Experts from academia, government agencies and the private sector have called for indigenous technological development, stronger policy enforcement and a cultural shift in energy consumption as key steps towards addressing Nigeria’s persistent energy crisis. They made the call during a three-day workshop on Africa’s energy future, hosted at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and organised by the African Engineering and Technology Network (AFRETEC). The event, themed “Empowering Africa’s Energy Transition: Innovations, Challenges and Collaborative Pathways” brought together policymakers, academics and industry stakeholders to explore practical solutions to Africa’s energy challenges in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7,…
Author: Ibrahim Awotunde
The United Bank for Africa (UBA) on Monday handed over a new innovation hub and business office to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and committed an additional ₦60 million to the institution’s Professorial Chair in Finance. Constructed on 1,400 square metres of land, the building is shared between the university and the bank, with 52 per cent allocated to the university and 48 per cent to UBA. The Vice Chancellor of UNILAG, Folasade Ogunsola, a Professor of Medical Microbiology, received the facility alongside the management team. UBA’s Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, and Chairperson of the…
The family of the late social historian, socialist and scholar, Olusegun Osoba, has announced the burial arrangements for the departed academic, who died on 14 May at his residence in Ijebu-Ode at the age of 92. In a statement issued by the Osoba family, the deceased was described as a brother, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, teacher, and friend. Activities marking his passing will begin on Friday, 3 July, with a symposium and luncheon for members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Bala Usman Institute, and socialist comrades at Tunwase hall, Ijebu-Ode Club. Later the same day, a…
The European Union (EU) has launched an 18-month intervention aimed at countering disinformation and strengthening democratic resilience across five states in Northwestern Nigeria amid concerns over the impact of false narratives on security, social cohesion and governance. The initiative, being implemented in partnership with the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), will focus on Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi and Niger states. Tagged “Countering Disinformation and Empowering Democracy in Northwestern Nigeria,” the programme seeks to bring together journalists, civil society groups, security agencies, traditional leaders, educators and digital influencers to address misinformation and harmful narratives spreading across the region. Speaking at…
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has commissioned a microplastic recycling plant on its Akoka campus under a €753,000 partnership with the French Embassy in Nigeria, in a bid to tackle plastic pollution through research, recycling, and green innovation. The commissioning, held on Wednesday at the campus in Lagos, brought together the Consul General of France to Nigeria, Laurent Favier; the Deputy Head of Cooperation at the French Embassy, Pierre Andriamampianina; Souleymane Ciss, a representative of Plastic Odyssey, the technical partner on the project; Nyananso Ekanem, the Managing Consultant of Weir Capacity; and senior officials of the university. The Vice Chancellor…
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and heads of tertiary institutions have retained 150 as the minimum cut-off mark for admission into universities for the 2026/2027 academic session, while exempting eligible Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) applicants from sitting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The decision was reached on Monday at the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions into Tertiary Institutions held at the Body of Benchers Complex in Abuja. The meeting hosted by JAMB was chaired by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa. Stakeholders at the meeting including vice chancellors, rectors, and provosts also retained 100 as the…
Civil society organisations and residents in Lagos Island have called for greater citizen participation in local governance after budget data showed that the local government plans to spend ₦16.62 billion in 2026 despite generating only ₦638 million internally. The figures were presented at a civic engagement meeting organised under the Coalition of Participatory Governance (CPG), where residents, development partners and advocacy groups pressed the Lagos Island Local Government Area (LGA) to open governance processes to citizens and strengthen accountability at the grassroots. The meeting, themed “Participatory Governance: A Critical Tool for Inclusivity, Peace and Development,” brought together ward residents, market…
The Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF) has raised concerns over what it describes as a steady decline in press freedom across Africa, warning that journalists face increasing violence, repression and legal restrictions that governments have not moved to stop. The foundation issued the warning on 3 May 2026 to mark World Press Freedom Day. In a statement signed by its Press Freedom Manager, Zhiroh Jatau, it said evidence from its Africa-wide Press Freedom Tracker and other monitoring platforms shows that the space for independent journalism on the continent is shrinking. AMDF’s tracker, covering 2020 to 2026, documents violations ranging from…
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Chemstar Group, manufacturer of Finecoat and Shield Premium Brand of Paints, Emmanuel Awode, has lost his mother, Delphine Awode, a prophetess. Mrs Awode, described as the Matriarch of the Awode family, died in the early hours of Tuesday, 28 April, at the age of 86. A statement issued by Bamtefa Rotimi, a pastor and SDS of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church (CSMC), Victory District, Ikorodu, said the family received the news “with a heart full of gratitude to God for an exemplary life well spent.” He said the deceased, a devout Seraph Most Senior Special Mother-In-Israel,…
Nigeria’s university system is once again on the edge of disruption as academic and non-academic unions have threatened actions over stalled agreements, persistent salary delays, and what they described as a continued breakdown in the management of the sector. The warning came a few minutes after the non-academic staff of Nigerian universities announced the commencement of a nationwide strike action in response to the alleged failure of the government to complete the ongoing 2009 agreement renegotiation with the unions, among other demands. Two major unions- Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and…