Author: Atoyebi Adenike

By Atoyebi NikeThe naira remained relatively stable against the British pound after the Bank of England (BoE) left interest rates unchanged at 4 percent. On Thursday, the pound closed at N2,035/£ at the official market, while in the parallel market it traded between N2,200/£ and N2,210/£. The Central Bank of Nigeria’s decision to float the naira and harmonize multiple exchange rates has boosted market confidence, with analysts suggesting the currency may gain short-term momentum. Nigeria’s inflation rate eased for the fifth consecutive month to 20.12% in August, providing some relief to households burdened by high living costs. In trade relations,…

By Atoyebi Nike The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has scheduled a Pre-Test exercise for applicants invited under the Superintendent cadre. The exercise will hold on Monday, 22nd September 2025, at 3:00 pm. In a statement, the NCS explained that the Pre-Test is designed to help candidates familiarize themselves with the system ahead of the nationwide Computer-Based Test (CBT). A dedicated Pre-Test link will be sent to applicants to enable login and participation. Candidates are expected to complete facial verification and review instructions 30 minutes before the test begins. They must then click the START button once the exercise commences. The…

By Atoyebi Nike Retail Supermarkets Nigeria Limited (RSNL), operator of Shoprite in Nigeria, has announced plans to reopen some of its recently closed outlets in time for the fourth-quarter shopping season. The move comes after a restructuring aimed at tackling persistent operational challenges. Bunmi Cynthia Adeleye, RSNL’s Chief Strategy Officer, said the reset involves adopting smaller, more efficient store formats, boosting local sourcing, offering competitive pricing, and strengthening liquidity management. “This is not a collapse; it is a reset… We are coming back bigger and stronger to serve Nigerian customers better than ever before,” she said. The company confirmed that…

By Atoyebi Nike The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that two suspected cases of viral hemorrhagic fever in Abuja tested negative for Ebola Virus Disease and Marburg Virus. The agency said further tests are ongoing for Lassa fever and dengue fever. In a public advisory, NCDC Director General Dr. Jide Idris commended a traveller who reported himself early after returning from Kigali, noting that swift hospital response and coordination helped minimise public risk. The agency urged Nigerians to seek medical care promptly, practice good hygiene, and report unusual symptoms through official hotlines. Meanwhile, the World…

By Atoyebi Nike Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Neda Imasuen, has restated the National Assembly’s commitment to improving university funding and protecting academic freedom. Speaking at the University of Benin’s Faculty of Arts golden jubilee celebration, where he was honoured with the Distinguished Legislative Leadership award, Imasuen—represented by Orobosa Omo-Ojo—highlighted challenges in Nigeria’s higher education, including underfunding, brain drain, and strikes. He noted his personal contributions, which include awarding 420 scholarships, covering JAMB fees for over 500 students, and providing vocational training for parents in Edo South. He also pledged to rebuild the…

By Atoyebi NikeThe Director-General of the Pan African Alliance of Small and Medium Industries (PAOSMI), Henry Emejuo, says cassava is not just food but a vital industrial tool for Africa’s growth. Speaking in Abuja at the inauguration of the steering committee for the second African Cassava Conference, Emejuo stressed the need to build local capacity, deepen value addition, and create jobs through cassava-led industrialisation. Experts including Prof. Hilary Inyang of the Global Institute for Sustainable Development, Uche Egenti of PAOSMI’s Continental Board, and Dr. Umezuruike Okpara of UNESCO’s Biotechnology Centre, highlighted cassava’s role in food security, medical applications, and research-to-industry…

By Atoyebi Nike Farmers and residents from five communities in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State, have petitioned Governor Dapo Abiodun over rising land encroachment and violent attacks by armed groups. The affected communities  Iweke, Idode, Koto-Obo, Ilobi-Omuwa, and Ileba  warned that the activities of land grabbers and criminal gangs threaten food security and the livelihoods of families who have farmed the land for more than 150 years. In the petition signed by their spokesperson, Pastor Oyero Olurin, the farmers accused the groups of destroying crops, stealing livestock, and assaulting residents despite the state’s Anti-Land Grabbing Law.…

By Atoyebi Nike Renowned economist and Chairman of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, Dr. Doyin Salami, has called for the adoption of farmer aggregation as a strategy to improve Nigeria’s agricultural productivity. Speaking at the 12th Annual Public Lecture of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Lagos on Wednesday, themed “Poverty Alleviation, Economic Development & Stability of the Nigerian Economy,” Salami said smallholder farmers, who make up 80% of the sector, often struggle to manage cooperatives. He proposed farmer aggregation as a viable model to connect farmers with inputs, financing, and extension services. Citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics,…

By Atoyebi NikeThe Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) has entered a new partnership with the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD) to accelerate rice production in Nigeria. Permanent Secretary Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, represented by Oshadiya Olanipekun, disclosed this during the 2025 Annual Rice Sector Review in Abuja. The meeting reviewed progress under the National Rice Development Strategy II (2020–2030) and explored ways to strengthen partnerships and investments in the sector. Dr. Ogunbiyi said Nigeria’s rice sector has recorded improvements in yields, processing capacity, and youth and women participation. He stressed that fresh investments in mechanization, climate-smart technologies,…

By Atoyebi NikeThe Executive Vice President for Diagnostics in Africa at Roche Diagnostics, Dr. Allan Pamba, has urged global leaders to prioritise African-led health solutions as the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) convenes in New York. In a statement issued on Friday, Pamba warned that Africa’s health future cannot be secured through external dependence but must be anchored in sustainable partnerships, co-creation, and local ownership. Pamba emphasised that African governments must take “custody of their own destinies” by designing, funding, and delivering health services that reflect local realities. He noted that recent crises, including funding shifts, pandemics, and political…