Author: Atoyebi Adenike

By Atoyebi Nike Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has pledged that bandits and kidnappers will find no refuge in the state, following Sunday’s bloody ambush on Oke-Ode community in Ifelodun Local Government Area. Gunmen had attacked local vigilantes and a traditional leader in the area, leaving several people dead and residents in fear. In a statement on Wednesday, AbdulRazaq said he had briefed President Bola Tinubu on the worsening insecurity and renewed calls for stronger federal deployment to border communities. He disclosed that the Army had relocated the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 2nd Division to Ilorin to oversee…

By Atoyebi Nike Nigerian crude prices dipped early this week as OPEC+ signaled a modest production increase for November and northern Iraq restarted exports, raising fears of oversupply in the global market. Bonny Light traded close to $69 a barrel after oil markets slumped sharply at the start of the week. Reports suggest that the eight OPEC+ members who had voluntarily cut output may roll out a production boost in November, while exports through Iraq’s northern pipeline resumed over the weekend. The pressure adds to an already volatile market, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) closing at $62.58 per barrel after…

By Atoyebi Nike The United States Embassy in Nigeria has announced it will suspend regular updates on its official X (formerly Twitter) account due to the ongoing government funding impasse in Washington. In a statement on Wednesday, October 1, the Embassy said the pause was the result of a “lapse in appropriations” following Congress’s failure to pass a budget. “Due to the lapse in appropriations, this X account will not be updated regularly until full operations resume, with the exception of urgent safety and security information,” the Embassy noted. The Embassy assured that consular operations, including visa and passport services,…

By  Atoyebi Nike Ogun State’s Gateway International Airport will officially commence direct commercial flights to Abuja on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, with services scheduled twice weekly. Governor Dapo Abiodun announced the development on Tuesday via his official X account, confirming that ValueJet, one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing airlines, will operate the routes. According to the flight schedule, departures from Gateway International Airport in Iperu-Ilishan will take place every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m., with return flights from Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on the same days. “We are delighted to announce that full flight operations will…

By Atoyebi Nike Nigeria and China will deepen their economic and trade relations at the 2025 China Commodities Expo-Nigeria, scheduled to hold from Wednesday, November 5, to Friday, November 7, 2025, in Lagos. Organisers said on Tuesday that the annual Expo, hosted by China’s Ministry of Commerce Trade Development Bureau in collaboration with Brightway International Exhibition, will bring together more than 250 Chinese manufacturers and over 5,000 business representatives. The event has the backing of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Nigerian federal and state governments, and several Chinese provinces. Chief Representative Officer of Brightway International Exhibition, Muheez Ojulari, described the…

By Atoyebi Nike Sterling Bank has announced the removal of account maintenance fees on all personal accounts, describing the decision as a “gift” to Nigerians in celebration of the country’s 65th Independence anniversary. The announcement, made on Wednesday through a press statement, comes just six months after the bank abolished transfer fees on local online transactions in April 2025. According to the statement, the move targets one of the most controversial practices in Nigeria’s banking industry, where account maintenance charges have long been criticised for eroding customers’ savings. “In 2024 alone, tier-1 banks raked in over ₦650 billion from account…

By Atoyebi Nike Nigeria’s power generation companies, under the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), have congratulated President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians on the country’s 65th Independence anniversary, while warning that the nation’s electricity sector faces a worsening crisis that demands urgent reforms. In a goodwill message on Wednesday, APGC Executive Secretary, Joy Ogaji, described October 1 as a symbolic day for reflection on national resilience and unity. The group commended government efforts to stabilise the electricity market but stressed that the generation segment, the backbone of the power chain was under “enormous financial and operational pressure.” “Without urgent, coordinated,…

By Atoyebi Nike The Federal Government has announced that the Dangote Group will redeploy workers earlier disengaged from its refinery operations, following the resolution of its standoff with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN). Labour and Employment Minister, Dr Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, confirmed the development in Abuja on Wednesday, stressing that none of the affected staff will lose pay or be victimised. “After reviewing the disengagement process, it was agreed that Dangote Group will immediately redeploy the affected workers to other subsidiaries, with no loss of salary,” the minister said. “No worker will be punished…

By Atoyebi Nike The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has begun implementing new pension increments for retirees under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), following the release of ₦20.18 billion by the Federal Government. The adjustment includes a flat rate of ₦32,000 and percentage increases of 10.66% and 12.95%, which are reflected in the September 2025 payroll. In a statement on Tuesday, PTAD said the move follows President Bola Tinubu’s approval of an emergency allocation to support the revised pension rates, part of wider reforms to improve retiree welfare. Olugbenga Ajayi, PTAD’s Head of Corporate Communications, said the increment “reaffirms the…

By Atoyebi Nike The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has reached a new agreement with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery to extend crude oil supplies for another two years. According to NNPCL spokesman Andy Odeh, the state oil company will deliver five cargoes each in September and October under terms agreed last month. While he did not specify the number of shipments expected after October, the deal consolidates ongoing cooperation between both entities. Since October 2024, the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery has received about 82 million barrels of crude, with 60 percent of those cargoes transacted in naira, the NNPC confirmed.…