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  • Energy experts to chart digital future at NAN press week lecture

    Energy experts to chart digital future at NAN press week lecture

    Notable energy experts, policymakers, and industry stakeholders will gather to chart the future of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector in a digital age.

    The high-level discussions will form part of the 2025 News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) press week lecture, according to a statement issued on Sunday in Lagos.

    The statement, jointly signed by Mrs Vivian Ihechu, Chairman, Press Week Committee, and Adeyemi Adeleye, Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), NAN Lagos chapel.

    Ihechu disclosed that the 2025 Annual Press Week of NUJ-NAN Lagos Chapel would hold from Monday, Sept. 22, to Friday, Sept. 26, at selected Lagos venues.

    She announced the theme as: ‘Transforming Energy: The Digital Evolution of Oil and Gas.’ She described energy as the bedrock of civilisation, powering economies, businesses, and everyday life.

    Recognising this central role, she said the union was convening stakeholders to discuss the ongoing digital transformation reshaping Nigeria’s oil and gas landscape.

    Ihechu, assistant Editor-In-Chief at NAN, outlined activities for the week, starting with a health walk and free medical check-up on Sept. 22, tagged ‘Stride Toward a Healthier You.’

    The health walk begins at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, by 9 a.m., and ends at NAN Premises, National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

    “The week begins with a health-focused walk and free medical checks, encouraging healthy living among journalists and members of the public,” Ihechu stated.

    According to him, the free medical check-up is in collaboration with Lion Club International District 404B4.

    On Sept. 23, the focus will shift to Cultural Day, at NAN’s Multi-purpose Media Complex, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, commencing at 10 a.m.

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    “The Cultural Day celebrates Nigeria’s diverse heritage, promoting unity in diversity,” she explained. “It aims to deepen understanding and appreciation of the country’s multi-ethnic identity.”

    Sept. 24 has been scheduled for the lecture and symposium titled ‘Transforming Energy: The Digital Evolution of Oil and Gas.’

    Ihechu revealed that the lecture would take place at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Main Hall Sports Centre, opposite Eko Club, Surulere, Lagos, at 11 a.m.

    “The highlight of the Press Week is the keynote lecture, which will explore how digital technologies are reshaping the oil and gas industry.

    “The discussions will centre on enhancing operational efficiency, reducing costs, improving decision-making, and fostering innovation within the sector,” she said.

    The keynote lecture will be delivered by Mr Ismaeel Ahmed, Executive Chairman, Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi).

    Other confirmed speakers include Dr Clement Isong, CEO of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), and Dr Muda Yusuf, CEO of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE).

    Also scheduled are Prof Wumi Iledare, Emeritus Professor of Petroleum Economics at Louisiana State University, and Mr Olohungbo Jimoh, Lagos State Commissioner of Police.

    Ihechu further disclosed that the chairman of the occasion would be Mr Wole Ogunsanya, Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) and MD/CEO of Geoplex Drillteq Ltd.

    “This year’s Press Week reflects Lagos NUJ-NAN’s commitment to addressing national issues through dialogue, collaboration, and professional excellence,” Ihechu stressed.

    She added that the series of events promised to be insightful, impactful, and solution-driven, as the union leveraged its platform to foster meaningful national conversations.

  • NAN editor loses wife

    NAN editor loses wife

    Mr Isaac Aregbesola, a senior editor with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), has announced the death of his wife, Favour. 

    Aregbesola in a statement said his wife passed away at the age of 52 on Friday, after illness.

    The editor described his late wife as a pillar of strength, support, and a source of inspiration to her family, friends, and colleagues.

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    “Her kind-hearted nature, compassion, and generosity touched the lives of countless individuals, making her an exceptional woman who will be dearly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her.

    ”Throughout her life, she demonstrated exceptional dedication and commitment to humanity service,” he said.

    Describing her as a God-fearing woman, a great manager of resources, and a devoted wife, Aregbesola said his late wife life was a testament to humility, kindness, and enduring service.

    According to him, Favour, a seasoned accountant and entrepreneur impacted positively the lives of everyone who came across her.

  • NAN editor kidnapped in Owerri

    NAN editor kidnapped in Owerri

    An editor with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Gregory Maduakolam, has been kidnapped.

    A statement issued by the management of the agency in Abuja said Maduakolam was kidnapped in Owerri on Thursday night.

    NAN reports that the specific location of the incident in the Imo capital, however, could not be ascertained.

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    The full statement of the agency on the incident reads:

    “The unfortunate kidnap of one of our Editors, Gregory Maduakolam, has been brought to the attention of the Management of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    “Maduakolam reported his kidnap himself in a telephone call with his line to a staff of the agency at about 7.33 pm on Thursday.

    “He said that he was taken away by his assailants around 9.am on Thursday.”

  • FEC approves N1.3bn contracts to reposition NAN, NTA, FRCN

    The Federal Government on Wednesday approved N1.3 billion contracts to strengthen and reposition its media outfits for effective information dissemination.

    The media organisations to benefit from the projects include the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigeria Television Authority and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed this when he briefed State House Correspondents on the outcome of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The minister announced the approval of the contracts for the procurement of cameras, television packs and other broadcast equipment at a cost of N283.8 million for the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

    He also announced sum of N148.7 million for the procurement of 15 Peugeot vehicles for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    He added that N873.5 million was approved for the procurement of twelve 10 Kilowatts FM transmitters and three Outside Broadcast Vans for the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).

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    He went further to give the breakdown of the FRCN contracts as N561million for the twelve 10 kilowatts transmitters, and N311 million for the three Outside Broadcast Vans.

    The minister also explained that the upgrade of equipment at the NTA took place more than a decade ago.

    “I also presented three memos today on behalf of three parastatals in my ministry, the NTA, the News Agency of Nigeria and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria.

    “The memo by the NTA was for an approval for the award of contract for the procurement of cameras, microphones and television pack for a total sum of N283, 813,990.75.

    “It is significant to note that in the last 20 years, only twice that attempts have been made to upgrade the equipment of the NTA.

    “The first attempt was in 1999 during the FIFA Under-20 World Cup and the last was in 2009 when Nigeria hosted the FIFA Under-17 World Cup

    “So also the News Agency of Nigeria also presented their memo. But, here largely they wanted vehicles to them move to gather and disseminate news.

    “So, the contract for the procurement of 15 vehicles from Peugeot Nigeria ltd was awarded to them for N148, 740,900,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • N2.5m property razed at NAN editor’s home in Ekiti

    Property estimated at N2.5 million belonging to an Assistant Editor-in-Chief of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ekiti State, Yemi Idris, have been destroyed in a fire at Oke Ureje, Polytechnic Road of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.

    The fire was said to have been started by some unidentified persons burning a bush.

    Idris told reporters yesterday that the fire destroyed a wing of his apartment housing two flats.

    He said the blaze also destroyed the roof and many household items, including iron sheets, asbestos, ceiling planks, mattresses, bags of clothing materials, tables and chairs, rugs, carpets and curtains from window and doors.

    The journalist said some unknown persons were burning a bush from undeveloped plots, where the fire spread to his home.

    Idris and members of the family were not at home when the fire started.

    It was learnt that only the workmen deployed in the area by the owner of the undeveloped plots were around.

    Idris said youths in the neighbourhood were mobilised when he learnt of the fire.

    He said the rescue efforts saved part of the building from being reduced to ashes.

    The NAN man suggested that government should hold owners of undeveloped plots responsible for negative incidents that may arise from their activities.

    He urged the government to take over plots of land that are left undeveloped for a long time, saying they could constitute danger to residents’ lives.

  • Nigerians urged to register for National ID Card

    Nigerians urged to register for National ID Card

    The Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Bayo Onanuga, has called on all eligible Nigerians to register with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), to obtain the national electronic identity card.

    Onanuga made this call when he visited the commission’s Acting General Manager, Operations/Regional Coordinator, North Central, Mrs. Florence Oloruntade, on Thursday in Abuja.

    He urged all eligible Nigerians to register without further delay to avail themselves of the benefits available in obtaining the card.

    He noted that the importance of the card cannot be overemphasised as one would hardly transact any government or other business these days without such identification, adding that the card identifies one for life.

    While responding, Oloruntade explained that the National Identity Number(NIN) is the most important token issued by the Federal Government of Nigeria for citizens and legal residents to assert their identities.

    She said Nigerians should note that the NIN, which is issued after successful enrolment on a slip, is the foundational identity of the holder stored on the National Identity Database.

    “The NIN can be verified and authenticated by institutions and persons in both the public and private sectors, using the verifications and authentication platform already deployed by the Commission.

    “The NIN verification portal has been deployed for banks and other service providers to take advantage for the purpose of ease of doing business,” she said.

    She disclosed that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has also directed the banks accordingly on the database.

    She further advised Nigerians who have lost their NIN slip to visit the nearest NIMC state office and request for a reprint, which will only cost N500 deposit into the government’s coffer.

    Oloruntade also said that Nigerians can make use of the Commission’s website to check the status of their National e-ID Card.

    “What you have to do is to login to the web portal and follow the link.

    “Click the proceed button, fill in your First Name, Last Name and the last 6-digits of your NIN.”

    She further disclosed that the NIMC is partnering the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry to enroll all participants who will attend the 12th Abuja International Trade Fair, 2017, and issue them the National Identification Number (NIN).

    She, therefore, urged participants and visitors who will be at the fair to take advantage of the opportunity to enroll at the NIMC enrolment stand.

    “Enroll for the NIN today, and be identified for life,” she added.

  • Motorists groan in Apapa-Wharf traffic

    Motorists groaned yesterday as the Apapa-Wharf Roads was clogged because of fuel loading at private depots in the area.

    A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent observed that the gridlock forced some motorists to abandon their cars and walk to their destinations.

    A motorist, Mr Tunde Adigun, told NAN that the traffic had been terrible since the beginning of the week.

    “Since Tuesday, the traffic jam has been terrible, and sometimes it is practically a standstill.

    “The last time we saw traffic like this was in July. This week, when the tankers reappeared on this road, it has resurfaced, and till now it has not relented,’’ Adigun said.

    He appealed to the state government to relocate tank farms from Apapa, suggesting that fuel tankers should be loaded at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) depots instead of the private depots.

    NAN reports that the depots on Apapa/Wharf roads include MRS Oil and Gas, Nipco Oil and Gas, Ateo Oil Ltd., Techno Oil and Gas, Mobil Oil and Gas, Folawiyo Oil and Gas, Oando Oil and Gas, and Conoil Oil and Gas.

    Depots on Coconut/Apapa Road axis include Capital Oil and Gas, Sahara Oil and Gas, Integrated Oil and Gas, Eternal Oil and Gas, Total Oil and Gas, Acorn Oil and Gas, Obat Oil Petroleum, Aquitaine Oil Ltd., and Spog Oil Nig. Ltd.

    South-West Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo blamed the gridlock petroleum loading in the area.

    Korodo said the tanker drivers returned to Apapa and Coconut Road because they were not getting adequate petroleum products all the NNPC deposts.

    According to him, NNPC depots in the South-West are in Ejigbo, Mosinmi and Ibadan, but they only operate skeletal loading.

    “Recently, when NNPC commenced loading of products at its Ejigbo and Ibadan depots, most of the tankers relocated to the place to load.

    “During this period, there was no gridlock of petroleum tankers along Ijora/Apapa/Wharf Road; the only tankers plying there were those of major oil marketers located in the area.

    “Only articulated vehicles going to Wharf were causing traffic, but now that loading is low and some of them are not getting the products as expected, they have returned to their base,’’ he said.

  • NAN’s light restored

    NAN’s light restored

    Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) yesterday restored light to the Lagos office of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after thieves vandalised cables in the area.

    NAN reports that vandals on Sunday destroyed the cable linking NAN Lagos office to the national grid.

    A team of engineers from EKEDC spent several hours on the repairs before the light was restored.

    Mr Mathias Ajudua, Deputy Director, NAN Technical Services, lauded EKEDC management for prompt response to the incident.

    Mr Godwin Idemudia, EKEDC spokesman, urged the Agency to protect EKEDC installations in its premises against vandals.

    According to Idemudia, the company cannot provide security to all its equipment in the zone.

  • Open letter to NAN Managing Director

    SIR: For the benefit of those who missed it, I like to start with excerpts from your recent effete sermon to Nigerians on social media: “My daughter was on the Virgin Atlantic Flight that took off from Lagos to London today. I asked her to find out whether the plane was filled up or going to London near empty judging by the noisy campaign from a section of the country about the ‘hardship’ in our country.

    My daughter sent back this one-line text, after boarding: “Daddy, the flight was filled up o”.

    This makes me to wonder whether all the seeming orchestrated campaign in the media was not mere propaganda to make the Buhari regime look really bad.”

    Like many others Nigerians, I think you have been schooled in the wrong definition of hardship. Hardship is not determined by seats on flights for the elite like your daughter. It is determined by the rising costs of food and transportation, huge unemployment figures in the country, job loss due to mass cutback by major employers.

    On a deeper level, you cannot sit in your air conditioned office and describe real public suffering as embellished hardship. It would have been honorable if you visited the streets and assess the public condition instead of using your fortunate daughter’s comment to assess “so-called hardship” being experienced by Nigerians who can hardly pay their bus fares from one bus stop to the other.

    As a public servant, what you owe President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians, is implementing strategies on how to improve communication between government and the public, to make the administration truly people-oriented and responsive.

    However, your annotation about the media betrays your fury that the media is not controlled by the people who are like you.

    It would be wrong for you to join the organized people paid to propagate the theory that one group of people get to say what they want because they are called government, and the rest of us have to play by the rules.

    For now, the impecunious citizenry feels hurt by your diametrical dictum on the complex state of affairs in the country. Your disconnection from the reality on ground has caused disillusionment and cynicism on the part of the populace regarding your competence to continue in office as a public officer.

    • David Dimas

    Laurel, Maryland, U.S.A

  • LG workers in Kwara protest unpaid salaries

    Thousands of workers in the 16 Local Government Areas of Kwara State on Tuesday embarked on mass protest over unpaid salary arrears.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protest took place at the headquarters of the 16 local governments in the state, in llorin, the state capital.

    The protesters, led by leaders of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), took to the streets of Ilorin from the local council offices and moved to other streets condemning the non-payment of their salaries.

    Some of them including nursing mothers, carried placards with various inscriptions and chanted solidarity songs.

    Mr Afolabi Abayomi, the Secretary of NULGE in kwara, told NAN that the protest was justifiable. He said the protest, taking place in all the 16 local councils, was a result of unpaid salaries for seven months.

    Abayomi said the unpaid salaries had been creating untold hardships to the workers and their relatives.

    Efforts to speak with the Chairman for the llorin West Local Government Council, Alhaji Tajudeen Zulu-Oloje, on the protest proved futile.