General News
GEJ, Deputy to Spend N4Bn on Food, Travels in 2015
President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo will spend over N4billion on food and travels in 2015, according to the details of the budget proposal submitted to the National Assembly by Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, finance minister.
The presidency has a total budgetary allocation of N26.6 billion (N12.9 billion for personnel, N11. 1 billion for overhead and N2.5 billion capital development fund) next year, subject to upward or downward review by the lawmakers.
Specifically, President Jonathan will spend N1.9 billion on travels and transport, while others under the President’s office will spend N1.3 billion on local travels and transport, and another N621,067,913 on international travels and transport.
Vice President Namadi Sambo will spend a total on N42.4million on travels and transport, while others under his office will gulp N19.6 million for local travels and transport and N10.7 million for international travel and transport. Local travel and transport (training) will also gulp another N12 million.
President Jonathan will also spend N517.8 million on miscellaneous, N456 million on honorarium and sitting allowance and N60.8 million on publicity and advertisements; while Sambo will spend N117 million on miscellaneous, N15 million on honorarium and sitting allowance, as well as N35 million on publicity and advertisements.
Both the president and his deputy have been allocated a combined sum of N1.2 billion to be spent on food stuffs and kitchen items.
Another sum of N310 million will go for purchase of drugs and other medical and laboratory equipment.
Other expenses include the sum of N13.5 million on the feeding of wild life at the State House zoo.
The presidential air fleet has a total budget allocation of N5.3 billion with only N36.1 million as salaries while the remaining sums will be spent on overheads and capital expenditure.
The office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) was allocated the sum of N84.1 billion out of which N20 billion is for capital expenditure, N64.1 billion for recurrent. Of the N64.1 billion only a party sum of N268.4 million is for salaries.
According to the NSA’s budget details, N1.3 billion is to be spent on security services, N15 million on fueling of generators, N20.8 million on food, and N11.1 million on local travel.
The Federal Government had, due to dwindling prices of oil, proposed a budget of N4.3trillion. Capital expenditure was cut to N633.53 billion as against N1.552 trillion in 2014, but recurrent expenditure was raised to N2.616 trillion as against N2.468 trillion in 2014.
Already, the crude oil bench mark price has been reviewed thrice and is now pegged at $65 per barrel, which is still above the $60 price of oil in the international market.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has detained Tunde Ayeni, former chairman of defunct Skye Bank Plc, for alleged fraud involving N36.5 billion and $30 million.
Tunde Ayeni, former chairman of defunct Skye Bank Plc,
This follows the probe of alleged diversion of N36.5 billion and $30 million secured as loans from Polaris Bank Plc through companies linked to Ayeni.
He was arrested by EFCC operatives in Abuja on April 23, 2026, and is still been held in custody as at the time of filling the report.
Dele Oyewale, spokesperson, EFCC, confirmed the arrest on Friday but declined to provide further details.
Ayeni is under investigation for diverting funds obtained for marine security, electricity distribution, and real estate projects into other unknown projects.
Investigators allege the loans were instead channelled into telecom investments tied to NITEL/MTEL assets via a NATCOM account.
About 12 firms believed to be connected to Ayeni are also under investigation for their role in securing the loans.
The EFCC is expected to file charges once the investigation is concluded.
Summit Household Solutions Limited has opened its ultra-modern manufacturing facility in Ota, Ogun State, as part of its efforts to scale production of home and personal care products in Nigeria.
The plant, which started operations in April 2025, produces items such as dishwashing liquids, handwash, sanitisers and multipurpose liquid soaps, with an annual capacity estimated at 7,000 tonnes.
Commissioning the facility on behalf of Governor Dapo Abiodun, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Investment, Mr Kehinde Akintomide, said the investment reflects growing confidence in Ogun State’s business environment.
He noted that the state hosts over 6,000 manufacturing firms and described the development as consistent with ongoing efforts to promote industrialisation, attract investment and reduce reliance on imports under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope initiative.
Akintomide disclosed that the factory has already employed more than 50 Nigerians, with projections to exceed 250 jobs as operations expand.
In his remarks, the General Manager of the company, Mr Sadiq Ali, said the facility represents a major step in Summit’s growth plans, adding that its flagship brand, 2Sure, currently leads production at the plant.
He also revealed that the company is preparing to introduce new home and personal care products later this year.
Summit Household Solutions manufactures the 2Sure brand and has expanded into the personal care segment with Lewar, a premium beauty soap line positioned for quality and affordability.
Among dignitaries present were the Onikotun of Otun, Ota, Oba Abdulakeem Odunaro, representing the Olota of Ota, Prof. Adeyemi Abdulkabir Obalanlege; the Agba Akin of Ota, Chief Dada Olusola; Director of Investment, Ms Yemisi Folarin; Director of Industrial Promotion, Mr Femi Adeboye; former Managing Director of 7Up Bottling Company, Mr Ziad Maalouf; and the Chief Executive Officer of OmniRetail, Mr Deepanker Rustagi.
Speaking at the event, Maalouf, who conceived the 2Sure brand during his time at 7Up Bottling Company, expressed satisfaction with its growth and commended Summit Solutions Limited for advancing the brand.
The special guests were conducted around the facility, and the programme was concluded with a luncheon.
The administration of Donald Trump has frozen $344 million in cryptocurrency allegedly linked to Iran, marking a sharp escalation in financial pressure on Tehran.
The move comes amid stalled diplomatic efforts and a fragile ceasefire in the region.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that authorities are sanctioning multiple crypto wallets tied to Iran. “We will follow the money that Tehran is desperately attempting to move outside of the country and target all financial lifelines tied to the regime,” he said.
Tether, which facilitated the transactions, said it worked with U.S. authorities to freeze the funds across two wallet addresses after receiving intelligence linked to unlawful activity.
A U.S. official said blockchain analysis revealed “material links” to the Iranian regime, including transactions routed through intermediary addresses connected to wallets associated with the Central Bank of Iran.
Responding to the development, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said the company does not tolerate illicit use of its stablecoin. “USD₮ is not a safe haven for illegal activity. When there is credible linkage to sanctioned entities or criminal networks, we act immediately,” he stated.
The crackdown underscores the growing reliance of sanctioned states on digital assets to bypass traditional banking restrictions. Data from Chainalysis shows Iran’s cryptocurrency holdings reached $7.8 billion in 2025, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly controlling about half.
Analysts say while the freeze is significant, Iran has historically adapted to sanctions. Daniel Tannebaum of the Atlantic Council noted that targeting third-party actors enabling such transactions may be key to increasing pressure.
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