Author: Khadijah Olowode

The Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA Lagos) recently hosted its annual trade exhibition in Lagos at Movenpick Hotel, formerly Southern Sun Hotel, Ikoyi. The event afforded business men and women from Nigeria to relate with their counterpart from the Republic of South Korea who were in the country to explore the vast opportunities inherent in the Nigerian commerce market. This year edition saw the City of Hwaseong, Korea coming to expand the base of the Korean manufacturing companies into the country,seeking inroads for investments in areas like Automobile,Fashion care,Civil Engineering to mention a few. The event which was powered…

In a momentous event that brought together leaders, innovators, and stakeholders in the world of finance and technology, Curnance, the international FinTech powerhouse, unveiled its highly anticipated FinTech application at a dazzling launch event held at 54 On Bath Hotel, 54 On Bath Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa on Monday, 20 November, 2023. The Curnance App Launch was nothing short of spectacular, reflecting the company’s commitment to revolutionizing the way individuals and businesses engage with finance. The event was graced by the presence of prominent figures, including Mrs. Adenike Aderonke Ogunsugba, who shared her insights on the future of financial…

The Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, 20 November, 2023 secured the conviction and sentencing of Jesse Joshua Kassah, (alias Devaun Smith Wayne) to two years imprisonment. He was jailed by Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, Kaduna, after pleading guilty to one-count charge bordering on impersonation upon being arraigned by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the EFCC. The lone count charge reads: “That you, Jesse Joshua Kassah (a.k.a Devaun Smith Wayne), (M) between January to October, 2023 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an offence,…

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, says that the new leadership in the Commission has resolved to buy into a common vision that will be in the best interest of the Niger Delta region. Speaking at a meeting with the new Executive Management and staff of the Commission at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, Ogbuku assured that members of the Board would work in one accord to impact positively on the lives of the people of Nigeria’s oil-rich region. He stated: “I am glad that we now have a compatible team that is poised…

Polaris Bank, in collaboration with Evolve Charity, has made generous donation of educational materials to public secondary school students in Imo State to further underlined its commitment to the advancement of girl-child education in Nigeria. The gesture which is part of its ongoing ‘Girl-Child Education Project’ and in alignment with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework, saw Polaris Bank present essential school supplies to over 500 students in Akokwa High School, Iheme; Memorial School, and National High School, Aro Ndi Uzoogu all in Imo State. The donation, comprising; school uniforms, school bags, sandals, and various writing materials, aims to empower…

The European Union (EU) has released €1,000,000 (about N847 million) in humanitarian funding to fight the spread of diphtheria disease and assist the most affected communities. According to a statement on Tuesday, 21 November, 2023, this latest funding is in addition to €150,000 which the EU allocated to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in March 2023 in an effort to help control the epidemic. The statement said this new EU funding will enable UNICEF and the medical NGO ALIMA to contribute to the response by providing technical…

Retail lender, Unity Bank Plc has extended N10 million business grant to 30 members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, who took part in the 10th edition of the Bank’s flagship Entrepreneurship Development Initiative, known as Corpreneurship Challenge. The winners, including upcoming entrepreneurs developing innovative solutions in several business value chains such as Honey production, Rice, and Snail farming, among others, claimed top positions after participating in a business pitch that took place across 10 state NYSC Orientation Camps – Katsina, Kano, Kwara, Imo, Rivers, Delta, Sokoto, Edo, Akwa-Ibom, and Osun recently. At the NYSC Orientation camp at Ikot Itie Udung, Nsit Atai, Akwa Ibom State, Azegba Chimuanya…

The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), has asked the general public and its existing and potential partners to disregard the claims by “a certain Total Promotions” laying claims to its (NPFL’s) broadcast rights. In a statement titled, “Re-Clarifications Regarding Claims made by Total Promotions”, the Nigeria Premier League Limited/Gte described the claims as totally unfounded with no legal validity. “We wish to reiterate that these claims made by ‘Total Promotions Limited’ are entirely unfounded, factually incorrect and devoid of any legal validity”, Secretary to the NPL Board, Danladi Ibrahim wrote. The Lawyer offered judicial backing of the expressed position of…

Some council elders were pleasantly surprised at the fake news being bandied by unscrupulous elements working for some desperate politicians that the Vice chairman of Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area, Hon Yetunde Jimba, walked out on guests during the stakeholders meeting held recently at the council secretariat. Those at the meeting told this medium that it was an attempt to smear the image of Hon Jimba because of her rising political profile. According to those who were at the meeting, the chairman, Hon Ahmed Apatira, in a bid to ensnare his deputy, called upon her to read a prepared speech…

The Third Edition of the Zenith Tech Fair, tagged “Future Forward 3.0”, is set to be held on Wednesday, 22 November and Thursday, 23 November, 2023, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. daily. The 2-day fair will showcase leading technology innovations that cut across different aspects of life, such as Artificial Intelligence, Contactless Payments, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, FinTech, Data Analytics, Financial Intelligence, and communication technologies. The event will feature pitch sessions to identify innovative startups, panel discussions, masterclasses and exhibitions. Among the plethora of events lined up, the…

In a bid to share inter-state knowledge on emergency management, the Akwa Ibom State Emergency Management Agency Team is in Lagos on a three-day field visit. The three-day visit, which commenced on Monday, 20 November, 2023, to end on Wednesday, 22 November, 2023, is to enable the Akwa Ibom team, understudy the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA). During the welcome tour at the LASEMA Control Centre in Alausa, the Permanent Secretary, LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said cases of casualty in Lagos emergencies has reduced drastically due to the investment of Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu’s administration in rescue operations. Dr…

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has addressed the controversy surrounding a letter written by an opposition politician, which raised concerns about the procurement process in the State. The Governor noted the controversy generated by the letter was unnecessary, stressing that the State had nothing to hide in its public expenditure. Sanwo-Olu spoke on Tuesday, 21 November, 2023, while commissioning the newly built operational headquarters of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) in Ikeja. He said his administration would continue to value objective criticism, but added that some critics hid their “malicious intentions” under the guise of playing political opposition…

The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, CON, has commended Caverton Helicopters management for their visionary and foresight in bringing the state of the art facility to the country, thereby promoting the economic growth and developing human capital. The Minister made this commendation during the facility tour of Caverton Helicopters’ Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) situated inside the expansive premises of Murtala Muhammed lnternational Airport, lkeja Lagos, on Tuesday, 21 November, 2023. Badaru, who was the second Minister to visit Caverton within a month, said he was impressed by achievements of the company. He said, “Our dream in the…

First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu,CON has commissioned the remodeled National Model Creche and Nursery School in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. The facility which had been in existence since April 2001, ceased to be functional after the bomb explosion that rocked the Police Headquarters in Abuja, in June 2011. The First Lady who was represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima said that initiatives like the Work Place Nursery serve as a foundation for progress and a promising future for Nigeria towards improved bonding between mothers and their children. The First Lady also renamed…

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has commenced oral interviews for over 1,050 candidates for its Foreign Post-Graduate Scholarship Programme. The interview process, spanning over eleven days, is for the candidates that were successful during a Computer-based Test written by 5,000 applicants earlier this month. Speaking at the venue of the interview in Port Harcourt, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, who was accompanied by the Executive Director Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye; the Executive Director Projects, Sir Victor Antai; and the Executive Director Corporate Services, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde; said that the guiding principles for the interview were…

Some staff of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) and Commissioners have accused a group of Commissioners in the Commission of using blackmailing method to force the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee that probed activities of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to release its report. Reacting to a report published in the Daily Trust newspaper, the staff and Commissioners who spoke with this medium described the renegade Commissioners of orchestrating and influencing the report. Absolving the Chairman of the Commission, Dr Muheebah Dankaka of any wrong doing, they advised the Commissioners to wait for the release of the report rather…

By Michael Owhoko, Ph.D Any Nigerian with rational and open mind knows that complexity of governance in Nigeria today is rooted in the country’s political system, which by any stretch of imagination and logic, is unsuitable for a heterogenous society like Nigeria with over 250 ethnic groups that are characterized by incompatible cultures, varied history, background and interests. These ethnic groups were hitherto independent nations that ceded their sovereignty to the Nigerian state under Federalism, a political system that took cognizance of their peculiarities and agreed upon by the country’s founding fathers. But ever since this system was subverted…

By Adedayo Oshodi The article by one Lasisi Olagunju on the recent nomination of 21 justices for appointment to the Supreme Court should disturb any objective and well-meaning Nigerian. It is calculated at escalating our fault lines. It is targeted at dividing the Nigerian judiciary along State lines. It is calculated to incite Nigerians against Lagosians. It’s a hate piece. We appear not to be fed up with the damage wrecked to our nation by our perennial ethnic and religious divisions. As a corollary, we appear committed to a race to the bottom, when appointments to our apex court are…

PalmPay has announced the successful conclusion of its N300 million Giveaway Promotion, which started on 1 November and ended on 21 November giving Nigerians using the payment platform an opportunity to win cash rewards. The campaign, grouped into three winning phases of N70 million, N100 million and N130 million, had users partake in a number of giveaway tasks on the app to win. Through the promotion, about 1.5 million PalmPay users won various gifts, from coupons to varying cash prizes. Among the winners in each phase, a Lucky King emerged to win the highest weekly prize of N500,000. In all,…

In separate statements, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the spokesman of Atiku Abubakar, its defeated Presidential candidate, threw caution to the winds as they assaulted the integrity of the judiciary and made wild and libellous allegations against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In the wake of the poor run of some elected governors of the party at the appeal court, the PDP and former Vice President and his spokesman have become overtly desperate to hang their woes on President Tinubu and the judiciary, an important arm of government in Nigeria. In blaming others, Atiku and his party have failed to…