All Posts in "Month: October 2025"

Over 310m litres of petrol ready for loading – Dangote

Aliko DangoteAs the petrol price hike persists over the weekend, the Dangote refinery has challenged marketers to bring their trucks for fuel loading, boasting that it has over 310 million litres of premium motor spirit (petrol) in its ranks.

The Vice President of the Dangote Group, Devakumar Edwin, stated this Friday during a tour of the refinery.

According to him, marketers are allowed to bring any trucks for loading at the gantry, as the refinery had enough fuel for the local market and for export.

Edwin said some marketers might have raised the price of petrol in their filling stations, thinking the Dangote refinery was not supplying the product at the moment.

“So, this one is again a campaign to try to say the prices will go up. I can go and try to increase my filling station price; maybe Dangote is not supplying. Bring your tankers. We will load. Any number of tankers you bring, we’ll load. It’s a challenge I’m throwing today. No one can come and tell me I’m not loading. We can load any number of tankers you bring. So, you can see whether I have the capacity to produce or not.

We have more than 310 million litres as of now,” he stressed.

On why the refinery reduced its fuel intake, Edwin maintained, “When the prices are a bit low, we buy a lot. When our stocks are going down, we buy a lot. But at the same time, if your inventory of crude is very high, nobody would like to lock so much money into their tanks, because it’s money locked in the form of crude oil. So, we reduce our inflow, which is what happened.”

He stated that this had nothing to do with the factory working or not working.

“They said we have problems. No factory works 100 per cent every day without a problem. But if there is a problem, whether it is going to affect your final production or not is a key issue. So, normally all these major businesses have what we call turnaround maintenance.

“That is why they go for once in two years or three years; a new refinery like this will go for once in five years. So, if there are problems which will affect the production, we take a turnaround maintenance. Take, for example, our fertiliser, which took a turnaround maintenance sometime last year. So, at that time, your product outflow definitely comes down.

“But here, as I was explaining, I have more than 310 million litres of PMS as of today inside my tanks, apart from the production which is coming out every day,” he emphasised.

Edwin insisted that the refinery has a capacity to supply the 100 per cent requirement of diesel, PMS, and aviation fuel needed in Nigeria and still exports almost 50 per cent of its production overseas.

“It’s a very large refinery. You can go and check with any engineer in the refining business: a 650,000-barrel refinery producing 94 per cent lighter product. Only 6 per cent comes as a carbon black feedstock, which is a heavier product. It’s not like our old Nigerian refineries, where a lot of low pour fuel oil, heavy fuel oil and all come in.

“This is 94 per cent of either PMS or AGO or JetA1. Our production of lighter products is very large, much, much more than Nigeria’s requirements. And we are producing. You went inside today. You saw the refinery working, and you can come and see our stock position,” he stated.

The PUNCH reports that the sudden jump in petrol prices from about N865 per litre to almost N1,000 has left many Nigerians confused, especially as the two main factors that determine the price, crude oil and the exchange rate, have both been stable lately.

Our correspondent observed that the naira, which exchanged for around N1,700 to a dollar in the first quarter of this year, now trades around N1,470. Likewise, crude oil, which once sold above $80 per barrel earlier in the year, is now around $60.

According to data from energy intelligence firm Kpler, crude oil prices fell sharply last week, with Brent dropping below $60 per barrel for the first time since May after US President Donald Trump threatened higher tariffs on Chinese goods. Although the president later backtracked, the brief episode rattled the market, exposing its fragility to economic shocks.

The PUNCH reports that the timing of that fall coincided with a sudden increase in petrol prices by depot owners and the Dangote refinery, deepening confusion among consumers who are already struggling with high costs of living.

When Nigerians were expecting a reduction in petrol prices, the figures surged last week Monday.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria has blamed depot owners for the hike, which has climbed to between N930 and N950 per litre in most parts of the country.

Following the increase, filling stations across Lagos, Ogun and Abuja raised their pump prices to match the new regime.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited retail outlets raised the petrol price to N928 per litre. But it reduced this to N920 over the weekend.

The NNPC spokesperson, Andy Odeh, told The PUNCH that the adjustment was a direct result of higher depot prices.

Dangote partners, MRS and Heyden, sold petrol at N925 and N923 per litre, respectively.

It was learnt that the refinery had also raised its petrol gantry price to about N870 per litre, up from N820.

Dan Poster by — October 20, 2025 in Business 0
Great Nigeria Insurance rebounds with N2bn profit

Great Nigeria Insurance PlcGreat Nigeria Insurance Plc has reversed the loss of N736m in 2022 to post a profit after tax worth N2bn at the end of 2023.

The financial performance of the insurance firm was disclosed at its 53rd Annual General Meeting held in Lagos recently.

Speaking on the floor of the AGM, the chairman of GNI, Bade Aluko, said that the company had reported a significant financial turnaround for the year 2023, driven largely by exceptional investment income and sector-wide resilience despite severe national economic conditions.

In the year under review, the firm transitioned to the International Financial Reporting Standard 17. The 2022 transiting figure for Insurance Revenue stood at N2.6bn, but it dropped in 2023 by 3.8 per cent to N2.5bn.

The Insurance Service Expense for 2023 stood at N2bn, rising from N1.5bn in the previous year.

In the current reporting year, the company’s Net Investment Income stood at N4.6bn, higher than N1.3bn, indicating a 254 per cent surge in Investment Income. Profit After Tax jumped to N2bn from a loss of N736m in 2022.

Net investment income was highlighted as a key driver of this success, with the report noting, “In the current reporting year, the company’s Net Investment Income stood at N4.6bn as against the 2022 figure, which was N1.9bn.”

The chairman acknowledged the broader macroeconomic context, saying, “Our organisation gallantly thrived through the avalanche of economic woes that swept businesses globally and locally since the unfortunate throes of the pandemic and the Russia/Ukraine war. The ripple effects of the pandemic from 2019, regurgitating all through into 2023, and the harsh economic realities in Nigeria stemming from the reforms of the current administration may have had smattering effects on our operations, but, as has been reflected in our books, we have emerged profitable regardless.”

Looking ahead, Aluko outlined the powerful forces expected to shape the future of the Nigerian insurance industry.

He said, “The future of Nigeria’s insurance industry will likely be shaped by four powerful forces: regulatory upgrades (like IFRS 17), economic reforms, technology adoption, creating both challenges and big opportunities, and the newly signed Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act 2025.

“It is expected that IFRS 17 will change the dynamics of insurance performance reporting going forward. The takeaway will be greater transparency and investor confidence. By standardising key assurance measures and reporting performance, IFRS 17 should boost investor trust, attract foreign capital, and help the market compare companies more easily,” he observed.

On NIIRA 2025, the chairman said, “The newly signed NIIRA 2025 has several radical reforms that are mainly targeted at boosting confidence and trust in the insurance industry in Nigeria and ultimately gaining geometrical penetration if keenly executed.” The act “also provided a robust system that will guarantee the financial safety of the insured in case of insolvency while creating a formidable bulwark against insolvency for the insurer.”

He maintained that despite the positive reforms, the industry continues to face significant headwinds stemming from the broader economy: “There are still challenges that could slow growth in the near future if not properly and timely mitigated presently.”

Aluko reassured the shareholders that GNI was committed to sustaining resilience in the face of the market dynamics.

“Great Nigeria Insurance Plc. remains committed to a rigorous pursuit of excellence in our operations as an insurance company. We have maintained a rare display of courage and resilience thus far, and we will continue to give it all it takes to ensure we keep thriving in all our business expressions,” he concluded.

GNI is undergoing a mandatory takeover by Insurance Resourcery and Consultancy Services Limited. Under this arrangement, the company will acquire 500,000,000 ordinary shares in Great Nigeria Insurance Plc at N1.30 per share in accordance with the provisions of Part XII Section 143 (2) of the Investments and Securities Act 2025.

Dan Poster by — October 20, 2025 in Business 0
Financial stocks power N1.27tn rally on NGX

NGX Group BuildingThe Nigerian Exchange Limited closed last week on a positive note as investors gained N1.27tn, pushing the market capitalisation to N94.56tn. The All-Share Index rose by 1.35 per cent to 148,977.64 points, driven largely by gains in financial stocks, Temitope Aina writes

The Nigerian Exchange Limited recorded a significant rebound in trading activities last week, as investors gained about N1.27tn in market value, driven largely by strong demand for financial stocks and renewed investor confidence across key sectors.

At the close of trading on Friday, the All-Share Index and market capitalisation appreciated by 1.35 per cent and 1.36 per cent to settle at 148,977.64 points and N94.561tn, respectively, compared to the previous week’s 146,998.63 points and N93.291tn.

Market data from the Exchange showed that a total turnover of 2.422bn shares worth N76.618bn was traded in 126,591 deals during the week, as against 2.286bn shares valued at N90.280bn exchanged in 138,177 deals the previous week.

The Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) dominated the activity chart, accounting for 1.662bn shares valued at N32.565bn traded in 56,253 deals. This represented 68.65 per cent and 42.50 per cent of the total equity turnover volume and value, respectively.

Following closely was the ICT industry, which recorded 184.884m shares worth N8.662bn in 11,500 deals, while the services industry occupied the third position with 154.537m shares valued at N1.066bn exchanged in 5,975 deals.

Trading in the top three equities, Consolidated Hallmark Holdings Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, and Access Holdings Plc, accounted for 618.549m shares valued at N9.220bn in 9,277 deals, contributing 25.54 per cent and 12.03 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value, respectively.

Also, a total of 202,526 units of Exchange Traded Products valued at N24.917m were traded this week in 556 deals, in contrast to 147,745 units valued at N24.075m transacted last week in 372 deals.

Similarly, investors traded a total of 448,601 units of bonds valued at N381.846m in 46 deals, compared to 984,209 units worth N883.357m traded in 28 deals in the preceding week.

A review of the sectoral performance indicated that all other indices finished higher with the exception of the Consumer Goods, Banking, AFR Bank Value, AFR Div Yield, MERI Growth, NGX MERI Value, and Growth Indices, which declined 0.19 per cent, 0.13 per cent, 0.51 per cent, 0.93 per cent, 0.97 per cent, 0.68 per cent, and 2.08 per cent, respectively.

Market breadth closed positive, with 52 equities appreciating in price during the week, higher than the 51 equities recorded in the previous week. 41 equities depreciated, the same number as in the previous week, while 53 equities remained unchanged, lower than the 55 equities recorded earlier.

According to data released by the Exchange, Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc emerged as the week’s top gainer, rising 11.21 per cent from N3.21 per share to close at N3.57 per share. The company was followed by Royal Exchange Plc, which appreciated 11.11 per cent, moving from N2.16 to N2.40 per share.

Eunisell Interlinked Plc also saw significant investor interest, gaining 10 per cent to close the week at N48.40 per share from N44.00, while SFS Real Estate Investment Trust rose 9.88 per cent to close at N418.75 from N381.10.

Omatek Ventures Plc appreciated 9.49 per cent, rising from N1.37 to N1.50 per share, while Transcorp Power Plc climbed 8.92 per cent, closing at N342.00 per share compared to N314.00 at the start of the week.

Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc gained 8.26 per cent to close at N118.00 from N109.00, while Universal Insurance Plc advanced by 8.11 per cent, moving from N1.11 to N1.20 per share.

Vitafoam Nigeria Plc appreciated 7.41 per cent to close the week at N87.00 per share, up from N81.00, while Prestige Assurance Plc rounded off the list of top ten gainers with a 6.51 per cent increase, closing at N1.80 per share compared to N1.69 at the beginning of the week.

On the flip side, Tripple Gee and Company Plc led the decliners’ chart, shedding 18.84 per cent to close at N4.91 per share from N6.05. Academy Press Plc followed closely, losing 17.92 per cent to close at N7.88 per share, down from N9.60, after marking an ex-dividend of 15 kobo per share and a one-for-five bonus.

Regency Assurance Plc also recorded a loss of 13.94 per cent, closing at N1.42 per share from N1.65, while LivingTrust Mortgage Bank Plc declined 13.46 per cent to N4.50 from N5.20 per share.

Industrial & Medical Gases Nigeria Plc dropped 9.87 per cent to close at N32.40 per share from N35.95, and Sunu Assurances Nigeria Plc depreciated 9.01 per cent to N5.25 per share from N5.77.

UAC of Nigeria Plc also posted a decline of 8.53 per cent, falling from N72.70 to N66.50 per share, while Austin Laz & Company Plc shed 7.94 per cent to close at N2.90 from N3.15.

Ellah Lakes Plc lost 7.20 per cent to close at N13.40 per share from N14.44, while Chams Holding Company Plc completed the list of top decliners with a 6.98 per cent drop, closing at N4.00 per share from N4.30.

Meanwhile, the Exchange also announced regulatory updates, including the delisting of Smart Products Nigeria Plc and the migration of Juli Plc to the Growth Board. According to a market bulletin referenced NGXREG/IRD/MB76/25/10/08, the delisting of Smart Products followed its failure to meet the required criteria for migration after the closure of the ASEM Board, while Juli Plc successfully transitioned to the Growth Board effective Monday, October 13, 2025.

Last week’s market performance, analysts noted, reflected growing investor appetite for financial sector equities amid expectations of improved third-quarter earnings results and moderate inflationary pressures. They added that the N1.27tn rise in market capitalisation signals renewed optimism as investors position for dividend yields and possible policy stability ahead of the year-end trading season.

Dan Poster by — October 20, 2025 in Business 0
NAFDAC Urges Stakeholders To Address Nigeria’s Vaccine Manufacturing Hurdles

The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has challenged manufacturers of pharmaceutical products in the country to take the necessary investment decisions that will facilitate the production of human vaccines in Nigeria.
She warned that Nigeria should not wait for another pandemic before it gets prepared and avoid being caught unawares, as witnessed during COVID-19, when the country depended on international donors to survive the scourge.
As was contained in a press release by Sayo Akintola
Resident Media Consultant NAFDAC, the DG explained,
“When I came to NAFDAC, we had the Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate, which was in charge of registration of all NAFDAC-regulated products, meaning the registration of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, herbal medicines, vaccines, veterinary products, pesticides, and other finished chemicals was under one Director, which made the system susceptible to ineffectiveness and corruption”
“I first carved out the Food Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate, and what was left over was still huge. Adding that if you want good governance and leadership, you must have governable units, governable groups. One Director overseeing seven regulated products will not achieve the necessary efficiency. “
“That was why we knew that we had to separate vaccines and medical devices from the Drug Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate.
NAFDAC became Maturity Level 3 in 2022 for medicines and imported vaccines. For NAFDAC to be benchmarked for vaccines, biologics and medical devices, she explained that we had to have a separate Directorate headed by a director to ensure that we align with international best practices, and we are operating at the same level as advanced countries of the world.
She disclosed that the Agency had to separate Vaccines, Biologics, and Medical Devices in November 2024 to form one directorate, following the Head of Service of the Federations assessment, evaluation, and sanction, to ensure that it would be a viable Directorate with operating units. “
The DG expressed the hope that the nation would manufacture vaccines before she leaves office, saying that It will be exciting news for me, because during the pandemic we were too dependent on foreign countries. We couldnt get any vaccines unless from outside the country.
That was when the preparedness for epidemics became a reality for us.
She stated that the Agency now has guidelines for emergency preparedness for epidemics and pandemics. Still, she warned that if theres another pandemic now and Nigeria is not yet manufacturing human vaccines, despite having manufactured veterinary vaccines since 1924, the country will again be at the mercy of other countries.
During the pandemic, we ran up and down to see whether we could start manufacturing vaccines, but things did not work out, she said, adding that we must decide as a country that we will not be too dependent on others. We will manufacture our own.
 According to her, there has been a movement to do that, but this has not come to reality. Thats why I pray that before my tenure is over, we will be manufacturing vaccines.
According to her, any country that wants to manufacture vaccines that will be pre-qualified by the WHO must have a regulatory system with at least Maturity Level 3 status. She added that the fact that we now have ML3 for medicines and imported vaccines in 2022 brought us to the discussion of manufacturing vaccines.
She explained that, as a country, we had to fulfil the requirements of nine modules in the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool, one of which is Licensing Establishments for the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), and NAFDAC had the remaining eight.
She pointed out that the ML3 we achieved was for seven of the eight, emphasizing that we have not been benchmarked for locally manufactured vaccines.
Prof. Adeyeye noted that NAFDAC is the only National Regulatory Agency (NRA) in sub-Saharan Africa that has an in-house laboratory for vaccines, biologics, and medical devices.
She said the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has a laboratory for vaccines but contracted it out to private operators.
We are working towards getting our ML3 for locally manufactured vaccines. We already have ML3 for medicines and imported vaccines since 2022.
 WHO came last year, they saw everything that we have as a regulatory agency on indicators for vaccine Lot Release; we have almost satisfied everything except that the country must manufacture vaccines because its when we manufacture vaccines that we can do local facility inspections.
She said NAFDAC has been conducting Lot Release testing on imported vaccines in her lab for years, adding that the WHO wants to know that we can also effectively monitor locally manufactured ones.
 This is where we are as a country, and I pray that within a short time, we will be able to manufacture our own vaccines.
Speaking in the same vein, Mrs. Khadijah Ade-Abolade, Director of Vaccines, Biologics, and Medical Devices Registration and Regulatory Affairs, stated that the federal government is playing a strategic role to ensure that local vaccine manufacturing takes off in the country.
She stated that the policy has been established, and support is being provided to ensure that vaccine manufacturing takes off in Nigeria.
According to her, the important thing is the regulatory framework, which is already established by NAFDAC and is well-functioning for imported vaccines, and which will also be applied to local vaccines when manufacturing starts in the country.
All the required regulatory functions for the regulation of vaccines are already available. We have our market authorisation, which is the registration that we do; the Inspectorate arm of the Agency conducts regulatory inspections.
We have Clinical trial oversight, which is crucial for vaccine regulation, as well as Post-Market Surveillance and Pharmacovigilance, because we need to monitor the safety and efficacy of our vaccines.
Mrs. Ade-Abolade maintained that the regulatory system for local vaccine manufacture is already well established in the country, stressing that We are just waiting for the manufacturing operations to start by the manufacturers.
“The Director General further emphasized that we have the capability to manufacture vaccines.
The country can start with Fill and Finish while planning on the greenfield.
We have sound scientists. We have our President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, who is encouraging local manufacturing as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda. Now is the time to get it done.”
Dan Poster by — October 20, 2025 in General News 0
Professionalism, Ethical Conduct, Non Negotiable – SEC Tells Stockbrokers 

The Securities and Exchange Commisison has urged stockbrokers to uphold the highest level of professionalism and ethical conduct at all times in a bid to ensure a fair and transparent market.

Director General of the SEC, Dr. Emomotimi Agama who stated this weekend during the 29th annual conference of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers in Abuja, said investors must have full confidence that the intermediaries who manage their wealth are guided by the highest standards of honesty and competence.

Agama said the theme of this year’s conference: “Capital Markets in a Digital, Ethical, Sustainable Era: Pathways for Economic Transformation” is timely as it speaks directly to the global transition where technology drives innovation, where ethics anchor trust, and where sustainability defines the future of finance.

“These three dimensions—digitalization, ethics, and sustainability—are not separate pillars; they form the foundation of a modern, inclusive, and resilient capital markets.

“Across the world, capital markets are being reshaped by technological innovation. The digital era has introduced new possibilities—from online trading platforms and digital assets to data analytics, blockchain, and artificial intelligence. These innovations are changing how we raise capital, how we invest, and how we supervise.

The SEC Boss stated that the Commission has embraced this transformation as an opportunity to enhance efficiency, transparency, and investor protection adding that ongoing efforts to strengthen market surveillance systems, automate regulatory processes, and introduce risk-based supervision frameworks are all aimed at positioning the Nigerian capital market for the realities of a digital economy.

He said, “We are also actively engaging with stakeholders: including the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, to deepen digital literacy and capacity-building across the market. As technology evolves, so must our skills, our ethics, and our shared commitment to fairness and professionalism.

“No amount of innovation can replace the foundational importance of ethics. A truly transformative capital market must be builton integrity, transparency, and accountability.

He said the CIS has remained a key partner in this regard, setting professional standards and upholding the code of ethics that define the stockbroking profession.

“As regulators, we continue to emphasize that professionalism and ethical conduct are non-negotiable. Investors must have full confidence that the intermediaries who manage their wealth are guided by the highest standards of honesty and competence.

“Together, the SEC and the CIS must continue to strengthen ethics education, continuous professional development, and disciplinary frameworks to ensure that the market remains a place of trust”. He added.

Dan Poster by — October 20, 2025 in Business 0
APC only political party in Nigeria – Gov Uzodimma

Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, says the All Progressives Congress, APC, remains the only party in Nigeria.

Uzodimma made this statement on Friday during a meeting of APC stakeholders in Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital, stressing the country is on the path to renewed prosperity under the reform agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to him, the positive impact of the reforms was already becoming evident across the country.

“With President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Nigeria is gradually becoming rich and prosperous again.

“The reforms are geared towards reconstructing, rehabilitating, and rebuilding a new Nigeria that works for everyone,” he added.

He extolled the President’s bold decision to remove fuel subsidy, noting that it had significantly increased revenue available to the three tiers of government.

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Governors’ Forum also lauded the administration’s youth empowerment drive, particularly the initiative to empower 1,000 youths from each of the 8,809 electoral wards across the country, describing it as a sustainable pathway to poverty eradication.

The governor also expressed delight over the presence of prominent Kebbi politicians, including Senators Adamu Aliero and Atiku Bagudu, at the meeting, saying their unity signified progress and political maturity in the state.

Dan Poster by — October 18, 2025 in Politics 0
2027: Why Murray-Bruce joined APC – Dele Momodu

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Dele Momodu has stated why former Bayelsa Senator, Ben Murray-Bruce joined the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Speaking in an interview on ‘Prime Time’, a programme on Arise Television, monitored by DAILY POST on Friday, Momodu stated that Murray-Bruce moving to APC was not surprising, stressing that that was where the road was smooth at the moment.

The Ovation Magazine publisher said that those of them in the opposition are being regarded as very stupid.

On Murray-Brace defection, Momodu said, “I watched it in utter disbelief because I assumed that he worked with us with the Atiku campaign during the presidential election. That’s my belief and maybe my judgment was wrong.

“However, I give him the right enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria about freedom of association and freedom of movement. So, I don’t have any problem with it. Nothing can ever shock me again about politicians.

“Some people have genuine reasons to move from one party to another, especially if you have some aspirations which we believe will be better served in the next party.

“So Murray-Bruce moving to the APC is not surprising; that is where the road is smooth at the moment. Those of us in opposition are regarded as very stupid and not smart enough for not joining the rat race.”

Dan Poster by — October 18, 2025 in Politics 0
Ogun assures teachers of improved welfare

Ogun govtThe Ogun State Teaching Service Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to improving the welfare and working conditions of teaching and non-teaching staff in secondary schools across the state, as part of efforts to ensure optimal performance and productivity in the education sector.

Chairman of the Commission, Biodun Sanyaolu, in a statement shared with Saturday PUNCH, said the agency would continue to reward diligence and hard work as part of measures to boost staff morale and strengthen their sense of purpose.

He described teachers as the backbone of the education system, noting that they shape minds, inspire curiosity, and nurture future generations.

Sanyaolu stressed that the dedication, passion, and resilience of teachers deserved recognition and appreciation.

“We thank Prince Dapo Abiodun, the most teacher-friendly governor, for his unwavering support for teachers and learners alike. He has not only prioritised education but has also made it the engine of transformation in Ogun State,” he was quoted as saying.

The TESCOM boss emphasised that the future of education rested on the collective strength, support, and unity of stakeholders.

He added that the Commission remained resolute in promoting professional development, capacity-building programmes, and collaborations with private organisations to strengthen digital literacy and create more platforms for teachers to excel.

He disclosed that about 5,000 teaching and non-teaching staff benefitted from the 2023/2024 promotion exercise, while over 2,400 beneficiaries of the Ogun TEACh scheme were engaged under a two-year internship programme.

According to him, more than 1,000 interns have been offered permanent appointments, alongside 39 Fellows under the Teach for Nigeria collaborative fellowship initiative.

Sanyaolu reaffirmed that TESCOM would continue to pursue excellence, equity, and innovation in the teaching profession.

Dan Poster by — October 18, 2025 in General News 0
FG partners Abia to reduce food imports, high cost

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has declared that it is collaborating with Abia State and other partners to boost food security and supply which will reduce food importation into the country.

It also said that Nigeria’s vast and arable land are rich in enough to produce food for the growing population and drive export.

The Abia State Coordinator of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and food security, Aloysius Chibuzor Mba said this in Umuahia while delivering the address from the ministry during the 2025 World Food Day celebration in Abia State.

He said that conflicts in farms, inflation in food prices, climate change crises, inadequate infrastructure are some of the major challenges affecting food production and nutrition.

The Ministry said that it had invested in crops like cassava and maize which it said would reduce food imports, improve value chains and strengthen food supply.

In his speech, Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, represented by the Secretary to the Abia State government, Professor Kenneth Kalu said his administration would continue to make life better for Abia farmers and all residents at large.

Earlier in his speech, Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture, Cliff Agbaeze announced that the State had developed Abia Agriculture Dynamic Data Base System to digitally register all Abia farmers, their farms, and activities.

He also said that his Ministry was boosting nutrition, protecting farmers from climate change crises and post-harvest losses.

Dan Poster by — October 18, 2025 in General News 0
Abbas calls for combination of military action, political negotiations, justice to address insecurity

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has stressed the need for a combination of military action, political negotiations and justice to address Nigeria’s security challenges.

Speaking while commissioning officers’ accommodation at Niger Barracks Extension and the Link Road at Mambilla Barracks in Abuja, he noted that Nigeria had in some years faced complex threats as terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, oil theft, piracy, cyber threats and transnational organised crime.

According to Abbas, “these challenges evolve rapidly, testing the nation’s institutions and stretching resources.”

He lamented that yet, Nigeria’s story was not merely about threats, but resilience, adaptation and reform, and that looking ahead, Nigeria’s security required cooperation between the government and the society.

The Speaker believed that military action alone cannot solve every challenge, saying that it must be complemented by political negotiations, community participation, economic empowerment and justice.

He disclosed that the House of Representatives working with the Senate, had supported appropriations for critical platforms, munitions, communications systems, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities and force protection assets, as well ensured accountability, value for money, and timely delivery.

He added that they had approved funding for barracks rehabilitation, family housing, healthcare, mental health support, and post-service transition programs, stressing that the House, through effective oversight, had promoted better inter-agency collaboration, clarified procurement processes, and drawn lessons from past experiences.

In addition, Abbas said that they were advancing legislative proposals to deepen professionalism and accountability within the security sector, which included strengthening the legal framework for joint operations, improving the welfare and pension systems for serving personnel and veterans, supporting local defence industries under the “Made-in-Nigeria” initiative, and developing more agile logistics and maintenance structures.

The National Assembly, he assured, stands ready to continue working with the Executive, the Armed Forces, traditional institutions, and international partners to achieve their shared objectives of peace and stability.

In his remarks, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, explained that the link road and newly constructed buildings were designed not just for convenience, but as essential infrastructure that supports efficiency, safety and comfort of officers.

He believed that the Niger Barracks Extension Block would accommodate policy makers in the Defence Headquarters and provide a conducive atmosphere where they could have the peace of mind to articulate valuable and forward-thinking policies.

Dan Poster by — October 18, 2025 in General News 0