Decry

The House of Representatives has decried the recurring destruction of oil and gas pipelines in the country and persistent lack of transparency in the operations and regulatory activities in the sector. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, chairperson, Special Committee on Oil Theft, condemned the act at a meeting with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Ltd in Abuja. The engagement was to unravel the root cause of oil theft in the country and the possible solution to stop the menace. Mr Ado-Doguwa said it had…

Some business operators in Bayelsa have expressed concerns over the poor electricity supply in the state, describing it as negatively affecting their businesses. The business operators who spoke separately to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa, called for more effective collaboration by concerned parties to ensure adequate power supply to the state. One of them, Ifeanyi Uche, a nightclub manager, said that he spent a huge amount of money to purchase diesel for his electricity generator. ”This is…

Cashew farmers and buyers in Kogi State, under the aegis of the Farmers Forum of Nigeria (FFN), have called on Governor Usman Ododo to intervene over their alleged multiple taxation and extortion. The forum in a statement by its spokesperson, Ibrahim Adam, on Monday, alleged that agents of the state government planned to increase the produce payment on cashews from ₦30,000 to ₦90,000. Mr Adam appealed to the governor to halt multiple taxation in the state, adding that the move would impede the growth of the…

Japanese technology investor SoftBank has sold another 2% stake in digital payments company Paytm. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.Also in this letter:■ Explained: Consumer startups and platform fee■ Groww stops US stock trading services■ Nazara to acquire Comic Con India SoftBank offloads another 2% stake in Paytm SoftBank CEO Masayoshi SonSoftBank has offloaded another 2% stake in digital payments firm Paytm, the latest in a series of divestments in Indian startups.Tell me more: SVF Holdings…

Filmmakers have put monsters on screen for more than a century. In 2023, the real bogeyman looks just like us.Since June, Hollywood studios and performers have debated the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in film and television. Failure to agree on terms around AI was one reason why the SAG-AFTRA union representing actors and media professionals last Friday joined the writers guild in the first simultaneous strike in 63 years. Among the actors' greatest fears? Synthetic performers. While the two sides have negotiated…

Filmmakers have put monsters on screen for more than a century. In 2023, the real bogeyman looks just like us.Since June, Hollywood studios and performers have debated the use of artificial intelligence in film and television. Failure to agree on terms around AI was one reason why the SAG-AFTRA union representing actors and media professionals last Friday joined the writers guild in the first simultaneous strike in 63 years. Among the actors' greatest fears? Synthetic performers.While the two sides have negotiated over…

Photo via Marvel Studios Star Wars continues to be the dominating topic in sci-fi spheres, thanks to the weekend’s official Star Wars Celebration. The annual event saw a range of familiar faces arrive to engage in meet and greets, photo ops, and panels, providing fans with the chance to see high-profile stars and longtime favorites in the flesh. Among the star-studded lineup, fans were delighted to learn of newcomer Ivanna Sakhno, who’s set to portray dark Force user Shin Hati. The incoming villain is already…