Author: Naija Daily News

Australia’s position as a top destination for international education may be under threat, as proposed changes to student visa fees could make it one of the most expensive countries in the world for global learners. The Australian government is currently considering an increase in its student visa application fee from AUD$1,600 to AUD$2,000—an amount equivalent to about ₦2,054,480 at current exchange rates. This change, if implemented, could significantly impact Nigerian students, who have long considered Australia a welcoming environment for higher education. A Sharp Climb in Costs The current AUD$1,600 fee—introduced as recently as July 2024—was already a steep rise…

Prominent Nigerian socialite and businesswoman Aisha Achimugu appeared before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, following an order issued by Justice Inyang Ekwo and enforcement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Achimugu, an associate and alleged consort of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was escorted by two female EFCC operatives, arrived at the courthouse around 11:35 a.m., complying with a legal directive related to an ongoing investigation. According to reports, the court had ordered her to report to the EFCC by noon on Tuesday, amid claims that she had earlier left the country. The EFCC reportedly detained…

….Production Targets Set for 2027 and 2030 By Douglas Maha The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has dismissed the managing directors of its three major refineries — Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna — in a sweeping overhaul designed to reset Nigeria’s struggling oil and gas sector. This decisive move follows President Bola Tinubu’s recent removal of NNPCL’s former Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, amid mounting concerns over the company’s underperformance and inability to meet oil production targets. Industry sources confirmed the exit of the three refinery heads along with several senior executives, including Bala Wunti, former head of…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Federal Government has officially ended its Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship scheme, citing inefficiencies and poor resource management. The move comes after numerous complaints from past beneficiaries who alleged they were neglected while studying abroad. The BEA initiative, developed through international partnerships, enabled Nigerian students to pursue studies in countries such as China, Russia, Hungary, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Serbia. However, the government now deems the program financially unsustainable. Minister of Education Dr. Maruf Alausa announced the termination during a meeting with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Tuesday. He stated that all pending…

By Deborah Nnamdi The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has directed its Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, to initiate legal proceedings against Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, former Vice Presidential candidate Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and the entire Delta PDP structure following their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking to the press after the year’s first meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC), Acting National Chairman Ambassador Umar Damagum stated that the party is ready to pursue legal avenues to reclaim its mandate, arguing that the officials in question were elected under the PDP platform. In response…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a socialite and music mogul, E-Money (real name Emeka Okonkwo Daniel), over alleged money laundering. E-Money was reportedly arrested on Monday night at his residence in the Omole area of Lagos. It was gathered on Tuesday that the socialite is being investigated for allegedly spraying United States dollars at public events, a practice that may contravene provisions of the Foreign Exchange Act and regulations on currency abuse. Already, the Commission said a preliminary investigation is ongoing, revealing that E-Money could be charged in court upon conclusion. Naija Daily News learnt that…

Electricity has been restored to nearly the entire Iberian Peninsula following a massive power outage that left millions without electricity, disrupted train services, and stranded people in elevators across Spain and Portugal. Widespread Power Outage Paralyses the Iberian Peninsula The blackout, which began on Tuesday, affected nearly all of mainland Spain and Portugal, plunging homes, businesses, and vital infrastructure into darkness. Internet and mobile phone services were also widely disrupted during the outage. Spain’s national grid operator, Red Eléctrica de España (REE), confirmed that over 99% of the country’s electricity supply had been restored by late Tuesday evening. Meanwhile, Portugal’s…

By Deborah Nnamdi Witnesses scheduled to testify against Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), will do so behind a screen, following a court order. The decision was made by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, in response to a request from the Federal Government, represented by senior advocate Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN). Awomolo, filing an ex-parte application, argued that the witnesses’ identities should be protected due to the sensitive nature of the terrorism charges and the need to ensure their safety. He also requested that their names not be disclosed publicly.…

By Deborah Nnamdi Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, a well-known business executive, was detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Tuesday, April 29. According to a statement from her legal team on Tuesday, Achimugu was taken into custody around 5 a.m. following her voluntary return from London. The arrest is tied to an ongoing EFCC probe into alleged money laundering and criminal conspiracy. Her lawyer had previously notified the Federal High Court in Abuja that she intended to comply with the EFCC’s summons, as indicated in court filings. This development follows a…

By Deborah Nnamdi OpenAI revealed Monday that ChatGPT can now assist users with online shopping, stepping up its competition with Google as the search giant faces mounting regulatory scrutiny over its market dominance. This new feature brings AI chatbots even closer to functioning like traditional search engines, underlining OpenAI’s broader ambitions to rival Google in a space it has long commanded. “Search has become one of our most popular and fastest-growing features, with over 1 billion web searches just in the past week,” the San Francisco-based company shared in a post on X. Launched on Monday, the update enables users…