The Federal Government on Monday condemned the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) for what it described as an attempt to hold the nation to ransom over a minor labour dispute that could have been amicably resolved. Declaring open the 31st edition of the Nigerian Economic Summit (NESG) in Abuja, Vice President Kashim Shettima said the $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery is a strategic national asset that must be protected and supported to succeed. Shettima said, “Aliko Dangote is not just an individual; he is an institution and a leading light in Nigeria’s economic rejuvenation. How…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
A wave of discontent is sweeping through the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) following allegations of undemocratic conduct and abuse of office against the association’s national president, Festus Osifo, and general secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa. Over 500 members of PENGASSAN’s Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) branch have accused the national leadership of breaching the union’s constitution and eroding internal democracy. In a petition to the Registrar of Trade Unions at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the aggrieved members claimed that repeated attempts to engage the national secretariat over unresolved issues had…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has begun the process of developing Nigeria’s next National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP 2026–2030), with its Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa urging stakeholders to ensure the new strategy tackles emerging threats sustaining the illicit drug trade. Marwa gave the charge on Monday, October 6, 2025, in Niger State, while declaring open a five-day workshop to draft the fifth National Drug Control Master Plan. The residential retreat is funded by the ECOWAS Commission and supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). “The task before us over the next few days…
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Wednesday explained why he dissolved his cabinet and relieved all commissioners and public officers of their appointments. Speaking through a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, Fubara said the decision was informed by the recent Supreme Court judgment that reinstated his mandate after months of political uncertainty in the state. The governor, who hosted a valedictory session with his cabinet members at the Government House, Port Harcourt, to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary, expressed appreciation to the outgoing commissioners for their service and contributions to the state’s development over the past…
The Federal Government has brokered a truce between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery. This was contained in a communiqué issued on Wednesday in Abuja and signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Muhammad Maigari-Dingyadi, at the end of a two-day conciliation meeting. The meeting, which held on Monday and Tuesday, was attended by the National Security Adviser, Ministers of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, and State for Petroleum (Gas), as well as representatives of the DSS, NIA, NNPCL, NMDPRA, NUPRC, and labour leaders. The conciliation…
The reconciliation meeting between the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and leaders of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Tuesday shifted to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in Abuja. The talks, which are being held behind closed doors, follow days of heightened tension over industrial action by the union against the refinery. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi, along with some PENGASSAN representatives, was seen moving from the ministry to the NSA’s office for the crucial session. PENGASSAN had earlier declared a nationwide strike against Dangote Refinery over alleged…
A Professor of Medicine and Consultant Nephrologist at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Dr. Aliyu Abdul, has revealed that at least, 651 kidneys were trafficked and transplanted illegally in Nigeria between 2015 and 2020. According to him, the black-market value of these kidneys is estimated at $41 billion, underscoring the alarming scale of organ trafficking in the country. “This shocking revelation highlights the disturbing rate of illegal organ trade in Nigeria,” Prof. Abdul said. He raised concerns about where these kidneys were sourced from, questioning whether they came from impoverished citizens who may have been ignorant of the health…
Nigeria has appealed to the African Development Bank (AfDB) for support in financing Phase II of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) and the Green Legacy Initiative. Vice-President Kashim Shettima made the request during a bilateral meeting with AfDB President, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. SAPZ Phase II aims to expand climate-resilient infrastructure and agro-industrial growth to 24 additional states, up from the initial eight and the FCT, with the goal of diversifying Nigeria’s economy and boosting value-added agricultural exports. “Nigeria has the agro-ecological potential to grow virtually…
Nigeria has called on the African Development Bank (AfDB) to support the country’s National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) in tackling desertification and land degradation. The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, made the appeal during a bilateral meeting with AfDB President, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The meeting was convened at the instance of Vice-President Kashim Shettima. The NAGGW was established to address land degradation, combat desertification, boost food security, and help communities adapt to climate change across 11 frontline states: Sokoto,…
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has reported a significant surge in its monthly profit, rising by 91.3 percent to N539 billion. This increase marks a robust recovery in the company’s financial performance compared to previous months in 2025. NNPCL’s improved profitability highlights the company’s operational resilience amid fluctuating global oil markets and ongoing efforts to boost crude oil and natural gas production. The rise in profit is also a testament to strategic management actions driven by renewed vigor against challenges like crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism. This financial upturn underscores NNPCL’s central role in contributing to Nigeria’s…