Author: Atoyebi Adenike
By Bagudu Mohammed A quote attributed to Elon Musk titled “Why I Can Never Get Married” makes for a fascinating and curious read. My wife was the first to draw my attention to it, laughing over a line she found particularly absurd: “When a rich man gets married and has, let’s say, three kids with his wife, she’s going to wake up one day and divorce him with the excuse ‘Oh no! My husband was too perfect for me.'” At first, I laughed along. The tone carried that satirical bite one might expect from Musk part genius, part provocateur. Yet,…
By Atoyebi Nike Backbone Infrastructure Ltd (BINL) has secured funding commitments of more than $50 billion for the construction of a 500,000 barrels-per-day refinery and the development of the Sunshine Free Trade Zone in Ilaje, Ondo State. The financing was arranged through a joint venture with Canada’s NEFEX Holdings Limited, marking one of the biggest private-sector commitments to Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas sector. According to a statement released on Monday, the investment follows the Memorandum of Understanding signed in July between BINL and the Ondo State Government through the state’s Investment Promotion Agency. The company said the project will…
By Atoyebi Nike Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reaffirmed its commitment to supplying uninterrupted petrol and diesel nationwide, saying its current daily output over 45 million litres of PMS and 25 million litres of diesel surpasses Nigeria’s consumption needs. According to Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer of Dangote Industries, the refinery is working closely with regulators and distribution partners to maintain efficient nationwide delivery. He said strong local production is helping stabilise the exchange rate, reduce foreign exchange outflows, and strengthen the naira. Chiejina defended the newly introduced import tariff on fuel, calling it necessary to protect domestic…
By Atoyebi Nike Resident doctors under the Federal Capital Territory Administration have vowed to continue their industrial action until all outstanding demands are met, accusing authorities of reneging on commitments made months ago. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, ARD-FCTA President Dr George Ebong said the strike briefly suspended six weeks earlier following interventions by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and the National Assembly resumed because none of the agreed timelines had been honoured. He said many doctors have not been paid October salaries, describing delayed and incomplete wage payments as a recurring problem in the FCTA. He added that…
By Atoyebi Nike The Naira strengthened significantly in October 2025, closing the month at N1,427.5 per U.S. dollar its best performance since January. The currency had opened October at N1,464.85/$1 and gained steadily as foreign exchange liquidity improved and investor confidence ticked upward, according to new data from the Central Bank of Nigeria. The latest movement marks a notable shift from earlier months of volatility. CBN figures show the Naira ended December 2024 at N1,535/$1 before improving to N1,475/$1 in January 2025, then slipping again through February, March, and April to its lowest point of N1,602/$1. A mild recovery began…
By Atoyebi Nike The Federal Capital Territory Local Education Authority Teachers’ Forum has urged authorities to urgently address persistent delays in the payment of teachers’ outstanding entitlements, warning that the situation is causing hardship and discouragement across primary schools. The concerns were raised in an open letter to FCT NUT chairman, Abdullahi Shafas, signed by Isaac Ityav. While the teachers acknowledged the union’s efforts in securing partial settlement of national minimum wage arrears, they questioned why progress remained slow and incomplete. They asked why the full implementation of the 40 percent peculiar allowance, the N35,000 wage award, and the 25…
By Atoyebi Nike Stakeholders across Nigeria’s maritime and energy sectors say women must play a much larger role in the country’s ocean economy if the full benefits of the expanding blue economy are to be realised. They spoke in separate interviews in Lagos on Sunday, November 2, 2025. Mrs Nneka Obianyor, Director of Reforms Coordination and Blue Economy at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, said the global ocean economy generates more than 2.5 trillion dollars annually and remains a major engine for trade, innovation, and food security. She argued that Nigeria and other African nations stand to gain…
By Atoyebi Nike The Kano State Government has endorsed two major projects aimed at expanding infrastructure, stabilising power supply, and improving access to affordable housing across the state. In a statement released on Sunday, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature, revealed that the state intends to secure majority ownership in the Kano Electricity Distribution Company and embark on the construction of 50 low-cost housing estates in 36 local government areas outside the capital. Bature noted that the plan to take over a controlling share of KEDCO aligns with the governor’s broader goal of revamping Kano’s electricity sector, which includes…
By Atoyebi Nike Nigeria has said it is open to receiving security support from the United States in its fight against Islamist insurgent groups, but only on the condition that its territorial sovereignty is upheld. The reaction came after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened possible “fast” military intervention over what he described as the killing of Christians in the country. Trump told reporters on Saturday that he had instructed the Pentagon to prepare for potential military operations in Nigeria if authorities fail to take stronger action to curb attacks against Christians. He later added on Sunday, aboard Air Force One,…
By Atoyebi Nike A fresh wave of unrest hit the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja on Monday as supporters aligned with Mohammed Abdulrahman, the party’s National Vice Chairman for the North Central zone, marched into Wadata Plaza in protest. Chanting solidarity songs, the demonstrators called for the immediate exit of the National Working Committee headed by Umar Damagum, insisting that the current leadership must vacate the secretariat without delay. Abdulrahman was announced last week as the party’s Acting National Chairman, a development that emerged amid escalating internal tensions. The PDP has been grappling with a worsening…