Author: Opalim Lifted

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has directed its members to report to work as usual, distancing itself from an indefinite strike declared by the FCT Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). In a statement issued on Thursday, the FCT TUC said the NLC announced the strike without consulting its council or affiliated unions. The dispute centres on the FCT Administration and the Nigeria Union of Teachers, with the NLC directing public and private sector workers in the territory to begin an indefinite strike on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. The TUC said it neither…

US President Donald Trump has labelled people who continue to use the term “artificial intelligence” rather than his preferred phrase, “super intelligence”, as “THE ENEMY”, without specifying the consequences. Trump made the statement on Thursday in a post on his Truth Social platform, escalating his push to replace the widely used term with his preferred alternative. “The White House considers anyone that uses the term, ‘Artificial Intelligence,’ as opposed to the highly accepted new and more accurate term, ‘Super Intelligence,’ THE ENEMY!” Trump wrote. Trump Pushes ‘Super Intelligence’ Terminology Trump first proposed the name change during his address to the…

A shallow 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu on Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The earthquake’s epicentre was approximately 110 kilometres (68 miles) east of Luganville, the country’s second-largest city, the USGS said. In its initial assessment, the agency rated the risk of landslides and the number of people exposed to potential hazards as low. There were no immediate reports of damage, while Vanuatu’s natural hazards department had not issued a tsunami warning at the time of reporting. Vanuatu Experiences Frequent Earthquakes Earthquakes are common in Vanuatu, an archipelago located along the Pacific…

Workers under the aegis of the Support Staff Union of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) have threatened to shut down operations at the refinery over seven months of unpaid salaries. The workers also alleged that a newly approved salary structure had not been implemented, saying that if their demands are not addressed within 48 hours, they will shut down operations at the Port Harcourt refinery in Rivers State. After barricading the entrance to the PHRC, the protesting workers displayed placards with various inscriptions and mounted tents in front of the refinery gate, temporarily disrupting activities at the complex. Some…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to exceed expectations when it eventually lists on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), using the Dangote refinery’s market debut as a benchmark. Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu, made the call on Tuesday at the fifth anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in Abuja. Addressing NNPC chief executive officer Bayo Ojulari, Shettima said: “I learnt that you are going to the stock market very soon, so you will overwhelm us the way Dangote did.” Ojulari had said in July 2025 that NNPC planned to…

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has launched the 2026 Nigerian Licensing Round, putting 40 oil and gas blocks up for investors. NUPRC Chief Executive Officer, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, announced the licensing round on Wednesday in Abuja during the commission’s 55th anniversary celebration. “Ladies and gentlemen, the wait is over. It is with great joy that I announce that pursuant to the approval of His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, and the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian 2026 Licensing Round is hereby launched,” Eyesan said. The 40 blocks span land, shallow water and deepwater terrains and are open to investors…

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has heightened surveillance and vigilance following Kenya’s confirmation of its first imported case of Ebola virus disease (EVD). In a statement released on Tuesday, Jide Idris, NCDC director-general, said the case was linked to an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Idris said the development increases the risk of international importation through travel and population movement, including into Nigeria. According to the NCDC, the confirmed case was a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the DRC. “He travelled from the DRC by road to Kampala, Uganda,…

A passenger has died aboard a Kenya Airways flight from Nairobi, Kenya, to Lagos, the airline has confirmed. The passenger became unresponsive about 20 minutes before the aircraft landed at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Tuesday. In a statement on Wednesday, Kenya Airways said its crew administered first aid and followed all emergency procedures after the passenger became unresponsive. “Our crew administered first aid as per their training and followed all emergency procedures,” the airline said. The aircraft landed at Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 9:41pm, where medical personnel were waiting. Kenya Airways apologises to Nigeria for mistreating…

The Presidency has rejected a recent report by The Economist suggesting that growing public discontent could threaten President Bola Tinubu’s chances of securing re-election in 2027. In a statement on Wednesday, Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, described the publication’s assessment as inconsistent and politically motivated. Dare said the report “smells of opposition and is riddled with inconsistencies”, accusing the international magazine of presenting a distorted picture of Nigeria under Tinubu. The Economist, in a report published on October 1, Nigeria’s Independence Day, said Tinubu could still win the 2027 election despite what it…

A director in the Federal Ministry of Finance has told a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama that the ministry and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) were unaware of the withdrawal of N124.86 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). At the proceedings on Tuesday, Ali Mohammed, who testified as the 10th prosecution witness (PW10) in the trial of Godwin Emefiele, former CBN governor, told the court that the transaction was classified in the ministry’s records as a direct debit by the apex bank. Mohammed was led in evidence by Abbas Mohammed, counsel…