Author: Atoyebi Adenike

By Atoyebi Nike The Chairman of the OPEC Board of Governors for 2025, Adeyemi-Bero, has called on Nigerian oil producers to scale up local refining and reduce crude exports. He said the country must build capacity at home to avoid relying on external markets for value addition. At the NAPE Pre-Conference Workshop in Lagos, he noted that the Dangote refinery has eased pressure on foreign exchange and supported GDP growth. He added that its operations helped prevent a possible return of fuel subsidies by ensuring domestic supply. Adeyemi-Bero pointed to countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which retain…

By Atoyebi Nike United States President Donald Trump has again alleged that Christians in Nigeria are facing large-scale attacks, describing the situation as a direct threat to Christianity in the country. In a video shared on the White House X account on Wednesday, Trump claimed that “thousands” of Christians were being killed by what he called “radical Islamists.” Trump announced that he was classifying Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” saying the designation follows US legal standards for nations accused of violating fundamental rights. He cited figures comparing killings in Nigeria to global numbers, insisting the statistics justify immediate…

By Atoyebi Nike The National Pension Commission (PenCom) says free health insurance for retirees will begin later this year, starting with low-income pensioners. Director-General Omolola Oloworaran, represented by Usman Musa, announced this on Wednesday in Abuja during a workshop on the Contributory Pension Scheme. She said the initiative is part of PenCom’s “Pension Revolution 2.0,” aimed at strengthening social protection and improving the welfare of retirees beyond monthly pension payments. According to PenCom, over 10 million Nigerians are now enrolled in the CPS, with pension assets exceeding N25 trillion. More than 844,000 retirees currently receive benefits. Oloworaran highlighted recent reforms,…

By Atoyebi Nike The Kaduna State Government says it has offered education, healthcare and livelihood opportunities not cash incentives to armed groups as part of a new dialogue-driven peace strategy aimed at ending years of killings and kidnappings. Commissioner for Information Ahmed Maiyaki explained the approach on Wednesday at a Peace Journalism workshop organised by the NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel in collaboration with the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria. Maiyaki said the policy, known as the Kaduna Peace Model, shifts from “confrontation to conversation,” focusing on rebuilding communities and addressing the social and economic drivers of insecurity. He noted that the government…

By Atoyebi Nike The Council of the European Union has approved its updated nationally determined contribution (NDC), reaffirming the bloc’s climate commitments ahead of the COP30 summit in Brazil. The new NDC, adopted on Wednesday and covering the period up to 2035, builds on previous updates from 2020 and 2023. The bloc restated its legally binding goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and acknowledged the Council’s agreement on a 90% emissions reduction target for 2040, compared to 1990 levels. Based on that trajectory, the EU introduced an indicative emissions cut of 66.25% to 72.5% by 2035,…

By Atoyebi Nike The Federal Government has indicated that it may sell Nigeria’s publicly-owned refineries as part of broader reforms to attract investment and restore efficiency in the petroleum downstream sector. The disclosure was made by Presidential Adviser on Energy, Olu Verheijen, during an interview with Bloomberg TV at ADIPEC 2025. Verheijen said privatisation is among several options being considered to reposition the sector. “It’s one of the options you have to consider if you find the right technical partner with the right capital,” she said, noting that decades of subsidy-driven distortions had prevented the refineries from operating commercially. Nigeria’s…

By Atoyebi Nike Ukraine on Wednesday gained enhanced partnership status in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a UK-led defence alliance made up of 10 northern and eastern European countries. The move strengthens Kyiv’s military ties with some of Europe’s most committed supporters as the war with Russia continues. UK Defence Minister John Healey said the agreement sends a powerful message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing that Europe’s staunchest allies will stand with Ukraine “for as long as it takes.” The agreement was signed in the Norwegian Arctic city of Bodø during a meeting of defence ministers from JEF nations…

By Atoyebi Nike The Senate on Wednesday passed the Electric Vehicle Transition and Green Mobility Bill, 2025 for second reading, marking a major step toward creating a national framework for electric vehicle adoption, manufacturing, and regulation. Sponsored by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), the bill aims to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on fossil fuels and establish the country as a leading hub for green mobility in Africa. Senators across party lines supported the proposal, noting the urgency of cleaner transport systems as carbon emissions rise in major cities. Kalu said the bill would transform Nigeria’s automobile and energy sectors, create…

By Atoyebi Nike World Trade Organization Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says Africa urgently needs trade and infrastructure reforms after revealing that it costs 20% more for African countries to trade with one another than with nations outside the continent. She made the remarks during an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. Okonjo-Iweala said the high cost of intra-African trade undermines the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which was created to boost regional commerce and industrial integration. She warned that Africa’s weak infrastructure such as poor ports, unreliable electricity and inadequate logistics remains the biggest barrier to economic growth.…

By Atoyebi Nike The Nigeria Immigration Service has announced plans to introduce a Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP), a new biometric document designed to help Nigerians abroad return home when their passports are expired, lost or stolen. Comptroller-General of Immigration Kemi Nanna Nandap disclosed the development at a joint meeting of the Khartoum, Rabat and Niamey Processes in Abuja. According to a statement by NIS spokesperson ACI Akinsola Akinlabi, STEP will replace the current Emergency Travel Certificate as part of ongoing reforms to strengthen identity management and border governance. Nandap said the new document will provide a more secure and…