Author: Opalim Lifted

President Bola Tinubu’s investment-friendly reforms are already paying off, with global energy giant Shell pumping more than $7 billion into Nigeria’s oil and gas sector in just 18 months, according to the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari. Ojulari disclosed this on Thursday after a high-level meeting between President Tinubu and a Shell delegation led by its Global Chairman, Wael Sawan, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The visit marked the first time Shell’s top global leadership would meet directly with the President. According to Ojulari, Shell came primarily to express appreciation for…

Former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has been appointed co-chair of the newly launched Future of Development Cooperation Coalition, a global initiative seeking to rethink how countries work together to finance and deliver sustainable development. The announcement was made on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where former Spanish foreign minister Arancha González Laya was unveiled as Osinbajo’s co-chair. González Laya is a seasoned multilateral expert, having previously served as Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations (UN). The coalition is being launched at a…

The Federal Government says it has released N152 billion to contractors after completing a strict verification of outstanding claims, as pressure mounts over unpaid debts owed for executed projects. In a statement on Thursday, Doris Uzoka-Anite, Minister of State for Finance, said the payments followed “rigorous verification” in line with existing laws and regulations, stressing that due process was necessary to safeguard public funds. Uzoka-Anite acknowledged the financial strain contractors have endured due to delays, assuring them that the Ministry of Finance would continue to process and approve legitimate payment requests. “I wish to confirm that the Federal Ministry of…

Former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo will headline the Regal Influence Summit as top Nigerian politicians, senior government officials and leading business figures converge on Accra, Ghana, for the three-day event starting tomorrow. The summit will focus on leadership, governance and national development, providing a platform for high-level dialogue on Africa’s political and economic future. Osinbajo is expected to exchange ideas with former Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi during key sessions. According to a statement by Kingsley Asiedu on behalf of the organisers, Krif Foundation, governors expected at the summit include Bala Mohammed…

A Qatar Airways plane recently made an emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, following technical issues while airborne. The airline, in a statement, said its flight QR 1406, operating from Lagos to Doha, “made an unplanned return to Lagos due to a technical issue that occurred in flight”. “The cockpit crew followed established procedures and landed the aircraft safely,” the company said. Also confirming the development, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) disclosed that the aircraft, which was fully laden with 248 passengers and 12 crew members, developed a technical fault while flying within Nigerian…

Mayflower School, Ikenne, Ogun State, will celebrate its 70th Founder’s Day with a week-long programme honouring former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the school’s founders, the late educationist Dr Tai Solarin and his wife, Sheila. Organised by the Mayflower Old Students Association (MOSA), the anniversary commemorates the vision that gave birth to the school in May 1956. Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, MOSA’s national president said the Solarins established Mayflower to advance a liberal, values-driven education distinct from conventional models of the time. As part of the celebrations, Tai Solarin and Sheila will receive posthumous Special Recognition and…

The presidency has withdrawn the posting of Usman Dakingari, former Kebbi governor, as ambassador-designate to Turkey, barely 24 hours after announcing ambassadorial postings. Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson, issued a statement Thursday night confirming President Bola Tinubu’s approval of the posting of four ambassadors-designate out of the over 60 nominees confirmed last December. Kayode Are, former director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), was appointed Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to the United States. Ayodele Oke, former director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), was posted to France; Amin Dalhatu, former ambassador to South Korea, was appointed high commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom;…

President Bola Tinubu has approved the gazetting of targeted, investment-linked incentives to accelerate Shell’s proposed Bonga South West deep-offshore oil project, signalling a renewed push to unlock jobs, foreign exchange inflows and large-scale oil and gas investment. The President directed his Special Adviser on Energy, Olu Verheijen, to ensure the incentives are promptly gazetted in line with Nigeria’s existing legal, regulatory and fiscal frameworks. Speaking while receiving a Shell delegation led by Global Chief Executive Officer Wael Sawan, Tinubu said the incentives were deliberately structured to be disciplined, targeted and globally competitive. According to him, the goal is to attract…

Manchester United have said midfielder Casemiro will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of this season. The 33-year-old joined from Real Madrid for £70m in 2022 and has made 146 appearances. He scored the opening goal in the 2023 Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle as Manchester United finished third in the Premier League in his first season. But last year he was mentioned by new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe who told BBC Sport some players were “not good enough” and “overpaid”. The Brazil international said: “I will carry Manchester United with me throughout my entire…

Justice Modupe Nicole-Clay of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has convicted Victor Ogiemwonyi and his firm, Partnership Securities Limited, for stealing ₦953,535,861.57 and $80,000. The conviction was delivered on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, following a prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal Directorate 1. Ogiemwonyi and his company were arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on stealing, contrary to Section 285(1), (9)(b) and (c) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The EFCC told the court that the defendants unlawfully converted the funds entrusted to them, causing significant financial loss to the…