News
NEITI, EFCC Join Forces to Recover $72bn from Oil Sector

By Gloria Ikibah
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has said it is in a partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to recover a total sum of $72 billion owed to the Federal Government by oil industry stakeholders.
Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, disclosed this during the agency’s 2025 budget proposal before the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) on Monday in Abuja.
He stated that NEITI, which was established to promote transparency in Nigeria’s oil, gas, and mining sectors, had been allocated a budget of N6.5 billion for 2025, covering personnel, overhead, and capital projects.
Dr. Orji highlighted key projects for 2025, including audits of the oil, gas, and mining sectors, research on fuel consumption, energy transition impacts, and a perception survey on EITI implementation. He noted that NEITI had previously recovered $3.7 billion in outstanding liabilities for the government from its 2020 and 2021 reports.
However, members of the House Committee criticized the agency for budgetary inconsistencies, including repeated line items and unjustifiable expenses.
Rep. Kafilat Ogbara questioned a proposed N32 million allocation for meals in 2025, and called for alignment with Nigeria’s economic realities.
Similarly, Rep. Ademorin Kuye urged government agencies to adopt prudent budgeting practices, emphasizing the public perception that the National Assembly merely approves all requests from agencies without scrutiny.
The committee called for greater fiscal discipline and accountability in government spending to reflect the nation’s economic challenges.
The Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Alhassan Doguwa, expressed dissatisfaction with the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative’s (NEITI) 2025 budget presentation.
He faulted the language used in the budget’s preparation and raised concerns about the inclusion of the National Assembly as beneficiaries of the agency’s welfare package.
Doguwa questioned the rationale behind such allocations, and noted that the committee has not conducted any oversight visits to the agency since its constitution, and emphasised that the only welfare the House expects from NEITI is one that prioritizes the well-being of the Nigerian people, not personal benefits.
He said: While I agree that the budget stops at our desk and you are just presenting a proposal, I will like to say that the economy is actually bad, the population of people for whom we are actually here are crying out. Agencies of government must be mindful of what they spend out of public resources.
“All these proposals are going to be spend at the expense of the Nigerian people. Sometimes, we come to make presentations here that sounds funny and very insultive in the eyes of the people. When you say in your projection things like welfare package inform of ex-gracia, health insurance, welfare packages to staff and some critical stakeholders during welfare packages”.
Doguwa however reiterated the Committee’s readiness to support the agency in actualising its mandate, and said “your agency is a critical one and the legislature unappreciative of the work that you are doing.
“We will definitely try as much as possible to support you as long as you can justify the reasons for one expenditure or the other. Then the legislature will have no option than to support you and provide you with the enabling financial environment for you to discharge your duties and mandate.”
News
I’d have been a journalist if I wasn’t a musician — Davido

Award-winning Afrobeats megastar, David Adeleke, better known as Davido, has revealed that if he hadn’t ventured into music, journalism would’ve been his calling.
Speaking in a recent interview with Atlanta’s 96.1 The Beat which started trending on Thursday, the With You crooner explained his love for media and press engagement, something he admits he does more than most of his peers.
Davido said, “I like promo, I like conversations. A lot of people don’t know that I studied marketing apart from business management. I like to market myself, I love to talk. If I had a podcast, I talk for like three to four days [laughs].
Davido said he believes that interacting with the media is an essential part of being an artist, “I just feel like it’s part of being an artist. A lot of big artists don’t do press but I do because I can talk. But some people just don’t want to talk. When people meet me, I like to have conversations, I like to know things, I like information. Even at home, I’m also researching. If I wasn’t doing music, I would definitely be in journalism.
“A lot of people in my position would just sit down and let everything work for them. People be asking me why I have the most followers, it’s because I’m working.
“I know how hard Beyonce will work with all the money she got.”
News
Nkechi Blessing Confirms Break Up With Lover

Controversial actress, Nkechi Blessing, has announced a breakup with her younger boyfriend, Xxssive.
This is coming amid speculations of their breakup on the social media.
Speaking in a series of posts on her Instagram story on Thursday, the actress declared herself single.
“I have been single since last year,I choose when i want to talk about my life, and the time is now no bad blood Between me and anybody, we are good,” she posted.
Recall that the 36-year-old actress confirmed relationship with the 27-year-old man in September 2022, after her messy split with Ekiti born politician, Opeyemi Falegan.
The relationship has been in public eye, following their public displays of affection on the social media.
News
Anambra govt. ban street begging, public almsgiving

The Anambra State Government has banned the distribution of food items and other gifts to street beggars in public spaces, particularly under the Aroma Bridge in Awka, the state capital, and other locations.
The state government also banned all forms of public begging, loitering, and street trading beneath the bridges in Awka, insisting that the move became necessary to uphold the dignity and order of the capital city, which is the face of the state.
A statement released by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Anambra State Capital Territory Development Authority, Ossy Onuko, on Thursday, stated that the directive is part of the state government’s efforts to sanitise the capital city and maintain public order.
Onuko said anyone found violating this new directive will be arrested and prosecuted.
He, however, cautioned content creators, philanthropists, and charity groups against distributing food, cash, or any form of alms to street children and beggars in public spaces, particularly.
While acknowledging that some of the “charitable acts” were for good intentions, he expressed concerns that they are inadvertently contributing to the continued loitering and congregation of destitute individuals in dangerous locations.
He said, “The government has closely observed the activities of some content creators, philanthropists, and charity groups who encourage and sustain the indiscriminate roaming of children under the Aroma Bridge by consistently giving out food, drinks, and cash gifts to these kids.
“Although their intentions may be noble, they ultimately contribute to the degradation of the capital city and put the lives of these children at risk. These children are exposed to potential harm, such as being knocked down by vehicles, abused by unruly adults, or even recruited into criminal activities.
“Such actions are illegal and we hereby warn that any individual or group found engaging in them will be seen as promoting civil disorder and will face legal action.”
He also advised that all charitable activities be conducted through accredited institutions, such as orphanages, care homes, and registered non-governmental organisations, where support can be provided in a more structured and secure manner.
Onuko further urged the general public to work with the state government to uphold the dignity and order of the capital city, which represents the face of Anambra State.
“Charitable acts should be channeled through accredited organisations such as orphanages, care homes, and registered NGOs, where support can be professionally administered to those in need.
“Alternatively, donations can be made to private homes and spaces that do not create public nuisances,” he added.
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