Author: Opalim Lifted

President Bola Tinubu has charged the newly inaugurated board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) to consolidate ongoing economic reforms and reposition Nigeria’s oil and gas sector for global competitiveness. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on Thursday at the State House, Abuja, Tinubu said he deliberately selected board members with sterling reputations and proven industry expertise, describing them as the “best the industry can offer.” “When I started searching, it took a while to come up with the kind of character that you represent. You have the reputation, resourcefulness and experience to help the country. It is…

The Donald Trump-led United States government has restricted Harvard University from enrolling international students. Kristi Noem, secretary of the department of homeland security, announced the decision in a statement issued on Thursday via X. Noem cited the university’s failure to stem “violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus” as reasons for the “harsh penalty”. “This decertification also means that existing aliens on F- or J- non-immigrant status must transfer to another university in order to maintain their non-immigrant status,” the statement reads. Harvard University has been embroiled in a funding row with the Trump administration,…

President Bola Tinubu has asked the National Assembly to approve N1.48 trillion as the 2025 budget for Rivers state. Tinubu’s request was read by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, during plenary on Thursday. Senate President Godswill Akpabio also read the letter on the floor of the red chamber. In the breakdown, Tinubu said N324 billion is proposed for infrastructure, N166 billion for the health sector, N75.6 billion for education, and N31.4 billion for agriculture. The president asked the house to consider and pass the appropriation bill expeditiously. On April 3, Ibok-Ete Ibas, the sole administrator of Rivers,…

The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has formally endorsed President Bola Tinubu as the sole candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 presidential election. Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo state and chairman of the forum, announced the decision on Thursday at the APC summit in Abuja. Speaking on behalf of the forum, Uzodimma said the governors were united in their support for Tinubu’s re-election bid. “That for Nigeria to get to her destination faster in prosperity, that the president should be used and adopted as our flag bearer for 2027 presidential election, for a second term in office,”…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a fresh reduction in the pump prices of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) nationwide. The new rates now range from ₦875 to ₦905 per litre, depending on location. A breakdown of the revised prices shows, Lagos:₦875, South-West ₦885, North-East: ₦905, North-West & Central: ₦895, and South-South & South-East: ₦905 Prices indicate a ₦15 reduction per litre across all regions and partner retail outlets, applying to all major fuel marketers in partnership with the refinery, including MRS, Ardova, Heyden, Optima Energy, Techno Oil, and Hyde Energy. Before the new price template, Lagos residents paid ₦890 per…

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim said that he was confident he was still the right man for the job after the club’s woeful Europa League loss to Tottenham Hotspur, but would quit with no compensation if the club’s board believed otherwise. Amorim and his men had hoped to salvage something from a woeful season that has them languishing 16th in the Premier League with one game remaining. Instead, Brennan Johnson bundled in a first-half goal in a 1-0 win that clinched Spurs a spot in the Champions League next season — leaving United out of European football entirely. “In this…

A high-level meeting intended to thaw frosty relations between the United States and South Africa took an unexpected turn when President Donald Trump ambushed Cyril Ramaphosa, his South African counterpart, with a video supporting claims of a “white genocide” in the black-majority nation. In a theatrical move, Trump ordered the lights dimmed as the video was on standby mode and played on screens in the Oval Office during Wednesday’s bilateral meeting. The nearly five-minute video, later shared on the White House’s X account, was captioned, “Proof of Persecution in South Africa”. Ramaphosa appeared visibly unsettled, his expression revealing confusion and…

President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire on Wednesday presided over a council of ministers meeting at the presidential palace in Abidjan, the Ivorian capital. The Ivorian presidency confirmed Ouattara’s attendance in a statement issued, including pictures showing the president and cabinet members at the meeting. Diversification of electricity sources and adequate housing for citizens were among the topics addressed at the meeting. The high-level meeting took place amid growing coup reports on social media in Ivory Coast. An X-user claimed that Ouattara may have been killed after military forces allegedly took over on Tuesday. “Internet access in the country has…

Professor Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has responded strongly to critics calling for his resignation following challenges during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Speaking during a meeting with key stakeholders, including chief external examiners and civil society organizations in Abuja, Oloyede dismissed the calls for his resignation, stating that those criticizing his leadership lacked the qualifications to question his stewardship. “Truck pushers cannot direct pilots,” he said, in reference to critics whom he believes are unqualified to advise on matters of education. His remarks come in the wake of demands for his…

The Department of State Services (DSS) has dismissed reports of an ongoing recruitment exercise, stating they are false. The Service urged Nigerians to ignore the reports, describing them as fake. One of the reports had claimed that the Service was receiving applications for electricians, plumbers, mechanics and carpenters. The report also claimed that the recruitment was for primary school and secondary school certificates holders. However, in a post on its official X on Wednesday, the DSS advised Nigerians to disregard reports of the recruitment process. The post read: “The public is advised to ignore any misleading or false information about…