The Dangote Group has said its ongoing $2.5bn fertiliser plant in Gode, Ethiopia, with a production capacity of three million metric tonnes of urea annually is designed to support agricultural productivity and regional exports, reflecting the group’s commitment to food security in Africa. The Executive Director of Commercial Operations, Dangote Group, Fatima Aliko-Dangote, disclosed this on Thursday while speaking during Dangote Special Day at the ongoing 15th Gateway Trade Fair organized by the Ogun Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Mines and Agriculture in Abeokuta, the state capital. Aliko-Dangote represented by Tunde Mabogunje, Regional Sales Director, Lagos, said the company remains committed to exploring partnership to drive industrialization, cut down on imports, create shared prosperity while growing the economy. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines She explained that the trade fair themed “Promoting Businesses through Partnership” is a timely message that resonated and aligned with the core...

The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has approved a total of 102 films for distribution and exhibition in January 2026, in line with its statutory mandate to regulate and classify film and video content. This represents a 161.5% increase from 39 films classified in December 2025. A breakdown by language, according to the statement by Director, Corporate Affairs, NFVCB, Ogbonna Onwumere, showed that 86 movies are in English, eight in Igbo, three in Yoruba, three in Hausa, and two in Hindi. This distribution reflects the continued dominance of English-language productions in the Nigerian film market, while also highlighting contributions from indigenous Nigerian languages and foreign content. While the Board appreciates the cooperation of stakeholders across the film value chain and reiterates its dedication to transparency and professionalism in the discharge of its regulatory functions, the Board restates its resolve to ensure compliance with the classification of all films...

OSLO, 13 FEB–As deadly disease outbreaks become ever more frequent and disruptive, CEPI (the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) is setting out a bold plan to transform the way the world tackles the most dangerous viral threats. The new five-year strategy–CEPI 3.0–was unveiled today as CEPI called on governments, philanthropies and partners to invest US$2.5 billion to strengthen the world’s disease defences. “During COVID-19, the world paid the price of not being prepared,” said Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI. “Recent outbreaks of Nipah, Ebola, Chikungunya and Marburg are powerful reminders that epidemic and pandemic disease present one of the greatest challenges of our time. Science offers us a solution: by taking decisive action now we can secure a safer future for all.” Research suggests that the risk of another pandemic on a scale similar to COVID-19 in our lifetimes is significant, with global losses from future pandemics estimated to...

The deputy governor of Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, has called on the United States Congress to expunge the name of former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso from proposed sanctions in a bill targeting alleged violators of religious freedom in Nigeria. The bill, titled ‘The Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026’, was sponsored by US Representatives Riley Moore and Chris Smith. It sought to impose sanctions on individuals and groups accused of religious persecution, including some Fulani militias and Kwankwaso himself. In a statement issued on Thursday by his Press Secretary, Ibrahim Shuaibu, Gwarzo described the allegations against the former presidential candidate as “unfounded, misleading, and inconsistent with the verifiable public record of his life and service.” According to him, “At no time has he been indicted, prosecuted, or credibly accused of religious persecution, extremism, or human rights violations.” Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines The deputy...

While the 18th Annual Leadership Awards and Conference was billed as a serious summit for policymakers, captains of industry, and public servants, Abuja’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre proved that leadership and glamour can coexist beautifully. From the moment the red carpet rolled out, it was clear that Abuja’s elite had arrived to make a statement. Power dressing was the order of the day: tailored suits, flowing gowns, statement jewelry, and colors bold enough to rival the Nigerian sun. The awards may have been the official reason for the gathering, but for many, it was a celebration of style, presence, and prestige. The conference featured a stellar line-up of dignitaries: Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was honored as Person of the Year, while keynote speaker Amina Mohammed delivered insights that bridged policy with sustainable development. Religious and traditional leadership were represented...

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar paid what he called a solidarity visit to former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai on Thursday night, barely hours after the former governor condemned an attempt by security agents to arrest him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, following his arrival from Cairo, Egypt. In a post on X on Friday morning, Atiku said “Last night, I paid a solidarity visit to the former Governor of Kaduna State and stalwart of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, following the failed attempt by the partisan ICPC to arrest him at the airport upon his arrival in the country.” Atiku and El-Rufai are members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), an opposition party which seeks to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 presidential election. El-Rufai, on Thursday in a post on X condemned what he called an illegal attempt by security...

In a landmark move to progress Nigerian trade facilitation, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially approved the activation of the Lagos Free Zone Green Channel. This dedicated corridor enables the seamless, controlled movement of Free Zone cargo directly from the Lekki Deep Sea Port to the Lagos Free Zone (Lagos FZ). As the only Free Zone in Nigeria with the Lekki Deep Sea Port as its anchor tenant, Lagos Free Zone is now uniquely positioned to offer a definitive competitive advantage in inward logistics. With this official sanction from the NCS, LFZ becomes the first and only zone in the country to operate a sanctioned green channel, reflecting globally recognised port-to-free-zone logistics and customs integration models successfully implemented in leading trade hubs in Middle-East and Asia. “By eliminating traditional bottlenecks between the port and the zone, the Lagos Free Zone Green Channel fundamentally transforms the operational landscape for Lagos...

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), has stated that Africa is projected to attract between $48 billion and $50bn in the oil and gas sector in 2026. Speaking during the opening of the 10th Anniversary of the Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC) 2026, NUPRC’s Commission Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, this is figure is from the $520bn projected in worldwide capital investment this year, She said Africa’s share is over 8% of the total investment and is a significant increase from previous years when it was below 4%. She attributed the resurgence to renewed investor interest in frontier and established basins, particularly in Nigeria, Namibia, Mozambique and other prolific African plays. Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn She also urged global investors to capitalise on opportunities in Nigeria’s 2025 licensing round, emphasising that recent reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 provide a...

A former Secretary to the Abia State Government, Dr Eme Okoro, has criticised the decision of the Governing Council of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, to relocate the interview for the institution’s 7th Vice-Chancellor from the university campus to Abuja. The decision, approved by the Chairman of the Governing Council, Fidelis Edeh, was conveyed in a statement issued on Wednesday, which gave candidates one week to prepare for the trip to the Federal Capital Territory. The move has sparked reactions among stakeholders, amid estimates that over N50m could be spent on logistics for more than 40 council members and management staff if the exercise is held in Abuja. Reacting to the development in an interview with PUNCH Online on Wednesday, Okoro described the relocation as unnecessary and capable of sending the wrong signal about the security situation in Abia State. “For Edeh to move the sitting of the Council...

The governor recalled comments recently made by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, who described Mr Tinubu’s reforms as the greatest enabler of Nigeria’s economic recovery. Abeokuta, Ogun State — Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Wednesday praised the economic reforms initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing them as bold decisions that rescued Nigeria from economic collapse and set the nation on the path of sustainable growth. Mr Abiodun spoke at the expanded stakeholders strategic meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held in Abeokuta, where party leaders across the state unanimously endorsed President Tinubu for another term in office. Commending the president’s leadership, the governor said Mr Tinubu demonstrated courage and clarity by confronting long-standing economic distortions, particularly the removal of fuel and foreign exchange subsidies. Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn “At a time when the economy had severely nosedived, our...