Author: TheLagosianMagazine

By Peter Omopo President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday held a private working lunch with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris, as his 10-day working leave entered its fifth day. Photographs released by the State House showed both leaders exchanging a warm handshake before proceeding into the palace for closed-door talks. The meeting marks Tinubu’s seventh visit to Paris since assuming office in May 2023 and his first trip to France since attending the BRICS Summit in Brazil and the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Japan earlier this year. Tinubu is currently on the…

By Peter Omopo The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) will today (Wednesday) convene its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting to determine whether to embark on a nationwide strike following the expiration of a 10-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government. The association, which accounts for the bulk of the medical workforce in Nigeria’s teaching and specialist hospitals, has repeatedly raised concerns about unpaid salaries, poor welfare, and inadequate working conditions. Experts warn that another strike could cripple healthcare delivery, forcing patients to seek costly private care and worsening health outcomes across the country. In a communiqué dated September 1,…

By Peter Omopo The Lagos State Government has directed residents of Makoko living in buildings constructed beneath high-tension power lines to vacate immediately, warning of imminent dangers to life and property. The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) issued the advisory during an enforcement briefing on Tuesday. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki, said such structures not only violate physical planning laws but also endanger public safety. “Makoko has become a high-risk zone because electricity cables run directly over homes and businesses. The high-tension lines transmit power at extremely high voltages, posing a serious…

By Peter Omopo Legendary American R&B group Shalamar will headline a major concert in Abuja on October 4 as part of Nigeria’s 65th Independence celebrations. The event, billed for the International Conference Centre, is being promoted by iCreate Africa in partnership with First Culture Limited, and promises to deliver a night of nostalgia, electrifying performances, and timeless music. Shalamar, famed for classics such as A Night to Remember and I Can Make You Feel Good, will perform alongside its iconic lineup — Howard Hewett, Carolyn Griffey, and Jeffrey Daniel, who pioneered the “backslide” dance move, later popularised as the moonwalk.…

By Peter Omopo The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has called off its two-day strike following a crucial meeting with the Dangote Group on Tuesday. NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with journalists, stating that the agreement was reached after the Dangote refinery team, led by Sayyu Dantata, consented to unionise its drivers. “We have suspended the strike. The Dangote refinery has agreed to unionise its drivers. We signed an agreement,” Akporeha said. The meeting, according to him, was convened by the Department of State Services (DSS) to resolve the standoff.…

By Peter Omopo Former political appointees who served under ex-Governor Idris Wada in Kogi State have appealed to Governor Usman Ododo to pay their outstanding three months’ salary arrears, saying the funds would help them cope with school fee obligations as schools resume later this month. The appeal was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Lokoja and signed by Austine Medaiyedu, former Special Adviser on Inter-Governmental Affairs. “I write to beg you in the spirit of the Kogi Agenda that you hold in high esteem, and in view of the current school fees challenges facing parents as schools…

By Peter Omopo The Government of Qatar has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that it introduced new visa restrictions for Nigerian passport holders. An official of the Qatari Ministry of Interior told the BBC Pidgin on Wednesday that no such restrictions exist, stressing that Nigerians remain eligible to apply for visas under existing procedures. The clarification followed viral reports alleging that male Nigerian applicants would no longer be allowed entry into Qatar unless accompanied by family members. The reports further claimed that only women or families could apply for visas, with additional requirements such as five-star hotel bookings…

By Peter Omopo Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan will host prominent African leaders and global development experts at the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation 2025 Democracy Dialogue in Accra, Ghana, on September 17. In a statement on Tuesday, Jonathan’s Special Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, said the high-level event will focus on the theme, “Why Democracies Die,” and will be co-hosted by the Government of Ghana. Distinguished leaders expected at the gathering include Ghana’s former President John Mahama; Nigeria’s ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, who will chair the dialogue; Kadré Ouédraogo, former Prime Minister of Burkina Faso and ex-President of the ECOWAS Commission; and Dr. Omar…

By Peter Omopo The Obidient Movement has cautioned the Federal Government against introducing a proposed 5% surcharge on petrol and diesel, warning that the policy would deepen the hardship faced by Nigerians struggling with rising living costs. The warning follows remarks by the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, who disclosed that the levy, part of President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform agenda, is designed to fund road infrastructure and cut logistics costs. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the group’s National Coordinator, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, described the plan as “a policy built on…

By Peter Omopo The Nigerian Army says its troops have arrested 11 suspected terrorist logistics suppliers and rescued nine kidnapped victims in a series of operations conducted across the country within 48 hours. A senior military source confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja that the operations also led to the recovery of 114 livestock, ₦1.1 million cash, a pump-action rifle, four cartridges, petroleum products, and other items. In Borno State, troops of the 149 Battalion in Gubio arrested eight suspected suppliers of Boko Haram and ISWAP on September 7. Items recovered included 28 jerrycans and…