Category: Top News

After 20 Years, Nigeria Finally Unlocks Billions In Financing For Local Shipowners

CSNewsLeave a Comment on After 20 Years, Nigeria Finally Unlocks Billions In Financing For Local Shipowners

By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed More than two decades after it was established, the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund is finally being unlocked for Nigerian shipowners, marking what officials describe as a major step toward building a stronger, Nigerian owned shipping industry. Under the CVFF, each successful applicant will be able to access up to $25 million in financing to acquire vessels, subject to the applicable assessment and approval process, addressing a financing gap that has long limited the growth of local shipping companies. Officials say access to affordable, long term financing at low interest rates will allow Nigerian shipowners to acquire modern vessels, expand their fleets and compete for coastal and offshore contracts currently dominated by foreign operators. The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency has been directed to work closely with 12 approved Primary Lending Institutions to accelerate disbursement of the fund to qualified applicants, with the number of participating banks expanded from five to 12. So far, NIMASA has received 92 applications, with 20 forwarded to the Primary Lending Institutions and one already reviewed and forwarded for approval, while a new CVFF Application Portal has been launched to make the process more transparent and accessible. Officials say the disbursement could help build a stronger indigenous fleet, stimulating activity in shipyards, marine engineering, vessel maintenance and other supporting industries, while creating more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs. Beyond vessel financing, the government says it is also investing in people, with 222 seafarers receiving free professional training, 333 cadets completing academic training, 135 cadets obtaining Certificates of Competency and 7,059 Nigerian seafarers placed onboard vessels to gain sea time experience.

Continue Reading

Tinubu Signs NPERA Act, Splits Nigeria’s Ports Into Regulator And Operator

CSNewsLeave a Comment on Tinubu Signs NPERA Act, Splits Nigeria’s Ports Into Regulator And Operator

By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, has announced major reforms to Nigeria’s port sector following President Tinubu’s assent to the NPERA Act 2026, a move set to reshape how the country’s ports are regulated and run. Under the reform, management of Inland Dry Ports has been transferred from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to the Nigerian Ports Authority, while the Shippers’ Council itself will transition into the newly created Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency, known as NPERA. A Ministerial Committee has been set up to oversee the transition, with the changes designed to separate regulation from operations for the first time in the sector’s history. NPERA will now serve as the independent economic regulator, focusing on port charges, service standards, competition and dispute resolution, while the Nigerian Ports Authority handles the day to day running and integration of seaports and Inland Dry Ports. Officials say the goal is to remove overlap, avoid conflict of interest and make the system more transparent for investors and port users navigating Nigeria’s maritime space. For ordinary Nigerians, the reform is expected to translate into fairer port charges, faster cargo clearance and lower costs of goods, while also attracting fresh investment and allowing goods to be cleared closer to inland cities such as Ibadan and Kano. In simple terms, the government says it is building a port system that is faster, cheaper and more competitive, as part of a broader push to grow Nigeria’s Blue Economy.

Continue Reading

NELFUND Slams Fake Claim That Loan Defaulters Face Life Imprisonment

CSNewsLeave a Comment on NELFUND Slams Fake Claim That Loan Defaulters Face Life Imprisonment

By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Nigerian Education Loan Fund has dismissed as fake news a circulating image claiming that President Bola Tinubu announced life imprisonment for students who fail to repay their education loans after graduation. In a post on its official X account, NELFUND shared the doctored image, which purportedly showed the front page of a newspaper dated Thursday, May 27, 2027, and urged the public to disregard the claim entirely. The fabricated headline read that all students who fail to repay their loan after graduation would go to jail for life, a claim NELFUND stamped with a large red fake overlay to counter its spread. The Fund noted it has previously issued clarifications dismissing similarly fabricated circulars, including false notices about suspended upkeep payments and claims that beneficiaries must begin repayment while still in school. NELFUND was established under the Student Loans Access to Higher Education Act, signed into law by President Tinubu and re enacted in 2024, and administers interest free loans to eligible Nigerian students in public tertiary institutions. Under the law, repayment becomes due two years after a beneficiary completes the National Youth Service Corps programme, and only when the beneficiary is gainfully employed, with monthly deductions capped at 10 percent of gross income and unemployed beneficiaries able to seek extensions through a sworn statement.

Continue Reading

942 Forest Guards Graduate In Plateau, Charged To Defend Nigeria’s Forests With Vigilance

CSNewsLeave a Comment on 942 Forest Guards Graduate In Plateau, Charged To Defend Nigeria’s Forests With Vigilance

By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shuaibu, has charged 942 newly trained forest guards from Borno State to combine vigilance with diligence as they assume duty as the first line of defence in protecting the nation’s forests. The charge was delivered at the graduation ceremony held at the shooting range of Maxwell Khobe Cantonment in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, marking the conclusion of six weeks of intensive training. The training covered physical fitness, surveillance and weapons handling, preparing the 942 graduates to commence duties aimed at protecting forests and curbing criminal activities within forested areas. Representing the Chief of Army Staff, the General Officer Commanding 3 Division, Major General Maxwell Dangana, expressed concern over the increasing encroachment of criminal elements into forests, describing them as valuable natural resources requiring protection. He urged the forest guards to discharge their responsibilities with diligence and professionalism, while respecting the fundamental rights of citizens in the course of their duties. The newly trained guards later demonstrated their skills in weapon handling and physical fitness, drawing applause from dignitaries and other guests present at the ceremony.

Continue Reading

Troops Rescue Two Kidnap Victims And Arrest Suspect In Nasarawa And Benue

CSNewsLeave a Comment on Troops Rescue Two Kidnap Victims And Arrest Suspect In Nasarawa And Benue

By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke, have rescued two abducted victims and arrested a suspected kidnapper in separate operations carried out across Nasarawa and Benue States. According to a statement signed by the Acting Media Information Officer, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, troops of Sector Two arrested a suspect identified as Adamu Lamu at Agyaragu in Nasarawa State, following information provided by a victim who had earlier escaped his abductors. The victim, Nehemiah Elisha, later sighted one of his suspected abductors at a market in Agyaragu and immediately alerted troops deployed in the area, leading to the suspect’s swift arrest and handover to the police for further investigation. In a separate operation on September 6, troops of COAS Intervention Battalion XI rescued a kidnapped victim, Vincent Nyado, along the Umene Torkula Road in Benue State, after finding him tied and abandoned by the roadside. Preliminary information indicates Nyado had allegedly been abducted by suspected terrorists who fled into surrounding bushes on sighting the approaching troops, abandoning their victim in the process. Operation Whirl Stroke said it remains committed to stemming the rising tide of violence across the North Central region and Taraba State, urging members of the public to continue providing credible and timely information to security agencies.

Continue Reading

Troops Storm Terrorist Enclaves In Sokoto, Seize Machine Gun And Ammunition

CSNewsLeave a Comment on Troops Storm Terrorist Enclaves In Sokoto, Seize Machine Gun And Ammunition

By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed Troops of the Special Intervention Battalion 7, Sector Two, under Operation Fansan Yamma, have dislodged terrorists and recovered a machine gun and other high calibre weapons during clearance operations in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The operation formed part of ongoing offensive efforts to clear terrorist enclaves and deny criminal elements freedom of action across the North West region. According to a statement by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 8 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, troops advanced through identified threat enclaves including Manu, Alkasim and Kandam villages, as well as the Magarya Forest axis. At the Magarya Forest enclave, troops engaged the terrorists with superior firepower, forcing them to abandon their positions and flee deeper into the forest. Follow up operations and a thorough search of the area led to the recovery of significant arms, ammunition and mobility assets, including a PKT machine gun, AK 47 rifles, a large quantity of belted ammunition and motorcycles. Troops have maintained a strong operational presence in the area to ensure the continued security of surrounding communities following the successful clearance operation.

Continue Reading

IGP Disu Tours 23 Barracks, Promises Better Living Conditions For Officers And Families

CSNewsLeave a Comment on IGP Disu Tours 23 Barracks, Promises Better Living Conditions For Officers And Families

By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Inspector General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has conducted a comprehensive inspection of 23 police barracks across the country to assess the living conditions of personnel and their families and identify priority areas requiring intervention. The exercise covered residential quarters and other welfare infrastructure, with the IGP engaging directly with personnel and residents while assessing the condition of facilities on the ground. The inspection provided a broad picture of existing welfare challenges, highlighting areas requiring urgent attention, rehabilitation and sustained investment across the barracks visited. IGP Disu reiterated that personnel who dedicate themselves to the protection of lives and property deserve decent and conducive living conditions, describing improved welfare as integral to building a motivated and effective police force. The Nigeria Police Force said it remains committed to improving welfare and living conditions for its personnel and their families through sustained investment in accommodation and other support systems. The exercise is expected to inform ongoing police reform efforts, with the leadership emphasising evidence based assessment and practical interventions in addressing infrastructure gaps across the force.

Continue Reading

NAF Graduates 459 Regiment Personnel To Sharpen Force Protection Muscle

CSNewsLeave a Comment on NAF Graduates 459 Regiment Personnel To Sharpen Force Protection Muscle

By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Nigerian Air Force has graduated 459 Regiment Personnel, comprising 10 officers and 449 airmen and airwomen, following specialised training at the Regiment Training Centre in Kaduna, in a ceremony held on September 4, 2026. The graduation underscores the Service’s commitment to developing the personnel required to meet evolving national security challenges, particularly around the protection of critical military and national assets. Speaking at the event, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, represented by the Chief of Training at Headquarters NAF, Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Dari, emphasised that effective force protection is critical to sustaining airpower projection and safeguarding Service and national assets. He reaffirmed the NAF’s commitment to deliberate training and mission oriented force development aimed at generating agile, resilient and combat ready forces, noting that the enhanced capability is expected to support ongoing counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations. For Nigerians, the graduation represents another step toward a more capable, responsive and resilient Air Force committed to safeguarding lives and contributing to a safer and more secure country. The graduates were charged to uphold discipline, courage, teamwork and vigilance as they return to their respective units to begin applying the skills gained during training. The Commandant of the Regiment Training Centre, Air Vice Marshal Isaac Subi, expressed confidence that the training would enhance the graduates’ contributions to operational effectiveness, reaffirming the Centre’s commitment to quality professional military training going forward.

Continue Reading

Enugu’s Youngest Coders Graduate With AI, Drones And Big Dreams In Their Hands

CSNewsLeave a Comment on Enugu’s Youngest Coders Graduate With AI, Drones And Big Dreams In Their Hands

By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The National Information Technology Development Agency, in collaboration with the Enugu MSME and Startup Agency, has concluded the Enugu Kids Coding and Emerging Technology Bootcamp, equipping primary and secondary school students with practical digital and emerging technology skills. Through hands on learning, participants explored Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Robotics and Automation, Drone Technology, Autonomous Systems, 3D Design and other emerging fields, gaining exposure many would not ordinarily encounter at their age. The South East Zonal Director of NITDA, represented by Mr Ikechukwu Eze, urged the participants to build on the knowledge they had acquired and use technology to develop solutions that address real world challenges, encouraging them to look beyond the classroom and grow into future technology leaders. Certificates were presented to all participants, while outstanding students received laptops and tablets in recognition of their exceptional performance during the programme. Through initiatives like this, NITDA said it continues to strengthen Nigeria’s digital talent pipeline, giving young Nigerians an early foundation to innovate, compete and contribute meaningfully to the country’s digital transformation. The bootcamp adds to a growing list of youth focused digital literacy programmes across the country, as agencies increasingly look to early exposure as a way of building Nigeria’s long term technology workforce. Organisers say more editions of the bootcamp are expected in other states as the initiative continues to expand its reach among young Nigerians.

Continue Reading

Midnight Raid In Niger State Sparks Outcry After Ex Deputy Governor’s Aide Is Seized

CSNewsLeave a Comment on Midnight Raid In Niger State Sparks Outcry After Ex Deputy Governor’s Aide Is Seized

By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed Tension has gripped Niger State after police allegedly stormed the home of Lawal Mu’azu Obah, a former aide to the deputy governor, in a midnight operation that residents say unfolded with unusual force. Witnesses claim officers confiscated phones and assaulted residents during the raid before whisking Mu’azu Obah away, an account that has fuelled anger and concern among locals in the affected community. Sources close to the matter suggest the arrest may be linked to his outspoken support for an opposition candidate ahead of upcoming local elections, though this connection has not been officially confirmed. The police command is yet to issue a formal statement on the incident, but insiders indicate that the matter is currently under investigation by relevant authorities. Civil society groups have condemned the raid, describing it as an attack on democracy and freedom of expression, and are calling for transparency in how the case is handled going forward. As pressure mounts for an official response, all eyes remain on the police command to clarify the circumstances surrounding the arrest and address concerns raised by rights groups and residents alike.

Continue Reading