Hello and welcome! In today’s trending news stories;
1. The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria announced new guidelines for verifying nurses’ and midwives’ certificates for practice abroad. Effective March 1, 2024, applicants must have a minimum of 2 years of post-qualification experience and an active practicing license with at least 6 months remaining. Applications with provisional licenses will be rejected. Applicants need a Letter of Good Standing and must pay a non-refundable fee for verification. The process is expected to take a minimum of 6 months. Although the NMCN claimed the changes aim to enhance nursing education and practice standards in line with global best practices, Nurses and health workers criticized these rules as a denial of human rights, arguing against the involvement of medical doctors in their verification process. The uproar has led to plans for a protest at the NMCN office in Abuja, focusing on nursing reform, improved remuneration, welfare, reinstatement of the verification portal, and ending quackery in the profession.
2. President Bola Tinubu has directed the release of 42,000 metric tons of maize, millet, and other commodities from strategic reserves to address rising food costs, as announced by Minister Mohammed Idris after a meeting of the Presidential Committee on Emergency Food Intervention. Additionally, the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria has committed to releasing 60,000 metric tons of rice to the market. Inflation concerns persist amidst government reforms, with the naira trading at 1,400 to the US dollar, according to the central bank.
3. Troops from two divisions of the Nigerian Army discovered and dismantled a large illegal refinery in Okoloma, Oyigbo LGA of Rivers State, and Umuahale area in Ukwa West LGA of Abia State. The operation was led by Major Generals Jamal Abdussalam and Hassan Dada. The aim was to combat illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta and South East regions. The generals toured the illegal bunkering sites, observing equipment and products concealed in the forest. They emphasized the importance of destroying these sites and echoed President Bola Tinubu’s zero tolerance for illegal bunkering. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited reported uncovering 83 illegal refineries and 15 pipeline connections in the Niger Delta recently. The region also saw incidents of oil theft, vandalism, and spills, highlighting the ongoing challenges in combating illegal activities in the oil sector.
4. MultiChoice Group, a Pan-African Television broadcaster, has settled with Nigerian tax authorities, agreeing to pay approximately $37.3 million in total taxes across its subsidiaries, including MultiChoice Nigeria and MultiChoice Africa Holdings. The settlement offsets against security deposits and payments made to date. In 2022, the Federal Inland Revenue Service froze MultiChoice Nigeria’s accounts and issued tax claims totaling N1.8 trillion ($1.27 billion) for its Nigerian operation and $342 million for value-added taxes. MultiChoice Group, known for DStv, GOtv, Showmax, and other services, operates in over 50 markets across sub-Saharan Africa, serving 23.5 million households.
5. Bitcoin surged above $46,000, its highest in a month, driven by US fund inflows and anticipation of April’s halving event. New spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $8b in net inflows this week. BlackRock and Fidelity’s ETFs ranked among the top 10 in January. Bitcoin historically rallies 11% around Chinese New Year. Closing above $44,000 is seen as bullish. Rising above its 50-day moving average confirms a bullish trend. Predictions suggest Bitcoin could hit $88,000 in 2024 post-halving.
6. Arsenal faces strong competition from top European clubs in their bid to sign Victor Osimhen in the upcoming summer transfer window. Despite their interest, heavyweights like Real Madrid, PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester United are also pursuing him. With Osimhen’s talent and availability after declaring his final season at Napoli, Arsenal must remain focused and competitive to secure his signing before rival clubs do.
7. In the Riyadh Season Cup, Saudi Pro League rivals Al Nassr lost 2-0 to Al Hilal, with goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Salem Aldawsari. Cristiano Ronaldo, returning from injury, struggled in the game and showed visible frustration. Ronaldo responded to opposing fans chanting Messi’s name, led Al Nassr players during a guard of honor, but got upset with a worker obstructing his way, and reacted to a jersey thrown by an Al Hilal fan unusually, indicating possible personal stress. Al Nassr will need Ronaldo fully focused for the rest of the season.
