FrontLineNews

  The ceremony around the planned visit by the Nigerian President to the Dangote Refinery on May 22, 2023, will peak with a cutting of the ribbon, inaugurating the 650,000 Barrels per stream Day Plant, located in the Eastern flank of Lagos, the country’s commercial city. Everyone, it seems, look forward to the production of petroleum products from the plant after that symbolic activity. But it will not happen. As President Muhammadu Buhari leaves office a week after commissioning one of the largest single train hydrocarbon processing plants on the planet, he could be forgiven for believing he had had his wish to be in such a large place but technology does not sit well with politics. The ongoing technical commissioning process has not gotten anywhere close to the point of introducing raw hydrocarbon into the plant, let alone delivering petroleum products. One key challenge of Nigeria’s chattering classes is that they hardly look up the regulation. Hydrocarbon will be introduced onl...

  In the midst of dwindling revenues and skyrocketing subsidy costs, Nigeria has taken a bold step by removing fuel subsidies, igniting controversy and unrest among its population. Despite the opposition’s claims that subsidy removal will disproportionately affect the poor, the government’s redirection of funds towards crucial sectors such as health and education paints a promising picture for Nigeria’s future. The recent World Bank loan of almost a billion dollars for palliative measures may provide temporary relief, but it is not seen a sustainable solution. However, the fate of the much-anticipated Dangote Refinery, meant to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products, remains uncertain as unforeseen technical difficulties delay its completion.     The Dangote Refinery, announced in 2013 with an initial $3.3bn loan deal with local and foreign banks to fund the construction, was expected to transform Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products and boo...

    The Federal Executive Council today approved the construction of four major roads in Kwara as part of the roads to be constructed under the Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme( Executive Order 7). The roads are to be constructed by BUA Group at about 300billion Naira. Those involved are Kosubosu- Kaiama-Bode Saadu (130km); Bacita-Shonga-Lafiagi (83km); Eyenkorin-Afon-Offa-Odo Ottin (49km); and Okuta-Bukuro Road which connects to Benin Republic (32km). All the roads come to 294km. According to the State Government, ‘it is believed that upon completion, these projects will revolutionise road travels within KWARA and neighbouring States with huge potentials for development and food security. The Kwara State Government also believes that the approval of the road rehabilitation project is undoubtedly geared towards further opening up the state for economic growth. It therefore thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the landmark development while also commending BUA Group for keyin...

   Forbes has released its list of world’s billionaires for 2023. The list, which came out Tuesday has a couple of surprises. This is more so since the last year has been full of falling stocks, wounded unicorns and rising interest rates which translated into a down year for many of the world’s richest people. One of the surprises however is the rise of BUA Group chairman Abdul Samad Rabiu. From 7.6Billion Dollars a few months ago, the Billionaire businessman and philanthropist’s rating in Forbes billionaires list has again shot up towering many to become the 249th richest person in the world and closing in on overtaking the third richest man in Africa, Nicky Oppenheimer who stands at 8.4billion Dollars. Rabiu’s latest worth is put at 8.2billion dollars. From 1.6billion Dollars in 2019, Forbes recorded that by 2022 his net worth was 6.9billion dollars and from there has jumped to 8.2billion Dollars in April 2023. 62-year old Abdul Samad Rabiu is essentially into cement and sug...

  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Borno Central Senatorial election, Hon. Muhammed Kumaila has alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are still thump printing ballot papers in its keep barely a month after the election. Kumaila who said this amounted to destroying and tampering with evidence that would be presented before the Election Petitions Tribunal, alleged that some adhoc staff of the commission in Borno were caught thumb printing and stuffing ballot boxes within the premises of Borno office of INEC in Maiduguri last Wednesday almost a month after the Presidential and National Assembly elections were held. Addressing journalists in Abuja on Saturday, Kumaila said following the outcome of the National Assembly election, where he lost to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kaka Shehu Lawal, he had filed a petition before the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Maiduguri.  He added that he subsequently obtained...

A Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikeja Local government , Prince Adegboyega Kuku has distributed over 50  Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms to indigent but brilliant students in his constituency While presenting the forms on Friday at his Oregun office,the Accountant cum businessman enjoined the beneficiaries to ensure they pass their examination in flying colours to justify his investment and promised that he will continue to help the needy in his constituency Prince Kuku further posited that the beneficiaries of the scheme will be given free tutorial training by the foundation as well as other students who are children of party members in the constituency,stressing that the details will be posted on the website of his foundation  He equally posited that the problem bedeviling the country can not be left to government alone , but that privileged Nigerians should endeavour to plough back to the society  He assured that eithe...

  As Nigerians gear towards the 2023 elections, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, on Saturday reiterated his resolve to work for the victory of all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) both at the national and state levels. Dr. Obasa said this when he received former deputy governor of Lagos and senatorial candidate of the APC in Lagos West, Idiat Oluranti Adebule and her team, who were in Agege as part of campaigns ahead of the election. According to the Speaker, the goal of current political activities is to make sure that the APC wins at all stages of the election from the presidential to the House of Assembly. Dr. Obasa expressed confidence that Asiwaju will become the president while further noting his expectation that the party would have the majority at the Senate and the House of Representatives. "This would make governance at the federal level very easy. Same thing goes for our State," he said. The Speaker urged ...

  At the sexual offences court in Ikeja at the  continuation of trial of the medical doctor of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, Dr. Olufemi Olaleye, an Investigative Police Officer, IPO, Inspector Abe Leonard has testified as the sixth prosecution witness in the alleged defilement trial,while the court also admitted documents from him to support his testimony  Giving evidence before Justice Ramon Oshodi of a Lagos State Sexual Offences Court, Ikeja, on Thursday, Insp Leonard informed  the court that he is serving at Anthony Police Station while being led in evidence by the State Counsel, Mr. Babajide Boye. In his testimony, the witness informed Justice Oshodi that the victim was 17 years old at the time the case was reported by the wife of the defendant, Mrs Aderemi Olaleye. He explained that the case was reported at the station on November 29, 2021, at about 11:00 p.m. According to him, “A case of indecent  treatment of a child was reported and the DPO of the st...

  In this interview, Managing Director of Valuejet, a start-up Nigerian airline, Captain Dapo Majekodunmi, bares it all on the carrier's preparedness to satisfy its customers'  through impeccable operations ValueJet is a new airline, what are the uniqsue things that you are bringing to your customers and the travelling public? As much as we are a startup, I have experience with what an airline should look like. Professionally exposed, we have flown as experts in different countries, and we have seen the standards. We think that our passengers also deserve the same and even better. You would understand that these aircraft are built by the Western world. It is easier for them to assess spare parts and little things that would keep airplanes going, day by day without expecting a delivery from DHL or FED EX plus custom. We have been putting all effort towards stocking spares and other accessories, as much as we can. We want to keep our aircraft clean, tidy, and attractive for peop...

The Chairman, Ogun State Television (OGTV) Board of Directors, Ambassador Tunde Oladunjoye will on Thursday, deliver the 3rd, 'Diji Akinhanmi Memorial Lecture' on the topic:  'Journalism and Ethical Issues in Nigeria'. The third in the series of  the  Lecture holds  at the OGBC Conference Hall, Ibara Housing Estate, Abeokuta at noon, with the Ogun State Head of Service, Dr Nofiu Aigoro as the Chairman of the occasion. The Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Waheed Odusile, is the Special Guest of Honour. Oladunjoye, a well traveled media consultant, journalist, publisher, writer and a published  poet; has been in the industry  for  more than 25 years. He worked as full time and part time reporter/freelance  with many leading national dailies and has produced several television documentaries.  The former Media Adviser to Dr. Akinwumi Adesina when he was Minister for Agriculture, Oladunjoye has also worked as Media Cons...