Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Lafarge Africa Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing gender inclusion and sustainable development as it marked the 2026 International Women’s Day with a high-level forum aimed at empowering women across industries. The event, themed “The Give to Gain Blueprint: Investing in Women to Build Sustainable Impact,” brought together female professionals, business leaders and stakeholders to discuss strategies for strengthening economic inclusion and workplace equity. The gathering, held at The Hall Events Centre, featured a keynote address, panel discussions and interactive sessions focusing on the role of women in driving sustainable progress in business and national development. Speaking at the…

…Hunye Denies Dismissal, Says He Is On Compulsory Leave Zainab Abioye Members of the Association of Waste Management Vendors and Recyclers of Ogun State on Thursday staged a peaceful protest at the Ogun State House of Assembly complex, demanding the immediate sack of the state Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, over alleged interference in the waste management sector. The protesters accused Oresanya and the Special Adviser to the Ogun State Waste Management Authority, Farouk Akintunde, of actions capable of destabilising the state’s waste management system. Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Ola Oresanya Must Go,” “Gov Dapo Abiodun, Save Our…

No fewer than 500 Muslim faithful have benefited from the distribution of food items and cash organised by a member of the support group of the senator representing Ogun West, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The outreach, spearheaded by Hon. Wale Sowole, was carried out across several mosques in the state capital as part of Ramadan support for worshippers observing the fasting period. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the distribution took place at Ita Baki Mosque in Elega, Fadama Central Mosque in Bode Olude, Akorede Central Mosque in Saje, Imale Nfe Alafia Mosque in Oke…

More than 3.7 million Nigerians are currently living as internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to conflict, violence, and climate-related disasters, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has revealed. Sharon Dimanche, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Nigeria, disclosed the figures while delivering a goodwill message at the First Edo State Humanitarian Summit in Benin City on Thursday. She said the rising displacement crisis has left countless families struggling to rebuild their lives with dignity, emphasizing that humanitarian response must extend beyond emergency aid to restoring hope and sustainable livelihoods. Dimanche outlined IOM’s three-pronged strategy in Nigeria: saving lives and protecting people…

Aishah  Waliyullah The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kwara Area Command, on Wednesday seized 1,907 items, including 222 compressors reportedly used in making explosives, in a major security crackdown. The haul also featured 1,107 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 14 vehicles, 317 jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 120 sacks of illegally mined lithium ore, used clothing, tires, and imported sugar, with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦478,171,315. Acting Area Controller, DC Najeem Akanmu Ogundeyi, during a guided tour of the seized goods, warned of the grave security threat posed by the compressors. “These compressors are specifically used for…

Fareedah Ogundairo The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has raised alarm over the heightened risk of meningitis in 11 northern states as dry and dusty conditions persist across the region. In a meningitis advisory released on Thursday, NiMet warned that cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) can escalate rapidly and become fatal within hours if not detected and treated promptly. The infection, commonly caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, spreads through respiratory droplets, particularly in overcrowded and poorly ventilated areas. The agency’s March 2026 surveillance map identifies Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Yobe, and Borno as high-risk states. NiMet attributed…

About 63 per cent of Nigerians have fallen below the poverty line following the removal of the fuel subsidy, a new study has revealed, highlighting the widening economic hardship facing households across the country. The research, presented at a stakeholders’ dialogue organised by Agora Policy in Abuja on Thursday, showed that the poverty rate surged from a baseline of 49.8 per cent to 63 per cent after the subsidy was scrapped, before moderating slightly to 56.2 per cent following the introduction of social protection measures such as cash transfers. Titled “Sustaining and Deepening Economic Reforms in Nigeria,” the dialogue convened…

…Over 25,000 Complaints Lodged By Nigerians Annually …Commission Probes Fintech Loans, Electricity Supply, Unfair Tariffs Daud Olatunji The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has revealed that Nigerians are being most exploited by telecommunications, energy, and fintech companies, with over 25,000 complaints filed annually against these sectors. The agency said it has recovered more than N20bn for consumers as of March 2026. Speaking on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the commission’s Executive Vice Chairman, Tunji Bello, said between March and August 2025 alone, more than 9,000 consumer complaints were resolved, with over N10bn recovered for aggrieved Nigerians. Bello…

The crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be heading towards a political truce as a faction within the party has expressed readiness to reconcile with the camp loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, while insisting the party must present a presidential candidate in the next general election. The development comes amid deepening divisions within the party over its future political direction and the possibility of supporting President Bola Tinubu for a second term. Factional National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ini Ememobong, disclosed this during an appearance on Arise News’ Morning Show,…

Uthman Ogunfolaji Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has revealed that disagreements over the choice of a running mate scuttled an early alliance between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of the 2011 general election. Mohammed disclosed this during an interview with political content creator, Edmund Obilo, explaining that negotiations between the political blocs of the two leaders broke down after they failed to agree on who would emerge as the vice-presidential candidate. According to him, the camp of Buhari, which operated under the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change, had already settled…