Dangote Refinery Commissioned
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday commissioned the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Refinery located at the Lekki Free Zone in Lagos. The refinery is set to produce Euro-V-quality gasoline and diesel, as well as jet fuel and polypropylene, and is expected to meet 100 percent of the Nigerian requirement for all refined products and also have a surplus of each of these products for export.
The pipeline infrastructure at the refinery is also said to be the largest in the world, with 1,100 kilometres, and will handle 3 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day. Built by Africa’s richest person, Aliko Dangote, the massive complex is one of Nigeria’s single largest investments. It has a 435-megawatt power station, deep seaport, and fertiliser unit and should begin operations in June, with the first products expected on the market by August.
CBN Revokes the Licences of 132 Microfinance Banks
The operating licences of 132 microfinance banks, 4 primary mortgage banks, and 3 finance businesses have all been revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria. The revocation exercise was disclosed in the official gazette of the Federal Government published on the website of the CBN on Tuesday, May 23rd. According to the Apex Bank of Nigeria, the financial institutions failed to fulfil or comply with the conditions subject to which their licences were issued, while some failed to comply with the requirement given to them by the Central Bank of Nigeria in accordance with the provisions of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020, Act No. 5. Some of the financial institutions include Dominion Microfinance Bank, Everest Microfinance Bank, Merit Microfinance Bank, Fadama Farmers Microfinance Bank, Anya Microfinance Bank, Bluewhales Microfinance Bank, and Smartmicro Microfinance Bank, among others. Four mortgage banks were also included on the list: Adamawa Savings & Loans, Kogi Savings & Loans, Safetrust Mortgage Bank, and Resort Savings & Loans Bank.
Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll Tina Turner Dies at 83
One of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest vocalists, Tina Turner, has died at the age of 83. Turner had suffered a number of health issues in recent years, including cancer, a stroke, and kidney failure, before she passed away on Wednesday, the 24th of May, to the sadness of all those who loved her.
Turner rose to fame in the 1960s with songs like “Mountain High”, “Proud Mary,” and “River Deep.” Her classic pop hits “The Best” and “What’s Love Got to Do With It” are songs that further propelled the powerful vocalist to her superstar status.
Nicknamed “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Tina Turner was famed for her powerful, husky vocals and raunchy, energetic stage performances, which left all those who saw her perform live in awe.
Her death was announced on her official Instagram page, and it read, “With her music and her boundless passion for life, she enchanted millions of fans around the world and inspired the stars of tomorrow.”
“Today, we say goodbye to a dear friend who leaves us all her greatest work: her music.”
Get Debit Cards That Double as NIN Cards From Banks
The federal government has announced that Nigerians can now request a debit card from their banks that can double as a NIN card at no extra cost. Pro Pantami, the Minister of Communication, announced this on Wednesday in Abuja after approval was given at the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Though the NIMC Act of 2007 only mandates Nigerians to have a National Identity Number and not necessarily a card, demand for the cards has been on the rise, especially in rural areas where smart IDs are not easily accessible. To ease the demand, NIMC has partnered with the Central Bank of Nigeria to give debit cards, which can double as NIN cards, to citizens who wish to have them.
United Kingdom (UK) Set to Ban Nigerian Students From Immigrating With Family
It has been reported that the United Kingdom (UK) will soon announce a ban that will prevent Nigerian students from bringing their families when they come to study abroad. The clampdown will only affect master’s students and several other postgraduate students, who will be banned from bringing families with them to the UK. Contrarily, PhD students, whose courses usually last between 3 and 5 years and are highly skilled, will be exempt from the ban.
This clampdown is coming amid growing concerns over the net migration into the UK, which skyrocketed to 1 million within a short period of time, prompting Tory MPs to ask the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, to take immediate action.
Demas Nwoko Is the Recipient of Biennale Architettura’s Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement Award
Nigerian artist-designer Demas Nwoko has won the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement Award for 2023, an honour offered by the Biennale Architettura in every edition it holds each year. The award was presented to him in Venice at the event’s grand opening. The artist, architect, and designer has excelled in a range of creative fields throughout his milestone career. He was born in 1935 in Idumuje-Ugboko, a rural town in southern Nigeria. Now, his pioneering work has been acknowledged internationally, as the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023 celebrated Nwoko during the global event’s opening days.
NIGERIAN PUPIL DECLARED GUINNESS WORLD RECORD HOLDER FOR MOST SKIPS ON ONE FOOT
Still basking in the euphoria of Hilda Baci’s tremendous feat, a Nigerian has once again put us on the world map. A 17-year-old pupil of Oyemekun Grammar School in Akure, Ondo State, Philip Solomon, has been declared the Guinness World Record holder for most skips on one foot in 30 seconds.
Solomon broke the record on January 24 after he recorded 153 skips on one foot in 30 seconds to outdo former record holder Rasel Islam of Bangladesh, whose record was 145.
His record was officially ratified by Guinness World Records on Tuesday, four months after his attempt. A statement on the Guinness World Records website reads:
‘’The most skips in 30 seconds on one foot is 153, and was achieved by Philip Solomon (Nigeria), in Akure, Nigeria, on 24 January 2023.”
Philip was inspired by the previous holder of this record title, Rasel Islam, after seeing a video of their record attempt. He has been training to achieve the record and was honoured to attend a skipping world championship.”
Adekunle Gold Is Back with a New EP: Tio Tequila
Adekunle’s musical journey has been nothing but successful. Now referred to as “AG Baby,” his ability to deliver soul-soothing sounds has repeatedly captivated audiences since he berthed on the musical scene in 2015 with his single solo “Orente”. The song garnered many fans, and Adekunle became a household name in the Nigerian music industry.
We can tell you for a fact that everything the vocalist touches turns to Gold. Following the enchantment of his recent hit single “Party No Dey Stop,” featuring the exceptional talent Zinoleesky, Adekunle Gold has once again bestowed upon us a meticulously crafted bundle of musical brilliance titled “Tio Tequila.” The trio of songs that dropped earlier this week include “Do You Mind,” “Omo Eko,” and the aforementioned “Party No Dey Stop.” The singles are fast gaining popularity on the airwaves, as the songs show the singer’s skilful use of traditional Afrobeats and contemporary sounds to create a harmonious fusion that is both refreshing and captivating.
WhatsApp Now Supports Editing
Popular messaging platform WhatsApp has announced that users can now edit their sent messages through a new ‘Edit’ feature. With the feature rolling out globally in the coming weeks, senders will be able to modify their messages within 15 minutes of hitting send. The function can be accessed by long-pressing the message and choosing “edit” in the drop-down menu. The modified message will carry the label “edited” without showing the edit history. Previously, the only way to correct a sent message was to delete it and send a new one, with recipients alerted to the fact the message was deleted. “From correcting a simple misspelling to adding extra context to a message, we’re excited to bring you more control over your chats,” WhatsApp tells users.
Delegates to Represent President Biden of the United States Arrive Ahead of the Presidential Inauguration
The presidential delegates from the United States have arrived in Abuja to attend the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The eight-man delegation, led by Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Marcia L. Fudge, is expected to represent the United States of America. In addition to the United States presidential delegation, more than 65 world leaders have been invited to attend President-elect Tinubu’s inauguration, showing the global significance of this historic transition of power.
