The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), says the registration and submission of applications for Pre-Qualification under the Nigeria 2025 Licensing Round will close at 4.30 p.m. on Friday, February 27. The NUPRC, in a statement signed by its management, said the notice was in accordance with Section 11.2 of the Licensing Round Guidelines. “All applicants are advised to ensure full compliance with the stipulated submission requirements within the prescribed timeline,” it said. The NUPRC had in Dec. 1, 2025 announced the official commencement of the Nigeria 2025 Licensing Round, marking another major step in the Federal Government’s drive to…
Author: Newsdesk
American technology entrepreneur Bill Gates has apologised to employees of the Gates Foundation over his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, while maintaining that he engaged in no wrongdoing. The Microsoft co-founder also acknowledged having two affairs with Russian women and admitted to making mistakes that, he said, had cast a shadow over the philanthropic organisation. However, he insisted that he had no involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities. Gates was among numerous prominent figures—including celebrities, politicians, business leaders and technology executives—whose connections to Epstein surfaced in a trove of documents released online last month by the US Justice…
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has projected N23.8 billion in internally generated revenue (IGR) for the 2026 fiscal year, representing a N4 billion increase from its 2025 target. The projection was presented on Wednesday to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund as part of the board’s 2026 budget estimates. The presentation was delivered by Dr. Muftau Bello, a director in the office of the Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede. According to the board, N6billion from the projected revenue will be remitted to the Federation Account as operating surplus. “A total of N30.6bn budget profile is proposed by JAMB in 2026, out of which N23.8bn…
The Federal Government has secured a $100 million investment from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for Nigeria’s Project BRIDGE, the federal government’s fibre-optic expansion programme. The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, disclosed this on his verified X account at the conclusion of the Project BRIDGE Investment Tour in Europe. The new commitments add to the $500 million financing earlier approved by the World Bank Group for the project. According to the minister, the Board of the EBRD has formally approved the $100 million investment to support the deployment of fibre infrastructure across Nigeria. “As we conclude the final…
The Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ASPHCDA) has extended its Integrated Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign by three days due to a temporary vaccine shortage and to reach schools that initially resisted the exercise. State Health Educator Mrs. Uju Onwuegbuzina disclosed this during an interview in Awka on Thursday. The campaign began on February 4 and was originally scheduled to end on February 13, followed by a two-day mop-up on February 14 and 15. Onwuegbuzina explained that the state did not receive enough vaccine doses to cover the entire target population during the initial phase. The shortfall was addressed on…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Oyo State Command, on Wednesday arraigned two suspected drug traffickers, Adeola Adeniyi and Wasiu Kareem, before a Federal High Court in Ibadan over alleged drug offences. Adeniyi, 52, and Kareem, 54, pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge bordering on possession and unlawful dealing in narcotics. Consequently, the presiding judge, Justice Nkeonye Maha, ordered the defendants to be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre. She adjourned the case until March 20 for trial. Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr D.O. Otunla, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Oct. 29, 2025, along…
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to developing Nigeria’s cassava bioethanol value chain as part of efforts to drive industrial expansion and economic stability. Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, made this known on Wednesday in Abeokuta during a capacity-building workshop for stakeholders on the Cassava Bioethanol Value Chain Development Project in the South-West zone. He said the workshop aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to transform Nigeria’s agricultural strengths into industrial and economic gains. Represented by the Director of Economic Growth, Auwal Mohammed, the minister said the initiative is designed to move…
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) will train 40,000 maize and soybean farmers in Niger state, using advanced farming techniques under a climate-smart agriculture project. Mr. Isaac Eni, Project Coordinator of the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), disclosed this during a Training of Trainers session for extension agents and selected community-based advisors in Minna on Wednesday. Eni explained that the project is funded by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and is titled “Enhancing the Productivity and Competitiveness of Smallholder Farmers in the Maize-Soybean Farming System in Niger and Kaduna States.” He stated that 44…
The Lagos State Command and Control Centre has proposed a strategic media partnership with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to enhance public information management and emergency communication across the state. The General Manager of the centre, Mr. Femi Giwa, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to NAN’s Lagos Directorate on Wednesday. Giwa described NAN as Nigeria’s leading national news platform, well-positioned to amplify the centre’s messages nationwide. He stressed that accurate and timely dissemination of information during emergencies is vital to prevent rumors, reduce panic, and maintain public calm. According to him, the Command and Control Centre serves as…
Mercy Corps, a non-governmental organization (NGO), on Wednesday handed over a newly constructed veterinary clinic and a rehabilitated structure in Danmusa Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State to the state government. The project, which also included an upgraded 20,000-litre capacity solar-powered borehole, was implemented under the European Union-funded Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience (CPCRR) project. The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD). Speaking at the handover ceremony, the Commissioner for Livestock and Animal Husbandry in Katsina State, Prof. Ahmed Bakori, commended Mercy…