Dangote Refinery Presents First Petrol Sample

Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group has presented the first sample of Premium Motor Spirit, better known as petrol.

He made the presentation on Tuesday in a broadcast at his refinery situated in the Ibeju-Lekki Area of Lagos State.

"I would like to salute the people of Nigeria and the government of President Bola Tinubu for giving us the platform for growth, development, and prosperity. I also want to thank him personally for creating the idea of the Naira for crude. Doing that will give Naira stability.

"As we have this refinery working, it will show the true consumption of Nigeria; we can track every loaded truck and ship," Dangote said

He further disclosed that the refinery is meant to serve not just Nigerians, but also sub-Saharan Africa.

Vanguard 

Related story: Nigeria's Dangote refinery set to start gasoline output in September

 

 

Nigeria charges protesters with treason

Nigeria on Monday charged 10 people with treason and conspiring to incite the military to mutiny following last month's nationwide demonstrations that saw thousands take to the streets to protest against a cost of living crisis.

The protests were met with a deadly crackdown by security forces and Amnesty International said at least 13 people were killed. Security forces denied using lethal force.

The 10 men were arraigned in the Abuja Federal High Court and entered a not guilty plea. They face the death penalty if convicted, human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong said.

State prosecutors said in court papers seen by Reuters that the protesters intended to destabilise Nigeria and "conspired together to commit felony to wit, treason".

Prosecutors also laid five other charges against the accused under the country's penal code, including inciting the military to mutiny, burning government buildings and disturbing public peace.

Lawyers for the protesters sought their release on bail, which was opposed by the state. The court will make a ruling on Sept. 11 when their trial is expected to begin.

Amnesty urged the government to unconditionally release all the people arrested during the protests. It said the trial was meant to unlawfully justify detaining protesters.

"These are blatantly trumped-up charges that must be immediately withdrawn," said Isa Sanusi, director for Amnesty International Nigeria.

Nigerians blame economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu, in office since May 2023, for economic hardship, worsened by double-digit inflation after the currency was devalued and the cost of petrol and electricity rose.

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters

Related story: Video - Nigerian business owners count losses following anti-government rallies

 

Video - Nigeria records surge in remittances from its diaspora

Compared to the same period last year, inflows from the Nigerian diaspora rose by 130 percent in July to reach 553 million U.S. dollars. Analysts said the growth was driven by central bank-backed initiatives and the expansion of licensed international money transfer operators.

CGTN

Video - China's agricultural assistance improves Nigeria's cassava yields

The China-Nigeria partnership is spearheaded by the National Root Crops Research Institute and the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences. The initiative aims to teach Nigerian farmers how to produce more with fewer resources.

CGTN

DNA Testing Surge in Nigeria: Yoruba Record Highest Number of Tests

A new report from Smart DNA, a prominent DNA testing center in Lagos, reveals a significant rise in DNA testing across Nigeria. The report, released on September 1, covers data from July 2023 to June 2024.

The findings from Smart DNA show a high rate of paternity uncertainty, largely influenced by the increasing trend of migration, commonly referred to as “japa.”

The report indicates that 27 percent of paternity tests returned negative results, meaning that more than one in four men tested were not the biological fathers of the children in question.

The report also notes that a growing number of parents with dual citizenship are conducting DNA tests as part of the process for their children’s emigration paperwork.

Regionally, the report highlights that 73.1 percent of DNA tests were conducted in Lagos, with a significant disparity between the Mainland (67.5 percent) and the Island (32.5 percent).

Ethnic group data from the report shows that the Yoruba accounted for 53 percent of the tests, followed by the Igbo at 31.3 percent, while the Hausa made up just 1.2 percent.

Elizabeth Digia, Smart DNA’s operations manager, commented on the findings: “The high rate of negative paternity tests and the surge in immigration-related testing are particularly noteworthy. These trends reflect broader societal shifts that require further discussion and research. The concentration of testing in Lagos also raises important questions about the accessibility and awareness of DNA testing services across Nigeria.”

By Halimat Shittu, The News Digest