Access Bank Plc has entered into a strategic partnership with the African Finance Corporation (AFC) to boost trade in Nigeria and eight and the African continent in general, with the signing of a N15 billion ($100 million) trade finance master participation agreement.

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has called upon the management of Ecobank Plc to step up the payment of depositors the acquired African International Bank Limited (AIB) who are yet to verify their claims to go to the nearest branches of Ecobank and claim their deposits.

Royal Dutch Shell said on Wednesday it had started production from a major new oil and gas facility in Nigeria which it hopes will boost exports as well as provide a badly-needed boost to domestic electricity generation.

Telecoms service provider, Etisalat says it has attained the four million subscriber base on its network. This is coming in less than two years of Etisalat’s operations in Nigeria’s dynamic and highly competitive telecommunications market.

This second part of the interview with Dr. Iyorchia Ayu which we started last Sunday reveals how the forces which wanted the annulment of the June 12 presidential elections succeeded in rendering the then military President Ibrahim Babangida helpless.“Yes, IBB was the military leader at that time but let me tell you the truth, General Babangida was helpless, whether Babangida wanted it or not, June 12 election would have been annulled; there was nothing he could have done about it. “My only problem with him and the unfortunate thing is that he has not been able to come out and tell the truth about what happened.

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called for equal sharing of posts in the Ogun State chapter of the party by the two founding factions. One faction is led by Governor Gbenga Daniel and the other by Alhaji Jubril Martins-Kuye, minister of commerce.

My beloved brethren in Christ Jesus, Let me first express my gratitude to God Almighty, who has given me the privilege and opportunity to serve you as President of the Christian Association of Nigeria. Without Him, today would not have been possible, and I give Him all the glory.

THE former National Vice-Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Elder Peter Agbokonkon, yesterday, lamented the failure by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to supply petroleum product to Benin depot in the past eight years.

MANY eminent Nigerians including the Sultan of Sokoto and president of Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and his Ogun State counterpart, Otunba Gbenga Daniel have congratulated the new president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.

The first batch of 2,000 ex-militants currently undergoing transformational training at the Federal Government’s Post Amnesty Camp in Obubra, Cross River have graduated.

ANAMBRA State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, tasted the excruciating experience motorists go through whenever there is traffic flow disruption on the Niger Bridge when his convoy was held up there.

THE Federal government said yesterday that if the country must achieve the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs and the set target of becoming one of the top 20 economic nations of the world, the Bank of Industry, BOI must ensure that its operational strategies were designed to meet with the challenges.

All doubts about the eligibility of President Goodluck Jonathan for the PDP primaries leading to next year’s presidential election were laid to rest yesterday after the party announced that it was throwing open the presidential, governorship and legislative primaries to all aspirants irrespective of their birth place.

The agitation by some northern elites for President Goodluck Jonathan not to contest for presidency come 2011 is generating ripples as South South Northern Alliance (SSNA) says there is no vacancy in Aso Rock till 2015.

Just like anger, I try not to be swayed by euphoria or charm, its best to wait till reason and facts emerge before acting. It is possible to feel trapped in a strait jacket of expectations to be nice even when people take undue advantage and are rude. So I had my day. Luckily I didn’t snap anyone’s head off and apart from sounding like a serial killer on the phone, virtually no damage was done; it was just one of those damn days.