Headline

FG To Concession Tafawa Balewa Square, Other Independence Structures

Published

7 years ago

March 27, 2019

Editor

The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission on Wednesday said the Independence Building in Lagos would soon be concessioned under a Build, Operate and Transfer agreement.

The commission Director-General, Mr Chidi Izuwah, made this known while addressing newsmen after monitoring the dilapidated building on Lagos Island.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Independence Building is a 25-storey structure situated in the Lagos Central Business District and was built in 1961.

It occupies a land area of 8,100 square metres, with a large separate parking provision of 2,650 square metres.

Izuwah said the intention of the Federal Government was to concession the asset for it to become a national trade and international business centre similar to a world trade centre.

He further explained that the concessionaire would rehabilitate, manage and operate the National Trade and International Business Centre and transfer back to the Tafawa Balewa Square Management Board.

The director-general said the ICRC visitation to the building was part of its monitoring responsibilities and in line with the Next Level agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

“This building known as Independence Building is a national monument that was built in 1961 and the ICRC has a mandate of pre-contract and post-contract compliance monitoring.

“The building is not yielding economy value currently to the government.

“It is in a very strategic place in Lagos; opposite the Tafawa Balewa Square the Race Cross on the right is Kings College and it is on the central of Lagos Island

Headline

Mike Adenuga, Emmanuel Macron Hold High-Powered Meeting in Paris

Published

7 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Eric

Accomplished billionaire businessman and Commander of the French Légion d’Honneur, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., GCON, CdrLH, has held a private meeting with the French President, Emmanuel Macron.

The two powerful citizens of the world held the meeting on Wednesday at the historic Élysée Palace in Paris.

The high-level engagement underscores the longstanding relationship between Dr. Adenuga and the French Republic, as well as his continued relevance in global business and diplomatic circles.

A respected industrialist and philanthropist, Adenuga has been widely acknowledged for his contributions to economic development, telecommunications, energy, and humanitarian causes across Africa and beyond.

The meeting adds to Dr. Adenuga’s growing profile as a bridge between African enterprise and international leadership.

Headline

Free at Last: Burkina Faso Releases 11 Nigerian Soldiers, Aircraft

Published

7 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Eric

Burkina Faso has released Nigerian soldiers who were detained after their aircraft made a forced landing in the Sahelian country earlier this month, Nigerian officials said.

The release followed a diplomatic intervention by President Bola Tinubu, who dispatched a high-level delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to meet Burkina Faso’s Military Leader, Ibrahim Traoré, on Wednesday.

In a statement, Alkasim Abdulkadir, Tuggar’s spokesperson, said both sides resolved the matter amicably and secured the release of the Nigerian Air Force pilots and crew.

The soldiers had been held for nearly two weeks after the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) described the aircraft’s landing as an “unfriendly act” carried out in defiance of international law.

The Nigerian Air Force, however, said the crew encountered a technical issue that required a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, the nearest available airfield. It said the landing complied with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols.

Headline

Corruption Allegations: NMDPRA Boss Farouk Ahmed Meets Tinubu, Resigns

Published

20 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Eric

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, has resigned following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu amid corruption allegations.

Tinubu, on Wednesday, summoned Ahmed to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, following allegations of economic sabotage and corruption.

Also caught in the web of resignation was the CEO of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, according to a statement on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy.

Tinubu was said to have nominated successors to the senate for approval.

“Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve the nominations of two new chief executives for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC),” the statement reads.

“The requests followed the resignation of Engineer Farouk Ahmed of the NMDPRA and Gbenga Komolafe of the NUPRC.

“Both officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Buhari to lead the two regulatory agencies created by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

“To fill these positions, President Tinubu has written to the Senate, requesting expedited confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA.”

Onanuga said the two nominees are seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry.