Author: Lawan

….As 131 graduating students bag first class The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Professor Abayomi Fasina has said that the Federal Government is implementing a major initiative to boost agricultural production by providing special funding to federal universities, with several institutions receiving N1 billion each including FUOYE. Recall that a total of N30 billion was set aside to be distributed among agricultural universities to establish mechanised farming and livestock production. The objective of the initiative is to leverage the expertise of university faculties of agriculture to enhance food security, increase food production, and engage in modern…

Striker Karim Benzema, who is at odds with his club Al-Ittihad, has entered into negotiations to join rivals Al-Hilal, the Saudi Arabian league leaders, a source told AFP on Monday. “Negotiations are underway between the parties: Al-Hilal would like to sign Benzema for the remaining six months of his contract with Al-Ittihad, but the player’s agent is demanding a one-and-a-half-year contract,” the source told AFP. The French striker, the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, has scored eight goals in 14 league games this season with Al-Ittihad, but did not play in the last two matches. He is unhappy with a contract…

Agency Report South Africa have moved to step in as hosts of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) following Morocco’s reported withdrawal from staging the tournament with just 60 days to the scheduled kick-off. The 2026 WAFCON is billed to run from March 17 to April 3, 2026, under a compressed timetable that follows the delayed 2024 edition, which was impacted by global scheduling challenges, including the Paris Olympics. The development was announced on Sunday night by South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Peace Mabe, who revealed that the Rainbow Nation would take over hosting…

For more than two decades, a quiet but intense battle has brewed around one of Nigeria’s most ubiquitous products — sachet-packaged alcohol. Cheap, colourful and easy to conceal, these small plastic and sachets packs of strong spirits have found their way into motor parks, street corners, and increasingly, into the hands of underage children. What began as a public health concern has now erupted into a full-blown faceoff involving regulators, labour unions, distillers and organised labour, with jobs, investments and the future of public health hanging in the balance. At the centre of the storm is the National Agency for…

Travels: Presidency spends N34bn on forex in two years The Presidency spent at least N34.39bn on foreign exchange purchases for international travel and related obligations over a two-year period, findings by The PUNCH have shown. The figure is according to data compiled from GovSpend, a government spending tracker managed by BudgIT. The records, which cover transactions by the State House, Presidential Air Fleet, the Office of the Chief of Staff, and operations linked to the President, Vice President, First Lady, and their aides, show a sharp swing in spending patterns between 2024 and 2025. An analysis of the data shows…

The House of Representatives has defended the delay in the passage of the Electoral Amendment Bill, saying the process is aimed at harmonising diverse views to produce a credible and acceptable legal framework. The spokesman of the House, Mr Akintunde Rotimi, said the delay was necessary to ensure that the final document effectively addresses gaps identified during the 2023 general elections and strengthens Nigeria’s democratic process. Rotimi spoke over the weekend in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State while commissioning road projects at Isaba and Oke-Ayedun, as well as a staff quarters at Odo-Oro High School, Odo-Oro. Responding to…

Sujimoto Construction Limited has denied liability over a disputed ₦24 million claim, stating that the matter is currently before a court for determination. The company clarified that the powers of an administrator appointed through an ex-parte court order have been suspended, pending the outcome of legal proceedings. In a statement on Monday, Sujimoto said it had complied with due process by depositing a bank draft for the disputed sum under protest, stressing that the action does not amount to an admission of liability. According to the firm, it has filed motions challenging the ex-parte order, adding that the filings have…

President Bola Tinubu has paid tribute to the late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, following his posthumous recognition with the Recording Academy’s Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, describing the honour as a deserved global salute to an icon whose music and ideals reshaped generations. In a statement issued on Sunday, the President said the award appropriately celebrates a cultural giant whose artistic brilliance and fearless expression elevated African music and identity on the world stage. Tinubu noted that Fela was far more than a musician, portraying him as a relentless advocate for social justice, a voice of resistance and a revolutionary cultural…

Dangote Industries Limited and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) have sealed strategic Gas Sales and Purchase Agreements (GSPAs) aimed at meeting the growing energy needs of Dangote’s major expansion projects across key industrial sectors. The agreements involve three Dangote subsidiaries—Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Dangote Fertiliser Plant and Dangote Cement Plc—and NNPC Ltd subsidiaries, Nigerian Gas Marketing Limited (NGML) and NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company Limited (NGIC).The upscaled gas supply arrangements are designed to support Dangote Group’s Vision 2030 by guaranteeing reliable, cleaner energy supply, improving production efficiency and sustaining ongoing and future expansion projects. The agreements were signed during…

The newly elected Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State has reaffirmed its total and unshakeable loyalty to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party under the leadership of its National Chairman, Barrister Kabiru Turaki. The statement was signed by Prince Dr. Christopher O. Odianarewo Dis., Lagos State PDP Publicity Secretary-elect. In a statement issued in Lagos on Friday, the Lagos State PDP Exco-elect declared its full alignment with the Turaki-led NWC, describing it as the only legitimate national leadership of the party and pledging solidarity as the PDP embarks on a new phase of…