Eni says it has received regulatory approval from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for the sale of Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC Ltd) to Oando Plc.

In a statement on Wednesday, Eni said it has received formal consent to finalise the deal.

In September 2023, Oando announced plans to acquire the NAOC, but the deal was delayed due to regulatory approvals required.

On July 3, the NUPRC announced that Oando had completed the acquisition of 100 percent shares of Eni in its subsidiary, NAOC, adding that an announcement was imminent.

Confirming this in the statement, the Italian oil company said it has obtained all other relevant local and regulatory authorities’ authorisations.

“Having already obtained all other relevant local and regulatory authorities’ authorizations, this achievement will allow Eni to proceed to the completion of the transaction for the sale of Nigerian Agip Oil Company Ltd (NAOC Ltd), Eni’s wholly owned subsidiary focusing on onshore oil & gas exploration and production as well as power generation in Nigeria, to Oando PLC, Nigeria’s leading national energy solutions provider, listed on both the Nigerian and Johannesburg Stock Exchange,” the statement reads.

“NAOC Ltd participating interest in SPDC JV (Shell Production Development Company Joint Venture – operator Shell 30%, TotalEnergies 10%, NAOC 5%, NNPC 55%) is not included in the perimeter of the transaction and will be retained in Eni’s portfolio.

“Eni remains committed to the country through investments in deepwater projects and Nigeria LNG.”

The company also said it is developing plans for economic diversification in the country.

This, according to Eni, includes assessing the potential production of agri-feedstock for Enilive biorefineries and various nature- and technology-based projects, such as clean cooking initiatives, to offset emissions.

Meta, parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, says it has removed 63,000 accounts in Nigeria linked to sextortion scams.

In its report ‘Combating Financial Sextortion Scams From Nigeria’ released on Wednesday, Meta announced the network disruption of two sets of accounts in Nigeria affiliated with ‘yahoo boys’ and involved in financial sextortion scams.

“Following our recent Q1 2024 Adversarial Threat Report, today we are announcing the strategic network disruption of two sets of accounts in Nigeria that were affiliated with Yahoo Boys and were attempting to engage in financial sextortion scams,” Meta said.

“First, we removed around 63,000 accounts in Nigeria that attempted to directly engage in financial sextortion scams.

“These included a smaller coordinated network of around 2,500 accounts that we were able to link to a group of around 20 individuals. They targeted primarily adult men in the US and used fake accounts to mask their identities.

“We found the coordinated network of around 2,500 accounts through a combination of new technical signals we’ve developed to help identify sextorters and in-depth investigations by our expert teams.

“The majority of these accounts had already been detected and disabled by our enforcement systems, and this investigation allowed us to remove the remaining accounts and understand more about the techniques being used to improve our automated detection.”

The company said the investigation revealed that while the majority of these scam attempts were unsuccessful and focused on adults, some accounts targeted minors.

It, however, said these accounts were reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

“Since these criminals don’t limit themselves to any one platform, we also share relevant information with other tech companies through the Tech Coalition’s Lantern program, so they can take action too,” it added.

“Applying lessons learned from taking down terrorist groups and coordinated inauthentic behavior, we used our identification of this coordinated network to help us identify more accounts in Nigeria that were attempting to engage in similar sextortion scams, bringing the total to around 63,000 accounts removed.”

Meta said in addition to these accounts, 7,200 assets were removed including 1,300 Facebook accounts, 200 Facebook pages, and 5,700 Facebook groups.

It said these assets were found offering to sell scripts and guides to use when scamming people, and sharing links to collections of photos to use when populating fake accounts.

The company said following this disruption, its systems have been detecting and automatically blocking any attempts by these groups to return, and it is continually enhancing these systems to ensure their effectiveness.

‘META COMMITTED TO INVESTIGATING THESE CRIMES’

Meta reiterated its commitment to ongoing support for law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting these crimes by responding to legitimate legal information requests and notifying authorities if it identifies individuals at immediate risk, in line with its terms of service and relevant laws.

In efforts to prevent such scams, Meta said it has introduced stricter message settings for teens, developed new signals to detect potential sextortion accounts, and started testing an on-device nudity protection feature in Instagram direct messages (DMs), which blurs images with nudity detected as containing nudity and provides safety tips and resources.

Argentina captain, Lionel Messi, has reacted on social media in a shell-shocked manner after his country suffered a dramatic 2-1 defeat against Morocco in their 2024 Paris Olympic opening clash yesterday.

Argentina were down 2-1 when a massive 15-minute injury time was added at the end of 90 minutes.

Cristian Medina looked to have scored a late equalizer to secure a 2-2 draw for La Albiceleste.

However, the game was interrupted as angry Moroccan fans entered the stadium.

The match was temporarily suspended and after almost two hours, a VAR check confirmed that the goal was ruled out because of offside.

The remaining three-plus minutes were played as players re-emerged in an empty stadium.

The match ended 2-1 win in favour of Morocco, sparking a reaction from Messi on social media.

The Inter Miami captain wrote on his Instagram story:

“Insolito (Spanish).” “Unbelievable (English).”

Messi is currently recovering from an ankle injury he sustained during Argentina’s Copa America triumph over Colombia.

The former Barcelona captain is not part of Argentina’s squad at Olympics.

The Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA), Arewa Think Tank (ATT), and Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (ABMF) have backed out of the planned nationwide protest.

In a communiqué read by Muhammad Yakubu, convener of ATT, on Wednesday after a meeting in Kaduna, the groups denounced the protest as “counterproductive” and could lead to violence and the loss of lives.

“We, the youth of the Arewa Youth Assembly, remain steadfast in our commitment to fostering entrepreneurship, advocating for youth development, and promoting peace and progress in our nation,” the communiqué reads.

“We call on all stakeholders, including the government, civil society, and the private sector, to join hands with us in achieving these goals.

“We, the youth, firmly resolve to embrace entrepreneurship as a powerful tool to break the cycle of poverty and foster wealth creation in Nigeria.

“We recognise that by developing our entrepreneurial skills and knowledge, we can become self-sustainable and reduce dependence on the government for employment opportunities.”

The groups called on the government to implement measures aimed at developing the knowledge and skills of the youths.

They also said the government should prioritise youth development and empowerment as a matter of urgency, both at the national and sub-national levels.

“We urge the federal government to address the prevailing issues of banditry and insurgency effectively by ensuring security and stability,“ the groups added.

“The youth can actively engage in the agricultural sector, which has significant potential for business opportunities and economic growth.

“It is imperative for young people to equip themselves with the necessary tools and adapt to the rapidly evolving global landscape.”

Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have appealed to youths to refrain from joining the planned nationwide protest.

The governors spoke on Wednesday night after a meeting that lasted over two hours in Abuja.

There have been reports that youths are planning a nationwide protest between August 1 and 15 against the rising cost of living and economic hardship in the country.

Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo and chairman of the APC Governors Forum, said the federal government is doing everything possible to address the economic hardship in the country.

“Among other things, we are very committed to the support we have given to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our president and the leader of our party,” Uzodimma, who was flanked by his colleagues, said.

“And the support of all his economic policies and the reforms he has embarked on.

“We took the opportunity also to agree to explain to the larger Nigerians that this government is doing well.

“We have looked at the various policies of this government, and we acknowledge a teething problem associated with the initial stage of the programme and agree that because we are very hopeful, it is also the solution to the current problem and economic hardship that have befallen our country, and in a very short time, we are confident that the situation would be restored. Prosperity would come at the end of the day.

“We use this opportunity to advise our young boys and girls, young men and women, to desist from being instigated into causing crisis or chaos in the country.

“Already, Nigerians have suffered enough. The global economic recession, insecurity in Nigeria, political tension occasioned by instigations and campaigns of calumny by the opposition party, and social media attacks on various policies of the government.

“We want to advise for the interest of the country and a show of patriotism. Our citizens must take ownership of this country. We have no other country we can call our own.”

The governors said, “it is not wise at this moment” for youths or any group to protest in “whatever guise”.

Netflix, America’s streaming giant, has increased its subscription prices in Nigeria.

This is the second time in 2024 that the company is increasing its monthly subscription fees.

The company had hiked customers’ subscription rates in April.

According to the price update seen by TheCable on the company’s website on Wednesday, customers will now pay N7,000 monthly for the premium plan — up by 40 percent from N5,000.

Also, the streaming platform adjusted the subscription price for its standard plan, a popular option among Nigerian viewers, from N4,000 to N5,500, marking a 37.5 percent increase.

The firm implemented a 21 percent raise on its basic category, jacking up the subscription rate to N3,500 from N2,900.

The rate for the mobile plan — the lowest subscription category — was increased by 83 percent from N1,200 to N2,200.

Although Netflix did not give reasons for the hike, the development comes 17 months after the streaming giant reduced its subscription prices in more than 30 countries.

Some of the countries that benefitted from the gesture include Egypt, Yemen, Jordan, Libya, Iran, Kenya, Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Venezuela, Malaysia, Indonesia, Kenya, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Nigerians are currently battling a large-scale economic hardship worsened by the rising cost of living in the country. With the inflation rate rising to 34.18 percent in June, companies are being forced to adjust their processes to remain profitable.

In April, Multichoice Nigeria announced plans to increase the cost of subscriptions for its DStv and GOtv packages. The new rates took effect from May 1.

The pay-TV firm cited the rise in the cost of business operations as the rationale behind the price increase.

The National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), says the federal government has resumed mass trial of terrorism suspects.

In a statement on Wednesday, Michael Abu, head of strategic communication at NCTC-ONSA, said the trial would be conducted in line with the international criminal justice system.

Abu said there are at least 300 people on trial, and the five courts and chambers set up for the prompt administration of justice are presided by five judges.

He added that lawyers from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria were representing the suspects.

“In pursuance of its commitment to promoting social justice by entrenching a transparent administrative system, the federal government has resumed mass trials of persons allegedly involved in terrorism and suspects of other heinous crimes against the Nigerian state,” the statement reads.

“The ongoing trial, which is in line with the international criminal justice system, is being administered by the federal high court of Nigeria, with the complex casework group of the office of the attorney-general of the federation, in collaboration with other critical stakeholders under the coordination and supervision of the national counter-terrorism centre, office of the National Security Adviser.

“More than 300 suspects are on trial with five reputable judges manning the five courts and chambers set up for the speedy administration of justice on the ongoing trial in terrorism and other related cases in the country.

“The trial involves multiple stakeholders, CCG prosecutors, and defence counsel from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria.

“Before now, over 800 case files have been reviewed, and charges are drafted for efficient prosecution to ensure that justice is appropriately served.

“Between 2017 and 2018, the trials so far resulted in 163 convictions, 882 discharges, and five acquittals.

“Non-culpable suspects are being deradicalised and engaged in profitable ventures, and efforts to reintegrate them are being sustained.

“The NCTC-ONSA is working assiduously with relevant authorities in fulfilling its mandates and boosting the efforts of the incumbent administration towards realising good governance and a just society.”

Renowned Ghanaian gospel powerhouse Diana Asamoah has made headlines with her steadfast vow to stay single until she receives a divine nod from God Himself.

During a captivating appearance on UTV’s “U-Cook,” hosted by the vibrant Empress Gifty, the 50-year-old artist laid bare her unwavering commitment to this spiritual journey.

In a bold and heartfelt declaration, Diana revealed that despite encountering men from all walks of life and receiving a flood of marriage proposals, she remains resolute in her decision to await heavenly approval before tying the knot. 

Asamoah disclosed that her suitors include a range of influential men, some even being respected clerics, all vying for her hand in marriage. Yet, she claimed she has consistently turned them down, staying true to her belief that the right partner has yet to be appointed by God.

Speaking in her native language, she disclosed;

“I have met a lot of men, including men of God. While some of them came with genuine intentions, others were fake. Until I get an approval from God, I will never marry any of them. I will get married and have children at God’s appointed time.”

WATCH HER SPEAK BELOW

The Federal Ministry of Education has announced a 12.7% reduction in allowances for Nigerian scholars studying abroad, including those in Russia, Morocco, and Algeria, citing economic challenges.

This decision comes after reports emerged that students on government scholarships in several countries, including China and Hungary, had gone eight months without receiving their stipends, leaving them stranded. 

The students are studying under the Federal Government’s Bilateral Educational Agreement Scholarship.

The BEA scholarship is for the purpose of education exchange between Nigeria and the partnering countries.

The Federal Scholarship Board is supervising the scholarship under the Federal Ministry of Education.

The government’s decision to slash the scholars’ allowances was contained in a memo signed by the Director of the Federal Scholarship Board, Ndajiwo H.A., on behalf of the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman.

“After due consultations, the Federal Scholarship Board has come up with adjustments in line with budgetary provisions in the payment of BEA scholar’s supplementation allowances for the 2024 academic year,” the memo, dated July 23, 2024, and addressed to the scholars’ association, read.

According to the memo, the monthly allowances were slashed from $500 to $220; the graduation allowance from $2500 to $2000; and the PG research allowance was slashed from $1,000 to $500, among others.

The total for the payments initially paid was $5,650 per student but will now be $4,370

“The Scholars’ Association is hereby notified that due to the prevailing economic situation, the payment mandate for the BEA scholars’ allowances will be as per the new adjustment.

“The balances for the years 2023 and 2024 owed to scholars will be paid as soon as the funds are made available,” the ministry said.

Recently, the President of the Union of Nigerian Students under the Federal Government-controlled Bilateral Educational Agreement Scholarship, Ayuba Anas, said the scholars had not been paid for close to eight months.

Anas said, “For the past six to eight months, scholars enrolled in various institutions abroad have endured financial strain due to the delay in receiving their stipends.

“In addition, from the last payments we received (March-August), there was a shortfall of practically two and a half months’ payment. Moreover, some students in China have not received any stipends since they arrived in April and May 2023.“