Author: bibncollar

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), chaired by President Bola Tinubu, has approved the creation of the Nigeria Aircraft Leasing Company. This was disclosed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, following the FEC meeting held on Friday. According to the Minister, the company will operate as a fully privately funded and commercially driven Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). It will not require any direct financial investment from the Federal Government. However, it will receive strategic government support, primarily through sovereign guarantees provided to international aircraft lessors and manufacturers. These guarantees will enhance asset repossession security and significantly reduce…

In a significant political development, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2023 Adamawa State governorship election, has formally defected to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the 2027 general elections. The move comes months after Binani left the APC for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), reflecting the ongoing wave of political realignments across Nigeria. The NDC described her defection as a major boost and a key realignment in the country’s evolving political landscape. Binani was officially received into the party in Abuja by the NDC’s National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, alongside…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has begun direct deliveries of aviation fuel to Ethiopian Airlines, marking a major milestone in Nigeria’s emergence as a player in the international jet fuel supply chain. According to BusinessInsider, the refinery is now exporting jet fuel directly to one of Africa’s largest airlines amid tightening global energy supplies and ongoing geopolitical pressures affecting fuel availability and pricing. Industry analysts view this development as a strong indication of the Dangote Refinery’s growing capability to meet both domestic needs and compete effectively in the international petroleum products market, especially in the aviation segment. As one of the…

President Bola Tinubu leaves Abuja on Saturday, May 2, 2026, for a two-week journey to France, Kenya, and Rwanda.Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga announced on Friday that the trip starts in France, followed by Nairobi, Kenya, for the Africa-France Summit next week. Jointly led by France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Kenya’s President William Ruto, the summit addresses energy transitions, green industrialization, digital shifts, global finance reforms, and climate efforts.Tinubu’s attendance from May 11-12 highlights Nigeria’s dedication to deeper ties with African countries and France.Under the theme “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” the event unites African and French leaders…

A deep wave of grief has swept through football communities in Nigeria and Italy following the sudden and tragic death of 25-year-old midfielder Emmanuel King Okoye. The young Nigerian player reportedly collapsed during a local match on Wednesday while visiting his family in Nigeria. According to eyewitness accounts, Okoye suffered a severe head injury after a forceful collision with an opponent on the pitch, which led to his immediate collapse. Emergency medical personnel quickly responded to the incident and rushed him to a nearby hospital for urgent treatment. However, despite the best efforts of doctors and medical staff, Okoye could…

China will scrap tariffs on imports from almost all African countries from Friday, expanding its zero-duty policy across the continent—excluding only Eswatini, which maintains diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The move broadens an existing scheme that, as of December 2024, covered 33 least-developed African nations. It will now apply to 53 countries and remain in force until 30 April 2028, although its future beyond that date is unclear. Beijing has touted the initiative as a landmark step, boasting that it is the first major economy to offer unilateral zero-tariff treatment to Africa. However, analysts say the policy may do little to…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed fresh criminal charges against former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and seven others, accusing them of fraud and money laundering in connection with a ₦10.8 billion CCTV security project. Court documents filed on April 17 at the Federal High Court in Kaduna revealed that the anti-graft agency preferred 11 counts against the defendants under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The development was disclosed by Alhaji Tijjani Ramalan, a former Kaduna State Commissioner for Information and Chairman of Liberty Television, in a post on his Facebook…

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that Iran will take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, despite Iranian officials being denied entry to the annual FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada. Infantino emphasized football’s power to unite people across geopolitical divides, stating that Iran “will be participating” in the tournament. The Iranian delegation, led by Football Federation President Mehdi Taj, was reportedly turned back at the Canadian border due to immigration issues. Canadian officials cited the country’s designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization and its long-standing…

The Day Government Agents Turned Into Armed Robbers at Warehouse Roundabout, Owerri. By Chinedu Agu, Your Excellency. At about 4:25 PM today, Thursday, 30 April 2026, right at Warehouse Roundabout, I witnessed a scene straight out of a nightmare, not from armed robbers, but from men in white Hilux SUV branded, “Office of the Governor, Compliance and Monitoring Unit.” Following behind this Hilux was a silver colour Hijet Mini Bus, which we call _Keke Bus_ with Ebonyi State Registration number CHR 526 XB. These two cars were packed full with menacing young men who looked like hardened criminals. Some with…

The Supreme Court has set aside the order made by the Court of Appeal in Abuja ordering the maintenance of status quo ante bellum in the leadership dispute in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), on which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acted in derecognising the David Mark-led leadership of the party. In a unanimous judgment of a five-member panel, the apex court ordered parties to return to the Federal High Court for expeditious hearing of the case filed by an aggrieved chieftain of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe, challenging, among others, the emergence of the Mark-led leadership of the…