-
NEWS
Nigeria’s GT Bank profit soars 63 pct
Nigeria’s Guaranty Trust Bank (GT Bank) said on Friday its pretax profit for the first half of 2012 climbed 63 percent year-on-year to 53.6 billion naira ($339 mln), compared with 32.9 billion naira in the same period last year. It said gross earnings rose to 106.1 billion naira during that period, from 84.8 billion naira a year earlier. The…
Read More » -
NEWS
Oil spill stretches for miles by Exxon Nigeria field
An oil spill near an ExxonMobil oilfield off the southeast coast of Nigeria has spread along the shore for about 15 miles, and locals said it was killing fish they depend on to live. Mobil Producing Nigeria, a joint venture between ExxonMobil and the state oil firm, said this month it was helping clean up an oil spill near…
Read More » -
NEWS
AP Exclusive: Nigeria secret police details leaked
Personnel records of former and current members of Nigeria’s top domestic spy agency, including home addresses and names of immediate family members, leaked onto the Internet in a threatening message that claimed to come from a radical Islamist sect that’s killed hundreds of people this year alone, The Associated Press has learned. The leak of personal data of more…
Read More » -
World Sports
Paralympics: Nigeria’s Adesokan wins first gold, breaks World record
The medal that eluded Team Nigeria during the London 2012 Olympics came tumbling inThursday as Nigeria’s Paralympians begun their quest for medals and also to redeem the image of the country as a super power in sports. Team Nigeria’s outing at the main Olympics was colourless. Yakubu Adesokan struck the goldmine yesterday in a refreshing manner in Powerlifting where…
Read More » -
Africa
Lawyer to serve 6 months imprisonment for exam malpractice
The Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Dr Tahir Mamman, on Thursday in Abuja disclosed that a recently qualified lawyer was convicted for malpractices during the school’s bar examination. The director general made the disclosure at the Annual General Conference of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), decrying the increase in examination malpractices among law students. He also berated some…
Read More » -
Technology
Samsung launches Galaxy Note 11
Samsung Electronics became the first handset maker to announce a smartphone using Microsoft’s latest mobile software, making its surprise, hurried announcement just days before the highly anticipated launch of Nokia’s version. The brief announcement on Wednesday at a Berlin electronics show comes amid expectations that smartphone makers may turn increasingly to Windows devices after a U.S. jury decided many of…
Read More » -
Africa
Hijacked tanker found in Nigerian waters
A Greek-operated oil tanker seized off Togo was tracked down on Wednesday off the coast of Nigeria under the control of pirates, the ship’s operator and Togolese authorities said. Reuters says Tuesday’s seizure of the ship, which is operated by Golden Energy Management, underscored the growing risks to ships in the Gulf of Guinea, where piracy is rising but…
Read More » -
Africa
Newswatch clears salary arrears, lays off 70% staff
** Two 70-yr-old photographers affected. The management of Nigeria’s leading news magazine, Newswatch, has paid salary arrears owed its entire workforce, while it also laid off 70 per cent of its staff to pave way for the successful implementation of its ongoing restructuring process. The management however pledged to recall some of the laid off staff who might be considered…
Read More » -
NEWS
Nigeria’s power minister, Barth Nnaji sacked
Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji was Tuesday relieved of his job following the acceptance of his resignation with immediate effect by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. In a two-paragraph statement from Presidential media aide, Dr. Reuben Abati, the president thanked “Prof. Nnaji for his services to the nation under the present administration and wishes him well in his future…
Read More » -
NEWS
Cynthia Osokogu to be buried on Sept. 7 – Family
Miss Cynthia Osokogu, the victim of an Internet dating transaction, will be buried on September 7 at Bebe, Ovia Agbor in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, the family has said. Cynthia, a postgraduate student of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, was allegedly killed by friends she met on the social media, Facebook, at a hotel in Festac, Lagos…
Read More » -
NEWS
Nigeria’s First Bank asks shareholders to approve restructure
Nigeria’s First Bank said on Monday it will seek shareholders’ approval to transfer its subsidiaries into a new holding company, in order to meet a regulation that risky capital market business be kept separate from retail and regular business banking. The central bank two years ago directed lenders in Africa’s second-biggest economy to either sell their stakes in subsidiaries…
Read More » -
NEWS
Nigeria navy frees 28 kidnapped oil workers
Nigeria’s navy said it had freed 28 local oil workers who were being held hostage by a criminal gang in the oil-producing Niger Delta. The hostages were Nigerian employees of Chinese oil servicing firm Sinopec, navy spokesman Commodore Kabir Aliyu said. They were kidnapped on Thursday by a gang called the Lapto Marine Force operating around the Bakassi waterways…
Read More » -
NEWS
Corruption: Traditional Ruler Chased Out Of Palace
Angry natives of Igburowo community in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State yesterday chased away their paramount ruler, Oba Pius Akinfesola Adewole, from his palace over alleged gross corruption and indiscipline. The action was witnessed by a large number of kinsmen, who trooped out to show their disapproval for Adewole’s alleged sins. The protest, which began at about…
Read More » -
NEWS
Take-Off Weather Briefing Compulsory For Pilots, Says Aviation Ministry
Ministry of Aviation has warned that it will sanction any pilot who does not obtain weather briefing, prior to the take-off of a flight. In a circular forwarded to airlines at the weekend, the ministry noted that “it is mandatory for pilots to physically get weather briefing before operating any flight.” The circular, signed by special assistant on media to…
Read More » -
NEWS
Nigeria eyes new Eurobond worth up to $1 bln
Nigeria is looking at issuing a Eurobond worth up to $1 billion next year to fund its power and gas sector reforms, taking advantage of the country’s likely inclusion in a JP Morgan emerging market index, the finance minister said on Friday. Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala also told Reuters in an interview on Friday that her long-term target was…
Read More » -
Asia
Angola deports China ‘gangsters’
Angola has extradited 37 Chinese nationals, accused of extortion, kidnappings, armed robberies and running prostitution rings. They allegedly targeted other Chinese, kidnapping businessmen for ransom and sometimes burying victims alive. They lured women to Angola, promising well-paid jobs, but then forced them into prostitution, Chinese police said. Tens of thousands of Chinese live in Angola, and Chinese state-run firms…
Read More » -
Technology
Apple awarded $1bn in damages from Samsung in US court
A US court has ordered Samsung to pay Apple $1.05bn (£665m) in damages for infringing intellectual property. The jury decided several Samsung devices had infringed iPhone-maker Apple’s software and design patents, but rejected counter-claims by Samsung. Apple will now seek import bans on several of its rival’s products. Samsung has said it will appeal. Correspondents say the ruling is…
Read More »