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Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is taking a major step toward greener fuel distribution in Nigeria

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Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is taking a major step toward greener fuel distribution in Nigeria

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is taking a major step toward greener fuel distribution in Nigeria.

The Dangote Group plans to introduce electric trucks early next year, following the recent launch of 4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks that will deliver fuel directly to filling stations.

Dangote highlighted safety and efficiency as key reasons for the shift from older vehicles. “We need to protect our investment,” he said, adding that modern vehicles can prevent accidents and ensure smoother operations.

The move is part of the company’s broader strategy at its $20 billion Ibeju-Lekki refinery, the world’s largest single-train facility, capable of processing up to 650,000 barrels of crude per day.

Since its first exports, the refinery has shipped over 1.1 billion liters of petrol to domestic and international markets.

Goodluck Jonathan says credible elections would remove non-performing leaders from office

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Goodluck Jonathan says credible elections would remove non-performing leaders from office

Former president Goodluck Jonathan says credible elections would remove non-performing leaders from office.

Jonathan spoke on Wednesday at the 2025 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) democracy dialogue in Accra, Ghana.

He warned that when democracy fails to meet people’s expectations, it can breed desperation and pave the way for authoritarianism.

The ex-Bayelsa governor added that leaders must embrace a democracy that secures a better future for children and ensures their voices are heard.

“Democracy in the African continent is going through a period of strain and risk of collapse unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa,” Jonathan said. 

“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.

“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.

“Our people want to enjoy their freedom. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. 

“They want a good education. Our people want security, access to good healthcare, jobs, and dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”

Also speaking, Ghana President John Mahama said democracy cannot endure unless Africans actively protect and strengthen it. 

He cautioned that weak institutions, elite state capture, exclusion, poor leadership, and external interference continue to erode public trust in democracy.

5 ways the $100,000 H-1B visa fee could affect you and opportunities for remote workers

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5 ways the $100,000 H-1B visa fee could affect you and opportunities for remote workers

U.S. President Donald Trump plans to introduce a $100,000 annual fee for each H-1B visa holder, putting major pressure on employers.

For Nigerians, especially students, tech talents, and professionals eyeing opportunities in the U.S., this move could trigger a ripple effect.

Here’s how the H-1B visa fee may impact Nigerians:

1. Remote work may become the new normal

With a $100,000 yearly price tag per foreign employee, most U.S. employers may ditch the traditional H1-B hiring route and lean toward remote-first models. This shift could benefit Nigerian tech professionals who can work from their residence in Nigeria while earning U.S. rates, without the hassle of relocating.

2. Entry-level and on-site jobs will likely go to Americans

Startups and small businesses will be the hardest hit by this fee. They simply won’t be able to justify paying $100,000 on top of salaries for foreign entry-level hires. As a result, roles in offices, labs, and factories may increasingly be reserved for American citizens, making it harder for Nigerians seeking their first U.S. job after school to break in.

3. Companies could open regional offices in other countries

Rather than paying the high fee, many U.S. firms may set up regional offices in talent-rich countries. India, China, and even parts of Africa could benefit as tech and AI operations move overseas. This may create more jobs locally for Nigerian developers, analysts, and engineers, but it would also mean fewer chances to move to the U.S. physically.

4. Healthcare may suffer the biggest blow

While IT companies might manage the costs (or shift to remote work), the healthcare sector could struggle most. Nigerian nurses, doctors, and medical technologists who form a significant part of the U.S. health workforce might see fewer job openings or find that hospitals can’t afford to sponsor them anymore.

5. Boost for Nigerian IT startups and the AI space

This development could indirectly boost the Nigerian startup ecosystem. Talents who might have relocated to the U.S. may now choose to stay home and build innovative products locally. This could mean more AI and fintech startups emerging in Nigeria, potentially attracting global investors to Nigeria’s tech scene.

6. Students considering other study-and-work plans

For Nigerian students planning to study in the U.S. with hopes of transitioning to work via an H1-B visa, this new fee is a red flag. Canada, the U.K., and Germany could become more attractive options for study and work since they currently offer cheaper or more accessible post-study work visas.

Soludo has said he will hand over power to a governor from Anambra Central Senatorial District at the end of his tenure

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Soludo has said he will hand over power to a governor from Anambra Central Senatorial District at the end of his tenure

Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has said he will hand over power to a governor from Anambra Central Senatorial District at the end of his tenure, stressing that zoning of the governorship seat among the three senatorial districts has become an established practice in the state.

Soludo remarked during an endorsement rally for his re-election bid and the return of Hon. Ifeanyi Ibezi, a former member of the House of Representatives, to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) at Abatete, Idemili North Local Government Area.

He explained that the zoning arrangement, which began with Anambra North, was followed by Anambra South, where he hails from, and will, after his tenure, move to Anambra Central.
While welcoming Ibezi back to APGA, the governor described the party as the political identity of the state.

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“Anambra is APGA, and APGA is synonymous with Anambra,” he said.
Soludo noted that his re-election campaign has grown into a grassroots movement, with communities independently organising endorsement rallies.
“We are going round the state welcoming major people back into the fold. APGA has never been more united and stronger than it is today,” he added.
Expressing confidence of victory for APGA across the state’s 5,720 polling units and 326 political wards, Soludo urged voters in Idemili North—known for its large voter population but low turnout—to reverse the trend in the November 8 election.
He also assured residents that ongoing development projects in the area would be sustained.

Secretary to the State Government and Director General of the Soludo–Ibezim Campaign Organization, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, highlighted some of the governor’s projects in Idemili, including the construction of two smart schools and the recruitment of teachers.

APGA National Chairman, Barr. Sly Ezeokenwa, and State Chairman, Barr. Ifeatu Obiokoye, also welcomed Ibezi back into the party, saying his return further strengthens APGA’s dominance in the area.

Several government officials and community leaders, including the Commissioner for Works, Engr. Ifeanyi Okoma; Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor; Special Adviser on Youths, Dr. Nelson Omenugha; Mayor of Idemili North, Mr. Stanley Nkwoka; Mayor of Idemili South, Mrs. Amaka Obi; and others, pledged their support for Soludo’s re-election.

At the event, community members presented a ?20 million cheque in support of the governor’s campaign.

Angry protesters blocked the busy Makurdi-Lafia-Abuja highway with the corpses of three persons

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Angry protesters blocked the busy Makurdi-Lafia-Abuja highway with the corpses of three persons

Angry protesters Saturday morning blocked the busy Makurdi-Lafia-Abuja highway with the corpses of three persons reportedly murdered Saturday morning in their farms by suspected armed herdsmen at Abagena and Atsom villages in the outskirts of Makurdi Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state.

The attack came less than 24 hours after two others were killed by the marauders in a separate attack at Tse Adaa village in neighbouring Guma LGA.

The protesters who trooped out in their numbers from their villages as early as 9am took over the busy road between Makurdi and Daudu, disrupting all vehicular movements from Makurdi and Abuja.

According to one of the protesters who simply identified himself as Ushahemba, the armed herders attacked the victims in their farms, killed three and took several others hostage.

He said: “Our people went to the farm this morning and at about 8:30am there were cries for help from the farms after they got attacked. There was pandemonium, people started running with their families.

“The attacks happened just about one kilometre from the express road. They killed some of those they reached in the farm and took away some of the victims.

“Three bodies have so far been recovered while search for more corpses is ongoing because several persons are still missing.
“Our people cannot even go very far into the bush where more corpses could be discovered because no one knows where the attackers are at the moment.

“Just yesterday two others were killed at Tse Adaa village not far from here in neighbouring Guma LGA. The question is, when will all these killings stop?

The Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, Enugu State, has confirmed the killing of one of its priests, Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya

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The Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, Enugu State, has confirmed the killing of one of its priests, Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya

The Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, Enugu State, has confirmed the killing of one of its priests, Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya.

The cleric was shot dead on Friday along the Eha-Alumonah–Eha-Ndiagu road in Nsukka Local Government Area, an incident that has thrown the community into mourning.

Witnesses said Fr. Eya was attacked while driving his cream-coloured Toyota Corolla, which was later found riddled with bullets and stained with blood. A viral video from the scene showed parishioners weeping and lamenting around the vehicle.

In a statement, the Chancellor of the Diocese, Fr. Cajetan Iyidobi, described the incident as devastating.

“Shocked to the marrow, it is with crushing pain and sorrow, yet with total submission to the will of the Almighty God and firm hope in the resurrection of the dead, that I inform you of the tragic death of our brother, Rev. Fr. Matthew Eya,” the statement read.

Fr. Iyidobi appealed for prayers and urged the faithful to seek strength and consolation in God during this period of grief.

As of press time, the police had yet to issue an official statement on the killing.

Four Chinese men mining in Kogi State have been abducted

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Four Chinese men mining in Kogi State have been abducted

Barely two weeks after three policemen and two vigilantes were killed by bandits in Yagba West Local Government Area, four Chinese men mining have reportedly been abducted by gunmen in Ofili community of the same LGA in Kogi State.

According to locals, the bandits in their numbers ambushed the Chinese men on Friday evening, who were believed to be engaged in mining and forcefully abducted them, while a yet-to-be-identified military man was killed.

In addition, a mobile policeman who was attached to the Chinese men was shot.

“The Chinese men, four of whom were into mining in the Ofili area of the LGA, were ambushed and taken away. One of the policemen attached to them was also shot.

“One of the soldiers deployed to the area to ensure the security of the lives and property of the people was also killed
“He called on the military, particularly the men of the Operation Forward Base, and other security agencies in the state to come to their rescue.

“We are now living in fear. We cannot sleep in our homes, and we can no longer go to our farms. We want the government and security agents to come to our aid. This is a systematic elimination of our people. The source said.

When contacted, the Kogi state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP William Ovye Aya who can not immediately confirm the incident, promised to get back to Our reporter.

Nyesom Wike has issued a new Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) to residents of River Park Estate

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Nyesom Wike has issued a new Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) to residents of River Park Estate

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barr Nyesom Wike, has said the FCT Administration has decided to issue new Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) to residents of River Park Estate who had built houses on the land, directly allocated by the FCT Administration.

Addressing newsmen after an inspection on Saturday at the estate, Wike explained that the FCT administration had no business dealings with Paulo Homes, a company involved in a disagreement with a Canadian company, Jonah Capital.

It would be recalled that the Federal FCTA has halted construction on over 30 substructures at River Park Estate due to non-compliance with planning regulations, as developers were accused of proceeding with building despite their lease agreements being revoked and a ministerial committee recommending that undeveloped plots be returned to the FCTA.

The Barr. Salman Dako-led committee found the Development Lease Agreement (DLA) had expired and been breached, prompting the plot revocation in line with Clause 9.2 of the DLA.

Clarifying the ongoing dispute at the River Park Estate, Wike stated that the lease agreement between the FCT and the companies involved had expired, and any further development on the land without a valid agreement would be considered illegal. 

“When I got a petition, I got a letter from the SNA National Committee, which invited me to one called Jonah Capital, which is a Canadian company. And that company has a disagreement with the FCT.

“Another third party. They call Paulo’s homes have no business with FCT. Let it be on record. They have no business with FCT. Only the other companies disagree.

“Unfortunately, that disagreement had expired by the friction of time. Apart from that, entering into an agreement with a third party is a contravention of one of the clauses of the lease agreement.

“And what we agreed to do, in order not to make a lot of people, Nigerians, who may have either fraudulently obtained or built houses, we decided that we will give them back C of O to say that directly allocated by the FCT administration. And so this cry that, oh, they want to take their property, is neither here nor there. That is not the intention of the FCT administration.

“And when I said, I think the lease agreement had expired, no more developments. And what one of them did, Polio Home did, was overnight, because he started to do construction, to tie the hands of the administration, which of course, you know, will not succumb to such”.

Many are feared to have lost their lives in an explosion in Kaduna

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Many are feared to have lost their lives in an explosion in Kaduna

Many are feared to have lost their lives in an explosion that occurred at the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON)  factory located in the Kakuri Industrial area of Kaduna South local government, Kaduna State.

The incident, which reportedly occurred at about 10 am on Saturday,  was said to have left many injured and one person dead, as of the time of filing this report.

Although the management of DICON has yet to release an official statement on the cause of the explosion, our correspondent gathered that the sound of the explosion shook communities located within Kaduna South and Chikun local government areas.

Following the incident, the entire general area where the DICON Factory is located has been cordoned off by military personnel, while the victims have been rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical treatment.

Trump raises H-1B Visa application fee to $100,000 – here’s all you need to know

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Trump raises H-1B Visa application fee to $100,000 – here’s all you need to know

US President Donald Trump on Friday signed a proclamation raising the application fee for H-1B visas to $100,000, creating potentially major repercussions for the tech industry, where such permits are prolific.

The new measure, which could likely face legal challenges, was announced alongside the introduction of a $1 million “gold card” residency program that Trump had previewed months earlier.
“The main thing is, we’re going to have great people coming in, and they’re going to be paying,” Trump told reporters as he signed the orders in the Oval Office.
H-1B visas allow companies to sponsor foreign workers with specialized skills — such as scientists, engineers, and computer programmers — to work in the United States, initially for three years, but extendable to six years.
The United States awards 85,000 H-1B visas per year on a lottery system, with India accounting for around three-quarters of the recipients.

Large technology firms rely on Indian workers who either relocate to the United States or come and go between the two countries.

Tech entrepreneurs — including Trump’s former ally Elon Musk — have warned against targeting H-1B visas, saying that the United States does not have enough homegrown talent to fill important tech sector job vacancies.

“All the big companies are on board,” said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who joined Trump in the Oval Office.

Trump has had the H-1B program in his sights since his first term in office, but faced court challenges to his earlier approach, which targeted the types of jobs that qualify. The current iteration has become the latest move in the major immigration crackdown of his second term.

According to Trump’s order, the fee will be required for those seeking to enter the country beginning Sunday, with the Homeland Security secretary able to exempt individuals, entire companies, or entire industries.

The order expires in a year, though Trump can extend it.

The number of H-1B visa applications has risen sharply in recent years, with a peak in approvals in 2022 under Democratic President Joe Biden.
In contrast, the peak in rejections was recorded in 2018, during Trump’s first term in the White House.

The United States approved approximately 400,000 H-1B visas in 2024, two-thirds of which were renewals.

Trump also signed an order creating a new expedited pathway to US residency for people who pay $1 million, or for corporate sponsors to pay $2 million.

“I think it’s going to be tremendously successful,” Trump added.

In Enugu, Gunmen assassinate a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Mathew Eya

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In Enugu, Gunmen assassinate a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Mathew Eya

Gunmen have allegedly assassinated a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Mathew Eya, parish priest of St. Charles Catholic Church, Eha-Ndiagu, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

According to community sources, the incident occurred on Friday evening while the cleric was returning to his parish along the Eha-Ndiagu road. The assailants, reportedly riding on a motorcycle, intercepted his vehicle and opened fire, killing him instantly.

One source, who pleaded anonymity, said the attackers deflated the tyres of the priest’s vehicle, forcing it to stop, before shooting him multiple times at close range.

“He was returning from Enugu when the gunmen closed in on him near the ongoing Type C hospital project. They shot at his car, immobilised it, and then killed him,” the source said.

It was gathered that another occupant in the vehicle was left unharmed, while the attackers fled immediately after the incident.

The late Fr. Eya hailed from Ugbaike in Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State.

As of press time, neither the Enugu State Police Command nor the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka had issued an official statement on the killing.

Independent fuel marketers in Nigeria have begun receiving free fuel deliveries from Dangote Refinery

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Independent fuel marketers in Nigeria have begun receiving free fuel deliveries from Dangote Refinery

Independent fuel marketers in Nigeria have begun receiving free fuel deliveries from Dangote Refinery, following the deployment of compressed natural gas-powered trucks aimed at easing distribution costs and stabilising pump prices.

The president of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Abubakar Shettima, confirmed on Friday that marketers in Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and other South-Western states had started taking delivery of petroleum products from the refinery without transport charges.

“Dangote has started the free delivery. Already, the trucks have begun moving and discharging products in most parts of the Western Zone. My members are very pleased with the development,” Shettima said.

Earlier in the week, the refinery rolled out over 1,000 trucks, part of a larger fleet of 4,000 CNG-powered vehicles ordered from China. The scheme, originally scheduled to commence on August 15, had been delayed by shipping bottlenecks. The remaining trucks are expected to arrive in Nigeria before October. 

Shettima stressed that only registered marketers would benefit from the logistics-free supply, though registration remains open through an online portal. “If you don’t register, your name will not appear on the system. But registration is straightforward and can be done anytime,” he explained.

The initiative is already having an impact on fuel prices. According to the IPMAN president, pump prices are expected to fall from 865 naira per litre to around 841 naira once supplies spread across different regions. “Prices have started coming down already. Wherever the refinery discharges, independent marketers reduce their pump prices accordingly,” he said.

Some filling stations, including those operated by MRS, have reportedly lowered their prices in line with the deliveries.

The refinery’s direct distribution approach is designed to bypass middlemen, cut logistics costs for marketers, and bring relief to motorists facing high fuel prices since subsidy removal in 2023.

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