Femi Otedola, the chairman of Forte Oil, has endorsed Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State. Mr Otedola made his endorsement known via a post on his Instagram handle. The oil magnate shared a picture of himself and Mr Sanwo-Olu, describing the APC guber…

A civil society group, People’s Alternative Front (PAF) has criticised officials of the United States and the United Kingdom over their comments on the effect of telecommunication giant MTN’s row with the Nigerian government. A statement signed by lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana, president of the group, said…

Nigeria’s Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in a leaked audio clip vowed that Kwara State will never take instructions from any political leader in Lagos State. The senate president said this while addressing party members in his native Kwara State recently. Mr Saraki spoke largely in Yoruba in the leaked audio…

The winner of Saturday's by-election in Kwara, Tunji Olawuyi, has described his victory as one for residents of the state. Mr Olawuyi won Saturday’s Ekiti/Isin/Oke-Ero and Irepodun federal constituency bye-election in Kwara State. Mr Olawuyi said the success was a sign of more victories to come for the All Progressives…

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed have both reacted to the Saturday's by-election in Kwara State won by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Both politicians, members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alleged that the process was skewed against their party. The APC candidate,…

Senate President Bukola Saraki has in a leaked audio attributed his major grouse with President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to the alleged suffering of Kwara State indigenes due to the absence of federal appointments despite committing resources to the president’s electoral success in 2015. Mr Saraki also alleged that during the…

“Brother, buy my groundnut,” a young girl in her teens said as this reporter left the arrivals of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, in search of taxi. The girl, who later identified herself simply as Fatimah, had a tray containing groundnut on her head. Together with other teenagers who…

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has criticised authorities of the International School, Ibadan (ISI), situated on the campus of the University of Ibadan, over its handling of the recent hijab crisis in the school. The body in a statement said it is appalled by the “odious stench…

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has advised passengers and airport users to report any of its security officers demanding bribe to the appropriate authorities. Herietta Yakubu, general manager, corporate affairs, FAAN, gave the advice in a statement on Friday, in Lagos. Mrs Yakubu said the advice was necessitated…

General Electric on Thursday said it has handed over the leadership of a consortium chosen to run Nigeria’s rail concession to South Africa’s Transnet. The development, according to Reuters, came after the U.S. company decided to spin off its transport business. PREMIUM TIMES reported Thursday that the company has pulled…

President Muhammadu Buhari has given consent for the renewal of three Oil Mining Licences (OML) belonging to oil and gas firm, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc. A disclosure sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Thursday said the president gave consent for the renewal of the three licences––OMLs 4,…

Indications emerged Wednesday that General Electric Co (GE) has pulled out of a long-term concession deal with the Nigerian government. The deal signed by the Muhammadu Buhari administration has been repeatedly mentioned by officials as one of the successes of the rail sector in the country. A procurement officer of…

Nigerian air carrier, Medview Airline Plc, on Wednesday attributed the late filing of its account for the third quarter of the year to a recent reorganisation in its operations. In a disclosure sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, on Wednesday, the airline said it has since filed the account…

Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, Lagos, faces huge threats from climate change and attendant higher crime rates over the next 30 years, researchers at UK-based Verisk Maplecroft said Wednesday in a report. The report said Africa’s rapidly expanding cities face huge threats which could bring knock-on effects such as higher crime…

Passengers were on Tuesday stranded at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, following a power outage that lasted for hours. PREMIUM TIMES gathered from affected passengers that they were kept in the dark without any explanation from relevant agencies of government. A twitter user, Yemisi Adegoke, alleged that the airport…

The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, on Tuesday came under criticism on Twitter over its failure to release its quarterly report on the nation’s unemployment data. The NBS, largely regarded as one of Nigeria's most vibrant agencies of government for its timely reports, was lampooned by many social media users…

Paradigm Initiative, a digital rights advocacy organisation, has called on the Nigerian government to enact a data protection law for its citizens and residents in line with international best practices. A statement by Sodiq Alabi, the organisation’s communications officer, said the call was necessitated by the recent incidence of alleged…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was unable to meet its debt obligations as due in January, as a result of inadequate finances, documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES have shown. The national oil company was also encumbered by huge outstanding Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) remittances and other financial obligations…

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Monday said the Nigerian government has delivered visible results and recorded progress across different sectors of the nation, including housing, road construction and electricity provision. Mr Fashola made this known while delivering the third year progress report speech at the…

Telecoms firm, Teleology Nigeria Limited, on Monday announced the constitution of a new Board of Directors for Nigerian telecommunication company, 9mobile. A statement by the company said the decision followed a successful completion of the tenure of the former Board appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and in…

The management of Access Bank has denied reports that it is in merger and acquisition talks with Diamond Bank Plc. The bank in a prompt disclosure sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, on Monday said it has not entered into any such discussion with Diamond Bank or any other…

What is perhaps the biggest racket at the Lagos International Airport is being orchestrated by toilet cleaners and touts. While the cleaners merely beg for tips upon attending to passengers, what’s perhaps unknown to many is that they collaborate with touts to issue fake yellow cards to willing passengers inside…

Telecommunication company, MTN Nigeria, has sued the Nigerian government to the tune of N3 billion. The firm, in the new suit, is challenging the legality of N242 billion and $1.3 billion import duties and withholding tax demanded from it by the Nigerian government. The embattled company, in the suit filed…

The presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, on Monday said the fuel subsidy regime as being administered by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is inefficient. Mr Abubakar made this submission through his campaign organisation on Monday. The presidential hopeful was reacting to a PREMIUM TIMES…

The federal government illegally diverted $1.05 billion (N378 billion at N360 to a dollar) sourced from the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) dividend funds to secretly fund subsidy payment on petroleum products, PREMIUM TIMES can report today. The diversion details are coming amidst revelations from accusations the Nigerian National Petroleum…