In the wake of the steady decline in crude oil prices in recent months, Nigerians anticipated the good news of a drop in pump price of petrol. Sadly, however, last week’s announcement of a new price of N87/litre quickly deflated the high public expectation for a price well below the existing, previously subsidized N97/litre.

African Development Bank (AfDB) and MasterCard have announced a broad collaboration that aims to expand financial inclusion across the African continent. The collaboration seeks to develop solutions that drive inclusive growth in Africa by broadening access and usage of digital financial services.

National U-23 Team, Dream V1, who are in Tunisia for a two-game friendly with their Tunisian counterpart, lost 5-3 in the first game of the series yesterday.

The Director of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr. George Osahon has said that the banking sector is not capable of financing exploration in the oil and gas industry. According to him, the banks have very low capital base to finance exploration in the country.

In the life of any exchange around the world, the reality is that you are going to have listings and delistings on annual basis. Companies will list for various reasons, but you will also have delistings either those that do not meet your standard any more or those that have committed regulatory breaches or those that voluntarily want to delist because it is not in their business interest anymore to continue to remain listed.

Global business and public sector leaders were in Davos Swizerland engaged in debate about the growing youth unemployment which many have said is growing in an uncomfortable proportion.

OSOGBO—The Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, for Osun State, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola has charged religious leaders to actively pursue the success of the forthcoming general elections by preaching to their congregations to shun violence before, during and after the polls.

Two indigenous pre paid meter manufacturers have appealed to the Federal Government to prevail on Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to promote locally manufactured pre-paid meters. They made the appeal in Lagos against the backdrop of approval of funds for the procurement of one million electricity meters by the Federal Government.

In another development, All Progressives Congress, APC, Enugu State chapter, yesterday, called on the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Comm- ission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, to urgently redeploy the new Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Professor Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, posted to the state.

We are asking that the Federal Government address needless deaths in its hospitals and put an end to this strike before the elections.— JOHESU

Online car marketplace, Carmudi.com has said it is considering a partnership with the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC and security agencies to prevent any form of fraud especially as related to the auto marketplace in Nigeria.

“If you look at the United States of America, a gallon of petroleum is sold for just 4 dollars (N740) because there is a regulatory body regulating the price”—Wingo

The Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS has charged government in the various tiers to use the Nigerian capital market to fix infrastructural deficit in the country.

“We have not gone as far as recalling our ambassadors there because we are looking at other factors; we still have 12 Nigerians on the death row. We need to remain engaged with the government of Indonesia. That is why, for instance, we have not looked at other options.

Yenagoa—The former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, has intensified lobbying of his former top aides and leading members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to support the election of the presidential flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Gen. Mohammud Buhari, in the state.