Renaissance Energy Acquires Shell Petroleum Company

The Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, a leading consortium of Nigerian oil firms, has eventually acquired the Shell Petroleum Development Company, of Nigeria Limited (SPDC).

This latest development was disclosed to the public after the former completed the processes involving the acquisition of the latter in a $2.4 billion deal.

According to the Management of the newly acquired oil entity, the SPDC had been renamed to Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited after 46 years of operation in Nigeria.

The company’s spokesperson, Tony Okonedo, said: ”Going forward, SPDC will be renamed as Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.”

Reacting to the complete acquisition of Shell, the Managing Director/CEO of Renaissance lauded the Nigerian government for giving the approval for Shell’s acquisition.

“We are extremely proud to have completed this strategic acquisition.

“The Renaissance’s vision is to be “Africa’s leading oil and gas company, enabling energy security and industrialisation in a sustainable manner.

“We and our shareholder companies are therefore pleased that the federal government has given the green light for this milestone acquisition in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act,” he said.

Trump Launches App for Self-Deportation of Illegal Immigrants

The administration of President Donald Trump of the United States (US) has rolled out a new mobile app, called CBP Home, that is aimed at encouraging undocumented immigrants in the US to leave the country of their own volition. This is targeted to reduce the number of people residing in the country without legal status.

The app, developed by the US' Customs and Border Protection (CBP), is designed to allow undocumented individuals to self-report their intent to depart from the country, providing them with a process that may help them avoid arrest, detention, and harsher immigration penalties.

The CBP Home app was announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on March 10. Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem described the initiative as a way to streamline the voluntary departure process for undocumented immigrants, offering them an alternative to forced deportation.

The app is positioned as a tool for individuals who wish to leave the U.S. on their own terms while potentially preserving the option to return legally in the future. Noem stated, “If they don’t, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return.”

The CBP Home app replaces CBP One, a mobile app that was originally introduced under the Joe Biden administration for immigration-related services.

Initially, CBP One was designed to assist commercial trucking companies in scheduling cargo inspections, but its functionality was later expanded to allow migrants in Mexico to schedule appointments to seek entry at legal border crossings. Under this system, migrants could request asylum or other forms of legal entry through an official appointment process.

However, CBP One faced a lot of criticism from Republican lawmakers and immigration enforcement advocates, who argued that it facilitated mass migration without sufficient oversight. Critics claimed that the app essentially allowed migrants to enter the US without proper vetting, leading to concerns over national security and border control.

Upon taking office, President Trump ordered the shutdown of CBP One, effectively canceling pending appointments for thousands of migrants and leaving many uncertain about their next steps.

The CBP Home app is intended to provide an accessible, structured way for undocumented immigrants to begin the voluntary departure process. Through the app, individuals can register their intent to leave, possibly allowing them to avoid detention and future immigration penalties.

The administration views self-deportation as a cost-saving measure, as it reduces the burden on immigration courts, detention centers, and enforcement agencies.

Acting CBP Commissioner, Pete Flores described the app as a means to encourage undocumented individuals to leave before they are forcibly removed. He said "By using CBP Home, individuals may have an opportunity to depart on their own terms, which could potentially make it easier for them to apply for legal entry at a later date, depending on their immigration history."

However, the administration has not provided specific details on whether using the app would grant any leniency in future immigration proceedings, but officials have framed it as a less punitive alternative to formal deportation.

Unsurprisingly, the CBP Home app has sparked debate, and some have questioned whether the app will actually lead to a significant number of voluntary departures, since it is likely that undocumented immigrants who have lived in the US for years will be unwilling to leave unless faced with imminent deportation.

More so, immigrant rights groups argued that self-deportation policies often create a climate of fear within immigrant communities.

UK Announces New Visa Rules

The United Kingdom (UK) has announced changes to visa rules for care givers, health workers, and students, starting from April 9, 2025.

The new visa rules, which was part of the measures to reduce immigration metrics in the country, was laid in Parliament on Wednesday.

The Home Office said care providers who wish to recruit staff from abroad will have to first prove that they have attempted to employ someone already in the country who needs new visa sponsorship.

Under the new measure, employers will have to prioritise hiring foreign carers already living in England before recruiting from overseas.

The Government said it hopes the measures will help “end the reliance on overseas recruitment” and bring down record levels of immigration to Britain.

The minimum salary required for Skilled Worker visas is also being increased. From April it will rise from £23,200 per year to £25,000 (or £12.82 per hour) to reflect the rise in minimum wage.

According to the Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, he said: “International care workers play a vital role in our social care workforce. We value their contribution and work supporting vulnerable people across the country every day.

He said, “As we crack down on shameful rogue operators exploiting overseas workers here in the UK, we must do all we can to get the victims back into rewarding careers in adult social care.

“Prioritising care workers who are already in the UK will get people back to work reducing our reliance on international recruitment, and make sure our social care sector has the care professionals it needs.”

Also, to clampdown on abuse to the short-term student route, changes to expand powers for caseworkers to refuse visa applications suspected of not being genuine, have also been confirmed.

Students from overseas who are studying English in Britain for between six and 11 months are allowed to apply for the permit. But the Home Office said there are increasing concerns that the route is being abused by people who do not actually intend to study or leave the UK at the end of their course.

Between July 2022 and December 2024, the Government revoked more than 470 sponsor licenses in the care sector.

Figures released earlier this year showed nearly 400,000 fewer people from abroad have applied for UK work or study visas since strict new immigration rules came into force.

Provisional data showed 547,000 visa applications were received between April and December 2024, down from 942,500 in the same period in 2023.

The drop of 395,100, or 42 per cent, has been driven by sharp falls in the number of overseas students and foreign care workers applying to come to Britain.

Applications to come on a health and care worker visa fell by a much steeper 79 per cent, from 299,800 in April to December 2023 compared with 63,800 in the same period last year.

Court Stops FCCPC from Sanctioning MultiChoice Over Tariff Hike

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, restrained the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, from sanctioning MultiChoice Nigeria Limited following its recent increase in the DStv and GOtv subscription rates.

Justice James Omotosho gave the order after an ex-parte motion moved by Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, counsel to MultiChoice.

Justice Omotosho, in the motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/379/2025, ordered FCCPC not to take “any administrative steps” against the pay-Tv company.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FCCPC had summoned MultiChoice Nigeria Ltd to provide explanations regarding the March 1 price review of its packages. The commission directed the company’s chief executive officer to appear for an investigative hearing on Feb. 27, raising concerns over frequent price hikes, potential market dominance abuse and anti-competitive practices within the pay-TV industry.

The FCCPC also issued a stern warning, stating that failure to justify the price adjustment or comply with fair market principles would lead to regulatory sanctions.

However in the ex parte motion filed by MultiChoice’s legal team led by Onigbanjo, the company sought an order of interim injunction restraining the FCCPC and its officers from carrying out the threat against it, as communicated via a letter dated March 3, pending the hearing and determination of the motion for an interlocutory injunction.

It also sought an order restraining the commission and its officers from issuing any further directive or taking any steps capable of disrupting its business activities, pending the hearing and determination of the motion for an interlocutory injunction.

“An order of interim injunction restraining the FCCPC, its agents, servants, or privies from sanctioning or penalising MultiChoice (the applicant) in any manner whatsoever in relation to its price increase pending the hearing and determination of the motion for an interlocutory injunction.” Onibanjo, in his grounds of argument, submitted that Nigeria operates a free-market economy where prices of goods and services are not regulated.

He argued that the FCCPC Act and other enabling laws do not grant the commission the authority to regulate prices or require businesses to seek approval before adjusting the cost of their services.

He added that MultiChoice had communicated its intention to increase prices via a letter dated Feb 21, 2025.

He said that the FCCPC, however, in a letter dated Feb. 27, ordered the pay-TV company to suspend its planned price increment.

The lawyer said following the development, the company filed a suit on March 3, challenging, among other things, the FCCPC’s power to regulate prices or suspend its price adjustment.

He said MultiChoice, after filing the suit, proceeded with the planned price increase.

He said despite the pending suit, the FCCPC threatened to prosecute MultiChoice via a letter dated March 3 if it failed to provide reasonable justification for disregarding the directive to suspend the price increment. In an affidavit deposed to by Gozie Onumonu, Head of Regulatory Affairs and Government Relations at MultiChoice, the company argued that its subscription rates in Nigeria are the lowest among all the countries where it operates.

“For instance, the cost of the Premium package in Nigeria is equivalent to $29.81, while the same package costs $85.11 in Kenya,” Onumonu said.

The officer maintained that MultiChoice had the legal right to operate its business, including adjusting its prices when necessary.

When the matter was called on Wednesday, Onigbanjo moved the motion, praying the court to grant their reliefs.

The judge, after hearing the lawyer’s application, restrained the FCCPC from taking any “administrative steps” against MultiChoice pending the determination of the case.

The judge equally ordered an accelerated hearing on the matter and adjourned the matter until March 27 for hearing.

China Makes History, Unveils New Quantum Supercomputer

A superconducting quantum computer prototype with 105 readable qubits and 182 couplers, called Zuchongzhi-3, has been graciously unveiled by Chinese scientists.

They claimed it processes quantum random circuit sampling (RCS) tasks at a speed quadrillion times faster than the world's most powerful supercomputer and 1 million times faster than the Google's supercomputer.

Detail loading...!

US Removes 270, 000 Migrants in One Year

The United States' (US) immigration authority has reportedly removed over 270,000 people in last financial year. The figures were released on Thursday, December 19, 2024, weeks before Donald Trump takes office threatening to deport millions of migrants.

The tally of removals is the final annual report under President Joe Biden, and is higher than at any time in the last decade — including during Trump’s first term as president.

The bulk of those forced to leave the United States had crossed the southern border illegally, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said in its report.

Around a third of them had criminal convictions, or were facing criminal charges.

Covering 12 months to the end of September, the period largely coincided with the presidential campaign in which Trump made clamping down on migration a key feature.

He pledged to launch the largest deportation operation in US history when he takes office on January 20, 2025.

The promise — which focused heavily on the unsubstantiated claim that migrants commit more crimes than US citizens — proved popular with voters.

Trump has offered few details on how the operation would be carried out, with analysis suggesting it would be costly and impractical with current staffing levels.

“Every year, our workforce faces tremendous challenges — but every year, they meet those challenges head-on,” said ICE Deputy Director, Patrick Lechleitner.

It's noteworthy that iIIllegal crossings surged after Biden took office, though declined sharply over the last year after his administration tightened rules on claiming asylum.

Estimates suggest between 11 and 15 million people live in the United States illegally.

Many of those in the country without authorization work and pay taxes, often performing difficult or dangerous jobs that citizens don’t want to do.

Opponents of Trump’s pledged crackdown say the economy could suffer if he tries to deport illegal migrants on the scale he has suggested and say it would create labor shortages in housing, agriculture and social care.

Economists say any such shortage would push prices up, and undermine one of Trump’s key election promises to reduce inflation.

EFCC Arraigns Two Bankers for Selling New Naira Notes

By Frank Musa

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned two bank staff, Ekpe Anayaoha Okoronkwo (M), and Onyinye Umeonuoha (F), for allegedly selling newly minted Naira notes worth N500,000.

The arraignment took place on December 12, 2024, before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu State.

According to the Commission's Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Dele Oyewale, the duo was arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on currency racketeering. The charge reads: "That you, Ekpe Anayaoha Okoronkwo and Umeonuoha Onyinye, sometime in October 2024 at Enugu, Enugu State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, did sell a total sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00) mints in Two Hundred Naira Notes (N200) denominations, issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria to one Husseini Ibrahim and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 21 of the same Act."

Consequently, Okoronkwo pleaded guilty to the charge, while Umeonuoha pleaded not guilty.

Counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Ajobiewe prayed the court for a short date to review the facts of the case regarding Okoronkwo. For Umeonuoha, Ajobiewe requested a trial date to enable the prosecution to prove its case. The Counsel to Umeonuoha, Mr. C. N. Agama prayed the court to remand his client at the EFCC custody pending the hearing of the bail application.

Justice Umar adjourned the matter to January 15, 2025, for the hearing of Umeonuoha's bail application and the conviction and sentencing of Okoronkwo. The defendants were remanded at the Enugu State Correctional facility.

It's noteworthy that the EFCC arrested the defendants on November 15, 2024 at their workplace located at 18 Okpara Avenue, Enugu, in Enugu State, following actionable intelligence linking them to the sale of Naira mints in Enugu State metropolis.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the defendants allegedly sold a total sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00) mints in Two Hundred Naira Notes (N200) denominations to one Husseini Ibrahim.

Meet The New King and Queen of African Football

🇳🇬 Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)

🇿🇲 Barbra Banda (Zambia)

Crowned on Monday, December 16, 2024.

Chelsea Winger, Mudryk Suspended Over Positive Drug Test

By Rufus Okoro

The Winger of the Chelsea Football Club (FC), Mykhailo Mudryk has been henceforth provisionally suspended from all football activities, having tested positive over drug tests.

The Ukraine international has not featured for the Blues since November 28, 2024, when he scored in a Europa Conference League win over Heidenheim. His prolonged absence had initially been attributed to illness, but was eventually revealed that he failed a doping test and is unavailable to the Head Coach, Enzo Maresca.

According to The Athletic, Mudryk tested positive for Meldonium, a medication typically used to treat heart conditions such as angina, after the November international break. Meldonium can reportedly assist with endurance and recovery for athletes.

A statement on the Blues’ official website reads: “Chelsea Football Club can confirm the Football Association recently contacted our player Mykhailo Mudryk concerning an adverse finding in a routine urine test.

“Both the Club and Mykhailo fully support The FA’s testing programme and all our players, including Mykhailo, are regularly tested. Mykhailo has confirmed categorically that he has never knowingly used any banned substances. Both Mykhailo and the Club will now work with the relevant authorities to establish what has caused the adverse finding.”

Mudryk has responded to the news by posting on social media, “I can confirm that I have been notified that a sample I provided to The FA contained a banned substance. “This has come as a complete shock as I have never knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules, and am working closely with my team to investigate how this could have happened. I know that I have not done anything wrong and remain hopeful that I will be back on the pitch soon. I cannot say any more now due to the confidentiality of the process, but I will as soon as I can.”

Mudryk joined Chelsea for £89 million ($113m) in January 2023, signing an eight-year contract, and has thus far taken in 73 appearances for the club, scoring a total of 10 goals. He maintains that his personal routine has not changed since passing a banned substance test in August.

However, FA regulations dictate that a player could be "provisionally suspended" after posting a positive test, as they are given an opportunity to explain themselves. Mudryk is now waiting on the results of a ‘B’ sample as he continues to cooperate fully with all of the relevant parties involved in the case.

FN News promises to keep you updated on the situation.

ECOWAS Approves January 2025 for Exit of Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso

By Kings Olajide

The Authority of the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has approved January 29, 2025, to July 29, 2025, as a transitional period for Mali, Niger Republic, and Burkina Faso from the regional bloc.

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray made this known while reading the communique at the end of the 66th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja on Sunday, December 15, 2024.

Dr. Touray, a Gambian diplomat, said the authority had taken note of the notification by the three countries on their decision to withdraw from the ECOWAS.

He disclosed that the bloc Authority acknowledged that in accordance with the provisions of Article 91 of the revised ECOWAS treaty, the three countries would officially cease to be members from January 29, 2025.

He stated: “In this regard, the Authority extends the mandate of President Gnassingbe of Togo, and President Faye of Senegal to continue their mediation rule up to the end of the transition period to bring the three member countries back to ECOWAS.

“Without prejudice, for the spirit of the opening, the Authority directs the President of the Commission to launch withdrawal formalities after the deadline of January 29, 2025, and to draw up a contingency plan covering various areas.

“The Authority directs the Council of Ministers to convene an extraordinary session during the second quarter of 2025 to consider and adopt both separation modalities and the contingency plan covering political and economic relations between ECOWAS and the Republic of Niger, the Republic of Mali, and Burkina Faso.”

Dr. Touray further notified that the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government commended the diplomatic engagement of Senegal’s President, Bassirou Faye, and President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe.

He said the authority also commended the diplomatic efforts of the ECOWAS Chairman, Chief Bola Tinubu, and other individual member states towards the three countries.

5 Smartphones to Look Out For in 2025

By Ben Achi

As a new year draws closer, here is a list of five sophisticated Smartphones to be looked out for by smartphone enthusiasts.

iPhone SE 4

The iPhone SE 4 is the revamped version of Apple’s most affordable iPhone with all the bells and whistles, including Apple Intelligence.

The iPhone SE 4 is said to have borrowed a few spares from the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 15, making it the go-to iPhone for many, who are looking for an upgraded iPhone that doesn’t come with a flagship price tag.

OnePlus 13

OnePlus has confirmed that its next flagship, OnePlus 13 would be launched in January 2025. This smartphone promises to raise the bar in performance with the cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and unmatched durability, boasting an IP69 rating for water and dust resistance.

It will debut green-line-free display technology and run Android 15-based OxygenOS 15, and it will continue to pack a capable camera setup with Hasselblad tuning.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is the smartphone that is likely to set a new benchmark in what a high-end premium Android smartphone should feel like. Going by the leaks and rumours, despite looking very similar to its predecessor, the device is likely to pack a punch, including a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, and it will also be one of the first smartphones to ship with Android 15-based OneUI 7.

The fantastic spec, which is expected to be launched in early February 2025, could be the upgrade that many of the Galaxy S21/S22 Ultra users are waiting for.

Asus ROG Phone 9

The Asus ROG Phone 9, already unveiled globally, is expected to enter the Indian market within the first few months of 2025.

It is designed for gaming enthusiasts, and features the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and an enhanced cooling system to sustain peak performance. Its fast 165Hz display and robust 5,800 mAh battery further solidify its position as a top choice for mobile gamers.

Xiaomi 15

Xiaomi 15 is another Snapdragon 8 Elite powered smartphone expected to be unveiled in the first quarter of 2025.

When compared to other high-end Android smartphones, the Xiaomi 15 will be more compact in size, featuring a 6.36-inch screen, and a triple camera setup with Leica tuning. In spite of its smaller size, it is expected to pack a massive 5,400 mAh battery.

#CLIP: Seeing Your Spouse As Best Friend

This clip buttresses why a married person ought to see his or her partner as a best friend, rather than addressing an outsider as such.

CBN Imposes #150m Fine on Banks Releasing Mint Naira Notes to Hawkers

By Frank Musa

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced that it will slam a fine of 150 million naira per branch on Deposit Money Banks (DMB) nationwide found guilty of facilitating the illegal flow of mint naira notes to currency hawkers and unscrupulous agents.

The apex bank disclosed this in a circular issued on December 13, 2024, signed by the Acting Director of the Currency Operations Department, Mohammed Olayemi.

The circular revealed that the CBN is concerned about the increasing prevalence of mint naira notes being traded by speculators in all corners of the country, a practice the bank described as "impeding efficient and effective cash distribution to customers and the general public".

The circular, which referred to an earlier directive dated November 13, 2024, highlighted the apex bank’s determination to address the commodification of the naira.

Under the directive, any branch of a financial institution found culpable will face a penalty of #150m for the first violation.

Subsequent infractions, the CBN warned, would attract stricter sanctions under the provisions of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020.

To ensure compliance, the apex bank stated that it would increase periodic spot checks in banking halls and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) while deploying mystery shoppers to uncover illicit cash hawking spots across the country.

It could be recalled the apex bank recently issued a severe warning to the commercial banks across the federation, mandating them to regularly load money on their respective ATMs, or face stiff penalties.

The circular read, “The CBN has noted with dismay the prevalence of illicit flow of mint banknotes to currency hawkers and other unscrupulous economic agents that commodify Naira banknotes, thus impeding efficient and effective cash distribution to banks’ customers and the general public.

“CBN will continue to intensify the periodic spot checks to the banking halls/ATMs to review cash payouts to banks’ customers, as well as mystery shopping to all identified cash hawking spots across the country.

“In this regard, any erring deposit money banks or financial institutions that are culpable of facilitating, aiding, or abetting, by direct actions or inactions, the illicit flow of mint banknotes to currency hawkers and unscrupulous economic agents that commodify Naira banknotes shall be penalised at first instance N150,000,000.00 (One hundred and fifty million Naira) only, per erring branch, and at later instances, apply the full weight of relevant provisions of BOFIA 2020.”

The CBN reminded banks of its ongoing mystery shopping exercises and spot checks aimed at discouraging the abuse of naira notes and ensuring responsible distribution of cash, especially as the festive season approaches.

According to the circular, the initiatives are designed to prevent the flow of newly minted banknotes to hawkers and support efficient cash disbursement to the public.

The mother bank, therefore, warned that any DMB found guilty of releasing cash to unauthorized agents would face financial penalties.

Such banks will be fined 10 per cent of the total value of cash withdrawn from the CBN on the day the offence was committed. Repeat offenders would be fined additional fine of five per cent for subsequent offences.

Microsoft Unveils Phi-4, a Powerful AI Model for Research

Microsoft, a multinational corporation that develops, supports and sells computer software and services, has graciously announced Phi-4, a small yet powerful new generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) model for research preview. 

Phi-4 reportedly comes with 14 billion parameters, and is positioned as a small yet powerful model that is said to ‘excel’ in specialized tasks, particularly mathematical reasoning.

In its released technical report, the tech giant said, “We present phi-4, a 14-billion parameter language model developed with a training recipe that is centrally focused on data quality. Unlike most language models, where pre-training is based primarily on organic data sources such as web content or code, phi-4 strategically incorporates synthetic data throughout the training process. While previous models in the Phi family largely distill the capabilities of a teacher model, specifically GPT-4o.

Phi-4 substantially surpasses its teacher model on STEM-focused QA capabilities, giving evidence that our data-generation and post-training techniques go beyond distillation. Despite minimal changes to the phi-3 architecture, phi-4 achieves strong performance relative to its size– especially on reasoning-focused benchmarks– due to improved data, training curriculum, and innovations in the post-training scheme.” 

Currently, the model is available under a limited release, mostly for research purposes through the company’s Azure AI Foundry platform. It is touted to come with the ability to outperform much larger models, including Google’s Gemini Pro 1.5 and OpenAI’s GPT-4o, on tasks that require complex reasoning. This is evident in the model’s ability to solve mathematical problems, a feature that Microsoft has heavily emphasized in its rollout of Phi-4. 

Presently, larger models like GPT-4 and Gemini Ultra are built with hundreds of billions, or even trillions, of parameters. Phi-4, on the other hand, aims to achieve the results with far fewer computational resources. 

Microsoft attributes Phi-4’s strong performance to the use of “high-quality synthetic datasets” alongside data from human-generated content, while maintaining lower computational costs. 

Phi-4 was trained on synthetic datasets that were specifically crafted to provide diverse, structured problem-solving scenarios. These datasets were supplemented by high-quality human-generated content to ensure that the model encountered a wide range of real-world scenarios during training techniques. 

Once Phi-4 is made available to a wider user base, it could prove to be an eye-opener for mid-sized companies and organizations with limited computing resources. 

By keeping costs significantly lower, when compared to large-scale AI models, Phi-4 can free up resources that can be directed toward other avenues. This could benefit enterprises that have hesitated to adopt AI solutions due to the high resource demands of larger models.

Google Commences Germini 2.0 Flash Experimentation

 

The Tech giant, Google has announced the launch of Gemini 2.0 Flash and its associated research prototype. It is believes that this is a step forward in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the new model is designed for developers and showcases several experimental agent-based applications.

Building upon the success of its predecessor, 1.5 Flash, Gemini 2.0 Flash offers enhanced performance with similarly rapid response times. Notably, it outperforms 1.5 Pro on key benchmarks while operating at twice the speed.

Beyond speed improvements, 2.0 Flash introduces new capabilities, including support for multimodal inputs like images, video, and audio, as well as multimodal outputs such as generated images and multilingual text-to-speech audio. It also integrates with external tools like Google Search and code execution environments.

This model is currently available to developers in an experimental phase through the Gemini API in Google AI Studio and Vertex AI, with broader availability planned for January.

Beyond the core model improvements, the announcement highlights the development of AI agents. These agents represent a new approach to interacting with technology, focusing on task completion and proactive assistance. Several research prototypes demonstrate this concept, such as:

• Project Astra: This project explores the concept of a universal AI assistant capable of understanding multiple languages, utilizing tools like Google Search and Maps, and maintaining context over longer conversations. It has seen improvements in dialogue, tool use, memory, and latency.

• Project Mariner: This prototype focuses on browser-based agent interaction. It aims to understand and interact with web content, including text, images, and code.

• Jules: This is an AI-powered code agent designed to assist developers within a GitHub workflow. It can analyze issues, develop plans, and execute code under developer supervision.

• Gaming Agents: These agents are designed to interact with video games, offering real-time suggestions and utilizing Google Search for game-related information.

•  There’s also exploration of Gemini 2.0’s spatial reasoning for robotics applications.

A strong emphasis is placed on responsible AI development. The development team is actively addressing safety and security concerns through various measures, including internal reviews, red teaming, safety training, and collaboration with external experts. Specific examples include mitigations against unintentional data sharing in Project Astra and protection against prompt injection in Project Mariner.

The release of Gemini 2.0 Flash and the associated agent prototypes marks an important advancement in AI. The focus on performance, multimodality, and agent-based interaction, combined with a commitment to responsible development, positions Gemini as a key player in the ongoing AI evolution.

Tinubu Appoints Nwakuche As Acting CG of NCoS, as Nababa Bows Out

Haliru Nababa

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr. Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, MFR as the acting Controller General (CG) of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS). 

This followed the expiration of the tenure of the outgoing CG, Mr. Haliru Nababa. 

The appointment was announced in a statement issued by the Secretary to the Civil Defence, Immigration, Fire Service and Correctional Service Board, (CDCFIB), Mr. Ja’afaru Ahmed, on Friday, December 13, 2024. He noted that the appointment takes effect from Sunday, December 15.

Mr. Ahmed disclosed that Mr. Nwakuche’s appointment was a testament to his wealth of experience and dedication to the Service. 

He stated that Chief Tinubu charged the new NCoS boss to bring his wealth of experience to bear in his new capacity and ensure the continued transformation of the service.

Mr. Nwakuche, who hails from Oguta LGA in Imo State and was born on November 26, 1966, until his appointment, was the Deputy Controller General of NCoS in charge of Training and Staff Development Directorate, where he played a crucial role in shaping the training and development policies of the service. 

He is a Fellow of the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), as well as a well-decorated and notable officer, who holds the national honour of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR).

Kemi Badenoch Slams Shettima Over Call To Drop Nigerian Name

Kemi Badenoch, the United Kingdom (UK)-born Conservative Party leader, has replied Vice-President, Kashim Shettima over call to drop her Nigerian name. 

It could be recalled that during her recent visit to the United States, Badenoch had described Nigeria as “a place where almost everything seemed broken.” She added that there were instability and corruption in Nigeria.

In a swift reaction during his Speech on Migration in Abuja, the Nigeria’s capital city, Shettima described her comment as disrespectful. He said Badenoch might “remove the Kemi from her name if she did not feel pride in her “nation of origin.” 

He therefore Compared Badenoch with the UK’s first prime minister, of Indian descent, Mr. Rishi Sunak. He enthused that Sunak never denigrated his nation of ancestry. 

In a reply to the Vice-President, a spokesperson for Badenoch said that she “stands by what she says” and emphasized that “she is not Nigeria’s public relations representative.” 

“She leads the opposition and takes great pride in her role in this country; she speaks the truth, and she presents things as they are and will not soften her words,” he told reporters.

BREAKING: Dangote Refinery Exports Petrol to Cameroon

The Dangote refinery and Neptune Oil have jointly announced the first-ever export of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, from the refinery in Lagos State, Nigeria to Cameroon.

The Management of the Dangote refinery made this known in a statement on Wednesday, December 11, 2024.

The refinery stated that the milestone, resulting from a strategic collaboration between the two companies, underscored their commitment to strengthening economic ties between Nigeria and Cameroon while meeting the region’s growing energy demands.

Speaking on the development, the President and CEO of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said: “This first export of PMS to Cameroon is a tangible demonstration of our vision for a united and energy-independent Africa.

“With this development, we are laying the foundation for a future where African resources are refined and exchanged within the continent for the benefit of our people.”

The Director and Owner of Neptune Oil, Antoine Ndzengue, stated: “This partnership with Dangote Refinery marks a turning point for Cameroon.

“By becoming the first importer of petroleum products from this world-class refinery, we are bolstering our country’s energy security and supporting local economic development. This initial supply, executed without international intermediaries, reflects our commitment to serving our markets independently and efficiently.”

The statement added that the collaboration between Dangote Refinery and Neptune Oil would not end with this first export.

“Both companies are exploring new initiatives to establish a reliable supply chain that will help stabilise fuel prices and create new economic opportunities across the region,” it noted.

BREAKING: National Grid Collapses For 12th Time in 2024

The National Grid has once again collapsed on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, leading to a total blackout across the country.

The system collapse, which is the 12th time in 2024, occurred at about 1:30 p.m. on the said date.

The Nigeria National Grid confirmed the grid collapse via a post on its X account.

“Major grid setback has occurred! Restoration to commence,” it stated.

The system collapse was also confirmed by Ikeja Electric.

A statement issued by the electricity distribution company read: “Dear esteemed customer, please be informed that we experienced a system outage today 11 December, 2024 at 01:32 p.m. affecting supply within our network.

“Restoration of supply is ongoing in collaboration with our critical stakeholders. Kindly bear with us."

Edo State Governor presents 2025 Appropriation Bill, raising uproar in the State’s Assembly.