News

Restructure HYPREP For Speedy Ogoniland, Others Cleanup, Group Tells Buhari

Published

6 years ago

August 5, 2020

Editor

The executive director, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, (ERA/FoEN), Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo, Wednesday, August 5th called on President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency, restructure the Hydrocarbon, Pollution, Remediation Project, (HYPREP) for effective service delivery to the people of the oil producing regions, especially the Ogoni land.

The Executive Director made the call in Benin while speaking on the topic ‘A Litany of Failure and a Season of Discontent’ occasioned by HYPREP on the people of Ogoni land.

He said if such is not done, the rate at which things are at the moment, it will take more than 100 years for HYPREP to complete the more complex polluted sites in Ogoni land which they have not even started to address.

Ojo said it was exactly nine years after the United Nations Environment Program, (UNEP) submitted a groundbreaking report to the Nigerian state detailing its findings, conclusions and recommendations on the environmental assessment of Ogoni land but without any tangible results to show for it.

“It has been nine years of motion without movement, nine years of unfilled promises, nine years of high-level manipulations by Shell and the Nigerian states as well as nine years of opaqueness and unaccountable operations by HYPREP. It has been nine years cluttered with a litany of failures and continuous discontent throughout Ogoni”, he said.

According to Ojo, the reason HYPREP has not lived up to its billings is because it’s not designed nor structured to implement a project as complex and sizeable as the Ogoni cleanup, stressing that it therefore needs restructuring to position it for a more effective cleanup.

The Environmental Activist alleged that work had stopped at 11 of the 17 cleanup sites researchers visited, and that many of these sites stopped work in late 2019 while the two sites had not even commenced work at the time of their except for the information board displayed outside their area of operation.

The Environmentalist also alleged that HYPREP is bogged down by the Nigerian government bureaucracy and Shell bureaucratic bottlenecks which has seen the programme unable to make progress to open the bid process for the more complex sites and there appears to be no disclosed strategy on how to move forward with the aspect of the project.

The Environmentalist recommended that strong legislations by governments in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands mandating companies to respect human rights and apply the same environmental standards across global operations.

The Executive Director also recommended the immediate implementation of all emergency measures recommended by the UNEP especially the provision of portable water, the conduct of a health audit setting up of a health register in impacted communities.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

1 hour ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

4 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.