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FG inaugurate collaborative task team on overtime cargoes at ports

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The Federal Government has inaugurated a collaborative task team of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Ministry of Transportation, saddled with responsibility of addressing lingering issues of overtime cargoes at the national seaports and terminals while also proffering best-case situations on how the cargoes can be cleared.

While inaugurating members of the task team in Abuja, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation and Chairperson of the Committee, Dr Magdalene Ajani, said the inability to clear overtime cargoes at the ports and terminals had affected the number of cargoes that can be handled due to limitation of space.

Also, Ajani observed that this has resulted in a drastic drop in the volume of cargo coming into the country, adding that the reduction in cargoes has ultimately affected Internally Generated Revenue which is now lost to the neighbouring countries, while explaining that the clearing of overtime cargoes should not be confined to the Ikorodu Lighter Terminal, Lagos Port Complex, and TinCan Island Port Complex but all other ports and terminals within the country.

On the composition of the task team, Ajani said, ”It was a result of a series of meetings between the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo and the Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service, and the Permanent Secretary, FMT, Dr Magdalene Ajani.”

Ajani, in a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations of the ministry, Henshaw Ogubike, called on the task team to bring their professionalism to bear in the discharge of the onerous task.

Ajani, while reading the “Terms of Reference” said the team work includes but not limited to confirming the inventory of submission by the NPA on the actual number of overtime cargo in the ports and other locations; conducting a joint examination of all such cargo to determine contents suitable for use or consumption; providing a list separating goods for disposal by public auction and those to be deposed by condemnation/destruction.

“Others include gazetting all cargoes identified as overtime for disposal; determining the methodology for public auctioning at various ports/locations; determining the recoverability of part of the Terminal Operator’s revenue arising from long occupation of economic spaces and transfer charges; ensuring that the process is in conformity with applicable customs practices and any other task that may arise in the cause of the assignment.”

Responding on behalf of the team, Comptroller Adekunle Oloyede of the NCS, assured that the task team is a one-stop shop that will certainly unravel the overtime cargo challenge.

The task team is expected to submit its report within eight weeks.

Business

President Tinubu Leaves for Kenya, Rwanda and France to Strengthen Strategic Partnerships

At the two summits, President Tinubu will deliver statements highlighting his administration’s ongoing reforms to reposition the nation as a prime destination for investment and growth. He will also hold high-level meetings with top-tier global and African business leaders.

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday, May 2nd, on a visit to Kenya, Rwanda and France.

The itinerary details are provided by Bayo Onanuga,Special Adviser to the President(Information & Strategy), as follows:

” President Tinubu’s first stop will be in France, after which he will depart for Nairobi, Kenya, to attend the Africa-France Summit scheduled to begin next week.

Co-chaired by President Emmanuel Macron and President William Ruto, the summit focuses on energy transition, green industrialisation, digital transformation, restructuring of global financing architecture, and climate action.

President Tinubu’s participation at the summit from May 11- 12 will underscore Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships with African nations and the French Republic.

The summit, with the theme – “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth” – will provide a high-level platform for African leaders and their French counterparts to deliberate on critical issues affecting the continent, including economic transformation, climate resilience, infrastructure development, youth empowerment, technological advancement, and peace-building initiatives.

At the end of the Kenyan summit, President Tinubu will depart for Kigali, Rwanda, to attend the annual Africa CEO Forum, taking place between May 14th and 15th.

With the theme “Scale or Fail”, this year’s Africa CEO Forum will be the largest gathering of African private sector leaders, investors, and policymakers, focusing on accelerating economic transformation through shared scale, regional integration, and increased cross-border investment.

Held in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the summit brings together over 2,000 top executives and national leaders to debate strategies for building resilient, competitive industries.

At the two summits, President Tinubu will deliver statements highlighting his administration’s ongoing reforms to reposition the nation as a prime destination for investment and growth. He will also hold high-level meetings with top-tier global and African business leaders.

President Tinubu will be accompanied on the trip by some of his ministers and senior aides.

He will return to Nigeria at the end of the Rwanda summit. “

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Nigerian Lawmakers Demand Arrest of World Bank Official Calling for Reinstatement of Petroleum Import Licences

Declaring the unnamed World Bank official persona non grata, the Committee gave the Bank 30 days to issue a public retraction and written apology.

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The House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) has call for the dismissal and arrest of the World Bank official responsible for the April 7, 2026 Nigeria Development Update, which recommended the reinstatement of petroleum import licences.

The Committee described the recommendation as a reckless move capable of undermining Nigeria’s indigenous refining capacity.

In a formal resolution, the Committee condemned the World Bank report, which claimed that imported petroleum products are 12 percent cheaper than those from the Dangote Refinery.

It rejected the position as contrary to Nigeria’s national economic interest and an unacceptable interference in the country’s sovereign petroleum policy.

Declaring the unnamed World Bank official persona non grata, the Committee gave the Bank 30 days to issue a public retraction and written apology.

It further demanded that the staff member responsible for the report be relieved of their duties and subjected to investigation.

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Senate approves Tinubu’s $516.3m loan

The syndicated financing facility is being sought from Deutsche Bank, according to a letter of request Tinubu sent to the Senate last Thursday.

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The Senate has approved the $516.3 million loan requested by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The money will be used for the construction of the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway (Section One, Phase 1A and B).

The approval was given on Wednesday after the Senate considered the report of its Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.

The committee, chaired by Senator Magatagarda Wamakko, recommended the approval of the loan.

The syndicated financing facility is being sought from Deutsche Bank, according to a letter of request Tinubu sent to the Senate last Thursday.

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