South Africa has reached a landmark moment in its agricultural trade journey as the first shipment of locally grown stone fruit sets off for China. The milestone was marked on 18 February 2026 with a visit to the Freshness First Packhouse in Franschhoek by John Steenhuisen, Minister of Agriculture, joined by Wu Peng, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China. The consignment includes around 20,000 cartons of premium plums, mainly the African Delight and Ruby Star varieties. This first shipment signals the formal launch of the long awaited stone fruit trade protocol between the two nations, a development expected to…
Author: Newsdesk
A Nigerian court has ordered oil exploration firm Oriental Energy, owned by billionaire Mohammed Indimi, to pay $43.51 million to two daughters of the oil magnate, Ameena and Zara Indimi. The ruling, delivered by the Federal High Court, follows years of litigation over unpaid dividends linked to the company’s offshore oil operations, according to Africa Report. The case has drawn widespread attention because of the scale of the financial claims involved and the prominence of the Indimi family in Nigeria’s energy sector. Court filings show that the twin sisters argued they jointly held a 10% equity stake in Oriental Energy, entitling them…
Maersk Kenya today announced a series of strategic initiatives designed to support the country’s vital avocado export industry as it prepares for the upcoming peak season. Through enhanced training programs, optimised logistics capacity, and strategic resource positioning, Maersk is reinforcing its commitment to Kenya’s agricultural sector and to the growers who depend on reliable, uninterrupted cold chain logistics to reach global markets. Avocado exports represent a critical economic driver for Kenya, generating substantial foreign exchange earnings and supporting thousands of livelihoods across the country’s agricultural value chain. As global demand for Kenyan avocados continues to grow in the global markets,…
…congratulates Ntenyin Solomon Etuk, Oku Ibom Ibibio on appointment as Chancellor Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umoh Eno, has inaugurated a-seven man Governing Council for the State-owned University with Senator Udoma Udo Udoma as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council. The Governor used the opportunity to congratulate Ntenyin (Dr.) Solomon Etuk, the Oku Ibom Ibibio on his appointment as the Chancellor of the University, as well as Prof. OtoAbasi Akpan as the substantive Vice Chancellor. Inaugurating the board at Government House Uyo, Governor Eno, commended the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Otobasi Akpan, for purposeful leadership which have earned…
New research by the University of Oxford has found that exposure to high temperatures during pregnancy is linked to a decline in male births. This is according to a report released on February 23, 2026, by researchers at the university’s Department of Sociology. The report disclosed that this adds to growing findings that extreme heat driven by climate change can influence population patterns. According to the study, titled Temperature and sex ratios at birth, ” published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, higher temperatures can alter the sex ratio at birth, with implications for population health and gender…
The South-East Development Commission (SEDC) has requested legislative approval for a N140 billion 2026 budget as it unveiled plans to grow the South-East into a $200 billion economy within the next decade. The disclosure was made on Tuesday by the commission’s Managing Director, Mark Okoye, during its budget defence before the Senate Committee on South-East Development Commission in Abuja. The proposal signals what the agency describes as its “real take-off” phase after laying foundational structures in the previous year. The commission said broad stakeholder participation at its regional forum validated its long-term development blueprint. It also outlined ambitious economic and investment targets for…
The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested two suspects over alleged transnational drug smuggling and recovered 197 sachets of Tramadol in a border operation. The arrest was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Nguroje, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police. According to the statement, the Command, “in its ongoing fight against drug trafficking and trans-border crime recorded a significant breakthrough with the arrest of two suspects in possession of One Hundred and Ninety-Seven (197) sachets of Tramadol.” The suspects were identified as Muhammad Mustapha, 32, of Dorayi, Kano…
The Kano State Government says no fewer than 100,000 vulnerable residents are benefiting daily from its Ramadan feeding programme across eight metropolitan Local Government Areas. NAN reports that Secretary of the Feeding Committee, Akibu Murtala, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Kano on Wednesday. He said that the initiative aims to alleviate suffering during Ramadan, enabling beneficiaries to break their fast with ease and dignity. According to him, the programme, sustained by the Abba Kabir Yusuf administration, supports vulnerable groups and cushions economic hardship. ”The government has also warned contractors against substandard food, vowing sanctions for non-compliance.” He reaffirmed…
The ongoing investigation of former Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Wednesday, stalled his arraignment by the Department of State Services (DSS) El-Rufai’s arraignment, which was scheduled for today before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja could not go on due to the absence of the former governor in court. When the matter was called, DSS lawyer, Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, informed the court that though the matter was scheduled for the defendant to take his plea, he was yet to be released to them…
The Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project in Kaduna State has engaged stakeholders and affected communities in preparation for planned erosion control works spanning 3.14 kilometres in the Kawo area. State Project Coordinator Hadiza Halid disclosed this on the sidelines of a one-day capacity-building workshop on Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) implementation held on Tuesday. The workshop was organized to sensitize residents, align relevant stakeholders, and build consensus before civil works begin. Halid explained that approximately 243 persons are expected to be affected along the erosion corridor. “This is a community-based intervention. It is important that the people understand what…