Author: Prima News

By Modupe Gbadeyanka A targeted fiscal incentive designed to unlock the long-awaited Final Investment Decision (FID) on the Bonga Southwest Aparo (BSWA) deepwater project has been approved by President Bola Tinubu. The approval followed months of intensive technical and commercial negotiations involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited as the concessionaire, the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, and the chief executive of Shell, Mr Wael Sawan. In a statement signed on Tuesday by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC, Mr Andy Odeh, it was disclosed that the project is…

Operatives of the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested 15 male suspects over alleged involvement in illegal dealing on ‘radioactive’ solid minerals. EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja. Mr Oyewale said the suspects were arrested on Sunday, along Suleja-Maji Road, in Niger State. He said that the suspects were conveying the suspected solid minerals in three trucks to several locations across Nigeria for an undisclosed purpose. READ ALSO: EFCC arraigns four for alleged N2 billion oil fraud He also said that the suspects were currently undergoing further…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has declared a 40-year-old Chinese national, Peiyuan Niu, wanted over his alleged involvement in a fraud case. The commission made this known in a notice shared on its official X handle on Tuesday, stating that Niu is being sought in connection with an alleged case of obtaining money by false pretense. According to the EFCC, the suspect’s last known address is 111, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Lagos State. In the notice signed by EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the commission called on members of the public to assist with useful information that could lead…

UEFA Champions League heavyweights FC Bayern Munich and Atlético de Madrid moved closer to the quarter-finals after dominant victories in the first legs of their round of 16 matches on Tuesday night. However, the other two ties remain open after Galatasaray SK defeated Liverpool FC 1-0 in Istanbul, while FC Barcelona rescued a late draw against Newcastle United FC. Bayern thrash Atalanta FC Bayern Munich produced a ruthless performance to crush Atalanta BC 6-1 away from home. Josip Stanišić opened the scoring with a simple finish before Serge Gnabry and Michael Olise struck quick goals to give the German side…

In Lebanon alone, nearly 700,000 people including around 200,000 children have been forced from their homes, “adding to the tens of thousands already uprooted from previous escalations”, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said.The development follows a weekend of escalating Israeli and U.S. strikes against Iran, counter-strikes by Iranian forces across Israel and explosions in several Gulf States, along with Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon.Heavy tollIn its latest update, the UN relief coordination office, OCHA, said that 294 people had been killed in Lebanon and more than 1,000 injured in the first eight days of the war.On Saturday, 7 March,…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said that the FCT University of Science and Technology, Abaji, will commence operations under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Wike gave the assurance on Tuesday in Abaji while thanking residents for supporting Tinubu’s candidates in the February 21 FCT area council elections. He said the FCT Administration is already developing the necessary infrastructure and critical facilities required for the university’s take-off. Wike urged residents to remain patient, stressing that the university would become a reality within Tinubu’s tenure. “From our conversations, we see how important the university is, not only to Abaji…

African healthcare systems are increasingly facing cyberattacks, with hospitals, laboratories and digital health platforms becoming prime targets for cybercriminals, Microsoft’s chief security advisor for Africa, Kerissa Varma, has warned. Writing in an opinion piece shared with The PUNCH, Varma highlighted the growing vulnerability of healthcare facilities on the continent, saying the sector is under a “silent emergency” as cybercriminals exploit the rush to digitise patient records and services. “While doctors fight to save lives, cybercriminals are infiltrating hospitals, laboratories, and clinics, turning life-saving environments into digital battlegrounds,” Varma said. According to Varma, recent attacks across Africa illustrate the fragility of…

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority have signed a cooperation agreement on search and rescue operations for aircraft in distress between the two countries. The agreement was disclosed in a statement released on Tuesday following its signing by the Director-General of Civil Aviation, Nigeria, Chris Najomo, on behalf of the Nigerian government, and the Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Stephen Arthur, who signed on behalf of the Ghanaian government. Speaking in the statement, Najomo said the Memorandum of Understanding would strengthen both countries’ search and rescue framework and deepen operational collaboration. Najomo said,…

Global oil prices declined sharply on Tuesday after remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East may end sooner than previously anticipated. Brent crude oil, against which Nigerian crude oil is priced, dropped by $6.75 or 6.8 percent to trade at $92.21 per barrel during mid-morning trading, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell by $6.41, or 6.8 percent to $88.36 per barrel. Both benchmark contracts experienced even steeper losses earlier in the session, with prices sliding by as much as 11 percent before partially recovering. The decline followed a sharp rally…

The African Democratic Congress in Cross River State has raised the alarm over what it described as an attempt to hijack the structure of the party in the state. This was disclosed on Tuesday during a press briefing in Calabar by the party’s Vice Chairman for the Central Senatorial District, McFarlane Ejah, who represented the state chairman, John Oga, said to be away in Abuja attending to national matters. Ejah alleged that some individuals who are not recognised members of the party were planning to inaugurate a membership mobilisation, registration, and revalidation committee across the 18 local government areas of…