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Five Nigerians among Spotify’s 2023 most streamed artiste in Sub-Saharan Africa

Itoro ETUKUDO
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Five Nigerians among Spotify’s 2023 most streamed artiste in Sub-Saharan Africa

FIVE Nigerians ranked high in Spotify’s most streamed artiste in Sub-Saharan Africa for the streaming platform’s ‘wrapped’ edition in 2023.

Spotify wrapped is a yearly compilation of listeners’ top music picks on the streaming platform.

On Thursday, November 30, Spotify released the list of most streamed artistes in Sub-Saharan Africa, with Burna Boy leading the Nigerian contingent.

The Grammy-award-winning singer ranked second behind Canadian rapper and global Hip Hop star Drake. He is clinching this feat for the second time in a row.

In 2022, he secured the title of the most globally streamed artiste in the region following the success of his hit single, ‘Last Last’ and the ‘Love Damini’ album.

Following Burna Boy on the list is Asake with his album ‘Work of Art’ which became a global hit. Asake clinched the top position of the most streamed artistes in Nigeria while his songs ‘Lonely At The Top’, ‘2:30’, and ‘Amapiano’ dominated the list of the most streamed tracks for the year.

Also making it to the list is Davido for his ‘Timeless’ album. Omah Lay and Rema are Nigerian artists who finished in 5th and 7th place, respectively, on the top 10 list.

Top 10 most streamed artists on Spotify in sub-Saharan Africa in 2023.

Drake

Burna Boy

Asake

Davido

Omah Lay

The Weeknd

Rema

Chris Brown

Travis Scott

21 Savage

Nigerians to get passport three weeks after capturing – NIS boss

Bankole ABE
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Nigerians to get passport three weeks after capturing – NIS boss

THE Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said applicants for international passports would get it three weeks after being captured.

The NIS assured that barring unanticipated technical problems, Nigerians would receive their passports three weeks after the application.

This was disclosed by the newly confirmed Comptroller General of the NIS, Caroline Wuraola Adepoju, on Friday, December 1, during an interview with reporters at the Igbogbo Passport Front Office’s opening in the Ikorodu, Lagos State.

“I can tell you, barring all technical problems, you should be able to completely apply for your passport and within three weeks, you should be able to get it.

“So, if there are no issues, within three weeks, you must get your passport, from application to the production of the passport,” Adepoju stated.

According to her, since national identity numbers are connected to passports, all applicants must register using the same information as the National Identity Management Commission.

She noted that applicants for passports must provide information similar to that found on their national identity numbers.

Adepoju stated that her first task following her appointment as the NIS’s substantive comptroller general earlier on Friday was the opening of the Igbogbo office.

She advised Nigerians whose passports were about to expire to apply for renewal six months in advance.

She urged them to always apply early for passport renewals, as several nations refused visas to applicants whose passports had less than six months left on them.

Adepoju informed the community’s leaders and citizens that Deputy Comptroller Muyiwa Odunubi, the passport control officer, and his team will provide exceptional service while thanking them for their help in making the passport office’s location a success.

She pleaded for more assistance so things could run smoothly in the office.

Speaking earlier, Ibrahim Layode, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, on behalf of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, praised the Federal Government’s dedication to delivering top-notch services that meet international standards and the passport office’s location in Igbogbo.

He claims that 200 applications can be accommodated at the Igbogbo passport office.

Adepoju was confirmed as substantive comptroller general of immigration on Wednesday, November 29.

President Bola Tinubu confirmed the appointment of Adepoju as the substantive Comptroller General (CG) of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on Wednesday, November 29.

Adepoju disclosed while addressing men and officers of the service at a routine parade on Wednesday.

Following the expiration of Isah Jere’s term as CG on May 29, 2023, Adepoju, the most senior deputy comptroller-general (DCG), was named acting CG to oversee the NIS.

Before now, Nigerians used to wait longer for their passports after application.

But in October 2023, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, informed Nigerians that the era of waiting for months to get their passports was over.

The ICIR has earlier reported how difficult passport application and access have been, with officials neck-deep in passport racketeering.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Super Eagles draws against Lesotho, Zimbabwe reduced Nigeria’s FIFA ranking

Dotun OMISAKIN
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How Super Eagles draws against Lesotho, Zimbabwe reduced Nigeria’s FIFA ranking

THE Federation International Football Association’s (FIFA) recent ranking of countries’ men’s football teams for the month of November showed that Nigeria’s Super Eagles dropped from the 40th to the 42nd position they held since September. 

Data shows that the drop is connected to their November performance.

The ICIR had reported that Super Eagles struggled to force a draw against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, which ended 1-1, during the African continent qualifying series for the 2024 World Cup.

The Super Eagles drawn matches affected the drop in the Super Eagles ranking, resulting in a minus (-)16.4 after subtraction from the 1490.49 previous cumulative points they garnered in the month of October, now leaving them with 1474.44 points. 

In April, the Super Eagles ranked 40th but improved in June to 39th position, which they maintained in July; by September, they were back to 40th. 

Conversely, both Lesotho and Zimbabwe moved up in the recent FIFA ranking in November; the former earned 13.09 to move from 153th to 148th with a cumulative points of 1047.29 while the latter leapfrogged from 125th to 124th with a cumulative points of 1144 with a positive 6.00.

More poor performance may push the country’s senior men’s national team down in FIFA ranking which was introduced in 1992.

How FIFA ranks countries 

The world governing football body uses The Elo calculation method, which adds and subtracts points for individual matches to and from a team’s existing point total.

The formula for the Elo method is P = Pbefore + I * (W – We).

How Elo method works

Countries’ points which are added or subtracted are determined by the relative strength of the two opponents, including the logical expectation that teams higher in the ranking should fare better against teams lower in the ranking.

The formula for the SUM algorithm is as follows:

P = Pbefore + I * (W – We)

What Each letter represents

Pbefore: Points before the match

I: importance of match

I= 05 Friendly matches played outside of International Match Calendar windows

I= 10 Friendly matches played during International Match Calendar windows

I= 15 Group phase matches of Nations League competitions

I= 25 Play-off and final matches of Nations League competitions

I= 25 Qualification matches for Confederations final competitions and for FIFA World Cup final 

competitions

I= 35 Confederation final competition matches up until the QF stage 

I= 40 Confederation final competition matches from the QF stage onwards; all FIFA Confede-

rations Cup matches

I= 50 FIFA World Cup final competition matches up until QF stage 

I= 60 FIFA World Cup final competition matches from QF stage onwards.

W: result of the match

1 = win; 0.5 = draw; 0 = defeat

We: expected result of the match 

We = 1 / (10(-dr/600) + 1)

With dr=difference in ratings of the two playing teams, i.e. dr = [Pbefore of Team A – Pbefore of Team B

Example: Team A has 1300 points before the match and wins a continental qualifier against team B that has 1500 points.

For team A the formula is: P=1300+25*(1–(1/(10 exp (-(1300–1500)/600) +1)))

For team B the formula is: P = 1500 + 25 * (0- (1 / (10 exp (-(1500-1300)/600) + 1)))

Thus, team A wins 17 points and has P = 1317 points after the match. Team B loses the same amount of points and thus ends up with 1483 points after the match.

10-Man Germany lift first U-17 World Cup

Dotun OMISAKIN
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10-Man Germany lift first U-17 World Cup

GERMANY’S U-17 men national team on Saturday won their first U-17 world cup after defeating France in a penalty shootout, 4-3 played at the Manahan Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The age-group keenly contested final lived up to expectation as it ended in a 2-2 draw at the end of the regulation time, before progressing to penalty shootout to determine the winner.

Germany took the lead through their youngster Paris Brunner who converted a penalty kick in the twenty-nine munites.

After series of football artistries, Germany’s captain, Noah Darvich who recently moved to Barcelona from Freiburg doubled the lead six minutes into the resumption of the second half.

Two minutes later, Germany’s joy of leading with 2 goals margin was short-lived as France’s Saïmon Bouabré reduced the deficit to give hope to his country.

Germany were reduced to 10 men in the 69 minutes after the centre refree gave Winner Osawe a straight red-card.

Five munites to the end of the regulation time, France’s persistence to score a goal came to bear after Mathis Amougou took advantage of the numerical disvantage of his opponents to restore the score level which lead the match to penalty shootout.

Despite France’ emphatic comeback, Germany prevailed 4-3 on penalties.

Africa representative-Mali, the runner up of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2015, defeated Argentina 3-0 to finish third in this year’s edition at the Manahan in Indonesia on Friday.

Appeal Court affirms Alex Otti as Abia Governor

Bankole ABE
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Appeal Court affirms Alex Otti as Abia Governor

THE Court of Appeal in Lagos, has affirmed the election of Alex Otti of the Labour Party (LP), as the duly elected governor of Abia state.

The court dismissed appeals from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their governorship candidates against Otti.

On Saturday, December 2, the three-member Appeal Court panel unanimously upheld Otti’s election victory, stating that it complied with the Election Act’s requirements.

The appellate court, determined that, the appellants’ petitions lacked merit because they were similar to “a comedy skit brought to a democratic setting”.

According to the court, questions about political party membership are pre-election matters under the political party’s purview.

It went on to say that Otti was eligible to run because he had joined the Labour Party, won the party’s primary, and his name registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Regarding the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) concerns raised by  the PDP and its candidate, the appeal court found that the appellants had not proven their case or connected their supporting documentation to the relevant portions.

The ICIR reported that INEC declared Otti of LP as the winner of the governorship election in Abia State.

Otti, emerged victorious in the March 18 guber polls, after beating his major rival, Okey Ahiwe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The LP candidate secured 175,467 votes, while Ahiwe got 88,529.

Enyinnaya Nwafor of the Young Peoples Party (YPP) scored 28,972 votes to finish third.

The Returning Officer for INEC in Abia State, Nnenna Nnannaya-Oti, declared Otti the winner after resuming the final collation of governorship election results in Umuahia, the state capital, on Wednesday, March 22.

INEC had suspended the exercise for over 48 hours following reports that thugs invaded the Commission’s office in Obingwa Local Government Area on Sunday, March 19.

INEC officials were reportedly held hostage by the thugs, who wanted to influence the collation of results from the LGA.

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Senate asks FG not to fund LGAs run by caretaker committees

Mustapha USMAN
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Senate asks FG not to fund LGAs run by caretaker committees

THE Senate has asked the Federal Government to stop statutory allocations to the local government councils, whose chief executives and councillors are not democratically elected.

The Senate made the resolution on Friday, December 1, against the backdrop of a motion by the Senate Minority Leader Senator Abba Moro, on the ‘Urgent need to halt the erosion of democracy: The dissolution of elected Councils in Benue State’.

The lawmaker, who is representing Benue South Senatorial District, condemned the arbitrary dissolution of democratically elected local government councils in his state.

Moro, in his motion, noted that placing caretaker committees to replace elected councils was an aberration and alien to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

According to him, section (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) guarantees a system of local government by democratically elected councils.

He emphasised that each state’s constitutional duty was to uphold the presence of local government councils as mandated by law, acknowledging the existence of court rulings that restrained the Benue governor, the House of Assembly, and their representatives from interfering with the tenure of the elected councils.

He said: “The Senate is aware that neither the governor nor the Government of Benue State have appealed the judgments and it is against the grain of the rule of law.” 

In his submission, Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Senatorial district, while seconding the motion, lamented that the issue has continued to undermine the local government system in Nigeria.

Reacting to the motion, other lawmakers broadened the scope of the motion by expanding the sanctions to encompass other states in the country that had installed unelected council executives.

The legislators contended that replacing elected councils with Caretaker Committees is irregular, undemocratic, and violates the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The senate urged the governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, to defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, by reviewing the constitution of caretaker committees and reinstate the elected councils.

During his remarks, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) cited a Supreme Court ruling stating that state governors lack the authority to dissolve elected local government officials.

He stated that about 16 state governors are currently running their LGAs with caretaker committees.

In his contribution, the Chief Whip of the Senate,  Senator Ali Ndume, also supported the motion, condemning the use of caretaker as administrators of local government councils.

Ndume, urged the Senate to ask the Minister of Finance not to release funds to local government areas run by caretaker committees.

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Also, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari (Oyo North) added that the Electoral Act should be amended to empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct local government elections.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who chaired the plenary, modified Buhari’s proposal, proposing the establishment of the National Electoral Commission for local governments to reduce the governors’ overlapping influence on council elections.

Akpabio, thereafter, put the motion to vote and the lawmakers voted in its support.

Akpabio directed the clerk of the senate to communicate the resolution to the appropriate authorities.

Dangote refinery’s December production date shaky as marketers rely on NNPCL

Harrison EDEH
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Dangote refinery’s December production date shaky as marketers rely on NNPCL

MAJOR marketers still rely on the partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to meet their fuel importation demands as Nigeria’s currency problems linger and affect licenced importers.

The naira conundrum may significantly affect the much-expected 650,000 barrels-a-day Dangote refinery, hoping to commence operations this December.

“Dangote refinery coming on stream may not be feasible for now. There are lots of issues, and they are complicated ones,” an oil sector governance expert, Henry Ademola Adigun, told The ICIR.

Adigun noted that the refinery was affected by financing, with Nigeria’s currency problem playing a major role.

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has had his assets, just like many Nigerians, affected up to 40 per cent by the naira devaluation by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Dangote had repeatedly shifted the dates for the commencement of his refinery’s operation, which raises further concerns about Nigeria spending scarce foreign exchange on fuel importation.

In a recent report by the Financial Times of London, Dangote was quoted to have said, “Provided Dangote group can secure sufficient crude oil and the long-delayed plant works as it is supposed, the refinery could start churning out diesel, kerosene and jet fuel as soon as next month. We’re starting with 350,000 barrels a day.”

He added that a deal had already been sealed for the “first cargo of about six million barrels” for delivery in December.

Dangote believes the refinery could reach its capacity of 650,000 barrels a day by the end of 2024.

He said there were times when he thought the massive project might jeopardise his business empire.

As several major marketers struggle to rely more on the NNPCL for their fuel importation, the yuletide season could witness a resurgence of longer queues as other marketers struggle to find foreign exchange for their imports.

“I can’t believe completely what I read in papers for now unless I’m told to come and pick up fuel from Dangote as major marketer. That is when I’ll believe on the December set date,” a major oil marketer and former chairman of the Major Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) Adetunji Oyebanji told The ICIR.

Commenting on queues in Abuja, he said Nigerians chose to buy more from the national oil company since it maintains its price peg of N617.

“As for queues in Abuja, what is happening is that private, non-governmental owned oil marketing companies are trying to move closer to a more market reflective price of the market fundamentals.

” Some of them who get supply from NNPCL also had to put their mark-up price to still be in business,” he added..

FG mulls increase of workers’ pension next year

Bankole ABE
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FG mulls increase of workers’ pension next year

THE Federal Government has disclosed of plans to increase stipends given to pensioners from next year.

The plan was based on the report by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission’s (NSIWC) on pension harmonisation, submitted to the Federal Government.

The report noted that the Federal Government pensioners under the new pension plan and those under the old program would would be captured in the payment increase.

Nigeria Union of Pensioners’ executive committee Chairman, Samuel Adewale,confirmed this development during an official visit to the Chairman of NSIWC, Ekpo Nta, in Abuja on Friday, December 1.

Head of the commission’s Press department, Emmanuel Njoku, stated that Ekpo interacted with and provided answers on some questions asked by the pensioners during the official visit.

Adewale, during the visit, assured the  pensioners that the commission was checking up on the report it had sent to the federal government about retiree pensions.

In his earlier remarks, Ekpo told the pensioners that the commission had forwarded its report on harmonising pensions for consideration to the government  in May 2023, after evaluating inputs from relevant stakeholders, including pension unions and the availability of funds.

He added that the commission regularly followed up on this, since it would have a bearing in considering pension increases in 2024.

The  commission, stated that among the delegates was Gabriel Oladele, the Chairman of the Committee on Pension NUP-ASU/Parastatals, who requested the NWISC to become involved in the incorrect calculation of their consequential adjustments and the irrational reductions from their pensions after decades of receiving the same.

Nta, responded that the union’s officially presented materials would be the basis for the commission’s investigation into the two problems.

He also informed his guests that the FG and other significant stakeholders were typically consulted extensively before the commission released its circulars.

In March 2023, The ICIR reported that retirees in Abia state battled poverty over non-payment of their pension and gratuity.

The retirees interviewed complained of penury and squalor after giving their best years in service to the people and the state government.

CatchLight seeks entries from visual storytellers

Joshua Ovorumu
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CatchLight seeks entries from visual storytellers

CatchLight, in collaboration with MPB.com, is hosting the CatchLight Global Fellowship.

Innovative leaders can grow and utilise partnerships, gain financial support, and uncover their potential through this program, which acts as an incubator.

CatchLight welcomes candidates who consider the long-term effects of contemporary social challenges and view the 12-month fellowship as a chance to lead the field in novel and creative ways.

The yearly CatchLight Visual Storytelling Summit, to be held in San Francisco, California, in the spring of 2024, will be attended by fellows.

Worldwide, visual storytellers are invited to apply for a fellowship with a US$30,000 prize.

Proposals that showcase exceptional work in the visual arts and creative engagement concepts are required from applicants. Moreover, candidates must send in 10–20 pictures.

The deadline is December 9, 2023. Interested fellows can apply here.

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