THE Federal Government has announced a loss of about 1,101,488 barrels of oil per day (bopd) during the first quarter of 2009 alone mainly due to the crises in the oil rich Niger-Delta region.

FOLLOWING the launch of its gas-powered vehicle in Nigeria, Nipco Plc, one of the major players in the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry has called out to the Federal Government to encourage importation of kits by giving concessions and other benefits to cars running on liquefied petroleum gas, LPG.

ABUJA – THE Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (IPMAN) has said it plans to build a refinery in the country to reduce the challenges associated with importation of fuel and other petroleum products, a situation which it said has cost the nation millions of dollars in oil revenue.

DESPITE President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s offer of amnesty to militants, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger- Delta at the weekend said it had blown up a wellhead in a Shell oil field in Delta State, citing provocation from the Joint Task Force (JTF).

Investors’ woes were heightened last week, as the value of their investments on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) dipped by N706.21 billion.

The Afribank Group, comprising of Afribank Nigeria Plc and nine specialized subsidiaries, has opened a mega complex in Lekki Phase One, Lagos, where the services of members of the Group could be accessed under one roof.The complex, which is fitted with modern facilities, offers convenience, easy accessibility and one-stop financial services to different clientele.

Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited has launched the Diva Club – a networking platform for women under the umbrella of the bank’s innovative women’s product Diva Club Account.

NEXTZON Business Serv ices Limited, one of the Nigeria’s leading enterprise building firm is breaking new grounds in forging cross border trade alliances as it recently facilitated the visit of a Brazilian Trade Mission to Nigeria.

THE coming of the world ‘s gas giant Gazprom to Africa’s biggest oil producer Nigeria would put an end to gas flaring, Alexander Polyakov, the Russian ambassador to Nigeria, said on Tuesday.

* MEND claims 23 soldiers killed *No soldier was killed – JTF By Emma Amaize WARRI – MILITANTS in the early hours of today bombed an off-shore platform of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) located at Forcados in Delta State and purportedly sunk a military gun boat carrying between 20-23 soldiers, a claim that […]

DR. FESTUS IYAYI is a lecturer in the University of Benin.
He came into limelight when he was the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), where he joined others to confront the obnoxious policies of the Babangida administration. Since then, he has not looked back. A radical author and human rights activist, Iyayi in this interview with Vanguard described Nigeria as failed nation state. Excerpts:

The House of Representatives will tomorrow debate on an edgy motion that seeks to declare the winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election, Chief Moshood Abiola, President, posthumously.

GOVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State weekend justified the constitution of the caretaker’s chairmen for the 18 councils after the Court declared the election of erstwhile chairmen illegal.

Ekiti State Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, weekend, said a large movement was the only antidote that could stem the tide of electoral malpractices which have rubbished our hard-won democracy.

THE reason for the cancellation of President Umaru Yar’Adua’s planned visit to Bayelsa State was made known yesterday.