The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN), have launched a portal that enables financial institutions to track fraudulent and suspicious phone lines across the country.

It is called the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) portal , aimed at providing financial institutions with real-time visibility into the status of phone numbers used for transactions.

“The portal aggregates data on churned or recycled lines and numbers flagged for suspicious activities.

“This means banks and other financial institutions can determine whether a line is active, swapped, disconnected, or reassigned to another subscriber,” said the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida.

Speaking during the MoU signing event, Maida said that the agreement provides a structured framework for cooperation in critical areas, including payment system integrity, fraud mitigation, digital inclusion, and consumer protection.

On his part, Governor of CBN, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, said the MoU would strengthen coordination on regulatory approvals, technical standards, and innovation initiatives, including sandbox testing.

He noted that the partnership aligns with the apex bank’s commitment to promoting a secure, resilient, and inclusive financial system.

Photo: Director of Strategy and Stakeholder Relations at Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, Sadiq Usman (left); Head, Strategy and Performance Management at the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Ms. Edirin Akemu; Group Chief Executive Officer of Golden Sugar Company (GSC), Boye Olusanya; Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh; Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, NSDC, Kamar Bakrin and GSC General Manager, Anlo Du Pisani; during the Minister’s visit to the GSC Complex in Sunti, Niger state.

The Minister of State for Industry, John Owan Enoh, has urged the Golden Sugar Company (GSC) to expand its yearly production capacity to 300,000 metric tonnes by 2030.

Golden Sugar Company, a subsidiary of Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC, currently cultivates about 6,600 hectares, producing about 20,000 metric tonnes of sugar yearly, according to the Group Chief Executive Officer of GSC, Boye Olusanya.

The Ninister, accompanied by the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Kamar Bakrin, gave the charge when he visited the GSC Complex in Sunti, Niger state.

The Minister noted that the current local sugar production in the country is a long distance away from the 1.8 million metric tonnes that the country consumes yearly, adding that, the GSC must contribute 300,000 metric tonnes in the year 2030.

He commended the management of the company for the employment of about 4,500 workers, emphasising that the government’s requirement for gainful employment is itself achieved here.

• President Bola Tinubu

The Federal Government has totally banned the importation of seventeen products including paracetamol tablets and syrups, metronidazole, cotrimoxazole, and chloroquine from entering into the country through any port of entry.

The Federal Ministry of Finance on Saturday released the latest revised import prohibition list, dated April 1, 2026, under HS Codes 3003.10.00.00 through 3004.90.90.00

Other widely used health products, such as multivitamin capsules, aspirin, folic acid, and various ointments like penicillin and gentamycin, are now restricted to local manufacturers.

Furthermore, refined vegetable oils in retail packs of five litres or less, encompassing soya-bean, palm, and sunflower oils, are prohibited.

However, crude vegetable oil and specific fats like hydrogenated vegetable fats under HS 1516.20.10.00 are permitted to enter the country for industrial use.

In the retail and consumer goods category, the prohibition covers cane or beet sugar in retail packs and chemically pure sucrose containing added flavouring or colouring.

The cocoa industry is also shielded; cocoa butter, powder, and cakes, as well as chocolate preparations in blocks or bars exceeding two kilograms, are listed as prohibited items.

Other household essentials now restricted to local production include tomato paste, whole tomatoes put up for retail sale, and mineral and aerated waters.

The hygiene sector is notably impacted, as all forms of soaps and organic surface-active products (commonly known as detergents) are now barred from importation under HS Codes 3401.11.10.00 through 3402.90.00.00 when intended for retail sale.

Even everyday stationery is affected, as ballpoint pens and their refills are barred from importation, though the government made a specific concession for importing pen tips. Industrial and construction materials were not left out of the revised trade policy.

Bagged cement remains on the prohibited list under HS Code 2523.29.00.00, alongside NPK 15:15:15 fertilizers and similar variants.

The packaging industry faces a continued ban on corrugated paper, paper boards, and cartons, while the glass industry is protected by a prohibition on hollow glass bottles exceeding 150 milliliters in capacity.