Foreign airlines operating in Nigeria raked in around $1.1bn in 2022 despite foreign exchange challenges. In a conversation with newsmen, the Chairman of the Airlines and Passengers Joint Committee of the International Air Transport Association, Bankole Bernard, quoting a report, he stated that the $1.1bn revenue generated from travel in Nigeria is expected to continue thriving due to the high demand for travelling within the country. He expressed confidence that the figures will remain steady in the near future. The PUNCH had reported that the Senate passed a resolution calling on the Central Bank of Nigeria to release $717,478,606 of…
Author: meridianspy
The Central Bank of Nigeria has revoked the licences of 179 microfinance banks in the country, as well as four primary mortgage banks and three finance companies. This was disclosed in the official gazette of the Federal Government, which was published on the website of the CBN on Tuesday. The gazette said that the licences of the financial institutions were revoked because they “ceased to carry on, in Nigeria, the type of business for which their licences were issued for a continuous period of six months; failed to fulfil or comply with the conditions subject to which their licences were…
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has debunked the rumour of an alleged car explosion close to Eagle’s Square, the proposed venue for the inauguration ceremony of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, on May 29. The police said burning flames, suspected to be due to a mechanical fault, were noticed underneath a coaster bus heading towards the Nyanya axis from Maitama, Abuja. This is contrary to reports making the rounds, that a vehicle exploded within close proximity to the Eagle’s Square at about 9 pm on Tuesday night. Reacting to the development following an inquiry by our correspondent, the Police Public…
The United States President Joe Biden has announced a delegation that will attend the swearing-in of the former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu as the 16th President of Nigeria at the Eagle Square, Abuja, on Monday. The White House in a late Monday statement disclosed that the nine-member US delegation would be led by the Secretary of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Marcia Fudge. The announcement came as the Federal Government tightened security across the Federal Capital Territory ahead of the inauguration ceremony. Top security sources told our correspondents that security agencies had started raiding hideouts of…
Inauguration of the multi-billion dollar Dangote Refinery has sparked fresh controversy in Ogun State, Daily Trust reports. The $18.5 billion monumental investment was to be sited in Ogun State before it was moved to its present location in the neighbouring Lagos State. Shortly after the inauguration of the project on Monday, some stakeholders in the state rued loss of the project to Lagos. Segun Showunmi, governorship aspirant of PDP in the 2023 election, blamed the loss on “bad politics.” He called on a law “that punishes economic sabotage occasioned by bad politics.” Showunmi in a statement he personally signed said…
Governor-Elect of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, has approved the appointment of Muhammad Shehu Lawal as his Chief Press Secretary. Lawal served as Special Assistant to the outgoing governor of Kaduna on Political Matters between 2019 and 2023. In a statement he personally signed, the Governor-Elect said the appointment took effect on May 23, 2023. “Muhammad Shehu Lawal brings to service more than 10 years of significant and relevant experience in strategic communication, political communication, image management, conflict resolution and peace – building, and monitoring and evaluation.” “He played a key role in the design and execution of the media…
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has expressed his appreciation to the President Muhammadu Buhari for signing into law eight bills of “far-reaching impact,” one of which is the National Social Investment Establishment Act, 2023. Gbajabiamila, while commending the president for signing into law several bills since his assumption of office in 2019, said laws that impact the socio-economic and political growth of the nation have always been of priority to Buhari. “The effect of these new laws on the generality of Nigerians cannot be overemphasised because, besides institutionalising due diligence, the implementation of these life-changing laws…
Bayelsa media workers protest planned takeover of office comple Several workers at media outfits owned by the Bayelsa State Government are protesting against the plan by the Ministry of Information, Orientation and Strategy to move into the Ernest Ikoli Media Complex in Yenagoa, the state capital. They complained that the edifice was built by Governor Douye Diri for the three state-owned media houses namely, the State Broadcasting Corporation, operators of Glory FM97.1 (popularly called Radio Bayelsa); the State Newspaper Corporation, publishers of New Waves; and the Niger Delta Television. They cautioned that the situation could result in a…
The President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of about 33 new directors in agencies under the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace. In a statement, Tuesday by the Head, of Press and Public Affairs, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace, Odatayo Oluseyi, the new appointees are to help reposition the agency to perform its statutory duties as enshrined in the Acts and help address appropriate placements and federal character requirements. The statement highlighted some of the modifications as “the creation of new directorates in some of the agencies, prominent amongst which are the Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Corporate Services, and…
A civil society organisation, Network Against Corruption and Human Trafficking, on Tuesday asked anti-corruption agencies to probe the administration of Senator Godswill Akpabio for alleged corruption while he was governor of Akwa Ibom State. The organisation alleged that the fortunes of Akwa-Ibom people were allegedly mortgaged for personal aggrandisement under Akpabio and so the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission should step in and probe the former governor. The allegation is coming a few days before the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly with the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs as…
The Christian Association of Nigeria on Tuesday raised concerns over the continued killings in Mangu and Riyom Local Government Areas of Plateau State but advised against reprisal attacks. Quoting reports, CAN said about 130 persons were killed, 1000 buildings burnt and 22 villages affected. The organisation said Christians must not allow themselves to be provoked into taking actions that would further escalate the situation. The President of CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, stated these in a statement in Abuja. He said, “It is with deep concern that I address the nation on the recent resurgence of mindless killings of innocent citizens…
The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, said the Dangote Oil Refinery is expected to generate 12,000 megawatts of electricity and over 135,000 permanent jobs. Emefiele said this on Monday at the official launching of the Dangote Oil Refinery in Lagos State by President Muhammadu Buhari. “Then, we insisted that under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, that the ongoing projects and efforts will be actively implemented to diversify the economy and make the country globally competitive but people still doubted us,” he said. “Aside from enumerating our strategic efforts in agriculture and other critical sectors…