The President of Ghana,  Nana Akufo-Addo has unveiled a statue of himself at the Western Region of Ghana.

The golden statue was unveiled on Wednesday, November 6, at the entrance of Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi during his tour of the Western Region

It was gathered that the Chief, Elders, and people of the Western Region pulled a surprise on President Akufo-Addo when they ushered him to unveil a statue of himself at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi.

The statue was said to recognise his administration’s contributions to the region’s development.

The Regional Minister, Kwabena Darko-Mensah, who led the unveiling ceremony, praised the president for several major projects initiated under his administration, including the start of a petroleum hub project in Western Nzema.

The unveiling of the statue comes just a few months before Akufo-Addo will step down from office after two terms as president.

A Harare woman, Shamiso Zuze, has filed a suit, demanding US$100 per month from her former partner, Givemore Gonye, whom she accused of causing her significant emotional and physical pain during their two-year relationship.

Zuze brought the case to the Harare Civil Court, arguing that Gonye’s actions, including alleged infidelity and disrespect, warrant financial compensation.

The Federal Government has expressed appreciation to Nigerians for their resilience amid the challenging effects of recent economic reforms, assuring that these changes are now yielding positive results.

Speaking at an interactive session with the Senate Committee on Finance, led by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun acknowledged the sacrifices made by Nigerians. He noted that the “teething problems” from reforms are easing as indicators of economic improvement begin to emerge.

Edun stated, “The two critical reforms—market-based pricing for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and foreign exchange adjustments—are now at the stage of delivering results. These pillars of reform strengthen our economy by enhancing fiscal viability and laying a solid foundation for growth.”

“These reforms,” he continued, “will generate additional government revenue, support the recovery of NNPCL’s finances, and foster economic growth through increased investment and job creation. We commend Nigerians for enduring to this point where benefits are beginning to materialize.”

In his opening remarks, Senator Musa described the session as a fact-finding discussion on the impact of various reforms, saying, “Today, we gather to examine the implications of selling crude oil to domestic refineries in Naira and its effect on the medium-term expenditure framework for 2024-2026, as well as projections for 2025-2027.”

He added, “We will also address revenue shortfalls, focusing on foreign and domestic excess crude accounts, signature bonus accounts, and the NNPCL cash call account. This meeting reaffirms our commitment to transparency, accountability, and responsible resource management.”

Musa expressed confidence in the collaboration of the Finance Ministry, Office of the Accountant General, Central Bank of Nigeria, Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission, and other key stakeholders to find solutions and uphold due process for the benefit of the economy and the Nigerian people.

The session was attended by Finance Minister Wale Edun, NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari, NUPRC Director General Gbenga Komolafe, and representatives from the Central Bank of Nigeria. Later, Senate President Godswill Akpabio joined the meeting behind closed doors.

A 40-year-old Nigerian national, Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, was arrested on arrival at an airport in Texas on charges linked to a multi-million-dollar romance fraud scheme.

Nwadialo, indicted in December 2023 by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington, faces 14 counts of wire fraud.

The defendant allegedly scammed victims out of up to $2 million by posing as a romantic partner deployed in the U.S. military.

Nwadialo was traveling from Nigeria when he was taken into custody. He is now set to be transported to the Western District of Washington for arraignment.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman disclosed the challenges of prosecuting defendants involved in overseas romance scams, stating, “All too often, the defendants in these romance scams are overseas and unreachable by U.S. law enforcement.”

She commended the investigators for their persistence in bringing the defendant to justice.

According to the indictment and criminal complaint filed in the case, Nwadialo allegedly defrauded victims of more than $3.3 million.

Nwadialo used various versions of the name ‘Giovanni” when he met his victims online on websites such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café. Nwadialo used false images for his profile and typically told the victims that he was in the military and deployed overseas so he could not meet the victims in person.

Gorman said, "Using these personas, Nwadialo invented many reasons he needed the victims to send him money. In one such case in 2020, he indicated he had been fined by the military for revealing his location to the victim.

"He asked the victim to help him pay the $150,000 fine. In all, that victim was defrauded of at least $2.4 million.”

Meanwhile, a second victim was contacted in 2019 to help move funds from U.S. accounts to accounts controlled by the defendant and his co-schemers.

"In this instance Nwadialo represented that he needed the help moving money in connection with his father’s death. The victim transferred at least $330,000 to the accounts controlled by the defendant,” Gorman said.

Gorman explained that a third victim was defrauded by Nwadialo when he told her that he was investing money for her.

"He claimed that a check she received from another victim was proceeds from her investments and he had her “reinvest” the money in a specific cryptocurrency account that he controlled. The victim transferred at least $270,000 at Nwadialo’s direction,” Gorman said.

According to the statement, in August 2020, Nwadialo defrauded another victim who he met on an online dating site and caused this victim to transfer at least $310,000 by claiming he needed financial assistance, including help paying for his father’s funeral or his son’s school tuition.

"The fourteen counts of wire fraud relate to the communications with Nwadialo and the wiring of funds from victims to the defendant and his co-schemers.

Gorman noted that wire fraud is punishable by up to twenty years in prison.

"The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” the statement said.

Gorman further stated that the FBI is investigating the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sok Jiang.

The Federal Government has revealed plans to provide Nigerians with at least 20 hours of daily electricity by 2027.

However, it has conditioned this target on sufficient investment in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, which it has said is currently far below expectations.

The Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, made this statement at the Energy Week in Cape Town, South Africa, in a release by the State House Director of Information and Publicity, Abiodun Oladunjoye, on Thursday.

“By 2027, Nigeria aims to ensure 20 hours of electricity daily for consumers in urban areas and industrial hubs,” Verheijen said.

The statement is titled, ‘At African Energy Week in Cape Town, Olu Verheijen Invites Global Players to Invest in Nigeria’s Energy Sector.’

Verheijen’s comments come amid the frequent collapse of Nigeria’s national power grid, which has led to widespread blackouts across the country.

The grid collapsed on Tuesday, marking the 10th such incident since January 2024. The Federal Government has attributed these recurring collapses to ageing infrastructure, inadequate maintenance, and insufficient investment in the power sector.

Despite having an installed capacity of approximately 12,500 megawatts, Nigeria often generates only a fraction of this, leaving many areas without reliable electricity.

At the Energy Week, Verheijen told participants about efforts by the Tinubu administration to revitalise the nation’s power sector, with plans to provide more reliable electricity access for the 86 million Nigerians currently underserved.

She said the scheme aims to improve revenue assurance and collection.
Other key measures include tackling legacy debt, deploying seven million smart meters to reduce losses, and expanding off-grid solutions for remote communities.

Highlighting recent macroeconomic reforms, such as the removal of the petrol subsidy and foreign exchange liberalisation, she expressed confidence that Nigeria is poised for unprecedented growth.

“Under President Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria is championing reforms to unlock its vast economic potential and create jobs,” she said, inviting foreign partners to participate in Nigeria’s next chapter of growth.

While discussing the recent reforms implemented by President Bola
Tinubu’s administration to attract investment, Verheijen noted that the country has historically underperformed in oil and gas production despite its wealth in the sector.

She referenced how countries like Brazil, which have only 30 per cent of Nigeria’s oil reserves, have outperformed Nigeria by producing 131 per cent more than the country’s current output.

“Despite our abundant resources, we have underperformed against our potential. For example, Brazil holds only 30 per cent of Nigeria’s oil reserves but produces 131 per cent more. This is largely due to under-investment,” she said.

She lamented that since 2016, Nigeria has attracted only 4 per cent of African oil and gas investments, while investment has surged in other, less resource-rich nations.

“Since 2016, Nigeria has managed to attract only 4 per cent of total investments in oil and gas, while less-resourced countries in Africa have enjoyed a larger share.

“When we analysed investment data, we also found that, between 2013, when Nigeria’s last deepwater project reached FID, and now, International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in Nigeria have committed more than $82bn in deepwater investments in other countries they deemed to be more attractive destinations for their capital,” she told the audience.

Recognising this trend, the presidential aide highlighted efforts by President Tinubu’s administration to enact reforms aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s investment landscape.

She cited the government’s introduction of fiscal incentives targeting deep offshore and non-associated gas projects, marking the first time Nigeria has outlined a fiscal framework specifically for deepwater gas.

In efforts to enhance the upstream oil and gas sector, she said her office has collaborated closely with the office of the National Security Adviser to create and distribute focused Security Directives, leveraging insights gathered from on-the-ground operators.

Furthermore, Verheijen revealed steps to streamline approval processes by clearly defining the regulatory scopes involved.

This initiative, she said, aims to significantly reduce the extended project timelines that have historically plagued the industry, as well as the high-cost premiums associated with operating in Nigeria.

“Our target is to shorten the contracting timelines from an extensive 38 months to just 135 days, while also working to eliminate the 40 per cent cost premium that currently exists within the Nigerian petroleum industry,” she added.

The presidential aide also revealed efforts by the current President Tinubu administration to further open up the oil and gas sector for larger investments with a set of clear fiscal incentives for non-associated gas and deep offshore oil and gas exploration and production.

“This is the first time that Nigeria is outlining a fiscal framework for deepwater gas since exploration in the basin commenced in 1991,” she said.

According to her, amongst other initiatives, there has been a focus on midstream and downstream investments in compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and electric vehicles as part of the Presidential Gas for Growth Initiative.

She added that the administration has also worked to streamline regulatory processes, shorten project timelines, and reduce the high-cost premium of operating in Nigeria.

“We have also introduced fiscal incentives to catalyse investments in the midstream and downstream sectors, including compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and mini-liquefied natural gas.

“These align with the broader Presidential Gas for Growth Initiative, which seeks to enable the displacement of PMS and diesel in three key sectors: heavy transport, decentralised power generation, and cooking. These incentives are also stimulating demand for electric vehicles.

“Our goal is to eliminate the 40 per cent cost premium within the Nigerian petroleum industry and cut down contracting timelines from 38 months to 135 days,” Verheijen stated.

She said the government has unlocked over $1bn across the energy value chain, with two more major investment projects expected by mid-2025.

“We are also facilitating the transfer of onshore and shallow water assets to local companies with the capacity to grow production while supporting the transition of International Oil Companies with resilient capital into deep offshore and integrated gas.

“We have unlocked over $1 billion in investments across the value chain and by the middle of 2025, we expect to see FID on two more projects, including a multibillion-dollar deepwater exploration project, which will be the first of its kind in Nigeria in over a decade – one of many to come,” Verheijen explained.

Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has stated that Nigeria is undergoing a fundamental and disruptive reset, following the removal of subsidies by President Bola Tinubu.

Soludo made this remark during Veritas University’s 13th convocation lecture in Abuja, on Thursday.

The lecture, titled ‘Let Us Make a New Deal for Nigeria’, explored ways to address the country’s challenges.

Soludo noted the need to transition from subsidies, which largely benefitted the urban elite, to a productive social contract that creates opportunities for all.

He explained that the country has ended the harmful fuel, foreign exchange, and electricity subsidies.

“We have entered a ‘muddling-through’ phase that requires careful navigation,” Soludo said.

He acknowledged that, despite other issues, the military regimes invested in education during Nigeria’s early oil booms.

Soludo urged Nigerians to craft a pragmatic new deal for the country, as well as an emergency national infrastructure plan, similar to the United States Marshal Plan used to rebuild Europe after World War II.

He encouraged Nigerian leaders to draw inspiration from the marshal plan to implement public works projects, financial reforms, and regulatory changes that could transform the nation.

He also highlighted positive signs, such as the minimum wage legislation, the draft tax reform bill, and planned cash transfers.

He called for historic coordination between federal and state governments to ensure swift implementation of these reforms.

Soludo urged the graduating students to actively contribute to the country’s future.

He said, “The future you seek is in your hands. Only those who plan can control the future. While Nigeria may not have given you much, you are expected to give more than you have received.”

He encouraged them to participate in shaping the nation’s destiny.

The United States President Joe Biden has asked Americans to accept the victory of Republican Party candidate Donald Trump in the presidential election.

On November 6, Trump won the presidential election after exceeding the magic number of 270 electoral college votes.

Trump defeated Kamala Harris of the Democratic Party, who has 219 electoral college votes.

Harris has congratulated Trump on his electoral victory.

During a speech on Thursday at the White House Rose Garden, Biden said, “We accept the choice the country made.”

“I know for some people, it’s time for victory to state the obvious. For others, it’s a time of loss,” the US president said.

“Campaigns are contests of competing visions. The country chooses one or the other.

“I’ve said many times, you can’t love your country only when you win. You can’t love your neighbour only when you agree.

“I will do my duty as president. I’ll fulfil my oath and honour the Constitution. On January 20, we will have a peaceful transfer of power here in America.

“Remember, defeat does not mean we are defeated. We lost this battle. The America of your dream is calling for you to get back up.

“The America experiment endures. We are going to be okay, but we need to stay engaged. We need to keep going. Above all, we need to keep the faith.”

Oludayo Adeagbo, a British-Nigerian, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in a multimillion-dollar business email compromise (BEC) scheme.

According to the US department of justice, Adeagbo, who also goes by John Edwards and John Dayo, conspired with others to steal over $3 million from different entities in Texas, including local government entities, construction companies, and a Houston-area college.

Adeagbo and conspirators also defrauded a North Carolina university of more than $1.9 million.

The case began in August 2022 when Adeagbo and two other Nigerian citizens, Donald Echeazu, 42, and Olabanji Egbinola, 44, were extradited from the United Kingdom (UK), where they resided, to face charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering.

The US department of justice said offences were committed in North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.

On April 8, Adeagbo pleaded guilty in two cases against him in North Carolina and Texas for participating in a business email compromise scheme, which is also called a “cyber-enabled financial fraud” scheme.

A business email compromise scheme can be initiated by scammers creating fake accounts pretending to be companies that a business regularly does business with.

Court records showed that Adeagbo and his co-conspirators obtained information about significant construction projects throughout the United States, including an ongoing multi-million-dollar project at a university in North Carolina.

“To execute the scheme, Adeagbo, Echeazu, and others registered a domain name similar to that of the legitimate construction company in charge of the university’s project and created an email address that closely resembled that of an employee of the construction company,” the department of justice said.

“Using the fake email address, the fraudsters deceived and directed the university to wire a payment of more than $1.9 million to a bank account controlled by an individual working under the direction of Adeagbo and his co-conspirators.”

Adeagbo and his co-conspirators pulled the same tricks in Texas, targeting local government entities and universities pretending to be construction companies. They received over $3 million from the scheme and $5 million overall.

Adeagbo has been ordered to pay $942,655.03 in restitution and will serve seven years in prison.

Chad’s military recently killed and injured many Boko Haram terrorists through air strikes, as confirmed by President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno on Thursday.

In an interview conducted while dressed in full military attire, Deby revealed that he had ‘personally’ initiated the counter-offensive against Boko Haram terrorists, which had previously attacked the Chadian army in the western region near the Nigerian border last month.

Naija News understands that the Chadian government had pledged to “eradicate” Boko Haram when it commenced its operations in late October, following a raid by the jihadists that resulted in approximately 40 deaths and many more injuries at a military garrison.

“We carried out several air strikes on enemy positions that resulted in many dead and wounded,” Deby told reporters in the Lake Chad region without giving specific numbers of terrorists killed.

The operation is designed not only to ensure the safety of our civilian population but also to actively pursue, eliminate, and dismantle the capabilities of Boko Haram and its affiliates to inflict harm, stated interim Prime Minister Abderahim Bireme Hamid during a press conference last week.

It is worth noting that the Lake Chad region, characterized by its extensive waters and swamps, contains numerous islets that serve as sanctuaries for jihadist factions, including Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP), which frequently launch assaults against both military forces and civilians.

In response to this threat, Chad, along with its neighbouring countries Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon, established a multinational force comprising approximately 8,500 troops in 2015 to combat the jihadist insurgency.

Boko Haram initiated its insurgency in Nigeria in 2009, resulting in over 40,000 fatalities, and the group has since expanded its activities into adjacent nations.

In March 2020, the Chadian military experienced its most significant single-day casualties in the region, with around 100 soldiers killed during an attack on the Bohoma peninsula of the lake.

Victor Osimhen scored twice as Galatasaray inflicted a first Europa League defeat of the season on Tottenham to move top of the table with a 3-2 victory in Istanbul on Thursday.

The Turkish champions have 10 points from four games and have all but secured qualification for at least the knock-out play-off round, while Spurs sit in fifth place after losing their 100-percent record.

Galatasaray took an early lead when Yunus Akgun smashed a sensational long-range volley into the top corner in the sixth minute.

But the visitors hit back just 12 minutes later as teenage striker Will Lankshear marked just his second first-team appearance with a goal by tapping in Brennan Johnson’s pass across goal.

Galatasaray took control before half-time, though, as Osimhen scored twice in the space of eight minutes.

The Nigerian star fired them back in front just after the half-hour mark, before cleverly volleying Dries Mertens’ cross past Tottenham goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

Osimhen has now scored six goals in eight appearances for Galatasaray since joining on loan from Napoli.

The home side passed up several opportunities to put the game out of sight for their opponents, but Spurs’ hopes of a comeback were hit when Lankshear was sent off for two yellow-card offences in quick succession in the second half.

Dominic Solanke pulled one back in the 69th minute, shortly after being brought on by Ange Postecoglou, but Galatasaray held on with relative comfort.

Eintracht Frankfurt are second in the standings, behind Galatasaray on goals scored, after Omar Marmoush’s 13th goal of the season clinched a 1-0 win against Slavia Prague.

The Egyptian clipped a superb free-kick in off the crossbar shortly after the break.

Athletic Bilbao are in third, separated from Eintracht also by goals scored, after coming from behind to grab a 2-1 success at Ludogorets.

Inaki Williams and Nico Serrano both scored in a two-minute burst from the Basque club.

Roma’s disappointing form this season continued as Kevin Mac Allister’s goal 13 minutes from time secured Union Saint-Gilloise their second point of the competition with a 1-1 draw in Belgium.