Microsoft has won the sought-after JEDI cloud computing contract with the Pentagon valued at as much as $10 billion (€9 billion) over a decade, dealing a blow to the market leader, Amazon, which had been the front-runner. The decision, which was announced by the Defense Department late Friday, may be challenged by Amazon, according to a person familiar with the matter, because President Donald Trump weighed in on the bidding process. The terms of the competition was also hotly contested by another rival, Oracle. The Pentagon has said the cloud project, known as the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, or JEDI,…
Author: NAN NAN
Security in and around the Federal High Court, Abuja, was on Friday beefed up by operatives of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team, is to be arraigned. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Maina’s son, Faisal, is also being arraigned in the same court on a separate but similar charge. NAN reports that at Court 6, 2nd Floor of the building, where Justice Okon Abang will be adjudicating, it was filled with crowd of lawyers and people. Maina and his son were putting on white caftan with dark blue caps. The case was,…
The Akwa Ibom state 2020 budget proposal has been identified as one of the most viable in the country. This was part of a new report released by a budget tracking Civil Society Organisation, BudgIT, recently. It indicated that the budgets of only four states in Nigeria namely Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Rivers and Kano, are viable. According to the report titled ‘State of States’ which was presented by Research and Policy Lead Analyst for BudgIT, Ojiugo Uche, showed that most states’ economies are tied to informal trade and skeletal industrial output with exception of Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Rivers, Delta and…
A former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Maurice Iwu on Thursday, re-appeared before a Federal High Court in Lagos, in answer to a N1.2 billion fraud allegations. Iwu is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on four counts bordering on the offence. He appeared before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, and pleaded not guilty to the charges. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendant had earlier been arraigned during the court’s vacation before Justice Chuka Obiozor. He was re-arraigned on Thursday, following a re-assignment of the case from Justice Oweibo. In the charges, the…
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says it is working to support Federal Government’s strategies toward preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism in the same way of tackling climate change. This is contained in a statement by Mr Sylvester Atere, the Outreach and Communications Officer of UNODC on Wednesday. He said the Nigeria government was playing its part both in its policy making and National Action Plan for preventing and countering violent extremism, and implementing The President’s plan in rebuilding the North East. “As the world warms and the climate changes, researchers are increasingly concerned that in addition…
The Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA) has condemned fresh attacks on Nigerian own businesses located in Witbank Mpumalamga in South Africa, saying it is worrisome. The President of NICASA, Mr Ben Okoli, who made this known in a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, described the attack as criminal act. He said that the attack, which occurred at about 9 a.m. on Tuesday Oct. 22, was carried out despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s state visit to that country on Oct. 3. Okoli said: “There was an attack on Nigerian own businesses in Witbank Mpumalamga; this was not…
Prof Charles Soludo, Former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has called for collective response in tackling poor healthcare system, poverty and other major challenges facing the country. Soludo made the call at the 26th Annual Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO) Development Conference in Abuja on Tuesday. He said that public policy could not be effective without a vigilant and demanding citizenry. He said that individuals and non-state actors accounted for some 75 per cent of healthcare expenditures. The former CBN governor said that a sustainable strategy of the future was how to mobilize this dominant but latent force to…
The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, says the International Monetary Fund (IMF) “supports’’ Nigeria’s border closure because it understands the action is not punitive. Addressing newsmen in Washington on Sunday, Ahmed explained that the measure was intended to restore Nigeria’s relationship with its neighbours based on commitments made. She said that President Muhammadu Buhari did not want to approve the border closure because he was mindful of the adverse effect it would have on the economies of neighbours. According to her, there were several engagements between Nigeria and the neighbouring countries toward securing compliance to the rules, “but things got…
President Muhammadu Buhari is to depart Abuja on Monday to attend a three-day Russia-Africa Summit in Sochi, Russia, between Oct. 23 and Oct. 25. A statement by the President’s spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Sunday, said the summit would focus on exploring and expanding opportunities in security, trade and investment, science and technology, and gas production. During the summit, according to the statement, Buhari will meet with President Vladimir Putin of Russia to further strengthen relations between Nigeria and Russia. Shehu stated that the two leaders would hold bilateral talks on security, trade and investment, and building a…
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has backed Nigeria’s closure of its borders with some neighbouring countries over issues bordering on illegal trade. Mr Abebe Selassie, the Director of the African Department at the IMF, gave the position at a media briefing on the sidelines of the World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings in Washington. He was responding to a question on weather the closure negates the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). Selassie said although free trade was critical to economic growth of the continent, it must be legal and in line with agreements. `On the border closure in Nigeria which has…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has injected 325.5 million dollars in the retail Secondary Market Intervention Sales (SMIS) and CNY14 million in the spot and short tenured forwards segment of the inter-bank foreign market. The bank’s Director, Corporate Communications, Mr Isaac Okorafor made this known in a statement in Abuja on Friday. Okorafor explained that the dollars intervention was for agricultural machineries and industrial raw materials. He said the Chinese Yuan, on the other hand, was for Renminbi denominated Letters of Credit. Okorafor further expressed optimism that the stability in the forex market would be sustained. He assured the…
The Senate says it is probing the award of Water Hyacinth Emergency and Desilting Contracts awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) from 2017 to 2019. Chairman Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Sen. Matthew Urhoghide made this known when the Director, Special Duties of the NDDC, Nosakhare Agbongiasede appeared before the committee in Abuja on Thursday. Urhoghide said that the investigation became imperative because the initial cost of the contract at N2.5 billion was allegedly jerked to N65 billion on the project. “Of course, that is a very serious offence. What we are hearing or what we know is that N2.5billion was budgeted for…
European Union leaders will discuss a new budget plan on Friday that could allow the bloc to spend up to 1.1 trillion euros ($1.2 trillion) in the 2021-2027 period, but deep divisions among governments could block a deal for months. Under a proposal prepared by Finland, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, the next long-term budget should have a financial capacity between 1.03% and 1.08% of the bloc’s gross national income (GNI), a measure of output. That would allow the EU to spend between 1 and 1.1 trillion euros for seven years with its first budget after the exit from…
The Federal Government and organised labour have finally reached an agreement on the percentage increase on the consequential adjustment in workers’ salaries for the payment of the N30,000 minimum wage. The agreement was reached in the early hours of Friday after a meeting that commenced on Thursday. Minister of Labour and Employment Dr Chris Ngige announced the agreement in Abuja in the early hours of Friday, after a government team he led concluded its meeting with officials of the Organised Labour. According to Ngige, the consequential adjustment agreed upon are as follows: “For COMESS wage structure Grade level 7 gets…
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday inaugurated the 2020 Emblem Appeal Launch for the Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration with a donation of N10 million on behalf of the Federal Government. The president made the donation shortly before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Buhari encouraged all citizens to donate generously in support of veterans and dependents of the fallen heroes. The president also called on Nigerians and others resident in Nigeria to procure and wear the emblem with pride, to identify with those who sacrificed their lives for the peace and…
The Rotary Club of Abuja, Maitama chapter, has reiterated commitment to eradicating polio in the country. Mrs Eucheria Ekweozoh, President of the chapter, said this in Abuja at an awareness forum which is part of activities leading to the commemoration of the coming World Polio Day on Oct. 24. Ekweozoh said that the chapter was working hard to ensure that the commitment to kick polio out permanently becomes a reality. “Rotary International is at the forefront of eradicating polio, globally. “For three years, we have not had any polio case in Nigeria; we hope that next year, the World Health…
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced late American international music legends, Whitney Houston and Notorious B.I.G among its inductees for the 35th annual Hall of Fame ceremony, years after their death. According to US Today, the Rock Hall announced Houston and the legendary rapper B.I.G among nine first-time nominees and 16 overall under consideration for induction for the 2020 edition holding in May in Cleveland, United States. Their nominations honour artistes who both died young, as Houston was 48 when she drowned in a Beverly Hills hotel bathtub and B.I.G was just 24 when he was killed in…
The Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, has lamented that only 30 million Nigerians have so far registered for the National Identity Card. Aregbesola made the disclosure while responding to questions during a special Town Hall meeting on security in Katsina State on Tuesday. “30 million Nigerians registered for the National ID cards project. “I urge Nigerians to respond to this call for proper identification. “People who have access to mobile phone, their identity should be documented for monitoring. “Because people are reluctant to go and register for national ID cards, the result is what we are seeing now on…
Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has written the Senate, seeking approval on the issuance of N10.069 billion for promissory note programme of Kogi State. The president is also seeking the Senate’s approval for a bond issuance to settle inherited debt. Senate President, Ahmad Lawan read the president’s letter on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday. According to Lawan, the president’s letter is “requesting for the resolution of the National Assembly on the issuance of N10.069billion for promissory note programme of Kogi State and a Bond issuance to settle inherited debt.” However, the Senate President referred the Executive Communication to the…
Health authorities in Malawi have dismissed as false reports that first Ebola case has been recorded in the country’s border district of Karonga. The scare broke Sunday when health workers in the district that borders with Tanzania quarantined one person suspected to have Ebola signs and symptoms. Louis Tukula, environmental health officer for the district, told local media that the screening for the suspected 37-year-old man had shown that he had a bacterial infection and not Ebola. However, Tukula said the patient would remain quarantined until he recovers fully. “Rumors or information related to suspected Ebola cases are likely to…
A medical expert, Mrs Abigael Shona, says breastfeeding a baby can prevent breast cancer in women. Shona told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ilorin that contrary to popular belief that men sucking their wife’s breast could prevent breast cancer. She said that breast sucking by men could only help detect it. She said mothers who breastfeeds, lower their risk of pre- and post-menopausal breast cancer. “Most women who breastfeed experience hormonal changes during lactation that delay their menstrual periods. “This reduces a woman’s lifetime exposure to hormones like estrogen, which can promote breast cancer cell growth.…
The United States says it is evacuating all its troops from northern Syria amid heavy clashes between Turkish-led forces and Kurdish fighters. U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on October 13 that Turkey “likely intends” to extend its attack further than originally planned. The Turkish offensive is aimed at dislodging the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which Ankara claims is a branch of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) that has fought for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey for three decades. Esper said the SDF was in negotiations with the Syrian and Russian governments to form an alliance against the Turkish…
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared a state of emergency on Lagos bad roads and ordered massive repair work on critical highways across the state, beginning from Monday Oct. 14. The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, said in a statement that Sanwo-Olu’s directive followed series of meetings with eight multi-national construction firms which began a few weeks back. The contractor deployed by the government included Julius Berger, Hitech, Arab Contractors, Metropolitan Construction, Slavabogu Construction, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Rajaf Foundation Construction, and RCF Nigeria Ltd. After his final meeting with the contractors, he ordered the commencement of major construction work on…
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed its state councils to prepare for strike on Oct. 16 if negotiation breaks down again with Federal Government. In a circular sent to state councils, signed by its General Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Ugboaja, NLC said this was a notice in case the proposed negotiations slated for Oct. 15 with the Federal Government broke down. “You will recall that a joint Communiqué was issued by the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Committee (JNPSNC) stating that two weeks from the date of the said communiqué, industrial harmony could…
Gender Mobile Initiative, GMI, an NGO, says it is partnering with the Ford Foundation to develop anti-sexual harassment policy and mobile application for confidential reporting and data generation. GMI Executive Director, Ms. Omowumi Ogunrotimi, who made this known in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, said that the development of the application and policy would reduce cases of abuse. Ogunrotimi said the “Sex For Grades” revelation in the country’s universities had presented the real task of protecting students, adding that concerted efforts should be intensified by all groups to adequately forestall future occurrences. Recall that a documentary by the British…
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja met behind closed doors with members of the recently constituted Economic Advisory Council (EAC). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the EAC, which was constituted on Sept. 16, replaced the Economic Management Team (EMT), headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The functions of EAC, chaired by Prof. Doyin Salami, include fiscal analysis, economic growth and a range of internal and global economic issues working with the relevant cabinet members and heads of monetary and fiscal agencies. “The EAC will have monthly technical sessions as well as scheduled quarterly meetings with the…
Nigerian afro beat singer, Yemi Alade, has been put into consideration for Grammy Award 2019. The singer, who recently dropped her anticipated album ‘Woman of Steel’, took to her Instagram account to celebrate the great news as she aims to move her musical career to global stage. “We are up for Grammy Award consideration. Reaching out to all voting members @recordingacademy to consider my Album ‘Woman of Steel’ for Best World Music Album. “This has been an incredible project and I would love to celebrate it with all of you. “#Grammy2019, #GrammyAwards, #WorldMusicGrammy@recordingacademy#fyc#womanofsteel#yemialade,” she wrote. The singer, who is also…
Facebook has removed hundreds of accounts, pages and groups from its social network platforms that the company says were involved in coordinated inauthentic behaviour. The tech giant said it removed a total of 443 Facebook and 125 Instagram accounts, as well as 200 pages and 76 groups originating in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Nigeria and Indonesia. In a blog post Thursday, Facebook said that one of the operations was sharing local news in targeted countries and promoting content about UAE as well as criticism of Qatar, Turkey and Iran. A smaller operation was involved in “domestic-focused coordinated inauthentic behaviour…
President Muhammadu Buhari and his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday in Pretoria, South Africa endorsed the establishment of an Early Warning Mechanism as a preventative and monitoring platform against the recurrence of attacks. Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs made this known in a joint communique issued in Pretoria following the State visit of President Buharito South Africa. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit which was on the invitation of Ramaphosa also coincides with the inaugural session of the elevated Bi-National Commission (BNC) between Nigeria and South Africa. In the communique, both Presidents condemned the recent violent incidents and…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Makurdi has arrested three suspects for conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N7 million. The commission’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, made this known in a press statement in Abuja on Wednesday. According to him, the suspects are Adewuyi Adebayo, 31; Osikoya Gboyega, 44; and Akintunde Ogunrinde, 47. “They were arrested at different locations in Lagos and transferred to Makurdi, Benue. “The petitioner alleged that on Feb. 18, 2018 he noticed his MTN line had stopped working as no calls or messages came to his phone and the phone displayed…
