Breaking News
FG Begins Sale Of 50KG Rice To Nigerians At ₦40,000
Kyari said buyers would be verified using their National Identification Number (NIN) and phone numbers to ensure each Nigerian does not get more than one bag and ensure the transparency, wider reach, and success of the exercise.
The federal government has launched the sale of rice to Nigerians at the subsidized rate of ₦40,000 per 50kg, JomogNews reports.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, officially launched the sale and distribution of subsidized rice in Abuja on Thursday.
According to him, the development is timely and is part of the efforts of President Bola Tinubu to ensure Nigerians do not go to bed hungry.
The government made available 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice to be sold at a subsidized rate to Nigerians.
According to the Minister, “This food intervention can be said to be timely considering the times and challenges we are in as citizens of this great nation.
“It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this historical, all-important and long-awaited inauguration of the sales of 30,000MT of Federal Government milled rice to Nigerians at a subsidised rate of N40,000 per 50 kilogramme.
“This kind gesture was made possible at the expense and directives of President Bola Tinubu, who does not want Nigerians citizens to go to bed hungry; and in his wisdom deemed, it important to initiate this food intervention.”
Kyari said buyers would be verified using their National Identification Number (NIN) and phone numbers to ensure each Nigerian does not get more than one bag and ensure the transparency, wider reach, and success of the exercise.
According to him, the injection of the 30,000MT of rice into the market is expected to crash the price of the foodstuff.
He said that intending beneficiaries would be “Verified using relevant identification mediums such as the NIN and phone numbers to forestall multiple accesses to the commodity by fraudulent individuals at the detriment of other citizens.”
“In view of the above, I urge our dear citizens to cooperate with the relevant agencies of government who will try to serve you to achieve this great initiative of government.
“It is expected that with the injection of 30,000MT (1000 trucks of 30MT each of this important staple into Nigeria’s food balance sheet, it will not only crash the price of rice but also other closer food substitutes and alternatives.”
How To Buy
The Director of Strategic Grains Reserve, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Haruna Sule, said civil servants could access the grains from the point of sale with their Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
Buyers would pay electronically to the government at the point of sale and be issued a treasury receipt with a unique code number to show he/she has paid to the government.
The buyer’s receipt shows point of collection and time of collection; this is to eliminate any form of stampede.
“Once you have any of these three, you present it to the sales operators and it is logged on the platform that has been created.
“After this, you proceed to pay electronically with your ATM; once the payment is done, it is linked to the initial sales operator and it shows that you have paid; then a receipt will be issued with a code number,” Sule explained.
He noted that the point of collection is different from the point of sales, adding that “When you get to the collection point, you present your code to our officials and you will be given a bag of rice.”
In Abuja, he said the plan is to set up about five to six sales points across the FCT and the duration of the distribution will be for the period they are able to finish sales.
Breaking News
Tinubu Appoints New Ministers, Sacks Edun, Dangiwa In Minor Shake-Up
President Bola Tinubu has approved a minor reshuffle of the Federal Executive Council, removing the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa.
This was disclosed in a statement on Tuesday by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yomi Odunuga, citing a memo signed by SGF George Akume.
According to the memo, Taiwo Oyedele has been appointed as the new Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.
Also appointed is Dr. Muttaqha Darma as Minister-designate for Housing and Urban Development.
The memo directed the outgoing ministers to complete handover processes to their respective successors or supervising officials.
It stated that all handing over and taking over activities must be concluded on or before the close of business on Thursday, 23rd April, 2026.
Explaining the decision, Akume said the changes were aimed at improving coordination and strengthening delivery across key sectors of the economy under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“These changes are aimed at strengthening cohesion, synergy in governance as well as achieving more impactful delivery on the economy to Nigerians, through the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Akume stated.
He added that President Tinubu acted in line with his constitutional powers as provided under Sections 147 and 148 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The SGF also conveyed the President’s appreciation to the outgoing ministers for their service to the nation and wished them well in their future endeavours, noting that the process of cabinet reinvigoration would remain continuous.
The statement further noted that Taiwo Oyedele was appointed as Minister of State for Finance in March 2026, while Edun was among the ministers appointed on August 16, 2023.
Breaking News
Tax Reform Expert Taiwo Oyedele Nominated As Minister Of State For Finance
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially nominated Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Dr. Taiwo Oyedele as the new Minister of State for Finance.
Oyedele replaces Dr. Doris Anite-Uzoka, who has been redeployed to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning as Minister of State, her third portfolio in the administration.
The President on Tuesday conveyed Oyedele’s nomination to the Senate for confirmation in a letter to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday.
Until Tinubu nominated him as a minister, Oyedele from Ikaram, Akoko, Ondo State, was the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, which overhauled Nigeria’s tax system.
The 50-year-old is an economist, accountant, and public policy expert who led the comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system through the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms.
The committee, inaugurated in August 2023, delivered four executive bills that consolidated over 60 taxes into fewer than 10 statutes and introduced significant reforms, including zero income tax for Nigerians earning N800,000 annually or less.
The Tax Reform Acts, which became effective on January 1, 2026, also exempted small businesses with turnover below N50m from company income tax, capital gains tax, and development levy.
Other provisions include a 50 per cent tax deduction for companies hiring new workers for three years, a 50 per cent deduction for wage increases to the lowest-paid employees, and a five-year corporate tax holiday for agricultural enterprises.
Oyedele attended Yaba College of Technology, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma in Accountancy and Finance, before proceeding to Oxford Brookes University for a BSc in Applied Accounting.
He also completed executive education programmes at the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and the Harvard Kennedy School.
Oyedele spent 22 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, joining in 2001 and rising to become the Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader before his appointment to head the tax reform committee.
He is currently a professor at Babcock University in Ogun State and a visiting scholar at the Lagos Business School.
As Minister of State for Finance, Oyedele is expected to oversee the implementation of the tax reforms he championed, particularly as the government seeks to improve revenue generation and deepen economic reforms.
Anite-Uzoka, who is being redeployed to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, previously served as Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment before her appointment as Minister of State for Finance.
The Senate is expected to screen and confirm Oyedele’s nomination in the coming weeks, following which he will be sworn in to assume his ministerial duties.
The Finance Ministry, currently led by Wale Edun as substantive minister, oversees fiscal policy, revenue mobilisation, debt management, and economic planning.
Breaking News
Gospel Artiste Taiwo Adegbodu Of Adegbodu Twins Passes On
Taiwo Adegbodu, one half of the popular Nigerian gospel duo Adegbodu Twins, has passed away.
The tragic news was officially confirmed by his twin brother and musical partner, Kehinde Adegbodu, through a heartfelt post on the duo’s official Facebook handle.
In a heartfelt post, Kehinde conveyed his profound grief over the loss of both his brother and ministry partner.
He wrote: “TAIWO, why will you leave me and your kids without notification?
My heart is bleeding, Lord how do you want me to cope without him?
God why? This is too much for me to bear!!!”
Taiwo and Kehinde Adegbodu were renowned in gospel circles for their spirited worship sessions, twin-stage performances, and dynamic ministrations, which resonated with churches and Christian gatherings across Nigeria.
Their music and live performances earned them a devoted following, particularly in the South-West region.
As of the time of this report, the cause of Taiwo Adegbodu’s death and details of his funeral arrangements have not been disclosed.
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