The United Kingdom’s Home Office has released immigration statistics for the year ending March 2025, revealing a significant drop in both work and study visas issued to non-immigrants in 2024. The drop reflects the early impact of sweeping changes in UK immigration policy, including restrictions on dependents and changes to the Health and Care Worker route that have shaped migration trends and adjustments to salary thresholds. According to the report published by TraveloBiz, in 2024, the UK issued 192,000 work visas to main applicants across all categories, a 39 per cent drop compared to the previous year, though still 40…
Author: Elvis Eromosele
The Gombe State Government has received N60 billion from the Federal Government to establish a 184-hectare Agro-Livestock Industrial Zone. Governor Inuwa Yahaya disclosed this during the groundbreaking ceremony held in Gombe on Saturday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He described the project as a flagship initiative and a critical step toward building a modern, efficient, and sustainable livestock economy. It is expected to create thousands of jobs, boost productivity, and position Gombe as a regional hub for animal processing in Northern Nigeria. Yahaya noted that the N60 billion represents the first tranche of a N120 billion support…
The number of applicants for Nigeria’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) entrance examinations has surged by nearly 300 per cent, increasing from 7,547 in 2024 to 30,000 in 2025. This was disclosed by Dr Mohammed Mohammed, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), during a monitoring exercise at the Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC), Uromi, Edo State. Dr Mohammed, who was represented by NABTEB’s Director of Research and Quality Assurance, Mr Pius Osaigbovo, attributed the massive increase to federal government-backed incentives targeting technical education. “Federal government wants to give individuals…
Nigeria is among 36 countries that could face new travel restrictions to the United States under a proposed expansion of the Trump administration’s travel ban, according to a State Department memo reported by The Washington Post. The extensive list includes 25 African nations, several Caribbean countries, Central Asian states, and Pacific Island nations. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with over 200 million people, is the largest population that could be affected by the proposed restrictions. The memo, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent Saturday to US diplomats working with the affected countries, gives the listed governments 60…
The heads of missions of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Finland, and Norway have decried misuse of Nigeria’s Cybercrime Law as Nigeria celebrates 26 years of unbroken democratic governance. They issued a joint statement on Democracy Day, commending the Nigerian people for their enduring commitment to democratic values. While acknowledging the progress made since the country’s return to civilian rule in 1999, the diplomats expressed growing concern about threats to free expression, particularly the misuse of Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act. In the statement, the envoys recognised the importance of diverse perspectives in a thriving democracy, citing President Bola Tinubu’s own…
A recent review of shipping activities conducted by the Sea Empowerment and Research Centre SEREC, has revealed that between 65, 000-100, 000 Twenty Equivalent Units (TEUs) of empty containers from China, Europe, United States of America and the Middle East are dumped in Nigeria annually by foreign shipping lines. According to a report released by the Head of Research at SEREC, Dr. Eugene Nweke, the Centre noted that of all laden containers brought into the country, the shipping lines sail back with only three per cent laden with export products, leaving 97per cent behind, which are littered around the port…
What Are the Real Odds? World Fact offers Top Tips According to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), over 95% of passengers in airplane accidents survive, especially in partial crashes (e.g., runway overruns, hard landings). In catastrophic crashes, survival is rare but not impossible—and there are documented sole survivors in such cases. How to Maximize Your Chances of Surviving a Plane Crash: ✅ 1. Choose the Right Seat (If You Can) Rear seats (behind the wing) have slightly higher survival rates in some studies. Aisle seats near emergency exits make it easier to evacuate quickly. ✅ 2. Wear Your…
By Azu Ishiekwene I encountered the relic of his presence long before I met Sam Amuka, known as Uncle Sam. Inside a room in the far corner of the old Kudeti PUNCH building, predominantly constructed of plywood and steel frames, there was a wooden armchair that had been a fixture in Uncle Sam’s office when he served as managing editor. When I joined PUNCH as a staff writer eight years after his departure in 1981, this piece of furniture was in my first office, sitting like a totem in a shrine, while stories about Uncle Sam floated in whispers. The…
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last general election, has condemned the President Bola Tinubu’s approval of N39b for the renovation of the International Conference Centre ICC, Abuja, calling it a “misplacement of priorities by the government to favour the rich while the poor are dying in droves”. Obi, who spoke in Abuja while announcing the facilitation of three projects, to the tune of N6 m plus some computers in Girls Secondary school, Chibok, Borno state, described anything done to promote education as ” not donation but an investment” He berated the Federal Capital Territory…
Players in the Nigerian financial services sector have commended the financial performance of Nigerian Breweries Plc in the first quarter 2025, suggesting it not only points to a return to the days of rewarding shareholder vale but also points to stability and growth in the brewery industry. Nigerian Breweries, it will be recalled, released their first quarter financial result for 2025, in which it posted excellent result across all vital indicators. Total Assets grew to N1.144 trillion in 2025, compared to N1.138 trillion for the same period in 2024. Revenue also soared to ₦383.64 billion, resulting in a gross profit…