Nigeria Anchorage

The Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs on Thursday held a public hearing on two critical bills aimed at strengthening Nigeria's digital governance framework through improved data processing regulations and the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Academy. The hearing, held at Room 221 of the New Senate Building, National Assembly Complex, Abuja, attracted lawmakers, government officials, industry experts and stakeholders from the information and communications technology (ICT) sector. Declaring the session open, the President of the Senate highlighted the importance of the proposed legislation, describing the bills as timely interventions that would position Nigeria to harness emerging technologies while safeguarding national interests. He urged stakeholders to make meaningful contributions that would enrich the legislative process. Among the lawmakers who made notable interventions was Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North), whose contributions earned commendation f...

ABUJA : With less than a year to the 2027 general elections , influential voices from Igedeland are calling for a fundamental shift in how political leaders emerge, arguing that the future of the community depends less on zoning arrangements and more on competence, integrity and collective purpose. Stakeholders at the conference  The call formed the centrepiece of the 2nd Annual Public Lecture of the Association of Igede Media Professionals (AIMP) held at Merit House, Maitama, Abuja, where political leaders, traditional rulers, academics, media practitioners and professionals gathered to interrogate the future of political leadership in Igedeland.Themed "Rethinking Political Leadership Recruitment System in Igedeland Ahead of 2027," the lecture evolved into a broader conversation on why decades of political representation have delivered little in terms of infrastructure, economic growth and social development. Delivering the keynote lecture, Sir (Barr.) Benson Upah, JP, spok...

Kaduna: The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Senatorial candidate for Kaduna South, hon Godfrey Ali Gaiya has led some members from his zone for further consultation with the governorship candidate, Rt.Hon Isa Ashiru Kudan in Kaduna. The consultative meeting according to an insider to consolidate on the peaceful as well as sort out any grey areas of interest for the purpose of total victory in the next coming general elections. The meeting  high-level strategic meeting between with the Kaduna State governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Isa Ashiru Kudan, led by hon Gaiya has the ADC candidates for Kachia/Kagarko Federal Constituency, hon. Phillip Anthony, candidate for Kachia/Kagarko Federal Constituency; hon. Darius Kurah, for Kagarko Assembly constituency, hon. Barr. Allison Chitta,  candidate for Kachia Assembly State constituency among others. Our Reporter further learnt that the meeting also focused on developing a coordinated campaign architecture aimed at securing victory...

  Three frontier blocks awarded in 2025 round end decades of unfulfilled promise in Middle Belt and signal shift toward rules-based resource allocation_    By Dooyum Naadzenga  MAKURDI MAKURDI  — In Otukpo market last week, traders paused between sacks of yam to watch the announcement on a phone held aloft. In Apa, elders gathered under a mango tree. In Makurdi, the Benue State government house released a statement within minutes.   For the first time in Nigeria’s petroleum history, Benue has won acreage.   The state secured three oil and gas exploration blocks — PPL 800 , PPL 801 and PPL 902 — in the federal government’s 2025 licensing round. They sit across the Benue Trough and the Anambra Basin, covering parts of Otukpo, Apa and Okpokwu local government areas.   It is being called a breakthrough in a state that has spent decades on the periphery of Nigeria’s oil story. It is also being watched, closely, as a test of whether ...

  Benue State is celebrating a major economic breakthrough after securing three oil and gas blocks in Nigeria’s 2025 Licensing Round , a development that has stirred excitement across communities from Otukpo and Apa to Okpokwu, Makurdi , Tarka and Gwer West. For a state that has long waited on the margins of Nigeria’s oil story, the outcome is being received as both historic and hopeful. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu deserves commendation for overseeing a process that has been widely regarded as transparent, competitive and professionally executed. In a country where confidence in resource allocation is often fragile, the credibility of the licensing round has given Benue’s gain a stronger sense of legitimacy. More importantly, it has shown that frontier basins can still be brought into the national energy conversation through a fair and disciplined process. The leadership role played by the Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission , Mrs....

By Okwo Romeon | Abuja President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a major restructuring of the Nigerian Army , expanding its operational structure from eight to 12 divisions and authorising the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel in what the Presidency describes as one of the most significant reforms of the country's military architecture in recent years. The decision, announced in a statement on Thursday by the President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga , is aimed at strengthening the Armed Forces' capacity to respond to Nigeria's complex and evolving security challenges, including insurgency , banditry , communal violence, kidnapping and the protection of critical national infrastructure. President Ahmed Bola Tinubu  (GCFR) Under the new arrangement, four additional divisions will be established in Makurdi, Benue State ; Ilorin, Kwara State; Jalingo, Taraba State; and Benin City, Edo State, increasing the Army's divisional comman...

Makurdi I nspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Riliwan Disu has pledged to intensify intelligence-driven policing and strengthen collaboration with local communities to combat insecurity in Benue State, as part of renewed efforts to end the persistent farmer-herder conflict and other violent crimes. The assurance came on Thursday during the IGP's official working visit to Benue State, where he paid a courtesy call on Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia before presiding over a strategic security meeting at the State Government Banquet Hall in Makurdi. The meeting brought together an array of critical stakeholders, including traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth and women representatives, leaders of farmers' associations, heads of local security outfits and other community representatives to deliberate on practical measures for restoring peace and improving security across the state. Addressing the gathering, Disu described the unchecked proliferation of sophisticated fire...

Distinguished senator Abdullahi Adamu, Former governor of Nasarawa state and APC Former National Chairman  A prominent political leader has paid glowing tribute to former Governor of Nasarawa State and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, CON, on the occasion of his 80th birthday, describing him as a symbol of selfless service, visionary leadership, and enduring statesmanship. In a congratulatory message marking the milestone, the leader celebrated Adamu's remarkable contributions to the development of Nasarawa State and Nigeria, noting that his decades of public service have left an indelible mark on the nation's democratic journey. He commended the elder statesman for his distinguished record as Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator of the Federal Republic, National Chairman of the APC, and respected national figure, saying his commitment to nation-building continues to inspire generations of leaders. According to the stateme...

Abuja : The Senate Committee on Finance has directed several federal government agencies to regularise outstanding remittances into the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) within two weeks after uncovering discrepancies during an investigative hearing on revenue compliance. The hearing, chaired by Senator Mohammed Sani on July 21, 2026, at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, examined the remittance of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and operating surpluses by government agencies for the 2023–2025 fiscal period. The investigation focused on compliance with statutory financial regulations governing payments into the Consolidated Revenue Fund, with lawmakers expressing concern over what they described as significant shortfalls and inconsistencies in the remittances made by some agencies. Among the organisations that appeared before the committee were the Maritime Academy of Nigeria and the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Plc. During the session, the Director-General of the M...

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of 26 officials to leadership positions across 10 federal agencies and commissions, in a move aimed at strengthening governance and public administration. President Ahmed Bola Tinubu (GCFR). Nigeria Leader  Among the appointments announced on Monday is former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, who will chair the board of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), while retired Major General Junaid Bindawa was named chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission. A statement issued by the President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Fayose will lead the REA board alongside Alhaji Ahmadu Abubakar and Engineer Ilyasu Ibrahim Makinta as non-executive directors. The agency's Director-General, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, and three previously appointed executive directors complete the board. The President also reconstituted the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, appointing former Lag...

Makurdi , July 20, 2026 — Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia , has appointed Dr Anya Godwin Ngbajime as a member of the Benue State House of Assembly Service Commission , subject to confirmation by the Benue State House of Assembly . The appointment, announced on Monday by the Governor's Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula , follows the vacancy created by the removal of Mrs Dorcas Faeren Mbatiav. According to the statement, the nomination reflects the administration's commitment to strengthening public institutions through the appointment of experienced and competent professionals. Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia Governor of Benue state   Dr Ngbajime is an educationist, seasoned administrator and labour leader with decades of public service experience. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Technical Education, a Master's degree in Educational Administration and Planning, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Educational Administration . He began his career with the Local G...

An Open Letter Calls for Urgent Action Over Prolonged Electricity Blackout in Oju and Obi An indigene of the Igede community has appealed to elected representatives and local government chairmen in Benue State to take immediate action to restore electricity to Oju and Obi Local Government Areas , warning that the prolonged blackout is worsening economic hardship and exposing residents to security risks. In an open letter addressed to members representing Oju and Obi State Constituencies in the Benue State House of Assembly and the Executive Chairmen of both local government areas, Etunke EmmanuelMary described the continued absence of electricity as a crisis that has paralysed businesses, disrupted education and healthcare, and undermined the livelihoods of thousands of residents. Governor of Benue state, According to the letter, what was initially seen as a temporary interruption has persisted for several months, leaving households, artisans, traders and small businesses without a...

OKUKU , Cross River State – The Cross River State Government has dismissed as false and unfounded widespread rumours alleging plans to relocate the University of Cross River State  His Excellency prince (Sen).Bassey Otu  Executive Governor of Cross river state  (UNICROSS), Okuku Campus , to the Cross River State University of Education and Entrepreneurship in Akamkpa , reaffirming its commitment to the growth and expansion of the institution. Prof Stephen Odey Cross river state Commissioner for Education at the town hall meeting in Okuku The clarification was made on Saturday during a town hall meeting held at the Mary Knoll College Multipurpose Hall in Okuku, Yala Local Government Area . The interactive session was led by the Commissioner for Education, Senator Prof. Stephen Odey, to address growing public concerns over the speculation. Representing the Chairman of Yala Local Government Council, Dr Fred Okem, the Vice Chairman, Godwin Odama, welcomed participants and ur...

MAKURDI – Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia , has presented Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination forms to candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 Benue State House of Assembly elections , urging them to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the polls. The presentation, held on Saturday at the APC State Secretariat in Makurdi , was attended by the state chairman of the party, Chief Benjamin Omale , and other party leaders. Governor Alia congratulated the candidates on their emergence from the party's recently concluded primaries and charged them to embark on issue-based campaigns capable of securing victories for the APC in the 2027 general elections. He expressed confidence that the party would retain power in Benue and record victories in the presidential, governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections through unity, commitment and sustained engagement with the electorate . Among the APC ca...

EFAB Properties Limited has reaffirmed its position as one of Nigeria's leading real estate developers, revealing that it has delivered more than 30,000 housing units across Abuja over the past three decades as part of its commitment to providing affordable housing for Nigerians. Dr. Ugo Peace Udo (FMIVS ) The Group Property Manager of EFAB Properties Limited , Dr. Ugo Peace Udo (FMIVS), made this known during the 2026 African International Housing Show (AIHS) held in Abuja. The event, themed "Showcasing the Best of Innovative Building Technologies," brought together key stakeholders in Nigeria's housing and construction sectors to discuss strategies for addressing the country's housing deficit . According to Dr. Udo, EFAB has consistently remained at the forefront of affordable housing delivery, positively impacting thousands of families through mass housing initiatives and private housing projects implemented in collaboration with successive governments. He r...