Nigeria and the Space Exploration and Research Agency, SERA, from Delaware, USA, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to send the first Nigerian to space. Chief Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, said at the signing of the MoU in Abuja yesterday, that human spaceflight was a major aspiration of Nigeria. Human spaceflight is not just a random aspiration of our country but a major objective of the Nigeria Space Policy and Programme which was approved by the Federal Executive Council, FEC, in 2001 Reviving and implementing all abandoned national plans is a cardinal point of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of President Bola Tinubu. This partnership provides a way of achieving our long-time aspiration as a nation,” he said. The minister said the slot could be available from now till December, or in 2025, as SERA would still be test-running the platform. Dr Matthew Adepoju, Director- General of NASRDA, said the cost of sending a N...

The crisis in Rivers State on Tuesday worsened over the tenure of  23 local government chairmen as protesting youths loyal to the state Governor,  Siminalayi Fubara, dislodged no fewer than three chairmen who refused to vacate their offices. A policeman was killed at  Eberi-Omuma in the Omuma Local Government  Council secretariat during a clash between supporters of Fubara and his predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. To prevent a breakdown of law and order, the police on Tuesday evening announced the takeover of the 23 council secretariats. The three-year tenure of the 23 chairmen expired on Monday but they had vowed to remain in office, citing the Local Government Amendment Law 2024 made by the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly. The crisis in Rivers State on Tuesday worsened over the tenure of  23 local government chairmen as protesting youths loyal to the state Governor,  Siminalayi ...

The National Labour Congress (NLC) has just declared that a nationwide strike is set to commence on Monday. This move comes as a response to unresolved issues concerning workers' welfare and demands for better working conditions. The decision to embark on this industrial action was reached after a series of discussions and negotiations with relevant stakeholders failed to yield satisfactory results. The NLC, representing millions of workers across various sectors, sees the strike as a necessary step to draw attention to the pressing concerns affecting the workforce. Workers are being urged to participate in the strike as a show of solidarity and to press for their rights to be upheld. Industries, businesses, and services are expected to be affected by the strike, with potential disruptions in transportation, government services, and other sectors. As the nation braces for the impact of this impending strike, both workers and employers are urged to seek amicable solution...

This year's Workers' Day is the first under President Bola Tinubu who was sworn in as the leader of Africa's most populous nation on May 29, 2023. Nigerian workers on Wednesday joined their counterparts in other parts of the world to mark the 2024 International Labour Day, also known as May Day or Workers’ Day. The May Day, an annual ritual celebrated on May 1st of every year, honours the contributions and feats of workers worldwide as well as the vital roles of workers in building resilient societies and productive economies. Already, the Federal Government declared Wednesday, May 1st, 2024 as a public holiday to mark this year’s Workers’ Day event in Nigeria. In a statement, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said, “In alignment with this year’s theme, which focuses on ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate, I wish to state that the Federal Government remains steadfast in its resolve to prioritise the safety and well-being of a...

The cost of domestic flights in Nigeria has drastically decreased, giving customers various options despite the rising Jet A1 fuel prices. This comes after a sharp decline in passenger volume in the first quarter of 2024.In February, Major domestic carriers, including Air Peace, Dana Air, and Ibom Air, offered economy travel tickets for most locations for N140,000. This was a significant increase from the average of N89,000 But things have changed now that most airlines are trying to draw customers in by cutting their fares dramatically. Daily Sun reported that Dana Air offers economy tickets on its website for as little as N64,800 for people who want to fly from Lagos to Abuja on April 30. Earlier cost vs recent cost For most February time slots, Air Peace was charging N143,000 for economy class seats on the Lagos-Abuja route. This price included flights from Abuja to Asaba as well. The same N143,000 charge applied to those travelling in economy class from Calabar to Lagos, Lagos to B...