Author: Lawan

Dangote Cement vows to make Africa self-sufficient Dangote Cement Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to making Africa fully self‑sufficient in cement production, strengthening the continent’s industrial backbone and reducing reliance on imported construction materials. Speaking during a strategic briefing on the company’s expansion drive, the Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement, Mr Arvind Pathak, emphasised that the company is accelerating its investments across African markets to close supply gaps and support the continent’s infrastructural ambitions. According to him: “Our vision is clear — to ensure Africa produces enough cement to meet its own needs, through continuous expansion, operational excellence, and…

The Senate Committee on Finance has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for launching Nigeria’s National Halal Economy Strategy, describing it as a bold and strategic move to position the country within the lucrative global halal market, estimated at $7.7 trillion. In a statement signed by its Chairman, the committee praised the initiative as timely and aligned with international best practices. Several countries—including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Brazil, Thailand, and Singapore—have successfully used halal frameworks to boost manufacturing, agricultural exports, financial markets, and foreign investment. The committee highlighted Nigeria’s strong advantages…

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has warned that continued reliance on coastal delivery of petroleum products could push petrol prices close to N1,000 per litre in Nigeria. The company stressed that its preferred gantry loading remains the most efficient and cost-effective method to ensure price stability for consumers. The refinery, in a statement on Thursday, explained that its position is supported by sustained investments in critical infrastructure, including a “world-class gantry facility” with 91 loading bays capable of loading up to 2,900 tankers daily. Operating on a 24-hour basis, it said the facility can evacuate over 50 million litres of premium motor…

Kwara massacre: UN condemns killings as Türkiye pledges support President Bola Tinubu on Thursday held an emergency security meeting with the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, as national and international outrage mounted over the massacre of residents in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state. The meeting came as the United Nations and Türkiye condemned the killings, northern senators demanded a sweeping security overhaul, and the Inspector-General of Police ordered the deployment of tactical teams to the affected communities. The deadly attack, which claimed at least 75 lives, according to government figures, has triggered renewed calls for mass recruitment of…

Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has urged Nigerian schools to embrace endowments as a strategic measure to address the chronic underfunding of the nation’s educational institutions. Osinbajo made the call at the 94th Founders’ Day celebration of Igbobi College, Lagos, describing an endowment as a pool of funds or assets donated by individuals or corporations and set aside to support schools over the long term. “Many great institutions are backed by large endowments that sustain their operations for decades,” he said. “Endowments are not just about financial provision; they are about sustaining standards, cultures, values and norms. It is not…

The Senate Minority Caucus clarified on Thursday that the Senate did not reject the electronic transmission of election results before the leadership passed the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, contrary to widespread media reports. The clarification came barely 24 hours after the upper chamber came under fire on Wednesday following reports that lawmakers rejected proposals for the electronic transmission of election results and a 10-year ban on vote-buyers and other electoral offenders. Shortly after the report went viral, Senate President Godswill Akpabio dismissed the claims as misleading. Akpabio also maintained that lawmakers retained electronic transmission as provided under the 2022 Electoral…

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has revealed that Nigeria has secured over $50 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) commitments as a direct outcome of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s sustained global diplomatic and economic engagements since assuming office in May 2023. The National Chairman of the party, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, in a statement on Tuesday, said the milestone validates President Tinubu’s international outreach, describing it as a deliberate and results-driven strategy aimed at repositioning Nigeria as a prime global investment destination. According to Yilwatda, the $50 billion in investment commitments spans energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, agriculture, logistics, and technology, and…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has suspended the selection of examination towns for candidates registering for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Ekiti. The board disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin. Benjamin said that the suspension was to enable the board restructure examination towns to ensure closer proximity to candidates and reduce transportation challenges on examination days. He explained that although candidates were usually allowed to select examination towns closest to their locations, the 2026 UTME registration commenced before structural anomalies were however detected in Ekiti’s examination towns’…

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) External results, recording a 71.63 per cent pass rate. The Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim-Wushishi, announced this at a news conference on Wednesday at the council’s headquarters in Minna. Ibrahim-Wushishi said the examination was conducted from Nov. 26 to Dec. 13, 2025, while the marking exercise took place between Jan. 5 and Jan. 21, 2026. He noted that the results were released 52 days after the last written paper. According to him, 96,979 candidates registered for the examination, comprising 51,823 males (53.43…

A Kano State High Court has adjourned until April 15 for the hearing of pending applications in the ongoing trial of a former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, and others over alleged misappropriation of public funds. Ganduje is standing trial alongside his wife, Hafsat Umar, on an 11-count charge bordering on bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds amounting to billions of naira.Other defendants in the case are Abubakar Bawuro, Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd, and Lasage General Enterprises Ltd.When the matter came up, the prosecution counsel, Mr Victor Oni, informed the court that…