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Popular media personality, Toke Makinwa has stated that she spent her 20s focusing on a single relationship.
Makinwa said this while reflecting on her youthful devotion and lessons learned along the way.
Speaking on Cocktails and Takeaways, the media personality noted that she didn’t like her 20s.
“I don’t think I liked my twenties. I don’t think I knew what I was doing because I was in love with one man in my 20s. I spent my entire 20s following one man.
“If I could turn back the hand of time, I’m grateful that I’m where I am today because my experience has shaped me.
“But I tell young people that you have no business getting married in your early or mid-twenties. Figure yourself out. Know yourself first.”
Afrobeats singer, David Adeleke, aka Davido, has claimed that the best doctors in the United States are of Nigerian descent.
He made the claim while highlighting the contributions of Africans to both the professional and creative sectors during the Afric TV programme.
Davido pointed out that Africans are some of the brightest brains in the global music industry, stressing that Western filmmakers are now turning to the continent for movie ideas.
He said, “The best doctors in America are Nigerians. You can search it. Even in my record label [Sony Music], Africans bring the best ideas. That shows that our imagination is off the grid.
“Netflix and Amazon Prime come to Africa to get movie ideas. Now, when you come on Netflix, you will see about two Nigerian movies in the top 10. Africa is next, trust me. I feel like we have everything but just missing a couple of things.”
Although Nigerians are renowned doctors in America, statistics do not show that they are the best.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, has announced that the Port Harcourt Refinery on Tuesday began the truckout of petroleum products hours after the plant officially resumed crude oil production.
NNPCL made this known during a commissioning and product rollout event on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
A statement by the company said trucks has began loading petroleum products, including petrol, diesel and kerosene, while other products will be dispatched as well.
Speaking during a brief ceremony to mark the commencement of product loading at the refinery on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the group CEO, Mele Kyari, described the commencement of the loadout activities as a monumental achievement for Nigeria.
He said the development signifies a new era of energy independence and economic growth for the country.
Kyari lauded President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support and understanding towards the rehabilitation project and for his persistence to ensure energy security for the country.
He also expressed deep appreciation to the NNPCL Board of Directors and the entire staff for their support and commitment, which crystallised into the revitalisation of the refinery.
This comes hours after NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye announced that the refinery has kicked off crude oil production.
The state-owned firm said the plant will begin at 60 percent capacity, with 60,000 barrels per day of crude oil production.
The company said Warri Refinery will soon commence production.
It, however, did not start when Kaduna Refinery will commence production.
‘We’re churning out unemployable graduates’ – UK, Nigeria announce transnational education partnership
AFOLABIThe British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, has revealed that the UK and Nigeria have agreed a transnational education partnership approach.
According to him, this means the UK universities can work with Nigerian institutions more effectively and work on common standards, raising standards and sharing expertise and lessons in particular sectors.
Montgomery, who stated this on Tuesday on the day 1 of the Going Global Conference being held in Abuja, said he was absolutely confident the two countries will go from strength to strength to bring to bear the best of education.
“I think what’s in it for the UK is that it’s in all our interest to build higher education institutions that are more resilient and provide a better quality education and meet the needs of economies in Africa. And that’s in all our interests,” he said.
“We want to grow our relationship. We need to improve the way the UK higher education sector provides its expertise and its partnerships.
“The UK and Nigeria have agreed a transnational education partnership approach, which means the UK universities can work with Nigerian institutions more effectively and work on common standards, raising standards and sharing expertise and lessons in particular sectors,” he announced.
“And I’m really delighted that sir Steve Smith, the Prime Minister’s International Education champion, is here and is with a delegation of 11 Vice Chancellors from the UK to have discussions with their colleagues in Nigerian higher education institutions here over the next couple of days, both in Abuja and in Lagos. So I think it’s a shared set of interests.
Also, fielding questions from the press, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alaussa, said that President Bola Tinubu wants the education system in the country reformed.
He said it was important that Nigeria’s education is aligned to the needs of the society and to the needs of the 21st century.
“We’re training a lot of graduates, churning out a lot of graduates from our universities that are not employable,” he added.
“We have a unique demography in this country. Nobody has it in the world. We have a population of two 200 million people. 70% of those people are below the age of 30 years old.
“We have to give them an opportunity. And this is what this President is all about. This is what the Renew Hope Agenda is all about. We’re going to be doing a lot of things, and I heard some others are going to be taking some things out from this conference, from initial discussion. “
‘Petrol Prices In Nigeria Will Come Down’ – NMDPRA Boss Confirms As Port Harcourt Refinery Resumes Operation
AFOLABI
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has confirmed that the price of petrol in Nigeria will crash in the coming days.
The NMDPRA Chief Executive Officer, Farouk Ahmed confirmed this on Tuesday while speaking to newsmen on the resumed operation of the Port Harcourt Refinery.
According to him, the operations of the Port Harcourt Refinery and the Dangote Refinery would ensure the availability of petroleum products and lead to a reduction in prices.
Ahmed added that with the refineries now functioning and the hope that Warri and Kaduna would soon come on board too, Nigeria is set to become a net exporter of petroleum rather than a net importer.
He praised the role played by President Bola Tinubu and other stakeholders in ensuring the resuscitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery.
He said: “Its a major milestone, major achievement to see Port Harcourt Refinery coming back on stream and holding stably. It is indeed a very proud moment for us and a relief because now with the Dangote Refinery on stream, Port Harcourt Refinery on stream, and we are hoping that Warri comes up and Kaduna, we’ll be the net exporter of petroleum products rather than being a net importer.
“It is an achievement that will be accredited to Mr. President of course because he insisted, he persisted, put all the pressure, he said it must be done and it has been done.
“And I congratulate the NNPC and he management of Port Harcourt Refinery for their focus. And also to the contractor, my colleagues, the regulators who are attached to the project, have been working day and night in collaboration with the contractor and management of Port Harcourt Refinery, I also wish to thank my colleagues for achieving this milestone.
“Products will be available nationwide. What is important is that there is now competition and there is a choice, and we will see the prices of the products come down because their is ample supply.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained a former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, following his arrest.
Naija News understands Bello was detained at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja after he presented himself at the office of the anti-graft agency on Tuesday.
The former governor’s detention was disclosed by EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.
Oyewale told journalists that Bello was arrested by the Commission’s Chief Security Officer (CSO).
“It is true that we have him in our custody. The operatives of the Commission arrested him,” Oyewale said, according to Daily Post.
He is currently being grilled by operatives of the EFCC.
Recall this platform reported earlier on Tuesday that Bello presented himself at the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in relation to the charges against him by the anti-graft commission.
The former Governor drove himself in a black Hilux and arrived at the EFCC office in the company of his lawyers.
Recall the federal government has filed a new 16-count charge against the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, in a case that has intensified scrutiny of his financial dealings.
The charges, submitted to a federal high court in Abuja, center around an alleged criminal breach of trust amounting to ₦110,446,470,089.
The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, have said the government needs to borrow more to be able to finance its policies.
The two ministers stated that though revenue generation has been on the increase, it would not be enough for President Bola Tinubu’s administration to finance its projects aside infrastructure development.
Edun And Bagudu stated this during an interactive session of the Senate Joint Committees on Finance and National Planning and Economic Affairs on the 2025-2027 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework/Fiscal Strategy Paper.
The Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Edun said, “The revenue effort has been good, but we still need to do better, and in the meantime, we still need to borrow productively, effectively and sustainably.
“Not just infrastructure but also social services, health services, education and intervention in terms of social safety net to help the poorest and most vulnerable.”
On his part, Senator Atiku Bagudu told the lawmakers that the borrowing plans contained in the ₦35.5 trillion 2024 budget, were primarily meant to fund the ₦9.7 trillion deficit.
“Despite revenue targets surpassed by some of the revenue generating agencies, the government still needs to borrow for proper funding of the budget, particularly in the area of deficit and productivity for the poorest and most vulnerable.
“We have a long-term development perspective plan agenda 2050 aiming at GDP per capita of $33,000,” Daily Post quoted Bagudu.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that food prices saw substantial increases in October 2024, particularly for items such as beans, eggs, bread, and rice.
This was detailed in the NBS’s Selected Food Prices Watch report for October 2024, which was released in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to the report, the price of 1 kg of brown beans soared by 254.23% from ₦790.01 in October 2023 to ₦2,798.50 in October 2024. On a month-on-month comparison, the price rose by 2.19% from ₦2,738.59 in September 2024.
The average price of medium-sized Agric eggs (12 pieces) also saw a sharp year-on-year increase of 140.21%, climbing from ₦1,112.22 in October 2023 to ₦2,671.60 in October 2024. From September 2024, the price rose by 7.42%.
The cost of sliced bread increased by 103.76%, from ₦760.82 in October 2023 to ₦1,550.24 in October 2024. On a month-on-month basis, the price rose by 1.44% from ₦1,528.19 recorded in September 2024.
Similarly, 1 kg of local rice saw a year-on-year increase of 137.32%, rising from ₦819.42 in October 2023 to ₦1,944.64 in October 2024. The price of rice also rose by 1.56% compared to September 2024, when it was ₦1,194.77.
Additionally, the report highlighted that the price of 1 kg of boneless beef surged by 98.73% year-on-year, from ₦2,948.03 in October 2023 to ₦5,858.58 in October 2024, marking a 3.99% increase from the ₦5,633.60 recorded in September 2024.
On a state-by-state basis, the report showed that Bauchi had the highest average price for 1 kg of brown beans at ₦3,750.00, while Yobe had the lowest at ₦1,749.52.
Niger recorded the highest price for medium-sized Agric eggs at ₦3,450.00, and Adamawa had the lowest at ₦2,050.00. For sliced bread, Rivers recorded the highest average price at ₦1,867.14, while Yobe had the lowest at ₦960.07.
Further analysis by zone showed that the South-South region had the highest price for 1 kg of brown beans at ₦3,274.39, while the North-East recorded the lowest at ₦2,294.29.
The North-Central and South-East regions had the highest average price for medium-sized eggs, while the South-West had the lowest.
The South-South region also had the highest average price for sliced bread at ₦1,829.25, while the North-East had the lowest at ₦1,360.85.
For local rice, the South-East and South-West regions recorded the highest prices for 1 kg of loose rice, at ₦2,146.08 and ₦2,011.05, respectively. The North-West recorded the lowest at ₦1,763.62.
In response to the rising food prices, the federal government had introduced a 150-day duty-free import window for specific food commodities, including maize, cowpeas, wheat, and husked brown rice, starting in July 2024.
However, experts suggest that addressing systemic issues such as insecurity, foreign exchange, and transportation costs would provide more sustainable solutions to food price inflation and ensure long-term food security.
‘It Is Wicked To Judge Tinubu Now, Dollar Could Have Been ₦17,000, Fuel ₦4,000 If Not For Him’ – Okupe
AFOLABI
A former presidential aide, Doyin Okupe, has submitted that the reforms initiated by President Bola Tinubu are in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.
According to him, Tinubu met a dying economy where 98% of revenue was going into debt servicing, and therefore, the President had to take drastic action to save the country from total collapse.
Okupe submitted that it is unfair and almost wicked for Nigerians to judge President Tinubu since his administration has barely stayed 18 months in office.
Speaking during an interview with Arise TV on Monday, Okupe submitted that dollar to naira exchange rate could have risen as high as ₦17,000 to one dollar, and fuel could cost up to ₦4,000 per litre if not for the intervention of President Tinubu’s economic reforms.
“I heard people complain that the dollar is N1,700; it could have been worse, it could have been N17,000. That fuel is N1,000; it could have been worse; it could have been N3,000 or N4,000 per liter if these reforms had not been in place and has checked the escalating hyper-inflation in which we entered into.”
The former chieftain of the Labour Party said the country was socially and economically finished before Tinubu came into power and started the recovery process through his reforms.
Okupe also accused former President Muhammadu Buhari of printing up to ₦30 trillion during his time in power just to shield the true economic situation away from Nigerians.
“Bola Tinubu has come with very serious reforms that will take the country away from the situation in which it had been undergoing for the past eight to ten years,” he said.
Watch the video below.
Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) candidate, are reportedly in discussions about forming a new political party ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to sources, the two leaders recently met to deliberate on the possibility of adopting a fresh political platform.
They are scheduled to meet again in Yola, Adamawa State, on Saturday, November 30, where Obi will serve as the keynote speaker during a ceremony marking Atiku’s 78th birthday.
The event, taking place at the American University of Nigeria (AUN) owned by Atiku, is reportedly intended to demonstrate their continued camaraderie.
According to The Sun, The Africa Report disclosed that a spokesperson for the duo acknowledged that a potential merger is being considered but declined to share specific details.
Since their defeat to President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023, Atiku and Obi have explored avenues for collaboration. The discussions are seen as a response to internal challenges within their respective parties.
The PDP has faced a prolonged crisis, with its current national chairman, Umar Damagum, being an ally of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Wike has been a vocal critic of Atiku’s presidential bid and supported Tinubu in the last election.
Similarly, the Labour Party has struggled with internal discord, as Obi’s relationship with the party’s chairman, Julius Abure, has soured.
The talks between Atiku and Obi are reportedly advancing, with election preparations set to commence in just over a year. Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai is also said to be involved in these discussions, signaling the possibility of a significant political realignment.
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The Ministry of Education has warned that any student found guilty of physical assault leading to bodily injury will be suspended indefinitely from Unity Colleges.
A memo signed by the Permanent Secretary, Nasir Gwarzo, which was obtained by our correspondent in Abuja, said the ministry’s attention was drawn to the alarming rise in cruel acts of physical assault among students.
In response, the ministry resolved to take a tough stance on the issue, stressing that such behaviour would no longer be tolerated.
On November 7, 2024, the Federal Government ordered the immediate suspension for six weeks of 13 students allegedly involved in the bullying of their fellow students in Senior Secondary School 1 at the Federal Government College, Enugu.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, ordered the suspension to pave the way for a thorough investigation into the incident.
The directive followed the circulation of a disturbing video on social media platforms, where a group of students were seen assaulting a student.
The development came as reports of bullying in private and government colleges intensified in the country.
In a bid to curb the growing menace of student-on-student violence, the ministry said it deemed it necessary to introduce more severe penalties to address the escalating problem of student violence.
“The attention of the ministry has been drawn to the cruel and inhuman acts of physical assault that inflict bodily injury on other students by fellow students or groups of students.
“In addition to the punishments in the ministry’s approved uniform guidelines for offences and punishments, the ministry has directed that henceforth, any student or group of students found culpable of physical assault leading to bodily injury on another student or group of students will be suspended indefinitely from the college.
“Ensure that you comply strictly with the content of this circular and inform the SBMC members and parents accordingly.
“College administrators have been instructed to strictly comply with the new directive and to inform Student-Based Management Committee members and parents accordingly,” the statement read.
Segun Sowunmi, a former spokesman for Atiku Abubakar, revealed that he had discussed the possibility of the former PDP presidential candidate running in the 2027 election.
Sowunmi, a former Ogun State gubernatorial aspirant, however, stated that Atiku has yet to provide a clear response.
Sowunmi made this disclosure in Abuja on Monday during the launch of the National Opposition Movement Coalition, a platform dedicated to strengthening opposition politics and promoting credible democratic and electoral processes ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to Sowunmi, the decision to contest the presidency should not focus solely on Atiku but rather on individuals with a clear vision for Nigeria’s development.
“Who would have thought that Tinubu, considering his background and history, would be in the villa today? It shows that leadership transcends any one individual,” Sowunmi remarked.
“Atiku hasn’t told me he’s running. I’ve asked him twice, and I’ll ask him once more. If he doesn’t give an answer, that’s it.”
Reflecting on the 2023 elections, Sowunmi recounted his efforts to convince former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, to contest for the presidency under the PDP.
“I traveled across the Southeast, urging PDP members from the region, including His Excellency, Peter Obi. I visited him over five times, encouraging him to purchase the nomination form to gauge the Nigerian people’s support,” he shared.
Although Obi eventually joined the Labour Party without informing him, Sowunmi commended the former governor for bringing the Southeast’s aspirations into national discourse. However, he emphasized that leadership demands more than rhetoric, urging support for candidates based on their ability to deliver tangible results.
Sowunmi explained that the National Opposition Movement Coalition was born out of the urgent need to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy amidst growing concerns about the country’s electoral and governance systems.
He criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for failing to uphold election integrity despite improvements in its guidelines and operational manuals.
He also expressed concern over the declining credibility of the judiciary, which he described as crucial for maintaining balance and preventing government overreach.
Two Nigerians, Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, have been sentenced by a United States federal jury to 30 years combined jail term for defrauding some US citizens of $3,500,000.
This was contained in a press release made available on the US Department of Justice website and obtained by PUNCH Metro on Monday.
According to the statement, the duo of Ibekie and Aniukwu deceived their victims by telling them that they had received substantial inheritances that required some money to claim.
The duo would then request their victims to send some amounts of money with a promise to refund them once the inheritances were claimed.
It also noted that the duo carried out romance scams by establishing romantic relationships with their victims and demanding them to send money after they had built trust in their victims.
It read, “An undercover law enforcement investigation has resulted in federal prison sentences for two Nigerian nationals residing in the Chicago suburbs who conducted online inheritance scams and other fraud schemes.
“Using aliases, Anthony Emeka Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu communicated with victims throughout the United States, convincing them they had received substantial inheritances and needed to send money to individuals associated with the defendants in order to claim it.
“In addition to the inheritance scam, the pair carried out an online romance scam that involved communicating with victims via social media and dating websites, building trust with the victims through a purported online romance, and convincing them to send money to a predetermined recipient. Aniukwu and Ibekie also orchestrated a ‘business email compromise’ scam that targeted corporate email accounts.
“The fraud schemes were uncovered by a covert law enforcement investigation. The scams resulted in losses to victims of at least $3.5 million.”
The statement noted that following their arraignment on no fewer than 14 counts, the duo pleaded guilty to their various changes.
Upon their guilty plea, Ibekie was sentenced to 20 years jail term on Thursday while Aniukwu was sentenced on November 8 to 10 years jail term.
The statement continued, “A federal jury earlier this year convicted Ibekie, 59, of Oswego, Ill., on all 14 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, making false statements to a bank, and passport fraud. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger on Thursday sentenced Ibekie to 20 years in federal prison.
“Aniukwu, 50, of Romeoville, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud and money laundering charges. Judge Seeger on Nov. 8, 2024, sentenced Aniukwu to 10 years in prison.”
Meanwhile, an accomplice of Ibekie and Aniukwu, who is a US citizen, Jennifer Gosha, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18 following her guilty plea.
“A third defendant, Jennifer Gosha, 52, a U.S. citizen from Oak Park, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of wire fraud and making false statements to a federal agent. Gosha is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Seeger on December 18, 2024,” the statement concluded.
The Association of Bureaux De Change of Nigeria has announced that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted a six-month extension for BDC operators to complete their recapitalisation.
The President of ABCON, Aminu Gwadebe, announced this development yesterday during a virtual general meeting with members.
Naija News understands that due to this extension, the new deadline for recapitalisation is now set for June 3, 2025.
In May, the CBN introduced new operational guidelines for BDCs, which took effect on June 3.
These guidelines require all existing BDCs to re-apply for a new licence based on their chosen categories (Tier 1 and Tier 2 BDCs) and to meet the minimum capital requirements for the respective licence categories within six months from the effective date.
According to the guidelines, BDCs holding Tier 1 licences must maintain a capital base of ₦2 billion, while those with Tier 2 licences are required to have ₦500 million, along with non-refundable licence fees of ₦5 million and ₦2 million, respectively.
In his statement, Gwadebe noted that several BDCs have begun to comply with the CBN’s recapitalisation directive.
He further indicated that the apex bank has approved an additional six-month period for all BDCs to recapitalise their operations, extending the deadline from December 2024 to June 2025.
He said, “The CBN is willing to partner with BDCs to ensure that the recapitalisation process is seamless. We are sending a message of unity, collaboration, and opportunities to ABCON members to continue to strive to ensure they meet the new capital requirements. We thank the CBN for listening and giving us a six-month extension.”
He said the deadline applies to existing BDCs, while new operators seeking licences have an indefinite timeline to get their licences.
“I want us to brace up and see the opportunities in the recapitalisation, which are immeasurable. There are great opportunities,” Gwadabe said.
The leader of ABCON stated that the regulations set forth by the CBN authorize BDCs to obtain foreign currency from various sources, engage in the sale of foreign exchange, and establish both foreign currency and naira accounts with commercial or non-interest banks. Additionally, they are permitted to work alongside their banking partners to issue prepaid debit cards.
Present at the meeting were more than 220 CBN-licensed BDCs, members of the ABCON Council, and other relevant stakeholders.