta, Ubandoma Ward, while personally undergoing the e-registration process, following an appeal by the national and state leadership of the party. According to him, the exercise will determine the eligibility of members…
The World Bank has approved $50 million to expand solar-powered agricultural infrastructure in Nigeria and five other African countries, in a bid to boost farm productivity, reduce post-harvest losses and deepen access to clean energy. The funding, disclosed through programme updates involving the World Bank and its partners, including the Rockefeller Foundation, will support the deployment of solar-powered cold rooms, refrigerators, irrigation pumps and grain mills across Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Implementation will be led by Clasp, a Washington DC-based non-profit organisation focused on energy efficiency and clean energy access, according to…
The United Nasarawa State Women for Sustainable Development has called on the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, to intensify efforts to promote women’s empowerment across Nasarawa State. The group made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the Minister’s office on Friday, where it also presented her with its “Trailblazers Award of Excellence” in recognition of her leadership and advocacy. Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the group’s leader, Asmau Oyanki, said the Minister was the first recipient of the award, describing her as a role model for women across the country. She urged the Minister to deploy…
The Presidency has affirmed that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is the recognised leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, insisting that former governor Nyesom Wike is not a member of the ruling party. The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, clarified Channels Television’s Hard Copy programme amid the deepening political crisis in Rivers State, which has escalated into impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara by members of the State Assembly. Bwala aligned with the position earlier stated by the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, stressing that party leadership in Rivers rests squarely…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced plans to introduce new regulations on debit card issuance and Automated Teller Machine (ATM) operations in a move to reduce congestion and improve cash access across the country. The proposed policy is designed to address persistent challenges in the banking system, including long queues at ATMs, frequent machine breakdowns, and uneven cash availability, which have continued to frustrate customers despite the growth of electronic payment channels. Under the new framework, banks will be required to align the number of debit cards they issue with the capacity and distribution of their ATM networks.…
Nigerian banks recorded an increase in loan defaults by households and businesses in the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting mounting repayment pressures amid challenging economic conditions. This was disclosed in the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Credit Conditions Survey (CCS) Report for Q4 2025, which showed higher default rates across both household and corporate loan segments during the period. According to the report, defaults rose on secured and unsecured household loans, as well as across all major categories of corporate lending, including facilities extended to small businesses, private non-financial corporations (PNFCs) and other financial corporations (OFCs). “Lenders reported higher default…