The Governing Council of the University of Abuja, chaired by former Sen. Olanrewaju Tejuoso, has approved the promotion of 21 academic staff to professorial ranks. This is contained in a statement issued by the Acting Director, Information and University Relations, Mr Habib Yakoob, on Sunday in Abuja. ASHENEWS gathered that the institution is now known as Yakubu Gowon University. Yakoob said 16 senior academics were elevated to professor, while five others were promoted to associate professor across various disciplines and areas of specialisation. He said the promotions were ratified at the council’s 81st extraordinary meeting held on February 6 and…
Author: Newsdesk
The Bank of Industry (BoI) has secured regulatory approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to operate a Non-Interest Banking (NIB) Window. Announcing the milestone on Sunday in Lagos via a statement, Managing Director, BoI, Dr Olasupo Olusi, said the development marked a significant milestone in the bank’s growth and long-term development agenda. Olusi said the approval authorises BoI to commence non-interest banking operations. According to him, it positions the bank to further advance Nigeria’s sustainable and inclusive industrial development through tailored financial solutions for underserved and high-impact business segments. Olusi noted that the NIB operations would enable BOI…
…As NDLEA intercepts meth consignments in yogurt packs, Mp3 speakers; raids Colos factory in Ibadan, arrests kingpin A 62-year-old Lagos-based businessman Nwabueze Nicholas Izueke has been arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) Kano by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) while heading to China with 95 jumbo-sized wraps of cocaine weighing 1.589 kilograms buried in his stomach. Nwabueze was arrested on Saturday 31st January 2026 at the Kano airport during the outward clearance of passengers going to China via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940. When taken for body scan, he tested positive…
Patient care at 13 government hospitals across the region is sharply declining as private outsourcing firms managing them have not received payments since July due to ongoing technical upgrades at the accountant general’s office. According to a report by Dawn, the health department released PKR 413 million intended for these entities under public-private partnership agreements, yet the funds remain stuck and have not been transferred, leaving hospitals struggling to operate. Such facilities were earlier outsourced by the government through the Health Foundation (HF), keeping in view the need to improve services. However, the financial bottleneck is negatively affecting the operations.…
Former French Culture Minister Jack Lang has stepped down from his role leading a prominent Paris cultural centre following allegations of past financial ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which have triggered a tax investigation. At 86, Lang is the most high-profile French figure impacted by the recent release of Epstein files by the US Department of Justice. He is best known for his influential tenure as culture minister under Socialist President François Mitterrand in the 1980s and 1990s. Lang, who had overseen the Arab World Institute since 2013, was summoned to the French Foreign Ministry on Sunday but…
Some health practitioners have urged the Federal Government to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system for effective service delivery, particularly in managing snakebites and other critical health emergencies. The experts spoke with reporters on Sunday in Lagos, following the death of Abuja-based music talent Ifunanya Nwangene, who reportedly visited two hospitals unable to administer antivenom before she passed away. The 1st Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State, Dr Ewonowo Temidire, said primary and secondary healthcare facilities should be equipped and repositioned to effectively treat snakebites. Temidire stressed the need to provide rural and community facilities with the requisites for…
Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), has attributed the agency’s success in disaster management to skilled human resources. He stated this during a courtesy visit to reporters in Lagos on Sunday. According to Oke-Osanyintolu, effective disaster response relies on trained personnel working alongside modern technology. He stressed the importance of continuous human capital development in emergency management institutions. “Technology alone cannot deliver results without capable and well-prepared personnel. “At LASEMA, we deliberately combine advanced technology with strong human capacity development,” he said. He explained that this approach has improved efficiency, coordination, and overall…
A healthcare stakeholder, Mr Shem Adah, says recent industrial actions by health unions in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have created opportunities for healthcare system reforms. Adah told reporters on Sunday that repeated strikes by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and others disrupted services across the FCT. He noted that the actions further strained an already fragile system challenged by inadequate funding, manpower shortages, and weak infrastructure. Adah said the strike period highlighted the need for stronger contingency planning, sustainable workforce development, and improved health financing to prevent service disruptions during industrial disputes. He commended the FCT Health Services…
The Tomatoes Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (TGPMAN) has allayed fears of the usual annual price hike for tomatoes and other vegetables during the upcoming Ramadan fast. Kaduna State Chairman of the association, Mr Rabiu Zuntu, disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Sunday in Lagos. Zuntu explained that, unlike previous years, this Ramadan would see lower prices due to a bountiful harvest and the timing of the fast. “Last year’s planting and harvest season was not beneficial for farmers due to low produce prices and high input costs. “This year, vegetable production may increase because many…
Prof. Eguakhide Oaikhinan, a Professor of Ceramic Engineering since 1994, says Nigeria’s solid minerals sector could significantly boost GDP through accurate data, value-driven processing, and skilled manpower. He made the remarks in an interview with reporters on Sunday in Lagos. Oaikhinan noted that ceramics and solid minerals are inseparable in driving industrial growth. Although the government often highlights about 44 different solid minerals in Nigeria, he said the sector has yet to realize its economic potential due to inadequate data on mineral locations, characteristics, and value chains. “Where are these solid minerals located? What are their characteristics that make them…