Classy: English Poses To Clean Sweep Of European Trophies?

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May 3, 2025

Hundreds of women in Rivers State yesterday staged a walkout during an empowerment programme in Port Harcourt, demanding to be addressed by either the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, or the wife of the governor, Lady Valerie Sim-Fubara.

The event, held in Port Harcourt, was part of the Renewed Hope Initiative’s empowerment programme organised by the office of the First Lady of Nigeria.

It was meant to benefit 500 women in the state with various empowerment items.

Expecting the physical presence of the first lady, the women — many dressed in traditional double wrappers—gathered in anticipation.

However, tension rose when the wife of the sole administrator, Dr Theresa Ibas, was invited to address the crowd in place of Tinubu.

The women began chanting, “We want SIM!” and “We want Valerie Fubara!” in reference to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his wife, whom they identified as the legitimate first lady of the state.

They added, “We don’t know Ibas. Tinubu is our President, and our governor is Fubara.”

Speaking to newsmen, one of the women said, “We were told the First Lady of Nigeria would be here. If not her, then the wife of our governor, Lady Valerie Sim-Fubara, should speak to us.

“Not someone representing someone who does not represent us.”

Another protester, Favour Ekpeye, clarified that the women’s action was not a rejection of the president’s wife, but rather a protest against the substitution.

She explained that they staged a walkout because they were expecting the wife of the president to address them and not the wife of the sole administrator.

Ekpeye stated, “The propaganda that we rejected the wife of the president is not true.

“We were told to come and welcome Her Excellency, Senator Remi Tinubu, and we dressed up. See me with my double wrapper.

“We were so happy to welcome Her Excellency because we appreciate her good deeds to us with the empowerment programme.

“So we stood up and left because Rivers women, we are not fragile. We have a governor that we love and we support him.”

She added, “We have a president that we support and we have our mummy of the nation that we support for empowering women.”

Efforts by the organisers to pacify the agitated crowd were unsuccessful, as the women continued chanting and gradually exited the venue.

Lagos Rakes In Over N582bn Revenue First Quarter Of 2025

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May 3, 2025

By Rotimi Asher, Lagos

Lagos State Government has revealed that it generated N582.45bn in the first quarter ,Q1, of 2025.

The announcement was made through the Q1 Budget Performance Report released by the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget.

According to the report, the N582.45bn in total revenue represents 79% of the state’s quarterly revenue target of N728.90bn and 20% of the annual revenue projection of N2.92tn ,excluding net grants and the opening balance.

The performance highlights Lagos’ resilience and ability to maintain a strong revenue base despite prevailing economic challenges across the country.

On the expenditure side, Lagos State recorded N251.22bn in recurrent spending for Q1, which is 78% of the quarterly estimate of N323.91bn and 19.4% of the total recurrent expenditure budgeted for the year.

Capital expenditure was reported at N271.11bn 52% of the quarterly target of N517.80bn and 13.1% of the full-year capital budget of N2.07tn.

Speaking on the report, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ope George, emphasized that the state remains committed to fiscal discipline and efficient resource management.

“This Q1 performance reflects our administration’s prudent approach to public finance and our unwavering commitment to deliver on the development priorities outlined in the THEMES Plus Agenda”, George stated.

“We will continue to strengthen our revenue drive, manage our resources efficiently, and invest in projects that improve the quality of life for all Lagosians”.

He added that the Ministry is focused on improving budget implementation across all sectors and ensuring that government spending yields visible and meaningful outcomes for the public.

FCTA Disburses N4.1bn, Orders Area Councils To Pay Minimum Wage Arrears

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May 3, 2025

By Blessing Bature

Federal Capital Territory Administration ,FCTA, has disbursed the sum of N4.16bn to the six Area Councils with a directive to implement the new minimum wage immediately and pay all outstanding arrears to their workers.

This was announced by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike during the 2025 International Workers’ Day celebration held in Abuja, where he reiterated the administration’s firm commitment to worker welfare across the territory.

While addressing workers at the event, the Minister expressed gratitude to workers for their enduring service and patriotism and acknowledged the economic difficulties currently facing many across the country.

He emphasised that this year’s theme, “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship,” speaks directly to the need for democratic inclusion and transparency, especially during challenging times.

“We are deeply concerned about the ongoing strike action by Area Council employees over the non-implementation of the new minimum wage.

“I had approved the release of the sum of N4.166,194,061.25 which was paid to the six Area Councils. I once again call on them to ensure the payment of the minimum wage and its arrears to the workers”, the Minister said.

He also stressed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication with organised labour, noting that civic space must remain robust through cooperation and mutual respect, even in the face of hardship.

He highlighted his administration’s achievements since assuming office in 2023, the Minister reaffirmed that staff welfare remains a top priority.

He outlined various efforts undertaken to improve the working environment and career progression for FCTA staff, including prompt salary and pension payments with no arrears, the implementation of the new salary structure, and a comprehensive staff training initiative.

“In line with our goal to build a resilient and motivated workforce, we have launched training and re-skilling programmes across all departments. Additionally, we have recruited sixty new medical doctors into residency training across eight specialties in our hospitals”, he stated.

The Minister also pointed to ongoing infrastructural upgrades in secretariat and departments, efforts toward regularising staff status, and the forthcoming promotion exercise as signs of his administration’s dedication to merit and service delivery.

He recognised the role of teachers, particularly those in the Area Councils, the Minister disclosed that work has commenced on the renovation and upgrading of schools, alongside the provision of learning materials to enhance the educational environment for pupils and educators alike.

The Minister commended workers for their resilience and sacrifices and assured them that the FCT Administration would remain a firm ally in their quest for dignity, fairness, and better working conditions.

“It is only through your dedication, sacrifices, and resilience that we are able to build a better future for the FCT and Nigeria at large”, he concluded.

FG Secures $191m Grant To Strengthen Health Sector

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May 3, 2025

By Blessing Otobong-Gabriel

Federal government has secured about $191 million from GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance to strengthen the health system.

This was disclosed yesterday in Abuja at the launch of GAVI Health Systems Strengthening Support-3 to Nigeria.

According to GAVI, the grant of about $191m, which is over the next four years is one of the largest ever made by the organisation.

GAVI is also investing close to $100m this year in a vaccination campaign to protect over 100 million children against Measles and Rubella.

Speaking at the launch, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate said GAVI’s investment in Nigeria has saved millions of lives, enabled the country’s immunization programme to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and enabled the country to introduce new vaccines, including HPV, malaria and Mpox vaccines.

Pate, who was represented by the Director of Health Planning, Research, and Statistics at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Kamil Shoretire stated that its mission is to save lives and protect people’s health by increasing equitable and sustainable use of vaccines aligns with the vision of the national HSSB, which is to save lives, reduce both physical and financial pain and produce health for all Nigerians.

“The government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu is passionate about making quality health services equitably accessible and affordable to all, and rapidly reducing maternal and deaths, and this is the fulcrum of ongoing reforms in the Nigeria health sector.

“Nigeria considers investing in the health sector as a key dividend of democracy and that the provision of quality health services as a fundamental right of every citizen, in line with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.

The Director of Health Systems and Immunization Strengthening at GAVI, Alex de Jonquieres restated its mission to ensure every child benefits from lifesaving vaccines.

He said since 2000, 1.1 billion children had been immunized with Gavi support.

“Nigeria is a crucial part of this story: 62 million children vaccinated and two million deaths averted via >$ 2.4bn in support to procure vaccines and strengthen the systems that deliver them. This has enabled the introduction of nine vaccines in Nigeria, including most recently, vaccines against HPV – which has already protected 13.5 million Nigerian girls against cervical cancer – and malaria.

“Recognizing Nigeria’s importance, the Gavi Board approved a special 10-year strategy for Nigeria in 2018. This strategy helps provide Nigeria with the vaccines it needs, with $1.1bn worth of vaccines procured since 2018 – one-third by the Government of Nigeria and two-thirds by Gavi. It also provides $260m to strengthen Nigeria’s health system to deliver these vaccines as well as additional support to implement vaccination campaigns,” he emphasized.

He explained that the two-pronged strategy has successfully extended immunization to over 1.7 million zero-dose children, reached more than 91 million under-five children through campaigns, and installed 11,405 cold chain equipment units.

He added that the strategy directly supported eight states by recruiting 3,683 health workers who also helped over 572,000 mothers give birth, renovating 493 primary health centres, and providing transportation and equipment—including motorcycles, buses, boats, and a refrigerated van—to support vaccine distribution and immunization services.

“While these results are impressive, we still have a long way to go. Nigeria is home to the largest number of zero-dose children, those who have not received a single dose of routine vaccines, in the world. Low immunization coverage results in repeated outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases and deaths.

“To address this, we are today launching Gavi’s next health systems strengthening grant with another ~$191m of funding over the next four years. This grant is one of the largest ever made by Gavi and is intended to help extend the reach of the health system to reach 1.8 million zero dose children and increase immunization coverage to 84 per cent by 2028.

No Barriers To Youth Empowerment Under Tinubu– Minister

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May 3, 2025

Minister of Youth Development, Engr. Olawande Emmanuel Ayodele has said youths have been given unhindered access to the empowerment and job creation projects of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Ayodele also hailed the Group Managing Director of NEDCOMOAKS, Ned Okonkwo, who controls a conglomerate of over 20 companies for his leadership in real estate and passion for Nigerian youths.

The Youth Minister said these on Thursday at the Unleash for Takeover 3.0 conference and investors call held in Lagos.

He spoke along the theme of the 2025 edition, ‘NextGen Nation Builders: Youthful Impact, Limitless Possibilities’. The event was organised by NEDCOMOAKS Group.

The CEO of Nedcomoaks Group, Ichechi Chinarhu Okonkwo; Minister of Youth Development, Engr. Olawande Emmanuel and GMD of NEDCOMOAKS Group, Ned Okonkwo

In his goodwill message, the Minister said the Bola Tinubu led government has introduced many initiatives to safeguard the future of the Nigerian youth.

He said, “There is one thing I want you to know that the future of this country belongs to us all.

“If all of us can focus and build on something, I can tell you that the country will be better”.

He said the youth inclusion agenda of the president is already changing the narrative of poverty and unemployment.

He said many Nigerians had lost hope in the system until President Bola Tinubu assumed office. The Minister said, “Tinubu created a direction showing that young people can thrive.

“Youth development is no longer a promise but a priority. Our government understands that young people are not just the future but the possibility of the day”.

Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation & MSM, Dr. Temitola Adekunle-Johnson; Minister of Youth Development, Engr. Olawande Emmanuel Ayodele; GMD of NEDCOMOAKS Group, Ned Okonkwo and the CEO of Nedcomoaks Group, Ichechi Chinarhu Okonkwo At the 2025 Unleash for Africa 3.0 Held in Lagos

According to him, his appointment as minister shows the government’s interest in youth inclusion.

He said his ministry has introduced youth focused empowerment initiatives, which is transparent and void of corruption.

According to him, the vision of the administration has changed Nigeria’s investment landscape and attracted multiple billion dollars of foreign direct investment ,FDI.

He said the revamping of refineries, fuel subsidy removal, and capital projects have more tripled revenues that states receive from the Federal Account Allocation Committee ,FAAC.

He said the government also cleared forex backlogs, which stifled investment.

The minister said, “Before, they will tell you to bring money before you can see a minster, but we are now in a country where hope has been renewed”. He said youths now have unhindered access to the development agenda.

Similarly, the Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation & MSM, Dr. Temitola Adekunle-Johnson reiterated the government’s commitment to youth development and job creation.

He assured that the administration is willing to support and partner developers across the country.

He also hailed NEDCOMOAKS’ commitment to affordable and sustainable housing across the country

HDAN Seeks Reforms To Provide Affordable Housing For Nigerian Workers

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May 3, 2025

By Joel Ajayi

Housing Development Advocacy Network ,HDAN, has called for decisive and urgent action to address the housing challenges faced by Nigerian workers.

The group said workers bear the weight of the country’s worsening economic conditions.

In a statement released in Abuja to mark Workers’ Day, HDAN Executive Director Festus Adebayo commended the resilience and dedication of Nigerian workers and described them as the engine room of the national economy.

Despite their critical role, Adebayo lamented that millions of workers still lack access to decent and affordable housing, a situation worsened by inflation, poor wages, and a deeply flawed housing delivery system.

“The Nigerian worker is bearing the brunt of skyrocketing inflation, poor wages, and an inaccessible housing system. Housing is not a luxury; it is a necessity and a right. Sadly, that right has been denied for too long”, he said.

Nigeria’s housing deficit, estimated between 17 and 28 million units, paints a bleak picture for low- and middle-income earners, many of whom have been unable to benefit from government-backed initiatives such as the National Housing Fund ,NHF, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria ,FMBN, and the Federal Integrated Staff Housing ,FISH, programme.

Adebayo blamed systemic corruption and bureaucratic inefficiencies for undermining these schemes.

He stressed that while workers make monthly contributions to the NHF, many are unable to access the housing benefits intended for them.

“These funds belong to workers. It is important that, as they are deducted monthly, there should be access to housing benefits. Corruption and negligence must not be allowed to erode public trust in these institutions”, he said.

Despite these setbacks, HDAN acknowledged recent improvements under the new leadership at the FMBN.

“In 2024, the bank disbursed over N12.18 billion in NHF refunds within ten months, a record-breaking achievement in its 32-year history. During the same period, the bank registered 166,926 new contributors, bringing the total to nearly 5.9 million.

“These are positive signs that show the potential of the NHF scheme when managed effectively.

“But we must bridge the gap between contributions and impact. Workers have kept their part of the bargain; now they deserve a system that works for them”, he said.

He also welcomed recent reforms in the housing sector, particularly the establishment of an independent Ministry of Housing and Urban Development led by Architect Ahmed Dangiwa.

“The Ministry has initiated several reforms, including the creation of task teams and a National Housing Data Steering Committee to develop frameworks for closing the housing gap”, Adebayo noted.

HDAN expressed support for these reforms but called for deeper structural changes such as recapitalisation of housing institutions, digitisation of loan processes, and a review of outdated housing laws.

Adebayo further urged more state governments to take an active role in housing delivery, highlighting ongoing efforts in Lagos, Enugu, Plateau, and Ekiti States as examples.

He also emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships in expanding the affordable housing stock.

“Private sector innovation, when combined with government support, can drastically improve the housing supply”, Adebayo said.

He reiterated his solidarity with Nigerian workers, hailing their resilience in the face of adversity.

“You are the true foundation of our economy. As you battle rising costs and housing insecurity, know that we are with you in advocacy, in action, and the fight for a better tomorrow”, Adebayo said.

$290m Fine: Meta Threatens To Shut Facebook, Instagram In Nigeria

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May 3, 2025

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has threatened to restrict access to the two social platforms in Nigeria, following fines by local regulatory authorities.

Last year, three regulatory bodies in Nigeria fined the US-based social media firm over $290 million for breaching various laws and regulations.

Meta’s recent effort to contest the rulings in an Abuja High Court was unsuccessful. The court has mandated that the company settle the fines by the end of June.

While Meta also owns WhatsApp, the company did not include the messaging platform in its planned shutdown.

Facebook remains Nigeria’s leading social media platform, and millions of people use it nationwide for everyday communication and news sharing. It is also an essential resource for numerous small online enterprises in Nigeria.

In July of the previous year, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, imposed a $220 million fine on Meta for purported anti-competitive behaviours, while the country’s advertising regulatory body, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, ARCON, fined the US company $37.5 million for unauthorised advertising activities. Additionally, the Nigerian Data Protection Commission, NDPC, claimed that Meta violated data privacy laws and issued a fine of $32.8 million.

The CEO of FCCPC, Adamu Abdullahi, said that investigations conducted alongside the data commission from May 2021 to December 2023 uncovered “invasive practices against data subjects/consumers in Nigeria.” However, he did not specify what the practices entailed.

In its court documentation, Meta stated that its “primary concern” was with the data commission, which it accused of “misinterpreting” data privacy regulations.

The commission specifically requested that Meta obtain prior consent before transferring any personal data outside of Nigeria, a requirement Meta described as “unrealistic.”

Meta was also instructed to offer a link to educational videos regarding data privacy risks. This content would be developed with government-approved educational institutions and non-profit organisations.

NDPC insisted that the videos should emphasise the risks of “manipulative and unfair data processing,” which could potentially expose Nigerian users to health and financial dangers.

PCNGI To Enforces 40% Transport Fare Reduction For Gas-Powered Commercial Vehicles

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May 3, 2025

By Charles Ebi

Federal Government, through the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative ,PCNGI, yesterday kicked off the enforcement of a 40% reduction in transportation fares on routes in the Federal Capital Territory ,FCT, Abuja.

Addressing journalists at the Area 1 Motor Park, venue of the launch of the exercise, David Idakwo, Regional CNG Expansion Coordinator in charge of the North, said that the reduction resulted from strong collaboration with the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers ,NURTW, adding that the 40% reduction in transportation fares applies to routes serviced by vehicles converted to Compressed Natural Gas ,CNG, made possible through a collaboration between the Presidential CNG Initiative ,PCNGI, and the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers ,NURTW.

“What we agreed with the National Union of Road Transport Workers, they have given us the prices, the fare amount from Area 1 to different destinations when they were running on petrol and we have come together, made an analysis and achieved a 40% reduction in the fare, in the transportation from Area 1 to all other destinations.

“What I have here on my paper, Area 1 to Gwagwalada when they were on fuel was going for N1,500, we have been able to reduce it to N900. Area 1 to Bwari Dutse is also N1,500, that also has been reduced to N900. Area 1 to Kuje when they were running on petrol is N1,200, that also has been reduced to N720.

Area 1 to Galadimawa was N500, it has been reduced to N300. Area 1 to Mpape is N1,000, that has been reduced to N600. Area 1 to Zuba is N1,500 and that also has been reduced to N900. Area 1 to Lugbe is N700 before now, it is now N420. Area 1 to Jabi is N700, it has also been reduced to N420.

“The reduction project will continue. More cars have been converted and we move from here now. We are going to go to Area 3 where we have also done a reduction of their prices. We are going to all other parks within Abuja and eventually the country”.

He said that so far, over 50% of the commercial vehicles in the nation’s capital have been converted to CNG, stressing that more are being converted as the exercise is continuous.

He assured that the aim is to cover all vehicles and crash transport fares in Abuja and across the country.

He said, “So I can authoritatively tell you that we have converted over 50% of their vehicles, and like I said, we are doing this in conjunction with leadership, and they are here, they are seeing us, they can confirm these figures, and the conversion is still a continuous process.

“It’s not like we are done yet, but we will continue. Even right here, we still have our members here taking records of those cars that are yet to be converted, and the conversion will continue”.

To ensure full compliance, he said the PCNGI in collaboration with NURTW have sent out mystery shoppers pretending to be commuters along all the designated routes to fish out cheating drivers and report them.

He said that a sticker has been placed on each of the vehicles for easy identification, advising commuters to always look out for the sticker before boarding to enjoy the benefits of the initiative.

In his remarks, Ibrahim Jubril, Secretary Garki Branch of NURTW, said the union was carried along when the programme was launched, stressing that it was all part of efforts of the President to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians about movement from one point to the other.

“As it stands today, many of our vehicles have been converted, and the conversion is ongoing. When we noticed that the majority of our vehicles have been converted, we put a taskforce in place to ensure price reduction for the ones that have been converted”, he said.

Moral Decline: Emir Bayero Urges Parents To Prioritise Islamic Education

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May 3, 2025