The World Bank has reported that approximately 99.9% of targeted poor and vulnerable households are yet to receive the Federal Government’s recently announced N25,000 per month cash handout. According to The Times, data from the World Bank’s Lead Economist for Nigeria, Alex Sienaert, was presented last week in Abuja during the Nigeria Development Update, December 2023 edition. The Federal Government intends to provide cash transfers to low-income households, paying N25,000 per month for three months, according to his presentation material. President Bola Tinubu introduced the Conditional Cash Transfer Program on October 17, 2023, with funding support of $800 million from the World Bank. This…
Author: Editor Francis
The Deputy National Organizing Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nze Chidi Duru, announced that President Bola Tinubu has given approval to a strategic blueprint aimed at securing victory in the 2025 governorship election in Anambra State. Former House of Representatives member, Duru, shared details of the winning plan, as disclosed by APC National Chairman Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje during the meeting with Anambra State party leaders. Duru conveyed this message during an event in Awka where former national auditor of APC, Sir Paul Chukwuma, donated 1000 bags of rice and N100 million in cash to executive members of…
In a video assessing the GDP per capita of African nations from 1960 to 2024, a comparative analysis sheds light on each country’s economic output per person, calculated by dividing the GDP by the population. It’s crucial to understand that Africa’s growth is anticipated to rebound by 4 percent in 2024, showcasing a broad-based resurgence. Notably, numerous governments are diligently addressing macroeconomic imbalances. Many countries have narrowed fiscal deficits, thereby stabilizing public debt. These positive outcomes are particularly heartening amidst significant external challenges, including subdued international demand and challenging access to costly finance. However, premature celebration is cautioned, as a…
Victor Osimhen has been hailed as the “new king of Africa” after the Nigeria striker was named as the continent’s Footballer of the Year for 2023. The 24-year-old Napoli man picked up the prize at the Confederation of African Football (Caf) awards on Monday night, seeing off competition from Egypt captain Mohamed Salah and Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi. For Osimhen, who grew up on the dusty streets of Olusosun in Lagos, it is a “dream come true” after facing the stark reality of life as a child. I have to thank everybody who has helped me on this journey and…
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has officially announced the outbreak of dengue fever in Sokoto State. The NCDC statement, released on Saturday, reveals that the outbreak was identified in November 2023. According to NCDC Director General Ifedayo Adetifa, 71 suspected cases have been reported, with 13 confirmed cases in three Local Government Areas: Sokoto South (60 cases), Wamako (three cases), and Dange Shuni (one case). Fortunately, no deaths have been reported. Most suspected cases fall within the 21-40 age range. Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted through mosquito bites, commonly found in tropical and sub-tropical…
The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has given his nod to a N35,000 wage award for the state’s public servants. Additionally, the governor has sanctioned the payment of a 50% end-of-year bonus on the basic salary for political appointees, public servants, employees of local governments, local council development areas, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, and the Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corps. This approval was communicated through a circular, obtained by PUNCH Online, bearing the signature of the Lagos State Head of Service, Bode Agoro. The circular, referenced as CIR/HOS/’23/Vol. 1/109 and titled ‘2023 End Of Year Bonus And Implementation…
A Vatican court has sentenced 75-year-old Angelo Becciu, a former influential Italian cardinal and adviser to Pope Francis, to five years and six months in jail for financial crimes. Becciu, once considered a potential papal contender, is the highest-ranking clergyman in the Catholic Church to face a Vatican criminal court. The verdict was delivered on Saturday, with Becciu convicted of embezzlement, abuse of office, and witness tampering in connection to a controversial London property deal. The trial involved a total of ten defendants, including financiers, lawyers, and ex-Vatican employees. The central focus of the trial was the opaque 350-million-euro ($380-million),…
In a recent interview on Channels TV, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), disclosed that more than 60 million Nigerians actively engage in various gaming activities. This revelation comes in the wake of the NDPC’s launch of its comprehensive five-year data strategic roadmap and action plan, known as NDP-SRAP 2023-2027. The strategic plan encompasses five key pillars, namely governance, ecosystem and technology, human capital development, cooperation and collaboration, and funding and sustainability. Dr. Olatunji, during the interview, emphasized the importance of collaboration and cooperation as the fifth pillar, highlighting the NDPC’s…
The recent trend of some Muslims to contract court marriage or statutory marriage over Islamic marriage has raised dust in Kwara State. AbdulSalam and Aisha’s (not real names) union was a few years old and things appeared to be rosy. AbdulSalam later travelled out of the country. But in the guise of joining her hubby in the UK, Aishatu prevailed and convinced him to contract a statutory marriage at the Kwara State High Court, Ilọrin. Daily Trust Reveals However, a few years after the development, the marriage crashed before Aishatu relocated to the UK. AbdulSalam said that the decision to…
It is about a few days before Christmas, and options and hopes that this yultide will be celebrated in its grandeur are very myopic .Feeding is part of the core that sustains our existence. It experienced about 32.84 per cent in November. Nigeria’s inflation has reached an 18-year high, as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its ‘Consumer Price Index: November 2023’ released on Friday. Headline inflation soared to 28.20%, up from 27.33% in October, marking a significant increase. The cost of food, a major contributor to rising inflation, experienced the highest surge in Kogi, Kwara, and…
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has firmly rebuffed the recent World Bank proposal urging the Federal Government to elevate petrol prices to N750 per liter. President Joe Ajaero, leading the NLC, decried the suggestion as not only mischievous but also potentially harmful to Nigeria’s economy and its long-term developmental trajectory. During a presentation in Abuja, the World Bank’s lead economist for Nigeria, Alex Sienaert, advocated for the removal of an alleged subsidy and a subsequent hike in petrol prices. The NLC fiercely opposed this move, citing the potential destabilization of the economy and the enduring hardships stemming from the previous…
Tidjane Thiam, renowned for his executive roles at Aviva, Prudential, and Credit Suisse, has declared his bid for the presidency of Ivory Coast, marking a significant step after an illustrious business career abroad. Thiam, who fled a coup in his homeland nearly 25 years ago, seeks to lead the centre-right Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), and potentially emerge as its candidate for the 2025 elections. In a recent conversation with the Financial Times, Thiam, currently touring impoverished villages in the eastern part of the country, underscored his focus on garnering support from the PDCI’s 6,000 delegates. He refrained from…