Author: Atoyebi Adenike

By Atoyebi Nike Dozens of dental students at the University of Jos staged a protest on Wednesday over the non-accreditation of their programme, which they say has left some of them in school for more than ten years without graduating. The students blocked the university’s permanent site gate, carrying placards that read “Save us from unending depression” and “Accredit us now.” President of the Jos University Dental Students Association, Johnson Titus, said the students have been stranded for years due to the institution’s failure to secure accreditation. He accused the university of admitting students despite knowing the programme was not…

By Atoyebi Nike Representatives from 196 countries and the European Union will meet in Panama from December 1 to 5, 2025, for the 23rd session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC23) under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. Around 500 delegates from governments, civil society and academia will assess global progress in tackling desertification, land degradation, and drought. Panama, which joined the UNCCD in 1996, will host the meeting as part of its commitment to achieving Land Degradation Neutrality by 2030. The country has identified 31 hotspots for restoration and is advancing major…

By Atoyebi Nike The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory Administration has confirmed that the FCT Administration has begun partially addressing its demands, including the payment of some salary arrears and the Medical Residency Training Fund. However, the doctors say their indefinite strike will continue until all outstanding issues are resolved. In a statement on Wednesday, ARD-FCTA President Dr. George Ebong said 28 doctors who arrears ranging from one month to a year received payments two nights ago. Salaries for October were also paid on Tuesday. However, only 103 out of 150 affected doctors received their MRTF…

By Atoyebi Nike Nigeria, Libya, and Venezuela recorded declines in crude oil production in October, undermining OPEC+ output targets for the month, according to a Reuters report. OPEC’s total production rose by only 30,000 barrels per day in October, far below the 330,000 bpd increase posted in September. OPEC’s October Monthly Oil Market Report shows Nigeria’s output, which ranged between 1.3 million and 1.4 million bpd earlier in the year, briefly climbed to 1.5 million bpd in July before falling to 1.4 million bpd in August and 1.3 million bpd in September. NNPC Group CEO Bayo Ojulari attributed the latest…

By Atoyebi Nike Vice-President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Brazil to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), scheduled for November 6-7 in Belém, the capital of Pará in the Brazilian Amazon. The conference is being convened by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva alongside global partners. According to a statement from the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima will join world leaders, development partners, and business executives for high-level discussions under the theme “Climate Action and Implementation.” This year’s summit will focus on adaptation,…

By Atoyebi Nike The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited says it plans to increase its equity stake in the $20bn Dangote Petroleum Refinery to 20 percent as part of efforts to boost Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity and strengthen its position in the downstream sector. NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer Bayo Ojulari disclosed the plan on Tuesday at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference. He said increasing the company’s stake aligns with its long-term strategy to expand local participation in the energy value chain and improve national energy security. Ojulari’s remarks follow recent comments by Dangote Group President Aliko…

By Atoyebi Nike The Federal Government has appointed Dr. John Nwabueze as Nigeria’s first Tax Ombudsman, marking a major milestone in President Bola Tinubu’s fiscal reform agenda. The appointment, made under the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2025, was announced in a statement on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Nwabueze, from Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State, brings decades of experience in tax policy, fiscal reform, and economic governance. His past roles include managing partner at a leading tax advisory firm, technical adviser to Senate Committees on…

By Atoyebi Nike European Union member states have failed to strike a final agreement on key emissions-reduction targets ahead of next week’s COP30 climate summit in Brazil, forcing negotiators to extend talks into Wednesday. For months, countries have been divided over two major goals: a binding 2035 emissions target for the UN talks and a longer-term 2040 target proposed by the European Commission. Despite overnight discussions in Brussels, no consensus was reached. Denmark, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said early Wednesday that a political deal was within reach but required further negotiations. The EU faces pressure to present a…

By Atoyebi Nike A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has criticized China for cautioning Washington against a proposed military intervention in Nigeria, insisting that Beijing has no authority to dictate America’s foreign policy. Moore expressed his views in a post on X on Tuesday, stating his full support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s stance on protecting Christians facing violent attacks in Nigeria. Moore said the United States has a moral duty to defend religious freedom and condemned China’s human rights record, accusing Beijing of hypocrisy for attempting to lecture the U.S. on global affairs. He referenced recent arrests of Christian…

By Atoyebi Nike The Federal Government has announced plans to invest N12 billion in digital economy research as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s technological capacity and expand the benefits of digital transformation. The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, revealed this at the opening of the 18th International Conference on Theory and Practices of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV) in Abuja. Tijani said Nigeria’s commitment to digital research was reaffirmed after the country’s strong participation in the 2024 edition of ICEGOV, which contributed to its selection as host of the 2025 conference. He noted that the government has already…