National News
FG, Private sectors urged to invest in $250,000 energy innovation for Development Across the Country

FG, Private sectors urged to invest in $250,000 energy innovation for Development Across the Country
By: Michael Mike
In a bid to make Nigeria the startup capital of Africa, the Federal Government and the private sector have been advised to invest in the $250,000 worth energy innovation across communities in the country.
The call was made on Tuesday by the Executive Director, Innov8 Hub, Eduard Singhatey, during the commissioning of the E-Cube Smart Village in Abuja.
According to Singhatey, the energy innovation named E-CUBE concept worth $250,000 was invented in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs 2030 and will help solve the challenges of rural needs in areas of e-learning, agriculture production, telemedicine, community centre, water treatment and connectivity hub, noting that achieving development in the rural area is an expensive feat as there are 10 millions of people that do not have access to electricity citing the World Bank report in 2020.
Singhatey said that the E-Cube Smart Village will be built with locally made building materials, thereby providing job opportunities and building of capacities.
He added that the innovation will help sustain SDGs 1 (No poverty), SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), SDGs 3 (Good health and well-being), SDGs 4 (Quality education); SDGs 5 (Quality equality); SDGs 6 (Clean water and sanitation) and SDGs 7 (Affordable and clean energy).
He said: “The reason this innovation hub was established was to provide an environment, place facilities and infrastructure where young Nigerians can come with their ideas and put their ideas into actual products with the assistance of our experts, our mentors, both domestic and international.
“In September 2015, under the auspices of the United Nations, member countries adopted what we call the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. There are 17 Sustainable Development Goals, but the ones that are most important to the developing world and of course, Nigeria in particular. SDGs number one on poverty that is to eradicate poverty by 2030, SDGs two, Zero Hunger, that is to ensure that hunger is a thing of the past by 2030. The SDGs three which is on good health, and well being SDGs four on quality education, SDGs five on gender equality SDG six on clean water and sanitation and SDGs seven on Clean and affordable energy.
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“Considering the expensive feat in providing infrastructure for rural communities, what we really need are smart solutions. Smart solutions that will provide a solution to the problems that we are facing with lack of infrastructure development that we are plagued with.
“The concept of E-Cube and Smart Village concepts can provide a way around by providing infrastructure to the people who need it the most. They are in rural communities with little access to modern infrastructure.”
He added: “The Smart Village concept also suggests the adoption of smart solutions in both public and private sectors over a wide range of policy fields, such as improving access to services, developing short food supply chains and developing renewable energy.”
Singhatey said: “Now, I know there are many stakeholders here. We have representatives from Federal Government, State Governments and private sector. I think as stakeholders, we can look at how best we can buy into this concept not only the product, but the whole concept about the Smart Village and see how best we can change the lives of people that we are responsible for their status.”
Speaking to journalists, the LR Group of Israel, E-Cube, Avi Eluayam explained that the “E-CUBE is scalable. We can have a smaller system and we have a larger system. The system that we have here on display has 50 kilowatt of modules and is able to generate 300 kilowatt per day. This is enough for a community of 300-400 families. The cost of it is about $250,000. So it is a high capital cost but then for 20 years, you have zero maintenance costs. You don’t need to buy diesel, you don’t need to transport diesel. You don’t need to deal with environmental issues. And I think that in Nigeria, we can receive long term financing and then, if this system can finance for 20 years, we can have a very low monthly cost for this.”
FG, Private sectors urged to invest in $250,000 energy innovation for Development Across the Country
National News
VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution

VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution
By: Michael Mike
Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed deep grief over the passing of prominent Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, saying the nation has lost an irreplaceable institution.
The late Dantata, an uncle of Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, passed away at the age of 94 in Abu Dhabi in the early hours of Saturday in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to Mustapha Abdullahi Junaid, his Personal Private Secretary (PPS), who confirmed the death.
In a condolence message, Vice President Shettima praised the late businessman for his lifetime of service, describing him as “a living bridge that connected us to our past.
“We have not just lost a leader; we have lost an irreplaceable institution,” Senator Shettima said, describing Dantata as “one of the greatest titans in Nigeria’s philosophical history” whose departure marks the end of a vital chapter in the country’s economic and democratic evolution.
“In African tradition, when such an elderly person transitions, a vital chapter of our history departs with them. He was indeed among the great titans, a living bridge that connected us to our past,” VP Shettima added.
The Vice President extended heartfelt condolences to the Dantata family, expressing hopes that they would “find the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” even as he prayed that Almighty Allah would grant the deceased Jannatul Firdaus.
Born into the legendary Dantata family of Kano, Alhaji Aminu built on his father’s commercial legacy to become one of Nigeria’s most influential business figures. His empire spans construction, manufacturing, banking, agriculture, and the oil and gas sectors.
Beyond business, Dantata was renowned for his extensive philanthropic work, funding schools, mosques, health centres, and supporting widows and the underprivileged across Nigeria.
VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution
National News
Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting

Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting
By: Michael Mike
The Senior Officials Meeting between Nigeria and the European Union (EU) will be held on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd July 2025 in Abuja to prepare for the upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting and to explore areas of cooperation.
A statement on Saturday by the Press Officer, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Modestus Chukwulaka, read: “The Delegation of European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS wishes to inform that the Senior Officials Meeting between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the European Union (EU) will be held on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd July 2025 in Abuja.
“The agenda of the very important meeting is to prepare for the upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting and to explore areas of cooperation.”
According to the statement, the Senior Officials Meeting will be co-chaired by the Regions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria, Ambassador Janet Olisa, Director, and the Deputy Managing Director for Africa Department, European External Action Service, European Union, Mr Mathieu Briens.
The statement revealed that the agenda of the meeting is expected to entail wide-ranging discussions that would focus on various aspects of the Nigeria – EU partnership, such as: Cooperation on multilateral and regional issues; Peace, Security and Governance; Humanitarian situation; Trade and Investment; Human Development: Health, Education, Social Protection; Science, technology, innovation and digital transition; Migration; Energy, climate change and green economy transition among others.
Nigeria and the European Union share a deep, long-standing partnership inspired by mutual values and interests as well as support for multilateralism and rule-based international order, the statement said.
Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting
National News
Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People

Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People
…. Donates relief materials to displaced persons in Yelwata, IDP camp
By: Michael Mike
Former Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri has charged former governors, legislators, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Benue state to set aside rivalry, unite and act with urgency to save their people from incessant attacks and killings.
Waziri, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police and Principal Partner, Brookfield Chambers Abuja stated this on Saturday 28th June 2025 while donating relief materials to victims of the recent gunmen attacks in Yelwata community and displaced persons at the internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Makurdi, the Benue state capital.
Some of the items donated under the banner of Women, Youth, Children and Crime Organisation (WYCCO), a non-governmental organization founded by her, include: bags of rice, sugar, tubers of yam and other household items.

She said: “This is no time for division. It is no time for political squabbling or ego-driven manoeuvring. Among us are men and women who have led this state — former governors, legislators, traditional rulers — individuals with influence and authority. The time has come to set aside our differences and stand united, for the sake of the ordinary Benue man, woman, and child.
“That is why I stand here today to make this urgent and heartfelt appeal to our leaders: cast aside rivalry, unite, and act. Act with urgency. Act with purpose. Because what we face now increasingly resembles a deliberate, coordinated effort to erase our people and our heritage.
“We must take heed of the words of Sir Winston Churchill, who once said:
‘Our difficulties and dangers will not be removed by closing our eyes to them.’
Another of Churchill’s warnings is just as relevant to our present predicament:
‘If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without bloodshed… you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival.”
Waziri, while stating that her call was a build up to the earlier proposal by President Bola Tinubu during his recent visit Beforehand Benue, noted that meetings alone would not solve the problem, urging that: “But let us be sincere: peace will not come from meetings alone. To end the cycle of violence, we must confront its roots. Before the Yelwata massacre, communities in Gwer West, Apa, and Guma had already endured weeks of killings, kidnappings, and raids. These horrors did not emerge in a vacuum; they are symptoms of deeper issues.
“We must therefore confront the real causes — ethnic and religious tensions, unchecked banditry, and the rise of cultism as well as the abuse of illicit drugs. These forces must be tackled, along with the herder-farmer conflict, with honesty and courage. We cannot afford to keep going in circles. And there is no room for blame games. Our leaders — and indeed, all of us — must be pragmatic. So today, let us commit, as one people, to healing our wounds, reclaiming our land, and ensuring that never again will a child in Benue grow up in a camp instead of a home”
She said the development in Benue must be of “concern to all sons and daughters of Benue regardless of whether we live within its borders or far away in the diaspora to find out the root cause of these attacks with a view to proferring solutions that will bring an end to these barbaric acts”
Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People
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