Africa is fast becoming a dumping ground for cheap, often toxic petroleum products — many of which are blended to substandard levels that would never be permitted in Europe or North America. This alarming concern was raised by the President/Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, at the ongoing West African Refined Fuel Conference in Abuja. The event is organised by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in collaboration with S&P Global Commodity Insights. Dangote revealed that due to Africa’s limited domestic refining capacity, the continent imports over 120 million tonnes of refined petroleum products annually,…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
The Kaduna State Government, on Tuesday, received a preliminary report aimed at enhancing modern contraceptive use, marking a significant step toward strengthening reproductive health services in the state. The “Preliminary Descriptive Analysis Results”, which explores public attitudes and access to modern family planning methods, was received on behalf of the Health Commissioner, Umma K. Ahmed, by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Aishatu Abubakar Sadiq from the Consumer Intelligence for Accelerating Modern Contraceptive Use project. All stakeholders witnessed the presentation at the Ministry of Health headquarters. Welcoming the team, Dr. Sadiq described the report as a “vital step towards informed dialogue and…
Over 3.7 million people in northeast Nigeria are grappling with severe food insecurity as ongoing conflict continues to displace families and restrict farmers’ access to land. Once the backbone of local communities, farmers now face long and dangerous journeys to tend their fields amid persistent violence. Modu Umar, a community leader from Dikwa, explained the dire situation: “Right now, we face severe food shortages. Some families walk long distances daily to collect and sell firewood just to afford food.” Farmers like 70-year-old Churi Ibrahim endure exhausting three-hour treks to their farms, often barely able to harvest enough to sustain their…
As part of efforts to ensure transparency and equitable access to subsidized fertilizer for the 2025 wet season, Governor Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto State has appointed Local Government Area (LGA) Coordinators and inaugurated a Supervisory Committee to oversee the distribution and sale of fertilizer across the 23 LGAs in the state. The initiative is aimed at preventing diversion, ensuring fair distribution, and supporting farmers across the 244 political wards. Each coordinator is tasked with supervising the allocation and sales within their respective local governments, while the newly established committee will provide oversight to guarantee adherence to state guidelines. Prominent individuals…
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has issued a weather forecast warning of thunderstorms and moderate to heavy rainfall expected across various parts of the country over a three-day period starting Monday, July 22, 2025. In its latest weather outlook, NiMet advised residents in affected areas to take precautionary measures against potential flooding, strong winds, and reduced visibility that may accompany the storms. Monday (July 22) Thunderstorms are expected during the morning hours in parts of Taraba and Adamawa States in the northeast. Later in the afternoon and evening, rain and thunderstorms are likely in Zamfara, Kebbi, Taraba, Adamawa, and Kaduna.…
A major political development has eriputed in the northeastern state of Adamawa state, with Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, popularly known as Binani, officially defecting from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The announcement came after months of speculation about her future within the APC, following a turbulent political period marked by her controversial disqualification from the 2023 Adamawa gubernatorial race, despite initially clinching the party’s ticket. In a bold move, Binani declared her switch to the ADC alongside a throng of loyal supporters who accompanied her to the party’s state secretariat in Yola, Adamawa State…
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has thrown its weight behind the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s recent call for the passage of the Unexplained Wealth Bill by the National Assembly. In a statement released on Saturday, July 19, 2025, MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, urged lawmakers to act without further delay, stressing that the bill would strengthen the fight against corruption in both public and private sectors. According to Akintola, the bill, if enacted, would compel greater probity and accountability by giving law enforcement agencies the legal backing to question individuals whose lifestyles and assets do not match…
FirstBank, one of Nigeria’s oldest and most trusted financial institutions, has achieved a significant milestone by disbursing over ₦1 trillion in instant digital loans. This landmark achievement highlights the bank’s leadership in leveraging technology to drive financial inclusion and provide accessible credit solutions to millions of Nigerians. Since launching its digital lending services in August 2019, FirstBank has continued to innovate in the financial services space by offering automated, collateral-free loan options to individuals and small businesses. Its digital loan products—FirstAdvance, FirstCredit, and AgentCredit—have now reached more than 1.5 million customers across the country. These services are designed to be…
Former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, has opened up on how some influential figures within the corridors of power bypassed his office to gain direct access to the former president. Gambari, who served from 2020 to 2023, disclosed this during a recent lecture titled “Leadership and Public Policy: Reflections on Public Service at the National and Global Levels” delivered at the Public Lecture and Fellowship Investiture of the Society for International Relations Awareness (SIRA) in Abuja. He revealed that despite his senior role, certain individuals managed to smuggle memos and policy documents directly to President…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Muhammad Babangida, the son of the former military President, as chairman of the revamped Bank of Agriculture (BoA). President Tinubu approved the appointment today, along with seven others. Some of them will serve as chairmen or directors-general of Federal agencies. Muhammad Babangida, 53, is an alumnus of the European University in Montreux, Switzerland, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Public Relations and Business Communication. He later attended Harvard Business School’s Executive Program on Corporate Governance in 2002. Others appointed by the President are: Lydia Kalat Musa…