10th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice awards begins with cultural day
The 10th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) kicked off on Friday with the Cultural Day event, marking the official beginning of the series of activities preceding the Award Night on Saturday.
Attendees graced the event with their exquisite traditional attire, presenting a captivating blend of African heritage and the glamour of the film awards.
Stealing the spotlight on Friday among the celebrities are the Akpofures (Neo and Venita), Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo, media personality, Symply Tacha, Kunle Remi, OAP, DOTUN, and a host of others.
The AMVCA is an annual award presented by Multichoice to recognise outstanding achievements in television, film, entertainment, and digital content creation throughout Nollywood and the entire African continent.
The 10th AMVCA will see winners emerge from 25 categories comprising 16 non-voting, 9 audience voting categories, and recipients of 2 recognition awards – Lifetime Achievement and Trailblazer Awards.
Sponsored categories include Best Lead Actor and Actress categories, sponsored by Verve and Quickteller respectively, the Best Movie, Best Digital Content Creator, and Best Indigenous Africa Magic Originals categories sponsored by Amstel Malta, and the Best Director category sponsored by Martell. MTN sponsors the Best Short Movie category, and the Best in Cinematography category is sponsored by TECNO, while the Best Unscripted M-net original and Best Writing TV Series categories are sponsored by Indomie.
The Cultural Day event will feature musical performances and special cultural presentations. The award night will see the return of IK Osakioduwa as host and live performances by talented music stars.
The tenth edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards is brought to you by Africa Magic in association with MultiChoice, with Amstel as the headline sponsor, and tactical sponsors Pepsi, Promasidor and Martell. Other sponsors include TECNO, Hypo, Supa Komando, Interswitch, Tiger Beer, MTN, Indomie, and Nivea
The Pentagon this week formally ordered all 1,000 U.S. combat troops to withdraw from Niger, a blow to the Biden administration’s effort to counterterrorism and Russian influence in West Africa.
The U.S. announced in April that it would begin discussing plans for “an orderly and responsible withdrawal” after Niger’s military junta declared it would revoke its military cooperation deal with Washington. But U.S. officials have continued to negotiate with the junta over the terms of the withdrawal and whether there was any possibility some American troops could stay.
Hopes for an agreement dimmed this week when the Defense Department directed the roughly 1,000 U.S. troops in Niger to leave the country over the next several months, according to a U.S. official, who was granted anonymity to speak ahead of an announcement.
The timeline could still shift, the official cautioned, and congressional negotiations are ongoing.
Troops will move to other locations within the region from which they can still operate, the official said. The drawdown — which could still be reversed until it is complete — does not include embassy security personnel.
The move upends years of counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel. Niger, particularly a U.S.-built drone base at Agadez, had been a linchpin of that strategy until the country’s military overthrew the government in a coup last summer.
The U.S. partnership with Niger was also a bulwark against Russia’s growing influence in the region. Since the coup, Russian forces, including former members of the Wagner group, have begun to flow into the country. Between 60 and 100 Russian fighters have been living at the same air base as American troops in the capital of Niamey, Base 101, for weeks.
While U.S. officials say the Russian troops do not pose an immediate threat to the Americans, officials are worried that the fighters could go rogue and take actions to antagonize U.S. soldiers, POLITICO reported.
A U.S. delegation is in Niger having conversations with the junta about the withdrawal. Deputy Secretary of State Molly Phee, along with senior leaders at the Department of State, Department of Defense, U.S. Africa Command, the U.S. Embassy in Niger and others, are engaged in “ongoing frank discussions with the CNSP authorities in Niger,” according to a State Department spokesperson.
“We do not want to speculate and get ahead of the discussions. “
Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games gold medallist and President of the Professional Footballers Association of Nigeria, Tijani Babangida, was on Thursday involved in a car accident that claimed the life of his younger brother Ibrahim Babangida, The PUNCH has learnt.
Former teammate, Emmanuel Babayaro, the General Secretary, PFAN, announced the incident in a statement.
Though the details of the accident remained sketchy as of the time of filing this report, our correspondent learnt that the accident happened along the Kaduna-Zaria Road.
“Comrades! Let us be in prayers for our president, Tijani Babangida, who just had a ghastly motor accident along the Kaduna-Zaria Eoad.
“Ibrahim Babangida, his younger brother, died on the spot from the accident while Mr President (Babangida) and his family were taken to the hospital.
“May the soul of Ibrahim Babangida Rest In Peace with God, amen,” he announced.
When our correspondent reached out to Babayaro, he confirmed the incident.
"Yes, it is true. The accident happened while they were on their way to Zaria from Kaduna,” he said.
“His brother Babangida died on the spot from the accident. The accident happened today (Thursday) this afternoon and his wife was also involved in the accident.
"He is currently admitted at Shika Hospital in Zaria, where he is receiving treatment and to the glory of God he is conscious,” he added.
The late Ibrahim, 47, a retired footballer himself, was a member of the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning Golden Eagles squad in Japan.
He featured for local sides Bank of The North, Stationery Stores and Katsina United on the domestic scene before joining Dutch side Volendam in 1997.
PIDOMNIGERIA has shared a disturbing video of policemen stripping and beating a man With sticks. One of the officers even groped the man's private part from behind.
Sharing the graphic viral video on social media, PIDOMNIGERIA wrote:
If a proper psychiatric evaluation is conducted on all the rank and file of the Nigerian police @PoliceNG force, 95% will test positive to one form of mental illness or another.
Nigeria handed over guns and authority to mad men, who should be receiving treatment in asylum with both legs and hands chained 💔💔😭😭
See the results of mad men doings all over the country 👇👇👇
There are indications that Microsoft African Development Centre (ADC) may shut down its West Africa operation, located in Lagos, Nigeria.
Industry sources in the know revealed this to The Guardian on Tuesday, though no official statement from Microsoft yet.
It was gathered that the management of Microsoft had on Monday informed the staff of the sudden development.
Affected staff, according to information gathered, might be paid their salaries till June and their HMOs.
A source within Microsoft Lagos office neither confirmed nor denied the development when reached out to yesterday.
“I cannot say anything on that for now. Thank you,” the source stated.
While the immediate cause of the shutting down of the ADC remains sketchy, industry sources claimed it might be due to the current economic situation in the country.
The industry source, however, said that ADC in East Africa, situated in Nairobi, Kenya is not affected, “only that of Nigeria.”
The ADC was launched in Nigeria in 2022 after it was set up in 2019. It formed part of Microsoft’s $100 million investment for two development centres in Africa, with the other located in Nairobi. Since its launch, ADC was reported to have hired 120 engineers and more than 200 total employees in Nigeria.
At the launch in 2022, Managing Director, Microsoft ADC, West Africa, Gafar Lawal, said, “We intended to recruit 500 full-time engineers by the end of the year or by 2023. However, currently, we have exceeded 500. This is to tell you about the abundance of talents we have in Africa.”
The ADC was commissioned by former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isah Pantami and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The ADC aimed to facilitate the creation of tech solutions that will solve both African and global problems.
“We desire to recruit exceptional engineering talent across the continent that will build innovative solutions for global impact. This also creates opportunities for engineers to do meaningful work from their home countries and be plugged into a global engineering and development organisation,” Microsoft had said in a statement.
The ADC facility in Lagos also housed the Microsoft Garage, an entity, launched to scale innovation in the tech ecosystem. An increased Microsoft presence in Africa will empower partners and customers as they use Microsoft solutions in fields important to the continent like FinTech, AgriTech and OffGrid energy.
Bolt has recently laid off nearly half of its staff in Nigeria, a move that has sparked both concern and debate about the future of the company in the country. This drastic measure is part of Bolt’s global restructuring efforts aimed at cutting costs and improving efficiency.
The layoffs, which affected 22 out of 45 staff members, including senior management, are a significant blow to the company’s operations in Nigeria. This is particularly concerning given the already challenging business environment in the country, where high fuel prices and maintenance costs are major hurdles for ride-hailing companies.
While the decision to cut costs is understandable, it raises questions about the long-term viability of Bolt’s operations in Nigeria. The company’s commitment to the Nigerian market, which has seen over 250 million rides since its inception in 2016, is now being tested. The recent layoffs may lead to a decline in the quality of service offered by Bolt, which could negatively impact its reputation and customer base.
Moreover, the layoffs may also have a ripple effect on the broader economy, as many of the affected employees will struggle to find new employment in a competitive job market. This could lead to increased unemployment rates and further economic instability.
The Corporate Affairs Commission has set a two-month deadline for Point of Sale operators in the country to register their agents, merchants and individuals, latest by July 7, 2024.
The Registrar-General/Chief Executive Officer, CAC, Hussaini Magaji, SAN, met with some fintech companies, also known as PoS, on Monday in Abuja, during which the agreement was reached.
Magaji said the measure aims at safeguarding the businesses of fintech customers and strengthening the economy, the commission stated via its social media handle, posting as @cacnigeria1.
Magaji stated that the move complies with “Section 863, Subsection 1 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, CAMA 2020 as well as the 2013 Central Bank of Nigeria’s guidelines on agent banking.”
The post partly read, “Hussaini Magaji, therefore, said that the timeline for the registration, which will expire on July 7, 2024, was not targeted at any groups or individuals but genuinely aimed at protecting businesses.
“Several speakers from the fintech industry pledged to collaborate with the Commission to ensure hitch-free implementation of the directive.
“Some of them, however, stressed the need for adequate and collective sensitisation to ensure that the exercise achieved the desired results.”
In his remarks, Tokoni Peter, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on ICT Development and Innovation, “pledged to ensure the smooth facilitation of the process in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative of the present administration.”
Present at the meeting were representatives of fintech companies, including Opay, Momba, Palm Pay, Moniepoint, Paystack, among others.
Aside from being an avenue for job creation, PoS operators play a significant role in financial transactions nationwide.
The move to compel the registration of the fintech companies with the CAC has come at a much-needed time as the companies have also been a key part of fraudulent transactions.
In its Annual Fraud Landscape (January to December 2023) report, the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System has said that financial institutions lost about N17.67 billion to fraud in 2023.
It was also reported that the Web and PoS channels were the most exploited payment channels by fraudsters in 2023.
The count of Web Fraud decreased by 38 per cent and ATM fraud recorded a 64 per cent reduction from 2022 to 2023.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOT CONSIDERING ANY FOREIGN MILITARY BASE
The Federal Government is aware of false alarms being raised in some quarters alleging discussions between the Federal Government of Nigeria and some foreign countries on the siting of foreign military bases in the country.
We urge the general public to totally disregard this falsehood.
The Federal Government is not in any such discussion with any foreign country. We have neither received nor are we considering any proposals from any country on the establishment of any foreign military bases in Nigeria.
The Nigerian government already enjoys foreign cooperation in tackling ongoing security challenges, and the President remains committed to deepening these partnerships, with the goal of achieving the national security objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Mohammed Idris Minister of Information and National Orientation 06 May 2024
It is disgraceful that the Force PRO has been alluding to a law that no longer exist in Nigeria.
The provisions of the infamous Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2015 that the police has been using to harass Nigerians has been repealed by the National Assembly and replaced with a radically different and new provision.
The amended Act was assented to by President Tinubu in February 2024.
Under the new Act, posts which are injurious to a person’s reputation is no longer a crime. The new Act limits the offence of cyberstalking to messages sent by means of a computer which are:
(a) pornographic;
(b) a threat to the life of another; or
(c) likely to lead to a breakdown of law and order.
In this specific case, the post made by this individual is neither pornographic, life threatening nor capable of leading to a breakdown of law and order.
By virtue of Section 36(12) of the 1999 Constitution, an act or omission is only an offence if it so defined expressly in a written law.
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested and detained a suspected serial fraudster, Fred Ajudua, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, for land fraud and forgery.
SaharaReporters learnt from police sources on Friday that Ajudua had been arrested and detained in Abuja "for three days now".
"The lawyer is known as one of the pioneers of advance fee fraud “419” who reportedly scammed several people in his own state, Delta. He’s been arrested and detained in Abuja for three days now," one of the sources said.
SaharaReporters exclusively reported in 2022 how Ajudua, who was undergoing trial for defrauding a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, of $8.4million, was exposed in leaked phone calls fraternising with police authorities and some top magistrates.
SaharaReporters had obtained call recordings confirming how Ajudua confessed that he had an armoury of over 30 AK-47 rifles and other weapons.
He also confessed that he had gunmen that he used for any purpose, from self-defence to assassination.
Ajudua also alleged that he bribed the then-Delta State Commissioner of Police with N3million to release one AK-47 they seized from one of his men, Odafe Chime, who was arrested in a communal war with Ibusa.
Further in the leaked calls, Ajudua had a phone conversation with Justice Onome Umukoro whom he reportedly influenced to remand Mr Larry Onyezie' and Emmanuel Halim in the Ogwashi Uku correctional facility.
Ajudua as far back as October 2003 was linked to 12 fraud cases including an advance fee fraud of 1.6 million Euros and another of $1.5million, both committed in 2001.
He was accused of collecting money from Nelson Allen, a Canadian, who lost $250,000.
A German was said to have lost $350,000 to him.
He was said to have defrauded two Dutch nationals of more than $1.69million between 1999 and 2000.
On July 26, 2005, German woman, Frieda Springer-Beck, agreed to an out-of-court settlement after a series of inconclusive court appearances dating back to 1993.
“Fred Ajudua confessed in the audio that he had over 30 AK-47 rifles and other weapons. He confessed to have planted the pump-action gun which he used in a trumped-up charge against one Evangelist Emma Chime to send him to correctional centre,” a top source who shared the audios with SaharaReporters revealed.
“This audio was recorded when Ajudua, his hit men and police headed by AIG Shola were relating together.
"One of Fred Ajudua's hit men, Azikiwe Nwabuwa, made this call to Pastor Jude Adiefe; hence we recorded it. He also confessed that he bribed the Delta CP N3million to release one AK-47 they seized from One Odafe Chime who was arrested in a communal war with Ibusa.
“Another audio was his phone discussion with Justice Onome Umukoro whom Ajudua paid to remand Mr Larry Onyezie' and Emmanuel Halim to Ogwashi Uku Correctional facility despite having obtained an order of ceteriori from Hon. Justice M. I. Imovie's court.
“The order quashed the proceeding of Ibusa Magistrate Court in charge number MIB/29/2020 and charge number MIB/29c/2020 with CN Ugeh as the presiding magistrate. C N Ugeh is one of Ajudua's hirelings that does hatchet job for him (a judicial butcher).
“Investigations on their call log will speak volumes of their relationship. Every attempt to ask CN Ugeh to recuse himself from matters involving Fred Ajudua is always met with resistance and hostility.
"Ajudua uses his wife, Pat Ajudua, who is a member of Delta State House of Assembly, to influence the Chief Judge not to accede to request of transfer of cases out CN Ugeh's court if petitions are written against him.
“Example of such cases are; MIB/11C/2021 and MIB/65C/2021 all pending trial at Chief Magistrate Court 1, Ibusa where C.N Ugeh presides.
"It's a case involving Ajudua against Michael Nwabuoku and Emmanuel Chime. This letter to the Chief Judge was promptly acted on but the CJ gave counter directive when Ajudua and Princess Pat Ajudua visited her. The CJ of Delta State is Theresa Diei,” the source said.
The most recent of Ajudua’s fraud trial was in December 2021 when a Lagos High Court ordered him to undergo a COVID-19 test at the laboratory of the Yaba Infectious Diseases Centre.
Justice Josephine Oyefeso gave the order following Ajudua’s failure to appear in court for his trial three consecutive times.
The defendant had cited the contraction of Coronavirus for his absence.
In a ruling, Mrs Oyefeso had said that in order to verify Ajudua’s claim, he must be tested in the presence of the representatives of both prosecution and defence.
She added that the result must be communicated to the court within 48 hours.
Earlier, defence counsel, Akinwale Kola-Taiwo representing the law chambers of Olalekan Ojo (SAN), told the court that though Ajudua was in the court premises, he should not be mandated to enter the courtroom because he had tested positive for COVID-19.
Nigerian Airlines need to be compelled to do refunds on demand!!!! If you move a flight by 2hrs or more, the least you can do is provide refund on demand! Tickets aren’t free!! They aren't cheap! Time is VERY expensive!
Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), has been abducted by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police and is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti in Lagos.
Ojukwu went missing on Wednesday May 1, his numbers switched off and his whereabouts to both colleagues, family and friends.
On Thursday, FIJ initially made a missing person report at police stations in the area where Ojukwu was headed, However, on Friday, a private detective hired by FIJ tracked the last active location of his phones to an address in Isheri Olofin, a location FIJ now believes was where the police originally picked it up.
Ojukwu’s family would subsequently get wind of his detention at Panti, where they were made to understand the authorities are accusing him of violating the 2015 Cybercrime Act.
A relative who visited him told FIJ that the authorities declined to provide contact details of the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) on jurisdictional grounds as the case was beyond Lagos.
“The arresting officers are part of the IG Monitoring Team. They said when they are done arresting the other people on their watchlist in Lagos, they would transfer him and others to Abuja.”
It is now the third day since the police have been holding Ojukwu incommunicado, denying access to legal representation.
POLICE ABDUCTION ON WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY
Ironically, the knowledge of Ojukwu’s abduction has come on World Press Freedom Day, the day set aside by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
On this same day last year, the World Press Freedom Day 2023, men of the Area F Police in Lagos arrested Daniel for telling them to stop punching a driver.
ONGOING PERSECUTION OF FIJ BY THE POLICE
The police have not formally said a word on why they abducted Ojukwu. However, when the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) grilled Bukky Shonibare, the chairman of FIJ’s Board of Trustees, at their Abuja office in March, they had mentioned FIJ’s story on how Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the then senior special assistant on sustainable development goals (SSAP-SDGs) to the president, paid N147.1 million to an account traced to Enseno Global Ventures (Enseno GV), an Abuja-based restaurant, for — guess what — the construction of a classroom!
A few days later, Ademuyiwa Adejobi, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), then told ‘Politics Today’, a Channels TV programme anchored by Seun Okinbaloye, that there were “two or three weighty allegations” against FIJ and its founder ‘Fisayo Soyombo.
Asked by Okinbaloye if the police had delcared Soyombo wanted or not, Adejobi said: “I sought a clarification from the CP. He told me no, but definitely they are going to invite him because there are weighty allegations concerning certain publications that his platform did. And of course, an invitation to the police at this level is just to come and clarify certain things. Nothing more.”
On FIJ’s behalf, Shonibare reached out to the police cybercrime centre for an official invitation for anyone at FIJ they needed to see, with a promise that it would be honoured, but nobody at FIJ, till date, has been formally invited by the police.
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT FOR 87RRI NIGERIAN ARMY RECRUITMENT
This is to inform the general public & all interested applicants that online application for 87 Regular Recruits Intake for Non-Tradesmen & Women has commenced. Application starts from 3rd May - 7th June 2024.
Application Is Free at https://recruitment.army.mil.ng/ . Shortlisted candidates will participate in the State Recruitment Screening Exercise scheduled from 20th June – 3rd July 2024. Recruitment into the Nigerian Army Is FREE, Beware of Fraudsters.
DUBAI, May 3 (Reuters) - Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militia, which has disrupted global shipping to display its support for Palestinians in the Gaza conflict, is now offering a place for students suspended from U.S. universities after staging anti-Israeli protests.
Students have rallied or set up tents at dozens of campuses in the United States in recent days to protest against Israel's war in Gaza, now in its seventh month.
Demonstrators have called on President Joe Biden, who has supported Israel's right to defend itself, to do more to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and demanded schools divest from companies that support Israel's government.
Many of the schools, including Ivy League Columbia University in New York City, have called in police to quell the protests. "We are serious about welcoming students that have been suspended from U.S. universities for supporting Palestinians," an official at Sanaa University, which is run by the Houthis, told Reuters. "We are fighting this battle with Palestine in every way we can."
Sanaa University had issued a statement applauding the "humanitarian" position of the students in the United States and said they could continue their studies in Yemen.
"The board of the university condemns what academics and students of U.S. and European universities are being subjected to, suppression of freedom of expression," the board of the university said in a statement, which included an email address for any students wanting to take up their offer.
The U.S. and Britain returned the Houthi militia to a list of terrorist groups this year as their attacks on vessels in and around the Red Sea hurt global economies.
The Houthi's offer of an education for U.S. students sparked a wave of sarcasm by ordinary Yemenis on social media. One social media user posted a photograph of two Westerners chewing Yemen's widely-used narcotic leaf Qat. He described the scene as American students during their fifth year at Sanaa University.
Genevieve Nnaji (born 3 May 1979) is a Nigerian actress, producer, and director. She won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2005, making her the first actor to win the award. In 2011, she was honoured as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic by the Nigerian government for her contributions to Nollywood.
Her directorial debut movie, Lionheart, is the first Netflix Original from Nigeria, and first Nigerian submission for the Oscars. The movie was disqualified for having most of its dialogue in English.
After having spent decades in the movie industry, she was profiled alongside some celebrities and business executives in 2020 in two new books by publisher and Editor in Chief l, 'Yes International!' magazine, Azuh Arinze.
Nnaji was born in Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria, and grew up in Lagos. The fourth of eight children, she was raised in a middle-class family; her father worked as an engineer and her mother as a nursery school teacher.
You have spoken and we have listened. Due to numerous inquiries about the Presidential Grant Scheme, we've compiled a list of FAQs to clarify common concerns.
Many have already received their grants—thank you for your patience! For those waiting, please hold tight.
The disbursement process is ongoing in batches and NOT yet completed. All remaining successful applicants will receive their alerts between now and the end of May. No further action is needed on your part for now.
For those who missed out on the nanobusiness grant, you may be eligible for a single digit interest loan. Applications are still ongoing at fedgrantandloan.gov.ng
The FAQ below will address most of the other issues and concerns that have been raised.
#PresidentialConditionalGrantScheme
Hon (Dr) Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite MD,CFA
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY, TRADE & INVESTMENT
Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme Q & A
1. What was the eligibility criteria for businesses to qualify for the N50 billion grant from the Bank of Industry? Answer: Eligible businesses are nano businesses seeking to expand. They have to be willing to formally register their businesses and hire at least one additional person as their turnover increased. Requirements included personal and banking information such as BVN and NIN.
2. Has application for the grants closed?Answer: Yes the application portal was closed at midnight on April 17th 2024.
3. Why was the application portal closed for grants? Answer: The portal was closed due to an overwhelming number of applications, totaling over 3.6 million.
4. How will the BOI ensure transparency and accountability in the disbursement process of the N50 Billion grant? Answer: The BOI uses NIN, BVN, and bank account details for beneficiary verification to prevent duplication. They also perform physical enumeration to re-verify information, including taking live photos of beneficiaries.
5. What is the time frame for the disbursement of the N50 billion grant? Answer: The disbursement is currently in progress and processed in batches. It is expected to be completed by the end of May 2024.
6. Are there specific criteria or priorities for determining the order of disbursement to businesses? Answer: Disbursements aren't based on any specific criteria but in the order applications are verified. The goal is to reach an estimated 1290 beneficiaries per LGA across the country totaling 1 million.
7. Why are some people getting their alerts but not me, even though I applied earlier? Answer: Disbursement is subject to verification of NIN, which became mandatory after the initial application phase which required only BVN. The selection is random, without human intervention, from those who have passed both their NIN and BVN verification.
8. How do I know if I have been verified? Answer: Verification is a digital process. Individuals will not need to be contacted after verification, but disbursements will happen automatically if they passed.
9. Will everyone who applied receive the grant? Answer: No, of over 3.6 million applicants, only 1 million will receive the grant. This is the threshold based on the amount budgeted for nano businesses.
10. Why can't you verify and pay everyone at the same time? Answer: The verification process for over 3 million applications has been thorough and therefore time-consuming, conducted in batches to minimize errors.
Arise News Correspondent, Laila Johnson-Salami @lailajohnsonsal questions Senator David Umahi about the Lagos-Calabar Highway Project’s environmental impact assessment. She asks whether the project has received final approval from the Federal Ministry of Environment or if an exemption has been granted.
ARISE NEWS
Umahi said: "Sister, I was raised in the village, me I no dey hear phoney...... I need interpreter oo...."
The house of representatives has invited the minister of petroleum resources over the persistent petrol scarcity in the country.
President Bola Tinubu is the minister of petroleum resources while Heineken Lokpobiri serves as the minister of state for the ministry.
The green chamber did not specify if Lokpobiri or Tinubu is to appear before them.
However, it is improbable that the lawmakers would invite the president.
The 8th assembly similarly invited former President Muhammadu Buhari — who had also retained the petroleum minister designation during his stint — but he did not honour the invitation.
The lower legislative chamber passed its resolution during plenary on Tuesday, following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Shehu Ajilo from Kaduna state.
The minister is expected to brief the lawmakers on the persistent petrol scarcity across the country.
The lawmaker said parliament must “rise to the occasion to ensure that lasting measures are taken to address this unfortunate and embarrassing situation permanently in the interest” of all Nigerians.
On April 25, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited attributed the petrol scarcity to logistics issues, assuring Nigerians that “they have been resolved”.
On Tuesday, Femi Soneye, NNPC spokesperson, said the shortfall in the supply of petroleum products and queues for the products will be cleared by May 1.
Soneye said the company currently has more than 1.5 billion litres of product available, enough to last for at least 30 days.
“Unfortunately, we experienced a three-day disruption in distribution due to logistical issues, which has since been resolved,” he said.
“However, as you know, overcoming such disruptions typically requires double the amount of time to return to normal operations.”
The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo state, is the first teaching hospital in Nigeria, and it lacks a basic diagnostic machine: the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. This has put a strain on patients who require proper diagnosis and treatment.
Being a radiologist, one would expect getting an MRI investigation done to be a walk in the park. This is not the case for Ademola Joseph, a 37-year-old radiologist and father of two.
Joseph has a towering figure but is now slightly bending due to his knee injury during a football match last August. He walks with an uncomfortable limp, making occasional grimaces. He was visibly in pain as he interacted with the reporter.
“After the injury, my doctor recommended an MRI investigation before he could start treatment. The test is important for him to see clearly what might have gone wrong there,” he said, pointing to the affected knee.
After the injury, his work and personal engagements suffered remarkably, just like his knee.
Entrance to the MRI centre, but patients can no longer access its services.
“The MRI machine in this hospital (UCH) has been out of use for several years; so, the only alternative I have is to get the test done in a private facility. But it is so expensive that it would require me to take a loan. Before now, it was a matter of simply walking in and having the test done at UCH,” he said.
Joseph has been a radiologist for almost a decade. He feels betrayed by the healthcare system, which cannot take care of his medical needs despite his diligent service.
An MRI machine is critical in the diagnosis of certain conditions, such as injuries, tumours, cysts, certain heart problems, and more.
It uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed and clear images of the organs and tissues within the body.
“It is one of the most advanced forms of medical investigation,” says Godwin Ogbole, a professor and head of the radiology department at UCH.
THE PREMIER HOSPITAL
The University College Hospital, a foremost tertiary health institution in Nigeria, was established in August 1952. The hospital was launched to close the training gap of medical healthcare professionals in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.
The MRI centre, located in the south-east wing of the hospital, was inaugurated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005. But it only worked for eight years.
In 2014, another MRI machine was inaugurated by Temitope Alonge, the serving chief medical director. It was a private-public partnership between ERS Nigeria Limited, a Lagos-based medical supplier, and the UCH.
It stopped working in 2019.
While there are more advanced MRI machines depending on power, the machine in UCH is 0.2T (Tesla is the standard for measuring the magnetic field strength of a machine).
Globally, a basic MRI scanner costs $150,000 but can exceed several million dollars. Research showed that Japan has the most MRI scanners per capita, with 48 machines for every 100,000 people.
“Currently, about 80% of Africa’s population does not have access to MRI. Even if they can afford it, the service is not available,” Ogbole said.
He noted that over 10 countries in Africa do not have a single MRI and the 1.5 Tesla MRI machines in Nigeria are concentrated mostly among the top 5% of the population who live in urban areas like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
Patients now have to look for means to carry out MRI investigations in private facilities, which are usually more expensive than similar services offered at UCH when the machines were active. For others who cannot afford private services, they are forced to live with their conditions.
Adeola Adebisi had to suspend her compulsory national youth service for over six months. She has been battling with back pain for five years. She was diagnosed with scoliosis, a condition where some parts of the spine are curved; however, most recent investigations showed other concerns. In 2020, she was told to do an MRI for a more comprehensive evaluation.
“My sister and I walked into the MRI centre with a request letter from the doctor. We met the doors open and the lights on, but the MRI machine was not working,” she told TheCable.
Adebisi said that although there is a building dedicated to MRI scans on the hospital premises, the machine is out of service.
“I was told that it had been faulty for a long time, so we were told to find another facility for the scan,” she said.
“Then I was informed that the only place in Ibadan with a functional MRI machine was at a private diagnostic centre.”
Adebisi said she visited the centre but couldn’t afford the scan as she had already spent a lot on the other tests.
“The scan had to be put on hold for about three years. With the help of my family, the money was eventually raised, and I went back to the centre to find out that the price had ballooned,” Adebisi lamented.
“I spent almost N200,000 ($187) on the test. It was really painful because the delay went on for too long, and I had to live with the pain through the years.
“Every time I went for my appointments at UCH, I used to see different patients with their MRI results from private labs or even some from other states.
“People would make jokes about why they have to spend that much money on MRIs when they don’t even have enough for food.”
Emmanuel Abiodun sustained an injury in 2018. He had an x-ray done as he was feeling some discomfort in his right knee.
His X-ray result pointed to an abnormality in the patella region, which needed an MRI for confirmation.
“It happened at the time the machine was down. I was forced to start using other forms of treatment like exercise and therapy to reduce pain,” he said.
“An MRI scan is an important clinical procedure, and it would have been nice for me to get it done then to know what the problem was and if surgery was needed.”
THE NEED FOR URGENT SOLUTIONS
“From my experiences as a medical student and now a doctor, I’ll say we are making progress,” says Babatunde Odunsi, a medical doctor at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
“Modern techniques of treatment and diagnosis have improved; but on the accessibility front, we are several steps behind.”
Odunsi said the lack of essential imaging or diagnostic aid in teaching hospitals points to poor management policy and governance.
“These are not exceptional or specialised tools; they are basic,” he said.
He noted that public-private partnerships increase accessibility and efficiency. He added that he expects such arrangements to work out at UCH and other teaching hospitals.
“We do not have local expertise. We do not have standard schools that train people to use these machines,” Ogbole, who is also an African Oxford (AfOx ) visiting fellow at Oxford University, said.
He told TheCable that most people who can afford to buy an MRI machine in Nigeria use it primarily for business.
“This is replicated across most African countries. Also, the few people who are trained to operate these machines have been compelled to relocate,” the professor said.
He, however, said plans are ongoing for the UCH to get a new MRI machine.
“There is an arrangement with the federal government to get the hospital a new MRI. Possibly in the next couple of years, we will get a 1.5 MRI,” Ogbole noted.
“It’s not in my purview to determine the cost of an MRI, as the new machine we are expecting is a form of public-private partnership and will also provide the technical capacity.”
Ogbole, who is a part of the leadership at the Consortium for the Advancement of MRI Education and Research in Africa (CAMERA), also recommended the use of a smaller, low-field MRI, which is easier to operate and maintain. He lamented the exodus of medical personnel from the country and the inadequate power supply in Nigeria. The low-field MRI, he said, is compliant with the uniqueness of Nigeria’s challenges and can also be used in rural communities.
“It looks like an ultrasound machine and can be used to scan a patient by the bedside in the Intensive Care Unit. The low-field MRI requires very little energy as it is battery-powered and cost-efficient,” he said.
Ogbole noted that while the downside of the machine is its low image quality, there is, however, diagnostic information that can be used for emergencies and to plan treatment.
“Investigations carried out in rural areas can be transmitted to any doctor anywhere in the world. We can begin to present these kinds of MRIs to peripheral hospitals for early diagnosis of conditions like stroke and trauma,” he added.
“A coolant is required. To keep it at a stable temperature, you need uninterrupted electricity. With the power situation in Nigeria, three or four generators are needed as they have to be switched on all year round. It also requires a lot of human capacity and trained personnel. Having the quality of trained people to manage MRIs in our environment is a challenge.”
He said biomedical engineers and the experts who operate the machines are in short supply.
Ogbole said the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine aims to democratise MRI, especially in Africa.
“Some of them are outdated already. Some of the machines that we have now are more than 20 years old,” he said.
Ogbole said the MRI machine in the UCH has reached its “logical end of life”.
THE DOCTOR’S FLIGHT AND THE PATIENT’S PLIGHT
Olushina Ajidahun, a resident doctor, said the healthcare situation in Nigeria is on the verge of collapse. He attributed this to a lack of adequate healthcare facilities and a poor reward and welfare system for health workers.
“It is embarrassing for one of the biggest government hospitals in Nigeria not to have a functional MRI. It should not be taken with levity. For example, you know that an MRI has a lot of applications and it is one of the modalities of medical investigation,” Ajidahun said.
“It hinders the doctors and the managing team as the level of their diagnosis is affected. I think that is very bad.
“It will lead to delay and inaccurate diagnosis because, without MRI, the doctors can only make guesses and could be treating the wrong ailment. This, in turn, impedes treatment planning and monitoring of patient’s progress and may lead to untimely deaths.
“Some procedures can only be done with assistance from an MRI. The machine can guide some surgical procedures, but when the machine is not functioning, then we cannot have those surgeries.”
Ajidahun said this results in patients consulting quacks because they don’t have money to do private investigations.
He noted that it is also going to impact the training of resident doctors because it is the only way they get professional experience. He advised the government to prioritise healthcare funding and rework the entire remuneration of healthcare workers.
“It would lead to a reduction of internally generated revenue in the hospital because patients have to be referred to private facilities. If you have a functioning MRI in a hospital, that’s more money for the government at subsidised rates for the government. That’s more IGR for the country,” he said.
“I think if this is done, you’ll notice that many healthcare workers would stay and try to help things get better. One MRI machine can save thousands of lives.”
Doctour is one of the healthcare professionals who left the country for greener pasture
Doctour, who goes by the pseudonym “Wakawaka Doctor” on X, formerly Twitter, told TheCable that he left Nigeria to practise elsewhere because he was overworked and underpaid.
“At the time, we’d see an average of 100–200 patients per day, and the salary was less than $100/ month,” he said.
“It’s disappointing that a big institution, a premier one like UCH, lacks access to a functioning MRI.”
“Neuroimaging in conjunction with physical examination is a valuable resource, and MRI is one of the biggest imaging techniques.”
For patients, the lack of access to MRI scans could result in delayed treatment and potentially worsened health outcomes. It may also lead to increased financial burden as patients may need to seek alternative, often more expensive, diagnostic methods.
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