News
Peter Obi seeks establishment of online universities as Nexford University graduates 1,200 students
Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 polls, Mr Peter Obi, has called for the establishment of more online universities to enhance the development of Nigeria’s education system.
Obi made the call at the Nexford University 2024 Graduation on Saturday in Lagos, noting that online education was the only way the country could provide high-quality education at the scale required.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria’s universities have a capacity issue, as the number of students they can accommodate is much lower than the number of applicants.
According to the National Universities Commission (NUC), the country’s universities can only accommodate 700,000 students out of the two million applicants seeking admission annually.
Obi emphasised that online education was the sustainable and scalable strategy of offering students continuous learning that empowers society.
“Countries like Pakistan, India, Turkey, and Bangladesh have online universities that have more students than all our universities.
“We need to do it. We need to massively educate people because education is one of the most important tools of development,” Obi said.
Obi also advised leaders to be compassionate, have good character and be competent, to deepen good governance.
Similarly, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah, former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, said online education bridges learning barriers and positions students strategically for global opportunities.
Enelamah noted that tech-enabled, online education is transformational and crucial to socio-economic growth.
Also, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, Chief Executive Officer, Human Capital Africa, said education offered by Nexford is to strategically equip and position Nigerians, and Africans to compete with their counterparts globally.
Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education, noted that today’s world has an aging population with an average age of 33, while Africa’s average age is 18.9 years.
“So, that means that it is Africa that will empower the workforce of the world in a matter of decades from now.
“As a matter of fact, by 2050, almost 85 per cent of the increasing global workforce will be through the African young people.
“That, therefore, means that the education of the kind that Nexford offers to our people, cutting-edge global standard education, that’s at the frontier of the kind of technological revolution that we’re seeing, is the way to go.
“And the way to go cannot be in a way that is outside of the capabilities of the people, because the population data also shows that it’s a significantly poor population.
“Therefore, what we do at Nexford is well worthy to be acknowledged,” Ezekwesili said.
She noted that the university offers courses like artificial intelligence, cyber security, basic knowledge of blockchains, leadership and communication skills, among others.
Similarly, Mr Olatubosun Alake, Lagos State Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, said online classes have democratised learning and improved education outcomes.
Alake emphasised that technology can change economies, necessitating the state to establish various programmes and also support organisations championing infusion of technology across sectors.
Commenting, Mr Fadl Al Tarzi, CEO, Nexford University, said the school had integrated artificial intelligence into all its courses, disclosing that almost 40 per cent of its graduates already studied artificial intelligence.
Tarzi said artificial intelligence would improve Nigeria and the global economy, boost productivity, accelerate research and development and connect Nigerian talents with global talent.
Speaking on the graduation, Tarzi said no fewer than 1,200 students graduated, saying efforts were ongoing to double the number annually.
“So, we started this university with a mission. The mission was really to enable economic mobility across the world without people having to leave their country.
“Problems like emigration in Nigeria exist in many other markets across the world. We don’t believe that people should have to leave their homes to secure a better future,” he said.
Tarzi emphasised that Nexford would equip people with the skills required to access economic opportunities, regardless of their physical location, to enhance knowledge transfer and socio-economic development. (NAN)
By Abubakar Yunusa
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has slashed its ex-depot price of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, to N825.
Esan Sunday, head of media relations and branding communications at Dangote Group, announced the reduction in a statement on Wednesday.
The development comes more than three weeks after the refinery reduced petrol price from N950 per litre to N890.
The new price means that the refinery has significantly cut the ex-depot price by N125 from N950 per litre in January.
“This recent price reduction will also ensure that Nigerians pay between N860 and N865 per litre for petrol at the pump in Lagos,” the statement reads.
“This strategic price adjustment is designed to provide essential relief to Nigerians in celebration of the Ramadan season, while also supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic recovery policy by alleviating the financial burden on the Nigerian populace.
“It is important to note that Dangote Petroleum Refinery has consistently lowered the prices of petrol and other refined petroleum products to the benefit of Nigerians.
“This marks the second reduction of PMS prices in February 2025, following a previous decrease of N60 earlier in the month.
“Additionally, in December 2024, during the yuletide period, the refinery reduced the price of PMS by N70.50, from N970 to N899.50 per litre, as part of its commitment to easing the cost of living and providing relief to Nigerians during the holiday season.”
The oil firm refinery also said previous reductions have positively impacted the overall cost of living, benefiting various sectors of the economy.
Dangote refinery added that its high-quality products, which have become a favourite in both domestic and international markets, will remain available nationwide, particularly through its key partners — MRS Holdings, AP (Ardova Petroleum), and Heyden — at market-friendly rates.
The organisation assured the public of a consistent supply of petroleum products, with sufficient reserves to meet domestic demand and a surplus for export, thereby boosting the country’s foreign exchange (FX) earnings.
The refinery also called on marketers to support the initiative, ensuring that Nigerians remain the primary beneficiaries of its effort
Abdullahi Ganduje, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the ruling party had a debt of N8.9 billion when he assumed office.
Ganduje took over from Abdullahi Adamu, who was the national chairman of the APC until his resignation in July 2023.
Speaking during the APC’s NEC meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the former Kano governor said the expenses were incurred during pre-election legal battles, election cases, and appeals for legislative, governorship, and presidential elections.
“The current NWC inherited debts and legal liabilities to the total tune of N8,987,874,663, arising from various legal engagements,” Ganduje said.
However, the APC chairman said Kareem Kana, the national legal adviser, has been working to reduce the debt burden.
“We still passionately appeal to the national executive committee to intervene accordingly,” he said.
Earlier today, the chairman said the party is making efforts to mend internal divisions and bring aggrieved members back into the fold.
Ganduje explained that the APC had initiated high-level discussions among party leaders and stakeholders to address lingering disagreements and strengthen party unity.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Jude Okoye, the elder brother and former manager of Paul and Peter Okoye of the defunct music group, P-Square, on charges of laundering ₦1.38billion, $ 1 million and £34,537.59.
Jude was arraigned alongside his company, Northside Music Ltd, before Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on a seven-count charge
One of the counts read: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did directly acquire a landed property known as No 5, Tony Eromosele Street Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos worth ₦850,000,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty million naira) only, which money you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Another count read: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did indirectly using bureau de change convert the sum of $1,019,762.87 (One million nineteen thousand, seven hundred and six-two dollars eighty-seven cents), domiciled in Access Bank Plc operated by Northside Music Lid to the naira equivalent and remitted into various bank accounts with the intention of concealing that the said fund form part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(a) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Larry Peters Aso, applied for a date for hearing as well as for the remand of the defendant in the correctional facility pending trial.
The defendant’s counsel, Inibehe Effiong, informed the court of a pending bail application. He asked for a short date for the hearing. Effiong also asked that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC’s custody pending the hearing of the application.
Aso objected to the request for the defendant to be remanded in the EFCC custody. He argued that the EFCC custody was already congested with suspects awaiting arraignment. He urged the court to remand the defendant to the correctional facility since he had taken his plea.
Justice Owoeye adjourned the matter till February 28 for bail hearing and April 14 for trial.
He also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Ikoyi correctional facility.